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According to the American Gaming Association, Americans spent $7.9 billion on legal sports betting in 2018, plus an estimated $150 billion on black-market wagers. (It’s worth noting that the AGA’s enormous black-market numbers are contested. It could be much higher or much lower, depending on who you ask.)
For reference, the entire U.S. motorcycle industry was valued at $7.85 billion in 2016. Americans might be prolific gamblers, but we certainly aren’t the only ones. Sports betting is big money in Japan, where a fascinating style of motorcycle racing is very popular. It’s called Auto Race, and American voice actor Peter Von Gomm recently made a video of his experience at the track.
In a typical event, eight riders race specially prepared motorcycles on an asphalt oval track. Each race lasts for six laps, though this may vary. Most Auto Race bikes are 600-class parallel twins with two speeds and no brakes. Because the races are so short, gas tanks are tiny. The most distinctive feature of an Auto Race bike is the asymmetrical handlebar, which looks broken until you see a rider at full lean. These motorcycles are only upright at the start of the race. After that, they’re laid over to go left as fast as possible. Light, loud exhausts soundtrack the event. To promote tight racing, they use a reverse grid, in which the best riders start in the back. The rider with the greatest handicap gets the “1” plate and jersey.
Auto Race emerged in Japan after the second world war, and the sport eventually became so popular that it caught the interest of the Yakuza. Auto Race was very profitable, and races could be, uh, influenced to bring in even more cash. These motorcycle races were among the few legal ways to gamble in Japan for many years, along with horse racing, pachinko, and lotteries. In the late 1960s, the government finally stepped in to save Auto Race from corruption, which was driving away crowds and killing the industry. Their solution? Riders must stay in dormitories before their race, and they can’t have any contact with the outside world. This is intended to prevent the return of rigged races. The bikes are also kept in a secure location before the event. The rules for Auto Race are strict, with very little room for modification to the motorcycles. This places a huge emphasis on rider skill and tuning.
While it’s no secret that I gravitate towards Japanese bikes, these are especially wonderful to me for their sui generis style and cultural significance. I’d love to watch an Auto Race event in person one day, but for now, Von Gomm’s fine video will have to do.
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