American Motorcyclist February 2015 Street Version
AMA REWARDS
Watch this space for updates about your valuable benefits as an AMA member.
AMA Race Center
Your one-stop online source for all your motocross, Arenacross and ATV Motocross results from AMA-sanctioned events. Search by event, date, and even your name! http://results.americanmotorcyclist.com
You’re Among America’s Elite Racers
Only AMA members chase national No. 1 plates.
You’ll find everything you need— from races to rules to advice, at www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Racing. And as an AMA Competition Member, you’ll receive the competition edition of American Motorcyclist magazine.
AMA Roadside Assistance
Available at no extra charge if you choose to automatically renew your AMA membership.
• Coverage for bikes, cars, pickups, motorhomes and trailers (excluding utility trailers) registered to you, your spouse, and dependent children under the age of 24, living at home or away at college.
• Coverage in all 50 states and Canada.
• Towing up to 35 miles, with all dispatch and hook-up fees.
• Flat tire, lockout, battery and minormechanical assistance.
• Emergency fuel, oil, water, fluid delivery.
• No exclusions for older motorcycles.
• Toll-free assistance available 24/7/365.
• AMA Roadside Assistance pays first. No need to pay and wait for reimbursement.
STAYING INFORMED
American Motorcyclist
Each month, you receive the best magazine covering the motorcycle lifestyle with two versions to choose from: street or competition/dirt.
THE ESSENTIALS PRODUCT DISCOUNTS
AMA Roadside Assistance
The Best Deal In Towing Get peace of mind with AMA Roadside Assistance, which covers all your vehicles, as well as those of your family members living with you. Best of all, you can get this coverage at no additional charge. For details, call (800) 262-5646.
Lodging
Save At Choice Hotels, Motel 6, Red Roof Inn
At Choice hotels, save 15 percent off the best available rates at participating Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay, Rodeway Inn and Econo Lodge hotels. Use the Member Discount code #00947556.
Special discounts at Motel 6 are also available up to 10 percent off. Use the Member Discount code CP540176. Plus, get a 20 percent discount off available rates at Red Roof Inn. For discounts, call (800) RED-ROOF and use the code VP+ 503343. You can also make reservations online at www.redroof.com. Just enter the code VP+ 503343 in the field labeled “VP+/ID#” when making reservations. The discount will be automatically applied.
EagleRider Motorcycle Rentals
Arrive And Ride
EagleRider offers a 15 percent discount on Harley-Davidson, Honda, BMW and Polaris rentals and tours. Call (888) 900-9901 or book at www.AmericanMotorcyclist. com/Membership/EagleRider.aspx, using discount code AMA014.
Motorcycle Shipping
Ride Where You Want
In the United States, call Federal Companies, an agent for Specialized Transportation, Inc., at (877) 518-7376 for at least $60 off standard rates. For international shipments, call Motorcycle Express at (800) 245-8726. To get your discount, be sure to have your AMA number handy. Motorcycle Express also offers temporary international insurance.
Car Rentals
Save Money When You Drive
Get up to 25 percent off prevailing rates at any Avis or Budget car rental agency. For Avis, enter discount code: D388100. For Budget, enter code: Z942000. AMA Members save up to 25% on year-round Hertz rentals with discount code CDP# 497193.
AMA Gear
Buy AMA Stuff Online
Find unique patches, pins, posters, T-shirts and books at AmericanMotorcyclist.com and at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio. Details at www.MotorcycleMuseum.org.
Rider Accident Medical Plan
All members of the AMA are eligible to purchase coverage. Benefits are paid when a covered member is injured. See http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Membership/ Members_Only/DiscountCodes for details.
Insurance, Credit Card, Finance and Banking
The AMA has joined with Nationwide to bring members-only money-saving offers on insurance, a cash-back AMAthemed credit card, finance and banking. For more details see, www.nationwide.com/americanmotorcyclist.
ActionStation/Bohn Body Armor
Save 10 percent on complete product line—plus bonus. Go to www. actionstation.com/ama/ and use coupon code AMAB4U at checkout. AMA Members also receive exclusive discounted pricing on the Bohn Bodyguard System at www.bohnarmor-pants.com/ama/.
AMA Motorcycle
Hall Of Fame
Save $5 on admission to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio.
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AMA/Sprocketlist Online
Classifieds
AMA members can place free ads in the AMA member classifieds at AMA.Sprocketlist.com or AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Shop > Classifieds.
AMA Supercross And AMA Arenacross Tickets
Save on advanced tickets; AMA members can get $5 off when they buy tickets online at Supercrossonline. com and use password SXAMA5. AMA members can get $5 off when they buy tickets online at Arenacross. com and use password AMA5OFF. Certain restrictions apply, call (800) 262-5646 for details.
Anthony’s Leatherworks
Save 10 percent on complete motorcycle garment restoration and repair. You can get your motocross boots fixed from MX Boot Resole and Repair. Use code AMADISCOUNT at checkout.
BikeBandit.com
Get 10 percent off your order at BikeBandit.com by entering your AMA number at checkout. Exclusions apply. See www. BikeBandit.com for details.
Biker Rain Chaps
Save 25 percent. Visit www.bikerrainchaps. com/ama/ and use the code AMA-0115-NEWYEAR at checkout to receive your discount.
Brooks Leather
AMA members receive a 10 percent discount off all jackets, chaps, vests, rain suits, race suits, and gloves. You can shop online at www.brooksleather.com or at any participating Brooks dealer. Just present the code AMABRO when ordering.
Cardo Systems, Inc.
10 percent discount for AMA members when presenting their membership card on Cardo’s scala rider® motorcycle communication products at participating authorized dealers only.
ColorRite
25 years of quality OEM matched paint. Enter code AMA2014 at www. ColorRite.com to save 15 percent.
EVS Sports
AMA Members receive 10 percent off and free shipping on all orders. Simply use the code AMAEVS15 during checkout at www.EVS-Sports.com
Heat Demon
AMA members receive 10 percent off all products. Visit www.heatdemon.com/AMA and use the code AMAheat15 at checkout to receive your discount.
International Motorcycle Shows
AMA members save on advanced adult one-day general admission. The promo code is “AMA15” when you buy your tickets online from www. motorcycleshows.com.
LifeLock Identity Theft Protection
Get 30 free days and 10 percent off. Use promo code AMACYCLE at www.LifeLock.com or by calling (800) 543-3562.
MAD Maps
The best routes made easy. Save 20 percent. Use promo code AMATHXU at www. MADmaps.com.
MYLAPS
AMA chartered organizers receive an exclusive discount from AMA Member Benefit Partner MYLAPS with promo code AMA-789HJK.
Powertye
Tie-Downs
Save 10 percent. Enter code TYES4AMA at checkout from www.powertye.com/ ama.
Rider Magazine
Members pay only $19.99 for 2 years (24 issues) + 2 extra FREE issues. Visit the Members Only section on www. AmericanMotorcyclist.com for the discount link.
RoadRUNNER Motorcycle
Touring
& Travel magazine
RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel magazine offers a 20 percent subscription discount to AMA members. RoadRUNNER is the touring expert of North America, providing information on the best places to ride. AMA discount code is CRIAMA at www.roadrunner. travel/promo/ama.
Sam’s Club
As an AMA Member, you can join or renew your Sam’s Club membership and receive a $10 gift card (for a Sam’s Savings membership) or a $25 gift card (for a Plus membership) using a special members-only certificate. Visit the Members Only section on www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com to download the coupon.
Schampa Cold-Weather Gear
Save 15 percent. Enter SCHAMA during checkout at www.Schampa.com.
Shark Kage
A multi-functional ramp which adds the functionality of a bed extender, cargo cover, work table, cargo box and sunshade; all-in-one product! Enter code AMA20 to take advantage of the AMA exclusive 20 percent discount.
Spot LLC
AMA Members receive unprecedented and exclusive service credit on SPOT Spot Trace, Gen 3, and Satellite Phone products in addition to existing device promotions. Visit the Members Only section on www. AmericanMotorcyclist.com to view details.
TomTom
TomTom would like to offer you a 10 percent discount on any TomTom Product (excluding accessories). Visit www.tomtom.com to place your order and enter AMA10_TT2015 at check out to receive your discount.
NAVIGATION
American Motorcyclist magazine (ISSN 0277-9358) is published monthly by the American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Copyright by the American Motorcyclist Association/American Motorcyclist 2015. Printed in USA.
Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $19.95 covered in membership dues.
Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices.
February 2015
Volume 69, Number 2
Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) www.americanmotorcyclist.com
STREET COVER
EagleRider delivers dreams to motorcyclists all over the world. It’s a brilliant idea with a surprising beginning. Read more on page 34.
DIRT COVER
Ricky Brabec had a great 2014, topped by winning the AMA Hare and Hound National Championship Series. Read about it on page 18.
To switch the version you receive, call (800) 262-5646, ask for membership services. Want to read both versions? Call the above number to get both delivered to your home for just $10 more a year. Members can read both versions online at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/magazine for free.
PAGE 26. THE STATE OF SAFETY TRAINING IN AMERICA
PAGE 32. ADVENTURE RIDERS LOVE MONGOLIA.
PAGE 26. DEVELOPING URBAN OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE PARKS FOR A MODERN WORLD
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Kevin Crowther, Director SX & Pro Racing Relations
Bill Cumbow, Director of Racing
Marcy Day, Racing Administrative Assistant
Chris Harrison, Road Riding Manager
Alex Hunter, MX Operational Coordinator
Tamra Jones, Racing Coordinator
Ken Saillant, Track Racing Manager
Cherie Schlatter, Organizer Services Manager
Serena Van Dyke, Organizer Services Coordinator
AMA RACING/ORGANIZER SERVICES (continued)
Chuck Weir, Off Road Racing Manager
Conrad Young, Timing & Scoring Manager
BUSINESS MEMBER PROGRAMS
Jim Williams, Vice President, Industry Relations & Business Member Programs
DISTRIBUTION/FACILITIES SERVICES
John Bricker, Mailroom Manager
Heida Drake, Copy Center Operator
Bill Frasch, Mailroom Clerk
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Sen. Wayne Allard, Vice President, Government Relations
Danielle Fowles, Grassroots Coordinator
Nick Haris, Western States Representative
Sean Hutson, Legislative Assistant
Sharon Long, Legislative Affairs Coordinator
Rick Podliska, Deputy Director
Steve Salisbury, Government Affairs Manager, Off-Highway
Marie Wuelleh, Government Affairs Specialist
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Dave Coleman, Network Architect
Amy Hyman, Senior Programmer/Analyst
Jennifer Kirkpatrick, IT Director
MARKETING
Mark Christian, Director of Marketing
Kaitlyn Sesco, Marketing Specialist
MEMBER SERVICES/DATA ENTRY
Lori Cavucci, Member Services Representative
Christina Dolin, Member Services Representative
Deb D’Andrea, Member Services Representative
Darcel Higgins, Member Services Manager
Tiffany Pound, Member Services Representative
Jessica Robinson, Member Services Representative
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
MEMBER LETTERS
Letter of the Month
RARE FIRST BIKE
When I opened up my January American Motorcyclist, to my total surprise the centerfold picture was of my very first motorcycle, a Victoria Bergmeister.
My brother was attending college in Minnesota when he bought the bike. My first motorcycle ride was on the back when we rode over to Wisconsin to our grandmother’s farm. I fell in love with motorcycles.
He went into the Army in 1958 after college, and I inherited the bike in 1960 when I left the Air Force. My family lived in South Bend, Ind., at the time, and I spent many long days riding around the area. Not knowing any better, I did off-road riding in areas I would not ride today.
Letters to the editor are the opinions of the AMA members who write them. Inclusion here does not imply they reflect the positions of the AMA, its staff or board. Agree? Disagree? Let us know! Send your letters to submissions@ama-cycle.org; or mail to 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.
COME BACK SAFELY
I enjoyed the Guest Column on the last page of the November 2014 issue titled “We’re back,” but I would like to offer some suggestions.
Each month, a lucky AMA member wins a BikeBandit.com gift card worth $100. Didn’t win? No worries. You can still take advantage of your 10 percent AMA member discount at BikeBandit.com.
Along about 1961, I had a riding friend who was going to move to Tucson, and I thought it would be fun to go along on my bike while he drove his car. We traveled down old U.S. Route 66. In Tucumcari, N.M., I experienced a broken throttle cable. Imagine being in the middle of nowhere and having a problem with an obscure brand of bike. I was able to coast into an auto junkyard on the edge of town and asked for help. The guys there were so helpful to this young rider. They made up a replacement cable using the windshield wiper cable from and old Hudson.
When I left the place, my rear tire went flat. I made it to a gas station down the road, and the attendant was also very helpful. I carried a spare tube in my saddlebag, and he helped me install it. However, it went flat right away. I had a big screwdriver in the bag for changing tubes and it had bounced around and punctured the spare tube. We repaired the original tube, and I went on my way.
Unfortunately, I was separated from my friends. I continued on to Tucson on my own, and looked up my godparents living there. I had other adventures there, and did hook up with my friend again.
The frame broke, and I wound up selling it to someone who knew less than me about bikes, and I hitchhiked back to South Bend. It was a long time before I bought another bike, but I will never forget my Victoria Bergmeister.
David Nelson AMA Charter Life Member Bloomington, Minn.
BILL MAXEY PASSES
If it has been since the ’80s that someone has ridden a motorcycle, it would be a great idea to take a rider’s course, preferably a two-up course. Also, by taking a two-up rider course the operator would find that the passenger should almost never put their feet down. I would also advise the couple to join the Gold Wing Road Riders Association and take some of their courses.
I have ridden over 200,000 miles and I, as well as the rest of my family, take a rider course every two years to refresh our skills.
Lawrence Wiggins Muskegon, Mich.
COMMON GROUND
I eagerly look forward to the day when the United States joins the rest of the world in standardizing motorcycle equipment regulations.
Why? This summer my wife and I will complete a 70,000-mile ’round the world trip on our bikes. One problem was the wait for some parts when the bikes broke down. Not only did we have to buy the parts from the United States and suffer a delay to have them shipped to us because they were not available locally, but due to a smaller production run size, they were invariably more expensive than the standardized parts sold in the rest of the world.
Another reason is much more exciting. There are easily dozens of excellent motorcycle models not sold in the United States because of the cost of meeting specialized U.S. rules for what is a limited market. I look forward to greater freedom of choice!
AMA District 17 lost a founding father last November. Bill Maxey was not only a true competitor and rider’s rider, but his insight, participation and thought process in the 1960s made AMA Districts and organized AMA racing what it is today. He was an inspiration to us, and not only was he part of our process since the beginning but even as he started to slow down, he
would call and touch base with many of us to keep in the loop.
One of the last AMA Congresses he wasn’t able to make it, so he phoned in and closed the main Congress meeting. Bill will be missed, but his memory and mark on us here in Illinois and at AMA will live forever. “They don’t make ’em like that anymore” comes to mind when thinking of Bill. He was the guy you knew would give it to you straight!
Gerhard Ward
AMA Charter Life Member
AMA Congressman
AMA District 17 Motocross Director Mendota, Ill.
Paul Miller Annapolis, Md.
LANE SPLITTING BLOWBACK
Any discussion of lane splitting that focuses solely on safety and legality misses the main problem with the practice: lack of civility and respect. Consider how you feel when some jerk drives on the shoulder to avoid stopped traffic or when that jerk drives to the end of a mile-long freely flowing right-turn-only lane and then muscles his way left into the stopped traffic patiently waiting to go straight. This is exactly
David Nelson
Bill Maxey
the feeling generated in cagers when motorcyclists lane split. Lane splitting is viewed as rude and inconsiderate, just one more manifestation of the “my time is more valuable than yours” mentality so prevalent in our society today.
I’m an active AMA vintage road racer and have logged well over 100,000 miles of street riding, and even I feel that way when a motorcycle zips by me in stopped traffic. The benefits gained by lane splitting in terms of traffic flow, reduced emissions, etc., will never outweigh its negative impact on the general public’s perception of motorcycling.
Bill Johnson Baltimore, Md.
Thanks Bill for weighing in. When done in a safe manner, as state-funded research in California has recently shown, lane splitting/filtering has demonstrated advantages for motorcyclists and motorists alike. Yet, clearly lane-splitting is not for every rider and must remain an issue of choice, as noted in the AMA position statement viewable at www. americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/ PositionStatements/LaneSplitting.aspx.
Sound Off!
A roundup of recent comments on Facebook (www. facebook.com/americanmotorcyclist) and Instagram (@AMA_Racing, @AMA_Riding).
On a membership drive that offers $50 off on a TomTom Rider GPS…
Timothy Simpson: They’re great for going riding aimlessly then hitting the home button to find your way back.
On the Top 10 issues facing motorcyclists…
Grit Lauber: I enjoyed this article in print. I rely on the AMA to keep me on top of the issues. Thanks!
In response to “Happy Holiday Season!”
@crabbyfrog: Also known as motorcycle building season here in Wisconsin...
On the announcement of Bryan Carroll and James Walker as the 2014 AMA Motorcyclists of the Year… John T. Luce: Congratulations, you guys did a great job!
@whyweride: We’re humbled and honored! On behalf of our amazing crew, inspiring interviewees and the communities of motorcyclists who welcome us into their world. THANK YOU to @ama_riding for this truly special recognition! Let’s ride!
On what charity rides our followers participate in…
Charles Hood: I do too many to list them all.
Johnny Bailey: Just rode in a big toy run last Sunday in Colorado Springs!
by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. Fuel charges are extra. Rental must begin by 12/31/12. 12/31/15 12/31/15.
MOTORCYCLE CRASH STUDY RECEIVES NEW FUNDING
Data Collection To Continue Through 2015
The Motorcycle Crash Causation Study underway at Oklahoma State University received a new round of funding in late 2014 that will allow researchers to examine 100 more incidents, resulting in more information when the research is complete.
The additional funding is being provided by the states participating in the study.
By Wayne Allard
The new funding and additional case studies mean that the release date for the data has been pushed back from spring 2015 to spring 2016.
The Motorcycle Crash Causation Study is the first comprehensive examination on the factors contributing to motorcycle crashes in the United States since the 1981 Hurt Report.
The results of that study were used to develop training programs and strategies to help keep riders safe on the road.
The Hurt report, officially titled Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, examined 900 motorcycle crashes in Los Angeles.
Data collection for the Motorcycle Crash Causation Study began in 2011. Through Nov. 20, 2014, researchers had initiated 403 cases and closed 249.
When the project is completed, it will provide a large and unique data set derived from actual motorcycle crashes and riders with similar risk characteristics, with a focus on the unique circumstances that produce motorcycle crashes.
The study leaders are committing the majority of funds to case investigation, rather than data analysis.
The data will offer some perspective into the role of crashcausation factors that are specific to motorcycles and will be used by various interests to develop effective countermeasures, craft future safety standards, and reduce the risk of fatalities and injuries to motorcycle riders.
For the study, the AMA joined with Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to fund the project.
Supporting states are Iowa, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin.
Oklahoma State University is leading the study through the Oklahoma Transportation Center.
Funding limitations required that the study focus on one geographical area, so the researchers chose California. The state includes
opportunities for year-round riding and a large population of motorcycle riders.
Local law enforcement agencies were contacted and agreed to provide information on all motorcycle crashes. The study investigators are following up with a detailed examination of each case.
Because the team is using the protocol of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, cases with no injuries are dropped.
In addition, the investigators use other resources, such as newspaper reports and web searches, to follow up on cases in which no police report was generated.
Since the Hurt report was published, rider demographics have changed dramatically. And the technological advancements in motorcycles during the past 34 years are staggering.
In 1981, driver and rider distractions were fewer. There were no cell phones, in-car DVD players or in-dash entertainment and vehicle-control systems.
The Motorcycle Crash Causation Study will provide up-to-date information on the types of the dangers modern motorcyclists face.
The study is important, because it will provide new insights into which factors affect motorcyclist safety, and how.
Such factors include the human factors associated with crashes, the psycho-social states of riders and other drivers, riding habits, inattention, perceptual and decision errors, environmental conditions, roadway conditions, contributing traffic conditions, traffic control devices, motorcycle mechanical issues, motorcycle type and style and other vehicle factors.
Adding 100 incidents to the database during the coming year will enhance the quality of the final report. And the better the data, the more accurate the depiction of the crash scenario.
The quality of the data is vital if it is to provide the basis for effective measures to improve rider safety.
Once the report is published, the data will be available for analysis by the AMA, its project partners and others to determine how to increase the safety of America’s motorcycling population.
Wayne Allard is AMA’s vice president for government relations and a member of the Motorcycle Crash Causation Study Project Working Group.
A gas station in Wisconsin displays a sign stating its gasoline is not blended with alcohol.
The Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce organization says state law does not permit E15 sales in the state.
EPA DELAYS 2014 RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARDS Agency
Promises Action in 2015
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency failed to finalize its 2014 applicable percentage standards under the Renewable Fuel Standard program before the end of 2014.
The 2014 standards, called Renewable Volume Obligations or RVOs, were due to be in place in November 2013, but the EPA’s proposal to lower the required volume of renewal fuels blended into the nation’s gasoline supply raised the hackles of the ethanol industry.
The AMA favored adoption of the
EPA’s plan to lower the required amounts of ethanol. Raising the requirement could force oil companies to increase the ethanol in gasoline above the 10 percent approved for motorcycle use.
The EPA says it plans to combine the 2014, 2015 and 2016 RVOs. The agency could waive the 2014 requirements or accept what has been produced as meeting the mandate.
CHICAGO COUNCIL TABLES E15 MANDATE AMA Effort Helped Quash Proposed Ordinance
Thanks to the efforts of AMA members who contacted the Chicago City Council in opposition to its proposed E15 fuel mandate, the ordinance has been tabled.
The ordinance would have required about one-fourth of the city’s self-serve gas stations to install equipment to dispense fuel with ethanol content as high as 15 percent and to offer E15 for sale.
AMA Board Member Jim Viverito appeared at two meetings of the council’s Finance Committee to oppose the ordinance. And he says a joint effort with the Chicago chapter of ABATE of Illinois resulted in enough pressure on aldermen to kill the issue, at least temporarily.
Two days after the council’s Finance Committee approved the ordinance on an 11-to-5 vote, the full council tabled the issue at the request of Mayor Rahm
Emanuel. Published reports say Emanuel has not decided whether he supports or opposes the proposal.
“The AMA worked with the local SMRO (state motorcycle rights organization) to get members and aldermen to oppose this ordinance,” Viverito says. “Judging by the mayor’s request, we are being heard. And judging by the tabling of the ordinance, we are being effective.”
The AMA opposed the ordinance, because widespread availability of E15 fuel could lead to misfueling by motorcyclists, possibly causing engine damage, voiding manufacturers’ warranties and placing the rider in violation of federal law.
The AMA is monitoring the City Council to try to prevent this ordinance from returning to the agenda and to defeat it.
GROUP SAYS WISCONSIN CAN’T ALLOW E15 SALES
Businesses Back AMA Stance On IncreasedEthanol Blends
The Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce organization weighed in against the sale of E15 fuel at Wisconsin service stations, arguing that state law does not permit it.
The AMA has fought the proliferation of E15 fuel, which contains up to 15 percent ethanol, because of the harm it can do to engines and because no motorcycle has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to use blends higher than E10.
The Wisconsin business groups got involved when the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection issued fact sheets that stated retailers were allowed to sell E15.
The WMC says that the Wisconsin administrative code does not permit E15 sales. None of the state’s definitions of gasoline or biofuels include E15.
“The agency does not have authority to allow for the sale of E15 until it promulgates a rule explicitly providing a definition of E15 for gasoline,” the WMC wrote in a letter to DATCP Secretary Ben Brancel and copied to Gov. Scott Walker.
GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE LISTED AS ‘THREATENED’ AMA,
Politicians Protest Agency Move
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided in November to list the Gunnison sage-grouse as “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act, prompting immediate protests from the AMA and Western politicians.
The designation means that the agency can enact restrictions to manage the land that includes the sagegrouse habitat.
“The AMA is concerned that incorporating broad conservation measures will needlessly limit offhighway-vehicle recreation,” says Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations.
“Doing so would severely impact a legitimate form of responsible recreation enjoyed by families and cause economic harm for small businesses that rely on recreational tourism.
“Frankly, we believe that OHV recreation is unfairly being singled out as a cause in the decline of the Gunnison sage-grouse.”
Elected officials from Colorado echoed the AMA reaction.
“This decision is terribly disappointing,” says Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. “Despite a broad coalition of local governments, ranchers, farmers, environmentalists and the state of Colorado pleading for more time and more engagement from the federal government on the ground,
“Frankly, we believe that OHV recreation is unfairly being singled out as a cause in the decline of the Gunnison sagegrouse.”
— Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations
the Fish and Wildlife Service has pulled the rug out from under them. These Colorado communities did everything right to conserve the species and have shown a willingness to do more.”
U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, a Republican, says the issue is not a political one.
“They decided to ignore the scientific experts, and in true Washington-knowsbest fashion, listen to the bureaucracy instead, jeopardizing locally tailored species preservation efforts already successfully underway in Colorado,” Tipton says. “This is not a political issue, but an occasion where people from diverse backgrounds and all sides of the political spectrum have worked together to put into place local plans of action to preserve the species based on extensive scientific data — and they’re working.”
The agency says it plans to issue rules in 2015 that will allow “ranchers, farmers and other landowners who commit to Gunnison sage-grouse conservation to continue to manage their lands without additional restrictions.”
The Fish and Wildlife Service originally proposed to list the species as “endangered,” but efforts by stakeholders to conserve the species and its habitat have helped reduce the threats to the bird sufficiently to give it the more flexibly protected status of “threatened,” the agency says in a media release.
BLM REJECTS SILURIAN VALLEY SOLAR PROJECT
AMA Objected To Plan’s Effect On OHV Use
A massive California solar project proposed for an area alongside the famous Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Off-Highway-Vehicle Trail was rejected in November by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The Silurian Valley solar project site sits along State Route 127, about 10 miles north of Baker, Calif. The plan included arrays of photovoltaic panels, 44 miles of service roads, and operation and maintenance facilities. The project site would have encompassed 7,219 acres of public lands administered by the BLM in San Bernardino County.
Wayne Allard, AMA vice president of government relations, sent a letter to Katrina Symons, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Barstow field manager in May. The letter outlined concerns that the project may have diminished the quality of the Tonopah and Tidewater OHV Trail by degrading its scenic attributes and potentially repurposing part of the trail for maintenance of the solar project.
“The trail is one of the few expedition quality OHV routes in the California desert,” Allard wrote. “Changes to the surrounding landscape that reduce the trails’ appeal to riders would adversely affect the local economy.”
In rejecting the application submitted by a subsidiary of Iberdrola Renewables LLC, the BLM determined that the solar project would not be in the public interest.
AMA SOUND TESTING KITS AVAILABLE
Application Deadline Is March 31
The AMA Government Relations Department is giving away sound testing kits to AMA Districts, AMA Club members and others who educate riders about sound. The kits contain a Type 2 sound meter, a tachometer, training materials, a sparkarrestor probe, personal protective equipment and a storage case.
Nine kits will be awarded in 2015 through a competitive grant process.
Applicants must complete a form and return it to the AMA Government Relations
Department by March 31.
Forms and additional information are available from Marie Wuelleh, government affairs specialist, at American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147; at (614) 856-1900, ext. 1224; or at mwuelleh@ama-cycle.org.
Applications remain active for two grant cycles, so anyone who submitted an application in 2014, but was not selected, does not need not resubmit an application to be considered for the 2015 grants.
U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colo.)
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)
NATIONAL PARKS FEE HIKES DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MOTORCYCLISTS
Olympic And Other Proposed Increases Hit Riders Disproportionately
The 131 national parks monuments, historic sites and recreation areas that charge entrance fees are considering raising those fees during 2015, and many are proposing larger increases for motorcyclists than for other visitors.
For example, at Olympic National Park in Washington state, the fee for an individual pass without a vehicle would rise from $5 to $12, a 140 percent increase, while the motorcycle fee would jump from $5 to $20, a 300 percent increase. Similarly disproportionate increases are proposed at other sites.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON PARTNERS WITH WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT
2015 Motorcycles Donated For Riding Program To Treat PTSD
Six U.S. military veterans received new Harley-Davidson motorcycles Nov. 6, 2014, as part of the company’s partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps improve the lives of service men and women living with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Bill Davidson, great-grandson of company co-founder William A. Davidson, along with six Harley-Davidson employees who are veterans, rode the bikes—led by police motorcade—to Wounded Warrior Project headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla. The six veterans, all of whom have been diagnosed with symptoms of PTSD,
were selected to receive the motorcycles because, although they are experienced riders, they no longer have access to bikes due to various hardships.
“It is important to have the support of corporations like Harley-Davidson which understand the long-term needs of our nation’s veterans and are willing to work with us to help warriors uncover and live with their ‘new normal,’” says John Roberts, executive vice president of Warrior Relations at Wounded Warrior Project. “We know from our warriors that recreational activities like motorcycle riding provide a multitude of therapeutic benefits for those living with PTSD.”
The partnership calls for HarleyDavidson to collaborate with Wounded Warrior Project to develop a program geared toward helping more veterans experience the positive benefits of the open road. Peer-to-peer activities, like motorcycle riding, have been known to
“While we understand the importance of raising fees to allow the National Park Service to continue to provide clean, safe and accessible parks, the AMA does not believe motorcyclists should pay a disproportionate share,” AMA Vice President of Government Relations Wayne Allard wrote in a letter to parks director Jon Jarvis.
The AMA urges motorcyclists to contact the National Park Service (www.nps.gov), parks and monuments in their areas, as well as their elected officials, to voice their displeasure with this unfair practice.
provide positive therapeutic benefits for PTSD. One in three returning individuals is diagnosed with PTSD symptoms, yet less than 40 percent seek help.
“We’re proud of the nearly 100 years of support Harley-Davidson has provided to the men and women who defend our country and our freedom,” says Matt Levatich, president and chief operating officer at Harley-Davidson. “Our partnership with Wounded Warrior Project builds on that legacy by supporting these veterans in their quest for strength, freedom and independence.”
(ABOVE) Bill Davidson, great-grandson of Harley-Davidson co-founder William A. Davidson, congratulates U.S. Air Force veteran Dorsey “Barney” Fyffe after delivering a 2015 HarleyDavidson motorcycle while Jason Cross, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and retail supply planner at Harley-Davidson looks on. (LEFT) U.S. Marine veteran Raymond Andalio poses with Davidson, after learning he would receive a 2015 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
“The Riders Choice” Chuck Sun, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer
Harley-Davidson
Olympic National Park
UP to Lockheed Martin for encouraging motorcycle safety and for increasing benefits for the survivors of motorcyclists killed on the job. AMA member James Epley reports that a new benefit to the Business Travel Accident Insurance has increased 10 percent, up to a maximum of $10,000 if an employee killed in a crash on an approved business trip was riding a motorcycle and wearing proper safety gear when the crash occurred.
DOWN to Reynolds and Reynolds Co. for excluding motorcyclist-related injuries from its employees’ health insurance coverage. An AMA member says he stopped riding when he discovered this exclusion in his policy. Company spokesman Tom Schwartz says the provision has been in the policy for more than 10 years and is one of several exclusions private companies use to cut the employer’s cost of employee health insurance coverage.
UP to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for its quick fix of unsafe road conditions in a construction zone. AMA member Wilton Alderman contacted AMA Western States Representative Nick Haris on Oct. 29 to report the hazard near the city of Concord.
“If any motorcycle changes lanes here, the tire will go in the hole and there will be no way to recover and they will crash,” Alderman told Haris. He described the situation as “life-threatening.” Haris contacted Caltrans, and the repairs were made.
O U T
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STATEWATCH
CALIFORNIA
Assembly Bill 51, introduced by Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward), would authorize a motorcycle to be driven between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, if the speed of traffic is 35 mph or less and the motorcycle is driven no more than 10 mph faster than the speed of traffic. The bill would provide that these provisions do not authorize a motorcycle to be driven in contravention of other laws relating to the safe operation of a vehicle.
OHIO
Senate Bill 383, co-sponsored by Sens. Frank LaRose (R-Copley) and Capri S. Cafaro (D-Hubbard), would reestablish the advisory board for the state recreational vehicle fund. The fund holds money collected from user fees paid by riders of dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. The advisory board would provide advice to the Department of Natural Resources regarding the use of state recreational vehicle fund money.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Senate Bill 79, introduced by Sen. Shane Massey (R-Edgefield), would amend sections of the 1976 code, relating to the
ILLINOIS TO GET 400-ACRE OHV PARK
Title And User Fees Pay For 30 Miles Of Public Trails
A new 400-acre off-highway-vehicle park near Nebo, Ill., will be funded by a $1.66 million grant from the state Department of Natural Resources.
Harpole’s Heartland Lodge Inc. has been chosen to manage the property, which will feature 25 to 30 miles of OHV trails.
The park will connect to Heartland’s Sunset Valley Lodge, which opened April 1.
The state DNR also issued a $38,232 grant to Atkinson Motorsports Park LLC in Henry County and an $87,879 grant to Little Egypt Off-Road Motorcycle Club in Williamson County.
The OHV grant program provides financial aid to government agencies, not-forprofit organizations and other eligible groups or individuals to develop, operate, maintain and acquire land for OHV parks and trails. The facilities must be open and accessible to the public.
Riders must buy a $10 public access sticker for machines operated on sites supported by OHV grant funds.
definition of the terms “motor vehicle” and “motorcycle,” to provide that mopeds are motor vehicles and not motorcycles.
Also, Senate Bill 131, introduced by Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg), would prohibit the state Department of Transportation from discriminating against motorcycles, motorcycle operators, or motorcycle passengers in formulating transportation policy, promulgating regulations, allocating funds, and planning, designing,
constructing, equipping, operating and maintaining transportation facilities.
TEXAS
House Bill 383, introduced by state Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio) includes motorcyclists in the category of “unprotected road user” and contains provisions intended to increase the safety of unprotected road users on the state’s roadways.
FROM PILLION TO PODIUM
Liz
VanDelinder
Goes From Boyfriend’s Back To Leader Of The Pack
A couple of years ago, Liz VanDelinder was a passenger on the pillion of her boyfriend’s Ducati Hypermotard 1100s.
But the 23-year-old from Manchester Center, Vt., wanted more than the view from the back of someone else’s bike.
“I think we both got tired of me being a passenger, and I started to really enjoy being around the bikes,” VanDelinder says. “With his incredible patience and teaching, I found my bearings fairly quickly.”
VanDelinder not only learned to ride, she learned to race.
“I have several podiums from [the 2014] season,” she says. “I won my first race the last round this season. I had one first, one second, and two third places—my best finishes in my class. We do seven rounds of racing. I race three or four races each event. And, yes, I did get a trophy! Proud moment for sure!”
Her first bikes were a Yamaha TTR125 and a 2009 Honda CRF230 SM. She currently rides a 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250 on the track and a 2013 Ducati Monster 696 on the street.
VanDelinder spends her weekdays as an office manager for VCP Sotheby’s Realty in Stratton, Vt., where she assists agents with their sales to the buyers of second homes.
“I sometimes ride my street bike to work—a Ducati Monster,” she says. “Being the only person at my work
place or in any of our offices who rides, this generally raises eyebrows. And I have often gotten the, ‘You don’t look like someone who rides a motorcycle!’ response.
“As a 5-foot 5-inch blonde girl, I know I’m not the picture of someone who races motorcycles, especially when I didn’t get my first bike until I was 21,” VanDelinder explains. “And I understand it. My work garb of a cardigan sweater and khakis, mixed with Sidi boots and gauntlet-style gloves, is hardly riding attire or an image you’d put in a bike advertisement. No matter what style I have, I am my favorite version of myself when I get on my bike.”
VanDelinder recently took a few moments from her busy schedule to respond to some questions from the AMA.—Jim Witters
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST: What is your favorite ride?
LIZ VANDELINDER: It’s really hard to pick just one. Living in Southern Vermont, we have incredible paved back roads that are infrequently traveled by cars. Riding over Killington into Woodstock or from Manchester to Castleton are probably my favorite routes right now.
AM: What is the best memory you associate with motorcycling?
LV: I’ll never forget the class I took to get
my racing license with the Penguin Road Racing School.
I was worried I wasn’t up to pace, and I was on a bike I’d never ridden and a track I’d never ridden. The instructors and other members of our class made me feel really welcome and confident—regardless of how well I was actually doing. Whenever I would get nervous or frustrated out there, someone always said “But did you remember to have fun?” That was the most important thing to learn for me. Always have fun on my motorcycle.
AM: How can motorcyclists improve their image?
LV: I always compare the image of motorcyclists to the image associated with early snowboarders. What was once considered a dangerous tool for the insane grew into an equal part of the resort and snow industry. I think, as time goes on, the image will continue to improve and be more accepted—especially through the media outlets we have today. Being such a connected society allows us to get the message we want out there, and quickly.
AM: What practical benefits do you personally get from riding?
LV: The most practical benefit I get from riding is focus and piece of mind. I initially thought of how great the fuel economy was for riding to work, but I would ride my bike even if the fuel was twice as expensive as my car. It provides a unique feeling of individual happiness for me.
AMA Member Tested
CARDO SCALA RIDER
Q3 HEADSET
Info: www.cardosystems.com
Cardo Systems’ scala rider Q3 is a full-featured communications tool for motorcyclists.
It’s the link that allows you to speak to other riders, connect to your mobile phone, listen to music and more.
By
It’s a powerful piece of technology.
The specifications are impressive. The Q3 allows bike-to-bike intercom among four users at a theoretical range of up to 1 kilometer (0.62 miles). Some of its cooler features include music sharing between rider and passenger, voice command controls, the ability to receive audio GPS instructions, a built-in FM radio, seven to 10 hours of radio on-time, automatic radio muting for incoming calls and GPS instructions and self-adjusting speaker volume. It’s also waterproof and dustproof. I tested the Cardo scala rider Q3 on an HJC IS 33 helmet. For my application, I used the provided boom microphone. My helmet is a three-quarter helmet with fullface shield. There is an additional corded microphone enclosed which allows you to place it in a full-face helmet. Switching the microphones requires a partial
disassembly of the unit.
Placing the internal speakers and the boom microphone was much easier with the helmet liner removed. The wires could be run, and the excess tucked away before the pads were returned to place. The included speakers are very nice and small and produce quality sound.
Charging the control module is done via a micro USB cable that you probably already have.
The unit requires updating with firmware prior to use, and that requires registration on the Cardo website. Installing the update was relatively easy.
The Cardo website allows you to change many of the Q3’s features, such as tuning the preset radio stations. You can set the headset volume based on wind noise, and you also have the ability to adjust the sensitivity from the standard medium setting to low or high. A nice feature is a preset number that can be reached with a few taps of the headset button.
Pairing the Q3 with my Motorola Moto X cellphone was quick and easy once the firmware update was installed. I used this setup on my Buell XB12S. During the calls, those I spoke with said they couldn’t tell that I was talking from my bike. Full disclosure, though. I did have my face
shield down, which provided for significant wind noise buffering.
The only times that the bike-to-bike communications became interrupted was when there was not a line of sight with the other bike. Typically, however, the Q3 delivered and received clear sounds in all reasonable situations.
In general, the Q3 worked well in all respects. Like any technology, there is a learning curve to mastering the settings and memorizing the operation, but after a little practice, you’ll be using it like a pro.
The only drawback to the unit was “control feel” in some instances. When riding with heavier gloves during colder weather, being able to distinguish the different buttons was a challenge. That said, I’m sure after time, using the system even with thick gloves becomes a snap.
—Chris Harrison
American Motorcyclist Throwback
FEBRUARY 1961
Put Your Best Wheel Forward!
The big news in the February 1961 issue was the announcement of a new AMA public relations campaign: “Put Your Best Wheel Forward.”
“What we are planning is a program to encourage all motorcyclists to present a good appearance to the public—not only by their personal appearance, but also by their riding habits,” wrote AMA Secretary Lin Kuchler.
That meant, Kuchler said, taking safety seriously, riding a quiet bike and giving special consideration to quiet zones.
The intent was that well-behaved motorcyclists would attract more riders to our ranks. Not surprisingly,
Chris Harrison
TOOLS, FLUIDS AND BETTER BATTERIES
Commonsense Steps To Improve The Ride
Ratchet Up!
There are a lot of tight spots when you’re working on a bike. Consider augmenting or replacing your current set of closed- and openended wrenches with a nice set of openend/closed ratchet wrenches. These are really nice to have when working in tight spots where you’re otherwise required to continually remove and reset the wrench’s position.
and stock up at your dealer. You’ll thank yourself when you have the correct fluids on hand.
Battery Selection
The days of the lead-acid battery are coming to an end. AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat), Lithium Ion and more are flowing into the marketplace. And maintenance of each is a little different.
Get Fluid On Fluids
Most motorcycles use a number of fluids to keep them running smoothly. Antifreeze, oil, brake fluid, chain lubes and more make up a collective of liquids your bike can’t operate without.
But just what sort of antifreeze are we talking about here? Full-strength or 50/50 mix? What blend of oil is recommended? What DOT rating is recommended for your brake fluid? Don’t know? Join the legions of thousands who don’t.
For those of us who own multiple bikes, it’s even more daunting. Take the time to learn what your bike, or bikes, requires
motorcycle dealers were big players in the program as they, as well as the AMA, would directly benefit from more motorcyclists on the road.
On the competition front, the magazine was promoting the Feb. 5 Florida state championship scrambles meet. The location? The 17,000-seat Miami Stadium, booked by a consortium of southern Florida motorcycle dealers, the Miami Jaycees, partnering Miami area motorcycle clubs and event promoter Raymond Barnett, who said the motorcycle race would be the first one inside Miami city limits.
Also hot that month was politicking for the AMA’s Most Popular Boy and Girl Rider awards. The winners weren’t announced, but the AMA mailroom was reportedly being flooded with nominations, votes and promotional pamphlets from clubs touting their sponsored riders.
If you own several bikes with varying battery designs, it means you need to know which charger goes to which bike. But you may be able to simplify things somewhat by converting all your bikes to one format. Take some time to investigate which battery types work with your bike(s), then zero in on the right one for you.
Multi-Night Stay-Overs
When touring several days or weeks at a time, build a few days into the trip where you won’t need to pack up in the morning and unpack that same afternoon. This gets especially tedious when camping. Instead, plan a few loop ride days into your tour so you can spend a day exploring an area and return to the same accommodations you used the night before.
Time For Seam Sealing?
As gear like dry bags, tents and rain gear age, the sealed seams can deteriorate, making for an unpleasant surprise when you least need it. As a winter project, gather all these water-tight items together and inspect the seams. Seam sealers are available at many outdoor and fabric stores as well as online. Grab a tube or two and refresh your gear before the next storm.
Tom Mehren is a long-time promoter of AMA-sanctioned events. A 20,000-mileper-year rider, Tom has learned countless tips and tricks. Do you have a tip to share? Email tmehren@soundrider.com. If we use it, you’ll receive a copy of Tom’s book, Packing Light/Packing Right
By Tom Mehren
ROAD RACING GROUPS COLLABORATE
Clubs Invited To Participate In AMA-Sanctioned Competition
Representatives from the AMA, MotoAmerica and seven regional and amateur road racing organizations met at AMA headquarters on Thursday, Dec. 11, to discuss ways they can work together to improve road racing in America.
Racing Relations Kevin Crowther and Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant attended the meeting.
“The AMA is committed to creating a brighter future for all levels of road racing competition,” says AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “This meeting was an important step to extend that level of collaboration to the grassroots level.”
MotoAmerica principals Wayne Rainey and Chuck Aksland attended the meeting, as well as MotoAmerica Race Operations Manager Niccole Cox.
L-R: Mana Claus (MWGP), Walter Walker (CMRA), Ken Saillant (AMA), Berto Wooldridge (AFM), Greg Nulman (MWGP), Niccole Cox (MotoAmerica), Dana Wilson (USBA), Kevin Elliot (ASRA/CSS), Wayne Rainey (MotoAmerica), Kevin Crowther (AMA), Sean and Evelyne Clarke (WERA), Rob Dingman (AMA), Jim Wilson (MRA), Chuck Aksland (MotoAmerica), Jeff Massey (AMA), Bill Cumbow (AMA).
“Our goal is to create a better path from the amateur ranks to national championship competition and, ultimately, to help American riders ascend to the MotoGP World Championship,” says Rainey, a three-time world champion and an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer. “The more cooperation and standardization that we can create across the board, the easier it will be for amateur racers to one day become pros in MotoAmerica.”
Aksland asked the other organizations in attendance to work with the AMA to build a framework for long-term viability.
“If all of our organizations can be aligned on key classes, develop standardized race procedures and work together to homogenize certain rules, the foundation will be in place for sustainable success,” Aksland says.
In addition to Dingman, AMA Chief Operations Officer Jeff Massey, Racing Director Bill Cumbow, Director of Pro
Attendees from other road racing groups included Evelyne and Sean Clarke from WERA Motorcycle Roadracing; Kevin Elliot, president of ASRA/Championship Cup Series; Greg Nulman, owner, and Mana Claus, timing and scoring, with Moto West Grand Prix; Walter Walker, director of competition for the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association; Dana Wilson with the Utah Sport Bike Association; Jim Wilson, president of the Motorcycle Roadracing Association; and Berto Wooldridge, president of the American Federation of Motorcyclists.
In addition to class structure and race procedures, the group discussed license processing, technology sharing and racer promotions.
As the sanctioning body for professional road racing in America, the AMA licenses riders and manages advancement.
In addition, as the U.S. affiliate of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme and a member of FIM North America, the AMA administers MotoAmerica’s FIM North America Continental Union sanction.
MotoAmerica, with consultation of the AMA, is responsible for maintaining a competitive and commercially viable class structure, drafting rules of competition and event procedures, selling sponsorships, creating the schedule and engaging fans. For rules and approved models for 2015 MotoAmerica competition, see www.americanmotorcyclist.com/racing/ roadracing.aspx.
Jeff Guciardo
~ A JC Motors Company ~
COAST TO COAST
The Ocean City Tour by
Shortly after Memorial Day one year, my friend Jim and I rode the five miles from my home on the Pacific Coast of Washington state to Ocean City to begin our cross-country jaunt. He was on his 2011 Heritage Softail, and I was on my 1995 Road King with sidecar.
I wanted to start in Ocean City because our East Coast destination was Ocean City, Md.—the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 50, which seemed like a good road to follow. We made our way south and east across Washington, Oregon and Northern California. Following an overnight stop in Bend, Ore., we arrived in Fernley, Nev., and hooked up with U.S. 50.
The ride across Nevada on “the loneliest road in America” is, well, lonely. The scenery in Nevada and Utah is spectacular, though, so you don’t really notice that it’s just you out there.
We made a fuel stop in Green River, Utah. After a quick bike inspection, I found that I could see the cord in my rear tire. We had planned on stopping for the night in Gunnison, Colo., but decided that Grand Junction, where there is a HarleyDavidson shop, might be our overnight destination instead.
We arrived in Grand Junction about 1 p.m. and got the bike in for a new tire. We had lunch at a Village Inn and then headed back to the shop to check on the progress. The bike was ready, but it was too late to make our way to Gunnison that night, so we checked into a motel and explored the town.
We woke early and headed to Gunnison for breakfast. The Tic Toc Diner in Gunnison had a huge breakfast scramble
Michael Preston
on the menu. It’s so big that one order would have been enough for both of us. The rest of the ride through Colorado was spectacular. The winding curves running along miles-long lakes and rivers and the mountain passes over 11,000 feet high are breathtaking. On Monarch Pass at 11,310 feet, my carbureted Harley was gasping for air—and so was I.
We made stops in little towns like Lamar, Colo., Olathe, Kan., Flora, Ill., and Chillicothe, Ohio. These were all great places to spend the night and get a good meal on the road.
I would be one of the last people to say anything bad about the Great Plains, but Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana have a lot of flat, straight roads. We did get to see a lot of corn and soybeans growing and a lot of small towns. I’m always on the lookout for authorized Harley-Davidson dealers so I can add to my ever-growing t-shirt collection, and we did find a few of those. Once we entered Ohio, the scenery changed and the roads made it a bit more fun.
Our ninth day on the road started with my bike having a small electrical problem. I patched it up as best I could, and we headed on toward Clarksburg, W.Va., and nearby Nutter Fort where there was a Harley shop. The folks at B&B Harley-Davidson were exceptionally helpful, and I got the parts and help I needed to get on the road with the right repairs done.
From Nutter Fort, we wound our way along U.S. 50 to Arlington, Va., where we stopped at the
Arlington National Cemetery to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and to pay our respects to fallen heroes.
We left the cemetery around 2 p.m. and promptly got lost in Washington, D.C. After a few false starts, we managed to get back on U.S. 50 and head to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. We hadn’t planned very well when we left home and found ourselves headed for the beach on a Friday afternoon on a hot June day. There was plenty of traffic to deal with, and the ride from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Ocean City was a bit slow and tedious.
We arrived in Ocean City about 6 p.m. and found that on summer weekends the hotels get really pricey. Ah, but we made it—sea to shining sea. We watched the sun rise over the Atlantic in the morning. There was a bonus. As the sun rose over the sea, we got to watch porpoises frolicking in the surf. We dined in a beachfront café and had a dinner of Maryland crab cakes. The crab cakes alone would have been worth a 10-day cross-country motorcycle trip.
One of the nice things about taking long trips on off-the-beaten-path roads is you get to eat in some really great places, and every once in a while some really bad ones too. Plus, the scenery is so much nicer than that seen from an interstate.
MOTORCYCLE TRAINING PROGRAMS SHIFTING GEARS
Indiana, California, Colorado Making Changes
by Jim Witters
Longtime providers of motorcycle safety training in California and Indiana dropped out of contention for renewed contracts, citing difficulties with the proposed agreements that they say jeopardize the interests of riders.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation notified the California Highway Patrol in November that it would not bid on a new agreement.
And ABATE of Indiana says its board of directors voted not to renew a training contract with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
At the same time, ABATE of Colorado ended its 2014 motorcycle rider training program a month early after a shakeup at the top of the organization and lack of funds forced the board of directors to establish new priorities. ABATE is reevaluating its approach for 2015.
Government officials in each state offered assurances that the demand for motorcyclist training would be met without interruption.
California
The MSF says it dropped out of contention for the $1.7-million-a-year CHP training contract after the state sought changes in its request for proposals.
“Due to a variety of untenable terms and conditions in the new IFB [invitation for bids], the MSF has chosen not to submit a bid at this time, as we would not be able to appropriately serve the California motorcyclists…,” MSF President and CEO Tim Buche wrote in a letter to the CHP.
Lee Durlach, MSF’s managing director of communications, says the organization has no additional comment on the California contract.
California has used the MSF curriculum since 1987, and the MSF has administered the training program since 2004.
Among the MSF objections are the CHPs right to change the curriculum, with a 30-day deadline for implementation of the change. MSF says that is not enough time to test, evaluate and implement program changes.
MSF also says in the letter than the
in the state’s latest request for proposal, ABATE of Indiana’s board of directors voted unanimously to not submit a proposal to administer the program for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.”
Josh Gillespie, deputy commissioner for communications at the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, says ABATE’s current $1.7 million, two-year contract expires on March 26.
CHP would not defend MSF against liability resulting from such changes.
CHP spokesman Jaime Coffee says there was no request for change.
“The CHP advertised for contract bids and made the bid package available publically and to all known potential bidders,” Coffee says. “MSF was aware of the advertisement for contract bid. The CHP did not request any changes to the existing contract with MSF.”
Total Control Training Inc. won the contract, which calls for training 58,000 to 62,000 riders a year. The new three-year contract became effective Jan. 1.
Indiana
ABATE of Indiana has been training riders since the 1970s, with more than 125,000 students completing its course, says Jay Jackson, executive director.
“For the last two seasons, we have been in an environment that is not conducive to learning and does not address the best interests of Hoosier motorcyclists,” he says. “Due to this, and some untenable requirements contained
Among the changes the state requested:
• A provision that students travel no farther than 50 miles to a training site. The current contract calls for a 100mile radius.
• The contractor must train at least 6,000 students a year in Indiana. In 2012, 6,418 people took the MSF Basic RiderCourse and 163 took the Basic RiderCourse-2. In 2013, 5,967 took the BRC and 199 took BRC-2. Indiana reported 223,103 motorcycles registered in 2012, according to the USDOT.
• The state will pay the contractor 90 percent of the tuition fees initially. After the 6,000-student minimum is met, the other 10 percent will be paid.
• The contractor shall make a minimum number of training courses available to students in each region, with the regions to be proposed by contractor.
• 20 percent of the training courses must be offered in April, May and June, for a total of 60 percent of the courses.
Lynn Cowles
Photography
• The BMV wants to transition the Experienced Rider Course (BRC2) to an Advanced Rider Course.
The changes were needed “to ensure quality customer service by providing more courses and to give our vendor financial incentive to meet their minimum goals,” Gillespie says.
ABATE plans to take its Motorcycle Safety Division in a new direction, Jackson says. But he offered no specific details.
“Our No.1 priority has always been to offer Indiana motorcyclists the best rider training available. This is not going to change,” Jackson says. “What is going to change, is that for the first time since the inception of the state-legislated program in 1987, ABATE of Indiana will not be under contract with the State of Indiana to deliver this invaluable, life-saving, community service.”
Shelley Triol, director of strategic communications for the Indiana Department of Administration, says the state received responses to its request for proposals for the motorcyclist-training program.
“But we will not be in a position to release further detail until the RFP process is complete, an award made and a contract executed,” she says. “This is our normal policy and procedure to protect the integrity of the procurement process.”
Colorado
ABATE of Colorado is one of several state-approved training providers under the MSF-approved program called MOST: Motorcycle Operator Safety Training.
In early October, ABATE terminated its paid state coordinator and announced a reorganization plan that deemphasized rider training. ABATE ended its 2014 training season in November, a month earlier than planned.
New state coordinator Bruce Downs, who took office Nov. 15, says the number of riders trained by ABATE has fallen in recent years, and the organization failed to make needed adjustments.
“Without an in-depth analysis of all
facets of our operation by more than one person, I cannot comment on exactly what changes should be made,” Downs says. “It is true, we are selling some of our training bikes to help pay bills, but we regularly sell old bikes. Due to lower training numbers, we have an excess inventory that makes no sense to retain.”
ABATE has been a MOST vendor since the program began in 1991.
In the past 15 years, the number of training companies in Colorado has grown from three or four to about 15, Downs says.
“Needless to say, more companies trying to share a limited clientele means less business for each,” he explains.
Among the questions to be answered by the ABATE leadership:
• Are we going to continue as we have been, make changes, or discontinue our program?
• If we make changes, what changes do we make?
During the past four years, ABATE has trained 12,987 riders, by far the largest number among Colorado companies, according to state reports.
Colorado Department of Transportation officials say the state’s remaining MOSTapproved providers should be able to accommodate any students ABATE is unable to train, if ABATE curtails its program in 2015.
“Basic level motorcycle training is readily available statewide,” says Sam Cole, traffic safety communications manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation. “ABATE is currently in good standing to conduct approved motorcycle training courses in Colorado. They have been subject to the same Quality Assurance reviews as all MOST vendors.”
Meanwhile, ABATE continues its restructuring “to refocus its direction on our primary mission of protecting motorcyclists’ rights,” Downs says.
1940 TRIUMPH TIGER 100
Proving Twins Can Do Everything Better
The Triumph Tiger 100 was a light, powerful twin designed with performance in mind. Building on the foundation of the landmark 1938 Speed Twin, the Tiger 100 demonstrated that twins were not just as good as four-cylinder bikes—they could be even better.
The bike featured forged alloy pistons and rigid cylinders, forged in a single casting and held in place by eight studs instead of the Speed Twin’s six. There was a gear-driven camshaft, and a single Amal carburetor, made possible thanks to the 360-degree firing interval of the two cylinders.
Attention to detail resulted in a stunning machine. The chrome-plated, down-swept exhaust pipes framed the polished crankcase beautifully. Silver fenders with tasteful black pinstriping complemented the chrome finish on the enlarged, 4-gallon gas tank.
In its day, the bike was remarkably capable on
the track. Its feats included Freddie Clarke’s 1939 Brooklands lap record of 118.02 mph on a bored-out 503cc Tiger 100.
With World War II on the horizon, though, military production soon took over.
In fact, this 1940 Tiger 100, donated to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame by Benny T. Bootle, was among the last bikes to roll off the Triumph factory line before it was demolished in the bombing of Coventry.
Triumph’s vertical twin was revived after the war and went on to become one of motorcycling’s enduring classics. It thrived for nearly half a century—until the last Bonneville twin was produced in 1988. The historic name was revived by the new Triumph in 2001.
See this bike, and others that played a key role in the history of motorcycling, at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.
Photos Alison Grogan
2015 RAFFLE BIKE
RESTORATION IN PROGRE S S
he American Dream. It’s a phrase that is evocative, yet idyllic. No doubt, each person who hears those three words, in that order, conjures a unique vision of what they mean and how their dreams may one day be realized. Chris McIntyre, the 49-year-old president of EagleRider Motorcycle Rental, has lived several versions of The American Dream. And he is still dreaming.
Dream One: Middle America
McIntyre describes his upbringing as “Leave It To Beaver” and “The Brady Bunch,” two similar versions of The American Dream broadcast into homes across the nation during the 1960s and ’70s.
“Things were very stable,” McIntyre says. “My dad owned a construction company. I had a stay-at-home mom. We rode our Schwinn Stingrays around the neighborhood. The yards had no fences, so we could ride dirt bikes from one end of the neighborhood to the other.”
The McIntyre family’s business was not immune from the cyclical nature of the construction business.
“During the successful years, we all enjoyed the benefits,” McIntyre says. “And in the lean years, we all tightened our belts.”
While McIntyre describes his parents as pretty easygoing, everyone in the household—including McIntyre and his four sisters—was expected to contribute.
McIntyre went to work for his father’s company, sweeping floors and painting for a dollar an hour.
“We were taught to work hard, then play hard,” McIntyre says. “You contribute to the family. You get good grades. You do everything to the best of your ability. And you treat people with respect. I feel very blessed to have grown up with those values.”
Although no one in his immediate family was a motorcyclist, McIntyre grew up with friends who rode. His first solo attempt came during a Cub Scout weekend. The troop had use of several mini-bikes.
“That was the first time I rode, and the first time I crashed,” McIntyre says. “But I was encouraged to try again.”
And he did.
By the time he received his degree from the University of Wisconsin in May 1988, McIntyre owned a Honda Interceptor 500 and a Suzuki dirt bike.
He describes his life at the time as revolving around ice hockey, beer and the Green Bay Packers.
Dream Two: California And Corporate America
But soon after graduation, McIntyre got the urge to head west.
“California was a magical place,” he says.
“So, I sold my bikes, tossed a knapsack, my hockey equipment and my German Shepherd into a car and went to L.A. I stuck my feet in the ocean, bought a motorcycle and started living the life.”
And what a life it was.
McIntyre landed a job in the Southern California financial systems division of NCR Corp.
“It was a great company to work for,” he recalls. “They had a great company culture: work hard, be honest, invest in your people.”
The NCR job also included a six-figure salary that made life in SoCal that much more enjoyable.
“Working at NCR gave me my first chance to buy a Harley,” McIntyre says. “They had always been too expensive for me, even though, growing up in Wisconsin, I always wanted one. I got a Heritage Softail Nostalgia FLSTN.”
McIntyre’s friend, NCR coworker and future business partner, Jeff Brown, bought a Dyna Low Rider.
The American Dream, some might say.
Dream Three: The Entrepreneur
As nice as their lives were, McIntyre and Brown yearned for more, eventually deciding to quit their jobs and launch a business.
McIntyre says his father instilled in him an entrepreneurial spirit and the willingness to take some chances—another version of The American Dream.
“We both realized that the corporate world was awesome,” he says. “We had good jobs. We were paid well. But I didn’t want to play the corporate game, with the ladder climbing.”
McIntyre and Brown had been working up ideas, sketching business plans and hatching a scheme for a motorcycle rental business. But the pair was thinking beyond the limited rental programs offered in some dealerships. They wanted an international operation.
Then, a chance encounter inspired them.
“We took our bikes to St. Mary’s By the Sea (Roman Catholic Church in Huntington Beach, Calif.), and the priest blessed them,” McIntyre says. “Then we headed up the coast toward San Francisco. In one of those beachfront communities—it was either Santa Barbara or Big Sur—we stopped at a restaurant. There was a group of foreign tourists there who
Dream to any destination.
McIntyre says the business is built on four pillars: Everything must be authentic, social, liberating, and reassuring.
“Motorcycling is all about the enthusiasts,” he says. “After a ride, people like to sit down with friends and family at a hotel bar or restaurant, have a drink and some good food and talk about the ride. Finding like people with similar interests is a blessing.
“EagleRider is liberating in that people can use [our service] to fulfill their bucket list or visit that dream destination on their dream bike.”
In operating the business, EagleRider’s executives use what they learned at NCR.
“We focus on people, passion and a plan,” McIntyre explains. “The profits will follow. We hire incredible people who are incredibly smart and who work for the customer.”
EagleRider has served more than half a million—maybe as many as a million— customers since it started, he says.
“We are making people smile,” McIntyre says. “I see it every day. From my office, I can see customers having a beer after a ride, talking with their family or friends and smiling. That’s our biggest contribution to the motorcycling community.”
He says that at times, the motorcycle industry loses focus on the value it provides.
“Much of the motorcycle industry is too much about horsepower or the paint job or the accessories,” McIntyre explains. “But it’s not about that. It’s all about the experience.
“The guy riding a Yamaha across the Golden Gate Bridge is having an experience. He‘s not thinking about the performance specs or the engineering. He’s riding.”
And that thinking carries over to the business side.
“People buy a bike or clothing because it is tied to an experience,” he says. “We provide those experiences.”
Continuing The Dream
Neither McIntyre nor EagleRider is resting on its successes.
The company has begun selling used motorcycles.
Plans call for EagleRider to expand its corporate infrastructure and dramatically grow its franchise rental locations around the world.
The EagleRider business plan calls for more than 500 rental showrooms covering nearly every popular vacation destination.
But the team at EagleRider recognizes that the company’s products and services are not for everyone.
“We are a high-end motorcycle lifestyle and experience company,” McIntyre says. “We are doing something very special.”
And EagleRider’s used-bike service
The EagleRider business plan calls for more than 500 rental showrooms covering nearly every popular vacation destination in the world.
offers a path to motorcycling for those not yet ready for a lengthy tour.
“You get into motorcycling at a level you can afford,” McIntyre says. “Not everyone needs or wants a new bike. So they can get one that is a couple of years old and has a few miles on it and can save a few thousand dollars.”
The key is in the motorcycling community and the motorcycle industry embracing the idea that “there is an endless supply of people who want that experience and what it represents.”
“Riding through the countryside during Indian summer with the fall leaves surrounding you. Stopping at an unknown restaurant for breakfast and meeting new people. They don’t do it because of the horsepower or the torque,” McIntyre says.
The Blue Ocean Dream
Business researchers call the EagleRider venture a “blue ocean” scenario, and McIntyre says that label fits.
As described in Harvard Business, when businesses try to enter or expand in an existing market, they are pursuing “red ocean” strategies. The intense competition requires undercutting prices, finding cheaper products, sometimes engaging in ruthless tactics. All those factors put blood
in the water — a red ocean.
But when McIntyre, Brown and Wurmer launched EagleRider, there was no international motorcycle touring and adventure company. There was no competition. There was no blood in the water. A blue ocean stretched before them.
“We happened to be a pioneer in the motorcycle lifestyle and experience business,” McIntyre says. “But there is an endless opportunity for other companies to become part of the EagleRider experience. Our part of the motorcycle industry has blue ocean. There is an endless number of motorcyclists who would like to experience what we offer.”
“Companies that create blue oceans usually reap the benefits without credible challenges for 10 to 15 years, as was the case with Cirque du Soleil, Home Depot, Federal Express, Southwest Airlines, and CNN, to name just a few,” says the Harvard Business article on blue ocean strategy.
But even with little direct competition, there can be rough times.
“It’s like any business,” McIntyre says. “It doesn’t rain hundred-dollar bills. Not every day is sunny. But there is nothing better than working together as a team to turn the hard days into successful days.”
McIntyre likes to compare EagleRider to the ski industry.
“Fifty years ago, there was no Vail or Jackson Hole,” he says. Vail Ski Resort’s first season was in December 1962. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort opened to the public in 1964.
McIntyre and the others at EagleRider spent the past 22 years inventing and perfecting a new industry around improving the motorcycling experience.
“When you go to the ski resort, everything there is designed to make your experience better,” McIntyre says. “When the experience is better, everything else takes off.
“The motorcycling community needs evangelists. We all sell one thing: an experience on two wheels.”
Tour For Less
AMA Members Get Discount
EagleRider offers a 15 percent discount on its bike rentals and tours.
To take advantage of this exclusive AMA member discount with EagleRider, here’s what you need to do:
• Visit the Members Only section of the AMA’s website at www.americanmotorcyclist.com for the discount code.
• Call EagleRider directly at (888) 900-9901 with your AMA number handy.
• You also can reserve in-person at an EagleRider location, but you must have your AMA card with you.
• Note that the AMA discount does not apply to EagleRider’s discounted “Weekly Specials,” which may be in excess of 15 percent off regular rates.
GO RIDE
A few of the hundreds of AMA-sanctioned events this month, detailed on the following pages.
1On Feb. 14-15, the AMA Ice Race Grand Championship will take place in Edgerton, Wis. Saturday will feature an oval track and ice grand prix, and Sunday will once again be the oval track. The event is hosted by North American Action Sports LLC and boasts classes for riders from ages 4 to 50-plus. Info: www.NAActionSports.com.
2
Looking for something other than a race or ride?
Then check out the 25th annual motorcycle swap meet hosted by ABATE Of Ohio Inc. on Feb. 15 in Brilliant, Ohio. The event draws vendors from the tri-state area. Admission is $6. Kids 16 and under are free. Check out new and old motorcycle parts, clothing, accessories and more. Info: www.abate.com > Region 1 events.
3
The eighth and ninth rounds of Monster Energy AMA Supercross will take place in Atlanta, Ga., on Feb. 21 and 28 at the Georgia Dome. Tickets start at $20, and AMA members get $5 off when they use the Member Benefit code on page 3. Info: www. supercrossonline.com and www.amasupercross.com.
4
On Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, the Treasure Coast Trail Riders club is hosting a hare scrambles race in Brighton, Fla. The TCTR is a promoter within the Florida Trail Riders. Info: www.floridatrailriders.org.
5
Arizona Cycle Park/CMC Arizona Racing LLC is hosting a Southwest area qualifier for the 2015 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship on Feb. 14-15 in Buckeye, Ariz. Info: www.mxsports.com and www.arizonacyclepark.com.
6
RMX Events LLC is hosting a south central area qualifier for the 2015 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Cycle Ranch Motocross Park in Floresville, Texas, on Feb. 21-22. Info: www.cycleranchmx.com.
COMING UP
April kicks off the riding season for much of the country. Look for our AMA Go Ride! Month featured in the April issue of American Motorcyclist
7
The second round of the AMA West Hare Scrambles Championship is Feb. 14-15 in Paicines, Calif. It’s hosted by the Salinas Ramblers MC, the 2010 AMA Club of the Year. Info: www.salinasramblersmc.org.
FEBRUARY EVENTS
ARIZONA COMPETITION
HARE SCRAMBLES
FEB 7: GLOBE: 2 DAY EVENT, ROCKSTARS MC, (480) 216-2588, AMRARACING.COM
MOTOCROSS
FEB 14: BUCKEYE: 2 DAY EVENT, ARIZONA CYCLE PARK/CMC
March 21-22: Richland, Wash.: Horn Rapids MX, (509) 496-2958
May 9-10: Washougal, Wash.: Washougal MX Park, (360) 601-5347
May 16-17: Billings, Mont.: Billings MX
May 23-24: Tooele, Utah: Miller Motorsports
Northwest Regional
June 6-7: Washougal, Wash.: Washougal MX Park (Youth/Amateur), (360) 601-5347
Mid-West Area Qualifier
Feb. 21-22: St. George, Utah: St. George MX, (435) 705-4125
Feb. 28 – March 1: Porterville, Calif.: Porterville OHV Park, (740) 297-6686
March 21-22: Turlock, Calif.: Oatfield Raceway, (740) 297-6686
April 18-19: California City, Calif.: Cal City MX Park, (760) 977-9774
May 9-10: Hollister Hills, Calif.: Hollister Hills SVRA, (740) 297-6686
May 9-10: Rocksprings, Wyo.: Rock Springs MX, (307) 389-1477
May 23-24: Tooele, Utah: Miller Motorsports Park
Mid-West Regional
June 13-14: Rancho Cordova, Calif.: Prairie City OHV (Youth/Amateur), (740) 297-6686
Southwest Area Qualifier
Feb. 14-15: Litchfield Park, Ariz.: Arizona Cycle Park, (623) 853-0750
March 7-8: Los Angeles, Calif.: LACR, (740) 297-6686
March 14-15: Haleiwa, Hawaii: Kahuku MX, (808) 668-6276
March 28-29: Perris, Calif.: Starwest MX Park, (949) 276-5153
April 4-5: San Bernardino, Calif.: Glen Helen Raceway, (909) 384-9342
April 11-12: Moriarty, N.M.: Sandia MX @ Moriarty, (505) 259-6824
May 23-24: Tooele, Utah: Miller Motorsports Park
Southwest Area Regional
May 30-31: San Bernardino, Calif.: Glen Helen Raceway (Youth/ Amateur), (909) 384-9342
DIRT TRACK
June 6: Location TBA
June 8: Location TBA
June 11: Vojens, Denmark
June 13: Vojens, Denmark
AMA PRO FLAT TRACK AMAPRORACING.COM
March 12: Daytona Beach, Fla.: Daytona Flat Track I
March 13: Daytona Beach, Fla.: Daytona Flat Track II
May 24: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield Mile I
May 30: Sacramento, Calif.: Sacramento Mile
June 20: Hagerstown, Md.: Hagerstown Half-Mile
June 27: Lima, Ohio: Lima Half-Mile
Aug. 1: Castle Rock, Wash.: Castle Rock TT
Aug. 4: Rapid City, S.D.: Black Hills Half-Mile
Aug. 16: Peoria, Ill.: Peoria TT
Sept. 6: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield Mile II
Oct. 3: Calistoga, Calif.: Calistoga Half-Mile
High Adventure. No Hassle. The best routes, roads and twotrack, mapped by local experts. A great challenge with like-minded riders. A full weekend’s activities, with camping, campfires, food and prizes. For more information visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Riding
THE
ADVENTURE is out there
Get comeit
2015 EVENTS
Oct. 10: Pomona, Calif.: Flat Track Season Finale FEATURED SERIES: AMA WINTER JAM, SHOWDOWN AT THE CENTER - INDOOR DIRT TRACK SERIES STEVENACERACING.COM
Nov. 29: Du Quoin, Ill.: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
Jan. 10: Du Quoin, Ill.: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
Feb. 7: Du Quoin, Ill.: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
Feb. 21: Du Quoin, Ill.: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
March 28: Du Quoin, Ill.: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
ROAD RACE
FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX (MOTOGP) FIM-LIVE.COM MOTOGP.COM
April 10-12: Austin, Texas: Circuit of the Americas
Aug. 7-9: Indianapolis, Ind.: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
FIM WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP FIM-LIVE.COM | WORLDSBK.COM
July 17-19: Monterey, Calif.: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
MOTOAMERICA ROAD RACING SERIES MOTOAMERICA.COM
April 10-12: Austin, Texas: Circuit of the AmericasMotoGP support races
April 17-19: Braselton, Ga.: Road Atlanta
May 15-17: Alton, Va.: Virginia International Raceway
May 29-31: Elkhart Lake, Wis.: Road America
July 17-19: Monterey, Calif.: Laguna Seca –WSBK support races
August 7-9: Indianapolis, Ind.: Indianapolis Motor Speedway - MotoGP support races
Sept. 11-13: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsports Park
OFF-ROAD
INTERNATIONAL SIX DAYS ENDURO (ISDE) FIM-LIVE.COM
Sept. 7-12: Kosice, Slovakia
FIM TRIAL DES NATIONS FIM-LIVE.COM
Sept. 19-20: Tarragona, Spain
FIM TRIAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIM-LIVE.COM
July 25-26: West Greenwich, R.I.: Steppingstone Ranch
KENDA AMA NATIONAL ENDURO, PRESENTED BY MOOSE RACING NATIONALENDURO.COM
Feb. 1: Wedgefield, S.C.: SERMA, SERMAclub.com
March 1: Pellon, S.C.: Columbia Enduro Riders
March 22: Bridgeport, Texas: Bridgeport Riders
April 19: West Point, Tenn.: NATRA, NATRA-westpoint.net
May 17: Park Hills, Mo.: Missouri Mudders, MOmudders.com
June 14: Upton, Wyo.: Inyan Kara Riders
July 26: Cross Fork, Pa.: Brandywine Enduro Riders, BER.us
Aug. 23: Moorestown, Mich.: Lansing Motorcycle Club, LansingMotorcycleClub.org
Nov. 22: New Lisbon, N.J.: Pine Hill Enduro, Central Jersey Competition Riders, CJCRmc.org
FEATURED SERIES: EAST COAST ENDURO ASSOCIATION (ECEA) - HARE SCRAMBLES ECEA.ORG
March 28-29: Tri-County Hare Scrambles, Tri-County Sportsmen MC
May 16-17: Stumpjumper Hare Scrambles, Motorcycle Competition Inc.
May 30-31: Oxbo Hare Scrambles, South Penn Enduro Riders
June 6-7: Dogtown 50 National Hare Scrambles, Green Marble Enduro Riders
June 20-21: Reading Hare Scrambles, Reading Off Road Riders
July 18-19: Mountain Top National Hare Scrambles, Valley Forge Trail Riders
Aug. 1-2: Shotgun National Hare Scrambles, High Mountain Dirt Riders
Aug. 22-23: Hurricane Lane Hare Scrambles, Meteor Motorcycle Club
Sept. 26-27: Big Bass Hare Scrambles, Ridge Riders MC
Oct. 3-4: Sahara Sands Hare Scrambles, Pine Barons Enduro Riders/South Jersey Enduro Riders
Oct. 17-18: Ormond Farms Hare Scrambles, Competition Dirt Riders
Nov. 14-15: Delaware Hare Scrambles, Delaware Enduro Riders
SPECIALTY
AMA SUPERMOTO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AMANATIONALSUPERMOTO.COM
April 3-5: Riverside, Calif.: Adams Motorsports Park
May 29-30: Plymouth, Wis.: Road America
July 3-4: Denver, Colo.: Colorado National Speedway
Aug. 14-15: Salt Lake City, Utah: Miller Motorsports Park
Sept. 18-20: Sturgis, S.D.: Downtown Sturgis
ICE RACE GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP NAACTIONSPORTS.COM
Feb. 14-15: Edgerton, Wis.: North American Action Sports LLC.
RECREATION
FEATURED SERIES: EAST COAST ENDURO ASSOCIATION – DUAL SPORTS ECEA.ORG
Oct. 11: Pine Grove, Pa.: Reading Dual Sport, Reading Off Road Riders, RORR.org
Oct. 24: Tuckerton, N.J.: Ride in the Pines Dual Sport, Meteor Motorcycle Club, MeteorMC.Com
Oct. 31 - Nov. 1: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: Hammer Run Nat’l Dual Sport, TriCounty Sportsmen MC, TeamHammer.Org
2015 EVENTS
HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MOTORCYCLEMUSEUM.ORG
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Main Hall: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: The main floor of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame celebrates Hall of Fame inductees, the heroes of the track, road, trails and halls of government who have elevated the sport to new heights. Now featuring the 2014 inductees
2 Wheels + Motor, A Fine Art Exhibition: The spirit, excitement and adventure of motorcycling is expressed through fine art.
Founder’s Hall: Honoring the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s generous contributors.
July 10-12: Lexington, Ohio: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days – demo. bikes from manufacturers, visit the swap meet, watch or compete in vintage racing, meet AMA Hall of Famers, attend seminars and more. See www.ama vintagemotorcycledays.com
LESSONS LEARNED A Six-Day Education On Michigan’s World-Class Trails
By Lauren Conte
When I was 8, my dad brought home a Honda CRF50. I learned the basics of riding in a field in the woods. Since we rode only a few months each year, my progress was slow. When I was 14, I switched to a Yamaha YZ125. Although light and quick, it was too tall for me. I often toppled over when I stopped, unable to properly touch the ground. That same summer, as I adjusted to the bike, I went on my first Six Days of Michigan ride.
The Six Days of Michigan is a sixday trail ride organized by the Cycle Conversation Club of Michigan. It has routes for trail bikes, dual-sport bikes, street bikes and kids. For the off-road sections, it relies on parts of Michigan’s expansive public trail system. The Six Days of Michigan has a reputation as one of the best-organized trail rides in the country. I was excited and a bit anxious to go on this ride.
We started our ride from a gravel lot. Seven kids and seven dads helped pull the bikes off long trailers as the two ride leaders read a map of our route. I watched the other young riders, all boys, laughing and wrestling with one another. I was starting to feel the need to prove myself.
Once everyone had their dirt bikes off the trailer and warmed up, the ride leader raised a hand and led off into the trail. Within a few minutes, I realized I was in for a rude awakening. The first hour I fell more times than I had in the months leading up to the ride. Not only was I physically hurting, but my pride was suffering. I hated how I slowed down my dad and the ride leader, and for a while I refused to let them help me pull my bike out of the mud. As I grew more and more upset with my own inability, I rode recklessly, and I began to fall more frequently.
When I caught up to the riders, they had been resting on the side of the trail for longer than I cared to know. While we rested, my dad and the boys’ dads gave me advice—how to shift my weight more effectively, and how to get over and around obstacles on the trail.
The short lesson restored my enthusiasm. I clambered back onto the YZ, hoping to stay on the bike for a distance greater than a few hundred yards. As we progressed through the trail, the terrain varied greatly. At times the ground oozed slippery mud, then changed to open stretches of sand dunes. Then, just as I grew comfortable, the trail wound its way back into the trees and up rocky inclines. The small field where I learned to ride could not have taught me how to ride so technically.
Just as I was ready to lie down on the side of the trail and admit defeat, the narrow trail opened up onto a gravel road. Before long, we joined the other riders. After lunch, the boys and their dads got back on the trail, but I was still exhausted. Sheepishly, I loaded up my bike onto the lunch truck’s trailer and fell asleep in the back.
The next few days of riding were much the same. I struggled all morning, then quit at midday. My dad did not pressure me to continue riding after lunch, but instead was patient and encouraging when I was overwhelmed and angry. The other senior riders offered me just as much reassurance and advice, and through their combined effort and my own determination, I improved.
Improvement was seen in small successes. Instead of struggling over rocks, I learned how to pick a line through them. I started shifting more aggressively, staying on the throttle. I overcame my fear of long stretches of sand, no longer paddling my feet to balance.
By the third day, I felt like I was giving up on myself by leaving in the afternoon, and I was determined to complete the full day’s ride. I still fell more times than anyone else, but this meant I also got back on the bike the most. I realized that I did not have to prove myself to the boys, their dads, or the ride leaders. They wanted me to have fun, not kill myself trying to keep up. Once I realized that I should have more fun, I did.
On the fourth day, I completed the full ride. I was still the slowest rider out on the trail, but I no longer felt defeated even before I put on my gear each morning. By the end of the week, I pushed my bike up to the trailer with the rest of the boys, talking and laughing with them. They gave me stickers for my bike, and soon the too-tall YZ125 began to resemble their orange racing KTMs. When the boys started their bikes, I started mine alongside them, feeling relaxed. Even though I still tumbled off my bike often, I shook off the frustration. Each fall taught me a lesson, and soon the time between lessons grew.
At the end of my first Six Days of Michigan I left with plenty of bruises, and a smile on my face.
