Chest and back protection will be mandatory for Hodaka Days MX participants this year.

As insurance claims and costs continue to go up, two things are almost certain.  The first is many underwriters will fail or merge, and the second is those remaining will try to reduce their losses.

And that’s exactly what we’ve seen.  Fewer companies are willing to provide insurance coverage for motorsport events, particularly motorcycles, and there are more requirements for the policy holder to meet.

As much as we’d like to run our event just like we remember when many of us were (much) younger, it’s not realistic.  More structure, planning, reporting, documentation and rules are required to be issued a policy.  And, although there are minor differences in these requirements between insurance providers, most of them are common to the few remaining underwriters in the motorsport world.

Many of these requirements can and will be handled by the club board and Hodaka Days volunteers.  HOWEVER, meeting the requirements for personal safety equipment is the responsibility of the individual and will be enforced by the event officials.

Just a few years ago, a full-face helmet with safety shield or shatterproof goggles became a requirement for MX.  And now, new for 2026, is a requirement for chest and back protectors for MX riders.  It’s become the standard for most insurance policies this year.  The AMA as well as our insurance carrier have made it a point to be sure we are aware of the new requirement.  These chest and back protectors can be purchased online for as little as $60.  Or, if you start checking now, you may find one for even less on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, or you may be able to arrange to borrow one for Hodaka Days.  And if you have an extra, maybe you can bring it to loan to someone.

Yeah… a few more “Rules”, and maybe a little less fun.  But it’s what we have to do if we want to race this year and going forward.  And we do want to race, right?

So, if you are interested in racing (or even just riding practice laps) at the Hodaka Days MX, please familiarize yourself with the requirements below taken directly from the 2026 AMA rulebook.  We’re sorry, but we cannot make exceptions to any of the “mandatory” requirements and if you do not have the required safety equipment we cannot allow you on the track.

Please pass this information on to anyone you know that will be attending Hodaka Days and may not be a club member.

The Hodaka Club

From 2026 the AMA Rulebook

F.    Competition Apparel

1.   Protective pants made of leather or other durable material and long sleeve jerseys must be worn. 

2.   When a riding jersey or other apparel is used for rider identification, it is recommended that an 8-inch-high number be on the back, and the number be of contrasting colors. If an external back support is used, the number should be placed on the back of the protector.

3.   Boots must be worn in all meets. They must be at least 8- inches high with any combination of laces, buckles or zippers, or be specially designed and constructed for leg and foot protection.

4.   It is mandatory that chest and back protection be worn by all competitors. The protector may be worn under or over the jersey, and it should cover the sternum anterior ribs, posterior ribs, and spine from T1 to T12.

5.   It is recommended that riders use the available protective equipment (i.e. gloves, chest protector, neck brace and knee braces) to help protect against the possibility of injury.

6.   All riders must utilize a shatterproof face shield or shatterproof goggles.

7.   Wearing of Helmets: It is mandatory for all participants taking part in practice and competition to wear a full face protective helmet.

a. All helmets must be intact, and no modification may be made to their construction that alters the helmet from the condition it was tested and approved. The helmet is made to provide protection and is not a platform to attach foreign objects. For example, cameras or other accessories are NOT permitted to be attached to the rider’s helmet.

b. The helmet must have a chinstrap-type ‘retention system.

c. The helmet must be of proper fit, in good condition, and properly fastened.

The helmet must conform to one of the following recognized standards and have a label affixed certifying its approval:

USA:
Snell M2020/M2025, M2020R/M2025R, M2020D/M2025D or DOT FMVSS 218

Europe:
ECE 22-05/22-06 ‘P’

Japan:
JIST8133: 2015

FIM
FRHPhe-01 or FRHPhe-02

 All helmets must be intact, and no alteration must have been made to their construction. The rider may perform the following checks before taking part in practice or the race: That the helmet fits well on the rider’s head, that it is not possible to slip the retention system over the chin when fully fastened and, that it is not possible to pull the helmet over the rider’s head by pulling it from the back of the helmet.

 It is recommended that all helmets used in competition be equipped with a commercially manufactured emergency helmet removal device and that all competitors display the following information on the base of the helmet: name, drug allergies and blood type. It is also advisable to carry this information on a small card and add any pertinent information such as epilepsy, diabetes, current medications and past medical problems.