Motorcycle trials is a sport not often in the national spotlight, but one top-level Australian rider is warning that a decision to cut funding for its national teams could damage the sport.

In motorcycle trials, riders navigate a specialised bike through an obstacle course.

The sport is nationally governed by Motorcycling Australia — an organisation which this year had its Federal Government funding cut.

Passion for thrills

Twenty-six-year-old Kyle Middleton is one of Australian motorcycle trials' rising stars, and started when he was aged nine thanks to encouragement from his father.

"I wanted to race motocross, but he said, 'you need to do a year of trials first and learn some skills'. I did a year and loved it, and have never looked back," he said.

Middleton has competed all over the world chasing his dream to be the undeniably best Australian rider — a dream which is coming true.

Kyle Middleton and the Australian motorcycle trials teams have started an online crowd-funding campaign. ( 1233 ABC Newcastle: Robert Virtue )

Funding cuts posing challenges

Later this year, the national men's and women's motorcycle trials teams hope to compete in the Trial des Nations event in France — equivalent to the sport's world cup.

Motorcycling Australia has traditionally covered the bulk of costs for competitors to travel to the event, but the organisation's funding from the Federal Government's Australian Sports Commission has been cut.

With less funding to support competitors, riders are being forced to dig deeper into their own pockets in order to compete.

Spokeswoman for Motorcycling Australia, Misty Walton, said the organisation would still be supporting the team.

"Previously the arrangement has been that Motorcycling Australia would send international teams for international competitions on a fully funded ticket," she said.

"So whilst this year the funding has been scaled-back, we've been very lucky that we have some funding available that we have committed equally to a number of different international teams.

"Whilst we can't fully fund all of them to go overseas this year, we're going to throw as much as we can at them to ensure that they're there to defend their titles, or just to represent their country.

"We've had a lot of meetings with team managers to really give our support where we can and guide them in certain ways so that they can raise money or go out fundraising."

Kyle Middleton says it will cost approximately $10,000 to compete in Trial des Nations. ( Supplied: Kyle Middleton )

Top competitors drop out of event because of financial pain

Middleton said the reduced funding to compete would impact on Australia's ability to field its strongest team.

He said some top riders have had to pull-out of the international event because they cannot afford to go.

"We've got to plan ahead and work out how we're going to do it, because we all can't afford to pay for the whole thing out of our own pockets," he said.

"Normally each rider's only looking at a few thousand dollars to go ride the event, now we're looking at $10,000 at least.

"When a lot of riders heard that news, they thought, 'we don't know if we can go'.

"It's made it a lot harder for all of us to commit to going. We have lost a couple of our top riders.

"It's frustrating. You've got to keep it in perspective and realise you've had it good for a long time, so you can't be too frustrated with it, but it just makes it hard."

Motorcycling Australia says it is supporting riders as best it can. ( 1233 ABC Newcastle: Robert Virtue )

Crowdfunding to get national team to world championships

Middleton and the Australian motorcycle trials teams have started an online crowdfunding campaign to help ease the personal cost they must pay to represent their country.

"We're asking the community to help us out, but we didn't want to just ask for money straight-up from people," Middleton said.

"We offered a bunch of things you can get for donating money, so if you donated a small amount you can get a team supporter's hat, or little bit more you can get a team supporter's hoodie.

"We're even offering that I'll travel to anywhere in Australia to train someone for the day.

"We've had a good response so far; we're heading along really well. It's paid for a number of the big costs, but we've still got a long way to go yet, so we'll keep pushing with it.

"If we got another $10,000 in fund raising that would make a big difference; if we got $20,000 that would make an enormous difference.

"It's just a matter of getting the money to do the best effort we can do when we get there. If we simply didn't go, I think that'd be really damaging to the sport."