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Alyssa Bridges is a California-based motorcycle racer who traded her street-riding habits for a spot on the track through Royal Enfield’s groundbreaking BUILD TRAIN RACE program, where she built her own race bike and discovered competitive road racing in 2021.

EARLY YEARS

Long before Alyssa Bridges knew what a race bike was, she was already building things that went fast. As a kid, she constructed makeshift go-karts and sent them barreling down hills, using nothing but a piece of wood as a brake system—equal parts engineering and prayer. Her father introduced her to ATVs and dirt bikes, and from there, the obsession stuck. The details of where she grew up or what her parents did for a living remain unknown, but what’s clear is that her childhood was spent with grease under her fingernails and wind in her face.

She didn’t grow up dreaming of the podium. She grew up riding.

OTHER INTERESTS

Bridges works as a content creator for SENA, a job that keeps her constantly on the move. She travels extensively on her motorcycle—not for leisure, but because it’s her only mode of transportation. No car. Just two wheels. Through her work, she meets people from all corners of the motorcycle world, collecting stories and miles in equal measure. Her life motto, delivered with a grin, is “run your engine, not your mouth”—a cheeky reminder to skip the gossip and brand wars, ride for the love of it, and enjoy the company without judgment. It’s a philosophy that seems to guide both her professional and personal life.[3]

EARLY SUCCESS

Bridges didn’t have a traditional path to racing. She spent years carving up Southern California canyon roads on her street bike, developing speed and confidence the hard way. When her job at SENA helped her get through a motorcycle course to obtain her license, she bought her first street bike and dove headfirst into the riding community. Off-road experience and street riding were her résumé—no track time, no race history, just raw ability and a willingness to learn.[3][5]

In 2021, she was selected for the inaugural class of Royal Enfield’s BUILD TRAIN RACE Road Race program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to take women with little to no racing experience and turn them into competitors. The catch? Build your own race bike first. Bridges, who had never built a race bike in her life, constructed a Continental GT 650 from the ground up. Then she showed up at Sportbike Track Time’s new racer school and got to work unlearning everything the street had taught her. “I had some pretty good speed from riding SoCal canyons,” she admitted, “but I’m also seeing I have some bad habits from the street to break here, as well.”[2]

Under the mentorship of professional road racer and team owner Melissa Paris, Bridges competed in exhibition races at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota (July 30–August 1), Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Pennsylvania (August 13–15), and Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama (September 17–19). She didn’t arrive with podiums or trophies, but she showed up with heart—and that was enough to earn her a spot back in the program the following year.[2][5]

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2021: Competed in Royal Enfield BUILD TRAIN RACE Road Race program; built own Continental GT 650 race bike and raced at Brainerd International Raceway, Pittsburgh International Race Complex, and Barber Motorsports Park[2][5].
• 2022: Returned for second season of Royal Enfield BUILD TRAIN RACE Road Race program, competing in a 15-woman field across six MotoAmerica venues[4].

INSPIRATIONS

Her father was the one who first put her on ATVs and dirt bikes, planting the seed for everything that followed. In the BUILD TRAIN RACE program, Melissa Paris became a mentor and guiding force, helping Bridges translate street skills into track performance. Beyond that, the specifics of who inspired her remain unspoken—though it’s safe to say anyone who builds their own go-kart brakes out of wood probably draws motivation from within.[2][3][4][5]

REPUTATION

Bridges has been described as having “the heart and soul of a competitor”—a racer who feels like a winner just by spinning laps on a bike she built herself.[2] When she was invited back for the 2022 season, her response was pure gratitude and disbelief: “Holy smokes, I get to do this again! This program has changed so many things in my life and I can’t believe we get to do it again. I’m honored to be asked to return for a second season.”[4] She’s not the loudest voice in the paddock, but she’s earned respect for showing up, doing the work, and riding with intention.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of 2022, Bridges was living in Dana Point, California, working for SENA, and continuing her journey with the BUILD TRAIN RACE program. What comes next is anyone’s guess—there’s no public record of contracts, sponsorships, or long-term racing plans. But given her track record, it’s a safe bet she’ll keep building, keep riding, and keep running her engine instead of her mouth.

References:

Jalopnik article on Melissa Paris
RevZilla Common Tread – BUILD TRAIN RACE 2021 feature
Riserapp Journal – WHO RIDES THE WORLD? MEET ALYSSA BRIDGES
MotoAmerica – 2022 BUILD TRAIN RACE roster announcement
Cycle News – Royal Enfield BUILD TRAIN RACE announcement, June 2021