NOVEMBER 2011

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November 2011Volume 65, Number 11Published by theAmerican Motorcyclist Association13515 Yarmouth Dr.Pickerington, OH 43147(800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646)AmericanMotorcyclist.com

American Motorcyclist magazine (ISSN 0277-9358) is published monthly

by the American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147.

Copyright by the American Motorcyclist Association/American Motorcyclist 2011.

Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $10 covered in membership

dues; $15 a year for non-members.

Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio,

and at additional mailing offices.

Cover Roadracing legend Doug Polen is just one of the icons of motorcycling who will be honored at the 2011 Motorcycle

Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony during the AMA Legends and Champions Weekend Nov. 18-20 in Las

Vegas, Nev. Also being inducted are (l-r): Fred Fox, Stu Peters, Phil Schilling and Norbert Schickel.

Navigation Photo Some of the fastest women in the world on the Bonneville

Salt Flats at the AMA Racing Land Speed Grand Championships.

Photo: Scooter Grubb

8. LETTERS You write, we read.

10. STAN SIMPSON Maintaining the value.

12. RIGHTS Four Questions With... Dave Wendell, veteran motorcycle safety instructor.

16. RIDING Ride for Kids celebrates 500th event, and Sidi Clever Air street boot review.

22. RACING U.S. MXoN team triumphs in France, and U.S. Junior MX team defends title.

28. HALL OF FAME Don Castro’s 1972 Triumph dirt-track racer, and Hall of Famer Randy Goss.

32. CLASS OF 2011 Five legends will join the Motorcycle Hall of Fame on Nov. 18: Stu Peters, Phil Schilling, Doug Polen, Fred Fox and Norbert Schickel.

40. CROSSING CALIFORNIA A ride from Oregon’s coast, along some of California’s coolest highways to Nevada’s Old West, is a great way to relax, recharge and gain some perspective.

44. GO RIDE What to do, where to go.

50. CRAIG CAVITT The trip that almost was.

NAVIGATION

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EDITORIAL OFFICES

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

Grant Parsons, Director of Communications James Holter, Managing Editor Bill Kresnak, Government Affairs Editor Mark Lapid, Creative Director Jen Muecke, Designer Jeff Guciardo, Production Manager/Designer

ADVERTISING

Steve Gotoski, Advertising Director (Western States) (951) 566-5068, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org

Misty Walker, Advertising Assistant (614) 856-1900, ext. 1267, mwalker@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, 2011.

AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

Stan Simpson, ChairmanCibolo, Texas

Jon-Erik Burleson, Assistant TreasurerMurrietta, Calif.

Perry King, Assistant Secretary Northern California

John Ulrich, Executive Committee MemberLake Elsinore, Calif.

Dwight Conant, Kearsarge, N.H.

Charles Goman, Winder, Ga.

Maggie McNally, Albany, N.Y.

Scott Miller, Milwaukee, Wis.

Art More, Surprise, Ariz.

Jim Viverito, Chicago, Ill.

AMA PRESIDENT AND CEO

Rob Dingman, Pickerington, Ohio

JULIE MONACELLA, Photographer During this month’s shoot with Hall of Famer Fred Fox, Julie learned that they shared a strong connection. Both went to school for engineering and use that training to further their passions. Julie believes getting to know people allows her to paint a better portrait with her camera. NED AHRENS, Photographer Ned, who shot Dave Wendell for this month’s Rights section, has been a photographer for more than 30 years, specializing in transportation and environmental issues for clients in the greater Seattle area. He is a partner in Aubin Ahrens Photography in Bremertion, Wash. GRANT PARSONS, Director of Communications Grant really digs Chem-Dip. You can tell because he’s kept his last can since 1997. “I’m sure the gunk in the bottom technically makes my garage some type of Super Fund site,” he says, “but what do you want me to do? Pay almost twice as much for a new can?” BILL KRESNAK, Government Affairs Editor Krez lost some street cred recently when he spent his bike fund money on a new truck. He’s making up for it by hauling around everyone else’s broken motorcycles.

JAMES HOLTER, Managing Editor In four enduros this year, James has finished right behind the same guy four times. For the next race, he’s lobbying to just pay his fee and get scored wherever Nick Fisher finishes +1. MARK LAPID, Creative Director Mark, who has been struggling to sort the carbs on his 23-year-old Honda Hawk, has decided to take Grant’s advice and replace everything from the sparkplugs down with something that has a “2011” decaled on the head tube. Brilliant! JEN MUECKE, Designer Jen is discovering that the cool thing about a DRZ400 is if you remove all the street-legal stuff and breathe heavily on the motor to convert it to a track-only supermoto, you have something almost as fast as a stock motocrosser. JEFF GUCIARDO, Production Manager/Designer Somewhere, Jeff got the idea that a great project would be sorting the carbs on a 23-year-old Honda Hawk. “This is great!” he says. “Does anyone know where I can buy some Chem-Dip?” Other contributors include: Chelsea Ann, Nathan Baldwin, Mehosh Dziadzio, Jeff Kardas, Jim Kimball

CONTRIBUTORS AND STAFF

JMJM

(800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646)AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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BIKE DISCRIMINATION?In anticipation of the recent floods

from Hurricane Irene moving through the Northeast, I attempted to move my bike from the underground garage I normally park in to a city-owned elevated parking deck across the street so my motorcycle wouldn’t get washed away.

Imagine my surprise when the attendant at the parking deck came running out stating, “No bikes allowed.”

I calmly asked him for an explanation why, and he told me that too many motorcyclists were parking there, then riding out in between the concrete barriers by the gates, thus avoiding paying the fees.

Fortunately for me (and my motorcycle), I was able to convince him to allow me to park in the deck just for the weekend due to the incoming weather. It turned out to be a good thing because my apartment building flooded out and the garage doors wouldn’t open because of a power failure.

Shame on any biker who deliberately skips out on paying for parking. We all know we can park in between cars, so there’s rarely a need for using parking decks, but when we do, keep in mind that if you don’t pay, you may be ruining it for the next guy who needs a place to park once in a while.

David KuperbergRahway, N.J.

THE POLITICAL PROCESS WORKSAs president of a volunteer off-highway

vehicle (OHV) club, I want to give thanks to those in the U.S. Congress, both Democrat and Republican, who took the initiative to introduce H.R. 2715, and also President Obama for signing it into law. This law allows powersports dealerships to continue to sell OHVs that are made for kids 12 and younger. This is a victory for our sport.

Through the years, I’ve seen so many families that recreate in the outdoors on their OHVs, and thoroughly enjoy it. I want to be able to do the same thing when my son is old enough to ride, along with my wife. The passage of H.R. 2715 is not only a good thing for family bonding, but it is also a good thing for business.

Even though the kids’ OHVs are literally small, they pay big dividends for OHV dealerships. No matter what you do for a living, or what industry or trade, we all have a piece in the economic pie.

For example, if a family heads out for a weekend riding trip, they’ll spend a night in a local hotel, buy fuel at a local gas station, go out to local restaurants and maybe see area attractions in between riding. This is worth it to them because of the family bonding benefits.

Now, install the lead ban for the kids’ OHVs, and you create a scenario where the entire family drops the sport. That trip won’t happen. That money won’t get spent in local establishments, and

everybody suffers. If you look at this on the macro level, we can see that we are all in this together.

If you wrote letters, signed petitions, and made phone calls to your representatives to pass H.R 2715, take the time to thank them. It was good to see our politicians come together and solve this common-sense problem. There are a lot of issues and decisions by politicians that frustrate us—trust me, I know—but this time they got it right.

Matt BucherPresidentThe Toledo (Ohio) Trail Riders Inc.

GOOD ISSUEI just completed reading the September

issue. Bill Stermer’s “Escape From Normalcy”

article says it all. It got me calling the buddies to schedule a fall ride. And how can you not like [American Picker TV star and cover story interview] Mike Wolfe? The man has the passion. Fun stuff.

Harrison Ringel (“Racing Through Everything”) is quite the young man—an inspiration for all of us.

Our sport has so many great people. Tell us more about them.

Andrew PohlmanDeer Park, Ill.

LIVING A TWO-WHEELED VACATIONSince moving from Colorado to the

state of Washington five years ago, my wife and I have been accused of having a vacation mentality. Actually, we just enjoy setting out on a trip to explore this beautiful state. We both agree that the best way to explore the wonderful scenery here is by motorcycle.

Just recently, we planned a camping trip to the coast. Specifically, Ocean City State Park. The campgrounds at Washington’s

Send your letters (and a high-resolution photo) to submissions@ama-cycle.org; or mail to 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.MEMBER LETTERS

LETTER OF THE MONTHVICTORY FOR AMA MEMBERS

Congratulations on crushing the lead law. The AMA has managed to win the lead law battle, and I’d like to say that I’m a proud member of this organization. Your perseverance, determination, wisdom and logic have defeated a ridiculous law created by politicians (who we pay) who have nothing better to do than dream up ways of making our lives miserable.

Lead poses hazards—we all know that—but if they’re going to adopt laws protecting people from these types of hazards, take the time to do it right, focus in the right areas, and critique your work before subjecting us all to something that is illogical.

I’m expecting that soon we will see a law that says “the air is unhealthy, therefore it can’t be used” and we will all receive fines for breathing.

Keep up your amazing efforts.

Gene StullLife MemberFar Hills, N.J.

Thanks, Gene. The real credit goes to AMA members, who stepped up, contacted their representatives and rallied other riders to make a difference.

Dave Knoetgen

8 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

On Facebook? Us, too! Like the fan page of the American Motorcyclist Association, and you could leave comments like these:

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state parks are clean and motorcycle-friendly. They have pull-through sites, electricity, and shower houses. And it’s a breeze to reserve a site online. So we loaded our Suzuki DR650 on to the trailer, packed the camper, and headed west.

There’s just something about riding a dual-sport that brings me back to my youth—back to the high school years when I would pick my girlfriend up on my 1973 Yamaha 250 Enduro. (If your vintage brain is thinking of the one with the green tank and the black stripe, then you are on the same page.) Now here we are, still riding together in our mid-50s, and we’re feeling like a couple of kids on an after-school ride.

We wanted to visit the small towns along the coast, on Highway 109. We found that in some cases, we could ride from town to town by riding the beach. The beaches here in Washington are better known for clam digging than motorcycling, but if your bike is street legal, you’re welcome to get out there and experience a little different terrain than the usual black top or dirt road.

The beach offers wide-open spaces and surprisingly good traction. We rode close to the water where the sand was more damp and compressed, as we enjoyed the cool air and bright sunshine. I know this will never make it on any list of the top 15 roads, but after spending my first 35 years

of motorcycling in Colorado, this was definitely something different and fun.

To the AMA, I’d just like to say, keep up the good work, and thank you for all that you do to keep us riding in these beautiful places.

Dave KnoetgenSpanaway, Wash.

R.I.P., NIXONI’m very saddened to learn of the

passing of one of the truly great flat-track and roadracing legends of our time. I have fond memories of seeing Gary Nixon race at the Orange County Fairgrounds in upstate New York back in the ’60s.

My dad rode a Triumph Bonneville. He used to take us kids to the fairgrounds to watch the flat-track races.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I watched Mr. Nixon dominate the field and win the half-mile expert class, beating Denny and Larry Palmgren and the flying farmer George Roeder. Mr. Nixon won by the length of the front straight that afternoon.

AI Knapp, the starter, handed Mr. Nixon the checkered flag. He tucked it under his right arm and proceeded to ride a wheelie the entire length of the track.

The crowd went wild. I was in awe.That day has been forever etched in

my mind. His white and blue Triumph and

matching helmet reflected in the sunlight.I can still see him sliding sideways

through the corners, the dirt flying as his steel shoe slid across the track, tucked in across his tank his left hand holding onto the front fork tube, his right hand holding onto the throttle wide open.

He was the best. Thank you, Mr. Nixon. It was an honor to watch you race.

Rest in peace.

Patrick Murphy Jr.Highland, N.Y.

This issue was one of the best I have read. From the Mexican 1000 story to the write up about the Harley-Davidson/Aermacchi Sprints. — John Dailey, commenting on the October issue of American Motorcyclist.

[Motorcycle Hall of Famer] Bill Tuman Sr. for the almost 40 years of dedicated work here in AMA District 17, and, of course, the long history of being a dirt-track champion in the ’50s. At 90 years old, he still serves on the D-17 board and prints the cards for the riders. He still makes the meetings and is a

positive influence in our district. — G.M. Ward, answering “What motorcycle racers/riders/rights activists do you admire?”

965. I asked the wife if she could go the extra 35 miles for an Iron Butt and she responded with, “The hotel is right there! Hell no!” I still love her very much! — Mark Rondina, answering “What’s the most miles you’ve ever ridden in one day?”

Street: 1999 Yamaha V-Max. Dirt: 1980 KTM 420. Wish I had both back…great bikes. — Scot Paul, answering “What’s the best bike you ever bought, both new and used?”

Wow! Loved them all! — Jay Jacobs, answering the same.

These work nicely for fixing holes in your favorite riding jeans. ;-) — John Rodgers, responding to the news that AMA patches are available in the online gift shop at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Avenue of the Giants in Northern California. Simply amazing. — Nancy Schrock, answering “What’s your favorite motorcycle road?”

You can connect with fellow AMA members on Facebook. You can also always find more information at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Gary Nixon

November 2011 9

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VIEWPOINT

Stan Simpson is the chairman of the AMA Board of Directors. He is a 54-year AMA member, the former chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, and a life-long off-road and road rider from San Antonio, Texas. Simpson has served

on the AMA Board since February 2005, and has been chairman for the last four years.

As the American Motorcyclist Association nears its ninth decade, I’m pleased to report that your Association continues to be successful in the fight to preserve and protect the motorcycle lifestyle. The recent victory over the lead law that threatened to eliminate kids’ motorcycles—and the future of motorcycling—is just the latest example of the success that we can achieve when we work together.

Successes like this are due to you and every AMA member because your voices allow the AMA to present a unified front on behalf of America’s motorcyclists. It is because of you that the country’s premier motorcycling organization is strong.

Our shared commitment to motorcycling is one of the greatest values of being an AMA member.

We work hard on your behalf to improve that value with landmark programs such as AMA Roadside Assistance, which was introduced in 2009. We’ve made this industry-leading service available to AMA members at no additional charge when you sign up for automatic renewal of your membership. At a time when other groups charge more than $100 for towing that includes motorcycles, we’ve delivered to our members the best value in roadside assistance in the country.

Since 2000, AMA dues have remained at $39 per year, while costs for everything imaginable have continued to rise. However, while our dues have remained the same, the value of AMA membership has continued to grow with member benefits such as AMA Roadside Assistance, hotel and car discounts, and numerous other

discounts on products and services. With towing alone, for example, you can save many times the value of your membership in the event of a roadside mishap.

In the past 12 years, we’ve expanded and improved this magazine as the voice of AMA members, added AMA Racer for competition members, thoroughly revamped AmericanMotorcyclist.com, strengthened our Member Services Center by adding staff and lengthening our hours to better serve you. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has been completely revamped to shine the light on the Hall of Famers themselves, and AMA members enjoy a significant discount on admission.

AMA benefits are growing, with a recently announced partnership with Capital One Visa and expanded online classified listings with Sprocketlist.com. AMA-sanctioned rallies like Americade and the Golden Aspen Rally, AMA Grand Tours, the AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series and the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré Adventure Riding Series continue to be very popular. A new affinity program with KTM owners was launched in June.

While those new programs and benefits are already proving popular, they haven’t taken away from our ongoing initiatives to protect your right to ride. Since our last dues increase 12 years ago, we’ve augmented our government relations efforts with additional staff in Washington, D.C., to more effectively monitor and respond to onerous legislation and regulation. And we’ve beefed up our grassroots outreach to increase numbers in the fight for motorcycle rights both nationally and locally.

This effort has paid off in several victories beyond the fight for kids’ dirtbikes. We’ve fought the federal administration’s Wild Lands policy to shut down riding areas, worked for the release of 42 million acres of land blocked by administrative rules, and pushed back on discriminatory motorcycle-only checkpoints on the road. However, these threats—both existing and on the horizon—mean that we must continue to grow in strength if we are to successfully defend our members’ rights.

Doing more with less has been our goal, and over the past 12 years, we’ve worked to stretch our membership dollars.

We’ve worked smarter with fewer staff members—in fact, we’ve reduced the staff by more than 35 percent—and adopted new technologies to fill the gaps. We’ve developed other revenue sources from services such as advertising and revenue-sharing partnerships. Today, about half of the AMA’s operating budget comes from sources other than membership dues.

In spite of these efforts, the cost of pursuing the AMA mission has grown in step with everything else. Between 2001 and today, the price of a Harley-Davidson FLHR Road King has risen by 19 percent. Since its introduction in 2001, the price of a new Yamaha YZ250F has gone up 32.5 percent. Given the impact of 12 years of inflation, the continued threats that must be countered through the AMA’s government relations efforts, and the need to continue to expand AMA member services, the AMA Board of Directors recognized it is necessary to adjust member dues to reflect these changing conditions.

That’s why the AMA Board last year approved a plan to implement a dues increase, which will be effective Jan. 31, 2012. The AMA Champion Member annual dues will be $49, and the AMA Associate Member dues will be $25.

For the recently introduced AMA Life Member Plus program, we’re holding the line at $29 per year.

We know that times are tight, and that’s why we’ve done more than just delay implementing the change for a year since we approved it. We’re also establishing a renewal program that will allow you to lock in the current rate up to three years. Any time between now and March 31, 2012, you can renew for up to three years. That means you can buy a one-year renewal for $39, two years for $78 and three years for $117. We’ll remind you of the opportunity in future issues of this magazine.

It is vitally important that we keep your Association strong so that the AMA can continue to serve you today, and be here to protect future generations of motorcyclists tomorrow. This new dues structure will make that possible.

Thanks for your support in our first 88 years. Because of you, we are able to preserve motorcycling’s past, promote its growth and secure its future.

MAINTAINING THE VALUEA Word About Your AMA Membership

By Stan Simpson

10 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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Dave Wendell has been a motorcycle safety instructor for 23 years and has extensive training and certifications in a wide variety of riding curriculums, including the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s (MSF’s) Advanced RiderCourse and the Sidecar/Trike Education Program.

Wendell is one of the owners of Pacific Northwest Motorcycle Safety (www.PNWMotorcycleSafety.com), which teaches motorcycle safety in the Seattle area. We caught up with him to find out

what classes experienced riders can take to hone their skills, and to get his take on safety training now and in the future.

American Motorcyclist: Traditionally, when motorcyclists think about motorcycle safety training, they think about a basic course riders take to get a motorcycle endorsement. But Pacific Northwest Motorcycle Safety also offers courses for experienced riders.

Dave Wendell: We actually offer more than eight courses for riders of all skill

4 QUESTIONS WITH… Dave Wendell, Veteran Motorcycle Safety Instructor

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RIGHTS levels. I have believed for a very long time that quality training beyond the basics needs to be available at a reasonable cost to the average motorcyclist. The result is that we offer many different options, including advanced level training.

Our premier course, and the one that I believe is absolutely essential for all street motorcyclists, is the On-Street Course (OSC). This course goes much more in depth on the mental aspects of riding than any other course we offer. It involves a short classroom component, followed by supervised riding on public roads.

What’s important about it is the fact that almost every other type of motorcycle training I’m aware of focuses on handling techniques and how to control your bike.

The four levels of this course focus primarily on the mental aspects of riding—getting you to see things earlier, recognize any potential hazards, get properly set up to respond if potential hazards become real ones, and how to properly deal with them if and when they do.

We also offer the MSF’s Advanced RiderCourse. It has a classroom component that gets the students thinking about balancing their personal level of risk-taking with their enjoyment of riding.

Then it’s out to the training range to teach things like threshold braking, brake and evade, swerving in the middle of a curve and decreasing radius turns. It truly takes their riding skills up a notch and the classroom session helps them process the choices they make when riding.

To address the needs of those who chose to ride on three-wheels, we offer the Evergreen Safety Council’s Sidecar/Trike Education Program (S/TEP). The novice three-wheeled course assumes the student has never been on a motorcycle, sidecar rig, trike or [Can-Am] Spyder, so we start with the basics and go through straight-line riding, turning, shifting and stopping. Then we move to more advanced skills like shifting body weight and drifting through turns to keep all three wheels on the ground, braking in a curve and swerving.

It’s important because three-wheeled motorcycles don’t handle like two-wheelers, and many veteran motorcyclists quickly find themselves in trouble the first time they mount a three-wheeler without any formal training.

Other courses that we offer include an advanced three-wheeled class, a trailering class for those who want to learn about pulling a trailer with their motorcycle, and we can do private lessons that are tailored to what the student wants or needs.

AM: Can you go into more detail about the on-street course?

DW: Because I have always felt that

12 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

some actual training on public roads is a necessity for the mental skills involved in riding, I partnered with Chris Johnson of Washington Motorcycle Safety Training (WMST), and together we came up with the On-Street Course.

The OSC is aimed at the rider (two-wheeled or three) who has recently completed the BRC (Basic RiderCourse) or some other kind of basic motorcycle training. It has a classroom component where we try to instill better situational awareness through interactive games, videos and still images.

We address things more extensively than we can in the Basic RiderCourse or the novice S/TEP class: target fixation, inattentional blindness, dynamic lane positioning and scanning farther ahead. The riding portion of the OSC involves taking the students out onto three different and progressively more challenging routes on public roads, finishing on a freeway.

We don’t take any more than four students at a time, riding their own two- or three-wheeled bikes, with two advisers to supervise and offer advice on how to improve their mental processing as well as their riding in real-time using radio communications to the students.

As in the British style of on-road training, all of the coaching is done from the rear of the group by the adviser following the students, who can continuously observe what the students are doing and provide instant feedback to them that is situationally and immediately relevant.

There are currently three levels to the OSC: MORE Essentials, MORE Advanced, and MORE Cornering, with a fourth level still in development.

Chris and I both feel that this course is probably the most valuable one that we

offer and will undoubtedly save lives. From the feedback we’ve received from prior students, it has already had a major effect on the riding styles of the students we’ve trained. Most of them can’t wait to come back for the next level.

AM: What are the biggest problems facing rider education courses today?

DW: Finding suitable blacktop to use for a training range. Regardless of which basic or advanced curriculum is used for protected-area training, they all need a parking lot free of obstructions and big enough for the training to be effective, and that can be cordoned off and still have enough of a buffer around the training area to make it as safe as possible for the students.

A full-size training range is 200 feet by 300 feet of asphalt with a good, level surface that is free of islands, speed bumps and parking curbs. That kind of parking lot is getting more and more difficult to find because cities and counties almost all have ordinances now requiring those islands and curbs. Many training sites around the country are using parking lots that are 20-plus years old. They aren’t going to last forever, and when they are replaced, they will typically be unsuitable for further use as a training range.

[Another issue is] obtaining bikes suitable for training beginning riders. The manufacturers seem to be cutting back on the production of entry-level machines, and they’re offering deeper discounts in our current economic downturn on bikes

that aren’t in the MSF loan program. That puts the dealerships in a position of having to choose to either take the deeper discount and sell the bike to a customer, or lose money by supporting their local training site with loaned bikes.

[There’s also] the cost of training. Anyone in this industry will tell you that it isn’t inexpensive to offer rider education. Rent for parking lots and classrooms is going up, the cost of buying and maintaining the training bikes is going up, the cost of insuring what is recognized as an activity with an element of danger isn’t cheap, and if you want to offer quality training you have to offer quality pay to your instructors—as well as hold frequent training updates for them—and [provide] a good quality assurance program.

All of these costs add up, making it more and more difficult to keep the cost to the student at a point they will pay. To further compound that, many states and programs offer grants and/or subsidies to keep the cost to the student low. With governments at all levels looking everywhere for more funding, some of those grants and subsidies are being taken away, which can significantly increase what the student has to pay for training.

AM: What do you see for the future of motorcycle safety training?

DW: More training is going to have to take place in unconventional areas, possibly on public roadways.

However, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other government organizations currently talking about graduated licensing, several states moving to mandatory training, and the fact that other countries (notably those in the European Union, Japan and others) all showing that more complete and extensive training—including on-street training—is tremendously beneficial in reducing crashes and fatalities, I believe it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing a push to follow their lead.

I think on-street training will play a bigger role in the future. Parking-lot training simply isn’t enough, but then it was never designed to be.

Experienced riders can continue their motorcycle rider safety training beyond the classroom and

parking lot drills.

On-road motorcycle rider safety training is seen as vital for creating safe riders and may become more and more common in the future.

As large parking lots become more difficult to find for motorcycle rider safety training, programs are exploring alternatives.

RIGHTS

With jurisdictions around the nation cracking down on excessive motorcycle sound, streetbike riders are clamoring for aftermarket exhaust pipes that deliver both performance and pleasing-yet-relatively quiet exhaust sound.

Now, aftermarket motorcycle exhaust system makers are delivering.

“It’s great to see aftermarket exhaust system makers stepping up and offering quieter pipes that still have a pleasant sound, and the performance, that riders want,” says Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager.

“The tide is turning, and streetbike riders, like dirt riders before them, are recognizing that loud pipes create a lot of problems for motorcyclists, from the bad impression it leaves with non-riders to outright bike bans on certain streets, in certain parks, and at private establishments,” Szauter says.

BUB Enterprises, SuperTrapp, Vance & Hines and Yoshimura R&D of America offer performance streetbike systems that meet either federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2825 sound-testing procedure limits.

The SAE J2825 procedure is the standard that the AMA urges jurisdictions to adopt as part of a comprehensive

strategy—which should include cars and other sources of noise—to deal with complaints about excessive sound. The SAE developed and adopted the J2825 sound-testing procedure—“Measurement of Exhaust Sound Pressure Levels of Stationary On-Highway Motorcycles”—with support from the Motorcycle Industry Council in 2009.

BUB (BUBEnt.com) offers the BUB 7 and BUB Straight 8 catalytic exhaust systems for Harley-Davidson FL touring models. The pipes meet California air emission standards and are federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sound compliant in all 50 states. That means they meet the 80-decibel limit mandated by the federal ride-by test procedure.

SuperTrapp (SuperTrapp.com) has a variety of SuperTrapp and Kerker slip-ons for FLs that meet the SAE J2825 sound standard.

Vance & Hines (VanceAndHines.com) also offers 50-state EPA sound-compliant mufflers for FL models—EPA Compliant Twin Slash Slip-ons.

Yoshimura R&D (Yoshimura-RD.com), meanwhile, offers EPA sound-compliant slip-ons for a variety of bikes from the 2011 GSX-R 600 to the 2010 BMW R1200GS to the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R. P

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THE SWEET SOUND OF MOTORCYCLINGAftermarket Exhausts Are Getting Quieter

DRIVER WHO KILLED FOUR MOTORCYCLISTS SENTENCED TO LIFEAnother Driver Could FaceA Similar Sentence

A 46-year-old Florida man who killed four motorcyclists when he crashed into them with his pickup truck has been sentenced to life in prison.

Paul Sermons of Oxford was charged in the deaths as well as with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was sentenced on July 6 after being convicted in June.

In March 2010, Sermons was passing a slower-moving truck when he hit two motorcycles head-on, killing the riders and their passengers.

In related news, a mistrial was declared in August in the case of an Arizona dump truck driver, Michael Jakscht, 46, of Scottsdale. Jakscht is accused of killing four motorcyclists and seriously injuring five other riders stopped at a red light in March 2010.

Prosecutors say they will try Jakscht again, but by presstime no trial was set.

Jakscht was charged with four counts of manslaughter, five counts of aggravated assault and two counts of endangerment. In the trial that ended in a hung jury, prosecutors alleged Jakscht was under the influence of methamphetamine during the crash.

If convicted, Jakscht is expected to face a harsh sentence.

“These certainly aren’t the slap-on-the-wrist sentences that we have become accustomed to over the years when motor vehicle drivers kill motorcyclists in a collision,” says Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager. “But something to keep in mind is that in both of these cases the drivers allegedly were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“We have found while monitoring cases like these around the nation that drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs who kill motorcyclists get very stiff sentences,” Szauter says. “Similar sentences are not always the case when drugs or alcohol aren’t involved.

“So while these two cases attracted a lot of attention among motorcyclists nationwide, they are no indication that we can expect similarly harsh sentences in all cases involving the deaths of motorcyclists,” he cautions.

Michael Jakscht

Vance & Hines is just one of the compa-nies offering Environmental Protection

Agency sound-compliant mufflers, such as these Twin Slash Slip-ons.

14 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

RIGHTS

The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT), a national group representing trail interests, recognized three off-highway vehicle (OHV) projects among its 2011 Annual Achievement Award recipients.

The awards recognize projects for their outstanding use of Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funds.

OHV projects that earned 2011 awards are: The Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area near Gilbert, Minn., for construction and design; the Musselshell trail system near Pierce, Idaho, for maintenance and rehabilitation; and the Shadow Mountain trail system near Jackson Hole, Wyo., for education and communication.

The RTP dedicates a part of the federal motor vehicle fuel tax attributable to certain off-highway sources to trail funding for both motorized and non-motorized trails. Since 1991, almost $730 million has been made available to states for recreational trails.

The Iron Range OHV Recreation Area was once a mine pit in Minnesota’s Iron Range, an area that had a depressed economy for decades. As part of the Iron Range rehabilitation, the OHV recreation

area was developed using $750,000 in RTP funds by the city of Gilbert, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and state OHV associations.

In Idaho, the Lewis-Clark All-Terrain Vehicle Club conducts trail maintenance on 13.6 miles of the Musselshell trail system in the Clearwater National Forest. The club has been using RTP funding to maintain the trail since 2006.

In Wyoming, the Wyoming Trail Crew, assisted by U.S. Forest Service staff, used RTP funds to place trail signs, close unsafe motorized routes, create new trail sections and complete substantial erosion control at the Shadow Mountain trail system.

“These are excellent examples of big and small projects that can be accomplished

using RTP funding,” says Sheila Andrews, senior legislative assistant in the Washington, D.C., office of the AMA, which is a member of the CRT. “The award winners deserve thanks.

“We want these types of projects to continue, but they are in jeopardy,” Andrews says. “Congress has considered scaling back, or even eliminating, RTP funding.”

Andrews asks everyone concerned about this issue to contact their federal lawmakers and ask them to support continued RTP funding. You can do that by going to AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Issues & Legislation.

OFF-HIGHWAY PROJECTS HONORED FOR ACHIEVEMENTSMinnesota, Idaho, Wyoming Efforts Singled Out

STATEWATCHDELAWARE

A new law establishes vehicular assault in the third degree as a crime, and strengthens criminal penalties for vehicular assault in the second degree, vehicular homicide in the second degree, vehicular homicide in the first degree and criminally negligent homicide. The new law also gives sentencing courts wide latitude in crafting appropriate sentences for those who cause injury and death on Delaware roads. Gov. Jack Markell signed House Bill 174, sponsored by Rep. Helene Keeley (D-Wilmington South), on Aug. 3 to create the new law.

Meanwhile, Markell on July 14 vetoed House Bill 95, sponsored by Rep. Michael Mulrooney (D-Pennwood), which would have eliminated the requirement that a person must have a safety helmet in their possession while operating, or riding on, a motorcycle.

ILLINOIS

Gov. Pat Quinn wants motorcyclists stuck at red traffic signals to wait two minutes before going through the light. He made the proposal in an amendatory veto of House Bill 2860. The version of the bill that cleared the full Legislature would have

allowed motorcyclists to pass through the red light “after a reasonable period of time.” Lawmakers must now decide whether they agree with the proposal.

OREGON

The Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River National Grassland are making changes to motor vehicle use rules on local Forest Service managed lands. Cross-country travel won’t be allowed except in designated areas. Also, camp sites must be within 300 feet of a road to use a motorized vehicle to get to them, and vehicles can’t park closer than 30 feet to any wetland, stream or water body at dispersed campsites. The new rules are expected to be in place in early November. Motor Vehicle Use maps that show where motorized vehicles are allowed are available from the forest and grasslands officials.

UTAH

Davis County officials may take over management of the Jordan River Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Park from the Utah Division of State Parks. About half of the park has already been transferred to Salt Lake County to be developed as part of a soccer complex. Some 150 acres of park land is used by off-highway motorcyclists,

but it’s unclear whether the use will be allowed to continue. The riding area includes four separate tracks and is open from early April to mid-October.

WEST VIRGINIA

Students at West Virginia University have earned a victory following their protest of the high cost of new motorcycle parking permits. The university imposed a $162 fee but reduced it to $100 following the protest. Students had also complained that the permits only allowed parking at either the Evansdale or downtown school campus. Thanks to the students’ efforts, the parking permits are now valid for parking at either campus.

WISCONSIN

The Wisconsin Off-Highway Vehicle Association (WOHVA) has a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which formalizes their cooperative efforts. The association said that the MOU will allow it to continue working with the U.S. Forest Service to provide quality riding experiences for WOHVA members and others in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. For more information, go to WOHVA.com.

(L-R) Derrick Crandall, Tom Umpress, Ron Potter, Mike Quinn, Karen Umpress and Marianne Fowler accept for the Iron Range, Minn., project.

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RIDING

RIDE FOR KIDS CELEBRATES 500TH EVENTCharity Group Running Strong Since 1984

Few organizations have demonstrated the generosity of motorcyclists as long and as consistently as the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s Ride for Kids program.

Founded by Mike and Dianne Traynor in 1984, the group has since been raising money to fund medical research and family support programs for children afflicted with brain tumors. In 1991, the Traynors started the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation to administer those funds.

On Sunday, Sept. 25, the Ride for Kids logged its 500th event in Ellicott City, Md. This milestone not only makes Ride for Kids one of the most prolific organizers of AMA-sanctioned charity rides, it makes Ride for Kids one of the most prolific organizers of AMA-sanctioned events of any type.

“When Mike and Dianne started the Ride for Kids program in Atlanta 27 years ago, no one knew they were laying a foundation that would support families and children for decades to come,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “Speaking on behalf of AMA members everywhere, we are humbled and greatly appreciative of these efforts, and we’re all looking forward to many more years of participating in the Ride for Kids.”

With support from individual motorcyclists around the country, supplemented by the long-time backing of American Honda, the Ride for Kids has raised more than $50 million for pediatric brain tumor research.

16 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

DATES SET FOR 2012 AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYSWorld’s Biggest Vintage Bash: July 20-22, 2012, In Ohio

Put in for the vacation time now. The country’s grandest celebration of vintage motorcycles and the stars who made them famous will take place July 20-22, 2012, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

“For more than two decades, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days has been the premier summer event for motorcyclists of all ages and interests,” says AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “The event truly has something for everyone, from off-road racing in the woods to spectacular bike shows to the enormous swap meet. Generations of riders have come to love the event for what it is: a three-day celebration of motorcycling’s past and present.”

A fundraiser for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days features classic motorcycles of all makes and styles, and honors the riders who made them famous. Activities include the AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships, which include roadracing, motocross, hare scrambles, trials and dirt-track; North America’s largest motorcycle swap meet; bike shows and awards; stunt shows; demo rides of current production bikes; and seminars on a number of topics by noted motorcycling experts.

And more is coming for the next installment.

“It’s our goal to work with the AMA to grow this event year after year, and we feel the 2012 edition will be a big one,” adds Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course President Craig Rust.

For updates about events and activities, as well as information about past AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, visit AMAVintageMotorcycleDays.com. Ticket information will be available at MidOhio.com.

Ask the MSF

COMMON BEGINNER MISTAKES

Q: “What is the most common mistake you see new riders make, and how can I avoid it?”

A: There are several mistakes that novices make that can put them at risk. Here are five that come to mind:

1. Selecting a motorcycle that’s too large or heavy. Many riders find it more comfortable to start on a smaller motorcycle on which to gain experience before investing in a larger, more powerful motorcycle.

2. Getting into complex situations too soon. Dense traffic, tricky intersections, and hairpin curves are integral parts of the real world, but they shouldn’t be an integral part of the early miles you put under your seat. Build your skills on less-traveled backroads, sedate neighborhoods and country roads with gentle curves.

3. Failing to maintain a 360-degree mental picture of traffic. As we’ve stressed in prior “Ask The MSF” articles, motorcycling is more a skill of the eyes and mind than of the hands and feet. If you don’t know that traffic has come to a standstill a few seconds ahead of you, or that a sleepy commuter is drifting into your lane from your right, or a distracted driver behind you hasn’t noticed that the traffic light ahead has turned red, how can you prepare for the threats? Scan near-to-far, side-to-side, and periodically glance at your mirrors.

4. Overestimating one’s own visibility. This is the flip-side of number 3. While you need to pay attention to other road users, you need to realize they may not be paying attention to you. One mental trick is to assume you’re invisible. That puts you in a frame of mind where you won’t expect others to yield to you. Instead,

expect them to violate your right-of-way, and ride defensively. For example, cover your brake lever and pedal to give your reaction time a head start.

5. Carrying passengers or participating in a group ride too soon. You need to be comfortable with your motorcycle and confident in your skills before adding these additional factors and responsibilities. Carrying passengers can reduce your maneuverability or upset your balance. Riding in a group means paying attention to all the other riders while trying to focus on your own ride. Novices don’t need this sensory overload.

The best way to approach motorcycling is to take a formal training course and practice on your own, progressing at a reasonable pace. Be a lifelong learner and seek out a variety of MSF RiderCourses.

For more from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, see MSF-USA.org.

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In late 1968 I purchased one of the first Honda CB350 motorcycles in my area. For a 19-year-old, it was a wonderful do-it-all motorcycle, and indeed I did it all, or as much as I could do with it for several years.

I rode it to Alaska on the unpaved Al-Can highway, turned it into a flat-track bike and rode the legendary Ascot Park, made it into a tricked out café bike and blitzed the Malibu hills, and even put paddle tires on it and rode the famous Pismo sand dunes.

But marriage beckoned, children arrived and it came time to “put away the children’s things,” as the proverb says. I broke the trusty 350 up for parts, selling some and giving some to friends. However, in the back of my mind, I had always wanted to take the 350 to the Bonneville Salt Flats to see what she’d do wide open on the salt, but never got the chance.

Forty-one years later, after retiring from a wonderful career at American Honda, the 350 bug hit me again, and I decided to re-live my youth and

build up a nice little 350 as cheaply as I could. With the help of an almost-complete donor bike from a friend (it ran when parked…in 1980!) and some judicious work on eBay and Craigslist, I assembled almost all the bits I needed to build a ragged bike that I later christened the Mongrel. The final piece of the puzzle came unexpectedly. My best riding friend called me when he heard I was building up a 350 and offered me back my original 1968 fuel tank. He had primered it in hopes of using it on one of

his projects many years ago, and then just stored it unused in his garage for well over three decades.

Two years ago, I ran the primer-tank Mongrel in some vintage road races, having a ball and picking up a couple of unexpected trophies. Then for a year or so I turned it into a nice little streetbike, using it to zip around town and take the occasional canyon ride.

Finally, the salt flat bug hit me hard, and this year I entered the AMA Racing Land Speed Grand Championships, also known as the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, in the “Run Whatcha Brung” class so that I could finally live the Bonneville dream. While not in the running for any record, and not even running all that fast (my “speed tuning” skills of so long ago seemed to have been lost), I had a wonderful time hunkered down on the tank with the twistgrip pegged for miles at a time, with nothing but a bright white salt horizon in front of me.

The final irony was that my timing slip speed of 73.744 mph on the salt was slower than the speed the Mongrel attained while strapped in the back of my pickup casually driving across Nevada at the 75 mph speed limit!

George RichardsonLong Beach, Calif.

DISPATCH FROM THE SALTTruly ‘Doing It All’ On A Honda CB350 By George Richardson

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RIDING

FUN IN NUMBERSFind An AMA Road Club Near You

AMA-chartered road clubs have been active for the nearly nine decades the association has been protecting riders’ rights and promoting motorcycling.

One of the best ways to find more cool stuff to do with your motorcycle is to find one of these clubs in your neck of the woods and join up. Not only will you get access to and news about more events, but you’ll instantly meet dozens of new riding buddies.

To find a club near you—or for information about chartering your own riding club with the AMA—see AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Clubs & Promoters.

RIDING

ADVANCED BATTERY CHARGERSYour battery’s dying for one of these!™

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AMA MEMBER-TESTED2011 Sidi Clever Air Boots

DWIGHT CONANT CONFIRMED TO AMA BOARD Members Ratify Board Appointment

On Sept. 10, the AMA hosted an AMA member meeting at its headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio, to elect a new member representative to the AMA Board of Directors.

As a result of that vote, Dwight Conant was elected to the AMA Board to serve a three-year term.Conant has had a 26-year career with the American Automobile Association. He brings a wealth of expertise in

the areas of membership growth and renewal, member services, association management, lobbying on issues for members, creating strategic alliances, measuring member satisfaction and related processes.

Conant has owned and ridden motorcycles since 1965, and has ridden several hundred thousand miles. He’s a former member of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Board of Directors, which raises funds for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, has served on many community boards and belongs to several motorcycle clubs.

The Sidi Clever Air street motorcycle boot is a new boot for 2011. The design suggests it is an evolution of Sidi’s shorter Slash model boot, with the addition of a full length, lined shaft. And like the Slash, it has the same Gortex fabric panels for ventilation, with perforated Lorica synthetic leather for the upper.

Lorica is a man-made material of microfibers and resins with engineered qualities like abrasion resistance, suppleness, durability and ease of cleaning. Sidi says the Lorica is well-suited for creating a boot that is comfortable to wear with minimal break in.

The Clever Air is targeted for dry and hot weather riding, but with enough versatility in its design to be used for street sport riding, cruising or touring. The idea is to offer the protection of a racing boot with the built-in shifter pads and toe, heel, shin and ankle armor that Sidi is known for, but at a lower price point.

The one-piece non-replaceable outsole has a distinct heel and can be used on footboards or footpegs. It features heel/toe or regular toe shifters.

In practice, these boots live up to their marketing promises. They feature great grip and good arch support. They’re also flexible. The trim fit and adjustability range allows them to be worn under or over pants legs. Best of all, while the boots are very durable, they offer exceptional comfort for all-day riding.

Of course, as with any boot, it’s important to try on a pair before you buy. — Michael Korzeniowski

MSRP: $225Sizes: 8.5 to 13 USColors: BlackWebsite: SidiBoot.com

Clarification

The September issue included an AMA Member Tested review of the TechNiche Evaporative Cooling Vest. According to TechNiche, the vest should be soaked for two minutes before use. Also, the image that ran with the review did not match the specs listed. The $79 vest is the HyperKewl Evaporative Cooling Deluxe Vest with Sleeves, shown here.

RIDING

Up, to Voni Glaves and Ardys Kellerman. The two women from Texas set a milestone in August when they became the first two women in North America to ride 1 million miles on BMW motorcycles.

Up, to Husqvarna for including a 144cc big-bore kit with every 2012 CR125 motocrosser. It’s like getting two bikes in one! (MSRP: $5,999.)

Up, to Canadian strangers, for finding American Molly Nelson’s stolen 2009 Yamaha TW200 and re-equipping her so she could continue riding across Newfoundland.

Up, to Chad Cooper and Matt Bradbeer for stopping a wildfire before it got started on Aug. 26 on top of the Mogollon Rim near Payson, Ariz. The two firefighters from Phoenix were trail riding when they witnessed a lightning strike and contained the resulting fire before it got out of control.

Down, to the Concord (N.H.) Monitor for supporting state Rep. Michele Peckham’s (R-Hampton) proposed bill to require all motorcycle exhausts to display an EPA label and require any motorcycle brought into a dealership for service to leave with an EPA-compliant exhaust. The AMA endorses a simple and reliable testing procedure adopted by Maine based on the SAE J2825 sound standard.

Heat ON. Heat OFF.Gerbing’s New Microwire® Heated Jacket Liner helps keep you warm when you’re on your bike. And with its Hybrid Technology and available FlexPack Battery, you can stay warm when you’re off the bike as well.

» Patented Microwire technology is so thinyou can’t feel the wires

» Instant heat -- Instant adjustments -- Instant comfort

» Optional FlexPack Battery delivers up to3.5 hours of off-bike heat

» A full range of sizes, including different sleeve lengths, to fi t you right

Microwire Heat and Hybrid Technology. Gerbing’s brings you the best of both worlds. Heat on the bike and heat off the bike. Contact your nearest Gerbing’s Microwire Dealer and experience what the world’s warmest riders know.

www.gerbing.com(800) 646-5916

FEAR NO TEMPERATURE!®

GER0113 Ride it Ad.indd 1 7/20/11 9:20 AM

RECOGNIZE THE BESTAMA Awards Program Now Accepting Submissions

Up, to six million motorcyclists who have graduated from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s RiderCourse.

The AMA Awards Program honors those who have overcome adversity or demonstrated uncommon excellence to protect or promote motorcycling.

Overseen by the AMA Board of Directors, the program encourages AMA members to submit the names of individuals or groups that can be considered for candidacy for the following awards:

AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award: Acknowledges the highest level of service to the AMA. It was first presented in 1970.

AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award: Recognizes activities that generate good publicity for motorcycling. It was first presented in 1987.

AMA Outstanding Road Rider Award. Recognizes someone who has contributed to protecting on-highway motorcycling rights.

AMA Outstanding Off-Road Rider

Award: Recognizes someone who has contributed to protecting off-highway motorcycling rights.

AMA Bessie Stringfield Award: Honors someone who has been instrumental in introducing motorcycling to new markets.

Friend of the AMA Award: Presented to those in the motorcycling community, including clubs, sponsors or partners, who have strongly supported the AMA’s mission.

Submissions should include the individual’s or organization’s name, contact information, and an account of accomplishments in 500 words or less. Send to

submissions@ama-cycle.org. Or, mail to: AMA Awards Program, American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, Ohio 43147.

The deadline for submissions is Nov. 18, 2011.

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The U.S. team orchestrated another win at this year’s FIM Motocross of Nations in St. Jean D’Angely, France. However, playing out in the rolling hills of central France, five hours southwest of Paris, the U.S. victory did not come without plenty of drama.

With 2011 AMA Supercross champion and recently crowned AMA Pro Racing Motocross champion Ryan Villopoto competing in the Open (MX3) class, 2010 AMA Supercross and Motocross champion Ryan Dungey running in the 450cc (MX1) class, and second year pro Blake Baggett representing America in the 250cc (MX2) class, the U.S. team was an “A” team in every way.

The U.S. riders were clear favorites, but they weren’t the only talent on the track. France was another trophy threat, anchored by former MX2 World Champion and AMA Supercross Lites

The U.S. team and its entire support team celebrates its 22nd Motocross of

Nations win in history. The riders (l to r) that made it happen: Blake Baggett (MX2), Ryan Dungey (MX1) and Ryan

Villopoto (MX3).

East Champion Christophe Pourcel (MX3), and backed up by top GP prospect Gautier Paulin in MX1 and two-time and defending MX2 World Champion Marvin Musquin in MX2.

The U.S. riders struck first in front of the international crowd of 68,000 screaming fans, dominating Saturday qualifying for Sunday’s gate picks. Villopoto and Baggett put down commanding wins in their classes, while Dungey came out on top in a close battle with MX1 World Champion Antonio Cairoli.

The riders woke to heavy rains and cooling temperatures,

however, creating an entirely new set of circumstances.

Following the muddy warm-up session, Dungey and Baggett were first up for the combined MX1 and MX2 moto. Dungey got off to a solid start, quickly moving into second position behind Team Australia’s Chad Reed, with a hungry 2011 MX2 World Champ Ken Roczen (Team Germany) hot on his heels.

After a dominating win in Saturday’s qualifier, Ryan Villopoto went on to a

third and first overall finish on Sunday, anchoring the U.S. team’s winning

performance.

U.S. TEAM TRIUMPHS IN FRANCEMotocross Of Nations Goes Red, White And Blue By Jeff Kardas

22 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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U.S. JUNIOR MOTOCROSS TEAM DEFENDS TITLEU.S. Rider Joey Savatgy Earns 125cc Class Title

With the title undecided until the final moto, the U.S. Junior Motocross Team delivered a clutch performance to secure its second consecutive FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Cingoli, Italy, on Aug. 13-14.

U.S. rider Joey Savatgy also earned the individual world championship in the 125cc class at the event. Savatgy’s win in the final 125cc moto, which he collected despite suffering a flat tire with four laps to go, secured the team title, as well.

“Winning the world championship was a big deal, and if I could explain feelings I would, but it is probably one of the most memorable wins of my amateur career,” Savatgy said. “The feeling when I crossed that finish line and knew I had won was amazing, a loss for words.

“The competition over there, like the year before, was stacked,” he added. “There were so many fast kids, and to come out on top is a good feeling.”

Savatgy, who is supported by Rockstar Energy Suzuki, was joined on the team by Yamaha amateur support rider Chris Alldredge from Powell Butte, Ore., in the 125cc class; Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green riders Mark Worth from Queen Creek, Ariz., and Chase Bell from Cairo, Ga., in the 85cc class; and Gabriel Jairala from San Antonio, Texas, and Derek Drake from San Luis Obispo, Calif., competing in the 65cc class on KTM 65s.

Other U.S. riders were Rockstar Suzuki Josh Mosiman from Sebastopol, Calif., and Red Bull/Yamaha sponsored Matt Bisceglia from Weatherford, Texas, both in the 125cc class. In the 85cc class were Rockstar Suzuki rider Michael Mosiman from Sebastopol, Calif., and Suzuki rider Tyler Rosa from Perris, Calif.

For more on the U.S. Junior Motocross Team effort, see AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Racing/.

Then the rain returned, making the already challenging track more like a skating rink sprinkled with marbles. The track’s numerous elevation changes and plethora of gravel made life tough for all 40 riders. By the time the sun showed up a few laps later, the track was a mess, and Roczen had made his way past Dungey for good.

Dungey was undoubtedly a bit humbled, but brought home a safe and solid third overall and second in the MX1 class—not a bad start. Baggett’s luck was not as good, as he got stuck behind a first-turn crash that caused Cairoli to DNF, and things didn’t get much better from there. He finished 17th overall.

Race two featured MX2 and MX3—Baggett and Villopoto—and the results were similar. Villopoto began with an upper-mid-pack start and quickly moved toward the front, eventually settling in behind a motivated Team Netherlands rider named Jeffrey Herlings and France’s Paulin to land a third in class and third overall.

Baggett’s performance was again marred by crashes, as he fell in the first turn then later in the moto, ending up once more in the 17th spot. Meanwhile, Paulin’s strong ride gave France the provisional lead going into the last moto.

The situation called for a dominating performance by Dungey and Villopoto in the final moto featuring MX1 and MX3 bikes. Luckily, both riders did just that (helped by some hard luck by France’s Pourcel, whose fate was sealed by a flat tire). Finishing first and second, Villopoto and Dungey walked away from the field following Pourcel’s mechanical DNF.

The win gave the U.S. team its 22nd Motocross of Nations championship, a record in the event’s 65-year history.

The U.S. Junior Motocross Team was victorious for the second year running.

Ryan Dungey matched teammate Ryan Villopoto’s Saturday qualifying result with a hard-fought win

over multitime MX1 World Champion Tony Cairoli. In Sunday’s finals, Dungey wasn’t quite on the winning pace, going third and second overall.

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FOUR QUESTIONS WITH…GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle By Jim Kimball

Capping his amateur racing career with the AMA Racing Motocross Horizon Award, which is given to the amateur best poised for professional success, Oklahoman Justin Bogle wasted no time, getting an impressive fifth overall at his first AMA Pro Motocross event at Unadilla.

American Motorcyclist: What’s your take on your pro racing debut?

Justin Bogle: I did not know what to expect, but I got some good starts and was running third for much of the first moto, so it was a great experience. To

finish the motos 6-6 to take fifth overall at Unadilla was just incredible. Southwick started badly as I qualified way out of the top 10. Then in the first moto, I had a couple crashes and finished 18th. But in the second moto, I finished fourth and almost caught my way up to third and the podium. Southwick was weird for me. I had never ridden any track like that. It was hard for me to go out and learn the track in just a few laps. Steel City and Pala Raceway were much more my style, and I was able to run near the front.

AM: What surprised you most about the pro level?

JB: A lot of it was not really knowing what was going on, and trying to understand the format. That was all new to me. Also, the motos were a lot longer, and there was much more competition—definitely a lot more fast guys!

AM: You won so many amateur races. What’s your take on your career to date?

JB: You learn from everything that you do. Although I was disappointed at Loretta Lynn’s for not getting two championships this summer, my last big amateur race went well. I did have four out of six moto wins, so I guess that I cannot complain too much. Racing as an amateur was a great ride. I have no regrets.

As far as my Honda, the bike is definitely better now. Although my amateur bike was good, and the guys did a great job with it, my pro bike is absolutely amazing! It has actually taken me some time to get used to it, but now that I’ve had some time on it, everything’s good.

AM: Do you feel like you are following in the footsteps of fellow Oklahomans Trey Canard and Robbie Reynard?

JB: It does seem that way. It’s been very good knowing the two of them. I actually live with Robbie Reynard right now, and Trey Canard is only down the road about 15 minutes, so I see him too. It’s been great because we have a couple places to ride, and I can go to those guys for direction often. Working with Robbie has worked out very well. He’s been there before and done it all. Same with Trey. He’s been helping me a lot with giving me advice. I have a lot of good people around me, which has helped a lot.

RACING

YOUTH SPEEDWAY STARS TAKE TITLESCountry’s Best Slide Sideways At Fast Friday’s

Speedway’s quick-running format makes it one of the most action-packed motorsports there is. This quality was on full display at the AMA Racing Under-21 and Under-16 U.S National Youth Championships at Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn, Calif., on Aug. 19, where 56 races were staged to determine AMA Racing’s 2011 Youth Speedway Champions.

Meadow Vista’s Tanner Kane, who squared off against Max Ruml, Jamison Dilkey and Dillon Ruml in the final, had a perfect night in the Under-16 ranks.

“I knew I had a shot at it,” Kane says. “I just needed to get a good gate. I had a perfect score tonight and feel good.”

Max Ruml ran into some bad luck falling in turn one of the final, which left the door open for Kane. Kane led the rest of the race, riding flawlessly as Ruml, who also went into the final with a perfect 15 points, got back on his bike and tried to make up lost ground. He rode well but was not able close the gap and finished third. His younger brother, Dillon, finished second and Dilkey was fourth.

For the Under-21 championship, Austin Novratil did not give up despite one DNF on the night and was able to win out in his other heats. He was gridded in lane two for the final. Russell Green was in lane one, with Gabe Price in lane three and defending Under-21 Champion Bryce Starks in lane four.

Novratil dominated, leading from beginning to end. Starks finished second, Green was third, and Price was fourth. With Green and Novratil tied in points, a run-off was necessary to determine the winner. Novratil triumphed, winning the title and a spot in the Under-21 World Qualifier next year.—Michael Kirby

Southern California’s Austin Novratil won the Under 21 U.S. national championship.

HISTORY MADE IN AMA PRO FLAT TRACK

Peoria TTHenry Wiles won his seventh straight

Grand National on the historic track on Aug. 21. The Michigan rider put his Monster Energy Kawasaki into the lead early and kept it there for the 25-lap main. Wiles’ win tied him with Motorcycle Hall of Famer Joe Leonard on Peoria’s all-time win list. Hall of Famer Chris Carr holds the track career win mark with 13. Carr, who is retiring after this season, also lays claim to the longest win streak at Peoria. He won eight from 1988 through 1995.

Springfield MileRound 16 of the AMA Pro Flat

Track Series rolled through the classic Springfield Mile on Sept. 4, and fans were treated to one of motorsports greatest spectacles: a classic mile chess match. The top 10 riders were blanketed by a single second when the checkered flag flew, with Harley-Davidson of Wausau/Independence Harley-Davidson’s Willie McCoy beating Chris Carr for his career-first Grand National victory.

Close Finish, Historic Win In IowaAMA Pro Flat Track’s return to Iowa’s

Knoxville Raceway on Sept. 10 was worth the wait. The main event of the night was decided by a stunning, virtually unheard-of win margin of 0.0004 of a second. Registering as a 0.000 dead heat on riders’ transponders, official timing software was required to determine the winner: Jared Mees (Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs Harley-Davidson), who just slipped in ahead of Zanotti Racing’s Jake Johnson.

The incredible win was somewhat overshadowed, however, by the night’s Pro Singles main event. RLT Racing/Lancaster Harley-Davidson’s Shayna Texter overcame a slow start to charge down early leaders James Rispoli and Briar Bauman for the win—the first for a woman in the history of AMA Grand National Championship racing.

Bauman kept it close, swapping the lead with Texter several times, but when the checkered flag flew, Texter took the victory by 0.357 of a second.

In the air at the Peoria TT, Jake Johnson (1) can’t squeeze between

Jared Mees (9) and Henry Wiles (17), who won the event.

November 2011 25

RACING

OFF-ROAD UPDATE

Fahringer Wins In OhioNick Fahringer made it three victories in

a row with a dramatic come-from-behind win on Aug. 28 at the Big Muskie National Enduro in Zanesville, Ohio, round nine of the AMA Racing Rekluse National Enduro Championship Series, presented by Moose Racing.

Heading into the final test of the 65-mile, six-test event, Fahringer sat in third behind FMF/KTM teammates Cory Buttrick and Charlie Mullins. But after being prodded by team manager Antti Kallonen to “go for broke,” the Husaberg rider did just that and made up nearly a full minute on the leaders to take a one-second victory.

Blazusiak Takes Indy EnduroCrossThe 2011 GEICO AMA EnduroCross

series kicked off the Indianapolis MotoGP weekend on Aug. 26, seeing KTM’s Taddy Blazusiak maintain his perfect season with another win. Mike Brown, Blazusiak’s KTM teammate, led until he made a mistake and handed the lead, and eventual win, to Blazusiak. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s

Justin Soule fought through the pack to take the final podium spot.

Sullivan’s Smart Ride Rules Big Sky XC Western Hare Scrambles

Nearly 350 racers traveled to Big Sky Resort in southwestern Montana on Aug. 27-28 for round six of the AMA West Hare Scrambles Championship Series. When the dust cleared, Rory Sullivan overcame an 11th-place start to take the lead on his Kawasaki and build on it as the final laps ticked away. Sullivan won with Kawasaki-mounted Eric Baily taking second and Cameron Weaver third on his Yamaha.

Brown Goes Extreme In TennesseeTennessee native Mike Brown outlasted

a tough field of more than 50 riders to win the Kenda Tennessee Knockout Enduro on Aug. 28. The extreme enduro lived up to its billing. KTM factory rider Brown noted the 40-minute-long main event “was tougher than anything I have ever done.” Trials star Cody Webb finished second on his Beta, while Canadian Bobby Prochnau finished third on his KTM.

AMA PRO ROADRACING TITLES DECIDED

National Guard SuperBikeThe championship came

down to an epic 23-lap contest at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Sept. 4 that saw the title change hands nearly a dozen times—twice on the final lap—before Monster Energy Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes earned the win, defending his 2010 title.

“Blake [Young] made me race my tail off for that last one, and it was great,” Hayes says. “He rode like a champ this year. He’s won seven races and I’ve only won three, but my bad days

weren’t as bad as his. He’s still learning and he’s young, and I’m sure next year’s going to be the same thing all over again.”

Daytona SportBikeGeico Powersports RMR

Suzuki’s Danny Eslick clenched the 2011 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Championship in New Jersey, adding this year’s crown to the class title he earned in 2009.

“It hasn’t set in yet,” Eslick says. “At first I didn’t think we were far enough up there to get the job done. When I came in I saw my team looking around,

then we looked at an official and they gave me the

checkered flag, and then it started kicking in a little bit. It was an awesome race.”

Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport

The SuperSport class delivered two championships at New Jersey Motorsports Park. SuperSport East Division Champion James Rispoli not only capped his division title, but earned the overall SuperSport championship.

“It’s been a long year, but we’ve worked so hard,” Rispoli said. “It’s thanks to our team and the many companies that support us—ANT-Racing.com, Star School, the National Guard, Suzuki, and so many others—that it’s possible to go racing.”

Vance & Hines XR1200Chris Fillmore ended the

XR1200 season with style, taking his fifth win of the season en route to the class championship. Starting from pole position,

Fillmore led flag-to-flag while holding off challenges from Tyler O’Hara and Michael Beck.

“The XR1200 series, now that I went through the year and got used to the bikes, I think I learned a lot. It’s a great series,” Fillmore said. “What AMA Pro and Vance & Hines have done with this series is give guys like us—maybe guys who haven’t really had a chance to develop a name—a place to go to develop our names and learn the tracks. It’s been great.”

Josh Hayes, 2011 AMA Pro SuperBike Champion

November 2011 27

HALL OF FAME

When Motorcycle Hall of Famer Don Castro was a privateer in 1972 on the AMA Grand National Championship circuit, he wanted a dirt-track wonder.

This 1972 Triumph is what he built.Castro only rode the bike in one event

that year in San Jose, Calif., before selling it. However, the bike lives on today thanks to a 15-year restoration effort by dirt-track and Castro fan Don Miller, who owns the vintage gear company Metro Racing (www.MetroRacing.com).

“In the early or mid-1990s Don still had the bodywork, and I made a deal to buy it off him,” Miller remembers.

Then, he says, it took 15 years to hunt down all the original and new-old-stock parts to restore it so that it was as historically accurate as possible.

“I had the bodywork forever, and it was taking up a lot of space,” Miller says. “There were a couple times when I thought, ‘Am I ever going to finish this?’”

But one day, the son of the man who had bought the Triumph from Castro called Miller and asked whether he was interested in buying the machine, since the seller’s father, a school teacher, had passed away.

“That was the start of the restoration,” Miller says.

Castro was extremely helpful tracking down parts, he says, as were others.

Castro remembers the bike fondly.“The Fiberglas Works was in Santa Cruz

[Calif.], about 45 minutes away from me in Hollister,” Castro says. “I wanted to make a streamlined and lowered bike to make it handle a lot better.”

The gas tank is below the frame, so it sits right over the engine, about 6 inches lower than where it was and that made the center of gravity lower.

“The bike cornered really well,” Castro says. “And with the bodywork I would sit over the shocks.”

The bodywork only had three bolts holding it on—one in front and two in back—so it was easy to take off to work on the bike, Castro remembers.

And what about the paint job?“That was just the ‘in’ thing back

then,” Castro says. “The paint was just blended in. It was just a little ahead of its time.”

This 1972 Triumph dirt-tracker, on loan from Miller, and the story behind it represent just one of the fascinating slices of motorcycling history showcased at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio. To learn more, go to MotorcycleMuseum.org.

1972 TRIUMPH DIRT TRACKER Don Castro’s One-Race Wonder

Hall of Fame features the machines and people of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio. The Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-profit

corporation that receives support from the AMA and from motorcycling enthusiasts. For info and directions, visit MotorcycleMuseum.org, or call (614) 856-2222.

28 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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1947 Indian Chief

A two-time AMA Grand National champion, Randy Goss won 16 AMA Nationals and was one of the top racers of the early ’80s. He rode for the Harley-Davidson factory racing team for five years.

Never flashy or outspoken, Goss approached his racing in a workmanlike manner, putting in a solid effort every race but rarely pushing past his limits. He earned the moniker of “Mr. Consistency.”

Goss was popular with his fellow riders, and was known for his soft-spoken and friendly manner. His wife, Vicky, was his constant companion at the race events.

Born in Hartland, Mich., on Jan. 12, 1956, Goss grew up racing motocross. But he tried dirt-track racing and instantly knew that was the sport he wanted to pursue.

Early in his career, Goss studied under Motorcycle Hall of Famer Bart Markel, then turned rookie expert in 1977.

Goss came into his own in 1979, winning three Nationals, scoring national points in 21 races, and finishing third in the final standings. That performance earned him a ride on Harley-Davidson’s racing team.

Harley-Davidson’s faith in the young rider proved well-founded. In 1980, Goss edged out Motorcycle Hall of Famer Hank Scott by one point to win the AMA Grand National Championship.

Goss barely missed defending his title in 1981. He was in the title hunt and won the final event of the season at Ascot Park

in Gardena, Calif. But Hall of Famers Mike Kidd and Gary Scott both finished in the top five at the race and Goss was forced to be content with third in the standings.

In 1982, Goss proved his versatility when he won the Peoria (Ill.) TT. Ultimately, he would win in every form of dirt track racing: mile, half-mile, short track and TT.

In 1983, he became only the eighth rider to win two AMA Grand National Championships. He also was the only rider to score points in every race he entered.

The 1984 campaign proved to be the most satisfying, and perhaps the most unlucky, year for Goss. For once, he shed the “Mr. Consistency” title and broke through by taking four National wins, leading the series most of the season.

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse at the San Jose (Calif.) Mile. Goss was involved in a three-rider accident and suffered a broken leg. The injury kept him out of the final four dirt-track Nationals and cost him his shot at a third title.

Goss left the Harley-Davidson team after the 1984 season and soldiered on as a privateer. He retired from racing after the 1986 season.

After his illustrious motorcycle career, Goss moved into the world of automobile racing, becoming a crew chief for a top NASCAR team.

Randy Goss was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Hall of Famer

RANDY GOSS Mr. Consistency

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The Motorcycle Hall of Fame boasts some of the greatest names in motorcycling, and in November, five more will officially take their place in perpetuity.

Motocross promoter Stu Peters, roadracing champion Doug Polen, magazine editor Phil Schilling, industry

icon Fred Fox and early motorcycle manufacturing pioneer Norbert Schickel all made their mark. On Nov. 18, you can be on hand as they are bestowed with motorcycling’s highest honor.

The 2011 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nev. Tickets to this gala celebration of industry greats are available to the public. Hosted by actor, avid motorcyclist and AMA Board of Directors member Perry King, the evening kicks off with a cocktail hour

to meet and greet new and existing Hall of Famers, and the program features compelling videos and heartfelt remarks by the inductees. In addition, two of motorcycling’s greats will be acknowledged as Hall of Fame Legends: Kenny Roberts and Roger DeCoster.

Indeed, the induction is just part of a full weekend of events, which continues on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Red Rock with the 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d’Elegance bike show. That evening, fans will gather at nearby Orleans Arena for the final round of the AMA GEICO EnduroCross Championship Series. Then, on Sunday, Nov. 20, amateur national champions from all disciplines take to the stage at the Red Rock for the 2011 AMA Racing Championship Banquet.

Event information and tickets are available at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/LegendsAndChampions.

of2 11Class

FIVE GREATS WILL JOIN THE MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME ON NOV. 18. HERE’S WHAT MADE THEM GREAT.

32 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

You could say Stu Peters was there before it all began.

Peters, who raced motocross in Europe in the early 1960s, brought back from the old country a deep understanding of a more-condensed, more-radical version of scrambles racing called “motocross,” and poured everything he knew into running local races in Southern California.

His reputation as a capable and fair promoter grew quickly, and in 1970, the AMA approached Peters and his Continental Motosport Club (CMC) to run two rounds of what was then a novel concept: a nationally sanctioned championship series recognized by the world’s governing body of motorcycle sport, the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).

Peters agreed, and his part in the 1970 Trans-AMA Series was set.

On how he got started: We ran an AMA-chartered club back in the ’50s. We were an off-road club only. I helped them lay out tracks and run races. I was just an enthusiast riding in the Santa Monica Mountains. There were a lot of fire roads all over those hills.

My racing career started in September 1956. I lived out in the west end of the San Fernando Valley. It was real agricultural back in the day. I convinced my mom I needed a motorcycle to get around because at 15 years old I could get a permit. I went out to buy a scooter, and bought a motorcycle instead. I started riding that back and forth.

On Southern California’s classic tracks: I had the opportunity to open the track at Carlsbad Raceway. It lasted for about 24 years. I ran it from the time we

started on Feb. 4, 1968, which was the inaugural race for CMC. There were about six or eight of us, and we rode the race as well as put it on.

So, we ran our first race there at Carlsbad Raceway, and a couple years later I hooked up with the guys at Saddleback—Vic Wilson and Joe Parkhurst. Joe was the founder of Cycle World magazine. They just called me up and asked if I wanted to run the weekends I wasn’t running at Carlsbad.

On running one of the first motocross nationals: The AMA’s Bill Boyce asked if we could run two races. We agreed and charged them a grand total of $600, $300 each. The first race was at Saddleback and the second at Carlsbad. We ran the races and sent in the results, and that was that.

On the early days with partner Calvin Franks: We raced in Europe together, and when I came back here with my wife and daughter, he decided he was going to come over here. In those days you needed to have a sponsor, and a good friend of my dad’s was a real established guy, and in 1965 he sent a letter saying he would sponsor this Calvin Franks. So, he came in and went to work for a motorcycle shop and we started CMC.

We were the two guys who would show up every Saturday morning and start working on the track. We didn’t have any money to rent a tractor. When the course got screwed up, we’d just pick up the stakes and move it.

On running a quality event: What makes a successful race is taking care of the racers—at any level. You need good rules, a fair race, a good track and decent prizes. For me, those are the highlights, being able to put on great races for so many years and providing a stepping stone for so many great racers.

Mr. MotocrossStu Peters: Perhaps America’s Most Prolific Race Promoter Ever

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Teaching at the University of Wisconsin when Hall of Famer Cook Neilson asked him to become managing editor of Cycle magazine, Phil Schilling went on to become one of the most influential moto-journalists ever.

On getting started in motorcycling: My first running motorcycle was a 1949 Indian Warrior, a 440cc vertical twin. By the time I got it, this beauty had no lights, very little in the way of suspension, and a gearbox full of treachery.

I was convinced that dealing with The Big, The Old and The Heavy was likely to ruin my budding romance with motorcycling. What I needed was an advanced, compact, lightweight, high-performance motorcycle. I had been dazzled by Ducati sport bikes and wasted little time buying myself a hopped-up 200TS.

On getting serious about riding: In 1962, I moved to Madison, Wis., to start work on a Ph.D. in American history at the University of Wisconsin. Here I developed an abiding interest in road racing and race tuning.

At Daytona in 1970, Bob Oakes, who I was going to races with, and I bumped into Jess Thomas, a top-tier road racer who had become technical editor of Cycle magazine. Jess encouraged me to write a couple of stories and submit them to Cook Neilson, Cycle’s new editor. Cook liked what he read, and my life was about to go careening down a road I could never have imagined.

On winning with Ducatis: By the time Cook took up racing Ducati bevel head twins, I had already had the good fortune to witness Paul Smart win the Imola 200. Over the years, the 1972 Imola 200 has become one of three great corner stones of Ducati racing lore. The second is Mike Hailwood’s 1978 win at the Isle of Man, and the third is Cook’s 1977 win at Daytona—Ducati’s first AMA Superbike victory in the United States.

On looking back: As the tuner for Cook’s winning effort, I am happy to have played a small part in Ducati’s history, and to help bring its excellent and innovative engineering tradition to enthusiasts in the United States. I am also extremely gratified that Cycle magazine is remembered fondly by its readers and staffers. I am proud that Cook and I, with the help of many talented staff—editors, art directors, performance testers, photographers, etc.—were able to provide, for two decades, a smart, entertaining, and literate magazine for a sophisticated motorcycling audience.

The ReporterPhil Schilling Defined Moto-Journalism For A Generation

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In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Superbike speed had a name, and it was Doug Polen.

Polen had a series of strong winning performances in motorcycle roadracing in the United States and abroad, including winning the Suzuki GSX-R National Cup Championship Series 750cc title in 1986, and 17 of 26 races in the World Superbike Championship Series in 1991. He also was the Japan Formula 1 and Formula 3 National Champion in 1989, AMA 600cc Supersport Champion in 1987 and 1988, AMA 750cc Supersport Champion in 1988, World Superbike Champion in 1992, AMA Superbike Champion in 1993 and World Endurance Champion in 1997 and 1998.

On his discovery of roadracing: I did one motocross race. All that dirt in my mouth just wasn’t for me. I did some dirt-track racing for about six months. Danny Spencer, Freddie’s older brother, bought the Suzuki dealership in Denton, Texas, where I was, and when they came in I was already working there doing odds and ends, so I stayed on. Obviously, they made an impact, introducing me to roadracing because he was Freddie’s brother.

Danny told me there was a roadrace at Greater Southwest Airport, and I rode down there and watched it. I thought, “Man, I can beat those guys.” I built out my GS550 streetbike big time. I saw something similar to what I wanted in a magazine, and I built it like that. I didn’t get the ignition right, and the first race I finished dead last. It at least makes a good story. Then I bought from Fred Sr. one of Freddie’s RD400s. One weekend, I entered it in seven classes, and won all seven.

On his success: It’s 100 percent science to make the bike go faster. I thought a lot about how things worked. Physics 101 is a good introduction into how things work on this planet. I was able to apply what I learned to the racetrack. It was taking that knowledge—and finding the point where if you ride any faster, you’re on your head—and keeping it there.

On his successful partnership with Fast By Ferracci Ducati: In the early 1990s, riding for Ducati with Eraldo Ferracci, we clicked right away, no problem. He’d keep things right on the edge of performance on the bike, and I’d keep things dialed in.

On being inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame: The thing is that you ride, and you race and you do all these different things, and you’re doing it to have fun and be competitive, but to also try and make a mark—to have something you can look back on and be proud of. And this kind of puts a stamp of approval on my career. So I take this as very flattering.

The Superbike AceDoug Polen Was One Of The Most Dominant Riders Of His Era

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If you ride a motorcycle, there’s a very good chance that at least one part or accessory on it—maybe many of them—at one time passed through Fred Fox’s warehouse at Parts Unlimited.

On getting his start: My parents, who were in the business of manufacturing truck bodies, told me to get an engineering degree because they needed engineers. I got through a five-year course in four years. I then went to work in the factory. I built a better half-cab lumber truck than anyone else. I built a car carrier that would handle five cars instead of three.

One day I went to pick up a tool at a die shop and saw a go-kart. I asked to borrow it, took it home, figured out how to improve it, and that led me to go into the go-kart business. That led me to making Fox minibikes and even snowmobiles.

On making the jump into motorcycles: I was working in Chicago, and met two guys from Japan who were trying to bring over Kawasaki motorcycles. Motorcycles came two to a crate, and they needed someone to prep them for dealers. I would get them out of the crate, service them, prepare a manual, and put them in single crates for shipment. I became a distributor in five states. After a few years, we couldn’t get parts and the dealers were furious, and we sold the company back to them. That’s when I started Surplus Unlimited, buying parts from snowmobile companies that were failing and supplying the dealers.

We eventually changed the name to Parts Unlimited and branched into making our own parts and working with motorcycles. From there it just built up. In 2007, we had 1,600 employees. We have six locations in the U.S., two in Canada, and we’re building another in Europe.

On the philosophy behind Parts Unlimited: For years, we kind of wanted to be under the radar, because we don’t sell retail. But eventually we started buying brands I was extremely proud of, like Thor and Moose. Then we created Icon from the ground up.

On the scope of his business: Our warehouse is one of the most modern you’ll find anywhere. We can ship 20,000

orders a day, and we can get them out the door in 45 minutes. Just in Wisconsin, we receive inbound shipments worth $2 million to $3 million a day. We deal with 12,000 dealers, just in the USA.

On being inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame: I was obviously a little surprised. I looked at the Hall of Famers and noticed that most of them were pretty good racers. I was a mediocre racer. I saw they were faster than me, and I was a mechanical engineer, so I worked the tuning side of it.

I never thought I’d wind up in the Hall of Fame. I have a lot of mottos, but the main one is, “Get out of bed, and run the business better than the day before.” That’s what I focus on.

The Industry IconFred Fox Probably Sold You Your Last Motorcycle Part

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An innovative motorcycle designer and builder, Norbert Schickel was part of the motorcycle design boom that occurred in the United States between 1905 and 1915.

Schickel’s vision and designs were evident in the two-cycle motorcycles that he developed as founder of the Schickel Motor Co. He also helped popularize the twist grip control and had a patented “spring fork front suspension” and “fly wheel magneto.”

Now, exactly 100 years after he unveiled his first motorcycle, Schickel is being inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

“It was an incredible thrill to learn that he has been selected for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame,” says Ken Anderson, Schickel’s grandson. “He would be thrilled and humbled.”

In 1905, Schickel enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. There, he designed and built a number of engines, including the forerunner of his two-stroke motorcycle engine and the frame that he would use for his first motorcycle.

Schickel graduated in 1909, and unveiled his first motorcycle at the 1911 Chicago Motorcycle Show.

“After some four years of experiment, Norbert Schickel, 52 East 83rd Street, New York City, has developed a motorcycle which is both radical and unique…” Bicycling World and Motorcycle Review reported on Feb. 18, 1911. “The machine was one of the features of the Chicago motorcycle show which closed on Saturday the 11th and is distinguished not only by the fact that it is of two-cycle construction but also by a multiplicity of features evincing ingenious and original design…”

The Schickel Motor Co. began producing motorcycles in 1912 in Stamford, Conn., with a five-horsepower model. In 1913, Schickel added a six-horsepower model. In 1917, he introduced a smaller, more economical machine, featuring a 2.5-horsepower engine, to compete against bicycles. Following World War I, Schickel introduced a 3.5-horsepower machine.

Schickel designs included an advanced three-port, two-cycle engine, twist grip transmission control, rotating magneto spark advance, driveshaft-flywheel-crankcase combination, flywheel magneto, spring front fork suspension, hinged rear fender, and a uni-body cast aluminum frame and gas tank combination.

The company, which sold more than 1,000 motorcycles, was forced to file for bankruptcy and close its doors in 1924. But not before its founder had put his stamp on motorcycle design for years to come.

The PioneerNorbert Schickel (1886-1960) Helped Define The Breed

November 2011 37

Two Legends, One ShowKENNY ROBERTS, ROGER DECOSTER WILL BE

HONORED AS HALL OF FAME LEGENDS

Kenny Roberts is arguably America’s greatest world champion. Roger DeCoster is arguably motocross’s defining competitor. At this year’s Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, both of these existing Hall of Famers will be honored alongside the class of 2011 as Hall of Fame Legends.

As an AMA National Champion, a Grand Prix World Champion and then as a Grand Prix team owner, Kenny Roberts’ influence on

American and world motorcycle roadracing runs deep.Roberts, who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of

Fame in 1998, won his first-ever AMA Grand National race in 1972 and went on to win 33 AMA Nationals in

dirt-track and roadracing, including the prestigious Daytona 200 three times.

He achieved legendary status when he fielded a dirt-tracker powered by a TZ750 two-stroke roadracer engine at the Indianapolis Mile in 1975, made a dramatic last-lap pass for the win

and made the classic statement: “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing.”

A two-time AMA Grand National Champion, Roberts moved to the

world stage and became the first American to win a 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle world title in 1978. By the end of 1980, he had captured three consecutive World 500 Grand Prix titles.Retiring from full-time racing at

the end of the 1983 season, Roberts formed his own World 500 Grand Prix team. In 1990, Team Roberts’ rider Wayne Rainey, who would go on to become a Hall of Famer himself, won the World 500 Grand Prix title, and teammate John Kocinski took the World 250 Championship—bringing the team a rare 500 and 250 championship season.

“The only thing I cared about when I raced was what other riders thought,” says Roberts. “Earning their respect was what we worked for, and it means a lot to me to be honored this way in front of my peers and friends in the industry.”

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Roger DeCoster’s name is practically synonymous with the sport of motocross, and he is generally recognized as the best-known MX racer in the first 50 years of the sport.

When DeCoster was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, his racing accomplishments were simply remarkable: five 500cc Motocross World Championships, numerous 500cc Motocross Grand Prix victories and four Trans-AMA Motocross Championships.

He also was a member of six winning Belgium Motocross des Nations teams, was a Gold Medalist

in the International Six Day Trial (now the International Six Days Enduro) and earned numerous national championships in his native Belgium, including a national Trials title. DeCoster continued to find success

after his racing career. He was the manager of the first U.S. team to win the Motocross des

Nations in 1981, and has managed many U.S. teams at the prestigious event over the years, something he continues to do today. He currently is in charge of KTM’s AMA Supercross and Motocross efforts in the United States.

As a team manager, DeCoster has also been part of many memorable AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross campaigns.

“It felt great to win championships with Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed,” he says. “Perhaps

the best for me has been Ryan Dungey’s title [in 2010] because he was a mid-level guy who became a top-level guy. It’s a great feeling that the team accomplished this.”

DeCoster is humbled by this new honor.“It’s always nice to receive this honor, and

yet on the other hand I still have a job to do, and I feel like I still have something to accomplish,” DeCoster says. “I am really looking forward to hanging out with

Kenny Roberts and reminiscing with all of my friends.”

‘The Man’

November 2011 39

A ride from Oregon’s coast, along some of California’s coolest highways to Nevada’s Old West, is a great way to relax, recharge and gain some perspective on what binds us together.

eiger Grade Road is one of those strips of asphalt that makes any motorcyclist appreciate the wonders of nature. Although I’m not a geologist, I can certainly dig the topography that usually results

where one natural expanse meets another. In this case, it’s the Great Basin to Reno’s west and the Sierra Nevada desert to its east.

Rising 1,500 feet from Reno to Virginia City, Nev., the road features tight corners, long sweepers and ridiculously good scenery. Best of all: There’s no traffic. Maybe there was in the 1950s when Virginia City was the site of a minor gold rush, but in 2011 those treasure hunters are long gone, and we have the highway to ourselves. As we rise higher and higher above Reno,

we’re rewarded with increasingly impressive views until we pull in at the Bucket of Blood Saloon for a bite to eat.

It’s the perfect stop on what is turning out to be a great trip. We kicked it off four days earlier in our hometown of Portland, Ore. This is, for lack of a better description, an old-fashioned biker run. It is me on my Buell, and my dad and a bunch of his buds on their Harleys. There is no particular plan, just see a fair chunk of the West from the seats of our motorcycles, and maybe harass a few locals as we string together our route—well, no, not really, but we certainly enjoy putting on our best bad-boy biker persona as we point our front wheels toward the horizon and roll into joints with names like “Bucket of Blood Saloon” for lunch.

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For as long as I can remember, my dad was a Harley guy. He has ridden his 1995 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide through all the lower 48 states and loves that motorcycle. It hasn’t been until now, after I’ve been out of the house for several years, that we’ve had an opportunity to plan a ride together. So that’s exactly what we do, setting our sights south to California’s Redwood forests and west to Nevada’s desert country.

It isn’t long before Dad’s old biker buddies latch on. You couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to ride with. There’s John, my dad’s oldest friend and a founding member of Portland’s Lost Squadron Motorcycle Club. John rides a 2000 FLHT. Bill the carpenter worked with me on my one and only construction job. He rides a 2010 FLHX. Then there’s Ron, the newest member of our group on a 2001 Heritage Softail. Ron is the kind of guy who can make your day go bad in a hurry—a black belt in karate but very quiet and unassuming—though I’m pretty sure he’s too nice to get into much trouble.

I’m the only one who doesn’t work in the construction industry. That and the Buell make me quite the outcast, but the old guys are cool, and I even get to lead once in awhile.

So, on Aug. 12, we head out. Our plan is to return whenever the trip is over or when my dad and his buddies get tired. Much to our surprise, everyone shows up on time for our departure. We vow never to be so orderly again and ride south along the Oregon coast.

We take Route 18 out of Portland to Lincoln City. Also known as the Salmon River Highway, the road cuts through Portland suburbia, then Willamette Valley farmland. It’s scenic, but thanks to a lot of cross traffic and an endless stream of casino patrons, it’s pretty congested. But no worries. We’re not in a hurry and the coast comes into view soon enough. We reach U.S. 101 and turn our bikes south toward Newport.

There, we make our first stop for the night—yeah, a short day, but remember what I said about not being in a hurry. Plus, with the old guys’ two rules—never pass up a gas stop; never pass up a bathroom break—we somehow managed to turn a two-hour ride into a four-hour expedition. Nice start!

After settling in, we hang out in front of our hotel room making plans for the next day and good-naturedly harassing passersby. We turn in with little terrorizing accomplished and vow to do more tomorrow.

Our second day starts as it does for all bad-ass bikers: a trip to Starbucks. John and I have half-whip, extra-hot soy milk fraps. Perfect. We’re ready to ride.

From Newport, it’s south down the 101. With Cali on our minds, we make good time. We enjoy traffic-free roads most of the way down. Bill leads the way, and we keep a lively pace, with the guys on their cruisers scraping some chrome off running boards through the coast-hugging twisties.

The weather is perfect, and we experience some of the best sections offered by this stretch of one of America’s great highways in all their glory. There’s nothing like the feeling of freedom you get from hitting the open road with a group of riding buddies.

By Nathan Baldwin

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Luckily, we’re able to bank some of those good vibes because we hit major traffic as we roll into California and through some inland sections of the 101 toward Rio Dell, our stop for the night. The hotel manager is a pretty cool dude, even giving us some towels to put on our seats overnight so they won’t get wet. Something tells me we’re not the first gang of biker toughs to roll through this ’burg.

Rio Dell is a pretty small town, and there isn’t much going on—although the pizza and beverages are pretty good. I even get a tattoo that night. It might be a lick ’em and stick ’em tattoo, but whatever. I’m feeling like a real biker.

The next morning, we head back to Fortuna for breakfast. (Rio Dell wakes up late on a Sunday morning, I guess.) Luckily for Dad and his buddies, the diner has a cute waitress. They harass her and embarrass me—just what old guys are for!

Just a short jaunt south, we catch the Avenue of the Giants. Also known as California Route 254, it runs adjacent to the 101 from Pepperwood to Phillipsville, following the winding Eel River along the way. We’re here, of course, to appreciate the massive Coast Redwoods that tower over us. It’s an eye-opening spectacle made all the more awesome by the fact that we get to view it from the seats of our motorcycles.

Several photo-ops later, we hook back

up to the 101 and roll south to Legget, then continue to Ukiah and the finest Motel 6 in the area, where we take our rest for the night—but not before more waitress harassing. Gotta love these guys.

From Ukiah, we roll west on California Route 20 to Auburn so Ron can visit his daughter. The rest of us continue on I-80 to Lake Tahoe.

The road to Tahoe is pretty uneventful, too crowded and too much construction. We stay on the Nevada side at the Biltmore. My dad and I split a double room for $40. It’s the first time I’ve stayed

in the same place overnight with my dad since I was a teenager, and it helps me realize that somewhere along the way he’s become more like a buddy than my dad.

The next morning, we decide to visit the Carson City Harley-Davidson dealer and a coffee joint in Reno. It’s Reno for the Java Jungle and Carson City for a gunfight!

Well, not really, but by this point we are really getting into the whole western motif.

We roll into Carson City and manage to get lost about 65 times trying to find where they moved the Harley dealership. We’re finally victorious and celebrate by loitering around and talking about the bikes we wish we could ride. I look around for some Buells, but have no luck. Next up is the Java Jungle—John’s idea. We’re both coffee aficionados and that’s all the excuse we needed for a side trip. The verdict? Good coffee, but they don’t roast their own beans. Yes, I am a Portland coffee snob.

This is where we pick up Geiger Grade Road and snake up to Virginia City and the Bucket of Blood Saloon. It’s a nice place with some more waitresses to keep my dad and his buddies preoccupied. I’m not hungry, so I split to take some photos and check out the area.

It’s definitely a neat place with a lot of history. In addition to the gold mining boom days, Virginia City has made a name for itself as a classic old western town. It’s even cropped up in popular culture as a backdrop in television and movies, and was even the town where Samuel Clemens first coined the pen name Mark Twain (as a newspaper reporter). After my dad and crew finish lunch (or get kicked out of the Bucket of Blood, I don’t know P

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which), they catch up to me and we wander around a bit more. We get antsy pretty quickly, though, and need to get back on the bikes. After a run ride back down to U.S. 395, we head south to Lake Tahoe and kick back for the evening.

The next morning, Ron meets us at the hotel and we head back toward Oregon, taking Highway 267 to Highway 89, then over toward Susanville. Highway 89 isn’t the most exciting ride of the trip, but it’s still a nice mix of two lane, sweeping corners and big country sightseeing, passing through the Tahoe, Plumas and Lassen National forests.

After lunch in the metropolis of Susanville, we ride north on Highway 139. This is a great road in spots, and we start to lose ourselves a bit in the curvier sections. As I’m enjoying the twisties, I hear something behind me then notice the dreaded red and blue lights. While I’m not technically speeding, I’m open to the possibility that maybe someone might have the opinion that we’re going faster than we should be. I pull over, but the police officer keeps going. John pulls over, but he passes John, too. We figure there must be something more important than us terrorizing the countryside. Unfortunately, there is. We come to a car accident not far ahead. We make our way through the

accident scene and inch toward Klamath Falls.

We hit another five-star Motel 6 and load up on calories at a local diner. There are some other biker types in the hotel riding BMW GSs, so we all show K-Falls no mercy.

When we gear up for a very early (for us) 7 a.m. ride time the next morning, I realize this is the longest trip I’ve taken on my Buell. The bike has performed great. With Buell’s comfort kit to reduce heat on the legs and a throttle lock for the straight stretches, it’s easy to ride on long slabs. The hard luggage is a useful addition, for sure, and overall the bike is an awesome blend for spirited sport touring. (That said, I would like to add a gel seat for those 400-mile days!)

From Klamath Falls, we take U.S. 97 north to Highway 58. Although we’re focused on making it back to Portland at

a decent hour, we’re still able to enjoy 58—another easy flowing two-

lane stretching through miles of western wilderness. We ride past Crescent Lake, Odell Lake, through the Umpqua National Forest and into Eugene where we stop for fuel. As we get closer to Portland, we’ll start splitting off for our respective homes, so we also take a couple minutes to say our goodbyes.

I started the week knowing only one of these guys (my dad), but end it with four new friends. These are the type of guys who will give you the shirt off of their backs. I’m fortunate to have ridden with them.

I also got to know my dad in a new way. No question, this ride strengthened our relationship as we realized just how much we both enjoy our common passion of riding our motorcycles. It is not often that a father and son can enjoy a hobby together. Even though motorcycling is inherently mechanical, the bonds it builds are deeply emotional. It’s an interesting mix that I dwell on as we roll into town just after 2 p.m.

We logged a leisurely 1,600 miles in seven days with perfect weather, no breakdowns, no injuries, no speeding tickets and heads full of memories. A perfect ride!

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

1 Get into the Thanksgiving spirit by taking

part in a turkey run hosted by the Lebanon Valley Motorcycle Club in Lebanon, Pa., on Oct. 30. The event

begins at 9 a.m. Info: LebanonValleyMC.com or (717) 270-9797.

2 Don’t miss one of the most prestigious event-weekends in all of motorcycling—the AMA

Legends & Champions Weekend—set for Nov. 18-20 in Las Vegas, Nev. The weekend kicks off on Friday, Nov. 18 with the 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Festivities continue with the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concourse d’Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 19. The weekend culminates with the AMA Racing Championship Banquet on Sunday, Nov. 20, where amateur AMA Racing champions of all ages will be recognized for their 2011 accomplishments. Info: MotorcycleMuseum.org.

3 Catch the final round of the AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series Nov. 19 at the Orleans Arena

in Las Vegas, Nev. Info: EnduroCross.com.

4 AMA District 37 (Southern California)

Dual Sport has made the LA-Barstow-to-Vegas two-day dual-sport ride one of the most famous in the world. Scheduled for Nov. 25-26, this is the 28th

running of this 400-mile event, which travels routes from Barstow, Calif., to Las Vegas, Nev. Large adventure-touring bikes, vintage bikes, side-hacks and small displacement bikes are all welcome to join in the fun with the regular dual-sport bikes—as long as they are street legal. This event is part of the AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series and the AMA Yamaha Super Tenéré Adventure Riding Series. Info: District37AMA.org.

5 The competitors in the AMA Racing East Hare Scrambles National Championship Series wrap up their

season Nov. 5 for the youth racers and Nov. 6 for the amateur racers in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Info: AMARacing.com.

6 There’s a full slate of AMA Racing Pro-Am Motocross

action in the works this month, with races Nov. 6 in Pell City, Ala.; Nov. 13 in Musella, Ga.; and Nov. 21-26 in Gainesville, Fla. Info: AMARacing.com.

COMING UP

There’s an easy way to stay in tune with the latest motorcycling products during the coming months: the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows. Check it out in San Mateo, Calif., Nov. 18-20; Dallas Dec. 2-4; Long Beach, Calif., Dec. 9-11; Seattle, Dec. 16-18; and other cities next year. Get all the info at MotorcycleShows.com.

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CALIFORNIA

RECREATIONAL

ADVENTURE RIDE

NOV 25: PALMDALE: 2-DAY EVENT, AMA-DIST 37 DUAL SPORT DIVISION, (626) 792-7384, DISTRICT37AMA.ORG

DUAL SPORT RIDE

NOV 13: ATOLIA: LOST COYOTES, (661) 951-1707, LOSTCOYOTES.ORG

NOV 25: PALMDALE: 2-DAY EVENT, AMA-DIST 37 DUAL SPORT DIVISION, (626) 792-7384, DISTRICT37AMA.ORG

TURKEY RUN

NOV 19: DUBLIN: DISTRICT 36, (916) 206-7782, AMA-D36.COM

COMPETITION

ENDURO

NOV 5: UPPER LAKE : HAYWARD MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (925) 284-4436

NOV 19: LUCERNE VALLEY: 2-DAY EVENT, AMA-DIST 37 SPORTS COMM, (760) 220-6575, DISTRICT37AMA.ORG

HARE SCRAMBLES

NOV 5: RANCHO CORDOVA: 2-DAY EVENT, DIRT DIGGERS NORTH M.C. INC, HANGTOWNMX.COM

NOV 6: PLASTER CITY: CHICKEN BONES RACING CLUB, (619) 921-9245, CHICKENBONESRACING.WEEBLY.COM

REL-ENDURO - ISDE

NOV 20: STONYFORD: RICHMOND RAMBLERS MC, (707) 451-1149, RRMC.CC

SPEEDWAY

NOV 5: RANCHO CORDOVA: MCALLISTER MOTORSPORTS, (925) 786-3263, ARENACROSS-TT.COM

DELAWARE

COMPETITION

HARE SCRAMBLES

NOV 20: BEAR: DELAWARE ENDURO RIDERS, (302) 834-4456, DELAWAREENDURORIDERS.COM

MOTOCROSS

NOV 6: NEW CASTLE: BLUE DIAMOND MX, (302) 834-4586, BDMXPARK.COM

FLORIDA

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

NOV 6: NAPLES: MARCH OF DIMES-FLORIDA, (239) 433-3463, BIKERSFORBABIESFLORIDA.COM

NOV 6: LITHIA: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

NOV 21: GAINSVILLE: UNLIMITED SPORTS MX INC, (407) 473-4373,

UNLIMITEDSPORTSMX.COM

NOV 24: GAINESVILLE: UNLIMITED SPORTS MX INC, (407) 473-4373, UNLIMITEDSPORTSMX.COM

ILLINOIS

RECREATIONAL

DUAL SPORT RIDE

NOV 13: MORRISON: BRUSHPOPPERS M.C., (815) 622-4099, BRUSHPOPPERSMC.COM

COMPETITION

HARE SCRAMBLES

NOV 6: OAKLEY: DIRT RIDERS INC, (217) 789-9010

NOV 6: BELLEVILLE: BELLEVILLE ENDURO TEAM INC, (618) 277-3478, BETDIRT.COM

NOV 27: WHITE CITY: CAHOKIA CREEK DIRT RIDERS, (618) 946-4316, WW.CCDIRT.COM

MOTOCROSS

NOV 6: PINCKNEYVILLE: EURO RACEWAY, (618) 327-9530

INDIANA

COMPETITION

HARE SCRAMBLES

NOV 6: COLUMBUS: STONEY LONESOME M/C, (812) 350-0573

NEVADA

COMPETITION

ENDUROCROSS

NOV 19: LAS VEGAS: SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA, (702) 365-5711, ORLEANSARENA.COM

NEW JERSEY

RECREATIONAL

ADVENTURE RIDE

NOV 5: PORT ELIZABETH: 2-DAY EVENT, TRI-COUNTY SPORTSMEN MC INC, (856) 785-2754, TEAMHAMMER.ORG

DUAL SPORT RIDE

NOV 5: PORT ELIZABETH: 2-DAY EVENT, TRI-COUNTY SPORTSMEN MC INC, (856) 785-2754, TEAMHAMMER.ORG

NEW MEXICO

RECREATIONAL

TOY RUN

NOV 20: RIO RANCHO TOY RUN, (505) 604-4326

NEW YORK

RECREATIONAL

TURKEY RUN

NOV 20: OAKDALE: IDONTKNOW MC, (641) 715-5390, IDONTKNOWMC.COM

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

NOV 12: JAPHAH: LONG ISLAND MOTOCROSS INC, (631) 286-9411,

ISLANDMOTOCROSS.COM

OHIO

COMPETITION

ENDURO

NOV 13: GREENVILLE: TREATY CITY MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (937) 548-7197, TREATYCITYMC.COM

PENNSYLVANIA

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

NOV 6: LEESPORT: CLASSIC HARLEY-DAVIDSON, (610) 916-7777, CLASSICHARLEY.COM

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

NOV 6: HANOVER: HAPPY RAMBLERS, (717) 633-7708, HAPPYRAMBLERS.COM

SOUTH CAROLINA

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

NOV 5: GASTON: 2 DAY EVENT, PALMETTO MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX, LLC, (803) 568-7672, PALMETTOCOMPLEX.COM

TENNESSEE

COMPETITION

HARE SCRAMBLES

NOV 13: BYBEE: JB SAKI PROMOTIONS, (865) 322-0193, VOLUNTEERRIDERS.COM

NOV 22: WESTPOINT: NORTH ALABAMA TRAIL RIDERS ASSN, (256) 837-0084, NATRA.DIRTRIDER.NET

TEXAS

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

NOV 5: WORTHAM: 2-DAY EVENT, FREESTONE COUNTY RACEWAY LLC, (903) 599-1888, FREESTONEMX.COM

VIRGINIA

COMPETITION

GRAND PRIX

NOV 13: SPRING GROVE: VIRGINIA CHAMPIONSHIP HS SERIES, (757) 871-1573, VCHSS.ORG

WEST VIRGINIA

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

NOV 12: HEDGESVILLE: TOMAHAWK MX LLC, (304) 229-9668, TOMAHAWKMX.COM

WISCONSIN

COMPETITION

ARENACROSS

NOV 11: MADISON: FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 216-7482, ARENACROSS.COM

November 2011 45

HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MOTORCYCLEMUSEUM.ORG

The Hall of Fame is on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Main Hall: Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Recognizing those who have made significant contributions to all aspects of motorcycling.

Dirt-Track! All-American Motorcycle Racing: Celebrating the storied history of the men and machines who battle on the dirt oval.

30-Year Ride: Honda’s Ohio-made Motorcycles: Gold Wings aren’t the only bikes that Honda produced at its plant in Marysville, Ohio. This exhibit showcases the 30 years of production, from the CR250 to the Rune.

Founder’s Hall: Honoring the Hall of Fame’s generous contributors.

AMA PRO RACING

AMA PRO GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM

Oct. 15: Pomona, Calif.: AMA Pro Flat Track Season Finale, LA County Fairplex

AMA ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES ARENACROSS.COM

Oct. 29-30: Des Moines, Iowa: Wells Fargo Arena

Nov. 4-6: Baltimore: First Mariner Arena

Nov. 11-13: Madison, Wis.: Alliant Energy Center

Dec. 9-11: Wilkes Barre, Pa.: Mohegan Sun Arena

Jan. 6-8: Grand Rapids, Mich.: VanAndel Arena

Jan. 13-15: Topeka, Kan.: KS Expo Centre Arena

Jan. 21-22: Dayton, Ohio: Nutter Center

Jan. 27-29: Cedar Park, Texas: Cedar Park Center

Feb. 3-5: Syracuse, N.Y.: SRC Arena

Feb. 11-12: Fresno, Calif.: Save Mart Center

Feb. 17-19: Reno, Nev.: Livestock Events Center

Feb. 25-26: Minneapolis, Minn.: Target Center

AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

CAN-AM GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY GNCCRACING.COM

Oct. 22-23: Crawfordsville, Ind.: Tom’s Marine Polaris

Nov. 4-6: Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: Loretta Lynn’s Ranch

AMA RACING NATIONAL HARE & HOUND NATIONALHAREANDHOUND.COM

Oct. 23: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Ryan Sanders, 100’s MC; (949) 584-9395, 100sMC.org

ENDUROCROSS ENDUROCROSS.COM

Oct. 22: Boise, Idaho: Idaho Center

Nov 19: Las Vegas, Nev.: Orleans Arena

AMA RACING EAST HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM

Oct. 15 (Youth) Oct. 16 (Amateur): Westfield, Mass.: Scott Fontaine, Knox Trail Riders; (508) 864-7316, WNYOA.net

Oct. 30 (Youth & Amateur): Gosport, Ind.: Mike Gibbs, Mid America XC; (317) 418-6084, TheMAXC.com

Nov. 5 (Youth) Nov. 6 (Amateur): Hurricane Mills, Tenn.: Rita Coombs, Racer Productions; (304) 284-0084

AMA RACING ATV HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM

Oct. 29: TBD: Mike Gibbs, Mid America XC; (317) 418-6084, TheMAXC.com

AMA RACING PRO-AM MOTOCROSS AMARACING.COM

Oct. 16: Blountville, Tenn.: Muddy Creek Raceway, Victory Sports Inc.; (423) 323-5497, VictorySportsRacing.com

Oct. 22-23: Buckeye, Ariz.: Western Pro-Am Motocross Championship, Arizona Cycle Park, Arizona Cycle Park; (623) 853-0750 ext. 4, ArizonaCyclePark.com

Oct. 29-30: Leonardtown, Md.: Budds Creek Motocross Park, Budds Creek Motocross Park; (301) 481-6148; Buddscreek.com

Oct. 30: Prentiss, Mich.: Golden Pine Raceway, Golden Pine Raceway; (601) 506-8669, GoldenPineRaceway.com

Nov. 6: Pell City, Ala.: Mill Creek, RPM Sports; (205) 699-8857, RPMSportsonline.com

Nov. 6: Wortham, Texas.: Freestone County Raceway, Freestone County Raceway; (903) 599-1888, FreestoneMX.com

Nov. 13: Musella, Ga.: Hillbilly Hills; RPM Sports, (205) 699-8857, RPMSports.online.com

Nov. 21-23, Gainesville, Fla.: Gatorback Cycle Park, Unlimited Sports MX; (813) 470-7498, UnlimitedSportsMX.com

Nov. 24-26: Gainesville, Fla.: Gatorback Cycle Park, Unlimited Sports MX; (813) 470-7498, UnlimitedSportsMX.com

AMA DUAL-SPORT/ADVENTURE SERIES

AMA KTM NATIONAL DUAL SPORT TRAIL RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM

Oct. 22-23: Study Butte, Texas: 14th Annual Terlingua National DS, Trail Riders of Houston, Jack Jennings; (713) 248-7222; TRH-Cycle.org

Oct. 29-30: Chatsworth, N.J.: Meteor Ride in the Pines, Meteor MC, Jeff Fitzpatrick; (609) 654-5015; MeteorMC.com

Nov. 5-6: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: Hammer Run, Tri-County Sportsmen, E. Polhaumas; (856) 785-2754; TeamHammer.org

Nov. 5-6: Wickenburg, Ariz: Howlin’ at the Moon Rally, Arizona Trail Riders, Don Hood; (602) 692-9382

Nov. 25-26: Palmdale, Calif.: LA-Barstow to Vegas, AMA D37 Dual Sport, Paul Flanders; (626) 792-7384; District37AMA.org

AMA YAMAHA SUPER TÉNÉRÉ ADVENTURE RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM

Oct. 15-16: McCloud, Calif.: McCloud Adventure Ride, McCloud Dualsport Adventures, Michael Lingsch; (530) 925-0151; McCloudDualsportAdventures.com

Nov. 5-6: Wickensburg, Ariz.: Howlin’ at the Moon Rally, AZ Trail Riders, Don Hood; (602) 692-9382; ArizonaTrailRiders.org

Nov 5-6: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: Hammer Run, Tri-County Sportsmen, E. Polhaumus; (856) 785-2754

Nov 25-26: Palmdale, Calif.: LA-Barstow to Vegas, AMA D-37, Paul Flanders; (626) 792-7384; District37AMA.org

AMA PREMIER TOURING SERIES

AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM/ROADRIDE/TOURING

GRAND TOURS

Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: USA Four Corners Tour, SCMA, (909) 271-0137, USA4Corners.org

April 1 - Nov. 30: Ride For Your Rights Grand Tour, AMA, Dave Hembroff, (614) 856-1900 ext. 1202, AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Roadride/Touring.com

April 1 - Nov. 30: Travel the USA with KOA, Midnight Riders MC, (765) 566-3807, Midnight-Riders-MC.com

Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: California Parks Adventure, SCMA, (760) 985-7660, SC-MA.com

Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: California Mission Tour, SCMA, (760) 985-7660, SC-MA.com

Jan. 1 - Dec. 31: Three Flags Classic, SCMA, (626) 274-2237, SC-MA.com

SIGNATURE EVENTS: CHARITY RIDE FOR KIDS, PBTUSRIDEFORKIDS.ORG

Oct. 16: Mesa, Ariz.

Oct. 16: Cardiff, Calif.

Oct. 23: Lafayette, La.

Nov. 6: Lithia, Fla.

46 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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November 2011 49

I’ve been fortunate to have always met good bikers. My philosophy is it doesn’t matter what you ride, as long as you ride. It’s better to be on a scooter than it is to walk. I’m not the type of rider who will only wave to folks on the same brand of bike. I wave to all bikers. Heck, we even own a few of those foreign brands, a Suzuki RMZ450 and a Yamaha YZ450F.

From riding dirtbikes with my son at the local motocross tracks and off-road parks that grace north Georgia to enjoying local rides and the multiday tours on our Harley in the Great Smoky Mountains with my wife, I’ve learned that all bikers, regardless of type, are good people. Sure, there is the occasional biker who wants to be bad, or those who think they’re bad. On the flipside, though, some are better than others and on occasion, you have the opportunity to meet them.

I met a great group of bikers on a recent trip that started off as many do—a hare-brained idea and an opportunity. The plan was simple: ride from south Georgia to Michigan in a day for an in-law family reunion, spend a few days riding around the mitten, visiting more family, and then follow the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway on the return. Due to circumstances, my wife wouldn’t be able to make it, so she would follow me up to Michigan with the children, attend the family reunion and make the trek home. I would get a five-hour head start.

Preparations were normal. Bike serviced. Check. Tent, sleeping bag, rain gear. Check. Insurance and credit cards. Check. When the morning came, I was up and ready to start. I put the rucksack on the bike and hit the road. The trip started off as normal as could be.

I got through Atlanta as the morning rush hour was beginning, all the time watching the people in their cars drudging into work, and thinking, “lucky me with seven days of freedom!” The miles ticked on by as smooth as could be, and I was enjoying every moment of the ride. After getting through Chattanooga and Nashville without so much as a slowdown in traffic, I was sure this trip was blessed. Then the Kentucky state line trucked on by. All was well.

Well, that’s what I thought anyway. In a 20-mile stretch in mid-Kentucky, an illness unlike any I’ve ever experienced in my entire life hit me hard. I pulled off the road, stopped at a gas station in the middle of nowhere and barely made it inside. The poor patrons must have been perplexed by the biker sprawled out in a small corner booth. When my family caught up to me, they got me to a hotel, and my wife called AMA Roadside Assistance to get the bike.

The next morning, while I was suffering through a condition that should be covered in another AMA periodical—that of the American Medical Association—my wife contacted Open Road USA, a local motorcycle shop in Elizabethtown, Ky. The self-described “motorcycle lifestyle shop” was gracious enough to send a technician over to the hotel, collect my bike and store it while my wife and children got me back home.

Now, about my bike—my friends say I’m obsessed with it. I don’t agree with them. “Obsessed” is clearly not a strong enough word.

The motorcycle was a present to myself after I returned home from a tour in Afghanistan in 2002. It’s a black/silver 2003 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic 100-year anniversary model. The bike is a daily driver with slightly over 50,000 miles. It is as clean as the day it was new.

So, after a return to health, my intention was to retrieve my motorcycle as quickly as possible. I hooked up the trailer and headed north to Kentucky. When I got there, I met some people who exemplify what bikers really are—the type of people who lend a hand when the chips are down. Steve McMillen, general manager of Open Road USA, and his crew had no idea who I was, how long I’d be ill or, honestly, if I’d ever return. But they did know a fellow biker was in trouble, and they stepped up to save the day. Payment? A handshake and a smile, and we were all square.

This entire episode got me thinking about motorcycle shops. In one way or another, these shops affect every biker, dirt or street, foreign or domestic, especially in today’s economy. Sure, a big dot-com may be able to save you a buck or two, and that’s fine. But it’s also important to recognize the contributions of this country’s network of supporting biker shops—a pit stop, a port in a storm, a waypoint on a cross-country jaunt, or a place to bench race about last weekend’s local hare scrambles race.

We need local motorcycle shops for a lot more than just getting parts quickly. Simply by existing, they support our lifestyle and we should also support them with some of our hard-earned dollars.

I thank the bikers in Elizabethtown for supporting such a great shop. If you’re heading through, be sure to stop, soak up some air conditioning and say hi. If you don’t have the time, no worries. You can ride easy knowing these guys—and many more like them—have your back either way.

Craig Cavitt is an AMA member from Columbus, Ga.

GUEST COLUMN

THE TRIP THAT ALMOST WASLocal Motorcycle Shop Proves An Oasis On The RoadBy Craig Cavitt

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50 AmericanMotorcyclist.com