American Motorcyclist 11 2014 Street Version

NOVEMBER 2014

Hall of Fame Class of 2014 Features Motorcycling’s Best & Brightest

Photo Joe Kline

MotoAmerica: The Future Of AMA Road Racing

AMA REWARDS

Watch this space for updates about your valuable benefits as an AMA member.

AMA Roadside Assistance

AMA Race Center

Available at no extra charge if you choose to automatically renew your AMA membership.

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.

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No need to pay and wait for reimbursement.

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THE ESSENTIALS

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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, save15 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.

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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.

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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.bohn-armor-pants.com/ama/.

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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.

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Save $5 on admission to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio. powered by

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AMA members can place free ads in the AMA member classifieds at AMA.Sprocketlist.com or AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Shop > Classifieds.

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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.

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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.

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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) 2625646 for details.

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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.

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RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel magazine offers a 20 percent subscription discount to AMA members. RoadRUNNER is the touring expert of North America, providing info on the best places to ride. AMA discount code is CRIAMA at www.roadrunner.travel/promo/ama.

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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.

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AMA members save on advanced adult one-day general admission.

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STREET COVER Read about Rob Muzzy and the rest of the Hall of Fame Class of 2014 starting on page 34.

NAVIGATION

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PAGE 18. UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF TRACTION CONTROL

DIRT COVER Read about Scott Summers and the rest of the Hall of Fame Class of 2014 starting on page 34.

PAGE 34. TOM WHITE LOVES MOTOCROSS

10. VIEWPOINT 12. RIGHTS 32. HALL OF FAME 44. EVENTS CALENDAR 50. GUEST COLUMN

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November 2014 Volume 68, Number 11 Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) www.americanmotorcyclist.com

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Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147.

Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing oďŹƒces.

8. LETTERS

PAGE 18. AMA TO SANCTION MOTOAMERICA PRO ROAD-RACING SERIES IN 2015

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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.

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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.

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Always ride responsibly and safely. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Don’t drink and drive.

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AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

American Motorcyclist 13515 Yarmouth Drive Pickerington, OH 43147 (614) 856-1900 submissions@ama-cycle.org

Contact any member of the AMA Board of Directors at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ about/board Maggie McNally-Bradshaw, Chair Schenectady, N.Y.

James Holter, Director of Communications/Managing Editor Jim Witters, Government Affairs Editor Heather Wilson, Associate Editor Mark Lapid, Creative Director Jeff Guciardo, Production Manager/Designer Halley Miller, Graphic Designer

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CONNECT WITH US

Perry King, Executive Committee Member Northern California

Zach Stevens, National Sales Manager (626) 298-3854, zstevens@ama-cycle.org

All trademarks used herein (unless otherwise noted) are owned by the AMA and may only be used with the express, written permission of the AMA. American Motorcyclist is the monthly publication of the American Motorcyclist Association, which represents motorcyclists nationwide. For information on AMA membership benefits, call (800) AMA-JOIN or visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Manuscripts, photos, drawings and other editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage. No responsibility is assumed for loss or damage to unsolicited material. Copyright© American Motorcyclist Association, 2014.

John Ulrich, Executive Committee Member Lake Elsinore, Calif.

Scott Miller, Milwaukee, Wis. Roger Pattison, Taos Ski Valley, N.M. Robert Pearce, Murrieta, Calif.

Stan Simpson, Cibolo, Texas Jim Viverito, Chicago, Ill.

(800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) AmericanMotorcyclist.com

AMA StAff EXECUTIVE

AMA RACING/ORGANIZER SERVICES (continued)

Rob Dingman, President/CEO Rhonda Hixon, Administrative Asst./Litigation Manager Bruce Moffat, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Massey, Chief Operations Officer Rob Rasor, Director of International Affairs

Chuck Weir, Off Road Racing Manager Conrad Young, Timing & Scoring Manager BUSINESS MEMBER PROGRAMS Jim Williams, Vice President, Industry Relations & Business Member Programs

Dawn Becker, Accounting Manager Melanie Hise, HR Assistant/Payroll Coordinator Ed Madden, System Support Specialist Peg Tuvell, Member Fulfillment Specialist

DISTRIBUTION/FACILITIES SERVICES

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Bob Chaddock, Vice President, Administration Sean Maher, Director

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

AMHF/MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME Jordan Cavallaro, Museum Admissions and Collections Assistant Connie Fleming, Manager of Events and AMHF Operations Beth Owen, Receptionist/Donor Relations Specialist Paula Schremser, Program Specialist Katy Wood, Collections Manager AMA RACING/ORGANIZER SERVICES Rob Baughman, Road Riding Coordinator Kip Bigelow, MX Manager Joe Bromley, District Relations Manager Jacki Burris, Organizer Services Coordinator Jane Caston, Racing Coordinator Kevin Crowther, Director SX & Pro Racing Relations Bill Cumbow, Director of Racing 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

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Ken Ford, Assistant Treasurer Bartow, Fla.

Steve Gotoski, Advertising Director (Western States) (951) 566-5068, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org

ACCOUNTING

Motion Pro, Inc. 867 American Street, CA 94070 Tel: 650-594-9600 I Fax 650-594-9610

Russ Brenan, Vice Chair Irvine, Calif.

John Bricker, Mailroom Manager Heida Drake, Copy Center Operator Bill Frasch, Mailroom Clerk

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 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

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MEMBER LETTERS

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.

Letter of the Month

LIFE MEMBER PLUS I received my AMA Life Member Plus card today. It brought back many good memories. I bought my first Harley, a 1940 Each month, a lucky AMA member wins a 80-inch Flathead, in 1944. I have owned a BikeBandit.com gift card worth $100. Didn’t Harley for 70 years. I’m 90 years old. I still win? No worries. You can still take advantage have a Harley, but I ride very little. of your 10 percent AMA member discount at BikeBandit.com.

I joined the AMA 67 years ago. After the second World War, there were motorcycle flat-track races every Sunday some place in Ohio, including the Charity Newsies in Columbus, Ohio. We used to ride to Milwaukee for the fair and mile flat-track races. We crossed the Great Lake that night on a steam ship and went to the Muskegon hillclimb the next day.

Several times in my life, I never owned a car. I worked at Ford in Sharonville, Ohio, for 32 years, and rode every day if no snow was in the forecast.

In 70 years, I’ve ridden almost 500,000 miles, enjoyed the Gypsie Tours for many years, been to the Motor Maids Lady in Pink many times at races. Hope I didn’t bore you too much.

Earl Bowen Liberty Township, Ohio

VINTAGE FUN What a thrill I had this year when I was able to attend the 2014 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days in Ohio. Myself and my buddy Kurt Kurtzweg, also a lifetime member, decided to make the 830-mile trip from Minnesota to Ohio for the show and swap meet. It was one of those bucket-list things that we needed to do, and boy are we glad we did!

We hauled 13 motorcycles and a boatload of parts down and set up on Thursday morning. By Thursday afternoon, we had sold five bikes and a lot of parts.

When the weekend was over, we had sold 10 of the bikes and almost all of the parts we brought down.

That was worth the trip alone, but then I get my American Motorcyclist magazine and start reading the write up on the event and on page 40 of the October issue is a

picture of one of my bikes that I sold!

Brett Gatrell bought the bike from me on Friday and raced it on Saturday. I was able to watch his first moto and see him win that race! What a great way to end the weekend. We will definitely be coming back.

Steve Drew Hutchinson, Minn.

OFF-ROAD SUPPORTER I’ve been a member for more than 20 years on and off, and I’d like to thank our association for all it’s done. In the 1980s when I was a soldier, the AMA helped to take my mind of things while stationed in Germany.

It was also during that time in the Army that I got interested in enduro racing. I was lucky enough to put some money up

Sound Off!

A roundup of recent comments on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/americanmotorcyclist On MSF training…

Howard Dusenbery: “One should always revisit their skill set. Should be a fun winter project to tune up for spring.”

Responding to a photo of one of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Gary Nixon’s racebikes...

B.J. Keller: “One of Maryland’s finest racers and a great guy. R.I.P., Gary.”

Sarcastically commenting on the potential for more ethanol in fuel…

Allen J. Gordon: “Let’s see—it harms consumers, voids vehicle warranties and addresses an issue that no longer exists and even increases carbon emissions. Why wouldn’t the EPA approve it?”

to help support the U.S. International Six Days Enduro team in Czechoslovakia. I can’t really support the team any more the way I’d like to, but to help support the motorcycle lifestyle, I’m planning on attending shows and races as they are advertised in American Motorcyclist magazine.

Thanks for the support and information I’ve received through the years.

Eugene Ewart East Patchogue, N.Y. OLD BIKES ROCK Just grabbed my October edition from the mail box and sat down to enjoy two of my loves at the same time—American Motorcyclist and pro football. After first reading the letters from other AMA members as usual, I went straight to the great article on AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days.

After spending most of my life bouncing off trees here in the South in enduros and hare scrambles, I had a mid-life crisis this year on my 50th birthday and switched to post-vintage motocross. I immediately went after the bike I had always wanted—1981 YZ465—and it has not disappointed. By far, it’s the fastest and most fun bike I have ever ridden. Thanks for the vintage love this month!

Steve Kirby Rock Hill, S.C. RIDE SAFE Here are two situational safety tips.

Stay out of the blind spot: When riding in the same direction as other drivers (cars or bikes), the easiest way to know if you are not in the other driver’s blind spot is if you can see the driver’s face in his mirror.

If you can see their face (on either side mirror) they can see you during a normal mirror sweep.

The strategy when your lane is moving just a tad faster is to hang in the visible spot for a moment until the gap ahead of you in your lane increases. Then pass.

Morning/afternoon visibility: Your shadow knows. In low-angle-sun periods anytime your shadow is aiming at a car, that driver has the sun in his eyes.

At that point, having your headlight on and that safety vest you’re wearing are meaningless. Just assume they can’t see you, because they can’t.

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Ron Bishop passes AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Famer

L-r: Dwayne edwards and Gerald Sloan from the Upstate’s Finest M/C; Diane Dillion, Children’s Hospital director; Jimmy rumsey, CMU assistant director.

GIVING BACK A gift of $10,600 was donated to the Greenville Children’s Hospital Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NIC-U) in Greenville, S.C., by Christians Ministries United. The money was raised over a period of several months through the sale of tickets to win a donated motorcycle, sponsorships, ride entry fees and t-shirt sales.

The main event, a motorcycle ride, was named The Baby Eli Memorial Run in honor of Eli Johnson, a newborn that spent his life of eight months in the NIC-U. Eli was able to come home and attend church shortly before his angel date of Sept. 16, 2012.

During the mid-1970s Bishop was also a two-time member of the American team in the International Six Days Trial (now the International Six Days Enduro).

Bishop was a factory off-road racer for Kawasaki and later Rokon.

To learn more about the amazing career of Bishop, see the Hall of Fame website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

The monies raised will be used to provide privacy curtains for families visiting their loved ones in the NIC-U. “This was a project three years in the making…” says Jimmy Rumsey the assistant director of the CMU. The check was delivered to the director of the Children’s Hospital, Diane Dillion, on Sept. 8.

Gerald Sloan, President The Upstate’s Finest M/C CorreCtIoN The Hall of Fame bike article in the October issue should have stated that Ricky Carmichael’s 2003 Honda CR250R was the last two-stroke to win an AMA Pro Motocross premier class championship.

Yama Star M ha and oto affinity rcycles now av cards ailable !

No matter what or how you ride, the AMA has a special card for you. Want one? Just let us know by renewing early, or telling us when you renew via our online signup form at AmericanMotorcyclist.com, or calling (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646).

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The AMA offers condolences to the friends, family and fans of storied offroad racer and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ron Bishop. Mr. Bishop passed away Sept. 20. He was 71.

Bishop became a legend in long distance off-road races, such as the Baja 1000. Bishop raced every Baja 1000 from its start in 1967 to the time he was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001 and beyond.

Bishop won numerous class titles in many of the major off-road motorcycle races of the 1960s through the early 2000s, such as the Baja 1000, Baja 500, Tecate 500, Mint 400 and Mexicale 300.

Few off-road racers, if any, can claim such a long career winning their class at such world-class events.

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VIEWPOINT

MOTOAMERICA AND THE AMA The Future Of Road Racing Is Now In April, I received a letter from threewould also diminish greatly. Further, if time MotoGP champion and two-time FIM North America agreed to sanction AMA Superbike Champion Wayne Rainey. the new series during my term, we Wayne, a member of the AMA would be in a better position Motorcycle Hall of Fame, was to minimize the impact on writing to me in my capacity as DMG’s series calendar. I also president of FIM North America expressed a concern that the on behalf of a partnership he is FIM might circumvent its North part of called the KRAVE Group.

American continental union and He was seeking sanctioning from its member federations and FIM North America to establish sanction such a series directly— a continental motorcycle road because this has already been racing series with events in done in Europe and Asia. the United States and possibly DMG has faced many

By Rob Dingman Canada. challenges since it took control This was a reasonable inquiry. of the professional road racing FIM North America is the North American series in 2008, and a competing series continental union of the Fédération was the last thing they needed. The best Internationale de Motocyclisme, the thing for DMG, the KRAVE Group, the international body for motorcycle sport AMA, the FIM, and the riders, teams and of which the AMA is a member federation. The AMA makes up FIM North America along with Canada’s FIM member federation, the Canadian Motorcycle Association. In addition to my role as president and CEO of the AMA, one of my responsibilities for the last four years has been to serve as FIM North America president. My term ends this month when the presidency will rotate to my counterpart at the CMA. In order for an event or series to be sanctioned by FIM North America, it must first be sanctioned by the AMA or CMA. This requirement is intended to ensure that the continental unions provide support for, rather than compete with, fans was for an agreement to be reached their member federations. However, that would prevent two competing series. because the rights to AMA professional At a point during the discussions, DMG road racing had been sold by the AMA to put the rights to AMA professional road the Daytona Motorsports Group in 2008, racing on the table. I was asked to be the AMA—and, therefore, FIM North the go-between and broker a deal that America—could not grant a sanction to would ensure one series and make way the KRAVE Group without getting the for a brighter future for professional road consent of DMG. racing in America.

When I presented the idea of FIM I’m very pleased to say that our efforts North America sanctioning a continental were successful. Early in September, road racing championship to DMG, they we announced that the AMA had rewere understandably resistant. DMG was acquired the sanctioning, promotional running the AMA-branded professional and commercial rights to professional road racing series in the United States, motorcycle road racing in America from and a North American continental DMG. This allows the AMA, as well as championship series would have been FIM North America, to sanction the new a competitor. I explained that because professional motorcycle road racing my term as president of the continental series proposed by Wayne. union would expire soon, my ability to The AMA will have an important influence whether FIM North America operational role with the new series. would sanction the KRAVE Group’s series We will staff officials at each round and

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

develop an enforcement, appeal and rider-licensing procedure. The AMA will be responsible for issuing professional road racing licenses for the series. Class champions in the series will earn AMA national No. 1 plates.

MotoAmerica, with the consultation of the AMA, will develop the classes, the rules of competition and event procedures. While details of the rulebook were still in development when this issue went to print, classes and event procedures will conform to prevailing international standards. The group also will sell sponsorships, develop other commercial relationships for the series, secure tracks, create the calendar, process crew and media credentials, and have responsibility for fan engagement.

DMG, which has operated the series for the last seven years, is no longer going to be involved in the series.

Many times in this space you’ve read about the importance of your membership to the AMA. Membership is the fuel that drives the success of your association. More members provide for a stronger AMA, and a stronger AMA is in a better position to protect motorcyclists’ freedoms.

That goal was our guiding light as we worked with the KRAVE Group to structure the sanctioning agreement for MotoAmerica. Codified in the arrangement is the AMA’s responsibility to issue professional road-racing licenses for the series. This empowers the AMA to establish a clear path for the amateur motorcycle road racer to the pro ranks.

Done correctly and with the support of the sport’s stakeholders, this strategy will facilitate the growth of a robust grass-roots amateur road-racing program, allowing us to focus on the present, and future, of the thousands of amateur racers who have dreams of their own Hall of Fame-worthy careers.

I look forward to sharing more about our efforts soon. For now, I want to thank all of you for your support as we work together to shape a brighter future for motorcycle road racing in America.

Rob Dingman is AMA president and CEO.

Seminars & Members-Only Benefits at the Show!

OCTOBER 16-19 2014

ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER

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Visit us online at www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com for more details.

Featuring the AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

Groups Urge Letters To Elected Officials The AMA and other off-highway vehicle advocacy organizations are asking members to write to the president, the Interior Department and their representatives and senators to protest a proposal to designate 1.8 million acres in Utah as a national monument.

More than a dozen senators sent a letter to President Barack Obama requesting that he use his powers under the federal Antiquities Act to designate the land surrounding Canyonlands National Park as a national monument.

None of the senators are from Utah, and only two are from western states.

The senators’ action runs counter to a bill already introduced in Congress by U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) that takes a collaborative approach in identifying land

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with unique character and resources, then codifying its uses.

The AMA and groups such as the BlueRibbon Coalition oppose preemptive action by the president and believe U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop the Bishop bill should be (R-Utah) allowed to complete the legislative process.

The AMA is asking concerned citizens to write and/or email President Obama, U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Congress in opposition to the proposed presidential action under the Antiquities Act and in support of Bishop’s bill.

CONNECTICUT TOWN REJECTS NUISANCE ORDINANCE AIMED AT DIRT BIKER Residents Vote Down Restrictive Plan Voters in Stonington, Conn., overwhelmingly rejected a proposed nuisance ordinance that would have severely limited ATV, dirt bike and other recreational vehicle use.

Acting on neighborhood complaints about Mason Fusaro, a lone teenage dirt-bike rider, the Board of Selectmen ordered an ordinance drafted that would have restricted OHV riding to more than 300 feet from a property line and 500 feet from residences, required permits for groups of four or more riders, as well as for any modifications to the land associated with riding, and imposed fines for any OHV-generated dust crossing a property line.

AMA member Mark Silvia, of Pawcatuck, Conn., brought the Stonington situation to the attention of the AMA. The AMA helped Silvia get the word out before the Aug. 26 vote on the proposal, and the meeting was packed with people calling the ordinance “overkill.”

“I am pleased with the results, as it supports the rights of property owners, and those of us who use our dirt bikes and ATVs in a respectful and responsible manner,” Silvia writes to the AMA. “Thanks for your advice and support.”

Ric Foster

AMA SEEKS HELP ON UTAH LAND USE ISSUE

TRANSPORTATION BILL EXTENDS FUNDING THROUGH MAY AMA Presses For Protections In Long-term Funding

projects, including Recreational Trails Program projects, which are funded by the program.

When Congress once again begins to write a new long-term highway bill, the AMA will work to include language in the transportation program reauthorization that would: ensure the continuation of the successful Recreational Trails Program, prohibit federal tax dollars from funding motorcycle-only checkpoints, and expand the ban on federal agencies lobbying state governments.

Ryan Williams

On Aug. 8, President Barack Obama signed H.R. 5021, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014.

While the law skipped many needed reforms, it will extend highway funding until May 2015.

Without enactment of the bill, the federal Highway Trust Fund would have dipped below ďŹ scally safe levels, and payments to states would have been delayed. The states, in turn, would have slowed, paused or canceled many highway construction and maintenance

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NHTSA PROVIDES VIN-DRIVEN RECALL SEARCH Free Online Data About Motorcycles, Cars The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has unveiled a free online search tool that lets vehicle owners find out if a motorcycle, car or truck has been the subject of a recall.

Users can go to www.safercar.gov/ vinlookup, type in a vehicle identification number and see the response.

The site provides a list of open recalls or displays the message “No Open Recalls.”

In addition, all major light vehicle and motorcycle manufacturers are required to provide VIN search capability for uncompleted recalls on their own websites. That data must be updated weekly.

“Safety is our highest priority, and an

informed consumer is one of our strongest allies in ensuring recalled vehicles are repaired,” says U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx

FIRST PHASE OF RATTLESNAKE BAY TRAILS REOPEN

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Fred Pittman, Robert Rockco and other Mississippi riders in forming Friends of Rattlesnake Bay to facilitate Forest Service negotiations with a unified voice.

The initial reopening was made possible by the February approval of a recreation fee structure by the U.S. Forest Service Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee and cooperation between the USFS and Friends of Rattlesnake Bay. Volunteers from the OHV group helped USFS crews complete the needed repairs to the trails in late August.

The trails reopened in September consist of a 7.6-mile loop and a 1.9mile loop. A second section of trail, encompassing nearly 28 miles, is in the planning stages and may open in the spring or summer of 2015.

The Rattlesnake Bay trail system is in the special use permit area for the Camp Shelby Military Training Site near Hattiesburg, Miss.

Dale Tallman Jr.

USFS Promises Larger Section To Come In 2015

About 25 riders and supporters celebrated the re-opening of Phase One of the Rattlesnake Bay OHV Trails in Mississippi’s DeSoto National Forest on Sept. 20.

The Friends of Rattlesnake Bay offhighway-vehicle group joined U.S. Forest Service officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for 9.5 miles of trails in an area that has remained “temporarily” closed for more than 11 years.

“We are elated that the Forest Service has begun the process of re-opening these trails, and we want to thank the Forest Service officials and the Friends of Rattlesnake Bay member volunteers for their hard work that made this day possible,” says Dale Tallman Jr., volunteer coordinator for the Friends of Rattlesnake Bay. The AMA became involved in the effort at Tallman’s request. Steve Salisbury, AMA government affairs manager for off-highway issues, assisted Tallman,

AMA REPRESENTS MEMBERS NATIONWIDE

Staffers Attend Conferences For Legislators, OHVers The AMA Government Relations Department sent staff members to protect the rights of motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders at two significant gatherings during August.

The AMA represents members’ interests at the national and the state level.

NCSL convention

Nick Haris, the AMA western states representative, and legislative assistant Sean Hutson attended the National Conference of State Legislators convention in Minneapolis, Minn.

The AMA booth at the NCSL event drew a crowd of state legislators and their staff members, who were fascinated by the 2014 Indian Chief motorcycle graciously loaned by Indian Motorcycle for the display.

Haris and Hutson distributed flyers highlighting the issues AMA members

Sean Hutson and Nick Haris at the NCSL convention. have identified as their top priorities. And the Indian Chief opened up opportunities for wide-ranging discussions.

NOHVCC meeting

Steve Salisbury, AMA off-road government affairs manager, participated in the joint gathering of the National OffHighway Vehicle Conservation Council and the International Off-Highway Vehicle Administrators Association in

Great Falls, Mont.

Salisbury participated in discussions about new regulations facing offhighway vehicle enthusiasts, government mandates, partnerships with government agencies and ATV regulations.

Social and team-building events included a trail ride on the 12,000-acre Bull Run Ranch and demonstrations of equipment designed for creating singletrack trails.

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BRC SUES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER WYOMING TRAIL CLOSING U.S. Forest Service Action Called ‘Arbitrary’ The BlueRibbon Coalition has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service challenging the “arbitrary closure” of Trail 38, a single-track motorcycle trail in Wyoming’s Bighorn National Forest.

The BRC Legal Program is representing a local AMA District club called the Inyan Kara Riders Motorcycle Club and local trail users.

“Though the trail mileage is small, the stakes are high,” says J.R. Riggins, a plaintiff in the suit and a Wyoming dirt bike rider. “The Forest Service apparently thought it could fly under the radar and close this trail without meaningful analysis or public process. We are calling their bluff.”

NMOHVA TO APPEAL RULING ON SANTA FE FOREST TRAILS Judge’s Decision Upheld USFS Plan to Close 5,400 Miles The New Mexico Off-Highway Vehicle Alliance has filed notice of appeal regarding the federal district court decision upholding a U.S. Forest Service plan to reduce motorized recreational trails in the Santa Fe National Forest from 7,832 miles to 2,463.

Mark Werkmeister, an NMOHVA board member, says the notice was filed on Aug. 4. The case will be considered by a threejudge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.

Judge William P. Johnson of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico ruled in July that the USFS need not reconsider its plan to close the trails.

“Closing 70 percent of the existing roads and trails [per the decision] is obviously going to have a very deleterious effect, not only for motorized recreation, but for everyone who accesses the forest,” Werkmeister says.

NMOHVA points to the USFS’ own language in assessing the harm: “Driving a vehicle is an important part of virtually every activity on the forest. Most visitors drive to the forest to sightsee, camp, hike, hunt, fish, ride horses, collect firewood, picnic, sit by the water, or for a number of other activities. People come to the forest to ride on roads and trails in pickup trucks, ATVs, motorcycles and

other vehicles.” (FEIS, p. 1) “Limiting where people can drive may alter some people’s ability to enjoy the national forest in the manner they are accustomed to. Being able to drive on about half as many roads and trails means people might not be able to drive to their recreational destination. This applies to motorized and nonmotorized uses of the forest. Some people may no longer be able to get to a hiking spot, for instance.

For those with limited time or physical ability, some destinations would be rendered inaccessible.” (FEIS, p. viii) “In addition, the 70 percent closure figure actually understates the real impact,” Werkmeister says. “In many cases, roads and trails that were designated for motorized use in the decision remain closed to public use. For instance, the official Record of Decision designates 128 miles of trails open to motorcycles only. At the current time, a mere 25 widely scattered miles of those trails are open for use. NMOHVA is actively working with the Forest Service to get the remainder open.”

At a September meeting, the Forest Service indicated that “it will be at least several more years before any more trails are actually available,” Werkmeister says.

S TATEWAT CH CALIFORNIA Senate Bill 1077 provides for the study of a Road Usage Charge (RUC) as an alternative to the current gas tax.

As electric vehicles increase in number and gas-powered vehicles become Gov. Jerry Brown more efficient, gas taxes have become an inadequate source of funds, the bill states. The purpose of the bill is to establish a pilot program headed by the State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) that would establish an RUC Technical Advisory Committee.

The committee would study viability of an RUC in providing a more effective revenue

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stream for maintaining and improving highways and local roads. This bill was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown on Sept. 9.

ILLINOIS Public Act 1104, The Freedom From Location Surveillance Act was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn on Aug. 26. The law restricts the ability of law enforcement Gov. Pat Quinn agencies to obtain location information for individuals without a court order. It provides exceptions for agencies to use information the individual has chosen to make available through certain channels, such as social media. It

also provides exceptions for emergency situations — such as kidnappings — in which imminent danger to life can be expected and the ability to obtain a court order may be delayed.

MICHIGAN House Bill 5726, introduced by state Rep. Douglas Geiss (D-Taylor), introduces severe financial penalties for any motor vehicle repair facility that modifies an exhaust system to produce sound in excess of the original equipment manufacturer’s stock decibel level. State law already restricts motorcycle and moped sound to 86 dbA on streets with speed limits greater than 35 miles per hour and 82 dbA on streets with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less.

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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Taking ConTrol

ABS, Stability Technology Empowers Riders Story by Jim Witters / Photos by Tanya Moutzalias One thing that’s firmly ingrained in a motorcyclist’s consciousness is that you don’t jam on the brakes in a turn before getting the bike upright and the bars straight. Failing to straighten the bike before a panic stop may result in a crash.

However, just waiting to brake isn’t always the best solution. Delaying hard braking until the bike is upright could place the rider in greater danger.

New technology may provide an answer. A motorcycle stability control system from Robert Bosch LLC allows riders to brake hard in curves and in other conditions where panic stops previously were not advisable.

This is important because, in Germany for example, nearly half of fatal motorcycle accidents occur in a curve, according to Gerhard Steiger, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division.

The international conglomerate, which includes a division that develops automotive and motorcycle technology,

provides the motorcycle stability control to consumers on a couple of bikes now, but hopes it will soon gain wider distribution.

Simply put, riders on motorcycles equipped with the latest Bosch technology should be able to grab all the brake they need in the middle of a curve, with the bike leaning — even on slippery pavement — and the system will help the rider maintain control.

“You can stay in your lane, rather than go off the side of the road or cross lanes into an oncoming truck,” says Kevin Lill, senior marketing analyst for Bosch. “You may still be leaning somewhat when you come to a stop.”

Frank S. Sgambati, director of marketing and product innovation for Bosch’s Chassis Systems Control, says motorcycle stability control is the next step after anti-lock braking systems.

“Injury-and-accident-free driving is our vision,” Sgambati says.

AMA’s Steve Salisbury gets instructions before hitting the track on a Bosch-equipped KTM.

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Announced in September 2013, the first series-production application of the motorcycle stability control is available on the 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure and Adventure R. Some 2013 KTM models can be retrofitted with the stability control system for about $450, says Robert Pearce, vice president of operations for KTM North America.

The BMW HP4 soon will become the first sportbike to feature the system, which BMW calls ABS Pro. It also is expected to be retrofittable.

Overcoming Skepticism

Two common knocks on anti-lock braking systems are that they don’t help in corners and they can create traction problems off-road.

Bosch has attempted to address both issues by combining ABS with a leanangle sensor, traction control and the new stability control technology.

Working together through an intricate set of algorithms, the components continually monitor riding surface conditions, motorcycle position and other factors, and make adjustments that are designed to keep the rider headed in the right direction.

That means the new stability-control technology ABS helps you brake in a turn.

During a daylong session at the Bosch Proving Ground in Flat Rock, Mich., in August, AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman, AMA Off-Road Government Affairs Manager Steve Salisbury and amateur road racer Mike Graham tried out the integrated system.

The Bosch crew encouraged the riders to practice hard braking—panic-stop

101⁄2

Bosch’s Eckhard Euler demonstrates the system controls to the AMA’s Steve Sallisbury.

Testing Procedures

The Flat Rock, Mich., proving ground is one location where Bosch tests the systems it develops for major motorcycle and auto manufacturers.

The August riding session for the AMA included laps and emergency stops on an oval track, hard braking in turns of various radii, and braking on wet pavement and in gravel.

The riders tried out a 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure, a 2012 BMW S 1000 RR, a BRP Spyder, and a Bosch development motorcycle that is equipped with outriggers to prevent falls.

The outrigger bike is used to compare the results of hard braking in extreme situations with ABS on and off.

Emergency stops were carried out on wet asphalt, dry asphalt, gravel and a surface that mimicked wet, slippery leaves.

On dry asphalt, riders performed panic stops at 45 mph, 50 mph and 60 mph. On the other surfaces, the stops came from speeds of 30 mph to 35 mph.

The curves marked by pylons for testing the motorcycle stability control in panic stops were 30-, 50and 75-meter radius turns.

Riders were encouraged to brake hard at 30 mph, 40 mph and 50 mph, with a lean angle up to 35 degrees from vertical.

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level—while traveling in a straight line or in a curve. They wanted the riders to test the limits of the technology.

The AMA visitors walked away impressed.

“Who would have ever thought I could go into a turn leaned way over and grab, yes I said ‘grab,’ a huge handful of brakes, and the bike would behave like a perfect little gentleman,” says Graham, who has 27 years road racing experience and is a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor.

Graham said the lean angle meter on the KTM used in the curves registered 43 degrees when he jammed on the brakes.

“It just stops!” Graham says. “I can grab, yes there’s that word again, ‘grab,’ as much brake as I would normally in a straight line emergency stop. Also, the lift control leaves the rear planted for more effective braking— too cool and very confidence inspiring.”

Graham says that some traditional braking techniques didn’t necessarily apply with the stability control technology in place.

“Another thing worth mentioning is that we are taught to apply progressive pressure as we brake to give the bike time to add load to the front tire for additional traction,” Graham continues. “With the motorcycle stability control testing, my braking was far less progressive than I would normally use for an emergency stopping maneuver. I found the system response time to be excellent.”

Salisbury says the new technology works equally well in gravel.

“I spent most of my time in off-road mode with traction control on,” he says. “Every stop I tried, at speeds up to 35 mph, whether entirely on gravel or transitioning to or from asphalt mid-stop, were straight as an arrow.”

Changing to “street” mode while riding off-road “produced a less planted front wheel under full braking,” Salisbury says.

“Just like on the street course, my confidence grew quickly to the point where I

“Who would have ever thought I could go into a turn leaned way over and grab, yes I said ‘grab,’ a huge handful of brakes, and the bike would behave like a perfect little gentleman?”

— Mike Graham, amateur road racer and Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor

was full pressure on the lever and pedal and stopping in a surprisingly short distance,” he explains. “As disappointed as I was by the soft starts I was limited to by traction control, there’s no doubt in my mind that an inexperienced rider on dirt would benefit from the control.”

Dingman was impressed by the ability to brake hard in turns.

“The motorcycle stability control allowed braking in turns with the bike at significant lean angles,” he says. “This was unlike anything I have ever experienced on a motorcycle. The MSC allowed you to slow down in a turn without having to abandon the turn. Where you might normally have had to stop the bike due to the need to brake and therefore bring the bike upright, you could brake through the turn and slow down while in the turn.”

How It Works

Eckhard Euler, Bosch’s regional technical manager for two-wheeler safety, says the technology prevents wheel lockup by constantly monitoring wheel slip and adjusting the hydraulic brake pressure.

Wheel sensors measure the rotational speed of the front and rear wheels, and an inertia sensor module computes the vehicle’s lean and pitch angles more than 100 times per second, according to Bosch technical data.

By analyzing the sensor data, the

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difference in speed between front and rear wheels, and other motorcycle-specific parameters—such as tire size, tire shape, and sensor location—the MSC control unit calculates the physical limits of brake force on the basis of lean angle.

“It maintains the target wheel slip for maximum stopping on any given surface,” Euler says.

The electronic combined brake system (eCBS) activates and modulates front and rear brakes whether the rider applies one or both brakes.

For example, if the rider grabs the front brake lever, but does not depress the rear brake pedal, the eCBS allows pressure build up at the rear brake as well.

If the motorcycle stability control recognizes that a wheel is starting to lock, the MSC control unit activates the pressure modulator in the hydraulic brake circuit. This lowers the brake pressure, then builds it up again within a fraction of a second, resulting in exactly as much brake pressure being applied as is necessary to keep each wheel from locking and minimizing stopping distance, Bosch says.

The key is the integration of ABS, traction control, the electronic combined brake system, lean-angle monitoring and

“As motorcyclists recognize the advantages of ABS, traction control and motorcycle stability control, especially in emergency stop situations, they will start choosing to purchase bikes that have those features. This is a matter best left with the manufacturers and the consumers, with no government intervention.”

— Rob Dingman, AMA President and CEO

stability control. Other functions are rearwheel lift-up mitigation and hill-hold.

If the lean angle sensor fails, the antilock braking system shuts down, and a light comes on to notify the rider. Bosch says that an ABS failure does not affect normal braking on the bike.

Maintaining Rider Control

The test and production motorcycles that Bosch made available at the Flat Rock facility allowed the riders to choose among several operating modes, such as “street,” “sport” and “dirt.”

And the rider could shut down the whole system with the press of a button or flick of a switch.

Multiple operating modes and an “off” switch are critical, Dingman says.

“As amazing as this technology is, it is equally important that the rider remain in full control of the motorcycle,” he says.

“There are situations, such as riding downhill on slippery grass, in which the ABS technology could actually make it harder to stop.”

Euler acknowledges that standard ABS has limited capabilities to control a downhill off-pavement slide; however, MSC has enhanced algorithms to compute lean- and pitch-dependent control for helping to stabilize the motorcycle.

And, while technological advances can increase rider control in extreme situations, neither the AMA nor the motorcycle manufacturers want the government stepping in to make such technology mandatory.

“As motorcyclists recognize the advantages of ABS, traction control and motorcycle stability control, especially in emergency stop situations, they will start choosing to purchase bikes that have those features,” Dingman says. “This is a matter best left with the manufacturers and the consumers, with no government intervention.”

Lasting Impressions

Mike Graham (white hat) and the AMA’s Jim Witters, Steve Salisbury and Rob Dingman are briefed by Bosch experts.

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Salisbury says every off-road rider should try ABS, traction control and MSC. “Dirt riders like to think we can control our bikes more precisely than any sensor or computer could, but I see ABS as another technology for which an open mind is every bit as valuable as years of riding experience,” he says.

Graham appreciates the smooth integration of the new technology.

“It felt no different than it does when doing maximum braking with ABS in a straight line,” Graham explains. “You feel a very, very slight vibration, but you really have to be paying close attention to it to feel it. The only difference is that you’re leaned over.”

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Ed Waldheim, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer, president of Friends of Jawbone

“The easiest way to influence an election is to make sure you and your friends and other likeminded individuals show up on Election Day.”

Danielle Fowles, AMA Grassroots Coordinator

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of political campaigns. Without them, you guarantee your defeat on Election Day.”

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Adam R. Jones, political strategist

Money Talks, BuT VolunTeers Can Turn eleCTions Knowledge, Activity, Relationships Are Keys To Success By Jim Witters

At a time when huge sums of cold hard cash are used to sway the minds and votes of politicians, it would be easy for everyday folks to assume that they have little impact on modern government.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of political campaigns. Without them, you guarantee your defeat on Election Day,” says Adam R. Jones, a political strategist, who worked for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and served a stint as executive director of the North Dakota Republican Party.

“Campaigns can spend millions of dollars on television and radio advertisements, but, at the end of the day, the most effective way to get a voter to the polls is by having a volunteer ask for their support directly,” Jones says.

People tend to place more trust in someone they know personally who is passionate about a candidate or a cause than they do the media, a campaign ad or a paid consultant. And there is the adage that states, “Decisions are made by those who show up.”

Ed Waldheim, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, president of the Friends of Jawbone and lifelong motorcyclists’ rights advocate, suggests contributing money to candidates or campaigns, if you are able. But the real impact comes from direct personal contact, he says.

“They have to get involved with their local representatives or staff — from supervisors, City Council to state and federal legislators,” Waldheim says. “Just go into the office and introduce yourself as an advocate. Be at the table. That is key. If you are not there, you do not exist.”

Jones recommends studying the issues and the candidates’ visions, getting comfortable with the positions before starting to spread the word.

“Successful campaigns garner support by casting a wide net of influence, and is mainly done through volunteers,” he says. “Each volunteer comes from a

Photos Ed Waldheim/Friends of Jawbone: Tom Varden; Danielle Fowles: Jason Dixson; Adam R. Jones: Mavila Photography/www.mavilaphotography.com

“Just go into the office and introduce yourself as an advocate.

Be at the table. That is key. If you are not there, you do not exist.”

different background and has influence with their own circle of friends and family.

As Election Day approaches, campaigns rely heavily on their volunteers to contact their friends and family and ask for their support.”

AMA Grassroots Coordinator Danielle Fowles says, “The easiest way to influence an election is to make sure you and your friends and other like-minded individuals show up on Election Day.” But, before those friends will agree to back your candidate or cause, they need to be educated.

“You can help your friends get involved in a campaign by taking them to a local town hall meeting,” Fowles says. “This will provide an opportunity for them to hear the candidate speak and, in most cases, take questions from the audience.”

She also encourages activists to use their social media networks to endorse candidates or announce events where the candidates will appear.

“If you really want to shine with the campaign, offer to host a town hall meeting in your home or at your local riding or social club,” Fowles says. “This is relatively easy to do. Contact the candidate’s campaign or district office. A scheduler will be able to help you choose a date for the event.”

Waldheim says that volunteering on motorcyclists’ rights issues must go beyond showing up at campaign time.

Attending a rally helps demonstrate a person’s support for a cause or candidate.

But the event must be focused, both in message and target audience.

“Before you go to a big demonstration, you have to have done your homework,” Waldheim says. “Those people you demonstrate against — legislators, City Council members or county supervisors — need to know what your issue is.”

And, while such a huge show of support has an immediate and significant impact, persistent and consistent advocacy work usually results in longer-lasting successes.

“Demonstrations are OK, but your key legislators or elected officials need to know who you are, what you are about, and then they will feel comfortable with your demonstration and actually help you,” Waldheim says. “You cannot do this one year and disappear. I have been doing this so long, it is just second nature.”

Over the years, Waldheim has established trusting relationships with local, state and national politicians and agency officials.

At the same time, he recruits and coordinates volunteers who provide money, tools and physical labor to help achieve their goals.

“My focus has been getting work done on the ground,” he says.

“I get grants. I dedicate my time to keeping offhighway-vehicle trails open with a staff of 20 to 25 fulltime employees, all off-roaders and from local communities.

“I run quarterly OHV leadership meetings with national forest supervisors and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

The Friends of Jawbone monthly meeting is attended by law enforcement, elected officials, BLM officials, ranchers, county boards of supervisors, environmentalists, and the state’s OHV division. When it all is said and done, that is where the rubber meets the dirt.”

Such displays of dedication and efforts at cooperation have an impact on decision makers, Waldheim says.

Another effective approach is to make motorcyclists’ rights a campaign issue.

“Working on a campaign will give you direct access to the campaign staff and often times the candidate,” Fowles says.

“Your presence at campaign activities will give you the opportunity to highlight issues that are important to you. Invite the candidate to the event. Ask them to make comments. Show up to the campaign headquarters on your motorcycle.

Eventually, it will begin a conversation.”

With progress on a particular cause comes a measure of satisfaction in achieving a goal while building relationships that provide the basis for future successes.

Waldheim says he feels a friendship with many of those he has come to know over the years. They know his issues and come to him when they need answers.

“If you want your voice to be heard, you have to be an active player in the process,” he says. “Nothing in politics moves unless it is pushed.

“Participating in the electoral process is a rewarding endeavor. As a volunteer, you will experience first-hand the joys and challenges of being a part of something greater than yourself.”

And Fowles offers this advice: “Remember that election cycles are not the only times you should contact elected officials. Schedule at least an annual visit to the office to speak with them.

“When candidates and elected officials know that you will be in their office regularly, they will pay more attention to you and the things you care about.”

Ed Waldheim meets with Friends of Jawbone workers and Wendy Walker of Transition Habitat Conservancy to discuss trails projects.

November 2014

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a GS guy through and through. All of a sudden he was, “Whoa, this is really cool, all this creativity. I want to do this.” So he took one of his own Boxers and built this little bobber that turned out really cool. And this really set the pace within the company.

Did you go into heavy demographic research?

A lot of it was gut feeling. One of the guys asked what bikes did we benchmark. We never did a benchmark with this motorcycle. Normally, as with the RR, you can imagine, we conducted a huge benchmark test. We tested every supersport bike, took them apart, weighed every part to see what we had to do to be on top of all those bikes. Here [the nineT], it’s pure gut feeling. We didn’t benchmark anything.

AM: OS:

Who are the people who are showing an interest?

When you live in the scene, we all picked up that something is really moving, something is happening. More and more young guys are getting into old bikes, customizing. What’s really exciting is all the young people. Everyone in the industry was trying to find the next big thing, to bring people to motorcycles. There are guys like you and me, and there are guys rediscovering the pure essence of riding. Everyone in the industry was trying to figure out how to get people back into bikes. They’ve been trying everything.

Nothing really worked. Then, this new crowd comes in through the back door.

AM:

BMW’S OLA STENEGARD: GOING WITH HIS GUT

Understanding The Alchemy Of The R NineT

By Jeff Buchanan BMW has been undergoing a major perception shift. Perhaps the biggest and boldest move for the 90-year old, Munich-based marque in recent years was the release of the S 1000 RR and the company’s subsequent entry into World Superbike competition.

BMW effectively shook off a veil of perceived staidness and served notice it was capable of big change.

Now the company lets its hair down further with the R nineT. The café racer, riding the wave of the minimalistic, inner-city rat racer craze, reinforces BMW’s widening range of offerings. The nineT is a throwback to the basics of riding a motorcycle: throttle, gears, brakes. Even more interesting is that BMW is encouraging the customer base of the nineT to customize.

Ola Stenegard, who was involved with the S 1000 RR, created the R nineT. Stenegard has been living the café racer lifestyle and was convinced the genre would work for his employer. After hesitations in the company, he now has his bike. And it’s working.

BMW says the nineT is outselling estimates and attracting customers its dealers aren’t used to seeing: younger riders.

Stenegard’s passion and enthusiasm for motorcycles is infectious. He was intent on creating an old-school emphasis with the nineT and actually reversed BMW’s longstanding design approach to achieve the proper look and feel.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST: Where did the inspiration come from for the R nineT? OLA STENEGARD: We were a couple of guys who really lived in the [café racer] scene. I’ve been building bikes my whole life. It’s old bikes. If you’re into the custom bike scene, that’s what you do.

We were dreaming about doing a cool café bobber, but based on the Boxer.

AM: OS:

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Was the R nineT a hard sell to the company?

I took my boss to this custom bike show, and he’s

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

AM: The nineT is unlike anything BMW has done before. Did the company wing it somewhat with you on this?

OS: Everyone really liked it. The big problem was to get the numbers behind it—to get a business plan. I remember so well, there was an article in one of the American magazines, an article about how tire sales for old bikes had all of a sudden picked up.

That article I actually brought to the table and said, hey, here are some numbers. Guys are riding old bikes. So they saw that there was something happening here.

AM: You keep talking about gut feeling. Most riders think that BMW has a more strategized approach to what they do.

OS: If you look back at the projects that BMW has done, you have the very calculated ones. The RR. Very calculated. We knew exactly where we wanted to go. On the other hand, you have these, I call them internal garage projects, like the nineT. You have just a little team cranking out what they think is a cool bike. The GS is also one of those bikes. It starts with a couple of guys being convinced. Stuff like that can only be achieved with gut feeling.

Is there vindication for you that the R nineT is selling well?

I’m almost overwhelmed. At the end of the day, there’s always risk. But at a certain point, you must have a feeling, a gut feeling.

Risk is a challenge for the brave—I read that somewhere.”

AM: OS:

Jon Beck

OS:

Steve Housberg

AMA Member Tested

SOCAL MOTORCYCLE TOURS Info: www.scmotorcycletours.com

Earlier this year, I began to make plans for a vacation to Southern California.

I have always wanted to ride

By Steve Housberg in California and figured this was as good a time as any.

I am an AMA Life Member and remembered seeing an ad for SoCal Motorcycle Tours in this magazine. I called the number and within seconds I was on the phone with Tim Rambo, tour leader, and on my way to what turned out to be a fantastic day.

From the moment Tim picked up the phone to shaking hands before we parted at the end of the day, Tim was nothing short of a class act, accommodating and a really nice guy. He was patient with my questions and made sorting out details, which included renting a Harley from EagleRider, a smooth and easy process.

Traveling from New York, this was a real plus and greatly appreciated.

On the morning of the ride, we met at EagleRider in San Diego. Sheri and the EagleRider team provided service with a smile, painless paperwork and a thorough review of the vehicle before sending me on my way with a full tank of gas.

After a short briefing with Tim, which included an overview of safe riding rules, we were off.

We started out slowly, so as to give me a chance to get used to the HarleyDavidson Heritage Softail Classic, and to take in the beautiful coastline views.

We traveled along Point Loma to Sunset

Cliffs for a brief photo stop. From there we headed down Ocean and Pacific Beach toward Mission Bay. Next stop was at Kate Sessions Park for a view of downtown, Mission Bay and the coastline.

There were a few more stops for photos through Mount Soledad, Torrey Pines State Beach and La Jolla Shores, and then it was time for lunch.

Throughout the day, Tim told me about the sites at various stops, noting landmarks and points of interest. I suspect Tim has a great wealth of knowledge of the area, geography and history, but I was content taking in what he offered up and sitting back while he took the lead. Of course, Tim also let me move up front through several passes so I could get the full experience.

With the California heat setting in, we were looking forward to the cooler temps at the higher mountain elevations. We took Highway 78 through the San Pasqual Valley to Ramona. We then passed through Santa Ysabel to the village of Julian, continuing on through forest areas and national parks to reach over 5,000 feet and Mount Laguna. From there we dropped back down on Highway 80 to Pine Valley. To make sure we returned on time, we took a bit of slab and got back to EagleRider with plenty of time to return the Harley and reflect on the day.

There may be several ways to tour the beautiful and vast California roads, but if you want to focus on the riding and not worry so much about the details, then SoCal Motorcycle Tours is an easy option.

Even though the surroundings were foreign to me, and I was aboard someone else’s motorcycle, touring with Tim was like riding with a buddy I’ve known for years on a typical Sunday. Of course, the photos we took on our cell phones and on Tim’s GoPro will help me to remember this ride for a lifetime.—Steve Housberg, president, Lost Wheels MC, New York

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land area as the United States, but with a population of only 20 million. “Oz” has so much to offer: a gorgeous climate, fantastic coasts, challenging off-road rides, iconic cities, a deserted outback, and some of the warmest-hearted and sports-mad people you’ll meet.

South America: Bolivia has a fascinating mixture of mountain and desert, of good main roads and hard dirt tracks, of lost cities and ancient monuments. In a single day, you could ride past some of the world’s highest mountains and its deepest canyons. The infrastructure is basic, and officials can be difficult, but this is standard South American fare and the wonderful things you’ll see make these obstacles worth it.

From The Road

CONTINENTAL DRIFT: FAVORITE RIDES AROUND THE WORLD I’m lucky enough to have motorcycled across three continents, nearly across another two, and dipped my toe in (or should it be on?) continent number six. I’ve only got Antarctica to go, so maybe it’s not surprising that I’m often asked, ‘What is your favorite ride?’

It’s an almost impossible question of course, but here’s my top half dozen, one for each continent: Europe: It has to be France. A French motorcyclist has everything: quiet back roads, a fantastic freeway system (mostly free tolls for bikers), three lots of spectacular mountains (Massif Central, Pyrenees, Alps), great food and wine, three beautiful coasts (Atlantic, English Channel, Mediterranean), plus nice people.

I know the French have a reputation for being unfriendly, but speak one or two words in their language and bask in the smiles. “Bonjour” and “Merci” have done me proud for years, and whatever your nationality, if you ride a motorbike, you are a brother or sister to every French biker.

Asia: It’s a real toss up between Turkey and India. Your tourist dollar goes a long way in both these countries, and both have great food, friendly people and astonishing landscapes. When you’re on two wheels, though, India’s traffic can be manic, and I lean toward Turkey. The tradition of hospitality here is a particular joy, and the contrasts are unbeatable. Turkey is right there at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. Where else can you motorcycle across a suspension bridge that links two continents? Ride here, and you’ll quickly become caught up in an endlessly fascinating cultural and historical mix.

Africa: No contest, Morocco offers so much: beautiful mountains, a long Atlantic coastline, and delicious food that combines the legacy of the years of French influence with all the spices of Africa. A big plus is the easy connection with mainland Europe via the short ferry

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By Rick Wheaton

ride from Spain to Tangier. Every year, thousands of bikers make this crossing.

Who wouldn’t thrill to the challenge of riding across the Atlas Mountains and into the Sahara Desert? If you take the plunge and motorcycle in Africa you’ll never forget experiences like riding through a 3,000-year-old town square lit by oil lamps, or sharing the road with a train of Bedouin camel.

Australasia: New Zealand and Australia are the main candidates. I admit, I have not yet biked in New Zealand, but I’m bursting with excitement to do so. I’ve ridden big chunks of Australia, though, and there are some very big chunks of it to be had. Australia has around the same

North America: How can you choose between the colorful excitement and passion of Mexico, the un-spoilt vastness of Canada, and the incredible variety of the United States? But if I must choose, it has to be the United States. Whether you want to ride dirt roads in the wilderness, camp in the world’s greatest national parks and forests, cruise the endless highways or visit some of the greatest cities on earth, Uncle Sam has it all.

And if I had to choose one—if I’m pushed to say what my all-time favorite might be—I’ll admit the United States has a special place in my biking memories.

Every American motorcyclist should know they are living in biker’s paradise, there’s nowhere else quite like it on the planet.

Rick Wheaton is an AMA member who writes about lessons learned from riding routes all over the world. Comments?

Email submissions@ama-cycle.org.

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SAVE ON CARDO SYSTEMS COMMUNICATORS Talk For Less

RIDE FOR LESS AT THE AMA NATIONAL CONVENTION EagleRider Offers 37 Percent Discount During Event You are going to the AMA National Convention this Oct. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., aren’t you? Great!

Thanks to AMA member benefit provider EagleRider, if you fly, drive or sail down to the Sunshine State, you can still enjoy the open road on two wheels while you’re in town. AMA members attending the AMA National Convention can rent a motorcycle from Orlando EagleRider for just $99 a day—$60 off the standard rate of $159.

In addition to the significant savings on bike rentals, Orlando EagleRider is hosting an AMA National Convention kick-off party from 6-10 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the company’s 1150 Jetport Drive location.

The kick-off party, which is free to attend, will feature live music, a motorcycle vendor area and an autograph session with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers. Food and drink will also be available during the party, and fans can rub shoulders with AMA board member, avid motorcyclist and Hollywood actor Perry King.

The kick-off party also includes a two-hour guided ride that departs from the convention center and ends at EagleRider. The guided ride will start staging at 2 p.m. in the north/ south parking lot adjacent to the free motorcycle parking area.

For more on the AMA National Convention, see the ad on page 11. To register, see www. americanmotorcyclist.com/events/ AMAConvention.aspx.

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Participating authorized Cardo Systems Inc. dealers are providing current AMA members a 10 percent discount on all scala rider communication systems.

“Few products can claim to have fundamentally improved motorcycling for those who love to ride together with others,” says AMA Chief Operations Officer Jeff Massey. “Once you’ve experienced the liberating convenience of helmet-to-helmet communicators, it’s difficult to imagine riding without them.”

Cardo Systems’ scala rider line of products comes in a wide spectrum of models, from solid entry level options to feature- and function-rich devices.

The scala rider G9x PowerSet offers intuitive voice command technology, fourway intercom conferencing between riders at distances of up to a mile, mobile phone

connectivity, streaming music reception from smartphones, an embedded FM radio module, customization via iPhone and Android devices and much more.

Cardo Systems Inc. has also joined as a business member of the AMA. “Supporting the AMA is a badge of honor, and it gives us great pleasure to support this fine organization that does so much for defending the freedoms of motorcyclists in this country,” says Cardo CEO Abraham Glezerman. “Cardo is committed to producing industryleading products that combine high-end performance with intuitive ease-of-use.

We hope that the current program will encourage AMA members to visit our participating motorcycle dealers and experience the benefits of crystal-clear bike-to-bike communication and of all the amazing entertainment features our scala rider products have to offer.”

To take advantage of the discount, AMA members need to present their current, valid card at a participating dealer. Learn more at www.cardosystems.com.

GET BROOKS LEATHERS FOR LESS Gear Company Now Provides Discount to Members

Brooks Leather is one of American motorcycling’s classic brands that is still in business today. Now, AMA members can buy the company’s products for less.

AMA members receive a 10 percent discount on all Brooks riding apparel purchases made at www.brooksleather. com and at participating Brooks dealers nationwide. The products, made in the USA since 1959, include jackets, chaps and vests, all with a five-year warranty.

The company also offers a complete line of textile jackets, rain suits and gloves.

Members can access the discount by using the exclusive discount code provided in the Members Only section of www.americanmotorcyclist.com or on the member discount page in this magazine.

“Few companies have been serving American motorcyclists as long as Brooks,” says AMA Chief Operations Officer Jeff Massey. “The company’s gear combines classic styling with modern performance and protection. We appreciate Brooks’ willingness to extend this valuable discount directly to AMA members.”

Brooks has also applied to be an AMA Business Member in support of

the association’s mission to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling.

“A strong AMA, supported by perhaps the most-dedicated member base of any association, is vital to motorcycling’s present and future,” says Brooks Leather President Jamie Goodson. “For decades, Brooks has been dedicated to producing high-quality, good-looking riding apparel for both recreational riders and competitors, and it’s our pleasure to recognize AMA members with this discount.”

In addition to street gear, the company also produces custom road racing leathers, including logo placement. Stepby-step guidelines for custom sizing are provided on Brooks’ website at www. brooksleather.com/custom-sizing/.

Ask The MSF

STOPLIGHT STRATEGIES Q: Under normal conditions—dry pavement, level surface, average traffic, etc.—what’s the safest stopping procedure for a red light? Neutral or in gear? Both feet down or one? All four fingers on clutch or a couple? Front brake engaged or not? of minutes. Some riders may choose to minimize fatigue and shift to neutral, release the clutch lever, put both feet on the ground, and apply the front brake to keep from rolling and to actuate the brake lamp. Realize that this could increase your risk of being rear-ended because it would take some time to shift into first gear after noticing a potential hazard.

If you decide to keep it in neutral, and if you’re in a good position to see the intersecting road’s traffic light, when it changes to yellow you can squeeze in the clutch lever and put your bike in first gear, ready to move out when your light turns green, after checking for red-light runners.

Arguably, the least risk is to ignore how long the light has been and will be red. Once stopped, keep the bike in first gear, keep your left foot on the ground and your right

foot on the footrest, hold the bike stationary with either the front or rear brake, and keep as many fingers on the clutch lever as you need to precisely control its gradual release when you move out.

In any case, remain aware of what’s going on all around. Periodically glance at your mirrors and flash your brake lamp to alert vehicles approaching from the rear.

Have an escape path in mind in case one of those vehicles is piloted by a distracted driver who doesn’t notice you or the red traffic light. If you decide to wait in neutral, be ready to quickly shift into first gear and accelerate out of the way if an emergency situation develops. Novices may be better off leaving the bike in first gear regardless of how long they’ll be waiting, so they don’t “fumble” while attempting to shift into gear in an emergency situation.

AMA PROVIDES VOTING GUIDE FOR MEMBERS Website Highlights Motorcycle, ATV Issues

With campaign season in full swing and the election quickly approaching, the AMA is encouraging its members to find out where the candidates stand on issues that affect motorcyclists the most.

Election Day choices will affect motorcyclists.

The AMA encourages members to cast their ballots and work on political campaigns based, in part, on candidates’ positions on motorcycling-related issues.

The AMA Vote Like A Motorcyclist guide includes candidates’ stances on motorcycle-only checkpoints, public land grabs, increasing levels of ethanol in gasoline, health insurance discrimination and a variety of other motorcycle rights issues on Capitol Hill.

The AMA’s Government Relations Department devised and distributed questionnaires on these issues, then compiled the answers and made them available at www.americanmotorcyclist. com/votelikeamotorcyclist. Members must log in to see the content.

The AMA is a nonpartisan organization that does not make political endorsements. But being informed on candidates’ positions is crucial to selecting candidates that support the motorcycle lifestyle.

The AMA Vote Like A Motorcyclist guide is intended to provide AMA members with integral information they can use to make their choices on Election Day.

November 2014

Halley Miller

A: There are several scenarios for how to wait at a stoplight, and we’ll present two here. Riders may have their own preferences in consideration of several factors, including their ability to maintain situational awareness, readiness to pull away quickly in an emergency, ability to support the motorcycle with both feet, and fatigue.

First, decide on a lane position.

Because the left car-tire track is a good default lane position while riding, it is a good default lane position for stopping.

This helps avoid any debris that builds up in the center of the lane at stoplights. The right car-tire track may be a good choice for gaining more of a space cushion from oncoming vehicles that intend to turn left across your path.

If you approach a light just when it turns red, you may be waiting there for a couple

31

1981 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STURGIS Rekindling A Legendary Brand While this 1981 Harley-Davidson Sturgis is certainly a clean, stylish example of the classic cruiser look with its stretched appearance, low handlebars and blackedout engine, its heritage is what makes it truly special.

This particular Harley-Davidson represents one of the defining moments in the history of one of America’s greatest brands. Here’s a hint: It’s serial number ends in “000013.”

This Sturgis is one of the 13 HarleyDavidsons that were customized and set aside for the 13 investors who bought the company from its corporate parent AMF in 1981.

This bike was ridden by Tim Hoelter, who worked for a Milwaukee law firm that did work for Harley-Davidson in the 1970s. He was the only member of the leveraged buyout team who wasn’t a Harley employee at the time.

Hoelter later bought the bike from Harley.

Hoelter also has been a long-time

supporter of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the AMA. He served on the AMA Board of Directors when the association created the Hall of Fame. To honor both the AMA and the Hall of Fame, Hoelter donated this special motorcycle to the Hall of Fame’s permanent collection.

“It was not easy to give it up,” Hoelter said at the time. “It’s a special, special vehicle.

But the AMA has always been special to me, too. I felt that rather than have it sit in my garage and be ridden now and then, it would be better for it to be where people can enjoy it—in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.”

You can see this and many other historic motorcycles that have shaped the history of American motorcycling at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, features the people and machines that have deďŹ ned the sport, lifestyle and business of motorcycling in America.

The Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-proďŹ t corporation that receives support from the AMA and from the motorcycling community. For info and directions, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org, or call (614) 856-2222.

Photos Alison Grogan

November 2014

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AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2014 A motocross pioneer, motorcycling’s greatest collector, a Supercross and motocross ironman, a legendary tuner and team owner, a motorcycle industry ambassador, one of America’s greatest off-road champions and an iconic tuner and businessman are the latest heroes to be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

HISTORY

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2014 will be inducted on Friday, Oct. 17, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The American Honda AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Harley-Davidson, is being held in conjunction with the American International Motorcycle Expo and the AMA National Convention.

Tickets for the American Honda AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony range from $25 to $150 and are available online at www.motorcyclemuseum.org/events/halloffame2014.aspx.

The AMA National Convention includes a kick-off party, hosted

by AMA member benefit partner EagleRider, bike rental discounts, exclusive seminars on a variety of motorcycling topics on Friday, street and adventure rides, outdoor demonstrations, the annual AMA member meeting, the annual AMA business member meeting, and more.

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AIMExpo is a diverse powersports event that features the latest motorcycles and gear, with many products being introduced at the event. AIMExpo is open to trade and media on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16-17, and open to the general public Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19. AMA National Convention and induction ceremony attendees who are not members of the industry or media are encouraged to attend AIMExpo Oct. 18-19.

In addition to the Class of 2014, the induction ceremony will honor the career of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Willie G. Davidson, the grandson of Harley-Davidson founder William A. Davidson, as an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend.

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legends are existing members of the Hall of Fame whose lifetime accomplishments are showcased as part of the annual induction ceremony of new Hall of Famers.

The induction ceremony is a fundraiser for the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, which is located on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio.

TOM WHITE Mr. Motocross curator of his Early Years of Motocross Museum, which features 160 historic motorcycles and related displays.

“There is no higher honor in motorcycling than being inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame,” White says. “This is special because it comes from your peers in the industry and existing Hall of Famers. I am humbled to think that my heroes, these great people of the sport, believe that I’m worthy of this acknowledgement of my life and career. It’s a real testimony that if you love motorcycling enough, sooner or later people will notice.”

White’s lasting contributions also include the Edison Dye Motocross Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes the person or persons who have made the largest impact on the growth of motocross in America.

“I’ve always had the attitude that we as an industry need to work together for a common goal, and that’s to make this activity of motorcycling so cool that everyone wants to do it,” White says.

It’s his contributions toward that effort that White counts among his most important accomplishments.

“I’m probably most proud for carrying on after the sale of my company,” he says. “I’ve been able to spend a lot of positive energy to promote the sport. One of my goals has been to make more of today’s motorcyclists more appreciative and aware of the pioneers and trailblazers of the past, and I’m blessed that I’ve been in a position to do that.”

White says that many of those legends are enshrined in the Hall of Fame—one of whom is Malcolm Smith, a legend that White helped honor in 2007 by curating the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame exhibit “Malcolm!”

“You look at the Hall of Fame, and you look at the people who are in the Hall of Fame, and you realize the significance of it,” he says. “You come to realize that when your name gets added to that wall, it will go on for generations. It’s such a huge tribute.

Besides being married to the love of my life and the birth of my children, this is one of the most wonderful things that has happened to me.”

Conrad Lim

Tom White wasn’t born with motocross boots on, but the Villa Park, Calif., resident has spent nearly his entire adult life trying to make up for that anomaly.

The sport has factored immensely in White’s professional, competitive and charitable efforts, many of which rank among the most influential in motorcycling.

They include co-founding White Brothers Cycle Specialties in 1975, creating the World Vet MX Championship and the World Four-Stroke Championship, establishing the Early Years of Motocross Museum, and competing as AMA National No. 80 in flat-track competition from 1971 to 1976.

White first tasted motorcycling at the age of 15.

By the time he was in his early 20s, he was ranked among the top 100 motorcycle racers in America. Soon after, he founded White Brothers, which became one of the top off-road motorcycle accessory companies in America, sponsoring many of the greatest motocross racers in history. When White sold the company in 2000, the firm listed more than 30,000 items and had more than 150 employees.

“Few have done more to advance the sport of motocross racing, and the history of motocross racing, than Tom White,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the AMA board of directors. “By virtue of his early racing success, his long and successful career in motorcycling, his personal dedication to promoting both the past and present of this great sport and his selfless dedication to the Hall of Fame, Tom White is personally responsible for improving the experience and opportunity for motocross racers and motorcyclists of all ages.”

Today, White feeds his passion by racing motocross, as a race announcer, and as owner and

November 2014

35

Marc Bondarenko

GEORGE BARBER JR. The Collector George Barber Jr. is a businessman and philanthropist whose passion for preservation of fine machines led him to build by one measure the world’s largest collection of historic motorcycles.

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Guinness World Records recognized the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Ala., in April as the world’s largest motorcycle museum, with more than 1,400 bikes.

The museum is part of the Barber Motorsports Park, which also features a racetrack and hosts motorcycle and automobile events throughout the year.

The complex has spurred tourism in the Birmingham area, leading to increased economic development nearby.

“George Barber’s incredible collection of motorcycles at his museum, as well as his world-class racing facility, are evidence of a love for the history of motorcycling and an appreciation for the passion we all share,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the AMA board of directors. “His investment has produced a world-class shrine to the design, manufacture and enjoyment of motorcycles.”

Barber is the son of George H. Barber, who founded Barber Dairy and helped establish the U.S. standards for milk pasteurization. The senior Barber bought dozens of small independent dairies in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, making Barber Dairy Alabama’s largest milk producer. The operation is now part of Dean Foods.

Barber Jr.’s early interest in motor vehicles manifested itself in Porsche racers during the 1960s, when he wrenched on his own cars and notched 63 first-place finishes.

But he soon became intrigued with motorcycles, especially the variety of ways designers solved similar problems.

Barber then decided to open a museum and hired skilled workers, who restored the vintage bikes at a facility that once housed a refurbishing business for commercial vehicles. He also operated a vintage motorcycle racing team that campaigned across the United States and in Europe.

In 1994, the collection became the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum when Barber obtained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

In 2002, Barber closed the original museum, reopening it at its current location in September 2003.

Each year, “several hundred thousand” people visit the 830-acre Barber Motorsports Park that includes a 2.38-mile road racetrack.

Barber says his first reaction on learning of his Hall of Fame election was “disbelief.”

“I know that there are so many great people in the Hall of Fame that I wondered, “How in the hell did I get in?’”

Barber says. “It truly is an honor.”

CLASS OF 2014

MIKE ‘THE ROCK’ LAROCCO Giving It His All “Mike LaRocco was a tough competitor who gave it his all every time he got on the track,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the AMA board of directors. “He was a huge fan favorite throughout his 19-year professional career.”

He retired in 2006 with 53 podium appearances in the 450cc class and 16 in the 125cc class.

His retirement came after a broken wrist made him question his future in the sport.

“I wanted to stay healthy,” LaRocco says. “I found that I was not willing to take the same risks that the people who were winning were taking. Without the opportunity to win, my motivation just wasn’t there.”

Since 2010, LaRocco has managed the GEICO Honda Supercross/ Motocross Team, which has won a title each year he has been involved.

“After I retired, I took a couple of years off,” LaRocco says. “But I was close to the guys who run this team, and it was a

good fit. I learned a lot over my career, and I felt I had something to share.”

LaRocco says he is honored to be included in the Hall of Fame Class of 2014.

“You know, when I was racing, I was very focused on the competition, and the fan thing was a distraction,” LaRocco says. “But now, looking back, I recognize how important the fans are in making all this possible. And I appreciate the support they gave me.”

Simon Cudby

Mike LaRocco began his professional racing career in 1988, at age 17, and retired in 2006 as the elder statesman on the circuit, totaling 228 Supercross starts.

Along the way, he collected championships in the 1993 AMA 500 National Motocross Series, the 1994 AMA 250 National Motocross Series, and the 2000 Supercross World Championship.

“I was the guy who gave it everything I had every time I raced, through the whole race,” LaRocco says. “That was what made me successful—that I was always pushing myself for the entire race.”

The Indiana native raced with Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda, the latter as a factory-supported Factory Connection rider.

LaRocco won Supercross races in three decades in two classes, 125cc and 250cc.

He says the 1994 AMA 250 Motocross National Championship meant the most to him.

“At that time in my career, everything was going so smoothly, I felt like all my hard work had paid off,” he says.

LaRocco was trying to defend his 250cc title in 1995 when he broke his arm, then injured his knee.

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CLASS OF 2014

Pierre Karsmakers was among the early European motocross champions who brought their expertise to America, arriving in 1971 to compete for the Trans-AMA Series and finishing ninth after 11 rounds.

Karsmakers goal: To force the motorcycle manufacturers to acknowledge more European riders and reward them with contracts.

“All the Japanese (sponsorship) contracts were going to Belgian riders,” says Karsmakers, who was a three-time motocross champion in his native Holland before traveling to America. “I got mad, because other European riders were not getting noticed. But after I started winning in 1972, it began to open doors.”

Karsmakers also brought to America the concepts of proper training and nutrition for riders and proper setup for their machines.

Racing for Yamaha in 1973, Karsmakers won the 500cc motocross national championship series. He also won the AMA Florida Winter Series that year, winning four of six events. He won seven of 11 AMA National motos and claimed 17 victories in 36 races overall.

In 1974, a three-round “Yamaha Super Series” was launched, and Karsmakers was ready. He won the inaugural 250cc AMA Supercross Championship in 1974, taking a win at Daytona, scoring a runnerup finish in Houston and finishing fourth in Los Angeles.

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“Pierre showed Americans what motocross was all about,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the American Motorcyclist Association board of directors. “From his performance on the track to his training regimen, he demonstrated a firm resolve to wring the most from himself and his machines.”

Karsmakers switched from Yamaha to Honda for the 1975 season, finishing second overall in the 250cc class of the AMA National Motocross Championship and first in the 1975 Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme 500cc MX World Championship.

Karsmakers returned to Yamaha in 1977. He continued to win races, but a second championship eluded him.

He retired from competitive motocross in December 1979, at the age of 34.

Returning to Europe, Karsmakers opened a business that imported U.S. parts and accessories for dirt bikes and other motorcycles. He also opened a Honda dealership.

Now, he is officially retired from his business interests.

But he may not be completely finished with motorcycle racing.

According to the official Dakar Rally website, Karsmakers debuted at the competition in 1987, finishing 10th overall.

After competing with a truck and a car a few times, he returned on a motorcycle in 2000, bringing along his then-23-year-old son, Jyrki. At age 53, Karsmakers finished 13th overall, while his son finished 25th.

In 2009, at age 62, Karsmakers again competed in and finished the Dakar Rally on a BMW G650X. In all, Karsmakers has competed in 11 Dakar rallies, seven on a motorcycle.

Even with these more recent successes, Karsmakers considers his American motocross experiences among his best.

“That was a great time of my life,” he says. “I met many wonderful people.”

Karsmakers says inclusion in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2014 is a great honor.

“It’s been a long time since I raced, so it means a lot that America still recognizes me as one who brought motocross to the United States,” he says.

Peter Nackaerts

PIERRE KARSMAKERS Breaking New Ground

Joe Kline

ROB MUZZY Building Speed Tuner, engine builder and race team owner Rob Muzzy describes himself as “a man who knows what he likes and what he likes is winning.”

With a career touching on seven decades, Muzzy ranks among the top engine builders and tuners in motorcycle racing history.

At the same time, his knack for spotting talent helped create the highly successful Team Muzzy racing group.

Muzzy got started in drag racing during the 1950s and raced dirt track as a novice in Southern California. He always built and tuned his own race engines.

“When it was time to move up to the next level—by then I was married and had a kid—I just decided that I wasn’t that serious about it,” Muzzy says. “I always had medium success as a rider.

But I always had the quickest bike.

So, the other guys were asking me to build engines for them. So moving from racing to tuning is just something that happened.”

Muzzy’s first shot at a performance business, in the 1970s, proved unsuccessful, largely due to an economic downturn at the time. So he responded to a Kawasaki ad for a motorcycle mechanic, landed the job and never looked back.

“That was the beginning of my real success, October 1980,” Muzzy says.

During the 1980s, Muzzy built and tuned engines for the Kawasaki and

Honda racing teams. The Kawasaki team scored AMA Superbike championships in 1981, 1982 and 1983.

In 1984, Muzzy moved to Honda as crew chief for the team that won the AMA Grand National Motocross Championship.

From 1985 through 1987, Muzzytuned machines won the 125cc AMA National Motocross Championship, the Daytona 200 and the AMA Superbike Championship.

Winning with Muzzy as crew chief or tuner were Hall of Famers Eddie Lawson, Ricky Graham, Scott Russell and Doug Chandler, as well as Ron Lechien, Miguel Duhamel and Rickey Gadson.

In January of 1988, at the strong urging of his wife, Muzzy re-opened his own business, producing engines and exhaust systems for racers.

“I just wanted an easy, 40-hour-a-week job someplace, but my wife convinced me that I should take advantage of my reputation and skills,” he says.

Muzzy Performance Products is still operating in Bend, Ore., and Team Muzzy is still racing.

In 1988, Muzzy learned that Kawasaki planned to release a new 750cc bike.

“I got in touch with them and said, ‘Gee, you ought to race that thing,’ ” he says.

Kawasaki provided Muzzy with a “minimal budget” to build a bike and hire a rider. He recruited Russell and Chandler, who finished first and second in the 1990

AMA 750cc Supersport Championship.

Chandler also won the AMA Superbike Championship that year.

Kawasaki then asked Muzzy to run its FIM World Superbike team. The team won two world championships.

“Those were probably my most successful days,” he says of managing U.S. and world racing teams while running a business. “But that almost killed me.”

Muzzy says the 1993 season was his most memorable, working with teams that won the AMA Supersport Championship and the FIM World Superbike Championship and notching Kawasaki’s first victory in the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race.

“Rob Muzzy’s successes stretch from his 1950s drag racing ventures to his current performance business,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the AMA board of directors. “Throughout his career, Rob’s determination, skills and strategies have placed him and his race teams at the top.”

Muzzy remains humble.

“To me, it doesn’t seem like anything I do is particularly outstanding,” he says.

“I have a good eye for talent, and I have been fortunate to work with a lot of really good talent. We always have a strong team atmosphere, with everyone working toward the same goal.”

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Class of 2014

Scott SummerS Defying Convention

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competitive and my friend, Fred Bramblett, was my mechanic, my business manager, my agent and my publicist. I was blessed in that I don’t know if any off-road racer ever had the support that I had. I don’t feel like I’m responsible for all the accolades that I received while competing, and I’m happy to share the limelight with all those who drove my success.”

Summers earned a reputation for versatility and skill for racing a big fourstroke Honda that was primarily designed for high-speed, open terrain. Summers raced in mostly tight, rocky woods in the eastern United States.

Although Summers acknowledges that the XR600R had a weight disadvantage compared to the smaller two-strokes

ridden by his rivals, he says its smoother power delivery and torque gave him a performance edge.

“In 1982, I got a Honda XR200 for Christmas, and I fell in love with the type of power that bike made,” he says.

The humble XR200 helped Summers develop the skills that would one day win nine national titles.

“There came a day when I felt I was capable of going faster than that bike would let me,” Summers says. “That was in 1985 when I got an XR600. It was very similar to the XR200, only much more in every way. I loved the power characteristics, and it more than compensated for the fact that I was riding a bike 50 to 100 pounds heavier than the other bikes. Because of the smooth power, I could relax more, and that paid big benefits during a three-hour race.”

Yve Assad

Scott Summers raced, won and trained his way.

He won off-road titles on an unorthodox motorcycle. He fostered a new level of professionalism in his discipline. And he helped usher in an era of commercial success for his sport.

While fans may remember the Kentucky native for famously racing Honda XR600Rs to nine AMA national off-road racing championships, the industry also respects Summers’ contributions to the off-road industry.

Summers’ race program itself—his training, his team, his interactions with fans and sponsors—inspired his competitors to emulate his professionalism.

Bolstered by his status as a member of the venerable factory Honda racing team, Summers and his mechanic and manager Fred Bramblett helped offroad competition reach new levels of commercial success while maintaining its ties to its sportsman roots.

“Scott won and thrived, becoming one of the most prolific off-road champions in AMA-sanctioned national competition, and in the process helped bring a new level of professionalism to off-road racing in America,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the AMA board of directors.

Summers won the 1990, 1991 and 1992 Grand National Cross Country championships racing a Honda XR600R against riders on much lighter and more agile motorcycles. After a three-year GNCC dry spell, Summers reclaimed the AMA national No. 1 plate in 1996 and successfully defended his title the following year. Summers also won four AMA Hare Scrambles National Championships in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1995. In addition, he collected three gold medals competing for the U.S. team at the International Six Days Enduro.

“I’m humbled and honored, but to be honest, I feel like any success I achieved was a result of a group effort,” Summers says. “I was surrounded by some visionary people who contributed to my racing— my dad, Wade, was instrumental in persuading me that four-strokes could be

Tod Martens

Byron Hines Tuner, Innovator, Entrepreneur Byron Hines has always tried to be the best at what he does. Quite often, he is.

Hines’ success tuning engines and managing race teams has spanned five decades, starting in the 1970s with his partnership with Hall of Famer Terry Vance on the drag racing circuit. More recently, his Harley-Davidsons have excelled in professional road racing.

“One mark of exceptional talent is the ability to forge success regardless of your circumstances,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the AMA board of directors.

“As a tuner, Byron Hines has won in the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. He has won in drag racing and road racing. He has won on brands as different from each other as Yamaha, Ducati and HarleyDavidson. Few understand the ingredients to long-term success in motorcycle racing as well as he, and it’s my pleasure to welcome Byron Hines to the 2014 class of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.”

For Hines, induction isn’t an opportunity to look back on a completed career. He says he’s far from done racing.

“Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a huge honor, but it feels a little odd

because I’m not done yet,” Hines says.

“Being in a competitive arena, it seems like you’re never done. You’re going to keep doing what your doing and striving to be the best at what you do.”

Hines’ attraction to motorcycles came at an early age.

“I just always liked the physical size of the motorcycle,” he says. “Cars were too hard to work on and a lot of times you had to have someone with you to move stuff.”

Even then, the tuning spirit was alive in Hines, who saw more performance potential in motorcycles than cars.

“I had this perception of motorcycles as being capable of a higher state of tune, and it was easier to make them go fast,” he says. “To me, motorcycles just represented a more technologically advanced and capable package.”

With drag racer Vance, Hines earned national drag-racing championships into the 1980s, leveraging on-track achievements into the successful aftermarket company Vance & Hines.

The company branched into road racing in the 1980s, becoming one of the top AMA Pro Superbike teams, winning individual races as well as class titles, including the 1990 AMA SuperSport Championship with rider David Sadowski.

In the late 1990s, they switched to Ducati and experienced further success with Anthony Gobert and Ben Bostrom at the controls. For the 2014 season, Hines team competed in, and sponsored, the AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines HarleyDavidson Racing Series, part of the AMA Pro Road Racing program.

Hines says that one element of his success has been an appreciation for the fundamentals of motorcycle tuning.

“There are principles of engine performance and operation that will always be there—basic cam timing, compression ratios, cylinder head porting, the basic concept of how engines are put together,” Hines says. “There’s a set of rules, and you can’t break those rules. As soon as you go outside those boundaries, your performance is going to suffer.”

Vance & Hines, based in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., not only remains competitive in professional racing, but it develops and sells aftermarket products for a wide range of motorcycles today.

“What have been most important to me are the people I’ve run into, the acquaintances I’ve made and the relationships I’ve maintained,” Hines says. “I’m thankful to work some place where everything just clicks, meeting the right people and having enough staying power to work out the kinks and have an opportunity to achieve what I want to achieve.”

November 2014

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leGenD 2014

William ‘Willie G.’ DaviDson The AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Honors A Legend AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Willie G. Davidson, the grandson of HarleyDavidson founder William A. Davidson, has helped craft what is perhaps American motorcycling’s most enduring motif: the V-twin-powered cruiser.

“Willie G.,” as he is known by his admirers, has also played a critical role in the growth of America’s largest motorcycle company, contributing a long list of innovative designs that ushered in a new era for the iconic company.

“Few motorcycle designers have contributed more to the modern motorcycle landscape than Willie G. Davidson,” says Ken Ford, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame executive committee and assistant treasurer of the AMA board of directors. “Willie G.’s name is synonymous with style, freedom and the American-made motorcycle. We’re very excited to recognize him as an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend at this year’s induction ceremony.”

“I feel the same humility today receiving Legend status as I did 15 years ago when I was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame,” says Davidson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. “It’s an honor to know that the creativity and emotion that’s part of every Harley-Davidson motorcycle has helped fulfill dreams of personal freedom for millions of motorcyclists around the world.”

Davidson, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in graphic arts and then attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., joined the design department at Harley-Davidson in 1963.

From the outset, Davidson’s designs broke convention. Among his earliest projects was the FX Super Glide. The Super Glide was one of Harley-Davidson’s factory customs, a production motorcycle with styling cues that reflected the custom motorcycles being built in shops across the country at the time. Today, the Super Glide is considered to be a milestone in the history of Harley-Davidson. The original

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FX led to many variations that would produce some of the company’s bestselling machines.

In addition to his work at the design table, Davidson was a savvy businessman. He was one of the 13 company executives who raised the funds to buy Harley-Davidson back from conglomerate AMF in the 1980s.

As such, he was crucial in laying the foundation that would allow HarleyDavidson to become one of the most successful, profitable and fastestgrowing corporations in the United States over the next three decades.

“By securing this place in history as part of an iconic American brand like Harley-Davidson, I’m living out my dream and those of my family members who founded the company 111 years ago,” Davidson said.

Today, Davidson serves as a brand ambassador and has become a legendary symbol for both his Hall of Fame family and for HarleyDavidson.

Celebrate the Season Holiday Cards Proceeds benefit the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

www.motorcyclemuseum.org www.amahofcards.com

Beware of impostors!

These are the ONLY Holiday Cards that benefit the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

GO RIDE

A few of the hundreds of AMA-sanctioned events this month, detailed on the following pages.

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The Virginia Championship Hare Scrambles Series closes out the year with a grand prix on Nov. 2 in Spring Grove, Va. Info: www.vchss.org

If you’re searching for an adventure, then look no further than the Arizona Trail Riders Adventure Ride on Nov. 8-9 in Wickenburg, Ariz. The event is also a part of the AMA National Husqvarna Dual Sport and Yamaha Adventure Riding Series.

Info: www.arizonatrailriders.org

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Head out to the Desert Scrambles in Barstow, Calif., hosted by Rovers MC, on Nov. 23. The club was named #1 Desert Club from 2004-2008.

Info: www.roversmc.org

4

If you’re headed to AIMExpo, don’t miss the road ride to the AMA National Convention kick-off party from 6-10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, hosted by Orlando EagleRider. The party will feature live music, food, a motorcycle vendor area and an autograph session with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers. Fans can also meet Hollywood actor Perry King, an avid motorcyclist and AMA board member.

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If you’re looking to support a great cause and have fun, then consider the Ride For Kids event on Oct. 26 in Ridgeland, Miss. benefiting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

Info: www.rideforkids.org

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On Nov. 1, take the whole family riding for the sixth annual Turkey Gobbler Family Enduro in New Paris, Ind. It’s all offroad and no license plate is required for this ride. Cruise the trails with your whole family. Key time is 11 a.m.

Info: www.ridersmc.org

COMING UP On Jan. 17, 2015, the AMA will honor its 2014 national champions at the AMA Championship Banquet at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus, Ohio. The AMA Championship Banquet honors the top three national championship finishers in disciplines ranging from land-speed racing to motocross to woods racing and everything in between. It includes dinner, door prizes, refreshments and a bike show.

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5

The final round of the 42nd GNC Texas Series Top Texan, a motocross series, will take place in Alvord, Texas, on Nov. 16.

The event is hosted by RTW Race Promotions. Info: www.oakhillmx.com and www.gncmxracing.com/gnc-gnctexas-series-top-texan.htm

NOVEMBER EVENTS ARIZONA RECREATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDE NOV 8: WICKENBURG: 2 DAY EVENT, ARIZONA TRAIL RIDERS, (623) 8261092, ARIZONATRAILRIDERS.ORG DUAL SPORT RIDE NOV 8: WICKENBURG: 2 DAY EVENT, ARIZONA TRAIL RIDERS, (623) 8261092, ARIZONATRAILRIDERS.ORG NOV 22: AMADO: 2 DAY EVENT, TRAIL RIDERS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA, (520) 400-8147 COMPETITION OBSERVED TRIALS NOV 16: GLOBE : CENTRAL ARIZONA TRIALS INC, (602) 840-3640, CENTRALARIZONATRIALS.ORG CALIFORNIA RECREATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDE NOV 28: PALMDALE: 2 DAY EVENT, AMA DISTRICT 37 DUAL SPORT, (626) 446-7386, LABARSTOWVEGAS.COM DUAL SPORT RIDE NOV 28: PALMDALE: 2 DAY EVENT, AMA DISTRICT 37 DUAL SPORT, (626) 446-7386, LABARSTOWVEGAS.COM DUAL SPORT-OFF ROAD NOV 1: LANCASTER: LOST COYOTES MC, INC., (661) 951-7078 ROAD RUN NOV 15: OAKLAND: DISTRICT 36, ROAD RIDING DIVISION, (510) 534-6222, OAKLANDMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM COMPETITION DESERT SCRAMBLES

MC, (562) 243-4833, PROSPECTORSMC.ORG HARE SCRAMBLES NOV 1: RANCHO COROVA: 2 DAY EVENT, DIRT DIGGERS NORTH M.C. INC, (800) 426-4869, HANGTOWNMX.COM SUPERMOTO NOV 22: SONOMA: 2 DAY EVENT, SUPERMOTO USA LLC, (916) 8373243, SUPERMOTOUSA.COM DELAWARE HARE SCRAMBLES NOV 15: NEW CASTLE: 2 DAY EVENT, DELAWARE ENDURO RIDERS, INC., (302) 229-1805, DELAWAREENDURORIDERS.COM MOTOCROSS NOV 9: NEW CASTLE: BLUE DIAMOND MX, (302) 834-5867, BDMXPARK.COM FLORIDA RECREATIONAL ROAD RUN NOV 16: NAPLES : MARCH OF DIMES-FT MYERS FL, (239) 2712564, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG COMPETITION MOTOCROSS NOV 24: GAINESVILLE: UNLIMITED SPORTS MX INC, UNLIMITEDSPORTSMX.COM NOV 27: GAINESVILLE: UNLIMITED SPORTS MX INC, UNLIMITEDSPORTSMX.COM IDAHO COMPETITION ENDUROCROSS NOV 15: NAMPA: SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA, (208) 468-1000, IDAHOCENTER.COM ILLINOIS

NOV 8: (Includes ATVs) LUCERNE VALLEY: DESERT DAISIES MOTORCYCLE CLUB, INC., (626) 483-5164, HILLTOPPERSMC.COM

RECREATIONAL

NOV 16: (Includes ATVs) IMPERIAL: TOP NOTCH RACING, (619) 8405477, AMADISTRICT38RACING.COM

NOV 2: MORRISON: BRUSHPOPPERS M/C, (815) 622-4099

NOV 23: (Includes ATVs) BARSTOW: ROVERS MC, (661) 350-2721, ROVERSMC.ORG

NOV 8: LEAF RIVER: FOREST CITY RIDERS M/C, (779) 221-9383, FORESTCITYRIDERS.COM

ENDURO

COMPETITION

NOV 1: UPPER LAKE: HAYWARD MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (925) 2844368, HAYWARDMC.COM

HARE SCRAMBLES

NOV 9: STONYFORD: VALLEY CLIMBERS MC, (707) 678-1292 NOV 16: (Includes ATVs) RIDEGECREST: TRAINING WHEELS MC, (760) 995-6107 NOV 23: STONYFORD: RICHMOND RAMBLERS MC, (707) 451-1490, RICHMONDRAMBLERMCS.ORG EUROPEAN SCRAMBLES NOV 22: (Includes ATVs) BARSTOW: ROVERS MC, (661) 350-2721, ROVERSMC.ORG ENDUROCROSS NOV 22: ONTARIO: SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA, (909) 244-5500, CBBANK.COM

DUAL SPORT-OFF ROAD

NOV 2: OAKLY: DIRT RIDERS, INC., (217) 685-1969, DIRT-RIDERS.ORG NOV 23: WHITE CITY: CAHOKIA CREEK DIRT RIDERS, (618) 946-4316, CAHOKIACREEKDIRTRIDERS.COM MOTOCROSS NOV 1: (Includes ATVs) PORT BYRON: 2 DAY EVENT, MUDDY WATERS MOTORSPORTS PARK, (309) 948-1560, MUDDYWATERSMX.COM INDIANA RECREATIONAL FAMILY ENDURO-OFF ROAD NOV 1: NEW PARIS: RIDERS MC, (574) 248-2544, RIDERSMC.ORG COMPETITION

GRAND PRIX

ENDURO

NOV 1: (Includes ATVs) GORMON: 2 DAY EVENT, PROSPECTORS

NOV 2: NEW PARIS: RIDERS MC, (574) 248-2544, RIDERMC.ORG

HARE SCRAMBLES NOV 1: (Includes ATVs) GOSPORT: MID AMERICA XC RACING, (317) 418-6084, THEMAXC.COM NOV 9: (Includes ATVs) CULVER: PLYMOUTH BLACKHAWKS MC, INC., (574) 259-0103, PLYMOUTHBLACKHAWKSMC.COM NOV 9: COLUMBUS: STONEY LONESOME M/C, (812) 342-4411, STONEYLONESOMEMC.COM MOTOCROSS NOV 1: (Includes ATVs) WABASH: WABASH CANNONBALL M/C, (260) 571-6622, RIDEWABASH CANNONBALLMX.COM NOV 2: WABASH: WABASH CANNONBALL MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (260) 571-6622, RIDEWABASH CANNONBALLMX.COM MARYLAND

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.

COMPETITION MOTOCROSS NOV 16: (Includes ATVs) MECHANICSVILLE: BUDDS CREEK MOTOCROSS PARK, (301) 475-2000, BUDDSCREEK.COM NEW JERSEY RECREATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDE NOV 1: PORT ELIZABETH: 2 DAY EVENT, TRI-COUNTY SPORTSMEN MC INC., (888) 274-4469, TEAMHAMMER.ORG NOV 14: HAMMONTON: BMW OF MANHATTAN, INC., (732) 714-8874 DUAL SPORT-OFF ROAD NOV 1: PORT ELIZABETH: 2 DAY EVENT, TRI-COUNTY SPORTSMEN MC INC., (888) 274-4469, TEAMHAMMER.ORG COMPETITION

THE ADVENTURE is out there

comteit Ge

ENDURO NOV 23: NEW LISBON: CENTRAL JERSEY COMPETITION RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (732) 558-6475, CJCRMC.ORG MOTOCROSS NOV 2: ENGLISHTOWN: RACEWAY PARK, (732) 446-7800, RACEWAYPARK.COM NOV 9: (ATV only) ENGLISHTOWN: RACEWAY PARK, (732) 446-7800, RACEWAYPARK.COM NEW MEXICO COMPETITION OBSERVED TRIALS NOV 2: SAN YSIDRO: NEW MEXICO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (505) 7802551, NEWMEXICOTRIALS.COM NEW YORK RECREATIONAL TOY RUN NOV 22: BROOKLYN: BIKERS OF BROOKLYN, (917) 385-0867 NORTH CAROLINA RECREATIONAL SCHOOLS - ROAD NOV 3: PISGAH FOREST: 2 DAY EVENT, MOTOMARK1, LLC, (919) 637-0947, MOTOMARK1.COM NOV 8: WILKESBORO: MOTOMARK1 LLC, (919) 637-0947, MOTOMARK1.COM

Sponsored by Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.

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November 2014

49

Guest Column

We’re Back!

Wife, Husband Return To The Ride By Vivian Drake blue Gold Wing and decided it was fate.

At this point, Bob became a coconspirator. We planned the surprise for Ron’s birthday in late May. Bob returned to Helena as the bike was being prepared with more lights and other “bells and whistles.”

I called Ron at work to tell him I had a flat tire at the Honda dealer. He didn’t even question why I was at the dealership!

Bob was at work with Ron, and they both drove to the dealership. While we were busy discussing the “non-flat” tire, our mechanic wheeled the bike out behind Ron with a big bow on it! Ron turned around and his grin said it all! He was thrilled at being able to ride again (and I had his helmet and new motorcycle jacket in my car!).

In June, we rode with Bob and his friend, Alex. Bob rode his Fat Boy from Grand Junction, with Alex on the V-Rod, and we met at a friend’s home in Driggs, Idaho. The next day, we all rode over Teton Pass and through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. I should admit at this point that I was an exceptionally frightened passenger, did not take curves well (I never did), and needed to unwind after Teton Pass.

The following day we made the grueling ride from Driggs to Grand Junction via every back road Bob knew, all 617 miles.

The longest ride I’d had by this time was to Driggs, only 245 miles from Helena, with several stops. One of the “stops” was the bike falling over when Ron hit a pothole on gravel at a stop sign. He had the nerve

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Vivian Drake has been married to AMA member Ron Drake from Helena, Mont., for 44 years.

Zo-Mak Photography

When Ron and I were married in 1970, we owned a Yamaha 180 motorcycle and no car. Over the years, we upgraded to ever-larger bikes, ultimately buying a Honda Goldwing.

However, in 1986 that changed when Ron was rear-ended on an off-ramp in San Diego. Fortunately he was not seriously hurt, but the bike was pushed into traffic and run over by an 18-wheeler. Ron heard the screech of brakes and jumped up off his pegs, only to land on the car, crack the windshield with his helmet, and dent the car hood. The woman driver had no insurance, so we were without a motorcycle.

We decided driving in California on a bike was not a good idea after that incident, and Ron took up flying instead.

Fast forward to February 2013 when we met Bob, who would become a good friend, at a conference. Bob and Ron quickly hit it off, and the topic of motorcycles soon came up. In April, Bob pulled his motorcycle trailer to Helena, Mont., from Grand Junction, Colo., loaded with two bikes, a Harley-Davidson V-Rod and a Fat Boy. I was becoming suspicious about Bob’s motives, and purchased a helmet for Ron. Given the number of times our helmets have saved our skulls, we never ride without them. (Once I stumbled and fell over backward at a rest stop, and the back of my head would have been split open on a curb had it not been for my helmet!)

Ron had never ridden a Harley, but when I saw him throw his leg over the V-Rod and take off with Bob as though he had never been off a motorcycle, I knew it was time to take over! The next week, I visited our local Honda dealer, fell in love with a 2012 electric

to ask me why I didn’t put my foot down.

I am 5-feet, two-inches on the back of a Goldwing—my feet don’t reach the ground.

The remainder of the trip to Driggs was an anxious one.

I believe Bob had us ride every difficult road between Driggs and Grand Junction to convince himself that Ron could handle anything, including road hazards, temperatures above 100 degrees, curvy roads, “superslab” in heavy freeway traffic, with the final stretch over Douglas Pass, a very serpentine ride. I have to thank Alex for giving me confidence in a motorcycle’s capabilities. I watched him take curves at incredible angles and control the V-Rod with expert-level skill. There’s a lot to be said for gyroscopic action.

I finally started to relax and keep my shoulders even with Ron’s in the curves.

Guess what—it’s fun!

The next part of the journey was one I would rather forget – a ride on superslab to Denver, with a detour over twisty Independence Pass. Bob returned home, and we began our journey back to Helena via windy Wyoming. By this time, though, Ron was very proficient with the bike.

He even had to dodge pieces that were delaminating off a UPS truck tire as we were stuck between cars and couldn’t get out of harm’s way.

We made it home, safe and sound, with new and exciting stories to tell. Since May 2013, we’ve put almost 13,000 miles on the bike, met some fantastic people on our trips (bikers are the friendliest folks!), and in June rode more than 2,000 miles in four days through Arizona and Utah, including the Coronado Trail with its 10-mph twisties.

Bob did us a huge favor by rekindling Ron’s love for biking, and we are having the time of our lives, especially in the curves.

50

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

James Claeys, Seattle, member of the Bad Chickens Motorcycle Club, on a 2014 Indian ® Chief ® Vintage through Lebec, CA

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