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8 PERSPECTIVES
Editorial Director Mitch Boehm on the constant frustration of a jam-packed garage
10 FROM THE PRESIDENT
AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman on the good thing about a boring AMA Board of Directors
12 AMA INSIDER
AMA Washington Rep. Zach Farmer on the importance of the Motorcycle Caucus
14 BACKFIRES
Membership feedback on recent issues and happenings
16 BACK IN THE DAY
Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear!
20 AMA VMD PREVIEW 2025
Everything you need to know about American motorcycling’s favorite summer weekend
24 AMA RIGHTS ROUNDUP
Various legislative news from the AMA’s Government Relations Department
32 COVER STORY: MICAH AND ME, PART II
Another cross-country ADV trek from the father-andson Stevenson duo, with a new wrinkle this time
48 PURPLE PASSION
The development and significance of Suzuki’s 1972 GT750 LeMans — aka the Water Buffalo
72 AMA GARAGE
Part I of our new Garage Series highlights a Wisconsin garage space that does it all
74 LAST PAGE
Catching up with desert-racing phenom Brooklyn Caudillo as she turns 14
ON THE COVER:
Two years ago, Aaron Stevenson and his 11-year-old son Micah went cross-country on dirt roads only, and learned a lot about each other in the process. This time around they concentrated on the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada — and learned even more, much of which revolved around the Suzuki V-Strom 800 they rode, and the curious concept of a boy becoming a man. Selfie by Aaron S.
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EDITORIAL
Mitch Boehm Editorial Director
Todd Westover Chief Creative Consultant
Keaton Maisano Managing Editor
Kerry Hardin Senior Graphic Designer
Bob Griffith Contributing Editor
John Burns Contributing Editor
Aaron Frank Contributing Editor
Contact the Editorial Team at: submissions@ama-cycle.org
Michael Kula Business Development Manager (949) 466-7833, mkula@ama-cycle.org
Alex Boehm Sales and Events Specialist (614) 729-7949, aboehm@ama-cycle.org
All trademarks used herein (unless otherwise noted) are owned by the AMA and may only be used with the express, written permission of the AMA.
American Motorcyclist is the monthly publication of the American Motorcyclist Association, which represents motorcyclists nationwide. For information on AMA membership benefits, call (800) AMA-JOIN or visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Manuscripts, photos, drawings and other editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage. No responsibility is assumed for loss or damage to unsolicited material.
Makenzi Martin Membership Event and Program Manager
Kristina Duong Marketing Manager
Lauren Kropf Marketing and Communications Specialist
MEMBER SERVICES
Tiffany Pound Member Services Manager
Pam Albright Member Fulfillment Coordinator
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS
Shaun Holloway Director of Information Technology
Jarrod Gilliland Application Developer
Ed Madden Systems and Database Analyst
Leah Mattas Web Manager
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American Motorcyclist magazine (ISSN 0277-9358) is published monthly (12 issues) by the American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Copyright by the American Motorcyclist Association/American Motorcyclist 2021. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $39.95 covered in membership dues.
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Members who join or renew their AMA membership from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025 are automatically entered to win one of these awesome motorcycling prizes!
MONTHLY DRAWINGS
• MOTION PRO Digital Tire Pressure Gauge 60 psi
• Warm & Safe 12V USB Adapter
• Bohn Armor Skull Cap
• AMA T-Shirt
• nelson-rigG cover
• quinn Spitfire Vanta Helmet
• Butler Motorcycle Maps
• ASV set of three y handle socket tools
sockets not included
QUARTERLY DRAWINGS
• Bohn Armor Pant & Shirt Set
• Strider Sport 2-in-1 Rocking Bike
• ASV set of f4 Dirt or f3 Street Levers
• chatter box Bit 2 hands-free
• Mimi & Moto Children’s Books
• Slacker V5 and a Wireless Remote Display
• Third Eye Design inView Wireless Brake and Turn-Signal Light
It happens every time I punch the keypad buttons and watch my garage door open before me. I scan the space and am immediately pissed off. Not so much at the room itself, but at myself, and the jam-packed mess I’ve allowed to grow and fester there.
I installed a couple of large shelving units a while back, somehow thinking that might help, but they’re full now and nothing has really changed. I still have too much stuff, including probably too many motorcycles and an always-garaged, air-cooled Porsche 911 that I love — but, at times of extreme angst, have considered selling to make enough room for an actual, functional space. To get in there without having to first haul stuff into the driveway I have to literally wedge myself between motorcycles, and every time I do that, I end up even angrier.
The garage was a carport when I lived here during college, with no back wall, no door and basically no security. I would park my Rabbit or my parents’ Celica under the roof most nights, work on my motocross bikes there, and even park my street bikes there with just the steering locked, as our neighborhood was really quiet and crime-free. Still is, actually.
But when I moved back here five years ago I had my contractor buddy Michael add a rear wall and garage door, an act I somehow equated with having a garage I could actually work and hang out in without having to first empty it. Mike’s handiwork turned the space into a nice (but small) two-car garage…which I immediately negated most of the benefits of by filling it with all my stuff — motorcycles included. (Amazing how much more stuff you have in your 50s than at 21.)
But with my frustration having finally
PERSPECTIVES ROOM TO Move... and More
BY MITCH BOEHM
Too much stuff — bikes, an old sports car, etc. — means something’s gotta go if I want a functional garage. Below: Back in the 1980s, when the space was just a carport.
peaked, garage sanity has arrived. I’m simply fed up not having a roomy and organized place to work on my motorcycles, especially my just-finished Suzuki GS1000S resto-mod (story coming in a future issue) and the RMX250 cream puff I just bought and wrote about last month. There are also two Honda XR75s that need some resto work; a red Honda SL70 that quit running a while back; a first-year Honda CBX with a rusty tank; and a Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke that needs some TLC.
Too many motorcycles for the space I have? Probably. But I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
So, here's my plan, much of which will be familiar to those who already
have a prime workspace… like Dave Hartleip, whose garage is featured in this month’s AMA Garage section on page 72: A nice long workbench, with shelving on all three walls. Lights everywhere. A tidy spot for my wheeled tool chest. A big-BTU electric heater to make winter work/old-magazine-reading sessions possible. A hydraulic lift to go with my compressor. A Vyper shop stool or two. A beverage fridge, adorned with all my old moto stickers. My still-unhung moto-themed artwork on the vaulted ceiling. Old racing leathers hanging strategically. Shelving for my 2,500-copy moto-magazine collection. Some cool shop flooring. And my backup vintage audio system, featuring a monster Yamaha CR1020 receiver and ADS L880 speakers. Oh, baby…
So where is all the room (and cash) coming from to make this master plan possible? Let’s just say I’m gonna miss that old Porsche.
Mitch Boehm is the Editorial Director of the AMA and a long-time member.
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It is not often that the AMA Board of Directors is addressed in this column.
And that’s actually a good thing, because it means the activities of the AMA Board, while vitally important to our members, aren’t really all that interesting, and rarely exciting enough to hold your attention through even a short column.
Let’s be honest…good governance is kind of a snooze, and in this case, boring is a very good thing. This subject is on my mind because our board recently concluded its first meeting of the year in Florida, just prior to Daytona Bike Week. I also conducted a day of new board member training for a couple of our board’s newest members, and one who had managed to avoid the training since he had joined the board during COVID.
I think new board members are struck by how complex an organization the AMA really is, and how many different facets it has. The training addresses not only those complexities, but the responsibilities of board members and their need to be accountable while holding their fellow members accountable, as well.
See? It’s all quite boring. But here’s why that’s good.
There was a lot of palace intrigue at the AMA when I began my tenure as president and CEO almost two decades ago. Palace intrigue in an organization is frequently a result of bad or misaligned corporate governance, and that was certainly the case at the AMA back then.
At that time, some board members were using the AMA to further their own personal or business interests, as the board was then dominated by industry representatives and those involved in race promotion. There was
From the President and CEO A BORING BOARD IS A GOOD THING
BY ROB DINGMAN
little to no accountability among board members. One was even caught embezzling AMA members’ money by padding expense accounts.
Quarterly board meetings were typically scheduled for two full days, and the board rarely got through their entire agenda. The board was generally preoccupied with professional racing issues, while the needs of the
Fast forward to today, and what a difference from that early period. Today’s AMA Board of Directors is highly functional and accountable to each other — and most importantly to our membership.
Under the leadership of AMA Board Chairman Russ Ehnes, good governance and accountability have been common themes among board
At that time, some Board members were using the AMA to further their own personal or business interests, as the Board was then dominated by industry representatives and those involved in race promotion. THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO ACCOUNTABILITY AMONG BOARD MEMBERS.
membership often took a back seat. Contentious meetings were the norm. I dreaded those early meetings because many of the board members treated them like a game of gotcha, hoping to trip me up so they could pin the blame on someone other than themselves for the failings of the organization.
The sale of professional racing assets in 2008 completely changed the dynamic of our board of directors.
(For a full examination of the sale of professional racing, see our September and November 2024 issues.)
Representatives from both business members and individual members of the AMA sit on our board, and this shift was helped by the fact that a majority of our 12 board members are now individual members, while only four are elected from business members.
Other improvements included the creation of a board nominating committee to help find qualified candidates, and the imposition of term limits on board members.
members for the last several years. The current board works very well together. Members respect each other’s views and set their personal and business interests aside. They recognize they are there for the good of the AMA and our members. Just as important, this respect extends from the AMA executive staff, who welcome the board’s role in keeping us accountable, as well.
The board today has a great committee structure, and much of the board’s work is done in committees and then brought before the full board for a vote. This has enabled the completion of board meetings in less than a day, all while being much more productive.
I’ll take boring good governance over palace intrigue any day of the week!
Rob Dingman is the President and CEO of the AMA, and a Charter Life Member.
HALL OF FAMER BROC GLOVER ASKS YOU TO SUPPORT THE AMA HALL OF FAME
Being inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in the class of 2000 was an honor and a thrill, but that’s only part of the reason I’m such a big supporter of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
The Hall’s mission — to preserve and promote the heritage of American motorcycling — is alive, well and vitally important.
But what if our greatest racers, riders, ambassadors and
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visionaries were lost to history? What if their very important achievements were forgotten? Would tomorrow’s riders chase their motorcycling dreams if they had no one to inspire them?
That’s not something I’d like to chance, and I’m certain you’d agree, so here’s my question:
Will you please make a financial contribution to the AMA Hall of Fame? Thank you! —Broc Glover
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Washington, D.C., has always been full of clichés and platitudes, but there is indisputable truth to the idea that it matters who’s in your corner
What member of Congress is willing to challenge leadership on proposals that have a negative impact on motorcycling? Who will defend our rights in Congress? Many issues facing motorcyclists have broad, bipartisan support, but it is important to have champions in Congress — and today’s Congressional Motorcycle Caucus is exactly that.
In 2009, the AMA, along with Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI-05) and former Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX-26), created the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus to bring together these champions. With 35 members, this group is currently led by Walberg and Reps. Troy Balderson (R-OH-12), Donald Norcross (D-NJ01), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03), plus Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). This bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers is dedicated to preserving motorcycling and championing motorcycling interests.
One of my first priorities when I joined the AMA in July 2023 was to re-engage with — and help re-invigorate — the Caucus, because for several reasons, including COVID-19 and Burgess retiring from Congress, the group seemed to have lost some steam and direction.
But when my initial email to the leading offices was returned with a phone call from Walberg making an introduction and letting us know the AMA had his full support, it seemed clear that members were excited to get this group back together. Van Orden, whom I later met at an event hosted by Harley-Davidson, even offered to lead the Caucus…and is now one of the more enthusiastic Caucus members.
CULTIVATING WHO’S IN OUR CORNER
ZACH FARMER
Amid a productive 2024 for the Caucus and at a lunch in September on behalf of AMPAC — the AMA’s connected political action committee — Walberg and I discussed Caucus goals for 2025. In addition to movement on key issues such as Right to Repair, Autonomous Vehicles, and the Recreational Trails Program reauthorization, to name just a few, we felt the Caucus should organize a post-inauguration reception for newly elected members of Congress.
clists deserve freedom to ride without excessive government regulation, and deserve a general assurance of safety on the road
The attendance was a solid testament to the support motorcyclists have in Congress. I have been to plenty of events with organizations boasting their caucus membership in the hundreds, with only one or two members making a quick appearance.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE CHAMPIONS IN
CONGRESS, AND TODAY’S CONGRESSIONAL MOTORCYCLE CAUCUS IS EXACTLY THAT.
New members are notoriously busy during their first few months, arriving in D.C. with suitcases of promises and a whirlwind of events clamoring for their attention. But we felt that motorcycling’s natural fraternal advantage — like alumni networking — would help them recognize an opportunity to grow their Capitol Hill networks.
And so, AMA staff in D.C. started working to secure a venue, arrange catering, send invitations and solve two dozen other logistical challenges to host a reception.
With 6 inches of snow the night of the reception and arrival-time confirmations from only Walberg and Peters, there was concern we were not the hottest ticket in town. That apprehension was short-lived, though, with Peters, Walberg, Balderson, Norcross, Van Orden, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-01) and newly elected Reps. Dave Taylor (R-OH-02) and John McGuire (R-VA05) all arriving early and staying late. In front of colleagues, congressional staff and industry professionals, all remarked on a range of issues impacting motorcycling. And their comments shared a common theme — motorcy-
What really matters, though, is how we capitalize on the support we have. How do we align the interests of elected officials with AMA members to make a difference? Key components are exercises like this: getting members together, understanding their priorities and interests, and identifying ways to create momentum.
With this event in the rearview mirror we are looking toward movement on our key issues, along with a suggestion from Walberg to have the 2025 Ride to Work Day this June 10 include a stop at the White House.
Our goal, of course, is to go beyond platitudes and leverage these interactions into real change that improves road safety, increases responsible access to public lands, and ensure motorcyclists are treated fairly when laws and regulations are written.
Not to repackage clichés and platitudes, but it’s time to strike while the iron’s hot and get back to work. Go to the “Rights” tab at AmericanMotorcyclist.com to stay updated.
Zach Farmer is the Washington Rep. for the AMA Government Relations Department and an avid motorcyclist.
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BACKFIRES
JIS: WHO KNEW?
Your article on Phillips vs. JIS screwdrivers (March 2025) was educational. Of myself and my three boys, only one of us knew this; the rest did not, including a now wellknown motocross team manager! And the one that did know had been building remote-control model cars from Japan, and learned of JIS from that. Thanks…we learn something new every day!
Gunnar Lindstrom AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, Class of 2000
Interesting article on screwdrivers in your March edition. My only complaint is it came about 50 years too late! I can’t tell you how many times I busted a knuckle, bitched at and cussed those pesky Phillips screws on my Japanese bikes. I did a lot of wrenching back in the day, and garfed up plenty of screw heads over the years. It’s one of the few back-in-the-day memories I’d just as soon forget about. Keep up the great work. The magazine helps me recall my many great memories of being in the saddle.
Robert Southard
LETTER OF THE MONTH
DOG ON A HOG
thoroughly enjoyed the Dog on a Hog story in the March 2025 issue of the magazine. I had a paper route during junior and senior high school, and my dog Lassie would accompany me every day, rain or shine. At some point at the end of the route I started putting her in the large basket on the front of my bicycle and giving her a ride home, which she enjoyed immensely. When I got my first motorcycle, I put my over-the-shoulder newspaper bag on the tank and put her on it, which she loved even more. She was rock steady and even leaned in the curves with the bike. She only bailed off once when another dog decided to chase us. She jumped off, ready to defend her turf, landing on top of the other dog, and they both went rolling on the grass a** over teakettle. When they came to a stop the other dog sat there dazed for a moment, then high-tailed it back home, probably wondering where that flying dog came from. She seemed to ride a little taller in the saddle after that. Over the years, anytime she heard my motorcycle start she’d come running, ready for another ride. She was so special, and was with us for almost 20 years. Thanks for the memories.
I
Ron Landis Gilbert, Ariz.
Letters to the editor are the opinions of the AMA members who write them. Inclusion here does not imply they reflect the positions of the AMA, its staff or board. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. Send letters to submissions@ama-cycle.org or mail to American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.
TESTBIKE WITHDRAWAL?
As a long-term reader and admirer of contributing editor John Burns, I sympathize with his Testbike Withdrawal Symptom (TWS) condition. He and I suffer from the same malady. It is not a simple addiction to motorcycles. It is an addiction to new motorcycles. Burns chose the wisest career path to treat this malady, while I wasted my time and much of my sanity toiling for large tech companies. Now that I’m retired, new motorcycles, even subsidized by trade-ins, are no longer a sustainable lifestyle. While my case is hopeless, I do enjoy motorcycle reviews and urge the AMA to let Mr. Burns do more of them. Failing that, I recommend Mr. Burns do what I have learned to do: Enjoy a deepening and more intimate relationship with the motorcycle(s) I do have. Learn about them, appreciate them, maintain them and enjoy them for what they are. After all, if we can’t be with the ones we love, we must love the ones we’re with. Good luck, John! I understand.
Quentin Smelzer Little River, S.C.
ATGATT
I have been an avid motorcycle enthusiast for over 50 years and a member of the AMA for more than 40, and I was recently involved in a terrible motorcycle accident. As a former police motorcycle officer in the U.K. and a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor with over a million miles logged on motorcycles, I felt it necessary to remind readers how important it is to wear the right gear no matter how warm or how cold it might be.
Back in August of 2024 I had just purchased a brand-new Ducati Streetfighter V4S from my local Ducati dealer. One Saturday I left my fiancée’s house and planned to ride up into the mountains in street clothes, but before I did, something told me to go home and put my leathers and boots on. I’m glad I did, because as I was riding down the backside of Palomar Mountain with a friend I caught a tree-root pavement lump that caught my front wheel in a bad way and forced me off the road with just seconds to react. I had to choose between launching into an 80-foot ravine or hitting a granite mountain wall; I chose the latter, the bike catapulting me into the wall and my body ricocheting back into the road. I found myself in and out of consciousness
as I screamed about my back, and was eventually life-flighted to the nearest trauma hospital.
It was touch-and-go for two weeks as I was put into an induced coma. I suffered numerous broken bones, including a broken neck, three broken vertebrae, all 24 ribs, a shattered knee, a broken femur, scapula, lost a finger, and plenty more. I tell you this because had I not been wearing my leathers and boots, I would’ve most certainly been dead. So to all of you new and veteran riders alike, “All the Gear All the Time” is not something to be looked at lightly. As a former motorcycle officer in the U.K., I have seen lesser accidents result in a fatality because they were not wearing the right equipment. It’s now been six months since my accident, and I will be able to walk again, and I look forward to riding my next new Ducati, which should be here soon. Lastly, a big thank you to the first responders who had a large part in keeping me alive. Stay safe out there everyone, and remember to ride safe, ride smart, and ride equipped!
Richard Farler
Glad to hear you’re still with us, Richard! – Ed.
BACK IN THE DAY
Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear!
This photo depicts some pics of my grandfather’s (Joseph Nelson Wintress) and his brother’s bikes circa 1908–1919. The photo is from 1919 and is a postcard sent by his future wife (Wilhelmina), who was vacationing on the Jersey shore with her family. Other pics show Uncle Eddie Dueltgen, who had just returned from service in WWI in France. The grin says it all. Grandpa and his brother rode the bikes with sidecars, too. I wished he’d saved them and the cars he acquired over the years through the 1960s.
Ken Gross
6This is a young me in 1964 on my first bike, a 250 Honda Dream. I’ve gone on to own 22 other bikes of various makes. I’ve ridden some of these bikes to Daytona, Laconia and Sturgis (my bucket list ride), the last of which on a 17-year-old AMF Harley-Davidson Shovelhead FLH. In 1968, I raced District 6 scrambles finishing eighth in points. At my age, I now ride street on local New Jersey roads. I’ll keep riding as long as I can throw a leg over.
Lenny Gehlhaus
3In 1972, I purchased my first new bike — a Yankee 500Z — using all of our wedding gift funds. (I married a good woman who still puts up with me spending too much money on my hobby!) That’s me riding the sand pits on Long Island, N.Y., in 1973. I then gave my younger brother Jim my 1967 Bridgestone 175, which we converted to a wannabe enduro. That’s him standing proudly with his ride. (I later bought him a 1970 Honda SL125 to keep up with me.) We rode together, dirt and street, for almost 50 years until his passing in 2019. I’ve owned many bikes over the years, starting with a homemade mini-bike I built with an old Briggs lawnmower engine and a chopped bicycle frame. Today my main ride is a 2012 BMW 1600GTL. I still own a Yankee that I’ve recently restored, but I still miss all those trips with my brother and partner.
John Devlin
Gotta ask, John: What were those jump landings like on that not-a-flyweight Yankee? – Ed.
The first photo was taken on the first day of our trip from New Jersey to California and back in 1976. The trip was for sightseeing and visiting old service buddies from the Air Force in Ohio and San Jose, Calif. We camped in a pup tent at KOA campgrounds for all but two days of our threeweek trip. Along the way we visited the Football Hall of Fame, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, Death Valley and more. We even rode over the Golden Gate Bridge on the way back! The trip totaled 7,000 miles and no flat tires! After all that, we started a family and now have three sons and three granddaughters!
George Kalnas
Back in 1973 — when I was 19 — my buddy and I decided to take our new bikes on a cross-country trip. I was on my Suzuki GT750 with no windshield, a duffel bag full of camping gear and clothes, and $100 in my pocket. My friend rode his Honda CB500. Leaving the suburbs of Detroit, Mich., we went north through the Upper Peninsula and turned left, headed for the west coast, camping most nights. When we ran out of road we took the ferry to Vancouver Island. The boat ride back landed us in Washington, where we rode the coastal highway all the way to Tijuana, Mexico. From there we headed into Colorado and back toward home in Michigan. The day after I got home my Suzuki died on the way to the Suzuki dealership to get some two-stroke oil. The seal on the crankshaft warped and started blowing heavy blue smoke out the tailpipe. I must have had a guardian angel following me on the trip since it was problem-free for the whole 8,200 miles. I still remember that trip like it was yesterday, and it was one of the best things I have ever done!
Mark Fagan
We’re thinking you’ll probably like the Water Buffalo story in the issue, Mark! – Ed.
This is me and my wife Barbara on my 1974 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide.
BACK IN THE DAY
During the summer of 2000, five Salinas brothers and a good friend gathered in Colorado to ride motorcycles on the mountain roads. The photo shows us all sitting on Yamahas and one Honda (on the far right). Shown is everything from a 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale tourer, Yamaha R1 and R6 sport bikes, a 650 Yamaha cruiser and a Honda ST1100 sport-tourer. One brother who didn’t ride is sitting backward on a vintage
Yamaha. It was a memorable time riding motorcycles with my brothers. We rode twisty roads with sweeping curves and climbed to over 10,000 feet of elevation and took in some breathtaking mountain views. We traveled scenic byways past towering peaks, pristine lakes and through historic ghost towns. It was a great motorcycling experience that I will never forget.
This photo is of my wife Pensri sitting on my 1972 Kawasaki H2 750 in the spring of ’76 at my parents’ house in Johnstown, Pa. She is from Thailand, where I met her when I was in the Air Force. At the time of this picture, we had been married about seven months. We have been together nearly 50 years now. I wish I’d kept that Kawasaki, but I like the 2016 Indian Scout I ride now.
Brian Ribblett
Ray Salinas
Here is a pic of my 40-inch Matchless and my girlfriend in 1964…the same year I joined the AMA. After all these years I still have the gal, and she has ridden on the back of 25 bikes. I still ride street and dirt with the other gray beards. I’m on an Indian Scout for street these days, and a Honda 230 for desert. Terry Ressler
Matchless, eh? Malcolm would approve, Terry! – Ed
When we used to race Saddleback back in the ’70s, and she would tag along. Brian Larsen
up to speed
News, notes, insight and more from the motorcycling universe
VMD PREVIEW 2025
Celebrating 500cc World Champion Brad Lackey and two Suzuki anniversaries (RMs and GSX-Rs), 2025 Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Turn 14 Distribution is not to be missed
BY AMA STAFF
Last year’s 100th Anniversary-themed AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days was record-breaking, with some 70,000 fans, racers and fun-seekers attending the annual extravaganza at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in beautiful Lexington, Ohio, over the three days.
But given the special lineup of legends, exhibitions and happenings at 2025 Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Turn 14 Distribution, which runs July 25-27, those records might just fall once again.
First, you’ve got the foundational elements of VMD, which simply cannot be denied: vintage road racing, flat track and off-road racing (motocross, hare scrambles, trials) all weekend long; the country’s biggest and best swap meet, covering more than 80 acres; vendors galore; a bike show; AMA Hall of Fame galleries and presentations in the Hall of Fame Fanzone; demo rides; camping; Wall of Death; and much more.
But it’s the special elements that might just push VMD 2025 over the edge this year. Keep reading to see what’s on tap for this year’s celebration, and remember…every dollar the AMA earns supports the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Museum! It’s where motorcycling’s legends live!
DATES & LOCATION
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days happens July 25-27 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, located an hour north of AMA headquarters and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, and about an hour south of Cleveland. Visit VintageMotorcycleDays.com for tickets and additional information.
GATES OPEN
Gates will open Thursday, July 24, at 7 a.m. for swap meet vendor load-in. Friday through Sunday, gates will open for general admission at 7 a.m. Be sure to wake up early to beat the lines!
FEATURED MARQUE
This year we’ll celebrate a couple of anniversaries for two immensely impactful Suzuki lines: 50 years of Suzuki RMs, which launched in 1975 with the original RM125, and 40 years of the GSX-Rs, represented by the fi rst-generation GSX-R750 in 1985. We’ll have examples of both on display in our big AMA Hall of Fame tent, and if you’ve got something RM- or GSX-R-oriented you feel could add to the show, let us know at submissions@ ama-cycle.org
GRAND MARSHAL
We are honored to have 1982 500cc World Champion (and 1972 AMA 500cc National MX Champion) “Bad Brad” Lackey as our Grand Marshal for this year’s VMD celebration.
Brad helped lead the charge of Americans challenging and finally beating the well-established Europeans during the middle 1970s and ’80s, capping off his inspiring career by becoming the first American (along with fellow AMA Hall of Famer Danny LaPorte) to win a world title… the 500cc crown in 1982.
“I’ve been to VMD a few times, and it’s always been a lot of fun,” Lackey told us. “But this year, with the AMA celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Suzuki RM series of motocrossers, which formed the basis of the RN500 works motocrosser I won the 1982 500cc World Championship on, it’s going to be extra special — especially having my ’82 championship bike on display. I’m honored to be the Grand Marshal for this year’s VMD celebration, and excited to hang out with all the vintage enthusiasts.”
As Grand Marshal, Lackey will be on hand to sign autographs, speak to enthusiasts from the AMA Soundstage, do some laps on the MX course, participate in the Lap for History (pre-register at VintageMotorcycleDays. com/lap-for-history) on the track at Mid-Ohio each day, and much more!
RACING
VMD is also chock-full of racing action all weekend long, with fierce competition across various disciplines including motocross, hare scrambles, trials, flat track, road racing and pit bike racing.
The AMA Vintage Grand Championship runs in conjunction with VMD and crowns the AMA Vintage Grand Champion and AMA Vet/Senior Vintage Grand Champion by combining points from three off-road rac-
ing disciplines: motocross, trials and hare scrambles.
In addition, a round of the AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series will run at the Ashland County Fairground on Saturday, July 27.
Finally, VMD 2025 will host the inaugural round of Broc Glover’s King’s Cup and Golden Cup motocross races, which will feature the machines (and maybe even some of the riders!) from the latter 1970s and early 1980s…the “golden era” of motocross.
The King’s Cup will feature air-cooled, drum-braked two-stroke 500cc motocrossers, while the Golden Cup will feature air-cooled, non-linkage two-stroke 125s, with each class offering an age breakdown, and both done in a one-moto, winner-take-all format for special,
BRAD LACKEY
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Glover-designed cup trophies. Check AMA VMD racing registration at VintageMotorcycleDays.com for more information.
SWAP MEET
Whether you’re there to buy, sell or just get lost in one of the most interesting moto gatherings on the planet, the AMA VMD swap meet is for you. Spanning 80 acres and boasting more than 850 vendor spaces, the largest swap meet in the country offers something for everybody. Bring plenty of cash…and maybe a compass so you don’t get lost as this year’s rendition will be the biggest ever!
DEMO RIDES
Even though VMD is the epicenter for all things vintage, there’s plenty of opportunity to ride some new hardware. The upper paddock will be home to the likes of Harley-Davidson, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph, Yamaha and others, but be sure to arrive early to reserve a spot.
ASHLAND DINNER RIDE
If a nice ride through the countryside, a tasty meal and a chance to watch some bar-bangin’ flat track action sounds like fun, the annual Ashland Dinner Ride on Saturday, July 26, is for you.
Leaving from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and traveling to the Ashland County Fairgrounds, the experience includes VIP parking, a pit pass, a group dinner, grandstand seats and a special-edition Ashland Dinner Ride T-shirt. And all for a $100 donation to the AMA Motorcycle Hall
of Fame. Awesome, right? Pre-register for the Ashland Dinner Ride at VintageMotorcycleDays.com/ashland-din ner-ride
INFIELD EVENTS
The Hall of Fame Fanzone in the Mid-Ohio infield is home to the impossible-to-miss AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame tent, which has vintage bike displays, AMA membership renewal, AMA merch, Grand Marshal Brad Lackey autograph opportunities, and more! There will also be a silent auction running throughout the event, and bids can be made by going to VintageMotorcycleDays.com/ online-auction
Got a special bike to show off? Then consider entering it in the Motorcycle Classics AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Bike Show presented by Royal Enfield on Saturday. Pre-register for the bike show at VintageMotor cycleDays.com/ bike-show. The AMA Soundstage is also located there, and it’ll be the place to be for a daily Q&A with Grand Marshal Lackey as well as various presentations from significant individuals and groups from the moto world.
Add in other vendors, food trucks, the Wall of Death and Moto Motion, and the infield becomes a must for all VMD attendees.
See you there!
N20081
IIHS releases studies on reflective motorcycle gear and advancements in AEB technology
REFLECT ON THIS!
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BY KEATON MAISANO AND JACK EMERSON
hen preparing for a ride, it’s common sense to throw on some reflective gear, which has always been beneficial in helping our four-wheel friends see us out on the mean streets. However, with regard to emerging “safety” technology being tested on the open road in newer vehicles, that might not be the case.
WA study, released in January by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), indicated that reflective clothing may actually hinder the ability of automatic crash prevention systems to detect motorcyclists and bicyclists.
The study looked at the effects that high-viz and reflective clothing have on the performance of automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems in three 2023 car models — a Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester. It was found that the CR-V and CX-5 hit the dummy 84 percent and 88 percent of the time in their respective trials, and neither model
slowed at all when the crash dummy was clothed with reflective strips on its limbs.
The American Motorcyclist Association has consistently raised alarm about the increased prevalence of AEB systems and their ability to detect motorcyclists on the open road.
“America’s roads and highways should not be used as automobile proving grounds at the expense of motorcycle safety,” AMA Government Relations Washington Representative Zach Farmer said.
The study evaluated front crash prevention of several makes and models, with part of the test using a motorcycle as a “target” to test warning systems and automatic braking.
This study was followed up with another AEB study released by the IIHS Feb. 12 that showcased strides made in AEB technology testing of cars ranging from 2023 to 2025 models.
In the test — which included trials at upgraded speeds of 31, 37 and 43 mph to better reflect a greater proportion of police-reported front-to-rear crashes — 22 of the 30 vehicles evaluated earned a good or acceptable rating, which denotes systems that are able to prevent or substantially mitigate crashes at higher speeds. This is a significant step forward from an April study in which only three of the first 10 small SUVs tested performed at a good or acceptable level.
“The rapid progress manufacturers have made to improve these vital crash
avoidance systems is impressive,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “Vehicles that excel in this new test will save lives, as it addresses the most dangerous kinds of front-torear crashes.”
Despite improved results overall, even acceptable-rated vehicles performed “subpar at higher speeds, especially with the motorcycle target.” During the 43-mph scenarios, every acceptable-rated vehicle failed to prevent a collision with the motorcycle target, with some vehicles even colliding with the target at speeds greater than 25 mph.
For the eight vehicles that rated below an acceptable level, “the motorcycle tests were the most common stumbling block,” according to the study. All poor-rated vehicles hit the motorcycle target at speeds exceeding 30 mph.
“These results indicate that preventing crashes at higher speeds, especially collisions with motorcycles, remains a challenge for some systems,” Harkey said. “Motorcycles are a special area of concern because, unlike passenger vehicle occupants, riders have little protection from crash injuries.”
The IIHS noted that rear impacts account for more than 200 motorcyclist deaths per year.
The AMA issued support for H.R.10347 — commonly referred to as the Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act of 2024 — that aimed to enact increased requirements for AEB systems installed in new cars, trucks, buses and other commercial and passenger vehicles.
For more than a decade, the AMA has supported legislation and worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to increase requirements on advancing technologies to protect motorcyclists on the road.
To stay up to date on AEB developments and other government relations news, go to American Motorcyclist.com and visit the “Rights” tab.
AMA SUPPORTS RTP FULL FUNDING ACT
Recently introduced S. 811 aims to increase RTP funding by nearly $200 million
BY AMA STAFF
On Feb. 27, 2025, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced S. 811, the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Full Funding Act, which aims to correct inadequate annual funding for RTP, increasing it from $84 million to $281 million.
Created with the help of the AMA in the early 1990s, RTP uses federal gasoline tax revenue attributed to motorized off-highway recreational vehicles to fund, develop and maintain trail infrastructure across the
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United States. As of 2023, the program has awarded over $1.6 billion to over 25,000 trail projects across the U.S. during the three decades of the program, but the funding is only a fraction of the nearly $9 billion in gas tax off-highway vehicle enthusiasts have paid during the same period.
This legislation was introduced in December, and that “marker bill” provided an opportunity for members of Congress and stakeholders to review the bill language, gather support and create a strategy for passage under
the new administration. The AMA and trail enthusiasts in Washington, D.C., are working to ensure this program continues at the appropriate funding level.
“The Recreational Trails Program is incredibly important for the growth and development of off-highway motorized recreation in our country,” AMA Washington Representative Zach Farmer said. “It is vital that the fuel tax revenue generated from off-highway vehicle enthusiasts be returned in the form of RTP funds for trail maintenance and development. This legislation ensures RTP will continue for years to come and provide the opportunity for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts to support the nation’s trail infrastructure.”
Funding for RTP follows the “user-pay, user-benefit” principle upon which the Highway Trust Fund was originally based. RTP has only been funded at $84 million annually since Fiscal Year 2009 despite a much greater amount of tax revenue being attributable to off-highway vehicles. In 2020, Congress required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to provide a report, which found taxes on off-highway use of recreational vehicles are on average $281 million per year. The RTP Full Funding Act seeks to ensure federal taxes collected from off-highway recreation are appropriately returned to the states for RTP.
The AMA and the Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) endorse the RTP Full Funding Act. The AMA will continue to support RTP funding and trail projects that promote the motorcycle lifestyle and motorcyclist interests. This legislation is an important step in the right direction to ensure future generations of motorcyclists have access to off-highway recreation.
Stay up to date on the latest RTP news and other important rights updates by signing up for AMA Action Alerts at AmericanMotorcyclist.com
“The Recreational Trails Program is incredibly important for the growth and development of off-highway motorized recreation in our country. ”
REPAIR ACT REINTRODUCED
The AMA supports H.R. 1566, encourages Congress to pass bill
Two years after it was originally proposed in February 2023 by Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL-02), the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act (REPAIR Act) was reintroduced in February as H.R. 1566.
The newly introduced version of the REPAIR Act includes changes negotiated with legislators and stakeholders, including the AMA. Despite attempts in Congress to exclude motorcycles, the AMA successfully preserved bill language allowing the right to repair motorcycles. As with the previous version, the AMA endorses this reintroduced REPAIR Act and urges Congress to pass the legislation.
“The right to repair is crucial for AMA members who deserve autonomy when making maintenance and repair decisions.” AMA Washington Representative Zach Farmer said. “We are grateful to Rep. Dunn, the Auto Care Associa-
tion, and others, for allowing AMA the opportunity to represent motorcyclists in this coalition and remain a leading voice on this issue.”
Passage of the REPAIR Act will guarantee the rights of owners allowing fair access to the necessary tools, software, and diagnostic data required to maintain and repair motorcycles and other vehicles. This consumer choice will foster competition in the repair industry and prevent monopolization by manufacturers, aiming to keep repair costs reasonable.
The AMA stands with riders and industry partners to advocate for passage of the REPAIR Act. The AMA encourages lawmakers to support this legislation to preserve freedom and accessibility for riders.
To stay in the loop on this issue and others facing motorcyclists, subscribe for rights updates by going to AmericanMotor cyclist.com and checking the resources under the “Rights” tab.
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Bike photo by Stephen Anderson
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CHECKERED CELEBRATION
Checkers MC celebrates 75 years of off-road racing excellence
BY KEATON MAISANO PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHECKERS MC
Most are familiar with the saying dress for the job you want
In 1950, however, a group of motorcyclists decided to dress for the placement they wanted, starting a legacy of checkered-dressed racers that have dominated Southern California District 37 off-road racing ever since.
Built on the themes of competition and winning, Checkers Motorcycle Club was started by 12 founding members halfway through the 20th century, and the iconic checkered-look all members wear was born when founder Dick Dean’s mother sewed checkered jumpers for each of the original members. For the last 75 years, members donning the checkered garb have tallied numerous No. 1 plates en route to establishing quite a reputation.
pecting for the club, a process which involves wearing a jersey with question mark on it to publicly announce one’s desire to join the club.
The process lasts at least six months, with the question-mark jersey worn every time a prospect gets on a dirt bike. In addition, prospects are expected to attend the club’s monthly meetings as another sign of their dedication.
“The goal is 100 percent about carrying on the tradition of winning and being as competitive as you possibly can,” Checkers MC President Trevor Hoffman said, “and being better each weekend and living up to the club’s expectation.”
Like many of its members, Hoffman had to earn his stripes…err, checkers. Discovering Checkers MC while racing in District 37 competitions, Hoffman began pros-
“We want them to understand they’re joining a legacy, and we take it very seriously,” Hoffman said. “The minute you get to shed that jersey and get to put on a checkered jersey for the first time, you just have a really immense sense of pride.”
Following months of prospecting, Hoffman was accepted into the club in 2009, and a little over a decade later, he rose up the ranks to become president of the club. Hoffman is just one of the latest examples of a prospect rising and becoming a key part of the club, with one of the most famous coming when AMA Hall of Famer Eddie Mulder passed through the prospecting process.
Longtime industry analyst Don Brown and racer Ty Davis join Mulder as club members that are also in the AMA Hall of Fame, adding to the rich history that members today carry on.
“You’re getting to contribute to something bigger than yourself,” Hoffman said, “and that’s definitely how I feel about it, not only being president but as a racer too.”
To celebrate this history, Checkers MC hosted its 75th Check Chase race in January to open the District 37 off-road season. The 100 miles of racing across California desert was paired with the event’s largest-ever purse of $10,000.
“We want to give them a show,” Hoffman said on motivation behind the event. “We want them to show up to the very first race and go, ‘I had no idea desert racing could look like this.’ So that’s why we go above and beyond, we get the scaffolding, and we have the film crew. We really try to dress up the event, so people realize there is prestige in what they’re going to do and you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with such a low entry.”
To go along with the “checkered” look, the Slider logo (left-hand page) was created by club member and AMA HOFer Don Brown, who used the image for his “So-Cal Sports” articles in Cycle magazine. Left: Club member Steve Roberts at the 2025 Check Chase Hare and Hound race.
milestone was well documented, with a professional film crew present to shoot an event documentary. Hoffman said one of his two goals — the other being revamping outdated bylaws was to document and organize the history of the club. The efforts of Hoffman and several club historians can be found at checkersmc.com
As for the future, Hoffman said there are efforts to resurrect the club’s historic River Run dual-sport event, but the overarching goal is to keep adding years to the club’s history.
“The history is the biggest part,” Hoffman said. “We do this just to do it one more year. It’s not about money. It’s not about fame. It’s not about ego. It’s none of that. Our only goal with desert racing is to just be able to do it one more year, do it well
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RACING REVIVAL
Dormant District 1 dirt track scene set to awaken with June event
BY KEATON MAISANO
Around for more than a century, flat track racing has been a constant through many eras of motorcycling, but for the better part of the 21st century, AMA-sanctioned flat track racing has been absent from District 1.
But thanks to Megan O’Connell and Super Oval Series (SOS) Racing Promotions, the oldest form of motorcycle racing will make its return to the Rochester Fairgrounds in Rochester, N.H., after a 17-year hiatus from the venue. The Pete Giammalvo Memorial Half-Mile event is slated for June 21 and will be the 10th round of the AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series as it pairs plenty of bar-banging action with New England flair.
tires, so it’ll bring people from different genres of racing.”
With the hopes of growing the sport in the region and providing a positive experience, the event will be paired with a lobster and clam fest to immerse attendees in the region’s cuisine. O’Connell, who was raised in the New England region, said the lobster and clam fest is an outside-the-box idea that hits close to home.
The grandstands at the Rochester Fairgrounds will awake for some barbangin’ action June 21. For more information go to superovalracing.com
“I’m hoping it’s going to be big,” said O’Connell, owner of SOS Racing Promotions. “The vintage series has a good enough following that it will draw in a bunch of riders. The support classes we’re going to be running will bring in a lot of local riders and kids. We’re going to have a little Mad Dog class, but make it so you don’t have to run specific
“Seafood is New England’s staple,” O’Connell said. “It’s always been a thing in my life…Why not make it so we can share it with everybody and give everyone the experience?”
In addition to renowned starter Kevin Clark serving as the starter for the expert classes and as the director of track operations, the discipline’s revival has been met with rousing support and enthusiasm, especially from individuals who worked the event the last time it was held in 2008.
“They’re all coming out of the woodwork going, ‘You guys are putting this event back on again? We want to be there.’” O’Connell said. “They’re like, ‘We don’t even want money. We just want it for the nostalgia.’ It’s such an event, people want to be there regardless.”
IS HERE! AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST FOR KIDS
ay is Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month, and to celebrate, the American Motorcyclist staff has created the second edition of American Motorcyclist for Kids magazine!
Jam-packed with stories about young motorcyclists across the country, interviews with some of the sport’s biggest stars, games and much more, this magazine has everything a kid could want. The issue will be available May 1, and you can read it by scanning the QR code below.
After reading the special edition, make sure to take the young motorcyclist in your life outside and continue celebrating Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month with some quality time on two wheels. Share the experience with us on social media by snapping some pictures and using the hashtag #AMAKidsRide.
COMING TO TERMS WITH COMING OF AGE ON YET ANOTHER FATHER/SON CROSS-COUNTRY ADVENTURE
STORY AND PHOTOS BY AARON STEVENSON
Two summers ago, I took my then-11-year-old son Micah on an epic cross-country adventure (Micah and Me, April 2024). Just the two of us, riding two-up on a Yamaha Ténéré 700 for 6,600 miles across 18 states, entirely on backroads, dirt roads and Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) segments. We explored places most will never see and met countless interesting and off-beat folks along the way. That journey left my heart filled with priceless fatherand-son memories, and at the time it bonded Micah and me with incredible closeness. I couldn’t wait to do it all over again.
Naively, I thought “M&M, Part 2” would pick up right where Part 1 left off. But this time, things were different. My best buddy was now five inches taller — and moody. Two years ago, he would squeal with delight at every new sight. Now, my attempts at trailside conversation were mostly met with shrugs, mumbles and one-word answers in an unfamiliar, deeper voice.
andMe
PART TWO
He was struggling with what seemed like an always-changing body and brain. Meanwhile, I was just plain struggling with change. We both needed a reset, and so, despite my misgivings, we set off together to find our new selves out on the open road.
UNCHARTED TERRITORY
Although our previous trip began and ended at our home in North Carolina, the bulk of the memories were made in the American West, from Montana all the way down to Utah and Arizona. For this comeback tour, we set our compass even farther afield, targeting Idaho, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, Canada. As a bonus, we’d be riding one of Suzuki’s latest ADV bikes, the V-Strom 800DE (see sidebar on page 43), fitted with more dirt-oriented Bridgestone Adventurcross AX41 tires. We just had to get to Beaverton Motorcycles in Beaverton, Ore., where we’d pick the bike up.
I already felt like I was navigating uncharted territory before we even left home, as I struggled to connect with morphing Micah. “Looking forward to our trip?” I’d ask in an
upbeat tone. “Sure,” he’d reply back in a gruff monotone, barely looking in my direction. I worried this would be the tone for the entire trip, right up to the moment when we arrived at the
airport, when he finally expressed some excitement. Maybe my little buddy was coming back?
Before leaving home, I spent hours meticulously building and uploading tracks to my GPS device and the required companion app. At home, with the device plugged into the wall, all my tracks were present. Mounted to the borrowed bike in Beaverton, however, things were different. The unit began a death-spiral of crashing
and rebooting, spitting out multiple error codes suggesting that the unit was not charging and that it wasn’t transferring any data from the app. Not only that — I also noticed that all my uploaded BDR routes were missing! Gone! Help! I felt panic creep in. We would be tent-camping for the next nine days, with minimal connectivity to troubleshoot problems or even to charge the device if the bike mount wasn’t working properly. I was already worried about navigating uncharted territory with my increasingly unfamiliar son. Now I had to find alternative ways to navigate the
Canadian wilderness, too! I tried my best to appreciate the irony.
SMELL YOU LATER
After a few quick pics and a hearty thank-you to the Beaverton Motorcycles staff, we picked up Cornelius Pass Road and headed toward our first destination, ominously named “Cape Disappointment.” The temperature was oppressive — 105 degrees — as the Pacific Northwest endured its most severe heat wave in recorded history. As we rolled toward
A few shots from the trip’s first days, including the airport departure. You can imagine how excited we were to get on the bike! After a few last-minute mods we were off, and Micah got to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time. Watching him sleep made me wonder once again: how quickly kids grow up.
Astoria, I kept waiting for Micah to break into song, but it didn’t happen. I had to settle for lots of “punch buggy” bursts instead. I’d take whatever I could get, even a bony fist in the ribs. Crossing over the massive bridge that connects Oregon to Washington, Micah saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time, and we stopped so he could dip his hand in it. “Cool,” he said, and smiled. A sign of hope! That night, we found a campsite beside Hurst Creek. A young buck watched us without fear, and cascades of pink flowers lined the moss-covered banks. While Micah played in the creek, I hung the bear bag in a tree. Everything seemed
Naively, I thought “M&M Part 2” would pick up right where Part 1 left off. But this time, things were different. My best buddy was now five inches taller — and moody.
perfect until I entered the tent, where a dumpster-like odor assaulted me: Micah’s shoes and socks! Who needs bear repellent when feet smell that bad? Like the deeper voice and the stand-offish attitude, this foot funk was another unanticipated side-effect of puberty. I established new rules: shoes and socks outside the tent — and dirty feet inside the sleeping bag — before dad enters…absolute requirements for the remainder of the trip.
WHO NEEDS A MAP?
The following morning was foggy and cool. Turning down a sandy lane, we found ourselves back on the banks of the Pacific Ocean again… heavy fog, driftwood, black sand and grey stones as far as we could see. I sat and watched Micah wander along the shore and tried to absorb it all: the feel of the mist, the sound of the waves, the smell of the sea, and the sight of my son exploring the beach. He looked like a little boy again, picking up rocks he liked and shoving them into his pockets. I silently wished for many more moments like this on this trip.
Riding
without GPS, and without even phone service in many areas, was like stepping backward in time. We didn’t even have a paper map. We just aimed the V-Strom northwest and
dead-reckoned, like real explorers!
Who needs a map anyway? With great gravel in every direction — including this section of the Idaho BDR near Jug Rock — there was no such thing as a wrong turn, especially with Bridgestone AX41s fitted to the V-Strom. We were constantly stunned by mirrored lakes and mountain peaks like the one behind Micah in Jasper National Park’s Maligne Valley; it’s one of my favorite shots from the trip, as I can literally see the connection between me and my son. Just beware of bears!
We spent the next few days winding our way up Washington’s western coast, through the majestic cedar forests — some giants nearly 10 feet in diameter — and arrived at Port Angeles, where we boarded the ferry for Vancouver Island. We were the last vehicle on the last ferry of the day, but we made it.
This was Micah’s first seafaring voyage and he had a blast, running from bow to stern. There was my boy! The feeling only lasted a few moments, though, until I found him seated with some other teens on an inner deck, all staring into their phones. I wanted to ask him to come out and help me spot a whale, then I stopped, and left him to his digital world. Holding the bars too tightly only causes problems.
We disembarked at Victoria, which was jam-packed with summer tourists, and it seemed like we battled each one of them to arrive at TransCanada Highway 1. As we ascended
Eat to ride, and ride to eat: The Butler Hotel in Wallace, Idaho, serves a killer breakfast bowl and yes, we tried each of the local hot sauces. Even lumberjacks need clean socks — especially teenageboy lumberjacks! One of the biggest differences between this trip and the last one was Micah’s increasing confidence, demonstrated below during a rest stop in Idaho overlooking Char Falls on Lightning Creek.
into the mountains, the air cooled and we could see snowcapped mountains on the mainland. I told Micah that’s where we were headed next. The mountains were calling, and we were excited to begin our first BDR adventure the next day.
Riding without GPS, and without even phone service in many areas, was like stepping backward in time. We didn’t even have a paper map. We just aimed the V-Strom northwest and dead-reckoned, like real explorers! This was how we traveled for the next few days, through terrible mosquito swarms at Cayoosh Creek and through an “everything is closed on Sunday” shutout at Lillooet that
was only salvaged when we met a local rider who turned us on to the “BRMB Maps” phone app so I could at least see some dirt roads and trails. I felt just like Sal Paradise in Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, intending to take the long — and dirty — way to Jasper National Park.
BEARS AND “CITIOTS”
Another thing we learned from the guy in Lillooet was the term “Citiot” (say: sit-e-it): “You know, people from Vancouver and Calgary, who treat the wilderness like an amusement park, with no regard for wildlife or personal safety.” We heard the term again a few days later at the entrance
THE EVER-CHANGING TERRAIN ALSO HAD US HUGGING THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN WITH A SEVERAL-HUNDREDFOOT DROP JUST PAST THE EDGE. NO ROOM FOR MISTAKES.
to Jasper National Park. The young woman at the kiosk took our camping fee, handed me a receipt, and started in on her “bear speech.” I explained that we were both seasoned Scouts and well-prepared for bear safety, and she thanked me for saving her some breath. “Yeah, we’ve heard what happens to people from the city…” and she stopped me right there: “You mean Citiots?” she said, and we all began to laugh.
We met Jasper’s resident grizzly the next morning, a big blonde monster loping into the campground past cars with tourists either hanging out of windows or standing next to open doors, all while snapping
photos, and no more than 100 yards from where our tent was pitched. Citiots! I was glad we properly stored our food.
Later that day, in the Maligne Valley, we hiked around lakes and forded streams, feeling like the first explorers to walk this unspoiled wilderness. As I watched Micah splash away upstream, I couldn’t help but think about his difficulties navigating the rocky terrain of sixth grade. He’s bright, sensitive and artistic — exactly the sort of kind spirit that bullies seek out. I started a conversation about it and, well, let’s just say it didn’t go well. I did my best to change the subject and
started talking about photography instead. He has a great eye, and my compliments were well-deserved. Then I started telling him more about the ride ahead…we had even more challenging off-road riding right around the corner.
After a full day hiking, more bear sightings and views of a dramatic, aqua-marine glacier, we were exhausted and set off back to the tent. We did a quick U-turn and got a surprise. Our industrial-sized can of bear spray was mounted on the side of the tank for quick deployment, and as I approached full-lock the canister got wedged beneath the handlebar and I heard a loud “crack.”
The trigger had broken off and the can was dented…but at least it didn’t discharge in my face. Choking on my own pepper spray would have left me feeling like…well, a Citiot!
GROUNDHOG DAY
Mount Edith Cavell is a huge rock face cut across with a razor-thin trail. Micah wanted to climb it, so I swapped my riding boots for running shoes and we began to ascend. On our last trip, in the Badlands, Micah would creep up rocky climbs like this. Now he was leaping and bounding, his longer legs and soaring confidence allowing him huge strides along this razor’s edge. I could barely keep up. I was proud, but my athlete’s pride was also a little wounded, to be honest. My kid was growing up.
Later, at Atco Falls, a practical joke backfired when I startled Micah by grabbing his shoulders suddenly as he peered over a fence at the raging waters below. He stormed off, angry, to sulk alone. I felt terrible, like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, when his “foolproof” dates keep going all wrong. The harder I tried to connect, the more I felt like I was pushing him
Water was our constant consideration, sometimes frustrating but often
away. It was a horrible feeling. Fortunately, the day was young and there was plenty of time for starting over. It ended up being a great day, complete with another glacier hike and another beautiful riverside campsite, this time shared with three other riders who invited us to join them. Tom, Hugh and Dave were childhood friends who were headed north to the Arctic Ocean. We had a great night swapping stories around the fire, enjoying the spontaneous fun of new friends.
ENTERING THE DANGER ZONE
I found myself settling into a rhythm without GPS. I spent my evenings
researching routes and then during the day, when we were on the bike, I did my best to find our way using a combination of memory and luck. This was not unlike how I navigated my evolving relationship with Micah. Every day, every mile and every turn I felt like I was learning something new. Adapt, overcome, find a new way. That’s adventure riding. That’s fatherhood, too. I’m always looking for the road — or trail — less traveled. These are the routes that teach you the most about how to live your life. Now, as our
This water crossing nearly stopped our progress near Horsethief Creek in B.C., but it also provided a perfect campsite.
rewarding, like the clear, cool waters of Pavilion Lake in Marble Canyon Provincial Park (far left). The hike up Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper National Park (upper left) was another high point; I loved watching Micah race ahead along the razor’s edge.
confidence built and our relationship strengthened, I felt ready to find some rougher trails as we made our way toward Idaho. But I was still struggling to find a navigation protocol that would at least give us a little help. I switched back and forth between iMaps, BRMB Maps and raw GPX files that were not loaded onto the GPS — which meant frequent stopping, zooming and guessing which way was right. It wasn’t ideal, but I was making it work.
Taking a break from the trail, we stopped at Radium Hot Springs. I wanted Micah to have some uncomplicated kid time, and he made some new friends and played
in the water. After an hour or so, we returned to the trail and had another memorable bear encounter when a mama and three cubs appeared out of nowhere, barely leaving me enough time to brake. We skidded to a stop right beside the third cub that had treed itself, scared. “It’s so cute, I wish we could take it home,” Micah
heavy in the air. We met three enduro riders out for the day, and they warned us that our route would likely take us into the fire zone. “Just pay attention to the smoke, and watch for any changes in the wind,” the Kawasaki-mounted rider told us.
We turned off a nicely groomed dirt road onto a heavily rutted logging road. Shadows raking over the dusty potholes looked like intertwined snakes. Picking my way through, I noticed a huge sand wash up ahead — the first of many. With no rain for many weeks, the talc-like sand felt a foot deep. I felt the front tire wander side-to-side as it found and followed hidden ruts beneath the surface. Prudently, I reduced speed. The scent of burning wood hung in the air. said over the Cardo. Not a good idea, kid….
The next morning, we sped down a dirt road that felt like it was covered with inches of soft, talc-like powder. Every time we stopped the dust hung in the air, clinging to everything and almost choking off our air supply. Everything was so dry. This area of Canada hadn’t seen rain in weeks, and wildfires were igniting all around us. The smell of wildfire smoke was
GETTING SQUIRRELY
We stopped to swim in the Kootenay River. The water was clear blue and crystalline. Micah and I both jumped in. I watched him swim out to a floating dock to play with some other kids, unwinding after a long day in the saddle. Later we found another remote campsite near a stream, and we left our riding gear — which might have smelled like food to a curious bear — outside with the bike, under a cover.
The next morning, I uncovered the bike and pulled on my riding pants, only to feel something running up my leg…something small, furry and very fast! I spun and swatted my thighs like Ricky Bobby on fire and screamed like a baby — and Micah got a good laugh.
This was our final leg through Canada, and we were riding twotrack so overgrown that it was more like singletrack. Micah outstretched his arms and let the leaves slap at
his hands on both sides. The twotrack became a true singletrack near the top and, looking at the tire tracks, one that was only used by enduro riders. The trail ended at a clearing atop the mountain, offering us a panoramic vista. Somewhere in the distance was Idaho.
ROLLING 9S
Crossing the Canadian border was quick and easy, and within minutes I had us on the northern portion of the Idaho BDR. Micah is always up for adventure so I had us following
the “expert” route, which might have been more than I bargained for — especially fully loaded and carrying a passenger. A constant stream of boulders, gullies and washes had me standing up the entire way. Luckily, the tough stuff didn’t last too long.
After nine days of riding (without GPS), nine days of tent camping, and nine days of enduring Micah’s foot funk, we decided to reward ourselves for finishing Idaho BDR Section 9 by grabbing a good hotel for the night. Besides, I really needed
Highway 12 outside of Pomeroy, Wash., gives Route 66 a run for its money when it comes to old-time Americana and roadside kitsch. One of my favorite things about motorcycle touring is the people you meet along the way. We bumped into these three GS amigos — Chuck, Gordon and Gerard — near Lillooet, and they gave us some navigation advice that instantly improved our first few days on the road.
to find a good WiFi connection.
Now that we finally had a decent connection, I began the painful process of rebooting the GPS to factory settings and reinstalling everything. It took nine — there was that number again — attempts with new verifi cation codes each time to fi nally pair the system. Success! I fi nally had the complete Idaho and Washington BDR routes loaded on what appeared to be a functioning GPS! Now, if I only had some way to put more tread on our worn-out back tire….
WELCOME TO CRAZY TOWN
Remember the TV show M.A.S.H.? Remember when Klinger demanded a “Section 8” discharge because he was crazy, and therefore unfit for duty? Appropriately, Idaho BDR’s Section 8 was equally crazy-fun, with an endless series of water breaks that made very nice jumps for a fully loaded ADV bike. Finding a good rhythm, we caught air with the V-Strom not once, not twice, but numerous times, just like flying a C-130 Hercules cargo plane.
We were constantly rising and falling. Micah stopped counting the jumps when he got tired, at 106. The ever-changing terrain also had us hugging the side of a mountain with a several-hundred-foot drop just past the edge. No room for mistakes. Descending the mountain, we crossed several large, dry riverbeds, their smooth river rock varying in size from baby heads to bowling balls. Fortunately for us, conditions were dry.
GO JUMP OFF A CLIFF
Tracing the Coeur d’Alene River, we saw folks on floats swimming
V-STROM STRONG
Two-up testing Suzuki’s excellent V-Strom 800DE
Ilove my Yamaha Ténéré 700, the bike my son and I rode on our last adventure, but I was both psyched and curious to try out Suzuki’s new V-Strom 800DE, which the Editor had arranged through the folks at U.S. Suzuki for us to try out on this tour.
In fact, I’d actually considered purchasing an 800DE for our earlier trip, but it wasn’t yet available.
All-new in 2023, the parallel-twin 800DE sits in the center of Suzuki’s three-bike V-Strom lineup, right between the V-twin-powered 650cc and 1,050cc versions. With more ground clearance, significantly more suspension travel (8.7 in. at both ends) and 21-in. front/17-in. rear spoked wheels, Suzuki says this is the most dirt-capable V-Strom, too — a claim Micah and I planned to put to the test.
Crossing Cornelius Pass on Day 1, I immediately felt at home on the 800DE. Thanks to Suzuki for installing the optional low saddle to suit my shorter stature, along with a requested centerstand and auxiliary power plug. I left the suspension settings as-is, letting the softer setup soak up stutter bumps like a sport-tourer as I laid it over in turns. I had expected more gyro-effect with the taller front wheel, but with its low center of gravity the 800DE always delivered a neutral, sporty feel.
A few days later, ascending into the mountains on British Columbia’s Sea to Sky Highway, I started to appreciate 776cc parallel twin’s torquey personality, lurching forward with each twist of the wrist, and I really enjoyed the standard-equipment, up-and-down quick shifter. But it wasn’t until we hit the forest roads that I really began to appreciate the 800DE’s all-around abilities.
I took a few minutes to tighten up the suspension before aiming up a rutted two-track strewn with baby-head rocks. Maintaining a light grip on the bars, I let the front end dance as we climbed higher and higher. I set the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (SIRS) to the third of five switchable traction control settings, and the bike found plenty of traction on a steep and loose climb, allowing the excellent Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41 tires fit just for this ride to grab plenty of traction with limited wheelspin.
The 800DE was even more fun coming down the other side, handling jumps more like a dual-sport than a fully-loaded adventure bike, and I even liked the ABS (which offers two levels of sensitivity and the ability to switch off the rear ABS for off-road riding), especially when a black bear jumped out in front of us while we were racing down a forest road at 40 mph.
So after 3,500 miles on every type of road (and trail) imaginable, I was the performance, features and practicality of the V-Strom 800DE. Had one been available two summers ago, my ADV buying decision would have been much more difficult. –Stevenson
very impressed with
Aaron
and so we stopped for a dip. As we looked to the right, we saw a teen leap from a cliff to the water below. I asked Micah: “Want to give it a try?” He said he was tired. Not the answer I was looking for. I goaded him into walking over there anyways; how could we not?
Micah jumped off a lower ledge first. “Not so bad,” he said. I urged him to climb up to the big one and he did, only to climb down a few minutes later after he made the mistake of looking over the edge. “If I go, you go, OK?” I suggested, and I climbed to the highest point. “Video rolling?” (Without video, it never happened, right?) For a moment, I felt like I was hanging in midair, like Wile E. Coyote, and then the bottom fell out and I was surrounded by cool water.
Next it was Micah’s turn. “Don’t think,” I told him. “Just jump.” And he did it, yelling “I’m gonna die…” all the way down! Surfacing with a huge grin on his face, his first words were, “I’m jumping again!” Not once more, but six more times. Something he’d never forget doing — with his dad. And he had the video to prove it.
GOING SOLO
Finishing Section 7 of the Idaho
Talk about a huge leap forward! Helping Micah overcome his uncertainty to take this leap off the Coeur d’Alene Cliffs was a mega-sized father-son moment for me, and one I hope he remembers forever. Riding, camping, wildlife-watching…after a few days, Micah and I soon settled into a very comfortable routine. The only real surprises — and these were always welcome — were the other riders we met along the trail. This time it was Jarad and Dan, two friends from Utah who we encountered a few times along the Idaho BDR.
BDR landed us in Pierce, Idaho’s first settlement. Our first stop was the Timber Inn; some fellow ADV riders we met on the trail a few days earlier said we had to try the “fullpound” Timber Burger. I tried — and failed — to finish the massive burger that was hand-pressed by the elderly gentleman running the kitchen. Perhaps we looked hungry? Perhaps his eyesight was degrading? Either way, the burger was outstanding.
There was another rider in the booth beside us, riding a KLR650, and he reached a baseball-mittsized paw over the divider to introduce himself. His name was Dean Hawley, a champion hareand-hound and desert racer who said he also worked as Kevin Costner’s stuntman. “I didn’t know Costner rode motorcycles in his movies,” I said. “He doesn’t,” Dean said back. “I’m a horseman by trade, and I do his horse stunts.” One horsepower or many, either worked for me.
Dean warned us of a rocky section of trail near Indian Post Office in Section 6 before we set off south to the Clearwater National Forest to find our next tent spot. We found yet another gorgeous
spot in the daisy patch being furiously worked over by honeybees. As the sun set, the drone of those bees, like a squadron of B-24s in the distance, lulled us to sleep.
BUMPS AND BRUISES
The next morning, we encountered another string of water breaks crossing the trail — hundreds of them — and so of course we started making jumps. Micah and I had devised a system: I’d holler “jump” into the Cardo communicator, and he’d stand up on the pegs and prepare for takeoff. It was a perfect system…right up until it wasn’t.
We hit a fast section with a close
succession of jumps and Micah didn’t get the warning in time. A painful yelp filled my helmet. One of the jumps slammed the seat into his bottom and jammed his back. I pulled over immediately. Tears were flowing and he was in serious pain, too painful to touch. What had been big fun suddenly turned into a big problem, as we were entering a particularly rough section of trail. Micah was just going to have to tough it out.
Halfway into Idaho BDR’s Section 6, we encountered a traffic jam — two trucks headed up and three bikes headed down — at a very narrow spot on some of the roughest terrain we encountered. The only way around was on the outside. There
was barely enough room for the bike, and a hundred-foot drop just inches from either tire. We made it past with lots of clutch control and toe-dabbing, but it was terrifying. “Be careful,” one of the descending riders told us. “There are more sections like this between here and Lolo.” Micah heard
the warning and chimed in: “I hate this, Dad. My back is killing me.” I pulled off the trail and took a few minutes to reassess the situation. Finding some shade, we had a little trail mix and some water. The point of this trip was to have fun, not to endure pain and suffering just to say that we did it. Earlier that day, we stopped at a hardware store to grab supplies and check out some taxidermy. While I was there, I snapped a few pictures of a forestry map for reference. I’m glad I did. I found those photos on my phone and started plotting a route out of the mountains and onto safer terrain. This wasn’t easy for Micah — we had to ride back through some hard stuff in reverse — but we finally found some rocky switchbacks that took us down to Idaho U.S. 12.
Navigating a rocky trail is a lot like raising kids. There are so many bumps to avoid or overcome. My tendency is to just power through to the other side, but I’m beginning to learn that taking the smoother road is sometimes — maybe often — the better choice.
GOOSING IT
U.S. 12 follows the Lochsa River, and the scenery is gorgeous. “I like this a lot better,” Micah said through the Cardo intercom. We stopped
to refuel and had a huge meal at a Mexican restaurant before setting up camp at a formal campground later that night. My little dude’s back needed a hot shower and a good night’s sleep. Just before sunset, I noticed heavy smoke creating a pinkish glow in the sky. Fires nearby.
The following morning, we woke up to a tent covered in “dandruff”… fire ash, a first for us. Fortunately, we were able to leave that fire behind and make our way to
Gosselaar Power Sports, to try and find a solution for our increasingly threadbare rear tire.
Looking around the shop’s service area, I noticed the walls were plastered with MX racing memorabilia. “Y’all are really into MX,” I mentioned to my new friend, Mike McQuillin, who was working on a bike. He laughed
and said, “Yeah, Goose has quite a history with MX racing.” Then it hit me: Mike “Goose” Gosselaar, the famed Supercross and MX tuner that worked with guys like Steve Lamson, Ricky Carmichael and Ryan Dungey, owned this shop! Not to be outdone, McQ showed us around and told us a few racing stories about a rider he once worked with: Chad Reed.
Two top-level motocross tuners working on local farmers’ fourwheelers! I had to laugh. Mike did, too. Unfortunately, he hadn’t yet received the replacement rear tire for the V-Strom I’d arranged with the Bridgestone folks (as we’d nearly worn
out the original); that summer’s airline cyberattacks had delayed everything. All the pro knowledge in the world couldn’t outsmart a UPS delivery delay!
We said our goodbyes and took back roads through the Nez Perce Indian Reservation toward Washington. West of Pomeroy, we crossed the Snake River and entered the Palouse area. Brown mesas and plateaus surrounded us with black ribbons of asphalt carved through the hills. It looked desolate and beautiful to me, but Micah said it was boring. On the last trip, everything was mystery and magic. This year? Not quite the same.
IT HAD BEEN ONE HECK OF A RIDE. NOT WHAT I EXPECTED AND CERTAINLY NOT COMPLETELY WHAT I WANTED, BUT I STILL FELT ENORMOUS GRATITUDE FOR SHARING YET ANOTHER EPIC ADVENTURE WITH MY SON.
TRIAL BY FIRE
We arrived at our last day of riding surrounded by fires. Even the air inside our hotel room smelled like a campfire. Outside, visibility was only a few hundred yards, with thick gray smoke blanketing the sky. It seemed like there was nothing we could do about it, so we just hit the road.
The hotel receptionist recommended a real-time app that updated the fire conditions and road closures, and we used it. Leaving Yakima, we checked the fire app and saw that everything near Rimrock Lake was on fire, over 18,000 acres, and Highway 12 was closed. We decided to take a quick detour along Section 2 of the Washington BDR before cutting back toward Mount Rainier to skirt more fires.
As we ascended into the clouds surrounding Mount Rainier, it started getting chilly. It was just 44 degrees, and the mist had saturated our gloves. My hands were so cold I could barely work the zipper on my jacket. Micah was shivering, too. “Dad, can we get lower, and fast?” I responded with a resounding, “For sure! I’m doing my best!”
We jumped back on the BDR, this time on Section 1. It was 115 miles long, and we were going to have to hustle to finish before the end of the day. Fortunately, this section wasn’t very tough. Since it was the last day and the rear tire was already smoked, I decided to have a little fun. I turned off all the rider aids and let ’er rip, old-school style. Soon I was backing the
V-Strom into corners and laughing in my helmet! Micah played along as co-pilot/navigator and started barking commands into the Cardo: “Hard right. Short straight. Hairpin.” We were working in perfect synchronicity, just like old times.
REACHING THE END
A few miles before the end of the section we stopped in a little town called Stevenson. What could be more appropriate than ending our latest adventure in our namesake town, right? It turned out the town was hosting the Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Fest, and even the
cheapest hotels were $300, so we tent-camped for one more night in a local park amongst festivalgoers, where we fell asleep to lilting bluegrass strains.
The final day was a blur, returning the Suzuki to Beaverton Motorcycles, unpacking the bike and repacking for airline travel, then getting back to the airport and climbing into a cramped seat all dirty and tired for the red-eye flight home.
It had been one heck of a ride. Not what I expected and certainly not completely what I wanted, but I still felt enormous gratitude for sharing yet another epic adventure with my son. We navigated new terrain in the Northwest while I navigated some uncharted territory with my boy… and somehow, we found our way. The wildfires, the ruts and unseen obstacles, the scary drop-offs, the bears, and so much more. That was true adventure.
That was also parenting, the greatest challenge of my life. Fatherhood is no different than the roads we encountered. Some were smooth. Some rocky. Some a dead end. And many unmarked. It was a journey navigating the unknown that we faced together. And one that continues today as I come to terms with his coming of age. AMA
Montana’s awesome, but the Palouse region of eastern Washington gives it a run for Big Sky honors. Special thanks to Mike McQuillin at Gosselaar Power Sports (far left); chatting about the glory days of American MX racing was epic. Closing out our adventure in the town of Stevenson seemed a perfect way to end this father-and-son trip. Above: Keeping the fire smoke at bay with masks.
PURPLE PASSION
NEARLY 55 YEARS AGO, SUZUKI LAUNCHED A SHOCKER – A LIQUID-COOLED, 750CC, TWO-STROKE TRIPLE KNOWN AS THE GT750J LEMANS. IT WASN’T THE HELL-RAISIN’ KAW-BEATER THAT U.S. SUZUKI AND SUZUKI FANS ENVISIONED, BUT ITS COMFORTABLE, DO-EVERYTHING GT DEMEANOR SERVED IT WELL AS THE COMPANY TRANSITIONED FROM TWO- TO FOUR-STROKES DURING THE 1970S.
BY MITCH BOEHM
PHOTOS BY FRAN KUHN, SUZUKI, KIM
KIRKLAND, WILLIE HARDIN or decades, a faded snapshot was all I had of that big purple Suzuki. The dog-eared Polaroid was my single connection to my dad’s 1972-spec GT750J LeMans and, maybe more importantly, the times it represented: the early 1970s, and my childhood, those carefree years in the suburbs west of Cleveland where I experienced my very first motorcycle — a red Honda SL70 — and all the freedom and adventure it added to a life that was simple and free and full of promise.
FThe photograph — a three-quarter-rear image of the bike with Dad’s helmet on the seat — is marred by brittle creases, but I love it. The warm summer day on which it was taken remains etched on my frontal lobes, my dad having just washed and waxed his new — to him — GT750, and me having finally cleaned my SL, which always seemed to wear several layers of Ohio mud. The GT’s just-waxed purplish-pink paint was so brilliant that day, the polished chrome so bright.
And when he kicked the thing over to dry the remaining moisture…wow. The way it burbled at idle, smoke puffing from the four chrome exhausts, each ending in a little black cone…Heck, I can smell the burned two-stroke oil right now
Years later, my cousin Karen doubled my LeMans photo cache when she mailed me a grainy and out-offocus snapshot my aunt had taken of my dad sitting on the GT750 in front of our house wearing a knit Cleveland Browns hat and a blue canvas jacket. Looking at it and
It’s hard for me to look at this shot of my dad aboard his ’72 GT750 and not be transported to North Ridgeville, Ohio, in the early ’70s.
thinking of that fall day added additional clarity and texture to those wonderful days: my dad, who passed away in 2008; the rides he’d give me on the back of the LeMans; the Little League baseball and pee-wee football games (he always coached); and the music of the day blaring from the transistor radio in our garage…
My dad bought his ’72 GT750 in early ’73 from a local cop who’d installed twin discs in place of the leading-shoe drum setup the first-year (’72) bikes came with. There’s some disagreement as to whether these brake parts were offered as a kit from Suzuki or were simply optional parts, precursors to ’73-spec parts (as ’73 and later GT750s came with twin discs standard). Regardless, they made my dad’s bike — and the Candy Lavender GT750J photographed for this story and owned by SoCal resident Charles Hilton — both rare and special, a hybrid of sorts, a firstyear LeMans with what was arguably spectacular braking performance for the time.
My father’s first bike was a Candy Topaz Orange 1971 Honda CL450
Scrambler, which he enjoyed but eventually sold to make financial and garage room for the LeMans. Once he got the GT home, the thing blew his mind on a regular basis, something the Scrambler couldn’t do. I remember hearing of his first experience with the big two-stroke. He’d test-ridden one at a local dealer before he’d found the used model he eventually bought, and he laughed out loud describing how his cheeks flapped in the wind and pushed back grotesquely into his face beneath his bubble shield as he wound the thing to nearly 100 mph on the freeway. To him, and to me once I’d felt the rush of acceleration from the pillion, that GT750 was a bullet, the fastest thing we’d ever experienced, and a motorcycle that expanded our total-rookie eyes and minds to what was happening on the streetbike scene at the time, the dramatic technical progress of the 1970s, and what lay ahead for Suzuki and the entire industry.
SUZUKI’S EARLY DAYS
Think Suzuki today and you think highly advanced fourstrokes for street, dirt and ATV categories. But until the latter 1970s, at least on the streetbike side of the ledger, Suzuki was a two-stroke company through and through. Suzuki didn’t start out building motorcycles. Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Company in 1909. And while the weaving-equipment business was brisk for many years, World War II’s devastating aftermath and the country’s need of simple and cheap transportation transformed Suzuki into a two-wheeled specialist, building bikes that quickly became more advanced than the motor-powered bicycles then becoming popular. During the 1950s, two-stroke Suzukis such as the Power Free and Diamond Free were small, economical and surprisingly popular.
In the mid-’60s came a breakthrough bike for Suzuki: the T20 Super Six, known in the U.S. as the X6 Hustler. Featuring a 25-horse, 247cc, two-stroke twin with an industry-first six-speed transmission, double-leading-shoe front brake and adjustable shocks, the performanceoriented Hustler excited enthusiasts, sold in reasonably large numbers, and did well in racing, even scoring victories at the Isle of Man. Stories of Byron Hines — of Vance & Hines fame — building and street-racing extremely rapid X6 Hustlers in the San Fernando Valley during the late ’60s are legend.
The feisty X6 led to the larger and faster T500 in ’68, and eventually to an entire line of competent — if stodgy — twostroke street bikes, from the GT250 of ’71, the GT380/550/750 trio of ’72 and the GT185 of ’73. The lineup helped solidify Suzuki’s reputation as a maker of reliable and all-around-capable street bikes and
“Suzuki
have stepped into the big league with what must be the most complex super sporting roadster ever built. the gleaming prototype is top two-wheeled crowd puller.” MOTOR CYCLE MAGAZINE
helped the company transition to the four-stroke expert it quickly became in the late ’70s and beyond.
THE LEMANS DEBUT
Of course, no one in attendance at the 17th annual Tokyo Motor Show on Oct. 31, 1970, would have dared describe the Suzuki GT750 prototype that debuted there as merely “competent,” or its styling as “stodgy.” The Candy Lavender GT was easily the hit of the show, Cycle World describing it as “one of the eye-poppingist machines to be seen in a long time.” England’s Motor Cycle was similarly exuberant: “Suzuki have stepped into the big league with what must be the most complex super sporting roadster ever built.
Powered by a 750cc transverse inline three-cylinder engine…with water-cooling, the gleaming prototype is top two-wheeled crowd puller.”
“Suzuki personnel refused to say whether the triple was destined for production or what it might cost,” continued
Motor Cycle. “However, as sales of their 500cc twin in America are suffering from the popularity of the threecylinder Kawasaki, it seems probable that the seven-fifty, or something very much like it, may be marketed in a determined bid to restore Suzuki fortunes in the USA.”
Visions of performance grandeur made plenty of sense to showgoers and magazine readers, at least from visual and technical standpoints. Here you had a motorcycle powered by a liquid-cooled, 750cc triple built by a company with plenty of Grand Prix heritage. How could the GT750 not be a barn burner? The rest of the bike, though a bit bulbous in shape and lacking a disc brake up front, certainly looked capable enough.
“We’d heard a little about the new bike,” remembered longtime U.S. Suzuki manager Jim Kirkland, who was new to the company in January of ’71 and now retired. “Speculation was that it would be a hot rod, an H1-beater. We heard about the water-cooling, and we knew the GP
success the company had had in the ’60s…the 12-speed and square-four road racers, all that. Your mind takes a leap. So yeah, expectations were high for a real runner.”
“Of course,” added Kirkland, “we then heard from Japan staff that the new 750 was not super highperformance, but a more all-’rounder, and to not expect a rocketship. Which didn’t really compute. I mean, it was a water-cooled, two-stroke, 750 triple! We all thought water-cooling was magic. But many of us came to the wrong conclusion despite what we heard. We wanted an H1-beater, wanted a bike that would generate big-time excitement.” Suzuki had proven quite conservative during the ’60s and early ’70s, and the younger factions at U.S. Suzuki were clearly looking and hoping for a bit more.
The delay in the bike’s appearance in production form between ’69 to ’72 fueled even more rumors, a primary one being that Suzuki had changed direction on the GT project. What had been a performance-first motorcycle early on, rumors said, was now a flexible, all-around GT machine due to Suzuki’s inability to reach what engineers felt was an acceptable level of engine and handling performance given the bike’s relative heft — some of which was due to the liquid-cooling system itself.
But a much more plausible explanation, and one Suzuki insiders say is much closer to the truth, was Suzuki’s conservative nature at the time, both here and in Japan, and the idea that the bike was designed to be a do-it-all GT from the very beginning
“Suzuki was still a small, traditional company at the time,” remembered Kirkland, “despite the growth it was
experiencing. And those running the company, here and in Japan, were older. Many of our upper management at U.S. Suzuki were from Chrysler, so there was a generation gap of sorts. Despite all the desire for a hot-rod motorcycle, I got the feeling they did not want to take the sort of risks Kawasaki was taking. Kawasaki was a much bigger company and could afford to be risky. A friend of mine at Kawasaki told me they built crazy bikes like the 500cc H1 and 750cc H2 [the latter of which debuted the same year as the GT750 –Ed.] for the ‘publicity’, and to ‘get our name out there.’”
“Looking back,” Kirkland added, “the do-everything direction Suzuki took for the 750 and the entire GT lineup was almost surely the right one; it established Suzuki as a serious builder of really good all-around motorcycles.”
And of course there was the “Honda factor.” No one at the time was building or selling more motorcycles than Honda. No company had a better reputation for quality, engineering or service, and it was clear Honda was building broadly capable bikes with what seemed like a perfect blend of styling, performance, durability and value — Honda’s legendary CB750 perhaps being the best example. Imitating that sober, mainstream approach, even with a line of twostroke-powered motorcycles, had to seem like Suzuki’s best bet for the American market, already the world’s most important segment.
GT750 DEVELOPMENT
In the early 1970s, most new-bike development for the Japanese OEMs happened in-country, with only minimal late-stage prototype and pre-production testing occurring
Clockwise: Pretty in purple. Japanese test team (and Willie Hardin, right) during Nevada testing. Kawasaki’s H2. Suzuki’s Jim Kirkland.
“Despite all the desire for a hot-rod motorcycle, I got the feeling they did not want to take the sort of risks Kawasaki was taking. Kawasaki was a much bigger company and could afford to be risky.” JIM KIRKLAND
stateside. Suzuki followed the pattern with the GT750, and when it came time for some final tweaking in the U.S., testing and warranty man Willie Hardin — who worked at Suzuki for several years during the 1970s — was pressed into service.
“The testing guys rented a storage unit in an industrial area,” he remembered, “and we’d work from there for security’s sake. In those days, editors, racers and industry types would just stroll into the Suzuki shop unannounced, and we couldn’t risk that with a bike like this, as there’d already been a ton of promo from the various shows and magazines. Everyone knew it was coming.”
“We did some long-distance testing,” Hardin recalled, “riding to Las Vegas and Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats. We had with us a Triumph Trident, the triple, but for some reason, they hadn’t
gotten a CB750 to test alongside. Everyone expected the bike to perform like an H1 or H2 [the latter announced but still not available –Ed.], but it was clear they’d made the GT more of a sport-touring bike. The GT was heavy and didn’t handle particularly well, but it was comfortable and smooth and very torquey. There wasn’t much to do, really; just refine suspension and jetting. The bike was pretty complete by the time we saw and rode it.”
Dealers and customers were clearly excited as bikes began arriving in Suzuki shops in early ’72, and few wrestled with the sporty-vs.-GT conundrum that plagued some at the distributor level. Painted in a pair of bright (if non-traditional) colors — Candy Lavender and Candy Jackal Blue — the GT750 dominated showrooms with brilliant displays of aesthetic and engineering prowess. The quality and depth of the GT’s paint and chrome definitely caught one’s attention, but it was the bike’s massive, smooth-sided engine and prominent radiator — water-cooling, yes! — that kept enthusiasts’ eyes bugged.
Not since the Depression-era Scott Flying Squirrel had there been a liquid-cooled, serial-production streetbike, and the GT750 flaunted its resurrected technology boldly. It was, stylish, substantial and sexy.
“That first GT750 was definitely impressive,” a longtime Suzuki dealer told this author. “It was big, bold and beautiful, and it cut a helluva figure in our showroom; it made everything there look better. I remember thinking it was more Honda CB750 than Kawasaki H1 or H2, and that the hot-rod guys might not take to it. But it was a very good motorcycle, and we ended up selling a lot of them.”
Still, there were concerns about the bike’s lack of pointto-point performance. “Some dealers were calling early
on,” remembered Kirkland, “saying the 750 wasn’t beating H1s at their local strips. So, we went to Orange County Raceway and ran a production bike; we struggled in the mid 14s — more than a full second off the Kawasaki H1, which had run mid-12-second quarters with a pro rider aboard.”
“Of course,” added Kirkland, “the bike was really good functionally. Yes, we were surprised at first that it wasn’t a super-serious straight-line performance bike. But it was quiet, smooth, comfortable, plenty fast and very, very refined…so different than the two Kawasakis. Despite some grumbling, it was generally well accepted by dealers and, soon enough, by owners. You could ride the thing all day and not get fatigued.”
MEDIA REPORTS
Press reports also highlighted the dichotomy existing between all-around goodness and cutting-edge, point-topoint acceleration. Like many of the young lions at Suzuki, magazine staffers loved the idea of hot-rod motorcycles, loved the irreverent nature of the H1, and most of all, loved a good performance fight, especially a David-and-Goliath battle between a 500 and a larger and more technically advanced machine like the GT.
So, when the GT scaled in at just under 550 pounds with a full tank of fuel (some 60 pounds more than the H1), and ran quarter-miles in the high 13s, there was some disappointment. But even the most narrow-minded scribe couldn’t miss the GT750’s capable, all-around character, and the many things it did exceptionally well. Topping that list was the bike’s surprising level of comfort, especially as the miles wore on.
“Riding the GT750 is a joy which must be experienced to be fully appreciated,” wrote Cycle World in its December 1971 issue. “The wide, ultra-soft dual seat is very comfortable… the almost complete lack of vibration and almost unnerving mechanical, intake “Despite
some grumbling, it was generally well accepted by dealers and, soon enough, by owners. You could ride the thing all day and not get fatigued.”
JIM KIRKLAND
and exhaust silence gave one the feeling of riding a steam turbine.” Cycle echoed the sentiment: “In most respects,” editors wrote, “the Suzuki’s riding comfort is excellent…. The saddle is soft, broad and comfortable…. Initially we were sure the handlebar was too low and flat, but we found [that] you can spend a lot of time [in the saddle] without muscles knotting up in your arms and back…. The GT750 rides pretty nicely…. Its mass forces the tires to eat small irregularities on the road….”
Engine smoothness helped the comfort quotient. “Triples with 120-degree crankpins have fairly strong longitudinal rocking vibration,” wrote Cycle, “and the Suzuki is no exception. It is exceptional in having elastic
engine mountings to keep the vibration largely confined to the engine itself rather than spreading them throughout the motorcycle. These rubber-bushed mountings are effective in stopping high frequency, low amplitude vibrations…. And at speeds for which the mountings were designed — like steady 70-mph cruising — the water-cooled Suzuki is one of the smoothest motorcycles available anywhere.”
That ultra-smooth engine was also ultra-torquey, packing a midrange punch that made any sort of riding an easy affair. “The GT750,” wrote Cycle, “develops real muscle only when within its powerband…which begins at about 2,000 rpm and stays with you all the way to the
“The bike stands exactly equidistant between true superbikes and staid, comfortable tourers. Only a nudge is needed to move it a long way in either direction.” CYCLE MAGAZINE
7,000-rpm redline. The machine may be slightly confused about its identity, but the engine is perfect for touring. Sheer, mind-boggling horsepower potential is there of course, only everything has been arranged to give broadrange torque as big as all outdoors. From the non-squish combustion chambers to the mild port timings and right to the exhaust system, the intent is as clear as the efforts have been successful. Torque is what the touring rider needs, and torque is what the GT750 has in abundance. Just click it into fifth and let the engine do all the work.”
The GT’s triple would do that sort of quality work for a good long time, too, its liquid-cooling system ensuring long engine life via low overall temperatures. “You won’t have to worry about overheating the Suzuki while pulling long grades in hot weather,” wrote Cycle, “which is more than may be said about other motorcycles. As a matter of fact, the GT750 couldn’t be what it is without water cooling. Because what it is more than anything else is absolutely tireless, and the cooling system is much of what makes it that way. High-speed flogging and low-speed slogging are all the same to the Suzuki. The temperature needle never says anything alarming, and you never hear the tinny clatter of detonation even when you’ve been doing things that would bring most other two-strokes right to edge of seizure.”
Cycle finished with this: “Water cooling. Suzuki has used it brilliantly. Their 750 street machine proves that a big twostroke can be quiet, luxurious and contemptuous of abuse. And that same water-cooled engine has given Suzuki the nucleus for today’s most powerful roadracing weapon. The racer [Suzuki’s TR750 – Ed.] is awesome, imposing, arrogant. Beat a Suzuki roadracer by trying to match it horsepower for horsepower? Absurd. All those water-cooled horses would trample you flat.”
capable at motoring along mountain roads at fairly high average speeds.”
Similar situation in the braking department. While Cycle posited that the GT750J’s quad-shoe drum unit “should have been strong enough, but wasn’t,” Cycle World found the system plenty workable: “At first we had reservations about the brakes,” CW wrote, “but the GT750’s [brakes] are just short of fantastic, capable of hauling the heavy machine down from 60 mph in 118 feet. Although the front brake heats up under hard usage, fade is minimal.”
Cycle World finished its exclusive first test of the GT750J with this: “The GT750 is the most refined, and yet most awesome, two-stroke ever.”
NITS AND NIGGLES
Not everything in LeMans land was peachy and keen, however. Like many first-year motorcycles that debut new technology, the LeMans had a few foibles, most of which didn’t come to light until many miles later. Early issues included problems with unleaded fuel and weak condensers, keyway breakage and resulting timing issues, and cylinder assemblies chemically welding themselves to crankcases over time with enough force to make them nearly impossible to get apart.
The GT750’s handling wasn’t exactly grist for racer road, but there were good attributes to write about. “The GT750 is slightly heavier than the Honda CB750 Four,” wrote Cycle World, “but it feels deceptively light at any speed. Like the T500, the GT gets top marks in the handling department.” Despite the lack of cornering clearance and the semi-slushy suspension action, Cycle found the GT750’s twisty-road cornering behavior livable, writing, “The GT750 is quite
Alex Rossborough, who taught Suzuki classes at Cleveland’s Powersport Institute and who now works for Wiseco, said crank seals are also a biggie to watch for. “Crank seals have brought more GT750s to their knees than anything short of running them out of oil,” he told us. “Suzuki used full rubber seals early on, switching to sturdier ones later. Also, on the ’72 and ’73 models, the locator pins in the round-slide carbs like to back out. When this happens, the slides can rotate, and the throttle can stick open — not a good thing.”
“The discs on the ’73 and later bikes need to be drilled,” he added, “as they hydroplane in wet weather. Suzuki actually put warning stickers to this effect on later models. Also, be sure to fit a GT with a quality chain; original ones are weak, and when they break, they wipe out the digital gear sender unit that lives under the countershaft sprocket. Cylinders can be stubborn to remove, though most vintage-
oriented shops have a puller that does the job well. Finally, feed your Water Buffalo Bel Ray SI-7 Injector Oil. I rarely recommend any particular brand, but this stuff is the king of injector oils.”
“The cool thing about the Water Buffalo,” said Suzuki’s Kirkland, using the GT’s much-loved moniker, “is how long they last. People who had and have them really love ’em. And some rode the hell out of them — 60, 70, 80, 90 thousand miles. I saw the inside of one engine with nearly 100,000 miles and it looked fresh and measured up really well, with minimal wear. There’s a lot of ring support, plenty of lubrication, and there’s the liquid cooling, of course.”
“Would we have sold more,” asked Kirkland rhetorically, “if it’d been sportier? Probably. The demographics were younger then, and motorcycling was a young man’s sport at the time, with a lot of buyers coming off dirtbikes. Kawasaki broke ground there, doing better with more sex appeal and performance. When we tried to make the GT a bit faster in ’75, with port timing changes and CV carbs, we got hate mail! The bike surged, and we had to produce service bulletins to combat the problems.”
“But we sold of lot of GT750s,” Kirkland added. “The whole GT line did well for us, actually, especially the 550 and 750. The 380, not so much. We did good quantities; sales were doubling every year, it seemed, leapfrogging, setting sales records, and everyone was happy.”
THE BOTTOM LINE
In the end, Cycle summed it all up pretty well: “The bike stands exactly equidistant between true superbikes and staid, comfortable tourers. Only a nudge is needed to move it a long way in either direction. Give it saddlebags, a windshield and [better] suspension and it becomes a touring bike. Fiddle [with] the porting, tuck in the pipes and hang on a better set of shocks and the GT would be a superbike. The effort required is so minimal that owners can do it themselves. We wonder why
Suzuki has not saved them the trouble.”
But maybe Suzuki wanted to occupy the middle position; build a bike that could go either way, and one that, right out of the box, would satisfy the greatest number of riders. Yeah. That works. My dad was certainly one of those riders.
It’s a funny thing, this whole GT750 business. The bike lasted six years, right through the 1977 model year. But ironically, it was doomed basically from the start. It’s a bike that truly was before its time — but already out of date by its second year.
The reason? Suzuki’s move to four-strokes in the form of the 1976 GS750, development of which began in 1973 — all of which was precipitated by a)
The bike lasted six years, right through the 1977 model year. But ironically, it was doomed basically from the start. It’s a bike that truly was before its time — but already out of date by its second year.
Kawasaki’s launch of the mighty Z-1 in ’73; and b) the ever-more-stringent smog laws, which would eventually choke off all two-stroke street bikes.
Suzuki saw the writing on the wall and wisely chose to move in a different direction — a direction that ended up bringing us the legendary GSs and GSXRs, and any other street or dirt bike using high-end four-stroke technology (which is basically everything these days).
Those photos of my dad and his LeMans are a joy for me. They’re visceral reminders of the joy that twowheeled piece of “purple passion” (his nickname for the bike) gave him, and the memories I have as a carefree youngster in northern Ohio during the 1970s. AMA
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SANCTIONED COMING EVENTS
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.
namjv2@aol.com, Distrust 37
Motocross May 3 - 4. Tallassee. Southeast Area Qualifier, Monster Mountain, 334-415-0415, ride@ monstermx.com
Flat Track: Short Track May 24. Elkmont. Snake Hill Speedway/Old Goats Racing 2025 Alabama AMA State Championship Flat Track, Series Old Goats Racing, (256) 714-0552, LOSTRIVER25@YAHOO.COM
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Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 17. Prescott Valley. Russ Vinton Memorial Race at Lynx Creek / AMRA, Prescott Trail Riders, (928) 899-8049, prescotttrailriders@gmail.com, prescotttrailriders.org
AMA ARKANSAS
Road Ride/Run May 3. Anchorage. Gathering & Bike Blessing, ABATE of Anchorage, Inc., (907) 952-7992, anc.president@abateofalaska.com, abateofalaska.com
AMA CALIFORNIA
Flat Track: Short Track May 1. Lodi. 2025 Thursday Night Before, Lodi Motorcycle Club, (209) 368-7182, www.lodicyclebowl.com
Desert Scrambles May 3. Red Mountain. Badgers Dual European Scramble Race #2, Badgers Motorcycle Club, (661) 747-7721, bgough561@outlook.com
Desert Scrambles May 3. Red Mountain. Badgers Dual European Scramble Race #1, Badgers Motorcycle Club, (661) 747-7721, bgough561@outlook.com
Off-Road/Trail Riding School May 3. San Jose. FirstRides Beginner Motorcycling for Kids, First Rides, (415) 515-0395, ridesfirst@gmail.com, http://www. firstrides.org
Motocross May 4. Rancho Cordova. Road to Mammoth Round 5, 2xp LLC dba 2xpromotions, https:// www.2xpromotions.com/events/category/road-tomammoth/
Enduro May 4. Gerogetown. Fools Gold Enduro, California Enduro Riders Association, (925) 413-2434, cerarider@gmail.com, cera.org
Motocross May 10. Pala. Road to Mammoth Round 6, 2xp LLC dba 2xpromotions, https://www.2xpromotions. com/events/category/road-to-mammoth/
Motocross May 11. Pala. Road to Mammoth Round 7, 2xp LLC dba 2xpromotions, https://www.2xpromotions. com/events/category/road-to-mammoth/ Road Ride/Run May 15 - 17. Moorpark. 9th Annual Why We Ride to The Quail, MOTOvational, Inc., (805) 630-2951, bc@whyweride.com, https://www.motovational.org/quail-ride
Flat Track: Short Track May 15. King City. Ricky Graham Memorial, WFO Promotions LLC, (831) 385-3243, tcplumb123@gmail.com
Flat Track: TT May 17. Lodi. 2025 D36 Dirttrack Championship, Lodi Motorcycle Club, (209) 368-7182, www.lodicyclebowl.com
Dual Sport May 17. Nevada City. 2025 NCWR Dual Sport, Nevada County Woods Riders, Inc., (916) 2764058, pattiwack24@att.net, www.Woodsriders.org
Dual Sport May 17 - 18. Stonyford. Sheetiron 300 Dualsport, Oakland Motorcycle Club, (510) 305-4158, snyderbt@comcast.net, www.oaklandmc.org/sheetiron-300
Family Enduro May 17. Omo Ranch. Family Enduro, Polka Dots Motorcycle Club, (916) 701-7687, tustinmbc@comcast.net, https://ama-d36.org/ Enduro May 17. Ridgecrest. Viewfinder’s Sprint Enduro, Viewfinders MC Inc., (661) 433-6643, dean-
Enduro May 18. Omo Ranch. Enduro, Polka Dots Motorcycle Club, (916) 701-7687, tustinmbc@comcast. net, https://ama-d36.org/
Road Ride/Run May 3. Boise. Awareness Rally, Idaho Coalition for Motorcycle Safety, 208-573-4191, stixplatt@gmail.com, idahobikerrights.com
Motocross May 3 - 4. Kuna. Northwest Area Qualifier, Skyline MX Park and Event Center, 208-407-8006,
skylineparkidaho@gmail.com
Motocross May 17 - 18. Preston. RMX Championship Series - Rnd 4, Grassroots MX, LLC, (801) 540-8625, grassrootsmx1@gmail.com, GrassrootsMX.com
Observed Trials May 17. Emmett. Cherry Gulch Trials/ TVT Club Series Round 1, Treasure Valley Trials, (208) 571-9860, mwebbidaho@gmail.com, treasurevalleytrials.com
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Flat Track: Short Track May 3. Macomb. Short Track, Lamoine Ramblers, (309) 837-9436, lamoineramblers@gmail.com, Lamoineramblers.net
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 4. Cuba. Hare Scramble, Canton Motorcycle Club, (309) 224-6367, Trail Ride May 4. Ottawa. Egg Hunt, Variety Riders Motorcycle Club Inc, (815) 434-3669, Varietyriders@ yahoo.com, Varietyriders.com
Motocross May 10 - 11. Casey. Thor Showdown Series, Lincoln Trail Motosports, (217) 932-2041, info@ ridelincolntrail.com, ridelincolntrail.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 11. Plainview. So.IL Series Round 3, Central Illinois Trail Riders (CITR), (217) 710-2973, info@soilracing.com, www. soilracing.com
Flat Track: TT May 17. Belleville. BET TT Series - 2025, Belleville Enduro Team, (618) 277-3478, bellevilleenduroteam@gmail.com, bellevilleenduroteam. com
Hillclimb May 17. White City. CCDR Spring Hillclimb, Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders, (314) 805-6306, Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders
Flat Track - Short Track May 24. Neoga. Classic 76, Central Illinois M/C, 217-246-7154, hopper54p@yahoo. com
Enduro May 25. White City. CCDR Sprint Enduro, Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders, (314) 805-6306, CahokiaCreekDirtRiders.com
Flat Track - TT May 25. Neoga. Classic 76, Central Illinois M/C, 217-246-7154, hopper54p@yahoo.com
Motocross May 25 - 26. Casey. Thor Showdown Series “Spring Shootout”, Lincoln Trail Motosports, (217) 932-2041, info@ridelincolntrail.com, ridelincolntrail.com
Flat Track - TT May 26. Neoga. Neoga TT, Central Illinois M/C, 217-246-7154, hopper54p@yahoo.com
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Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 4. Columbus. Stoney Lonesome MC Round 1, Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club, 812-342-4411, info@stoneylonesomemc. com, stoneylonesomemc.com
Motocross May 10 - 11. Crawfordsville. ATVMX National Championship, MX Sports, Inc., 304-284-0084, info@atvmotocross.com, www.atvmotocross.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 16 - 18. Crawfordsville. Grand National Cross Country Series, Racer Productions, Inc., 304-284-0084, https://gnccracing. com/event/hoosier
Hillclimb May 18. Middlebury. Annual Spring Hill Climb, Goshen Iron Horsemen, (574) 849-5524, jdcole15@ yahoo.com, Facebook.com/Goshen Ironhorsemen
Road Ride/Run May 18. Columbia City. Safe Place Charity Event, Old Fort Motorcycle Club, (260) 5046388,
Motocross May 3 - 4. Garwin. North Central Area Qualifier, Oak Ridge MX, 641-844-4849, oakridgemx@gmail.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 4. Spragueville. Rocky Hill Hare Scramble / IERA, 171 Investments Inc., (319) 899-1451, 171Investments@ gmail.com
Motocross May 10 -11. Council Bluffs. Midwest Mx Series 2025, Midwest Mx LLC, (402) 510-7279, midwestmxllc@gmail.com, https://www.facebook. com/profile.php?id=61573134331789
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Grand Prix May 24 - 25. Florence. Florence Grand Prix, Flint Hills Bent Rims MC, (620) 382-7333, info@flinthillsbentrims.com, www.flinthillsbentrims. com
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Motocross May 4. Mechanicsville. Capitol Motocross Cup, MAMA & District 13, Pro Ready Racing LLC, 443-223-9171, ezra@buddscreek.com, www. buddscreek.com
Family Enduro May 17. Lake City. Knotty Pine Family Enduro, Lansing Motorcycle Club, (231) 267-9534, lansingmotorcycleclub@gmail.com, lansingmotorcycleclub.org
Road Race May 17 - 18. Belding. WERA Grattan Raceway, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc., 770720-5010, wera@wera.com, https://www.wera.com/
Observed Trials May 3. Detroit Lakes. UMTA 2025 Events, Upper Midwest Trials Association, (507) 2910645, rlorentz60@gmail.com, umta.org
Motocross May 4 - 5. Millville. FXR Super Series Rd 2, Hi-Winders, (507) 802-9300, springcreekmxoffice@
SANCTIONED COMING EVENTS
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 10 - 11. Millville. Larsons Cycle/KTM/D23 Hare Scramble, Hi-Winders, (507) 802-9300, springcreekmxoffice@gmail.com, www.springcreekmotocross.com
Motocross May 10 - 11. Little Falls. North Central Area Qualifier, MotoCity Raceway & Recreation, Inc., 218894-2826, motocity-RNR@hotmail.com
Motocross May 11. Cambridge. 70’s Series Round 2, BCMX Adventure Park, (612) 280-8939, bcmxllc@ hotmail.com, www.bcmxadventurepark.com
Motocross May 17 - 18. Cambridge. Quad Double Header, BCMX Adventure Park, (612) 280-8939, bcmxllc@hotmail.com, www.bcmxadventurepark.com
Flat Track: Short Track May 17. New Ulm. Flat Track Race, Flying Dutchmen Cycle Club, (507) 388-1671, dutchman65.as@gmail.com, flyingdutchmenmotorcycleclub.com
Motocross May 18. Brook Park. Berm Benders Gold Cup Series, Berm Benders Incorporated, (320) 279-2238, bermbendersraceway@outlook.com, www. bermbendersraceway.com
Flat Track: Short Track May 18. New Ulm. Flat Track Race, Flying Dutchmen Cycle Club, (507) 388-1671, dutchman65.as@gmail.com, flyingdutchmenmotorcycleclub.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 25. Cambridge. BCMX Harescramble, BCMX Adventure Park, 612-2808939, bcmxllc@hotmail.com, www.bcmxadventurerpark.com
Motocross May 25. Millville. FXR Super Series Rd 3/ Donny Schmit Memorial, Hi-Winders, (507) 802-9300, springcreekmxoffice@gmail.com, www.springcreekmotocross.com
Motocross May 26. Millville. FXR Super Series Rd 4, Hi-Winders, (507) 802-9300, springcreekmxoffice@ gmail.com, www.springcreekmotocross.com
AMA MISSISSIPPI
Enduro May 3 - 4. Hattiesburg. Battle of Dixie Enduro, Gulf Coast Sandblasters, 251-533-9257, gcsandblasters@outlook.com, seraracing.com
AMA MISSOURI
Dual Sport May 3 - 4. Bixby. Show Me 200 National Dual Sport, Midwest Trail Riders Association, (314) 409-6936, ridemtra@hotmail.com, ridemtra.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 17 - 18. Bixby. Missouri Hare Scramble Championship Series, Midwest Trail Riders Association, (314) 732-5954, Kmdarnett@gmail.com
AMA NEW JERSEY
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 3 - 4. Millville. Ormond Farms Hare Scramble, Competition Dirt Riders, (609) 319-7496, davebostrom@comcast.net, www.eceacompetitiondirtriders.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 17 - 18. West Creek. Stump Jumper Harescramble/ECEA Harescramble Series, Motorcycle Competition Incorporated, (609) 802-8891, rideMCI.info@gmail. com, www.ride-mci.com
Motocross May 17 - 18. Englishtown. Northeast Area Qualifier, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, 732-446-7800, Rtrevelise@racewaypark.com
AMA NEW MEXICO
Desert Scrambles May 3 - 4. Cuba. Oh My GOD 100, Motozobra MC LLC, (505) 710-2812, Motozobramc@gmail.com
Motocross May 10 - 11. Moriarty. Southwest Area Qualifier, J-Land MX, LLC, 505-453-1806, moriartymx@yahoo.com
AMA NEW YORK
Motocross May 3 - 4. Wallkill. Northeast Area Qualifier / MSC Championship MX Series AMA District 34, Walden MX, 862-220-6505, admin@mxwalden.com
Motocross May 4. Middletown. MSC Championship MX Series AMA District 34, Metropolitan Sports Committee, 845-342-2573, mgurda@yahoo.com, www. mscmotocross.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 11. Berkshire. Berkshire Hills Round Up, Berkshire Hills Round Up, (607) 427-9866, gandjhomes@yahoo.com, noa.org
Motocross May 11. Greig. High Voltage Hills MX, High Voltage Hills MX, (315) 725-0368, nzielinski74@ gmail.com, Highvoltagehillsmx.com
Motocross May 11. Palmyra. Mother’s Day/ Mini Moto Mayhem, Palmyra Racing Association, (585) 236-0060, hogbacksecretary@gmail.com, www. palmyramx.com
Trail Ride May 16 - 18. Hancock. Family Fun Ride, Bear Creek Sportsmen, (201) 450-5814, bearcreeksportsmen@yahoo.com, https://bearcreeksportsmen. com/
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 24 - 25. Richford. NEXC Series Race @Broome Tioga, NEXC Series, (607) 206-2795, btscmx@yahoo.com, nexcseries.com
Motocross May 24 - 25. Carlisle. Northeast Area Qualifier, Metropolitan Sports Committee, 845-554-8717, jslaughter@diamondback-motocross.com
Road Rally May 27 - 31. Lake George. Americade, Americade, (518) 798-0858, kim@americade.com, www.americade.com
AMA OHIO
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 3 - 4. St. Clairsville. Grand National Cross Country Series, Racer Productions, Inc., 304-284-0084, https://gnccracing. com/event/powerline-park/directions-surrounding-area
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 10 - 11. Wellsville. AWRCS, American Woods Racing Championship, (412) 607-0960, AWRCS.COM
Motocross May 10 - 11. Martinsburg. Mid-East Area Qualifier, Route 62 MX, 614-579-5540, info@ route62mx.com
Flat Track - Short Track May 17. Salem. Mission Foods CTR Flat Track Series, Cory Texter Racing, LLC, ctex@promosbyctex.com, corytexterpromotions.com
AMA OKLAHOMA
Motocross May 3 - 4. Wellston. South Central Area Qualifier, Reynard Raceway, 405-793-1049, reynardraceway@gmail.com
Motocross May 10 - 11. Ponca City. South Central Area Qualifier, MPG Creative LLC, 816-582-4113, layne@mpgcreativegroup.com
AMA OREGON
Road Ride/Run May 10. Beaverton. Rose City Oregon 500, Rose City Motorcycle Club, (503) 860-3658, rosecityfunpac@gmail.com, rosecityfunpac.com
Trail Ride May 15 - 18. Central Point. The Main Event, Dirtastic, LLC, (503) 781-7777, braap@dirtastic.com, www.dirtastic.com
AMA PENNSYLVANIA
Flat Track - Short Track May 3. York Haven. AMA Vintage National PM/ District 6, Baer Racing, 717-5038030, candybaer@comcast.net
Motocross May 3 - 4. Shippensburg. MDRA Series, Doublin Gap Motocross, Inc., 717-571-5824, doublingap@gmail.com, www.doublingap.com
Flat Track - Short Track May 4. York Haven. District 6 Short Track, Baer Racing, 717-503-8030, candybaer@ comcast.net
Flat Track - TT May 11. Perkersburg. Piston Poppers Mother’s Day TT, E PA Piston Poppers MC Inc, 484336-9160, pistonpoppersmc@hotmail.com, pistonpoppersmc.com
Trail Ride May 16 - 17. Spring Grove. Billet Motorsports Beta Demo, Billet Motorsports Inc., (717) 501-0028, billetmoto@outlook.com, www.billetmotorsportsinc.com
Motocross May 17 - 18. Seward. AMA Dylan Slusser Memorial Pro Am, Pleasure Valley Raceway, (814) 3176686, jeffcernic@gmail.com, pvrmx.com
Trail Ride May 17. Spring Grove. Spring Trail Ride, White Rose MC, (717) 229-2621,
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 24 - 25. Kittanning. AWRCS, American Woods Racing Championship, (412) 607-0960, AWRCS.COM
Hard Enduro May 24 - 25. Tamaqua. Tough Like RORR/US Hard Enduro Series, Reading Off Road Riders, 844-440-rorr, jsks2@verizon.net, www.rorr.org
Hard Enduro May 26. Sugarloaf. Locked-n-Loaded Hard Scramble/USHE, High Mountain Dirt Riders, (484) 347-2012, hmdr@hmdr.org, hmdr.org
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 30 - June 1. Mount Morris. Grand National Cross Country Series, Racer Productions, Inc., 304-284-0084, https://gnccracing.com/event/mason-dixon
AMA SOUTH CAROLINA
Motocross May 18. Hamer. Mega Series, Victory Sports Inc, 423-323-5497, jane@victory-sports.com, victory-sports.com
AMA SOUTH DAKOTA
Motocross May 17 - 18. Sturgis. Northwest Area Qualifier, Jackpine Gypsies MC, Inc., 605-347-6022, jpgmc36@gmail.com
AMA TEXAS
Motocross May 3 - 4. Floresville. TexMex Shootout Pro Am, Cycle Ranch Events, LLC, (323) 484-6686, fun@ cycleranchmx.com, cycleranchmx.com
AMA UTAH
Hare & Hound May 3. Jericho. Firebirds MC Hare & Hound, Firebirds MC, (801) 550-5758, tony.atherley@ riotinto.com, www.raceumora.com
Roadracing May 3 - 4. Grantsville. USBA Masters of the Mountains Race Series, Utah Sport Bike Association, (801) 580-6814, Board@UtahSBA.com, https:// utahsba.com/
Adventure (600cc and above) School May 8 - 9. Richfield. Intermediate Clinic, Tiaha Group, (021) 1900758, info@saynotoslow.nz, https://cvent.me/2NEZ0Z
Adventure (600cc and above) School May 10 - 11. Richfield. Advanced Clinic, Tiaha Group, (021) 1900758, info@saynotoslow.nz, https://cvent.me/2NEZ0Z
Adventure (600cc and above) School May 13 - 14. Richfield. Intermediate Clinic, Tiaha Group, (021) 1900758, info@saynotoslow.nz, https://cvent.me/2NEZ0Z Adventure (600cc and above) School May 15 - 16. Richfield. Advanced Clinic, Tiaha Group, (021) 1900758, info@saynotoslow.nz, https://cvent.me/2NEZ0Z Hare & Hound May 17. Jericho. Desert Devotional, Sage Riders MC, (435) 650-1250, sageridersmc1980@ gmail.com, www.raceumora.com
Adventure (600cc and above) School May 19 - 20. Richfield. Intermediate Clinic, Tiaha Group, (021) 1900758, info@saynotoslow.nz, https://cvent.me/2NEZ0Z
Adventure (600cc and above) School May 21 - 22. Richfield Advanced Clinic, Tiaha Group, (021) 1900758, info@saynotoslow.nz, https://cvent.me/2NEZ0Z Road Race May 24 - 25. Grantsville. USBA Masters of the Mountains Race Series, Utah Sport Bike Association, 801-580-6814, Board@UtahSBA.com, https:// utahsba.com
AMA VIRGINIA
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 3 - 4. Martinsville. Blue Ridge, Virginia Competition Hare Scramble Services, 276-732-9251, jchitwood73@yahoo.com, www.vchss.org
Hard Enduro May 10 - 11. Glen Lyn. River monster/ USHE Race, Kairos Resort, (304) 646-0667, mjaredspencer@gmail.com, Kairosresort.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 17 - 18. Sandy Level. The MotoSport Express @ Rivers Edge, Virginia Competition Hare Scramble Services, 540-420-2906, lewis@riversedgeoutdoorsllc.com, vchss.org
Motocross May 24. Axton. AMA District 13 - Parts Unlimited, Ultra, Thor Mega Series & NCMX, Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park, www.lstmx.com
Motocross May 25. Axton. AMA District 13 - Parts Unlimited, Ultra, Thor Mega Series & NCMX, Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park, www.lstmx.com
AMA WASHINGTON
Trail Ride May 16 - 17. Waitsburg. Sunset Cruise and Karen’s Ride, Waitsburg Celebration Days Association, (701) 269-1133, waitsburgcd@gmail.com, www. waitsburgcd.com
AMA WEST VIRGINIA
Motocross May 10 - 11. Hedgesville. Northeast Area Qualifier, Tomahawk MX, LLC, 304-582-8185, tomahawkmotocross@gmail.com
AMA WISCONSIN
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 3. Mazomanie. Peat Bog Beat Down, Madison Motorcycle Club, (608) 225-5001, madisonmotorcycleclub@gmail.com, madisonmotorcycleclub.org
Flat Track: Short Track May 9 - 10. Fountain City. Rampage By The River 25, ACES Racing Co., (715) 212-6340, acesracingco@usa.com, www.acesracingco. com
Motocross May 11. Lake Mills. Motocross, Aztalan Cycle Club, Inc., (000) 000-0000, aztalanmx.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country May 16 - 18. Adams. EWB Offroad Logs In The Bogs 4.0, EWB Offroad, (608) 574-5408, hankcare@hotmail.com
Motocross May 17 - 18. Lake Mills. North Central Area Qualifier, Aztalan Cycle Club, Inc., aztalanmx
Grand Prix May 25. Hillpoint. Sugar Maple MX - GP event, Sugar Maple MX Park LLC, (608) 425-8643, sugarmaplemxpark@gmail.com, www.sugarmaplemx.com
Flat Track: Short Track May 17. N9898 County Rd. I. D16, Beaver Cycle Club, Inc., (920) 319-6889, mikeschwarzenbacher@gmail.com, Facebook/ Beavercycleclub
SUPERCROSS
2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship supercrosslive.com
Round 16: May 3. Denver, Colo. Empower Field at Mile High
Round 17: May 10. Salt Lake City, Utah. Rice-Eccles Stadium
MOTOCROSS
FIM Motocross des Nations mxonusa.com Oct. 2-5. Crawfordsville, Ind.
COMING EVENTS
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.
2025 Pro Motocross Championship Promotocross.com
Round 1: May 24. Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway at Pala
Round 2: May 31. Sacramento, Calif. Prairie City OHV Park
Round 3: Jun 7. Lakewood, Colo. Thunder Valley Motocross Park
Round 4: Jun 14. Mount Morris, Pa. High Point Raceway
Round 5: Jun 28. Southwick, Mass. The Wick 338
Round 6: Jul 5. Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX
Round 7: Jul 12. Millville, Minn. Spring Creek MX Park
Round 8: Jul 19. Washougal, Wash. Washougal MX Park
Round 9: Aug 9. Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway
Round 10: Aug 16. New Berlin, N.Y. Unadilla MX
Round 11: Aug 23. Mechanicsville, Md. Budds Creek Motocross Park
Sept. 6. Concord, N.C. zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Sept. 13. St. Louis, Mo. The Dome at America’s Center
Sept. 20. Las Vegas, N.V. The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
PRO-AM EVENTS
TexMex Shootout ProAm: May 3-4. Cycle Ranch. Floresville, Texas.
Southeast Area Qualifier: May 10-11. Lazy River MX. Dalton, Ga.
AMA Dylan Slusser Memorial ProAm: May 17-18. Pleasure Valley Raceway. Seward, PA. jeffcernic@ gmail.com
Mammoth Motocross: June 20-29. Mammoth Mountain. Mammoth Lakes, Calif.
Mid Minnesota Challenge ProAm-70’s Series Round 4: June 22. BCMX Adventure Park. Cambridge, MN. RedBud MX ProAm: July 4. RedBud MX. Buchanan, Mich.
AP7 Classic: July 9-13. CTMX. Chillicothe, Ohio.
AMA Tennessee State Championship: July 13. Muddy Creek Raceway. Blountville, Tn. MSC Championship MX Series AMA District 34 Championship: July 20. Diamondback Motocross. Central Bridge, NY. jslaughter@diamondbackmotocross.com
Maine Event: Aug. 24-25. MX 207. Lyman, Me. Baja Brawl: Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Baja Acres. Millington, Mich.
Yamaha All-Star AMA ProAm Featured Event: Sept. 6-7. Doublin Gap Motocross. Shippensburg, PA. doublingap@gmail.com
Aztalan Motocross: Sep. 13-14. Aztalan Cycle Club. Lake Mills, Wi.
D2 Series ProAm: Oct. 12. Pagoda Motorcycle Club. Birdsboro, Pa.
Top Gun Showdown: Oct. 12. Muddy Creek Raceway. Blountville, Tn.
D6 Henrietta Series: Oct. 19. Dutchmen MX. Pine Grove, Pa.
MSC Championship MX Series AMA District 34 ProAm: Oct. 25-26. Walden Motocross. Wallkill, N.Y. 5th Annual Come and Take It: Nov 9. Irondog MX. New Ulm, Texas.
AMA South Carolina State Championship: Nov. 9. SOBMX. Hamer, S.C.
The Clash Scholarship Race: Nov. 15-16. GPF. Cairo, GA. Joshwoods126@aol.com
Annual USA MX Championship: Nov. 29-30. Cycle Ranch. Floresville, Texas.
FEATURED EVENTS
AMA Dylan Slusser Memorial ProAm: May 17-18. Pleasure Valley Raceway. Seward, PA. jeffcernic@ gmail.com
Baja Brawl: Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Baja Acres. Millington, Mich.
Yamaha All-Star AMA ProAm Featured Event: Sept 6-7. Doublin Gap Motocross. Shippensburg, PA. doublingap@gmail.com
Travis Pastrana Pro Challenge: Sept 27-28. Pleasure Valley Raceway. Seward, PA. Jeffcernic@ gmail.com
Top Gun Showdown: Oct. 12. Muddy Creek Raceway. Blountville, Tn.
The Clash Scholarship Race: Nov 15-16. GPF. Cairo, GA. Joshwoods126@aol.com
Oklahoma Roots Tour - https://www. motoplaygroundrootstour.com
June 29-29. AMBUCS dba ABC Racing Association, Inc. Ponca City, Okla.
July 12-13. Sweet 16. Muskogee, Okla.
Aug 16-17. Elk City Motocross Track. Elk City, Okla. Sept 13-14. Sweet 16. Muskogee, Okla.
South Carolina State Championship: Nov. 9. SOBMX. Hamer, S.C. RECREATION
National Adventure Ride: June 7-8. MVTR Adventure Ride for CF. Belmont, New Hampshire. Merrimack Valley Trail Riders. 603-235-1087 boxstock60@gmail.com.
TRACK RACING
FIM Land Speed World Records www.bonnevillemst.com
Aug. 23-28. Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
COMING EVENTS
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.
Nov. 1-2. Howlin’ at the Moon. Prescott Valley, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders. 602-692-9382. the1phxman@ gmail.com
Nov. 1-2. Hammer Run. Port Elizabeth, N.J. Tri-County Sportsmens Motorcycle Club Inc. 856-265-3911. epolhamus@comcast.net
AMA Trademarks
The following represents active, registered trademarks, trade-marks and service marks of American Motorcyclist Association, Inc. (AMA). Usage of any AMA trademark or registered trade-mark without our permission is prohibited. Please contact jholter@ ama-cycle.org for more information or assistance, (800) AMA-JOIN®
• AMA Dragbike® • AMA Endurocross® • AMA Motorhead® • AMA Pro Grand National Championship®
• AMA Pro Racing® • AMA Race Center™ • AMA Racer® • AMA Racing® • AMA Racing Land Speed Grand Championships® • AMA Supermoto® • AMA Supercross® AMA SX Lites® • AMA U.S. ISDE Team™
• AMA U.S. Jr. Motocross Team™ • AMA U.S. Motocross Team™ • Amateur National Motocross Championships®
• American Motorcyclist Association® Arenacross® • ATV Hare Scrambles National Championship Series®
• ATV Motocross National Championship Series® • Flat Track Grand Championships™ • Grand National Enduro Championship® • Gypsy Tour® • Hare & Hound National Championship Series® • Hare Scrambles Championship Series® • Hare Scrambles National Championship Series® • Kids Just Want To Ride® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum® • Motorcyclist of the Year® • Motostars® • National Adventure Riding Series® • National Dual-Sport Series®
• National Enduro Championship Series® • Protect Your Right to Ride® • Protecting Your Right to Ride® • Ride Straight® • Rights. Riding. Racing.® • Road Race Grand Championships® • Vintage Grand Championships® • Vintage Motorcycle Days® • Vote Like A Motorcyclist®
Garage
Tips,Tweaks, Fixes and Facts: The two-wheeled ownership experience, explained
Whether it’s repair or restoration, old-magazine studies, Patron Silver, or Santana and Styx, a well-appointed garage goes a long way to keeping us sane
For many, the traditional 20th-century garage is quite a bit more than simply a place to store and fix your (often wheeled) stuff.
Whether you’re talking a half-pint shed, a cavernous outbuilding or your standard, two-car space, the “garage” — an evolution of the carriage houses of earlier centuries, as cars (and motorcycles) gained popularity — has morphed more and more into a social gathering spot, with audio, video, comfortable
THE GREAT ESCAPE GARAGE SERIES PART 1
seating, retro magazine collections, refrigerators, dart boards and the like joining the all-important tool chests, storage bins and service lifts.
Dave Hartleip’s 2.5-car garage is a good example of this, for it not only melds the necessary bike-service and social-gathering elements, but also that of car/SUV storage for him and his wife at night.
“As my bike collection grew to 14plus,” Dave told us, “I promised my wife Anne — who also rides — that
I would not have so many that we could not park both cars in our garage each night. So, I put up two plastic sheds to house half of the bikes.”
“We have quarterly or bi-monthly darts/ bourbon/cigars/pizza-night get-togethers with friends,” he added, “but after it’s all over, the camp chairs, serving tables, portable bourbon-barrel-on-wheels bartop and shop stools get stowed to make room for the four-wheelers.”
But don’t let the party-’n’-practical side make you think the space hasn’t seen a ton of restoration activity over the years.
“The garage has served me well,” Dave told us, “with multiple restoration/resto-mod projects, including ’70s/’80s 750s from Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki…1967 Norton P11s, and others.”
“Two of my favorite items are the lifts I designed and built so I could store one motorcycle above another. These save a ton of room and are great for displaying my prized possessions.”
Speaking of which, in 2005 Dave had an opportunity to reclaim a child-
Hartleip’s “convertible” 2.5-car garage successfully melds the elements of fun and function, with socialgathering bits hidden away when there’s service or restoration work to be done or cars to be parked.
hood bike — a 1965 Ducati 250. That led to a follow-up Ducati 350 project, with both being featured in Cycle World back in 2008.
“All that led to a need to upgrade the garage with insulation, heat (for our cold Wisconsin winters), motorcycle lift, tools, a welder and drill press, etc. I also added the slatboard (to hang stuff), epoxy floor, updated workbench and cabinets, large-screen TV and stereo with subwoofer.” Boom, boom. Room to work and play…not a bad combination at all. – Mitch Boehm
Queen Bee Buzz!
page
Catching up with April 2023 cover girl and desert-racing hotshot Brooklyn Caudillo
PHOTOS BY MARK KARIYA
In 2023 we featured then-12-year-old Brooklyn Caudillo on our cover, telling the story of how the young desert racer overcame an Arnold Chiari malformation — a condition that involves brain tissue extending into the spinal canal — to become a serious contender in the AMA National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) and AMA National Hare and Hound Championship Series.
We recently caught up with Brooklyn, and she filled us in on how being on the American Motorcyclist cover changed her life.
“That honor brought me great things,” Brooklyn told us. “It got me sponsors, and I’m so grateful for that. It also put some pressure on me.”
“Before, she was just another girl at the races,” her dad Michael chimed in. “Everyone knows who she is now.”
“So many people know my story now,” Brooklyn added, “and while I don’t like the fame, if I can inspire people to get out and try riding even if they have physical challenges, that brings good things.”
While she’d already won 11 championships back by April
“I can’t forget to thank all my sponsors who support me,” Brooklyn, who’s part of Yamaha’s bLU cRU, said.
“I’m so grateful for them all!”
2023, since then she’s won the Women’s Novice Championship in AMA NGPC in 2024, as well as in the Senior Girls class. Brooklyn also won the Women’s C and Senior Girls Advanced classes on the District 37 Big 6 side, while additionally taking the D37 Desert Series in her class, which she raced on the side for “more seat time.”
In 2025, she’s chasing more championships in those series, as well as toying with making a run for a title in the AMA Regional Western Hare Scramble Series.
But what her dad is most proud of is the way she’s excelling in school, along with keeping up with her very busy racing schedule.
“She’s maintaining honor-roll grades while excelling in racing,” Michael said, “and I couldn’t be prouder of that!”
She might only be 14 years old, but she has big goals for the future. Racing-wise, she’d like to eventually represent U.S. women in the International Six Days Enduro, and career-wise, she wants to be a firefighter.
“It’s the adrenaline and the chance to help people,” Brooklyn said about her career aspirations.
And that sounds exactly like the Queen B we all know!
—Joy Burgess
Introduced in 1969, Kawasaki’s 500cc two-stroke H1 Mach III spun the big-streetbike world on its axis. It was a straight shot of raw, unadulterated performance — a light, loud, smoky and fast two-wheeled hot rod, and the undisputed dragstrip and stoplight-to-stoplight king of its day.
The H1 established its legend status almost instantly, and remains one of the most coveted and collectable Japanese motorcycles in history.
And you can own it by participating in the AMA’s 100th Anniversary Raffle!
