Lighter, smaller, and more nimble than motorcycles, dirt bikes can tackle rough terrain. People ride them on unpaved roads, hilly trails, motocross parks, and more. But in Baltimore, many riders have been known to hit the pavement.
Former engineer Brittany Young grew up watching dirt bike riders take to city streets during the summer, popping wheelies on asphalt and performing daring tricks that captivated crowds. Riders who practiced these tricks earned Baltimore its bragging rights as the world’s dirt bike capital. Behind the scenes, however, Young saw a different skill set: These riders were homegrown mechanics and engineers who knew how to build, repair, and customize bikes. To Young, they were STEM geniuses.
But dangerous riding practices led to deaths, serious injuries, and clashes with police. This caused Baltimore officials to outlaw riding on city streets in 2000. Later, the city passed a law that made owning dirt bikes illegal altogether. (Dirt bikes are still legal outside city limits.)
Still, Baltimore’s love for dirt bikes endured. Young looked for a solution that could change policies, educate the community, and get people to see the same science, technology, engineering, and mathematics benefits of dirt bikes that she saw. “People are not going to stop riding. So how do we put things in place where riding becomes safer and people want to be safer when they do it?” Young says.