Born in Cardiff, Lougher competed in club motor-cycle events in South Wales from 1982 until 1989.

Team owner of Team ILR (Ian Lougher Racing), in 2015 his riders were Dan Hegerty in real road racing, with Vasco van der Valk and Joe Thomas in the British Motostar Championship.

[2] Lougher was the most successful rider in the early years of the Duke Road Racing Rankings after its inception in 2002, winning a then-record three times in 2002, 2005 and 2006.

[3] This is in part due to both Ian Lougher's international successes and his willingness to travel, competing at races all over Ireland, the Isle of Man, England, and his native Wales.

Lougher's record was subsequently beaten by rival Ryan Farquhar, who went on to win the rankings a total of seven times.