American Motorcyclist August 2023

8 PERSPECTIVES

Editorial Director Mitch Boehm on minibike magic

10 AMA INSIDER

Marketing Director Joy Burgess recounts a scary incident jammed with valuable lessons

12 BACKFIRES

Membership feedback on recent issues

14 BACK IN THE DAY

Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear!

16 10 QUESTIONS WITH AMA RIGHTS

WARRIOR NICK HARIS

Government Relations Director Nick Haris talks past, present and future of motorcycling

24 MALCOLM’S MOMENTS

Malcolm goes for gold in Poland

28 COVER STORY:

PASSING THE TORCH

Fathers, sons and grandsons prove the Nevada 200 is a family affair

42 A GATHERING OF CHAMPIONS

Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Bubba Shobert converge on the Quail Motorcycle Gathering

54 TEACH ’EM YOUNG

Tales of Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month’s rousing success in May

70 AMA GARAGE

Tips, tweaks, fixes and facts: The motorcycle ownership experience, explained

74 LAST PAGE

A time machine into the golden era of minibikes

ON THE COVER:

The Nevada 200 is no secret to the motorcycling community, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to it than meets the eye. A highly touted trail ride, the Nevada 200 packs plenty of fun and challenge while providing family members of different generations the opportunity to bond over a love of riding.

Photo by Miguel Santana.

EDITORIAL

Mitch Boehm Editorial Director

Todd Westover Chief Creative Consultant

Keaton Maisano Managing Editor

Kerry Hardin Senior Graphic Designer

John Burns 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 Associate Sales Representative (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.

Copyright© American Motorcyclist Association, 2021.

AMA STAFF

EXECUTIVE

Rob Dingman President/Chief Executive Officer

James Holter Chief Operating Officer

Jeff Wolens Chief Financial Officer

Donna Perry Executive Assistant to President/CEO

Danielle Smith Human Resources Manager/Assistant to COO

RACING AND ORGANIZER SERVICES

Mike Pelletier Director of Racing

Bill Cumbow Director of International Competition

Michael Burkeen Deputy Director of Racing

Ken Saillant Track Racing Manager

Michael Jolly Racing Manager

Jeff Canfield Racing Manager

Alexandria Reasoner Program Manager

Connie Fleming Supercross/FIM Coordinator

Olivia Davis Sanctioned Activity Specialist

Jensen Burkeen Sanctioned Activity Coordinator

Damian George Sanctioned Activity Coordinator

MUSEUM

Paula Schremser Program Specialist

Ricky Shultz Museum Clerk

Kobe Stone Museum Clerk

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Nick Haris Government Relations Director/ Western States Rep.

AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Contact any member of the AMA Board of Directors at americanmotorcyclist.com/ama-board-of-directors

Russ Ehnes Chair

Great Falls, Mont.

Gary Pontius Vice Chair

Westfield, Ind.

Brad Baumert Assistant Treasurer

Louisville, Ky.

Jerry Abboud Executive Committee Member

Thornton, Colo.

Mark Hosbach Executive Committee Member

Franklin, Tenn.

Hub Brennan

E. Greenwich, R.I.

Christopher Cox

Florence, S.C.

Steve Drewlo

Bismarck, N.D.

Clif Koontz

Moab, Utah

Shae Petersen

Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Tom Umphress

Jordan, Minn.

Faisel Zaman

Dallas, Texas

(800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) (614) 856-1900

AmericanMotorcyclist.com @AmericanMotorcyclist @ama_riding

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Joy Burgess Marketing & Communications Director

Joe Bromley Program Development Manager

Lauren Kropf Marketing and Communications Specialist

Bob Davis Program Volunteer Specialist

Jack Emerson Corporate Communications Specialist

MEMBER SERVICES

Amanda Donchess Director of Membership

Lynette Cox Membership Manager

Tiffany Pound Member Services Manager

Pam Albright Member Fulfillment Coordinator

Carolyn Vaughan Member Fulfillment Representative

Stephanie McCormick Member Services Representative

Vickie Park Member Services Representative

Charles Moore Member Services Representative

Kelly Anders Member Services Representative

Sarah Lockhart Member Services Representative

Taylor Fluck Member Services Representative

Sieara Thomas Member Services Representative

John Bricker Mailroom Manager

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Shaun Holloway Director of Information Technology

Jarrod Gilliland Application Developer

Ed Madden Systems and Database Analyst

Rob Baughman Support Technician

PERSPECTIVES MAGICAL. MINIBIKE. MOMENTS.

BY MITCH BOEHM

As I write this, contributing editor John Burns is down at Barber Motorsports Park at a minibike-themed event called Small Bore, which I strongly doubt will have even a single strand of boredom in its DNA. Ditto the feature piece Burnsie will be writing for these pages.

Of course, thinking of him at BMP surrounded by a sea of production and customized minibikes got me thinking of the minibikes that have affected me over the years, especially the ones that launched yours truly on this fine two-wheeled journey back in 1969.

Mom and Dad had moved our family from rural Illinois to a similarly rural neighborhood just west of Cleveland during the winter of 1968-’69, and if I had to pinpoint the moment for me (which most of you will understand as the exact point in time motorcycles entered one’s psyche in a measurable way), it’d be that spring.

As my soon-to-be-8-year-old mind dealt with life-altering subjects such as ice melting on the local ponds (no more ice skating!) and a flat tire on my Schwinn Sting Ray (gasp!), I began to notice motorized activity in the fields behind our home, and on the trail that ran beneath the high-tension wires that ran through them.

It’d be a while before I’d recognize the nirvana that existed back there, but the action soon came into focus: people — kids, really — riding motorcycles, and most of them minis: Rupps, Bridgestones, Hodakas, tubeframed Briggs and Strattons, Benellis, some early Hondas, what have you. I began riding my Sting Ray back there to watch, and what I witnessed was simply life-altering.

And then it began in earnest; kids on my street began getting minis. First

it was Mike Starr and his silver and red Honda Mini Trail. Then Donny Hebebrand’s Techumseh-powered minibike. And later, Jeff Tower and his blue and white Suzuki Trailhopper, or Greg Lanham’s orange Suzuki TS50 Gaucho.

When a neighbor offered to let me ride his Trail 70 one day, I could scarcely believe my luck. It was an H-model CT70, a 4-speed with a clutch, so I looked like a dork trying to figure out shifting and clutchwork as I left his backyard and motored into the fields. But that 45-minute ride changed my life.

But it was the red Honda SL70 that appeared in the garage Christmas morning a year or so later that really cemented things. Finally, a bike of my own, and a quite functional one, too. I basically lived on that thing, disappearing after school and on weekends, learning how to ride better every day and exploring trails with friends along that powerline road miles from home. My parents had little idea where I was in those days, and the freedom was, as most of you know, simply intoxicating.

And then came the coolest mini of all, a first-year 1973 Honda XR75, which Dad got me late that year and which we began racing in 1974. We’d

go on to a handful of full-sized Yamaha 2-stroke motocross bikes after that XR, and onward to streetbikes from there once I got to college. But that SL and XR laid the groundwork for what would become a 50-year (and still-in-play) love affair with motorcycles.

And that’s the main reason I still have an SL70 and a couple of XRs in my garage. The SL and one of the XRs (another ’73 model) are stock, which take me back both visually and physically. The other XR is a highly modified racebike, a little like the one I campaigned during ’75, and which came from XR master-builder Alex Jud of XRMiniRacer.com. Just looking at the things brings me back to those early days in North Ridgeville… Time machines, for sure.

We’re fixin’ to do a good bit of minibike celebration and history in the coming months (check out this issue’s Last Page for some cool images, too!), and if you feel like contributing, feel free to send your minibike-based photos and stories to the editorial team at submissions@ama-cycle.org. And enjoy your summer! I know Mr. Burns is.

Mitch Boehm is the Editorial Director of the AMA and a long-time member.

My garage is packed pretty tightly these days (there’s a Beta 300RR, Yamaha YZ450F and Suzuki GS1000S in there, too), but the minis will always be there.

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View the complete Chrome Collection at triumphmotorcycles.com

creeeeechh!

S“Someone’s doing something stupid,” I thought as I heard an engine revving and tires squealing while sitting at my desk at home.

But the ugly sound of metal crashing and sliding on asphalt had me jumping out of my office chair to see what exactly was going on.

What I saw sent adrenaline coursing through my veins. There lay a Harley on its side, its rider face down on the pavement…and he wasn’t moving.

Although it’d been years since I worked in a Level 1 Trauma Center in Virginia, that experience pushed me into action.

By some twist of fate I’d updated my first-aid kit and medical supplies the previous week, so within seconds I had the kit, a box of gauze pads and extra towels in my arms as I rushed to the rider’s side. I saw no helmet in sight, and breathed a prayer that he wasn’t dead, as he wasn’t moving.

There was a lot of blood…not unexpected when an unprotected head smacks the pavement violently. People were gathering, and someone called 911 as I assessed the young man. Forgetting the blood for a moment, I fell back to my training — the ABCs of first aid: Airway, Breathing, Circulation.

He was unresponsive, but he was breathing…that was good. He had a pulse, so I could start dealing with the blood. As I tended to the multiple areas of bleeding, he started to come around. Not surprisingly, his first words were a mumbled, “What happened?”

The confusion — common after a head injury — quickly made him agitated, and I tried to soothe him with a lighthearted response. “Well, you had a bit of a mishap on your motorcycle. What’s your name?”

INSIDER RIDER DOWN

JOY BURGESS

He didn’t know, which scared him… and me. “Keep him talking,” I thought.

“Tell me about your bike,” I asked, while I continued applying compression to his head wounds and trying to keep him calm as I noticed it also looked like he had a broken collarbone. “I’m a rider, too.”

“I ride a Harley,” he responded. Good! He remembered something

He did finally remember his name, but a few minutes later he began to fade on me again. “Don’t go to sleep,” I urged. “You’ve gotta keep talking to me.” Where was that ambulance?

It was probably just a few seconds later, but it felt like forever before I finally heard the wail of sirens. And that was enough to extinguish his lethargy.

“I can’t have no ambulance,” he told me, frantically trying to move. “I don’t have insurance.”

“You’ve gotta stay still,” I countered. “I don’t know what all you hurt. They’ll just take a look at you; you don’t have to go to the hospital.”

Trying to keep a 6-ft, 240-pound man who’s injured and becoming combative from moving is no easy task. And to my relief, a fire truck pulled up and four firemen jumped out to help me, with the ambulance rolling in not far behind.

Help had arrived. I gave them the details on what happened and gratefully let them take over, shaking as the adrenaline wore off.

It’d been a minute since I’d had to jump in and care for someone injured at that level. And that experience left me with a few important thoughts.

One, please wear a helmet. I’ve always believed that. But when you get an up-close-and-personal view of someone’s head and face after it smacks pavement without a helmet, it underscores that thought in a big way!

The AMA encourages voluntary helmet use, while it does oppose mandatory helmet laws for adult riders. The AMA’s position on mandatory helmet laws can be found at https://americanmotorcyclist. com/voluntary-helmet-use/

Two, it’s a great idea for riders to get some first-aid training. AMA partner the United States Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA) requires coaches to become certified in basic AHA or Red Cross First Aid and CPR, along with learning how to manage concussions and how to detect signs of heat illness and cardiac arrest.

You don’t have to be a coach for that to be a smart idea. Whether riding off- or on-road, if someone you’re with gets hurt you might be the only one standing between them and death. We don’t like to think about it, but crashes happen. And what happens in that first hour after someone is injured often has life-anddeath consequences.

Three, carry a basic first aid kit whenyou ride. Knowing how to help someone who’s injured is important; having the tools to do so makes a difference.

Hopefully you’ll never need to use lifesaving measures on someone you’re riding with; but be prepared. You just might save someone’s life someday.

Joy Burgess is the AMA Director of Marketing and Communications

THE ARAI DIFFERENCE

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BACKFIRES

THE FERGUS EFFECT

I was thrilled to see my longtime riding hero Neil Fergus on the June 2023 cover. Neil has been a lifelong friend of my dad’s since high school, so I’ve known him for a while. It wasn’t until about 10 years ago that I started to read about Neil’s accomplishments (he’s a low-key guy and never bragged about his past) and realized he’s the real deal. I’ve made it a point to ride with Neil whenever possible, and have taken my first born along with us on occasion. While reading author Lambert’s ride recap, it sounded exactly like the ride my son and I took with Neil, as he hustles that DR650 around like nobody’s business and it’s tough to keep him in sight. My hat is off to the AMA for giving his story nearly 12 pages to highlight some of the highlights of Neil’s career and his continuing passion with motorcycles. Thank you, and please consider him for induction into the AMA Hall of Fame.

John Wilcox Prescott Valley, Ariz.

I truly enjoyed the story on Neil Fergus. What a true legend, and still looking good at age 93! It shows what riding can do for a person. One of the best and most relevant stories in some time. I know that you must accommodate the wide range of interests regarding your members and readers, but this really hit home with me. Thank you!

Bob Jones Fond du Lac, Wis.

What a great story about Neil Fergus! The gentleman is a real testament to the love of motorcycles, and someone to look up to by many motorcyclists, including this rider in his 70s. Oftentimes when we think about how long we should keep riding, we meet or discover riders like Neil who keep us throwing a leg over the seat.

Neil is proof that you just keep doing what you love for as long as you can do it, and safely, with age being just a number — right? Here’s to going out for another ride! And thanks for sharing Neil with us!

Larry Norton

Neil Fergus is my hero! I love hearing about a guy 93 years young who’s still riding, and not just riding but rippin’ it up! I’m a 65-year-old that still occasionally races vintage MX and street rides, and Neil gives me (and probably many others like me) the

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Ireceived the June issue a few days ago, saw the picture of the old guy on the cover, read the cover blurbs “He’s 93” and “He’s faster than you,” and scoffed, tossing the magazine on the counter. I let it sit there for a while, thinking, “No 93-year-old is faster than me.”

Well, today I finally read the article, and I have to say I’m impressed. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to keep up with Mr. Fergus on pavement, but it might be different in dirt — or maybe not. I’ll never know, but it wouldn’t be a fair contest because I’m only 77.

Fergus, but he won me over with his knowledge and expertise in suspension modification, and the photo of him with a Bultaco put me over the top. I own about 20 Bultacos and race a 1974 360 Pursang in vintage motocross, which is why I got super excited to see that this issue also contained a neat article on Hodaka’s Super Rat. I recall lining up to race my 125cc Bultaco back in the day and watching 40 Super Rats blast off the starting line, all of ’em revved up to 10,000 RPM. My ears still hurt! Thanks for all you do to keep the magazine interesting and exciting!

Bob Krus Evergreen, Colo.

I started out skeptical about

encouragement we need to keep riding. I’m tired of hearing some people say I’m too old to do that stuff. Neil proves that line of thinking wrong! I think Fergus would agree with the old saying “You didn’t quit riding because you got old, you got old because you quit riding.”

Ron DeFonce

Gotta love that saying, Ron! – Ed.

HODAKAS RULE

When my June issue arrived, I saw “Hodaka” on the cover and dove into the story. I’ll never forget the day a friend brought his new Super Rat home and let his close friends try it. At that point (1970) we were riding Japanese street scramblers (I had a Bridgestone 175 Hurricane Scramble with a rear sprocket the size of a beer coaster!). Anyway, the Rat quickly put every one of us on our ass, and my friend didn’t mind because the thing took every loop out without damage and he was laughing too hard. Of course, the culprit was the rear axle placement, which was directly under the rider seat. As long as you didn’t lean back, it was controllable.

Scott Poley

I just read AMA Board Chair Russ Ehnes’ great Hodaka family story, and of course noticed the reference to motocross storming on the scene in Boise, Idaho. The piece doesn’t mention Owyhee Motorcycle Club (OMC), but there’s no doubt that was the place! If it was motorcycle racing back then in Boise, it was OMC. My husband and I joined the club in 2019 to build a trials park on the grounds, and quickly became even more involved as we learned about the club’s astounding history.

The club, which has roots back to 1935, purchased 80 acres in Boise in 1946, which are the same 80 acres the club occupies today. The original name was actually the Western Ramblers, as Boise Motorcycle Club was already taken, and there is a mountain range South of Boise called

the Owyhee Mountains. OMC was instrumental in bringing motocross to Idaho along with flat track and TT racing. Over the years, many AMA Hall of Famers graced its grounds, including Broc Glover, Bob Hannah, Mert Lawwill (from Boise), Joël Robert, Gary Jones, Torstein Hallman, Roger DeCoster and Billy Uhl. The club recently became the first motorcycle-related club or track to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places, which is a huge honor! We are currently fighting pressure from developers, and encourage anyone wanting more info about the club, its history or to get involved to help keep this special place around for future generations, to contact the club at omcracing.com, its Facebook page or on Instagram (omc_race

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the June issue’s “Ace in the Hole” feature story. However, as an owner of a Hodaka Ace 100 B+ back in the early 1970s, I thought it worth mentioning the differences. The B+ looked similar to the Super Rat with its Ceriani-style fork assembly, but lacked the number plates, knobby tires, expansion chamber and Super Rat air-cleaner box. However, as an enduro bike (and like its Ace 100 bretheren), it had lights. I tried racing it at the Bridgehampton, N.Y., motocross course on Long Is

Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear!

Ihad just got out of the service and got a good job. I didn’t have a car, but I rode my trusty Bonneville everywhere, including on some dirt. I really wanted to desert race, so after working a paying job I was able to buy a 250 Husky. I rode the crap out of it but had no way to get to the desert, so the next thing was a van. My wife and I would camp in it, and of course it was the way I could get out to the desert and ride.

I finally decided to get a 400 Husky like one of my buds had, and I was in business. Signed up for Barstow to Vegas event, and my wife, Blondie, was going to meet me at the pits and gas me

up, give me a drink of water and a kiss, and off to the next pit. There I was in jeans, soccer pads on the knees, Hi-Point boots, and my modified Bell helmet with a nylon face guard. Blondie met me at every pit, I think Grumpy took a great pic, and I wanted to share.

Larry Heller

Looks right out of On Any Sunday, Larry! Bruce Brown would be proud. – Ed.

Here’s a picture of me and my brother in January of 1971. It was taken in our basement, where I got to work on my dad’s bike and mine. Not sure which is which. I think I was 15 years old. The bikes are Yamaha YG1s from 1967. It was my first motorcycle, which I bought with my brother Dennis. He lost interest so I bought his half, and have been riding since. I still have my dad’s bike in my basement. It was at Mid-Ohio for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days about 20 years ago. Back in the day we could ride in the empty 40-acre lot behind our house.

Allen Brotz

4The first photo is of me on my 1964 Honda 305 Super Hawk outfitted for a trip with two friends over the Sierra Nevada mountains — and then to Yosemite — in June, 1964. The Honda was my third motorcycle, after first having learned how to ride on Vespa and Lambretta scooters, before quickly going through a 1957 Sears Roebuck 125 and a 1962 Yamaha YD3. Also attached is a photo taken at the top of Sonora Pass. It was something of an adventure and a lot of fun.

Richard Harmon

6My Name is Alan Schulte, I am an AMA Life Member, and this is my 1998 95th Anniversary Harley-Davidson Heritage Springer with me and my grandson — Caleb, age 4 — aboard. He learned to ride in his early teens, and this year I gave him my Harley. He is now 23. The bike was his first ride, and now it’s his ride. The Harley will remain in the family.

Alan Schulte

That’s the way to do it, Alan! All in the family. – Ed.

Me on the bike that started it all…A 1968 Honda CL90, purchased in a basket with a broken crankshaft. Being raised by a single dad in the 1960s, we didn’t have a lot. After finally begging him to buy a used Harley-Davidson 50cc (Aermacchi, I believe), it broke after a short period of time. He came home from the shop with it and said if I was going to ride motorcycles, I was going to have to learn to fix them. The repairs were more than what we paid for the bike, but it started what would become a career for me in the motorcycle industry.

He and I purchased broken motorcycles left and right, repairing and reselling them as well as repairing all my friend’s bikes. It was great training for me as well as supplement income for the family. I was riding something new regularly, and the time shared with my dad was priceless. I went to work at a friend’s family car lot that had a bike shop across the street. It was a greasy hole in the wall. My high school GED teacher then got me a real job at the local Suzuki shop. I went on to work in several different dealerships at all levels and positions, became partners in a dealership during the 1980s and ’90s, raised a son of my own on two wheels, returned to my hometown, found a great woman to enjoy it all with, and finished out this wonderful career with a near 20-year run as a respected technician at a large multi-line dealer. Retired for three years now, I consider myself blessed to say that I made a good living at my hobby. Listen up kids, there’s a lesson in all this somewhere.

Mike Haynes

4I’m loving the new magazine format, especially the Back in the Day section. There is just something about looking back to when we first got injected with this beautiful drug of motorcycling. Here’s my story:

This is me in my graduation suit 1976. I decided to get one more racing season out of my ’75 125 Elsinore. To do battle against the new ’76ers coming out, I had it ported and polished, and had the Webco head milled and reshaped by local engine tuner “Speedy” Jackson. Added a bigger carb and an FMF pipe to finish the motor. I laid down the rear shocks and found these cool air springs, like Gabriel HiJackers. I painted them red, white and blue with an American flag sticker to commemorate

There is indeed, Mike! Thanks for sharing. – Ed.

the year. It was awesome to adjust the shocks based on track conditions. I lived in Louisville, Ky., but me, my brother and buddies raced Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. It ended up being a good season for me and the Ol’ Elsinore.

At 64 I’m still riding off-road in the beautiful state of Colorado, which I

call home now. I ride a ’97 Yamaha WR250 2-stroke that’ll take me anywhere I want to go. It’s never a bad day if your hand’s on the throttle. Joe

True words, Joe. Thanks for sharing. – Ed.

Tichenor

up to speed

News, notes, insight and more from the motorcycling universe

WITH AMA RIGHTS WARRIOR NICK HARIS

eral issues will be handled by a new Washington representative position to be hired in the Washington, D.C., office. Nick Haris remains the Western states representative, while also elevating into the role of government relations director.

Relations Department.

AM: Tell us about your first bike and your early riding experiences?

BY KEATON MAISANO

In May, the AMA announced the restructuring of its Government Relations Department to better serve its members throughout the country.

Focusing on improved engagement by dividing the country into regions, the AMA added Central states and Eastern states representatives to the mix. Fed-

Recently returning to Seattle, where he grew up, after more than two decades in California, Haris has had his finger on the pulse of motorcycling issues on the West Coast since his arrival at the AMA in the late 1990s. Add a seasoned motorcycling history that has involved owning 21 motorcycles, and it is easy to see why Haris — who continues to be a serious rider and member of the motorcycling community — is the right man to spearhead the new direction for the AMA Government

NH: I got my first bike — a 1988 Yamaha YSR50 — when I was 16, and only recently sold it. I used it to commute to high school and occasionally rode it to the University of Washington during college.

No one in my immediate family rode, and although I don’t remember it, I’ve heard stories about my first time on a bike. I was about 10 years old and went with a friend to see some of his extended family. They had a small Briggs & Stratton-powered minibike and sent the kids out to a nearby field to try it out. They could hardly get me off it, and after each ride I got back in line until I was the only kid left still wanting to ride. I was clearly

PHOTO BY SIEGE

Spend a few pages with the newly appointed — but longtime AMA employee and motorcyclist — Government Relations Director Nick Haris

obsessed, and my parents said it was all I wanted to talk about for weeks.

I was also a fanatical bicycle rider for much of my younger years, both BMX and road bikes. I think the attraction was the same…freedom. We used to do some pretty crazy things in local parks etc.

My first extended trip on a motorcycle was in 1998 when I took my ’81 H-D FXWG to and from Portland for a memorial ride. It was just under 500 miles for the day, and I remember feeling like I had done something significant. The trip really showed me the comradery amongst riders and made me want to be a part of the community.

It also made me realize I had a lot to learn about longer rides. I was tired when I got home despite having really enjoyed the ride, and it started my interest in longer trips and travel. That ultimately led to me riding from New Orleans to California via Sturgis in 2002, a total of 4,000 miles in 10 days.

AM: What was your first job in the motorcycle industry?

NH: I worked at Fast Company in Kirkland, Wash., which sold CMC, Bourget and Panzer motorcycles before becoming an Indian franchise in the late 1990s. Basically, we sold American V-Twin (Harley clones) and had a well-known performance/service department. I ran the office, handled the website, payroll and financing. I had always wanted to work in the industry and when I saw the job advertised, I grabbed the opportunity. I took great pride in being the employee with the longest commute and won a shop contest for most days in a row ridden to work, Seattle not being exactly warm or dry for much of the year.

AM: How did you get into activism?

NH: I grew up in a politically active family. My mother was on the Seattle Park Board and School Board, so I spent lots of time passing out voter information and knocking on doors in my youth. I also went to many election-night events as a youngster with my mother, and learned how important it is to get involved and how — at the end of the day — most elections are won by the candidate that can turn out local supporters.

This background proved beneficial when I joined the AMA staff in 2001, primarily to support its government relations efforts. I was already an AMA member, and despite being a fan of all forms of motorcycle racing, I was always drawn to the government relations stories and felt a real admiration for those people who were working to protect riding. With my love of motorcycles, coupled with my economics degree, it seemed like a natural fit.

AM: How have you seen effective government relations strategies change over the years?

NH: The ability of citizens to engage with elected officials has changed in large part due to the popularity and acceptance of remote options such as Zoom and Teams. Likewise, the use of social media to get the word out has become not only accepted but also very effective.

However, bureaucracy and government in general are pretty stagnant, and despite new communications strategies I think the way they operate and make decisions hasn’t really changed. The old saying is, “decisions are made by those that show up,” and that remains true in my mind, but the ways in which you can show up have been evolving thanks to these remote options.

AM: On the contrary, what has stayed the same?

NH: Nothing beats one-on-one meetings and personal relationships with decision makers. Once you’ve established yourself as a reliable, credible voice for your issues, it is easier to stay engaged, but the old tried-andtrue methods of in-person relationships will always be critical.

I like to say the time to get to know a decision maker is before you need something…so take the opportunity to go to a meet and greet at the local coffee shop. Get to know the staff, as well. They have a difficult job to do, and if they know they can reach out when they have a question or need support, you will become the go to on issues that are important to you.

AM: How has grassroots advoca-

cy in the motorcycling community evolved?

NH: The level of professionalism in the grassroots community has always been a source of strength. The willingness of volunteers to step up, and in many cases be the leaders on emerging issues, is critical to our success as an organization, and benefits the entire riding community. After all, the AMA’s strength is in its members, whose ability to engage with their elected officials is critical. It facilitates GRD staff’s ability

paying attention to the issues under consideration.

A recent example: In January of this year a bill (Looney SB 96) was introduced that would have made riders that chose to ride in Connecticut without a helmet (legal under existing state law) mandatory organ donors. The AMA quickly responded by sending member alerts, contacting the sponsor and engaging with organizations that work on this issue (none of whom supported the proposal to make

munication are all critical and evolving constantly.

AM: What are issues you see becoming larger in the next 5 years?

NH: Two issues stick out in my mind: automated vehicles and the rush towards an electric vehicle future.

As the push towards automated vehicles continues, it is critical that any of the self-driving technologies being introduced on our nation’s roadways are required to recognize and react properly when they encounter a motorcycle or similar smaller vehicle. The AMA has been fighting for this perspective for nearly a decade, and we also work with our European counterparts on this significant issue. The question isn’t if but when we will see fully autonomous vehicles on the road, and while the potential safety benefits are interesting, the bottom line is they are not yet ready — or safe — for widespread use.

to gain access to those same decision makers, who know we speak for their constituents (voters). Members are often the first people to hear about an issue and then bring it to our attention.

Some of the changes I see in how grassroots advocacy has evolved include: the use of social media; citizen journalism; popularity of podcasts/ blogs/forums; and the sharing of information and strategy between different groups/states etc., which has proven to be very useful.

The AMA makes use of many of these newer grassroots advocacy tools. For example, when members sign up for government relations communications such as News and Notes and Action Alerts, they can stay informed about issues we see in other regions and be better prepared to respond if/ when similar ones arise in their home states.

Long gone are the days when members only have the options of sending a letter by mail or showing up in person to make their voices heard. Our ability to quickly respond and communicate with decision makers is critical. By taking the time to send a message or make a phone call, our members let decision makers know they are engaged and

it mandatory). The bill was quickly shelved.

Sadly, this was not the first time the AMA had fought such an offensive proposal. In 2003, a similar bill was introduced in New Mexico, but thanks to our membership making their voices heard, it was quickly defeated.

AM: What role does social media play in both engagement and raising awareness of important issues?

NH: Social media can be a double-edged sword. Often in a rush to be “first,” incomplete or incorrect information can cause unneeded alarm or require a response that takes up time that could otherwise be used to address the actual issue.

Social media is of course a great way to get the word out quickly and to a broad audience. Tailoring the message to best serve the consumers of the specific platform is also essential. If a quick, easily understood and accurate message can draw the reader/viewer in, then a more comprehensive and nuanced message can be presented, but few people these days want to read a three-page story on an issue they are just becoming aware of.

Coordination of message, correct timing and multiple channels of com-

The rush towards an electric vehicle future must acknowledge the current reality that we simply don’t have adequate infrastructure to provide access to charging facilities for millions of vehicles. Charging times, equipment compatibility and battery technology are improving, and given enough time I think they will be able to meet demand (especially with uniform chargers), but access to e10 and fossil fuels in general are clearly going to remain a priority for the AMA and the motorized community in general.

Likewise, the ability to have enough range to allow riders to travel significant distances remains a real concern.

AM: How can the AMA guide members on which issues are important at the state level, such as lane splitting... or the federal level, such as automated vehicles?

NH: The AMA’s Board of Directors Position Statements are a great resource. Rather than let a third party tell you what our position is on an issue, it is always best to go to the source. Along with the official AMA position, many of the statements include source material references that further help to describe and explain the reasoning behind a particular decision to support or oppose legislative proposals.

As the push towards automated vehicles continues, it is critical that any of the self-driving technologies being introduced on our nation’s roadways are required to recognize and react properly when they encounter a motorcycle or similar smaller vehicle. The AMA has been fighting for this perspective for nearly a decade.

For example, while the AMA supports efforts to introduce lane filtering or splitting legislation, we are unwilling to trade one right for another, such as mandatory medical insurance above and beyond what is already required. Our board is comprised of industry veterans and enthusiasts who bring decades of first-hand experience with the many issues facing motorcycling.

Likewise, the AMA has direct experience dealing with numerous legislative and regulatory challenges. This background, coupled with our members’ enthusiasm and passion for all things motorcycle, gives us the unique ability to successfully work for the benefit of motorcyclists nationwide. Coupled with our longstanding relationships with numerous other likeminded organizations, the AMA is uniquely positioned to effectively guide grassroots enthusiasts and help them to tell their unique stories to key decision makers.

Adding regional representatives to our team, as well as a Washington

D.C., representative to handle federal issues, will also be key in doing an even better job at guiding our members on which issues are the most important to them.

AM: How will the new regional structure improve the way the AMA engages with legislators and organizations at all levels of government, as well as with members?

NH: Regional representation will make a difference. Local knowledge and connections are crucial for effective advocacy and lobbying. These team members will have the pulse of the political and social landscapes of their states, and will work with key decision makers and influencers in their regions. Their personal networks will be strong, and they will understand how to work well with state and local partners and stakeholders.

Our members are critical partners in any outreach efforts. Frankly, this type of work is difficult to do from any single location. Having staff sited where

the laws are made and affected and where motorcyclists ride will allow us to both engage with policy makers to shape the discussion as well as react to proposals in a more timely and relevant way. This has worked for me in the Western states, and it will succeed in the Central and Eastern ones, too.

The AMA’s mission to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect its future remains at the forefront of any decision, and Nick Haris — a seasoned rider with a 22-year history of advocacy with the AMA — is the right man to lead the AMA Government Relations Department into a new era of improved advocacy and protection. With Haris setting a strong example at the top, the reimagined department will be in tune with important issues throughout the country, and be better equipped to stand up for the motorcycling community now and into its bright future.

—Keaton Maisano

Stringfield Sisterhood

BY KEATON MAISANO

It has been 30 years since AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Bessie Stringfield passed away, but her impact today is alive and well.

Honoring Stringfield and her legacy of breaking down barriers for both female and Black motorcyclists, the Bessie Belles Riding Club formed in 2021. For Tameka Singleton, national president of the club, Stringfield’s life is one motorcyclists can look to for inspiration.

“People kinda use the word rebel to describe her,” Singleton said. “Not rebel in a bad way, but just in a person that refused to live within this constraint of what society gives to you. I definitely love that about her because I see myself in that.”

While the women-only club is relatively new, its origins can be traced

back nearly a decade. In 2014, the Bessie Stringfield All Female Ride was created, and grew quickly from its humble beginnings.

“In 2014, we started with six riders,” Singleton said. “At the end of it, which was in 2021, we were up to 400 riders.”

Stringfield famously picked her riding destinations by dropping a penny on a map, so it was fitting that Singleton and her fellow riders participated in the Penny Ride, the last of which traveled to Stringfield’s last known residence in Miami.

“It had become a job at that point of running the ride,” Singleton said

on the decision to end the rides in 2021. “But I also thought about how I could preserve this aspect of riding with my sisters and still promote Bessie’s legacy, so we — another committee member and myself — developed the Bessie Belles Riding Club in 2021.”

Singleton said a lot of the current club members participated in at

least one of the Bessie rides over the years, so they are well versed in Stringfield’s history. The club currently has around 30 members, which range in location from Philadelphia to Fresno, Calif.

In terms of growing the club, Single-

Bessie Belles Riding Club pays homage to past while enjoying the present

ton said the requirement for entry is simple: “If Bessie is part of your inspiration, you should be a Bessie Belle.”

Trying to build the club in Stringfield’s name, the club meets monthly, focuses on education and participates in rides — including traveling 48 states in eight days. Singleton — a former business education and marketing teacher — said it is important that their long-distance rides act as excursions and provide an opportunity for club members to learn and gain new experiences.

One of these experiences is a mandatory Safety Day for all new club members. Usually taking place on an Air Force base in North Carolina, members learn technical skills of riding, group formations and the latest information within the world of motorcycling.

“I figure if you stay educated,” Singleton said, “you will be a better rider, you’ll save your life, and you may be able to save others.”

Looking to the future, the threeyear goal is to develop the club and navigate the challenges brought about by the geographical separation between members.

“We’re just getting started,” Singleton said, “but we definitely have some good ladies and good sisters that are ready to ride and ready to promote [Stringfield’s] legacy.”

RACING ROUNDUP up to speed

BY KEATON MAISANO

In conversation, Collins Knuth comes off as a polite and shy 8-year-old girl, but on race days, there is nothing shy about her knack for riding well and claiming trophies.

Traveling more than 17,000 miles during the 2022-23 AMA Arenacross season, Collins won the 50cc Aircooled (4-8) Limited class in the East,

West and national series.

“I kinda knew she had a chance if she rode to her ability,” said Collins’ father Shea Knuth, “but I didn’t know until after the first couple rounds where she would fall into place. After the first couple rounds, I knew she had a good shot at the East and West coast championships.”

The oldest of four girls, Collins has

followed in her father’s footsteps, racing different disciplines — such as flat track, arenacross and motocross — and traveling the country like her father Shea and his grandfather Gene had done decades earlier. While her father may have more experience on a bike than her, Collins — who began riding at age 3 — laughed and said she could beat her dad in a race.

RACER SPOTLIGHT collins knuth

Collins Knuth follows her father into the world of racing

Collins Knuth at the Next Level training facility (main photo). Collins with plenty of hardware at the 2022 AMA Flat Track Grand Championship (top overlay photo). Collins with her friend Levi Meyer (bottom overlay photo).

“Everybody always asks me if I’m going to have another kid to try and have a boy,” Shea Knuth said, “I always tell them, ‘No.’ I’ve got Collins and she’s into what I was into, so to share that with her now is pretty awesome.”

While the family business is back in Illinois, the Knuths spend most of their time on the road or in Georgia, where Collins trains. Despite all the hard work and family history, Shea Knuth said racing is about more than just winning.

“We just have fun with it,” Shea Knuth said. “Even though I did it, my grandfather did it, my uncles did it, it’s just an awesome way for us to always be together.”

As for her dreams, Collins aspires to take her talents under the lights and onto the AMA Supercross stage. So, in the future when the best riders in the world are dashing toward the finish line, it may be a blonde-haired rider named Collins Knuth who flies through the air to light the torches in front of tens of thousands screaming fans.

Member Meeting

GYPSY TOURS

...got their start more than 100 years ago at places like Weirs Beach near Laconia, N.H., and Harley-Davidson Motor Co. in Milwaukee, Wis.

T

he annual AMA member meeting will be held Friday, Sept. 15, at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.

The meeting will occur during AMA Hall of Fame Days — which runs Sept. 14-17 — and precede the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony that takes place at the neighboring Violet Township Event Center Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m. The hourlong meeting is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. in the lower level of the museum. Reservations are required for attendance.

AMA Gypsy Tours have always been about riding and sharing the camaraderie of two wheels with like-minded enthusiasts at great destinations.

And that continues with the 2023 Gypsy Tour schedule, where riders can meet, share experiences and even grab their collectible AMA National Gypsy Tour pin dated with the year.

REMAINING EVENTS

Four Corners Motorcycle Rally Aug. 31 - Sept. 4

malcolm’s moments

ADVENTURES IN UTOPIA

Of the 1967 ISDT in Zakapone, Poland, meeting new friends, and a gold medal

BY MALCOLM SMITH

My second Six Days adventure — the 1967 ISDT — was held in communist-controlled Poland in a beautiful city called Zakopane, which lies at the extreme southern end of the country up against the Tatra mountains. Zakopane was — and is — the winter capital of Poland, a skiing and mountaineering mecca.

As I did the previous year, I flew first to the Husky factory to meet Youran and the factory folks, and help prepare the bikes, which would then be shipped to Poland. But instead of riding in the team bus as planned, I ended up traveling with a Swedish couple (who were slated to run a checkpoint for the event) because the bus was full and there were no seats left. The couple owned a little Saab 96, which was powered by a liter-sized 2-stroke engine.

We got horribly lost on our way from Sweden to Poland, first taking a ferry across the Baltic to Germany, and then losing track of the team bus there and losing our way badly after crossing into Czechoslovakia. The crossing was intimidating, with border guards in towers, barbed wire, and machine guns. We found our way to Prague and bought a map, but it didn’t help, the Communist regime having printed maps of roads they planned to build but hadn’t yet built. We gave it our best shot and headed out of Prague, eventually making it to Poland a full day later after doing way too many circles.

Zakopane wasn’t far from the border, and we soon reached the site of the Six Days. Like Villingsberg, Zakopane was wooded and green, the soil there kept moist year-round by weather and snowmelt. And like Villingsberg, the Zakopane ISDT course was a challenge — wet in places, and therefore quite slick, and devoid of the sort of traction I was used to in Southern California. Still, I had the Swedish ISDT experience to lean on, and it helped… but not that much. The riding was muddy, with slick roots and rocks, and everyone seemed to be falling off, even the Euros. It was tiring. And while I rode more carefully and smoothly this time around, I still fell off several times a day.

I roomed with my boyhood hero Bud Ekins that year, and we got along well. We riders stayed in small rooming houses, and there were plenty of us, including John Penton, Leroy Winters, John Anderson, Dave Ekins (Bud’s brother), Dennis Bemis and a guy named Dave Mungenast. At 10:00 pm they’d lock the doors, but Ekins was already gone, headed to town for a taste of the Polish nightlife.

I met people that year that would become lifelong friends. One was Swede Lars Larsson, an accomplished motocross and enduro rider who was instrumental in helping build the Husky and Hallman Racing brands (and the sport of motocross) in the U.S. during the ’60s and ’70s. At that year’s ISDT, Larsson won the road race special test (as I’d done the year before) in the open class, and watching him was impressive.

Another was Mungenast, a motorcycle dealer from St. Louis who was riding in his very first ISDT. Our meeting, however, was far from typical. On the first day of the event, Dave started a minute ahead of me, and as I was riding up a trail a few miles after the start, I saw a helmeted head sticking through a hole in the bushes on the side of the trail. The bushes were moving, and as I rode by I saw a rider emerge and wave to get my attention. It was Mungenast, who had ridden off the embankment, his bike having tumbled down the hill through the heavy foliage. He looked so desperate I took pity on him, and stopped to help.

After the ride he thanked me, and we went to a push-cart vendor who had loaves of homecooked rye bread. He’d break off a piece, dip it into mustard and wrap it around a polish

Left: Yours truly (62) during the 1967 ISDT in Zakopane, Poland.

Right: Me (left) with Torsten Hallman (middle) and Edison Dye, who helped pull us all together during the late 1960s.

For the complete story of my wonderful and sometimescrazy life, grab a copy of my 400-page autobiography at themalcolmbook.com.

MALCOLM’S MOMENTS

sausage. We’d do that every night after bike impound, then just sit back and watch riders coming in.

Dave and I became fast friends right away, and he became one of my very closest buddies in the years to come. We traveled the world over those years, had wonderful adventures, and competed for the title of “Cheapest Scotsman” among our friends.

Mungenast always wore an old red waxed-cotton jacket from an Isle of Man event. The price was right (free!), but it collected dust, was always dirty, and it looked like he’d used it forever. In later years, I sent him a new high-end Gore-Tex enduro jacket, which cost around $300 in the MSR catalog. When he showed up for a ride (probably a Colorado 500 event we both attended) I said, “Dave, where’s your new Gore-Tex jacket?” He responded, “I sold it at my store! Do you know how much those things go for?”

Dave was sort of the black sheep of his family, but became hugely successful in business over the years. He didn’t take authority well, and didn’t do well in school. And if that weren’t bad enough, he went to work in a motorcycle shop. He was smart and hard-working, and ended up buying the store. When Honda cars became available, he became a dealer, and was always on the lookout for car dealerships that had potential. He ended up with a lot of them.

Dave and I continued to ride and travel together for motorcycle adventures all over the world. I got a call in September of 2006 from his son with news that Dave had brain cancer, and the prognosis was dire. I jumped on the next flight to St. Louis to spend some time with him. We laughed, we cried, we reminisced about the great times we had together. He passed away shortly thereafter. We were really alike in a lot of ways. I sure do miss him.

John Penton had a Volkswagen

van that year (’67), and he, myself and Mungenast jumped in after the event and headed to the KTM factory in Austria. At the time, KTM only made bicycles and mopeds, but Penton had an idea, one he’d already tried — and failed — to sell Husky on. He wanted KTM to build him a lightweight off-road motorcycle, and he even offered to pay some of the development cost himself.

They eventually agreed, sending him a handful of 100cc prototypes a year later using a German Sachs engine, which Penton used to promote his new brand of lightweight racer in the U.S. The bikes caught on immediately, and by the time KTM bought Penton a decade later, John had sold more than 25,000 Pentons. But what’s equally impressive is the fact that John jumpstarted the KTM Motorcycle brand, one that continues to excel to this day in the dirt and on the street. And ironically, KTM now owns Husky.

Earning a gold medal in my second year was exciting and plenty satisfying, but the riding itself — aside from

rescuing Mungenast — was pretty uneventful. I basically motored along, staying on time and riding within myself, and had no breakdowns, a testament to the bike and the preparation the factory and I had done. The Husky folks were so happy with the gold medal they gave me the bike I’d won it on!

I was learning to love Europe, but was amazed how much of a third world country Poland was at the time. The trains used steam engines, and there were hardly any tractors; just lots of oxen. Money was a crazy thing, too, and fraud was rampant. One dollar got you one Zloty at the bank, but on the black market you could get 100, which means we ate quite well that year, and I was able to buy a really nice wood carving, which I still have. They wouldn’t let us take our Zlotys out of the country, and there was no one to give them to at the border, so I threw them out the window of the car, hoping someone would find and use them.

See? Adventures galore. And there’d be more to come…

Here I am with AMA HOFer John Penton and the Penton-badged enduro machine KTM built for him. John had originally asked Husky to build it, but they passed, which is when KTM — only building mopeds at the time — stepped in to do the job. It’s true...John got KTM into the motorcycle business.

PASSING THE TORCH

Fathers, sons, and grandsons take on the Motion Pro Nevada 200 Trail Ride, and reaffirm the fact that roosting in the desert with 200 friends and family is muy caliente

BY JOHN BURNS WITH THAD WOLFF PHOTOS:

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably heard of the Motion Pro Nevada 200 Trail Ride. It’s been in every magazine (including this one) at least once since it began in 1985, and Dirt Bike once ranked it “The Best Trail Ride in America.”

Famed off-roaders and old pals Casey Folks and Scot Harden (main photo) ginned up the first Nevada 200 just so they could ride with each other the way they’d done as youths growing up in Las Vegas, with a select group of friends. In the ensuing 39 years, this AMA-sanctioned event has taken on a life of its own. It’s typically close to 200 miles spread out over three days of riding, and involves about 200 participants — which keeps the gathering intimate. Ish.

Caliente, Nev., about 150 miles northeast of Las Vegas, serves as base, since the area around the town offers up a unique combination of high desert and mountain terrain that Harden says is perfect for the tight, technical riding he and Folks liked most. High desert, sage, mountains, Juniper and Ponderosa pines, sand washes, single track through the trees — there are thousands of miles of single track and jeep trails running through the historically rich yet sparsely populated Lincoln County.

Casey Folks’ passing in 2017 was difficult for family and friends, but AMA Hall of Famer Harden has kept on keepin’ on, as Casey would have wanted, and the ride continues stronger than ever these days, with plenty of family members — including wife Kristi Harden and brother-in-law and fellow AMA HOFer Jack Johnson — taking part. You know what they say…the family that rides together, rides together.

“Literally a third of the entries each year are family members,” says Harden (a 2008 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer himself). “Fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers, etc., etc. This year we were blessed to draw some of the biggest names in desert/Baja off-road racing.”

We decided to profile a few of them, see what makes it all work.

MIGUEL SANTANA

JOHNNY & PRESTON CAMPBELL

JEFF, ALDEN, AND TATE KAPLAN

MAX, ERIC, AND JARED SWITZER

CHUCK AND RYAN MILLER

CHUCK AND RYAN MILLER

Chuck is a multi-time Baja 1000 and 500 champion as well as a recently retired executive at American Honda who helped launch its Baja racing program back in the early ’80s. “Chuck’s parents, Leroy and Kathy Miller, were fixtures in Baja and desert racing, who were like surrogate parents for many of us growing up through the sport,” says Harden. “Always 100% behind Chuck; you can see the positive influence they’ve had on him and, in turn, his son Ryan. The Millers are living proof that you really do meet the nicest people on a Honda.”

Ryan: I was born in Huntington Beach, Calif., in October of 1987, and a month later my parents took me down to Mexico because my dad was racing the Baja 1000.

Chuck: I grew up camping and riding with my family in the desert — and that turned into a lifetime job in the motorcycle industry. I rode for Yamaha in the late ’70s and early ’80s with my partner Bruce Ogilvie, before we started at American Honda in 1983 — the year they built the new XR500R. Somehow, racing turned into a job at Honda that lasted 36 years. I recently retired, and now I get to enjoy riding motorcycles, mountain bikes, and spending time with my family and friends.

Ryan: My dad and I used to push my Honda Z50 to the school by our house, and I’d ride circles on the soccer field until I fell over…and decided 15 minutes of “practice” was enough. He’d take me on race weekends and I’d hang around the pits, riding. On weekends he didn’t have a race, we’d go to the desert, where he taught me the basics. We still go out to our favorite riding spot in the desert every month — Bell Mountain, Calif.

Chuck: Ryan and I have ridden together since he first started, and he’s still my best riding partner. We ride every week or month, and it’s like clockwork; loading, unloading, driving together, it’s easy, as we know each other so well.

Having a sport (or anything) you can do together is such a blessing for a family, as it keeps your love and bond strong. Motorcycling is such a great sport that the whole family can do together. I learned that from my mom and dad, and we now have three generations riding together.

As far as the Nevada 200, I’d heard about it for years through Scot and the industry media. This year, my wife and I decided to give Ryan the trip for his Christmas present, as it was something we’d always wanted to do.

Ryan: The ride was unreal. Partly through the first day, my dad and I stopped for a water break 20 miles in, and we both realized this is not going to be easy like a regular dual-sport ride, but was going to be technical and like a “real” trail ride. After a short break we got going again at a comfortable pace, and just settled into our groove for the following days. It was one of the best riding trips we’ve done, and now we can share the stories with ourselves and whoever’s around to listen.

Chuck: It’s no cakewalk! Scot said at the riders’ meeting it was gonna be a real ride, and he wasn’t kidding. A few miles in we had a pretty tough rocky uphill, and right there I thought, “get your sh&% together, Miller, or you’re gonna be in trouble.” After some time we got into a groove that was fun and enjoyable. Overall, the trails were awesome, with a bit of everything. Plenty of smooth trails, some more aggressive sections, with great gas and lunch breaks along the way. Lead and chase riders were always there for a helping hand, too.

Ryan: The coolest thing for me was seeing all my dad’s old friends and racing buddies. I love hearing old Baja, ISDE and D37 stories no matter how many times I’ve heard them.

Chuck: Spending those four days with Ryan was really special. We got to hang out with some old racing friends, and we met some really great new ones, too. Camaraderie is a big part of this event. And hey, if you

CHUCK AND RYAN MILLER

can’t do this ride, just get out and ride and camp for the weekend with friends or family.

Ryan: My advice? Just do it! Fathers and sons — or daughters, or wives! — will have an experience of a lifetime, with some of the greatest trails Nevada has to offer. You will share memories for a lifetime. Thanks to Scot and Kristi Harden for hosting such an awesome event, and I’m looking forward to participating in the future.

JOHNNY & PRESTON CAMPBELL

Harden says: “Johnny is simply the King of Baja, having won the Baja 1000 11 times, more than any other rider in history, along with a slew of other race wins. He, too, is closely associated with Honda’s Baja — and now Dakar — racing efforts. His son Preston is an up-and-coming young racer in his own right, competing as one of the top riders in the AMA National Hare and Hound series. Johnny did a special presentation at the NV200 on Honda’s Baja racing program and the development of the XR600/650 line…super interesting for everyone.”

Johnny: I was born and raised in the beach town of San Clemente, Calif., where I grew up surfing and bodyboarding, and going to the desert or races on weekends. We camped and recreated on dirt bikes my entire life. When I was 16 my dad suddenly passed away, and I lost my mentor. My mom kept my brother and I racing, though, and I was soon introduced to Baja through my thengirlfriend’s uncle, Craig Adams, who became my idol and mentor. Later on I crossed paths with the late Bruce Ogilvie from American Honda, and he took me under his wing. Bruce taught me everything about off-road racing, from bike development to how to win in Baja. He was an extraordinary teacher and a Baja icon. Under his tutelage, I somehow became something of a household name in off-road, and synonymous with the Honda

brand. We won races for two decades as a racer and team owner of the American Honda-backed JCR/Honda program. I’ve had a remarkable career in the motorcycle industry, partnered with an amazing company that is ongoing today.

Preston: Obviously, I grew up in a racing family. Most childhood memories are of traveling to races in a Honda box van and being at the races. I have been around dirtbikes my entire life learning from my dad, professional riders and mechanics. I currently race for JCRHonda at NHHA and NGPC.

My dad taught me to ride when I was 3 years old. From there, he has taught me how to become a better and safer rider/racer. He has tons of knowledge and experience. We have ridden together in amazing places and amazing countries all over the world.

Johnny: I’ve known about the NV200 for years, but we were always racing so we never took the time to come out and ride it. Preston and I were finally able to squeeze Day One in this year, and it was a blast. Unfortunately, we had to bail after that due to HRC’s — and my — participation at the Sonora Rally.

Scot lays out an amazing trail and event, and is one of the most organized humans I know. He reminds me of Bruce Ogilvie in some ways, and it’s comfortable for me to work alongside him. Riding this event with Preston was a blast. He’s a great rider and loves technical riding, but he’s also good at high speed stuff. We love it, and Preston likes to roost his dad. We both love the East Nevada desert, as it has some of the best terrain in the West!

The dirt bike is an amazing vehicle to bring people together. Whether it’s father and sons, or mother and daughters, or friends, buddies or associates, dirt bikes provide the challenge and adventure we need as brothers and sisters in humanity to get us away from

JOHNNY & PRESTON CAMPBELL

our overstimulated society. Dirt bikes require full concentration because there are risks. Where there is an element of risk you have true freedom. We need this for our souls. We need this for peace.

Preston: I’d heard of the Nevada 200, but this was my first time attending, and it was great! Super-nice scenery, amazing trails through the trees, and some beautiful lookout points. We are always so busy racing that we don’t get much of a break to get to go explore as much as we would like. It’s always nice to go somewhere new you’re not familiar with. And riding with my dad is special. Almost every time we go we have a good experience, and memories that last forever.

Johnny: Thanks to Scot for his efforts and continued pursuit of the preservation of riding dirt bikes on open lands. He is one of the best ambassadors for our sport, and his passion is second to none. He has done a remarkable job and continues to advocate for all of us dirt monkeys!

JEFF, ALDEN, AND TATE KAPLAN

Scot Harden again: “I’ve known Jeff for close to 50 years. We were teammates on the factory Husqvarna Baja effort that dominated desert racing in the ’70s and ’80s, and he still races in Baja to this day, having just won Class 60 at the 2023 San Felipe 250. Alden and Tate are literally chips off the old block. You can tell that riding together is important to them, and a way for them to remain connected no matter what life throws at them. They always stick together on the trail, and you can tell they are having a really good time.”

Jeff: I grew up in Woodland Hills, Calif. playing numerous sports. By 10 I discovered riding, with a Yamaha 125 AT1. I started racing District 37 desert races at 12, and won my first AMA Championship plate at 16, in 1976. I also started racing Baja in ’76, and continue to race on Class 60. I started as a factory KTM rider, then rode for Husqvarna and American Honda. I am a general contractor and build high-end custom homes, and am fortunate to work with both of my boys. Besides motorcycles, I enjoy surfing, snow and water skiing.

Alden: I grew up in Thousand Oaks, Calif. My dad taught me how to ride on a PW50 at 5 years old. From that point on I loved riding; we had a small minibike track in our backyard, and I looked forward to riding after school. I took 4th overall at a LACR race at age 10 on a KTM 50 SX. We didn’t even sign up for the race until we got there and found out that was the only way we could ride the minibike that day.

Top to bottom: 11-time Baja 1000 winner Johnny Campbell talking about his first Baja overall in 1997 and the Honda XR600 he won it on at Friday’s welcome party; riders meeting; lunch on the trail; dinner at the welcome party; Scot and Kristi Harden with fellow HOFer Jack Johnson.

“The dirt bike is an amazing vehicle to bring people together. Whether it’s father and sons, or mother and daughters, or friends, buddies or associates, dirt bikes provide the challenge and adventure we need as brothers and sisters in humanity to get us away from our overstimulated society.”

JOHNNY CAMPBELL

“The ride is a great experience every year, full of amazing single track, fast washes, and tight, technical and flowing tree sections. The best part is the camaraderie among all the participants. Everyone there truly has a passion for dirt bikes.”

ALDEN KAPLAN

I rode throughout high school, then moved to Oahu to go to university. In 2020, I moved back to California and started riding again. I’m currently working as a carpenter and managing jobs for my dad’s construction company. My other passions are soccer, surfing, snow skiing and water skiing.

Tate: Dad did all the cool sports and wanted to give us the same opportunities, so we pretty much did it all. We rode bicycles and motorcycles, snow skiing in our moto helmets (looking like bobble heads btw), waterskiing and wakeboarding in the summer months and surfing year-round. It’s safe to say we had a very fortunate upbringing! But it wasn’t without some convincing on Mom’s end. Eventually she agreed to let us ride, and as a family we learned how with a couple of rules. No. 1: Mom would get the first bike (it was a Honda XR100, which we still rip around on today). And No. 2: We had to be taught safety and have the right gear. In other words, do it right or don’t do it.

Our first bike was an older Yamaha PW50. I remember going to Glen Helen, Gorman, Piru, LACR, plus mini motos after school with friends on our backyard track. I’ve been to all sorts of places on a dirt bike, from trips to Baja pre-running and chasing with dad, to the Nevada 200 trail ride with a great group of talented riders on some epic single track; it really is amazing all the places a dirt bike can take you. These days I get to see my dad and brother just about every day at work, and when we aren’t working we’re talking about past rides, planning an upcoming ride or another sportsbased event, or having fun and laughing with our buddies on our dirt bikes.

I’ve been from top-to-bottom of Baja with my dad on several rides and raced a handful of GPs over the years, but by far the best rides we have all done together are these Nevada 200s. It truly is a world-class event, from organization of rest and fuel stops, to course markings all the way to dinner and the fun that goes along with it. All

while enjoying the best single track I have ever ridden.

Jeff: About three years ago I started riding the NV200 with my boys. I had participated about 20 years ago and knew it would be a great event. The things I like most are the variety of trails, from fast desert with open sand washes to tight technical washes, wooded areas, and fun, flowing sections through the pines. Spending the whole weekend with my boys, seeing so many long-time friends, and being with a great group of talented riders is hard to beat.

Alden: The ride is a great experience every year, full of amazing single track, fast washes, and tight, technical and flowing tree sections. The best part is the camaraderie among all the participants. Everyone there truly has a passion for dirt bikes.

Jeff: For many years when I wanted to go riding, I would go with Tate, and when I wanted to go surfing, I would go with Alden. This ride not only gives me a chance to ride with both of them, I have seen their riding skills grow over the years, especially Alden who is starting to keep up with Tate and me! I know my days of keeping up with them are limited, but I’ll enjoy them while I can!

Alden: I really enjoyed riding with my brother and dad pretty close to the front of the pack the majority of the weekend. I learned a lot of technique from both of them, giving me pointers between rest/group stops. I gained a lot more confidence, and was able to push myself and go faster on trails that I normally would have been cautious of.

Tate: It’s always a good time when you get to ride your dirt bike, and doing it with family makes it that much more fun. This year was particularly fun because we all got to ride up front and chase each other down the washes with water flowing, and through the trees with no dust.

Jeff: Don’t put off the opportunity to do a ride like this.

JEFF, ALDEN, AND TATE KAPLAN

It’s a special event! It’s so cool to see and ride with so many legends! Live life and don’t wait…you never know what tomorrow brings.

Alden: I would highly encourage any family that rides together (or not) to absolutely sign up for an event like this. You can’t put off an experience of a lifetime like this, and as Scot reminded us over the weekend, “Life is short, and nothing is guaranteed.” Big thanks to Harden Off Road for a great event, the town of Caliente, Nev. and all the volunteers who helped out!

MAX, ERIC, AND JARED SWITZER

“When it comes to desert racing, no name is more respected than Max Switzer,” says Harden. “He was an inspiration to many of us growing up in Las Vegas. In 1975, as a teenager, I teamed with him in the Mint 400, an event he had previously won overall, teaming with J.N. Roberts. We finished third overall, second in Open bike. It was a dream come true for a kid growing up with visions of racing glory in his head. Today, Max is more of an inspiration than ever before. At 84 years of age, he still rides two to three times a week, and he never misses a Nevada 200. To see him riding with his son Eric and grandson Jared shows how full circle the sport can be, and the tight bonds that can only be formed through a shared riding experience.”

Max: I started riding when I was 14 on a 200cc Zundapp. I rode it in a Hare Scrambles race for the first time, got lucky and won the class — and was hooked forever more.

Betty (Max’s wife): He was going to California for District 37 races a couple of times a month when I met him in 1960. He belonged to the Checkers M/C club. One of our first dates was the Big Bear race. We got married in 1962 on a Saturday evening, and went to the races the next morning. That should give you a hint of what our life’s been like. Max rode and won Baja races, the Mint 400, and went to Europe for the Six Days three times, winning a silver in 1971. There was always a race or a ride or camping. Whatever we did as a family, it was usually about the motorcycles, no matter whether it was Baja, Virginia

Top to bottom: The infamous Nevada 200 Whistledick Awards party, always a hoot; Taco Moto’s Mike Spurgin receives the Associate sponsor award from Scot and Kristi Harden; world famous Easter Egg hunt… watch those hammies!

MAX SWITZER

City, watching Ascot or the local races in Las Vegas, or trail riding in Colorado.

Eric (Max’s son): As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been around motorcycles. Even before I can remember, I was put in a crib while Dad was racing, or so I’m told [laughs]. I have nothing but fond memories of all the weekends we spent at the races.

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, and started riding in the early 1970s in the vacant lot behind the house. On Sundays, if we weren’t racing, we were riding. I had the privilege of pre-running a few of the Baja 1000 and Baja 500s in the 1980s with Dad. What an incredible experience.

I raced a few local desert races and was in a motorcycle club, the Silver City Scramblers.

Jared (Max’s grandson): I’ve been riding with my dad for as long as I can remember. He started my brother out

riding on dry lake beds in Nevada. Once we moved to Nebraska, my brother and I mostly rode on my grandpa’s trails on his farm. [Max and Betty have a farm in Nebraska they retreat to in the summer.] Attending the 200 was the first actual event I’ve ever been to.

Max: I’ve been to 35 of the 39 Nevada 200s. Casey Folks, who started the thing with Scot, was one of my best friends. We were partners together in a lot of races. The 200 is always special, as generally there’s lots of good sand washes, single track through the trees, good desert riding. It’s always great to see good friends and have fun.

Eric: I’ve known about the Nevada 200 almost forever. Although I didn’t ride the first one, I remember talking to dad about it 39 years ago; who was there, who were the fast guys, who crashed their brains out trying to keep up. It was just a trail ride...yeah, right. Since then I’ve been lucky to ride several 200s with my dad, and everyone has been a blessing. This year was especially rewarding; I got to

“The opportunity to learn to ride in the desert with my dad and Grandpa was great. This was my first time riding in those conditions. It was really cool to get tips from both of them, and watch both of them ride.”

JARED

SWITZER

The 2024 Motion Pro Nevada 200 Trail Ride will be held April 19-21, 2024. Entries open Dec. 1, 2023 at www.harden-offroad.com. There will also be a dual-sport/ADV ride the weekend before, exploring ghost towns, mines, Indian settlements, etc.

ride with my dad and my oldest son Jared. It was definitely a weekend to remember. The trails were awesome, the food was delicious, and the weather was fantastic. And nobody got hurt!

Jared: I knew what the Nevada 200 was through my dad and grandpa, and it was super fun overall. I got to ride terrain I’ve never experienced before. It was also cool to see the heritage behind the event, as well as hearing stories about my dad and grandpa from other riders.

Max: Grandson Jared has been riding for years, but this was the first time for him in the desert, and he did really great. Riding with him and Eric….it was special, and kind of brings things full circle.

Jared: The opportunity to learn to ride in the desert with my dad and grandpa was great. This was my first time riding in those conditions. It was really cool to get tips from both of them, and watch both of them ride.

Eric: Whenever you can spend time with your dad or your son — or both — riding dirt bikes is building memories for a lifetime. Thanks, Dad!

Jared: I’d say just get out and ride together. It was an awesome experience to be able to ride with my dad and grandpa.

Max: As far as riding with your family, there’s nothing better. Go for it! But I also really enjoyed riding with Thad Wolff. On dirtbikes, we’re all family. AMA

Top to bottom: Group shot of entries at the start of Day 2; Motion Pro crew, left to right, Bill Wheeler, Eric Clay and Chris Carter; ISDE veterans in attendance: L to R, Rodney Smith, Johnny Campbell, Jack Johnson, Scot harden, Chris Carter, Fred Hoess, Chuck Miller, Suzy Moody.

MAX ’N’ ME

Our American Motorcyclist correspondent adds his thoughts on the ride

On the last day of the 200, Sunday, I hooked up with Chuck Miller. We originally met in 1991 on a Honda ride where the great Bruce Ogilvie was the trail boss, and we rode Honda’s factory Baja-to-Vegas winning machine. This time we rekindled our friendship on the trail, and decided to ride together more often than every 32 years – or else our next ride will be when we’re both 96.

On Saturday’s 100-mile leg I made it a point to ride with Max Switzer. I’d known of Max, but not really all the things this guy has done as an off-roader. Meeting him before the ride, I was immediately impressed with his friendly, easy demeanor. At 84, he’s 20 years older

than me. He’s never stopped riding dirtbikes, and has been doing the Nevada 200 since its beginning.

Something told me I should go out of my way to get together with him on the trail, and we wound up riding most of that 100-mile day together. Nose-to-tail, side-byside, inches apart all day long. He still rides extremely well, and I just kept wondering, “Will I be able to do this 20 years from now?” After that day’s ride I felt like we were instant close friends, and Max has become my inspiration to keep riding. Driving home, I had time to reflect. Going on one of the best dirtbike rides of my life with like-minded legends like Max Switzer and the rest of that crowd? Priceless! —Thad Wolff

Max and Thad post-ride with the very tasty Beta 300RR Wolff rode that weekend. Ya gotta love 2-strokes.

A GATHERING CHAMPIONS OF

Lawson. Rainey. Shobert. You don’t get any more blue-chip than these guys in the sport of professional motorcycle racing.

Between them are seven 500cc World Championships. Five AMA Superbike titles. And three Grand National dirt track championships…plus a trio of Daytona 200 victories, as well.

One could argue — and many have — that these three are vital elements of America’s last great golden era of racing, although it’s a little ironic that, despite there being only five years of age difference between them, they really didn’t compete against each other consistently during their professional careers.

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Eddie Lawson, Wayne

reunite at this year’s outstanding

BY MITCH

Rainey and Bubba Shobert

Quail Motorcycle Gathering

BOEHM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE QUAIL GATHERING

L to R: Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, Gordon McCall and Bubba Shobert.

Blame some of that on four-time 500cc world champ Lawson, senior of the three at 65, who left AMA Superbike competition early in his career — in ’83, when he was just 25 — for the Grand Prix circus with Yamaha’s GP squad. While “Steady Eddie” was winning his four 500cc titles during the middle and late 1980s, Rainey — now 62 — was battling fellow AMA Hall of Famer Kevin Schwantz in AMA Superbike on his way to winning a second Superbike title in ’87 (his first came in ’83), while Shobert, now 60, was grabbing consecutive Grand National dirt track titles during that same time, along with his own AMA Superbike title in ’88. Rainey, of course, would dominate the GP scene in the early 1990s with three consecutive 500cc titles, with Lawson not quite able to match his pace on the Cagiva. Still, they are of a piece, two

young Southern Cal dirt track phenoms and another from Lubbock, Texas, who’d take their pitch it in there and turn left skills (much like AMA Hall of Famer Kenny Roberts did a few years before them) to AMA roadracing in Superbike and Formula 2, and then to Europe and Asia (and America, starting in ’88 at the refurbished Laguna Seca) in Grand Prix competition.

Shobert, as most know, would have his fledgling GP career cut short at the dry lagoon in ’89, the victim of a freak, post-race crash on the cool-off lap when he ran into the back of Kevin Magee (who was doing a burnout in the middle of the track) while high-fiving Lawson and

not looking straight ahead. Despite that terrible luck, Shobert continued to work in the motorcycle industry off and on, while also helping run the family beef jerky business his father started, and more recently in the custom-cabinet business.

And so it happened in early May that all three ended up at this year’s Quail Motorcycle Gathering at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in beautiful Carmel, Calif., just over the hillside from that so-special place called Laguna Seca, where all three competed, won races and thrilled enthusiasts for so many years.

Shobert was Grand Marshal of this year’s event, and

And so it happened in early May that all three ended up at this year’s Quail Motorcycle Gathering at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in beautiful Carmel, Calif.

Left: Wayne Rainey in 1971 with the Yamaha JT1 his father Sandy built for him; and the bike today (below) after its restoration by Terry and Shaun Sage. Below right: Rainey and Lawson with Eddie’s TT500-based flat trackers. Above: Rainey (with mic), McCall and Shobert (waving).

was flown in from Texas, and with Rainey being just up the street from the Quail grounds and Laguna Seca, and with Lawson not too far away down south, it wasn’t that big a stretch for Quail Gathering architect Gordon McCall — who’s friendly with all three — to gather them together for a couple of days, especially considering the personal and pedigreed bikes they and others brought to display.

And what a list it was.

Shobert’s piece de resistance was the Honda RS750 dirt tracker he used to win his Grand National Championships, owned and fettled and kept pristine by Motion Pro chief

Chris Carter, a collector extraordinaire with a gaggle of special motorcycles in his garages.

“At a previous Quail Gathering I’d entered a couple of really special Harleys,” Carter told me just after this year’s event, “a Cal Rayborn short-stroke KR750 and an amazing iron-barrel XR750. I also brought Bubba’s RS750, which ended up winning the Spirit of the Quail award. Very cool. So when Gordon [McCall] called and said Bubba was going to be the Grand Marshal this year, it was a no-brainer that I’d bring the RS. We figured we’d have Bubba sign some of my books [When Honda Went

“When Gordon [McCall] called and said Bubba was going to be the Grand Marshal this year, it was a no-brainer that I’d bring the RS.”

CHRIS CARTER

Dirt Tracking] for fans at the AMA tent and donate the proceeds to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, and also display the RS…it’s such an impressive piece, such a big piece of racing history. Bubba seemed to enjoy the entire weekend, which was really great to see.”

“I’d been wanting to attend the Quail for a while,” Shobert told me, “because I’d heard what a cool event it was, and that Chris [Carter] had my bike there a year or two earlier. Wayne said he was gonna go, and he told Gordon that I was interested, and then Gordon called and invited me to be the Grand Marshal. It’d been a while since I’d seen a real RS, but seeing my old bike in the flesh like that, the bike I won a lot of races on in the Grand Nationals, well, that was pretty special.”

“Wayne and I’d been talking about Bubba and figured it would be great to get him up here for this year’s

Quail,” McCall told me, “and we were able to make it happen. It’d been a while since we had a dirt tracker as Grand Marshal, and while Bubba was also a world-class roadracer, his roots, like Eddie’s and Wayne’s, are on dirt.”

Lawson and Rainey each brought three bikes, Lawson a pair of TT500-powered flat trackers (one from AMA Hall of Famer Shell Thuet, and another a factory Yamaha machine) and the Bultaco Astro 360 he won his Novice championship on in 1976. Rainey brought his 1990 YZR500 GP bike (which he won his first 500cc title on), a Shell Thuet Yamaha 750 dirt tracker from 1979 (Wayne’s rookie year), and a bike from the way-back-Wayne machine — the Yamaha JT1 Mini Enduro dirt-tracker his father Sandy built for him when he was just 12.

Rainey re-acquired the little Yamaha a decade ago and it had sat, unrestored, for years until he and McCall had

Clockwise from left: Lawson’s factory Yamaha dirt tracker, which he rode at that year’s Astrodome AMA national. Eddie with his Astro 360. Shobert with Motion Pro’s Chris Carter, and Carter’s factory RS750.

worked out the dirt-track theme for this year’s Quail event — and figured it would be a good addition.

“Once Gordon settled on that dirt track theme I got hold of Shaun and Terry Sage,” Rainey said, “some of the best tuner/builder/restoration guys anywhere. They agreed to restore the thing, and got it done just days before the event. It turned out so great! It’s just the way it was back in the day…a total time-machine for me. I know my dad

would be proud.”

Lawson had planned to attend for a while once Rainey and McCall told him what was happening theme- and Grand Marshal-wise, but the idea to bring a few bikes was totally last-minute.

“It’d been a while since I’d attended the Quail,” Lawson told me. “I was Grand Marshal a while back. But when I heard Bubba was gonna be Grand Poobah this year [laughs] I figured it would be fun…and it was. Gordon said

“I met Eddie back in 1969...he wore white leathers — really fancy! — and had a chrome steel shoe that sparked when he dragged it. People freaked out!”

WAYNE RAINEY

to bring a bike if I wanted, and once I sent him photos of the dirt trackers I had restored, he said, ‘Heck, bring ‘em all!’ So I did.”

While these three have been friends for a long time (Rainey and Lawson, for instance, met when they were both riding minis in flat track competition more than 50 years ago) and still get together once in a while at various rides and functions, being together at the Quail, honoring Shobert and sitting down for the “fireside chat” McCall

puts together during the event was a bit more personal for the guys.

“Yeah, we go back a long way, and we’re close,” Rainey said. “I met Eddie back in 1969…he wore white leathers — really fancy! — and had a chrome steel shoe that sparked when he dragged it. People freaked out. We raced minis and 125s and 250s in AMA District 37 all over Southern California, and then, of course, I joined Eddie on the Kawasaki squad after he suggested me for the slot… and that changed my career, for sure.”

“I met Bubba at the Peoria TT in about 1980 when he was a rookie,” Rainey added. “I was riding an XR750 and he was on a single, and we were battling, him a little faster over the jump and on the tighter parts, me faster

on the straight. Freddie Spencer was there, and when his bike blew up on the straight he put his hand out right as we approached. Freddie heard my Harley and moved to his right, and Bubba, not seeing him because I was in the way, dodged right…and hit Spencer and tumbled, breaking his arm. We got together later that year, and I haven’t been able to get rid of him since. He was my best man at my wedding, and I was his.”

Shobert was especially affected by the get together, reuniting with his compatriots, for sure, but also being near Laguna Seca, a place filled with both good and not-sogood memories.

“What happened to me at Laguna was unfortunate,” Shobert told me, “but things happen, and I still have a lot of great memories of the place and area. I do enjoy being here, as I used to live in the Carmel Valley. I got to ride around the track a bit on Gordon’s VFR750 with my wife

on the back, and that was really neat; I was wanting to go faster, and my wife was telling me she could tell that I wanted to lean into the corners a bit more!”

On reuniting with the guys, Shobert had this to say: “You know, we’ve always been good friends. But when you’re racing your buddies, you always wanna beat them more than the other guys, and that keeps you from talking about your real feelings. It’s the competitive thing, the manly-man thing. But now that we’re all retired, things are different. We share more stuff, we’re more sentimental, I guess. Heck, up on stage talking with Gordon and the guys, I had a tear or two!”

Lawson echoed that. “It was emotional up there, talking about all the good times

“What happened to me at Laguna was unfortunate, but things happen, and I still have a lot of great memories of the place and area.”

BUBBA SHOBERT

and races and fun stuff we did over the years. I told Bubba, ‘Shut up already, and quit crying! You’ll make me tear up!’”

Part of Shobert’s wave of emotion came when Chris Carter rolled his RS750 up on stage…and promptly pulled out a rear-wheel starter and fired the thing up for all to hear.

“I thought, ‘This is really happening!’” Shobert said afterward. “It gave me goosebumps, hearing it again.”

All that emotion got mixed with a decent shot of laughter when Shobert excused himself from the stage…and a few minutes later rode Rainey’s little Mini Enduro flat track racer up onto it. As Rainey was about to discover, the bike had won the AMA’s Hall of Fame Heritage Award, and he was clearly moved by the moment. He was also amused, telling Shobert, once the bike was shut down, “Good thing it was all left-handers getting up here!”

What’s a reunion without a bit of humor, right? AMA

PART OF SHOBERT’S WAVE OF EMOTION CAME WHEN CHRIS CARTER ROLLED HIS RS750 UP ON STAGE...AND PROMPTLY FIRED THE THING UP FOR ALL TO HEAR. World Champ and AMA HOFer Wayne Rainey accepting the AMA Hall of Fame Heritage award for his – and his late father’s – Yamaha Mini Enduro racer.

BY JOY BURGESS

Once again, motorcycling finds itself at a pivotal moment. In the middle of the pandemic, motorcycle sales and activity soared to levels not seen in years — and lots of new riders joined our sport.

But as life has returned to something resembling normal, a big question remains unanswered: How many of those new riders will continue riding?

There’s plenty of data around to

show that there’s a problem retaining new motorcyclists at around the two-year mark. So what’s the answer to keeping more people on two wheels?

While there’s no single answer, one of the best ways to keep growing our ranks is to get more kids on bikes while they’re young. Pushbikes, STACYCs, electric bikes, dirt bikes…

And that’s the idea be

hind the AMA’s Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month, which takes place in the month of May. This was the campaign’s first year at this level, and we not only encouraged parents to get their kids out riding throughout the month, but the AMA also worked with organizers across the country — from California to the Mid-Atlantic.

The goal? More kids on two wheels! Here’s an overview…

CHELSI BENGER

DEENA GOSHORN-GATELY

Middle Atlantic Motocross Association

On May 13-14 at South Fork MX in Disputanta, Va., the Middle Atlantic Motocross Association (MAMA MX) promoted the AMA Take a Kid Dirt Biking initiative as a part of its two-day event. MAMA MX, a nonprofit motocross sports organization, has a long history encouraging riding among youth. It began

as a youth-only organization back in the 1970s and would eventually merge with the AMA’s District 7 motocross division in the early 2000s. MAMA now offers race classes for the whole family across Maryland, Virginia, northern North Carolina, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

“We had a station set up for kids to sign the Take a Kid Dirt Biking banner…and the kids loved the goodie bags and were so excited to be a part of this,” MAMA MX Events Coordinator Deena Goshorn-Gately told us. “We explained what the initiative was about, how they are a big part of

helping to share their love of the sport to others, and how they can encourage their friends to get out at a practice track or attend a future race.”

“MAMA MX appreciates all [the materials] you sent,” said MAMA MX Treasurer Courtney Kaczka, “and the [AMA’s] partnership in raising the best kids — those who love dirt biking.”

Peoria Motorcycle Club

The Peoria Motorcycle Club, which happens to have the oldest continuing dirt track in the world, is an AMA-chartered club that was formed in 1931. While the club is perhaps best known for hosting and promoting the Grand National Peoria TT, this year the club wanted to do something different — reach out to new young riders with a riding clinic. And the AMA’s Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month fit perfectly with the club’s goals.

While PMC had its youth riding clinic for newer riders, they also had a trials school and flat track school

going on at the club that day.

“Our Youth Day Ride was a huge success with the kids,” PMC member and AMA Charter Life Member Jay Williamson told us. “We started out

having kids do basic riding exercises in the morning, and then the afternoon session included more advanced riding skills. We even had two kids sign up for AMA Youth Membership at the event.”

DEENA GOSHORN-GATELY

Owyhee Motorcycle Club

The Owyhee Motorcycle Club, an AMA historic chartered club, recently became the first motorcycle-related club or track in the country to become listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Since the 1940s, the club’s 80 acres have been graced by many AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers, including Bob Hannah, Roger DeCoster, Broc Glover, Mert Lawwill and Gary Jones.

While the club has routinely been threatened by developers due to its unique setting near town and the growth of Boise, Idaho, its many members and sponsors continue to support and fight for the club, and one of its goals is to continue to offer events for kids and families.

The club has Peewee races each month, and on May 20 it held Peewee races and a Trials event together in conjunction with the AMA’s Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month.

“It was great to see all the families and kids that came out,” said OMC Public Relations and Advertising Coordinator Michelle Webb. “Everyone, including the parents, had smiles and lots of fun. Each kid out there riding picked up new skills. While it was a hot day, it didn’t stop the kids from racing around the track or slowly working their way through the obstacles in the trials sections.”

Florida Trials Association

The Florida Trials Association held an event at Croom Motorcycle Area near Brooksville, Fla., to introduce more kids to trials riding, also adopting the AMA Take a Kid Dirt Biking theme.

Kids in attendance like Jaydan Jackson, who hadn’t been riding very long, got to attempt trials riding for the first time.

“The Florida Trials Association appreciates the efforts of the American Motorcyclist Association in bringing our youth into the gratifying activity of motorcycling,” Florida Trials Association Secretary Mark Williams told us after the event.

5“Lucy and I participated in the 4th Annual Get Out and Ride: New Rider Motorcycle Experience put on by The Scooter Crew 501(c)(3) near Nashville, Tenn.”

6“We’re just trying to show our kids that life isn’t all about technology... it’s about getting outside, doing what you love and enjoying being with each other.”

6“Brantley had his very first dirt bike ride! He’s doing great and loving it!”

5“[Trevor] competed his very first race at Diamond MX in Wareham, Mass., last weekend. He met some new friends, and now he’s hooked into the MX family.”

Grandparents, Parents and Kids

Beyond organized events, grandparents and parents took time to get their kids out riding for Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month, too. We received many photos and stories throughout the month.

Thanks to organizers who worked with us and a lot of dedicated parents and grandparents, AMA Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month was a big success. We estimate that nearly 1,000 kids were involved this year, and that’s a great way to build into an even bigger and better campaign in 2024 — one we hope our members and organizers will get involved in and support.

And it doesn’t even have to be in May…just get the kids in your life riding. Teach ’em young… because they are the AMA of the future!

5“[My son] Vinny is like a chip off the ol’ block. I’m truly grateful that I’m able to give him a decent bike that he can enjoy. It is my mission to spend as much time riding with my boys as possible...I am honored to be able to spend time and pass on something that I enjoyed so much as a child myself.

Katelynn Sandsmark

Tory Cooper

Vincent Etchen

Courtney Hirsch

Greg Collins

GO YOUR OWN WAY.

Ride the SRF135 stock or mod it out to your heart’s content.

Either way, you’ll get why these bikes are so popular. It’s pure fun to ride, the only question is, what color do you want?

SRF135

MAKE IT YOURS

The AMA offers a variety of card types and designs for members. In addition to our standard card, we offer a number of themed cards that identify you as belonging to a specific group or speak to your passion as a motorcyclist.

DEALS AND DISCOUNTS

THE ESSENTIALS

Lodging

Save 15% at participating Choice Hotels Properties.

Up to 10% off at Motel 6.

Use code: M64AMA

20% discount off available rates, call (800) REDROOF and use the code VP+ 503343. To make reservations online use code: VP+ 503343 in the field labeled “VP+/ID#”

AMA Roadside Assistance Roadside assistance coverage for eligible members. Car Rentals

Up to 25% off at any Avis or Budget. Avis Code: D388100 Budget Code: Z942000

Motorcycle Shipping Call Federal Companies at (877) 518-7376 for at least $40 off standard rates.

AMA members receive $50 off each bike one way or $100 off round trip or $50 each, multiple bikes, same addresses. AMA Gear Find patches, pins, T-shirts, hats and more.

PRODUCT DISCOUNTS

EagleRider

For Club EagleRider AMA members receive 2 free rental credits. Use code AMACLUBER Evans Cooling System 25% discount on Evans Coolants and Prep Fluid. Use code AMAFUN at evanscoolant.com.

EVS Sports

10% discount and free shipping on all orders. Use code AMAEVS20

Gryphon Moto

Blendzall AMA members can save 20% at blendzall.com. Use code AMA20 at checkout.

AMA members receive a 15 percent discount on Gryphon Moto orders at gryphonmoto. com. Use code AMA at checkout.

Haynes Save an additional 15% on all Haynes & Clymer print and online repair manuals. Use code AMA15

Medjet

Air medical transport and travel security protection – visit Medjet.com/AMACycle or call 1.800.527.7478, referring to American Motorcyclist Association.Annual rates are reduced by 20% and start at $235.

MotoAmerica

20% off 2-day and 3-day passes at select MotoAmerica events. Use discount code AMA20

Motool

AMA members can save 10% at motool.co. Use code AMASAVE20 at checkout.

MX Boot Repair

Rider Magazine

AMA members receive a discount on a 1-year subscription.

Risk Racing 15% off

Butler Maps AMA members receive a 20% discount at butlermaps.com. Use code AMAMEMBER

California Dual Sport

Helix Racing Products

AMA members save 20 percent on all products at helixracingproducts.com. Use code AMA20 at checkout.

Cardo Systems

20% discount online with valid AMA membership card. Use code AMA20

Helite Moto AMA members get 15% off every order at helitemoto.com. Use code HELITEAMA

HertzRide

AMA members save 10 percent on rentals in all locations globally at hertzride.com/us/ promo/American-motorcyclistassociation-1065 or use code AMA10

Legacy Track Dayz

15% discount on Legacy Track Dayz events. Use code AMARideLTD

Liberty Sport Eyewear

30% discount on all “motorcycle collection” frames. Discount code AMA30.

10% discount. Use code AMADISCOUNT

MX Mounts 10% off on our mounts Use AMADiscount at checkout

MYLAPS

20% discount off MSRP or current sales price on weborders or orders coordinated by the AMA. Use code AMA-789HJK

Nelson Rigg 20% AMA Member Exclusive Discount on all products! Use promo code AMA-NR20

The Quail MC Gathering AMA members recieve a discount on tickets using the code AMA2023

Quin Design Helmets 10% off crash detection, SOS beacon, Bluetooth communication & more with your new intelligent helmet. Use code AMAQUIN10

Rockwell Time

Save 20% on select products. Rockwelltime. com. Use code AMA20

Spot LLC

Exclusive service credit on SPOT Gen3, SPOT Trace or SPOT X device

STKR Concepts 15% off products at stkrconcepts.com. Use code AMA15

Third Eye Design

10% discount on inView, a wireless brake and signal light. Use code AMA at thirdeyedesigninc.com

US Chrome $30 discount on cylinder plating and dealer pricing on Wiseco, Wossner, ProX and Vertex piston kits.

Warm & Safe 20% discount. Use code AMA

COMING EVENTS

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

ALABAMA

Road Race: Aug. 19 - 20. Munford. 2023 WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc., wera@wera.com, wera.com

CALIFORNIA

Speedway: Aug. 4. Auburn. Regular Speedway, Fast Fridays Speedway, fastfriday@aol.com, www. fastfridays.com

Speedway: Aug. 5. City of Industry. Industry Hills Speedway National, Industry Hills Expo Center DBA: Industry Racing, kelly@industryhillsspeedway.com, industryhillspeedway.com

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 5. Lodi. 2023

AMA/D36 Dirt Track Championship Series, Lodi Motorcycle Club, lodimcemail@gmail.com, lodicyclebowl.com

Motocross: Aug. 5. Pala. Moto 4 Kids Racing - On Track School Summer Series, Moto 4 Kids Racing, natehawley@foxracing.com, https://raceway.palatribe.com/

Road Ride/Run: Aug. 5. San Jose. Annual Dam Run, San Jose Dons MC, jetwayman@gmail.com, www.sanjosedonsmc.com

Road Ride/Run: Aug. 12. Richmond. Richmond

Ramblers Poker Run, Richmond Ramblers MC, motormech@msn.com, richmondramblersmc.org

Speedway: Aug. 16. City of Industry. Industry Hills Speedway, Industry Hills Expo Center DBA: Industry Racing, kelly@industryhillsspeedway. com, industryhillspeedway.com

Speedway: Aug. 19. Auburn. Regular Speedway, Fast Fridays Speedway, fastfriday@aol.com, www. fastfridays.com

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 19. Lodi. 2023

AMA/D36 Dirt Track Championship Series, Lodi Motorcycle Club, lodimcemail@gmail.com, lodicyclebowl.com

Motocross: Aug. 26 - Sept. 3. Mammoth Lakes. Mammoth Motocross, 2X Promotions LLC, www.2xpromotions.com

Road Ride/Run: Aug. 26. San Jose. August Club Ride, BMW Motorcycle Club of Northern California, safetydirector@bmwnorcal.org, bmwnorcal. org/events

Speedway: Aug. 26. City of Industry. Industry Hills Speedway State Championship, Industry Hills Expo Center DBA: Industry Racing, kelly@industryhillsspeedway.com, industryhillspeedway.com

COLORADO

Enduro: Aug. 6. Custer County. RMEC San Isabel Enduro, JTB Racing Promotions LLC., endurorcr@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/people/ San-Isabel-Enduro/100050807709951/

Observed Trials: Aug. 6. Gunnison. RMTA Series

Event #6, Rocky Mountain Trials Association

Adventure Ride: Aug. 8 - 12. Wellington. Colorado Back Country Adventure Ride, West 38 Moto, dusty.wessels@west38moto.com, west38moto. com

Road Rally: Aug. 11 - 13. Montrose. The Dusty Lizard Ridgway, Mosko Moto, RyanT@moskomoto.com, moskomoto.com

Dual Sport: Aug. 13 - 18. Crested Butte. Colorado

500, Colorado 500, janet@colorado-500.org, www.colorado-500.org

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 19. Dacono. Colorado Speedway and Flat Track, IMI Motorsports Complex, imimotorsports@hotmail.com, imimotorsports.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 19 - 20. San Isabel. RMTA Ute Cup, Rocky Mountain Trials Association

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 26. Dacono. Colorado Speedway and Flat Track, IMI Motorsports Complex, imimotorsports@hotmail.com, imimotorsports.com

IDAHO

Observed Trials: Aug. 12 - 13. McCall. Conquer the West - Cruickshank Trial, Owyhee Motorcycle Club, mwebbidaho@gmail.com, treasurevalleytrials.com

ILLINOIS

Motocross: Aug. 5. Mendota. Megacross Shootout Series, Moto Pro Inc., wardy@mtco. com, megacross.com

Motocross: Aug. 12. Walnut. District 17 Motocross Series, 4P Promotions, Inc., jan@ sunsetridgemx.com, www.sunsetridgemx.com

Motocross: Aug. 13. Walnut. District 17 Motocross Series, 4P Promotions, Inc., jan@ sunsetridgemx.com, www.sunsetridgemx.com

Motocross: Aug. 13. Casey. Thor Showdown Series, Lincoln Trail Motosports, drew@lincolntrail.com, www.ridelincolntrail.com

Flat Track - TT: Aug. 13. Bartonville. District 17 TT, Peoria Motorcycle Club Inc., jdebmwalker@ gmail.com, www.peoriamotorcycleclub.com

Motocross: Aug. 19. Mendota. Megacross Shootout Series, Moto Pro Inc., wardy@mtco. com, megacross.com

Trail Ride: Aug. 23. Ottawa. Egg Hunt, Variety Riders Motorcycle Club Inc., varietyriders@ yahoo.com, varietyriders.com

Motocross: Aug. 27. Byron. Nuclear Sunset Power Series Round 3, Motosports Enterprises LTD, motobyron@mac.com, motobyron.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 27. Ottawa. Trials, Variety Riders Motorcycle Club Inc., varietyriders@yahoo.com, varietyriders.com

INDIANA

Dual Sport: Aug. 6. Matthews. Dual Sport Fun Ride, Muddobbers MC Inc., dougspence43@ yahoo.com, muddobbersmc.org

Enduro: Aug. 12. Roselawn. Enduro/Summer

Bummer, Hill & Gully Enduro Riders, dryan@ inttb.com, www.midwestenduros.com

Motocross: Aug. 12. Pierceton. Reads Racing Motocross - Night, Reads Racing Unlimited, Inc., reads1@myfrontiermail.com, www. readsracing.com

Motocross: Aug. 12. Pierceton. Reads Racing Motocross - Day, Reads Racing Unlimited, Inc. reads1@myfrontiermail.com, www.readsracing. com

Enduro: Aug. 13. Roselawn. Enduro/Summer

Bummer, Hill & Gully Enduro Riders, dryan@ inttb.com, www.midwestenduros.com

Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: Aug. 20. Columbus. Stoney Lonesome Harescramble Series, Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club, info@stoneylonesomemc.com, www.stoneylonesomemc.com

Hillclimb: Aug. 27. Middlebury. Summer Hill Climb, Goshen Iron Horsemen, jdcole15@yahoo.com, facebook.com/goshenironhorsemen

Motocross: Aug. 27. Crawfordsville. Ironman Amateur Day, MX Sports, Inc., info@mxsports. com, www.mxsports.com

IOWA

Motocross: Aug. 5. Fairfield. Cronkytonk MX Practice, Cronkytonk MX, bubcronk@yahoo. com

KENTUCKY

Observed Trials: Aug. 19. Bedford. Trials Inc., Trials Inc., trav99ss@hotmail.com, trialsinc.org

Observed Trials: Aug. 20. Bedford. Trials Inc., Trials Inc., trav99ss@hotmail.com, trialsinc.org

MAINE

Motocross: Aug. 26 - 27. Lyman. Maine Event, SSMX, LLC dba MX207, bstuartmx207@gmail. com, www.mx207.com

MARYLAND

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 5. Timonium. Timonium Outdoor Short Track, Baltimore County Trail Riders Assoc., hpbybrettfriedel@ gmail.com, www.bctra.com

Field Meet: Aug. 9. Timonium. Timonium Family Ride, Baltimore County Trail Riders Assoc., hpbybrettfriedel@gmail.com, www.bctra.com

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 12. Timonium. Timonium Outdoor Short Track, Baltimore County Trail Riders Assoc., hpbybrettfriedel@ gmail.com, www.bctra.com

Flat Track - Half-Mile: Aug. 25. Hagerstown. East Coast Flat Track Championship, Cory Texter Racing, LLC, ctex@promosbyctex.com, corytexterpromotions.com

Flat Track - Half-Mile: Aug. 26. Hagerstown. East Coast Flat Track Championship, Cory Texter Racing, LLC, ctex@promosbyctex.com, corytexterpromotions.com

MICHIGAN

Flat Track - TT: Aug. 4. Deford. Flat Track, Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., raymie2895@gmail.com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 5. Deford. Flat Track, Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., raymie2895@gmail.com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 6. Vassar. MOTA Championship, Michigan Ontario Trials Association, lwm248@gmail.com, motatrials.com Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: Aug. 6. Midland. D14 Harescramble, Polka Dots M/C, correycolthorp@yahoo.com, polkadotsmc.net

Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: Aug. 13. Grant. Raymond’s Revenge, Muskegon Motorcycle Club, muskegonmotorcycleclub1920@yahoo.com

Flat Track - TT: Aug. 18. Deford. Flat Track, Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., raymie2895@gmail. com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com

Motocross: Aug. 19. Newaygo. Big Air Motocross, Big Air Motocross, bigairbigfun@gmail.com, www.bigairmotocross.com

Motocross: Aug. 19. Cadillac. District 14

Motocross Series, Cadillac Motorcycle Club, Inc., www.cadillacmc.com

Family Enduro: Aug. 19. Lake City. Pine Cone, Lansing Motorcycle Club, barclays@michigan.gov, lansingmotorcycleclub.org

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 19. Deford. Flat Track, Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., raymie2895@gmail.com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com

Scavenger Hunt/Geocaching: Aug. 19. Wakefield. Dog Daze Rally, TeamStrange Airheads, Inc., lerbes@gmail.com, www.teamstrange.com

Motocross: Aug. 20. Newaygo. Big Air Motocross, Big Air Motocross, bigairbigfun@gmail.com, www.bigairmotocross.com

Motocross: Aug. 20. Cadillac. District 14

Motocross Series, Cadillac Motorcycle Club, Inc., www.cadillacmc.com

Enduro: Aug. 20. Lake City. Jack Pine, Lansing Motorcycle Club, lansingmotorcycleclub.org

Flat Track - Half-Mile: Aug. 26. Caro. Caro HalfMile, Holeshot Promotions, holeshotpromotions@ gmail.com

Motocross: Aug. 26. Crystal Falls. Superior MX Series/District 16 Motocross Series, Valley Raceway, ericuren711@gmail.com, www.valleyracewaymx.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 27. Metamora. MOTA Championship, Michigan Ontario Trials Association, bjaherne2@gmail.com, motatrials.com

Motocross: Aug. 27. Crystal Falls. Superior MX Series/District 16 Motocross Series, Valley Raceway, ericuren711@gmail.com, www.valleyracewaymx.com

MINNESOTA

Road Rally: Aug. 3. St Paul. Land of 10k Scoots Rally, Twin Cities Scooter Collective, l.mauro1022@gmail.com, https://landof10kscoots. com

Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: Aug. 5. Brookston. Brookston Hare Scramble, Range Riders MC, amberlund26@yahoo.com, echovalleymotocross.com

Motocross: Aug. 6. Brook Park. District 23 Motocross Series, Berm Benders Incorporated, bermbendersraceway@outlook.com, www.bermbendersraceway.com

Motocross: Aug. 6. Millville. Super Series Round 8 sponsored by St. Croix Sewer & Linder’s Specialty, Hi-Winders, springcreekmxoffice@gmail. com, www.springcreekmx.com

Road Race: Aug. 11 - 13. Brainerd. Central Roadracing Association Event, Central Roadracing Association, info@cra-mn.com, www.cra-mn.com

COMING EVENTS

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

Enduro: Aug. 12 - 13. Akeley. Enduro, Paul Bunyan Forest Riders, pbfriders.com

Motocross: Aug. 13. Cambridge. District 23 Motocross Series, BCMX Adventure Park, bcmxllc@ hotmail.com, www.bcmxadventurepark.com

Motocross: Aug. 13. Brookston. MX North Star Series, Echo Valley Motopark, LLC, echovalleymotopark@gmail.com, echovalleymotocross.com

Road Ride/Run: Aug. 19. Monticello. MS River Road Run, MS River Road Run, jhill0926@gmail. com, www.msriverroadrun.org

Enduro: Aug. 19 - 20. Duquette. Moose Run Enduro, Straight Arrow Enduro Riders, off_road_ chairman@straightarrows.org, straightarrows.org

Motocross: Aug. 20. Little Falls. District 23/Northstar MX Series, MotoCity Raceway & Recreation, Inc., motocity-RNR@hotmail.com, motocityraceway.com

Hillclimb: Aug. 26 . Mankato. HillClimb, Kato Cycle Club, katocycleclub@gmail.com, www. katocycleclub.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 26. Detroit Lakes. UMTA 2023 Events, Upper Midwest Trials Association, bobbywarner@gmail.com, umta.org

Motocross: Aug. 27. Cambridge. District 23 Motocross Series, BCMX Adventure Park, bcmxllc@ hotmail.com, www.bcmxadventurepark.com

Motocross: Aug. 27. Brookston. MX North Star Series, Echo Valley Motopark, LLC, echovalleymotopark@gmail.com, echovalleymotocross.com

Hillclimb: Aug. 27. New Ulm. HillClimb, Flying Dutchmen Cycle Club, dutchman65.as@gmail. com, flyingdutchmenmotorcycleclub.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 27. Detroit Lakes. UMTA 2023 Events, Upper Midwest Trials Association, bobbywarner@gmail.com, umta.org

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Road Race: Aug. 12 - 13. Canaan. USCRA Vintage GP, United States Classic Racing Association, raceuscra@yahoo.com, www.race-uscra.com

NEW JERSEY

Motocross: Aug. 19. Englishtown. Raceway Park Motocross Saturday Night Lights Series, Raceway Park, racewaypark1965@gmail.com, www. racewaypark.com

Motocross: Aug. 20. Englishtown. AMA New Jersey State Championship, Raceway Park, racewaypark1965@gmail.com, www.racewaypark.com

Enduro: Aug. 27. Mauricetown. Beehive Enduro, Competition Dirt Riders, davebostrom@comcast. net, www.eceacompetitiondirtriders.com

NEW MEXICO

Road Race: Aug. 13. Albuquerque. Law Tigers SMRI Roadracing Championship, Sandia Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc., smri@smri-racing.org, www.smri-racing.org

NEW YORK

Trail Ride: Aug. 5 - 6. Hancock. Quarry Run, Bear Creek Sportsmen, bearcreeksportsmen@yahoo. com, bearcreeksportsmen.com

Trail Ride: Aug. 6. Eden. Fun Trials Ride, Niagara Trials Riders, ntrclub@yahoo.com, ntrmototrials.

weekly.com

Motocross: Aug. 6. Caroga Lake. Royal Mountain Motocross, Royal Mountain Ski Area, info@royalmountainskiarea.com, www.royalmountain.com

Speedway: Aug. 12. Accord. Accord Speedway, Echo Valley Riders Club/Steve Flach, www.accordspeedway.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 13. Erin. D4 Observed Trials, District 4 Trials Committee, dderry1980@ gmail.com, d4mototrials.weebly.com

Road Riding School (Conducted on parking lot): Aug. 17 - 20. Cornwalleville. North East Womens Motorcycle Festival �23, Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation, Inc., sue.slate@womensmotorcyclistfoundation.org, www.newmf23.com

Motocross: Aug. 19 - 20. Greig. AMA New York State Championship, High Voltage Hills MX, nzielinski74@gmail.com, www.highvoltagehillsmx.com Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: Aug. 20. Lowman. NYOA, Baldwin Trail Riders, sunnshine5854@aol.com

Enduro: Aug. 20. Bershire. ECEA/District 4 Enduro, Ithaca Dirt Riders Inc., ced54.davis@ gmail.com

Motocross: Aug. 20. Middletown. MSC AMA D34 - Orange County Fair MX, Metropolitan Sports Committee, info@ocfsracing.com, mscmotocross. com

Motocross: Aug. 26 - 27. Greig. AMA New York ATV State Championship, High Voltage Hills MX, nzielinski74@gmail.com, www.highvoltagehillsmx. com

Road Ride/Run: Aug. 27. Yonkers. 2023 Joe Cool Memorial Poker Run, Yonkers Motorcycle Club, fatswag@gmail.com, yonkersmotorcycleclub.net

OHIO

Road Rally: Aug. 2 - 5. Athens. Athena Ride for Women, Athens County Convention & Visitors Bureau, btroyer@athensohio.com, athenarideforwomen.com

Dual Sport: Aug. 5. Toronto. Ohio Valley BSA Owners Club Rally 42nd Year, Ohio Valley BSA Owners Club, kubenab@atlanticbb.net, www. ohiovalleybsaownersclub.com

Motocross: Aug. 12 - 13. New Vienna. 2023 Buckeye Series, Race Ohio MX, s.plessinger@ yahoo.com, Eastforkmx.com

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 12. Salem. AMA Vintage Flat Track National, Western Reserve Motorcycle Club, wrmcinfo@yahoo.com, westernreservemc.com

Enduro: Aug. 13. Zanesville. Morgans Trail Enduro Run/ACES Enduro Series, Ohio Woods Riders, kory@ohiowoodsriders.com, ohiowoodsriders.com

Flat Track - Half-Mile: Aug. 25. Greenville. Tim Best Memorial Race, Best of Ohio Summer Series Motocross: Aug. 26 - 27. Nashport. Battle for Ohio, Briarcliff Motocross, LLC, josborn@briarcliffmx.com, www.briarcliffmx.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Enduro: Aug. 6. Three Springs. Three Springs Enduro, Green Marble Enduro Riders, gmerenduro@ gmail.com, gmer.us

Road Race: Aug. 11 - 13. Wampum. 2023 WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, Inc., wera@wera.com, wera.com

Motocross: Aug. 13. Pine Grove. MDRA Series, Dutchmen MX, info@dutchmenmxpark.com, www. dutchmenmxpark.com

Adventure Ride: Aug. 16 - 20. Portersville. Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop, Appalachian ADV-Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbiking LLC, kane@appalachianadv.com, https://www. appalachianadv.com/events.html#/

Road Race: Aug. 18 - 20. Wampum. MotoAmerica Mini-Cup, MotoAmerica, www.motoamerica.com

Dual Sport: Aug. 19. Shippensburg. Michaux Dual Sport, Delaware Valley Trail Riders, dvtrevents@ gmail.com, dvtrailriders.org

Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: Aug. 26 - 27. Plymouth. Down By The River, Back Mountain Enduro Riders, jroth19@epix.net

Motocross: Aug. 27. Shippensburg. Doublin Gap - District 6 Motocross Series, Doublin Gap Motocross, Inc., doublingap@gmail.com, www. doublingap.com

RHODE ISLAND

Field Meet: Aug. 17. Richmond. Rhody Rovers Motorcycle Rodeo, Rhody Rovers MC, dhuffjr@ outlook.com, www.washingtonfair-ri.com

SOUTH DAKOTA

Motocross: Aug. 6. Sturgis. AMA South Dakota State Championship Sturgis Rally, JACKPINE GYPSIES MOTORCYCLE CLUB, jpgmc36@ gmail.com, jackpinegypsies.com

Supermoto: Aug. 8. Sturgis. AMA Supermoto National Championship Series, DRT Racing, info@ drtracinginc.com, amasupermotonational.com

Road Ride/Run: Aug. 10. Sturgis. Rally Founders Tour, Jackpine Gypsies MC, Inc., jpgmc36@gmail. com, jackpinegypsies.com

TENNESSEE

Motocross: Aug. 1 - 5. Hurricane Mills. Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, MX Sports, Inc., info@mxsports.com, www.mxsports.com

Motocross: Aug. 12 - 13. Hurricane Mills. AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series, Racer Productions, Inc., info@atvmotocross.com, www.atvmotocross.com

Motocross: Aug. 27. Blountville. Thor Mega Series, Victory Sports Inc, jane@victory-sports. com, www.victory-sports.com

TEXAS

Motocross: Aug. 12 - 13. Conroe. D-20 Championship Series - Round 1, E.S.E. We Make Tracks Inc., info@threepalmsesp.com, www.threepalmsesp.com

UTAH

Grand Prix: Aug. 25 - 26. Cedar City. Battle of the Borders, Southern Nevada Jackrabbits MC, russellreber@gmail.com, threepeaksoasis.com

Land Speed: Aug. 27 - 31. Tooele. Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, Deliciate Promotions LLC, info@bonnevillemst.com, bonnevillemst.com

VIRGINIA

Motocross: Aug. 12. Axton. D13 SX, Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park, lakesugartree@ gmail.com, www.lakesugartree.com

Motocross: Aug. 12 - 13. Disputanta. MAMA MX Series, Middle Atlantic Motocross Association, Inc., secretary@mamamx.com, www.mamamx. com

Motocross: Aug. 13. Axton. AMA Virginia State Championship/D13 MX/Mega/Ultra Series, Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park, lakesugartree@ gmail.com, www.lakesugartree.com

WEST VIRGINIA

Motocross: Aug. 12. Hedgesville. Masters MX Series, Tomahawk MX, LLC, www.tomahawkmx. com

Motocross: Aug. 26. Hedgesville. Masters MX Series, Tomahawk MX, LLC, www.tomahawkmx. com

WISCONSIN

Motocross: Aug. 6. Hillpoint. District 16 Motocross Series, Sugar Maple MX Park LLC, sugarmaplemxpark@gmail.com, www.sugarmaplemx.com

Motocross: Aug. 12. Lake Mills. Twilight Races, Aztalan Cycle Club, Inc., www.aztalanmx.com

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 12. Sturgeon Bay. Door County Fair, Door County Fair Association, kikid48@gmail.com, dairylandclassic. com

Motocross: Aug. 13. Lake Mills. District 16 Motocross Series, Aztalan Cycle Club, Inc., www. aztalanmx.com

Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: Aug. 13. Minocqua. Area 31, Four Wheeler Dirtbike Cross Country (FDXC), info@rendlux.com, fdcxr.com

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 19. Lake Mills. Aztalan Flat Track, Aztalan Cycle Club, Inc., aztalancycle@gmail.com, aztalanmx.com

Motocross: Aug. 19. Tigerton. Battle of Wisconsin - SX, Fantasy Moto LLC, scottyb@ fantasymoto.com, www.tigertonmx.com

Dual Sport: Aug. 19. Ellsworth. Valley Springs

Dual Sport, Valley Springs Motorcycle Club, Inc., valleyspringsmc@gmail.com, https://vsmc. clubexpress.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 19. Wauzeka. Wauzeka

MotoTrials, Wisconsin Observed Trials Association, nursehuber@aol.com, wisconsintrials.org

Motocross: Aug. 20. Tigerton. Battle of Wisconsin - MX, Fantasy Moto LLC, scottyb@ fantasymoto.com, www.tigertonmx.com

Observed Trials: Aug. 20. Wauzeka. Wauzeka

MotoTrials, Wisconsin Observed Trials Association, nursehuber@aol.com, wisconsintrials.org

Flat Track - Short Track: Aug. 26. Barnett. District 16 ST, Beaver Cycle Club, Inc., facebook/ beavercycleclub

WYOMING

Adventure Ride: Aug. 21 - 25. Savery. Wyoming

Back Country Adventure Ride, West 38 Moto, dusty.wessels@west38moto.com, west38moto. com

COMING EVENTS

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

MOTOCROSS

2023 Pro Motocross Championship promotocross.com

Round 9: Aug 12. New Berlin, N.Y. Unadilla MX

Round 10: Aug 19. Mechanicsville, Md. Budds Creek Raceway

Round 11: Aug 26. Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway

SUPERMOTOCROSS

2023 SuperMotocross Championship supermotocross.com

Sept. 9. Charlotte, N.C. zMAX Dragway

Sept. 16. Joliet, Ill. Chicagoland Speedway

Sept. 23. Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series, atvmotocross.com

Round 10: Aug. 12-13. Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn Ranch.

FEATURED EVENTS OR SERIES

Maine Event

Aug. 26-27. Lyman, Maine. MX 207. (781) 8312207. mx207.com

Baja Brawl

Sept. 1-4. Millington, Mich. Baja Acres. (989) 8713356. bajaacres.com

Yamaha All-Star Pro-Am/Cobra Cup/MDRA Series

Sept. 9-10. Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park. (717) 249-6036. doublingap.com

ChilliTown Classic

Sept. 12-17. Chillicothe, Ohio. ChilliTown MX. (513) 266-2866. chillitownmx.com

47th Annual Race of Champions sponsored by Kawasaki

Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Englishtown, N.J. Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. (732) 446-7800. racewaypark.com

The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City

Oct. 5-8. Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City MX. (816) 582-4113. poncamx.com

Top Gun Showdown/Mega Series

Oct. 15. Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Raceway. (423) 323-5497. victory-sports.com

Halloween Bash

Oct. 29. Axton, Va. Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park. (276) 650-1158. lakesugartree.com

Cash for Class Scholarship Race

Nov. 11-12. Cairo, Ga. GPF. (810) 348-8700. gpfmx.com

PRO-AM EVENTS

Pro-Am Schedule

MDRA Series: Aug. 13. Pine Grove, Pa. Dutchmen MX. (570) 915-4141. dutchmenmxpark.com

District 17 Motocross Series: Aug. 13. Walnut, Ill. Sunset Ridge MX. (815) 379-9534. sunsetridgemx.com

Maine Event: Aug. 26-27. Lyman, Maine. MX 207. (781) 831-2207. mx207.com

Baja Brawl: Sept. 1-4. Millington, Mich. Baja Acres. (989) 871-3356. bajaacres.com

Yamaha All-Star Pro-Am/Cobra Cup/MDRA Series: Sept. 9-10. Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park. (717) 249-6036. doublingap.com

Field of Dreams Pro-Am: Sept. 17. Millville, N.J. Field of Dreams MX. njmpfod.com

ChilliTown Classic: Sept. 17. Chillicothe, Ohio. ChilliTown MX. (513) 266-2866. chillitownmx.com

Travis Pastrana Pro-Am Challenge: Sept. 2324. Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway. (814) 317-6686. pvrmx.com

AMA Georgia State Championship/Mega/ BIG/SAS Series *DOUBLE POINTS: Sept. 24. Dalton, Ga. Lazy River MX. (706) 278-2868. lazyrivermx.com

47th Annual Race of Champions sponsored by Kawasaki: Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Englishtown, N.J. Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. (732) 4467800. racewaypark.com

Megacross Shootout Series: Sept. 30. Mendota, Ill. Megacross. (815) 539-9021. megacross. com

The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City: Oct. 5-8. Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City MX. (816) 5824113. poncamx.com

Top Gun Showdown/Mega Series: Oct. 15. Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Raceway. (423) 323-5497. victory-sports.com

Tony Miller Memorial Race: Oct. 21-22. Wortham, Texas. Freestone County Raceway LLC. (713) 962-3386. freestonemx.com

AMA Texas State Championship: Oct. 28-29. Conroe, Texas. 3 Palms Action Sports Park. (936) 321-8725. threepalmsesp.com

Halloween Bash: Oct. 29. Axton, Va. Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park. (276) 650-1158. lakesugartree.com

AMA South Carolina State Championship/Mega Series: Nov. 12. Hamer, S.C. South of the Border MX. (423) 323-5497. victory-sports.com

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

AMA Virginia State Championship: Aug. 13. Axton, Va. Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park. (276) 650-1158. lakesugartree.com

AMA New York State Championship: Aug. 19-20. Greig, N.Y. High Voltage Hills MX. (315) 725-0368. highvoltagehillsmx.com

AMA New Jersey State Championship: Aug. 20. Englishtown, N.J. Old Bridge Township Raceway

Park. (732)

446-7800. racewaypark.com

AMA New York ATV State Championship: Aug. 26-27. Greig, N.Y. High Voltage Hills MX. (315) 725-0368. highvoltagehillsmx.com

AMA Georgia State Championship: Sept. 24. Dalton, Ga. Lazy River MX. (706) 278-2868. lazyrivermx.com

AMA Kentucky State Championship: Sept. 24. Leitchfield, Ky. South Fork Motoplex. (270) 230-2005. southforkmotoplex.com

AMA Maryland State Championship: Oct. 8. Mechanicsville, Md. Budds Creek MX. (443) 223-9171. buddscreek.com

AMA West Virginia State Championship: Oct. 22. Hedgesville, W. Va. Tomahawk MX. (304) 582-8185. tomahawkmx.com

AMA Texas State Championship: Oct. 28-29. Conroe, Texas. 3 Palms Action Sports Park. (936) 321-8725. threepalmsesp.com

AMA South Carolina State Championship: Nov. 12. Hamer, S.C. South of the Border MX. (423) 323-5497. victory-sports.com

TRACK RACING

2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship motoamerica.com

Round 7: Aug. 18-20. Wampum, Pa. Pittsburgh International Race Complex

Round 8: Sept. 8-10. Austin, Texas. Circuit of the Americas

Round 9: Sept. 22-24. Millville, N.J. New Jersey Motorsports Park

2023 Progressive American Flat Track americanflattrack.com

Round 15: Aug. 6. Sturgis, S.D. Buffalo Chip. TT

Round 16: Aug. 12. Castle Rock, Wash. Castle Rock Race Park. TT

Round 17: Sept. 2. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds. Mile I

Round 18: Sept. 3. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds. Mile II

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship facebook.com/MonsonMonster/ Aug. 4-6. Monson, Ma. Monson Monster

AMA Supermoto National Championship Series amasupermotonational.com

Round 4: Aug. 8. Sturgis, S.D. Jackpine Gypsies

Round 5: Sept. 24. Plymouth, Wis. Briggs & Stratton Motorplex at Road America.

Rounds 6 & 7: Nov. 4-5. Tucson, Ariz. Musselman Honda Circuit

AMA Super Hooligan National Championship Series superhooligan.com

Rounds 7-8: Sept. 8-10. Austin, Texas. Circuit of the Americas

AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series, americanmotorcyclist.com/flattrack-racing/

Round 12: Aug. 12. Salem, Ohio. Western Reserve Motorcycle Club (Short Track). (330) 760-5960. westernreservemc.com

Round 13: Aug. 31. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds (Short Track). 270-442-7532. stevenaceracing.com

Round 14: Sept. 23. Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track). (845) 219-1193. tristateclub.net

Round 15: Sept. 24. Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track). (845) 219-1193. tristateclub.net

Round 16: Fall ’23 TBD. Greenville, Ohio. Darke County Fairgrounds (Half-Mile). (850) 637-5838. darkecountyfair.com

Round 17: Fall ’23 TBD. Greenville, Ohio. Darke County Fairgrounds (Half-Mile). (850) 637-5838. darkecountyfair.com

FEATURED EVENTS OR SERIES

AMA AHDRA Featured Series, raceahdra.com

Round 5: Aug. 6-8. Sturgis, S.D. Sturgis Dragway

Round 6: Sept. 8-10. Rising Sun, Md. Cecil County Dragway

Round 7: Oct. 27-29. Rockingham, N.C. Rockingham Dragway

OFF-ROAD

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Grand National Cross Country Championship, gnccracing.com

Round 10: The Mountaineer – Sept. 15-17. Beckley, W. Va. Summit Bechtel Reserve.

Round 11: Buckwheat 100 – Oct. 6-8. Newburg, W. Va. CJ Raceway.

Round 12: Ironman – Oct. 20-22. Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway.

AMA National Grand Prix Championship Series, ngpcseries.com

Round 8: Aug. 18-20. Preston, Idaho.

Round 9: Sept. 30-Oct. 1. Ridgecrest, Calif.

Round 10: Nov. 10-12. Lake Havasu, Ariz.

AMA National Hare and Hound Championship Series, nationalhareandhound.com

Round 5: Sept. 9. Panaca, Nev.

Round 6: Oct. 21-22. Lucerne Valley, Calif.

AMA National Enduro Championship Series, nationalenduro.com

Round 7: Little Raccoon National – Sept. 10. Wellston, Ohio. (740) 357-0350. adrohio.org

Round 8: Muddobbers National – Oct. 1. Matthews, Ind. (765) 998-2236. muddobbersmc.org

Round 9: Gobbler Better National – Oct. 29. Stanton, Ala. (334) 267-2463. perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

AMA West Hare Scrambles Championship, westharescramble.com

Round 6: TBD

Round 7: Oct. 7-8 Washougal, Wash.

Round 8: Nov. 18-19. Wilseyville, Calif.

FEATURED EVENTS OR SERIES

AMA Mid East Racing Championship Series mideastracing.com

Round 11. Aug. 26-27. Boonville, N.C. Welborn Farms.

Round 12. Sept. 9-10. Woodruff, S.C. Harris Bridge.

Round 13. Sept. 23-24. Morgantown, N.C. Chapman Farms.

Round 14. Oct. 14-15. Shelby, N.C. Water Wheel Classic.

Round 15. Oct. 28-29. Hickory, N.C. Wilson Memorial Airport

New York Off-Road Championship Series nyoa.net

Round 6. Aug. 6. Colesville, N.Y. Black Sky

Round 7. Aug. 20. Lowman, N.Y. Baldwin Trail Riders

COMING EVENTS

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

Round 8. Sept. 3. Moravia, N.Y. Twisted Fence

Round 9. Sept. 17. Harpursville, N.Y. The Punisher

Round 10. Oct. 1. Berkshire, N.Y. Hemlock Hills @ Brink Farms

NATIONAL RECREATIONAL

Sept. 23-24. Big Woods 200. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org

Sept. 29-30. Shasta ADV Rally. Redding, Calif. Redding Dirt Riders. (530) 227-1581 reddingdirtriders.com

Oct. 14-15. Fire Works and Fire Hoses. Langsville, Ohio. Enduro Riders of Ohio. (740) 506-1288. enduroriders.com

Oct. 28-29. Cross-Florida Adventure. Daytona Beach, Fla. Dixie Dual Sport. (727) 919-8299 dixiedualsport.com

Nov. 24-25. LA – Barstow to Vegas. Palmdale, Calif. AMA District 37 Dual Sport. (626) 684-2336 labarstowvegas.com

Brothers Promotions (KT Riders). (270) 350-6324. lbl200.com

Sept. 16-17. Buffaloe 500. Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club. (812) 342-4411 stoneylonesomemc.com

Sept. 23-24. Mountain Madness. Flagstaff, Ariz. Coconino Trail Riders. (928) 225-5365 coconinotrailriders.org

Sept. 23-24. Big Woods 200. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org

Sept. 29-30. Shasta ADV Rally. Redding, Calif. Redding Dirt Riders. (530) 227-1581 reddingdirtriders.com

Oct. 7-8. Shenandoah 500. Mount Solon, Va. Washington Area Trail Riders. 619-243-9630 www. watr.us

2023 AMA National Adventure Riding Series americanmotorcyclist.com/nationaladventure-riding

Sept. 9-10. Blue Ridge. Pineola, N.C. Appalachian Trail Riders. (704) 309-3271 carolinadualsporters. com/2023-pineola-blue-ridge-adventure-ride

Sept. 16-17. Buffaloe 500. Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club. (812) 342-4411 stoneylonesomemc.com

Sept. 9-10. LBL 200. Golden Pond, Ky. Thomas

Nov. 4-5. Howlin’ at the Moon. Prescott Valley, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders. (602) 692-9382 arizonatrailriders.org

Nov. 4-5. Hammer Run. Port Elizabeth, N.J. TriCounty Sportsmen M.C. Inc. teamhammer.org

Nov. 24-25. LA – Barstow to Vegas. Palmdale, Calif. AMA District 37 Dual Sport. (626) 684-2336 labarstowvegas.comw

2023 Beta AMA National Dual Sport Series americanmotorcyclist.com/nationaladventure-riding

N20346

N20347

N20348

"+" Includes specially designed and engineered windscreen mounting bracket

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Tips,Tweaks, Fixes and Facts: The two-wheeled ownership experience, explained Garage

SUBLIME SKINS TECH STREET

BY MITCH BOEHM

The tire technology we see and experience today has come a long way since John Boyd Dunlop developed the pneumatic tire for bicycles (and early motorcycle prototypes) way back in the late 1800s, with significant advances in design coming sporadically through the decades.

From wire beads of the ’30s, to a wider variety of sizes, rubber compounds and tread designs in the ’50s and ’60s, to the premium bias-ply skins of the ’70s, into the radial arena in the ’80s and ’90s, and the dual-compound days of the 2000s, riders have gotten progressively more grip, more mileage and a more confidence-inspiring ride every year that’s gone by.

Gone are the days of wonky handling, premature wear or grip-then-suddenly-slide traction;

Rediscovering that today’s motorcycle tires are really, really good

MICHELIN POWER 5

today’s tires have had their handling, grip and wet-weather gremlins largely exorcised, which means more worry-free riding for riders…a good thing on many levels.

To get an overview of all this roundand-black goodness, we gathered up a small armful of new tire types and brands and spooned them onto a gaggle of street bikes we had at our disposal…and proceeded to get out there and ride throughout the Rocky Mountain region during April, May and June on city streets, freeways and backroads. We’ll continue to do so, but we wanted to report on what we’ve discovered (or re-discovered) so far…which is that today’s motorcycle tires are very, very good.

MICHELIN POWER 5

Michelin says its Power 5 tire is a “premium sportbike tire for maximum fun in wet and dry conditions,” and from what we can tell, Michelin isn’t wrong. We spooned a set of 5s onto

feedback. The record snow here in the Utah mountains meant a lot of wet roads with flowing water across them at times, but the 5s dealt with that perfectly, with good grip and no hydroplaning. Good stuff.”

BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA MAX

One of Bridgestone’s big-cruiser tire families is its venerable Exedra, which these days is called Exedra Max. The company says the Max offers “optimum” compounding and carcass structure and has “excellent dry and wet grip performance,” as well as long life. Our testing on AMA Member Mike’s 2016 Yamaha Stratoliner verified those claims.

“The Exedras felt great right out of the gate,” Mike reported, “with light steering manners, a confidence-inspiring feel on the move, and really good grip, which helped the big Yamaha’s handling vs. the stock skins. They also improved my bike’s fuel economy, which surprised me. In

does a lot of things really well, as we found when installing them on our friend Mike’s 2008 Yamaha FZ1.

“Again, these felt great on the FZ1 as soon as I got them back from the shop,” Mike told us. “They warmed up really fast, even in the cooler temperatures up in the mountains, and the profile felt neutral and seemed to fit the FZ1’s geometry and steering characteristics perfectly. Grip was way better than I could manage, and in the wet they felt really planted and still gave good feedback. They’re also wearing really well. Another winner in the tire wars, for sure.”

MICHELIN ROAD 6

Michelin’s latest all-around sport/ sport-touring tire is the Road 6, and in the 10 months I’ve owned and ridden my new-to-me 2013 Ducati Multistrada S Pikes Peak Edition — fitted with fresh Road 6s — it’s been nothing but miles of smiles.

our AMA Member Alan’s 2020 Ducati Hypermotard and set him loose in the local mountains in both wet and dry weather, and early reports say they’re working wonderfully.

“The Power 5s scrubbed in quickly in the cooler (50- and 60-degree) temperatures,” reported Alan, “and while I was concerned that my Hypermotord wouldn’t turn-in as quickly as it had with the stock Pirellis, which are a little more pointed in profile, I was pleasantly surprised. The 5s heat up and feel planted really quickly, and offer really good grip and

wet conditions I never had an issue, which probably prompted me to ride a bit too fast in those conditions! I really like these tires, and would purchase them in a heartbeat.”

CONTINENTAL ROAD ATTACK 4

All-around sport/sport-touring tires with wide performance capabilities — grip, mileage and wet-weather performance — are all the rage these days, and Continental’s Road Attack 4s fit that bill perfectly. Called a “Hyper-Touring Tire” by Continental’s marketing folks, the Road Attack 4

They warm up fast, offer more grip than this old roadracer can use, work really well in wet weather and seem to wear like iron. I literally don’t know what else one could ask for in a tire that’s given such a wide range of skills to be really good at…but these things fit the bill. Great stuff.

See? Nothing but accolades, which says something about not only these four skins, but about today’s tires in general. It’s a good time indeed to be in the traction business.

BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA MAX

CONTINENTAL ROAD ATTACK 4

MICHELIN ROAD 6

Eardrum Epiphany

How riding can hurt your ears, and how to protect them

Most of us know that riding a motorcycle can damage your hearing. Most think mechanical noise or loud exhaust are the culprits here, but they’re not. The roar of wind rushing around the rider’s head or helmet is actually the big issue, especially when moving at freeway speeds. Experts say one should limit one’s exposure to these high decibel levels to no more than 15 minutes per day…and if you ride a lot, you’re getting loads more than that. What to do? Wear earplugs!

STREET SAVVY

I have been using cheap and plentiful foam-type earplugs since I began riding streetbikes back in college, on the street and while racing, and I even see some pro motocrossers wearing them, AMA Supercross champ Eli Tomac included. And I’m sure I’ve helped save my tender eardrums during those decades. Just roll them up (it helps if they’re cold), slide ’em into your ear canals and wait for them to expand. Poof! I can still hear cars, trucks and traffic, and while it’s a bit of a hassle when talking to a riding buddy, it’s better than not hearing them at all.

— Mitch Boehm

The ’60s and ’70s: Minibike heaven

If you’re of a certain age, you remember. And if you’re a bit greener than that, you’ve probably heard a Boomer or three wax endlessly about it. But either way, the ’60s and ’70s were banner decades for minibikes and their rise to prominence, whether tubeframed Tecumsehs or high-fendered Hondas. Has there ever been a more powerful freedom machine in a 10- or 12-year-old’s life than a minibike in the garage and miles of woods and trails nearby to explore? We’d wager there has not. So enjoy these images from the days when CT70s, Gauchos, Roadsters and Trailhoppers were the talk of the neighborhood. — Mitch

Boehm

Ride your own way.

There are many things about riding that are dictated by habit. How you twist the throttle, how far you lean and where you go is up to you. The only thing that matters, is that you ride to get there.