American Motorcyclist June 2022 by American Motorcyclist Association

WHERE R WORLD MEETS YOURS.

2021 RWORLD LOGO

2 0 2 2 Y Z F® - R 7

YamahaMotorsports.com

A new generation Supersport for the next generation of rider. The all-new YZF-R7 combines Yamaha’s legendary styling with an ultra-thin and lightweight chassis and an advanced CP2 engine that provides torquey performance on both the track and the street.

Professional riders on a closed course. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, riding jacket or long sleeve shirt, long pants, gloves and boots. Some models shown are modified to a racing specification and intended for closed course circuit use only. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, call 1-800-446-9227. ©2021 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

J U N E

2 0 2 2

V O L U M E

7 6 ,

N U M B E R

6 PERSPECTIVES Editor Mitch Boehm on project procrastination

50 HURTS SO GOOD Whitney Meza’s crazy cross-country run…in the winter

10 AMA INSIDER AMA COO James Holter on trials riding

56 FLAT TRACK GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW All the info you need about the 2022 Championship

12 ISDE INSIDER Reigning Women’s Trophy Team ISDE champion Rachel Gutish on “getting the call” 16 BACK IN THE DAY Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear! 18 PARTIALLY-AUTOMATED PERIL Semi-automated vehicles and the danger they pose to motorcyclists 28 MALCOLM’S MOMENTS Learning about life & motorcycling at Mott’s Cycles 30 COVER STORY: CARLSBAD — THEN AND NOW The most notorious motocross venue in America is gone, but remains powerfully emotional

70 AMA GARAGE Tips, tweaks, fixes and facts: The motorcycle ownership experience, explained 74 LAST PAGE JWRP Mini Elsinore: The meanest mini ever? ON THE COVER: Carlsbad Raceway, the most notorious motocross circuit in American history, hosted the U.S. Grand Prix from 1973 to 1986, and pushed the sport to new heights during those decades. The track is gone now, but walking through the dusty canyon that remains today is a powerful experience. Epic photo by David Dewhurst.

Americanmotorcyclist.com Published by the American Motorcyclist Association

COMMUNICATIONS AND EDITORIAL

AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mitch Boehm Editorial Director Todd Westover Creative Director Joy Burgess Managing Editor Kali Kotoski Editor-at-Large Keaton Maisano Communications Associate Chad Fulton Graphic Designer Alice Sexton Graphic Designer Eliza Mertz Digital Content Manager submissions@ama-cycle.org

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. Byron Snider Assistant Treasurer Newbury Park, Calif. Jerry Abboud Executive Committee Member Thornton, Colo. Brad Baumert Louisville, Ky.

Steve Gotoski Director of Industry Relations and Business Memberships (951) 491-1910, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org Forrest Hayashi Advertising Manager (562) 766-9061, fhayashi@ama-cycle.org Lynette Cox Marketing Manager (614) 856-1900, ext. 1223, lcox@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.

Hub Brennan E. Greenwich, R.I. Christopher Cox Florence, S.C. Mark Hosbach Franklin, Tenn.

Robert Pearce Amherst, Ohio Tom Umphress Jordan, Minn. Faisel Zaman Dallas, Texas

(800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) (614) 856-1900 AmericanMotorcyclist.com @AmericanMotorcyclist @ama_riding

AMA STAFF EXECUTIVE

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

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

Michael Sayre Director of Government Relations Nick Haris Western States Representative Tiffany Cipoletti Government Relations Manager, On-Highway Peter Stockus Government Relations Manager, Off-Highway Erin Reda Grassroots Coordinator

RACING AND ORGANIZER SERVICES Mike Pelletier Director of Racing Bill Cumbow Director of International Competition Michael Burkeen Deputy Director of Racing Erek Kudla Off-Road Racing Manager Ken Saillant Track Racing Manager Alexandria Reasoner Program Manager Connie Fleming Sanctioned Activity Coordinator Olivia Davis Sanctioned Activity Coordinator Bob Davis Sanctioned Activity Coordinator Holly Bennett Sanctioned Activity Coordinator

MUSEUM Daniel Clepper Collections Manager Paula Schremser Program Specialist Ricky Shultz Clerk Kobe Stone Museum Clerk

ACCOUNTING Karen Esposito Accounting Manager

MARKETING AND MEMBER SERVICES Amanda Donchess Director of Membership Marketing and Services Lauren Kropf Marketing and Advertising Coordinator Tiffany Pound Member Services Manager Joe Bromley Program Development Manager Pam Albright Member Fulfillment Coordinator Stephanie McCormick Member Services Representative Vickie Park Member Services Representative Charles Moore Member Services Representative Kelly Anders Member Services Representative Carol Vaughan Member Fulfillment Representative Sarah Lockhart Member Services Representative John Bricker Mailroom Manager

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT Shaun Holloway Director of Information Technology Joey Brown Application Developer Ed Madden System Support Specialist Rob Baughman Operations Specialist

American Motorcyclist magazine (ISSN 0277-9358) is published monthly (12 issues) by the American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Copyright by the American Motorcyclist Association/American Motorcyclist 2021. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $19.95 covered in membership dues. Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices. AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

PERSPECTIVES

Project Procrastination BY MITCH BOEHM

e got our typical midApril snow here in Salt Lake City the other day, but the weather here is finally changing. And as I spend more and more time in my now-semiorganized garage, a lot of halffinished (or half-baked) projects drift back into focus. I hear those project ghosts at night through the walls, screaming for someone to hear… “Finish me! Finnniiiiish meeeeeeee!” I’m sure a lot of you hear the same type of wailing. A biggie is my trio of minibikes, which have been sitting for a while and have surely developed ugly fuelsystem ailments. There’s a red Honda SL70 just like the one I got back in 1971 for Christmas (my first bike); an original 1973 XR75 just like my second bike (and my first racebike); and a tricked-out, red-framed XR I got from noted XR builder Alex Jud of Whittier, Calif. All three are runners, or were, but the stock XR will likely go into my living room so I can see it on a daily basis. Nothing says early ’70s motocross (to me, anyway) than that first, round-tank XR, and seeing it every day is sure to keep me smiling — and alive — for a while yet. The SL and built XR? They’ll be great as pit bikes and for running around my neighborhood, so getting them running is a priority. I also need to make a decision on my motocross/off-road plans for the season. I have a stock and quite clean Yamaha YZ450F, but I’m considering something a bit less powerful, mostly because I have a tendency to think I’m 17 (and immortal, and made of rubber) again — and that attitude doesn’t mesh well 6

with this soon-to-be-60-year-old bod. A Beta 200RR two-stroke looks mighty tempting, as it melds 125-class weight and manueverability with 250cc four-stroke-level power and, of course, that two-stroke sound and smell. I’m planning to borrow

champion and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer who sadly passed away last year, didn’t ride a blue-and-white GS racer until 1981, a year after the GS was discontinued, so the production GS-S isn’t a replica of anything — except maybe a factory Suzuka 8-Hour

Suzuki’s GS1000S has always been my favorite old-school streetbike, and I’ve owned four of them over the years. But once I saw Larry Pearson’s stunning Cooley-rep custom, I knew I had to have one just like it — and now, with some help from friends, the project is back on track. Goosebumps, right?

one from the Beta folks to see how it all works, and if it works for me, the checkbook will likely come out. The biggie, though, is my customized Suzuki GS1000S, which has been in the works for several years now. That’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but embarrassment is a good motivator. Suzuki’s GS1000S was a limitededition sportbike available for only two years, 1979 and ’80, and I have owned several. The bike’s stunning blue-and-white livery came from Suzuki’s international roadracing efforts, and its sporty cockpit fairing gave it a distinct Euro/café-racer flavor, but for some reason folks call it the “Wes Cooley Replica,” which is a total misnomer. Cooley, a two-time AMA Superbike

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

racebike from the late ’70s. The plan for my GS project is to build a real Wes Cooley replica, which would be a streetbike that mirrors the look of Cooley’s Yoshimura racebike of 1981 — just as my buddy Larry Pearson did with his GS (see photo) several years ago. The blue and white bodywork against the blacked-out engine, wheels and fork legs is simply stunning, and since I already have a good-condition GS-S engine and rolling chassis, and freshly painted blue-and-white bodywork to go on it, I’m halfway there. Just need to listen more closely to those ghosts…and get my ass in gear. Mitch Boehm is the editorial director of the AMA

Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & afﬁliates. Coverage subject to policy terms.

YOUR COWORKER ’S IMPROV SHOW

Protect your escape with Progressive. Progressive knows that the best part of any event is leaving on your bike. That’s why we offer comprehensive and collision coverage for your bike and more. AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST See if you could save by switching to America’s #1 motorcycle insurer.

• JUNE 2022

2022

MEMBER

MONTHLY DRAWINGS • • • • • • •

Liberty Sport Eyewear Nelson Rigg Choice: Cover, Luggage Mimi & Moto Children’s Books Motion Pro: Pro Fill Airchuck Warm & Safe 12V USB Adapter Bohn Armor Skull Cap AMA T-Shirt

Please do not stretch the designs- scale only. Do not reverse colors please. Please use white text on darker backgrounds and black text on lighter backgrounds. Use white design only if design is restricted to 2 colors. (CMYK 0, 0, 0 ,50) if placed in grayscale design. Colors- Black, White and PMS 2191 C - RGB 0 163 225 - HEX/HTML 00A3E1 - CMYK 82 11 0 0

QUARTERLY DRAWINGS • Bohn Armor Pant & Shirt Set • Motool Slacker & Street Kit

Members who join or renew their AMA membership from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022 are automatically entered to win one of these awesome motorcycling prizes! No purchase necessary. For complete rules, terms and conditions visit americanmotorcyclist.com/Member-Sweepstakes-Rules

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

SWEEPSTAKES

ANNUAL DRAWINGS • • • • • •

2023 Yamaha YZF-R7 2022 Indian Scout Bobber 60 Butler Maps Master Collection Cardo Systems PACKTALK Bold Aerostich R3 1 Piece Suit SHOEI Helmet of Choice

Don’t let your membership lapse!

AmericanMotorcyclist.com (800) AMA-JOIN AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

INSIDER

A Thinking Rider’s Game J A M E S H O LT E R

ost years in the fall the AMA welcomes chartered club Trials Inc. to our campus, where members lay out eight to 10 trials sections on our nearly 23 acres. The event draws about 100 riders each year, including a few nationalcaliber pilots. In 2021, pros Josh Roper, Sam Fastle, Travis Daniels, Nigel Parker and Seth Vorseth participated. (Results are posted at www.trialsinc.org.) One of the very non-pro riders was me. I’ve ridden trials bikes, and a trials event once before. I’ve learned a little, mostly what I don’t know. I have learned one very important lesson, summed up by Michael Jolly, who I rode with at this year’s AMA trials. “Trials is the golf of motorsports,” Mike said. “It’s a thinking rider’s game.” Just as playing a round of golf is different than going to the driving range, competing in a trials event is different than riding a trials bike on gnarly terrain. I don’t golf, but people who do tell me that whacking a ball as far as possible isn’t always the best strategy. Sometimes, a shorter drive, or one that leaves a particular lie, is preferred to set up the next shot. Likewise, a trials section, like a golf hole, must be observed, digested and solved as a singular problem, not a series of individual ones. This is the difference between screwing around on a trials bike and competing in a trials event. Many a would-be trials rider can carve some tight figure-eights, ascend a rocky bank and hop a greasy log with ease, but throw in some “gates” and they stumble. Or dab. 10

All this was explained to me by trials expert Brad Baumert (who also was my “sponsor” for the day because he loaned me a bike, which you can read more about on our website). A Trials Inc. event has six skill classifications: Novice, Intermediate, Sportsman, Advanced, Expert and Champ. Each event includes multiple trips, or loops, around a designated course. Each course has multiple sections, and each section includes different routes, of varying difficulty, for each skill level to follow. These routes are identified using paper tags (gates). The tags are applied in adjacent pairs to trees, rocks, etc., and you have to ride between them. You can only ride through the gates for your class. So, if you’re in the Intermediate class, you can’t ride through a gate tagged for just Novices, even if doing so would set you up better for the next Intermediate gate. You also can’t go backward or re-cross your line. You have to navigate this without dabbing your feet or stalling your bike. Sections are three-dimensional puzzles. Additional loops aren’t always easier. The puzzle does change. Traction is different, logs and rocks move. A trials course is not just a conundrum, but an evolving one. I couldn’t have had a better advisor. Baumert is the former CEO of the North American Trials Council, has won a Friend of the AMA Award, sits on an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Selection Committee and is a member-elected representative on the AMA Board of Directors. A member of Trials Inc., Brad was the brains behind bringing a trials event to the AMA campus for the first time

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

The author and his sponsor, Brad Baumert.

several years ago. He is a prolific promoter of the motorcycle lifestyle, an incredibly nice guy and one of the most important motorcyclists I know. Between Brad, his brother Phil Baumert’s pre-ride tips, and Mike Jolly, I was set up to do fine. I did do okay, for a beginner. I cleaned the first of four loops, not dropping any penalty points, which made my co-rider Mike a little nervous because he dropped one. Mike made a comeback, though, tallying just two more. I regressed and dropped nine — eight on the fourth section alone. So Mike beat me, but he did teach me a couple things about trials along the way. More important, he also triumphed in the Intermediate class, taking home first-place. Clearly, Mike needs to be bumped up to Sportsman next year. What do you say, Brad? James Holter is a Charter Life Member and the AMA’s chief operating officer.

SAFE FOR USE IN ALL MOTORCYCLES

Maxima 4-stroke engine oils meet or exceed the requirements set forth in your motorcycle owners manual. For use in all motorcycle brands: Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas and more. AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST Guaranteed by Maxima Racing Oils / Made in the USA / MaximaUSA.com

• JUNE 2022

ISDE INSIDER

Getting the Call RACHEL GUTISH

my bike on a slippery mountain slope in the rain, with what I thought was a broken leg, knowing that I had 90 more miles to survive if I wanted to finish and not be a disappointment to my team and country. While ISDE Germany was incredibly difficult and largely pure misery, it didn’t scare me away. So here I am, 10 years later, preparing for what will (hopefully) be my seventh ISDE. And as I did back then, I nervously await The Call.

Given my performance last year, it’s safe to say that if I recover as expected, I’ll be on the team…but the LOI is still no guarantee. The only peace of mind it gives is knowledge that the selection committee is at least considering you. Enough Trophy riders have signed LOIs that we can field all three Trophy Teams for this year’s event in France, though it was harder than usual due to French COVID-19

PHOTOS: SHAN MOORE

ust competing in the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) is the thrill of a lifetime. But actually winning it, as Brandy Richards, Britney Gallegos and I did last year? It’s difficult to even describe, and unless you’ve been there, even harder to understand. The ISDE is more familiar to the U.S. motorcycle community now than at any time since On Any Sunday was playing in theatres, yet few know how much goes into the event — or what it takes to make the team. And I’m not talking about the army of worker-volunteers who spend their vacation time supporting the team; the endless miles spent walking track sections; the grueling hours on the bike; or even the challenge of navigating narrow mountain roads with a standard-transmission van and no comprehension of the native language. I’ll get to all that eventually in these pages over the next few months as I share the process of preparing for the 2022 ISDE in as close to real time as possible. The twist to all this is that I’m actually not on the 2022 team yet, as I’m recovering from major elbow surgery. So the coming months should be interesting to say the least. Will I get The Call (a phone call from an AMA representative) as I did last year? Hard to know. I first raced the ISDE in 2012, at age 16. I remember answering the phone and hearing Jay Hall offer me a spot on the team like it happened yesterday. I got a jolt of adrenaline like I was already racing, and spent the next few months giddy with excitement. I also remember Day Three like it was yesterday. Trying to pick up

Rachel Gutish, who is currently riding for the Bonanza Plumbing/GasGas/Spyke’s/RG racing team, pictured here at her very first ISDE in 2012 when she was just 16 years old.

If you’re a top Club rider, getting selected is a formality, not a surprise. The selection rules are clear; if you finish in the top seven in the AMA East or West Qualifier series points, you will get The Call. Four more riders from the combined series points are selected as “wild cards,” and for riders on the bubble, just a spot or two outside the magic numbers, it’s nerve-wracking. Quite often, someone ahead in line will turn down the spot or get hurt. Or not. Either way, it’s a roller-coaster of stress and hope. While I haven’t gotten The Call yet, I am on the short list. In early March, our team manager asked me to sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) form. The LOI is an agreement to comply with AMA and FIM rules, plus the host country’s regulations. It is also a commitment that, if I am selected, I will attend.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

restrictions. Now comes the tricky logistics of getting 31 riders, their bikes and all the support staff to France one week before the event, but we’ll cover that later. As for me, I’m writing this piece one week out of surgery, and 15 minutes out of my most recent PT session. Once I finish writing I’m headed to the stationary bicycle. And that’s what my next month or so will look like: doing everything possible to be ready to race once I’m fully healed. Many of the other riders are out actually racing. But either way, all that’s left to do is anxiously await The Call. Rachel Gutish is an AMA GNCC racer and has represented team USA at the ISDE six times.

AMAGear.com New designs. Made in the U.S.A.

BACKFIRE S CRINGE-WORTHY, INDEED Having been involved in the automotive business for 37 years and the last four in safety technology, Ms. Burgess is correct in her concerns regarding this technology. Regardless of what the automotive manufacturer’s claim, this technology is not well proven with regards to motorcycles. I have recently been field testing these systems in the real world. Being a motorcyclist myself, I have purposely searched out motorcycles where the conditions are safe for the motorcyclist and can report the systems are lacking. The side detect systems will detect a motorcycle about 75% of the time. The front detect systems detect a motorcycle about 25% of the time. Remember, these are typically under ideal conditions. Less-than-ideal, and the numbers drop. Again, Ms. Burgess’ concern that these systems will lure automobile drivers into paying less attention is correct. I am not saying that at some point these systems may not be made more reliable in detecting motorcycles, but at this time they are far from it, and as a motorcyclist myself, that concerns me. Brian Urbach AMA Life Member A large and hearty thank you to Joy Burgess for her recent piece on distracted driving and the media’s assistance in encouraging such behavior. I hadn’t given much thought to the Taco Truck commercial, but the first time I saw the We Will Rock You ad I was, as another well-known rock tune says, Thunder Struck! It’s bad enough we have umpteen things vying for our attention behind the wheel, but the auto industry cheering such bad behavior on is even worse. I am a firm believer in “help” technology, but when you apply it to a seemingly perpetually distracted 14

younger crowd, then who is really behind the wheel? I’m also a bit surprised the insurance industry hasn’t jumped in with both feet here, as they’re the ones who’ll be paying out bigger settlements — and jacking up rates to compensate. If FB, email, text, makeup or any of the other many distractions are too much to resist, then please, for the love of humanity, use Uber, Lyft, Taxi, or take the bus. Anything but put your distracted butt behind the wheel of a multithousand-pound death machine. Norm Spafard I’ve just read Joy Burgess’s Cringe-Worthy column in the April issue and, although I’ve not seen either of the commercials she mentioned, I fully agree with her statement, “I can’t help but think all this new technology is just a bandaid for distracted driving,” in addition to the statements that followed. It was so refreshing to notice zero cell phone usage while on a weeklong motorcycling trip to the Alps a few years ago, where obviously Europeans actually take driving seriously. The reality of travel in the U.S. was depressingly crushing as soon as I left the airport upon returning home. John Weicht Charter Life Member # 639374 THE JOY OF JOY Thanks to Joy Burgess for her two excellent articles in the April 2022 issue! She addressed the elephant in the room with her insight on “Cringe-Worthy Commercials.” It’s no surprise younger and/or newer riders have so much fear trepidation about riding on public roads. Many times in the last few years I’ve considered giving up street riding. A few years back I even took an off-road class

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

LETTER OF THE MONTH

MORE CRINGIE-NESS oy Burgess’ Cringe-Worthy Commercials column was absolutely spot on. Hand-held cell phone use is literally out of control; it’s the pandemic nobody wants to talk about. It’s also the reason I ride with a GoPro rolling whenever I’m on my bike. It’s not uncommon for me to video 75 to 100 people an hour worshiping that Apple iGod glued to their palms. I’ve written every elected official in the State of Florida, all to no avail. The saddest part is that most do so in a vehicle that has Bluetooth or Apple Car Play or Android Auto built into their car. They simply refuse to use the technology. So called “self driving” technology is not the answer. Addiction counseling, along with much tougher penalties, are a good start. Thank you for sharing this and please keep articles like this coming. This affects every motorcyclist on the road, no matter where you live. R. Hendrick AMA Member 5082391

Letters to the editor are the opinions of the AMA members who write them. Inclusion here does not imply they reflect the positions of the AMA, its staff or board. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. Send letters to submissions@ama-cycle.org or mail to American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.

to see if I would like that better, but I think my mid sixty-year-old body may object to the rigors of that sport. I also read with great interest her articles on Moto GP Medics and the AMA Supercross Medic Rig. It was great to hear firsthand the experiences from these medical students and the training they’re experiencing. It was also an eyeopener to read how much trackside care has advanced, and the dedication to that care by many who have been around for some time. Keep up the great work! The magazine is just awesome, and I enjoy reading about all varieties of our sport even if I’m only a street rider. The off-road riding will have to wait until my next reincarnation, I guess. Patti Blaskovic Kirtland, Ohio LANE SHARING As a second-generation native Valley dude who’s been fortunate to have lived in Southern California for most of my life, and who has

been on two wheels longer than I can remember, I’d like to let people know that the “California Model” mentioned in the April issue’s Up To Speed piece has been in place for decades, silently supported by CHP so their air-cooled Harleys wouldn’t overheat sitting still. While it has just been recently codified by the CHP and DMV, we have enjoyed the benefits for a long time. I read with interest about the efforts in other states. Education is key. California drivers expect us to “split/ share/filter.” CalTrans has helped as well with some of its “generous” (more room) striping. Meanwhile, while traveling back east last summer and coming across accident/ construction backups, nobody “opened their doors” on me as I used my 40-plus years of California training to get out of their way. Call it whatever you want, but States need to look and see decades of success based on common sense and, since the CHP and DMV spoke up, public education. Tim Hansen Member #389628

I’ve never heard of an organization that wants to see its members with broken legs, brain injuries or just dead. I have been riding and commuting in NYC for years, and have never been hit from behind. If you ride correctly and defensively, and check your mirrors (and modify your turn signals to have them blink with the brake light to alert drivers behind you), you will not get hit from behind. But when you lane split, all it takes is for a vehicle to suddenly change lanes, and then you’re down. Jayson Levitz Well, there it is! Total factual evidence! “It hasn’t happened to me, so it won’t happen to you!” Most folks have never been hit from behind, but it does happen, and it ain’t pretty. If you’re willing to trust other drivers with smartphones and touch screens and increasing inattention, feel free. Lane sharing is a choice, and you are free to choose not to. Just don’t force us to do the same. —Ed.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

BA CK IN TH E D A Y

Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear!

his is me riding my beloved 1981 Bultaco Sherpa T 350…one of the best bikes I’ve ever owned. My first several paychecks after college were endorsed to the local Bultaco dealership. The thing was bulletproof despite my best (or

worst) efforts to break or disable it. Several times it drowned during unsuccessful river/stream crossings. SOP was to remove the spark plug, turn the bike upside down, handcrank the kickstarter a few times to drain the water out of the cylinder, reinstall the plug and kick it back into action. (Two or three good kicks would do the job.) Never failed! Oh, Back In The Day! —Ed Juranovic

In 1970 there was no better way to keep teenage boys out of trouble than to buy them all motorcycles. Pictured are my brother William with a Honda CB160, brother Danny with a Kawasaki 100, Dad (George) on a Honda 50 moped and myself (Scott) on a Yamaha 60 Mini Enduro. Taking the picture was my Mom (Irene) who also had a Honda 50 moped. —Scott Marek This is my grandmother Irene Lyon in either the late ’40s or early ’50s. She rode her own! No one can recall what she was riding, though. And no, the Moby Grape song Motorcycle Irene was not about her! —Dennis Lyon Christmas 1969. Pictured is me at 5 years old, sitting on my new “Sprout Green” Honda QA50. In the other image it’s me on the left and my brother Ron showing off his donut skills. Our grandparents were not happy we were tearing up their driveway! —Bill Smith

Submit your Back in the Day photos and stories to submissions@ama-cycle.org. Feel free to expound! Hi-rez images are preferred!

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

I raced Pro-Am flat track in the 1980s. My two daughters and I would travel every weekend to races around Ohio. We met so many amazing folks along the way and often traveled with them. Twice our group trekked to Virginia where the Pro-Am Nationals were held. I came from a motorcycle family, so it was only natural that my daughters gravitated to the races. I started out racing at Buckeye Lake when the ice was thick enough, and remember attaching hoses to my van and blowing out warm air so my engine would stay warm in between heats. Brrrrr. Those were the best times of our lives (and the kids both told me that!). Aww, to be young(er) again. —Judy McClelland This was taken sometime in the summer of 1973, just after I (center) had gotten my motorcycle license (which I actually had before my automobile driver license!). Left to right is Paul Sr. on his CL350, me on my CL175, and little brother Mike on his SL70. Paul Sr. is in his 80s now and no longer rides, but Mike and I, both in our 60s, still do. —Paul Vona Jr.

This is me on my super cool 1974 Honda MR50. Photo was taken in ’74 or ’75 in upstate N.Y. I was rockin’ red leather Bates pants! They looked good back then but I doubt I could pull off red leather pants these days… — Jeff Seymour

The first picture is me back in 1952 at 17 years old with my 1948 HarleyDavidson FL. The second photo is also me, 70 years later in 2022. I’m 87 years old and I’m pictured with my 2017 Can-Am Spyder R/T. —John Blackstock.

I didn’t get a picture of my first scooter, a 1954 Allstate. I gave $75 for it and got $125 for it on trade on this new 1962 Cushman when I was 12. I bought these with money I earned delivering newspapers. The following year I traded for a new Super Silver Eagle, then a ’64 HarleyDavidson 175. And so it went until 85 two-wheelers later, and now at 72 I’m still riding…and thankfully not delivering papers. —Steve Kruger

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

up t o spe e d

News, notes, insight and more from the motorcycling universe

LEGISLATION UPDATE

PartiallyAutomated Peril Semi-automated vehicles and the danger they and their drivers pose to motorcyclists

B Y M I C H A E L S AY R E , A M A G O V E R N M E N T R E L AT I O N S D I R E C T O R

t may sound like science fiction, but in a not-toodistant future it is possible that self-driving technology will make human drivers and motorcyclists a needless complication on the nation’s road, at least in the eyes of automation’s true zealots. While it’s hard to imagine a world in which drivers are replaced by artificial intelligence, that future might be closer than we think. The Michigan Senate recently passed S.B. 706, which would allow the Michigan Department of Transportation to designate “Automated Vehicle Roadways” and prohibit all other types of vehicles from using those roads. Even if this egregious bill becomes law, it will likely be years before motorcyclists and other

non-automated vehicles in Michigan see themselves barred from certain roads. Still, the bill serves as a barometer of where things could be heading. But there are tech-based threats to motorcyclists today that hit much closer to home, ones already out on the mean streets and available at any car dealership in the country. These are the semi-autonomous or partiallyautonomous vehicles. The limitations of partially- or semi-autonomous vehicles are poorly understood by the public and owners alike. The confusion often stems from deliberate marketing hype overpromising the vehicles’ autonomous potential, their features, and the myriad names and terms manufacturers use for

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

the technology. Claims that sound too good to be true, like self-driving, fully autonomous, etc., should be an immediate red flag. To clear up any misunderstandings, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has defined six levels of automation in vehicles, a range that starts at zero and ends at six. Zero designates a vehicle that needs full human control, while six means fully automated, with only a passenger needed to input destination information. Vehicles currently marketed as “self-driving” are rated at a level two, a far cry from the six maximum. Features that position them in level-two territory would be lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control systems working in tandem to control both the speed and

lane position of the vehicle. There are three big problems with this particular level of automation, which automakers, regulators and road safety advocates are only now starting to address. The biggest is that research shows that features like forward-collision warning systems, blind-spot monitoring systems and similar technology have trouble detecting motorcyclists. The second problem is that these systems, when activated, work in concert to raise the risk of taking a driver away from the physical task of actual driving. This is a major concern, of course, as we know distracted driving kills far too many Americans. The third problem is the public’s woeful understanding of technology’s limitations, which exacerbates the first two problems. You simply can’t escape the fact that this type of “self driving” technology contributes to drivers paying less attention to the job at hand. While automakers insist that drivers need to pay full attention while in the driver’s seat, we know from countless examples on YouTube and elsewhere that drivers recklessly or deliberately ignore the stipulation. You can find examples of folks reading, watching videos, playing games, texting — and even sleeping! Additionally, lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control in level two vehicles are far from perfect, despite the marketing pap. One example of this, which actually resulted in a deadly Tesla crash in 2018, was when the driver had engaged the Autopilot feature and began playing a game on his phone, only for the car to steer into a median, likely following old lane markings that hadn’t been fully removed, leading to a crash that killed the driver. Or, a pedestrian crossing in an urban environment, which the vehicle fails to register…not to mention vehicles stopped on the side of the road or the flashing lights of

emergency vehicles. If a driver is paying attention already, fine and dandy. But if not, seconds matter and distraction can lead to serious injury or fatalities. A car that does “most” of the driving yet can’t adequately detect motorcyclists, among other road conditions, creates a recipe for disaster. In essence, it creates a distracted-driving environment with a system that encourages complacency. It turns it from “sorry, I didn’t see the motorcycle” to “sorry, my car didn’t see the motorcycle,” with moral obligations thrown out the window. Thankfully, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg acknowledged the dangers of misleading “self-driving” marketing when the AMA raised the issue in a recent meeting. Concerns over drivers misusing these systems, or even the rationale for why they exist, has reached a crescendo.

prove they can perform safely around motorcyclists. The current crop of driver assistance systems will serve as the technological foundation for higher level automation, so it is incredibly important manufacturers get it correct now to protect motorcyclists in the future. A positive move in this respect is that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes provisions for the NHTSA to develop standards for crash avoidance technology (like automatic emergency braking) that are critical in automated vehicles. Once developed, the standards will eventually require automakers to verify that their vehicles can safely interact with all road users, including motorcyclists. Unfortunately, when NHTSA revealed its proposal to update the New Car Assessment Program, the regulator acknowledged the need for this kind of testing – but declined to include it in the program. It’s doubtful we’ll see automakers stop misinforming consumers with hype of the “latest and greatest”

A car that does “most” of the driving yet can’t adequately detect motorcyclists, among other road conditions, creates a recipe for disaster. “Partial automation systems may make long drives seem like less of a burden,” said the President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently, “but there is no evidence that they make driving safer. In fact, the opposite may be the case if systems lack adequate safeguards.” The AMA and IIHS have not often seen eye-to-eye on motorcycling, but on this we vehemently agree. More must be done to make these vehicles safe for all road users. Of course, the question remains: Does the current technology even adequately detect or respond to a motorcyclist on the road? Data to answer that question has not been forthcoming and the AMA has been leading the charge in demanding that driver assistance features

technologies, such as plainly deceptive names like Tesla’s “Autopilot” being a primary example. But strict regulations that require these technologies to accurately identify motorcycles is a long-overdue step in the right direction. The old adage of “assume every driver doesn’t see you” still applies. Just add, “and their car doesn’t see you, either.” And if you are purchasing a vehicle with this technology, learn exactly what it can and cannot do, the same way you do with your motorcycle. The AMA’s fight to ensure safety of this technology is more critical now than ever. Subscribe to the AMA’s Action Alerts at AmericanMotorcyclist. com/subscribe-rights to stay informed.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

u p t o s p eed

Kudalski Reunited with #49 44 years after he last raced it, Don “Killer” Kudalski links up with his 1978 factory Harley-Davidson MX250 at Daytona BY KEITH GEISNER

nce I discovered several years ago that the barn-find Harley-Davidson MX250 motocrosser I bought on Craigslist was an actual Harley team factory bike ridden and raced by Don Kudalski during 1978, I constantly imagined during the mild restoration process how cool it would be to reunite Don with the bike once it was finished. A plan began to take shape… Well, it took six long years, but it finally happened at

KEITH GEISNER

Don Kudalski (right) with Bill Davidson and #49 at Daytona in March.

to add #49 (Don’s factory H-D bike) to my list of items to take with me to Daytona and unite Don with his old factory ride. On the Sunday leading up to the race, Mason, Don and I met at the North Florida MX track for practice. I brought along my modified Honda XR200R for Don to ride. Koleman Gerencer and his crew also joined us. We had #49 on display, and Don spent most of his time telling stories and signing autographs. Race-day started off with a rain delay, which gave me time to set up #49 next to Mason’s trailer. Just before practice none other than Bill Davidson — son of Willie G. — comes walking into our pits. I’m not sure who was more surprised, Bill or Don! It was 44 years earlier that Bill was at the Daytona AMA Supercross watching Don race for team Harley-Davidson. Everyone gathered to get photos with Bill and to tell their stories on H-D motocross. I found it fitting to have Bill present as Don signed the gas tank on #49. Bill then proceeded to sign a copy of my book, Finding #49, for Don. During intermission, Pete Noneman from the Legends and Heroes Tour and announcer Megawatt honored Don with an award recognizing his many accomplishments in the sport in front of family and friends. All in all, it was a thoroughly satisfying day of racing and camaraderie, which is the best part of the vintage community. “Hanging out with the guys and being reunited with my old Harley motocrosser at Daytona was just fantastic,” said Kudalski. “The memories I have of my racing years are wonderful and being back in that environment brought me right back. Thanks to Keith and Mason for the opportunity, and to Pete and the Legends and Heroes Tour, too!” Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together?

Daytona this March when Don joined me and vintage racer and Harley motocross enthusiast Mason Boyd at the Daytona VMX races. Mason had invited me to Florida for this year’s Bike Week vintage races at the Speedway, and to race his hybrid MX250 while there, and as we brainstormed the effort prior to March we figured we’d call ourselves Team Harley-Davidson during the weekend — a point emphasized by Mason’s custom-painted enclosed race trailer that looks just like the 1975 Harley-Davison team box van. Of course, once we let Don know of our plans, he agreed to join us as team manager, which prompted me 20

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Colorado 500 Approaches 46th Ride

or nearly half a century, the Colorado 500 — which includes both street and offroad versions — has established itself as one of the best invitational charity rides in the country, setting

out annually to navigate some of Colorado’s best roads and trails. The rides — for lovers of dirt, street and adventure bikes — can be traced back to the ’70s when AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Wally

Dallenbach, Sherm Cooper and a few others rode some of Colorado’s backcountry trails. These days, the ride explores the areas around Crested Butte, Colo. — where the ride starts — and Ouray, Colo. With a large emphasis on supporting local schools, students, trails and more, the Colorado 500 has established a Charity Fund and a Scholarship Fund — which has donated 113 scholarships to Basalt High School students. “The 500 is known not only to support everyone — the riders, kids and other needy organizations — but it changes people’s lives,” said Janet Lohman, president and executive director of the Colorado 500. “We just embrace people like our scholarship recipients as family. It just changes people.” New riders looking to participate must be nominated by a veteran rider before they can be approved. The 2022 Colorado 500 takes place Aug. 21-26. —Keaton Maisano

THE RIGHT TOOLS Measure And Easily Dispense Your Fluids With One Convenient Funnel

NEW

Pro Funnel

™

Top cover keeps dust and dirt out when not in use

Part No. 08-0747

@motionpro

@motionprofans

@motionpro84

Adjustable ball-pivot spout allows easy, spill-free filling

Integrated shutoff valve allows precise amount of liquid to be dispensed

I nnovatIve t ools

and

Magnet allows funnel to be stored conveniently on the side of your tool box

P roducts t hat h elP Y ou M aIntaIn

and

r ePaIr M otorcYcles , atv s

and

utv s

Find your local dealer at MOTIONPRO.COM

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

u p t o s p eed

Harley-Davidson 2022 Nightster The next chapter in Milwaukee’s Sportster legacy

hen Harley-Davidson unveiled the new-generation Sportster S last year with its new Revolution Max 1250 powertrain, enthusiasts applauded at seeing a high-revving and high-performance cruiser come out of the Milwaukee stable. Now, adding to Harley’s desire to write another new chapter in the Sportster legacy and be a viable option for first-time or budget-minded buyers, the company has released the 2022 Nightster. The Nightster melds the look of the classic Sportster silhouette with the performance of Milwaukee’s new Revolution Max 975T, not to be confused with the 1250 version currently powering the aforementioned Sportster S and Pan America adventure bike. The 975 engine offers a more compact package as well as a more reasonable price point while still harnessing the power of a thoroughly modern, liquid-cooled V-twin. “The Nightster is an instrument of expression and exploration, underpinned by performance” said Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson Jochen Zeitz. “By building on the 65-year Sportster legacy, the Nightster provides a canvas for creativity and personalization, offering the ultimate platform for customization and expression for new and existing riders.” 22

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Claiming to deliver 90 hp and 70 ft. lbs. of torque, the 975T has a torque curve that stays relatively flat throughout its broad powerband for strong acceleration and robust mid-range. One design element that harkens back to another legendary power cruiser called the Yamaha V-Max is the below-seat placement of the fuel tank, with the traditional tank space serving as an airbox — a design that blesses the bike with a lower center of mass for more stability at speed and improved handling. The Revolution Max 975T engine, like the 1250, is a structural component of the Nightster’s chassis, with a tail section built from lightweight aluminum. The swingarm, formed of welded rectangular-steel stock, looks a mile long, and mounts beefy dual shocks dramatically way out at the very end. It comes with all the high-tech gadgets Harley has incorporated of late, such as selectable ride modes, ABS, traction control and a drag-torque slip control system. The Nightster will have hit dealerships globally by the time you read this with a base price of $13,499. That’s a far cry from the $3,995 price of the 1985 883 Sporty (another lifetime, we know), but there is a lot here for the money. Get yourself to Harley-Davidson.com for the entire scoop.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

BY KALI KOTOSKI

Royal Enfield Named Presenting Sponsor of 2022 AMA VMD R

oyal Enfield, a motorcycle manufacturer with a history dating back more than 120 years, was recently announced as the Presenting Sponsor of 2022 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, which takes place July 22-24 at the MidOhio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. “Last year was Royal Enfield’s first time at Vintage Motorcycle Days,” said Royal Enfield’s Marketing Lead for the Americas Region Bree Poland, “and we couldn’t have been more pleased with the excitement from event-goers. There was no way we could miss out again! We look forward to being back at VMD with even more to offer and show everyone, and we will of course be bringing the All-New Classic 350 along for the ride.”

In 2021, Royal Enfield celebrated “120 years of pure motorcycling,” and the brand continues to stay true to its vintage roots with bikes like the All-New Classic 350, which honors

the timeless design of the post-war G2 model that was first born in the 1950s. “Royal Enfield’s substantial history, along with the truly authentic retro look and feel of their motorcycles, have combined in a powerful way over the last decade or two,” said AMA Editorial Director Mitch Boehm, “and that makes them an excellent partner for our 2022 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days event. VMD attracts diehard enthusiasts from across the country and the world, folks who love both old bikes and new ones. Royal Enfield recognizes that, which makes them a perfect fit as our presenting sponsor.” Stay up to date on the latest AMA VMD information at vintagemotorcycledays.com.

NEW N20141

N20140

.com onalcycle www.nati e rt s sh ie ld E xp # T h e W in d

for the 2022 KLR650

N20139

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

u p t o s p eed

RIGHTS Roundup What’s trending in government relations and legislative affairs

BY KALI KOTOSKI

AMA Opposes Summertime E15 Waiver

he AMA strongly opposes the emergency waiver to allow summertime sales of E15 recently announced by the Biden administration, along with any attempt to weaken the already inadequate labeling standards at the pump that puts motorcyclists at risk of misfuelling.

None of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and ATVs in use in this country is certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to use fuel containing more than 10 percent ethanol by volume. E15, which contains 15 percent ethanol, is in fact illegal to use in motorcycles, boat engines, lawn mowers, chainsaws and other outdoor power equipment products. “E15 has been shown to damage 24

carbureted and fuel-injected motorcycles, reduce gas mileage and decrease shelf life of the gasoline,” said AMA Director of Government Relations Michael Sayre. “The fact that it is illegal to use in motorcycles, and that clear labeling at the pump is not required, poses a significant risk for misfuelling.” A similar Trump-era EPA waiver in 2018 that allowed for year-round sales of E15 was challenged in court by the AMA and the American Petroleum Institute (API). A threejudge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit determined that the waiver misinterpreted the Clean Air Act, and the waiver was struck down. E15 sales are traditionally barred between June 1 and September 15 due to the blends’ higher volatility, which contributes to smog in the warmer months. In California, the use of E15 has long been banned due to environmental concerns, said a spokesperson for the California Air Resources Board. He added that an ongoing study will eventually make a final determination on E15’s impact on the environment and if the fuel will remain banned. According to the White House, the EPA will also consider working with states to expand E15 availability and modifying labeling at the fuel pump. The AMA greatly opposes modifying labels at the pump that could potentially misinform customers. The AMA instead advocates for stronger labeling at the pump to make the potential dangers of E15 clear and concise. The inadequacy of labeling is perhaps best exemplified in the increased availability of Unleaded 88, a fuel that contains 15 percent ethanol and is deliberately mislabeled. In lieu of proper labeling, the AMA continuously spreads awareness to members about the potential damage E15 can cause.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

The EPA has acknowledged the growing scientific consensus that ethanol-blended fuels are worse for the environment than non-ethanol fuels, and economists and analysts doubt the waiver will have any measurable impact on lowering prices at the pump despite the Biden administration’s claim that it will reduce prices by 10 cents. Learn more at https://www. votervoice.net/Motorcyclist/ campaigns/94109/respond.

Ice Riding Returning to Hoit Road Marsh?

or the last 40 years, Hoit Road Marsh near Concord, N.H. has been a paradise for ice riders, the sport frozen solidly in the Granite State’s motorcycle identity. That was until 2019 when a last-minute, one-line amendment was slipped unannounced into the state’s budget bill that banned motorcycle access, citing noise complaints by nearby property owners. The amendment was also supported by a former city employee, then the Mayor of Concord, and slipped in by a State Senator, Senate testimony shows. Since then, advocates have been working hard to gain support to overturn the restriction, including reaching out to the AMA. Some supporters have signed on merely

because the amendment was done literally in the dark of night and Alpinestars,SIDI, Gaerne, Fox and more! without civic engagement. As of press time, H.B. 571 appears ALSO FACTORY RESOLE OF TECH 3, 7, & 10 BOOTS to have the best shot at fixing the FREE Return Shipping wrong. It has already passed out of the House and the Senate and is on its way to Gov. Chris Sununu, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without his signature. Despite ice-riding opponents not only citing noise as a primary problem for residents, an opinion not www.mxbootrepair.com universally shared, they tried to claim in a recent Senate hearing that the noise could harm the well-being of BC_047460_DRI0416P.indd 1/11/16 Anthony's benefit logo.indd 1 1 7/28/16 fish. Fish and wildlife officials from New Hampshire have testified that they have no scientific evidence of potential fish abuse, see nothing illegal with ice racing, and think the two-legged “wildlife” living around the pond face the biggest impact, AS THE PREFERRED REPAIR COMPANY FOR DAINESE, according to local media reports. ALPINESTARS, REV’IT, SPIDI, AVG SPORT AND MITHOS,

WE REPAIR AND RESOLE MOST BRANDS LIKE:

1-949-791-8009

LEATHER

REPAIR

Common sense OHV Law for Maryland

aryland is on the verge of signing responsible and commonsense OHV legislation into law that checks all the right boxes for legislation the AMA supports. The legislation, HB 1143, expands the definition of all-terrain vehicles to include off-highway motorcycles in Allegany and Garrett counties. In addition, it extends the distance all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles can travel on county highways from two to five miles. Under current law, advocates have testified that while people can purchase a permit from the respective counties to ride snowmobiles, ATVs or side-bysides up to two miles, it limits the ability to legally connect to various trail systems. For off-highway motorcycles, it meant that bikes had to be trailered between short distances. The bill swept through both chambers in Maryland with strong bipartisan support and is on its way to Governor Larry Hogan.

ANTHONY’S LEATHERWORKS ENSURES FIT AND FUNCTION FOR ANY TYPE OF LEATHER APPAREL.

ANTHONYSLEATHERWORKS.COM | 949-486-9000 AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTER

Member deals and discounts! americanmotorcyclist.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

3:13 3:04PM P

Riding ROUNDUP

u p t o s p eed

A Reason to Ride espite snow, rain, hail, sleet and temperatures in the 30s for a majority of the daylong, 1,000-mile ride, the riders that participated in the 2022 Iron Knights Iron Butt Ride left the experience with warm hearts and teary eyes.

While shaken from the brutal weather during the ride — which began in Savannah, Ga., traveled up to Kentucky and ended at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, S.C. — the riders were welcomed to the hospital by Alice,

Small Bores and MucH More

he enthusiasm, fun and community that surround the Small Bore Corps bring to mind the old saying… “it’s not what you ride, but how you ride it.” Based in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, the AMA chartered club brings together avid scooterists to ride and share experiences. Seemingly growing with every group ride — which tend to happen a few times a 26

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

a 4-year-old with scoliosis who had spent the last 93 days in the hospital. Alice wanted to be there when the riders arrived to thank them for the money they were raising for the hospital. “She was very articulate,” said Doug Hamsher, who participates in the ride every year. “It was pretty special, and a great experience. I think it touched everyone’s heart a little bit when she was there.” This year marked the 10th running of the Iron Knights Iron Butt Ride — which has raised more than $267,000 for Shriners Hospitals over the years — and the $19,174.71 raised in 2022 went toward the Motion Analysis Center at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville. Those interested in the 2023 ride can email Hamsher at hamsher@ aol.com. —Keaton Maisano

month — the group is open to experienced riders as well as new scooter owners. The Small Bore Corps got started when a small group of scooterists organized a ride and were shocked by the number of riders that showed up. “We were like ‘How about we start up a group?’” said club president Tommy Chan. “We came up with the name Small Bore Corps and it grew from there.” For the first time this year, the Small Bore Corps is going beyond its usual activities with the inaugural Chaos in Catlett scooter rally. Running June 10-12, the rally will take place on a 40acre plot of land in Catlett, Va. The rally will include rides of different lengths, a scooter raffle and much more. Chan said the goal is to make the rally an annual event. Learn more at https:// www.smallborecorpsdmv.com/. —Keaton Maisano

Racing ROUNDUP

STEPHANIE VETTERLY

WHAT’S WHAT IN THE WORLD OF AMA RACING COMPETITION

AMA VMD Racing Registration acers rejoice! Race registration for 2022 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, presented by Royal Enfield, is now open for those who want to be part of the vintage-racing action! AMA VMD offers everyone from weekend warriors to Hall of Famers to pro riders a chance to go back in time and compete on the beloved two-wheeled machines of the past. The AMA Vintage Grand Championship, running in conjunction with AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, includes motocross, hare scrambles, roadracing and trials — as well as a round of the AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series — and class winners in each discipline are recognized as AMA national champions. The AMA Vintage Grand Championship also crowns the AMA Vintage Grand Champion and the AMA Vet/Senior Vintage Grand Champion, special recognitions that combine the points from the off-road disciplines — motocross, trials and hare scrambles. All racers must have general admission tickets in their possession prior to gate entry, and only pre-registered riders with entry confirmation will receive access to Mid-Ohio on Thursday, July 21, at 9 a.m. Gates open for general admission at 5 p.m. Find event guidelines, schedules and entry links at https:// vintagemotorcycledays.com/page/racing/. —Joy Burgess

AMA

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. 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 2022 Gypsy Tour schedule, where riders can meet, share experiences and even grab their collectible AMA National Gypsy Tour pin dated with the year.

The Americade Rally

FIM North America and the AMA — is designed to be a stepping stone between the FIM North America MiniGP Series and the FIM European Talent Cup or Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. “What a great start to the race season,” Shedden said, “[with] backto-back wins on the biggest stage — the Circuit of the Americas. Looking forward to some great battles [ahead]!” Learn more about the NATC at northamericatalentcup.com. —Joy Burgess BRIAN J. NELSON

HISTORIC

AMA

REMAINING EVENTS

Shedden Takes Two he North America Talent Cup (NATC) kicked off at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) with two races during the three-day, action-packed racing weekend April 8-10, 2022. Jesse James Shedden was the star of the show, taking both wins that weekend. In its inaugural season, the NATC — which is a collaborative effort between MotoAmerica and Dorna with Rise Moto providing coordination and sanctioned by

HISTORIC

JUNE 7-11

Laconia Motorcycle Week June 11-19

Thunder in the Valley June 23-26

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days July 22-24

Four Corners Motorcycle Rally Sept. 2-4

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.americanmotorcyclist.com/gypsytour

malcolm’ s mome n ts

PART

FIVE

PAPPY MOTT

Learning about motorcycles, business and life at San Bernardino’s Mott’s Cycle

BY MALCOLM SMITH

was constantly fixing that Matchless, and with little money to spend on fresh parts, I found myself rooting through the trash bins of a local shop owned by Rush “Pappy” Mott for things like tires, plugs, sprockets, etc. — and getting those pieces to work on my bike improved my mechanical skills. Mott’s was your typical old-school biker shop…dark, dingy and a little dank, with girlie magazine centerfolds on the wall. The bathroom was always filthy, and you’d never catch a woman there. The mechanics were what you’d expect: bikers and racers, blue-collar guys who’d grown up around motorcycles, cigarettes and booze. A tough crowd, for sure. After catching me parts-scrounging a few times, Pappy offered me a job. “You’re always here,” he said, “so you might as well clean up.” I liked the idea and started 28

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

working for — I think — 50 cents an hour. My mom wasn’t happy; Pappy’s guys weren’t the types she wanted me associating with. Pappy, who hobbled around on a wooden leg courtesy of a bike accident in his early years, was an eccentric, no doubt, but a savvy businessman, and had a lot going on. He sold and serviced new bikes (Matchless, Zundapp, AJS and a small Japanese marque called Honda, which was just beginning to make waves in the U.S.) and used bikes, but also provided financing (bike loans being rare at the time) and did a lot of used-part and salvage business. I did general clean up, mostly, and also cleaned parts for the mechanics. I’d sit there with a gallon of gasoline and a brush, or clean greasy engines or frames out back with a sprayer using old wine bottles filled with a 70/30 mix of Kerosene and degreaser. You know the old saying about a

British bike that isn’t leaking, don’t you? It’s out of oil! I’d also run to Pappy’s many parts stashes and grab needed pieces from the carcasses there. He’d say, “Malcolm, go grab that ’48 Harley rear wheel from the barn on 3rd Street,” and I’d head out on the shop’s threewheeled Servi-Cycle, going around corners on two wheels with a big smile on my face. Pappy made money via financing, but he also had to occasionally repossess one from a non-paying customer, and I helped. He had an old flatbed trailer with enough room for three bikes, and when we got close to where the bike was parked, he’d sit in the truck with the engine running, I’d put the ramp down, run to the bike, grab it and push it into the trailer. I’d lean it over on the stand, hunker down while still holding on, and off we’d go, stopping a few blocks later to tie it down properly. Luckily, we never got shot. Pappy realized I had some mechanical aptitude, but that I had lots to learn. When I mentioned my Matchless engine being slow and noisy, he took a close look and told me the engine had already been bored to its maximum, and because it did not have an air filter it’d been sucking dirt since I’d gotten it, and probably prior to that. I had no idea an air filter was that important. I learned another valuable lesson a few months later. He’d thrown away some old accessory catalogs and I grabbed a few to read later at home. What I saw on the Webco dealer price sheet shocked me. “Pappy,” I jokingly said to him the next day, “you’re a crook! You buy a part for $10, and you sell it for $20!” He laughed and said, “Son, come on into my office,” and began to write on a sheet of paper: “Price of part: $10.” Then he wrote, with dollar numbers next to each entry: Rent. Then, Labor. Utilities. Freight. Shop

supplies. And so on. At the end, he figured he made 86 cents on that part. Suddenly, I understood the concepts of margin and overhead. They’ve stayed with me for many, many years. In a lot of ways, Pappy was a father figure, teaching me things I needed to know, just as my mom and dad had, but in a way that would benefit me as I got into business. And I was learning, absorbing some of his business savvy. One of the jobs I took on was setting up 50cc Honda Cubs in the evenings after the shop closed. None of the other mechanics wanted to do it; they called the Hondas “Jap Junk.” I’d ridden them and was impressed with their design and functionality; they were small but very well built, and they didn’t leak oil. The Cubs came packed two (and sometimes three) to a crate, so I’d clear a space, and instead of setting them up one by one, as the mechanics did, I’d pull ten out of their crates, line them up next to all the parts to be installed, and do each individual operation to all ten bikes, assembly-line like, before moving on to the next process. In a few hours I was done, and at $5 per bike, I made $50 in a third of the time it took the regular mechanics to make that much. When they saw the Cubs ready to go the next day they’d ask what time I’d gone home, and I’d tell them “really, really late” when in reality it was more like 8 or 9 p.m. I did not want them horning in on my newfound gravy train! Of course, they eventually figured out what I was up to, and soon began setting up Cubs whenever they could. I was learning a lot at Mott’s, but also meeting some interesting people, including mechanics and riders that were way into racing, and of course that was really interesting to me. More on that next month. One of several Matchless models I owned over the years. Get your copy of my autobiography at themalcolmbook.com.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Turn one at Carlsbad, today and back in the day. That inside berm hasn’t changed much at all.

SACRED GROUND BY MITCH BOEHM / PHOTOS: JOE BONNELLO, S C O T T C O X , D AV I D D E W H U R S T

f you’ve not been there recently or had someone point out what’s where, it’s hard to get your bearings — even if you raced there or attended one of those legendary

500cc USGP races back in the day or watched on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Too much of California’s Carlsbad Raceway is gone, too many acres surrounding the most famous motorsports canyon in motorcycling — including the renowned dragstrip — have been

Carlsbad, arguably

transformed into boring, business-

the most notorious

park real estate.

motocross circuit

But once you know what’s where, or wind your way down into the dusty arroyo and catch a glimpse

in American history (1964-2004), is no

of the legendary starting area or

more. But sections of

still-intact Devil’s Drop jump, or

the legendary track

come face-to-face with the ruins of

still exist, and the place

the last remaining spectator bridge that’s now covered by so much foliage it looks like some industrial

remains powerfully emotional — and is

rain-forest relic from a science

set to finally get the

fiction flick, it happens…

memorial it deserves.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

A heavy historical pressure settles on your shoulders like some massive, ’70s-spec Hallman chest protector, a realization that you are standing in a very special place… precious acres of mud, adobe and weeds that impacted the sport of motocross more than any other in the U.S., and maybe even the world. Suddenly, you can see and hear Gerrit Wolsink’s Suzuki, Brad Lackey’s Kawasaki, Marty Smith’s

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

fire engine-red Honda, Marty Moates’s Yamaha, Kent Howerton’s Husky or Steve Stackable’s Maico ripping — Rrrrrraaaaaaaaaaa! — up and then down the terrifyingly rough Carlsbad Freeway. You can see and hear the deafening roar of thousands of shirtless, sun- and beerdrenched fans screaming and waving American flags as their heroes flew by, usually on the edge of control as Carlsbad’s concrete-hard whoops threatened to explode

their wheels or suspension and vault them into the snow fencing. Standing there among the dirt, weeds and broken bits of ’70s and ’80s sponsor signage, the quiet broken only by the sounds of birds chirping and frogs barking from the very pond promoters and track owners sucked their trackwater from, it’s hard to imagine that so much motocross history happened right here — the races big and small,

international and local, the famous and not-so-famous riders, the TV coverage on Wide World Of Sports, the TV helicopters flying overhead during the race, and the many thousands of crazed fans that turned out each year. But it did. And in a thoroughly epic manner. For 14 years, from 1973 to 1986, Carlsbad was ground zero for international Grand Prix motocross, a sunbaked mecca for riders, factory teams and spectators,

The first USGP, circa 1973. Things were crowded and crazy right from the beginning.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

This page: Recent shots of the most legendary motocross venue in America. It’s eerie to go there now. Opposite: The late Carlsbad USGP and Superbikers promoter Gavin Trippe, crossing up on Devil’s Drop.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

all of whom made the trek to San Diego county each summer to see what quickly became the event to see in the motocross world. There was even a DOT-approved “Motocross Next Right” sign on the San Diego Freeway to help folks find their way. All of which explains why Carlsbad will be revered forever by motorcycle fans the world over. “It’s still an amazing place,” the late AMA Hall of Famer Gavin Trippe, long-time Carlsbad USGP promoter, told me years ago as we walked parts of the track, “and coming here now is a time-warp, a step back in time. I was heading up Interstate 5 on New Year’s Day in 2007, just after Marty Moates [1980 USGP winner –Ed.] so sadly died, and I stopped by the track. Hadn’t been there in years, and no one was around. I walked down into the wash and got lost in time, lost in thought. All of it came welling up. Not just the Grand Prix and Superbikers events themselves, but all the people, the crowds, the racers, the deals I made, the utter craziness of it all. When I look back on it I almost can’t believe it all actually happened.” Growing up in Ohio and not moving to California until the mid-1980s, I only attended one big-time Carlsbad race — the ’85 Superbikers. I remember being wowed by the place in a macro sense, but since the Superbikers event was spread out all over the property (and very little of the motocross course was used), I never got much of a feel for the legendary circuit I’d seen on TV and in the pages of Motocross Action, Dirt Bike and Popular Cycling. I raced a handful of local Grand Prixs there in the latter 1980s and early 1990s. None were proper motocross meets, although they did use about a quarter of the International circuit, including a couple of the nasty uphill/downhills, which were pockmarked with ugly, square-edged whoops. So I did get a bit of the flavor of the infamous “Carlsbad Freeway,” albeit at a much slower pace. That hillside section on the circuit’s southern border, the whooped-out uphill and downhill parts we watched

“It’s still an amazing place. I walked down into the wash and got lost in time, lost in thought... all the people, the crowds, the racers, the deals I made, the utter craziness of it all. When I look back on it I almost can’t believe it all actually happened.” GAVIN TRIPPE

AMA Hall of Famers Roger DeCoster, Broc Glover, Heikki Mikkola, as well as Hakan Carlquist and others rip up and down at such frightening speeds, is now occupied by a business park. What’s left now is the northern and western section of the course — the starting area, straightaways and turns in the lowest part of the canyon. About a third of the original track remains, some of it walkable, with other sections buried beneath overgrowth. Carlsbad’s motocross track was originally laid out by AMA HOFer and CMC’s Stu Peters and Kelvin Franks in the mid-1960s. “They laid out the bottom part after they’d come back from Europe and decided to put on races,” Trippe told me. “In the late ’60s I took that basic layout and added to it. Every year we’d lengthen the loops as the races got bigger; we’d sit around, draw it up on a scrap of paper and build it. Larry [Grismer, the track owner] and his kids would help. As a motocross journalist in Europe covering the GPs, I’d been to every major MX track in Europe, so I knew how things should be.” Jeff Grismer [son of Larry] remembers some of the

changes thusly: “In the latter ’70s, Roger [DeCoster] came to my dad and me to brainstorm ways to make as much of the track multi-lined as possible. In one section we came up with the idea of making the outside line into a sweeping banked turn with a bump on the shorter, inside line. We built it using a tractor and Roger tested it. We found it opened up the track nicely, and we implemented the idea throughout the track in the years to come to help keep things exciting.” One of Trippe’s early successes was convincing the city of Carlsbad to allow the race in the first place. “When we did the first big race [the first of two Trans-AMA races, in ’71 and ’72, to prove to the FIM they could pull it off –Ed.] I had to meet with city managers,” says Trippe. “I told them we’d have riders from all over the world, and one of them asked me how the riders were gonna ride their bikes here from Europe! They had no concept what we were doing. But once it started they became very supportive and proactive. We helped put Carlsbad on the map. Once AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

the USGP got big, President Ronald Reagan sent me a letter of commendation, and the state put a ‘Motocross Next Right’ sign on Interstate 5. Can you imagine that happening today?” A decade or so ago I visited Carlsbad one afternoon in mid-November with motorsports photographer Joe Bonnello and industry marketing veteran Scott Cox. Both grew up near Carlsbad, attending the big races and competing in local race meetings there. I expected them to be moved by the visit, and as we wound our way into the shallow valley I wasn’t disappointed. “It’s just amazing to be here,” grinned Bonnello, who was vibrating like a puppy as we walked down the start

straight toward Turn 1. “Once you figure out where things are, it all comes flooding back.” Cox, who’d visited a few months prior, seemed every bit as excited. “Can you believe,” he asked rhetorically as we arrived at Turn 1, “that we’re standing in Turn One at Carlsbad? It’s a mindbender!” It was. The large, chest-high berm on the corner’s inside was there in all its glory, and when we climbed it we found the cement and steel footings of the legendary white tower that dominated the inside apex. As we snapped photos, Cox spied a bit of red material sticking out of the ground, and when we yanked it out we found ourselves holding a 15-foot Yamaha International banner, which Cox and Bonnello said was from the early ’80s. Amazing. I often use the term “moto-archaeology” to explain what we’re doing with American Motorcyclist, and digging up that banner — and uncovering the remnants of a large Suzuki sign later on that day — was a perfect example. We then walked 100 or so feet southwest and found ourselves standing atop the “drop off,” which ABC’s Jim McKay, Sam Posey and Jim Lampley called “Devil’s Drop” during all those famous ABC telecasts. I’d seen so many legendary photos shot here, including the classic one of Marty Moates with his left fist in the air as he won the 1980 USGP, the first win ever by an American. We headed a bit farther south into the scrub and 36

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

The Carlsbad USGP was a big production, for racers (that’s Roger DeCoster being interviewed at left), for TV techs and for fans, who packed in around turn one, Devil’s Drop (above) and the rest of the venue like sardines. AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

The Carlsbad Freeway uphill (inset) and downhill (main image) separated the men from the boys, and was brutal on machinery, too. Only one of the five bridges remains (above right), though today it’s nearly totally covered by vegetation.

overgrowth, checking out several of those feet-high outer berms surrounding the corners we’d seen in so many magazine articles and on TV, jabbering about this pass or that crash we’d seen there — including that crazy, finalturn finish in ’74 with Wolsink and Mikkola where Wolsink slammed into the earthen wall so hard he crashed, though luckily after the finish line. We’d heard that parts of one of the spectator bridges still existed, though we could see no sign of it from our vantage point. We split up to see what was hidden in the dense brush, and a minute or two later I heard Bonnello yell, “The bridge! I found it!” It was a surreal moment. Walking up to the massive telephone poles jammed into the ground and seeing the spans laying nearby and the trees dwarfing the entire structure, I felt as if we’d found a long-lost civilization, one that burned brightly for a decade or two and then fell suddenly silent. This bridge was located between turns 16 and 17 on a part of the track that routed riders back up toward the track’s major uphill/downhill section — known to many as the Carlsbad Freeway. None of us said much for a few moments; we just walked around silently, shooting pictures and checking out the path of the original track — still visible — running beneath the bridge. “If I close my eyes,” Bonnello said, “I can feel myself walking over this very bridge 20 years ago, with thousands of cheering spectators on either side of me, and bikes ripping by below. What a crazy scene!” Cox just smiled and said this: “We are standing at what was — and maybe still is — American motocross’s ground zero, fellas.” No doubt about it. “We built five bridges in all,” Trippe told me, “and that’s the only one they didn’t tear down. It was apparent from the early races that, while you can put up fences, you can’t keep folks from tearing them down or jumping over them. So we built bridges using used telephone poles and old housing joists. They’d never pass inspection now! At first, folks stood on the bridges and watched the race. But that was an accident waiting to happen, so I boarded up the sides and eventually put signage on them, which became a huge revenue stream.” I asked Trippe about the track itself and how it was viewed — knowing full well many riders thought its mud-in-the-morning and cement-hard-whoops-and-blueAMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

groove-by-afternoon were hellish beyond description. “It was definitely gnarly,” he said, “especially in the beginning, when the bikes only had five or six inches of travel in back and maybe eight up front. The guys took a terrible beating; it was a tough, tough track. But everyone had to ride it, so it really showed who was in shape.” “I remember we had posts on the sides of the ‘freeway’ downhill that were maybe 20 feet apart,” he added. “Early on they’d clear maybe two of them launching off the top. But in later years, as the bikes got more suspension travel, Mikkola did four or more, which would be 80 or 90 feet. Amazing! The track really did, over the years, have the ability to chart the evolution of the motocross bike,

GERRIT WOLSINK

especially in the suspension department.” From there we circled back toward the starting area and spied the pond that supplied water for the track’s sprinkler system. “We couldn’t use a water truck,” Trippe said with a laugh, “cause if it ever rolled down one of the hill sections it would have killed 100 people. God knows what’s buried in that pond!” “It’s amazing to think about it now,” Trippe added, “but I can’t believe I did what I did all those years ago. It was so risky. But I was young and fearless, and when you’re young you don’t consider consequences. During the races I could never sit still, never watch. It was like a grenade was about to go off. Even when Moates won, I could barely watch. I could hear the crowd and knew what was happening. Here I was, with the FIM watching, a load of international racers who’ve flown there and who depended on the World Championship for their livelihoods, and we had a bazillion crazy fans, which meant any one of a hundred wild disasters could happen.” “And there were miles of TV cable and hundreds of thousands of dollars of TV equipment…so I was always a bag of nerves. I’d walk around the place the day after and swear I’d never do it again. But you know what? We never had an insurance claim. Never got sued. Never had to sue anyone. It wasn’t like today, when you walk into a stadium 40

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

“GERRIT HUNG OUT AT GAVIN TRIPPE’S HOUSE, OUT BY THE POOL HAVING A GOOD TIME. HE WAS TOTALLY RELAXED AND RODE AROUND AT AN AVERAGE PACE. ANYONE WHO WAS FASTER THAN GERRIT WOULD MESS UP. GERRIT GOT THE OVERALL WIN FIVE TIMES BECAUSE HE HAD CARLSBAD FIGURED OUT!” ROGER DECOSTER

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

that’s ready for the event; we were totally on our own then. Crazy, crazy times.” But good times, too. Very good times. “We never missed the USGP at Carlsbad,” says longtime So Cal racer and enthusiast Alex Judd. “We’d stand on the hillside and watch DeCoster and Wolsink come ripping down so close to the fence that if you stuck a popsicle stick through the fence they’d pick it off. We looked at each other and just shook our heads…amazing!” Riders had strong opinions about the place, and strong memories, too. “It was a concrete hell,” the late Team Yamaha’s Mike Bell told me, “but what a great hell. Carlsbad was a magical place; there are so many memories. It’s ironic that we hated the place when we had it, just like Saddleback. But now that it’s gone we’re all sad and nostalgic. Like most things in life you don’t know what you have ’til it’s gone!” “I always liked going to Carlsbad and the challenge of trying to win it,” five-time World Champion Roger DeCoster told Motocross Action’s Zap Espinoza for a

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

“They’d pour the Pacific Ocean on the track in the morning, and in the afternoon the track would be rock-hard.” DAVID BAILEY Carlsbad story Zap wrote in 2018, “but it never worked out, some because of bad luck and some by my screw-ups. I think I had too many distractions from my desire to help to promote the race. [Also], I think I set my bike up to work well in practice and not enough for how the track ended up by race time.” “By comparison,” DeCoster added, “my Suzuki teammate Gerrit Wolsink hung out at Gavin Trippe’s house, out by the pool having a good time. He was totally relaxed and rode around at an average pace. By the end of the day, anyone who was faster than Gerrit and really tried to win would mess up. Gerrit got the overall win five times because he had Carlsbad figured out!”

“I liked California very much, the weather, the people and the track,” five-time Carlsbad winner Wolsink told Zap. “The layout was very interesting, and I thought the way the track conditions changed during the day was good, too. To go fast at Carlsbad you had to have a fluid style, not stop-and-go. [In] 1974 I hung out with Gavin Trippe. It was a lot of fun, [and] I think it helped me for the race by taking my mind off it a bit. Roger was always too busy with all his commitments and had so much stuff on his mind that I think it hurt his effort.” “A tactic I used at Carlsbad was to find a spot on the track where I could relax, take a breath and then go hard again. I even practiced that in my training. My secret for

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Carlsbad was brutally rough, with rock-hard whoops that never got graded flat. It was also slick as ice in places, especially in the morning. It rained and was very muddy in ’82; Danny McGoo Chandler won, joking, “I’d pulled my goggles early and had to get up front to see!”

the uphill was to always get set up for it two turns before I got to it. [This would push me to] the left side of the hill, where you could usually find a smoother line. I even built my own secret berm in practice to make it work. Then I would stay on the edge of the track, sit down and shift up.” “Like everyone else, I had a problem with the heat. I also remember the importance of having a good race psychology. When everybody would be complaining about the heat, I would just be sitting there smiling and saying it wasn’t so bad!” “When Carlsbad got rough,” “Rocket Rex” Staten told Zap, “you never rode it straight, you had to ride from bank to bank on the sides of the track. DeCoster was following me, and he thought I was totally out of control because I kept swerving from one edge of the track to the other, but that’s just how you rode the place.” “My secret was that I went in the opposite direction on the bike setup from everyone else,” 1981 winner Chuck Sun relayed. “Carlsbad was as hard as concrete, and what worked for me was to set my suspension up with my sand track settings (with more rebound damping). Everyone else ran with soft settings, and that just made their bikes all wobbly.” AMA 500cc National Motocross Champion and AMA Hall of Famer Mark Blackwell, who ran the Suzuki School of Motocross at Carlsbad from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s before becoming Suzuki’s Motocross Team Manager, has some pretty vivid memories of the place. “Carlsbad was powerful stuff for me and all the students,” Blackwell told me recently, “and you could feel the anticipation and excitement building as we headed to the track on the first day of each new class. The students were clearly emotional about being able to ride there, and instead of rushing to the prepped RMs ready for them to ride, they would all walk toward the track and gawk, looking over the fence in awe. The awe only increased during our walk around the course, and students were consistently shocked at how much steeper the up-anddown Carlsbad Freeway was in person relative to how it looked on television.” “Because the surface was so hard,” he added, “the track never absorbed water well. It was incredibly slippery when freshly watered, reasonably tacky as the surface dried, and then dusty and slick like ice within a short period. Riding Carlsbad well required incredible feel and throttle control, balance and agility, and adaptability as a rider, too, which made it exhilarating to ride but incredibly hard to pass on.” “I always think about Carlsbad as being a terrible AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

place to race,” said 1985 USGP winner and AMA Hall of Famer David Bailey in that MXA interview. “They’d pour the Pacific Ocean on the track in the morning, and in the afternoon the track would be rock-hard. The bumps were still there from when Wolsink won the first time, the bleachers were sagging, and there were weeds everywhere. The place was a dump. But once you were racing at the USGP, all that went away. They hung the banners, the crowd poured in and the whole experience was transformed. In fact, I look back on racing the USGP with as much affection as I do the Gaildorf Motocross des Nations. To race the USGP was a privilege.” Bailey’s take is absolutely perfect, and as you look back at the history of the place, the privilege, I think, was ours, too — the hundreds of thousands of fans and industry folks who poured in every year, Woodstock-like, to see the stars of our sport compete; the weekend-warrior racers who ran there when there were no spectators at all; and all the drag racers and SCCA competitors who wore out a bazillion tires in that very special plot of land just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. Sacred ground, indeed. Carlsbad and Gavin Trippe’s USGP did more than elevate motocross to the big stage in America — and the world. They showed the U.S. motorcycle market what was possible. They pushed motorcycle technology, built superstars out of local heroes and, most of all, told that massive ABC television audience — and the world —

every summer for more than a decade that American riders were a force, and could put on one hell of a motocross party. All of which makes the effort to place a permanent memorial overlooking the site a wonderful one (see accompanying story). “It makes sense,” Trippe told me years ago, when the memorial project was just getting started. “It’s a flood basin, so it’s gonna stay as-is. I think the motocross community would support it. Maybe just a wooden walkway for folks to stroll on, with a memorial plaque of some kind nearby. It would be neat.” Not much doubt about that. 46

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Carlsbad also featured a roadrace course, which used the venue’s famous drag strip and curvy return road. Gary Nixon (9) demonstrates. Broc Glover (right) won the ’84 USGP. “We love this place,” he said recently, “but if you tried to override [the track] it would bite you.”

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

A MONUMENTAL EFFORT

It’s taken more than a decade, but a historical monument to Carlsbad Raceway is nearly a reality BY TODD HUFFMAN

n June of 2010 our movie The Carlsbad USGP:1980 — which highlighted Marty Moates’ legendary (and first-American) win at the 1980 USGP — premiered at the Spreckels Theatre in San Diego. (First time in the theatre’s 100-year history it had completely sold out, too!) Between June and October when the DVD debuted, David Moates (Marty’s brother), Scott Cox and I were talking about how cool it would be to have a monument for the raceway. It’d celebrate everything that went on at Carlsbad Raceway, from its founding and drag racing to motocross, USGP and Superbikers events, and everything in between, including the skateboard park, the first in the nation. We contacted the city of Carlsbad and were told by Parks and Rec that the city didn’t own — but had an easement on — a park at the corner of Melrose and Palomar Airport Road overlooking the site. They said we could use the very north end of it, which was just vegetation, and after a couple of years of scheming and a little fundraising we hired Schmidt Design in San Diego as the designers of the monument.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

In the meantime we secured Road 2 Recovery as the 501(c)3 non-profit to own the project so people could donate and get a tax deduction. Jimmy Button and his mom Anita led the charge with their board, and that was a go, which we are eternally grateful for! When the design was finalized around 2016 we were ready to really announce it and start raising money, which is when the City told us we actually had to get permission from the land owner across the street, who emphatically said, “Hell, no!” Bummer... Not to be discouraged we found another site off Lionshead Ave., which was the tail end of a little landscaping owned by the Lionshead Business Park Property Owners Association. The original motocross track actually went over that exact spot. We had Schmidt Design tweak the original drawing (more $$) and went back and forth with them for almost three years until their board finally voted “no” in the Spring of 2020. They said we could put a plaque in the ground on a post. More bummer… At that point we were running out of options, as there were just not any suitable locations on the south side of the canyon. But while talking to David Moates one day

THE DECK WILL FEATURE NINE TO TWELVE 24X36INCH INFORMATION PLAQUES HIGHLIGHTING SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF RACEWAY HISTORY — BEGINNINGS, DRAG RACING, SPORTS CAR RACING, SKATEBOARD PARK, MOTOCROSS TRACK, THE CARLSBAD USGP, SUPERBIKERS AND MORE.

we figured we’d try the north side, which lies in the city of Vista. David did some driving and found what is now the final location, which is on property owned by the fine folks at Baidee Development, and on which is located Eppig and Dogleg breweries. (How cool is that?!) We had one meeting with owner Ben Baidee, who said, “I like it, let’s do it!” on the spot. Go Ben! Then it was back to Schmidt Design for another round of designs, which now features a dramatic-overlook deck jutting out over the canyon above the raceway site. By June 22 (the day Marty Moates won the USGP in 1980) of 2021 we had an unveiling on the site, with racers such as Don “The Snake” Purdhomme and Broc Glover in attendance. So what exactly is the Carlsbad Raceway Monument Project? It’s a 1300 square-foot interpretive, historical monument about the history of the Carlsbad Raceway featuring a dramatic overlook of the Carlsbad Raceway site supported by caissons supporting a curved deck jutting out over the canyon. The deck will feature nine to twelve 24x36-inch information plaques (as illustrated in the above artist’s rendering) highlighting specific aspects of raceway history — beginnings, drag racing, sports car racing, skateboard park,

motocross track, the Carlsbad USGP, Superbikers and more. There will even be a special plaque for San Diego local and motocross legend Marty Smith. Plaques will also have a QR code people can scan with their phones to get a short documentary video on that particular plaque. Over 1,200 engraved bricks will cover the ground and give families and companies the opportunity to be part of the monument, and there will be “Bench Racing” benches, too, with sponsorship opportunities. A to-scale, sculptured model of the motocross track will be the centerpiece, which kids can play on using model motorcycles. The budget is more than $250,000 to complete, and everything is available for naming rights and donations. Also, a good portion of the construction budget can be accomplished with in-kind support from the construction community; concrete, landscaping, construction and engineering can all be donated and given a tax-deductible letter from the Road 2 Recovery. The goal is to raise funding throughout 2022 with the hope of starting construction by end of 2022. Let’s do this! Bricks can be purchased at https://road2recoverybricks. com and for larger donations, please contact Todd Huffman at todd@pdmtv.com or (714) 305-4945. AMA AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

HURTS SO GOOD Moto vlogger and AMA member Whitney Meza takes on the Iron Butt Association’s 50 CC Quest — from coast to coast in less than 50 hours — in the middle of winter

BY JOY BURGESS WITH WHITNEY MEZA / PHOTOS: WHITNEY MEZA

t was my birthday,” Whitney Meza said when I asked what made her decide to do a coast-tocoast motorcycle trip in the dead of winter, “so I decided to torture myself.” For the uninitiated, the 50 CC Quest is a certification earned through the Iron Butt Association requiring you to ride from one coast to the opposite coast within 50 hours. And you can’t just say you did it…you gotta have proof, including gas station receipts as close to the coasts as possible and, in Whitney’s case, two vials of sand and water — one from the Pacific and one from the Atlantic. Riding coast-tocoast inside

of 50 hours is clearly not for the faint of heart…but in the middle of January? That’s a different thing entirely. It’s every bit as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. But for Whitney, the challenge was a huge part of the appeal.

“Sometimes I ask myself, ‘Why am I drawn to longdistance riding?’” Whitney told me. “I really like to see what I’m capable of and what I can battle through within myself.” And this trip was definitely a battle. “It started with deciding to do the ride on a bike I’d never ridden,” she

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

said. “I chose the Yamaha FJR1300, which I rented from Eagle Rider in Los Angeles. Several women who do distance rides recommended this bike, and I wanted to see if I was capable of doing something like this on a bike I wasn’t used to.” The battle began before she even got started, too. “First, I had to get the bike set up and comfortable, and in the middle of winter I knew I’d need my heated gear, and while hooking it up I blew a fuse. So instead of sleeping before I took off, I was trying to connect the gear outlet to the battery directly and replacing the fuse… all with a very small little tool kit.” Whitney lives in Wisconsin, but flew to LA

for the start of the trek and was only able to bring a small tool kit. She started out just after midnight in El Segundo, Calif., with almost no sleep, and when her open-all-night gas station for her initial fuel stop turned out to be closed, she had to find a replacement. Then, two hours into the ride, she hit

a cardboard box headon that ricocheted off a semi-truck, damaging her fairing. “Luckily,” she said, “there was only cosmetic damage, but my body was pumped full of adrenaline after that!” “There were some great moments riding through

“as I approached my 24-hour mark it was a constant struggle to make it to my next stop. I was running on minimal sleep, but I kept pushing forward.” WHITNEY MEZA

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

New Mexico and the north part of Texas,” Whitney remembers, “but as I approached my 24-hour mark it was a constant struggle to make it to my next stop. I was running on minimal sleep, but I kept pushing forward.” Minimal sleep is an understatement. After starting her journey just after midnight Whitney was still on the road at 1:30 a.m. the next day, and temps were dropping fast. She was pushing to make the 1,500-mile mark by 3:30 a.m. and came up just short. “That’s when the mental game kicked in,” she told me. “From 3:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. I had to keep stopping every 100 miles or so because my attention

wasn’t fully on the road. I’d pull off and doze on the tank for 5-10 minutes — or so I thought. Time was racing by in those dark hours before dawn.” Once the sun started to rise she realized how much ground she’d lost through the night. “I knew I had

to get my butt back into gear if I wanted to make it to the Florida coast in time. I pushed through the bayous and bridges and made it into the Florida panhandle at sunset. Yet I knew I still had five more hours of night riding ahead. My determination set in…along with the cold.” As temperatures dipped into the 30s — and then the 20s — black ice became a concern. “Every gas station stop I made in those late-night hours,” she said, “someone warned me to be careful and watch for black ice. That really put me on edge.” When she finally made it to Jacksonville, Fla., there

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

was no big celebration on the beach as she’d originally envisioned. “I clocked out with my final gas receipt at 12:35 a.m. EST, and it was 21 degrees there when I arrived. I couldn’t believe it! All I wanted was a hotel and a warm bed, which was another 20 minutes away. Once I made it, I think I dozed off before my head hit

the pillow!” “Honestly,” she told me, “there was a lot of frustration. I faced 45mph winds in New Mexico and Arizona, and all that cold. You would think the South woulda been warmer,” she said with a laugh, “but if I wouldn’t have

had my heated gear, I don’t think I could have completed it as comfortably as I did.” “The bike turned out to be a challenge for me, too,” she continued. “It had a sporty fairing instead of a touring-style windscreen, and since I’m tall I had to scrunch down to stay behind the screen, especially during those high-wind miles, which really got to my back.” But in the end, Whitney’s determination to overcome paid off. While the 50 CC Quest requires the trip be done within 50 hours, she did the 2,529 miles in 45 hours and 3 minutes.

“You would think the South woulda been warmer, but if I wouldn’t have had my heated gear, I don’t think I could have completed it as comfortably as I did.” WHITNEY MEZA

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

That’s impressive, though Whitney felt there was room for improvement. “I shoulda done it faster,” she said. “But when I officially clocked out in Jacksonville Beach,” she continued, “just a bit past midnight after leaving California less than two days before…it was an incredible feeling.” “Stuff like this is challenging,” she added, “and often painful, and not easy. But the feeling of accomplishment? Of pushing yourself to do hard things you wouldn’t normally do? Nothing like it. Especially for your birthday!” AMA

BUSINESS MEMBER

HELP CARRY ON THE MISSION! Promote, Preserve, Protect Stand with the AMA as an AMA Business Member

AMA Business Membership Benefits: • Updates on AMA Government Relations legislative activities • Insider news via AMA Business Member News E-Newsletter • Periodic customized research on AMA Members • Special advertising rates across AMA channels • Listings on multiple AMA Media Channels

“The AMA Business Member

• Eligible to serve on AMA Board of Directors*

program helps everything related

• Eligible to vote on AMA affairs*

to motorcycling — from defending our rights, to fighting for land

• And much more...

use and legislative efforts. The AMA’s mission has kept our sport healthy for all riders. [AMA Pres-

LEARN MORE:

Contact AMA Director of Industry Relations and Business Membership Steve Gotoski at (951) 491-1910 or sgotoski@ama-cycle.org www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ ama-business-member-listing-page

ident and CEO] Rob [Dingman] and his team have so much credibility and loyalty to us, and we all need to be involved in the AMA to help carry on the mission.” CHRIS CARTER,55 OWNER MOTION PRO, INC.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

* Not applicable to all membership levels

2 0 2 2

A M A

Grand

F L A T

Championship P R E V I E W ! BY JOY BURGESS

he AMA Flat Track Grand Championship (FTGC)

— which returns July 7-13 at

the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill., with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer

and beloved On Any Sunday

star David Aldana as the Grand Marshal — has been the

premier amateur flat track event since the mid-1970s. And

this year’s event promises an action-packed seven days of

bar bangin’, left turnin’ competition as the country’s fastest amateur flat trackers battle for AMA National No. 1 plates.

Beloved by flat track racers

around the country, Du Quoin — home of the world-famous Magic Mile — also offers a wide and smooth cushion

half-mile, excellent short-track racing, and an enhanced

TT course. The expansive, beautiful grounds at the Du

Quoin State Fairgrounds offer plenty of space for activities beyond the race, so expect plenty of family-friendly

activities and entertainment this year, including a cookout, live music, and activities for kids.

Whether you’re coming

to race, support a racer, or

you love watching flat track

from the stands, we’ve got all the information you need to

prepare for this year’s event on these pages.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

T R A C K

EVENT SCHEDULE Thursday, July 7 — Group 2 TT Friday, July 8 — Group 1 TT Saturday, July 9 — Group 2/Vets/Vintage Mile Sunday, July 10 — Group 1/Vintage Half Mile Monday, July 11 — Group 2 Half Mile Tuesday, July 12 — Group 1 & 2 Short Track Wednesday, July 13 — Group 1 (Youth classes only) Short Track

Pre-Register

and Save! Pre-registration is now open and registering early means you’ll save money. Visit https://secure. tracksideprereg.com/ftgc/ to register today. Preregistration fees are $80/ class for the AMA FTGC and $50/class for the Vintage rounds. Gate entry fees are $15 per day or $75 for the entire week.

AMA FTGC Special Awards hen the last race has been run and competitors hang up their steel shoes, all the practice, bike prep and powersliding towards victory deserves to be noticed. Special awards to be presented at the completion of the AMA Flat Track Grand Championship including the following:

Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award The most prestigious racing award given at the event, the Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award honors the legacy and success of Nicky Hayden while recognizing the amateur racer poised to make a significant impact at the professional level. Riders are requested to submit a letter of intent at https://form. jotform.com/221018728565155. Contact AMA Deputy

GROUP 1 CLASSES: YOUTH/VET 50cc Production Chain Drive Jr. (4-6) 50cc Production Chain Drive Sr. (7-8) 50cc Production PW Shaft Drive (4-8) 50cc Production Chain Drive Shifter (4-8) 65cc Production (7-11) 65cc Modified (7-11) 85cc Production (9-13) 85cc Modified (9-11) 85cc Modified (9-13) 85cc Modified Supermini (12-15) Veteran (25+) Senior (40+) Super Senior (50+) Masters (60+) GROUP 2 CLASSES: AMATEUR Women 86cc and Up (12+) 250cc Production 250cc Modified 250cc Open Singles (12+) 450cc A Production For more information 450cc A Modified on the vintage classes, 450cc B Production visit https:// 450cc B Modified americanmotorcyclist. Open Heavyweight com/flat-track-racing

Director of Racing Mike Burkeen at racing@ama-cycle.org with any additional questions. AMA Fast Brain Award The AMA Fast Brain Award recognizes both speed and smarts and is awarded based upon the racer’s performance at the event, as well as official school transcripts supplied when applying. Racers can submit an application at https://form.jotform.com/221017634407145. Contact AMA Deputy Director of Racing Mike Burkeen at racing@ama-cycle.org with any additional questions. AMA Vet/Senior Racer of the Year Presented to a standout rider in the vet racing ranks. AMA Youth Racer of the Year Presented to a top youth-class rider each year. AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

TIM LESTER

Dallas Daniels

2018 Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award winner in both flat track and roadracing stenson Racing Yamaha’s Dallas Daniels, who currently races in the American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins class, did something no one else has ever done in the history of AMA amateur racing — he won two Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Awards in 2018 in both flat track and roadracing. After winning those awards, and once he was old enough to participate, Daniels kicked off his pro career with a MotoAmerica Junior Cup victory and debuted in the AFT Singles class partway through the 2019 American Flat Track season. Just five races into his pro flat track career, he raced to an astounding and commanding victory at the legendary Peoria TT, letting everyone know he was one to watch. He was back to race in the AFT Singles class in 2020 and won more than half the races to win the AFT Singles championship. In 2021 he again made flat track history by becoming the first person to ever claim back-to-back AFT Singles championships. This year he’s stepped up to the top level of the sport, racing in the SuperTwins class. He’s come a long way from his success at the AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, and we recently caught up with him to ask him a few questions.

American Motorcyclist: How many times did you race the AMA Flat Track Grand Championship before going pro? Dallas Daniels: Ten years! I raced it every year from 2008 to 2018. AM: And what was your favorite thing about competing at the FTGC? DD: As a little kid, it was always a 58

super fun week. I remember going and all my friends would be there. We were having fun and trying to win, and it was almost like a family reunion. Of course, once it was time to prep to go after the Horizon award, you know they’re looking at your results, but they also look at you as a person and how you’re interacting with family

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

and little kids. They want to see that you’re serious, so I worked on taking everything serious, being respectful and having my best face on. And now I preach that to the kids I help out that go to the Championship. AM: You won two Horizon awards, one in flat track and one in roadracing, in 2018. How did that make you feel, especially as you moved into your pro career? DD: It was a big confidence booster. I prepared myself that if I didn’t win it, not to let it get me down too much. I wanted to be a pro racer either way. But it was a big confidence booster and winning definitely helps when teams are looking at you. After winning the Horizons, just a couple months later Estenson Racing contacted me and asked if I wanted to ride for them, and I’ve been with them ever since. AM: You went on to win back-toback AFT Singles championships and now you’re riding on a SuperTwins team. What are your goals this year?

Jess Reynolds

Chasing the 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award ess Reynolds, who’ll be racing in the 450 Modified, 450 Production, Open Heavyweight and Open Singles classes, has one goal in mind as she prepares for the AMA Flat Track Grand Championship — compete to win the Horizon Award. Racing since age 12, she naturally gravitated towards flat track since her cousin was already racing in the sport. “I wanted a dirt bike,” Reynolds told American Motorcyclist, “but my parents kept saying no. Finally, for my 12th birthday they got me one and I rode it at my cousin’s house on their track. He told my dad, ‘She’s a natural.’ He raced flat track, so that’s what I went with.” Reynolds had her first experience at the AMA FTGC in 2019, and it was nerve wracking. “There were so many people, and you had to get great positions to even qualify. I was anxious the entire time. But last year, in 2021, I felt more confident.” “This year,” she continued, “I want to go and try to win the Horizon award. I’ve been working out, mentally preparing myself, and if I can mentally get myself there, I’ll be fine.” After finishing out this year in the amateur ranks, she has big plans for 2023. “I’m planning to go pro next year,” she said, “and then we’ll see where my pro career goes from there!”

SCOTT HUNTER

DD: Every year, my dad and I set some goals, and we’ve been fortunate to achieve those. If you don’t set goals, you have nothing to go out and work for. For this year I’ve told myself I really want to win a race and be a contender. So far I’m already a contender. I’ve been inside the top five and on the podium, but at the same time I’m a rookie, so I’m not thinking about a championship. I just want to be in the mix and fighting for podiums and wins.

“This year, I’ve been working out, mentally preparing myself, and if I can mentally get myself there, I’ll be fine.” JESS REYNOLDS

MARIAH LACY

AM: We’ve all seen your success as an amateur and a pro racer. What advice do you have for racers who’ll be competing at the AMA FTGC this year? DD: Go and give it 100 percent. That’s what I’ve learned. You might not always get the end results you want, but put 100 percent into whatever you’re doing — racing, school, life. Go to the championship being as prepared as you can, give 100 percent on the track, in what you eat, hydration, podium interviews… everything. In the end, that’s the best that you can do! AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

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. Call (800) AMA-JOIN (2625646) to request an affinity card at any time, at no additional cost.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

DEALS AND DISCOUNTS

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

THE ESSENTIALS Lodging

Motorcycle Shipping

AMA Roadside Assistance

Save 15% at participating Choice Hotels Properties.

Call Federal Companies at (877) 518-7376 for at least $60 off standard rates.

Roadside assistance coverage for eligible members.

Up to 10% off at Motel 6. Use code: M64AMA

Car Rentals

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

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#”

Motorcycle Shippers 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.

Rider Accident Medical Plan

For details visit jonesbirdsong.com/ramp

Cycle Trader

10% discount on the BEST package. Use code AMA10

PRODUCT DISCOUNTS Edelweiss

ADVMoto

AMA members save on standard bike tour. Use code 21AMA-EBT03 at checkout.

20% discount. Use code AMADV20

AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame

Evans Cooling System

Free admission to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.

25% discount on Evans Coolants and Prep Fluid. Use code AMAFUN at evanscoolant.com.

AMA Supercross Tickets

EVS Sports

10% discount on tickets at supercrosslive.com Use code 5AMASX

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

Anthony’s Leatherworks

Haynes

10% discount. Use code AMADISCOUNT

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

Blendzall

Heli Bars

Use code AMAM2020 for a 10% AMA Member Exclusive Discount at helibars.com.

Bohn Body Armor

10% AMA Member Exclusive Discount. Visit bohnarmor. com and use code AMA18 at checkout.

Helite Moto

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

Butler Maps

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

20% discount online with valid AMA membership card.

Legacy Track Dayz

10% discount with valid AMA membership card.

10% exclusive discount on instruction. Learn more at thedirtbikeacademy.com

Dowco Powersports 20% discount. Use code AMA20

EagleRider

For Club EagleRider AMA members receive 2 free rental credits

International Motorcycle Shows

Save on advanced adult oneday general admission. Use code AMA20

Cardo Systems

The Dirt Bike Academy

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 AMAVIP at checkout.

MX Boot Repair

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

Colorado Motorcycle Adventures

Medjet

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

Liberty Sport Eyewear

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

MAD Maps

Save 15%. Use code AMA15

Matrix Concepts

AMA members receive a 25% discount on most products for shop, garage & track necessities at matrixracingproducts.com Use code AMA25

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 QL22AMA

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

Rider Magazine

AMA member exclusive discount: $19.99 for 2 years (24 issues) + 2 extra free issues.

Riders Share

AMA members receive a 10% discount on all bookings with discount code

Risk Racing

15% off products at riskracing.com. Use code AMA15

Rlink

Rlink offers AMA Members 25% off industry leading GPS Security Systems. Use code ama2020rl

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

Street Skills

10% discount on online courses at StreetSkills.net. Use code AMACCOC.

Third Eye Design

$25 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

XcelerateTV

50% discount on first year’s subscription. Use code XTVAMA50 at XcelerateTV.com.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

For more information and the most recent listing of AMA Member Benefit Partners and discount codes visit americanmotorcyclist.com/deals-and-discounts

COMING EVENTS

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

ALABAMA Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 4-5. Stanton. Perry Mountain 24 Hour Race. Perry Mountain M/C Club, Perry Mountain OHV, 334-267-2463, perrymountainmotorcycleclub@gmail.com, www.perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com ARIZIONA Road Ride/Run: June 3-4. Scottsdale. AZRATPack Route 66 Tour, GoAZ Motorcycles, 602-705-4902, mrlink@aol.com, www.azratpack.com Road Rally: June 20-23. Flagstaff. 32nd Annual American Voyager Association International Rally, American Voyager Association, 954-774-0364, ava.chmn@gmail.com, www. amervoyassoc.org. ARKANSAS Road Ride/Run: June 6-9. Eureka Springs. National Rally Concours Owners Group, jeffkerkow@gmail.com, https:// concours.org. Dual Sport: June 11-12. Bryant. Ozark 200 National Dual Sport, Arkansas Dirt Riders, Inc.,501-539-3361, burton4202@sbcglobal.net, http://www.arknasas-dirt-riders. spruz.com Road Rally: June 23-25. Little Rock. All American Biker Rally, Arkansas State Fair Complex, 216-319-0955, spiderdh@aol.com CALIFORNIA Motocross: June 2-3. Rancho Cordova. Hangtown Motocross Classic, Dirt Diggers North M.C. Inc, Prairie City OHV Park, 1-800-HANGTOWN, info@hangtownmx.com, www.hangtownmx.com. Dual Sport: June 4. LA County. QCC. California Dual Sport Riders, 805-540-8179, californiadualsportriders@gmail.com, cdsr.us/quarterly-club-cruise. Motocross: June 4-5. Pala. Fox Raceway Southwest Youth/ Amateur/Vet Regional Championship. 2X Promotions LLC., 559-500-5360, www.2xpromotions.com. Adventure Ride: June 4-5. Fortuna. Lost Coast Adventure. Off-Road Adventures, 209-993-7306, benjamin@familyoffroadadventures.com, www.familyoffroadadventures.com. Off-Road/Extreme Off-Road: June 11-12. Norden. Donner Hard Enduro. Garrahan Off Road Training, Donner Ski Ranch, 408-857-5884, brian@garrahanoffroad.com, garrahanoffroadtraining.com. Off-Road: June 11-12. Norden. Hare Scrambles/ Cross Country. Garrahan Off Road Training, Donner Ski Ranch, 408-857-5884, brian@garrahanoffroad.com, garrahanoffroadtraining.com. Flat Track - Short Track: June 11. Lodi. 2022 D36 Dirt Track Championship. Lodi Cycle Bowl, Lodi Motorcycle Club, 209368-7182, lodimcemail@gmail.com, lodicyclebowl.com Motocross: June 17-26. Mammoth Lakes. Mammoth Motocross, 2X Promotions LLC., 559-500-5360, www.2xpromotions.com. Flat Track – TT: June 18. Lodi. 2022 D36 Dirt Track Championship. Lodi Motorcycle Club, Lodi Cycle Bowl, 209368-7182, lodimcemail@gmail.com, www.lodicyclebowl.com Adventure Ride: June 25-26. Big Bear. Big Bear National Adventure Run. Big Bear Trail Riders, Inc., 818-391-3031, miguel.burgi@gmail.com, http://www.bigbeartrailriders.com. Road Ride/Run: June 25. Campbell. Charity Fun Ride, P & D Promotions Inc., 408-249-4336, heartoncl@aol.com. COLORADO Road Ride/Run: June 3-7. Vail . Colorado 500, The Tivoli Lodge, 970-927-4010, janet@rof.net Trail Ride: June 5. Flat Rocks Campground. RRMMC Spring Poker Run. Rampart Range Motorized Mgmnt. Committee Inc., 303-809-6628, coreycorbett@q.com, www.rampartrange.org. Enduro: June 19. Canon City. RMEC Hard Rock Enduro, JTB Racing Promotions LLC., https://www.racermec.com/ RMEC Hard Rock Enduro.

GEORGIA Dual Sport: June 11-12. Suches. The Hooch Dual Sport Ride. Two Wheels of Suches, Georgia Recreational Trail Riders Association, 770-517-8359, straitarrow_john@yahoo. com, www.gartra.org. Motocross: June11-12. Reynolds. Dollar MX Southeast Amateur Regional Championship. Silver Dollar MX. Matt Walker Enterprises, 678-860-3038, mattwalker122@me.com. Enduro: June 12. Greensboro. Cherokee National Enduro. Cherokee Cycle Club Inc., 770-722-2389, nepg.com. Motocross: June 19. Washington. BIG/SAS Series. Aonia Pass MX,762-994-6721, aoniapassmx@yahoo.com IDAHO Enduro: June 4-5. Idaho City. Idaho City 100 Enduro. Boise Ridge Riders, 208-384-5141, prez.boiseridgeriders@gmail. com, boiseridgeriders.org. Extreme Off-Road/Inside Enduro: June 18-19. Kellogg. Silver Kings Hard Enduro. Silver Mountain Resort, 406-3185387, skhe@insideenduro.com, silverkingshardenduro.com. ILLINOIS Flat Track – TT: June 4. Belleville. BET Knobby TT. Belleville Enduro Team Inc., 618-277-3478, bellevilleenduroteam@ gmail.com, bellevilleenduroteam.com. Enduro: June 4. White City. Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders Sprint Enduro. Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders, 217-725-5048, igtse@yahoo.com, cahokiacreekdirtriders.com. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 5. White City. Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders Sprint Enduro. Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders, 217-725-5048, igtse@yahoo.com, cahokiacreekdirtriders.com. Trail Ride/Egg Hunt: June 5. Ottawa. Variety Riders Motorcycle Club Inc., 815-434-3669, varietyriders@yahoo. com, varietyriders.com. Hillclimb: June 11. Mt Vernon. Dist 17 Hillclimb Series. King City Dirt Riders Inc., 618-204-4896, kcdr24@gmail.com. Motocross: June 11. Mendota. Megacross Shootout Series. Moto Pro Inc., 815-539-9021, wardy@mtco.com, www. megacross.com. Grand Prix: June 18. Wedron. Ultimate Racer Challenge Series & Fox Valley Off Road Series.Off-Road Grand Prix. Moto Pro Inc., 815-431-9913, wardy@mtco.com, foxvalleyoffroad.com. Flat Track - Short Track: June 18. Pekin. Pekin Motorcycle Club, 309-231-0777, pmc@pekinmotorcycleclub.com, www. pekinmotorcycleclub.com. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 19. Wedron. Ultimate Racer Challenge Series & Fox Valley Off Road Series. Off-Road Grand Prix. Moto Pro Inc., 815-431-9913, wardy@mtco.com, foxvalleyoffroad.com. Observed Trials: June 19. Pearl City. Pearl City Trials Event. NITRO-Northern Illinois Trials Riders Organization, 815-7036555, warrenlange@yahoo.com, www.nitrotrials.com. Hillclimb: June 19. Oregon. Father’s Day Hillclimb. Rock River Riders, 815-914-1915, rrrmc.org. Motocross: June 25-26. Mount Carroll. MC Moto Park North Central Amateur Regional Championship. MC Motopark Inc., 815-238-1614, reidabook@centurytel.net, www.mcmotopark.com. Motocross: June 25. Megacross Shootout Series. Moto Pro Inc., 815-539-9021, wardy@mtco.com, www.megacross.com. Trail Ride: June 26. Ottawa. Variety Riders Motorcycle Club Inc., 815-434-3669, varietyriders@yahoo.com, www.varietyriders.com. INDIANA Motocross: June 4-5. Rossville. Wildcat Creek MX Mid-East Amateur Regional Championship. Wildcat Creek MX, 765-379-2482, wildcatcreekmx@hotmail.com, www. wildcatcreekmx.com Family Enduro: June 11. Matthews. Muddobbers MC Inc., 765-998-2236, dougspence43@yahoo.com, www.muddobbersmc.org. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 26. Columbus. Stoney Lonesome MC RD 3. Stoney Lonesome M/C, info@stoneylonesomemc.com, stoneylonesomemc.com

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

IOWA Hillclimb: June 5. Anamosa. Midwest Hillclimbers Association, 319-489-2361, roadlab@netins.net, anamosahillclimb.com. Motocross: June 11-12. Garwin. Oak Ridge MX North Central Vet Regional Championship. Oak Ridge MX, 641844-4849, oakridgemx@gmail.com, www.oakridgemx.com Motocross: June 18-19. Shell Rock. New Hartford Racing MX, New Hartford Racing Association, Inc., 319-885-6469, newhartfordracing@gmail.com, www.newhartfordracing.com. MARYLAND Motocross: June 22. Mechanicsville. MAMA MX Series. Middle Atlantic Motocross Association, Inc., membership@ mamamx.com, www.mamamx.com. MICHIGAN Motocross: June 4. Crystal Falls. Superior MX Series. Valley Raceway, 906-281-5476, www.valleyracewaymx.com. Motocross: June 4-5. Belding. District 14 Motocross Series. Grattan Raceway, 616-691-7221, www.grattanracewaypark-mx.com. Motocross: June 5. Millington. District 14 Michigan State Championship Series. Bulldog Riders Motorcycle Club, Inc., 810-241-7740 . Observed Trials: June 5. Metamora. MOTA Championship. Michigan Ontario Trials Association, 248-495-5862, bjaherne2@gmail.com, motatrials.com. Flat Track - Short Track: June 5. Midland. D14 Flat Track. Polka Dots M/C, 989-832-8284, polkadotsmc.net. Motocross: June 5. Crystal Falls. District 16 Motocross Series. Valley Raceway, 906-281-5476, ericuren711@gmail.com, www.valleyracewaymx.com. Flat Track/Short Track: June 11. Deford. Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., 810-404-2895, raymie2895@gmail. com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 11-12. Eagle. Timber Ridge Flyers, 517-256-6163. cchristmas757@gmail.com. Flat Track/TT Scrambles: June 12. Deford. Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., 810-404-2895, raymie2895@gmail. com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com. Motocross: June 18. Portland. District 14. Portland Trail Riders, 517-376-1437, www.portlandtrailriders.com, www.portlandtrailriders.com. Drag Race – Dirt: June 25-26. Jerome. Iron Man Drag Race at Bundy Hill. Bundy Hill Recreation LLC., 517-917-0493, bundyhilloffroad@yahoo.com, www.bundyhilloffroad.com. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 25. Jerome. D14Bundy Hill. Bundy Hill Recreation LLC., 517-917-0493, bundyhilloffroad@yahoo.com, www.bundyhilloffroad.com. Hillclimb: June 25-26. Jerome. Ironman. Bundy Hill Recreation LLC., 517-917-0493, bundyhilloffroad@yahoo. com, www.bundyhilloffroad.com. . Enduro: June 26. Rhodes. Michigan Sprint Enduro. Evergreen Creek Competition Club, 989-751-2331, malyons@susu.edu. Observed Trials: June 26. Whitmore Lake. MOTA Championship. Michigan Ontario Trials Association, 313-918-8944, motoxgiant@yahoo.com, motatrials.com. MINNESOTA Enduro: June 4-5. Menahga. River Valley Enduro Riders, 612-247-2039, hinky308@yahoo.com. Motocross: June 5. Cambridge. Mid Minnesota Challenge. BCMX Adventure Park, 612-280-8939, bcmxllc@hotmail. com, www.bcmxadventurepark.com. Observed Trials: Gilbert. NATC/AMA MotoTrials Series. Upper Midwest Trials Association, 651-261-5977, bobbywarner@gmail.com, umta.org. Motocross: June 12. Brookston. District 23 Motocross Series. Echo Valley Motopark, LLC., 218-391-8422, echovalleymotopark@gmail.com, echovalleymotocross.com. Motocross: June 12. Millville. Fly Racing Super Series. Hi-Winders, 507-753-2779, springcreekmxoffice@gmail.com, www.springcreekmx.com. Observed Trials: June 12. NATC/AMA MotoTrials Series. Upper Midwest Trials Association, 651-261-5977, bobbywarner@gmail.com, umta.org.

#AMAADV

Hillclimb: June 18-19. Lake Crystal. Kato Cycle Club, 507-340-7870, katocycleclub@gmail.com Trail Ride: June 18. Millville. Beginner Ride, Twin Cities Trail Riders, 612-965-8619, info@tctrailriders.org, www.tctrailriders.org. Motocross: June 19. Brook Park. Berm Benders Raceway Motocross. Berm Benders Incorporated, 612-919-0993, bermbendersraceway@outlook.com, www.bermbendersraceway.com. Enduro: June 19. Millville. Spring Creek D23 Sprint Enduro. Hi-Winders, 507-753-2779, springcreekmxoffice@gmail.com, www.springcreekmx.com. Flat Track - Short Track: June 25-26. Faribault. Hofmeister’s Battle of the Twins, 507-334-5130, info@faribaulthd.com, www.faribaulthd.com. Motocross: June 25-26. Lake Crystal. District 23 Quad Series. Kato Cycle Club, www.katocycleclub.com. Motocross: June 26. Cambridge. BCMX Motocross, BCMX Adventure Park, 612-280-8939, bcmxllc@hotmail.com, www.bcmxadventurepark.com. Motocross: June 26. Millville. Fly Racing Super Series. Hi-Winders, 507-753-2779, springcreekmxoffice@gmail.com, www.springcreekmx.com. Observed Trials: June 26. Theilman. Upper Midwest Trials Association, 651-261-5977, bobbywarner@gmail.com, www.umta.org. Observed Trials: June 28. Gilbert. Upper Midwest Trials Association, 651-261-5977, bobbywarner@gmail.com, www.umta.org. NEW HAMPSHIRE Road Race: June 11-12. Loudon. FIM North America Vintage Road Racing Championship. United States Classic Racing Association, 413-498-4433, raceuscra@yahoo.com, www.race-uscra.com. Hillclimb: June 14. Laconia. Tower Hill Invitational. United States Classic Racing Association, 413-498-4433, raceuscra@yahoo.com, www.race-uscra.com. NEW JERSEY Motocross: June 12. Millville. Summer Slam/NJ Championship Series. Field of Dreams MX, LLC., 856-765-3799, info@njmpfod.com, www.njmpfod.com. Trail Ride: June 25-26. Millville. Ormond Farms Fun Day. Competition Dirt Riders, 609-319-7496, davebostrom@ comcast.net, http://www.eceacompetitiondirtriders.com Motocross: June 25. Englishtown. Raceway Park Motocross - Saturday Night Lites Series. Raceway Park, 732-446-7800, rtrevelise@racewaypark.com, www.etownraceway.com Road Ride/Run: June 26. Bridgewater. Make A Wish Foundation of NJ. Bridgewater Eagle Riders 2137, 609-371-9474, 2137@eaglesbridgewaternj@gmail.com, https://wish.org. Motocross: June 26. Englishtown. Raceway Park Pro-Am. Raceway Park, 732-446-7800, rtrevelise@racewaypark.com, www.etownraceway.com. NEW MEXICO Road Race: June 11-12. ASMA Championship Series. Arroyo Seco Motorcyclist Association, roger@asmaracing.com, asmaracing.com. NEW YORK Trail Ride: June 5. Dale. Fun Trials Ride. Niagara Trials Riders, 716-930-0766, rscorpa@aol.com, www.ntrmototrials.weebly.com. Flat Track – TT: June 5. Medina. Shippensburg MC, 717796-0294, candybaer@comcast.net, baermotorsports.com. Enduro: June 5. Newark. Kathy Dejohn Memorial Sprint Enduro. Wayne County Motorcycle Club, 315-359-8615, waynecountymotorcycleclub@gmail.com, www.waynecountymc.com. Road Rally: June 6-11. Lake George. Americade, 518-798-0858, christian@americade.com, americade.com. Road Ride/Run: June 11. Lake George. Americade Ride for Kids. Pediatric Brain Tumor, Foundation, 610-392-3678, akaras@curethekids.org, https://team.curethekids.org/ event/2022-americade-ride-for-kids/e375157.

SOME OF THE BEST ROUTES MAPPED BY LOCAL EXPERTS. A GREAT CHALLENGE WITH LIKE-MINDED RIDERS. A FULL WEEKEND OF ACTIVITIES, WITH CAMPING, FOOD AND PRIZES. AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM/NATIONAL-ADVENTURE-RIDING SUPPORTING SPONSORS

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

COMING EVENTS

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

Adventure Ride: June 10-11. Nunda. Oh Geez. The GS Giants, 860-258-9016, secretary@gsgiants.com, www.gsgiants.com. Motocross: June 12. Carlisle. MSC Championship MX Series. Metropolitan Sports Committee, 845-554-8717, info@ diamondback-motocross.com, diamondback-motocross.com. Enduro: June 12. Sidney Center. RRMC Ridge Sprint Enduro. Ridge Riders Motorcycle Club, 973-222-5850, rrmcnj@gmail.com, ridgeriders.org. Motocross: June 12. Caroga Lake. CNYMRA Series. Royal Mountain Ski Area, 5184699834, info@royalmountainskiarea. com, www.royalmountain.com. Flat Track - Short Track: Harpursville. Vintage Dirt Track National. Square Deal Riders M/C, 607-725-3069, info@squaredealriders.com, squaredealriders.com. Motocross: June 19. Middletown. MSC Championship MX Series. Metropolitan Sports Committee, 845-342-2573, info@orangecountyfairspeedway.net, www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net. Adventure Ride: June 26. WCMC Thrills In The Hills Adventure Tour. Wayne County Motorcycle Club, 315-359-7667, waynecountymotorcycleclub@gmail.com, www.waynecountymc.com. NORTH CAROLINA Road Ride/Run: June 4. Swannoanoa. 1st Annual Mike Traynor Memorial Ride. Pediatric Cancer Treatment Foundation, 828-329-9250, rtrigueros.pctf@att.net, www.pctf-foundation.org. Road Ride/Run: June 13-16. Cherokee. Retreads Rally. Retreads International Motorcycle Club, Chestnut Tree Inn. OHIO Dual Sport: June 4. Toronoto. Spring Classic. Ohio Valley BSA Owners Club, 724-945-6018, kubenab@atlanticbb.net, www.ohiovalleybsaownersclub.com. Motocross: June 11-12. Chillicothe. ChilliTown MX Mid-East Youth Regional Championship. East Fork MX, 513-266-2866, s.plessinger@yahoo.com, www.chillitownmx.com. Family Enduro: June 18. McArthur. Appalachian Dirt Riders, Inc., 740-384-6379, adrohio74@gmail.com, www.adrohio.org. Motocross: June 18-19. Waynesburg. Battle for Ohio State Championship Series. Patriot Promotions, info@ racemalvern.com, www.racemalvern.com. Enduro: June 19. McArthur. Little Raccoon Classic Enduro. Appalachian Dirt Riders, Inc., 740-384-6379, adrohio74@gmail.com, www.adrohio.org. Motocross: June 25-26. Nashport. Briarcliff MX Mid-East Vet Regional Championship. Briarcliff Motocross, LLC., 740-7630935, josborn@briarcliffmx.com, www.briarcliffmx.com. Dual Sport: June 26. Heath. Flint Ridge Dual Sport. Licking County Trail Riders Inc., 740-323-4129, johndevito19@yahoo.com, lickingcountytrailriders.com. OREGON Road Rally: June 23-25. Athena. Hodaka Days. Hodaka Club, 971-246-0687, gfloren@easystreet.net, www.hodakaclub.org. Observed Trials: June 25. Athena. Hodaka Days. Hodaka Club, 971-246-0687, gfloren@easystreet.net, www.hodakaclub.org. Motocross. June 26. Athena. Hodaka Days. Hodaka Club, 971-246-0687, gfloren@easystreet.net, hodakaclub.org. PENNSYLVANIA Motocross: June 4-5. Shippensburg. Doublin Gap Northeast Youth Regional Championship. Doublin Gap Motocross, Inc., 717-571-5824, doublingap@gmail.com, www.doublingap.com. Dual Sport: June 4-5. Lock Haven. National Dual SportGreat Adventure. Durty Dabbers Motorcycle Club, 570-7489456, durtydabbers@yahoo.com, www.durtydabbers.com. Adventure Ride: June 4-5. Lock Haven. National Dual Sport- Great Adventure. Durty Dabbers Motorcycle Club, 570-748-9456, durtydabbers@yahoo.com, durtydabbers.com. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 4-5. Three Springs.

Broken Anvil. Green Marble Enduro Riders, www.gmer.com. Motocross: June 4. Hanover. Masters MX Series. Happy Ramblers MC, 717-969-8089, happyramblersmx@gmail. com, www.happyramblersmx.com. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 4-5. Mt. Morris. GNCC Mason-Dixon/eMTB. Racer Productions, Inc., 304-284-0084, info@gnccracing.com, gnccracing.com. Motocross: June 5. Birdsboro. D2 Motocross Series. Pagoda Motorcycle Club, 610-582-3717, pagodamc@gmail.com, www.pagodamc.org. Motocross: June 11-12. Seward. Pleasure Valley Raceway Northeast Vet Regional Championship. Pleasure Valley Raceway, 814-317-6686, jeffcernic@gmail.com, pvrmx.com. Flat Track – TT: June 12. Parkesburg. E PA Piston Poppers MC Inc., 484-336-9160, pistonpoppersmc@hotmail.com, www.pistonpoppersmc.com. Road Rally: June 6-18. York. MAWMR Inc. Rally. MidAtlantic Women’s Motorcycle Rally, Inc., 410-215-2295 info@mawmr.org, http://www.mawmr.org. Dual Sport: June 18. Shippensburg. Michaux Dual Sport. Delaware Valley Trail Riders, 732-801-9248, dvtrevents@gmail.com, www.dvtrailriders.org. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 18-19. Tamaqua. RORR Hare Scrambles/ECEA Hare Scrambles Series. Reading Off Road Riders, 844-440-RORR, jim.graffius@gmail.com. Motocross: June 19. Birdsboro. MDRA Series. Pagoda Motorcycle Club, 610-582-3717, pagodamc@gmail.com, www.pagodamc.org. Motocross: June 19. Mount Morris. High Point Pro National Weekend - Amateur Day. Racer Productions, Inc., 304-2840084, info@mxsports.com, www.highpointmx.com. Adventure Ride: June 22-26. North Bend. Explore the PA Wilds Four Tour. Appalachian ADV-Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbiking LLC., 330-272-4186, kane@appalachianadv. com, Appalachianadv.com/events. Road Rally: June 23-26. Johnstown. Thunder in the Valley. Visit Johnstown, 800-237-8590, jstcvb@visitjohnstownpa. com, www.johstownthunder.com. Trail Ride: June 25-26. Tamaqua. DVTR Members-Only Campout. Delaware Valley Trail Riders, 732-801-9248, dvtrevents@gmail.com. Flat Track - Short Track: June 25. Bloomsburg. Shippensburg MC, 717-796-0294, candybaer@comcast.net, baermotorsports.com. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 25-26. Frackville. OXBO/Skip Stoner Memorial Hare Scramble. South Penn Enduro Riders, 717-385-6014, dashughart@aol.com. Motocross: June 26. Shippensburg. Doublin Gap - District 6 Motocross Series. Doublin Gap Motocross, Inc., 717-5715824, doublingap@gmail.com, www.doublingap.com. SOUTH CAROLINA Motocross: June 18. Travelers Rest. Carolina Elite Series. Travelers Rest Motorsports Park, 850-251-9698, www.sc-moto.com. SOUTH DAKOTA Grand Tour: June 23- July 22. Rapid City. Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. Medicine Show LLC., 605-890-0386, beth.durham@hokaheychallenge.com. TENNESSEE Motocross: June 5. Altamont. Fast Farms MX. Fast Farms MX Park, 931-409-4453, fastfarmsmx@yahoo.com, facebook.com/fastfarmsmxpark.com. TEXAS Motocross: June 11. Wortham. Texas Night Series. Freestone County Raceway LLC., 713-206-2286, freestonemx@gmail.com, www.freestonemx.com. Motocross: June 18-19. Alvord. Oak Hill Raceway South Central Vet Regional Championship. OHR Management LLC., 940-577-2225, www.oakhillmx.com. Motocross: June 25-26. Tyler. Swan MX Raceway Park South Central Youth Regional Championship. Omen Promotions, 903-882-4215, info@swanmx.com, www.swanmx.com.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

UTAH Motocross: June 11-12. Delta. Bunker Hill Youth/Amateur/ Vet Midwest Regional Championship. Grassroots MX, LLC., 801-540-8625, grassrootsmx1@gmail.com, www.bunkerhillmx.net. VIRGINIA Road Ride/Run: June 11. Catlett. Chaos in Catlett 2022 Scooter Rally. Small Bore Corps (DMV), 703-864-3981, smallborecorpsdmv@gmail.com, www.smallborecorpsdmv.com. Enduro: June 18-18. Martinsville. Full Gas Sprint Enduro RD 5: Catfish Pond. Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series, 919-2381627, contact@fullgasenduro.com, fullgasenduro.com. Motocross: June 18-19. Axton. Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park Southeast Vet Regional. Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park, 276-650-1158, lakesugartree@gmail.com, www.lakesugartree.com. Motocross: June 26. Wytheville. AMA Virginia State Championship. Victory Sports Inc., 423-323-5497, jane@victory-sports.com, www.victory-sports.com. WASHINGTON Dual Sport: June 23-26. Plain. Touratech Rally West. Touratech-USA, 206-390-2752, matt.l@touratech-usa.com, www.touratechrally.com. Road Race: June 24-26. Shelton. Mini Cup by Motul. MotoAmerica, www.motoamerica.com. Road Race: June 24-26. Shelton. North America Talent Cup. Rise Moto LLC., 717-495-7265, info@northamericatalentcup. com, www.northamericatalentcup.com. WEST VIRGINIA Road Ride/Run: June 8-11. Glen Dale. Insane Ridge Week. Hoagy’s Heroes, Inc., 304-639-1863, hoagy@hoagysheroes. org, http://hoagysheroes.org. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 25-26. Snowshoe. GNCC Snowshoe/eMTB. Racer Productions, Inc., 304-2840084, info@gnccracing.com, gnccracing.com. Motocross: June 25: Hedgesville. Masters MX Series. Tomahawk MX, LLC., 304-582-8185, tomahawkmotocross@gmail.com, www.tomahawkmx.com. WISCONSIN Road Race: June 3-5. Plymouth. Mini Cup by Motul. MotoAmerica, www.motoamerica.com. Flat Track - Short Track: June 3. Plymouth. Dairyland Classic. Southeastern Short Trackers, LTD., 262-339-7430, bertsumner@hotmail.com, dairylandclassic.com. Observed Trials: June 4. Sturgeon Bay. Door County MotoTrials. Wisconsin Observed Trials Association, 319-3308016, nursehuber@aol.com, wisconsintrials.org. Motocross: June 5. Tigerton. Regional Warm Up. Fantasy Moto LLC., 920-419-2863, scottyb@fantasymoto.com, www.tigertonmx.com. Observed Trials: June 5. Sturgeon Bay. Door County MotoTrials. Wisconsin Observed Trials Association, 319-3308016, nursehuber@aol.com, wisconsintrials.org. Adventure Ride: June 11. Wabeno. Ride for ResearchAdventure Ride. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders, 920-350-2030, bigwoods200@hotmail.com http://www.widualsportiders.org. Motocross: June 11. Lake Mills. Twilight Series. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc., www.aztalanmx.com. Flat Track - Short Track: June 11. Burnett. District 16 ST. Beaver Cycle Club, Inc., 920-319-6889, mikeschwarzenbacher@gmail.com, https://www.facebook. com/BeaverCycleClub. Dual Sport: June 11-12. Wabeno. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders, 920-350-2030, bigwoods200@hotmail.com, www.widualsportriders.org. Motocross: June 12. Lake Mills. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc., 414-265-1582, aztalancycle@gmail.com,aztalanmx.com. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: June 12. Hixton. CMJ Raceway AMA D16/D23 & BBXC Harescrambles. CMJ Raceway LLC., 608-220-6853, cmjmx1@yahoo.com, www. cmjraceway.com.

Flat Track - Short Track: June 18. Lake Mills. AMA District 16 Flat Track. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc., 262-225-9011, jkainz3505@gmail.com, aztalanmx.com. Motocross: June 18. Tigerton.Tigerton MX North Central Youth Regional Championship. Fantasy Moto LLC., 920419-2863, scottyb@fantasymoto.com, www.fantasymoto.com. Hillclimb: June 25-26. Hixton. AMA D16/D23 Hillclimbs. CMJ Raceway LLC., 608-220-6853, cmjmx1@yahoo.com, www.cmjraceway.com. Enduro: June 26. Lake Mills. Aztalan Cycle Club GPxx. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc., 414-265-1582, aztalancycle@gmail.com, aztalanmx.com. WYOMING Road Ride/Run: June 24-July22. Cheyenne. LDX Rally. Lone Star Long Riders, 214-250-1340, paultong971@gmail.com, www.ldxrally.com. MOTOCROSS 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship promotocross.com Round 2: June 4. Sacramento, Calif. Hangtown Motocross Round 3: June 11. Lakewood, Colo. Thunder Valley Motocross Park Round 4: June 18. Mount Morris, Pa. High Point Raceway Round 5: July 2. Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX Round 6: July 9. Southwick, Mass. The Wick 338 Round 7: July 16. Millville, Minn. Spring Creek MX Park Round 8: July 23. Washougal, Wash. Washougal MX Park Round 9: Aug. 13. New Berlin, N.Y. Unadilla MX Round 10: Aug. 20. Mechanicsville, Md. Budds Creek Motocross Park Round 11: Aug. 27. Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway Round 12: Sept. 3. Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations redbudmx.com/mxon-2022 Sept. 24-25. Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship mxsports.com Aug. 1-6. Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn Ranch Northeast Regionals Youth: June 3-5. Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX. Vet: June 10-12. Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway. Southeast Area Regionals Amateur: June 10-12. Reynolds, Ga. Silver Dollar Raceway. Vet: June 17-19. Axton, Va. Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park. Mid-East Regionals Amateur: June 3-5. Rossville, Ind. Wildcat Creek MX. Youth: June 10-12. Chillicothe, Ohio. ChilliTown MX. Vet: June 24-26. Nashport, Ohio. Briarcliff MX. North Central Regionals Vet: June 10-12. Garwin, Iowa. Oak Ridge MX. Youth: June 17-19. Tigerton, Wis. Motozone. Amateur: June 24-26. Mount Carroll, Ill. MC Moto Park. South Central Regionals Amateur: June 3-5. Conroe, Texas. 3 Palms Action Sports Park. Vet: June 17-19. Alvord, Texas. Oak Hill Raceway. Youth: June 24-26. Tyler, Texas. Swan MX Raceway Park. Midwest Regional Youth/Amateur/Vet: June 10-12. Delta, Utah. Bunker Hill.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

COMING EVENTS

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

Southwest Regional Youth/Amateur/Vet: June 3-5. Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway. AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series atvmotocross.com. Round 8: July 2-3. Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway. Round 9: July 30-31. Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX. Round 10: Aug. 13-14. Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn Ranch. AMA Vintage Motocross Grand Championship amavintagemotorcycledays.com July 23-24. Lexington, Ohio. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course MAJOR EVENTS Mammoth Motocross 2xpromotions.com June 17-26. Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Mammoth Mountain. (559) 500-5360. Thor Mini O’s, presented by Pro Circuit unlimitedsportsmx.com SX: Nov. 19-22. Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park. (321) 689-3461. MX: Nov. 23-26. Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park. (321) 689-3461. FEATURED EVENTS OR SERIES ChilliTown Classic chillitownmx.com July 6-10. Chillicothe, Ohio. ChilliTown MX. (513) 266-2866. Washougal Amateur Days washougalmxpk.com July 21-22. Washougal, Wash. Washougal MX Park. (360) 837-3975 Baja Brawl bajaacres.com Sept. 2-5. Millington, Mich. Baja Acres. (989) 871-3356. Yamaha All-Star Pro-Am/Cobra Cup doublingap.com Sept. 10-11. Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park. (717) 571-5824. 46th Annual Kawasaki Race of Champions etownraceway.com Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park. (732) 446-7800. etownraceway.com The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City poncamx.com Oct. 6-9. Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City MX. (815) 582-4113. www.poncamx.com PRO-AM EVENTS 2022 AMA Pro-Am Schedule Mid Minnesota Challenge: June 5. Cambridge. BCMX Adventure Park. (612) 280-8939. bcmxadventurepark.com Mammoth Motocross: June 17-26. Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Mammoth Mountain. (559) 500-5360. 2xpromotions.com Raceway Park Pro-Am: June 26. Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park. (732) 446-7800. etownraceway.com ChilliTown Classic: July 6-10. Chillicothe, Ohio. ChilliTown MX. (513) 266-2866. chillitownmx.com Wisconsin’s Southern Cup: July 9. Hillpoint, Wis. Sugar Maple MX. (608) 425-8643. sugarmaplemx.com Aztalan Cycle Club Pro-Am: July 10. Lake Mills, Wis. Aztalan Cycle Club. (414) 265-1582. aztalanmx.com Washougal Amateur Days: July 21-22. Washougal, Wash. Washougal MX Park. (360) 837-3975. washougalmxpk.com Baja Brawl: Sept. 2-5. Millington, Mich. Baja Acres. (989) 871-3356. bajaacres.com MSC Championship MX Series: Sept. 3-4. Carlisle, N.Y. Diamondback MX @ The Ranch at Carlisle. (845) 554-8717, diamondback-mx.com Yamaha All-Star Pro-Am/Cobra Cup: Sept. 10-11. Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park. (717) 571-5824. doublingap.com

Megacross Shootout Series: Sept. 17. Mendota, Ill. Megacross. (815) 539-9021. megacross.com Beast in the East/New Jersey Championship Series Pro-Am: Sept. 18. Millville, N.J. NJ Field of Dreams. (856) 765-3799. njmpfod.com Sunset Ridge MX Pro-Am: Sept. 18. Walnut, Ill. Sunset Ridge MX. (815) 379-9534. sunsetridgemx.com AMA Georgia State Championship/MEGA/SAS/BIG Series *DOUBLE POINTS: Sept. 25. Dalton, Ga. Lazy River MX. (706) 278-2868. lazyrivermx.com 46th Annual Kawasaki Race of Champions: Sept. 30Oct. 2. Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park. (732) 446-7800. etownraceway.com The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City: Oct. 6-9. Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City MX. (815) 582-4113. poncamx.com Top Gun Showdown *DOUBLE POINTS: Oct. 9. Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Raceway. (423) 323-5497. victory-sports.com Big Bucks Pro-Am: Oct. 9. Birdsboro, Pa. Pagoda MC. (610) 582-3717, pagodamc.org MSC Championship MX Series: Oct. 16. Middletown, N.Y. Orange County Fair Motocross. (845) 342-2573, orangecountyfairspeedway.net Travis Pastrana Pro-Am Challenge: Oct. 22-23. Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway. (814) 317-6686. pvrmx.com AMA South Carolina State Championship: Nov. 13. Hamer, S.C. South of the Border MX, (423) 323-5497. victory-sports.com Thor Mini O’s, presented by Pro Circuit – SX: Nov. 19-22. Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park, (321) 689-3461, unlimitedsportsmx.com Thor Mini O’s, presented by Pro Circuit – MX: Nov. 23-26. Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park. (321) 689-3461, unlimitedsportsmx.com STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AMA Virginia State Championship: June 26. Wytheville, Va. Pro Sport MX. (423) 323-5497, victory-sports.com AMA Tennessee State Championship: July 10. Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Raceway. (423) 323-5497, www.victory-sports.com AMA North Carolina State Championship: Aug. 7. Union Mills, N.C. 221 MX. (828) 778-1429. bigoakmx.com AMA New Jersey State Championship: Aug. 21. Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park, (732) 446-7800, www.etownraceway.com AMA Indiana State Championship: Aug. 28.Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway, (304) 284-0101. mxsports.com AMA Georgia State Championship: Sept. 25. Dalton, Ga. Lazy River MX, (706) 278-2868, lazyrivermx.com AMA West Virginia State Championship: Oct. 9. Hedgesville, W. Va. Tomahawk MX. (304) 582-8185. tomahawkmx.com AMA Kentucky State Championship: Oct. 16. Sebree, Ky. Echo Valley MX LLC. (270) 339-6704, evmxllc.com AMA South Carolina State Championship: Nov. 13. Hamer, S.C. South of the Border MX, (423) 323-5497, victory-sports.com TRACK RACING 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship motoamerica.com Round 4: May 20-22. Alton, Va., Virginia International Raceway Round 5: June 3-5. Elkhart Lake, Wis., Road America Round 6: June 24-26. Shelton, Wash., The Ridge Motorsports Park Round 7: July 8-10. Monterey, Calif., Laguna Seca Raceway Round 8: July 29-31. Brainerd, Minn., Brainerd International Raceway Round 9: Aug. 19-21. Wampum, Pa., Pittsburgh International Race Complex Round 10: Sept. 9-11. Millville, N.J., New Jersey Motorsports Park Round 11: Sept. 23-25. Leeds, Ala., Barber Motorsports Park

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

FIM NORTH AMERICAN TALENT CUP SERIES FIM North America Championship northamericatalentcup.com Round 3: June 24-26 - Shelton, Wash. The Ridge Motorsports Park. Round 4: July 15-17 - Bloomington, Ga. Roebling Road Raceway. Round 5: Aug. 12-14. Wampum, Pa. Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Round 6: Sept. 2-4. Braselton, Ga. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Round 7: Sept. 23-25. Leeds, Ala. Barber Motorsports Park. American Hillclimb americanhillclimb.com Round 1: June 5. Jefferson, Pa. White Rose Motorcycle Club. Round 2: June 12. Freemansburg, Pa. Bushkill Valley Motorcycle Club. Round 3: Aug. 7. Muskegon, Mich. Muskegon Motorcycle Club. Round 4: Sept. 17. Jefferson, Pa. White Rose Motorcycle Club. Round 5: Sept. 25. Freemansburg, Pa. Bushkill Valley Motorcycle Club. Round 6: Oct. 9. Oregonia, Ohio. Dayton Motorcycle Club. Progressive American Flat Track americanflattrack.com Round 7: June 11. Loudon, N.H. New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Short Track. Round 8: June 25. Lima, Ohio. Allen County Fairgrounds. Half-mile. Round 9: July 2. Weedsport, N.Y., Weedsport Speedway. Short Track. Round 10: July 16. Port Royal, Pa. Port Royal Speedway. Half-mile. Round 11: July 30. Peoria, Ill. Peoria Motorcycle Club. TT. Round 12: Aug. 6. Rapid City, S.D. Black Hills Speedway. Half-mile. Round 13: Aug. 13. Castle Rock, Wash. Castle Rock Race Park. TT. Round 14: Aug. 20. Sacramento, Calif. Cal Expo. Mile. Round 15: Sept. 3. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds. Mile. Round 16: Sept. 4. Springfield Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds. Mile. Round 17: Sept. 24. New Richmond, Wis. Cedar Lake Speedway. Short Track. Round 18: Oct. 15. Barberville, Fla. Volusia Speedway Park. Half-mile. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AMA Road Race Grand Championship wera.com Oct. 20-23. Birmingham, Ala. Barber Motorsports Park. AMA Vintage Road Race Grand Championship amavintagemotorcycledays.com July 23-24: Lexington, Ohio. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. AMA Flat Track Grand Championship americanmotorcylist.com/flat-track-racing July 7-13. Du Quoin, Ill. Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series americanmotorcyclist.com/flat-track-racing/ Round 7: June 17. Harpursville, N.Y. SDR Raceway (Short Track). (607) 725-3069. squaredealriders.com. Round 8: June 18. Harpursville, N.Y. SDR Raceway (Short Track). (607) 725-3069. squaredealriders.com. Round 9: June 24. Greenville, Ohio. Darke County Fairgrounds (Half Mile). (937) 518-5044. darkecountyfair.com. Round 10: June 26. Greenville, Ohio. Darke County Fairgrounds (Half Mile). (937) 518-5044. darkecountyfair.com. Round 11: July 9. Du Quoin, Ill. Du Quoin State Fairgrounds (Mile). (614) 856-1900. Round 12: July 10. Du Quoin, Ill. Du Quoin State Fairgrounds (Half Mile). (614) 856-1900.

Round 13: July 23. Ashland, Ohio. Ashland County Fairgrounds (Half Mile). (614) 856-1900. amavintagemotorcycledays.com. Round 14: Sept. 1. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds (Short Track). (270) 442-7532. Round 15: Sept. 17. Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track). (845) 219-1193. tristateclub.net. Round 16: Sept. 18. Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track). (845) 219-1193. tristateclub.net. AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship muskegonmotorcycleclub.com Aug. 13-14. Muskegon, Mich. Muskegon Motorcycle Club. AMA Super Hooligan National Championship Series superhooligan.com Round 4: July 8-10. Salinas, Calif. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. AMA Land Speed Grand Championship bonnevillemst.com Aug. 28-Sept. 1. Tooele, Utah. Bonneville Salt Flat. AMA Supermoto National Championship Series drtracinginc.com June 9-11: Republic of Texas Motorcycle Rally. Austin, Texas. Aug. 9: Jackpine Gypsies MX Track. Sturgis, S.D. Aug. 12-14: TBD Nov. 4-6: Musselman Honda Circuit. Tucson, Ariz. FEATURED EVENTS OR SERIES

Round 9: Zink Ranch National – Oct. 16. Sand Spring, Okla. tulsatrailriders.com Round 10: Gobbler Getter National –Nov. 6. Stanton, Ala. (205) 340-4298 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com AMA National Hare and Hound Championship nationalhareandhound.com Round 6: Sept. 10. Panaca, Nev. Round 7: Oct. 8-9. Lovelock, Nev. Round 8: Oct. 22-23. Lucerne Valley, Calif.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AMA West Hare Scramble Championship westharescramble.com Round 4: June 18-19. Bellingham, Wash. Round 5: July 9-10. Washougal, Wash. Round 6: Oct. 15-16. Boise, Idaho Round 7: Nov. 5-6. Toutle, Wash. Round 8: Nov. 19-20. Wilseyville, Calif. AMA East Hare Scramble Championship amaeastharescrambles.com

AMA National Grand Prix Championship ngpcseries.com

Round 6: July 31. Millville, N.J. NJFOD. Round 7: Sept. 18. Bath, N.Y. Full Action Cycles.

Round 7: Aug. 20-21. Preston, Idaho Round 8: Oct. 1-2. Ridgecrest, Calif. Round 9: Oct. 29-30. Blythe, Calif. Round 10: Nov. 12-13. Havasu, Ariz.

AMA US Sprint Enduro Championship ussprintenduro.com Round 8: June 18-19. Bristol, Va. Harleywood

AMA/NATC National MotoTrials Championship mmototrials.com Round 7: June 11. Gilbert, Minn. UMTA. Round 8: June 12. Gilbert, Minn. UMTA.

AMA Extreme Off-Road Championship amaextremechampionship.com AMA US Hard Enduro West Championship

AMA Extreme Off-Road Grand Championship tennesseeknockoutenduro.com

Round 3: June 11. Norden, Calif.. Round 4: June 18-19. Kellogg, Idaho.

Red Bull Tennessee Knockout: Aug. 12-14. Sequatchie, Tenn. Trials Training Center.

AMA US Hard Enduro East Championship

AMA Vintage Hare Scramble Grand Championship amavintagemotorcycledays.com

Round 3: July 2-3. Tamaqua, Pa. Round 4: July 16-17. Sugarloaf, Pa. Round 5: Aug. 6-7. Taylorsville, N.C.

July 22. Lexington, Ohio. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

AMA All-Star National Flat Track Series stevenaceracing.com

AMA Vintage Observed Trials Grand Championship amavintagemotorcycledays.com

July 4: Half Mile. Frederick, Md. The Great Frederick Fairgrounds. Sept. 2: Short Track. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds.

July 24. Lexington, Ohio. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

AMA/NATC Eastern Youth MotoTrials Championship mototrials.com July 1-3. Sequatchie, Tenn. Trials Training Center.

글

OFF-ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Grand National Cross Country gnccracing.com

䜀䜀䜀䜀䜀䜀

吀吀吀䜀匀ⴀ㜀㜀䴀䴀䴀䴀ⴀ堀

Round 8: Mason-Dixon – Jun 4-5. Mount Morris, Pa. Mathews Farm. Round 9: Snowshoe – Jun 25-26. Showshoe, W. Va. Showshoe Mountain Resort. Loretta Lynn’s – eMTB Only – July 30. Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn Ranch. Round 10: The Mountaineer – Sept. 10-11. Beckley, W. Va. Summit Bechtel Reserve. Round 11: Burr Oak – Sept. 24-25. Millfield, Ohio. Sunday Creek Raceway. Round 12: Buckwheat 100 – Oct. 8-9. Newburg, W. Va. CJ Raceway. Round 13: Ironman – Oct. 22-23. Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway.

⸀

䄀䴀䄀匀倀䔀䌀䤀䄀䰀䰀䤀䴀䤀吀䔀䐀吀䤀䴀䔀㈀ ─ 伀䘀䘀一伀圀 ␀㌀㤀⸀㤀㤀倀䄀䤀刀

AMA National Enduro Championship nationalenduro.com Round 4: Cherokee National – June 12. Greensboro, Ga. (678) 572-7260 cherokeeenduroriders.com Round 5: Rattlesnake National – July 24. Cross Fork, Pa. (610) 883-7607 ber.us Round 6: Grassman National – Aug. 21. Chandlersville, Ohio. (614) 204-1438 ohiowoodsriders.com Round 7: Loose Moose National – Sept. 18. Marquette, Mich. (906) 250-3616 upsandstormers.com Round 8: Muddobbers National – Oct. 2. Matthews, Ind. (765) 998-2236 muddobbermc.org

Member deals and discounts! americanmotorcyclist.com

䀀 ⸀䀀 ⸀䀀 K

倀倀倀倀匀匀匀匀匀

⸀K䀀䀀

匀匀匀匀匀ⴀ匀夀一

䀀䀀䀀䀀 ⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀ

䀀⸀

䀀㨀

ⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀ

䀀䀀䀀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀ 䀀䀀䀀䀀䀀䀀䀀䀀䀀䀀⸀⸀⸀⸀

吀吀吀㨀 ⠀㜀㄀㐀⤀ ㌀㜀㤀ⴀ㤀㐀㄀㌀

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

COMING EVENTS

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

AMA/NATC Western Youth MotoTrials Championship mototrials.com Aug. 12-14. Kingman, Ariz. Central Arizona Trials. FEATURED EVENTS OR SERIES AMA Florida Enduro Championship Series floridatrailriders.org Round 7: June 5 Greensboro, Ga. Cherokee Enduro Riders (678) 572-7260 AMA Mid East Racing Championship Series mideastracing.com Round 9: June 18-19. Fountain Inn, S.C. Round 10: Aug. 20-21. Union, S.C. Round 11: Sept. 17-18. Union, S.C. Round 12: Oct. 1-2. Woodruff, S.C. Round 13: Oct. 15-16. TBA. Round 14: Oct. 29-30. Hickory, N.C. New York Off-Road Championship Series nyoa.net Round 4: June 19. Seneca Highlands. Round 5: July 10. Knobby Acres. Round 6: July 24. The Ditch Banger. Round 7: Aug. 7. Black Sky. Round 8: Aug. 21. Baldwin Trail Riders. Round 9: Sept. 4. Twisted Fence. Round 10: Sept. 18. Full Action Cycles. Round 11: Oct. 2. TBA. STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AMA Arizona Off-Road State Championship Series amraracing.com Round 7: Page. Rock Stars MC. Round 8: Nov. 12. Oracle. XMC. Round 9: Dec. 10. TBA. Off-Camber. RECREATIONAL NATIONAL

AMA National Adventure Riding Series americanmotorcyclist.com/national-adventure-riding June 4-5. Durty Dabbers Great Adventure. Lock Haven, Pa. Durty Dabbers. (570) 748-9456 durtydabbers.com June 11-12. Ride for Research. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org June 25-26. Big Bear Run. Big Bear, Calif. Big Bear Trail Riders. (818) 391-3031 bigbeartrailriders.com Sept. 10-11. Blue Ridge. Pineola, N.C. AppalachianTrail Riders. (704) 309-3271 https://www.facebook.com/people/ Appalachian-Trail-Riders/100074833716368/ Sept. 17-18. Buffaloe 500. Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club. (812) 342-4411 stoneylonesomemc.com Sept. 24-25. Show Me 500. Bixby, Mo. Midwest Trail Riders Association. (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com Sept. 24-25. Big Woods 200. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org Oct. 1-2. Perry Mountain Tower Run. Stanton, Ala. Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club. (334) 327-5086 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com Oct. 22-23. Cross-Florida Adventure. Saint Augustine, Fla. Dixie Dual Sport. (727) 919-8299 dixiedualsport.com Nov. 25-26. L.A. – Barstow to Vegas. Palmdale, Calif. District 37 Dual Sport. (626) 446-7386 labarstowvegas.com

Beta AMA National Dual Sport Series americanmotorcyclist.com/national-dual-sport June 4-5. Durty Dabbers Great Adventure. Lock Haven, Pa. Durty Dabbers. (570) 748-9456 durtydabbers.com June 11-12. Ride for Research. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org June 11-12. Ozark 200. New Blaine, Ark. Arkansas Dirt Riders, Inc. (501) 539-3361 arkansas-dirt-riders.spruz.com June 25-26. Big Bear Run. Big Bear, Calif. Big Bear Trail Riders. (818) 391-3031 bigbeartrailriders.com July 16-17. Copperhead. Logan, Ohio. Hocking Valley Motorcycle Club. (740) 385-7695 hockingvalleymc.com Aug. 6-7. Mountain Madness. Flagstaff, Ariz. Coconino Trail Riders. (602) 391-8107 coconinotrailriders.org Sept. 10-11. Baby Burr. New Plymouth, Ohio. Enduro Riders of Ohio. (740) 972-4214 enduroriders.com Sept. 10-11. LBL 200. Golden Pond, Ky. KT Riders. (270) 350-6324 lbl200.com Sept. 17-18. Buffaloe 500. Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club. (812) 342-4411 stoneylonesomemc.com Sept. 17-18. Yosemite Dual Sport Adventure. Groveland, Calif. Family Off-Road Adventures. (209) 993-7306. familyoffroadadventures.com Sept. 24-25. Show Me 200. Bixby, Mo. Midwest Trail Riders Association. (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com Sept. 24-25. Big Woods 200. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org Oct. 1-2. Perry Mountain Tower Run. Stanton, Ala. Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club. (334) 327-5086 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com Oct. 1-2. Shenandoah 500. Natural Chimneys, Va. Washington Area Trail Riders. watr.us Oct. 7-9. Eastern Sierra Dual Sport. Lone Pine, Calif. Family Off Road Adventures. (209) 993-7306. familyoffroadadventures.com Nov. 5-6. The Hammer Run. Port Elizabeth, N.J. Tri-County Sportsmen M.C. Inc. teamhammer.org Nov. 5-6. Howlin’ at the Moon. Payson, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders. (602) 692-9382 arizonatrailriders.org Nov. 25-26. L.A. – Barstow to Vegas. Palmdale, Calif. District 37 Dual Sport. (626) 446-7386 labarstowbegas.com

AMA National Gypsy Tour americanmotorcyclist.com/gypsytour

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Escape to Americade June 7-11. Lake George, NY Laconia Motorcycle Week. June 11-19. Laconia, NH Thunder in the Valley June 23-26. Johnstown, PA 4 Corners M/C Rally September 2-4. Durango, CO

AMA Vintage Motorcyle Days https://vintagemotorcycledays.com/page/racing AMA Vintage Motorcyle Days July 22-24. Lexington, Ohio

AMA Grand Tours https://americanmotorcyclist.com/grandtours Great Lakes Cabot Trail Tour. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 330-857-8131, cabottrail@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com USA Four Corners Tour. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 805-889-5220, usa4c@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com Best 15 US Roads Challenge. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 330-857-8131, best15us@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com California Adventure Series. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 330-857-8131, adventures@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas. March 1-Nov. 15. MC Grand Tour of Texas, LLC, 210-777-1434, davidcanada@ mcgttx.com, www.mcgttx.com Tour of Honor. April 1- Nov. 30. Tour of Honor, 208-740-0899, admin@tourofhonor.com, tourofhonor.com. Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. June 23-July 22. Medicine Show LLC. (605) 890-0386, beth.durham@ hokaheychallenge.com, hokaheychallenge.com AMA Trademarks The following represents active, registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of American Motorcyclist Association, Inc. (AMA). Usage of any AMA trademark or registered trademark without our permission is prohibited. Please contact jholter@ama-cycle.org for more information or assistance. (800) AMA-JOIN® • AMA Dragbike® • AMA Endurocross® AMA Motorhead® • AMA Pro Grand National Championship® • AMA Pro Racing® • AMA Race Center™ • AMA Racer® • AMA Racing® • AMA Racing Land Speed Grand Championships® • AMA Supermoto® • AMA Supercross® AMA SX Lites® • AMA U.S. ISDE Team™ • AMA U.S. Jr. Motocross Team™ • AMA U.S. Motocross Team™ Amateur National Motocross Championships® • American Motorcyclist Association® Arenacross® • ATV Hare Scrambles National Championship Series® • ATV Motocross National Championship Series® • Flat Track Grand Championships™ • Grand National Enduro Championship® • Gypsy Tour® Hare & Hound National Championship Series® • Hare Scrambles Championship Series® • Hare Scrambles National Championship Series® • Kids Just Want To Ride® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum® • Motorcyclist of the Year® • Motostars® • National Adventure Riding Series® • National Dual-Sport Series® National Enduro Championship Series® • Protect Your Right to Ride® • Protecting Your Right to Ride® • Ride Straight® • Rights. Riding. Racing.® • Road Race Grand Championships® • Vintage Grand Championships® • Vintage Motorcycle Days® • Vote Like A Motorcyclist®

MARKETPLACE

RACHEL RING 1-888-600-8494 KINEKTDESIGN.COM

One Rate

44 Terminals

Online Booking

800.730.3151

motorcycleshippers.com

Giving Riders More Freedom to Enjoy the Bikes they Love

WHAT ARE YOU PACKING? Motorcycle Camp Gear carries only the most packable camping gear from top brands at fair prices to fit on your bike.

Member deals and discounts! americanmotorcyclist.com

Buying or selling residential or commercial real estate ANYWHERE in the United States? Learn how it can benefit the AMA Hall of Fame at NO COST to you!

SAVE 10% with code AMA322*

*Restrictions apply. See site for details.

MotorcycleCampGear.com

Info: Kristi at (951) 704-6370.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Ga r a ge

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

STREET

SAVVY

CHECKING YOUR SIX! KEVIN WING

If you can’t filter, be aware of what’s behind you. Be very aware.

BY MITCH BOEHM

n this issue’s Backfires column we took a reader to task for implying that lane filtering is inherently “dangerous” and that simply riding “correctly” will keep you from being mashed into goo when an inattentive driver plows into you from behind. We realize, of course, that most of you cannot legally lane filter in your state, and while we hope you eventually can, a reminder about how to keep yourself from an ugly backside impact like this seems perfectly appropriate for the unlucky ones without a filtering law. While a functioning brake light is key to keeping those behind you awake and aware (and the flashing aftermarket ones are even better),

the fact remains that many drivers aren’t paying attention…which means you’ve gotta keep sharp. And that starts as you initially brake for a light or stop sign. First, get into the habit of squeezing the lever (or pushing the pedal) several times as you begin to slow down and check your mirrors to see the situation immediately behind you. Your flashing brake light is much more likely to grab the attention of that smartphone-wielding teenager or lost-in-space geriatric than a solid light. If you’re stopping on a “fresh” yellow be extra aware of what’s happening aft, as the car or truck behind you might not feel the need. As you slow to a stop, position yourself to either the right or left of

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

the center section of the lane; this will give you an easier escape path (going between cars) if you spy a vehicle bearing down on you, and you’ll stay out of the grease that typically collects there. If there’s traffic behind you, leave your bike in gear with the clutch lever pulled in, which will allow you to move quickly if that becomes necessary. It should go without saying, but your mirrors are your lifeline, and keeping them clean and adjusted properly is a must. If all they show are your elbows, find ones that offer a better rear view. Ditto your brake and tail-light, which need to be clean and in working order. And finally, check out the various companies that offer flashing brakeand tail-light kits. You really can’t do too much here.

Staff Rides

Burgess: 2013 Yamaha XT250

Joy learns about battery maintenance with the help of a good bike stand n the past few months I’ve been learning a lot and having tons of fun on my new-to-me 2013 Yamaha XT250 dual sport, but a couple weeks of rain and severe storms in Florida left the bike sitting in the garage. I’d noticed it was starting a little slow the last couple times I rode it, but didn’t think much of it at the time. (My first mistake!) Once it dried up enough that I didn’t need a canoe to get out to the garage, I geared up and was excited to go ride. I’ve been absolutely loving the bike’s electric starter (the memories of kicking my little Honda XR are finally beginning to fade…), but when I pushed that magic button it gave a few groaning attempts, and then…click, click, click. I knew immediately I had a very weak — or dead — battery, and I didn’t own a battery charger of any type. Here in Florida, where you can ride all year, I haven’t needed one… until now. So I ordered up a Battery Tender (batterytender.com) from right here in DeLand, Fla., and decided I’d figure things out.

After removing the seat and side panel and connecting the Tender’s leads to my XT’s battery, a red light gave me a pretty good indication that my diagnosis was correct. The next

morning the light was green…and the bike started! Wooo hoooo! I got to ride it, too, but I wondered…how long was that charge going to last? Turns out, not very long, so it appears I’m in the market for a new battery. I’m planning to grab one from

the good people at Yuasa, but I went ahead and installed the leads on the old battery in the meantime so I can keep the bike hooked up to the Tender — and rideable — whenever I’m not on it. I’ll let you know how it all turns out in an upcoming edition. Working on the XT as I have lately — and before that my XR…a lot! — has made me see the value of a good bike stand, and the K&L Supply MC475 from Redline Stands has been superb for me over the last couple of years. It’s zincplated, super-sturdy and has a 400-pound capacity, which makes it perfect for dirt bikes or dual sports. My XT weighs a little more than 300 pounds, so it easily fits within the weight range, and with the stand’s removable lifting arm (which is quite long for lots of leverage), I can easily lift the bike by myself. There’s even a cutout in the deck so you can change fluids easily. The MC475 retails for $279.95, and is available at redlinestands.com.

I’d noticed it was starting a little slow the last couple times I rode it, but didn’t think much of it at the time.

If your bike sits for any length of time, new battery or old, a Battery Tender is a must-have piece of gear. AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

G arag e

Staff Rides

REDA: 2020 Yamaha MT-09

After a decade of Buell ownership, our intrepid DC staffer joins the Japanese revolution fter hitting 50,000 miles on my 2003 Buell XB9S (appropriately named “Nightmare”) I figured it was finally time to upgrade to a bike with parts that didn’t require black magic to track down. As a sucker for streetfighters, the 2017 and newer Yamaha MT-09s were the first bikes on my list due to their aggressive styling and glowing reviews from critics and friends alike. I found a picture-perfect 2020 MT-09 two hours outside of NYC, and hours after contacting the owner I had a plan involving buses, cars and a friend’s couch in Brooklyn to grab it and bring it to my DC home that weekend. The MT-09 looked even better in person, and after the seller kindly brought me up to date on the last two decades of motorcycle tech and electronic displays, I embarked on potentially the most thorough first-ride test ever performed. Getting back into

Brooklyn for the night quickly taught me how vitally important ABS is, and the inline-triple’s consistent torque made riding through Manhattan the next day a breeze. My ride involved a mix of highways and backroads, and the MT-09 outperformed my wildest expectations on both. Boosted by a Yoshimura exhaust and race tune from the previous owner, the MT09’s highway performance made me the happiest person on the New

Jersey Turnpike. Once I hit Amish country in Pennsylvania I ditched the highway for some twisty fun. The MT-09 glided through the farmland backroads with ease, and its light weight and flickability ate up even the tightest corners without issue. The only thing I had to worry about was my smallish gas tank and the bike’s unfortunate 35mpg average. After some 12 hours of riding on Sunday my new MT-09 was safely parked in my garage. With a sore butt and much higher odometer, I can now confidently say that the MT-09 kept me smiling throughout the Odyssey it took to get her home. While Buells will always have a special place in my heart (my first bike being the iconic sunfire yellow Blast), I’m excited to dive into the world of Japanese engineering. After adding my heart mirrors to the MT-09, the only thing left to do is name her! Suggestions welcome!

SAYRE: 2021 DUCATI MULTISTRADA V4S AMA Director of Government Relations finds two-wheeled lust at his local Ducati dealer ’d been gravitating toward a more street-focused adventure bike for years and came to really appreciate the look of Ducati’s Multistrada line. I’d been riding a 2012 Yamaha FZ8, which I loved. But it wasn’t ideal for longer trips, and riding it on the city streets of DC was less fun than on the more country roads back home in Michigan. Knowing I could really only have one bike, I kept looking at adventure bikes — and the Multistradas really stood out. So right before things started to close down in 2020 I managed to get

a 2019 Multistrada 1260 demo unit for a significant discount. I was really happy with it…right up until I took a test ride on a V4 version a year later. And when the dealer offered me very

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

close to what I’d originally paid for the 1260 on trade, I ended up taking a 2021 Multistrada V4S home. I really appreciate how the V4 behaves in the city. It’s a lot smoother than the 1260, and Ducati’s efforts to address engine heat are very much appreciated in the summer. The adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring are cool bonuses, as well. The Multistrada V4 is very well sorted and extremely capable, in the city or on a winding backroad. With more events back on the calendar in 2022, I am really looking forward to riding to as many of them as I can.

One Helluva Dirt Track Book Motion Pro boss Chris Carter’s ode to the Honda years in U.S. flat track competition

BY MITCH BOEHM

eally good motorcycle books aren’t all that common in our sport, but every once in a while a great one pops up — and the new Honda dirt track-themed tome by Motion Pro’s Chris Carter and author Gerald Foster is a doozie. More than eight years in the making and consisting of 545 pages of large-format goodness (and a bazillion photos), When Honda Went Dirt Track Racing traces the history of Honda’s involvement in the professional dirt track scene from its humble beginnings in 1978 (on

XR500-based machines), through the glory years of the mid-1980s when Team Honda riders and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert won four Grand National championships in a row on RS750s, and all the way through the first half of the 1990s, when Graham shocked the world by rebounding from drug and alcohol abuse to win his third Grand National title in 1993 on a privateer RS. The way Foster and Carter do this is brilliant, too, because instead of a narrative in their words,

they interviewed (or printed older interviews of) more than 60 people who were directly involved, from early American Honda race team members to racers like Graham, Shobert and Jeff Haney and everyone in between — and also included plenty of fromthe-day reporting from the likes of Cycle News. If you’re dirt track fan, you will treasure this book. And while it’s very expensive ($225) and limited to just 1000 copies (available at www. MotionPro.com), it’s something you’re bound to read and re-read for years.

good ol’ natural leather is still the material of choice when it comes to abrasion protection... Road racing suits aren’t built primarily of leather for nuthin’, you know.

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

THE MEANEST MINI EVER?

That’d be the vaunted Mini Elsinore of the 1970s, the trickest, fastest, lightest and most expensive mini racer available f you say the words “Mini Elsinore” to most enthusiasts, a majority will probably flash on Honda’s miniature MR50, a 50cc two-stroke minicycle Honda produced and sold in 1974 and ’75 that was super cute but definitely more pitbike/playbike than racer. A few, though, will have a very different understanding of the term, and it’s an understanding about as far removed from the words “pitbike” and “playbike” as one can get. In a nutshell, the JWRP Mini Elsinore, which was originally developed, built and sold by Jeff Ward and his father Jack who made up Jeff Ward Racing Products out of Santa Ana, Calif., was a custom-framed, semi-long-travel minicycle racer powered by a sleevedto-100cc Honda CR125 engine. And if you’re thinking that specific combination of parts could lay waste to all the built XR75s and YZ80s and Alsport Steen Hodaka 100s out there, you’d be exactly right — especially with “The Flying Freckle” Ward at the controls. It all started with a custom-built C&J

frame and swingarm crafted from 4130 chromoly steel, which housed a sleeved, ported and polished CR125 engine that inhaled through a 30mm Keihin carb and exhaled via a low pipe. The leading-axle fork was also CR125-spec, though shortened a bit, with CR hubs laced to mini-classlegal 17-inch (f) and 16-inch (r) rims via beefy spokes. Shocks were 12.5inch Boge/Mulholland units laid down at about 45 degrees. Relative to the production-based

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

Wardy in flight on the Mini Elsinore in the mid-’70s.

minis lined up at most Sunday starting gates, a Mini Elsinore might as well have been a works Honda tossed into the mix. The reputation from those who raced them is probably best summed up by this quote attributed to So Cal legend Jimmy Holley: “It hauled ass, but was hard to ride.” Of course, they weren’t cheap. The frame kit alone cost nearly $500 in ’75, (about $3,000 in today’s dollars), with an entire bike going for $2,000, about $1,500 more than an out-thedoor XR or YZ, and about $12,000 in 2022 dollars. For a while, Ward’s Mini Elsinore racer was on display at Troy Lee Designs HQ, its trick swingarm, laiddown shocks, radical FMF porcupine head and exhaust, and custom-made C&J frame looking as good as the day the bike shrieked off the line back in the day. “My dad built and sold a few of those things,” Wardy told us. “I’m not sure how many, but that thing ran and handled like nobody’s business.” —Mitch Boehm

JOE BONNELLO

LA ST PA G E

Win this 1975

BMW R90/6 in the AMA’s Hall Of Fame Retro Raffle!

$5 per Ticket $20 for Five

Such a deal on such a classic motorcycle! Raffle tickets not only give you chances to win this restored, retro-classic Monza-blue Boxer, it benefits the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Museum – where motorcycle legends live! A winner will be drawn next July at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2022 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Don’t miss your chance! https://AmericanMotorcyclist.com/raffle-bike/ AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • JUNE 2022

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST • APRIL 2022

Switch to GEICO and see how easy it could be to save money on motorcycle insurance. Simply visit geico.com/cycle to get started.

geico.com/cycle | 1-800-442-9253 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2021 GEICO 21_ 550729928

American Motorcyclist June 2022

Articles inside

LAST PAGE

HURTS SO GOOD

PERSPECTIVES

MALCOLM’S MOMENTS

BACK IN THE DAY

AMA INSIDER

COVER STORY CARLSBAD — THEN AND NOW

ISDE INSIDER