There’s no gambling on the result of an AMA-sanctioned Poker Run—you know going in that you’re going to have a great time, regardless of the cards you are dealt! A poker run is one of the most popular and entertaining variations on a road or off-road ride, where participants travel to five stops along a pre-set route and collect a playing card (or equivalent) at each location. Upon completion of the ride, the rider with the best five-card poker hand is named the winner, and usually rewarded with a prize. Any variation of poker may be used, as long as the rules are announced and agreed upon before the first participant begins the run. For an AMA-official poker run the course must be at least 30 miles long and have three or more checkpoints along the route. The best part is that, because this is not a race, everyone has fun. Even the last finisher could have the best hand. Just like the game of poker, “winning” a poker run comes down to luck.

Say you want to work on sharpening your bike-handling skills. Sure, you could set up a cone course in a local parking lot that might be empty on a weekend afternoon, but what fun is that? Much better to search out an AMA Field Meet and put your bike handling skills to the test competing against other AMA members in a series of slow-speed drills and tests that reward precision and control rather than speed or bravery. A historic part of AMA-sanctioned events dating back to the early 1900s, field meets consist of a variety of activities designed to challenge motorcyclists of all skill levels. Popular Field Meet elements include a “Slow Race,” where contestants stage in marked lanes and ride a preset course as slowly as possible, favoring riders with good balance and well-developed clutch and brake control. The “Ball Race” requires a motorcycle passenger to collect and/or replace tennis balls atop traffic cones while the motorcycle pilot negotiates a serpentine course. Most Field Meet challenges are run in a bracket-style format to determine a winner, and riders are usually penalized or disqualified if a tire crosses a lane line or the pilot “dabs,” or touches a foot to the ground.

Who doesn’t like a good scavenger hunt? AMA Scavenger Hunt participants are provided with a list of difficult-to-find items, and each item is assigned a point value. Each participant is given a list of items to be scavenged, and an amount of time is announced for the hunt. Winners are determined in each class by totaling the point values of the items scavenged, which are validated by the organizer.