American Motorcyclist 12 2013 Dirt Version (preview)

December 2013

Kurt Caselli Races To The Next Level

Photo Mark Kariya

AMA Holiday Gift Guide

THE JOURNAL OF THE

AMA REWARDS

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

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How do you make tHe ultimate touring veHicle even better? we found tHree ways.

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With a new Rotax® 1330 ACE™ high-torque engine and a new 6-speed transmission, the road has never been so inviting. The high-torque response of the ACE engine gives you 40% more low-end torque and now can go up to 252 miles at 62 mph on one tank of gas.* While the new 6-speed transmission provides an incredibly smooth ride for you and your passenger. Add in a unique Y-frame design and 7 automotive technologies, and that rush you feel will be equal parts exhilaration and confidence. Learn more at 2014SpyderRT.com. ©2013 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. *Tested at a constant speed of 62 mph. Fuel mileage may vary depending on the following: Spyder RT models, personal riding habits, weather conditions, trip length, vehicle condition, vehicle configuration and other conditions. Up to 202 miles tested at a constant speed of 75 mph. Break-in mileage may also vary. See an authorized BRP dealer for details. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Always ride responsibly and safely. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Don’t drink and drive.

NAVIGATION

C

Navigation Photo

On Oct. 19, six new members joined the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Ricky Carmichael, Danny Hamel, Norm McDonald, Randy Renfrow and Mike and Dianne Traynor.

See more from this gala event on pages 34-35.

Photo by Jeff Guciardo

8. LETTERS

You write, we read.

10. ROB DINGMAN

An electric experience in Las Vegas.

12. RIGHTS

Police on electric motorcycles, gains are made in Johnson Valley OHV battle, battling inappropriate Wilderness designations and Statewatch.

18. HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 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 2013.

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.

December 2013 Volume 67, Number 12 Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) www.americanmotorcyclist.com

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Cool new stuff for you and your motorcycle.

22. RIDING

The latest news, rides, interviews and more from the world of motorcycling.

30. HALL OF FAME

Honda’s 1970 Honda ATC90 and Hall of Famer Malcolm Forbes.

34. AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY Oct. 19, motorcycling celebrated the careers of six amazing motorcyclists.

36. A MEMORABLE RIDE

A family reunites through motorcycles.

38. KURT CASELLI: A WINNING YEAR

The 2013 AMA Hare & Hound champion is moving to the world stage in 2014.

40. GO RIDE

What to do, where to go.

46. WAYNE A. DOENGES Born to Ride.

M

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CM

MY

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EDITORIAL OFFICES

Husqvarna is proud to sponsor the 2013 AMA National Dual-Sport Series

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 AmericanMotorcyclist.com/ about/board Maggie McNally, Chair Albany, N.Y.

James Holter, Managing Editor Mark Lapid, Creative Director Jen Muecke, Designer Jeff Guciardo, Production Manager/Designer Kaitlyn Sesco, Marketing/Communications Specialist

Russ Brenan, Vice Chair Irvine, Calif.

Ken Ford, Assistant Treasurer Bartow, Fla.

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

Perry King, Executive Committee Member Northern California

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

John Ulrich, Executive Committee Member Lake Elsinore, Calif.

Sean Hilbert, Hillsdale, Mich.

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, 2013.

Scott Miller, Milwaukee Art More, Sun City West, Ariz.

Stan Simpson, Cibolo, Texas Jim Viverito, Chicago

(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 Sen. Wayne Allard, Vice President, Government Relations Bob Chaddock, Vice President, Administration Jeff Massey, Vice President, Operations Jim Williams, Vice President, Industry Relations & Corporate Member Programs Rob Rasor, Director of International Affairs

Cherie Schlatter, Organizer Services Manager D’Andra Myers, Organizer Services Coordinator Serena Van Dyke, Organizer Services Coordinator Chuck Weir, Off Road Racing Manager Conrad Young, Timing & Scoring Manager

ACCOUNTING Dawn Becker, Accounting Manager Melanie Hise, HR Assistant/Payroll Coordinator Ed Madden, System Support Specialist Peg Tuvell, Member Fulfillment Specialist ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Sean Maher, Director AMHF/MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME

Supporting Sponsor

www.husqvarna-motorcyclesna.com

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Connie Fleming, Manager of Events and AMHF Operations Beth Owen, Donor Relations Specialist Paula Schremser, Program Specialist Katy Wood, Collections Manager AMA RACING/ORGANIZER SERVICES Kip Bigelow, Amateur MX Manager Joe Bromley, District Relations Manager Jacki Burris, Organizer Services Coordinator Jane Caston, Racing Coordinator Lana Cox, Administrative Assistant Kevin Crowther, Director SX & Pro Racing Relations Bill Cumbow, Director of Special Projects Sandi Dunphy, Road Riding Coordinator Dave Hembroff, Road Riding Manager Alex Hunter, MX Operational Coordinator Tamra Jones, Racing Coordinator Ken Saillant, Track Racing Manager

AmericanMotorcyclist.com AMA_Husqvarna_Natl_Dual_Sport_Series_SeatConcepts_rev.indd 7/16/13 1 3:02 PM

COMMUNICATIONS Grant Parsons, Director of Communications DISTRIBUTION/FACILITIES SERVICES John Bricker, Mailroom Manager Heida Drake, Copy Center Operator Bill Frasch, Mailroom Clerk GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Marie Esselstein, Government Affairs Assistant Danielle Fowles, Grassroots Coordinator Nick Haris, Western States Representative Sean Hutson, Legislative Assistant Sharon Long, Legislative Coordinator Rick Podliska, Deputy Director Steve Salisbury, Government Affairs Manager - Off-Highway Imre Szauter, Government Affairs Manager - On-Highway INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Rob Baughman, Network Administrator John Boker, Developer Dave Coleman, Network Architect Amy Hyman, Senior Programmer/Analyst Bill Miller, Enterprise Architect 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 Angela Warren, Member Services Representative

! s e k a t s p e e w S

JOIN OR RENEW your AMA membership in 2013 and you could win!

2013

YAMAHA SUPER TÉNÉRÉ

As the proud sponsor of the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré National Adventure Touring Series, Yamaha is awarding one lucky member a new 2013 Super Ténéré! Riders participating in the series will also be automatically entered.

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One lucky winner will take home this Tucker Rocky Custom Road Glide with high-end components from S&S, Progressive Suspension, Arlen Ness, PIAA and many other Tucker Rocky partner companies.

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Every month, everyone who joins or renews a membership in the AMA is automatically entered in a drawing for a

$100 GIFT CARD from BIKEBANDIT.COM The best part? You’re automatically entered when you join or renew between Jan. 30, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2013.

www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com

No purchase necessary. For complete rules, terms and conditions visit http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Membership/RenewSweeps_Rules.aspx.

MEMBER LETTERS

Send your letters (and a high-resolution photo) to submissions@ama-cycle.org; or mail to 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.

LETTER OF THE MONTH WINNING THE BATTLE

Sometimes, if you think it through and present your argument logically, you can win the battle. I work in a 150-person freight terminal in a very bad area of town.

Each month, a lucky AMA member wins a Bike Bandit gift card worth $100. Didn’t win? No Although motorcycles have never been worries. You can still take advantage of your involved in vandalism, there is always a 10% AMA member discount at BikeBandit.com. first time. I spoke to the 10 or so riders and we were all interested in a motorcycle-only parking area.

I approached management with a full plan. We could convert two spaces next to the fence in an area visible to security into a motorcycle parking lot. We moved in curb blocks and painted them orange along with the stripes. Management even agreed to buy the signs. We did all the work on our own time. The result is a safe area to park. Now while I am working I feel much better about my bike being there when I get finished.

John Engel Houston, Texas PUBLIC ACCESS FEE While I normally consider myself a major supporter of the Bureau of Land Management, I felt the need to comment on your report on the fee increase in California’s Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (Statewatch, November 2013).

Your report correctly stated that the fee increase was to help fund emergency medical services, law enforcement and facility maintenance—all of which sounds really nice on the surface. What it didn’t mention was that, according to the BLM, the increase was due to a significant decrease in permits being sold each year as a result of the recession—enough so that the BLM would have to reduce services if the fee was not increased. These services and the number of BLM employees at Glamis have steadily increased over the years as the area has become more popular.

In every other industry I’ve known, fewer customers means less employees. For some reason, the ISDRA BLM seems to think that the recession shouldn’t apply to them and that they need to staff for 100,000 visitors even if only 60,000 are showing up.

As for my family and friends, we’ve always felt that $90 was a bit high but have still bought a pass every year for the last 10plus years. After this latest increase, we’ve decided that there are too many other riding areas nearby that are free or have a small annual fee. We’ll be enjoying those instead.

Matthew Dixon Huntington Beach, Calif.

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RIDING THE WALL During the late 1920s, “motordromes” were major carnival attractions—notably, the Royal American Show’s “wall” owned by the Kemp family (Walter and Marjorie).

The bikes were Indian 101s. Mrs. Kemp rode a sidecar rig modified so that a lion could join her on the wall. There was an accident that ended this act and nearly the lion and Mrs. Kemp as well.

The star and real daredevil was “Speedy” McNish. He and the 101 seemed glued to the wall regardless of his position on the bike. Your picture in the October issue (page 38) shows a guard cable at the top of the wall. Speedy often found himself among the spectators, the 101 hanging from the cable—well worth the $0.50 admission.

I hope there are other members still alive with memories of this unusual use of the machines we all love, and who support our current daredevil motordrome riders.

Peter Manos Life Member Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. RIDING THE WALL II My husband Tom and I would always ride to a motorcycle show in Soap Lake, Wash., each year in the summer.

Two years ago, we were treated to the awesome show performed by none other than the American Motordrome Wall of Death (covered in the October issue).

These guys rocked! Thanks, Charlie

Ransom, Wahl E. Walker, Jeremiah Lightning and Dallas Dan. It’s nice to still have shows like this going on. My mother, who was raised in England back in the 1930s, voluntered back then to participate in a Wall of Death show with a Harley rider, but her mom found out and that was the end of that.

My mom said she always wished it would have happened!

Thanks for the great article and photographs.

Tom and Julie Dunlap Seattle, Wash.

ORIGINAL SHOWMAN If my memory is correct, it was 1948 when, at the fairgrounds in Canfield, Ohio, I saw Captain Putt Mossman during the intermission of the weekly races. As I recall, he had dubbed himself “Captain.”

His show was described in the November issue of American Motorcyclist.

Early the next day, I attempted to duplicate Capt. Mossman’s stunts on my Wizzer motorbike. After a few bruises and scrapes, I managed to be successful in several of his featured moves. The first time a friend allowed me to ride his Indian Scout, inside of the first mile I was standing on the seat in the manner of Capt. Putt Mossman!

I put on a few shows for my friends on my faithful Wizzer, but that ended my career as a stunt rider. Good thing, at 82 I am still riding many miles a year but did end my Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Coach accreditation at age 80.

Vernon C. Mauk Massena, Texas RIDING NORTH GEORGIA Congratulations on a well-written and informative article on riding in the North Georgia mountains (November 2013).

As someone from the area, I’m happy to have so many great riding opportunities just out my back door. You covered some of my favorite rides.

For those who haven’t ridden the Georgia mountain roads, get ready for an exhilarating experience. There is no such thing as a straight, level road up there. In addition to the great riding, there’s lots of scenery and good food also.

Again, job well done.

Wayne McDanal Cumming, Ga. IN MEMORIUM My good friend and fellow endurance rider, John Charles Ryan, died Oct. 13,

2013, in a collision with another vehicle on I-78 in Warren County, N.J. He was 53.

John was an AMA Life Member and avid motorcycle advocate. He played a key role in the AMA’s State Chapter Network planning, volunteering as an ambassador for the AMA at several rallies as part of a grassroots pilot program.

An accomplished motorcyclist and holder of many official and unofficial distance-riding records, John was the subject of Melissa Holbrook Pierson’s book, The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing.

John is best known for his epic “Ultimate Coast to Coast” ride from Deadhorse, Alaska, to Key West, Fla., in June 2009, and for his ability to be almost anywhere in North America on his motorcycle with just a few days’ notice.

Dave Hembroff Pickerington, Ohio RECYCLED TEENAGER We just wanted to let you know about our father, grandfather, great grandfather and great-great grandfather, Leo Chlebnikow—he’s one and the same.

A Life Member of the AMA, he’s been riding motorcycles since he was 16 and

AMA Member Jesse Jones and his fiancée, Tonya, enjoying some time together in Colorado in September.

still does. Weather permitting, rides every Sunday. Besides enjoying riding, he has given instructions to hundreds of bikers, including our whole family. He belongs to many clubs and volunteers for all different rallies. Every Spring he rides up to Lake George for the big Americade rally. He traded in two for three wheels a few years ago, and the back of his trike says, “Recycled Teenager.”

Dad turns 98 this January, and we wanted to wish him a special Happy Birthday. He is what motorcycling is all about. Ride safe.

Bev and Johann Schneider East Windsor, N.J. CHANGING MINDS Wayne Allard’s article in the October

Save on rentals with your AMA membership.

Make your reservations today.

Visit budget.com or call 1-800-527-0700.

2013 issue (“Fighting Discrimination against Motorcyclists”) rang especially true for me. In 2007, the AMA assisted me, primarily through the tenacious efforts of Government Affairs Manager Imre Szauter, to ensure that the Vermont State Colleges would not change travel policies to restrict the use of motorcycles for transportation to or from VSC activities. The development even merited an article in the February 2007 issue of American Motorcyclist.

The issue has not arisen again since.

I appreciated then, and still do, the AMA’s approach of persuasion through education. It sure did guarantee that renewing my membership will remain a high priority for a long, long time.

Scott A. Sabol Northfield, Vt.

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

AN ELECTRIC EXPERIENCE IN LAS VEGAS There was one thing on my schedule for the AMA Legends Weekend, presented

by Husqvarna, in Las Vegas that I was looking forward to almost as much as the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony itself. This was a very busy weekend that included a Board of Directors meeting of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, an AMA Board Executive Committee meeting, an AMA

By Rob Dingman Board meeting, a breakfast with the 2013 inductees, the Dave Mungenast Memorial Legends Reception featuring dozens of Hall of Famers and the Monster Energy Cup AMA Supercross event at Sam Boyd Stadium—all in addition to the induction ceremony that anchored the weekend.

The thing I was most looking forward to in the midst of all these official duties was an opportunity to ride a Zero electric motorcycle with Zero Global Marketing Vice President and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Scot Harden. Zero was a sponsor of the induction ceremony and Scot had promised to have a few bikes on hand and lead an early morning ride around his hometown of Las Vegas.

I have been curious about electric bikes for a while but never had the opportunity to see for myself if they really could be considered “real motorcycles.” While I have been pretty open minded on the subject, I personally know some purists, including a very respected member of the road racing community, who believes that electric bikes are an “abomination.”

We met outside the hotel at 7 a.m. on the Saturday morning after the induction ceremony. In addition to Scot Harden and myself, AMA Board member Perry King and Kawasaki Senior Product Specialist Paul Golde came along on the ride. Scot had two Zero DS dual-sport models that Perry and I started out on while he rode a Zero S streetfighter model. Paul rode a gaspowered Kawasaki Ninja 1000 that he had ridden to Vegas from southern California.

From the minute I threw my leg over the DS, it was an entirely different experience for me. When the key is turned to the on position and a switch similar to a kill switch on a conventional bike is in the run position, the bike is on and ready to go. Sitting in a parked position, there is no noticeable difference between on and off. The only difference is that if you twist the throttle when it’s on the bike will go.

The ride is smooth and silent. The lack of any engine noise and no vibration from the motor is surreal. There is no clutch, and there are no gears to shift through. The power delivery is instantaneous,

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allowing the bike to accelerate with an incredible quickness that I had never experienced on a conventional motorcycle with a manual transmission.

Scot took us past his boyhood home and explained how there had been a dairy farm where we now saw widespread development. He then stopped around the corner from this home to show us an estate that was once occupied by Wayne Newton. Scot and his friends may have scaled the security walls a time or two to swim uninvited in Mr. Newton’s swimming pool when they were kids. We then rode through Sunset Park, which Scot’s grandmother was involved in creating. From there, we rode on to an area overlooking Paradise Valley called the Mesa. It was here that we got the opportunity to experience the bikes’ capability off-road. Although we only briefly rode the bikes on dirt, it made me hope for a future opportunity to spend more time with an electric bike off-road.

We had traded bikes throughout the ride so each of us had the opportunity to try each bike. Entering the highway on the way back to the hotel on the Ninja, I had a hard time keeping up with the electric bikes, which accelerated onto the highway much quicker than I could, having to shift through the gears.

As we were pulling back into the hotel driveway, I was riding next to Scot, and we were having a conversation. Neither of us needed to raise our voice and neither had any trouble hearing the other. The ability to have a conversation while in motion was an aspect of riding an electric motorcycle that hadn’t occurred to me.

The happy feeling you have after riding a motorcycle is one reason we all ride. I definitely had that feeling after riding the Zeros. No matter what mechanical differences there are between electric bikes and those that run on gas, one thing they have in common is the ability to provide that happy feeling and the enjoyment we all get out of riding a motorcycle.

I don’t know what the future holds for electric motorcycles.

Battery technology, which is the limiting factor with respect to operating range of electric bikes, seems to improve year after year.

While I don’t expect electric motorcycles to replace their gaspowered predecessors anytime soon—and they likely never will—I do think electric motorcycles are here to stay.

Rob Dingman is the AMA president and CEO.

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CAMPUS POLICE IN CALIFORNIA ADOPT ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES Two Zero Motorcycles Used For Patrols At San Jose State

The San Jose State University Police Department in California began using two electric Zero Police Motorcycles bikes for campus patrols this summer.

These are the first-ever motorcycles to join the police vehicle fleet. The bikes are used for everyday patrols, special university events and to respond to emergency calls on campus.

Zero, based in Santa Cruz, Calif., says that with many obstacles on a busy campus, the Zero Police Motorcycles allow officers to quickly access areas that were previously off limits due to the size of patrol cars. The department is now able to respond to calls much more quickly and efficiently than before. The bikes are fully equipped with police lights and sirens as well as saddlebags to carry gear and emergency medical equipment.

The police motorcycles are based on the company’s Zero DS. The Zero DS has an approximate range of 112 miles on a single charge with a top speed of 80 miles per hour.

“The San Jose State University Police Department purchased Zero Police Motorcycles for our patrol division because we believe the company and

product blends well the university’s strategic vision and it’s a great way to support the local economy,” says Captain Alan Cavallo of the San Jose State University Police Department.

“We are very satisfied with the motorcycles’ performance and especially grateful for the outstanding support we have received from the Zero team since the purchase,” Cavallo says. “Everyone from the assembly line personnel to the upper management team has been fantastic to work with.”

John Lloyd, vice president of global sales for Zero Motorcycles, says: “The Zero Police Motorcycles are quickly being introduced by many law enforcement agencies across the globe, and we’re excited that the local San Jose State University Police Department has implemented them on their campus as well. Costing less than $.01 per mile to operate, with practically zero maintenance costs and zero emissions, the Zero Motorcycles Police Bike is a great addition to any law enforcement agency. The flexibility to be able to ride anywhere, anytime, is a valuable asset to the SJSU PD.”

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is making its safety tips and practical strategies more accessible to riders through a new educational app on iTunes for use with iPhones and iPads.

Titled “Dr. Jim’s Riding Tips,” the app uses existing MSF self-paced safety lessons to help current motorcycle owners improve their riding skills. It costs $1.99 on iTunes.

The app features James Heideman, the MSF’s director of licensing programs, and incorporates Heideman’s 10-video series, which is based on the MSF publication: “You and Your Motorcycle: Riding Tips.”

It also allows motorcyclists to use their own motorcycles to practice basic maneuvering and braking techniques at low speeds in a practice riding area of their choosing. Additionally, the app shows the user how to properly prepare the practice area, set up the various paths of travel and conduct the drills.

“MSF’s goal with ‘Dr. Jim’s Riding Tips’ is two-fold: to make accessing and understanding these basic motorcycling practice drills as easy as possible, and to help riders prepare for their state’s licensing test,” Heideman says. “The only prerequisite skill necessary is the basic ability to ride a motorcycle.

Naturally, this includes experience using the brakes, throttle, clutch and transmission. But the mobile app is designed so that anyone with real riding experience, and an iPhone or an iPad, can implement these MSF safety lessons at their own pace.”

For safety information or to enroll in a RiderCourse, visit www. msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION HONORS AMA FREEDOM FIGHTER Prestigious Award Given To Imre Szauter

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AMA Government Affairs Manager Imre Szauter has received the Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s Life Member Outstanding Achievement Award. The award was presented to Szauter during the MRF’s annual Meeting of the Minds in September in Columbus, Ohio.

Szauter, who specializes in on-highway issues related to motorcycling, was honored for his hard work and dedication to protecting motorcyclists’ rights. He has worked in the AMA Government Relations Department for the past 12 years.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award from colleagues in the fight for motorcycling freedoms,” Szauter says. “I hope my continuing efforts help make motorcycling better for everyone.”

The MRF is a membership-based national motorcyclists’ rights organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.

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S TATEWAT CH ARIZONA New rules that govern where you can ride in the Kaibab National Forest in northern Arizona took effect Sept. 23. Motorized use is restricted to within 30 feet of designated roads, except in camping corridors, which allow vehicles to travel up to 300 feet from the side of the road. Vehicles can also be taken off-road to retrieve firewood and a legally harvested bison or elk. The forest’s new travel management plan designated a motorized system of roads, trails and areas across the nearly 650,000-acre ranger district, and restricts motorized travel off the designated routes.

CALIFORNIA Twenty four of the 42 routes in the Eldorado National Forest that were closed by court order in 2012 were re-opened on Sept. 12, 2013, for motorized vehicle use.

The remaining 18 routes have segments that interfere with water flows in meadows and will be reopened after corrective actions have been made. The 24 routes have been added to the Eldorado National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map, which is available at all Eldorado National Forest offices.

COLORADO The Ouray City Council recently agreed

that off-highway vehicles licensed in other states would no longer be allowed to operate on city streets. City law never allowed OHVs on the streets. But after a 2002 district court case in Hinsdale County recognized that licensed OHVs from other jurisdictions met state criteria for recognition as licensed vehicles, a number of Colorado towns, including Ouray, began allowing licensed OHVs from other states to operate on the streets.

NEVADA Under a new state law, motorcyclists, moped, tri-mobile and bicycle riders can proceed through a red light after waiting for two rounds of the signal without getting a green light. Assembly Bill 117 took effect Oct. 1. The Nevada Highway Patrol says signals use sensors to detect metal, which may make it more difficult to detect motorcycles. Info: www.safeonred.com.

OREGON Public-use restrictions regarding offhighway vehicle travel, campfires, chainsaws and smoking in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest were lifted as of Sept.

18. Forest visitors are reminded to obtain the most current public use restriction information before heading out. If you are

unsure of which restrictions apply, call (541) 426-5546 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/wallowawhitman. Fire restrictions within a quarter mile of the Snake River, in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and along the Grande Ronde River aren’t affected.

PENNSYLVANIA House Bill 1060, sponsored by Rep. Mark Keller (R-New Bloomfield), would permit motorcycle owners to mount their registration plates vertically if they pay an additional $20 fee and display special motorcycle registration plates featuring the identifying characters in a vertical alignment.

The bill would explicitly prohibit motorcycle registration plates with horizontal identifying characters from being vertically mounted.

VIRGINIA The Southwest Regional Recreation Authority, also known as Spearhead Trails, recently commemorated the opening of its first multi-use trail system with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The 70-plus-mile Mountain View system is in the counties of Dickenson, Russell and Wise. The trailhead is in St. Paul. The mission of the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority is to stimulate, enhance and sustain economic development and job creation.

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EFFORT TO PROTECT CALIFORNIA’S JOHNSON VALLEY GAINS SUPPORT Twentynine Palms City Council Wants Area To Stay Recreational

The Twentynine Palms, Calif., City Council approved a resolution supporting a plan to create a national off-highway vehicle recreation area in Johnson Valley.

The resolution, which has no force of law but expresses the wishes of the council, supports U.S. Rep. Paul Cook (R-Calif.) in his effort to create what would be known as the Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation

NEW FEDERAL RULE COULD FAST-TRACK TRAIL DESTRUCTION U.S. Forest Service Adopts New Regulation

The U.S. Forest Service has adopted a new rule that will allow the agency to fast-track the deconstruction of motorized trails.

On Sept. 12, the Forest Service published a final rule in the Federal Register that adds three new “categorical exclusions” to its National Environmental Policy Act regulations “for activities that restore lands negatively impacted by water control structures, natural- and human-caused events, and roads and trails.”

Categorical exclusions allow the agency to act without preparing a costly and time-consuming environmental assessment or environmental impact statement to determine the project’s impacts.

Among other things, the new rule allows the U.S. Forest Service to obliterate “unneeded and unauthorized roads and trails” without doing an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. The rule

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Area. Cook is proposing the designation to block a military takeover of the popular off-highway riding area.

The Twentynine Palms resolution, which earned unanimous approval on Aug. 13, states, in part, that: “such a loss of land for recreation would be a catastrophic loss for a region that relies so heavily on tourism and recreation business.”

can’t be used for recognized National Forest System Roads and National Forest System Trails.

When using the categorical exclusion related to roads and trails, the rule says U.S. Forest Service officials “will conduct appropriate scoping and public involvement assuring that citizen views are taken into account in an appropriate manner given the context of the decisions being made.”

The rule also states that “this category will not be used to make access decisions about which roads and trails are to be designated for public use.”

When the Forest Service sought public comments on the proposal last year, the AMA expressed concerns that the proposed rule would “allow a categorical exclusion from the current environmental review to accelerate the pace of road

Twentynine Palms is the latest jurisdiction to support Cook’s plan.

Others include the San Bernardino Board of Supervisors, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Yucca Valley and the Homestead Valley Community Council.

Cook’s plan is part of the National Defense Authorization Act, which has cleared the House and is in the Senate for consideration.

The Navy wants to expand the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms into the 189,000-acre Johnson Valley area, which is a longstanding and popular area across the San Bernardino Mountains from Los Angeles.

Cook’s proposal would designate Johnson Valley OHV as the Johnson Valley National OHV Recreation Area. The area would be designated specifically for recreational uses, including, but not limited to, OHV use, camping and hiking.

Marine Corps activities would be allowed twice a year and could not include any explosives that could be left behind.

Cook is a member of the House Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. He served as an infantry officer and retired after 26 years as a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. During his time in combat, he was awarded the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

and trail deconstruction. In other words, these new categorical exclusions will make it much easier for the Forest Service to reduce the number and mileage of trails.”

The AMA also asked why a categorical exclusion wasn’t proposed for instances when the Forest Service restores trails for the safety of users.

“Now, more than ever, it’s important for all riders to contact their local national forest and get on the contact list to be notified when the local forest plans to take any action on trails,” says Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations. “Since the Forest Service can move quickly to destroy trails, we must be prepared to move quickly to voice our concerns as motorized recreation enthusiasts when we can.”

REGULATORY CHANGES MAY RESULT IN DE FACTO WILDERNESS

AMA Seeks Answers From U.S. Forest Service

The U.S. Forest Service is proposing a new “ecological restoration policy” that the AMA

fears could be used to arbitrarily limit access to motorized trails.

The proposed policy, published in the Federal Register on Sept. 12, “has the potential to create de facto Wilderness by administrative fiat,” says Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations.

In a letter to the Forest Service dated Oct. 1, Allard notes: “The AMA recognizes there are areas that should be preserved untouched for future generations. Congress recognized this as well. As a result, it passed the Wilderness Act of 1964. The AMA supports Wilderness designations as long as they meet the stringent conditions set forth in the 1964 law.”

The proposed policy, Allard says, defines ecological restoration as: “The process of assisting the recovery of resilience and the capacity of a system to adapt to change if the environment where the system exists has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. Ecological restoration focuses on reestablishing ecosystem functions by modifying or managing the composition, structure, arrangement, and processes necessary to make terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems sustainable, and resilient under current and future conditions.”

The U.S. Forest Service is proposing a new “ecological restoration policy” that the AMA fears could be used to arbitrarily limit access to motorized trails.

Using this definition, Allard says, the goals of ecological restoration have the potential to directly contradict the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960, which specifically states, “the national forests are established and shall be administered for outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, and wildlife and fish purposes.”

The act considers outdoor recreation to be a category that must be protected at a sustainable level.

“The policy of restoration will not do this,” Allard says. “Instead, it has the potential to limit the available areas of USFS land and prevent the USFS from being able to ‘best meet the needs of the American people’ and, if not applied judiciously, has the potential to arbitrarily close trails to responsible off-highwayvehicle recreation.

“In fact, the [multiple-use] law specifically states that all uses are to be treated equally,” Allard says. “This [ecological restoration] policy will upend

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the balance mandated by law by placing heightened priority on conservation at the expense of outdoor recreation and other forest uses. Does the USFS plan on prioritizing restoration?”

Allard also told the Forest Service that the proposed policy allows for broad interpretations of ecosystems that need “restoration.”

While the notice states, “The Forest Service has a multiple-use mission and not all management activities on national forests and grasslands require a restoration objective,” the AMA wants clarification on which management activities will require restoration and which won’t. The proposed rule isn’t clear, Allard says.

“One could make the argument that all trails—motorized and non-motorized—are not natural and could constitute damage to an ecosystem,” he says. “Combine this with the unknown and unquantifiable aspects of natural variability and the unpredictability of forecasting future

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land use, and any and all alteration caused by humans could be in need of ‘restoration’ under this policy.”

Allard stressed there were a number of issues with the new policy “While the AMA is confident that USFS leadership would not misuse the rule, it is ripe for exploitation at the local and regional level,” he wrote. “There are simply too many decisions made on a daily basis for the leadership of the USFS to effectively audit in order to ensure the rule is being followed as intended.

“One way to limit local misuse of the Ecological Restoration Policy is to require all actions undertaken and using this rule as justification—no matter how large or small—to be noticed in the Federal Register,” Allard says. “Will the USFS commit to this policy?”

He also asked how the Forest Service defines ecosystem, aquatic ecosystem, terrestrial ecosystem, and how the policy will affect the implementation of the 2012 Forest Planning rule.

“As currently written, the AMA opposes this rule,” he says. “We appreciate this forum to share our comments and would welcome the opportunity to work in conjunction with the USFS to ensure that OHVs are operating in a manner that is socially, economically and environmentally responsible.”

MONTANA, IDAHO FORESTS BARRING OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND BICYCLES

Government Bureaucrats Bypassing Congress Like officials at many national forests around the nation, leaders of the Kootenai National Forest in Montana and the Idaho Panhandle National Forest have been hard at work in recent years revising their forest plans.

In late September they finally released their revised forest plans, final environmental impact statements and draft records of decision.

It was not good news for off-highway riders: Both plans recommend that Congress create de facto Wilderness by barring off-highway vehicles and bicycles from public land.

This land is not currently designated as Wilderness. It is land that the U.S. Forest Service officials hope Congress will one day designate as Wilderness.

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How much land is involved?

In the Kootenai National Forest, the new plan recommends 105,300 acres for a Wilderness designation. Idaho Panhandle National Forest officials are recommending 161,400 acres.

A Wilderness designation is one of the strictest forms of public land management and bans OHVs. The AMA supports appropriate Wilderness designations approved

by Congress that meet strict criteria established by Congress in 1964.

The Wilderness Act of 1964, which empowers Congress to designate land as Wilderness, specifically states “there shall be no temporary road, no use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing of aircraft, no other form of mechanical transport, and no structure or installation within any such area.”

The Kootenai National Forest and Idaho Panhandle National Forest plans are subject to a 60-day objection filing period followed by a 90-day objection review period. That means the new plans will take effect sometime around the end of February.

The AMA is urging all concerned Americans to contact their representatives in Congress and ask them to oppose efforts by U.S. Forest Service officials to bypass Congress by administratively creating de facto Wilderness. To take action, go to www.americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/ issueslegislation.

AMA CONCERNED ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S WILDERNESS PROCLAMATION Motorized Recreation Doesn’t Appear To Be On Outdoors Agenda

President Barack Obama declared September as National Wilderness Month, touting his administration’s efforts to “preserve our outdoor heritage.” While the AMA supports appropriately designated federal Wilderness, it objects to the president’s

vision because it doesn’t include motorized recreation.

In the proclamation, signed on Aug. 30, Obama said that his administration “is dedicated to preserving the nation’s wild and scenic places. During my first year as president, I designated more than 2 million acres of Wilderness and protected over 1,000 miles of rivers. Earlier this year, I established five new national monuments and I signed legislation to redesignate California’s Pinnacles National Monument as Pinnacles National Park.

“To engage more Americans in conservation, I also launched the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative,” the president stated. “Through this innovative effort, my administration is working with communities from coast to coast to preserve our outdoor heritage, including our vast rural lands and remaining wild spaces.”

Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations, says the AMA takes strong exception to the president’s proclamation.

“Off-highway riders have been shut out of the decision-making for the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative and the most recent America’s Great Outdoors progress report makes no mention of motorized recreation,” Allard says.

Allard says that many Wilderness proposals introduced in Congress do not adhere to the strict definition in the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Wilderness Act gave Congress the power to designate federal public land as Wilderness, which is one of the strictest forms of public land management. Taken together, proposed legislation would designate 32 million acres—an area the size of Alabama—as Wilderness.

For comparison, Congress has designated about 107 million acres of public land as Wilderness since 1964, an area bigger than the entire state of California.

Once Congress designates an area as Wilderness, nearly all forms of nonpedestrian recreation become illegal, including off-highway motorcycle, allterrain vehicle and bicycle riding.

“We need to protect public lands for the people, and not from the people,” Allard says.

To stay on top of what is happening with the Wilderness proposals in Congress and the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, as well as to receive tips on how you can take action to protect your right to ride, AMA members should sign up to receive AMA Action Alerts and AMA News & Notes. Do so at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/ GetInvolved/ActionAlertSignUp.aspx.

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

www.motorcyclemuseum.org www.amahofcards.com

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

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T

he holidays are here. There are get-togethers where you can talk about motorcycles, time off so you can ride and work on motorcycles and, best of all, excuses to buy new motorcycling stuff. Need ideas? Here are some of 2013’s hottest products.

Biker Glasses

Farkle Fingers

Adaptiv Technologies has come out with Farkle Fingers that will make any pair of gloves touch-screen friendly.

Just pull the Farkle Fingers over the tips of your gloves and you’ll be able to use any touch-screen device. During those quick pit stops, make calls with a smartphone, navigate a GPS or change your mp3 player settings—all without having to take your gloves off.

Farkle Fingers are stretchable, fit any size glove and will stay on the glove while riding.

MSRP: $20 Info: www.adaptivtechnologies.com

Biker Glasses are designed to look good, be comfortable and get the job done without breaking the bank. The glasses offer 100 percent UV protection, have foam padding for comfort, are scratch resistant and include anti-fog ports for venting. They come in three lens options: smoked, amber and clear.

MSRP: $15 (Smoked/Amber/Clear) Info: www.biker-glasses.com

Help friends and loved ones stop wasting money while helping protect their right to ride and race. Give an AMA membership as a gift.

AMA members enjoy a variety of money-saving benefits and discounts. More importantly, more members mean more political clout for the AMA to fight discrimination against motorcyclists and public land closures.

DUES: $49 Info: membership@ama-cycle.org or (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646)

MotoGP & Superbike 2014 Calendar

Concepts International announces it is celebrating its 30th year of supplying motorcycle racing and sportbike fans with high quality products. The high-quality MotoGP and Superbike calendar offers a vivid color essay of the 2014 season.

The calendar is a 13-inch x 18.75-inch spiral-bound calendar with German quality action photos. The 2014 edition contains world-class photos of the 2013 season that capture the action, atmosphere and drama of MotoGP and Superbike racing.

The company also offers racing-themed Christmas cards books, and more.

MSRP: $19.95 (freight included) Info: www.conceptsi.com

Tourmaster Elite 14 Liter Tank Bag

Made from heavy-duty, 1680 denier ballistic polyester and 1800 denier patterned polyester construction, the Tourmaster Elite 14 Liter Tank Bag’s built-in adjustable GPS pocket accommodates a variety of phones and devices.

It has a removable map pocket and external zippered side pockets with zipper garages. Two sip tube and media port access holes are included, as well as a hinged lid with underside organizer pockets that allow easy access and organization. An integrated carry handle and hideaway backpack straps make it easy to take off the bike. The bag comes with a black visor storage pouch, water bladder storage bag, and a clear window rain cover. It can easily convert from a strap-mounted to magnetic-mounted bag with optional mounting bases.

MSRP: $129.99 Info: www.tourmaster.com

AMA Membership

Spectro FC Premium Fuel Conditioner & Stabilizer

Formulated specifically for high-output engines, Spectro FC Premium helps you ensure top performance and easier maintenance from season to season. It is suitable for all forms of gasoline-fueled engines, from everyday lawn equipment to superbikes. It fights corrosion and varnish build-up, and counters ethanol-accelerated corrosive problems within your fuel delivery system. Keeping your fuel fresh for up to 12 months. It inhibits corrosion and provides lubricity, prevents the formation of fuel-related gums and varnishes for easy starting after storage.

MSRP: $7.04 Info: www.spectro-oils.com or (800) 243-8645

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AMA Racing Hoodies & T-shirts

Emblazoned with the AMA Racing logo, these well-made hoodies will keep you warm all winter, while these t-shirts will look cool under your favorite riding jacket. Available in black and navy and in sizes S-2XL. MSRP: $35 (hoodies); $15 (t-shirts) Info: www.americanmotorcyclist.com

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KTM Exo Body Armor

The Exo Body Armor is new certified body armor from KTM. The back protector meets CE Level 2 requirements. It features CE front protectors, shoulder and elbow protectors. There is a separate, detachable kidney belt with double tensioning. It is individually adjustable for a perfect fit. The body armor is suitable for use with and without a neck brace. It includes elastic Lycra cuffs with thumbholes and is breathable and fully vented.

Part No.: 3PW132023-6 Sizes: M-XXL MSRP: $169.99 Info: www.ktmusa.com

Synergy Fork Flex-Seals

Available in 16 sizes, 30mm through 52mm for WP, Showa, KYB, Marzocchi, Ohlins, Sachs and Cobra, these seals are designed with a performance advanced material for smooth as silk feel. They can be removed, cleaned and reinstalled multiple times so that you do not have to buy new seals and will save you money over time.

MSRP: $38-$45 per pair Info: www.synergyseals.com

Condor Pit Stop/Trailer Stop

Condor’s Pit Stop is used every day to compactly store, service and detail any type or size motorcycle. It also converts to safely and securely trailer, or haul any bike in a pick-up. It’s billed as the finest and most versatile chock made in America and makes a great gift for the holiday season.

MSRP: $259 Info: www.condor-lift.com

K&N High-Flow Air Filter

K&N High-Flow Air Filters are designed and manufactured in the USA with the highestquality materials to provide low air-flow restriction, resulting in increased throttle response, horsepower and torque. The off-road specific air filters are manufactured with deep pleated K&N “XD” cotton media, providing an extra-large filtration area and long air filter service intervals. They offer excellent filtration and are extremely easy to maintain. An OE-style injection molded mounting frame is designed to drop directly into the stock airbox, offering a secure fit. All K&N air filters are washable and reusable, pre-oiled and ready for installation. As a rule, no fuelmanagement modifications are necessary to obtain increased performance. A one-year limited warranty is provided.

MSRP: Varies Info: www.knfilters.com

Kinekt Gear Ring

The inventors of the Kinekt Gear Ring— interactive jewelry for men and women—have designed a T-shirt for women called the Kinekt Design r(evolve) T-shirt.

The artwork depicts a transformation from flower to gear, inspired by the concept that nature influences design. The design is printed on a midnight blue basic crew T-shirt made of 100 percent soft cotton. Women’s sizes: S, M, L and XL. The company also offers a men’s concrete gray basic crew T-shirt with a different design.

MSRP: $25 Info: www.kinektdesign.com or (888) 600-8494

KTM Akrapovic Titanium Slip-On Silencer

Increasing horsepower, lowering weight and delivering a professional quality look and sound, the KTM Akrapovic Titanium Slip-On Silencer takes advantage of premium tuning and craftsmanship to deliver impressive gains. Slips on quickly and easily to stock headers.

Part No.: SXS10450512 MSRP: $599.99 Info: www.ktmusa.com

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Leader Motorcycle Gadget Mounts

KTM Toaster

If you ride a KTM, you can’t eat ordinary toast for breakfast. This specially designed toaster toasts the KTM logo into every slice. 110V. Part No.: UPW0870000 MSRP: $39.99 Info: www.ktmusa.com

Leader Motorcycle is a family-owned business specializing in gadget mounts and cold/rainy riding gear. It offers mounts for GPS, phone, iPod/MP3, radio, camera, even clocks and drink holders. In addition, you can stretch your riding season further with the Desert Dawgs Rain Guards and Desert Digits Wind Deflectors that keep you warm in the cold and dry in the rain.

Leader manufactures in the USA for top quality on every product.

Info: www.LeaderMotorcycle.com or (763) 535-1440

Synergy Seals X-Bushing Z-Bolt Kit

The X-Bushing Z-Bolt Kit is available for all KTM and Husaberg bikes with PDS suspension from 1998 to 2014. The X-Bushing Z-Bolt kit will make the rear end of your bike adjustable in height and allow you to fine-tune the handling of your machine.

MSRP: $95-$100 Info: www.synergyseals.com

Motion Pro Axis TruingBalance Stand The new Motion Pro Axis Truing Balance Stand combines quality and function. Its signature blue powder coated steel tubular frame is designed to fold away for easy storage. The single-sided design makes it easy to access spoke nipples. The 15mm axle fits most modern street and off-road motorcycle wheels and features high-quality bearings that allow precise wheel balancing.

An aluminum hub cone with setscrew keeps wheels firmly locked in place. For truing, an aluminum pointer is mounted to a clamp with horizontal and vertical adjustment to accommodate most motorcycle wheels. The stand can be used with dial indicators (not included).

Powertye Pickup Kit

These high-quality American-made tie-downs are a great solution for securing your dirtbike or sportbike in the back of a pickup truck or trailer. The 1½-inch Fat Straps come with 2 Latching S-Hooks to keep your bike from falling over, and a Powertye Soft-Tye sewn-in to easily wrap around handlebars and keep hooks away from your bike.

Each Pickup Kit includes two 1½-inch Fat Straps with integrated Soft-Tyes and one Storage Bag to keep everything clean and organized when not in use. The kit is available in black, red, blue or orange. It makes a great holiday gift for any rider.

Part No.: 29622-SB MSRP: $26.95 Info: www.powertye.com

Part No.: 08-0538 MSRP: $109.99 Info: www.motionpro.com

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Discount available to AMA members!

See page 2 for details.

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ProAligner Wheel Alignment Tool Spectro Premium Motorcycle Wash

K&N’s Performance Oil Filters

Designed to withstand the higher concentrates of synthetic and semi-synthetic oils, K&N’s Premium Oil Filters feature a man-made media that is developed to be compatible with both synthetic and traditional oils. Ideal for use in high-performance engines or to be used for longer service intervals as intended with many synthetic and ester oils. K&N’s spin-on oil filters are built with a 17mm hex nut affixed to the head of the filter, making these oil filters extremely easy to remove in those hardto-reach places. The filter is designed to offer high-flow rates and outstanding oil filtration. A limited warranty is provided.

MSRP: $7.49-$13.99 Info: www.knfilters.com

You won’t believe how well this motorcycle wash works. The toughest dirt, grease, grime, bug splatter, brake dust and road film are all lifted with this spray-on/ rinse-off product. It leaves a sparkling, streak-free clean surface that keeps bikes looking like new. It’s gentle enough for daily washing, yet effective even for the dirtiest build-up. Spectro Premium Motorcycle Wash contains no petroleum solvents or harsh chemicals. It’s an aqueousbased, non-flammable product that will not spot-blanch metals if thoroughly rinsed. Excellent for aluminum, auto or truck wheels.

MSRP: $14.23 Info: www.spectro-oils.com or (800) 243-8645

Approximately 80 percent of all motorcycle wheels are misaligned using swingarm marks.

You’ll discover instant improvement in steering feel and control by aligning your wheels directly with ProAligner’s CMM-certified, laser-like accuracy. The unique and versatile ProAligner was designed by a former FIM-GP racer to out-perform any other wheel aligning method.

ProAligner’s quick and easy-to-follow, sixthgrade-tested instructions are conveniently printed on its storage sleeve.

It can align all brands of bikes on rear stands, front stands, side stands or no stands at all.

MSRP: $29.95 Info: ProAligner.com

FLY Racing Back Country Backpack

The Fly Racing Back Country Backpack is a backpack, hydration system and a tool pack all in one.

Its 70-ounce hydration bladder is included and holds more than two liters of liquid. A tool compartment has 12 separate pockets for organization. The shoulder straps have been improved and back padding offers added comfort for long rides.

Waist and chest straps distribute loads. Utility pockets for a two-way radio or cellphone are built in. Cargo cinch straps minimize bouncing, while ample expansion panels allow most compact shovels and probes to fit inside the bag.

MSRP: $79.95 Info: www.flyracing.com

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December 2013

21

A SIX DAYS TO REMEMBER

U.S. World Trophy Riders Match Best-Ever Effort Story and photos by Steve Berkner For the first time in more than three decades, the U.S. World Trophy Team finished second in the Italian-hosted International Six Days Enduro. This ties the best finish the U.S. riders have ever had at the FIM World Championship event.

The last time the United States did this well was in Czechoslovakia in 1982.

Finishing in front of the U.S. Trophy Team was France, which dominated the ISDE, accumulating a score more than 13 minutes better than that of the secondplace American team. The U.S. riders finished 4 minutes ahead of Italy.

“It has been an excellent week,” says U.S. Team Manager Antti Kallonen.

“Everybody gave their all and contributed to the overall result. It was nice to see both [U.S. Trophy Team riders] Zach [Osborne, who rode E1] and Mike [Brown, who rode E2] win their final motos.”

Also on the Trophy Team were Charlie Mullins, Kurt Caselli, Thad Duvall and Taylor Robert, who was the highestfinishing American rider at the event.

“It has been long overdue for the United States to finish this high,” Kallonen says. “Finishing second is a good stepping stone to eventually winning the overall so we still

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have one step to go. We are still hungry for our first Trophy Team victory, so when we get back home we will start preparing for next year’s Six Days in Argentina.”

US Trophy Team Captain Caselli was also pleased with the result.

“This was really a good Six Days from start to finish,” Caselli says. “It didn’t come without its share of problems, but it sure feels good to get to the final moto with everybody intact, with all of the bikes running. It was a bonus seeing Zach and Mike win their final motos as well.”

The U.S. Junior Team of Kailub Russell, Andrew Delong, Jesse Groemm and Grant Baylor, finished in fourth place.

“The Juniors had their share of problems, but fourth for this group of riders, with two riding their first Six Days ever, is still respectable,” Kallonen says.

The Junior classification was won by France, followed by Italy and Great Britain.

In the three-rider club team division, the United States placed two teams in the top five with the Wellard Team, made up of Ryan Sipes, Jimmy Jarrett and Nick Fahringer, finishing second.

The GoFasters.com Team, whose roster included riders Ian Blythe, Alex Dorsey and Justin Sode, finished in fourth place.

The U.S. Women’s World Trophy Team finished sixth in its division, with all three

of the riders finishing the event. U.S. Women’s team rider Rachel Gutish said it was a chance to “redeem herself” after a DNF in last year’s German ISDE. “I just had to come back and finish a Six Days,” Gutish says. “Last year I had a real bad leg injury, with a bruised bone and a very deep hematoma from my knee to my thigh. In the mornings, I could barely push my bike up the start ramp.

Eventually I had to drop out. This year when I’d run into problems, I thought to myself ‘what would Nicole Bradford do?’ and it worked.”

Bradford rode on the American Women’s Trophy Team from 2007 to 2011.

Notably, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jeff “Mr. Six Days” Fredette finished his 33rd Six Days. All of his finishes have come without a single DNF. It’s a Six Days record. Fredette, who is 54 years old and rode his first Six Days in 1978 says, “I’d have to say that in all of my Six Days, this year is the highlight of them all. Not so much how I did but how the team did.

“We win two of the three final motos, two of our club teams finish second and fourth,” Fredette adds. “You look around and you see all of the organization and preparation that goes into producing these results for the U.S. Team, and it’s just awesome.”

Of the 31 American riders who started the ISDE only one did not finish due to a pre-event injury.

Justin Barcia leaps past a few of the more than 40,000 cheering fans at the 67th Motocross of Nations in Teutschenthal, Germany.

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U.S. TEAM FINISHES SECOND AT 2013 FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS

Crashes Hinder Championship Hopes The 67th edition of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Motocross of Nations went down in late September under crystal clear skies and cool temperatures in the green, rolling hills of central Germany’s Teutschenthal circuit.

The U.S. team arrived with a strong group of riders, including newly crowned outdoor 250MX champion Eli Tomac, multi-time AMA Supercross and motocross champion Ryan Dungey and perennial front-runner Justin Barcia. Ryan Villopoto, the 2013 AMA Supercross and 450 AMA Pro Motocross champion, was unable to participate due to post-season surgery he had scheduled for previous injuries.

The team, managed by AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Roger DeCoster, went to Germany with a bit of a chip on its shoulder. After finishing third overall at last year’s Motocross of Nations in Lommel, Belgium, the pressure was on for the team to take America’s 23rd win. Hopes were high when it appeared the Teutschenthal circuit suited the U.S. riders much better than the extremely sandy conditions of Belgium in 2012.

After solid results in Saturday’s qualifying races that determined gate picks in Sunday’s three main motos, the U.S. riders were second behind a surprisingly successful Team Australia and

just ahead of host country and defending champions Team Deutschland.

Sunday’s three main motos each fielded 40 riders—two from each of the 20 teams.

The first moto included MX1 (450cc) and MX2 (250cc). The second moto included MX2 and Open. The third moto included MX1 and Open. Dungey raced MX1.

Tomac raced MX2. Barcia raced open.

Racing kicked off midday Sunday in front of 40,000 screaming, colorful fans and a gorgeous—albeit rough and brutal— race track.

Dungey and Tomac got off to solid starts, running side-by-side the first few laps around 10th. Tomac kicked in the turbo and went past Dungey on his way toward the front, which was occupied by his nemesis, German’s Ken Roczen, and multi-time World MX champ Antonio Cairoli.

Tomac was closing on Roczen, who’d lost the lead to the Italian Cairoli. After a few laps of dueling, Tomac crashed spectacularly on the top of a huge hill and, while unhurt, remounted to finish in 16th.

Dungey finished seventh in the moto. With the team also in seventh at this point, the next moto needed to be much better.

Moto 2 started off fabulously for the U.S. squad, with Tomac and Barcia running 2-3 after turn one. With Tomac’s severe crash, it was a bit of a surprise that he even made the starting line, let alone the battle for the lead. Ultimately, the home team’s Roczen took the win, with Tomac second and Barcia fourth behind Belgium’s Clement Desalle. In team points, the U.S. riders were a solid second ahead of Italy.

The final moto was, as it often is, the

67th Motocross of Nations Team Classification Results 1. Belgium (De Dycker, Desalle, Van Horebeek) 27 2. USA (Barcia, Dungey, Tomac) 30 3. Italy (Cairoli, Lupino, Philippaerts) 33 4. Australia (Ferris, Metcalfe, Waters) 40

sEAsOn’s HEATinGs.

5. France (Charlier, Paulin, Tixier) 44

Jeff Kardas

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showdown for the win--and with Barcia going down in turn one, things were not looking good for the Americans. Dungey started off well but faded to seventh, while Barcia moved from nearly last up to 11th.

Dropping the worst score—Tomac’s 16th in Moto 1—the U.S. team came up just

short of Belgium, which claimed the team title.

Next year’s race on Latvia’s sandy Kegums circuit will prove to be a challenge for the U.S. team as they try once again to extend their record of 22 Motocross of Nations championships.—Jeff Kardas

pOrTABLE HEATEd VEsTs

BILLY JANNIRO WINS AMA SPEEDWAY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Adds Fourth AMA No. 1 Plate To Trophy Case

The final round of the AMA National Speedway Championship at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn, Calif., certainly delivered—for the fans, for the competitors and definitely for Billy Janniro.

Janniro capped a great season by winning his fourth AMA National Speedway Championship with a perfect showing. Janniro won every heat race and his semi-final, then transferred to the grand final round that he topped in convincing style. Janniro had a flawless night, grabbing the biggest share of the $12,000 riders’ purse.

Sidelined out of the finale at the

penultimate round in Victorville by up-andcoming young riders Max Ruml and Gino Manzares, Janniro wasted no time Friday night letting them know that he was out for all the marbles.

“Every race was a tough race. These young boys, Gino Manzares and Max Ruml, they’re getting stronger and stronger each week,” Janniro says. “It’s getting tougher and tougher to beat these boys, but me and (fellow veteran and fivetime national champion Billy) Hamill still have a little bit of an edge over them, but that isn’t going to last that much longer.”— Michael Kirby

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IAN TETRICK SHINES AT AMA ROAD RACE GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Titles Won At Virginia International Raceway

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It’s no secret that Ian Tetrick, from Sutton, W.Va., likes to go fast. The 15-year old has a number of WERA, and other, regional road racing titles on his resume.

His larger goal, however, is to turn that need for speed into a career. Tetrick, who competed on a Kawasaki 600 sponsored by MRP Motorsports and MWR Investigations, took a big Ian Tetrick step toward that objective by winning the AMA Road Race Horizon Award at the AMA Road Race Grand Championship at Virginia International Raceway Sept. 21-22.

Tetrick finished second in both AMA Expert 600 SuperSport and AMA Expert 600 SuperBike to Seth Starnes, 28, of Charlotte, N.C. The AMA Road Race Grand Championships allow current and former pro racers, with restrictions, to compete at the event. Starnes was the AMA Pro Racing SuperStock Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2008 and was a contender for the AMA Horizon Award in 2007. Starnes, who also won AMA Expert Unlimited Twins SuperBike, will compete in AMA Pro Racing events in 2014 for TOBC Racing.

The 2013 AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year was Anthony Mazziotto III,

13, from Hammonton, N.J. Mazziotto finished first in AMA Expert 250GP on a Moriwaki MD250H, AMA Expert Lightweight Twins SuperSport, and AMA Expert Lightweight Twins SuperBike on a Suzuki SV650.

Tommy Wilson of Manassas, Va., won the AMA Novice Road Racer of the Year award. Wilson was challenged by Tristan Avery of Chesterfield, Va. Each rider won a race and finished second against each other in the Lightweight Twins classes on SV650s.

The AMA Vet/Senior Road Racer of the Year was Arnold Hastings of Severn, Md. He finished second in AMA Expert 1000 SuperSport after crashing on the first lap, avoiding another rider who went down in front of him. He led part of the race after the re-start and was passed by Paul Scalph in the last few laps. He finished fourth in AMA Expert 1000 SuperBike and won AMA Expert Formula 40.

The AMA partnered with the American Sportbike Racing Association and Championship Cup Series to help run the AMA Road Race Grand Championships.

The grand championship event ran in conjunction with CCS and U.S. Grand Prix Racer Union classes.

Jeff Guciardo

AMA CONGRESS CONVENES Elected Body Reviews Rules For Organized Sport, Recreation

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The 2013 AMA Congress convened Oct. 3-5 in Columbus, Ohio, for its 46th annual meeting. The meeting brought together elected delegates from around the country to debate recommended changes to the rules and regulations governing AMAsanctioned sporting events.

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

AMA ANNOUNCES 2014 PRO NUMBERS FOR SUPERCROSS, MOTOCROSS Who’s Got Your Number?

The AMA has done the math and finalized the numbers for pro-licensed riders competing in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, 2014 Top 100 And Career Pro Numbers (AMA Supercross, Motocross) 1 - 450SX/MX: Ryan Villopoto 1 - 250MX: Eli Tomac 1 - 250SX West: Ken Roczen 1 - 250SX East: Wil Hahn 2*: Ryan Villopoto 3**: Eli Tomac 4*: Blake Baggett 5*: Ryan Dungey 7*: James Stewart 10*: Justin Brayton 11*: Kyle Chisholm 12*: Jake Weimer 15*: Dean Wilson 16**: Zach Osborne 17: Jason Anderson 18*: David Millsaps 19: Jeremy Martin 20*: Broc Tickle 21: Cole Seely 22*: Chad Reed

23: William Hahn 24*: Brett Metcalfe 25*: Marvin Musquin 26*: Michael Byrne 27*: Nicholas Wey 28*: Tyla Rattray 29*: Andrew Short 30: Kyle Cunningham 31: Martin Davalos 32: Justin Bogle 33*: Joshua Grant 34: Malcolm Stewart 35: Justin Hill 36: Blake Wharton 37: Cooper Webb 38: Phillip Nicoletti 39: Ryan Sipes 40: Weston Peick 41*: Trey Canard 42: Vince Friese 43: Joey Savatgy 44: Matthew Goerke 45: Darryn Durham 46: Adam Cianciarulo 47: Kyle Peters 48: Ben Lamay 49: Gavin Faith

and the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship for the 2014 season.

The current champion runs the No. 1 plate when competing in the class or region in which the No. 1 plate was earned. When competing in a class other than the class where the championship was earned, the rider uses the assigned professional number.

50: Jessy Nelson 51*: Justin Barcia 52: Cole Thompson 53: Lance Vincent 54: Christian Craig 55: Alex Martin 56: James Decotis 57: AJ Catanzaro 58: Travis Baker 59: PJ Larsen 60: Jackson Richardson 61: Austin Politelli 62: Mitchell Oldenburg 63: Robert Kiniry 64: Les Smith 65: Zachary Freeberg 66: Jake Canada 67: Tyler Bowers 68: Chris Blose 69: Levi Kilbarger 70: Brady Kiesel 71: Zachary Bell 72: Daniel Herrlein 73: Dillan Epstein 74: Steven Clarke 75*: Josh Hill 76: Max Anstie

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More, whose term expires in February Maggie McNally 2014, represents individual members from the Southwest Region. Because no qualified candidates responded in 2013, More will continue to serve until a new board member is elected.

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Geoffrey Cook

BRYAN MUCH: MAKING A DIFFERENCE Fighting For Riders’ Rights In Wisconsin

Bryan Much, an AMA member and retired Army colonel, is well-known in Wisconsin not only for creating offhighway motorcycle trails but also for the dual-sport and adventure-riding routes he posts online at www.cannonshot.net.

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When he’s not mapping routes, he’s meeting with officials such as Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp or talking to local business people about the advantage of off-highway trails. We contacted him to find out what he finds rewarding and what advice he would give others who want to create motorized trails in their states.

American Motorcyclist: Bryan, tell us a little about yourself.

Bryan Much: I live in Oconomowoc in southeast Wisconsin, having grown up in the Milwaukee area. I am retired from the military where I worked my way from private to colonel.

AM: What would people be surprised to learn about you?

BM: I was once a chief deputy sheriff.

AM: How long have you been riding and what kind of riding do you do?

BM: I have been riding off and on for about 40 years. These days I concentrate on dual-sport and adventure motorcycle riding. My current motorcycles are a Suzuki DRZ400 dual-sport and a Yamaha Super Ténéré adventure bike.

AM: You ride dual-sport and adventuretouring bikes. Why are you working so hard to create off-highway riding trails?

BM: Street riders and dirt riders are often the same people. Opportunity can create demand. More off-road opportunities tend to grow the sport and the interest in all types of motorcycling.

AM: What made you decide to get involved in fighting for trails?

BM: When I retired from the military about nine years ago, I told myself that I was never going to go to another meeting and I wasn’t going to get involved in any issues. But as I looked at our situation for off-highway motorcycling in my home state, I saw things that needed to be done at the state level. With my background in government and dealing with plans and programs, I thought I might be able to be an effective contributor. I had a variety of assignments in the military that required me to understand and operate in government. Plans and programs are an integral part of being an officer.

Being retired, I have a schedule that allows me to get involved during the work week when much of the business related to off-road riding is being conducted.

AM: How do you create riding trails?

BM: I serve as the off-highway motorcycle representative on the Governor’s State Trails Council, where I work to increase recognition and acceptance of motorcycling while striving to increase our riding opportunities.

I’m also the lead on a project we have going in Wisconsin to get off-highway motorcycle legislation in place to provide a funding stream we need to build and sustain more motorcycle trails.

When I see an opportunity to improve our situation somehow, I act on it. Even small advances can add up to significant progress over time.

I also keep in touch and promote cooperation with other motorized trail user groups. Generally we have the same interests, so it is best to work together where we can instead of as competitors.

Along with others, I represent our interests to outside groups and agencies, interpret issues that affect us, and inform others of what is going on and what action we can take to improve things. Much of what goes on issue-wise can be a lot to sort through and sometimes even a little complex to figure out for people that aren’t usually involved in the process. I try to digest the issues to make them easier for riders to respond to. Sometimes I develop talking points or publish information papers for people to consider as they prepare a response.

There are a lot of people who work at improving our lot as off-highway motorcyclists, and I am proud to know and work with a number of them. Sometimes we can make great progress at the local level through the efforts of only a few dedicated individuals and clubs in an area.

Everyone who contributes to our cause is very important to what we want to accomplish. If someone has the time and inclination to get involved, please join the advocacy team in your area.

AM: What are some of the biggest challenges facing riders today?

BM: We need trails to ride that are reasonably close to where people live. Government does well putting other parks and facilities close to the population that will use them. We need the same opportunities for off-highway motorcyclists.

AM: What can off-highway riders do to help protect and increase riding options?

BM: We have to be involved at the local level and promote our recreational interest. Some people who have never seen a single-track motorcycle trail are against them. When they don’t have good information, they form an opinion based on what they imagine it is like, which is often much worse than reality.

This can include their ideas about what the riders are like as well. The better we do showing people what we are all about, the greater the understanding and acceptance will be. I’ve had some great, positive responses from giving briefings to some local forest service representatives

or other trail user groups. Don’t wait to be asked—seek out opportunities to tell our story! We must be visible.

If our interest is not known to recreation planners, we won’t make the list that gets considered when projects are developed.

We need to regularly remind officials we are out there and that our needs are underserved. Even if there seems to be no visible opportunity, we must continue to remind planners of our needs and actively seek projects that will benefit us.

Within every recreational interest there is a small percentage of participants who discredit the sport through their bad behavior. We must “peer police” ourselves and not tolerate others who do us harm.

Things like loud exhaust, trespassing and riding off the trail can’t be tolerated.

AM: What is part of your pitch to decision-makers for creating trails?

BM: One of the things I pitch about offhighway motorcycling is the potential for rural economic development. I emphasize that we want more opportunities in our home state instead of forcing our citizens to routinely go someplace else and develop someone else’s economy.

AM: What has been the most frustrating part of your efforts for you?

BM: Working through government can be very slow and frustrating. Politics sometimes makes it difficult to get things done. We have to be determined to see things through.

AM: What do you find rewarding?

BM: Seeing non-riders adopt a more positive attitude about off-highway motorcycling. It is very rewarding to see some people change from being “antis” to being much more understanding and accepting of our recreational interest. And, of course, changes that directly give us more places to ride.

AM: What are your hobbies?

BM: Since we don’t have a lot of motorcycle trails in Wisconsin right now, I map dual-sport rides for people to enjoy.

I research and scout to find entertaining paths, make sure they are open to our use and then publish GPS files so that people can ride them at their leisure.

I also seek out entertaining places to ride adventure CHASING SINGLETRACK TRAIL CAN bikes. I publish BE FUN. JUST ASK BRYAN MUCH. photo essays of the trips I take that cover not just the motorcycle experience but also the history and attractions in an area. I usually publish a companion GPS

file along with the ride report. The idea is to encourage more people to get out and enjoy some of these opportunities.

Knowing something about the history and other background information can make for a much richer experience.

Links to thousands of miles of GPS tracks and some of my ride reports can be found at www.cannonshot.net. I hope they help some others plan a few similar trips of their own.

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WHEN ATVs WERE NEW 1970 Honda ATC90 All-terrain vehicles may be extremely popular today, but they didn’t even exist prior to the late 1960s. Though there had been a few low-production three-wheeled vehicles in the 1960s, the modern ATV got its start in America in 1970 with the introduction of this machine, the Honda US90 (ATC90), which soon became known as the All-Terrain Cycle.

The US90 created an all-new category, with its fat balloon tires that left a soft footprint on the ground, its ability to remain upright when stopped and its wide-ranging capabilities on varied terrain.

Featuring an 89cc four-stroke motor making about seven horsepower that was started with a pull-cord and driving a fourspeed gearbox through an auto-clutch, the three-wheeler was essentially a small mini-bike with two wheels in back. With no suspension, bump-handling duties were managed by the balloon tires. A special swivel-lock on the handlebars allowed for

compact storage.

In its first year, the machine was offered for $595 in a range of colors with names that were perfect for early 1970s: Aquarious Blue, Bright Red, Summer Yellow and Parrot Green. The US90 met with early sales success, proving the market was ready for exactly what Honda built. Other manufacturers eventually followed in Honda’s footsteps with similar designs, and three-wheelers found a home not only with recreational riders, but farmers and hunters. New designs with evolutions in sport, recreation and utility features followed year after year.

By 1985, controversy had erupted nationwide over ATVs when a consumer group petitioned the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban all three-wheeled ATVs, alleging they were too dangerous. As a result, the agency held hearings and an outright ban seemed

a very real possibility.

But in 1988, a compromise was worked out with regulators. Major manufacturers signed a consent decree with the CSPC that stopped the sale of three-wheelers, recommended rider-age guidelines for all models of four-wheeled ATVs and specified industry-supported training.

Since then, opponents of ATVs have repeatedly sought bans or restrictions on ATVs, and the AMA and others have consistently fought back, and won.

After the 1988 agreement that ended the sale of new three-wheelers, manufacturers adapted designs further, branching out with numerous four-wheeled ATV designs. These “quads” were very successful with the expanding recreational and utility markets, and the ATV industry grew to become robust and healthy.

It all started with machines like this humble Honda US90, which is on display at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio.

Photos Jeff Guciardo

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, features the people and machines that have defined the sport, lifestyle and business of motorcycling in America. The Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-profit 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.

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

December 2013

31

Hall of Famer

MULTIMILLIONAIRE, MOTORCYCLIST Malcolm Forbes

Millionaire publisher Malcolm Forbes was a larger-than-life character—a media titan, politician, art collector, sportsman, internationally famous balloonist and motorcyclist. During the 1970s and ‘80s, Forbes put a new face on motorcycling.

Largely due to his highly publicized international motorcycle trips with Hollywood celebrities, business leaders and the press, Forbes helped change the general public’s perceptions of what motorcyclists and motorcycling were all about. He showed that motorcycling was not only socially acceptable behavior, but even a highly desirable pursuit for people from all walks of life.

The third son of B.C. and Adelaide Forbes, Malcolm Stevenson Forbes was born in New York City on Aug. 19, 1919.

His father founded Forbes magazine in 1917.

After graduating from Lawrenceville School in New Jersey in 1937, followed

by Princeton, Forbes ultimately joined the family publishing business after a stint in the military. He won the Republican nomination for governor of New Jersey in 1957, but was defeated in the election by Democrat Robert Meyner.

In 1957, he also became editor and publisher of the magazine that shared his name.

Forbes magazine was floundering when he took over, but under his

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management, circulation and profits soared, making him a multimillionaire. He became known for his extravagant parties and colorful hobbies, from hotair ballooning to collecting Fabergé eggs.

Forbes took up motorcycling in the late 1960s. He purchased a motorcycle dealership in New Jersey that became one of the largest in the country.

Forbes became a leading goodwill ambassador for the sport of motorcycling. His international riding trips were covered extensively not only by motorcycle magazines, but also by the

mainstream media.

Forbes made his thoughts on motorcycles and politics quite clear.

“I think legislative assaults on motorcyclists are totally emotional, disproportionate and totally unfair...

They are instigated and implemented by people who know nothing about motorcycling, but have a prejudice. It’s easy to curb the freedoms of others when you see no immediate impact on your own.”

Forbes was awarded the AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award in 1987, the Association’s highest award for activities that generate good publicity for motorcycling. Forbes died on February 24, 1990.

Forbes was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

AMA members do it all—long-distance rides, off-road races, cruising main street, vintage dirt track... To better serve our broad membership base, American Motorcyclist magazine is now published in two versions.

The dirt version includes more off-highway and racing content. The street version includes more articles for road riders.

Want to switch? Just call (800) 262-5646, ask for membership services and tell them which version you want.

Want to read both versions? Call the above number to get both delivered to your home for just $10 more a year. Members can read both online at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/magazine for free.

Put yourself in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is YOUR hall of fame—we couldn’t exist without the generous support of our donors. Now there’s a new way for you to show that support in a very visible way: My Hall of Fame. The idea is simple: A $20 donation gets you a 3-inch-square space on the wall in the Hall of Fame entrance foyer that hangs during the campaign year. Want a bigger space? A 6-inch square is an $80 donation, and a 9-inch square is a $180 donation. You also get an official certificate noting that your picture is on display in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

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A LEGENDARY WEEKEND

Celebrating In Las Vegas

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Left: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Malcolm Smith (left) and 2013 inductee Norm McDonald provided an amazing moment at the ceremony. Malcolm, who credits McDonald with his career in motorcycling, persevered the pain of recent back surgery to travel from Riverside, Calif., and personally present McDonald with his Hall of Fame ring. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house during Malcolm’s sincere and touching tribute to his friend. They are shown here with American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Chairman Jeff Heininger.

Above: Mark Blackwell, inducted in 2000, was honored as an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend. Hall of Fame Legends are existing members of the Hall of Fame who are recognized for ongoing contributions to the sport. Blackwell has won a national motocross title, has managed championship race teams and has excelled in business.

Left, top: Sean and Dan Traynor accepted the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame honor on behalf of the late Mike and Dianne Traynor. Mike and Dianne Traynor founded Ride for Kids, which has raised $70 million for childhood brain tumor research since 1984.

Left, middle: Road racer Randy Renfrow, who passed away in 2002, was one of the most versatile competitors of his time. Shown are (l-r) Hall of Famer Jody Nicholas, Shawn Renfrow, Edith Renfrow, Charles Renfrow, John Lassak and AMHF Chairman Jeff Heininger.

Left, bottom: Danny Hamel, who died in 1995, is considered one of the greatest desert racers ever. Shown are (l-r) Hall of Famer Randy Hawkins, Team Kawasaki Manager Mark Johnson, Hamel’s mechanic Mike Hodges and AMHF Chairman Jeff Heininger.

Photos Jeff Guciardo

very year, the world of motorcycling welcomes a new class to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. These men and women represent the best and the brightest in all areas of motorcycle sport, industry and advocacy.

Held at the Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas, Nev., on Oct. 18-19, the AMA Legends Weekend, presented by Husqvarna, honored these motorcycling heroes with an unforgettable display of admiration and respect.

For more photographs from this weekend, see http://gallery.americanmotorcyclist.com. To see video from the weekend, visit www.youtube.com/motorcyclemuseum.

Below If American motorcycling has a royal couple, Mike and Margaret Wilson are it. Shown here with Dave Mungenast Memorial Legends Reception emcee Laurette Nicoll and AMHF Board Chairman Jeff Heininger, the Hall of Famers and emeritus members of the AMHF board have been married—and riding motorcycles together—for 71 years.

Above, left: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend and 2000 inductee Torsten Hallman was unable to travel from his home in Sweden due to last-minute doctor’s orders. Induction ceremony emcee and AMA Board Member Perry King read Hallman’s speech.

Above, right: Willie G. Davidson, the man who defined Harley-Davidson’s iconic look in the 1970s, ’80s and beyond, was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. At the Dave Mungenast Memorial Legends Reception on Saturday morning, he received his Hall of Fame ring.

The greatest motocrosser of all time took his rightful place in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. As a professional racer, Ricky Carmichael denied all challengers. On the stage, he was humble, respectful and gracious—a true champion.

A MEMORABLE RIDE Father, Brothers Reconnect Around Black Hills Rally

By Ricky Keck

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o celebrate my 60th birthday, I long time for him to lose the smile. told my wife that I wanted to ride After catching up on news and a meal, my 2007 Harley-Davidson Ultra we prepared to leave. We had a long way Classic to Sturgis, S.D., for the Black Hills to ride before stopping for the night. I Rally. It was just something that needed didn’t have to urge our dad to ride along doing. After several days of making nice (don’t think I could have stopped him), and promising to be safe, she finally—but and he led the procession of five Harleygrudgingly—relented, stating that she Davidson motorcycles through the side would be flying out to Rapid City. streets and out to the state highway.

Yes! Now that the hard part was over, I As he peeled off to return home, leaving set about letting my three brothers know us to point our headlights west, we all so that we could plan one heck of a family waved and watched until he disappeared reunion. up the off-ramp.

We all ride. Always have. Our father The trip to South Dakota was not raised us that way. His first ride was a without its own thrills. We had an exciting 1947 Knucklehead with tank shift and time driving through Kansas City at night, suicide clutch. We started riding when but after three days we arrived at our I bought a mini-bike with the money rented cabin in Custer, a cozy little town I earned from delivering papers. The 40 miles southwest of Rapid City. poor thing finally gave up the ghost This being my first time to the Sturgis and required that our father invest in rally, I depended on my younger brother to something a little more durable. Our love be our guide, a task at which he was more affair with motorcycles had begun, and we than capable. have been riding ever since.

But we have never ridden together as a family. So, when I began planning the trip to Sturgis, I had a secondary plan: get all of us together for a family ride on our way to the Black Hills.

My father lives in the boot heel area of Missouri. I live in Tampa, and my brothers are in Illinois and Mississippi.

Arranging the meeting posed some logistical problems.

However, we had a year to figure it out and surprise L-R: Jack Keck, Ricky our dad. As the date Keck, Kevin Keck, Mike approached, plans firmed up Keck and Mark Keck. and we had the groundwork for our rendezvous in Missouri.

With our base in Custer, every rally My father—a lifelong rider of venue required that we ride past Crazy motorcycles—attained his 80th year in Horse Mountain and Mount Rushmore.

February. Still working as a long-haul I was amazed at the magnitude of the trucker, he cannot ride like he used to, former and humbled by the solemnity of but he still owns a Sportster and rides the latter. whenever he gets the chance.

In the six days we were there, we had Life has a knack of getting in the way of the opportunity to visit the usual sights: doing the things we wish we could. As a Deadwood, Spearfish Canyon, Custer result of this, the five of us have not been State Park, the Badlands and on one together since 1974. Exceptional, I know, long day Devil’s Tower across the border but like I said, life sometimes gets in the in Wyoming. We spent one day actually way. I was determined to change that. So, going to Sturgis to get a feel for the flavor as August 2013 drew near, I increased of the rally firsthand. the pressure on my brothers to make the I have been to several rallies in my journey and meet at our dad’s home on time—Daytona (both Bike Week and Saturday, Aug. 3.

Biketoberfest), Laconia (loved the Mount I was successful in getting all three Washington ride), the Honda Hoot in brothers to meet, but one could not get Knoxville (back when I rode a VTX 1800C), away to make the entire Black Hills ride. several regional rallies in Florida, etc.— Nevertheless, on Saturday the four of us but there was something special about pulled into the driveway and presented the Black Hills Rally. Perhaps it was the quite a sight to our dear old dad. It took a geographic location with its spectacular

scenery, or maybe it was how the rally seemed to be incorporated into nearly every town and city in western South Dakota. From Custer and Hill City, Wall to Rapid City, not to mention Deadwood and Spearfish, the entire region was infected with rally fever.

Everywhere we went, we saw evidence of this. There were banners and billboards, vendors and photographers along scenic byways, and a general feeling of openness and warmth from the local population even though I am sure they were happy when the crowds abated.

When at last we were packed and ready to leave for the long ride home, I was a little saddened at the prospect that I might never return. I wondered if I had missed anything in the six days and over one thousand miles of riding. I had my stash of new tee shirts, my “I Rode Mine” patch on my vest and HOG Rally pin for my denim jacket, and two digital cards full of photographic memories of the trip. Plus, I had spent more time in a week with my two brothers than I had in many years. I had not missed a thing.

Then it was time to go.

I escorted my wife to the Rapid City airport, once more swore to be safe, and waited as she went through security and toward her flight home. With that duty done, I turned east and twisted the throttle. Four days later I arrived, a little sore and road weary, safe at home in Tampa. I checked my odometer and noted with some satisfaction that I had logged more than 5,000 miles. It was time for another mileage patch.

I brought back many memories of the trip, which I am sure most attendees did: the monuments, breathtaking scenery, camaraderie of fellow bikers, and sights and sounds of the rally. But the one memory that stands out in my mind, above all the rest—not Rushmore, not Devil’s Tower, not even the Full Throttle Saloon— was the look on my father’s face as we headed out on our group ride.

That single event will remain an indelible, fond memory for the rest of my life. What will last longer than all the statues carved into the granite of the Black Hills is the memory of seeing the look on my dad’s face and the light in his aging eyes at having been allowed this chance to reunite with his sons for one more ride.

I don’t need a cheap tee shirt or patch to remind me of that.

December 2013

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KURT CASELLI: A WINNING YEAR AMA Hare & Hound Champion Racing Ahead

By Mark Kariya

K

urt Caselli celebrated his 30th birthday this year and what a year it’s been. Besides that benchmark 30th lap around the sun, he got engaged, helped mentor teammate Ivan Ramirez and did quite a bit of racing around the globe.

The competition side of things started in January with an unexpected ride on the Red Bull KTM Factory Rally Team, filling in for the injured Marc Coma. Despite it being his introduction to a top-level rally, the American desert-racing champ surprised quite a few Europeans by winning two stages.

“It was totally unexpected,” Caselli remembers. “I got a call a week before it started and had to jump on the opportunity.

“I had a decent result and KTM was happy with that,” he adds. “It wasn’t two weeks that I was home from that that I had a contract to do rallies for the next three years, so obviously KTM was very aggressive with wanting to get me started in that career.”

Caselli is a longtime KTM rider, and he

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says that loyalty pays dividends.

“I was just thrilled that they offered me that [contract], and the biggest thing is just sticking with the company,” he says. “In off-road, it’s so important to be brandloyal and just create good relationships that you’re going to be with people for the long run. We’re not making millions out here, so it’s good to have a sponsor that’s behind you, whether you have a good year or a bad year.”

But since he started winning the AMA Hare & Hound National Championship in 2011, Caselli doesn’t seem to have bad years.

Even the 2013 desert racing season went from bad to good. It started with a DNF when he stopped to aid a fellow rider while coming back through the pack, having had to replace the rear brake system due to bending the rotor earlier in the race. That immediately put him 30 points in the hole to winner Kendall Norman, the 2010 series champ.

“It’s so crazy—all the years that I’ve struggled and the races I’ve done badly, I’ve learned so much more than the races

that I’ve won or the series that I’ve won where everything’s perfect,” he says.

“When you struggle, that’s when you really find out who you are and what you need to work on.”

After that, Caselli worked on getting things back to normal. He finished second to Norman at round two (it would be Norman’s final series appearance, the privateer opting to spend his limited budget for the rest of the year racing in Baja) then won the next five rounds before another runner-up at round eight— at a new venue outside of Reno, Nev.—to rising star Jacob Argubright.

Caselli locked up his third consecutive title after emerging victorious at round nine of the 10-stop tour, freeing him up to participate in the OiLibya Rally in Morocco that conflicted with round 10 as originally scheduled

Caselli continues: “Mixed in there was a rally in Argentina. I kind of surprised myself a little—I won that. I didn’t really plan on being up front. It was just [for] practice and to get some navigation skills down, and I was able to win, but there was a lot of other things going on. Some riders went down and Coma had some bike issues. But it was good to kind of get my foot cemented there in the rally scene so people know the next few years, I’ll hopefully be up front.

“That led into this ISDE thing.”

Before the Six Days, where Caselli was

much the racing side of it. They weren’t real familiar with what was going on in the [AMA Hare & Hound] series or anything like that, but they could tell you every little change about the new [KTM] 1190 and just everything about the bikes.”

Caselli didn’t have his best year at the 88th ISDE, held on the island of Sardinia, Italy. But he didn’t need to—it’s a team event, after all, and while he turned in some good test times, his teammates backed him up well with solid finishes in almost every test. In the end, the team finished second in the top World Trophy

the U.S. team captain, however, there was a non-racing function that left a huge impression.

“It just seems like every year it just gets busier and busier, and more things get thrown in there!” he says. “It’s what I really enjoy, doing the other things [besides] racing. I was able to do an adventure ride/ rally in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.”

The adventure ride was an annual event that KTM puts on for fans of their street-legal adventure bikes. For Caselli, whose motorcycle life revolves around competition, the laid-back atmosphere of the recreational rally was a new experience.

“That was so fun!”

Caselli says. “I had a great time, met a lot of new people—a different experience, for sure, a different crowd of guys.

They really enjoy just sportadventure riding, not so

category. Caselli wasn’t even born in 1982, the only other time the U.S. team has finished so high in the world championship event.

“I didn’t have much time to really train [for the Six Days style of racing] and put what I thought would be the best effort toward being prepared for [it],” he says.

“But that’s OK. I feel that as the years go on, you’ve really got to pick your battles and we’ve done great so far this year as a team. It’s the strongest team we’ve had in a real long time.”

Next year, Caselli’s contracts will see him log a lot of air miles as he fills his role of rally racer while his domestic responsibility finds him focused on Baja.

The ISDE will figure into his schedule as well as a few select events to stay sharp.

For now, though, Caselli is tentatively retiring from making a run at the AMA Hare & Hound National Championship as he ups his competition on the world stage. Nevertheless, whether he’s racing in Mexico or Morocco, the multi-time champ will continue to represent America whenever he rides.

PHOTOS (Clockwise From Left) A last-minute substitute for the injured Marc Coma, rally rookie Kurt Caselli stunned many by winning two stages at Dakar. That performance earned him a three-year contract to join the Red Bull KTM Factory Rally Team, a role that will prevent him from chasing more AMA championships. PHOTO: M. MARAGNI/ KTM IMAGES Though not as prepared as he would’ve liked, Caselli nonetheless contributed solidly to the U.S. World Trophy team’s recordequaling, runner-up finish at Six Days.

Individually, he still earned a gold and was ninth in the E2 division, the third American.

PHOTO: MARK KARIYA It wasn’t until round three of the desert series that Caselli found himself leading a race. After that, it was almost impossible to wrest him out of it, and he’d win six of the first nine rounds to sew up his third straight title with one round to go. PHOTO: MARK KARIYA

on Oct. 12-13. (Due to the federal government shutdown in October, round 10 was rescheduled for Nov. 23-24.)

“It was just a test of patience and I just keep pushing,” Caselli says of those early rounds.

His team also notched strong runner-up finishes in the first two Baja races, with the season-ending Baja 1000 coming up.

December 2013

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GO RIDE

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

1

Don’t miss one of the greatest adventures in the country. It’s the LA-Barstow to Vegas dual-sport/ adventure ride hosted by AMA District 37 (Southern California) Dual Sport on Nov. 29-30 in Palmdale, Calif. The event is part of the AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series, presented

by FMF, and the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré National Adventure Riding Series. For more info, see page 43.

2

Catch the final round of the thrilling GEICO AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series on Nov. 23 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. Find out more information at www.endurocross.com.

3

There’s still some exciting Pro-Am motocross action happening in Florida and Texas.

Catch the action in Gainesville, Fla., Nov. 25-27, and Nov. 28-30. Then in Floresville, Texas, Nov. 30-Dec. 1 and in Wortham, Texas, Dec. 28-29.

For more info, see page 43.

2013 AMA Championship Banquet, Jan. 18, 2014, at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus, Ohio. Info: www. americanmotorcyclist.com.

4

Be sure to catch the action of Round 5 of the Mid-South Cross Country Racing series is going on Dec. 8 at Hazzard Hill in Vanleer, Tenn. For more information, go to www.msxc.com.

5 1,2 1,5

4 3 3

5

Check out the latest motorcycles and gear at the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows in Long Beach, Calif., Dec. 6-8, and in New York, N.Y., Dec. 13-15. Info: www. motorcycleshows.com.

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COMING UP

Celebrate the racing season at the gala 2013 AMA Championship Banquet that will be held Jan. 18, 2014, at the Aladdin Center in Columbus, Ohio. The annual get-together recognizes amateur national champions from both two- and four-wheel disciplines, such as the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series.

For more information, go to www. americanmotorcyclist.com.

DECEMBER EVENTS ARKANSAS

KANSAS

RECREATIONAL

COMPETITION

TOY RUN

MOTOCROSS

DEC 1: HOT SPRINGS: ABATE OF ARKANSAS, DISTRICT 14, (501) 623-2797

DEC 8: MAIZE: BAR 2 BAR MX PARK, LLC, (316) 239-8132, BAR2BARMXPARK.COM

CALIFORNIA RECREATIONAL TOY RUN DEC 8: GLENDALE: ABATE-CA LOCAL 1, (818) 344-4656 DEC 15: LOMA LINDA: MOTORCYCLE RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (562) 864-7147 COMPETITION EUROPEAN SCRAMBLES DEC 8: (Includes ATVs) IMPERIAL : ROADRUNNER OFF-ROAD RACING CLUB, (760) 275-9852, AMAD38.COM GRAND PRIX DEC 7: (Includes ATVs) PALA: 2 DAY EVENT, VIKINGS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (760) 4054445, PALARACEWAY.COM DEC 21: (Includes ATVs) CALIFORNIA CITY: 2 DAY EVENT, AVE RACING (ALTA VISTA EVENTS), (760) 373-8227, AVERACING.COM FLORIDA RECREATIONAL TOY RUN DEC 7: LEESBURG: CENTRAL FLORIDA CRUISERS, INC., (352) 396-3239, CENTRALFLORIDACRUISERS. ORG

NEW MEXICO COMPETITION OBSERVED TRIALS DEC 8: SAN YSIDRO: NEW MEXICO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (505) 780-2551, WWW.NEWMEXICOTRIALS.COM NEW YORK COMPETITION MUD & SNOW SCRAMBLES DEC 1: (Includes ATVs) PORT CRANE: SQUARE DEAL RIDERS M/C, (607) 693-2634, SQUAREDEALRIDERS.COM DEC 15: (Includes ATVs) PORT CRANE: SQUARE DEAL RIDERS M/C, (607) 693-2634, SQUAREDEALRIDERS.COM

DEC 29: (Includes ATVs) PORT CRANE: SQUARE DEAL RIDERS M/C, (607) 693-2634, SQUAREDEALRIDERS.COM NORTH CAROLINA COMPETITION MOTOCROSS DEC 7: (Includes ATVs) ELIZABETH CITY: 2 DAY EVENT, ELIZABETH CITY MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (757) 754-8008, ECMX.COM TEXAS RECREATIONAL TOY RUN DEC 8: MIDLOTHIAN: GRYPHONS MC OF ELLIS COUNTY, (972) 4540880, GRYPHONMC.COM DEC 8: HOUSTON: SAN JACINTO HIGH ROLLERS MC-NW CHAPTER, NWSJHR.COM COMPETITION MOTOCROSS DEC 28: WORTHAM: 2 DAY EVENT, FREESTONE COUNTY RACEWAY, LLC., (713) 962-3386, FREESTONEMX.COM

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December 2013

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2013/2014 EVENTS HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS AND EVENTS AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MOTORCYCLEMUSEUM.ORG The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Main Hall: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Recognizing those who have made significant contributions to all aspects of motorcycling.

Dirt-Track! All-American Motorcycle Racing: Celebrating the storied history of the men and machines who battle on the dirt oval.

2 Wheels + Motor, A Fine Art Exhibition: More than two dozen artists celebrate the spirit, excitement and adventure of motorcycling through fine art.

Founder’s Hall: Honoring the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s generous contributors.

AMA PRO RACING 2014 MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS AMASUPERCROSS.COM

Jan. 31-Feb. 2: Milwaukee, Wis.: U.S. Cellular Arena

Feb. 22: Atlanta: Georgia Dome

Feb. 7-9: Sacramento, Calif.: Sleep Train Arena

Mar. 1: Indianapolis: Lucas Oil Stadium Mar. 8: Daytona Beach, Fla.: Daytona International Speedway Mar. 15: Detroit: Ford Field Mar. 22: Toronto: Rogers Centre Mar. 29: St. Louis: Edward Jones Dome Apr. 5: Houston: Reliant Stadium Apr. 12: Seattle: Century Link Field Apr. 26: East Rtherford, N.J.: MetLife Stadium May 3: Las Vegas: Sam Boyd Stadium AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Feb. 21-23: Reno, Nev.: Livestock Events Center Mar. 1-2: Tulsa, Okla.: BOK Center Mar. 7-9: Albuquerque, N.M.: Tingley Coliseum Mar. 14-16: Hidalgo, Texas: State Farm Arena Mar. 29-30: Salt Lake City: EnergySolutions Arena AMA INDOOR DIRT TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES STEVENACERACING.COM Nov. 16: Springfield, Ill. Nov. 30: DuQuoin, Ill.

Nov. 9: Boise, Idaho: Idaho Center

Dec. 1: DuQuoin, Ill.

Nov. 23: Las Vegas, Nev.: Orleans Arena

Dec. 14: Sturgis, Ky.

Nov. 2: Freedom, Ind: Coyote Run

Jan. 11: Phoenix: Chase Field Jan. 18: Anaheim, Calif.: Angel Stadium

Jan. 3-5: Worcester, Mass.: DCU Center

Jan. 25: Oakland, Calif.: O.Co Coliseum

Jan. 10-12: Baltimore: 1st Mariner Arena

Feb. 1: Anaheim, Calif.: Angel Stadium

Jan. 18-19: Louisville, Ky.: Freedom Hall

Feb. 8: San Diego: Qualcomm Stadium

Jan. 25-26: Greensboro, N.C.: Greensboro Coliseum

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Feb. 14-16: Nampa, Idaho: Idaho Center

AMA ENDUROCROSS ENDUROCROSS.COM

2014 AMSOIL AMA ARENACROSS, FEATURING RICKY CARMICHAEL’S ROAD TO SUPERCROSS ARENACROSS.COM

Jan. 4: Anaheim, Calif.: Angel Stadium

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Feb. 15: Arlington, Texas: Cowboys Stadium

Dec. 28: DuQuoin, Ill. Dec. 29: DuQuoin, Ill. Jan. 11: DuQuoin, Ill. Feb. 8: DuQuoin, Ill. Feb. 22: Duquoin, Ill. AMA FEATURED SERIES AMA WESTERN CHECKPOINT ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP RIDECHEC.COM Nov. 9-10: Stoneyford, Calif.

VIRGINIA CHAMPIONSHIP HARE SCRAMBLES SERIES VCHSS.ORG

2013/2014 EVENTS Nov. 10: Spring Grove, Va. AMA ACTION SPORTS GRAND PRIX SERIES ACTIONSPORTSRACING.COM Nov. 16: Athens, Ohio: Action Sports Moto Park, Action Sports Promotions, (740) 591-7223 AMA DISTRICT 37 BIG 6 GRAND PRIX SERIES BIG6RACING.COM Dec. 7-8: Pala, Calif.: Pala Raceway, Vikings MC EAST COAST ENDURO ASSOCIATION ENDURO SERIES ECEA.ORG Nov. 10: Warren Grove, N.J.: Motorcycle Competition Inc., (609) 575-7820; www.ride-mci.com Nov. 24: New Lisbon, N.J.: Central Jersey Competition Riders, (732) 558-6475; www.cjcrmc.org EAST COAST ENDURO ASSOCIATION HARE SCRAMBLES SERIES ECEA.ORG Nov. 16-17: New Castle, Del.: 2-Day, Delaware Enduro Riders, (302) 834-4411 AMA PRO-AM MOTOCROSS AMARACING.COM

(312) 689-3461, www.unlimitedsportsmx.com Nov. 28-30: Gainsville, Fla.: Winter Olympics, Gatorback Cycle Park, (312) 689-3461, www.unlimitedsportsmx.com Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Floresville, Texas: USA Motocross, Cycle Ranch, 855571-MOTO, www.cycleranch.com AMA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS AMSOIL AMA AMATEUR NATIONAL ARENACROSS ARENACROSS.COM May 3-4: Las Vegas, Nev.: South Point Arena INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: U.S. ROUNDS FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX FIM-LIVE.COM April 13: Austin, Texas: Circuit of The Americas Aug. 10: Indianapolis: Indianapolis Motor Speedway AMA DUAL-SPORT/ADVENTURE SERIES

Nov. 9-10: Lizella, Ga.: Georgia State Championship, Echeconnee MX Park, (205) 699-8857, www.rpmsportsonline.com Nov. 16: Pell City, Ala.: MLA, Kawasaki Good Time Mill Creek MX, Mill Creek, (205) 699-8857, www.rpmsportsonline.com Nov. 17: Pell City, Ala.: MLA, Kawasaki Good Time Mill Creek MX, Mill Creek, (205) 699-8857, www.rpmsportsonline.com Nov. 25-27: Gainsville, Fla.: Winter Olympics, Gatorback Cycle Park,

AMA YAMAHA SUPER TÉNÉRÉ NATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM Nov. 16-17: Hammonton, N.J.: Pine Barrens 300, Cross Country Cycles, Jack O’Connor; (732) 714-8874; www.pinebarrens500.org Nov. 29-30: Palmdale, Calif.: LABarstow to Vegas, AMA Dist-37 Dual-Sport, Paul Flanders; (626) 446-7386; www.dist37ama.org AMA PREMIER TOURING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM AMA SIGNATURE EVENTS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM March of Dimes Bikers For Babies Rides: Nationwide: www.bikersforbabies.org Rides For Kids Events: Nationwide: www.rideforkids.org AMA NATIONAL GRAND TOURS, PRESENTED BY SHINKO TIRES AND FLY STREET GEAR AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM Jan. 1-Dec. 31: Polar Bear Grand Tour: AMA District 2 of New Jersey; (609) 894-2941; www.polarbeargrandtour.com March 25-Oct. 1: Eddie’s Road and Team Strange Airheads Smoke Chasing Grand Tour: Eddie’s Road and Team Strange Airheads; www.smokechasing.com

AMA HUSQVARNA NATIONAL DUAL-SPORT SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM Nov. 29-30: Palmdale, Calif.: LABarstow to Vegas, AMA Dist-37 Dual-Sport, Paul Flanders; (626) 446-7386; www.dist37ama.org

April 1-Oct. 31: Tour of Honor Grand Tour: Tour of Honor; www.tourofhonor.com AMA NATIONAL EXTREME GRAND TOURS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM Jan. 1-Dec. 31: SCMA Four Corners Grand Tour: Southern California Motorcycling Association; www.usa4corners.org.

December 2013

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45

GUEST COLUMN Embracing The Motorcycling Lifestyle

By Rob Brooks Motorcycles are in my blood, in my DNA. I’ve seen them under a microscope, floating in my blood stream, riding the highways and byways of my veins and arteries. Microscopic sport bikes, cruisers, old classics, inherited from my mother and father, racing through my circulatory system, dodging in and out of the red cell traffic, avoiding the white cell cops.

I was born to ride.

OK, so all that may be a bit of a stretch, but like many of you, I do love motorcycling.

I come from a motorcycle riding family, and riding is one of my great passions.

My father was a rider back in his youth, a self-described “greaser” in the late 1950s, riding a ’54 Triumph Tiger with my mom hanging on for dear life. He was a real-life version of the Fonz. (They are both in their 70s and still ride, by the way.)

Dad’s bike had chopped fenders, a chrome frame, removable baffles and a pink peanut tank. He sold the bike before joining the Air Force, and no photos remain of it.

Pity. He even rode while stationed on the island of Okinawa, hopping up Cushmans and running aviation fuel in them, blasting along rough roads between the base and local villages and towns.

In our childhood, my brothers and I saw various bikes come and go in Dad’s workshop—a ’67 Triumph TR6, a ‘68 Bonneville, and enough extra parts hanging from pegs on the walls to practically build another. We rode mini-bikes, dirtbikes, and cut miles of trails through the woods behind our north Georgia home. We even got to ride his Triumphs up and down the street when we were old enough, under Dad’s watchful— and Mom’s overly concerned—eyes.

Hunting. Fishing. Camping. Riding. It was the ideal boyhood.

Still, I kept growing and interests changed. Once I got my driver’s license, I bought my first car, and left behind two wheels for four. There were girls, cruising, graduation, college, grad school, marriage, children. Unfortunately, motorcycling became a faded memory, with fond recollections from a storied childhood.

Then in 1996, driving home from work, I saw a shiny black and chrome Honda V65 Magna at the end of a driveway, with a “FOR SALE” sign on it. Something deep awakened inside me. I pulled over to gawk at this pristine piece of art on two wheels. It was beautiful. I was hooked. I drove by the bike every day for a week, slowing down, lingering over it, devising ways to come up with the cash to buy it, but more important, how to talk my wife into letting me buy it.

Then one day it was gone.

It didn’t matter. I had reawakened. I was going to ride again.

After some clever, persuasive appeals, Lisa reluctantly gave the green light and my quest began in earnest. I waded back in safely. I first enrolled in an MSF Beginning RiderCourse. I also came back responsibly,

searching the classifieds for weeks for the right deal. I finally found it: a blue ’93 Suzuki VS800 Intruder.

I purchased the bike, took the MSF Experienced RiderCourse on it, and began to feed the need. I discovered some other guys in my church that rode, joined a local Christian Motorcycle Association chapter, traveled to several rallies and generally immersed myself in the world of motorcycling.

I loved riding again, enjoyed the freedom of the open road and found many opportunities to make new friends and visit amazing places. I had come full circle, back to my roots.

I’ve since owned a Yamaha Royal Star, a Kawasaki ZR-7s and a Triumph Sprint ST. I love pretty much anything with twowheels, for the street and the track. Riding a motorcycle, I find a peace, a balance, a synergy, not found in many other activities. I feel focused and refreshed at the same time.

It’s hard to explain, really, how riding can bring all of one’s senses to bear, how it seems to merge man and machine, and yet creates total calm in the midst of constantly changing environments and situations. It’s been called “the zone,” “moto-nirvana,” whatever. That place of being perfectly focused, perfectly dialed-in, and yet perfectly tranquil.

It’s almost spiritual. I can’t get enough of it. I just call it addiction. And the only cure is another ride. Always has been, since my childhood, and always will be.

Motorcycles are in my blood.

Rob Brooks is an AMA member from Dacula, Ga.

Jeff McPhail

BORN TO RIDE

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.

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 • 12 issues of American Motorcyclist magazine • AMA Life Member Plus Membership card, pin (first year), and decal with your renewal • 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

Sign up now! (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) or visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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Features are optional. Claims will be settled based on customer choice to obtain original equipment manufacturer parts for their bike make and model. Actual savings will vary and may depend on coverages selected. Subject to terms, availability and qualifications. Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL and Allstate New Jersey Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Bridgewater, NJ. © 2013 Allstate Insurance Company