Motorcycle Hall Of Fame
CLASS OF 2011
NAVIGATION
Cover
Roadracing legend Doug Polen is just one of the icons of motorcycling who will be honored at the 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony during the AMA Legends and Champions Weekend Nov. 18-20 in Las Vegas, Nev. Also being inducted are (l-r): Fred Fox, Stu Peters, Phil Schilling and Norbert Schickel.
Navigation Photo
Some of the fastest women in the world on the Bonneville Salt Flats at the AMA Racing Land Speed Grand Championships.
Photo: Scooter Grubb
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 2011. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $10 covered in membership dues; $15 a year for non-members.
Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices.
November 2011
Volume 65, Number 11
Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) AmericanMotorcyclist.com
8. LETTERS
You write, we read.
10. STAN SIMPSON
Maintaining the value.
12. RIGHTS
Four Questions With... Dave Wendell, veteran motorcycle safety instructor.
16. RIDING
Ride for Kids celebrates 500th event, and Sidi Clever Air street boot review.
22. RACING
U.S. MXoN team triumphs in France, and U.S. Junior MX team defends title.
28.
HALL OF FAME
Don Castro’s 1972 Triumph dirt-track racer, and Hall of Famer Randy Goss.
32. CLASS OF 2011
Five legends will join the Motorcycle Hall of Fame on Nov. 18: Stu Peters, Phil Schilling, Doug Polen, Fred Fox and Norbert Schickel.
40.
CROSSING CALIFORNIA
A ride from Oregon’s coast, along some of California’s coolest highways to Nevada’s Old West, is a great way to relax, recharge and gain some perspective.
44. GO RIDE
What to do, where to go.
50. CRAIG CAVITT
The trip that almost was.
THE ADVENTURE
EDITORIAL OFFICES
American Motorcyclist 13515 Yarmouth Drive Pickerington, OH 43147 (614) 856-1900 submissions@ama-cycle.org
Grant Parsons, Director of Communications
James Holter, Managing Editor
Bill Kresnak, Government Affairs Editor
Mark Lapid, Creative Director
Jen Muecke, Designer Jeff Guciardo, Production Manager/Designer
ADVERTISING
Steve Gotoski, Advertising Director (Western States) (951) 566-5068, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org
Misty Walker, Advertising Assistant (614) 856-1900, ext. 1267, mwalker@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, 2011.
AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Contact any member of the AMA Board of Directors at www.AmericanMotorcyclist. com/about/board
Stan Simpson, Chairman Cibolo, Texas
Jon-Erik Burleson, Assistant Treasurer Murrietta, Calif.
Perry King, Assistant Secretary Northern California
John Ulrich, Executive Committee Member Lake Elsinore, Calif.
Dwight Conant, Kearsarge, N.H.
Charles Goman, Winder, Ga.
Maggie McNally, Albany, N.Y.
Scott Miller, Milwaukee, Wis.
Art More, Surprise, Ariz.
Jim Viverito, Chicago, Ill.
AMA PRESIDENT AND CEO
Rob Dingman, Pickerington, Ohio
JAMES HOLTER, Managing Editor In four enduros this year, James has finished right behind the same guy four times. For the next race, he’s lobbying to just pay his fee and get scored wherever Nick Fisher finishes +1.
Photographer During this month’s shoot with Hall of Famer Fred Fox, Julie learned that they shared a strong connection. Both went to school for engineering and use that training to further their passions. Julie believes getting to know people allows her to paint a better portrait with her camera.
NED AHRENS, Photographer Ned, who shot Dave Wendell for this month’s Rights section, has been a photographer for more than 30 years, specializing in transportation and environmental issues for clients in the greater Seattle area. He is a partner in Aubin Ahrens Photography in Bremertion, Wash.
GRANT PARSONS, Director of Communications Grant really digs Chem-Dip. You can tell because he’s kept his last can since 1997. “I’m sure the gunk in the bottom technically makes my garage some type of Super Fund site,” he says, “but what do you want me to do? Pay almost twice as much for a new can?”
BILL KRESNAK, Government Affairs Editor Krez lost some street cred recently when he spent his bike fund money on a new truck. He’s making up for it by hauling around everyone else’s broken motorcycles.
MARK LAPID, Creative Director Mark, who has been struggling to sort the carbs on his 23-year-old Honda Hawk, has decided to take Grant’s advice and replace everything from the sparkplugs down with something that has a “2011” decaled on the head tube. Brilliant!
JEN MUECKE, Designer Jen is discovering that the cool thing about a DRZ400 is if you remove all the street-legal stuff and breathe heavily on the motor to convert it to a track-only supermoto, you have something almost as fast as a stock motocrosser.
JEFF GUCIARDO, Production Manager/Designer Somewhere, Jeff got the idea that a great project would be sorting the carbs on a 23-year-old Honda Hawk. “This is great!” he says. “Does anyone know where I can buy some Chem-Dip?”
Other contributors include: Chelsea Ann, Nathan Baldwin, Mehosh Dziadzio, Jeff Kardas, Jim Kimball
JULIE MONACELLA,
MAINTAINING THE VALUE A Word About Your
AMA Membership
By Stan Simpson
Stan Simpson is the chairman of the AMA Board of Directors. He is a 54-year AMA member, the former chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, and a life-long off-road and road rider from San Antonio, Texas. Simpson has served on the AMA Board since February 2005, and has been chairman for the last four years.
As the American Motorcyclist Association nears its ninth decade, I’m pleased to report that your Association continues to be successful in the fight to preserve and protect the motorcycle lifestyle. The recent victory over the lead law that threatened to eliminate kids’ motorcycles—and the future of motorcycling—is just the latest example of the success that we can achieve when we work together.
Successes like this are due to you and every AMA member because your voices allow the AMA to present a unified front on behalf of America’s motorcyclists. It is because of you that the country’s premier motorcycling organization is strong.
Our shared commitment to motorcycling is one of the greatest values of being an AMA member.
We work hard on your behalf to improve that value with landmark programs such as AMA Roadside Assistance, which was introduced in 2009. We’ve made this industry-leading service available to AMA members at no additional charge when you sign up for automatic renewal of your membership. At a time when other groups charge more than $100 for towing that includes motorcycles, we’ve delivered to our members the best value in roadside assistance in the country.
Since 2000, AMA dues have remained at $39 per year, while costs for everything imaginable have continued to rise. However, while our dues have remained the same, the value of AMA membership has continued to grow with member benefits such as AMA Roadside Assistance, hotel and car discounts, and numerous other
discounts on products and services. With towing alone, for example, you can save many times the value of your membership in the event of a roadside mishap.
In the past 12 years, we’ve expanded and improved this magazine as the voice of AMA members, added AMA Racer for competition members, thoroughly revamped AmericanMotorcyclist.com, strengthened our Member Services Center by adding staff and lengthening our hours to better serve you. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has been completely revamped to shine the light on the Hall of Famers themselves, and AMA members enjoy a significant discount on admission.
AMA benefits are growing, with a recently announced partnership with Capital One Visa and expanded online classified listings with Sprocketlist.com. AMA-sanctioned rallies like Americade and the Golden Aspen Rally, AMA Grand Tours, the AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series and the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré Adventure Riding Series continue to be very popular. A new affinity program with KTM owners was launched in June.
While those new programs and benefits are already proving popular, they haven’t taken away from our ongoing initiatives to protect your right to ride. Since our last dues increase 12 years ago, we’ve augmented our government relations efforts with additional staff in Washington, D.C., to more effectively monitor and respond to onerous legislation and regulation. And we’ve beefed up our grassroots outreach to increase numbers in the fight for motorcycle rights both nationally and locally.
This effort has paid off in several victories beyond the fight for kids’ dirtbikes. We’ve fought the federal administration’s Wild Lands policy to shut down riding areas, worked for the release of 42 million acres of land blocked by administrative rules, and pushed back on discriminatory motorcycle-only checkpoints on the road. However, these threats—both existing and on the horizon—mean that we must continue to grow in strength if we are to successfully defend our members’ rights.
Doing more with less has been our goal, and over the past 12 years, we’ve worked to stretch our membership dollars.
We’ve worked smarter with fewer staff members—in fact, we’ve reduced the staff by more than 35 percent—and adopted new technologies to fill the gaps. We’ve developed other revenue sources from services such as advertising and revenuesharing partnerships. Today, about half of the AMA’s operating budget comes from sources other than membership dues.
In spite of these efforts, the cost of pursuing the AMA mission has grown in step with everything else. Between 2001 and today, the price of a Harley-Davidson FLHR Road King has risen by 19 percent. Since its introduction in 2001, the price of a new Yamaha YZ250F has gone up 32.5 percent. Given the impact of 12 years of inflation, the continued threats that must be countered through the AMA’s government relations efforts, and the need to continue to expand AMA member services, the AMA Board of Directors recognized it is necessary to adjust member dues to reflect these changing conditions.
That’s why the AMA Board last year approved a plan to implement a dues increase, which will be effective Jan. 31, 2012. The AMA Champion Member annual dues will be $49, and the AMA Associate Member dues will be $25.
For the recently introduced AMA Life Member Plus program, we’re holding the line at $29 per year.
We know that times are tight, and that’s why we’ve done more than just delay implementing the change for a year since we approved it. We’re also establishing a renewal program that will allow you to lock in the current rate up to three years. Any time between now and March 31, 2012, you can renew for up to three years. That means you can buy a one-year renewal for $39, two years for $78 and three years for $117. We’ll remind you of the opportunity in future issues of this magazine.
It is vitally important that we keep your Association strong so that the AMA can continue to serve you today, and be here to protect future generations of motorcyclists tomorrow. This new dues structure will make that possible.
Thanks for your support in our first 88 years. Because of you, we are able to preserve motorcycling’s past, promote its growth and secure its future.
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of2 11 Class
FIVE GREATS WILL JOIN THE MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME ON NOV. 18. HERE’S WHAT MADE THEM GREAT.
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame boasts some of the greatest names in motorcycling, and in November, five more will officially take their place in perpetuity.
Motocross promoter Stu Peters, roadracing champion Doug Polen, magazine editor Phil Schilling, industry icon Fred Fox and early motorcycle manufacturing pioneer Norbert Schickel all made their mark. On Nov. 18, you can be on hand as they are bestowed with motorcycling’s highest honor.
The 2011 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nev. Tickets to this gala celebration of industry greats are available to the public. Hosted by actor, avid motorcyclist and AMA Board of Directors member Perry King, the evening kicks off with a cocktail hour
to meet and greet new and existing Hall of Famers, and the program features compelling videos and heartfelt remarks by the inductees. In addition, two of motorcycling’s greats will be acknowledged as Hall of Fame Legends: Kenny Roberts and Roger DeCoster.
Indeed, the induction is just part of a full weekend of events, which continues on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Red Rock with the 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d’Elegance bike show.
That evening, fans will gather at nearby Orleans Arena for the final round of the AMA GEICO EnduroCross Championship Series. Then, on Sunday, Nov. 20, amateur national champions from all disciplines take to the stage at the Red Rock for the 2011 AMA Racing Championship Banquet.
Event information and tickets are available at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/LegendsAndChampions.
Mr. Motocross
Stu Peters: Perhaps America’s Most Prolific Race Promoter Ever
You could say Stu Peters was there before it all began.
Peters, who raced motocross in Europe in the early 1960s, brought back from the old country a deep understanding of a more-condensed, more-radical version of scrambles racing called “motocross,” and poured everything he knew into running local races in Southern California.
His reputation as a capable and fair promoter grew quickly, and in 1970, the AMA approached Peters and his Continental Motosport Club (CMC) to run two rounds of what was then a novel concept: a nationally sanctioned championship series recognized by the world’s governing body of motorcycle sport, the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).
Peters agreed, and his part in the 1970 Trans-AMA Series was set.
On how he got started: We ran an AMA-chartered club back in the ’50s. We were an off-road club only. I helped them lay out tracks and run races. I was just an enthusiast riding in the Santa Monica Mountains. There were a lot of fire roads all over those hills.
My racing career started in September 1956. I lived out in the west end of the San Fernando Valley. It was real agricultural back in the day. I convinced my mom I needed a motorcycle to get around because at 15 years old I could get a permit. I went out to buy a scooter, and bought a motorcycle instead. I started riding that back and forth.
On Southern California’s classic tracks: I had the opportunity to open the track at Carlsbad Raceway. It lasted for about 24 years. I ran it from the time we
started on Feb. 4, 1968, which was the inaugural race for CMC. There were about six or eight of us, and we rode the race as well as put it on.
So, we ran our first race there at Carlsbad Raceway, and a couple years later I hooked up with the guys at Saddleback— Vic Wilson and Joe Parkhurst. Joe was the founder of Cycle World magazine. They just called me up and asked if I wanted to run the weekends I wasn’t running at Carlsbad.
On running one of the first motocross nationals: The AMA’s Bill Boyce asked if we could run two races. We agreed and charged them a grand total of $600, $300 each. The first race was at Saddleback and the second at Carlsbad. We ran the races and sent in the results, and that was that.
On the early days with partner Calvin Franks: We raced in Europe together, and when I came back here with my wife and daughter, he decided he was going to come over here. In those days you needed to have a sponsor, and a good friend of my dad’s was a real established guy, and in 1965 he sent a letter saying he would sponsor this Calvin Franks. So, he came in and went to work for a motorcycle shop and we started CMC.
We were the two guys who would show up every Saturday morning and start working on the track. We didn’t have any money to rent a tractor. When the course got screwed up, we’d just pick up the stakes and move it.
On running a quality event: What makes a successful race is taking care of the racers—at any level. You need good rules, a fair race, a good track and decent prizes. For me, those are the highlights, being able to put on great races for so many years and providing a stepping stone for so many great racers.
Photo Chelsea Ann Photography
The Reporter
Phil Schilling Defined Moto-Journalism For A Generation
Teaching at the University of Wisconsin when Hall of Famer Cook Neilson asked him to become managing editor of Cycle magazine, Phil Schilling went on to become one of the most influential moto-journalists ever.
On getting started in motorcycling: first running motorcycle was a 1949 Indian Warrior, a 440cc vertical twin. By the time I got it, this beauty had no lights, very little in the way of suspension, and a gearbox full of treachery.
I was convinced that dealing with The Big, The Old and The Heavy was likely to ruin my budding romance with motorcycling. What I needed was an advanced, compact, lightweight, high-performance motorcycle. I had been dazzled by Ducati sport bikes and wasted little time buying myself a hoppedup 200TS.
On getting serious about riding: In 1962, I moved to Madison, Wis., to start work on a Ph.D. in American history at the University of Wisconsin. Here I developed an abiding interest in road racing and race tuning.
At Daytona in 1970, Bob Oakes, who I was going to races with, and I bumped into Jess Thomas, a top-tier road racer who had become technical editor of Cycle magazine. Jess encouraged me to write a couple of stories and submit them to Cook Neilson, Cycle’s new editor. Cook liked what he read, and my life was about to go careening down a road I could never have imagined.
On winning with Ducatis: By the time Cook took up racing Ducati bevel head twins, I had already had the good fortune to witness Paul Smart win the Imola 200. Over the years, the 1972 Imola 200 has become one of three great corner stones of Ducati racing lore. The second is Mike Hailwood’s 1978 win at the Isle of Man, and the third is Cook’s 1977 win at Daytona—Ducati’s first AMA Superbike victory in the United States.
On looking back: As the tuner for Cook’s winning effort, I am happy to have played a small part in Ducati’s history, and to help bring its excellent and innovative engineering tradition to enthusiasts in the United States. I am also extremely gratified that Cycle magazine is remembered fondly by its readers and staffers. I am proud that Cook and I, with the help of many talented staff—editors, art directors, performance testers, photographers, etc.—were able to provide, for two decades, a smart, entertaining, and literate magazine for a sophisticated motorcycling audience.
The Superbike Ace
Doug Polen Was One Of The Most Dominant Riders Of His Era
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Superbike speed had a name, and it was Doug Polen.
Polen had a series of strong winning performances in motorcycle roadracing in the United States and abroad, including winning the Suzuki GSX-R National Cup Championship Series 750cc title in 1986, and 17 of 26 races in the World Superbike Championship Series in 1991. He also was the Japan Formula 1 and Formula 3 National Champion in 1989, AMA 600cc Supersport Champion in 1987 and 1988, AMA 750cc Supersport Champion in 1988, World Superbike Champion in 1992, AMA Superbike Champion in 1993 and World Endurance Champion in 1997 and 1998.
On his discovery of roadracing: I did one motocross race. All that dirt in my mouth just wasn’t for me. I did some dirt-track racing for about six months. Danny Spencer, Freddie’s older brother, bought the Suzuki dealership in Denton, Texas, where I was, and when they came in I was already working there doing odds and ends, so I stayed on. Obviously, they made an impact, introducing me to roadracing because he was Freddie’s brother.
Danny told me there was a roadrace at Greater Southwest Airport, and I rode down there and watched it. I thought, “Man, I can beat those guys.” I built out my GS550 streetbike big time. I saw something similar to what I wanted in a magazine, and I built it like that. I didn’t get the ignition right, and the first race I finished dead last. It at least makes a good story. Then I bought from Fred Sr. one of Freddie’s RD400s. One weekend, I entered it in seven classes, and won all seven.
On his success: It’s 100 percent science to make the bike go faster. I thought a lot about how things worked. Physics 101 is a good introduction into how things work on this planet. I was able to apply what I learned to the racetrack. It was taking that knowledge—and finding the point where if you ride any faster, you’re on your head—and keeping it there.
On his successful partnership with Fast By Ferracci Ducati: In the early 1990s, riding for Ducati with Eraldo Ferracci, we clicked right away, no problem. He’d keep things right on the edge of performance on the bike, and I’d keep things dialed in.
On being inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame: The thing is that you ride, and you race and you do all these different things, and you’re doing it to have fun and be competitive, but to also try and make a mark—to have something you can look back on and be proud of. And this kind of puts a stamp of approval on my career. So I take this as very flattering.
Photo Conrad Lim
The Industry Icon
Fred Fox Probably Sold You Your Last Motorcycle Part
If you ride a motorcycle, there’s a very good chance that at least one part or accessory on it—maybe many of them—at one time passed through Fred Fox’s warehouse at Parts Unlimited.
On getting his start: My parents, who were in the business of manufacturing truck bodies, told me to get an engineering degree because they needed engineers. I got through a fiveyear course in four years. I then went to work in the factory. I built a better half-cab lumber truck than anyone else. I built a car carrier that would handle five cars instead of three.
One day I went to pick up a tool at a die shop and saw a go-kart. I asked to borrow it, took it home, figured out how to improve it, and that led me to go into the go-kart business. That led me to making Fox minibikes and even snowmobiles.
On making the jump into motorcycles: I was working in Chicago, and met two guys from Japan who were trying to bring over Kawasaki motorcycles. Motorcycles came two to a crate, and they needed someone to prep them for dealers. I would get them out of the crate, service them, prepare a manual, and put them in single crates for shipment. I became a distributor in five states. After a few years, we couldn’t get parts and the dealers were furious, and we sold the company back to them. That’s when I started Surplus Unlimited, buying parts from snowmobile companies that were failing and supplying the dealers. We eventually changed the name to Parts Unlimited and branched into making our own parts and working with motorcycles. From there it just built up. In 2007, we had 1,600 employees. We have six locations in the U.S., two in Canada, and we’re building another in Europe.
On the philosophy behind Parts Unlimited: For years, we kind of wanted to be under the radar, because we don’t sell retail. But eventually we started buying brands I was extremely proud of, like Thor and Moose. Then we created Icon from the ground up.
On the scope of his business: Our warehouse is one of the most modern you’ll find anywhere. We can ship 20,000 orders a day, and we can get them out the door in 45 minutes. Just in Wisconsin, we receive inbound shipments worth $2 million to $3 million a day. We deal with 12,000 dealers, just in
On being inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame: I was obviously a little surprised. I looked at the Hall of Famers and noticed that most of them were pretty good racers. I was a mediocre racer. I saw they were faster than me, and I was a mechanical engineer, so I worked the tuning side of it.
I never thought I’d wind up in the Hall of Fame. I have a lot of mottos, but the main one is, “Get out of bed, and run the business better than the day before.” That’s what I focus on.
The Pioneer
Schickel graduated in 1909, and unveiled his first motorcycle at the 1911 Chicago Motorcycle Show.
Norbert Schickel (1886-1960) Helped Define
The Breed
An innovative motorcycle designer and builder, Norbert Schickel was part of the motorcycle design boom that occurred in the United States between 1905 and 1915.
Schickel’s vision and designs were evident in the two-cycle motorcycles that he developed as founder of the Schickel Motor Co. He also helped popularize the twist grip control and had a patented “spring fork front suspension” and “fly wheel magneto.”
Now, exactly 100 years after he unveiled his first motorcycle, Schickel is being inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
“It was an incredible thrill to learn that he has been selected for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame,” says Ken Anderson, Schickel’s grandson. “He would be thrilled and humbled.”
In 1905, Schickel enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. There, he designed and built a number of engines, including the forerunner of his twostroke motorcycle engine and the frame that he would use for his first motorcycle.
“After some four years of experiment, Norbert Schickel, 52 East 83rd Street, New York City, has developed a motorcycle which is both radical and unique…” Bicycling World and Motorcycle Review reported on Feb. 18, 1911. “The machine was one of the features of the Chicago motorcycle show which closed on Saturday the 11th and is distinguished not only by the fact that it is of two-cycle construction but also by a multiplicity of features evincing ingenious and original design…”
The Schickel Motor Co. began producing motorcycles in 1912 in Stamford, Conn., with a five-horsepower model. In 1913, Schickel added a six-horsepower model. In 1917, he introduced a smaller, more economical machine, featuring a 2.5-horsepower engine, to compete against bicycles. Following World War I, Schickel introduced a 3.5-horsepower machine.
Schickel designs included an advanced three-port, two-cycle engine, twist grip transmission control, rotating magneto spark advance, driveshaft-flywheel-crankcase combination, flywheel magneto, spring front fork suspension, hinged rear fender, and a uni-body cast aluminum frame and gas tank combination.
The company, which sold more than 1,000 motorcycles, was forced to file for bankruptcy and close its doors in 1924. But not before its founder had put his stamp on motorcycle design for years to come.
Two Legends, One Show
KENNY ROBERTS, ROGER DECOSTER WILL BE HONORED AS HALL OF FAME LEGENDS
Kenny Roberts is arguably America’s greatest world champion. Roger DeCoster is arguably motocross’s defining competitor. At this year’s Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, both of these existing Hall of Famers will be honored alongside the class of 2011 as Hall of Fame Legends.
‘King Kenny’
As an AMA National Champion, a Grand Prix World Champion and then as a Grand Prix team owner, Kenny Roberts’ influence on American and world motorcycle roadracing runs deep.
Roberts, who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998, won his first-ever AMA Grand National race in 1972 and went on to win 33 AMA Nationals in dirt-track and roadracing, including the prestigious Daytona 200 three times.
He achieved legendary status when he fielded a dirt-tracker powered by a TZ750 two-stroke roadracer engine at the Indianapolis Mile in 1975, made a dramatic last-lap pass for the win and made the classic statement: “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing.”
A two-time AMA Grand National Champion, Roberts moved to the world stage and became the first American to win a 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle world title in 1978. By the end of 1980, he had captured three consecutive World 500 Grand Prix titles.
Retiring from full-time racing at the end of the 1983 season, Roberts formed his own World 500 Grand Prix team. In 1990, Team Roberts’ rider Wayne Rainey, who would go on to become a Hall of Famer himself, won the World 500 Grand Prix title, and teammate John Kocinski took the World 250 Championship— bringing the team a rare 500 and 250 championship season.
“The only thing I cared about when I raced was what other riders thought,” says Roberts. “Earning their respect was what we worked for, and it means a lot to me to be honored this way in front of my peers and friends in the industry.”
‘The Man’
Roger DeCoster’s name is practically synonymous with the sport of motocross, and he is generally recognized as the best-known MX racer in the first 50 years of the sport.
When DeCoster was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, his racing accomplishments were simply remarkable: five 500cc Motocross World Championships, numerous 500cc Motocross Grand Prix victories and four Trans-AMA Motocross
He also was a member of six winning Belgium Motocross des Nations teams, was a Gold Medalist in the International Six Day Trial (now the International Six Days Enduro) and earned numerous national championships in his native Belgium, including a national Trials title. DeCoster continued to find success after his racing career. He was the manager of the first U.S. team to win the Motocross des Nations in 1981, and has managed many U.S. teams at the prestigious event over the years, something he continues to do today. He currently is in charge of KTM’s AMA Supercross and Motocross efforts in the
As a team manager, DeCoster has also been part of many memorable AMA Supercross and AMA
“It felt great to win championships with Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed,” he says. “Perhaps the best for me has been Ryan Dungey’s title [in 2010] because he was a mid-level guy who became a top-level guy. It’s a great feeling that the team accomplished this.”
DeCoster is humbled by this new honor.
“It’s always nice to receive this honor, and yet on the other hand I still have a job to do, and I feel like I still have something to accomplish,” DeCoster says. “I am really looking forward to hanging out with Kenny Roberts and reminiscing with all of my friends.”
A few of the hundreds of AMA-sanctioned events this month, detailed on the following pages.
1
Get into the Thanksgiving spirit by taking part in a turkey run hosted by the Lebanon Valley Motorcycle Club in Lebanon, Pa., on Oct. 30. The event begins at 9 a.m. Info: LebanonValleyMC. com or (717) 270-9797.
2
Don’t miss one of the most prestigious event-weekends in all of motorcycling—the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend—set for Nov. 18-20 in Las Vegas, Nev. The weekend kicks off on Friday, Nov. 18 with the 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Festivities continue with the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concourse d’Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 19. The weekend culminates with the AMA Racing Championship Banquet on Sunday, Nov. 20, where amateur AMA Racing champions of all ages will be recognized for their 2011 accomplishments. Info: MotorcycleMuseum.org.
There’s an easy way to stay in tune with the latest motorcycling products during the coming months: the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows. Check it out in San Mateo, Calif., Nov. 18-20; Dallas Dec. 2-4; Long Beach, Calif., Dec. 9-11; Seattle, Dec. 16-18; and other cities next year. Get all the info at MotorcycleShows.com. 4 5 1 6 6 6 2 3 4
3
Catch the final round of the AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series Nov. 19 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. Info: EnduroCross.com.
4
AMA District 37 (Southern California) Dual Sport has made the LABarstow-to-Vegas two-day dual-sport ride one of the most famous in the world. Scheduled for Nov. 25-26, this is the 28th running of this 400-mile event, which travels routes from Barstow, Calif., to Las Vegas, Nev. Large adventuretouring bikes, vintage bikes, side-hacks and small displacement bikes are all welcome to join in the fun with the regular dual-sport bikes—as long as they are street legal. This event is part of the AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series and the AMA Yamaha Super Tenéré Adventure Riding Series. Info: District37AMA.org.
5
The competitors in the AMA Racing East Hare Scrambles National Championship Series wrap up their season Nov. 5 for the youth racers and Nov. 6 for the amateur racers in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Info: AMARacing.com.
COMING UP
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There’s a full slate of AMA Racing Pro-Am Motocross action in the works this month, with races Nov. 6 in Pell City, Ala.; Nov. 13 in Musella, Ga.; and Nov. 21-26 in Gainesville, Fla. Info: AMARacing.com.
CALIFORNIA
RECREATIONAL
ADVENTURE RIDE
NOV 25: PALMDALE: 2-DAY EVENT, AMADIST 37 DUAL SPORT DIVISION, (626) 792-7384, DISTRICT37AMA.ORG
DUAL SPORT RIDE
NOV 13: ATOLIA: LOST COYOTES, (661) 951-1707, LOSTCOYOTES.ORG
NOV 25: PALMDALE: 2-DAY EVENT, AMADIST 37 DUAL SPORT DIVISION, (626) 792-7384, DISTRICT37AMA.ORG TURKEY RUN
NOV 19: DUBLIN: DISTRICT 36, (916) 2067782, AMA-D36.COM
COMPETITION ENDURO
NOV 5: UPPER LAKE : HAYWARD MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (925) 284-4436
NOV 19: LUCERNE VALLEY: 2-DAY EVENT, AMA-DIST 37 SPORTS COMM, (760) 220-6575, DISTRICT37AMA.ORG
HARE SCRAMBLES
NOV 5: RANCHO CORDOVA: 2-DAY EVENT, DIRT DIGGERS NORTH M.C. INC, HANGTOWNMX.COM
NOV 6: PLASTER CITY: CHICKEN BONES RACING CLUB, (619) 921-9245, CHICKENBONESRACING.WEEBLY.COM
REL-ENDURO - ISDE
NOV 20: STONYFORD: RICHMOND RAMBLERS MC, (707) 451-1149, RRMC. CC
SPEEDWAY
NOV 5: RANCHO CORDOVA: MCALLISTER MOTORSPORTS, (925) 7863263, ARENACROSS-TT.COM
DELAWARE
COMPETITION
HARE SCRAMBLES
NOV 20: BEAR: DELAWARE ENDURO RIDERS, (302) 834-4456, DELAWAREENDURORIDERS.COM
MOTOCROSS
NOV 6: NEW CASTLE: BLUE DIAMOND MX, (302) 834-4586, BDMXPARK.COM
FLORIDA
RECREATIONAL
ROAD RUN
NOV 6: NAPLES: MARCH OF DIMES-FLORIDA, (239) 433-3463, BIKERSFORBABIESFLORIDA.COM
NOV 6: LITHIA: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
NOV 21: GAINSVILLE: UNLIMITED SPORTS MX INC, (407) 473-4373,
UNLIMITEDSPORTSMX.COM
NOV 24: GAINESVILLE: UNLIMITED SPORTS MX INC, (407) 473-4373, UNLIMITEDSPORTSMX.COM
ILLINOIS
RECREATIONAL
DUAL SPORT RIDE
NOV 13: MORRISON: BRUSHPOPPERS M.C., (815) 622-4099, BRUSHPOPPERSMC.COM
COMPETITION
HARE SCRAMBLES
NOV 6: OAKLEY: DIRT RIDERS INC, (217) 789-9010
NOV 6: BELLEVILLE: BELLEVILLE ENDURO TEAM INC, (618) 277-3478, BETDIRT.COM
NOV 27: WHITE CITY: CAHOKIA CREEK DIRT RIDERS, (618) 946-4316, WW.CCDIRT.COM
MOTOCROSS
NOV 6: PINCKNEYVILLE: EURO RACEWAY, (618) 327-9530
INDIANA
COMPETITION
HARE SCRAMBLES
NOV 6: COLUMBUS: STONEY LONESOME M/C, (812) 350-0573
NEVADA
COMPETITION
ENDUROCROSS
NOV 19: LAS VEGAS: SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA, (702) 365-5711, ORLEANSARENA.COM
NEW JERSEY
RECREATIONAL
ADVENTURE RIDE
NOV 5: PORT ELIZABETH: 2-DAY EVENT, TRI-COUNTY SPORTSMEN MC INC, (856) 785-2754, TEAMHAMMER.ORG
DUAL SPORT RIDE
NOV 5: PORT ELIZABETH: 2-DAY EVENT, TRI-COUNTY SPORTSMEN MC INC, (856) 785-2754, TEAMHAMMER.ORG
NEW MEXICO
RECREATIONAL
TOY RUN
NOV 20: RIO RANCHO TOY RUN, (505) 604-4326
NEW YORK
RECREATIONAL
TURKEY RUN
NOV 20: OAKDALE: IDONTKNOW MC, (641) 715-5390, IDONTKNOWMC.COM
COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
NOV 12: JAPHAH: LONG ISLAND MOTOCROSS INC, (631) 286-9411,
ISLANDMOTOCROSS.COM
OHIO
COMPETITION
ENDURO
NOV 13: GREENVILLE: TREATY CITY MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (937) 5487197, TREATYCITYMC.COM
PENNSYLVANIA
RECREATIONAL
ROAD RUN
NOV 6: LEESPORT: CLASSIC HARLEY-DAVIDSON, (610) 916-7777, CLASSICHARLEY.COM
COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
NOV 6: HANOVER: HAPPY RAMBLERS, (717) 633-7708, HAPPYRAMBLERS.COM
SOUTH CAROLINA
COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
NOV 5: GASTON: 2 DAY EVENT, PALMETTO MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX, LLC, (803) 568-7672, PALMETTOCOMPLEX.COM
TENNESSEE
COMPETITION
HARE SCRAMBLES
NOV 13: BYBEE: JB SAKI PROMOTIONS, (865) 322-0193, VOLUNTEERRIDERS. COM
NOV 22: WESTPOINT: NORTH ALABAMA TRAIL RIDERS ASSN, (256) 837-0084, NATRA.DIRTRIDER.NET
TEXAS
COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
NOV 5: WORTHAM: 2-DAY EVENT, FREESTONE COUNTY RACEWAY LLC, (903) 599-1888, FREESTONEMX.COM
VIRGINIA
COMPETITION
GRAND PRIX
NOV 13: SPRING GROVE: VIRGINIA CHAMPIONSHIP HS SERIES, (757) 8711573, VCHSS.ORG
WEST VIRGINIA
COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
NOV 12: HEDGESVILLE: TOMAHAWK MX LLC, (304) 229-9668, TOMAHAWKMX. COM
WISCONSIN
COMPETITION
ARENACROSS
NOV 11: MADISON: FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 216-7482, ARENACROSS. COM
HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS
MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MOTORCYCLEMUSEUM.ORG
The Hall of Fame is on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Main Hall: Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Recognizing those who have made significant contributions to all aspects of motorcycling.
Dirt-Track! All-American Motorcycle Racing: Celebrating the storied history of the men and machines who battle on the dirt oval.
30-Year Ride: Honda’s Ohio-made Motorcycles: Gold Wings aren’t the only bikes that Honda produced at its plant in Marysville, Ohio. This exhibit showcases the 30 years of production, from the CR250 to the Rune.
Founder’s Hall: Honoring the Hall of Fame’s generous contributors.
AMA PRO RACING
AMA PRO GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM
Oct. 15: Pomona, Calif.: AMA Pro Flat Track Season Finale, LA County Fairplex
AMA ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES ARENACROSS.COM
Oct. 29-30: Des Moines, Iowa: Wells Fargo Arena
Nov. 4-6: Baltimore: First Mariner Arena
Nov. 11-13: Madison, Wis.: Alliant Energy Center
Dec. 9-11: Wilkes Barre, Pa.: Mohegan Sun Arena
Jan. 6-8: Grand Rapids, Mich.: VanAndel Arena
Jan. 13-15: Topeka, Kan.: KS Expo Centre Arena
Jan. 21-22: Dayton, Ohio: Nutter Center
Jan. 27-29: Cedar Park, Texas: Cedar Park Center
Feb. 3-5: Syracuse, N.Y.: SRC Arena
Feb. 11-12: Fresno, Calif.: Save Mart Center
Feb. 17-19: Reno, Nev.: Livestock Events Center
Feb. 25-26: Minneapolis, Minn.: Target Center
AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
CAN-AM GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY GNCCRACING.COM
Oct. 22-23: Crawfordsville, Ind.: Tom’s Marine Polaris
Nov. 4-6: Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: Loretta Lynn’s Ranch
AMA RACING NATIONAL HARE & HOUND NATIONALHAREANDHOUND.COM
Oct. 23: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Ryan Sanders, 100’s MC; (949) 584-9395, 100sMC. org
ENDUROCROSS ENDUROCROSS.COM
Oct. 22: Boise, Idaho: Idaho Center
Nov 19: Las Vegas, Nev.: Orleans Arena
AMA RACING EAST HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM
Oct. 15 (Youth) Oct. 16 (Amateur): Westfield, Mass.: Scott Fontaine, Knox Trail Riders; (508) 864-7316, WNYOA.net
Oct. 30 (Youth & Amateur): Gosport, Ind.: Mike Gibbs, Mid America XC; (317) 418-6084, TheMAXC.com
Nov. 5 (Youth) Nov. 6 (Amateur): Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: Rita Coombs, Racer Productions; (304) 284-0084
AMA RACING ATV HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM
Oct. 29: TBD: Mike Gibbs, Mid America XC; (317) 418-6084, TheMAXC.com
AMA RACING PRO-AM MOTOCROSS AMARACING.COM
Oct. 16: Blountville, Tenn.: Muddy Creek Raceway, Victory Sports Inc.; (423) 323-5497, VictorySportsRacing.com
Oct. 22-23: Buckeye, Ariz.: Western Pro-Am Motocross Championship, Arizona Cycle Park, Arizona Cycle Park; (623) 853-0750 ext. 4, ArizonaCyclePark.com
Oct. 29-30: Leonardtown, Md.: Budds Creek Motocross Park, Budds Creek Motocross Park; (301) 481-6148; Buddscreek.com
Oct. 30: Prentiss, Mich.: Golden Pine Raceway, Golden Pine Raceway; (601) 5068669, GoldenPineRaceway.com
Nov. 6: Pell City, Ala.: Mill Creek, RPM Sports; (205) 699-8857, RPMSportsonline.com
Nov. 6: Wortham, Texas.: Freestone County Raceway, Freestone County Raceway; (903) 599-1888, FreestoneMX.com
Nov. 13: Musella, Ga.: Hillbilly Hills; RPM Sports, (205) 699-8857, RPMSports.online. com
Nov. 21-23, Gainesville, Fla.: Gatorback Cycle Park, Unlimited Sports MX; (813) 4707498, UnlimitedSportsMX.com
Nov. 24-26: Gainesville, Fla.: Gatorback Cycle Park, Unlimited Sports MX; (813) 4707498, UnlimitedSportsMX.com
AMA KTM NATIONAL DUAL SPORT TRAIL RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
Oct. 22-23: Study Butte, Texas: 14th Annual Terlingua National DS, Trail Riders of Houston, Jack Jennings; (713) 248-7222; TRH-Cycle.org
Oct. 29-30: Chatsworth, N.J.: Meteor Ride in the Pines, Meteor MC, Jeff Fitzpatrick; (609) 654-5015; MeteorMC.com
Nov. 5-6: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: Hammer Run, Tri-County Sportsmen, E. Polhaumas; (856) 785-2754; TeamHammer.org
Nov. 5-6: Wickenburg, Ariz: Howlin’ at the Moon Rally, Arizona Trail Riders, Don Hood; (602) 692-9382
Nov. 25-26: Palmdale, Calif.: LA-Barstow to Vegas, AMA D37 Dual Sport, Paul Flanders; (626) 792-7384; District37AMA.org
AMA YAMAHA SUPER TÉNÉRÉ ADVENTURE RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
Oct. 15-16: McCloud, Calif.: McCloud Adventure Ride, McCloud Dualsport Adventures, Michael Lingsch; (530) 925-0151; McCloudDualsportAdventures. com
Nov. 5-6: Wickensburg, Ariz.: Howlin’ at the Moon Rally, AZ Trail Riders, Don Hood; (602) 692-9382; ArizonaTrailRiders.org
Nov 5-6: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: Hammer Run, Tri-County Sportsmen, E. Polhaumus; (856) 785-2754
Nov 25-26: Palmdale, Calif.: LA-Barstow to Vegas, AMA D-37, Paul Flanders; (626) 7927384; District37AMA.org
AMA PREMIER TOURING SERIES
AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM/ ROADRIDE/TOURING
GRAND TOURS
Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: USA Four Corners Tour, SCMA, (909) 271-0137, USA4Corners.org
April 1 - Nov. 30: Ride For Your Rights Grand Tour, AMA, Dave Hembroff, (614) 8561900 ext. 1202, AmericanMotorcyclist.com/ Roadride/Touring.com
April 1 - Nov. 30: Travel the USA with KOA, Midnight Riders MC, (765) 566-3807, Midnight-Riders-MC.com
Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: California Parks Adventure, SCMA, (760) 985-7660, SC-MA. com
Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: California Mission Tour, SCMA, (760) 985-7660, SC-MA.com
Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: Three Flags Classic, SCMA, (626) 274-2237, SC-MA.com
SIGNATURE EVENTS: CHARITY RIDE FOR KIDS, PBTUS RIDEFORKIDS.ORG
Oct. 16: Mesa, Ariz.
Oct. 16: Cardiff, Calif.
Oct. 23: Lafayette, La.
Nov. 6: Lithia, Fla.
Welcome to Life Member Plus!
We designed the new Life Member Plus program to stay connected with our Life Members and reward them for their years of dedication to the AMA. Offering up a package that includes American Motorcyclist magazine and AMA Roadside Assistance at a special discounted rate, Life Member Plus is a money-saving value.
The new program is 100 percent optional, so if you choose not to enroll, you still receive all the current benefits of life membership—a voice on behalf of motorcycling in the halls of government, the ability to sign up for AMA-sanctioned events, money-saving benefits and more.
With Life Member Plus, you get all that, plus AMA Roadside Assistance and American Motorcyclist magazine. And stay tuned for additional Life Member benefits to come.
AMA Life Member Plus Includes:
• FREE AMA Roadside Assistance
•
• AMA Life Member Plus Membership card, pin, and decal every year
• A voice protecting motorcyclists’ rights at the federal, state and local levels
• Continued access to AMA Rights, Riding, Racing and Rewards—including money-saving discounts
For more than 25 years, Al Holtsberry has supported the AMA. Now we’re offering something special for him and all other AMA Life Members. PER
