Vintage Motorcycle Field Games

By Panhead Jim | Published June 14, 2026

Field games have been around for hundreds of years, probably dating back to the domestication of the horse. Just like riders of today, ancient equestrians competed to see who was the most skillful among them. This tradition continued with the invention of the motorcycle, but with a few twists, owing to that special creativity that is only found among bikers and also shows up in old rally games, contests, and vintage motorcycle stunts.

Three motorcycle riders carrying water-filled buckets through a field-game course as spectators watch — Three riders carry sloshing buckets through a motorcycle field-game course.

Many of those early field games are still played today, and I personally have participated in a number of the ones pictured below.

Slow Race Lineup

To start with, we have a number of motorcycles lined up at one end of a field. This could be just about anything, but we'll pretend that they are getting ready for a slow race. The rules are simple: last one to cross the finish line without touching his feet to the ground wins.

Boot Race

For this game, all the participants remove their boots and place them in a pile behind their motorcycles. Participants wait next to their motorcycles for the starting gun and then run to the pile to find and put on their boots. Next they run back to their motorcycles, start them, and race for the finish line. First one across wins.

Egg-and-Spoon Race

Here's that egg-in-the-spoon race that you probably did as a kid. Just a little bit harder. The rules are still the same: make it across the finish line without dropping your egg.

Two police motorcyclists balancing spoons during an egg-and-spoon field game — Two police motorcyclists balance spoons while riding the egg-and-spoon course.

Weenie Bite

The weenie bite requires a rider and a passenger. At the start of the competition, hot dogs are hung from a string about six feet off the ground. Each team rides under a hot dog and the passenger stands up and takes a bite. Whichever passenger takes the biggest bite without the rider touching the ground wins.

Riding the Boards

This race is a lot more difficult than it appears. Boards are lined up end to end and each participant must ride down the boards, keeping both tires on the boards at all times. The boards often get narrower in width the farther down the course you go. More boards can be added if multiple riders complete the first run successfully.

Woman riding a vintage motorcycle along a narrow board during a field game — Riding the boards takes balance because both tires have to stay on the boards.

Bag Race

I've never witnessed this race, but it looks pretty self explanatory. The motorcycles are first lined up at one end of the field and then the riders line up at the other end. Bags are placed on the riders' heads and at the signal they run to their motorcycles and ride them back to the starting line. Best not to play this game if you have an expensive paint job and lots of chrome.

Motorcycles lined up while a bag-covered participant walks across the field — The bag race sends riders back to their motorcycles with bags over their heads.

Vintage motorcycle rider moving with a bag over his head during a field game — A rider tries to keep the motorcycle moving with a bag covering his head.

Chugging Contest and Race

This appears to be a chugging contest followed by a short race. Probably gets more difficult after a few rounds...

Two vintage motorcyclists drinking beside their motorcycles during a field-game contest — This field game appears to combine a chugging contest with a short race.

Barrel Push

A different take on the traditional barrel race. In this competition, riders must push the barrel to the end of the course and across the finish line.

Vintage motorcycle rider pushing a wooden barrel across a field-game course — In this version of a barrel race, the rider pushes the barrel across the course.

Motorcycle Tag

This game looks to be some sort of "tag" where the passenger tries to hit the other riders with a rolled-up piece of paper.

Two Harley-Davidson riders with a passenger holding a padded baton during a motorcycle field game — A passenger carries a padded baton while two Harley-Davidson riders maneuver through the field game.

Moto-Ball

Along with oddball competitions like motorcycle chariot racing, Moto-ball shows how far riders were willing to push motorcycle games: the rules are similar to soccer, but you're on a motorcycle.

Foot Race to the Motorcycles

Another race which requires riders to first race to their motorcycles on foot before starting them and racing for the finish line.