Let me preface this by saying I am not an expert track designer. I tried to create a realistic and challenging track, but found it to be very time consuming. However, I do have some things to say about the tracks I am seeing, so here are some rules that will never be enforced or followed by anyone.

1) Don't downvote a track just because you can't pass it easily. There are people out there that can and will pass tough tracks with a good design. A hard track does not mean bad design.

2) Stop messing with the camera. You don't know what you are doing and it degrades the quality of the track. Also, you are putting large buildings and trees in between the bike/rider and the camera. How is a user supposed to know what to do if they can't even see the bike?

3) If there is a spot on the track that the bike could possibly fall into and get stuck, put a 'Fail Area' or something there to tell the user that it wasn't supposed to happen. I'm tired of falling into these 'traps' to find that the only way out is a restart. It takes 2 seconds to drop a fail area down there, and they will be better spent than the 30 seconds you took to make a flying eyeball that shoots fireworks out for tears.

4) Some objects let the bike 'fall through' their surface. It's bad collision detection, and sometimes the fault of the game designer. Still, it again only takes 2 seconds to drop a 'Custom Collision' down to make sure the tires look like they are actually riding on the surface, not in it. When I see the riders boots covered in what is supposed to be hard rock, it makes me sad. It also messes with a user's judgement. Do I need to lean backwards a little bit? My tire's about to hit, oh wait. No it isn't. This rock is actually a hologram.

5) Make sure you test your driving line. If you're exiting a pipe, rail, or anything else diagonally, it should be on purpose and the user should somehow be made aware of it. Sometimes it's hard to tell if an object is even in the driving line, and you won't know until you do a front flip from hitting it head on. This game is designed to follow a line, and I think it's great that they let you curve that line. Still, turning 45 degrees without even using the handlebars makes this game look cheap. It could be prevented by curving the line, or creating several points that add up to the angle you need. Also, curving the line that much in the middle of an obstacle is ridiculous, unless the user is somehow made aware of it, or there is a hint that it's actually part of the design.

6) A 30 mile track with 3 obstacles does not make you a good designer. Even if those 3 obstacles are the best obstacles ever made. This world that they give you is beautiful, and many tracks can be made great using nothing but the world. Still, stop spacing your obstacles out just to fill space. Having to drive 10 miles to the next obstacle is just lazy design. Back to point #5, I saw a track the other day that in fact DID only use the world, but the line was so messed up it was usable.

7) Think about the flow of your track, test it at full speed, and label it accordingly. If you're 'Trials' track can be completed without ever letting go of the throttle, label it 'Easy'. Many tracks change according to the skill level, and some obstacles can be completely bypassed with a good bunny hop. If this is part of the design (like many of the career tracks), then fine. But if you've only ever tested your 'Hard' track at low speed, and it turns out the whole thing can be completed with full throttle and 3 bunny hops, this is bad design.

8) Don't put a single mailbox/light pole/bomb/etc. in a 1 mile stretch. It's funny the first time someone hits it at full speed, but after that it's just bad design (and easily passed) This is actually covered in point #6.

9) Don't upvote a track just because you can pass it. Upvote the thoughtful and creative hard work. Upvote the art and beauty. Don't upvote a track consisting of 1 ramp and a bomb just because you passed it on the first try.

Again, I am not really a track designer. I don't have the time. I tried creating one track and I don't really care if it ever gets played again. I'm just a Trials enthusiast. I waited for a long time for Trials to come to the PlayStation. I payed the extra little bit for a Season Pass. While I'm waiting for the promised Additional Content, I'd like to be able to play some great user-created tracks. There are some great ones, but lately all I see is a bunch of crap in the top-rated section. Ninja tracks are cool, even if I'm not the best Ninja rider, but no matter what the skill level there has to be some kind of creativity involved. Not just a bunch of rocks piled up, or floating ramps. If I see another set of stairs any time soon I will probably quit playing the user tracks. I get it, the stairs are challenging sometimes. But ultimately, they are passable and boring. Anyone can make those kind of tracks, that's why there are so many. Why not try something new?

Much of this is also covered in the Tutorial Videos. If you are trying to create a track, it would very helpful for you to watch those videos. Even if you already know most of it, there are some gems of wisdom in the videos.

There are exceptions to some of these 'rules', especially #2 and #7, but they only apply to experienced track designers. There are some great tracks that would 'break' these 'rules', but the designers knew what they were doing and there was a 'purpose' to their design.