MX Bikes is PiBoSo's motocross simulator, running on a scratch written physics engine with an automotive industry tyre model, chassis flex and terrain that deforms as you ride it. It arrived on Steam Early Access on October 7, 2019 and still ships with no AI opponents and no career mode, which leaves online servers and hotlapping as the whole game. Five MSM bikes and a short official track list come in the box; everything beyond that comes from the modding community.
Starting MX Bikes can feel overwhelming. This guide tells you exactly what to focus on during your first hours so you don't waste time on things that don't matter yet. For the full progression path, see our walkthrough.
What Kind of Game Is This?
MX Bikes is a simulation game built around Scratch built physics engine and Bike setup tuning. The core loop involves mastering these systems to progress through increasingly challenging content.
What to expect: Time investment in learning mechanics, experimentation, and gradual mastery. The game rewards patience and knowledge.
Choosing Your First Build
| Build | Beginner Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Motocross | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Supercross | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Supermoto | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Enduro | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Free riding | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
Our recommendation: Start with Supercross. It offers the most forgiving experience while teaching core mechanics.
Avoid Free riding as your first pick. It requires deep knowledge of game systems to use effectively. Once you're ready, check our classes guide for all options.
First Session Step-by-Step
Step 1: Learn Scratch built physics engine
PiBoSo wrote the tyre model, chassis flex and suspension simulation from the ground up rather than licensing an engine. The result punishes throttle and brake inputs that arcade motocross games forgive completely.
This is the foundation. Spend your first 15-30 minutes getting comfortable with how Scratch built physics engine works before worrying about anything else. Our combat guide breaks this down further.
Step 2: Head to Practice Track
The default free ride track and the right place to test every setup change. No race pressure, so you can run the same corner twenty times and feel what one click of rebound actually does.
Clear the main content here before moving on. Everything teaches fundamentals you'll need later. See our maps guide for all locations.
Step 3: Get Your First Upgrade
Look for MSM 350XF: it's the most accessible early upgrade. A 350cc four stroke at roughly 37 kW sitting between the 250 and the 450. It carries corner speed like the smaller bike while still pulling on long straights.
Step 4: Understand Bike setup tuning
Suspension, gearing, engine maps, swingarm position and tyres are all adjustable. Setups save per bike and per track, because a configuration that works on Practice Track will feel wrong at Winchester.
This is the system most new players overlook. Invest time here early. It pays off throughout the entire game.
Step 5: Push to MXB Club
A compact club style layout that ships with the game. Short lap times make it ideal for back to back setup comparison without a long commitment.
Essential Mechanics Explained
Scratch built physics engine
PiBoSo wrote the tyre model, chassis flex and suspension simulation from the ground up rather than licensing an engine. The result punishes throttle and brake inputs that arcade motocross games forgive completely.
Bike setup tuning
Suspension, gearing, engine maps, swingarm position and tyres are all adjustable. Setups save per bike and per track, because a configuration that works on Practice Track will feel wrong at Winchester.
Dynamic terrain deformation
Ruts and braking bumps form during a session as bikes cut the same lines. Late in a long race the surface you learned on lap one no longer exists, so line choice has to keep adapting.
Rider body position
The rider is simulated separately from the bike and you control lean plus fore and aft weight. Body position changes traction, jump attitude and landing behaviour, and it is the single biggest skill gap between new and experienced riders.
Dedicated server racing
With no AI, all racing happens over LAN or online on dedicated servers. The game records performance data during events so riders can compare lap and sector times afterwards.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Jumping straight onto the MSM 450XF
Its 40 kW will spin the rear on almost any corner exit, and riders who start there learn to fear the throttle instead of learning to use it.
2. Copying a downloaded setup without understanding it
Setups are rider specific because body position changes weight distribution, so somebody else's file often makes your bike worse.
3. Fighting the ruts
Once terrain deformation carves a line, riding inside it is faster and far more stable than trying to cut a fresh line across it.
4. Expecting a career mode
MX Bikes has no AI and no single player progression, so buying it for offline racing against opponents ends in disappointment.
5. Ignoring community content
The default five bikes and short track list are a starting point; the real depth lives in mods from MXB-Mods and the official forum.
First 5 Hours Checklist
- Understand Scratch built physics engine and Bike setup tuning
- Choose Supercross as starting build
- Clear Practice Track main content
- Acquire MSM 350XF or equivalent upgrade
- Reach MXB Club
- Body position is the skill that separates riders here, not throttle. Weight forward on corner entry to load the front tyre, weight back on landings and acceleration, and the bike starts doing what you expect instead of tucking or looping.
- Setups save per bike and per track, so build a baseline on Practice Track and adjust from there rather than starting from stock at every venue. Change one parameter at a time or you will never learn what each click does.
Tips for New Players
- Body position is the skill that separates riders here, not throttle. Weight forward on corner entry to load the front tyre, weight back on landings and acceleration, and the bike starts doing what you expect instead of tucking or looping.
- Setups save per bike and per track, so build a baseline on Practice Track and adjust from there rather than starting from stock at every venue. Change one parameter at a time or you will never learn what each click does.
- Standard engine mapping is the right starting point. Aggressive mapping sharpens throttle response but makes the 450XF much harder to control on exit until your inputs are already clean.
- The surface deforms during a session, so the fast line on lap one is often the slow line on lap fifteen. Watch where ruts are forming and commit to riding inside them rather than cutting across.
- Start on the MSM 250XF even if you can technically ride the 450XF. Learning corner exit on a bike that does not punish every throttle mistake builds the habits that make the 450 fast later.
- The MSM 250X two stroke needs constant gear work to stay in its powerband. Ride it like a four stroke and short shift, and you give away most of its 36 kW.
- Suspension is the first thing to adjust and the easiest thing to over adjust. Sag and compression damping change how the bike handles ruts and landings far more than fine rebound tweaks ever will.
- There are no AI opponents, so a ghost lap is your only offline benchmark. Use the recorded event data to compare sector times rather than judging progress by feel.
- MXB-Mods and the official PiBoSo forum carry the bulk of the community track catalogue. The default track list is deliberately short, and the game only really opens up once you install community tracks and bike packs.
- Wet weather is simulated rather than cosmetic and changes grip dramatically. Softer settings and much earlier, gentler throttle are needed, because a dry setup on a wet track simply spins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does MX Bikes have a career mode?
No. There is no career mode and no AI opponents. The game is built around online racing on dedicated servers, LAN events, free riding and lap time chasing.
Which bikes come with the game?
Five MSM machines: the 250XF, 350XF and 450XF four strokes, the 250X two stroke, and the 450SM supermoto. Everything else is community made.
Is MX Bikes still in Early Access?
It launched on Steam Early Access on October 7, 2019 and PiBoSo has kept updating it through beta releases since, with per bike setup versioning arriving in Beta 19.
Do I need a gamepad or will keyboard work?
A gamepad with analogue sticks is close to essential, because the physics need fine throttle, brake and rider lean inputs. Keyboard gives you on or off inputs, which this tyre model punishes hard.
How does terrain deformation work?
The surface deforms as bikes ride over it, forming ruts and braking bumps across a session. Long races effectively change layout while they run, so line choice has to keep adapting.
More MX Bikes Guides
- MX Bikes MX Bikes Overview
- MX Bikes Best Builds
- MX Bikes Tier List
- MX Bikes Walkthrough
- MX Bikes Tips & Tricks
- MX Bikes Weapons Guide
- MX Bikes Combat Guide
- MX Bikes Boss Guide
- MX Bikes Maps & Locations
- MX Bikes Crafting Guide
- MX Bikes Classes & Characters
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