Running one three-rider Open Pro motorcycle entry at six major desert races costs us $85,144 for the 2027 season. That is about $14,200 per race, or roughly $36 for every race mile. Almost half of it goes on the bikes before the season starts.
Most numbers you find online for desert racing are forum guesses from years ago. These are ours, for a real season: the Parker Dam 500, Mint 400, Baja 250, Silver State 300, Baja Nevada and Vegas to Reno.
The full 2027 budget
| Line | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bikes, prep and equipment | $38,243 | 44.9% |
| Travel, chase, lodging, food | $11,574 | 13.6% |
| Entries, memberships, timing | $11,022 | 12.9% |
| Bike parts | $9,780 | 11.5% |
| Contingency (10%) | $7,740 | 9.1% |
| Crash and failure reserve | $4,500 | 5.3% |
| Race fuel | $2,285 | 2.7% |
| Total program | $85,144 | 100% |
What does it cost per race?
Spread evenly, the season is $14,191 per race. Across about 2,350 race miles it is $36 per mile.
The even split hides how the money is actually spent. The largest line, bikes, prep and equipment, is paid before the first green flag. Once the bikes exist, the running cost of going to a race (entries, fuel, travel and parts) is $34,661 for the season, or about $5,800 per race.
Where does the money go?
Bikes, prep and equipment: $38,243
The biggest line by a wide margin. We race the Honda CRF450X.
Travel, chase, lodging and food: $11,574
A desert race is not one location. The bike moves hundreds of miles and the chase crew has to be at every pit before it arrives.
Entries, memberships and timing: $11,022
Entry fees for six races across three organizers (Best in the Desert, SCORE and Legacy Racing), plus the memberships and timing or tracking fees each one requires.
Bike parts: $9,780
Tires, mousses, chains, sprockets, filters, brake pads and everything else a 450 uses up at race pace in the desert.
Crash and failure reserve: $4,500
Money set aside for the things nobody plans: a crash, a failed engine, a destroyed wheel. If it is not needed it rolls forward.
Race fuel: $2,285
The smallest line in the budget.
Contingency: $7,740
Ten percent on top of everything else. Prices move, and races add costs you do not see until you are there.
Who pays for it?
The riders fund part of the season themselves. Partner money goes straight into racing: entries, fuel, parts and getting to the start line. Nobody on the team draws a salary.
If your company wants to be part of it, here is how to partner with Rogue 7 Racing.
Common questions
- How much does a season of pro desert racing cost on a motorcycle?
- Our 2027 budget for one three-rider Open Pro entry at six races is $85,144, which works out to about $14,200 per race or roughly $36 per race mile.
- What is the biggest cost in desert racing?
- Bikes, prep and equipment. In our budget that line is $38,243, about 45 percent of the season. Entry fees, memberships and timing are about 13 percent.
- How much are entry fees for a season of desert races?
- We budget $11,022 for entries, memberships and timing across the Parker Dam 500, Mint 400, Baja 250, Silver State 300, Baja Nevada and Vegas to Reno.
Part of our guide: How Much Does It Cost to Race Motocross for a Season?