Martin’s Bio:
Northern Ireland’s Martin Barr is one of the world’s top motocross riders having raced all around the globe in an illustrious career that so far has spanned 26 years, racing for world leading manufacturers Husqvarna, KTM, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha since turning pro after leaving school at 16.
Martin’s career began back in 1992 on a Yamaha PW50 and as Martin says: “With my Dad coming from road racing, two-wheel sport has always been in the family. I suppose it is in my genes and it was always going to be a natural progression for me to get on a bike and go racing…”
From that inconspicuous beginning young Martin had his first ever race at Desertmartin with his first win coming at Ballykelly on a 50 LEM. It was the beginning of what has become a memorable career.
As he worked his way through all of the schoolboys classes -50cc, 60cc and 80cc -he has come through the ranks with some of the best riders Northern Ireland has ever produced; racing alongside multi World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rea and MotoGP / World Superbike rider Eugene Laverty. The difference between the three is that Martin stuck firm with the off road racing while the others followed the tarmac career.
Four years after his racing debut, Martin’s Dad took his son to England for the British Schoolboy Championships and although it wasn’t an easy route it was one that he faced head on: “It wasn’t all plain sailing and it took me a few years to get in to it and find my feet.” He admits.
Persistence paid off as in 2001 he won the British 85cc Supercross Championship and that kicked everything off with his first sponsorship deal coming through Fox clothing, who were sponsoring the Dixon Yamaha team at the time.
Two years later he was signed to join the Dixon team and stayed there for the next seven years. Martin raced in the World MX Championship, British MX1 and MX2, crowning this period by winning the 2004 125cc British Youth Championship in the blue and white Dixon colours: “They took me into my pro career when I left school and that’s when I moved to England and learned to fend for myself. It was a good experience and I learned a lot. My results were up and down, and, yes, there were some things I would have changed and others I wouldn’t during those years but after all is said and done, I did learn a lot.”
He stayed with the Dixon Yamaha set up until 2008 before joining the English Relentless Suzuki team for a season. While still under the Dixon awning he raced at his home round of the Supercross series and showed his versatility as he brought the house down with a very popular victory!
The 2010 season saw Martin signing for the Par Honda team and go on to win the Red Bull Pro Nationals Championship before moving on to STR KTM for 2011 where he finished 3rd in the MX1 British Championship and 2nd in the MX1 Red Bull Pro Nationals Championship.
It wasn’t a good start to the 2012 season as he changed teams again, signing for the LPE Kawasaki team. Unfortunately it wasn’t a match made in heaven with the pair going their separate ways not long into the season. Thankfully Tyco Suzuki came to the rescue: “It transformed my season joining the Tyco Suzuki team and I began to get the results I knew I was capable of…” -recalls Martin.
In 2013 he made the bold move to run his own team with KTM machinery backed by various personal sponsors, continuing with the Austrian manufacturer through 2014 and 2015 before moving back under the Honda umbrella with the Buildbase Honda set up for 2016: “Again, I was leading the British MX2 Championship but I came up short in that through an injury although I did win both the Pirelli Masters and the MX Nationals that year”, says Martin.
He resigned with the team for 2017 where he finished a career best 2nd in the British Championship: “I’m still chasing that British Championship title!…”
2018 saw the popular Northern Irish rider sign a two-year deal with the Revo Husqvarna team to challenge for the British MX2 Championship along with the European Championship and selected MX Nationals: “I’m still working hard and still enjoying it and I will keep going as long as I can!”
2018 will also see Martin represent Ireland for the 14th consecutive time at the MXON, the most prestigious motocross meeting of the season, held this year in USA. It is another achievement Martin is very proud of, as he is 2nd in the all time records of consecutive appearances representing his country at the prestigious event.
And the story continues…… !
