Mikayla Moore

Mikayla Moore is a rising American motorcycle racer from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, who’s been turning heads in a sport that’s never been particularly welcoming to women—and doing it with the kind of quiet confidence that makes teams take notice.

EARLY YEARS

Born around 2003-2004 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Mikayla Moore grew up in a household where motorcycles weren’t just a hobby—they were the family business. Her father, Will Moore, owns a mobile motorcycle service, and her brother, Will Jr., raced alongside her. It was the kind of environment where engine oil and dirt fields were just part of the scenery.

But Moore didn’t exactly leap at the chance to become a rider. At age six in 2010, she took her first spin on a Yamaha TT-R50 dirt bike in a field near her house. Before that, her parents had cycled through the usual suspects—ballet, gymnastics, soccer—trying to find something that stuck. When they introduced her to a four-wheel off-roader, she crashed it. Most kids would’ve called it quits. Moore asked for her brother’s Suzuki DRZ70 instead.

That’s when things clicked. She got her own Yamaha TTR50 and never looked back. Her father became her coach, drilling her and Will Jr. with the kind of rigor that builds champions. He hauled the trailer, set up at the track, and some weekends, all three Moores ended up on the podium together. It wasn’t about making it a career back then—it was just what they did.

Moore’s first race came in September 2011 at Sandy Hook Speedway in Maryland. She was seven years old, riding a minibike, and she finished second. More importantly, she realized something that day: “I remember that I was keeping up with everybody.” She belonged on that grid, and she knew it.

OTHER INTERESTS

Before motorcycles took over her life, Moore dabbled in the activities most young girls try—ballet, gymnastics, and soccer. None of them stuck the way two wheels did. These days, she spends her off-season in the gym, working on strength and endurance to stay sharp for the track.

Beyond racing, Moore has taken on a role promoting motorcycle safety and riding. She participates in annual motorcycle safety days at Joint Base Andrews, where she demonstrates advanced riding skills. It’s her way of giving back to the sport that gave her a purpose—and maybe inspiring a few more girls to take the leap.

EARLY SUCCESS

After that first podium at Sandy Hook, Moore kept racing in the Sandy Hook MiniGP Series, racking up wins and titles before she even hit her teens. Her father remained her primary coach, but she also attended a three-day NJ MiniGP camp in 2014 and trained at Danny Walker’s American Supercamp, moving from beginner to expert in dirt bike techniques. By 2016, she was working with Evolve GT Track Days, refining her skills on the road racing circuit.

At age 10 in 2013, she told Road Racing World, “I’m enjoying it. I like leading my friends.” It was a simple statement, but it captured everything—she didn’t just want to keep up. She wanted to be out front.

In 2017, Moore obtained her racing license and joined MotoGladiator Racing, starting on a 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250 before moving up to a 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 300 in 2018. She was learning the ropes, building her reputation, and holding her own against the guys—because in this sport, that’s almost always who she’s racing against.

By 2020, she’d completed a full CCS Championship Cup Series season as an expert, surpassing her own goals. She wasn’t just participating anymore—she was competing at a level that demanded respect. She trained relentlessly, practicing on a Yamaha R3 and a KTM 450 Supermoto at a track in Hanover, Maryland, with her father still in her corner after 14 years of coaching.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2011: Finished 2nd in her first race at Sandy Hook Speedway, Maryland, at age 7, riding a minibike.
• Pre-2014: Won multiple races and titles in the Sandy Hook MiniGP Series.
• 2017: Obtained racing license and joined MotoGladiator Racing on a Kawasaki Ninja 250.
• 2020: Completed CCS Championship Cup Series season as an expert, surpassing personal goals.
• 2023: Joined MotoAmerica’s Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race program, the first all-women initiative of its kind, and went undefeated in her class.
• 2024: Defended her title in the Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race Championship in her second and final season with the program.

INSPIRATIONS

Moore’s biggest influence has always been her father, Will. He introduced her to motorcycles, trained her for over a decade, and gave her the foundation she needed to compete. Her brother, Will Jr., has been her teammate from the start, pushing her and riding alongside her in a way only siblings can.

But when it comes to role models in the sport itself, Moore has been on her own. As she put it in 2023, “In this sport currently, right now, there is not someone that looks like me, in terms of female that I can look up to. I’m hoping to inspire the next generation.” It’s a lonely position to be in, but she’s turned it into motivation—not just to succeed, but to be the racer she never had.

REPUTATION

Moore has earned a reputation as a consistent, hardworking rider who doesn’t need to make noise to get noticed. Her undefeated season in the Build.Train.Race program turned heads, and officials have praised the women in the series for the crowds they draw and the skill they bring. She’s known for her consistency, her focus, and her refusal to let being one of the few women in the paddock slow her down.

Competitors and peers see her as a rising star, someone who’s been in the sport long enough to know what she’s doing and hungry enough to keep improving. She’s not just racing for herself—she’s racing to prove that women belong in this space, and she’s doing it by letting her lap times do the talking.

Beyond the track, Moore coaches with Evolve GT Track Days, passing on what she’s learned to the next wave of riders. She’s become an advocate for women in motorsports, not through speeches or campaigns, but by showing up, racing hard, and making it impossible to ignore her.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Moore’s two-year stint with the Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race program wrapped up in 2024, and now she’s looking to move up. She’s eyeing the Twins Cup, the Super Hooligan class, or the new Talent Cup—a series for riders aged 14 to 21 that could be a perfect fit. The Build.Train.Race program gave her a bike, a team, mechanics, and the resources to race 10 times a year, but now she’s ready to prove she can compete at the next level.

Her goal is simple: keep building momentum, hit lap records, and stay consistent enough that teams can’t help but notice. She wants them to see her strengths, her value, and her potential. And beyond her own career, she wants to grow the sport—to inspire women who see her and think, “Maybe I can do this too.”

Moore has a lot of gratitude for her father’s guidance and faith in her, and she’s carrying that forward as she steps into the next chapter. She’s been racing since she was seven, and she’s not slowing down. If anything, she’s just getting started.

References:

Mikayla Moore Racing – About
Road Racing World – 2013 Profile
The Bay Net – 2023 Article
CBS News – 2023-2024 Article
KSL – Article
YouTube – Royal Enfield BTR Interview