BA Motopark

BA Motopark is an off-road motorbike school (an escola de pilotagem off-road) in Foros da Catrapona, on the Seixal side of the Tagus. Children don’t sit on a bike and get pushed round a track. They ride their own small motorbike, with an instructor beside them, on circuits that were built for learning. For a child who has been watching motocross videos for months, that first time the engine pulls them forward is the whole point.

The school’s one rule for starting is simple: the rider has to be able to ride a bicycle without stabilisers. If your child can do that, they can start at four. The upper limit is 65, so a parent can have a lesson too.

The school belongs to Bruna Antunes, who started racing in the national enduro championship in 2015. She won her first national title in 2017, finished ninth overall in the 2021 Enduro World Championship, and was national women’s motocross champion in 2023 and 2024. She has trained as a coach with the MXG Academy.

The first step for the youngest riders is the batismo off-road, a first ride. It is a one-hour lesson for children aged four to six on a Yamaha TT-R50, and you can book it as a single lesson or as a pack of four.

From seven, children move on to standard lessons, also an hour long, which run in single sessions or in packs of four or six. Riders who have built up their skills can go on to 90-minute advanced lessons on the bigger bikes. Older riders with their own motorbike can book 90-minute or three-hour sessions with it.

The school describes its bikes like this:

• Yamaha TT-R50: A 50cc four-stroke with an automatic clutch, three gears, a low seat and a throttle limiter, which the school says helps a lot on a child’s first contact. Suggested for ages 4 to 8.
• Yamaha TT-R110: A 110cc bike, mid-sized, still with an automatic clutch. For first off-road steps from about eight, depending on the child’s height.
• Yamaha TT-R125: The first bike in the fleet with a manual clutch, meant for teenagers and adults.
• Honda CRF230F: A larger 230cc bike with a manual clutch, for tall riders and those with more experience.

The site has six learning circuits, from beginner to advanced. The school’s page describes five of them:

• The oval: Used mostly for first rides, and for drills that build basic technique.
• The figure of eight: Small, and used to practise braking and turning into bends.
• Small track 1: Beginner level, with easy bends and small jumps.
• Small track 2: A step up, with loose ground, changes of height and small jumps.
• The motocross track: For experienced riders, with bigger jumps, wider bends and hard braking. The school says it gives the feel of riding a real motocross track.

A child who starts on the oval can see the next circuit up from where they ride, which is a fair motivator.

The school runs holiday camps in each school break: Carnival in February, Easter in April, summer in July and Christmas in December. The Carnival, Easter and Christmas camps are two full days of riding. The summer camp runs over five days, with riding for half of each day and other activities such as surfing, canoeing or climbing for the rest.

The website does not say whether parents stay during camps or what the daily hours are, so ask when you book if you are hoping to leave your child there.

Birthday parties last two hours for up to six riders, with extra riders possible, for ages 7 to 16.

Every activity includes the motorbike, the safety kit, personal accident insurance and an instructor, so you don’t need to buy anything to try it. Prices are not on the website; ask when you book. The site has a leisure area, changing rooms, toilets and a place to wash kit.

This is an outdoor dirt site. Children will come home dusty in summer and muddy after rain, so bring a change of clothes, and closed shoes for the drive home. There is little here for a sibling who isn’t riding, beyond watching.

Seixal is close to Almada. Quantum Park is nearby for a toddler or a sibling who wants to bounce while someone else rides. You can also drive up to Cristo Rei for the view back over Lisbon. If a lesson here sparks a love of engines, KartMontijo further along the river has electric karts from age four.

What age can children start motorbike lessons at BA Motopark?

From four, as long as they can ride a bicycle without stabilisers. Ages four to six start with a one-hour first ride on a 50cc bike.

Do we need our own motorbike or kit?

No. The bike, the safety kit, personal accident insurance and the instructor are all included.

Is BA Motopark open every day?

The website gives opening hours of 9:00 to 19:00 every day. Lessons are booked in advance by phone or email.

Can I leave my child at the holiday camp?

The website lists camps in every school holiday but does not say whether parents stay. Ask when you book.