Dealernews Issue#12 December 2020

Page 72

SLIDE SCHOOL!

Royal Enfield & Moto Anatomy Team Up By Robin Hartfiel, photos by Jen Muerke

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roof of concept for the Himalayan-derived FT411 flat trackers took place at AIMExpo in September 2019 at the AIMExpo, to the amazement and amusement of the raucous post-trade show crowd. “Sideways Saturday” saw four purpose-built flat track racers, based on the Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle and modified for flat track by S&S Cycle and Moto Anatomy take to the track. “Now Royal Enfield and Moto Anatomy are presenting an opportunity to experience flat track racing at its purest…” Or that was the plan before 2020 happened. “We had planned for a full schedule of the ‘Flat Track Experience’ with the Royal Enfield BUILD.TRAIN.RACE women competing, Johnny Lewis racing select AFT rounds to develop our Twins platform and the Slide School to give fans the ultimate flat track experience,” says mastermind Royal Enfield North America’s Breeann Poland. But you know what they say about best laid plans...

Social distancing/fan bans and all the other COVID craziness did its best to derail the AFT debut, but somehow Slide School survived, BTR went big and in the ultimate Cinderella story, lead instructor Johnny Lewis won a main event! Hollywood has got nothing on Royal Enfield for feel-good stories. “This whole program has been pretty unbelievable,” adds Lewis. “Going back to the AIMExpo… when the previous race organizer couldn’t do it, we stepped in at the last minute. My wife even did the artwork for Sideways Saturday.” Dealernews also used that art as the cover of the AIMExpo directory. “Even with all the limitations, we trained about 150 Slide School students this season.”

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Among these students were Dealernews’ creative director Gus Stewart and one overweight, out of shape editor (thanks again for making a bucket list dream come true, Bree!). Although Slide School is designed for beginner to intermediate level riders, Lewis can improve anyone’s flat track skills from novice to pro in 3.5 hours. “Developing the fundamentals to breakdown the slide technique used by professional riders in the American Flat Track series is what we do,” explains Lewis. “Every motorcycle rider is unique and must be treated so in order to reach their highest potential.” “This program is designed to provide you with the knowledge that takes riders a lifetime to figure out on their own, the slide is an art and once experienced it’s hard to get away from the feeling,” Lewis adds. He ought to know… he may be the only rider in AFT history to put every make of motorcycle onto the podium, including KTM, Ducati and now Royal Enfield with his 2020 Production Twins win at Daytona. Career highlights include AMA Sports Athlete of the Year in 2004, 4 X Games appearances (Supermoto and Flat Track) and even representing Team USA at the Supermoto of Nations in 2014.

Training is only on oval tracks going left, no right hand corners or TT style jumps. Fortunately for us, Blackmore Ranch had the perfect facility (see Press Pass). Classes are limited to 8 riders per session, with a max of 4 riders on track at once for optimum engagement and instruction. Our four-rider group included the world’s fastest woman on a conventional motorcycle, land speed motorcycle racer, Erin Sills and Lewis himself, fresh off his AFT win in some of our sessions… no pressure!


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Dealernews Issue#12 December 2020 by Dealernews - Issuu