American Motorcyclist 05-2014 Street Version (preview)
Insurance Discrimination: Know Your Risks, Know Your Rights
Touring U.S. Rt. 50: A Midlife Odyssey
Photo Duncan Kendall
SLIM CHANCE YOU’LL FIND ANOTHER BOBBER LIKE IT, ANYWHERE.
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NAVIGATION
8. LETTERS
Navigation Photo
The Indian marque is one of motorcycling’s most historic, and it has the enthusiastic fan base to match.
That’s why you can bet the Indian “Motocycle” love will be rampant this July 11-13 at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days featuring Indian Motorcycles as Marque of the Year. Join us as we celebrate the brand’s past and present at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. More info: www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com.
Photo
by Yve Assad
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 2014. 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.
May 2014
Volume 68, Number 5
Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) www.americanmotorcyclist.com
You write, we read.
12. WAYNE ALLARD
Battling discrimination.
16. RIGHTS
Fighting motorcycle-only checkpoints, reining in the IRS, reopening Rattlesnake Bay’s off-highway vehicle trails, talking with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Clear Creek update, and testing E15 in Illinois.
24. RIDING
The latest news, rides, interviews and more from the world of motorcycling.
34. HALL OF FAME
A post-war hot rod, Hall of Famer Max Bubeck, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days update and “67” by Dale Bert.
42. COVERAGE DENIED
As medical insurance companies look for ways to save money, they are denying coverage to those injured during perfectly legal activities. One of those activities is motorcycling. Here are some tips on making sure you are covered, as well as an update on what the AMA is doing to fight this unfair discrimination.
Steve Salisbury, Government Affairs Manager - Off-Highway
Imre Szauter, Government Affairs Manager - On-Highway
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Rob Baughman, Network Administrator
John Boker, Developer
Dave Coleman, Network Architect
Amy Hyman, Senior Programmer/Analyst
MEMBER SERVICES/DATA ENTRY
Joe Bromley, District Relations Manager
Jacki Burris, Organizer Services Coordinator
Jane Caston, Racing Coordinator
Lana Cox, Administrative Assistant
Kevin Crowther, Director SX & Pro Racing Relations
Bill Cumbow, Director of Racing
Alex Hunter, MX Operational Coordinator
Lori Cavucci, Member Services Representative
Deb D’Andrea, Member Services Representative
Linda Hembroff, Member Services Representative
Darcel Higgins, Member Services Manager
Kimberly Jude, Member Services Representative
Tiffany Pound, Member Services Representative
Jessica Robinson, Member Services Representative
ON HEALTH INSURANCE, MOTORCYCLIST BEWARE
By Wayne Allard
There is an old Latin term that you have probably heard before. It’s “caveat emptor,” which means “buyer beware.” This caution is truer today than it ever has been for the motorcycle rider buying health insurance. You may have the opportunity to get health insurance through a third party such as your employer or you may be making the purchase as an individual.
In either case, be sure to read the exclusionary fine print closely where it talks about risky or hazardous activities. You would expect such exemptions if you are a bull fighter, mountain climber, parachutist, explosives expert or test pilot. The provision may just mention “risky” or “hazardous” activities without being specific. Beware!
The coverage may be referring to you as a motorcyclist or allterrain vehicle rider.
Motorcyclists face discrimination. It’s a fact of life, but something we are fighting every day.
To be effective in fighting for motorcyclists’ rights, we need to know when motorcyclists are discriminated against, and we need help from motorcyclists at the local level or nationwide, depending on the issue.
Right now, the AMA is focusing on health-insurance discrimination against motorcyclists, and we want specific examples of motorcyclists suffering as a result. We need to show lawmakers that the discrimination is very real, and that it affects real people.
Health-insurance discrimination—excluding coverage for motorcycle- or ATV-related injuries in health insurance plans—is discrimination that has been going on for decades. You can read more about this situation in “Coverage Denied,” page 42.
The AMA and others fought for language to be included in the Congressional Record years ago that indicated the clear intent of Congress was to eliminate such discrimination when it passed the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996.
But the federal agencies charged with implementing the law told employers they could refuse to cover injuries related to riding a motorcycle, ATV, horse, etc. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—known by many as Obamacare—did nothing to remedy the loophole or prevent future discrimination.
Therefore, the AMA plans to continue this important battle.
You may want to compare U.S. practices with situations in other countries. Rider groups in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia say that the healthcare systems in their countries do not permit discrimination based on the source of injury.
While the AMA is hard at work on Capitol Hill, it’s important that you look at your health insurance policy to be sure that you are covered if you are involved in a motorcycle crash. Check your policy under “Exclusions” to see if it excludes coverage for motorcycle-related injuries.
The wording can be ambiguous, with language that denies coverage for injuries suffered while participating in “extreme” activities, without defining what those activities are. If so, contact your insurance company and get a written response.
If you learn that motorcycle-related injuries aren’t covered in your company’s or organization’s health-insurance policy, we want to know. Contact us at grassroots@ama-cycle.org. Your confidentiality will be protected.
The AMA wants your assistance to help us fight insurance discrimination and other threats to motorcycling. You can also act individually to protect riding freedoms. The AMA provides many valuable tools to help you fight for your right to ride.
Sign up to receive AMA News & Notes at http://capwiz.com/ amacycle/mlm/signup/ to keep informed on hot topics, news affecting the motorcycling community and opportunities to communicate with your elected officials.
You can also opt in to receive AMA Action Alert emails by signing up at the same link. When you receive AMA Action Alerts, you will be notified how and when you can make a difference on important issues.
Each of us can do our part to protect our riding freedoms by being AMA members and inviting our family and friends to join. More members mean more political clout, and with more clout we will have a better chance of ending health-insurance discrimination against motorcyclists and other threats to our riding freedoms.
Wayne Allard is AMA vice president for government relations.
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one per order. Please Respond Promptly
COVERAGE DENIED Insurance Discrimination Threat Hangs Over Motorcycling
By Jim Wi ers
Street motorcyclists and offhighway riders who hoped that the Patient Protection and Aff ordable Care Act would require health-insurance policies to cover treatment for injuries sustained while riding are in for a big disappointment, experts say.
The president’s signature healthcare reform legislation, which began rolling out in January, failed to close the gaping loophole in the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that allows employers and insurance companies to exclude “risky activities” from coverage.
Instead, employers and insurers can continue to establish arbitrary standards of behavior and determine health-care coverage based on the source of the injury.
It’s not just motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders who are affected.
Other activities typically excluded by health-care plans include hang gliding, skydiving, bungee jumping, parasailing and rock climbing. Also excluded: automobile, aircraft or speed-boat racing; reckless operation of a vehicle or other machinery; “ultimate fighting;” use of explosives; and travel to countries with advisory warnings.
While injuries resulting from these activities can result in costly medical bills, motorcycle and ATV riding are arguably everyday activities enjoyed by an estimated 22 million Americans.
All too often, injured motorcyclists and ATV riders don’t realize the limits of their health-care coverage until they are lying in a hospital bed.
Devastating e ect
Kent Stuermer of Roseburg, Ore., crashed his Honda CR250 in December, breaking his neck and hand and tearing ligaments in his shoulder.
The results: $173,000 in medical bills that his health-care plan won’t cover, and the prospect of those expenses rising to more than $250,000 when all the treatments and rehabilitation are complete.
“That’s more money than I’ve made in my whole life,” Stuermer says.
Stuermer’s C2 vertebra is secured with a screw. He is wearing a neck brace. His arm and hand are in a cast. He can’t work his truck-driving job. And the 56-yearold and his wife are scraping by on her $700-a-month Social Security check and drawing down their savings account.
The Stuermers bought their policy
directly, because his employer does not provide health-care benefits.
“I should be the poster boy for the campaign to get people to read their insurance policies,” Stuermer says. “Most everybody trusts their insurance agent. You look the policy over a little bit, see you have $2 million in coverage, then sign it.”
The exclusion for injuries sustained in dirt bike crashes is on page 22 of Stuermer’s policy.
When he found out in mid-February that his policy would not cover his medical bills, Stuermer called his insurance agent.
The agent reminded him that he had 10 days to read the 50-page policy before signing it.
Stuermer wrote a letter to the insurer, called a lawyer and enlisted the help of a state lawmaker. But no one has been able to help.
“We are just up against a hard wall here,” Stuermer says.
Injured firefighter
Lt. James Baker, a fi refi ghter in Sebring, Fla., crashed his motorcycle along U.S. 27 while off -duty in June 2009. He was not wearing a helmet.
The city’s insurance carrier denied his claim for about $86,000 in medical expenses, saying the employees’ policies called for riders to wear helmets, even though Florida law does not require them.
The provision had been added to the policy in 2005 to exclude “activities of a hazardous nature,” but the city failed to inform the aff ected workers.
The city eventually reached a settlement with Baker, who successfully argued that he sustained no head injuries in the crash, so the helmet requirement was irrelevant.
But the result could have been much more dire.
Jumping through hoops
Even if your health insurance policy covers your motorcycle-related injuries, collecting your benefits may take extra time and effort.
Pennsylvania AMA member Jeffrey Goelz, a Motorcycle Safety Foundation certified RiderCoach who has been riding for 27 years, was involved in a crash with a car in September.
“I was whisked away in an ambulance, in only my boots, gloves and helmet. Everything else was cut off me in the road,” Goelz says. “The treatment I received was based on the thought I had medical insurance on my motorcycle policy. I didn’t, as my previous insurance covered me for such things, and I didn’t read the fine print when we switched providers.”
At a follow-up visit with his primarycare physician, Goelz was told that his employer-provided health insurance plan would not cover his care.
He contacted the insurer and learned that his plan would cover much of the expense, but the health-care providers were required to verify coverage on each and every visit.
“This took days,” Goelz says. “Sometimes appointments had to be moved. But it needed to be done every time, and took far too long to approve.”
Goelz’s lawyer told him that, because Pennsylvania is a “no-fault” state, Goelz couldn’t collect reimbursement from the car-driver’s insurance company.
When he got on a training bike in October to teach a motorcycle-safety class, anxiety consumed him.
“Even on a little 250, in a parking lot, demo’ing exercises I could do in my sleep, my heart was pounding, and I would almost hyperventilate,” he says. “I remember one day not being able to do the figure 8 in the box, something I had great proficiency with.”
For about four months, Goelz didn’t get back onto a bike. He sold his other bikes. By February, he was ready to try again.
“I put a deposit on a new (used) bike (a 2009 Suzuki GSF1250S),” Goelz says. “I would rather be anxious on two wheels and work through these issues than watch spring pass me by like a dog pressed against a window.”
The economics
Employers and insurers say they must exclude “risky behavior” from coverage to help contain the rising costs of health care and health-care coverage, several studies show.
But a study by the University of North Carolina’s Highway Safety Research Center shows that the average costs of motorcyclists’ injuries are actually slightly lower than the costs for other accident victims.
High-risk activities rarely enter the discussion about what drives U.S. healthcare and insurance costs ever higher.
David Cutler, a health economist who has worked for President Obama on health care issues, told PBS NewsHour that three factors account for most of the high cost of U.S. health care:
• Administrative expenses, which account for about 25 percent of healthcare costs;
• Doctors’ pay, drug costs and durable medical equipment prices are much higher here than in other countries; and
• Americans receive more care for the same illness or injuries than people elsewhere.
“I have yet to see a penny for pain and suff ering,” he says. “My FSA (Flexible Spending Account) is almost empty because of the expenses I’ve had to incur because my health insurance would refuse me treatment without a ton of red tape.”
His 2002 Suzuki GSF Bandit 1200S was totaled.
The ordeal affected more than just his physical health, Goelz says.
Meanwhile, a Harvard University study shows that unpaid medical expenses represent the biggest cause of bankruptcy in the United States, representing 62 percent of all personal bankruptcies.
The study also states that 78 percent of those filing for bankruptcy because of overwhelming medical expenses had some form of health insurance.
Kent Steurmer had been riding dirt bikes for more than 40 years when a 2013 crash damaged a vertebra. He faces hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
ACA brings no change
Kevin Lucia, a research professor and project director at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, says no federal standards affect individual or small-group policies and “there is a huge amount of flexibility for large companies” under the ACA and other laws.
His associate, David L. Cusano, says that each state must determine which exemptions are going to be allowed under policies issued within its borders.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners agrees with that assessment.
None of the ACA rating provisions applies to self-insured employer plans, so there would be no effect on the use of motorcycle-rider status to determine employee contribution rates, according to an NAIC spokesperson.
And those plans are not subject to state insurance law, so the question of whether state laws address it is not relevant for them.
Fully insured group plans are subject to state laws, but not to the ACA rating requirements.
Most people in the United States are covered under self-funded employer plans, Lucia says.
History of discrimination
The AMA became involved in the issue of lifestyle discrimination in the 1990s when members alerted AMA staff that employers were canceling healthinsurance coverage for motorcycle riding.
Because of the AMA’s hard work alongside other groups, HIPAA contained a provision prohibiting employers from denying health-care coverage to motorcyclists and others engaged in legal activities when injured.
But the federal agencies that implemented the law subverted the intent of Congress. Their rules forbid the exclusion of motorcyclists and ATV riders from overall coverage under the employer’s plan, but allow lifestyle restrictions in the payment of claims.
Two attempts to close the loophole failed.
In 2005, U.S. Reps. Ted Strickland of Ohio and Michael C. Burgess of Texas
co-sponsored a bill that would protect individuals injured in recreational activities. That bill was not enacted.
In 2007, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine reintroduced the HIPAA Recreational Injury Technical Correction Act, which also faltered.
Cusano says the agencies implementing HIPAA “wanted employers to have flexibility” in determining the scope of their health-insurance coverage.
Recent action
The AMA sent a letter on Nov. 7 to Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, seeking answers to two questions:
• Will injuries resulting from activities that contribute to active lifestyles, such
as riding a motorcycle or ATV, be covered without qualification under the minimum requirements of all the plans offered in the federal and state exchanges?
• Will the change in minimum requirements under the ACA require all private insurers to include coverage, without qualification, for lifestyle choices such as riding a motorcycle or ATV?
At press time, four months later, Secretary Sebelius had yet to respond.
States slow to act
Cusano, who served as chief legal counsel to Coventry Health Care, Inc. on implementation of the ACA, says motorcyclists and others with an active lifestyle must turn to the states for relief.
He says employers or insurance providers submit their plans, including
Jeffrey Goelz, injured in a crash in on his motorcycle in Pennsylvania, found that being insured did not always mean easy access to health care. His insurer required him to obtain advanced approval for each appointment for treatment.
Duncan Kendall
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exemptions, to the state insurance regulators, and the regulators decide whether the requested exemptions fall in line with state law.
According to a 2010 report from the National Conference of State Legislatures, 29 states and the District of Columbia have statutes that protect employees’ from adverse employment actions based on their off-duty activities.
These statutes provide three different levels of protection:
• Use of tobacco only;
• Use of lawful products; and
• Any and all lawful activities. Four states—California, Colorado, New York and North Dakota—offer statutory protection for employees who engage in lawful activities.
But most of those laws protect workers only from being dismissed or disciplined for their “risky behavior” off-duty and away from the employers’ premises.
The statutes do not address exclusion of lifestyle choices from the employer’s health care plan.
Only Colorado specifically prohibits discrimination in health care coverage for participants in “motorcycling; snowmobiling; off-highway vehicle riding; skiing; or snowboarding.” (See Colorado Revised Statutes section 10-3-1104.)
Time for local action
With no help on the horizon at the federal level, those who wish to end this type of lifestyle discrimination must focus on convincing their state legislators to adopt state laws and regulations recognizing motorcycling and ATV riding as legitimate activities.
Stuermer has asked his state representative in Oregon to press for a law like Colorado’s that prohibits lifestyle discrimination based on the nature of the injury.
“By the grace of God, somehow we’ll make it,” Stuermer says. “But what if this happened to someone with a wife and two kids? What if this happened to 40 families?”
The AMA encourages other states to use the Colorado law as a starting point for efforts to end this type of discrimination within their jurisdictions.
Ensuring You ArE insurEd Lawyers Say Coverage Worth Extra Dollars
The first step to take to ensure that you and your family are adequately protected is to read your current health insurance and vehicle insurance policies and take note of the levels of coverage, the maximum out-of-pocket expenses you could incur and any exclusions.
Then talk to your insurance agent to determine the types and amounts of additional coverage you need.
And the time to do that is now— before you are involved in a crash.
Anthony Castelli, a Cincinnati, Ohio, accident and personal injury attorney and AMA member, says the best type of insurance to buy is uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage.
Liability coverage pays if you injure someone else.
“But what if someone injures you and has very little or no insurance? Where are you going to turn to get compensated?” Castelli says. “That’s where uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance comes in. That’s what you purchase from your insurance company, and it pays you in the event that the person who caused your injury had very little insurance.”
Say the person who caused your injury carried $12,500 in liability insurance.
“Heck, if they put you in the emergency room and you had some significant follow-up, that’s going to eat that up,” Castelli says. “And if you’ve got a real serious injury, you’re going to have much more compensation than you’re entitled to.”
Castelli recommends buying at least $100,000 of uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage.
“It’s not that expensive,” he says. Pennsylvania attorney Edgar Snyder recommends adding or increasing
uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage and bodily injury liability coverage, as well as taking advantage of “stacking,” if it is available in your state.
Stacking increases your benefits, if all your vehicles are covered under the same insurance policy.
For example, if you have $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence limits on each vehicle, and you have three vehicles on your policy, with stacking you are entitled to coverage in the amount of $300,000 per person and $900,000 per occurrence, Snyder says.
For the other types of coverage, he recommends:
• Uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence.
• Bodily injury liability coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence. Many states have minimum coverage amounts for this coverage, which is designed to cover any claims against you if you’re found legally responsible for causing a crash.
Snyder advises to check with your agent to find out whether you can add medical coverage to your vehicle policy or whether you need to buy a supplemental health insurance plan.
“Keep in mind that some states may not allow you to have medical benefits on your motorcycle insurance policy, so it’s critical that you have other medical insurance,” Snyder says. “If you don’t and you’re in an accident, your medical bills will add up quickly.”
Carrying that additional coverage eases the stress on you and your family as you ride. And, if you are involved in a crash, it can provide the financial support you need while you are off work, receiving care and recovering.
A few of the hundreds of AMA-sanctioned events this month, detailed on the following pages.
1
Time to break out your dual-sport bike or adventure-tourer and run the roads and trails in the AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series and the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré National Adventure Riding Series. This month, the Husqvarna series features the Hanging Rock 200 in McArthur, Ohio, on May 17-18, while the Yamaha series features the Yosemite Adventure tour in Buck Meadows, Calif., May 3-4; the Hanging Rock 200 in McArthur, Ohio, May 1718, and the Berkshire Big Adventure in Tolland, Mass. May 17-18. For the full schedules, see page 55.
2
You have two chances this month to catch the action of the AMSOIL AMA Grand National Cross Country series. Don’t miss the exciting racing on May 10-11 in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. and May 24-26 in Morgantown, W.Va. For the full schedule, see page 53.
5
The 2014 AMA Pro Motocross season gets under way with the Glen Helen National in San Bernardino, Calif., May 24, followed by the Hangtown Motocross Classic on May 31 in Sacramento, Calif. For the full schedule, see page 52.
3
Year after year, the AspenCash Rally—set for May 15-18 this year—dishes out heaps of camaraderie and good times for street riders. AspenCash is an AMA National Touring Rally held in Ruidoso, N.M. Info: www.motorcyclerally.com.
COMING UP
4
Join hundreds of other motorcyclists for a scenic ride through Tennessee and support a good cause at the same time at the Middle Tennessee Ride For Kids that starts and ends at Jim Warren Park in Franklin, Tenn., May 18. Registration is 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The escorted ride starts at 10 a.m. rain or shine. Info: www.pbtfus.org/rideforkids.
If you’re a touring rider and haven’t experienced Americade, plan to be in Lake George, N.Y. June 2-7. This AMA National Convention features motorcycle tours, meals, parties and all the fun you can stand. Info: www.tourexpo.com.
Laconia Motorcycle Week is June 14-22 in Laconia, N.H. This weeklong AMA Gypsy Tour is jam-packed with action, motorcycle racing and motorcycling activities. Info: www.laconiamcweek.com.
ALABAMA
RECREATIONAL
ROAD RALLY
MAY 29: BIRMINGHAM: BMW RIDERS ASSOCIATION INC. ARIZONA
COMPETITION
OBSERVED TRIALS
MAY 18: KINGMAN: CENTRAL ARIZONA TRIALS INC, (602) 840-3640, CENTRALARIZONATRIALS.ORG
ARKANSAS
RECREATIONAL
ROAD RUN
MAY 16: MARBLE FALLS: MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION, (870) 743-4062
MAY 29: EUREKA SPRINGS: MOTOMARATHON ASSOCIATION, (303) 641-1062, MOTOMARATHON.COM
COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
MAY 24: SHERWOOD: 2 DAY EVENT, DIRT BIKE MIKE LLC, (501) 282-1864, DIRTBIKEMIKE.COM
CALIFORNIA
RECREATIONAL
ADVENTURE RIDE
MAY 3: BUCK MEADOWS: 2 DAY EVENT, FAMILY OFF-ROAD ADVENTURES, (209) 649-3633, FAMILYOFFROADADVENTURES. COM
ROAD RUN
MAY 14: TORRANCE: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION, (828) 665-6891, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG
ROAD RALLY
MAY 13: RANCHO CUCAMONGA: RUN FOR THE WALL
COMPETITION CROSS COUNTRY
MAY 25: GRIZZLY FLATS: 2 DAY EVENT, EARTHSCAPE CUSTOM DIRT WORKS, (916) 421-7268 ENDURO
MAY 4: GEORGETOWN: CALIFORNIA ENDURO RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (925) 413-2434, CERA.ORG
MAY 10: OMO RANCH: POLKA DOTS MOTORCYCLE CLUB EUROPEAN SCRAMBLES
MAY 10: (Includes ATVs) RIDGECREST: 2 DAY EVENT, BADGERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (661) 242-2712, BADGERSMC.ORG MOTOCROSS
MAY 4: RANCHO CORDOVA: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 2976686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 10: PALA: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 297-6686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 17: SNELLING: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 2976686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 18: SNELLING: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 297-
6686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 29: RANCHO CORDOVA: 2 DAY EVENT, DIRT DIGGERS NORTH M.C. INC, (800)-HANGTOWN, HANGTOWNMX.COM
MAY 31: HESPERIA : 2 DAY EVENT, COMPETITIVE EDGE MX PARK, (760) 947-9054, RIDECEMX.COM
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
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 and New Year’s Day.
Main Hall: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Recognizing those who have made significant contributions to all aspects of motorcycling.
Dirt-Track! All-American Motorcycle Racing: Celebrating the storied history of the dirt oval.
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 11-13, Lexington, Ohio: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. Information: www.amavintagemotorcycledays. com.
AMA PRO RACING
AMA PRO FLAT TRACK AMAPRORACING.COM
May 25: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield Mile
June 15: Knoxville, Ia.: Knoxville Half Mile
June 28: Lima, Oh.: Lima Half Mile
July 5: Hagerstown, Md.: Hagerstown Half Mile
July 19: Elma, Wa.: Grays Harbor Raceway
July 26: Sacramento, Calif.: Sacramento Mile
Aug. 2: Castle Rock, Wa.: Castle Rock TT
Aug. 5: Rapid City, S.D.: Sturgis Half Mile
Aug. 8: Indianapolis, Ind.: Indy Mile
Aug. 17: Peoria, Ill.: Peoria TT
Aug. 23: New Kent, Va.: Colonia Downs MIle
Aug. 31: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield Mile II
Sept. 28: Santa Rosa, Calif.: Santa Rosa Mile
Oct. 11: Pomona, Calif.: Flat Track Season Finale
AMA PRO HILLCLIMB AMAPRORACING.COM
June 1: Spring Grove, Pa.: White Rose MC
June 8: Freemansburg, Pa.: Bushkill Valley MC
June 18: Canaan, N.H.: Ridge Runner/Laconia Bike Week
July 13: West Branch, Mich.: Ogemaw Hills Bike Week
Aug. 3: Muskegon, Mich.: Muskegon MC *All Star Challenge
2014 EVENTS
Oct. 12: Oregonia, OH: Dayton MC
LUCAS OIL AMA PRO MOTOCROSS PROMOTOCROSS.COM
May 24: San Bernardino, Calif.: Glen Helen National
May 31: Sacramento, Calif.: Hangtown Motocross Classic
June 7: Lakewood, Colo.: Thunder Valley National
June 14: Mt. Morris, Pa.: High Point National
June 28: Blountville, Tenn.: Tennessee National
Jul. 5: Buchanan, Mich.: RedBud National
Jul. 12: Mechanicsville, Md.: Budds Creek National
Jul. 19: Millville, Minn: Spring Creek National
Jul. 26: Washougal, Wash.: Washougal National
Aug. 9: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadila National
Aug. 16: Crawfordsville, Ind.: Indiana National
Aug. 23: Tooele, Utah: Utah National
AMA PRO ROAD RACING AMAPRORACING.COM
May 30: Elkhart Lake, Wis.: Road America
June 21-22: Birmingham, Ala.: Barber Motorsports Park
July 19-20: Lexington, Oh.: MidOhio Sports Car Course
Sept. 13-14: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsports Park
MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS AMASUPERCROSS.COM
Apr. 5: Houston: Reliant Stadium
Apr. 12: Seattle: Century Link Field
Apr. 26: East Rtherford, N.J.: MetLife Stadium
May 3: Las Vegas: Sam Boyd Stadium
AMA PRO-AM COMPETITION
April 9-13: San Bernardino, Calif.: Glen Helen Raceway, California Classic; www.2xpromotions.com
April 12-13: Manheim, Pa.: Sleepy Hollow MX Park, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifier; www.sleepymx.com
April 13: Blountville, Tenn.: Muddy Creek Raceway, Thor United States Mega Series; www.victory-sports.com
April 20: Casey, Ill.: Lincoln Trails Motosports, JM Racing Suspension Spring-Shootout; www.lincolntrailmotosports.com
April 26-27: Livingston, Tenn.: Thunder Valley, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifier; www.victory-sports.com
May 11: Hedgeville, W.Va.: Tomahawk MX, MAMA MX Series; www.mamamx.com
May 11: Walnut, Ill.: Sunset Ridge; www.sunsetridgemx.com
May 10-11: Little Falls, Minn.: MotoCity Raceway, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifi er; www.motocityraceway.com
May 11: Pala, Calif.: Pala Raceway, Road to Mammoth-King of the West Rnd 6; www.2xpromotions.com
May 18: Kellogg, Minn.: Motokazie Motocross; www.motokazie.com
May 24-25: Southwick, Mass.: Moto 338, Motocross League of American; www.motocross leagueofamerica.com
May 25: Athelstane, Wis.: Pine Ridge Raceway; www.pineridgeraceway.com
May 26: Brush, Colo.: Sweney Cycle Park; www.sweneycyclepark.com
May 29-30: Rancho Cordova, Calif.: Hangtown Motocross, Pro National Amateur Day; www.hangtownmx.com
May 31: Pecatonica, Ill.: Stateline MX; www.statelinemx.com
June 1: Mt. Carroll, Ill.: MC Motopark; www.mcmotopark.com
June 1: Berwick, Pa.: Evansville Motocross Park; www.evansvillemxpark.com
June 8: Nashville, Ill.: Holzhauers MX, Mid-America MX Series; www.thetrackatholzhauers.com
June 28-29: Mammoth Lakes, Calif.: Mammoth Moutain, Monster Energy Mammoth Motocross; www.2xpromotions.com
June 29: Blountville, Tenn: Muddy Creek Raceway, Thor United States Mega Series-Pro National Amateur Day; www.victory-sports.com
July 6: Clifford, Pa.: Hurricane Hills MX; www.hhmotocross.com
July 6: Altamont, Tenn.: Fast Farms MX; www.midsouthrace productions.com
July 6: Buchanan, Mich.: Red Bud Motocross, Pro National Amateur Day; www.redbudmx.com
July 13: Blountville, Tenn.: Muddy Creek, Thor United States Mega Series; www.victory-sports.com
July 19-24: Ponca, Okla.: Ponca City MX, Ponca City Amateur Championship (MLA); www.motocrossleagueof america.com
Aug. 10: Crystal Falls, Mich.: Valley Raceway MX; www.valleyracewaymx.com
Aug. 10: Malvern, Oh.: Malven Motocross, Battle of Ohio; www.omxa.net
Aug. 24: Nashport, Oh.: Briarclif MX, Battle of Ohio; www.omxa.net
Aug. 24: Edgewood, Tex.: Buffalo Creek; www.buffalocreekmx.com
Sept. 21: Spring Grove, Pa.: White Rose MC
Sept. 28: Freemansburg, Pa.: Bushkill Valley MC
May 3-4: Bloomingdale, Mich.: Dutch Sport Park, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifier; www.dutchsportsparkmx.com
May 4: Wallkill, N.Y.: Walden MX, Walden MX Spring Pro-Am; www.mamamx.com
Aug. 24: Millville, Minn.: Spring Creek, Viking Clash; www.springcreekmx.com
Aug. 30-31: Millington, Mich.: Baja Acres, Baja Brawl; www.bajaacres.com
Aug. 31: Athelstane, Wis.: Pine
Ridge Raceway; www. pineridgeraceway.com
Sept. 7: Seward, Pa.: Pleasure Valley Raceway; www.pvrmx.com
Sept. 7: Mason, Ill.: Crossroads MX, World of Powersports Crossroads Cup; www.crossroadsmx.com
Oct. 11, Youth; Oct. 12, Amateur: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Darren Moen, 100s MC; (714) 863-7170, www.100sMC.org
AIRES AMA/NATC MOTOTRIALS AMARACING.COM
May 24 -25: Texas Creek, Colo.: Rocky Mountain Trials Association; (719) 564-6476, RockyMountainTrials.org
May 31-June 1: Sedan, Kan.: Ark Valley Trials Assocation; (316) 644-7774, AVTATrials.com
June 21-22: Tremont, Pa.: Tiffany Tobias, Rausch Creek Powersports; (570) 682-4600, RauschCreekRacing.com
June 28-29: Sequatchie, Tenn.: Ashley Jackson, South Eastern Trials Riders Association; (423) 942-8688, TrialsTrainingCenter.com
AMA/NATC EAST YOUTH MOTOTRIALS AMARACING.COM
July 4-6: Sequatchie, Tenn.: Ashley Jackson, South Eastern Trials Riders Association; (423) 942-8688, TrialsTrainingCenter.com
AMA/NATC WEST YOUTH MOTOTRIALS AMARACING.COM
July 18-20: Howard, Colo.: Bill Markham, ITS Offroad; (719) 9423372, ITSOffroad.com AMA VINTAGE DIRT TRACK
YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
AMA members do it all—long-distance rides, off-road races, cruising main street, vintage dirt track... To better serve our broad membership base, American Motorcyclist magazine is now published in two versions. The dirt version includes more off-highway and racing content. The street version includes more articles for road riders.
To switch, call (800) 262-5646, ask for membership services and tell them which version you want.
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 online at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/magazine for free.
North Carolina Motorsports Park; 252-767-6671
April 26-27: Tallassee, Ala.: Monster Mountain; 334-318-8475
May 3-4: Washington, Ga.: Aonia Pass; 706-678-3737
May 24-25: Danville, Va.: Birch Creek Motorsports; 434-5486043
MID-EAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 31-June 1: Crawfordsville, Ind.: Ironman (Amateur)
June 7-8: Buchanan, Mich.: Redbud (Youth)
MID-EAST AREA QUALIFIER
April 12-13: Rossville, Ind.: Wild Cat Creek MX; 765-379-2482
April 26-27: Livingston, Tenn.: Thunder Valley; 423-323-5497
May 3-4: Bloomingdale, Mich.: Dutch Sports Park; 269-6834418
May 10-11: Millington, Mich.: Baja Acres; 989-871-3356
May 17-18: Nashport, Ohio: Briarcliff MX; 740-763-0935
NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
June 14-15: Mt. Carroll, Ill.: MC Motopark (Amateur)
June 21-22: Walnut, Ill.: Sunset Ridge MX (Youth)
NORTH CENTRAL AREA QUALIFIER
April 26-27: Casey, Ill.: Lincoln Trail Motorsports; 217-932-2041
May 3-4: Tigerton, Wis.: Motozone; 920-419-2863
May 10-11: Little Falls, Minn.: Little Falls Raceway; 218-8942826
May 17-18: Winterset, Iowa: Riverside Raceway; 515-2667509
May 24-25: Byron, Ill.: Byron Motosports Park; 815-234-2271
SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
June 14-15: Wortham, Texas: Freestone MX (Youth)
June 14-15: Houston, Texas: Three Palms (Amateur)
SOUTH CENTRAL AREA QUALIFIER
April 12-13: Prentiss, Miss.: Golden Pine; 601-506-8669
April 26-27: Ponca City, Okla.: Ponca City MX; 205-669-8857
May 3-4: Kentwood, La.: Wildwood MX; 225-776-2305
May 10-11: Lakewood, Colo.: Thunder Valley MX; 303-6971003
May 17-18: Yantis, Texas: Johnsonville MX Farm; 903217-7965
May 24-25: Little Rock, Ark.: Tony Wynn MX; 501-282-1864
NORTHWEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
June 7-8: Rancho Cordova, Calif.: Prairie City MX (Youth,
Amateur)
NORTHWEST AREA QUALIFIER
April 26-27: Porterville, Calif.: Porterville OHV Park; 740-2976686
May 10: Washougal, Wash.: Washougal; 360-601-5347
May 17-18: Turlock, Calif.: Oatfi eld Raceway; 740-297-6686
SOUTHWEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
May 31-June 1: Hesperia, Calif.: Competitive Edge (Youth, Amateur)
SOUTHWEST AREA QUALIFIER
May 17-18: Turlock, Calif.: Oatfield Raceway; 740-297-6686
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
July 27-Aug. 2: Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: National Championship, Loretta Lynn’s Ranch
AMA DIRT TRACK GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP STEVENACERACING.COM
June 23-26: Springfield, Ill.: Illinois State Fairgrounds
AMA HILLCLIMB GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP
VALLEYSPRING
HILLCLIMB.COM
Aug. 15-17: Bay City, Wis.: Mike Bronk, Valley Springs Motorcycle Club; (715) 594-3726
AMSOIL AMA AMATEUR
NATIONAL ARENACROSS ARENACROSS.COM
May 3-4: Las Vegas: South Point Arena
KENDA AMA TENNESSEE KNOCKOUT GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP TENNESSEEKNOCKOUT ENDURO.COM
Aug. 17: Sequatchie, Tennessee INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: U.S. ROUNDS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX
FIM-LIVE.COM
April 13: Austin, Texas: Circuit of The Americas
Aug. 10: Indianapolis: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
FIM ROAD RACING SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
FIM-LIVE.COM
July 13: Monterey, Calif: Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca
FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS
FIM-LIVE.COM
Sept. 28: Kegums, Latvia
FIM JUNIOR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
FIM-LIVE.COM
Aug. 10: Bastogne, Belgium
2014 EVENTS
FIM INTERNATIONAL SIX DAYS OF ENDURO
FIM-LIVE.COM
May 31-June1: Idaho City, Id., West Qualifier: Peter Reynolds, Boise Ridge Riders; (208) 3845141, BoiseRidgeIdaho.org
June 14-15: Wellston, Ohio, East Qualifier: William Depue Jr., Appalachian Dirt Riders; (740) 384-6379, ADROhio.org
Nov. 3-8: 2014 ISDE: San Juan, Argentina
FIM TRIAL DES NATIONS FIM-LIVE.COM
Sept. 13-14: St. Julia., Andorra
AMA DUAL-SPORT/ ADVENTURE SERIES
Range Riders, Deborah Nielsen; none; www.frontrangeriders.com
Aug. 16-17: Tillamook, Ore.: Rat Dog Dual Sport, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 681-8881; www.blackdogdualsport.com
Aug. 29-Sept. 1: Hood River, Ore.: Dual Sport Northwest, Sound Rider!, Tom Mehren; (206) 650-9102; www.soundrider.com
Sept. 6-7: Golden Pond, Ky.: Land Between the Lakes 200, KT Riders, Jesse Thomas; (270) 5223703; www.lbl200.com
Sept. 27-28: Buck Meadows, Calif.: Yosemite Dual Sport , Family Off Road Adventures, Lawrence Borgens; (209) 6493633; www.familyoffroad adventures.com
AMA HUSQVARNA NATIONAL DUAL-SPORT SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
Apr. 26-27: Brooksville, Fla.: Devil’s Creek DS/ADV Ride, Dixie Dual Sport, Inc, Robert Frey; 727919-8299; www.dixiedualsport.com
May 17-18: McArthur, Ohio: Hanging Rock 200, Buckeye Dual Sporters, Bill Kaeppner; (740) 380-3050; www.kaeppners woods.com
June 7-8: Lock Haven, Pa.: Durty Dabbers Great Adventure, Durty Dabbers, Nils Mantzoros; (570) 726-3343; www.durtydabbers.com
June 7-8: Bixby, Mo.: Show Me 200, Midwest Trail Riders Assoc., Robert Kaufman; (314) 434-5095; www.ridemtra.com
June 7-8: Wabeno, Wis.: Ride For Research, Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders, John Newton; (920) 350-2030; www. widualsportriders.org
June 14-15: Odell, Ore.: Black Dog Adventure Ride, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 6818881; www.blackdogdualsport.com
June 21-22: Big Bear City, Calif.: Big Bear Run, Big Bear Trail Riders, Jim Nicholson; (818) 391-3083; www.bigbeartrailriders.com
June 28-29: Fort Rock, Ore.: Fort Rock National Dual Sport, Lobos MC, Billy Toman; (503) 656-5801; www.lobosmc.com/
July 19-26: Newberry, Mich.: 30th Annual “Michael R Burlingham Memorial” Six Days of Michigan, Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan, Lewis Shuler; (517) 781-4805; www.cycleconservationclub.org
Aug. 2-3: Walden, Colo.: Moose Run Dual Sport Rally, Front
Off Road Adventures, Lawrence Borgens; (209) 649-3633; www. familyoffroadadventures.com
May 17-18: Tolland, Mass.: Berkshire Big Adventure, Berkshire Trail Riders, David Seften; 860-201-4416; www. mudslinger.org
May 24-25: Westpoint, Tenn.: Factory Creek Adventure Ride, NATRA, John Bowling; 256-8107229; www.natra-westpoint.net
June 1: Atlanta, N.Y.: Thrills in the Hills, Wayne County MC Club, John Albanese; 315-946-3082; www.waynecountymc.com
June 14-15: Odell, Ore.: Black Dog Adventure Ride, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 6818881; www.blackdogdual sport.com
Aug. 16-17: Tillamook, Ore.: Rat Dog Dual Sport, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 681-8881; www.blackdogdualsport.com
Nov. 8-9: Wickenburg, Ariz.: Howlin’ at the Moon, Arizona Trail Riders, Don Hood; (623) 8261092; www.arizonatrailriders.org
Nov. 14-16: Hammonton, N.J.: Pine Barrens 500, BMW of Manhattan Motorcycles, Jack O’Connor; 732-714-8874; pinebarrens500.org; info@ pinebarrens500.org
Nov. 28-29: Palmdale, Calif.: LA-Barstow to Vegas, AMA D37 Dual Sport, Paul Flanders; (626) 446-7386; www.district37 ama.org
AMA PREMIER TOURING SERIES
AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
AMA NATIONAL RALLIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
July 11-13: Lexington, Oh.: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days; AMAVintageMotorcycleDays.com
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
June 2-7: Lake George, N.Y.: Americade; Americade.com
and his colorful sidekicks as they navigate the ups and downs of wrenching and wrecking hot rods, going to school, and growing up on the back of a scrambler. Those who grew up in the 1970s culture of muscle cars and motorcycles will relate to the episodes of moto-craziness and find it hard not to grin at the mostly harmless hooliganism of the era. The second half of this book is full of colorful stories inspired by riding and wrenching those fun-filled hot rods of the two-wheeled variety. In these stories, Kirk not only relates his experience with the mechanical challenges of motorcycles, but also describes the great rewards granted to those who are lucky enough to ride them. Distributed to the trade by: