American Motorcyclist 02 2014 Dirt Version by American Motorcyclist Association

FEBRUARY 2014

American Motorcyclists Eye Gold At Winter Olympics

Photo Peter Morning

Ice Racing Basics

AMA REWARDS

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

AMA Roadside Assistance

AMA Race Center

Available at no extra charge if you choose to automatically renew your AMA membership.

Your one-stop online source for all your motocross, Arenacross and ATV Motocross results from AMA-sanctioned events. Search by event, date, and even your name! http://results.americanmotorcyclist.com

You’re Among America’s Elite Racers Only AMA members chase national No. 1 plates.

• Coverage for bikes, cars, pickups, motorhomes and trailers (excluding utility trailers) registered to you, your spouse, and dependent children under the age of 24, living at home or away at college. • Coverage in all 50 states and Canada. • Towing up to 35 miles, with all dispatch and hook-up fees. • Flat tire, lockout, battery and minormechanical assistance. • Emergency fuel, oil, water, ﬂuid delivery. • No exclusions for older motorcycles. • Toll-free assistance available 24/7/365. • AMA Roadside Assistance pays ﬁrst. No need to pay and wait for reimbursement.

You’ll ﬁnd everything you need—from races to rules to advice, at AmericanMotorcyclist. com > Racing. And as an AMA Competition Member, you’ll receive the competition edition of American Motorcyclist magazine.

HOW YOUR AMA MEMBERSHIP PAYS FOR ITSELF Are You Covered?

Value

Your Cost

American Motorcyclist Magazine

$19.95

Included

AMA Roadside Assistance

$104

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$49 $490.45

STAYING INFORMED American Motorcyclist

Each month, you receive the best magazine covering the motorcycle lifestyle with two versions to choose from: street or dirt.

THE ESSENTIALS AMA Roadside Assistance

The Best Deal In Towing Get peace of mind with AMA Roadside Assistance, which covers all your vehicles, as well as those of your family members living with you. Best of all, you can get this coverage at no additional charge. For details, call (800) 262-5646.

Lodging

Save At Choice Hotels, Motel 6, Red Roof Inn At Choice hotels, save15 percent oﬀ the best available rates at participating Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay, Rodeway Inn and Econo Lodge hotels. Use the Member Discount code #00947556.

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Save 10 percent on complete product line—plus bonus. Go to www.actionstation.com/ama/ and use coupon code AMAB4U at checkout. AMA Members also receive exclusive discounted pricing on the Bohn Bodyguard System at www.bohn-armorpants.com/ama/

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Special discounts at Motel 6 are also available up to 10 percent off. Use the Member Discount code CP540176. Plus, get a 20 percent discount off available rates at Red Roof Inn. For discounts, call (800) RED-ROOF and use the code VP+ 503343. You can also make reservations online at www.redroof.com. Just enter the code VP+ 503343 in the field labeled “VP+/ID#” when making reservations. The discount will be automatically applied.

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Ride Where You Want In the United States, call Federal Companies, an agent for Specialized Transportation, Inc., at (877) 518-7376 for at least $60 oﬀ standard rates. For international shipments, call Motorcycle Express at (800) 245-8726. To get your discount, be sure to have your AMA number handy. Motorcycle Express also oﬀers temporary international insurance.

Car Rentals

Save Money When You Drive Get up to 25 percent oﬀ prevailing rates at any Avis or Budget car rental agency. For Avis, enter discount code: D388100. For Budget, enter code: Z942000.

AMA Gear

Buy AMA Stuff Online Find unique patches, pins, posters, T-shirts and books at AmericanMotorcyclist.com and at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio. Details at MotorcycleMuseum.org.

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Save on advanced tickets; AMA members can get $5 oﬀ when they buy tickets online at Supercrossonline.com and use password AMA14. AMA members can get $5 oﬀ when they buy tickets online at Arenacross.com and use password AMA5OFF. Certain restrictions apply, call (800) 262-5646 for details.

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Bill’s Sport Motor Oﬀers up to 20 percent oﬀ to AMA Members. Order your RV Parts & Accessories catalog at www. BillsSportMotor.com or call Bill’s Sport Motor at (518) 487-9569 to order a catalog, or place an order and receive your discount.

Rider Magazine

GiFOR USA/GOLDfren

RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel magazine

Save 15 percent on brake pads and 10 percent on brake discs at giforusa.com.

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AMA members save on advanced adult one-day general admission. The promo code is “NAAMA1410” when you buy your tickets online from www. motorcycleshows.com.

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Members pay only $19.99 for 2 years (24 issues) + 2 extra FREE issues. Visit the Members Only section on AmericanMotorcyclist.com for the discount link.

RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel magazine oﬀers a 20 percent subscription discount to AMA members. RoadRUNNER is the touring expert of North America, providing info on the best places to ride. AMA discount code is CRIAMA at www. roadrunner.travel/promo/ama.

Sam’s Club

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Schampa Cold-Weather Gear Save 15 percent. Enter SCHAMA during checkout at Schampa.com.

NAVIGATION Navigation Photo

John Teller is a world-class athlete, but not in motocross. This winter, the ski cross Olympian will be going for gold in Sochi, Russia. Read about him, and three other Olympic hopefuls, and how their passion for motorcycles helps drive them, starting on page 32. Photo by Peter Morning

8. LETTERS You write, we read.

10. WAYNE ALLARD Saving Johnson Valley.

12. RIGHTS E15 fuel rollout may stall, motorcycle thefts down, bias against off-highway vehicles uncovered, U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte and riding in Utah. 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 2013. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $19.95 covered in membership dues. Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing oﬃces.

February 2014 Volume 68, Number 2 Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) www.americanmotorcyclist.com

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

18. RIDING The latest news, rides, interviews and more from the world of motorcycling.

32. HALL OF FAME An early Honda sportbike and Hall of Famer Carey Loftin.

36. TOP LEVEL ATHLETES—EVERYDAY RIDERS What does motorcycling have to do with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia? Everything if you’re one of the four very different motorcyclists proﬁled for this month’s cover story.

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

52. JUSTIN PENNELLA Finding satisfaction.

For more than 25 years, Al Holtsberry has supported the AMA. Now we’re offering something special for him and all other AMA Life Members. Welcome to Life Member Plus! We designed the new Life Member Plus program to stay connected with our Life Members and reward them for their years of dedication to the AMA. Offering up a package that includes American Motorcyclist magazine and AMA Roadside Assistance at a special discounted rate, Life Member Plus is a money-saving value. The new program is 100 percent optional, so if you choose not to enroll, you still receive all the current benefits of life membership—a voice on behalf of motorcycling in the halls of government, the ability to sign up for AMA-sanctioned events, money-saving benefits and more. With Life Member Plus, you get all that, plus AMA Roadside Assistance and American Motorcyclist magazine. And stay tuned for additional Life Member benefits to come. AMA Life Member Plus Includes: • FREE AMA Roadside Assistance • 12 issues of American Motorcyclist magazine • AMA Life Member Plus Membership card, pin (first year), and decal with your renewal • A voice protecting motorcyclists’ rights at the federal, state and local levels • Continued access to AMA Rights, Riding, Racing and Rewards—including money-saving discounts

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COMMUNICATIONS

Husqvarna is a proud sponsor of the AMA National Dual-Sport Series

AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

Contact any member of the AMA Board of Directors at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/ about/board Maggie McNally, Chair Albany, N.Y.

Grant Parsons, Director of Communications James Holter, Managing Editor Mark Lapid, Creative Director Jen Muecke, Designer Jeff Guciardo, Production Manager/Designer Halley Miller, Web and Print Designer Kaitlyn Sesco, Marketing/Communications Specialist

Russ Brenan, Vice Chair Irvine, Calif. Ken Ford, Assistant Treasurer Bartow, Fla. Perry King, Executive Committee Member Northern California

Steve Gotoski, Advertising Director (Western States) (951) 566-5068, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org Zach Stevens, National Sales Manager (626) 298-3854, zstevens@ama-cycle.org

John Ulrich, Executive Committee Member Lake Elsinore, Calif.

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, 2014.

Sean Hilbert, Hillsdale, Mich. Scott Miller, Milwaukee, Wis. Art More, Sun City West, Ariz. Stan Simpson, Cibolo, Texas Jim Viverito, Chicago, Ill.

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

AMA StAff EXECUTIVE

AMA RACING/ORGANIZER SERVICES (continued)

Rob Dingman, President/CEO Rhonda Hixon, Administrative Asst./Litigation Manager Bruce Moffat, Chief Financial Officer Sen. Wayne Allard, Vice President, Government Relations Bob Chaddock, Vice President, Administration Jeff Massey, Vice President, Operations Jim Williams, Vice President, Industry Relations & Corporate Member Programs Rob Rasor, Director of International Affairs

Alex Hunter, MX Operational Coordinator Tamra Jones, Racing Coordinator D’Andra Myers, Organizer Services Coordinator Ken Saillant, Track Racing Manager Cherie Schlatter, Organizer Services Manager Serena Van Dyke, Organizer Services Coordinator Chuck Weir, Off Road Racing Manager Conrad Young, Timing & Scoring Manager

ACCOUNTING

John Bricker, Mailroom Manager Heida Drake, Copy Center Operator Bill Frasch, Mailroom Clerk

Dawn Becker, Accounting Manager Melanie Hise, HR Assistant/Payroll Coordinator Ed Madden, System Support Specialist Peg Tuvell, Member Fulfillment Specialist ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Sean Maher, Director AMHF/MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME

Supporting Sponsor

Jordan Brannan, Museum Admissions and Collections Assistant Connie Fleming, Manager of Events and AMHF Operations Beth Owen, Receptionist/Donor Relations Specialist Paula Schremser, Program Specialist Katy Wood, Collections Manager AMA RACING/ORGANIZER SERVICES

www.husqvarna-motorcyclesna.com

Kip Bigelow, Amateur MX Manager Joe Bromley, District Relations Manager Jacki Burris, Organizer Services Coordinator Jane Caston, Racing Coordinator Lana Cox, Administrative Assistant Kevin Crowther, Director SX & Pro Racing Relations Bill Cumbow, Director of Special Projects Sandi Dunphy, Road Riding Coordinator Dave Hembroff, Road Riding Manager

AmericanMotorcyclist.com AMA_Husqvarna_Natl_Dual_Sport_Series_SeatConcepts_0114.indd 11/12/13 1 10:09 AM

DISTRIBUTION/FACILITIES SERVICES

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Marie Esselstein, Government Affairs Assistant Danielle Fowles, Grassroots Coordinator Nick Haris, Western States Representative Sean Hutson, Legislative Assistant Sharon Long, Legislative Coordinator Rick Podliska, Deputy Director Steve Salisbury, Government Affairs Manager - Off-Highway Imre Szauter, Government Affairs Manager - On-Highway INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Rob Baughman, Network Administrator John Boker, Developer Dave Coleman, Network Architect Amy Hyman, Senior Programmer/Analyst Bill Miller, Enterprise Architect MEMBER SERVICES/DATA ENTRY Lori Cavucci, Member Services Representative Deb D’Andrea, Member Services Representative Linda Hembroff, Member Services Representative Darcel Higgins, Member Services Manager Kimberly Jude, Member Services Representative Tiffany Pound, Member Services Representative Jessica Robinson, Member Services Representative Angela Warren, Member Services Representative

JOIN OR RENEW your AMA membership in 2014 and you could win!

Member #

Year Member

2014 Yamaha Super Ténéré

As the proud sponsor of the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré National Adventure Touring Series, Yamaha is awarding one lucky member a new 2014 Super Ténéré! Riders participating in the series will also be automatically entered.

Every month, everyone who joins or renews a membership in the AMA is automatically entered in a drawing for a

$100 Gift Card from BikeBandit.com.

The best part? You’re automatically entered when you join or renew between Jan. 1, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2014.

www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com (800) AMA-JOIN No purchase necessary. For complete rules, terms and conditions visit http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Membership/RenewSweeps_Rules.aspx.

Expiration

MEMBER LETTERS

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

LETTER OF THE MONTH SUNLIGHT SOLUTION

My solution to the “riding into sunlight” issue is a variation on the “dress in layers” theme. Each month, a lucky AMA member wins a Bike Bandit gift card worth $100. Didn’t win? No My base layer is a pair of medium brown worries. You can still take advantage of your sunglasses that are good for almost all 10% AMA member discount at BikeBandit.com. daylight riding when combined with the second layer, which is my helmet’s internal sun visor. I can lower the visor partially, using it like an automotive sun visor, or bring it all the way down in front of my eyes in bright conditions. The visor, added to the sunglasses, yields the equivalent of dark sunglasses. For extremely bright conditions, where the light level threatens to arc-weld my retinas, I add a third layer, which is a strip of painter’s tape across the top of my helmet’s external visor (painter’s tape comes oﬀ cleanly, not leaving adhesive residue behind). This eﬀectively lowers the top edge of the helmet’s face port, so you don’t have to tilt your head forward as far to shade your eyes. Tim Bronson Pittsburgh, Pa.

IN THIS TOGETHER Two articles in the December issue had a common sentiment: whether purchasing a bike or going for a long ride, each fellow had to get his wife’s permission to do it. These articles reinforced the fact that a few of us riders are fortunate to have wives that are very into riding. Certainly many have ones who ride the bike with them, but some of us are fortunate enough to even have a wife who wants to ride her own bike. I started riding again in 2002. At that time, my wife insisted that if we were going to ride, she would have her own motorcycle. She has since had a VLX 600, VTX 1800, Valkrie, and

Travis Bolton

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

now a Goldwing. She has more total mileage on motorcycles than I do. We’ve been to Daytona and Sturgis several times, riding the entire way. We did 6,300 miles over three weeks this year alone. It’s a great hobby for couples to do together. And articles like those in the December issue bolster the fact that we are very lucky men indeed. Travis Bolton Missoula, Mont. RESPECTING YOUR LIMITS I read your November Ask the MSF in anticipation of a simple answer to the very common question (for all riding levels) of the “signs of riding over my head” during spirited riding on twisty roads. Unfortunately, that simple answer never came. I have been riding for years almost exclusively on my hometown mountain roads. Being very analytical, I sought a methodology to address this very question that was simple and would span every riding style, from beginner to pro. When you’re riding, do not allow your tires to touch or cross either the center

or shoulder lines without meaning to! That’s it! It’s very simple. From that basic rule, you will have a solid indicator that you are operating your motorcycle within your skill level. You will also not be exposed to sliding on a slippery line, or cross into an oncoming lane in a blind corner. Accidents don’t happen in a vacuum. Anytime I touch a line I immediately slow down and assess the cause. If I was going too fast to stay within the lines, I slow down my pace. If I just did not realize it, then I refocus on my riding. Seldom do I touch the lines more than twice in any riding session, and I often go a long time without doing so. This method may even be used to call your riding session to a close, before it ends in a helicopter ride. I have shared this simple method with all my riding friends and many beginners. I would hope the MSF would consider implementing this into their teaching programs and articles. Eddie (Mattel) Prince Roaring Gap, N.C. Thanks for the tip, Eddie. Living somewhere named Roaring Gap, you probably know a thing or two about riding twisty roads. PUSH THE RIGHT BUTTONS Years ago, I noticed the City of Sacramento oﬀered free motorcycle parking downtown, but not in all areas. I asked the parking department if they could add more, and they said that all the parking spots have been allocated, and no more were to be added. Not taking no for an answer, I posed the same questions to the city political leaders. Within a few months, more spots were added to an area that had none. I currently see more riders, partly due to the added space. I guess the following adages are true: • If you don’t ask, you don’t get, but ask in the right place. • Don’t take no for an answer, if you are dealing with a noble cause. • If they build it, they will come. It does one’s heart good to see more fellow motorcyclists on the road, and using these new spaces. Bill Fong Sacramento, Calif. APPRECIATING THE RIDE I recently had the good luck to

experience a great trail ride with some of my close riding buddies. I’m 48 years old, but the ride made me feel like a kid again. This is a common feeling for dirt bikers, I suppose, but I’m always reminded of the anti-aging power of dirtbikes whenever I get a chance to ride mine. Unfortunately, those chances are fewer and fewer these days, with a couple kids, a job and a half and a mountain of responsibilities. I guess it only makes me cherish the ﬁve or six times a year I get out that much more. For a few hours during each of those rides, I forget my mortgage, my to-do list at work, my honey-do list at home, the C- that one of my oﬀspring brought home on a big test and the dog that needs an expensive operation so it can keep getting me up at 4 a.m. for a few more years. Yep, life’s good, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well, an extra ride or two wouldn’t hurt much either. Jim Allendale Atlanta, Ga.

REMEMBERING KURT I’m sure I’m not the only one to notice, but the timing of the Kurt Caselli article in the December issue by Mark Kariya was fortunate in a way

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because it chronicled the amazing accomplishments of this determined young man as he set out on his journey to conquer rally racing. That Caselli would lose his life while engaging that pursuit just a month or so after that article was printed is a tragedy. Few riders were as talented as Caselli on a motorcycle. Even fewer had the leadership qualities that we saw in him over the years. No, I did not know him, but I did read about him in the AMA’s magazine and press releases, about how year after year he was captain of the International Six Days Enduro team, about how he was able to lead riders from all different backgrounds and about how he was respected and loved by almost everyone who came into contact with him. Thanks for publishing that article, and thanks for contributing to the body of work that will help us all remember Kurt Caselli for years to come. Mike Carnes Peotone, Ill.

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Terms and Conditions: Coupon # UUGZ036 is valid for a one-time, one-car-group upgrade on an intermediate (Group C) through full-size, four-door (group E) car. Maximum upgrade to premium (group G). Offer valid on daily, weekend, weekly, and monthly rates only. The upgraded car is subject to vehicle availability at the time of rental and may not be available on some rates at some times. Coupon valid at participating Budget locations in the U.S. and Canada. One coupon per rental. A 24-hour advance reservation with request for upgrade is required. May not be used in conjunction with any other coupon, promotion or offer. For reservations made on budget.com, upgrade will be applied at time of rental. Renter must meet Budget age, driver and credit requirements. Minimum age may vary by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. Fuel charges are extra. Rental 12/31/14. 12/31/13. must begin by 12/31/12. Budget features Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

21510

TRIM

Mark Kariya

SAFETY

VIEWPOINT Johnson Valley Update Potential Deal Protects Access

The AMA and our partners have been battling military encroachment into the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area in California for the past six years. While we support the mission of our fighting forces, the U.S. Department of the Navy overreached with its plan to take over hundreds of thousands of acres of public recreational lands near San Bernardino to use for live-fire training for the U.S. Marines By Wayne Allard Corps. The move threatened much of the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Riding area, a longstanding and popular area that is across the San Bernardino Mountains from Los Angeles. Further, the Marines would have gotten significant control of a so-called “shared-use” of any remaining OHV lands. This would have allowed the Marines to shut down that portion at any time, leaving the public with little recourse for responding. Johnson Valley has hosted responsible OHV recreation and AMA-sanctioned competition events for decades. Losing access to this land would have been a major blow to the offhighway riding community in Southern California. I’m pleased to report that thanks to language inserted into the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014—which had yet to be passed at press time—neither of those scenarios would be the case. Although we were unable to preserve OHV access to all existing areas of the Johnson Valley OHV Area, we were successful in securing a significant porition for AMA District 37 competition events, off-road truck and Jeep events and keeping the most important areas open for responsible OHV use. The planned designated area is nearly as large as the Imperial Sand Dunes at Glamis, another popular Southern California riding area. For locals who are familiar with the sections of Johnson Valley, included in this plan is the entire so-called “Hammers” area (both the front and back side), Spooners, Aftershock, Sunbonnet, the Riffle Monument and the Cal200 Memorial (a.k.a., The Rockpile). In addition, the majority of the Fry Mountains and full access to Soggy Dry Lake Bed are also guaranteed for off-highway vehicle use, as well as access to Emerson Dry Lake Bed. The AMA, local individual members, AMA Districts 37 and 36, the Off-Road Business Association, the California Association of 4-Wheel Drive Clubs, the California Off-Road Vehicle Association, the American Sand Association and the CaliforniaNevada Snowmobile Association are among those that have been fighting to preserve our access to Johnson Valley since news of the planned Marine expansion broke years ago. The Specialty Equipment Market Association, the Motorcycle Industry Council and Americans for Responsible Recreational Access also provided valuable support. Invested parties joined forces under the banner of the California Motorized Recreation Council, a non-profit 501(c)3. This off-highway recreation coalition played an important role in efforts to preserve access. Once the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area becomes written into law, this becomes the first federal land use designation for OHV use and sets a precedent for

future off-highway motorized recreation. Indeed, the area would be recognized with the same force with which the government recognizes Wilderness areas, providing unprecedented protection against future attacks on OHV access. The U.S. military is one of the most powerful constituencies on Capital Hill. When the Navy and Marines began eying Johnson Valley, the AMA and others recognized it as a very significant threat. Thanks to thoughtful pressure, strong partnerships, enduring grassroots efforts and reasonable adversaries, a viable and working compromise was forged that not only sustains Johnson Valley, but provides the Marines with the space they need and, as a bonus, creates a framework through which we can protect other OHV areas going forward. One individual deserves enormous credit for this effort. The Johnson Valley compromise would not have been possible without the support and hard work of U.S. Representative Paul Cook (R-Calif.), who also happens to be a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel. The U.S. House Armed Services Committee, of which Rep. Cook is a member, inserted the Cook Amendment that includes the off-highway-friendly language into the final bill. No question, Rep. Cook made this deal a reality. His strong leadership and exceptional ability to work with the Natural Resources Committee and Armed Services Committees in both branches of Congress protected this popular off-highway area. In announcing the deal, Rep. Cook said, “This agreement ensures public safety, while also balancing the training needs of the Marine Corps with the rights of the off-road community. It preserves California’s most important off-road recreation area for future generations. After years in which off-roaders have lived in fear of the closure of Johnson Valley, this permanently ends the threat of base expansion into off-road areas.” As a defender of your freedom to ride and race, I find it refreshing that a U.S. Representative recognizes the benefits of OHV recreation. As we work to codify our right to recreate responsibly on public lands, we look forward to building lasting relationships with more supporters such as Rep. Cook to better protect our access for this and future generations. For more information on this issue, please visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com and search for “Johnson Valley.” A map of the compromise plan for Johnson Valley can be found here: http://cook.house.gov/johnson-valley-map. Wayne Allard, a former U.S. Senator from Colorado, is the AMA vice president of government relations.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to reduce the total amount of ethanol required in transportation fuel nationwide in 2014, which could slow the introduction of E15 fuel into the marketplace. E15 is a fuel blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline. That’s good news for motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders who fear they may inadvertently put E15 fuel in their machines and possibly cause engine damage once the fuel becomes widespread nationwide. The federal Renewable Fuel Standards program, which the EPA administers, requires that 18.15 billion gallons of renewable fuels such as ethanol be blended into gasoline and diesel fuel in 2014. The standards ensure that transportation fuel sold in the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel as required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. But federal law also gives the EPA administrator flexibility to reduce the required volume of renewable fuels in any year. On Nov. 15, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy took advantage of that flexibility by recognizing the “blend wall,” the point at which the E10 fuel pool is saturated with ethanol, and proposed reducing the amount of renewable fuels to be blended in 2014 from 18.15 billion gallons to a proposed range of 15.0 to 15.52 billion gallons, with a

Motorcycle thefts In AMerIcA Down slIghtly Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki Most Stolen Brands

A total of 46,061 motorcycles were reported stolen in 2012 in the United States, compared with 46,667 reported stolen in 2011, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported on Nov. 25. The difference of 606 thefts represents a

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Dakota and Wisconsin. “This decision slows the unnecessary rush on bringing E15 fuels to market for at least the next year, but it doesn’t address the central issue that real-world motorcyclists face, and that is that no motorcycle currently on the road is approved for E15 use, and the risk of inadvertent misfueling is tremendous once it is available at the pump,” Allard says. “Access to safe fuels for motorcycles remains an AMA priority, and we continue to be a watchdog for our members on this issue.”

decrease of 1 percent. The NCIB’s report is based on National Crime Information Center motorcycle theft data for 2012. The NICB is a not-forprofit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. Honda was the most stolen brand in 2012 with 9,082 reported taken, the

report says. Yamahas were the second most popular target with 7,517 swiped. Some 7,017 Suzukis were stolen, 4,839 Kawasakis and 3,755 Harley-Davidsons. California was the state where the most motorcycle thefts occurred in 2012 with 6,082. Florida, with 4,110 thefts, was second. Texas (3,400), North Carolina (2,574) and Indiana (2,334) complete the top five states. When looking at the cities where motorcycle thefts were reported, New York was at the top of the list with 903 thefts. In second place was Las Vegas, Nev., with 757. San Diego was third with 633. The fourth spot was held by Indianapolis with 584 and in fifth was

Halley Miller

Federal Officials Reducing Ethanol Level Requirements

recommendation of 15.21 billion gallons. The EPA states the following: “Nearly all gasoline sold in the U.S. is now ‘E10,’ which is fuel with up to 10 percent ethanol. Production of renewable fuels has been growing rapidly in recent years. At the same time, advances in vehicle fuel economy and other economic factors have pushed gasoline consumption far lower than what was expected when Congress passed the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2007. As a result, we are now at the ‘E10 blend wall.’” AMA Vice President for Government Relations Wayne Allard is pleased by this first step by the EPA. “This is a positive step, but this is not a long-term solution for motorcyclists who worry that the use of E15 fuel could damage their engines and void their warranties,” Allard says. “The AMA remains committed to AMA members—and all motorcyclists—as we continue to support legislation that prohibits E15 fuel.” Since 2011, the AMA has repeatedly expressed concerns to government officials and federal lawmakers about possible damage to the estimated 22 million motorcycles and ATVs currently in use in the United States by the inadvertent use of E15 fuel, which first became available at gas stations in 2013. E15 is currently offered in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South

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Officer Sentenced in death Of MOtOrcycliSt Indianapolis Officer Hit Bikers With His Patrol Car

David Bisard, a former Indianapolis police officer, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison, with three suspended, in the death of one motorcyclist and injury to two others in 2010. Bisard hit them with his patrol car while driving drunk. He was found guilty on all charges by an Allen County, Ind., jury on Nov. 5 and was sentenced on Nov. 26. He faced a minimum six years and maximum 20 years in prison on the most serious count, which was drunk driving causing death with a BAC 0.15%+. He was also found guilty of reckless homicide. The case involved an Aug. 6, 2010, crash in Indianapolis in which Bisard rammed his patrol car into the back of two stopped motorcycles and narrowly missed a third, killing motorcyclist Eric Wells, 30, and critically injuring Kurt Weekly, 44, and his passenger, Mary Mills, 47. Bisard reportedly was responding to a request for help from other officers on a felony warrant when the 11:20 a.m. crash occurred. The motorcyclists were stopped in traffic. Investigators believe Bisard was traveling at least 65 mph when he slammed on his brakes to try to avoid hitting the motorcyclists.

Miami, Fla., with 535. While the recovery rate for all motor vehicle thefts in 2012 was 53.9 percent, for motorcycles in that same year it was only 39 percent. The national Insurance Crime Bureau says that stolen motorcycles are often “chopped” with their parts finding their way into the black market supply chain. Others are kept intact and resold to unsuspecting buyers after crude attempts to alter their identification. Still others are hidden away for years and, on occasion, recovered as they are in the process of being exported in shipping containers.

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U.S. LAND AGENCY EXHIBITS BIAS AGAINST OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES AMA Seeks Fair Treatment in Permitting Process

However, Allard went on to say that the AMA is troubled that the BLM, in its document, only pointed its ﬁnger at OHVs when discussing potential damage to resources and loss of revenue if recreational uses of public land aren’t managed. “The BLM should include mountain bike, equestrian, the Burning Man festival or other events when referencing damage to resources and revenue loss,” Allard wrote. “The BLM should adhere to a fair treatment process for all permit and recreation type applications,” he wrote. “Currently, this document infers a prejudicial mindset by the BLM toward the OHV community with regard to special use permits.” The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land nationwide, primarily in 12 western states.

OFF-HIGHWAY RIDING AREA IN THE WORKS FOR LOUISVILLE, KY. Park May Open This Summer

Scott Sady

In a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management dated Nov. 25, the AMA pointed out that the federal agency may be exhibiting a bias against off-highway vehicles in an effort to collect information related to permits for recreation on public land. “At first glance, the informationcollection process appears to be an ideal avenue for the Bureau of Land Management to learn first-hand how popular responsible motorized recreation and competitive events are on our nation’s public lands,” wrote Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations. “Recreation and competitive events are important drivers of local economies,” he wrote. “They provide sustainable employment, economic growth and have a positive effect on other administration-stated goals, such as addressing childhood obesity.”

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Off-highway riders in the Louisville, Ky., area must drive at least two hours round trip to get to a place to legally ride their dirtbikes and all-terrain vehicles, says Todd Brimm of Louisville. Brimm wants to change that. He’s forming the non-profit Louisville Dirt Bike and ATV Park Association to build and operate a track and trail system on public land. “The local government is going to let us use land to build a dirtbike track and trail system, but we have to run it as an association,” Brimm says. “The park is for everyone. This will, hopefully, be a family venue to accommodate adults and children who enjoy dirtbikes and ATVs. The goal is to have an adult motocross track, children’s track, ATV trail, and ATV safe challenge course.” Brimm is seeking the use of public land on Port Road in Louisville. “As soon as we get the ‘go’ to break ground, we will form a working group to set out the details [related to fees and park use],” Brimm says. “But most likely members will pay a small annual fee to help pay for maintenance and upkeep.” Volunteers also will help, he says. He’s hopeful that it won’t cost too much to create the riding park. “The most an MX track costs to build is $14,000, but we expect to use a large volunteer labor force who has already reached out to us on Facebook,” Brimm says. “The people consist of MX track builders, engineers, and equipment operators. He hopes to open the facility in the summer, “but we have to do it right to make it a venue that will not only keep local riders in Louisville, but bring local riders into a part of Louisville that is experiencing economic decline,” he says. The path to creating a riding park isn’t easy, and he offers the following advice to others who want to do it: “Find someone who will let you use their land or lease it to local government for a very low price and establish a non-profit organization to operate the park.” For more information on Brimm’s effort and updates on the park’s progress, go to the “Louisville Motocross Park” Facebook page.

5 Questions With…

“blend wall” issue and AM: Other than attending concerns that E15 could be rallies, such as the AMA required for gasoline. Fuel for Thought Lobby Day back in June, how else can I’ve heard a good deal Representing Virginia constituents get involved? about this issue from folks BG: Members of U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) is at home in Virginia. Whether it is the price of feed for Congress are here to an important figure in Congress for farmers, the price of food represent you – so make motorcyclists. He is chairman of the sure your voice is heard. powerful House Judiciary Committee and for families and businesses, Contact your representative vice chairman of the House Agriculture or the harmful impact of and senators and let them Committee. Both committees deal with ethanol on engines, there is a growing concern about know how the E15 fuel issue issues of concern to motorcyclists. the real consequences of impacts you. You can also We asked Rep. Goodlatte a few ask them to sign on as a coquestions related to E15 (15 percent the RFS. U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) sponsor of H.R. 1462. It may ethanol and 85 percent gasoline) that the AM: What is your goal in finding a solution to the E15 also be beneficial to reach EPA has approved for use in 2001-andfuel issue? out to others who would be negatively newer passenger vehicles but not for impacted by E15 and get them involved. motorcycles, ATVs, boats, lawn mowers BG: We have to reform the RFS in a The more support the better! way that does not pit food against fuel and other small engines. AM: What Virginia motorcycle-related or force us to meet a standard that is unattainable or harmful to the economy. groups have you worked with in the past? American Motorcyclist: What got you BG: There are several motorcycleI’ve introduced the RFS Reform Act (H.R. interested in the E15 issue? related groups in Virginia and I have Rep. Bob Goodlatte: I’ve been 1462), which would cap the amount attended many events at the local Harleyof ethanol that can be blended into paying close attention to this issue since conventional gasoline at 10 percent. Davidson dealerships. I look forward to Congress created the Renewable Fuel working with these groups on the local Passing this reform bill would provide Standard in 2005. My concerns about level as well as continuing to work with the ethanol mandate’s effects on the much-needed relief for our economy the AMA to ensure that you continue to and ease concerns about E15. Ideally, marketplace were only amplified in 2007 I would like to see the ethanol mandate have access to safe fuels that will not when I opposed the dramatic expansion damage engines and fuel systems. completely1 repealed. of the RFS that has led us to the current 13DBA277_AMERICAN_MOTORCYCLIST_BIKE_WEEK_FEB_PRESS.pdf 12/9/13 12:53 PM

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Action Could Mean Loss Of 4,300 Miles Of Trails

A federal judge in Utah is ordering the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to come up with a plan to protect cultural resources from off-highway vehicles along 4,300 miles of Utah trails. The BLM, as well as anti-OHV groups, were expected to file briefs with the court related to this by Dec. 6 and respond to those arguments by Jan. 10. On Nov. 4, Utah U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball issued a ruling that indicated the BLM didn’t do enough to protect the land and other resources in southern Utah when it approved a management plan in 2008 for the Richfield resource area. That plan includes 4,277 miles of motorized trails. The Richfield area

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

involves some 2 million acres and includes such well-known landmarks as Factory Butte, the Henry Mountains and the Dirty Devil River. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, joined by others, challenged OHV travel in the management plans for the Richfield area as well as five other BLM areas. The Richfield case is the first to receive a ruling. “This is yet another example of antiOHV forces using the courts to try to stop motorized recreation,” says Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations. “They made several arguments to the court and the judge only agreed with this one. We are confident that the BLM will ultimately show that it is minimizing the impacts of OHVs on the 4,300 miles of trails and the trails will remain open. “It’s interesting to note that these anti-OHV groups are also challenging five other land management plans in

the courts,” Allard says. “The six plans involve about 11 million acres in Utah, which is almost the same amount of land that the groups would prefer to be designated as Wilderness—and then would be off-limits to OHVs—under legislation in Congress called America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. “That legislation was introduced by New Jersey U.S. Rep. Rush Holt in the House and Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in the Senate, and is opposed by Utah’s congressional delegation,” Allard says. “So it’s clear that anti-OHV groups take overlapping approaches in their attempts to get what they want, hoping to succeed one way or another.” To stay on top of what is happening with federal land-use and other policies related to motorized recreation, sign up to receive AMA Action Alerts and AMA News & Notes at www. americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/ GetInvolved/ActionAlertSignUp.aspx.

Mark Kariya

Judge Wants neW travel ManageMent ProPosal In utah

2013 OFF-HigHwaY sUMMaRY

The AMA Government Relations Department monitored approximately 360 pieces of state legislation related to off-highway riding in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and took action when necessary. Those actions included informational mailings to AMA members, news releases, testimony before state and federal lawmakers and providing information to key legislative committees. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a breakdown of the off-highway legislation followed during the 2013 legislative sessions around the country through Oct. 29. For the 2013 on-highway summary, see the January issue.

Land Use Regulation of motorized recreation (111)

MisceLLaneOUs Equipment requirements, emissions regulation, sound regulation, and utility vehicles (38)

OHV ROad Use The use of vehicles designed for off-road use on public roads (34)

snOwMObiLe Trends in snowmobile program funding and regulation often precede similar trends for other OHVs (35)

MOtORized tRaiL PROgRaM Programs that create and maintain motorized trails (4)

RegistRatiOn (21)

OHV Regulation of off-highway vehicles other than dirtbikes and ATVs (26)

LiabiLitY and insURance Includes legislation affecting liability exposure for private and public motorized recreation property owners and operators, racing facility liability, and individual liability insurance requirements (26)

YOUtH Regulations involving the use of dirtbikes and ATVs by youngsters (4)

atV Regulations specific to all-terrain vehicles (31)

aLcOHOL/iMPaiRed OPeRatiOn (1)

tax Taxes levied on dirtbikes that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t directly benefit a motorized trails program (27)

RideR edUcatiOn (0) The State-by-State Guide to Motorcycle Laws continues to be a popular item for our members. Print copies are free to AMA members. Guides are also available online at AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Also included on the website is the State-by-State Guide to On-Highway Motorcycle and ATV Laws and Regulations and the AMA Position Statements on various issues.

HeLMet Usage (0)

titLing (2)

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February 2014 120

L-R: Kristen Carmouche, Kevin Windham, military veteran Josh Massey, Tim Cotter and Warriors for Freedom President Brett Dick.

RACING FOR WARRIORS

New Series Brings More Motocross To South In the spring of 2012, Glen and Dana Guedry approached Kristen Carmouche about holding a motocross ride day to raise money for Warriors for Freedom, a non-profit that supports active-duty service men and women and military vets. Carmouche, Louisiana director of Warriors for Freedom, was skeptical, but having some experience with a similar event in Oklahoma, they gave it a try. On Sept. 14, 2013, they held the first Louisiana MX Fest at Wildwood MX in Kentwood. The AMA-sanctioned event drew 2,500 people and 500 motorcycles. “The motocross community really came together to support us,” she says. “Kevin Windham and Tim Cotter [with MX Sports] were at the event, and did an amazing job catering to the people. Windham rode all day! We raised a crazy amount of money that day, $69,000, through gate fees, rider fees and an auction.” Following the success of the recreational ride, riders and supporters pushed Carmouche to hold a race series. They moved fast and had their first meeting a little over a month later. “On Oct. 29, seven track owners, [the

AMA’s] Joe Bromley, Warriors for Freedom President Brett Dick and myself met for the first time,” she says. “It was there that our series came to life. We spent more than five hours putting dates on the calendar and hammering out supplemental rules and expectations.” The series is known as the Warrior Race Series, and each track owner donates a percentage of their race’s profit to Warriors for Freedom. All of the tracks are wellestablished local tracks that Carmouche hopes encourages local riders to compete more in their home region. All seven tracks are AMA chartered. “I hope our end product is a quality race series that will raise veteran awareness and promote motocross in Louisiana and Mississippi,” she says. “Riders can expect organization. We will have online registration, a $2,000 pro purse, and since we have been able to get major sponsors on board, we will have great products to raffle. Another big supporter has been Jessie Viator with Viator Performance in Lafayette, La. Thanks to Jessie, we are raffling off a 2014 KTM 65.” Info: www.warriorraceseries.com.

Lake George, NY

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June 2-7

w w w. a m e r i c a d e . c o m 18

AmericanMotorcyclist.com AMA sixth horizontal.indd 1

TEACHING KIDS TO RIDE

Fred Rozenich Spreads Two-Wheeled Passion By Don Browning Last spring at a motocross race, I saw a man prepping four Yamaha PW50s. I was curious and started up a conversation. The man was Fred Rozenich, AMA member and owner of GBY Motosports in northern Indiana. Fred wasn’t prepping the bikes for sale. Instead, he said that he just wanted to give young kids a chance to experience the same feeling he had the first time he raced. In 2000, Fred started buying Yamaha PW50s. In his spare time he rebuilt the bikes to help young riders, without the means to do so themselves, race a motorcycle. A promoter agreed to provide track time for the absolute beginners to ride some laps. The experiment was a success, with only happy faces at the end of the day. “What an awesome experience— not just for the boys but for our entire family,” says mom Rebecca Gibson form Belvedere, Ill. There is no cost for parents. They just consent to letting their child ride (and sign the necessary waivers). Fred takes over from there, demonstrating the mechanical operation of the minibikes. “The PW50 program is giving kids an opportunity to get on a bike for the first time and getting them out there on the track,” Fred says. Fred started competing in the mid1970s and continues racing motocross today. His passion for motorcycling is apparent. Safety always comes first. Fred stresses that riders are not allowed on the track unless they demonstrate they are capable of riding the motorcycle. Since the inception of the program this year, Fred has given more than 20 young riders the chance to try motorcross in a safe, fun and inexpensive way. Fred says he’s only getting started. His goal is to bring more riders into the sport—kids who may never have become motorcyclists without the opportunity he has provided. Don Browning is an AMA member from Indianapolis.

12/7/2013 8:17:41 PM

ICE RACING GETS HOT

~ A JC Motors Company ~

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

have an interesting trail. It’s flat ground motocross, basically.” Not The Off Season Fredette is the president of Moto on Ice, a non-profit AMA-chartered club AMA Motorcycle Hall in Cedar Lake, Ind., about 15 of Famer and multi-time miles south of Gary, Ind. When International Six Days Enduro the ice is frozen, the club holds gold medalist Jeff Fredette rolls races every Sunday, pitting on into the pits in Cedar Lake, the shore next to the South Ind. He just finished riding a Shore County Club lodge. 45-minute moto. He’s hot and Fredette says the club has ready for a break. roughly 15 active members, Fredette takes off his helmet, and they work closely with the boots, jacket, gloves and jersey local community. The club got and plops down into a lawn going about five years ago, and Jeff Fredette chair to start recharging for his the town has always supported next race. them, even in 2011 and 2012 when thin For Fredette, this is perfectly normal, ice kept them from running. but any bystanders might think he’s crazy. “The local community is really behind That’s because what’s a fairly common us,” Fredette says. “We have a lot of local scene at, say, a mid-summer motocross sponsors, and a lot of the local restaurants is a pretty odd sight for early January in and other businesses are really into it.” northern Indiana, when the temperature is 20 degrees and there’s a fresh 5 inches of Fun Format snow on the ground. Fredette says that the club works You see, Fredette isn’t competing in a hard to satisfy all their racers, which motocross. He’s ice racing. number 100 or so at a typical race when Although the concept may be as conditions are good. Their format is foreign to some as desert riding is to the designed to get in plenty of track time, typical Northeastern rider, winter is the while keeping all classes on schedule. racing season for many AMA members. “We lay out two tracks,” Fredette says. Traditional ice racing is essentially a dirt“We keep the old schoolers happy with an track race on the ice. Racers modify a oval course. Then we lay out a 2-mile trail variety of machines to run on frozen lakes that we call our road course.” and ponds, but the most common bike is Ice courses need prepping from time to time, so action alternates between tracks. a motocrosser with sheet-metal screws screwed into the knobs. “We run the ovals first,” Fredette explains. “Then we run a 45-minute moto Recently, though, some dedicated ice racers have evolved the sport into on the road course and prep the oval at the same time. Then we run the ovals something that resembles a motocross, again, and while we do that, we plow the supermoto or TT race except, of course, road course. When we’re done running the it’s on the surface of a large frozen lake. ovals, the road course is ready.” “Years ago, it was all circle track Then for the second set of road course racing,” Fredette says. “Now, it’s motos, they throw in a small twist. changing. Guys who live next to these “We run the road course backward for lakes have quads, so when the lake the second moto, just to keep everything freezes, they all of a sudden have new,” Fredette adds. unlimited options to make a trail on the If the cold weather holds, Fredette lake. You can go out and lay out a mile expects racing to start the first Sunday of course, or a two-mile course, and now you

Jen Muecke

January and go through February. “We hope to get in a six- to seven-race series,” he says. John Lewis, who lives in Lowell, Ind., is the club’s secretary. Lewis enjoys riding on the ice, and his son Mitchell has really taken to it, even winning a title one year at the AMA Ice Race Grand Championship. “My son races motocross in the summer, but when it gets cold we really start getting ready for the ice,” Lewis says. “We love ice racing.”

Ice Racing 101

Fredette, who lives in Beecher, Ill., has raced and ridden on the ice since the 1970s. Back when he competed at the top level of national off-road series, ice racing was his winter training program. “Back then the fast guys didn’t travel south for the winter to keep riding,” he says. “We all had regular jobs. I’ve always attributed being in shape for spring riding to riding all winter on the ice.” The biggest benefit, though, is that ice racing is fun, he says. With properly prepared tires, there is almost perfect traction—something that Fredette says new riders have a hard time accepting. “The first thing I tell people is to go out there and try to fall down,” he says. “The traction is so good. They always come back with an ear-to-ear grin.” The cheap and easy way to give ice racing a try is to screw some sheet-metal screws into an old knobby tire. It’s much better, though, to start with properly prepared ice-racing tires. “They can be expensive, but proper ice racing tires are good for many years,” Fredette says. “They don’t wear out.” In addition to the tires, Fredette says that it’s important to have special iceracing fenders that guard as much of the tire’s surface area as possible. “The fenders aren’t just to protect the people you’re racing against,” Fredette says. “You know how sometimes you’re riding in the dirt and you’ll catch a rut with your boot and it will bounce back into your

rear tire? Well, if you do that with an ice tire, your boot will stick like Velcro, and it will suck your leg right up into it.” The special fenders protect against that happening, he says. Other good safety measures are hand guards and a tethered switch that will shut off the engine if you become separated from the bike. For gear, Fredette suggests that you don’t overdo it. A good setup is thermal underwear, non-vented off-road riding pants and thermal socks for the bottom. For the top, he suggests a thermal base layer, a non-vented jersey, heavy gloves and a nylon jacket to break the wind. “You don’t need a lot of layers because you’ll warm up fast as you ride,” he says, “but you do not want any exposed skin at all. Skin freezes quickly at 60 miles per hour, so a balaclava is essential.” For more info about the Cedar Lake races, search “Moto on Ice” on Facebook.

AMA No. 1 Plates

The country’s premier amateur iceracing event is the AMA Ice Race Grand Championship in Cadillac, Mich., Feb 8-9. Promoted in 2014 by North American Action Sports LLC, the event will take place at the Mitchell State Park. “The town of Cadillac is a great family-friendly location for this event, and you can bet there will be something for everybody to enjoy,” says Rosanna Grzebinski of NAAS. The AMA Racing Ice Race Grand Championship features classes for riders from 4 years old to 50-plus competing on a range of motorcycle and ATV displacements. Riders battle for AMA national no. 1 plates, and the top riders at the event also compete for the AMA Ice Racer of the Year award, given to the most impressive rider on the ice, while the youth riders will chase the honor of AMA Youth Rider of the Year. To learn more about the event, call the NAAS office at (989) 871-3356. Pre-entry is available online at www.bajamx.com.

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February 2014

CAN YOU BE KING OF THE HILL?

AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship heads to Bay City, Wis., in 2014

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The country’s fastest, most daring amateur motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle hillclimbers will head to Bay City, Wis., Aug. 15-17, for the 2014 AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship, hosted this year by the Valley Springs Motorcycle Club. “Who hasn’t sat on their dirtbike or ATV, stared at a long, gnarly hill and said to themselves, ‘I can make that’!” asks AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant. “There’s something about hillclimbing that challenges all of us who have a competitive spirit. Hundreds of amateur racers will put that daring spirit on full display this August when the best motorcycle and ATV hillclimbers meet the challenge of the historic hill in Bay City, Wis.” The Bay City, Wis., hillclimb was brought back in 2012 after a 26-year layoff, the last time the location held the AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship. The hosting club, the Valley Springs Motorcycle Club, has put in a lot of effort to revitalize the hill. “The AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship coming to the legendary 500-foot hill at Bay City, Wis., will bring racers from all over the United States,” says Mike Bronk, president of the Valley Springs Motorcycle Club. “Spectators will see classes ranging from kids’ minibikes to open-class monsters with ground-shaking power, racing up the hill for the fastest time.” The best racers in the most-competitive classes will compete for the AMA Hillclimber of the Year Award and the AMA ATV Hillclimber of the Year Award. Other special awards will acknowledge standout riders in other categories. The family-friendly event will feature concessions and souvenirs as well as all-day racing. For more information about the area and specific directions to the hill, see www.valleyspringshillclimb.com.

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The Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition is an active supporter of offhighway riders’ rights in Colorado. On Nov. 26, the COHVCO board met and passed a number of structural changes that will interest AMA members who participate in, or support, off-highway riding in Colorado. One change is that the president and chairman of the board positions were split. Jerry Abboud, the recipient of the prestigious AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, takes the COHVCO helm as president, with John Lane continuing as chairman. Lane will drive fundraising and collaboration with the various OHV recreation populations of across the state. Abboud, who will report to the board, will be responsible for the day-to-day affairs and operations of the organization. Abboud has advocated for motorized recreation in Colorado for nearly three decades. Abboud, a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1981, helped co-found COHVCO in 1987. Also at the November meeting, the COHVCO board approved a stronger partnership with the Trails Preservation Alliance. The TPA will take responsibility for most land-use issues while COHVCO will focus on broader legal and legislative issues. Jerry Abboud

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11/7/13 7:24 AM February 2014

Drew Ruiz

Cody Webb

Taddy Blazusiak Takes 2013 aMa enduroCross ChaMpionship Cody Webb Wins Final Round In Las Vegas

The 2013 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Championship came down the final race, and Taddy Blazusiak and Mike Brown engaged in an epic battle. The two teammates were tied heading into the final race and whoever finished in front of the other would win the AMA national No. 1 plate.

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Although both were several positions out of the lead, they battled for several laps before Brown went down, ultimately finishing ninth. Blazusiak finished fifth to take his fifth consecutive AMA EnduroCross title. “That was probably the worst race in my life but it was all about me and Brownie,”

Blazusiak says. “We got together in the first turn and then again in the second turn and it went from race mode to crazy mode. We must have hit [each other] 15 times but we got it done to win the fifth title.” Beta’s Cody Webb won the Vegas finale for his third win of the season, more than any other rider. Unfortunately for Webb, he missed a race due to a broken foot, putting him out of championship contention. Still, Webb was keeping a positive view after the Las Vegas main event. “I am ecstatic right now,” he says. “I had a great season except for that little setback. The track tonight was insane, but I loved it.” Webb crossed the finish line in 11th on the first lap but moved into fourth due to a huge pile up that included Brown, Blazusiak and David Knight. Webb took his time passing Cory Graffunder, Kyle Redmond and Geoff Aaron and took the lead on lap six of 12. He ultimately won by five seconds. Blazusiak finished the season with 146 points. Brown was four points back with 142, and Webb was another seven back with 135.

Kenda aMa Tennessee KnocKouT exTreMe enduro seT

America’s annual extreme outdoor enduro event will take place Aug. 17 at the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, Tenn. The Kenda AMA Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro resembles a combination of trials, traditional enduro and EnduroCross, all set in an outdoor location. Racers compete in a multi-round “knockout” format, with riders racing against the clock in some rounds and head to head in others. They compete on both short and long courses that feature extremely difficult terrain. Like a trials event, most of the race sections are designed to be somewhat self-contained and spectator friendly. In addition to expert-level classes that are the highlight of the weekend, amateurs get to compete the first day of the two-day format. The top 25 amateur finishers earn an opportunity to compete in the pro class.

Shan Moore

Fourth Annual Event Will Be Aug. 17

Mike Brown

Beta’s Cody Webb won the 2013 event after finishing second the first two years, and he is planning to be back to defend the title. Tennessee’s own Mike Brown won those first two TKO events but struggled with the slippery conditions caused by rain in 2013. Brown will be looking for redemption in 2014. The 2014 event will run just one week prior to the GEICO AMA EnduroCross

event in nearby Atlanta, which should make it convenient for a lot of the top West Coast EnduroCross riders to make the long trip east to compete. The expert riders will vie for a $10,000 purse. AMA national No. 1 plates also will be up for grabs. The event is sanctioned as an AMA Grand Championship for 2014. For more information, see www.tennesseeknockoutenduro.com.

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Dual-Sporting in arizona

Dual-Sport Riding, Monster Trucks And Roller Derby By Chris Dodds

High Adventure. No Hassle.

The best routes, roads and twotrack, mapped by local experts. A great challenge with like-minded riders. A full weekend’s activities, with camping, campfires, food and prizes. For more information visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Riding.

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Thirty years of dirt biking did not prepare me for this race. I have ridden bikes of many different brands and sizes. I have ridden challenging single track in Gunnison, Colo., steep slickrock in Moab, Utah, and sandy beaches and desert single track in Baja, Mexico. But this was like nothing I had seen before. There were three of us—all very competitive and all wanting to win. The signal was given. The bikes lurched forward, and we were off. Within seconds we were in the first turn when my bike started skidding sideways. Someone in back was yelling to me to stay on the inside of the turn. But the bike was tilting over and I couldn’t control it. They yelled at me to lean my body over more. Had I really forgotten such a basic element of riding a bike? I leaned further and was able to steer hard into the turn and momentarily block my closest opponent going into the straightaway. Our speed accelerated as we approached the next turn. This time I remembered to lean hard but so did the other racers. We were neck and neck, bumping against each other’s handlebars and shoulders. It was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened and one of us would crash. On the second lap, that is exactly what happened to Frank. His tires were underinflated, the bike was grossly undersized for someone of his bulk, and coupled with the high speed he finally went careening in one direction while the bike went another. The crash was fantastic and the crowd of spectators and friends fell out of their seats from laughter and excitement. Undeterred, Frank scrambled to his bike, picked it up with one hand, held it over his head, and began running around the track. However, this was against the rules (although I wasn’t sure there were any rules) and he was disqualified. Half a lap later, I suffered the

same fate. The last man remaining triumphantly crossed the finish line while the crowd cheered and cameras flashed. I didn’t really volunteer for this race, nor did my two friends. We were handpicked from the crowd during half time of a Roller Derby match. It was held exclusively at our banquet and party for our first Tucson Dual Sport event, an AMA-sanctioned dual sport held Sept. 21-22, 2013. The bikes were children’s bicycles with training wheels — except for mine, which was a tricycle so small my legs wouldn’t fit. I had to hang my legs over the handlebars to steer. Each of our bikes was powered by a roller girl pushing from behind. Needless to say, the race was like no enduro or hare scrambles I had ever raced. The journey to this point started in May when I became an AMA-chartered promoter to hold dual-sport rides in southern Arizona. I had been kicking around the idea for years, and with the encouragement of my partner, Aimee, I decided to take the plunge. I had six days of riding already in my head and selected two of them for our first event. By the time I got approval from the AMA, it was too late to be included in the AMA Husqvarna National Dual Sport calendar, but I was still able to sanction as a local dual-sport in September. It turned out to be a blast for participants and volunteers alike. This was our first event, but it definitely won’t be our last. Our plan is to take advantage of the excellent riding that Tucson offers from September through April. The weather is perfect. Riders from colder areas may be socked in by snow and cold during the winter, and the spring would be an excellent time to get rid of cabin fever by riding in Tucson. We had a large crew of volunteers help make our event a success. A friend from work created a monster truck for the sand dunes from a military vehicle.

He and another friend hauled roller derby girls and other volunteers out to the desert both days to hand out lunches to the dualsport riders. We also had pre-run riders, mid-sweep riders and final sweep riders. Aimee, her daughter and our dog Portnoy ran registration and check-out from our staging area at Ride Now in Tucson. Ten vehicles from a radio club were spread out along the 100-mile courses each day to provide communication support in case of an emergency. Being a promoter is a lot of work. We had to get permits from the Forest Service, permission from a rancher to cross his property along the San Pedro River, prepare routes with GPS tracks,

organize food and volunteers, get insurance, acquire sponsors and plan a banquet. After the event, we sent a survey to all the participants. We got some good criticism and some encouraging responses. The roller derby tie-in is one aspect of our ride that makes it a bit different. Aimee and I are both fans of roller derby, and dirt bikers like adventure and competition and socializing, so what could be better than roller derby and dirt bikes? It worked out great. The Saturday night banquet was complete with raffles, food, crazy fun, and a legitimate roller derby game exclusive to our event. I have been riding in the desert, mountains, canyons and washes around Tucson for almost 20 years. I love the desert, the solitude, the scenery and even the rocks and sand. There is a lot of rideable public land within minutes from my home and with a street-legal dual sport, I can access all the riding I could want without even having to trailer my bike. I am fortunate enough to have a son who enjoys riding dirtbikes with me. We have ridden all

around the state of Arizona and especially enjoyed the experience of riding with groups of dirt bikers in AMA-sanctioned dual-sport events. Dual-sport rides are great. They are similar to an enduro. You ride with large groups of people on preselected routes, following GPS coordinates or roll charts. You hang out after the ride to relive the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excitement and challenges. The only difference is thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no pressure to competeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;unless, of course, you are selected to race tricycles at the roller derby. Chris Dodds is an AMA member in Tucson, Ariz. He runs Tucson Dual Sport, an AMA-chartered promoter. For more info, see www.tucsondualsport.com.

February 2014

HONDA BUILDS A SPORTBIKE 1963 CB77 Super Hawk Honda got its start in the United States in 1959 with unintimidating step-through 50cc bikes and a purposefully nonthreatening slogan: “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.” Very quickly, however, those nice people wanted to go faster. For them, Honda engineers took the company’s 250cc CB72, upped displacement to 305cc and produced this performance variation—the 1963 CB77 Super Hawk. With its vertical-twin engine, trick double-leading-shoe drum brakes front and rear, and a real-world capability to hit nearly 100 mph, the Super Hawk earned its superlative designation. Certainly anything else from Japan was easy prey

for a Super Hawk, since the bike was, at its introduction, the fastest and most reﬁned machine from the country. And while it couldn’t beat a Triumph 650 or a Harley-Davidson 883 in the quarter-mile, it could give them a run in the real world. The Honda did more with less. The Super Hawk revved 3,000 rpm higher than comparable American- or British-built bikes, generating more horsepower per cubic centimeter. And its lighter weight gave it nimble handling. The Super Hawk’s single-overheadcam engine, with a 180-degree crank and dual carburetors, produced a healthy 27.4 horsepower. That engine formed a stressed member in the frame, taking the

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, features the people and machines that have deﬁned the sport, lifestyle and business of motorcycling in America. The Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-proﬁt corporation that receives support from the AMA and from the motorcycling community. For info and directions, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org, or call (614) 856-2222.

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place of a front downtube. Telescopic forks and preload-adjustable shocks dispatched bumps, and for the café crowd, the adjustable footpegs could be rotated backward into rearsets. A factory race kit also oﬀered clipons, a steering damper, alloy rims and megaphone exhausts, all available from a Honda dealer. At $665 in 1963, the Super Hawk was a giant-killer—half the price of a Triumph or Harley. In the ’60s, it and other machines like it hooked countless riders, who would stayed with motorcycles for life. Photos Jeﬀ Guciardo

February 2014

Hall of Famer

FROM SHOW-OFF TO SHOWMAN

Carey Loftin Turned A Knack For Motorcycle Stunts Into A Life’s Work As A Stuntman Arguably Hollywood’s greatest ever stunt rider/driver, Carey Loftin’s amazing stunt skills were part of hundreds of Hollywood productions for more than 50 years. Loftin began his stunt career as a member of a traveling motorcycle stunt show in the early 1930s when he was 19. The son of a preacher, Carey was born in 1914 and grew up Alabama and Mississippi. He began riding when he was 10 when he borrowed an old strap-drive Excelsior from a local blacksmith. An athletic kid, Carey wasn’t content to merely ride. He learned to do acrobatic stunts. In 1933, a motorcycle stunt showman named Skip Fordyce brought his barnstorming show to Hattiesburg. Lofin said he could do the same tricks, and Fordyce challenged him to prove it. Loftin did. He got his motorcycle and returned, reeling off a series of side stands and seat stands. He bounced on the seat, his feet landing in a different position with every jump. He rode backwards. For his finale, Loftis launched himself in the air, his body doing a complete flip and landing with his feet on the ground behind the speeding bike and holding on to the rear seat with his hands. Then he jumped forward, popped up

over the rear wheel and onto the seat before coming to a perfect stop. Fordyce hired the kid on the spot. After a stint in the Marine Corps, Loftin moved to Los Angeles in the late 1930s and took a job as a mechanic. He quickly broke into movie stunt work. Loftin’s expertise with motor vehicles, including cars, trucks and motorcycles, gave him the chance to contribute his skills to numerous ﬁlms from the late 1930s until he retired in the early 1990s. During the 1940s and ‘50s, Loftin raced in many famous Southern California events such as the Catalina Grand Prix, the Big Bear Run, the Greenhorn Enduro and others. As a stunt driver and stunt coordinator, Loftin helped create some of the most exciting and famous chase sequences in movie history. His body of work spanned ﬁve decades and included classics such as “The French Connection,” “Bullitt,” “Vanishing Point” and more recent movies such as “Used Cars” and “Days of Thunder.” Loftin died in 1997 at the age of 83. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001.

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YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

AMA members do it all—longdistance rides, oﬀ-road races, cruising main street, vintage dirt track... To better serve our broad membership base, American Motorcyclist magazine is now published in two versions. The dirt version includes more oﬀhighway and racing content. The street version includes more articles for road riders. Want to switch? Just call (800) 262-5646, ask for membership services and tell them which version you want. Want to read both versions? Call the above number to get both delivered to your home for just $10 more a year. Members can read both online at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ magazine for free.

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“The more confident I am on the dirtbike, the more confident I am in ski cross.”

MaMMoth Motocrosser John teller/ski cross

Of all the Olympic alpine sports, ski cross is probably the most like motocross racing. As with motocross, ski cross racers line up for a mass start, explode out of the gate and jostle side by side as they fight for the best position up front. One relies on gravity for its motive force, while the other uses an engine. So it should come as no surprise that for athletes like U.S. Ski Cross Team member and X-Game gold medalist John Teller, both are able to feed his adrenaline craving. In fact, Teller finds plenty of benefits to his skiing from cross-training in motocross. “Right off the bat, there’s a huge correlation between the two,” Teller says.

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“They’re kind of the same type of course, with whoops and doubles and big jumps and all of that. They both appeal to the sense of speed and skill, and they’re both fun.” Now 30, Teller grew up and still lives in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., home of the Mammoth Mountain ski resort and the AMAsanctioned Mammoth Mountain Motocross. Teller got his start on skis at the age of 3 and gravitated to downhill racing, which he focused on for years. By the time he was 22, he had had some success, and even tried out for the U.S. team several times in downhill. “I was close, but I didn’t make it,” he says. “Because of monetary reasons, and because I needed to stop beating my head against the wall, it finally came to the

point where I had to stop skiing and start working.” Teller, whose dad owns Mammoth’s gas station and whose uncle runs an auto repair shop, went to work as a mechanic. With the extra time, he decided to try something he’d always wanted to do: motocross. “I had been riding on friends’ bikes a bit growing up, and when I was finally able to afford a dirt bike and have the time to go ride it, I bought an ’06 CRF450, and I just fell in love with racing,” he says. “I’d drive north three hours to Reno to race, or I’d head south to all the tracks in Southern California.” He never stopped skiing for fun, and when he had the chance to give ski cross a try, it reminded him of why he loved skiing so much. Plus, he was good at it, earning

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a spot on the U.S. Ski Cross team in 2009 and working his way through the World Cup Series—all the while continuing to race motocross. The two sports, Teller says, complement each other. “On the technical side, all the things you need to do in skiing are also there in MX,” he says. “Keeping your shoulders level, keeping your weight to the outside, the jumps—they all come super natural to me. “Motocross just kind of turned into a training platform for me for skiing,” he says. “The more confident I am on the dirtbike, the more confident I am in ski cross.” In 2011, Teller became the first American to win a Ski Cross World Cup race, in Austria. A few weeks later, he won a gold medal at the X Games in Aspen. It

was only natural to set his sights on the 2014 Olympics, but he also kept racing motocross. “Motocross has been a huge part of my training,” Teller says. “This year, with the Olympics coming up, I dialed back a bit, but I still ran the Mammoth Mountain Motocross race.” With the Mammoth Motocross, an AMAsanctioned event, being in his hometown, Teller says he was excited to race it. Also, since he just turned 30, this was his first year in the vet class. He qualified for the main event both days, tried to keep things fun and finished midpack, a result he was happy with, considering his focus has been on the Olympics more this year. “Skiing is such second nature to me that I take it for granted—it’s almost too easy,”

he says. “That’s why I like the challenge of MX. Every time I get on a dirtbike I have to remind myself that I’m not a pro. There are so many situations on a dirtbike where things can get out of whack fast. I have to remind myself I’m not Superman.” Aside from the fun of racing, Teller says he has had a few extremely cool experiences, including meeting AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jeremy McGrath, the winningest AMA Supercross rider of all time. “It was pretty cool to meet McGrath,” he says. “I walked up to him and introduced myself. I told him that he was ‘the man,’ that I couldn’t imagine doing what he does on a Supercross track,” Teller says. “He said it right back to me, saying ‘I see you guys on skis and I think the exact same thing!’”

February 2014

Photo by Peter Morning

Plenty of top-ranked U.S. athletes will be competing against the best in the world at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. A few of them have our kind of secret training tools: motorcycles. By Grant Parsons

NO SCHOOL LIKE THE OLD SCHOOL Andy Newell/Cross-Country Skiing

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

“You get out, away from everything, on a dirt road on the Triumph, and it looks exactly the way it would have looked in the 1960s or ’70s. It’s like it’s unchanged.”

Photo by Steve Holmes

U.S. Cross Country Ski Team member Andy Newell appreciates the simpler things in life, those with a sense of history. He competes in the oldest form of skiing, cross-county, which has its roots in using skis to traverse long distances. He lives in Vermont in a cabin without electricity or running water. And his motorcycle of choice was a natural: a 1970 Triumph Bonneville. “I guess I’ve kind of embraced the old-school lifestyle,” Newell laughs. “Being a Vermonter, I’m drawn to the classics.” Introduced to skiing at the age of 3, Newell was racing by the time he was 5. Cross-country skiing has a strong culture in Vermont, Newell notes, and there are in fact far more crosscountry ski trails in the state than there are downhill runs, so the choice was easy. He attended the Stratton School in Vermont, which has produced a long chain of winter athletes over the years. He continued training, and by 2001, he was competing in international junior World Championship events, and joined the U.S. Development team after high school. About the same time in his early 20s, he bought his first motorcycle. “I had always wanted one, and I was doing a lot of commuting,” Newell said. “Gas prices skyrocketed, and I needed something with good gas mileage, so I bought an older Honda Shadow to learn on. The thrill of riding a bike was a new experience, and I loved it.” The Shadow was a great introduction, he says, but he was itching for something else, and like many motorcyclists, he was perusing the ads on Craigslist. One day, he saw a vintage 1970 Triumph Bonneville for sale in Burlington, about 90 miles away. “I got up early, and on a whim drove up to Burlington,” he says. “The bike looked like it was in pretty good shape, so I bought it. I don’t know a lot about old Triumphs, so I could have really gotten burned on it, but when I took it to a mechanic and asked him if I got ripped off, he said, ‘No, you did alright’ so that was good!” Newell leans toward café-style motorcycles, so he fitted lower bars and removed a few parts to keep a clean, purposeful look. Meanwhile, Newell had continued to climb the ladder in crosscountry skiing, finishing 12th in the 2006 World Cup event to earn a spot on the 2006 U.S. Olympic team. He continued training with the team and now has his sights set on the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Through it all, he says, the Triumph has really helped him out. “Being an athlete can really be stressful,” he says. “We look for things outside our realms for a release, and riding a bike is that for me.” For him, nothing compares to bugging out on the bike. “There are so many great roads around Vermont,” he says. “I don’t take weekend-long trips, but I do try to ride it a lot. My bike looks nice, and I like nice things, but I ride it in the rain, on dirt roads. “I think that just kind of goes with that old-school outlook,” he says. “You get out, away from everything, on a dirt road on the Triumph, and it looks exactly the way it would have looked in the 1960s or ’70s. It’s like it’s unchanged.” Like Teller, he agrees that there’s a lot of crossover between skiing and motorcycling. “Anyone who’s a racer knows that you’re always looking for the best lines, the best way to ski or to ride terrain. On a bike, I’m always thinking about lines, about corners. I just really like getting away on it.”

February 2014

FREEDOM FIGHTER Heath Calhoun/ Monoski Paralympian

For skier Heath Calhoun, motorcycling provides the same rush he feels on the slopes. And during off-times between training or work, he heads out into the North Central Tennessee hills to ride his HarleyDavidson. “For me, it’s a great way to get away,” Calhoun says. “I like the sound, the way it feels to be riding, the wind, the camaraderie of the bikers that I meet. It’s just great.” A member of the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team, Calhoun races a monoski on the mountain, and his Harley is a trike specially adapted so he can control it with his his hands. “They’re very much the same,” he says. “For me, the monoski was a way to suddenly be free from being disabled. It was almost like I was me again. I could go anywhere on the hill I wanted. It’s the same way on a motorcycle. There’s a freedom to it.” Now retired from the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, Calhoun was a squad leader in Iraq when his Humvee was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, and his injuries required both legs to be amputated above the knees. It was during recuperation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center that he was introduced to skiing. “Once I started, I really enjoyed it,” he says. “I enjoyed that I could be good at something again, as good as anyone else. Then I just wanted to take it as far as I could take it.” In his case, that meant working his way

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

up the ski-racing ladder, winning in 2009 first place in Super G and second in slalom, and ultimately being named to the 2010 U.S. Paralympic ski team. Along the way, the experience gave him the confidence to try another sport he’d always wanted to do: motorcycling. “I had a buddy growing up who raced motocross when I was in high school, and I used to go to races with him, so I always had a healthy respect for anything with two wheels and a motor—it was cool and fast and fun,” he says. “I always wanted a sportbike, something like a GSX-R, but when I lost my legs in ’03, the world kind of shut down, and I thought that was something I’d never be able to do.” Then he met some members of a local motorcycle club, and he learned about trikes. When he realized that HarleyDavidson sold trikes, he worked with a local dealer to adapt one for him, and soon he was on the road—and hooked. “Now I get out whenever I can,” he says. “There’s no typical ride for me. It could be anything from riding two miles away to meet friends with my girlfriend, to getting on and riding for 5 hours. It’s just such a different way to travel.” He even branched out into making motorcycling part of his working life, as well, taking a job in the summers selling parts at the local dealership, Appleton’s HarleyDavidson in Clarksville. Motorcycling, he says, helps him relax. “Ski racing is great, but it can be dangerous—sometimes very dangerous,” he says. “When I’m riding a motorcycle, I’m never pushing it that hard, and that’s what’s great about it. And the feeling of freedom you get, that’s the real point. I love it.”

Photo by Yve Assad

"Ski racing can be dangerous—sometimes very dangerous. When I’m riding a motorcycle, I’m never pushing it that hard, and that’s what’s great about it."

February 2014

Chris Mazdzer/Luge

Most downhill winter sports athletes are speed junkies, and U.S. Luge Team member Chris Mazdzer is no exception. Laying on his back on a tiny sled, Mazdzer steers only by shifting his body weight, at times hitting more than 90 miles per hour on adrenalineboosting bobsled runs. So what kind of motorcycle does he favor? A sportbike, naturally. “Riding a motorcycle was kind of something that I’ve always wanted to do,” Mazdzer says. “There weren’t a lot of people around me who had bikes, so I went out and took a weekend motorcycle course to get my license. There was a bobsledder who had a bike, so I bought his—a Suzuki GSX-R600.” The choice, he says, was easy. “Those kind of bikes always appealed to me,” he says. “It’s all control and bodyweighting, just like riding the sled.” Growing up near Lake Placid, N.Y., the home base of several winter U.S. Olympic teams, Mazdzer got interested in luge at the age of 8, and was training on Lake Placid’s luge course shortly thereafter. Since then, he’s raced on the World Cup circuit, placing as high as sixth in 2013—and notched his best finish ever in November with a fourth place in a World Cup race. “Luge is an interesting sport to learn because it takes so long to develop the skills,” he says. “It’s very finely tuned inputs on the sled. It’s also the most dangerous. Our center of gravity is much higher compared to the bobsled and the skeleton. They barely flip over. We can flip all the time.” The key, he says is using very fine control inputs, similar to riding a sportbike at speed. “My coaches think I’m joking when I say it, but it really is surprising how similar the sports are,” he says. “In luge it’s all those little subtle movements, and it’s the same on the bike. Knee angle, weight distribution, total body control. A lot of luge and riding is linking corners, a lot of flow, and both give you a really great feeling coming out of a corner.” Not surprisingly for a guy who flies down mountains on snaking courses, Mazdzer’s

ideal rides involve lots of corners. “I’m not the kind of person who wants to go out and go fast in a straight line,” he says. “What’s nice around Lake Placid is that there are a lot of twisty roads. I like linking up really tight corners, having to put your body in the right positions to hold tight lines.” Just as with the luge, he doesn’t mind repetition. “I just like to flow, taking it easy,” he says. “There are a couple roads that are my favorites, and I have no trouble going and riding laps on those roads, back and forth.” Mazdzer

says for real thrills, he’s traveled to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for a track day. “That was the first time I’ve ever been able to really push myself and find my own limitations on the motorcycle, which was really fun,” he says. “I’m not where I’d like to be, but I wound up doing better than I expected. On my first time there I was moved from beginner to advanced.” He was also able to go faster than he ever has before on a sled. On the luge, he’s been clocked between 94 and 95 miles per hour. At Loudon, he went over 140 mph. “That was a great experience, too, to go that fast,” he says. “It’s good training, because you have to be able to take in so much information and act on it in a very short period of time. It’s amazing the amount of information you can digest at speeds like that.”

"My coaches think I’m joking when I say it, but it really is surprising how similar the sports are."

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Photo by Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Carving The Corners

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

The AMA Ice Race Grand Championship is happening Feb. 8-9 in Cadillac, Mich. For more information visit www. naactionsports.com

The 2013 AMA Supercross Championship charges full speed into February with action in Anaheim, Calif., Feb. 1; San Diego, Calif., Feb. 8; Arlington, Texas, Feb. 15; and Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 22. For the full schedule, see page 40.

The top amateur woods racers in the West will continue their quests for AMA national championship titles in the AMA West Hare Scrambles National Championship Series Feb. 15-16 in Paicines, Calif. Youth riders compete on Saturday and adults on Sunday. For the full schedule, see page 41.

2013 AMA Championship Banquet, Jan. 18, 2014, at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus, Ohio. Info: www. americanmotorcyclist.com.

Catch the last two races of in the AMA Indoor Dirt Track National Championship Series Feb. 8 and Feb. 22, both in Du Quoin, Ill., featuring short track and TT. Info: www. stevenaceracing.com.

One of the best shows in motorcycling is the AMA Arenacross National Championship Series, which has a full slate of races in February: Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Milwaukee, Wis.; Feb. 8-9 in Sacramento, Calif.; Feb. 14-16 in Nampa, Idaho; and Feb. 21-23 in Reno, Nev. For the full schedule, see page 41.

GO RIDE

6 3

1,2, 4,5

The battles in the desert heat up in the AMA Hare and Hound National Championship Series, Feb. 8-9 in Spangler Hills-Ridgecrest, Calif. Youth race on Saturday and amateurs on Sunday. For the full schedule, see page 42.

COMING UP

Mark your calendar now. The 2014 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Daytona Breakfast is set for Friday, March 14, at the Daytona 500 Club, with special guest Hall of Famer Craig Vetter. Many more hall of famers will also be on hand, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss this prestigious event!

FeBruAry eVeNts ALABAMA cOMPETITION MOTOcrOSS FEB 27: PELL CITY: RPM SPORTS, (205) 699-8857, RPMSPORTSONLINE.COM ArIZONA cOMPETITION MOTOcrOSS FEB 15: BUCKEYE: ARIZONA CYCLE PARK/CMC ARIZONA RACING, LLC, (623) 853-0750, ARIZONACYCLEPARK.COM FEB 16: BUCKEYE: ARIZONA CYCLE PARK/CMC ARIZONA RACING, LLC, (623) 853-0750, ARIZONACYCLEPARK.COM cALIFOrNIA rEcrEATIONAL FUN rUN FEB 23: SUN VALLEY: ABATE-CA LOCAL 1, (818) 344-4656 cOMPETITION ArENAcrOSS FEB 8: SACRAMENTO: 2 DAY EVENT, FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 216-7482, ARENACROSS.COM HArE & HOUND FEB 8: (Includes ATVs) RIDGECREST: 2 DAY EVENT, FOUR ACES MC, (805) 795-6708, FOURACESMC.ORG

M/C, (831) 384-4495, SALINASRAMBLERSMC.ORG FLOrIDA cOMPETITION MOTOcrOSS FEB 1: NEWBERRY: 2 DAY EVENT, UNLIMITED SPORTS MX INC, , UNLIMITEDSPORTSMX.COM FEB 22: CITRA: MOTOCROSS OF MARION COUNTY, INC., (352) 5912377, MXMARIONCOUNTY.COM FEB 23: CITRA: MOTOCROSS OF MARION COUNTY, INC., (352) 5912377, MXMARIONCOUNTY.COM IDAHO cOMPETITION ArENAcrOSS FEB 14: NAMPA: FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 216-7482, ARENACROSS.COM FEB 15: NAMPA: 2 DAY EVENT, FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 2167482, ARENACROSS.COM ILLINOIS cOMPETITION HArE ScrAMBLES FEB 23: (Includes ATVs) KEITHSBURG: BURLINGTON VALLEY DUSTERS, (319) 759-6979

IcE rAcE

MOTOcrOSS

FEB 8: (Includes ATVs) CADILLAC: 2 DAY EVENT, NORTH AMERICAN ACTION SPORTS, LLC., (989) 8713356, NAACTIONSPORTS.COM NEVADA cOMPETITION

FEB 21: RENO: FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 216-7482, ARENACROSS.COM

NEW yOrK

HArE ScrAMBLES

FEB 16: MANSFIELD: DESOTO MOTORSPORT PARK, (318) 461-3659, DESOTOMOTOSPORTPARK.COM

FEB 16: (Includes ATVs) HARRISBURG: TRAIL-WAY SPEEDWAY, (717) 359-7056, MOTORAMAEVENTS.COM

cOMPETITION ENDUrO FEB 2: WEDGEFIELD: SUMTER ENDURO RIDERS MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION, (803) 481-5169, SERMACLUB.COM TEXAS cOMPETITION

cOMPETITION

MOTOcrOSS

MUD & SNOW ScrAMBLES

FEB 2: BEAUMONT: SCOREKEEPERS INK, (409) 7941985, COWBOYBADLANDS.COM

FEB 9: (Includes ATVs) PORT CRANE: SQUARE DEAL RIDERS M/C, (607) 693-2634, SQUAREDEALRIDERS.COM FEB 23: (Includes ATVs) PORT CRANE: SQUARE DEAL RIDERS M/C, (607) 693-2634, SQUAREDEALRIDERS.COM OHIO rEcrEATIONAL

MOTOcrOSS

FEB 15: (Includes ATVs) HARRISBURG: TRAIL-WAY SPEEDWAY, (717) 359-7056, MOTORAMAEVENTS.COM

SOUTH cArOLINA

ArENAcrOSS

LOUISIANA

FEB 23: (Includes ATVs) LUCERNE VALLEY: CHECKERS MC, (909) 2891040, CHECKERSMC.COM

PENNSyLVANIA cOMPETITION

FEB 22: RENO: 2 DAY EVENT, FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 216-7482, ARENACROSS.COM

cOMPETITION

FEB 15: PAICINES: 2 DAY EVENT, SALINAS RAMBLERS

MIcHIgAN cOMPETITION

SWAP MEETS FEB 16: BRILLIANT: ABATE OF OHIO, INC., (740) 284-1577, ABATE.COM

FEB 16: SPLENDORA: SCOREKEEPERS INK FEB 22: KEMP : UNDERGROUND MX PARK, (900) 349-8465, UGMXPARK.COM FEB 23: KEMP: UNDERGROUND MX PARK, (903) 498-4659, UGMXPARK.COM WIScONSIN cOMPETITION ArENAcrOSS FEB 1: MILWAUKEE: 2 DAY EVENT, FELD MOTOR SPORTS, (800) 2167482, ARENACROSS.COM

2014 eVeNts HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS AND EVENTS AMA MOTOrcycLE HALL OF FAME MotorcycleMuseuM.org The AMA Motorcycle 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: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Recognizing those who have made significant contributions to all aspects of motorcycling.

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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

May 24: San Bernardina, calif.: Glen Helen National

Jul. 19: Millville, Minn: Spring Creek National

May 31: Sacramento, calif.: Hangtown Motocross Classic

Jul. 26: Washougal, Wash.: Washougal National

2 Wheels + Motor, A Fine Art Exhibition: More than two dozen artists celebrate the spirit, excitement and adventure of motorcycling through fine art.

June 7: Lakewood, colo.: Thunder Valley National

Aug. 9: New Berlin, N.y.: Unadila National

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

June 28: Blountville, Tenn.: Tennessee National

AMA PrO rAcINg 2014 AMA PrO MOTOcrOSS ProMotocross.coM

June 14: Mt. Morris, Pa.: High Point National

Aug. 16: crawfordsville, Ind.: Indiana National Aug. 23: Tooele, Utah: Utah National

Jul. 5: Buchanan, Mich.: RedBud National

2014 MONSTEr ENErgy AMA SUPErcrOSS AMAsuPercross.coM

Jul. 12: Mechanicsville, Md.: Budds Creek National

Jan. 18: Anaheim, calif.: Angel Stadium

2014 EVENTS Jan. 25: Oakland, Calif.: O.Co Coliseum

Jan. 31-Feb. 2: Milwaukee, Wis.: U.S. Cellular Arena

Feb. 1: Anaheim, Calif.: Angel Stadium

Feb. 7-9: Sacramento, Calif.: Sleep Train Arena

Feb. 8: San Diego: Qualcomm Stadium

Feb. 14-16: Nampa, Idaho: Idaho Center

Feb. 15: Arlington, Texas: Cowboys Stadium

Feb. 21-23: Reno, Nev.: Livestock Events Center

Feb. 22: Atlanta: Georgia Dome

Mar. 1-2: Tulsa, Okla.: BOK Center

Mar. 1: Indianapolis: Lucas Oil Stadium Mar. 8: Daytona Beach, Fla.: Daytona International Speedway Mar. 15: Detroit: Ford Field Mar. 22: Toronto: Rogers Centre Mar. 29: St. Louis: Edward Jones Dome Apr. 5: Houston: Reliant Stadium Apr. 12: Seattle: Century Link Field Apr. 26: East Rtherford, N.J.: MetLife Stadium May 3: Las Vegas: Sam Boyd Stadium

AMA PRO-AM COMPETITION Jan. 26: Kemp, Texas: Underground MX Park, Texas Winter Series-Round 3; www.ugmxpark.com Feb. 2: San Bernardino, Calif.: Glen Helen Raceway, Road To Mammoth: King of the West Round 1; www.2xpromotions.com Feb. 9: Alvord, Texas: Oakhill MX Park, Texas Winter Series Round 4; www.oakhillmx.com Feb. 15-16: Buckeye, Ariz.: Arizona Cycle Park, AMA Amateur Naional Area Qualifier; www.arizonacyclepark.com Feb. 27-Mar. 2: Pell City, Ala.: Mill Creek Motocross Park, Spring

Mar. 7-9: Albuquerque, N.M.: Tingley Coliseum Mar. 14-16: Hidalgo, Texas: State Farm Arena Mar. 29-30: Salt Lake City: EnergySolutions Arena

AMA INDOOR DIRT TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES STEVENACERACING.COm Feb. 8: DuQuoin, Ill. Feb. 22: Duquoin, Ill.

2014 GEICO AMA ENDuROCROSS ENduROCROSS.COm May 2: Las Vegas: The Orleans Arena May 15: Austin, Texas: Circuit of the America’s June 21: Sacramento, Calif.: Sleep Train Arena Aug. 23: Atlanta: Gwinnett Center Oct. 4: Denver, Colo.: National Western Complex Oct. 11: Salt Lake City, utah: Energy Solutions Arena Oct. 18: Everett, Wash.: Comcast

Arena

2236, MuddobbersMC.com

Nov. 15: Boise, Idaho.: Idaho Center

2014 AMA EAST HARE SCRAMBLES AmARACING.COm

Nov. 22: Ontario, Calif.: Citizen Business Bank Arena

2014 AMA NATIONAL ENDuRO NATIONAlENduRO.COm Mar. 2: Pelion, S.C.: Rhonda Dennis, Columia Enduro Riders; (788) 422-0329 Mar. 23: Blackwell, Texas: Joseph Roberts, Ross Creek Trail Riders; (325) 669-8866, RossCreekTrailRiders.com Apr. 6: West Point, Tenn.: TJ Kennedy, NATRA; (972) 977-4112, natra-westpoint.net May 18: Park Hills, M.O.: Michael Silger, Missouri Mudders; (636) 639-6373, MOMudders.com June 1: Arrington, Va.: Chuck Honeycutt, April Fools Promotions; (757) 375-5665, VCHSS.org June 29: Marquette, Mich.: Nick Zambon, UP Sandstormers; (906) 228-7010, UPSandstormers.com July 27: Cross Fork, Pa.: Peter Burnett, Brandwine Enduro Riders; (610) 883-7607, BEW.us Aug. 10: Grand Junction, Colo.: Thomas Jundtoft, Bookcliff Rattlers MC; (970) 250-9942, bookcliffrattlersmc.com Aug. 31: union, S.C.: Duane Wellington, Greenville Enduro Riders; (864) 908-6109, GreenvilleEnduroRiders.com Sept. 14: Matthews, Ind.: Doug Spence, Muddobbers; (765) 998-

Mar. 23, Youth & Amateur: Park Hills, Mo.: Gregory Kinkelaar, Missouri Dirt Riders; (314) 5047287, MODirtRiders.com June 14, Youth Bikes & ATV; June 15, Amateur Bikes & ATV: Berwick, Pa.: Duane Fisher, Evansville MX Park; (570) 7592841, EvansvilleMXPark.com July 13, Youth & Amateur: Battle Creek, Mich.: Byron Kibby, Battle Creek Motorcycle Club; (269) 209-8184, BattleCreekMotorcycleClub.com Aug. 16, Youth; Aug. 17, Amateur: Athens, Oh.: Kevin Brown, Athens Motorcycle Club; (740) 590-3490, AthensMotorcycleClub.com Sept. 20, Youth; Sept. 21, Amateur: Bartow, Fla.: Keith Finnerty, Central Florida Trail Riders; (407) 774-9090, CFTRiders.com Oct. 4, Youth; Oct. 5, Amateur: Plainview, Ill.: Ron Whipple, WFO Promotions; (309) 314-3343, WFOPromotions.com

2014 AMA WEST HARE SCRAMBLES AmARACING.COm Jan. 4, Amateur (No Youth): Buckeye, Ariz.: Beverly Howard-White, Arizona Cycle Park; (623) 853-0750 Ext. 4, ArizonaCyclePark.com Feb. 15, Youth; Feb. 16, Amateur: Paicines, Calif.: Ed Tobin, Salinas Ramblers; (831)

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February 2014

2014 eVenTS 384-4495, SalinasRamblersMC. com Mar. 1, Youth; Mar. 2, Amateur: San Bernardino, Calif.: Craig Hunter, Prairie Dogs MC/Big 6 GP; (714) 231-6718, PrairieDogsMC.com Mar. 15, Amateur; Mar. 16, ATV & Youth: Anza, Calif.: Erek Kudla, Get-Xtr-Eme; (805) 236-5866, Get-Extr-Eme.com Apr. 12, Youth; Apr. 13, Amateur: Chappie-Shasta OHV AreaShasta Lake, Calif.: Russel Smith, Redding Dirt Riders; (530) 921-1233, reddingdirtriders.com May 3, Youth; May 4, Amateur: Primm, Nev.: Ronald Maas, Sunland Shamrocks MC/Big 6 GP; (818) 767-4594, ShamrocksMC.com Sept. 6, Youth; Sept. 7, Amateur: Anza, Calif.: Justin Shultz, SoCal MC/Big 6 GP; (949) 981-6776, SoCalMC.com Oct. 4, Youth; Oct. 5, Amateur: Ridgecrest, Calif.: Chris Cory, Viewfinders MC/Big 6 GP; (661) 450-8150, ViewfindersMC.com

2014 AMA HARe ANd HOuNd amaracing.com Jan. 25, Youth; Jan. 26,Amateur: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Rick Nuss, Desert Motorcycle Club, Inc. (626) 205-0121, DesertMC.com Feb. 8, Youth; Feb. 9, Amateur: Ridgecrest, Calif.: Richie Wohlers, Four Aces MC; (805) 7956708, FourAcesMC.com Mar. 22, Youth; Mar. 23, Amateur: Murphy, Idaho: No ATVs. Bill Walsh, Dirt Inc. (208) 459-6871, DirtIncRacing.com Apr. 12, Youth; Apr. 13, Amateur: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Justin Shultz, SOCal MC; (949) 981-6776, SoCalMC.com Apr. 26, Youth; Apr. 27, Amateur: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Gary Alspaugh, Vikings MC; (805) 6806336, VikingsMC.org May 3, Amateur and Youth: Jerico, utah: Neil Dansie, Sage Riders; (801) 369-5939, SageRidersMC.com May 17, Amateur and Youth: Caliente, Nev.: Zack Livreri, Silver State Trailblazers; (702) 994-6823, http://sites.google.com/site/ silverstatetrailblazers/

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Aug. 23, Amateur and Youth: Caliente, Nev.: Zack Livreri, Silver State Trailblazers; (702) 994-6823, http://sites.google.com/site/ silverstatetrailblazers/ Sept. 20, Youth; Sept. 21, Amateur: Yerington, Nev.: Erek Kudla, Get-Xtr-Eme; (805) 236-5866, Get-Xtr-Eme.com Oct. 11, Youth; Oct. 12, Amateur: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Darren Moen, 100â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MC; (714) 863-7170, 100sMC.org

2014 AIReS AMA/NATC MOTOTRIALS amaracing.com May 24 -25: Texas Creek, Colo.: Rocky Mountain Trials Association; (719) 564-6476, RockyMountainTrials.org May 31-June 1: Sedan, Kan.: Ark Valley Trials Assocation; (316) 6447774, AVTATrials.com June 21-22: Tremont, Pa.: Tiffany Tobias, Rausch Creek Powersports; (570) 682-4600, RauschCreekRacing.com June 28-29: Sequatchie, Tenn.: Ashley Jackson, South Eastern Trials Riders Association; (423) 942-8688, TrialsTrainingCenter.com

2014 AMA/NATC eAST YOuTH MOTOTRIALS amaracing.com July 4-6: Sequatchie, Tenn.: Ashley Jackson, South Eastern Trials Riders Association; (423) 942-8688, TrialsTrainingCenter.com

2014 AMA/NATC WeST YOuTH MOTOTRIALS amaracing.com July 18-20: Howard, Colo.: Bill Markham, ITS Offroad; (719) 9423372, ITSOffroad.com

2014 AMA VINTAge MOTOCROSS amaracing.com May 18: Athens, Oh.: Action Sports Moto-Park; www. actionsportsracing.com July 19-20: Lexington, Oh.: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, MidOhio Sports Car Course Aug. 3: Walnut, Ill.: Sunset Ridge Motocross, www.sunsetridgemx.com Aug. 24: Casey, Ill.: Lincoln

Trail Motorsports, www. lincolntrailmotorsports.com Sept. 14: Coldwater, Mich.: Log Road Motocross, wwwlogroadmx.com Oct. 4: greensburg, Ky.: Russell Creek Motocross Oct. 18: Paoli Peaks, Ind.: Mammoth East, www. podium1motoplex.com

2014 AMA ATV HARe SCRAMBLeS amaracing.com Mar. 22: Park Hills, Mo.: Gregory Kinkelaar, Missouri Dirt Riders; (314) 504-7287, MODirtRiders.com June 14-15: Berwick, Pa.: Amateur and Youth, Duane Fisher, Evansville MX Park; (570) 7592841, evansvillemxpark.com

Raceway, Vikings MC

2014 eAST COAST eNduRO RdIeRS eNduRO SeRIeS ecea.org Mar. 16: greenbank, N.J.: Sandy Lane enduro, Meteor Motorcycle Club; (856) 889-7300, meteormc.com Mar. 23: Shamong, N.J.: Curly Fern enduro, South Jersey Enduro Riders; (609) 268-9272, sjer.org Apr. 6: Chatsworth, N.J.: Pine Barons Clock Run, Pine Barons Enduro Riders; (609) 654-6300, pber.webs.com Apr. 13: Port elizabeth, N.J.: greenbrier enduro, Tri-County Sportsmen Motorcycle Club; 1 (888) 274-4469, teamhammer.org

Jul. 13: Battle Creek, Mich.: Joe Wathen, Battle Creek Motorcycle Club; (269) 729-9691, BattleCreekMotorcycleClub.com

May 4: delaware City, del.: delaware State enduro, Delaware Enduro Riders; (302) 834-4411, delawareenduroriders.com

Aug. 16: Athens, Oh.: Kevin Brown, Athens Motorcycle Club; (740) 590-3490, AthensMotorcycleClub.com

May 25: Heckscherville, Pa.: Broad Mountain enduro, Reading Off Road Riders; (610) 921-3592, rorr.org

Sept. 20: Bartow, Fla.: Keith Finnerty, Central Florida Trail Riders; (407) 774-9090, CFTRiders.com

June 1: grier City, Pa.: Shotgun enduro, High Mountain Dirt Riders; (570) 954-7799, hmdr.org

Oct. 4: Plainview, Ill.: Ron Whipple, WFO Promotions; (309) 314-3343, WFOPromotions.com

AMA FeATuRed SeRIeS 2014 BIg 6 AMA WeST COAST gRANd PRIx SeRIeS Big6racing.com Feb. 1-2: Taft, Calif.: Honolulu Raceway, Dirt Diggers MC Mar. 2-3: devore, Calif.: Glen Helen Raceway, Prarie Dogs MC Apr. 5-6: Palms, Calif.: Rodeo and Motoplex, Hilltoppers MC May 3-4: Primm, Nev.: Buffalo Bills Casino, Shamrocks MC Sept. 6-7: Anza, Calif.: The Ranch, SoCal MC Oct. 4-5: Ridgecrest, Calif.: Ridgecrest Fairgrounds, Viewfinders MC Nov. 1-2: goran, Calif.: Quail Valley, Prospectors MC dec. 6-7: Pala, Calif.: Pala

June 8: deposit, N.Y.: Ridge Run enduro, Ridge Riders Motorcycle Club; (973) 919-4780, ridgeriders.org June 29: Blain, Pa.: Foggy Mountain enduro, Susquehanna Off Road Riders; (717) 533-2242, sorrmc.com July 13: gillett, Pa.: Barbed Wire enduro, Southern Tier Enduro Riders; (607) 382-8534, ster-mc.org July 27: Cross Fork, Pa.: Rattlesnake National enduro, Brandywine Enduro Riders; (610) 368-7332, ber.us Aug. 10: Three Springs, Pa.: green Marble enduro, Green Marble Enduro Riders; (410) 638-9367, greenmarbleenduroriders.org Aug. 17: Berkshire, N.Y.: Speedsville enduro, Ithaca Dirt Riders; (607) 657-8248, ithacadirtriders.com Aug. 24: Mauricetown, N.J.: Beehive enduro, Competition Dirt Riders; (609) 319-7496,

2014 eveNTS competitiondirtriders.org Sept. 7: Shippensburg, Pa.: Michaux Enduro, South Penn Enduro Riders; (717) 265-6055, southpennenduroriders.com Sept. 21: Brandonville, Pa.: Moonshine Enduro, Valley Forge Trail Riders; (484) 948-5361, vftr.org Nov. 9: Warren Grove, N.J.: Stump Jumper Enduro, Motorcycle Compeition Inc.; (609) 575-7820, ride-mci.com Nov. 23: New Lisbon, N.J.: Pine Hill Enduro, Central Jersey Competition Riders; (732) 5586475, cjcrmc.org

2014 EaSt coaSt ENduro rdiErS HarE ScraMBLES SEriES ecea.org Mar. 1-2: tri-county Hare Scrambles, Tri-County Sportsmen MC; (888) 274-4469 Mar. 29-30: oXBo Hare Scrambles, South Penn Enduro Riders, (717) 938-0690 May 17-18: Mci Hare Scrambles, Motorcycle Competition Inc., (609) 575-7820 June 14-15: GMEW @ rocket Hare Scrambles, Green Marble Enduro Riders; (410) 683-9367 June 21-22: reading Hare Scrambles, Reading Off Road Riders; (610) 921-3592 Jul. 19-20: anthracite Hare Scrambles, Valley Forge Trail Riders; (610) 476-3747 aug. 2-3: Shotgun Hare Scrambles, High Mountain Dirt Riders; (570) 954-7799 Sept. 13-14: MMc Hare Scrambles, Meteor Motorcycle Club; (856) 889-7300 Sept. 27-28: ridge Hare Scrambles, Ridge Riders MC; (973) 919-4780 oct. 4-5: Sahara Sands Hare Scrambles, Pine Barons Enduro Riders; (609) 654-6300 oct. 25-26: ormond Farms Hare Scrambles, Competition Dirt Riders; (609) 319-7496 Nov. 15-16: delaware Hare Scrambles, Delaware Enduro Riders; (302) 834-4411

2014 EaSt coaSt ENduro rdiErS duaL SPort SEriES ecea.org Feb. 23: Warren Grove, N.J.: Restore Our Shore Dual Sport, Motorcycle Compeition Inc.; (609) 575-7820, ride-mci.org oct 12: Pine Grove, Pa.: Rorr Dual Sport, Reading Off Road Riders; (610) 921-3592, rorr.org oct. 25-26: chatsworth, N.J.: Meteor Dual Sport, Meteor Motorcycle Club; (856) 889-7300, meteormc.com Nov. 1-2: Port Elizabeth, N.J.: TCSMC National Dual Sport, TriCounty Sportsmen MC; 1 (888) 274-4469, teamhammer.org

aMa aMatEur cHaMPioNSHiPS aMa aMatEur NatioNaL MotocroSS cHaMPioNSHiP MXSPorTS.coM NorTheaST regioNal chaMPioNShiP June 21-22: armagh, Pa: Pleasure Valley Raceway (Youth) June 28-29: Mt. Morris, Pa.: High Point (Amateur)

SouTheaST regioNal chaMPioNShiP June 7-8: Blountville, tenn.: Muddy Creek Raceway (Youth) June 14-15: chatsworth, Ga.: Lazy River (Youth)

Mid-eaST regioNal chaMPioNShiP May 31-June 1: crawfordsville, ind.: Ironman (Amateur) June 7-8: Buchanan, Mich.: Redbud (Youth)

NorTh ceNTral regioNal chaMPioNShiP June 14-15: Mt. carroll, ill.: MC Motopark (Amateur) June 21-22: Walnut, ill.: Sunset Ridge MX (Youth)

SouTh ceNTral regioNal chaMPioNShiP June 14-15: Wortham, texas: Freestone MX (Youth) June 14-15: Houston, texas: Three Palms (Amateur)

NorThweST regioNal chaMPioNShiP June 7-8: rancho cordova, calif.: Prairie City MX (Youth, Amateur)

SouThweST regioNal chaMPioNShiPS May 31-June 1: Hesperia, calif.: Competitive Edge (Youth, Amateur)

NaTioNal chaMPioNShiP July 27-aug. 2: Hurricane Mills, tenn.: National Championship, Loretta Lynn’s Ranch

aMa HiLLcLiMB GraNd cHaMPioNSHiP valleySPriNghillcliMb. coM aug. 15-17: Bay city, Wis.: Mike Bronk, Valley Springs Motorcycle Club; (715) 594-3726

aMa icE racE GraNd cHaMPioNSHiP NaacTioNSPorTS.coM Feb. 8-9: cadillac, Mich.: Mitchell State Park

aMSoiL aMa aMatEur NatioNaL arENacroSS areNacroSS.coM May 3-4: Las Vegas: South Point Arena

KENda aMa tENNESSEE KNocKout GraNd cHaMPioNSHiP

TeNNeSSeekNockouT eNduro.coM

aug. 17: Sequatchie, tennessee

iNtErNatioNaL coMPEtitioN: u.S. rouNdS/ WorLd cHaMPioNSHiPS FiM road raciNG WorLd cHaMPioNSHiP GraNd PriX FiM-live.coM april 13: austin, texas: Circuit of The Americas aug. 10: indianapolis: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

FiM MotocroSS oF NatioNS FiM-live.coM Sept. 28: Kegums, Latvia

FiM JuNior MotocroSS WorLd cHaMPioNSHiP FiM-live.coM

aug. 10: Bastogne, Belgium

FiM iNtErNatioNaL SiX dayS oF ENduro FiM-live.coM May 31-June1: idaho city, id., West Qualifier: Peter Reynolds, Boise Ridge Riders; (208) 3845141, BoiseRidgeIdaho.org June 14-15: Wellston, oh., East Qualifier: William Depue Jr., Appalachian Dirt Riders; (740) 384-6379, ADROhio.org Nov. 3-8: 2014 iSdE: San Juan, argentina

FiM triaL dES NatioNS FiM-live.coM Sept. 13-14: St. Julia., andorra

aMa PrEMiEr touriNG SEriES aMericaNMoTorcycliST. coM aMa SiGNaturE EVENtS aMericaNMoTorcycliST. coM March of dimes Bikers For Babies rides: Nationwide: www.bikersforbabies.org rides For Kids Events: Nationwide: www.rideforkids.org

aMa NatioNaL GraNd tourS, PrESENtEd By SHiNKo tirES aNd FLy StrEEt GEar aMericaNMoTorcycliST. coM Jan. 1-dec. 31: Polar Bear Grand tour: AMA District 2 of New Jersey; (609) 894-2941; www.polarbeargrandtour.com March 25-oct. 1: Eddie’s road and team Strange airheads Smoke chasing Grand tour: Eddie’s Road and Team Strange Airheads; www.smokechasing. com april 1-oct. 31: tour of Honor Grand tour: Tour of Honor; www.tourofhonor.com

aMa NatioNaL EXtrEME GraNd tourS aMericaNMoTorcycliST. coM Jan. 1-dec. 31: ScMa Four corners Grand tour: Southern California Motorcycling Association; www.usa4corners.org.

February 2014

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The following represent active, registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of the AMA. Usage of any AMA trademark or registered trademark without our permission is prohibited. Please contact smaher@ama-cycle.org for more information or assistance. (800) AMA-JOIN® • AMA Dragbike™ • AMA Endurocross® • AMA Pro Grand National Championship™ • AMA Pro Racing® • AMA Race Center™ • AMA Racer® • AMA Racing® • AMA Supermoto® • AMA Supercross® • AMA SX Lites™ • AMA U.S. Drag Racing Championship® • AMA U.S. Flat Track Championship® • AMA U.S. Hillclimb Championship® • AMA U.S. Motocross Championship® • AMA U.S. Supercross Championship® • AMA U.S. Supersport Championship® • ATV Hare Scrambles National Championship Series™ • ATV Motocross National Championship Series™ • Amateur National Motocross Championships™ • American Motorcyclist Association® • Arenacross® • Dirt Track Grand Championships™ • Grand National Enduro Championship™ • Gypsy Tour® • Hare & Hound National Championship Series™ • Hare Scrambles Championship Series™ • Hare Scrambles National Championship Series™ • Kids Just Want To Ride® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum® • Motorcyclist of the Year™ • National Adventure Riding Series™ • National Dual-Sport Series™ • National Enduro Championship Series™ • Protect Your Right to Ride® • Protecting Your Right to Ride® • Ride Straight® • Rights. Riding. Racing.® • Road Race Grand Championships™ • Vintage Grand Championships™ • Vintage Motorcycle Days® • Vote Like A Motorcyclist®

February 2014

GUEST COLUMN

FINDING SATISFACTION

Training For Fun And Safety This past October, I had the pleasure of coaching a group of local military members at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Training on the By Justin Pennella road-race course, the students not only honed their riding skills but they also had a lot of welldeserved fun at Mid-Ohio’s end-of-theseason Military Appreciation Track Day. Over the years, I have found that our military students are always attentive and ready to learn. One reason for this is that for the most part, safety is a big part of their approach to everything. They have a strong propensity to thoughtfully evaluate the risk factors that could prevent them from accomplishing their mission. In a motorcycling context, this mission is to arrive at the final destination by navigating the roadways safely and avoiding hazards that are encountered along the way. What better way to reinforce the basics of riding than at a track day? Here, our students can ride in a low-hazard environment, one where the curves being studied don’t change from lap to lap, there is no oncoming traffic, and the road surface is void of debris. In a track day setting, the students can apply 100 percent of their attention and focus toward the basics of riding a motorcycle. Track day training supports a different understanding of acceleration, body positioning and maneuvering at speeds that just aren’t conducive to a standard skills course in a parking lot. Don’t get me wrong. Skills-course-based environments definitely have a place in learning to ride, but just as that approach has its strengths, so does training on a race course. To me, the most rewarding part of being an instructor is seeing the students becoming more comfortable and confident

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Justin Pennella (No. 32) with local military members at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

in their machines and technique. Students will often tell me of their riding epiphanies. These are some of the most rewarding moments for both teacher and student. For the teacher, you realize that you are making progress. For the student, these epiphanies often represent the climb from one plateau to the next. One of the most common and lasting insights is when students realize that looking through the turn will slow down the scene for their brain to process, thus allowing them to pick up the pace while still maintaining control. As a major in the U.S. Army, I not only have a passion for spreading the enjoyment of riding on two wheels, but I have an obligation to help my country maintain a viable military. Thankfully, I do not have to sacriﬁce one for the other. In fact, these two goals supplement each other quite well. As a military leader, I am familiar with current statistics associated with military motorcycling fatalities. While losing soldiers in battle is an unfortunate reality for military commanders, losing them at home due to a motorcycling accident is an immediate and unacceptable detriment to our available ﬁghting force. However, it is a delicate balance to maintain a high military readiness without having to compromise the liberties our military members should be able to enjoy (such as motorcycling). Yes, military commanders do have the right to revoke on-base riding privileges for members who are deemed high-risk motorcycle operators. One of my additional duties in my Army unit is to reduce the number of operators who would be considered “high risk.” I administer our Motorcycle Mentorship Program, wherein I must ensure that our members not only adhere to minimum

rider training requirements, but also to provide guidance and advice on matters of maintenance and enforcing required personal protective equipment. I usually hold a beginning- and endof-season maintenance day for my unit riders. I’ll provide them with tools and knowledge so that they can get their bikes ready for the road—or ready for winter storage. One confession: I prefer track bikes and dirt machines to riding on the street. I know that going 60 mph on a country byway can be just as therapeutic as hitting 110 mph on the exit of Turn 1 at Mid-Ohio. Each has its merits, but for me, only a racetrack can safely reveal the full performance of a well-engineered sportbike. On the track, I rest assured that everyone on the surface with me has conducted a thorough analysis of the risks they are assuming. On the road, I cannot accept that all drivers have the same skills, training and safety consciousness that I do. In addition, today’s drivers are so distracted by their coffee, phones or other bits of technology that I fear they lack the attention capacity to look out for motorcycles. If I have any regrets, it’s that I wish I had known when I was younger that riding on the racetrack was an available option. The satisfaction from developing my skills and the enjoyment from experiencing the track are, for me, what’s best about motorcycling. I hope that all of my fellow AMA members can find that same level of fulfillment in their motorcycling lives. Major Justin Pennella has been riding motorcycles for more than 25 years and has been a track day instructor at the MidOhio School since 2012.

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