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Chris Urquhart
MEET CHRIS

NAME: Chris Urquhart
NICKNAME: Urk
RIDER NUMBER: 50
HOMETOWN: Gold Coast, Australia
YEAR STARTED RIDING: 1986
FIRST BIKE: Yamaha PW50
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE: 37 Years
POSITION/ROLE: Motodevelopment Director / GS OI Road Training Instructor / BMW Safari Marshal
ABOUT:
I grew up in the small town of Moree, NSW, before moving to the Gold Coast when I was 7. My love for motorcycles kicked off in 1986 when I came home from school to find a Yamaha PW50, a gift from my dad, waiting for me. From that day on, I was hooked. I started riding at our local Motocross club and before long, Dad and I were traveling the country, racing nearly every weekend. I eventually turned pro at 19 and kept racing until I was 26.
Throughout my motocross career, I was privileged to race across Australia and internationally, pushing myself to compete at the highest levels. Racing demands structure, relentless focus, and a rigorous training regimen to perfect technique, fitness, and overall performance. It’s an incredibly tough sport, and without these elements in place, success is impossible. Years of dedication, discipline, and repetition have shaped not only my riding skills but also the foundation for our rider training programs, where I now share this expertise with our adventure bike customers.
After my racing career, I channelled my focus into rider training as I have a huge passion for helping others and sharing knowledge. In 2010 my business partner Shane Booth and I co-founded Motodevelopment, a business focused on Motorcross rider training and experience events. Under the Motodev banner we ran the Y-AIM (Yamaha Australian Institute of Motocross) program, Motodevelopmet Masterclass and brought RCU (Ricky Carmichaels Institute of Motocross) to Australia for the very first time.
In 2013, BMW Motorrad Australia approached us to run their GS rider training program, taking our experience in Motorcross and tailoring it to the Adventure bike world. Since then our relationship with BMW Motorrad has expanded to running over 45 events a year including BMW Offroad Training, GS Experience, the BMW Safari series (GS, Enduro and TS) model launches and more as their premium event providers.
I’m super proud of the team of people who now make up Motodev and what we’ve created. I believe we’re the top provider of motorcycle events and experiences in Australia. I’ve always loved motorcycles, and there’s nothing better than creating awesome experiences for others who share that passion