FURY SABRE
NAVIGATION
Cover Alonzo Bodden loves to ride, photographed by Conrad Lim.
Navigation Photo
The latest rendition of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is getting ready for prime time. As this issue went to bed, we were putting the finishing touches on the new Hall of Fame exhibit. The official opening took place on July 8. Photo by Grogan Studios.
8. LETTERS
You write, we read.
10. ROB DINGMAN
Elevating the Hall of Fame
12. RIGHTS
Rick Dorfmeyer and D.I.R.T. do good for trail riders in Indiana.
17. RIDING
Designing the Harley-Davidson XR1200R to change opinions.
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 2010. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $10 covered in membership dues; $15 a year for non-members.
Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices.
August 2010
Volume 64, Number 8
Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN
AmericanMotorcyclist.com
26. RACING
Grand Prix hero Tony Cairoli hopes to race in the United States full time.
32. HALL OF FAME
Dick Burleson’s 1979 Husqvarna, the Class of 2010 and Evel Knievel.
36. ALONZO BODDEN: STAND UP GUY
He may be the “Last Comic Standing,” but he’s often the first guy out riding.
42. TWO-WHEELED RUSH!
AMA Racing is the gold-standard of amateur motorcycle racing in America. Here’s why.
48. GO RIDE
What to do, where to go.
58. RICK JACOBS
Riding like a warrior.
Ethanol 101 What you nEEd to KnoW about E10/Ethanol FuEl 4 Main problEMs
With E10 / Ethanol FuEl
Problem 1: Debris in Fuel
Gums rapidly form in the fuel tank and fuel delivery systems as ethanol fuels age. However, ethanol is also a powerful solvent that will strip away and disperse this build up back into the fuel as large, performance-robbing particles. This leads to clogged filters, injectors and carburetors.
Problem 4: ethanol causes lost PoWer, PerFormance anD DecreaseD Fuel economy
Ethanol fuel does not produce as much energy as traditional fuel. This results in inefficient combustion, decreased performance, reduced throttle response and poor fuel economy.
Star tron® Solution: star tron®’s enzymes break down debris into sub-micron sized particles that can be easily burned during the combustion process, restoring full performance.
Problem 2: excessive Water in the Fuel anD Phase seParation
Ethanol attracts moisture from the atmosphere, forming an ethanol/water solution mixed in the gasoline. E-10 fuel will naturally hold .5% water in suspension, but when water levels exceed this threshold, or when the fuel cools significantly, the water/ethanol mix drops out of suspension. This is phase separation. Excessive water in the fuel tank causes engines to run rough, stall, and can lead to internal damage to engine components. Ethanol provides a significant amount of the fuel’s octane, so when the ethanol/water solution separates and drops to the bottom of the tank, the remaining fuel is left without enough octane to properly operate the engine. Additionally, the ethanol/water solution can become partially combustible, which can lead to engine damage.
Star tron® Solution: star tron®’s enzyme formula reduces interfacial surface tension between fuel and water. the molecular cluster size is greatly reduced, allowing more water to be dispersed throughout the fuel. these sub-micron sized droplets are safely eliminated as the engine operates. star tron® treated fuel helps prevent phase separation by allowing more water to be burned off than with untreated fuel, drying out the tank and preventing water buildup.
Problem 3: ethanol Fuels break DoWn Quickly
Over a short period of time ethanol fuel begins to break down. As ethanol and other components evaporate, the fuel loses octane and becomes “stale.” This causes hard starts, pinging and engine knock, which robs your engine of power and can cause damage.
Star tron® Solution: star tron® is a powerful fuel stabilizer which helps prevent fuel breakdown for up to two years. this results in easier starts and prevents pinging and knocking. star tron® improves octane levels of sub-standard, non-spec or old fuel and in many cases can rejuvenate stale fuel, restoring it to serviceable condition.
Star tron® Solution: star tron’s® enzyme formula helps to break apart large clusters of fuel molecules, creating more surface area. this allows additional oxygen to react during combustion, which results in a more complete burn of the fuel, improved fuel economy, engine power, throttle response and reduced toxic emissions. star tron® removes carbon deposits, keeping your engine clean and operating at peak performance.
Star Tron® is a unique, multifunctional fuel additive that addresses all ethanol issues. Star Tron® has been solving fuel problems for boaters across the US since 2003. It will improve the performance of: boats, cars, trucks, motorcycles, snowmobiles, ATVs, PWCs, generators, lawn & garden equipment and all other gas-powered engines. Star Tron® is safe for use in all 2 and 4-cycle engines under all conditions, even in ethanol fuels. Star Tron® is an ideal all-season, all-purpose additive, and does all this at one of the lowest costs of any fuel additive.
Be careful of what additive you use – many contain alcohol. Adding more alcohol to ethanol fuels can lead to engine problems. Read the MSDS of any fuel additive before using it with ethanol fuel. Star Tron® does not contain any alcohol and is 100% safe for use in all ethanol blends.
Star Tron® is easy to use, effective and cannot be overdosed.
Today’s Fuels Demand New Additive Technology
To learn the entire Star Tron® story and to find the nearest retailer, log onto www.startron.com or call (800) 327-8583
fl at out loves his new custom bike. makes sure a flat never stops him from riding.
24/7 ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. John Kiefer is one lucky man; he is the proud winner of the 2009 Progressive custom bike built by Sucker Punch Sally’s. And to make sure he’s never stranded on the road with his new bike, Progressive offers 24/7 Roadside Assistance for less than a buck a month. Protect yourself today at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE or call an independent agent. PROGRESSIVE.COM
‘THE LAST COMIC
Protecting Your Rights
Your AMA membership also gives your Association the resources it needs to watch your back in Washington, D.C.—working to keep riding areas and tracks open despite challenges from municipalities and nearby landowners.
Not only is the AMA the largest amateur motorsports sanctioning body in history, but it is also the country’s leading defender of motorcyclists’ rights. The AMA is on the front lines of many fights, including keeping trails open, fighting discriminatory insurance policies that deny motorcyclists coverage, and battling local ordinances that shut down streetbike access to public roads, or even aim to stop you from riding your dirtbike on your own land.
When you become a member, a portion of your $39 annual membership fee funds the efforts of the AMA Government Relations Department. With staff in Washington, D.C., at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio, and on the West Coast, these dedicated people come to work every day with a single purpose: to make America a better and fairer place to be a motorcyclist.
To learn more, visit the Rights section of AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
Protecting Your Bank Account
Then, there are all the practical benefits of membership, such as American Motorcyclist magazine, AMA Roadside Assistance, discounts through the AMA’s benefit partners and products and services not available to non-members.
Members can access full benefit and partner discount information online in the Members Area of AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Some benefits kick in just by giving your AMA number at the point of sale. Others need a special discount code, also available on the website.
Examples of these money-saving benefits include a 10 percent discount on parts purchased at online retailer BikeBandit.com, a 20 percent discount on Garmin GPS units, discounts on lodging for when you’re on the road, and a break on AMA Supercross, Arenacross and Dragbike tickets. That’s just a sample. For the full list, see the website. For racers—or anyone who spends a lot of time traveling—AMA Roadside Assistance is a great benefit for just $35 a year. It covers bikes, cars, RVs and more for the AMA member and his or her family members.
Better yet, members who auto-renew or buy a three-year membership receive AMA Roadside Assistance at no additional charge. That’s because these members help the AMA save big bucks on membership renewal notices. To take advantage of this opportunity, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Membership > Member Services.
And More ...
Other benefits of joining the AMA and competing at AMA-sanctioned events include:
• AMA National Championship-level events receive public relations and marketing services provided by a fulltime communications staff.
• AMA promoted and sanctioned events receive coverage in AMA media outlets, including American Motorcyclist magazine, the electronic magazine AMA Racer and at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
• At many AMA Racing Grand Championship events, participants are provided free high-resolution event photography.
Where Your Race Dollars Go Understanding
The Costs Of Competition
While motorcycle racing remains one of the most affordable motorsports in the country, it’s undeniable that the fees can add up on race day. And only a part of these typical race fees go to the AMA’s national office to support the AMA and the part of its mission focused on fostering amateur racing.
To understand why racing costs what it does, it helps to know where that money goes.
For example, consider this scenario. A family of three has an 8-year-old son who is starting to race motocross. In addition to the cost of fuel, food, gear and a bike, at the first race of the year that family could easily incur almost $240 in fees alone.
Based on the typical costs at an actual event in an actual AMA District, here’s the breakdown for a family of three, with one kid racing three classes:
• Three gate entries which typically go to the promoter or landowner .............................. $30
• Transponder fee, to the promoter and/or a technology supplier (paid once a year) ........ $25
• One District membership, which typically goes to a regional organization focused on keeping points on a District level, coordinating a regional race calendar and often hosting a year-end banquet (paid once a year) .......................................................................... $30
• Three entry fees, which typically go to the promoter. ................................................... $114
• One AMA membership, which allows access to a host of AMA member benefits and a national staff dedicated to keeping riding areas and racetracks open, and working to stop bad laws that discriminate against motorcyclists (paid once a year) .................. $39
ToTal $238
Other costs you pay at the gate might include mandatory contributions to legal defense funds or additional fees that are necessary to participate in a season-long series, or to qualify for a national-championship event.
Of course, not all of these fees are paid every race. For example, the transponder can likely be used at other events, and the District and AMA membership fees are only paid once a year. Perhaps the more important point is that in many cases, you reap the dividends for much longer than one day. Take your $39 AMA membership. It funds AMA activities, support for national series and Grand Championships, the rulebook, AMA Congress activities, government relations efforts, American Motorcyclist magazine, the AMA Racer publication, gives you access to AMA member discounts and benefits, and helps fund the end-of-year AMA Championship Awards Banquet where AMA National Champions are honored with their AMA Racing National No. 1 plates.
one DisTRiCT membeRship (annual)
Goes to District to fund District-level activities.
one ama membeRship (annual)
Funds AMA activities, support for national series and Grand Championships, rulebook, Congress activities, Competition member benefits, government relations, American Motorcyclist magazine, AMA member discounts and benefits, etc.
GaTe fee foR familY of ThRee (peR RaCe) Goes to landowner and/or promoter.
Race Day Costs
ThRee Class enTRies (peR RaCe) Goes to promoter.
(annual) Goes to promoter.
