American Motorcyclist 08 2013 Street Version (preview)

AUGUST 2013

Big People Learn Mad Skills On Small Bikes

Photo Julie Monacella

Motorcycle Camping Done Right

THE JOURNAL OF THE

IT’S A GOLD WING. WITH AN

ATTITUDE

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powersports.honda.com BE A RESPONSIBLE RIDER. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION & PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. Gold Wing® is a trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ©2013 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (4/13)

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

AMA REWARDS

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Parts And Gear

STAYING INFORMED American Motorcyclist

Each month, you receive the best magazine covering the motorcycle lifestyle with two versions to choose from: street or dirt.

THE ESSENTIALS AMA Roadside Assistance

The Best Deal In Towing Get peace of mind with AMA Roadside Assistance, which covers all your vehicles, as well as those of your family members living with you. Best of all, you can get this coverage at no additional charge. For details, call (800) 262-5646.

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Buy AMA Stuff Online Find unique patches, pins, posters, T-shirts and books at AmericanMotorcyclist.com and at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio. Details at MotorcycleMuseum.org.

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Save 10 percent. Go to www. actionstation.com/ama/ and use coupon code AMAB4U at checkout.

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

NAVIGATION

Navigation Photo

The Yonkers (N.Y.) Motorcycle Club, which holds AMA Charter No. 6, is more than 100 years old and has a long relationship with the AMA. Simply put, AMA clubs are composed of the most dedicated riders and racers on the planet, and the AMA is proud to be associated with them.

AMA file photo

10. LETTERS

You write, we read.

12. ROB DINGMAN A Family Affair.

14. RIGHTS

Anti-public-land access forces are hard at work, and motorcycles are now part of “smart car” intelligent transportation systems research.

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.

August 2013 Volume 67, Number 8 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

22. RIDING

Learning road-riding skills in the dirt, and the scoop on Slick motorcycle cleaning products.

36. HALL OF FAME

Jeff Fredette’s 2005 ISDE Kawasaki 220, hard-luck Hall of Famer Maldwyn Jones.

40. OFF THE GRID

Modern motorcycle camping: tips and tricks.

45. GO RIDE

What to do, where to go.

54. BILL BROKAW

A sidecar in Pikes Peak country.

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EDITORIAL OFFICES

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The best routes, roads and twotrack, mapped by local experts. A great challenge with like-minded riders. A full weekend’s activities, with camping, campfires, food and prizes.

For more information visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Riding.

THE ADVENTURE is out there

comteit Ge

Maggie McNally, Chair Albany, N.Y. 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 John Ulrich, Executive Committee Member Lake Elsinore, Calif.

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

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 Renee Bock, Receptionist Jim Williams, Vice President, Industry Relations & Corporate Member Programs Grant Parsons, Director of Communications & Marketing Rob Rasor, Director of International Affairs

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

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 Connie Fleming, Manager of Events and AMHF Operations Beth Myers, Donor Relations Specialist Paula Schremser, Program Specialist Katy Wood, Collections Manager AMA RACING/ORGANIZER SERVICES

www.yamaha-motor.com

Contact any member of the AMA Board of Directors at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/ about/board

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

ACCOUNTING

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

AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

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

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 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

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©2013 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. †All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Products are distributed in the USA by BRP USA, Inc. Always ride responsibly and safely and observe applicable laws. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

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 STEALTH RIDER

I was riding home from work the other day and, in my neighborhood a Each month, a lucky AMA member wins a Bike couple blocks from my home, I came Bandit gift card worth $100. Didn’t win? No upon a mother and young daughter worries. You can still take advantage of your of about 5 years old at an intersection 10% AMA member discount at BikeBandit.com. out for a stroll.

As I approached them and prepared to turn, I was disheartened to see the girl see me and cover her ears, apparently anticipating a loud noise from my mufflers.

Fortunately, I had the pleasure to try to tell Brett Herbert her that I’m “quiet”—through my full-face helmet—and hopefully let her know that not all motorcycles are obnoxiously—and sometimes painfully—loud on ears, especially young ones.

Brett Herbert Thornton, Colo.

STILL AMERICAN? After reading the AMA’s response to the letter “Red Light Worry” by Bill Pollack in the July issue, I had to give my two cents.

Part of the AMA’s response said: “That’s good advice to carry a copy of the federal regulation, but a law enforcement officer doesn’t have to consider it. According to more than one member, when they tried to reference the paperwork, they were told to ‘save it for the judge.’”

Having been in law enforcement, I find it stunning at the lack of common sense some officers exhibit... To write someone a traffic citation without looking at evidence to their defense is at best negligence...

When a person can show proof that they are not violating the law, [the] officer needs to either let that person go and forget about it, or let that person go and investigate the law more closely... The courtroom is not the place for an officer, who is getting paid overtime, to hash out a law that he or she knows nothing about.

We as motorcycle riders do not have to put up with violations to our constitutional rights. The next time this happens and you are found guilty, appeal! If you are not found guilty, hire a lawyer to find out if you were detained unlawfully. Either way, write a letter to the AMA explaining your situation, and maybe the AMA will print it for us all to read.

Gerald Sloan President The Upstate’s Finest M/C Anderson, S.C.

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

ETHANOL: THE OTHER ARGUMENT I have been a proponent of mechanized mayhem ever since as a child my mother told me to “go play in the street.” I now own old cars, newer cars and a motorcycle.

My experience also includes boats, farm machinery and other gasoline-powered engines. Modern electronics solve many design limitations and help engines start every time. I see a major fuel problem for those of us who drive old cars and bikes.

I believe the EPA will not let up until they get higher quantities of ethanol at as many gas pumps as possible. To solve our fuel problems, our modern manufacturing has added monitoring devices and fuel injection into all sorts of transportation.

These corrections by computer allow us to operate at constant speeds, monitor emissions and troubleshoot failures, making life simpler for almost everyone.

A carbureted engine uses a compromised device to mix air and fuel together to produce forward motion…

It [is] mechanical in nature and cannot compensate for changes in temperature, air density or fuel quality.

The modern engine uses fuel injection.

It monitors what is down the pipe because of catalytic converters and for better fuel economy. But ethanol is an oxygenator.

It guarantees a cleaner burn in a system that is non-monitored, but has an opposite effect in a fuel-injected vehicle. Opening the throttle makes more free oxygen and adds more fuel to compensate. Add ethanol, which is oxygenated, and even more fuel must be added to over-compensate.

Newer cars, such as those designed to run on E85, have a special setup to note when the ethanol level is elevated. The problem is the fuel-injection monitoring in the slightly older cars and bikes. They can’t tell when you dumped ethanol in the tank.

They check for free O2 and extra ethanol produces more free O2, so they pump more fuel, which includes more ethanol and more free O2… This disconnect is why ethanol is not cleaning up the environment.

It is making it dirtier.

I propose that we remove the blender pump and go to premium, regular and E85.

For certain communities, the availability of E85 will make the do-gooders feel like they have done the right thing, and newer cars programmed to compensate for the free O2 in the ethanol will run fine. The requirement for a real E85-only pump at more locations across the country will increase the demand for ethanol from those who supply it.

For the rest of us in the real world, I can fill my pickup truck with E85 today, top it off with regular tomorrow, and let the electronics do their thing. No problem. My vintage bike, it gets premium. My quad runner, mower, chain saw, and boat— regular gas, no ethanol.

Kurt von Leyser Brunswick, Ohio Thanks for the note, Kurt. Manufacturers report that even new vehicles with modern electronics have to be calibrated to run ethanol blends greater than 10 percent— such as an E85 vehicle. Also, whether fuel injected or carbureted, AMA members report significant degradation problems with rubber hoses and gaskets in vehicles not designed to run ethanol blends. Simply put, ethanol mandates remain a serious issue for motorcyclists, and more testing is desperately needed. Follow the AMA’s efforts at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ rights/AMAFuelforThought.aspx.

NICE ARTICLE, NICE AD I just loved reading the June father/son touring article. It was sooooo good! But I also loved the Progressive Insurance ad on page 15. The biker’s eyes say it all. He’s deeply in love with Flo, just as every other real American male in this country is. I feel for him.

Ed Hausafus Eagle Creek, Ore. DESTINATIONS MATTER The places I visit have always been a big part of why I love riding. Many of the special places—maybe most when I think

back 40 years—are now closed to off-road eight full-time law enforcement rangers. I remember there being just one. vehicles. Considering their distances from Our future depends on our stewardship legal trailheads, the time it takes to cover that distance on foot, and in my case and and effective participation in government. other baby boomers with limited mobility, Participate, and when at meetings, strive to these excellent places are off limits... be the most civil person in the room. Don’t concede knowledge of nature to others. A Requirements for Wilderness designation little research can go a long way in being have been twisted to where upward of 20 percent of federal public land in some able to suggest and discuss options. The states has been determined to be “special conservation movement was conceived by outdoor sportsman to preserve their and unique” and eligible for Wilderness. quality of outdoor sporting experiences.

In areas for which Wilderness designation criteria can’t be further stretched, other Most important, belong to and support backcountry stakeholders are attempting to organizations that support and defend responsible public access. create private domains through monument designation with inappropriate application of the Antiquities Act. Robert Adams In addition, new components of land-use Pahrump, Nev. planning are subjective aesthetic values.

THE SOUND ISSUE This is their reasoning: “I don’t like off-road I am writing to take exception to your vehicles—their simply being there offends me. Therefore, there should be a law article “Coming Around On Sound” in the July issue. I have been riding street bikes against them.” If that logic were applied for 37 years and have owned many bikes to anything else, it would be decried as during that time. un-American.

“There is nothing they can do to stop I want to say that loud pipes most likely save lives, especially in this age of drivers me from riding” is an illusion. Next year, talking and texting on their cellphones the Bureau of Land Management office 13DBA158_AMERICAN_MOTORCYCLIST_JULY15_PRESS.pdf 5/15/13 11:17 AM and1 being otherwise distracted behind serving Clark County, Nev., is budgeting for

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the wheel. I came to this conclusion when I consider the three loudest bikes I have owned... I rarely encountered close calls while riding these bikes; but while riding the others I have owned (with stock quiet exhausts) it was like “running the gauntlet” just to get where I was going.

While not obnoxiously loud these bikes made enough noise to get the attention of surrounding drivers.

Matthew Bowman Middletown, Ohio Thanks for your letter, Matthew. Some street riders still share your opinion, but there is no scientific study that supports the claim that loud motorcycle exhaust lowers the risk of crashes. (On the other hand, rider education and risk-management strategies have been proven effective.)

Unfortunately, excessive sound is one of the biggest reasons for cities and states implementing draconian sound laws and legislation targeting motorcyclists. The AMA believes the SAE J2825 sound standard is a reasonable solution. For more information, go to www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ Rights/SoundAdvice.aspx.

TRIM SAFETY

FROM THE PRESIDENT

a family affair

Sharing A Passion For Riding

By Rob Dingman My job requires me to be away from home and my family a lot, including over many weekends. One of the things I really like to do when I get a weekend off is to go trail riding. After being away for successive weekends at some motorcycling meeting or event, it can be hard to justify avoiding the honey-do list to go riding. I would never say that my wife is anything less than supportive (at least not in a publication that comes to my house anyway) but I do spend a great deal of time involved in one way or another with motorcycling.

Of course, it occurred to me that there’s no better way to bond with my kids and spend more time with the family than to get them involved in motorcycling. Until recently, my 12- and 14-year-old sons had shown little more than a passing interest in dirt bikes.

They both have other interests and are getting to the ages when there are fewer activities to bond with their old man.

As AMA president and CEO, I am not immune from the issues all motorcyclists face when it comes to things like getting buy-in from my wife and negotiating for additional space in the garage. I decided that I would ease into it and only get one bike for the boys to share and learn on—at first. (To this day, I am not certain that I ever officially got that buy-in, but then I never heard, “No!”) So one day this spring, the boys and I went to a dealership and purchased a Kawasaki KLX140L. After several trips to the local gear shop, they were both fully equipped and ready to learn to ride.

I started the boys out in our very small yard, figuring it would take them some time to get used to the clutch and develop a comfort-level with the bike. They learned quickly and had a really good first experience with the bike. My wife even rode a few laps around the yard.

A neighbor suggested that I take the boys out to a much larger neighborhood common area across the street. So we did. Now this is a small field usually used by the neighborhood kids to play soccer and football and fly kites and things like that. I figured if I let them ride there too long, it would only be a matter of time before I got a letter in my mailbox from the neighborhood association, so I reluctantly made them return to the yard. But—you guessed it—after riding in a much larger space, our small yard had quickly become even smaller.

Watching the boys ride and seeing how much fun they were having was really tough on their 8-year-old sister. You can imagine how many times I heard how unfair it was that the boys had a dirtbike and she didn’t. Now, my daughter is what has been described as “spirited.” She is smart, tough, energetic and regularly puts her older brothers in their place. I frequently say that if she had been born first, she’d be an only child. In short, I had no doubt that she could be the strongest rider of the three.

It was my wife’s idea, in fact, to get our daughter a bike. She only had to mention it once, and I brought my daughter to the dealership and picked up a Yamaha TTR50. We also got her outfitted with all the necessary safety gear and she was ready to go. She rode the wheels off that little 50 the first time out in the yard and, given the size of the bike, she had plenty of room.

While my boys seemed to get the hang of riding much more quickly than I thought they would, this also meant that I would

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have to find a larger place for them to ride. They had grown bored with figure eights in the yard but they were not quite yet ready for trails. So the next time I was home on a weekend, I took them to a baseball field and let them ride around the outfield. This is where sharing a bike quickly wore thin.

As luck would have it, a colleague at the AMA needed additional space in his garage for a new bike he had already purchased and decided to sell me his wife’s slightly used Honda CRF230F. We were now ready for a family outing. I loaded my bike and the boys’ bikes on the trailer and put my daughter’s bike in the back of the SUV and headed for the nearby state forest OHV area. It has a large open area, where I thought it would be good for the kids to hone their skills because they weren’t quite ready for trails. And since we were going to be staying in one place, Mom could come and supervise.

After riding around for less than a half hour, I suggested to my wife that she take a turn on the KLX. I was hoping it would improve her comfort level with me taking the kids riding. She put on a helmet and waived off my 12-year-old’s offer of his gloves and chest protector. She was on the bike for less than five minutes when she grabbed too much front brake going into a little dip in the terrain, got out of shape and whiskey throttled her way onto the ground.

She was banged up pretty bad and told me through clenched teeth while still on the ground that we needed to leave. Obviously, this didn’t turn out at all like I had planned. She has been a good sport about it since and, thankfully, enough time has gone by that she can almost laugh about it.

The boys finally graduated to easy trails and I recently took them to ride some trails in the Wayne National Forest here in Ohio. Yes, there was some controversy when my daughter got left behind at home but she’ll be getting some one-on-one trail riding time with Dad soon. I am sure that it won’t be long before I am the one who can’t keep up with the kids.

Motorcycling really is a family affair. While riding with my wife and kids, I am reminded why we work so hard to preserve our motorcycling freedoms for future generations.

Rob Dingman is the AMA president and CEO. Share your family riding story at submissions@ama-cycle.org.

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LEGISLATION, LAWSUITS AIM TO STOP TRAIL RIDING

Jeff Kardas

California, Other Western States Are Latest Battlegrounds

F

ederal legislation has been introduced that would designate 23 million acres in five western states as Wilderness— which would block off-highway riding on that land—and a lawsuit in California could stop open riding at the popular Ocotillo Wells recreation area.

These are the current battle fronts challenging responsible off-highway vehicle recreation.

Not all the news is bad, however.

A proposal to designate the immensely popular Johnson Valley riding area in California as a national recreation area— which would protect the land from a U.S.

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Navy takeover—is making progress on Capitol Hill. Also, federal legislation has been introduced to reopen California’s Clear Creek Recreation Area to riding.

Clear Creek has been off limits to recreation for several years.

“There’s a lot going on concerning our ability to ride on public land,” says Nick Haris, AMA Western states representative.

“Riders nationwide need to remain vigilant to attacks and must take action to protect riding areas from closure and to reopen those that have been shut down.”

One of the biggest threats facing offhighway riders in Congress today is H.R.

1187—the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. The bill would designate 23 million acres of public land in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming as Wilderness.

A Wilderness designation is one of the strictest forms of public land management.

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

Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations, has repeatedly expressed the association’s concerns.

“Our public lands are for the enjoyment of all Americans and not just an elite few who would have you build a fence around them for those who are physically able to enjoy them,” says Allard. “Enthusiasts who enjoy the public lands of our nation are not just the nimble and fit but also families with small children who wish to recreate together as well as active senior citizens and the handicapped who enjoy the freedom to access the outdoors that off-highway vehicle and all-terrain vehicles provide.”

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) introduced H.R. 1187 with support from U.S. Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-Texas) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

Besides going to Congress to ask lawmakers to pass legislation to block

A Wilderness designation is one of the strictest forms of public land management. Once Congress designates an area as Wilderness, nearly all forms of non-pedestrian recreation are illegal, including off-highway vehicle and bicycle riding.

OHV riding, anti-access groups also file lawsuits. In late May, the groups Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and the Desert Protective Council filed a lawsuit to try to force the state of California to restrict riding in the popular Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area in Southern California.

Ocotillo Wells offers more than 85,000 acres of desert for off-highway riding. The lawsuit seeks to end the area’s open riding policy and impose rules restricting riders to designated routes.

On a positive note, U.S. Rep. Paul Cook’s (R-Calif.) plan to create the Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area in California was included June 5 in the National Defense Authorization Act, which is making its way through Congress. If approved, the proposal would protect the area from a takeover by the U.S. Navy that would virtually end riding there. 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 long-standing and popular area that is across the San Bernardino Mountains from Los Angeles.

“This legislation has cleared an important hurdle,” says Cook, a member of the House Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. “Support for it was overwhelmingly bipartisan.

“My concern has always been about public safety,” says the retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, who was awarded the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

“The Johnson Valley [area] is one of the few places left for off-highway vehicle recreation. This is a balanced approach which protects public safety while still allowing for recreational use.”

Several years ago, the U.S. Department of the Navy began the formal process to take over some 365,906 acres of public land near San Bernardino to use for livefire training for the Marines.

Cook’s proposal would designate the Johnson Valley OHV riding area 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 couldn’t include any explosives that could be left behind.

There’s also an effort in Congress to try to reclaim the 75,000-acre Clear Creek Management Area in California’s San Benito and Fresno counties for recreational use.

California U.S. Reps. Sam Farr (D-Carmel), David G. Valadao (R-Hanford) and Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) introduced the bill, called the Clear Creek National Recreation Area and Conservation Act. The bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the land, to reopen the area for recreational uses.

Besides allowing access for off-highway vehicles, the measure, H.R. 1776, would designate about 21,000 acres of BLM land adjacent to Clear Creek as the Joaquin Rocks Wilderness.

Once considered a premier off-road vehicle recreation site, Clear Creek was closed to the public in 2008 following an Environmental Protection Agency analysis because of health risks that may be posed by naturally occurring asbestos.

AMA STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF TRAIL FUNDING

DISTRACTED DRIVERS RUN RED LIGHTS New Campaign Launched To Raise Awareness

threat to motorcyclists, particularly when it comes to cellphone use while driving.

According to the National Safety Council, cellphone use is a factor in 21 percent of crashes, and drivers talking on handheld or hands-free cellphones are four times more likely to be involved in a car crash.

The AMA recognizes that distracted or inattentive driving has become a major concern for all road users. Far too many cases have been documented of motorcyclists being injured or killed as the result of other vehicle operators being distracted or inattentive.

To view AMA position statements on distracted and inattentive vehicle operation and rider education, as well as other subjects, visit www. americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/ positionstatements.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin’s office

A new research analysis by two trafficsafety groups shows that distracted driving is a factor in drivers running red lights.

The National Coalition for Safer Roads and FocusDriven released the analysis examining the impact of distracted driving on red-light running. With the release of the findings, the two organizations launched a new multimedia campaign effort, Stop Distraction on Red, to raise awareness about distracted driving and intersection safety.

A sample of 118 red-light safety camera intersections in 19 communities across the United States was analyzed over a three-month period, finding that 12 percent of red-light violations during that period were caused by distracted driving.

From the sample findings it’s estimated that 7,336,696 intersection violations across the United States were attributed to distracted driving in 2012.

Distracted driving is a pervasive

Tells U.S. Lawmakers Trails Vital for Rural Economies

‘RIDIN’ WITH YOUR REP’ IN ARKANSAS

The day was wet and soggy, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of those who turned out for the “Ridin’ With Your Rep” day with U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) at the North Little Rock ORV Park in Arkansas. The event was an opportunity for riders to tackle the motocross track and trail ride with Griffin as well as discuss motorcycling-related issues.

Pictured left to right are: Griffin, Jason McGehee, Phil Jarvis, Jon Samford, AMA Deputy Director of Government Relations Rick Podliska, AMA Grassroots Coordinator Danielle Fowles, Annamarie Atwood, Carl Vogelpohl and Aaron Lazenby.

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As Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx was being considered in late May in Washington, D.C., to be the new U.S. transportation secretary, the AMA reminded lawmakers that the secretary is also responsible for the Recreational Trails Program.

The AMA’s concerns were raised at the nomination hearing by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). She asked Foxx: “If confirmed, will you work to ensure that this valuable program [RTP] continues to meet the needs of all trail users in Minnesota and across the nation?”

Amy Klobuchar Foxx responded that he “looks forward to working with you [Klobuchar] on these issues.”

Those trails are important for rural economies, are a way to explore the nation’s natural beauty and enjoy physical activity, wrote Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations, in a column that appeared in the Washington, D.C., newspaper The Hill on May 21.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of this program,” wrote Allard, who is a former U.S. representative and U.S. senator. “In my home state of Colorado, outdoor recreation is a $13.2 billion-a-year industry. Across the country, outdoor recreation generates $646 billion a year in consumer spending and supports 6.1 million direct American jobs that can never be outsourced.”

Allard wrote that since 1991, Congress has considered the benefits of recreational trails when authoring our nation’s transportation bills. Out of this bipartisan consideration, the Recreational Trails Program emerged as an equitable way to fund the nation’s vast system of trails.

The RTP is a federal grant program that provides funds to the states to develop and maintain recreational trails and related facilities for all recreationists. RTP funds come from excise taxes generated by fuel purchased for off-highway vehicle recreation—snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-highway light trucks.

SUPPORT NEEDED FOR E15 FUEL LEGISLATION

damage their engines and fuel systems.

The AMA wants your help to pass S. 344 and H.R. 875. Contact your representative and senators and ask them to support S. 344 and H.R. 875.

Contact Your Federal Lawmakers

The AMA is asking you to act now to urge your U.S. legislators to support two E15 fuel-related bills in Congress that could protect your motorcycle from possible damage.

U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) has introduced a bill, H.R. 875, to require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to stop the use of E15 fuel until it has been studied more.

In the Senate, Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and David Vitter (R-La.) introduced legislation to overturn the EPA waivers that allow E15 to be used in many passenger cars and light trucks and would prohibit the EPA from granting any waiver for a blend above 10 percent ethanol.

The senators said the higher blend of ethanol has been found to cause engine damage, reduce fuel eďŹƒciency and contribute to higher corn prices and rising food costs for American consumers.

In October 2010, the EPA approved

E15 for use in model year 2007 and newer light-duty vehicles (cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles). In January 2011, it added model year 2001-2006 light-duty vehicles to the approved list.

None of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and ATVs currently in use are on the EPA approved list and no manufacturer has approved E15 for use in its motorcycles and ATVs. Since motorcycles and ATVs haven’t been approved to use E15, the AMA has expressed serious concerns about inadvertent misfueling that could

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CAN MOTORCYCLES TALK? Research Is Under Way To Find Out

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Motorcycles are now being added to the mix of vehicles in a federal research project into intelligent transportation systems, which allow vehicles to “talk” to each other to avoid collisions.

The 30-month, $15 million project called U.S. Safety Pilot Model Deployment began in August 2012. The research is being conducted for the federal government by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The project involves almost 3,000 vehicles and initially only included passengers cars, commercial trucks and transit buses. The institute is now adding motorcycles to the mix to see how cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles interact using V2V (Vehicleto-Vehicle) communications technology from Cohda Wireless, a vendor in the intelligent transport systems sector.

BMW and Honda motorcycles are being used for the research.

Paul Gray, Cohda Wireless CEO, says that it’s extremely important that connected vehicle technology include vulnerable road users such as motorcycle riders and pedestrians.

“We are very proud to see our products being used in this important

trial to improve the safety of car drivers and motorcycle riders alike,” he says.

For more than a decade the AMA has maintained that motorcycles must be an important part of the mix of vehicles involved in research related to ITS. Grey notes that with V2V communications, the vehicles must be able to communicate with each other even in an urban setting where buildings prevent the drivers and riders at an intersection from seeing each other.

Cohda and Cisco Systems have jointly developed roadside equipment that enables communications for such safety applications as Curve Speed Warnings, which tell a driver or rider when their vehicle is approaching a curve too fast, and Traffic Signal Violation Warnings, which indicate when a vehicle might run a red light. Both of these applications are important for motorcycle riders.

Cohda has also developed a vehicle awareness device that enables V2V communications for such safety applications as Intersection Collision Warnings, Forward Collision Warnings and Emergency Electronic Brake Lights.

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S TATEWAT C H

FLORIDA Gas stations are no longer required to put ethanol in their gas under a new law that went into effect July 1. The law is the

result of House Bill 4001, sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach).

ILLINOIS House Resolution 312, introduced

by Rep. Dan Beiser (D-Alton) urges Congress to suspend the sale of gasoline blended with ethanol at levels above E10 until motorists are better protected.

The resolution cites numerous problems with gasoline containing greater than 10 percent ethanol by volume, including the potential of fueling unapproved vehicles and engines, and voiding manufacturer warranties.

SOUTH CAROLINA Motorcyclists must now take a skills test when renewing their beginner motorcycle license permits, under new rules that went into effect June 3. The rider must pass the skills test to get a motorcycle license.

Failure results in a renewed learning permit.

Officials decided to impose the new rule because so many riders with learner

Rick Podliska

CALIFORNIA A driver who allegedly swerved his car into a motorcyclist in an apparent case of road rage in Chula Vista has pleaded not guilty to felony charges. Phillip Michael Eggers, 24, of El Cajon, entered the plea to charges of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of child endangerment related to the May 22 incident.

In other news, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Maps are now available to the public at no cost. The Federal Travel Management Rule requires national forests to produce these maps to display a transportation system of the roads, trails and areas that are open for public motor vehicle use. The maps are available at all Shasta-Trinity National Forest offices and at other locations.

U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (left) and the AMA’s Wayne Allard.

AMA HONORS U.S. REP. JIM SENSENBRENNER Lawmaker Receives Hero Award

The AMA honored U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) for his extraordinary efforts to support motorcyclists and motorcycling during the two-year 112th Congress that ended late last year.

Sensenbrenner was singled out for the AMA “Hero” award for his efforts to end motorcycle-only checkpoints and

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for trying to protect motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders from possible dangers related to the new E15 fuel blend.

“Rep. Sensenbrenner has been a champion for motorcyclists on Capitol Hill and continues to work on behalf of motorcyclists in the 113th Congress,” says Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for

permits were simply renewing their permits rather than making an attempt at passing the skills test.

WISCONSIN The AMA is warning motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders who may be traveling in Wisconsin to look twice when they fill up their machines’ fuel tanks to ensure they aren’t accidently filling up with E15 fuel that could potentially damage their engines and fuel systems. The SmartStation at 1290 Business Highway 151 in Platteville is the latest station to offer E15 fuel. SmartStation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Badger State Ethanol. E15 is a new fuel blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline (by volume) that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved for use in 2001-and-newer passenger vehicles. The blend isn’t approved for use in motorcycles, ATVs, boats, lawn mowers and other engines, and may even damage them and void warranties.

government relations. “We are fortunate to have Rep. Sensenbrenner on our side.”

Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 1861 to prohibit the U.S. Transportation Department from providing funds to state and local authorities for motorcycle-only checkpoints. The bill, called the Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act, also has language to force U.S. transportation officials to focus motorcycle safety efforts on crash prevention programs rather than national helmet mandates.

He also introduced H.R. 875 to require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to stop the use of E15 fuel until it has been studied more. E15 is a fuel made up of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol. It hasn’t by approved by the EPA for use in motorcycles or allterrain vehicles so the AMA wants testing done to ensure the fuel won’t damage motorcycle and ATV engines.

The measure would repeal the EPA’s waiver decision approving the use of E15 and would bar the agency from granting further decisions on the use of the fuel until the EPA obtains an independent scientific analysis of the effects of the E15 blend.

Sensenbrenner has said there have been several tests highlighting E15’s harmful effects on engines but the EPA has dismissed them all. Because of that, he believes “we must force the EPA to stop the use of E15 fuel until the serious safety, durability, performance and environmental concerns have been addressed.”

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.

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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.

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Touring Made easy Central Florida Ride By Keith Finnerty

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and we were then introduced to our ride for the next few days.

Even as a lifelong motorcyclist, it’s important to learn every new motorcycle’s nuances, and this was very helpful.

Mike, the service tech, explained how each system worked and what to expect. Details about the bike helped my confidence at the beginning of the ride.

Our guide, Jim, then filled us in on the plan for the day, and we headed out on the road.

We left from south Orlando under bright sunny skies. We went east toward Titusville and the Kennedy Space Center.

EagleRider planned a variety of roads for the trip. There was just a little highway travel and a lot of nice, quiet back roads with surprisingly little traffic.

The riding was easy right up until we pulled up to the Space Center. Just past the shuttle mock up, the skies opened up and delivered what we Floridians call “liquid sunshine.” With less than a mile to the parking area, we endured the downpour and enjoyed the cooling benefits of nature.

The Kennedy Space Center has endless awe-inspiring attractions. You show up

Carlos Amodeo

In early May, my wife insisted that we find something fun to do before summer’s heat and humidity set in. Although Cristie and I have been on our fair share of motorcycle excursions, we haven’t had a good two-up ride for a long time, so we started researching our options.

Although I plan most of my trips myself, for this one, as an AMA Member Tester, I was happy to evaluate EagleRider Tours.

Most know EagleRider as “the motorcycle rental company,” but they also do tours.

Even better, AMA members get a 15 percent discount.

Our timing was perfect because the company had just put together a new tour that left from Orlando, just a short distance from our home. It was a positive experience even before we got on the bike. EagleRider is a professional operation from top to bottom, and everything was well organized and as expected.

We arranged to have a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide ready for us on a Tuesday morning. We pulled up at 9 a.m., and the new bike was right up front, ready to go. It took us a few minutes to cover the paperwork and details about insurance,

thinking you are going to see a big rocket but soon realize you are completely engulfed in the past furor of the “Space Race.” They have added several new tours and that makes it worth visiting again.

The V.A.B., or Vehicle Assembly Building, is available for touring for the first time in more than 30 years. This is the indoor facility where they put the rockets together before they are rolled out to the launch pad. The building itself is more than 600-feet high with three open atriums to the top. The Apollo rockets were assembled here and so were all the shuttles.

Our guide at the center drove us right up to the launch pad where so many space flights have started. I have seen a half-dozen shuttle launches, and could only get within 10 miles. Despite that distance, each one was magnificent, and when the sound of lift off thundered over us, I thought I was close enough. To be on the launch pad itself was quite a thrill.

The weather cleared before we headed up U.S. 1 to Daytona Beach.

We stopped along the way at a friendly local establishment. Jim had prepped the owners for our arrival, and we were greeted like old friends with quality food at reasonable prices.

One nice touch about the EagleRider Tour is that it includes hotels and breakfast each day. Our first night was at the Acapulco Hotel in Daytona Beach. Our rooms were top notch—oceanfront on the seventh floor with a full kitchen.

We did not get a chance to enjoy the pool or whirlpool tubs but instead opted to change up and check out some of the local nightlife. We cruised along the intracoastal waterway until we found a nice restaurant for dinner with fresh fish and lots of atmosphere.

We then went back out to enjoy our new bike and headed over to one of my local favorites, The Ocean Deck, which is right on the ocean. This spot epitomizes Daytona Beach in my eyes. Motorcycle parking is encouraged for free right out front, so you get the star treatment.

We were in bed before midnight and soon fast asleep.

Wednesday started early with breakfast at the hotel and we were loaded up and ready to go by 8:30 a.m. The next stop was the world-famous Daytona International Speedway. Our package included a private guided tour of the track.

We learned lots and had the opportunity to ride around the track—naturally at a reasonable speed, but my imagination filled in where needed. We all stayed in formation, and I followed the rules as best I could. Somehow as I came down the backstretch, I could not fight the bike

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from diving into the chicane and pulling up on to the turn-three bank. After that, it was straight to victory lane for a quiet celebration.

After a walking tour of the turn-one high banks—it’s extremely steep and not as wide as you might think—Jim, who was watching the weather on his phone, noticed some more liquid sunshine on its way and suggested evasive action.

In this case, we waited out the first wave and then rode to state Route 40, which offered the chance to visit several attractions across the state. Although Destination Daytona is a great experience, I’ve been there before and have my share of local t-shirts, so we opted to stop by a fantastic art shop near the intersection of U.S. 17 instead.

We took a 30-minute tour through the place and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

We met the owner who had great stories and was a pleasure. We spotted some art that we are sure to come back and buy.

The lack of room on the bike prevented us from taking home a 13-foot tall T-Rex! We could have gone swimming at one of the springs in the Ocala National Forest or visited a Whoopie Pie Factory. Sadly, due to the rain, we skipped the original lunch plan, which was a well-known seafood stop on Route 40. The ride to the coast was very pleasant. We did not encounter any more rain and the roads led us through quiet towns.

Although Florida may not be known for its curves, the state’s roads offer their own pleasures. They are wide and straight with

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Next, we made our way down to our stop for the night in Cedar Key, a quaint, quiet coastal town that was definitely out of the way! A spacious waterfront room greeted us at the Cedar Cove Inn after a full day of riding. The food and service were excellent, and we were made to feel at home. Cedar Cove is known for shellfish and scallops and the menu highlighted the local fare.

We started Thursday by cruising through the little town and made our way to breakfast. Annie’s Cafe is an old-time eatery that offers not just great food but

fond memories. The Dune Buggy out front got me all revved up! The owner had been at the restaurant all her life and knew everyone in town. We sat at a big communal table in front of a huge fan.

At 9 a.m., we were on the road south. We had a choice of stopping to see manatees or visit one of Florida’s oldest attractions, Weeki Wachee, where mermaids have been coming to life since the 1940s. It’s an old-timey place and definitely worth the visit.

Lunch was at another great local place that EagleRider arranged. Cristie enjoyed a perfectly cooked fish-and-chip platter that was huge. I opted for the prime rib, but when it was served it looked more like the Brontosaurus rib occasionally enjoyed

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We ventured south down state Route 19 until we found Trouble Creek Road. This was the perfect cutoff with a few curves to keep things fun. The Harley was a superb performer and brought a constant smile to my face.

We arrived in Tarpon Springs, home of Florida sponge fishing. It was settled by Greek families and boasts many Greek specialties. There are lots of blue roofs and whitewashed walls. The history of

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sponge diving goes very deep here!

We departed for St. Pete Beach and our last hotel, the Post Card Inn, a recently remodeled 1950s-era motel with all the charm you would expect. It’s located right on the beach with a fun bar overlooking the waves.

Skateboards and surfboards made delightfully interesting wall hangings.

The rooms featured painted floors and modern art furniture. Pop art edginess was everywhere. The place really exuded a fun atmosphere.

Getting there was a wonderful ride across Tampa Bay from Clearwater through Indian Shores and Reddington Beach and Treasure Island. Riding my fresh new Harley, I felt on top of the world riding among some of Tampa Bay’s most valuable real estate.

We went out for a sunset cruise on the Majesty Star for dinner. It included a comfortable setting inside a large floating dining room with wonderful service and fantastic food. Touring the Tampa Bay intra-coastal waterways provided some exciting views of a magnificent western sunset.

The final day started as each of the previous ones: showing up to find Jim wiping down the windshields and otherwise checking over the bikes. We started at a local restaurant, the Frog Pond. It was a great find, with huge plates of food cooked to perfection.

We left from St. Pete Beach and headed

over the Skyway Bridge. Our route then took us east and north, rolling through some of Florida’s most pristine farmland.

We saw acres of orange groves and large tracts of cattle ranches. We rode out over nice open roadways with little traffic.

We worked our way back to Orlando, accumulating almost 700 miles over the four days.

The entire trip went flawlessly from start to finish. I could not have put it together better if I did it myself. The folks at EagleRider had all the details ironed out, and it showed every step of the way. The days were filled with things to do as well as ample opportunity to get out and ride.

Leveraging their route and destination knowledge—not to mention their HarleyDavidson—meant we could just sit back and enjoy ourselves.

We were treated like royalty, had a flawless experience (outside the occasional rain shower) and the kicker was at the end when we checked in the bike, handed over the keys and walked away—no cleaning or maintenance for me!

If you don’t think organized tours are for you, reconsider. I once felt that way, and while I’ll still do my own rides of course, I’ve no doubt that many of the best tours will be those planned by the pros.

For more on the AMA Member discount for EagleRider Tours, or to book a tour of your own, see www.americanmotorcyclist. com/membership/eaglerider.aspx.

Ask the MSF

TAKING BREAKS

HE RODE. HE WON. Chris Latham, 46, of Greencastle, Ind., won the grand prize for participating in the 2012 AMA Husqvarna National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series: a 2013 Husqvarna TE449 from series sponsor Husqvarna North America!

Want to win like Chris? There are still plenty of rides left on the 2013 schedule. See www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ riding/dirt/eventsandseries/nationaldualsport.

Terry Farmer

Q: I’m a relatively experienced rider and have had my fair share of safety training over the years. I’m 52 years old, of average build and in good health. I have a large gas tank and enjoy long jaunts in the saddle, and do so comfortably. All that aside, is there a “generally accepted” distance or time I should ride before taking a break, whether I think I need one or not?

A: You bring up a good point: Even if your body is comfortable on a long ride and you have a bike built for touring, your mind can get fatigued. Like alcohol impairment, fatigue can sneak up on you and cause delayed reactions, bad choices and crashes. Motorcycling requires more mental focus and is more physically demanding than driving, and a few simple steps can keep you at the top of your game.

We are not aware of a generally accepted distance or time interval. Every rider’s stamina is different. We suggest taking a short break every hour or so, especially if you’re riding in challenging conditions like stop-and-go traffic, heavy winds or rain, or on winding roads. Find a safe place to park and stretch. Close your eyes to give them a break and reflect on any riding issues that came up that hour.

Have a healthy snack and drink plenty of water.

For an all-day ride, eat a light, proteinrich lunch. Avoiding caffeine and sugary desserts will help prevent post-meal energy lulls. Wear hearing protection, if your state laws allow it, because constant wind and engine/exhaust noise can hasten your fatigue, in addition to the obvious risk to your hearing.

If you find yourself hypnotized by the white lines on the freeway, that’s a sign you’ve gone too long without a break.

Stop and rest.

The Alps, Tuscany or Sicily Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures, Ltd. 2763 West River Parkway Grand Island, NY 14072-2053 USA Tele: +1 716-773-4960 Fax: +1 716-773-5227 e-mail: tours@bmca.com www. ww bmca.com

Turn your dreams into memories!

August 2013

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Julie Monacella

Cross Training aT Cornerspin Road Riders Learn In The Dirt By Bob Burns

Maybe the concept sounds a little weird at first. Take a few acres of silty North Carolina clay. Carve out a small spider web of linked curves, very short straights, and small elevation changes. Take the dirt bikes of 13-year-old kids’ dreams—Honda CRF 100s, Yamaha TTR 125s, Suzuki DR-Z 125s—all of them mounted with street rubber. Now, add in some adult street riders and (re)teach them the basics of riding well, safely.

Some of the students looked cold on the Saturday morning of our class, but I was fine. Heck, it had to be 35 degrees out—warm compared to back home in Chicago. After a brief explanation of the

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body position we were trying for—outside elbow up, inside elbow straight, chest out, weight above the bike, eyes looking down the track—we got on the specially prepped minibikes and took a few laps to familiarize ourselves with the controls.

The full name of the school is “Cornerspin Road Racing in the Dirt.”

While the lessons are taught on dirt using small dirt bikes, it was repeatedly emphasized that we should think of the surface as slippery pavement. In fact, there were big streaks of rubber laid down on the track by the time we were done with each exercise.

Any rider who knows anything about

riding knows that you should always keep your eyes pointed where you want the bike to go. The biggest thing I learned is that this is also true of your belly button.

The lessons place great emphasis on controlling the bike with the core of your body, everything from the bottom of your ribs to your knees. There were several exercises where we did laps with our left hands on the gas tank. Thanks to the control techniques we were learning, after a while this felt completely normal.

Lead Instructor Aaron Stevenson is a very limber, athletic dude, and he demonstrated that the drills apply to any type of riding. First he pretended he was on a dirtbike. Body upright, heels under his butt, elbows out. He moved his invisible bike left and right underneath him while keeping his body above the bike, rotating eyes and belly button in the direction he wanted to go. When he rotated his core his hips and legs naturally followed.

Then he went into a sport bike tuck.

Holding on to his invisible clip-ons, hunched over his invisible gas tank. He was hanging off to the inside of the turns but his eyes and core still rotated in the direction he wanted the bike to go. The same body mechanics work on any bike.

Aaron and his staff coached us through drills all day long. Outside elbow up.

No, higher! Inside elbow straight. No, straighter! Get up on top of the bike, don’t lean to the inside, you’ll go down.

I did it wrong, and I went down. Aaron stopped and asked if I knew what I did wrong, explaining that I leaned to the inside of the turn instead of getting above the bike. He provided some words of encouragement and chased off after another student.

Just then one of my classmates did exactly the same thing I did in exactly the same place. I ran over to help him up, and then I said “Hey! Do you know what you did wrong?”

One of the things I love about motorcycling is the range of people that you meet—like my classmates.

There was a husband and wife corner-worker team, a heart surgeon, a 17-year-old who races a Ducati 848, a crash prone 23-year-old engineer, an older not-as-crash-prone engineer, a retired finance guy, a woman working in finance, a spunky lady from Brooklyn.

And me, a giant dude from Chicago.

People have noticed that I am somewhat larger than most human beings.

While this is useful when it comes to relocating big heavy things and kidnap avoidance, it does present a challenge when it comes to motorcycling.

At Cornerspin, I met an instructor who

Photos © CornerspeedSchools

“We’re going to feed you this stuff with a fire hose,” says Cornerspin Lead Instructor Aaron Stevenson.

“But you’re only able to drink it with a teacup.” understands. Steve “Triple X” Broadstreet is my height and build. We could pass for brothers. It was inspirational to see what he was able to get his nicely modified DRZ 125 to do, and he was able to give me insights into riding from the perspective of a man who could be mistaken for a draft horse.

On Saturday night, the whole school went out to dinner. We enjoyed food, drinks and amusing anecdotes. (If you ever meet Aaron, ask him to tell you the one about “The Pro.”)

Sunday morning it was warmer, maybe all the way up to 40 degrees! Aaron took us to his tiny flat track and after some explanations and demonstrations, he positioned himself just inside of one of the turns. Barking out commands like R. Lee Ermey (a.k.a., Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in “Full Metal Jacket”), he soon had us circling around the track like a demented carousel. “BRAKE! TURN! GAS!” First, we all did laps to the left, and then we did it again to the right. And then Aaron stepped aside and let us go for it.

Two other students and I were having a blast. There were inside passes, outside passes—not so much racing as dancing, experimenting with what we could make the bikes do. It was magic.

There was one more exercise to finish the weekend. It’s called “Notajump,” and it lived up to its reputation. If you want to know more, go get signed up. Hint: there are no blue barrels.

Cost for the two-day school is between $425 and $525 (pricing is seasonal) and includes bike rental, lunch, drinks, a t-shirt and a water bottle. And fantastic instruction. Maybe that sounds like a lot of money, but expressed as a ratio of dollars spent, to fun had and lessons learned? It’s a bargain.

Info: www.cornerspin.com

August 2013

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From The Road

climber told me it was the biggest killer on the mountains, losing its insulation after absorbing sweat.

Around the world, car and truck A base layer of super-fine wool (usually manufacturers are constantly looking for Merino) feels more like silk and is perfect better ways to insulate their passengers for biking. It’s a wonderfully light fabric, from the “outside.” Too cold? Turn up packing and weighing nothing, and it’s the heat. Too hot? Switch on the A/C. It’s comfortable next to the skin. Best of all, raining! Close the top. because it doesn’t absorb sweat, it’s cool As every biker knows, we in the hot, warm in the cold and can’t do this and—if we could— stays fresh for weeks. Quite would biking be as much fun? amazing.

Experiencing the outside is If you’re planning any long one of the main reasons we rides where it gets really cold, bike. We like the smell of pine wind deflection in the form as we ride through a forest, of a windscreen and hand and we love a cool breeze off guards is important. Even small the ocean, but if we’re riding hand guards will make a huge all day in temperatures outside difference, as will electrically our comfort zone—or worse, heated gloves and possibly a

By Rick Wheaton in persistent wet—even the vest. Get the ones with built in hardiest biker needs the right kit. batteries if your bike hasn’t got Back when I started to ride, I wore a an accessory socket. Either way, any time cork helmet and a waxed cotton jacket. you run into severe cold, those heating When it rained, I got wet. When it rained a circuits will put a smile on your face. lot, I got very wet. My gloves leaked, my Most touring jackets have a zip-out boots leaked too. In the winter, I froze. liner, and I suggest swapping this for a None of this was fun, and maybe that’s fleece. It’ll be just as warm as the liner, why I embrace the superb motorcycle plus you can wear a fleece once the biking kit that’s around today: clothing that’s day is done. Kevlar jeans also double tough and breathable, stormproof and up for riding and strolling, and they’re a lightweight. Even if you plan to ride favorite of mine too. If it’s wet or cold, I’ll through deserts and over mountains, you wear my heavy trousers, armored at the can easily pack for both. knee, but for regular riding it’s hard to beat Consider extreme heat. Some riders reinforced jeans. The protection is good to favor a lightweight mesh jacket and argue have, and because they’re not waterproof, that air circulation is the best way to keep they offer a great bonus: in extreme heat cool. The opposing argument suggests a get them soaking wet, and the evaporation heavy jacket is the way to go, keeping the will keep your legs deliciously cool. hot air off your skin. I’ve tried both, and Truth is, when the temps climb, I like they both work, but because I want the this idea so much I carry two water extra protection if I have a spill, I prefer my bottles: one to drink, and one to pour. heavy jacket. In any case, I’ve almost got I’d like to say I made this discovery after the best of both worlds. My “heavy” jacket a deep and treacherous river crossing is Cordovan and Gore-Tex. Experience somewhere in central Africa, but I was on shows that it’s as strong as leather and as the I-40 just outside Amarillo, Texas, and I breathable as linen. had to wash my jeans in the heat of day. It When it comes to extreme cold I don’t was after lunch. It was an emergency. think there’s as much debate. Insulation is But that’s another story... needed, and if in doubt, lots of it. The layer principle is well proven, and I’ve recently Rick Wheaton is an AMA member who discovered the benefits of wool as the covers issues important for street riders base layer. I always wore cotton until a from his home in Devon, England.

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KING RICHARD AT BIKEBANDIT.COM AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS Eight-Time AMA National Enduro Champ!

From 1974 to 1981, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Dick Burleson won eight consecutive AMA Grand National Enduro Championships during his remarkable career, earning the nickname “King Richard.” This July 19-21, Burleson’s triumphs will be celebrated when he serves as the grand marshal for BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

“Dick Burleson’s dominant run in the AMA Grand National Enduro Championships is legendary,” says AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “His dedication to competition and his focus on excellence produced a winning streak that included some of Husqvarna’s greatest titles in the country’s leading offroad championship.

BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is the perfect venue to honor Dick Burleson’s accomplishments, and we are very pleased that he will be our grand marshal,” he says.

BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders

and champions of Husqvarna, includes vintage racing, bike shows, seminars and an expansive motorcycle swap meet.

It is a fundraiser for the 501(c)(3) AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.

“It will be a blast to share memories of winning titles on Husqvarnas with fellow riders, fans of motorcycling and supporters of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame,” Burleson says. “Off-road motorcycle technology has come a long way, but the sport is still about the thrills of pushing your limits on the track while enjoying time with friends off it—that never changes. We’re going to have a great time in Lexington this July 19-21.”

In addition to his incredible domestic record, Burleson also won eight consecutive gold medals in the world’s top off-road competitive event, the International Six Days Trials (now called the International Six Days Enduro).

To meet Burleson and learn more about his Hall of Fame career—including his final title that came down to the last section of the last race vs. his protégé and fellow Husqvarna rider Terry Cunningham—make plans to attend BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna. For tickets, go online to www.midohio.com, call (800) 643-6446 or just buy them at the gate.

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Shoei GT-Air

MSRP: $670.99 Info: www.shoei-helmets.com The GT-Air is the newest addition to Shoei’s full-face helmet selection. The features that make the GT-Air unique in the Shoei lineup are the integrated slidedown sun shield, and the helmet’s specific design to move a lot of ventilation air through the interior.

Like most Shoei Thomas Berry helmets, the GT-Air uses an “Advanced Integrated Matrix” shell composed of fiberglass with organic fibers. The design is supposed to create strength while maintaining light weight.

The liner is completely removable for cleaning and fit can be customized with cheek pad options (purchased separately).

The cheeks are also equipped with emergency quick-release straps to allow the helmet’s removal with minimal head and neck stress in the event of a wreck.

The helmet does the “air” in its name justice by moving a lot of air through the interior. I’ve worn and owned a lot of well-designed helmets that did a fair job of ventilation, but the GT-Air set a new benchmark for me. There are three adjustable vents, and each one does a good job on its own. Each click has a distinct affect on air flow. With all vents working together, the flow is very noticeable. Riding in cool temps, I had to close the vents after my head got cold.

In hot temps, the GT-Air may not be an

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air conditioner for your head, but it’s the closest I’ve worn to date.

A sliding lever on the left side raises and lowers the integrated slide-down sun shield. It has infinite adjustability in its range, but I kept it either all the way up or down. Overall, the sun shield is a convenient feature, and not having to carry an extra lens when night comes is beneficial.

Occasionally, I experienced reflected glare between the face shield and sun shield, a reason I normally use tinted face shields rather than wearing sunglasses inside my helmets.

The Pinlock Anti-Fog System works as advertised. With the lens in place, I could never fog the shield, even in freezing conditions, making the accessory breath guard almost unnecessary. The face shield is distortion free and seals perfectly around the ample eye port. The six ratchet positions are crisp and positive, and the flush mount mechanism is an evolution of Shoei’s original quick release design.

The face shield and the inner slide-down sun shield are both impact rated and protective against UV rays.

The comfort of the helmet is pleasant.

The pads are all pre-contoured and conformed snugly to my head shape. The GT-Air’s wind spoilers and contours are molded into the shell to reduce noise and turbulence. I had little to no buffeting. For a helmet that moves so much air through it, the GT-Air is quiet and the included detachable chin curtain helped close off even more wind noise. That said, I still found myself more comfortable wearing foam earplugs at sustained highway speeds. Your height and windscreen may have differing effects.

If you are looking for a do-it-all street helmet, the GT-Air would make an excellent choice. Its features are well designed for a wide range of climates and duties. Shoei offers sizes XS-XXL and a dozen color and design options.

—Thomas Berry

ProAliGner

MSRP: $29.95 Info: www.proaligner.com After receiving the ProAligner tool and 12 pages of directions, my first impression was complete intimidation. It looked like a really simple tool, but a really complex process.

I then considered who actually bothers

to align the tires on their bike. A lot of the guys I ride with don’t bother to check their fuel level before we leave on a ride. The answer, however, might convince you alignment is a good idea. Who Jim Sendecke aligns their wheels?

Professional racers and tuners, that’s who.

I have ridden motorcycles continuously since 1964, have owned well over a dozen, and currently own six and have never once personally aligned my wheels. I do a lot of basic maintenance, oil changes, battery changes, replacement of broken or scratched parts, but wheel alignment has escaped me.

That doesn’t mean it should have.

Properly aligned wheels contribute to performance, handling, safety and tire and drivetrain life. It is a very good thing.

In fact, virtually any time you replace a belt, chain, or tire you will want to complete the process with a proper alignment. I confess that I have always trusted my dealer to take that responsibility when they did any drivetrain repair or tire replacement.

Once I gathered the courage to read through the ProAligner material, I realized they were more thorough than complicated. The process was not difficult. You simply sight from one tire to the other and note the disparity indicated on the ProAligner tool, divide it by two and make the adjustment until you have reached the correct setting.

It is necessary to gather some data about your vehicle before you start. Many bikes have offset wheels to compensate for a center of gravity that is offset from the chassis centerline. It is critical for you to know if yours is set up with an offset, how much it is and what are acceptable tolerances. With that information and this simple $29.95 tool, you can easily determine if your alignment is correct.

Making the necessary adjustment may be as simple as loosening the rear axle and adjusting according to the findings on the ProAligner scale. In some bikes, however, specifically certain late-model cruisers, the proper alignment can involve adjusting the entire power train assembly.

This is a task for a professional with the proper tools and experience.

—Jim Sendecke

SLICK PRODUCTS BIKE CLEANER MSRP: $89.99 Info: www.slickproductsusa.com

smudges and gook of all sorts.

• Suds Wash and Wax has high quality carnauba wax that leaves the toys gleaming so brilliantly that the product Shine seems unnecessary.

Applied to windshields the rain rolls right off.

• Cleaner Degreaser is an excellent nonpetroleum-based product. For some jobs extra exertion is required, but it still does a better job than anything else we’ve tried in that category.

• Shine High Gloss Pro Shine takes the clean to different level and makes surfaces appear to be clear-coated. (Just don’t get it on anything you don’t want slippery.)

There are a few complaints, although each is ancillary to the core functions of the products. The names of the individual cleaners are confusing and not very descriptive; I had to repeatedly read the entire bottle to ensure I was using the right

Slick Products is a lineup of four cleaning products developed in the United States that, according to the company’s website, are designed for “providing safe and effective cleaners” for all your toys— with or without water.

We had the opportunity to find out, testing the company’s Wash Cleaning Solution, Suds Wash and Wax, Cleaner Degreaser and High Gloss Pro Shine products in a few different applications.

Here’s how it worked out.

After his final hare scrambles race last October, Andrew, my stepson, didn’t have a chance to clean his bike. He used the one nice day we had in mid-March to test the Wash Cleaning Solution on some seriously caked-on mud.

According to Andrew, he sprayed on the solution then washed it off without scrubbing. All the dirt came off, but the mud left stains. He reapplied the solution, scrubbed a little and rinsed—no stains.

Andrew did not use Cleaner Degreaser Formula because he runs his chain dry and has no oil leaks. The bike looked great, so he didn’t use the High Gloss Pro Shine, a polish and protectant.

By early April, the temps rose to a sultry mid-40 degrees, so I took that three-hour opportunity to clean the street bike. The dirt, caked-on dead bugs, grime and chain-flung grease were from last June.

(I had an exceptionally busy late summer and fall.)

For the most part, the bugs and grime wiped right off after applying Suds Wash and Wax, and waiting about two minutes, demonstrating the waterless cleaning capabilities of the product. A rinse, wipe and the bike looked new. Spraying with Shine (though it seemed unnecessary) appeared to seal up the little scratches and created a gelcoat sparkle. sixth horiz July.indd 1 At the same time my husband, Ken, tested the degreaser. The degreaser didn’t remove any of the grease that was baked onto the muffler. To get rid of the grease Don’t be on the swing arm and rear rim, Ken had to reapply the cleaner several times and vigorously agitate. He thought a stiffer brush would help. Other grease, however, just wiped off.

Here’s a summary of each product’s performance: • Slick products are easy to use and leave the equipment virtually new in most cases. Suds Wash and Wax and Wash Cleaning Solution easily take off dirt, grime, dust, dried-on old mud, salt,

product. Second, Slick should provide a variety of different sized brushes and microfiber towels online. Third, Slick may want to emphasize not letting the product dry before wiping it down. Doing so essentially defeats the waterless option.

Fourth, the Ultimate Cleaning Kit, which contains all four Slick Cleaning products and all of the accessories should contain two spray applicators—one for each washing product.—Amy Nystram

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August 2013

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Sam Adams

Adventure With A PurPose

Six Questions With Lost For A Reason’s Ron Grace AMA member Ron Grace, from Arvada, Colo., has pretty much ridden it all. The 46-year-old carpenter started out on a Benelli 50cc at 9 years old and has since ridden dirt, street, raced speedway and even had an alcohol-burning funny bike.

Starting in 1998, when he got a BMW R100GS PD, his passion has been adventure motorcycling—“just packing up and exploring,” as he puts it. Currently, he rides a 1999 BMW R1100GS. He doesn’t just explore, however.

Adventure rides sometimes take the riders into under-developed areas, and that can mean poverty. Seeing this poverty first hand struck a chord in Grace, and he was inspired to do his small part to make a difference. His answer was to start Lost for a Reason.

We caught up with Ron to get some more background on this effort.

American Motorcyclist: How did Lost for a Reason get off the ground?

Ron Grace: Lost for a Reason began about five months ago, but the idea was formed from different trips I had taken to the Navajo land. I remember sitting in a small town—almost a ghost town—covered in sweat and bright red mud and dust, and I thought, “this land is so beautiful, and the people here are so friendly. How can it be almost left behind with so much poverty?”

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When traveling quickly through areas in a car, getting out for the occasional soda or bathroom break, we don’t notice the sights and smells and get to know the local people like we do on a motorcycle. A dirty GSPD, fully loaded down like a mule, always starts conversations with the people around you.

That’s when you get to really experience a place, rather than just pass by it.

My 1999 R1100GS is not quite the new water cooled version, but to me it’s a tool, and a trusty one that helps me raise awareness for the needs of children and families on the Navajo reservation.

My love for motorcycle travel and people make for a good mix. It’s not always easy, but it feels right, and that can take you past a lot of bumpy patches. It’s hard for a lot of us to grasp the fact that simple things like toothpaste, soap and other personal hygiene items are hard to come by in other parts of the world, let alone in our backyard!

I owe a lot to my dad for getting me started in motorcycling and teaching me how to work on them. It’s all tied together with Lost for a Reason—my love for motorcycle travel, and the connection to the land and the people you experience from it.

AM: What are the logistics involved here? What is your effort composed of?

RG: I originally thought at first that I would pack some things in my panniers— some food, some new socks and the like—but obviously God had a bigger plan because after I had mentioned what I wanted to do to a few other people, they offered to help as well. They offered to donate gift cards, food, clothing, money. It seemed that my motorcycle trip was going to change to a truck trip because many other people felt the same way I did and were willing to throw in as well.

My business partner, Mark Levesque of KBC Remodel Service, and I decided that if this thing is picking up so much steam that we will have to take donations in company trucks, why don’t we bring the crew down and do some needed repairs?

In searching out a good place to hold a fundraiser ride, I was introduced to JJ Lewis, another adventure rider who lived and worked on the reservation and would know the current conditions. Well, JJ knew them, and he also knew the current emotional conditions. It turned out that JJ works in Kayenta, Ariz., in the mental health services [field] directly with some of the children and families who need help the most. With JJ, Lost for a Reason had a real connection to the area.

JJ was able to tell me that they needed food at the food bank, they needed soccer balls for the youth soccer program, and they needed funds to support families at the domestic abuse shelter. That [information] gave me and Mark a goal to achieve, and

we started raising funds any way we could.

KBC Remodel donated the seed money for T-shirts and stickers, and now we just roll what we generate from the shits into the next shirts, and send the rest to where it’s needed most—on the reservation.

AM: What has been the biggest challenge here?

RG: Since we operate purely by volunteer effort, probably the biggest challenge is the money it costs to take off from work, drive to an event and spread the word. Since we operate by product donations from businesses and cash donations from private parties and we send 100 precent of the profits to help the kids and families, sometimes it gets difficult. But then when I get to run to the store and buy a couple of new bicycles for kids who had to leave their home due to domestic abuse, or I see the kids holding their new soccer balls, I am recharged.

AM: Who is behind you on this?

RG: We are still in our infancy, and are always changing with new ways to provide help. At www.lostforareason.org, we have fundraising items for sale. Some of our past product contributors have included Black Dog Cycleworks, Touratech USA, Twisted Throttle, Rawhyde Adventures, Trailmaster Adventure Gear and others.

Well respected members of the adventure riding community like Paul Smith and Nicole Espinosa of ADVmoto, Jim Hyde of Rawhyde Adventures, and Martha and Kurt Forget of Black Dog Cycleworks have also helped us in huge ways to spread the work in their own networks as well.

Right now, Lost for a Reason consists of Mark Levesque, Leigh Levesque, JJ Lewis, Tegan Lewis, Dawn Capra-Grace and myself, but so many people have jumped in to help is so many ways that I feel bad that I can’t thank everyone.

AM: How many folks do you figure you have helped so far?

RG: Hard to say. We help an orphanage in New Mexico, a school in Shonto, Ariz., a food bank in Kayenta, a shelter for domestic abuse in Kayenta. It’s ongoing.

I wish that it weren’t, but the need for the services is ongoing. We will be doing a fundraiser ride in the Valley of the Gods, Utah, on July 12- 14 this year and hopefully by next year we will be able to buy and remodel a trailer set up to wash clothes and offer showers. Many homes are without electricity and running water.

AM: What is the connection of all of this to adventure riding?

RG: The bittersweet [aspect of] adventure riding is that we get to see and feel the surroundings like no other form of travel. When we see and feel something that needs to be changed, then we have to do something about it.

Adventure riders are really a natural fit.

We often go out of our way to take the most challenging route. We are not afraid to get our hands dirty, and that’s often what’s needed. Motorcyclists of all types are a natural fit to help others because, simply put, we hear you, we see you, we don’t have the window rolled up with the A/C on.

I probably put 20-30 hours per week into Lost for a Reason between t-shirts, Member # stickers, soliciting product sponsors, etc., for zero dollars.

2013MembershipCard_ATVA.indd 1 I always say that and laugh because Lost for a Reason is the worstpaying and mostrewarding job I’ve ever had. When you hear that a shelter home was going to have to turn away a family Member # because they didn’t have the resources to take care of them, AMA_Member_Card_Military.indd 1 but then as a result of something you did they were able to help them, well that feeling lasts forever.

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Taking advantage of your 20 percent AMA member discount on lodging from Red Roof Inn has gotten easier. The AMA member benefit partner has launched www.ridewithred.com.

The site includes an easy-to-use booking feature, an event calendar and a riding-related blog. To take advantage of your discount, just click on “Book Now” and the promo code will be applied automatically.

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2005 KAWASAKI KDX220 One Of Jeff Fredette’s ISDE Machines

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jeff Fredette rode this 2005 Kawasaki KDX220 in his 25th International Six Days Enduro, which was held in Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia, in 2005.

Fredette was a silver medalist that year.

The event in Slovakia marked the 25th time that Fredette finished an ISDE. Over the years, he has earned 10 gold medals, 14 silver medals and a bronze—and he is still competing. This KDX220, now on display at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio, appears as it did after Fredette rinsed it off following the 2005 ISDE. Fredette made modifications to this bike—including a ported cylinder, milled head, bored carb and revalved suspension—and then crated it and shipped it to Slovakia.

The bike was never started until it was presented for tech inspection in Slovakia.

This KDX220 began the ISDE competition with fewer than 15 minutes running time on the engine. There were no problems during the six days of competition. The only parts changed were air filters and tires.

Besides being a multitime ISDE medalist, Fredette is also an AMA Grand National Cross Country, hare scrambles and enduro race winner. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2002.

This bike is on loan to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame from Fredette. To learn more about the great men, women and machines featured in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, go to www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Photo 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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Hall of Famer

Maldwyn Jones Hard-Luck Racer Maldwyn Jones was a well-known competitor and racing motorcycle builder of the 1910s and ’20s. During the mid-to-late-1910s, Jones was perhaps the best dirt-track racer in the Midwest. He won hundreds of regional dirt track events during his 13-year racing career, but is equally known for the bad luck that followed him at the big National events.

Probably no other racer of his era led, or was in the hunt for, victory at a National as frequently as Jones only to fall prey to mechanical problems or other misfortune.

Jones was born in 1891 and grew up in Lebanon, Ohio. At 18, he began racing an old three-horsepower Marsh at a local dirt track in his hometown.

His first victory at a county fair as an amateur in 1909 earned him the top prize of a .22-caliber rifle.

By 1910, Jones was ready to turn pro. A year later, he went to work at the nearby Merkel motorcycle factory as

a test rider. By that time, Merkel was no longer fielding a full-fledged factory racing team, but Jones raced his own immaculately prepared Flying Merkel.

By 1913, Jones was one of the top regional dirt-track racers, and he began racing Nationals.

In December 1913, Jones competed in the grueling Savannah 300-mile roadrace National. He ran at the front all day, but his Flying Merkel broke a chain on the final lap and he finished second to Excelsior star Bob Perry. A scoring error was later found in which a lap had not been recorded for Jones early in the race, which meant he won the event. Jones petitioned the Federation of American Motorcyclists, the precursor to the AMA, to give him the win, but was turned down and the record gave the victory to Perry.

At the Savannah race in 1914, Jones was running a close second when he ran out of gas. Jones later led, or battled for the lead, in such top-level

events as the Dodge City (Kan.) 300, the Sheepshead Bay (N.Y.) 100-mile national board track championship and the Marion (Ind.) 200-mile roadrace before mechanical problems forced him to slow or retire from the races.

Jones accepted an offer to ride for Harley-Davidson in 1916. In 1919, he finished second to future AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Shrimp Burns at the FAM 100-mile board track national championship. In 1920, he was a front-runner in the Dodge City Classic before his Harley had mechanical problems and he dropped to seventh at the finish.

In 1922, Jones signed with Excelsior and was again runner up. He retired at the end of the year.

Maldwyn Jones, who died in 1987, was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

To read more about Jones and other heroes of motorcycling, go to www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Put yourself in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum

YOUR NAME HERE

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.

Hang your picture, your kid’s picture, your company logo, almost anything. It’s up to you! Get in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame today!

9” 6” 3” 3”

6”

$20

$80

donation

donation

www.motorcyclemuseum.org/myhalloffame or call 1-800-342-5464 for assistance

9”

$180

donation

Save on rentals with your AMA membership.

Make your reservations today.

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

Get more out of your American Motorcyclist Association membership. Book a rental with Budget and mention BCD # Z942000 to save up to 20% on every rental. Plus, use coupon # UUGZ039 and get a FREE single upgrade.

Terms and Conditions: Coupon # UUGZ036 is valid for a one-time, one-car-group upgrade on an intermediate (Group C) through full-size, four-door (group E) car.

Maximum upgrade to premium (group G). Offer valid on daily, weekend, weekly, and monthly rates only. The upgraded car is subject to vehicle availability at the time of rental and may not be available on some rates at some times. Coupon valid at participating Budget locations in the U.S. and Canada. One coupon per rental. A 24-hour advance reservation with request for upgrade is required. May not be used in conjunction with any other coupon, promotion or offer. For reservations made on budget.com, upgrade will be applied at time of rental. Renter must meet Budget age, driver and credit requirements. Minimum age may vary by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. Fuel charges are extra. Rental 12/31/13. must begin by 12/31/12.

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Off The Grid

Modern Motorcycle Camping: Tips And Tricks

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O

ne reason many of us ride motorcycles is the adventure of getting off the beaten path. An excellent way to heighten that experience is to combine your two-wheeled excursion with a camping trip. Living and riding in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve had numerous opportunities to sneak off for a night or so of camping, while exploring the grand scenery by day on the bike.

Camping trips also represent a common bond among motorcyclists of all types. Whether you ride a Yamaha WR250R or a Honda Gold Wing, you can experience the combined fun of backroad adventures and nights by the campfire.

Although these tips are written from a dual-sport perspective, they are helpful for anyone who camps on their motorcycle, regardless of what they ride.

Written and photographed by Tom Mehren August 2013

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Two-Day STopS

As a longtime AMA-chartered promoter, I’ve learned over the years to plan the routing of our tours so riders actually stay in the same place two nights in a row. It’s really nice each day not having to break camp in the morning and set camp again at night.

You get more time to ride and everything is already done when you come back to camp on night two. Another advantage is having lighter loads during those days.

Such was the case during a recent tour through Idaho last summer. Two nights in McCall, a one-nighter in Salmon, then two nights in Kamiah made it much simpler for those camping to explore Hells Canyon, Railroad Ridge, the Chinese Wall, Magruder Corridor and the Lolo Motorway.

Because temps can vary widely over the course of a few days, a warm bag with zipper along the foot box on the bottom allows you to adjust how much heat it will retain, making it more comfortable on warmer nights.

Sleeping MaT opTionS

The main reason many riders give up on camping is because as we age, lying all night on a skimpy piece of foam becomes downright painful. Technology has come a long way. New air mat technology provides a 2- to 3-inch loft—much nicer than a halfinch of foam. Air mats like these roll up really small, about half the size of a foam mat.

For a little more warmth, seek out a mat filled with down or synthetic that will help retain body heat in the mat below you when temps drop. Between a modern day

As you plan the menu, remember to have things from dinner to carry over to breakfast.

The rest of that double portion of fruit you got in the deli last night will go nicely with breakfast this morning.

STorage

On a typical day ride, I need about 40 liters of storage to carry the important stuff like a first-aid kit, tire pump and repair gear, tools, water, snacks, camera, rain gear, etc. When I go camping, I need another 40 liters for my tent, sleeping bag, air mat and kitchen gear. If I minimize it to its fullest, I can usually slip in a creature comfort like a camp chair.

For the dual-sport camper, having an assortment of dry sacks, waterproof compression bags and plastic freezer bags will ensure your gear stays dry regardless of ensuing rain, or because you dumped your bike during that last water crossing. In my arsenal, everything is sorted into various bags, keeping it dry and making it all that much easier to locate.

TenT SeleCTion

As motorcyclists, we tend to like to get our important gear into the tent with us, including storing our riding gear at night. A one-person tent or bivy sack won’t allow that for the solo rider. If I’m out solo, I’ll carry a two-person tent. Couples will enjoy the added space a three-person tent provides.

Most two- and three-person tents on the market today pack up pretty small. The day of the canvas pup-tent is long gone and compact size is the name of the game. But

Sleeping Bag ChoiCeS

In the 21st century it’s possible to purchase a sleeping bag that weighs less than 20 ounces that will keep you warm in the wild down to 15 degrees. Up until now the smart choice was a synthetic bag because they would keep a rider warm even if they got wet. But with the new DriDown fill available, you can go either way. When it comes to weight, both are neck-and-neck.

A typical rule of thumb here is the less the bag costs, the more it will weigh. So again, you may want to spend a little more for more technically advanced, lighter fabrics and fills.

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sleeping bag and a syn-filled mat, you can be comfortable when it’s 30 degrees outside.

It’s a lot easier to air these mats up with a pump than your lungs. Some companies offer a pump/pillow item that serves two good purposes in one device.

Making a liST

You may already have a list you use to pack your gear—good idea. Because food can be a lot to think about at the end of the day, preplan a simple menu before your trip and have it handy when you go shopping each afternoon. That way you won’t forget the little things like coffee creamer, ice and otherwise.

don’t go cheap. Remember that a leaky tent in the middle of nowhere is a major pain, so at least get yourself into the medium price range tent and don’t be bashful about spending more. Lighten your load even more by seeking out a tent in the ultralight range. It’s money well spent.

There are a few upgrades you may want to make to your tent as well. Consider adding some lighter and better quality stakes as well as swapping out the tent lines with glo-cord. If you’re tired of tripping over your lines on the way to the facilities late at night, glo-cord will usually solve that problem.

A simple tent repair kit is also handy and can fix more than just your tent. We once used one to make a broken brake lever operational again.

Four-season expedition quality tents are probably beyond what’s really needed for a typical motorcycle camping trip and will add on pounds and require more storage space.

Larger tents with taller, longer vestibules have served some riders well during inclement weather when some service is needed for the bike, but again these will add pounds and push capacity limits.

Most tents can be purchased with an optional footprint, a sheet of waterproofed nylon that goes between the tent and the ground. Get one. These moisture barriers are essential to keep ground vapor out of your tent. Nobody likes a wet sleeping bag or packing a wet tent. The tent footprint can also be utilized as a clean sheet to place on the ground during a roadside repair, keeping your tools and parts out of the dirt.

The RobusT KiTchen

I like to add in places that have at least a convenience store on the way in to camp. A full-size grocery store with a deli is a bonus.

Because you’re on a vehicle that requires you to put gas in the tank once or twice a day, your route will no doubt come across these stores in one form or another.

The only food items on the bike are snacks and a small collection of cooking sundries. I purchase food for meals late in the day on the way to the campsite. For this I use an ultralight daypack that fits in the palm of my hand when stuffed into its carrying sack.

If you plan on camping at elevations above 5,000 feet, the stove you choose needs to be able to burn fuel at higher elevations. Some will and some won’t, depending on the type of gas they use and how it is delivered to the stove element.

As for more robust cooking pleasures, an egg-scramble in the morning utilizing some of the previous night’s leftovers is nice. And in the evening a longtime favorite of mine is frying some bananas and dousing them with some of that raspberry vinegar. It’s the ultimate dessert treat.

I really like the folding plate ware that packs up flat. It’s easy to clean and I can slide it anywhere into my bags easily.

When selecting food, I look for items I might serve as both dinner and breakfast.

Cheeses, beef sticks, nuts, fruits, veggies and dried fruits can all be enjoyed at dinner and polished off at breakfast.

On board, a small bottle of orangeinfused olive oil, raspberry vinegar, some salt and pepper, a small tube of ghee (clarified butter) and a few of your own personal cooking favorites will provide you with unique ways to enhance the food you already bought.

Personally, I avoid dehydrated foods.

They are overloaded with salt and can be the source of excessive gas, so they are off the list. This includes entrees you might get at the outdoor store as well as freezedried soups, freeze-dried beverages and anything that is loaded with salt during the dehydration process.

For your hot beverages like tea and coffee, pack a small single service stove

If you want to move to cooking some foods, keep in mind you’re getting into more gear to carry. A larger stove, more fuel, extra utensils and cleaning items are required that you may not have room for at this point.

But if you’re out with a group, this becomes more doable as gear storage can be shared between riders.

For the simple kitchen, you could probably do fine with a single-serving cook stove, but when it comes to making eggs and other items, you’ll need a larger size pan system.

Meals Made easy

You’ve just ridden eight hours, 150 miles, all on gravel and now you have to set camp.

After that, you’re going to make dinner. This is where I get minimal. During my routing,

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DREAM LOCATIONS Five Ideal Dual-Sport Camping Choices In The Pacific Northwest Camping choices in the Pacific Northwest range from bare bones primitive to outright modern. If you do a little homework, you might even be able to toss in a night or two of cabin camping. Here are a few of our favorites.

Newberry Crater, Ore. Located inside the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, you can choose from six different campgrounds, some primitive, some featuring running water and even hot showers. Cabins are available at both Paulina Lake and East Lake. Don’t miss a chance to ride your bike to the top of Paulina Peak for the full 360-degree view of the crater. The riding nearby goes on forever.

Lewis & Clark Resort, Kamiah, Idaho. This rustic campground has plenty of tent camping available, running water and hot showers. You can up your accommodations getting one of several cabins onsite. The location is central to coming off the Magruder Corrider (FS 468) or making an assault on the Historic Lolo Motorway (FS 500).

FS 5900 (various sites, west of Lake Chelan), Wash. Located at 6,000 feet in the Chelan Mountains, choose from five different primitive campgrounds between Shady Pass and Lake Chelan below. Views across the lake are great anytime morning or evening. Food and fuel are a ways off in each direction, so plan ahead.

Timberlake Campground, Home Valley, Wash. While the Columbia River Gorge is a great place to ride, it can get a bit windy in the early mornings and late afternoon almost any time of year.

Timberlake CG is tucked away from the wind in the trees just north of Home Valley making it an optimal overnighting location. With so much great riding in this area, you could make it your base camp for a few days. There’s a large hall with a fireplace groups can use for gathering in the evening hours.

Fremont Point Lookout, Ore. You’ll find this primitive camp spot in Central Oregon at 7,000 feet overlooking Summer Lake, which lies 3,000 feet below. It’s a stunning location for a summer sunrise. Food and fuel are located to the south in Paisley and to the north in Silverlake.

system. Some of the top name coffee conglomerates now have single serving packets. If you like cream, grab a few tubs of the liquid type when you make that fuel/ food stop in the afternoon.

And like the cream trick, condiments are all over the place. Packets of relish, ketchup, mustard and otherwise abound. If you’re grabbing a lot of them, offer a buck or two when you hit the register.

WHERE TO PUT IT ALL

The general rule of thumb is put the heavy stuff lower in your luggage to maintain a lower center of gravity. Also consider convenience. You want access to the things you need during the day, so those items may wind up on top and the camping gear winds up on the bottom. A combination of the two usually works.

Because most dry bags, sleeping bag stuff sacks, tent storage bags and otherwise have a tubular shape to them, you’ll find it easier to store them all vertically as opposed to horizontally. Access to each is greatly improved.

If you’re packing chocolate or anything else that has an aversion to heat, bury it away from the exterior of the bag in the day so it won’t turn to mush.

During our jaunt up to the Chinese Wall last summer, the last five miles of road were very rocky. Knowing it was an out-and-back part of our day, a number of riders removed

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a pannier or two to lighten the load for the final ascent, stashed them out-of-sight and picked them up on the way back down.

WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE For all riders who gave up camping because it was uncomfortable, times have changed. It’s time to come back to the good life. The more one does this, the

better they become at it. It’s just you and your motorcycle, out exploring where most cages will never go, days at a time and comfortable at night. Adventure awaits!

Tom Mehren runs the AMA-sanctioned Sasquatch Dual-Sport Tour and publishes www.soundrider.com. He also authored the book “Packing Light Packing Right!”

go ride

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

1

There’s a full slate of dual-sport rides on the schedule for August in the AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series. Catch the Dual-sport Northwest ride July 31-Aug. 4 in Stevenson, Wash.; Buffaloe 500 Aug. 10-11 in Columbus, Ind.; Rat Dog Dual Sport Aug. 17-18 in Tillamook, Ore.; Ted’s Chandler Hill Challenge Aug. 17-18 in Wolverine, Mich., and the Sasquatch Dual Sport Tour Aug. 19-23 in Idaho. For the full schedule, see page 59.

2

The high-flying racers in the AMA Motocross National Championship Series will be at Unadilla in New Berlin, N.Y., on Aug. 10, at Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City on Aug 17 and at Lake Elsinore in Lake Elsinore, Calif., on Aug. 24. For the full schedule, see page 57.

3

The fastest racers on the planet will be at it once again at the AMA Land Speed Grand Championships-BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials Aug. 25-29 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Info: www.bubent.com.

1,4 1

2

1

5 2,3

2

1 4

1,4

6

4

The all-American sport of AMA Pro Racing Flat Track features racers battling on the dirt oval this month in TT action in Castle Rock, Wash., on Aug. 3; at the famed Peoria TT in Peoria Ill., on Aug. 11 and at the famous Indy Mile in Indianapolis on Aug. 17. For the full schedule, see page 57.

COMING UP

The AMA 2013 Legends Weekend is set for Oct. 1819 in Las Vegas, Nev. The weekend kicks off with the 2013 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 18 at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. The next morning will include the all-new Dave Mungenast Memorial Legends Reception, where the Class of 2013 and previous Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees will be honored and interviewed on-stage in a casual setting. Info: www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

5

It’s one of the biggest and most storied motorcycling events on the planet. Just say the name and every biker knows what you’re talking about: Sturgis. This AMA National Gypsy Tour happens Aug. 5-11 in Sturgis, S.D. Info: www. sturgismotorcyclerally.com.

6

The Bikers for Babies event in West Virginia is set for Aug. 1617 in Sutton, W.Va. All activities take place at the Flatwoods Factory Stores just off of Exit 67 on I-79. The first day features a parade ride through the towns of Gassaway and Sutton and then food, music and camaraderie.

Saturday starts off with breakfast and then a 115-mile scenic ride followed by various activities. This is a fundraiser for the March of Dimes. Info: www. wvbikersforbabies.org.

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AUGUST EVENTS CALIFORNIA RECREATIONAL DUAL-SPORT RIDE

CONNECTICUT

AUG 3: BIG BEAR CITY: BIG BEAR TRAIL RIDERS, INC., (818) 391-3031, BIGBEARTRAILRIDERS.COM

RECREATIONAL

GRAND TOUR

AUG 18: EAST HAMPTON: BRITISH IRON ASSOCIATION OF CONNECTICUT, (860) 585-5102, CTBRITIRON.ORG

AUG 30: NORWALK: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOTORCYCLING ASSN, (661) 298-4444, SC-MA.COM DUAL SPORT-OFF ROAD AUG 17-18: PIONEER (NEAR): 2-DAY EVENT, RACERS UNDER THE SON NORTH (RUTS-NORTH), (209) 6256738, RUTSNORTH.ORG POKER RUN AUG 3: SAN JOSE: SAN JOSE DONS MC, (408) 293-4501 ROAD RALLY AUG 5: SONORA: SPYDERS IN THE REDWOODS, SPYDERSINTHEWOODS. WEEBLY.COM COMPETITION MOTOCROSS AUG 17: (Includes ATVs) SAN BERNARDINO: UNITED MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (626) 483-5164, GLENHELEN. COM SPEEDWAY AUG 2: AUBURN: FAST FRIDAYS SPEEDWAY, (530) 878-RACE, FASTFRIDAYS.COM AUG 9: AUBURN: FAST FRIDAYS SPEEDWAY, (530) 878-RACE, FASTFRIDAYS.COM AUG 16: AUBURN: FAST FRIDAYS SPEEDWAY, (530) 878-RACE, FASTFRIDAYS.COM AUG 23: AUBURN: FAST FRIDAYS SPEEDWAY, (530) 878-RACE, FASTFRIDAYS.COM AUG 30: AUBURN: FAST FRIDAYS SPEEDWAY, (530) 878-RACE, FASTFRIDAYS.COM COLORADO RECREATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDE AUG 18: SILVERTON: ROCKY MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE RIDERS, RMARIDERS.ORG DUAL-SPORT RIDE AUG 3-4: WALDEN: 2-DAY EVENT, FRONT RANGE RIDERS, (303) 5915913, FRONTRANGERIDERS.COM DUAL SPORT-OFF ROAD AUG 9: BUENA VISTA: DIRT RIDERS OF COLORADO (DROC), (888) 651-2093 AUG 9: SALIDA: EXIT TOURS M/C, (719) 207-1189, HTTP:// COLORADODUALSPORT.COM

TT AUG 3: (Includes ATVs) FOSTERBURG: SPLINTER CREEK DIRT RIDERS INC, (618) 372-4355, SPLINTERCREEK.COM INDIANA

ILLINOIS RECREATIONAL TRAIL RIDE - RECREATIONAL AUG 11: (Includes ATVs) OTTAWA: VARIETY RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (815) 434-3669, VARIETYRIDERS. COM COMPETITION HILLCLIMB AUG 10: WHITE CITY: CAHOKIA CREEK DIRT RIDERS, (618) 946-4316, CCDIRT. COM AUG 24: OREGON: ROCK RIVER RIDERS, (815) 946-2183, RRRMC.ORG AUG 31: (Includes ATVs) NEOGA: CENTRAL ILLINOIS M/C, (217) 317-9278,CENTRALILLIONOIS MOTORCYCLECLUB.ORG HARE SCRAMBLES AUG 17: (ATV only) FOSTERBURG: SPLINTER CREEK DIRT RIDERS INC, (618) 372-4355, SPLINTERCREEK.COM AUG 18: FOSTERBURG: SPLINTER CREEK DIRT RIDERS INC, (618) 3724355, SPLINTERCREEK.COM AUG 25: BYRON: MOTOSPORTS ENTERPRISES LTD, (815) 234-2271, MOTOBYRON.COM MOTOCROSS

RECREATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDE AUG 11: COLUMBUS: STONEY LONESOME M/C, (812) 343-9772, STONEYLONESOMEMC.COM DUAL-SPORT RIDE AUG 10: COLUMBUS: STONEY LONESOME M/C, (812) 343-9772, STONEYLONESOMEMC.COM ROAD RALLY AUG 2: CORYDON: MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION, COMPETITION ENDURO AUG 10: ROSE LAWN: HILL & GULLY ENDURO RIDERS, (630) 329-0365, MIDWESTENDUROS.COM AUG 11: ROSE LAWN: HILL & GULLY ENDURO RIDERS, (630) 329-0365, MIDWESTENDUROS.COM HARE SCRAMBLES AUG 25: (Includes ATVs) CULVER: PLYMOUTH BLACKHAWKS MC, INC., (574) 259-0103 MOTOCROSS AUG 10: (Includes ATVs) CAYUGA: PLEASURE RIDERS MC, (309) 8385062, PLEASURERIDERS.NET AUG 11: CAYUGA: PLEASURE RIDERS MC, (309) 838-5062, PLEASURERIDERS.NET IOWA

BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG COMPETITION HILLCLIMB AUG 9: (Includes ATVs) MONSON: QUABOAG RIDERS INC, (413) 267-0332 MICHIGAN RECREATIONAL DUAL-SPORT RIDE AUG 17: WOLVERINE: 2-DAY EVENT, GREAT LAKES DUAL SPORTERS, (989) 751-6863, GLDSMC.ORG AUG 25: ANN ARBOR: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG ROAD RUN AUG 3: DEFORD: LUCKY THUMB MOTORCYCLE CLUB, INC., (810) 404-2895, LUCKYTHUMBMOTORCYCLECLUB. COM AUG 25: ANN ARBOR: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG COMPETITION DIRT DRAG AUG 2: (Includes ATVs) BRIDGETON TWP: MUSKEGON MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (231) 733-9856, MUSKEGONMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM 1/2 MILE DIRT TRACK AUG 24: (Includes ATVs) CROSWELL: PORT HURON MOTORCYCLE CLUB, INC., (810) 531-0031, PHMC-USA.COM ENDURO AUG 4: BENTLEY: VALLEY TRAIL RIDERS, (989) 846-4401, THEVALLEYTRAILRIDERS.ORG

AUG 2: (Includes ATVs) WOODSTOCK: WOODSTOCK RACING LLC, (815) 3373511, WOODSTOCK-KTM.COM

COMPETITION MOTOCROSS

HILLCLIMB

AUG 4: (Includes ATVs) BRYON: MOTOSPORTS ENTERPRISES LTD, (815) 234-2271, MOTOBYRON.COM

AUG 3: (Includes ATVs) CEDAR RAPIDS: CEDAR VALLEY TRAIL RIDERS INC, (319) 775-0893, CVTR.ORG

AUG 9: (Includes ATVs) GEORGETOWN: PLEASURE RIDERS MC, (309) 8385062, PLEASURERIDERS.NET

AUG 10: (Includes ATVs) CEDAR RAPIDS: CEDAR VALLEY TRAIL RIDERS INC, (319) 775-0893, CVTR. ORG

AUG 3-4: BRIDGETON TWP: 2-DAY EVENT, MUSKEGON MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (231) 733-9856, MUSKEGONMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM

AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) BYRON: MOTOSPORTS ENTERPRISES LTD, (815) 234-2271, MOTOBYRON.COM AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) MASON: CROSSROADS MX AND OFFROAD PARK, LLC, (618) 686-2769, CROSSROADSMX.COM AUG 23: (Includes ATVs) WOODSTOCK: WOODSTOCK RACING LLC, (815) 3373511, WOODSTOCK-KTM.COM AUG 25: WALNUT: 4P PROMOTIONS INC, (815) 379-9534, SUNSETRIDGEMX.COM OBSERVED TRIALS

COMPETITION MOTOCROSS

SHORT TRACK

AUG 11: MILLIKEN: TWO RIVERS RACING LLC, (970) 587-5770

AUG 10: RIO: GALESBURG MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (309) 344-

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

1714, GALESBURGMC.COM

BIKE SHOW

AUG 18: OTTAWA: VARIETY RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (815) 4343669, VARIETYRIDERS.COM

AUG 12: BASALT: COLORADO 500

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AUG 25: DACONA: IMI MOTORSPORTS INC, (303) 833-4949, IMIMOTORSPORTS.COM

AUG 24: (Includes ATVs) CEDAR RAPIDS: CEDAR VALLEY TRAIL RIDERS INC, (319) 775-0893, CVTR. ORG AUG 31: (Includes ATVs) MONTEZUMA: FV MOTO X, (641) 623-3456, FVMOTOX.COM MARYLAND COMPETITION MOTOCROSS AUG 24-25: MECHANICSVILLE: 2-DAY EVENT, MIDDLE ATLANTIC MOTOCROSS ASSOCIATION, (410) 375-1059, MAMAMX.COM MASSACHUSETTS RECREATIONAL ROAD RUN AUG 18: FISKDALE: PEDIATRIC

HARE SCRAMBLES AUG 18: EVART: PORTLAND TRAIL RIDERS, (517) 647-7045, PORTLANDTRAILRIDERS.COM AUG 24-25: BIG SKY: 2-DAY EVENT, LONE PEAK RACING LLC, (406) 2230478, BIGSKYXC.COM AUG 25: MIDLAND: POLKA DOTS M/C, (989) 832-8284, POLKADOTSMC.NET MOTOCROSS AUG 3: (Includes ATVs) BELDING: GRATTAN RACEWAY MOTOCROSS, (616) 691-7221, GRATTANMX.COM AUG 3: (Includes ATVs) CHRISTMAS: X-MAS FAMILY MOTORSPORTS PARK, (906) 202-2681, XMASFAMILYMOTORSPORTSPARK. COM AUG 4: (Includes ATVs) CHRISTMAS: X-MAS FAMILY MOTORSPORTS PARK, (906) 202-2681, XMASFAMILYMOTORSPORTSPARK. COM

AUGUST EVENTS AUG 4: (Includes ATVs) BELDING: GRATTAN RACEWAY MOTOCROSS, (616) 691-7221, GRATTANMX.COM AUG 10: (Includes ATVs) CADILLAC: CADILLAC MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (231) 884-3729, CADILLACMC.COM AUG 11: (Includes ATVs) CADILLAC: CADILLAC MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (231) 884-3729, CADILLACMC.COM

AUG 11: (Includes ATVs) BROWERVILLE: MOTO CITY RACEWAY & RECREATION INC, (218) 894-2826, MOTOCITYRACEWAY.COM

AUG 25: MAURICETOWN: COMPETITION DIRT RIDERS, (609) 319-7496, COMPETITIONDIRTRIDERS. ORG

AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) CAMBRIDGE: RTW RACE PROMOTIONS, (612) 9193457, MOTOCITYRACEWAY.COM

MOTOCROSS

AUG 18: MILLVILLE: HI-WINDERS, (507) 753-2779, SPRINGCREEKMX.COM

AUG 10: (Includes ATVs) ENGLISHTOWN: RACEWAY PARK, (732) 446-7800, RACEWAYPARK.COM

AUG 25: KELLOGG: MOTOKAZIE INC, (952) 244-9996, MOTOKAZIE.COM

AUG 11: (Includes ATVs) ENGLISHTOWN: RACEWAY PARK, (732) 446-7800, RACEWAYPARK.COM

AUG 31: MILLINGTON: BAJA MX INC, (989) 871-3356, BAJAACRES.COM

AUG 25: BROOK PARK: BERM BENDERS RACEWAY, (320) 679-2582, BERMBENDERS.COM

AUG 17: (Includes ATVs) ENGLISHTOWN: RACEWAY PARK, (732) 446-7800, RACEWAYPARK.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

OBSERVED TRIALS

AUG 10: ROSE CITY: MICHIGAN ONTARIO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (810) 417-2892, MOTATRIALS.COM

AUG 24-25: DULUTH: 2-DAY EVENT, NORTHLAND MOTORCYCLE RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (218) 349-9578

AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) ENGLISHTOWN: RACEWAY PARK, (732) 446-7800, RACEWAYPARK.COM

AUG 18: BATTLE CREEK: BATTLE CREEK MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (269) 729-9691

AUG 11: ROSE CITY: MICHIGAN ONTARIO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (810) 417-2892, MOTATRIALS.COM SHORT TRACK AUG 3: OWOSSO: OWOSSO KART SPEEDWAY, (810) 691-5781, OWOSSOKARTSPEEDWAY.COM AUG 10: (Includes ATVs) DEFORD: LUCKY THUMB MOTORCYCLE CLUB, INC., (810) 404-2895, LUCKYTHUMBMOTORCYCLECLUB. COM AUG 17: (Includes ATVs) MIDLAND: 2 DAY EVENT, POLKA DOTS M/C, (989) 832-8284, POLKADOTSMC.NET TT AUG 11: (Includes ATVs) DEFORD: LUCKY THUMB MOTORCYCLE CLUB, INC., (810) 404-2895, LUCKYTHUMBMOTORCYCLECLUB. COM MINNESOTA COMPETITION ENDURO AUG 11-12: AKELEY: 2-DAY EVENT, PAUL BUNYAN FOREST RIDER MC, (218) 739-5525, PAULBUNYANFORESTRIDERS.COM AUG 24-25: DUQUETTE: 2-DAY EVENT, STRAIGHT ARROW ENDURO RIDERS, (651) 456-0224, STAIGHTARROWS.ORG HILLCLIMB AUG 24: (Includes ATVs) MANKATO: KATO CYCLE CLUB, KATOCYCLECLUB.COM AUG 25: (Includes ATVs) NEW ULM: FLYING DUTCHMEN CYCLE CLUB, (507) 354-2306, FLYINGDUTCHMEN MOTORCYCLECLUB.COM MOTOCROSS AUG 4: BROOK PARK: BERM BENDERS RACEWAY, (320) 679-2582, BERMBENDERS.COM AUG 4: MAZEPPA: HURRICANE HILLS MX, (507) 843-5154, HURRICANEHILLS. COM AUG 4: BROOKSTON: ECHO VALLEY MOTOCROSS PARK, (218) 348-4754, ECHOVALLEYMOTOCROSS.COM AUG 11: KELLOGG: MOTOKAZIE INC, (952) 244-9996, MOTOKAZIE.COM

MISSOURI RECREATIONAL ROAD RUN AUG 18: COTTLEVILLE: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG COMPETITION HARE SCRAMBLES AUG 4: (ATV only) KAHOKA: IOWA ATV HARE SCRAMBLE SERIES, (515) 9713736, IATVHSS.COM MOTOCROSS AUG 17-18: (ATV only) KIRKSVILLE: 2-DAY EVENT, THUNDER RIDGE MX PARK LLC, (660) 626-5318, THUNDERRIDGEMX-PARK.COM MONTANA RECREATIONAL ROAD RUN AUG 24: BILLINGS: MARCH OF DIMES MONTANA, (406) 206-1686, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG/MONTANA NEVADA RECREATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDE AUG 22: MINDEN: ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE RENDEZVOUS, LLC., (775) 586-7700, CARSONTAHOEADVENTUREMOTO. COM ROAD RALLY AUG 20: RENO: AMERICAN VOYAGER ASSOCIATION, (415) 269-7998, HARRAHSRENO.COM COMPETITION HARE & HOUND AUG 24: PANACA: SILVER STATE TRAILBLAZERS, (702) 645-2506 NEW JERSEY RECREATIONAL BIKE SHOW AUG 17: MT HOLLY: BIKERS FOR JC, (215) 234-8611, PAGOSPELRIDERS. COM COMPETITION ENDURO

AUG 31: ENGLISHTOWN: RACEWAY PARK, (732) 446-7800, RACEWAYPARK. COM NEW MEXICO COMPETITION OBSERVED TRIALS AUG 3-4: SIPAPU: 2-DAY EVENT, NEW MEXICO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, NMTRIALS.ORG NEW YORK RECREATIONAL BINGO RUN AUG 4: QUEENSBURY: ADIRONDACK RIDERS OF GLENS FALLS NY, INC., (518) 792-1713, ADIRONDACKRIDERS. COM DUAL-SPORT RIDE AUG 3-4: HANCOCK: 2 DAY EVENT, BEAR CREEK SPORTSMEN, (732) 2711616, BEARCREEKSPORTS.ENT.COM FUN RUN

YORK EXTREME DIRT TRACK RACING (WNYEDT), (585) 737-5698, BATAVIAMOTORSPEEDWAY.COM ENDURO AUG 4: (Includes ATVs) GENOA: CAYUGA COUNTY RIDERS INC, (607) 594-3536 AUG 18: BERKSHIRE: ITHACA DIRT RIDERS INC., (607) 657-8248, ITHACADIRTRIDERS.COM HARE SCRAMBLES AUG 11: (Includes ATVs) CORTLAND: KNOBBY ACRES ASSOCIATION INC., (607) 756-5277, WNYOA.NET AUG 31: HANCOCK: BEAR CREEK SPORTSMEN, (732) 271-1616, BEARCREEKSPORTS.ENT.COM MOTOCROSS AUG 4: RICHFORD: BROOME TIOGA SPORTS CENTER INC, (607) 849-4438, BROOME-TIOGA.COM AUG 9: NEW BERLIN: UNADILLA ENTERPRISES, LLC., (607) 965-8450, UNADILLAMX.COM AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) CAROGA LAKE: ROYAL MOUNTAIN SKI AREA, (518) 835-6445, ROYALMOUNTAIN. COM AUG 25: (Includes ATVs) MAPLEVIEW: SMX ASSOCIATES LLC, (315) 4807733, MOTOMASTERS.COM OBSERVED TRIALS AUG 11: LAKEMONT: DISTRICT 4 TRIALS COMMITTEE, (607) 243-7221, DISTRICT4TRIALS.ORG AUG 25: CUBA: DISTRICT 4 TRIALS COMMITTEE, (585) 247-5508, DISTRICT4TRIALS.ORG

AUG 25: MINEOLA: NASSAU WINGS, (516) 248-5555, POPSRUN.ORG

AUG 31: HANCOCK: BEAR CREEK SPORTSMEN, (732) 271-1616, BEARCREEKSPORTS.ENT.COM

AUG 25: CLARENCE: REGENT RIDERS, (716) 937-9524, REGENTRIDERS.ORG

RECREATIONAL

POKER RUN AUG 11: ONEONTA : HUDSON HIGHLAND RETREADS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (607) 563-2083 AUG 18: PATTERSON: YONKERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (914) 403-4173, YONKERSMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM ROAD RUN AUG 4: CENTRAL VALLEY: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG AUG 11: WANTAGH: ALLIANCE MC, (516) 509-8143, ALLIANCEMC.COM AUG 25: GENESEO: CONESUS LAKE RIDERS MC, (585) 314-9124, CLR-MC. COM ROAD RALLY AUG 16: BRONX: CELTIC MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (914) 924-2170, CELTICM.C.C.COM COMPETITION 1/2 MILE DIRT TRACK AUG 23-24: (ATV only) BATAVIA: 2-DAY EVENT, WESTERN NEW

NORTH CAROLINA ROAD RUN AUG 25: FLETCHER: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG ROAD RALLY AUG 9: BOONE: CAROLINA’S BMW MOA CLUB, BOONERALLY.COM COMPETITION MOTOCROSS AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) IRON STATION: IRON STATION MOTORSPORTS, INC., (704) 732-8200, ALLANEMOTORSPORTS.COM OHIO RECREATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDE AUG 3: ZANESVILLE: ZANESVILLE TRAIL RIDERS, (740) 452-9468, ZANESVILLETRAILRIDERS.COM DUAL-SPORT RIDE AUG 18: NEW STRAITSVILLE: NEW STRAITSVILLE ENDURO RIDERS, (740) 603-3299, NSENDURO.COM

August 2013

47

AUGUST EVENTS DUAL SPORT-OFF ROAD AUG 4: ZANESVILLE: ZANESVILLE TRAIL RIDERS, (740) 452-9468, ZANESVILLETRAILRIDERS.COM AUG 10: TORONTO: OHIO VALLEY BSA OWNERS CLUB, (724) 945-6018 ROAD RUN AUG 10: FAIRBORN: ABATE-OH INC, (937) 626-6958, ABATE.COM AUG 10: TBD: OHIO CHAPTER MARCH OF DIMES FOUNDATION, MARCHOFDIMES.COM/OHIO

AUG 25: BUCK: GENTLEMEN MC SPORTSMEN, (717) 284-2270

RECREATIONAL

AUG 15: DODGEVILLE: RETREAD MOTORCYCLE INTERNATIONAL INC. NORTH CENTRAL, (651) 459-4664

ROAD RUN

COMPETITION

POKER RUN AUG 4: LEBANON: LEBANON VALLEY MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (717) 2709797, LEBANONVALLEYMC.COM AUG 11: BUCK: GENTLEMEN MC SPORTSMEN, (717) 284-2270

AUG 23: MARIETTA: MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION SWAP MEETS

ROAD RUN

AUG 9: TORONTO: OHIO VALLEY BSA OWNERS CLUB, (724) 945-6018

AUG 4: CRANBERRY TWP: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

COMPETITION GRAND PRIX AUG 24: ATHENS: ACTION SPORTS MOTO PARK, ACTION SPORTS PROMOTIONS, (740) 591-7223, (724) 945-6018 ENDURO AUG 25: MC ARTHUR: ENDURO RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (614) 582-7821, ENDURORIDERS.COM MOTOCROSS AUG 4: (Includes ATVs) MARYSVILLE: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM AUG 8: (Includes ATVs) CROTON: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM AUG 11: DAYTON: DAYTON MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC., (937) 2639321, DAYTONMC.COM

AUG 10: LEESPORT: CLASSIC HARLEY-DAVIDSON, (610) 916-7777, CLASSICHARLEY.COM

AUG 31-Sept. 1: NEWARK: 2-DAY EVENT, TRIALS INC, (740) 467-2910, TRIALSINC.ORG OREGON RECREATIONAL DUAL-SPORT RIDE AUG 17: TILLAMOOK: NORTHWEST TOUR & TRAIL, (503) 681-8881, BLACKDOGDUALSPORT.COM PENNSYLVANIA

AUG 24-25: TOOELE: 2-DAY EVENT, UTAH SPORT BIKE ASSOCIATION, (435) 277-RACE, MILLERMOTORSPORTSPARK.COM RECREATIONAL ROAD RALLY AUG 31-Sept. 1: KILLINGTON: 2-DAY EVENT, AMERICADE, (518) 798-7888, KILLINGTONCLASSIC.COM

AUG 10: (Includes ATVs) ANTIGO: RIB MOUNTAIN RIDERS MC, INC., (715) 573-4934 HILLCLIMB AUG 4: (Includes ATVs) HIXTON: CMJ RACEWAY LLC, (608) 220-6853, CMJRACEWAY.COM HARE SCRAMBLES

COMPETITION GRAND PRIX

MOTOCROSS

AUG 4: IVOR: VIRGINIA COMPETITION HARE SCRAMBLE SERVICES, (757) 570-2839, VCHSS.ORG

AUG 11: LAKE MILLS: AZTALAN CYCLE CLUB INC, (414) 265-1582, AZTALANMX.COM

COMPETITION ENDURO AUG 11: THREE SPRINGS: GREEN MARBLE ENDURO RIDERS, (301) 8650779, GMER.US MOTOCROSS AUG 4: BIRDSBORO: PAGODA MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (610) 582-3717, PAGODAMC.ORG AUG 11: NEW ALEXANDRIA: 8 SEVEN MX, LLC, (412) 736-1225, PRPMX.COM AUG 4: MARYSVILLE: TRICKY TRYALERS MC, (717) 580-1272 AUG 10: (Includes ATVs) READING: SHIPPENSBURG MC, (717) 796-0294, BAERMOTORSPORTS.COM AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) SHIPPENSBURG: SHIPPENSBURG MC, (717) 796-0294, BAERMOTORSPORTS.COM AUG 24: SPRING RUN: TWO WHEEL PROMOTIONS, (717) 368-5903, PATHVALLEY.COM TENNESSEE COMPETITION ENDURO AUG 17-18: SEQUATCHIE: 2-DAY EVENT, SOUTHEASTERN TRIALS RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (423) 942-8688, TRIALSTRAININGCENTER.COM

VIRGINIA

AUG 11: MARTINSVILLE: VIRGINIA COMPETITION HARE SCRAMBLE SERVICES, (276) 252-6801, VCHSS. ORG AUG 25: PENHOOK: VIRGINIA COMPETITION HARE SCRAMBL’E SERVICES, (540) 420-6334, VCHSS. ORG MOTOCROSS AUG 10-11: PETERSBURG: 2-DAY EVENT, MIDDLE ATLANTIC MOTOCROSS ASSOCIATION, (410) 375-1059, MAMAMX.COM AUG 25: (Includes ATVs) SUTHERLIN: BIRCH CREEK PROMOTIONS, LLC, (434) 836-7629, BIRCHCREEKMXPARK. COM WASHINGTON COMPETITION MOTOCROSS AUG 25: (Includes ATVs) WEST RICHLAND: HRMC, INC., (509) 9535242, HORNRAPIDSMX.COM WEST VIRGINIA RECREATIONAL ROAD RUN AUG 17: GLEN DALE: HOAGY’S HEROES, INC, (304) 639-1863, HOAGYSHEROES.ORG AUG 17: SUTTON: MARCH OF DIMES WEST VIRGINIA CHAPTER, (304) 7202229, BIKERSFORBABIES.COM

MOTOCROSS AUG 10-11: (ATV only) HURRICANE MILLS: 2-DAY EVENT, RACER PRODUCTIONS INC, (304) 284-0084, ATVMOTOCROSS.COM

RECREATIONAL

TEXAS

CARNIVAL RUN

AUG 25: KEMP: UNDERGROUND MX

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

ROADRACE

AUG 3-4: (Includes ATVs) STURGEON BAY: 2-DAY EVENT, DOOR COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION, (920) 746-2261, DOORCOUNTY.ORG/FAIR

AUG 16: SPRING GROVE: WHITE ROSE MC, (717) 229-2621, WHITEROSEMC. COM

SHORT TRACK

OBSERVED TRIALS

COMPETITION

1/2 MILE DIRT TRACK

SWAP MEETS

AUG 24: DAYTON: DAYTON MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC., (937) 2639321, DAYTONMC.COM

AUG 29: (Includes ATVs) RICHWOOD: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

AUG 10: SALT LAKE CITY: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

AUG 18: HAYWARD: MIDWEST OFFROAD TRAIL RIDERS, (715) 7434132, MOTRWEB.WEBS.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

AUG 28: (Includes ATVs) MT. GILEAD: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

UTAH

VERMONT

AUG 18: (Includes ATVs) MARYSVILLE: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

AUG 25: DAYTON: DAYTON MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC., (937) 2639321, DAYTONMC.COM

48

PARK, (903) 498-4659, UGMXPARK. COM

AUG 18: SCHUYLKILL: SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (570) 385-1460, SCHUYLKILLMOTORCYCLECLUB. COM

ROAD RALLY

ROAD RALLY

AUG 18: COLUMBIA: THUNDERBIRD MOTORCYCLE CLUB, INC., (717) 898-0871

WISCONSIN RECREATIONAL ROAD RUN AUG 4: MIDDLETON: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

AUG 17-18: (Includes ATVs) HILLPOINT: 2-DAY EVENT, SUGAR MAPLE MX LLC, (608) 393-8812, SUGARMAPLEMX. COM AUG 17: WITTENBURG: FANTASY MOTO LLC, (920) 419-2863, FANTASYMOTO.COM AUG 18: WITTENBERG: FANTASY MOTO LLC, (920) 419-2863, FANTASYMOTO.COM AUG 23-24: (Includes ATVs) HUSTLER: 2-DAY EVENT, CMJ RACEWAY LLC, (608) 220-6853, CMJRACEWAY.COM AUG 24: (Includes ATVs) CHILTON: GRAVITY PARK USA, (920) 849-7223, GRAVITYPARKUSA.COM AUG 25: TIGERTON: FANTASY MOTO LLC, (920) 419-2863, FANTASYMOTO. COM OBSERVED TRIALS AUG 3: DICKEYVILLE: WISCONSIN OBSERVED TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (319) 624-2003, WISCONSINTRIALS. ORG AUG 4: PLATTEVILLE: WISCONSIN OBSERVED TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (319) 624-2003, WISCONSINTRIALS. ORG SHORT TRACK AUG 17: (Includes ATVs) LAKE MILLS: AZTALAN CYCLE CLUB INC, (414) 2651582, AZTALANMX.COM AUG 24: (Includes ATVs) BURNETT: BEAVER CYCLE CLUB, INC., BEAVERCYCLECLUB.COM

2013 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.

July 19-21, Lexington, Ohio: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. Information: www. amavintagemotorcycledays.com.

Oct. 18-19, Las Vegas, Nev.: AMA Legends Weekend. Information: www. motorcyclemuseum.org.

AMA PRO RACING

AMA MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP MXSPORTSPRORACING.COM July 20: Washougal, Wash.: Washougal July 27: Millville, Minn.: Spring Creek Aug. 10: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadilla Aug. 17: Tooele, Utah: Miller Motorsports Park Aug. 24: Lake Elsinore, Calif.: Lake Elsinore AMA PRO ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM

July 12-14: Lexington, Ohio: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course July 19-21: Monterey, Calif.: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Oct. 13: Oregonia, Ohio AMA PRO ATV MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ATVMOTOCROSS.COM July 13-14: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadilla

Aug. 2-4: Tooele, Utah: Miller Motorsports Park Aug. 16-18: Indianapolis: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sept. 13-15: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsports Park

July 27-28: Buchanan, Mich.: RedBud Aug. 10-11: Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: Loretta Lynn’s Ranch AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

AMA ENDUROCROSS ENDUROCROSS.COM

Sept. 27-29: Monterey, Calif.: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca AMA PRO FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM July 20: Elma, Wash.: Half-mile, Grays Harbor Raceway July 27: Sacramento, Calif.: Mile, Cal Expo

Aug. 24: New Kent, Va.: Mile, Colonial Downs Sept. 1: Springfield, Ill.: Mile, Illinois State Fairgrounds

Oct. 26: Everett, Wash.: Comcast Arena

July 13, Amateur: McCarran, Nev.: No ATVs. Erek Kudla, Get-Xtr-Eme; (805) 236-5866; www.Get-Xtr-Eme.com

July 28: Cross Fork, Pa.: Peter Burnett, Brandywine Enduro Riders; (610) 368-7332, www.ber.us Sept. 15: Lynnville, Ind.: Gil Jochem, IN, IL, KY Enduro Riders; (812) 6240344, www.blackcoal.org Oct. 20: Oklahoma City: Chuck Howard, Oklahoma Dirt Riders; (405) 249-6702, www.okiedirtriders.com

Oct. 12: Pomona, Calif. Half-mile, LA County Fairplex

AMA VINTAGE DIRT TRACK AMARACING.COM

AMA PRO HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM

July 20: Ashland, Ohio: Half-mile, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, Ashland County Fairgrounds; Ken Saillant, AMA; (800) 262-5646; www. americanmotorcyclist.com/racing

Aug. 4-25: TBD

AMA VINTAGE MOTOCROSS AMARACING.COM

AMA HARE AND HOUND AMARACING.COM

Sept. 29: Santa Rosa, Calif.: Mile, Sonoma County Fairgrounds

July 14: West Branch, Mich.

July 19-21: Lexington, Ohio: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, www.amaracing. com

Oct. 12: Denver: National Western Complex

AMA NATIONAL ENDURO NATIONALENDURO.COM

Aug. 17: Indianapolis: Mile, Indiana State Fairground

AMA VINTAGE HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM

July 19-21: Lexington, Ohio: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, www.amaracing. com

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

Aug. 11: Peoria, Ill.: TT, PMC Race Park

Sept. 22: Cuddebackville, N.Y.: ST, Ron Edlin, Tri-State MC; (845) 5664956; www.tristateclub.com

Sept. 21: Ontario, Calif.: Citizens Business Bank Arena

Nov. 9: Boise, Idaho: Idaho Center

Aug. 3: Castle Rock, Wash.: TT, Castle Rock Race Park

Ron Edlin, Tri-State MC; (845) 5664956; www.tristateclub.com

Sept. 8: Freemansburg, Pa.

Aug. 16: Indianapolis: ST, MidAmerica Speedway; Jim Terchila; (317) 871-4392; info@midamspeedway.com

Sept. 29: Jefferson, Pa.

Sept. 21: Cuddebackville, N.Y.: ST,

Aug. 24, Amateur and Youth: Panaca, Nev.: Zach Livreri, Silver State Trailriders; (702) 645-2506; desertracer24p@gmail.com Oct. 12, Youth; Oct. 13, Amateur: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Ryan Sanders, 100’s Motorcycle Club; (949) 584-9395; www.100sMC.org AMA NATIONAL MID-AMERICA CROSS COUNTRY SERIES WWW.THEMAXC.COM July 27: Burnettsville, Ind: Peaceful Valley Aug. 10: Martinsville, Ind: Copperhead Row Sept. 7: Monrovia, Ind: The Bulldog Sept. 28: Plymouth, Ind: The Blackhawk Oct. 19: Gosport, Ind: Rally in the Valley Nov. 2: Freedom, Ind: Coyote Run AMA ATV MOTOCROSS ATVMOTOCROSS.COM

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.

2013 EvENTs July 13-14: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadilla July 27-28: Buchanan, Mich.: RedBud Aug. 10-11: Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: Loretta Lynn’s Ranch AMA ATV EXTREME DIRT TRACK EDTRACING.Com July 13: Goldsboro, N.C.: Busco Beach; (919) 222-9614; www. buscobeach.com July 27-28: Ashtabula, Ohio: Bud Fischer, Pine Lake Off-Road Facility; (440) 997-4166; williamfischer07@ yahoo.com Aug. 23-24: Batavia, N.Y.: Keith Dawydko, Batavia Motor Speedway; www.bataviamotorspeedway.com AMA SWM NATC MOTOTRIAlS AmARACING.Com July 27-28, Rounds 5 and 6: Kingman, Ariz.: Mike Carlton, Central Arizona Trials Inc.; (928) 681-5700; www.mcparks.com Aug. 3-4, Rounds 7 and 8: Sipapu, N.M.: Lance Butler, New Mexico Trials Association; (505) 332-3172; www.nmtrials.org Aug. 24-25, Rounds 9 and 10: Duluth, Minn.: Steve Ahleri, Northland MC Riders Association; (218) 349-9578; dam@cpinternet.com AMA NATC WEST YOUTH MOTOTRIAlS AmARACING.Com July 19-21: Howard, Colo.: Bill Markham, ITS Offroad; (719) 942-3372; www.itsoffroad.com AMA FEATURED SERIES

AMA WESTERN CHECKpOINT ENDURO CHAMpIONSHIp RIDEChEC.Com

Sept. 13-14: Johnson Valley, Calif.: Two-day qualifier Sept. 28-29: Toulon, Nev. Oct. 26-27: Elkins Flat, Calif.

Nov. 9-10: Stoneyford, Calif.

VIRGINA CHAMpIONSHIp HARE SCRAMBlES SERIES vChss.oRG July 28: Bristol, Va. Aug. 11: Martinsville, Va. Aug. 25: penhook, Va. Sept. 8: Sutherlin, Va. Sept. 22: Spring Grove, Va. Sept. 29: Chatham, Va. Oct. 13: Rural Retreat, Va. Oct. 27: Dillwyn, Va. Nov. 10: Spring Grove, Va. AMA ATV HEARTlAND CHAllENGE hEARTlANDChAllENGE.Com Aug. 15-17: Carlisle, Iowa

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AMA ACTION SpORTS GRAND pRIX SERIES ACTIoNsPoRTsRACING.Com July 14: Athens, Ohio: Action Sports Moto Park, Action Sports Promotions, (740) 591-7223 Aug. 24: Athens, Ohio: Action Sports Moto Park, Action Sports Promotions, (740) 591-7223

EAST COAST ENDURO ASSOCIATION HARE SCRAMBlES SERIES ECEA.oRG July 20-21: Jefferson Township, pa.: 2-Day, Ridge Riders MC, (973) 919-4780 Aug. 3-4: Moosic, pa.: 2-Day, High Mountain Dirt Riders, (570) 954-7799

Sept. 21: Athens, Ohio: Action Sports Moto Park, Action Sports Promotions, (740) 591-7223

Sept. 21-22: plymouth Township, pa.: 2-Day, High Mountain Dirt Riders, (570) 954-7799

Oct. 20: Athens, Ohio: Action Sports Moto Park, Action Sports Promotions, (740) 591-7223

Sept. 28-29: Three Springs, pa.: 2-Day, Green Marble Enduro Riders, (410) 638-9367

Nov. 16: Athens, Ohio: Action Sports Moto Park, Action Sports Promotions, (740) 591-7223

Oct. 5-6: Eagleswood, N.J.: 2-Day, Pine Barons Enduro Riders, (609) 6546300

AMA DISTRICT 37 BIG 6 GRAND pRIX SERIES BIG6RACING.Com Oct. 5-6: Ridgecrest, Calif.: Ridgecrest Fairgrounds, Viewfinders MC Nov. 2-3: Gorman, Calif.: Quail Valley, Prospectors MC Dec. 7-8: pala, Calif.: Pala Raceway, Vikings MC EAST COAST ENDURO ASSOCIATION ENDURO SERIES ECEA.oRG July 14: Gillett, pa.: Southern Tier Enduro Riders, (607) 382-8534; www.ster-mc.org

Oct. 26-27: Millville, N.J.: 2-Day, Competition Dirt Riders, (609) 319-7496 Nov. 16-17: New Castle, Del.: 2-Day, Delaware Enduro Riders, (302) 8344411 All-STAR NATIONAl FlAT TRACK sTEvENACERACING.Com July 18: Billings, Mont.: Half-mile, Billings Motorsports Park Aug. 9: peoria, Ill.: ST, Peoria Speedway Aug. 31: Springfield, Ill.: ST, Illinois State Fairgrounds Sept. 28: York, pa.: Half-mile, York Expo Center

July 20-21: Deposit, N.Y.: Ridge Riders Motorcycle Club, www. ridgeriders.org

AMA IOWA ATV HARE SCRAMBlES IATvhss.Com

July 28: Cross Fork, pa.: Brandywine Enduro Riders, (610) 368-7332; www. ber.us

July 24: Indianola, Iowa: Heartland Challenge

Aug. 3-4: Grier City, pa.: High Mountain Dirt Riders, www.hmdr.org Aug. 11: Three Springs, pa.: Green Marble Enduro Riders, (410) 638-9367; www.greenmarbleenduroriders.org Aug. 18: Berkshire, N.Y.: Ithaca Dirt Riders, (607) 657-8248; www.ithacadirtriders.com Aug. 25: Mauricetown, N.J.: Competition Dirt Riders, (609) 3197496; www.competitiondirtriders.org Sept. 8: Shippensburg, pa.: South Penn Enduro Riders, (717) 265-6055; www.southpennenduroriders.com Sept. 15: Brandonville, pa.: Valley Forge Trail Riders, (484) 948-5361; www.vftr.org Oct. 20: New lisbon, N.J.: Ocean County Competition Riders, (609) 7582747; www.occr.net Nov. 10: Warren Grove, N.J.: Motorcycle Competition Inc., (609) 5757820; www.ride-mci.com Nov. 24: New lisbon, N.J.: Central Jersey Competition Riders, (732) 5586475; www.cjcrmc.org

July 19: Centerville, Iowa:

Aug. 3-4: Kahoka, Mo. (rescheduled from May): Mule Kicker Aug. 16-17: Carlisle, Iowa: Heartland Challenge Sept. 7-8: Beaconsfield, Iowa: Coyote Crossing Oct. 5-6: Carlisle, Iowa: Blue Ridge Run AMA AMERICAN SpORTBIKE RACING ASSOCIATION CHAMpIONSHIp SERIES AmARACING.Com July 20-21: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsport Park Aug. 17-18: loudon, N.H.: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Sept. 8: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsport Park (3 hours or 200 miles) Oct. 19: Daytona Beach, Fla.: Daytona International Speedway, 30th Annual Race of Champions AMA U.S. GRAND pRIX RIDERS UNION SERIES UsGPRU.NET July 20-21: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsport Park Aug. 17-18: loudon, N.H.: New Hampsire Motor Speedway Sept. 21-22: Alton, Va.: Final, Virginia International Speedway AMA AMATEUR CHAMpIONSHIpS

AMA AMATEUR NATIONAl MOTOCROSS mxsPoRTs.Com

July 29-Aug. 3: Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: National Championship, Loretta Lynn’s Ranch AMA BIG SKY AMATEUR NATIONAl OFF-ROAD CHAMpIONSHIp BIGsKYxC.Com Aug. 24-25: Big Sky, Mont.: National Championship, Jamey Kabisch, Lone Peak Racing; (406) 223-0478; www.

BigSkyXC.com AMA HIllClIMB GRAND CHAMpIONSHIpS AmARACING.Com Aug. 9-11: Monson, Mass.: Jim O’Connell, Quaboag Riders; (413) 2670332 AMA EXTREME ENDURO GRAND CHAMpIONSHIpS TENNEssEEKNoCKoUTENDURo.Com Aug. 17-18: Sequatchie, Tenn.: KENDA Tennessee Knockout, Trials Training Center AMA KENDA BIG SKY AMATEUR NATIONAl OFF-ROAD CHAMpIONSHIp BIGsKYxC.Com Aug. 24-25: Big Sky, Mont.: Big Sky Resort AMA VINTAGE GRAND CHAMpIONSHIpS AmARACING.Com July 19-21: lexington, Ohio: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course AMA ROADRACE GRAND CHAMpIONSHIpS AmARACING.Com Sept. 21-22: Alton, Va.: Virginia International Raceway

Sept. 21-22: South Beloit, Ill.: Blackhawk Farms

AMA lAND SpEED GRAND CHAMpIONSHIpS - BUB MOTORCYClE SpEED TRIAlS BUBENT.Com

Oct. 17-20: Daytona Beach, Fla.: Daytona International Speedway

Aug. 25-29: Wendover, Utah: Bonneville Salt Flats

AMA AMERICAN SpORTBIKE RACING ASSOCIATION TEAM CHAllENGE SERIES AmARACING.Com Aug. 25: Summit point, W.Va.: Summit Point Circuit (3 hours or 200 miles)

INTERNATIONAl COMpETITION: U.S. ROUNDS/WORlD CHAMpIONSHIpS

FIM ROAD RACING WORlD CHAMpIONSHIp GRAND pRIX FIm-lIvE.Com

2013 EVENTS July 19-21: Monterey, Calif.: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Aug. 16-18: Indianapolis, Ind.: Indianapolis Motor Speedway FIM WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP WORLDSBK.COM Sept. 27-29: Monterey, Calif.: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca FIM TRIAL DES NATIONS FIM-LIVE.COM Sept. 8-9: La Chatre, France FIM MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS FIM-LIVE.COM Sept. 29: Teutschenthal, Germany FIM INTERNATIONAL SIX DAYS OF ENDURO FIM-LIVE.COM Sept. 30-Oct.5: 2013 ISDE: Sardegna, Italy BUB MOTORCYCLE SPEED TRIALS BUBENT.COM Aug. 25-29: Utah: Bonneville Salt Flats COOK MOTORSPORTS PRIVATE LAND SPEED SHOOTOUT Sept. 12-16: Utah: Bonneville Salt Flats AMA DUAL-SPORT/ADVENTURE SERIES

Fullface Riders, www.happy-trail.com

Lonesome MC, Nathan Gaskill; (812) 343-9772; www.stoneylonesomemc.com

Sept. 7-8: Golden Pond, Ky.: Land Between The Lakes 200, KT Riders, Jesse Thomas; (270) 522-3703; www. lbl200.com

Aug. 19-23: Various, Idaho: Sasquatch Dual Sport Tour, Sound Rider!, Tom Mehren; (206) 329-7808; www.soundrider.com

Sept. 13-15: Reno, Nev.: Ride Reno 200, Dust Devils MC, Gary Lambert; (775) 224-0361; www.lbl200.com Sept. 21-22: Logan, Ohio: Nutcracker 200, Buckeye Dual Sporters, Bill Kaeppner; (740) 380-3050; www. kaeppnerswoods.com Sept. 28-29: Buck Meadows, Calif.: Yosemite Dual Sport, Family Off Road Adventures, Lawrence Borgens; (209) 649-3633; www. familyoffroadadventures.com

Oct. 26-27: Prescott Valley, Ariz.: Howlin’ at the Moon, Arizona Trail Riders, Don Hood; (623) 826-1092; www.arizonatrailriders.org

Oct. 5-6: Mt. Solon, Va.: Shenandoah 500 Dual Sport, Washington Area Trail Riders, Andy Giordano, (540) 379-5631; www.watr.us Oct. 12-13: McArthur, Ohio: Baby Burr National Dual Sport, Enduro Riders Assn., Steve Barber; (614) 582-7821; www.enduroriders.com Oct. 26-27: Prescott Valley, Ariz.: Howlin’ at the Moon, Arizona Trail Riders, Don Hood; (623) 826-1092; www.arizonatrailriders.org Nov. 2-3: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: Hammer Run, Tri-County Sportsmen, Eldin Polhaumas; (888) 274-4469 or (856) 7852754; www.teamhammer.org

AMA HUSQVARNA NATIONAL DUALSPORT SERIES, PRESENTED BY FMF AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM July 20-27: Gwinn, Mich.: 29th Annual Michael R. Burlingham Memorial Six Days of Michigan, Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan, Lewis Schuler; (517) 416-0126; www.cycleconservationclub.com July 27-28: Ray, Ohio: Black Bear National Dual Sport, Chillicothe Enduro Riders, Kevin Claytor; (740) 637-2714; www.chillicotheenduro.com July 31-Aug. 4: Stevenson, Wash.: Dual Sport Northwest, Sound Rider!, Tom Mehren; (206) 329-7808; www. soundrider.com Aug. 10-11: Columbus, Ind.: Buffaloe 500 D/S Adventure Ride, Stoney Lonesome MC, Nathan Gaskill; (812) 343-9772; www.stoneylonesomemc.com Aug. 17-18: Tillamook, Ore.: Rat Dog Dual Sport, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 681-8881; www. blackdogdualsport.com Aug. 17-18: Wolverine, Mich.: Ted’s Chandler Hill Challenge, Great Lakes Dual Sporters, Jeremay Valley; (989) 751-6863; www.gldsmc.org Sept. 5-7: Kamiah, Idaho: Lewis and Clark Dual-sport Adventure Ride, WW

AMA YAMAHA SUPER TÉNÉRÉ NATIONAL ADVENTURE RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM Aug. 10-11: Columbus, Ind.: Buffaloe 500 D/S Adventure Ride, Stoney

Sept. 13-15: Reno, Nev.: Ride Reno 200, Dust Devils MC, Gary Lambert; (775) 224-0361; www.lbl200.com Sept. 21-22: Logan, Ohio: Nutcracker 200, Buckeye Dual Sporters, Bill Kaeppner; (740) 380-3050; www. kaeppnerswoods.com

Sept. 28-29: Wabeno, Wis.: Big Woods 200, Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders, John Newton; (920) 350-2030; www.widualsportriders.org

Nov. 29-30: Palmdale, Calif.: LABarstow to Vegas, AMA Dist-37 DualSport, Paul Flanders; (626) 446-7386; www.dist37ama.org

Sept. 6-9: Buena Vista, Colo.: Rocky Mountain Autumn Hot Springs Adventure Tour, Exit Tours MC, (719) 207-1189

Nov. 2-3: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: Hammer Run, Tri-County Sportsmen, Eldin Polhaumas; (888) 274-4469 or (856) 7852754; www.teamhammer.org Nov. 16-17: Hammonton, N.J.: Pine Barrens 300, Cross Country Cycles, Jack O’Connor; (732) 714-8874; www.pinebarrens500.org

www.roadrunner.travel/events/touringweekend/ July 30-Aug. 4: Stephenson, Wash.: Rally in the Gorge: www.soundrider. com/rally AMA NATIONAL GYPSY TOURS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM July 31-Aug. 4: Tunica, Miss.: 36th Annual National Bikers Roundup: www.nbrkcmo.com Aug. 5-11: Sturgis, S.D.: Sturgis: www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com Aug. 30-Sept. 3: Killington, Vt.: Killington Classic: www. killingtonclassic.com Oct. 11-13: Redding, Calif.: Big Bike Weekend: www.bigbikeweekend.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

Nov. 29-30: Palmdale, Calif.: LABarstow to Vegas, AMA Dist-37 DualSport, Paul Flanders; (626) 446-7386; www.dist37ama.org

Jan. 1-Dec. 31: Polar Bear Grand Tour: AMA District 2 of New Jersey; (609) 894-2941; www. polarbeargrandtour.com

AMA PREMIER TOURING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.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 NATIONAL RALLIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM July 19-21: Lexington, Ohio: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days: www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com

April 1-Oct. 31: Tour of Honor Grand Tour: Tour of Honor; www.tourofhonor.com

AMA NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM

AMA NATIONAL EXTREME GRAND TOURS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM

Sept. 18-23: Ruidoso, N.M.: AspenCash Rally: www. motorcyclerally.com AMA NATIONAL TOURING RALLIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM July 11-14: Maggie Valley, N.C.: 2013 RoadRunner Motorcycle Touring & Travel Annual Touring Weekend:

Jan. 1-Dec. 31: SCMA Four Corners Grand Tour: Southern California Motorcycling Association; www.usa4corners.org.

Aug. 30-Sept. 2: SCMA Three Flags Classic Grand Tour: Southern California Motorcycling Association; www.sc-ma.com.

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GUEST COLUMN A SIDECAR IN PIKES PEAK COUNTRY

Sidecars have been around nearly as long as motorcycles. Despite this longevity, they have remained an oddity in most riders’ minds, garnering little interest. How could anything that stops you from leaning in a corner be any fun?

I was raised in a Goulding sidecar attached to a Harley 74. My pappy challenged Iowa winters with that machine, particularly during World War II when the rationed gas for our pickup was siphoned into the Harley, thus stretching the available miles. He always said a sidecar bike was the most stable vehicle on snow and ice.

Eventually our scene changed to Southern California and a Triumph with Watsonian sidecar. By then I was big enough to ride it and found it way more fun without a passenger—meaning I could easily ride it on two wheels with the side car in the air, so long as my dad did not catch me. I was just a natural motorcyclist I guess.

Six decades have now passed since those exciting days of youth, but youth has a way of living on for the motorcyclist.

Being a dual-sport rider (although there was a time all riders were “dual-sport” riders), dirt is my preferred road surface.

So, I find myself in Colorado, a state saturated with dirt roads, at an age when falling off no longer seems like just part of the fun. Add to the mix a new wife who wants to go but is most certainly opposed to falling off. We do ride the dirt two-up, but it just isn’t as neat as being solo where a little slide is no big deal.

In my archives is Sidney Dickson’s “Bridget & Sidney’s Cross-Country Sidecar Adventure,” a well-done movie about a Pikes Peak racer and newlywed.

The film is about Dickson’s honeymoon ride—a Pacific to Mississippi dirt road adventure powered by a KTM—and his answer to loving both dirt roads and a woman who wants no part of being left behind.

I plugged it in for Suzi to view just to see what the reaction would be. She came away irritated that she would have to wait for the next day to size up this sidecar thing at our local dealership, Apex Sports, where turning two wheels into three, of either arrangement, is a way of life.

Doyne, the owner, sent us off for the

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Joel Strayer

A Difference Of Perspective

By Bill Brokaw

weekend on a Shadow 1100, with bags and Velorex sidecar attached, in search of dirt roads. This requires no search here since from south of Denver to Canon City on the Arkansas River, there are eight roads into the Rampart Range and Pikes Peak monolith. Only two of them are paved and all of them are nifty.

With check book in hand, a very excited Suzi and I returned the bike, temporarily, with 200 miles added to the odometer. No, it was not a rocky Jeep road bike, but it handled the highway easily and the dirt roads could again be ridden with exuberance.

So what is it like to ride a hack? To state the obvious, we have the same visibility and controls we know well.

Because this bike does not have the luxury of sidecar forks to reduce trail, it takes near continuous muscle use to ride it, and sometimes quite a bit. So you can decide whether that is a bad thing or a good thing. For me it is more satisfying than spending money at a gym.

A two-gallon gas container has been secured behind the sidecar seat for peace of mind because the hack cuts the miles per gallon to a bit over 30.

Maintaining awareness of two tire tracks, and trying to give Suzi the smoother ride,

keeps my mind busy on rougher roads.

We managed to crack the windshield on the hack when I did not deal with washboard properly. Now Suzi puts a hand on the shield for a damper and we have not lost another. We have not resorted to dual-sport tires because losing a bit of traction now and then adds to the fun, and fun it is, although of a different kind. Changing direction in a corner becomes quick and simple.

Operating a sidecar rig is a unique experience to share with your passenger and certainly escapes the cumbersomeness of a car. Suzi reports the sidecar is comfortable on the rough roads. It is also nice to have your passenger in view rather than behind.

Finding escape from traffic on these decomposed granite byways is no small benefit. With fine routes such as the Shelf Road, Gold Camp Road, Rampart Range Road, Tallahassee Road and Oak Creek Grade—to name just a few that are never experienced by sport or touring bike riders—our options are numerous. The future looks good.

Bill Brokaw is an AMA member and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer from Colorado Springs, Colo.

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