April 2021
Malcolm
at 80!
The Journal Of The
2021 AMA MEMBER SWEEPSTAKES
MONTHLY DRAWINGS
QUARTERLY DRAWINGS
Members who join or renew their AMA membership from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2021 are automatically entered to win one of these awesome motorcycling prizes! No purchase necessary. For complete rules, terms and conditions visit http://americanmotorcyclist.com/Member-Sweepstakes-Rules
MONTHLY DRAWINGS • Liberty Sport Eyewear • Nelson Rigg Choice: Cover, Luggage • Mimi & Moto Children’s Books • Powercases Jump Starter • Motion Pro: Pro Fill Airchuck • Warm & Safe 12V USB Adapter • Bohn Armor Skull Cap • AMA T-Shirt
QUARTERLY DRAWINGS •Bohn Armor Pant & Shirt Set •Motool Slacker & Street Kit
ANNUAL DRAWINGS
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ANNUAL DRAWINGS • 2021 Yamaha MT-09 SP • Butler Maps Master Collection • Cardo Systems Packtalk Bold Black JBL • Aerostich R3 1 Piece Suit • SHOEI Helmet of Choice
CONTE NTS PERSPECTIVES 6 Editorial Director Mitch Boehm
AMA INSIDER 8
AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman
LETTERS 10 AMA members sound off
UP TO SPEED 12
News, notes, sneak peeks and policy from the two-wheeled world
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MALCOLM AT 80 18
America’s favorite motorcyclist hits a milestone
HALL OF FAME 32 Malcolm, In Color
H-D PAN AMERICA 1250 36 Milwaukee’s big move to adventure touring
STRIDING TO RIDING 40
Strider Bikes…helping build future motorcyclists, today
ICE QUEEN 46
Kaley Johnson scores at the AMA Ice Race Grand Championship
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EVENTS CALENDAR 54 What to do, and when
FLASHBACK 62 Malcolm and Baja: The Early Years
ON THE COVER: MALCOLM SMITH, BY FRAN KUHN For those of us from the On Any Sunday generation, the idea of Malcolm Smith turning 80 is a crazy thing. But despite Parkinson’s and a host of other degenerative injuries, America’s favorite motorcycling son just keeps on keepin’ on. You go, Malcolm.
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April 2021 Volume 75, Number 4 Published by the American Motorcyclist Association americanmotorcyclist.com
COMMUNICATIONS
AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mitch Boehm Editorial Director
Contact any member of the AMA Board of Directors at americanmotorcyclist.com/ama-board-of-directors
Mark Lapid Creative Services Director Joy Burgess Managing Editor Dustin Goebel Senior Designer Gina Gaston Web Developer Kali Kotoski Editor-at-Large submissions@ama-cycle.org Steve Gotoski Director of Industry Relations and Business Memberships (951) 491-1910, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org Forrest Hayashi Advertising Manager (562) 766-9061, fhayashi@ama-cycle.org Lynette Cox Marketing and Advertising Coordinator (614) 856-1900, ext. 1223, lcox@ama-cycle.org All trademarks used herein (unless otherwise noted) are owned by the AMA and may only be used with the express, written permission of the AMA.
Russ Ehnes Chair Great Falls, Mont. Gary Pontius Vice Chair Westfield, Ind. Byron Snider Assistant Treasurer Newbury Park, Calif. Jerry Abboud Executive Committee Member Thornton, Colo. Paul Vitrano Executive Committee Member Medina, Minn. Brad Baumert Louisville, Ky. Robert Pearce Hub Brennan Amherst, Ohio E. Greenwhich, R.I. Jeff Skeen Christopher Cox San Diego, Calif. Florence, S.C. Faisel Zaman Mark Hosbach Franklin, Tenn. Dallas, Texas
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, 2020.
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OPERATIONS
Rob Dingman President/Chief Executive Officer James Holter Chief Operating Officer Donna Perry Executive Assistant to President/CEO Danielle Smith Human Resources Manager/Assistant to COO
Steve Austin Director of Operations John Bricker Mailroom Manager Rob Baughman Operations Specialist Ed Madden System Support Specialist
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GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Mike Pelletier Director of Racing Bill Cumbow Director of International Competition Michael Burkeen Motocross Manager Erek Kudla Off-Road Racing Manager Ken Saillant Track Racing Manager Alexandria Kovacs Program Manager Connie Fleming Supercross/FIM Coordinator Lakota Ashworth Racing Coordinator Olivia Davis Racing Coordinator
Michael Sayre Director of Government Relations Nick Haris Western States Representative Tiffany Cipoletti Government Relations Manager, On-Highway Peter Stockus Government Relations Manager, Off-Highway Erin Reda Grassroots Coordinator
MEMBER ACTIVITY Heather Wilson Director of Member Activity Joe Bromley Program Development Manager Serena Van Dyke Recreational Riding Coordinator Jennifer Finn Member Activity Coordinator
ACCOUNTING Karen Esposito Accounting Manager Deb D’Andrea Data Entry Representative
MUSEUM Daniel Clepper Collections Manager Paula Schremser Program Specialist Ricky Shultz Clerk Von Kieber Clerk
MARKETING AND MEMBER SERVICES Amanda Donchess Director of Membership Marketing and Services Tiffany Pound Member Services Manager Stephanie McCormick Member Services Representative Vickie Park Member Services Representative Ellen Wenning Member Services Representative
American Motorcyclist magazine (ISSN 0277-9358) is published monthly (12 issues) by the American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Copyright by the American Motorcyclist Association/American Motorcyclist 2021. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $19.95 covered in membership dues. Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices.
PERSPECTIVES
BACK TO BASICS
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“I’m convinced that classic storytelling about the people and the machines and the travel and the history and the racing and the out-of-this-world thrills of motorcycling is what all of you – our esteemed members – are craving. ” 6
AmericanMotorcyclist.com
By Mitch Boehm
aybe it’s been a while, but remember waiting for your favorite motorcycle magazines to appear in the mailbox each month, or watching the local newsstand for the latest edition? Remember tacking pages from those magazines on your bedroom walls as a kid? You know, those oh-so-cool images of Marty Smith or Kenny Roberts or Gene Romero or Malcolm Smith? Yeah, me too. My walls were plastered with those pages, right along with a billion holes from the stick-pins – which my Mom just loved. Copies of Cycle and Dirt Bike and Popular Cycling and others weren’t just scattered all over my room, but tucked into my middle school binder, too, so I could sneak peeks during Math or English class. For this then-12-year-old growing up in Northern Ohio and just getting into motocross racing, magazines were a literal portkey to a very special world. Editors such as Cook Neilson, Gordon Jennings, Paul “The Bazzer” Boudreau, Rick “Super Hunky” Seimen and others made motorcycling an almost religious experience, just as On Any Sunday had done in 1971. And when I’d go to Mid-Ohio Moto Park with my Dad to watch a TransAMA or USGP race, there my heroes would be, in the flesh, just over the snow fences I’d be hanging onto — Smith and Roger DeCoster and Jim Pomeroy and all the rest. Epic doesn’t even come close. Sadly, and for a whole bunch of reasons, that experience is quickly disappearing from our two-wheeled world. We’ve lost a lot of inkand-paper, for sure, and from a conservation standpoint that’s not a bad thing. But along the way in this whole digital/website movement we’ve lost a lot of the great storytelling that came with all that paper. “Neuroeconomist Paul Zak,” writes
author and PhD Brené Brown, “has found that hearing [or reading] a story — a narrative with a beginning, middle, and end — causes our brains to release cortisol and oxytocin. These chemicals trigger the uniquely human abilities to connect, empathize, and make meaning. Story is literally in our DNA.” I think author Brown and Zak have it absolutely right. It’s more than simply inspiring words creating vivid images in our brains; there’s actually a chemical component, which is one more reason I believe what I call the Traditional Magazine Experience was so powerful for so many for so long. And that, I think, pretty well explains why the magazine you now hold in your hands is what it is — and why we featured 80-year-old Malcolm Smith on the cover. Having grown up with this experience, and having done it professionally for more than three decades now, I’m convinced that classic storytelling about the people and the machines and the travel and the history and the racing and the outof-this-world thrills of motorcycling is what all of you — our esteemed members — are craving. And whether it’s done on paper or digitally, it’s gotta be good, gotta be real, gotta be compelling, and gotta be memorable. And starting now, it will be, on every page and in every single issue, and on our website. Please let us know what you think at Letters@ ama-cycle.org. We have a new editorial team and a fresh outlook, and we’re hoping you enjoy the Malcolm Smith piece along with the rest of the content. It’s a look at where we’re going with American Motorcyclist. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll feel the need to stick-pin some of it on your walls. Mitch Boehm is the Editorial Director of the AMA.
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MEETING MALCOLM By Rob Dingman
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“Malcolm has not let his notoriety go to waste, and has used it to further motorcycling at every turn. ” 8
he first time I met Malcolm Smith was in the early 1990s at the annual motorcycle industry trade show that used to be held every February in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was relatively new to the industry at the time, working as a government relations specialist focusing on land use issues for the Motorcycle Industry Council, and I was there to work the MIC booth. As with most trade shows, all attendees had name tags, primarily to let everyone know who they were dealing with, as attendees were a mix of aftermarket vendors, allied trade companies, powersports dealers and media. Malcolm’s nametag was a bit different, though, and it stuck out to me. While the tags of most attendees identified their name, organizational affiliation and location of residence, the only identifier on Malcolm’s name tag in addition to his name was a single word: motorcyclist. And that was totally appropriate, given how much Malcolm had done in and for the motorcycle industry. Malcolm has not let his notoriety go to waste, and has used it to further motorcycling at every turn. One of the best examples was when the government imposed a ban on the sale of youth-model motorcycles and ATVs in 2009 due to the lead content in items such as frame paint— as if kids would be chewing on their frames. Malcolm sold bikes in defiance of the ban at his Riverside, Calif., dealership. It was risky, as he could have been fined (or worse), but his action turned the tide and aided in getting the ban repealed, saving the potential loss of a generation of motorcyclists. He’s also supremely gracious. At a AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days event several years ago where he was Grand Marshal, he signed autographs for far longer than the scheduled time. As long as someone was in line, he signed. He’s that sort of guy.
Malcolm is best known, of course, for his starring role in the 1971 motodocumentary On Any Sunday, which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. Malcolm and OAS introduced an entire generation to the world of motorcycling, and literally thousands upon thousands of motorcyclists credit Malcolm and that movie with getting them interested in motorcycling. On Any Sunday’s great appeal is its showcasing of people we can all relate to as they enjoy motorcycling in virtually all of its forms. And that is what we hope to achieve through the pages of American Motorcyclist magazine, as well. We endeavor to shine the spotlight on the many faces and stories of motorcyclists who make up the membership of the American Motorcyclist Association — and beyond. To amplify this effort we’ve brought new talent to the editorial side of the magazine. Longtime motorsports journalist and motorcycle industry veteran Mitch Boehm has been named Editorial Director of the magazine (and website), and he is supported by new Managing Editor Joy Burgess. American Motorcyclist is the journal of the American Motorcyclist Association. The AMA is about the people of motorcycling, so it’s only fitting that our flagship publication focuses on telling their stories in a compelling way. With this issue we are rededicating the focus of the magazine to telling wonderful stories about the people of motorcycling. So it seemed only fitting to begin this refresh with a feature story about Malcolm Smith as he celebrates his 80th birthday. Thank you, Malcolm, for all you have done for motorcycling, and Happy Birthday! Rob Dingman, a Charter Life Member, is president and CEO of the AMA.
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MEMBER LETTERS
LETTER OF THE MONTH
Bowlby Is A Hillclimb Artist
I
just wanted to say “thanks” for your [AMA Motorcycle] Hall of Fame article on AMA Pro hillclimber Earl Bowlby. He certainly deserves the recognition. From the late 1970s until his retirement, I had the pleasure of watching Mr. Bowlby race at the Devil’s Staircase Pro Hillclimb in Oregonia, Ohio, hosted by the Dayton Motorcycle club. On one occasion, I had the chance to meet and speak with Mr. Bowlby. He was “walking the hill,” checking the terrain, feeling for hard and soft spots, picking his line. This was back before they put up safety fences, and fans could walk out on the hill. I can’t remember what we discussed. The usual banter, “Hello, Mr. Bowlby, how are you? What you looking at here? Good luck today.” I remember him as being very friendly, soft spoken and polite. We talked for quite a long time actually. He was a true gentleman. To this day, he is the best I have ever seen go up the Devil’s Staircase hill. I always told my friends, “Make sure you watch when Earl Bowlby runs. He is an ‘artiste.’ He doesn’t attack the hill, he goes up it with surgical precision.” He sure was fun to watch. I was sure proud to see his bike in the AMA Hall of Fame museum when I visited many years ago. Think I’ll visit again, just to look at his bike.
Robert Sizemore | Lebanon, Ohio
Another Fast Old Guy Heard From I have never had the urge to reply to any articles in American Motorcyclist, but this month [December 2020] is different. I thoroughly enjoyed every article, particularly Arthur Ranney’s “Time Traveling At Speed.” The similarities were abundant. I started racing motocross in the mid-1970s on a Suzuki RM250 and progressed to road racing in the early 1980s on a Kawasaki GPz550. Every Sunday, weather permitting, I meet for breakfast and a spirited ride through the twisties of the Brooksville, Fla., area with others in my age group. I am far from the oldest at 71. There isn’t a better way to restore youth than arriving at the local meet-up location of a hundred or so bikes and removing my helmet and watching the jaws drop when the youngsters realize they just got smoked by a gray hair. I believe it gives them hope and a challenge for the future. Arthur, it was
indeed a treat to read your story, and I welcome you and others into what I call the FOGGY Club (Fast Old Guys Getting Younger). Jerry Munsell | Trinity, Fla.
An Idea About Distracted Drivers Legislation to limit use of handsheld devices while driving is great. But it occurred to me that cars today drive themselves, park themselves, stop themselves, etc., so it seems it would be a simple, inexpensive thing to jam and block cell phones in the vehicle when it is put into gear. That is, except 911, of course. And, of course, hands-free devices would not be included. I’m sure the technology for it must exist. John Fish | Mechanicsville, Va.
Reviewing The “Non-Review” I just had to write after receiving the
latest issue [January 2021]. You guys are geniuses with the way you did not review a motorcycle [“Boxer Brigade”]. Give it to seven people and report on their thoughts/comments. I remember when Motorcycle Consumer News used to review a bike, and, at the end, they offered a sidebar from a couple guys who did not write the review, which I thought was a good idea. What you guys did should be the standard for commenting on a bike, because all of us out in the real world are likely to be not as skilled as many of the testers/reviewers. It was a nice change to read the many opinions revealed. Keep up the great work. George Gridley | Syracuse, N.Y.
Ride One Bike, Display The Other I went to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving and, before I even got a “Hi, Sara!” my Dad had to show me his December 2020 issue of American Motorcyclist. He reads it every month, but was especially excited about this issue, because he is the proud owner of both the cover bike, the [Yamaha] PW50, and the centerfold bike, the BMW R27. He taught my sister, brother and me— along with countless nieces and nephews, friends and, now, grandchildren—to ride and love motorcycles, with our PW50. His 1967 BMW R27 doesn’t get ridden as much as the PW50, because it is hung from the wall above my parent’s pool table. My dad bought the mint-condition R27 at an auction in the late 1980s and decided it wasn’t fast enough to be kept in the garage with the rest of his bikes. So, when an addition was put on our home the summer before I was born, the BMW was lifted to its resting spot before the final walls were closed in. My mom has always joked that, if it ever falls, my dad had better be under it. It’s been up there for 30 years now, so he thinks his chances of survival are strong. Sara Grout | Croswell, Mich.
Letters to the editor are the opinions of the AMA members who write them. Inclusion here does not imply they reflect the positions of the AMA, its staff or board. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. Send letters to submissions@ama-cycle.org; or mail to American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.
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NEVER MISS AN ISSUE OF
Correction: Making an Ash of Myself In the February 2021 issue, I wrote a guest column titled “Riding From the Ashes” in which I made a significant error. The story recounted my participation in a twoday ISDT qualifier in McMinnville, Ore., not far from Mount St. Helens, on May 18, 1980, the very day that volcano erupted. After the issue’s publication, I received an email from a longtime AMA member in Oregon who insisted that the qualifier that year was held not on May 18 but rather on the Memorial Day weekend, one week later. He also stated that it was a three-day event, not a two-day, and that my name was nowhere on the list of competitors. That letter caused me to think long and hard about an adventure that took place four decades ago—as I should have done before writing the article. Only after an entire night of racking my brain did I finally realize what had happened: I inadvertently merged two different events into one. The event I rode in McMinnville on May 18 was actually a one-day enduro; the other was a two-day ISDT qualifier held shortly thereafter farther north near Mount Baker in Washington state. The Pacific Northwest locations of those two events, combined with my having ridden the same bike – a Kawasaki KDX175 – in both, were befogged by the 40 years that have passed, allowing my brain to recall them as a single event. Everything that I claimed I experienced in those two competitions actually occurred exactly as I wrote, but only a couple were during the enduro; the others were in the qualifier. I sincerely apologize to the AMA and to everyone who read that story. I hope you will forgive my dereliction of duty, though as a former journalist, I cannot forgive myself. Paul Dean | Fallbrook, Calif.
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L to R: Sen. Terry Gauthier, Gov. Greg Gianforte, Sen. Russ Tempel. AMA Board Chair Russ Ehnes in back.
MONTANA EMBRACES LANE FILTERING The ‘Big Sky’ state joins California and Utah in adopting lane-sharing legislation By Kali Kotoski
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ontana has become the third state after California and Utah to adopt lane-filtering legislation, a technique that is widely practiced around the world to limit traffic congestion and increase rider safety. Signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte on March 2, the legislation allows motorcyclists to overtake stopped or slow-moving vehicles by filtering between lanes at reasonable speeds not in excess of 20 mph and as conditions permit. The legislation, which goes into effect Oct. 1, is the culmination of nearly four years of advocacy by the bill’s sponsors, state Sen. Russ Tempel (R-SD14) and state Rep. Barry Usher (R-HD40), as well as stakeholders such as the AMA. “We applaud the efforts of Montana’s motorcycling community and the state’s legislators, and thank Gov. Gianforte for
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signing this legislation into law,” said Russ Ehnes, chair of the AMA Board of Directors, who attended the signing ceremony. The AMA endorses lane splitting, often referred to as lane filtering or lane sharing, given the long track record of success in California and bolstered by research from the University of California-Berkeley that shows that the practice enhances motorcycle safety. Motorcyclists are at a greater risk of front- and rear-end collisions during heavy periods of stop-and-go traffic, and lane splitting eliminates much of that hazard for motorcyclists who pass between lanes, the study found. Additionally, lane splitting was found to mitigate the severity of injuries when done in traffic moving at 50 mph or less, and if motorcyclists do not exceed the
speed of traffic by more than 15 mph. Lane-splitting legislation is widely popular with riders in states with dense urban populations and chronically congested roadways, and the benefits of the practice are slowly starting to make their way into government discussions regarding how to reduce traffic fatalities. Since Utah’s common-sense legislation came into effect in early 2019, motorcycle fatalities on such roads have continued to decline from 28 in 2018, to 18 in 2019 and only eight in 2020, according to the Utah Department of Transportation. While the majority of European Union countries have long allowed legal lane splitting, it is also common in South America, the Gulf States and many parts of Asia. In other Asian countries, in particular, lane spitting serves as the de facto rules of the road
Garrett Turner
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UP TO SPEED
The U.S. Department of Transportation has given 49 more roads the America’s Byways Designation, bringing the total number of protected scenic byways to 184 across 48 states. The Byways program was originally created in 1991 with support from the AMA to preserve and enhance certain roads based on cultural, recreational and natural significance. The AMA was part of a coalition that revived the program in 2019. The program has designated roads such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hells Canyon as National Scenic Byways, and many more of the country’s favorite motorcycling roads. The program provides resources that help communities along these byways benefit from the tourism and economic growth they generate. The AMA is currently working with stakeholders to achieve designation status.
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The U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 26 passed a massive public lands bill to preserve nearly 3 million acres of federal lands in Colorado, California, Arizona and Washington. The Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act – a package of eight bills – was passed along party lines. The package includes the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act and the Colorado Wilderness Act. The bill would create 1.5 million acres of new Wilderness, the most restrictive federal land use designation, and add 1,000 miles of waterways to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Under a Wilderness designation, motorized access to some Colorado trails such as the Bangs Canyon OHV Trail System and Dolores Canyon could be restricted. Supporters of the package see it as a strict, hard to rollback, conservation measure. Opponents claim it threatens local control over public land, hinders employment in extractive industry, and threatens recreational access for motorized users.
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“As lane splitting support continues to gain traction across the country, I am eager to help more motorcyclists engage their state legislatures on this issue,” said Tiffany Cipoletti, on-highway government relations manager for the AMA. The AMA assists groups, individuals and grassroots organizations in introducing legal lanesplitting bills to their states. Utilizing studies produced by California, statistics in Utah and longestablished European habits for lane splitting, there is growing academic and anecdotal evidence regarding the benefits of lane splitting increasing rider safety and reducing overall traffic congestion.
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despite a lack of codified legislation, especially in developing nations where two-wheeled transportation is the dominate form of travel. Despite America being an outlier in adopting lane-splitting laws to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries, states like Oregon, Washington and Massachusetts have lane-splitting bills being considered during this year’s legislative sessions. Proponents of the bills in those states, which include active AMA participation, claim there is growing momentum across party lines that prudently adopted lane-splitting laws can be beneficial for all road users.
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SUZUKI AND SAMPEY, BACK WITH VANCE & HINES FOR 2021 Three-time Pro Stock champ to ride allnew Suzuki-powered dragracer By Mitch Boehm
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hange is the name of the game in racing, but the legendary Vance & Hines team has experienced a bit more than usual in the last few months as longtime partner HarleyDavidson got out of the official factory dirt track and drag racing games altogether. Of course, Vance & Hines has been building and selling Suzukibased Pro Stock engines for other riders and teams for years, and once the deal was done at H-D the team wasted no time reestablishing itself on the drag racing side of the ledger with Suzuki power – and re-signing three-time Pro Stock champion Angelle Sampey to ride the firm’s all-new, 400-horsepower, 1850cc four-
valve Suzuki-powered drag bike during the 2021 season. (Sampey was a V&H Harley team rider during 2019 and 2020.) Sampey, who’s the NHRA’s winningest female ever with 43 Pro Stock Motorcycle wins to her credit, has a long history with Suzukis, starting out on an RM50 at age six and racing Suzukis from 1996 to 2007. “I’m so excited to be given the opportunity by Vance & Hines to continue my career once again,” she told American Motorcyclist. “It’s even better this time around because we are bringing a new face to the NHRA with Mission Foods on board my motorcycle. I’ll be running the new V&H 4-valve Suzuki engine and will have my former rivals Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec as my co-crew chiefs. It all seems like a crazy dream but it’s real, and I couldn’t be more ready for it! I am literally on a MISSION!”
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“We’re happy to be working with Angelle once again,” said Vance & Hines President and CEO Mike Kennedy. “Vance & Hines is in a wonderful position right now. We’ve got one of the top riders in the sport aboard our outstanding new equipment and we have Mission Foods as our new team partner. I couldn’t have hoped for anything better as we go into the 2021 season.” Get more info on Sampey, the V&H team and its new motorcycle at vanceandhines.com, and check out the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle schedule at NHRA.com.
April 2021
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UP TO SPEED
AMA & EDELWEISS ALPS CHALLENGE TOUR Come ride the amazing Alps with us in August!
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Giving Riders More Freedom to Enjoy the Bikes they Love
f you’ve been around motorcycling a good bit it’s a good bet you’ve heard or read about it – the it being a motorcycle tour of the European Alps, a region offering some of the most epic rides in all of motorcycling. From the challenging roads and epic mountain passes to the lush valleys, quaint towns, soaring Alpine peaks, glaciers and lakes and warm hospitality, unique Alpine cultures and sublime food and drink, there is literally nothing quite like touring the Alps. Ask anyone who’s done it and get ready to get an earful. The good news is that, this coming summer in late August, the AMA and Edelweiss Bike Travel are teaming up to offer what we’re calling the AMA Alps Challenge Tour…and you’re invited! We’ll start in Munich, ride south
into Austria, and spend the next six or so days exploring a host of mountain passes, geography and the unique Alpine culture of Austria, Italy and Switzerland. It’s sure to be an epic experience you’ll remember for the rest of your days. Trust us on this. Included in tour pricing (which starts around $4500 per person including bike rental but not travel to Munich) are comfortable, mid-level hotels with an Alpine flair, breakfasts, two picnic lunches along the route, six dinners, insurance, tour guides, a support van, etc. Check Edelweissbike. com for specifics on the Alps Challenge Tour, and we’ll update things next month in these pages and on Americanmotorcyclist.com, so stay tuned. Hope you can join us!
#AMADualSport
INDUSTRY NEWS Buffalo Chip Gears Up for 81st Sturgis Rally
The folks over at the legendary Buffalo Chip are busy with preparations for the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and have already announced a partial concert lineup that includes fan favorites like Kid Rock and ZZ Top. Hot off the heels of a successful 2020 event, the Buffalo Chip is confident that openair festivals can be held responsibly while they remain committed to taking necessary health precautions. For 2021, the Buffalo Chip has partnered with Black Hills Harley-Davidson and Liv Hospitality to award a once-in-a-lifetime $30,000 King of Sturgis prize package to one winner and three of their friends. The King of Sturgis prize includes a shopping spree at Black Hills HarleyDavidson, front row concert seats and reserved spots on organized rides, plus more! Contest registration, passes and more info at buffalochip.com
Ride Into History!
And you literally can ride into history at Riding Into History’s 21st Annual Concours event on April 24 at World Golf Village in St Augustine, Fla. The Concours, which attracts hundreds of the country’s best historic motorcycles and displays them in a circle around a refection pond on the PGA Hall of Fame’s pristine grounds, is a must-see if you’re into classic bikes and historic moto-culture. There’s also a Grand Marshal ride and banquet the night before, which will feature this year’s Grand Marshal Wayne Carini. These two events raise money for RIH’s primary charity, K9s For Warriors, which links at-risk military veterans with PTSD with companion dogs to combat veteran suicide and drug abuse. Riding Into History is a wonderful and inspiring event that does even more wonderful work in our society. Visit ridingintohistory. org for more information.
THE BETA AMA NATIONAL DUAL-SPORT SERIES FEATURES SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST ORGANIZED DUAL-SPORT RIDES. EVENTS INCLUDE MILES OF WELL-MARKED, CHALLENGING TRAIL CONNECTED BY SCENIC BACKCOUNTRY ROADS. AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM/DUALSPORT SUPPORTING SPONSOR
Joe Bonello
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Malcolm at 80 Fifty years after the release of On Any Sunday, AMA Hall of Fame Legend Malcolm Smith just keeps on chugging along, longstanding injuries and Parkinson’s Disease be damned By Mitch Boehm
“Poppy! What you doin’, Poppy?” Malcolm Smith is sitting on a stool at a workbench in his garage workshop at his Riverside, Calif., home with various mechanical objects in various states of repair and disrepair scattered on the scarred surface. Beside him on a smaller stool is his two-yearold granddaughter Amelie, who’s poking her screwdriver into an old (unplugged) radio while Malcolm messes with a carburetor from one of his Matchless restorations. Amelie’s checking out Grandpa’s carburetor more than she’s looking at her radio, and is clearly interested in what the legendary Hall of Famer is up to. “Poppy! What you doin’, Poppy?” Malcolm just smiles, and says, “Turning the screw, Ami, turning the screw.”
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“Eighty sneaks up on you really quick,” Malcolm told me recently. “When I think back on all the crazy stuff I did as a kid, and while growing up, and even as an adult, I never figured I’d live this long.” Few of us who grew up on a diet of dirt bikes and On Any Sunday VCR showings would have imagined our off-road hero, ISDT Gold Medalist and do-everything motorcyclist with the ear-to-ear grin being called Poppy, but these days it’s a shoe that fits. Because as hard as it may be to imagine, Malcolm Smith turned 80 years of age on March 9, 2021. In so many ways, eighty years old just doesn’t compute when it comes to Malcolm Smith. Wasn’t it just yesterday we watched him, Mert Lawwill and Steve McQueen cavorting on the beach on front of Camp Pendleton? Or read about him winning at Baja, or one of his eight gold ISDT medals? Or launching his MSR off-road aftermarket business? He’s that 20-something kid with the big ears and the even bigger smile, right? They say time flies when you’re having fun. And in Malcolm Smith’s case, and in most of our cases, too, the saying rings totally true. He – and we – have had fun in the 50 years since On Any Sunday debuted in American theaters, and time has flown by. Of course, you want to be able to say you had fun – and had a good ride – when you get older, and Malcolm’s happy to admit as much when you ask him. But it’s still a bit sad when we stop and realize that, for many of us, it’s maybe later than it seems, to quote the great Jackson Browne. “Eighty sneaks up on you really quick,” Malcolm told me recently. “When I think back on all the crazy stuff I did as a kid, and while growing up, and even as an adult, I never figured I’d live this long.” Ol’ Malcolm (left), hanging with Steve McQueen (middle) and Mert Lawwill during On Any Sunday filming.
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Malcolm with parents “Betty” and “Sandy” Smith sometime in the mid-1940s.
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Of course, we might be getting a little ahead of ourselves here, as the Smith DNA is dang strong stuff. How strong, you ask? Well, consider this: Malcolm’s father, Alexander Malcolm “Sandy” Smith, not only lived to be 99, and spent many of those years as a precious metals miner and expedition leader in Alaska and Northern Canada’s Yukon Territories, he conceived Malcolm with Malcolm’s mother Elizabeth Anne “Betty” Beesley, who was then in her 30s, when he was 80 years old. (Let that sink in for a moment. We’ll wait.) The guy was so active and in such great shape that Betty thought he was in his early 50s when they married, and didn’t find out the truth until she was pregnant with little Malcolm. Sandy Smith was nothing if not a tough old Scotsman, and Malcolm seems to have inherited a lot of the very same grit and gumption. “I’m not sure if longevity and grit translate via DNA,” Malcolm told me once, “but I seem to have gotten a decent amount of it from my capable and outdoors-savvy parents.” Still, the last decade has been very difficult for Malcolm in terms of his health. And health issues aren’t a new thing for him, either. There was the horrific shattered femur and lower leg when he was 17 when a buddy centerpunched him while riding his Matchless on a San Bernardino trail, the impact of which hurled him into a tree. He almost lost the leg and spent two years recuperating, part of that time in a body cast. He broke that same femur again years later in Baja, bending the rod that had been placed in it earlier, and there have been a long list of broken bones and other serious injuries over the years – most of them from riding and racing.
But the last ten or fifteen years have been especially challenging. Aside from all the broken bones, twisted joints and herniated discs, all of which have degenerated over the years, Malcolm was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the early 2000s. And despite the latest advances in medicine and treatments, the disease has inexorably taken its toll, year after year, and contributed to him having to walk with a cane and stop riding motorcycles altogether. “Medications can help,” he told me a while back, “but they work inconsistently, which leaves patients – me included – often chasing the right blend of medicines. One minute I’m ok, the next my muscle control and coordination go off. It’s very frustrating.” If all that wasn’t enough, Malcolm had a run-in – literally – with a golf cart back in early 2019 during a charity golf outing in Death Valley, Calif. A buddy jumped in a cart Malcolm was standing behind, and when the friend stomped on the accelerator the thing lurched backward and ran Malcolm over, breaking his hip badly and causing him to be taken to Las Vegas for emergency surgery. And in a completely crazy twist of fate, Malcolm and wife Joyce’s son Alexander was injured badly a couple of days later during an organized ride in Baja, Mexico. “While searching for a lost member of the group,” Malcolm remembers, “Alexander hit a cow head-on at high speed, badly breaking his femur, arm and hand, all of which required multiple surgeries to fix. What’s crazy is that we both ended up at the same rehabilitation center, and in rooms right next to one another!”
If all that wasn’t enough, Malcolm had a run-in – literally – with a golf cart back in early 2019 during a charity golf outing in Death Valley, Calif.
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COVID has only added to the angst. Many of Malcolm’s immediate family got the virus, and while all have recovered nicely, keeping him from getting sick has been a full-time and anxiety-filled job. “Like a lot of folks,” says Joyce, “we’ve been pretty much totally shutin here, all while trying to protect him. He just got his first vaccine shot, but it’s been a huge thing over the last year or so shielding him. We’ve all been paranoid; no one wants to be the person that got him sick, you know? It would be funny if it weren’t so serious! Christmas was especially tough for us, as COVID was rampaging here in Southern California.” Still, there are plenty of positive things happening in Malcolm Smith’s world these days despite all the health- and COVID-inspired craziness. Two that are near and dear to his heart are right outside the door of his Riverside home, in fact. One is his garage/workshop, where he and son Alexander (and others in the extended Smith clan) have motorcycles, buggies, tools and workbenches galore. It’s also where he and Amelie do their thing.
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COVID has only added to the angst. Many of Malcolm’s immediate family got the virus, and while all have recovered nicely, keeping him from getting sick has been a full-time and anxiety-filled job. The other is his old Range Rover ‘collection,’ which might also be called a Range Rover ‘boneyard’ to some in the family, Joyce included. There are four or five early-’90s Rovers out there, all in various states of disrepair. Malcolm keeps collecting them and says he wants to build one or two good ones out of the carcasses spread out among the trees, but the claim seems to generate more good-natured eye rolls than nods of agreement among family. “I have soft spot for old Range Rovers,” Malcolm told me recently, “mostly because I raced one in the Dakar Rally in ’88, and got a brandnew production one for Joyce as payment for my driving during the Rally, where we finished fourth. Joyce drove it for a few years, then gave it to our daughter Ashley during college. It still runs, and we keep it at our home in Colorado. Anyway, I bought three long-wheelbase models a few years ago, and then a few more non-runners as parts vehicles. Joyce doesn’t like the Range Rover wrecking yard in the orange grove, so I am trying to get one running and sell the rest.” Joyce is less sanguine about it all. “They’re all full of rat poop,” she says of the old Rovers with a laugh. “I keep telling Malcolm, ‘let’s just sell them and get on the list for one of those new Ford Broncos’ – but he’s a little stubborn!”
Joe Bonello
Left: Malcolm and wife Joyce (who’s an experienced pilot), hanging out. Bottom right: Malcolm with the AMA’s Rob Dingman and Mert Lawwill at The Quail in 2019.
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Books and movies are other high points. Malcolm’s acclaimed autobiography, titled Malcolm! The Autobiography, which he and I arranged, co-wrote and published back in 2015, continues to sell well. It’s 400 pages, 450 images and more than 100,000 words covering Malcolm’s entire life. Also, Bruce Brown’s epic moto-documentary On Any Sunday, which Malcolm starred in alongside Mert Lawwill and Steve McQueen, and which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year, is more popular than ever. “We sell the heck out of those DVDs at our store,” Malcolm says of what’s arguably our sport’s finest cinematic effort. You can get both at malcolmsmith.com. Sales, service, parts and accessories are doing brisk business at the family’s Riverside, Calif., motorcycle store, too, especially with COVID pushing Americans to rediscover the joys of powersports, camping and the great outdoors. The current Malcolm Smith Motorsports location is a mammoth establishment designed and built in the early 2000s and first opening for business in 2006, complete with a Malcolm Smith museum of sorts spread out along the upper deck. Malcolm and Joyce ran things for a handful of years, but began handing off the management reins to son Alexander and daughter Ashley six or seven years ago, and the two are fully in charge nowadays. “Things are really hopping at the store,” Malcolm told me, “but supply is an issue. We can’t get enough product, and many bikes and UTVs are sold before they even arrive at the store. The COVID thing really took manufacturers by surprise.”
Right: Modern side-by-sides have been a blessing for Malcolm and allow him to continue exploring. The Malcolm Smith Motorsports showroom from the upper balcony.
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“Things have definitely changed out there,” echoes Joyce. “Now it’s not so much about going to Disneyland or to the movies, but in many cases enjoying the outdoors with family and friends in RVs or toy haulers on motorcycles or UTVs. COVID has slowed everyone down. Folks have stopped hurrying quite so much, and seem to be taking a fresh look at what’s important.” Spend any time with Malcolm or Joyce and you get the feeling pretty quickly that what’s important is family and family time. Despite all the hunkering down COVID has encouraged, the Smith family still does a lot together, at home in Riverside but also at their second home in Colorado and at their small beach house on the Baja Peninsula, where watersports, relaxing and SeaDoo exploring seem to rule just about every day. Up until a couple of years ago, Malcolm was still riding a modified KTM cross-country bike, though the Parkinson’s has now limited him to watercraft and UTVs.
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“Joyce has been my life partner in every sense of the word,” Malcolm says. “She’s been an amazing wife, businesswoman, decision-maker, friend and mother for nearly four decades, and I shiver to think where I’d be without her.” “The Parkinson’s didn’t hit me too severely until about two years ago,” Malcolm told me. “It affected my balance so much that I had to stop riding my off-road motorcycle. My left knee is basically bone-on-bone, my lower back is a mess, and the golf cart incident didn’t help, either. I switched to a side-by-side to get my thrills and be able to get into the back country and explore. Baja has lots of primitive trails and roads, and today’s side-bysides work surprisingly well off road.” And as a Baja winner on two and four wheels, Malcolm Smith knows a little about that. “He’s been slowing down every year,” says Joyce, “this past year more than usual. But what’s been a godsend for him and for us are these modern UTVs, and we’re all so grateful to the industry for having introduced them during these last several years. He can’t do motorcycles anymore, but on these side-by-sides he’s having a really good time, and doing a lot of exploring, which he loves, especially in Baja. And he doesn’t have to jump into them from a hole in the roof, as he did on those Baja buggies he raced! [Laughs] He can still ride an ATV, but without these wonderful UTVs he wouldn’t be able to do much, and that would be pretty bad for someone like Malcolm.”
The Smith clan at their Colorado retreat. Below: Malcolm in Baja, with UTV (left) and with Joyce.
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“I have some regrets, for sure. But I’m an optimist at heart, and as I look around at my family, my friends and my life, I’m shocked at how fortunate I’ve been.”
And then there’s the latest round of grandkids, two from daughter Ashley and husband Ryan (Amelie, 2, and sister Adeline, 4) and a newborn girl named Miley from son Alexander and his wife Lauren. (Malcolm’s older son Joel and wife Carrie have two kids of their own, Ethan and Evie.) “The grandkids have been a blessing for Malcolm,” says Joyce, “and especially two-year-old Amelie. She’s adopted him, and is very much a tomboy. She spends hours with him in the garage, climbing up on her stool, taking stuff apart, turning screws and handling tools while he does his thing. She even goes in there when he’s not around. It’s so satisfying for Malcolm, and so good for him mentally.” Just as he did 50 years ago in On Any Sunday, Malcolm Smith – American motorcycling’s favorite son – is still inspiring people, still making them happy, even at 80 years of age. You go, Poppy.
Joe Bonello
“At times it’s a little difficult to accept how things have changed for me,” Malcolm told me. “Leaving the business world, a culture I existed in and enjoyed for so many years, hasn’t been easy. Not being able to ride motorcycles has been very difficult, though the UTVs are a wonderful alternative. I have some regrets, for sure. But I’m an optimist at heart, and as I look around at my family, my friends and my life, I’m shocked at how fortunate I’ve been.”
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HALL OF FAME
Malcolm, In Color The famous Ed Horne image of Malcolm Smith flying across a dry lake (“probably Lake Chapala, but I’m not sure,” according to Malcolm) as painted by noted motorsports artist Tom Fritz. “Troy Lee called me,” Fritz told us, “asked if I’d do it, I said yes, he sent me the image, and the rest is history. Malcolm was incredibly helpful with the details I couldn’t see and also with colors, as the photo is black and white.” “My Dad took me to see On Any Sunday when it came out and I was about 12. Malcolm’s been a hero ever since, so doing this painting was an amazing experience for me.” Prints of the original (which Troy Lee graciously gave to the Smith family) are available at Fritzart.com.
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Illustration by Tom Fritz
MAKE IT YOURS The AMA offers a variety of card types and designs for members. In addition to our standard card, we offer a number of themed cards that identify you as belonging to a specific group or speak to your passion as a motorcyclist. Call (800) AMA-JOIN (2625646) to request an affinity card at any time, at no additional cost.
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DEALS AND DISCOUNTS
Watch this space for updates about your valuable benefits as an AMA member.
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Milwaukee’s Big Move After an extended tease, Harley-Davidson releases the goods on its Pan America 1250 adventure bike By Mitch Boehm
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Photos courtesy of Harley-Davidson
n late February, Harley-Davidson finally and officially announced details of its muchanticipated Pan America 1250 adventure tourer to the world. Available in both Standard and Special versions (the latter featuring a host of exclusive features including semi-active front and rear suspension), the clean-sheet Pan Am will compete in an already crowded category that includes such notable machines as BMW’s R1250GS, Honda’s Africa Twin, KTM’s 1290 Adventure and several other high-function adventure bikes.
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The Pan Am is significant for a number of reasons, most notably the fact that it’s arguably the first non-cruiser-category motorcycle to come from Milwaukee in decades – Buells, LiveWires and VR1000 homologation specials notwithstanding. So this is totally new territory for Harley-Davidson…although if you’re historically oriented you realize it’s really not, as all motorcycles produced from the beginning of the 20th century through WWII were very much offroad, adventure-style motorcycles by nature and by need. And of course Harley-Davidson was a dominant player there from the very beginning. So, characterizing the Pan America 1250 as a ‘return to Harley-Davidson’s roots’ makes a lot of sense, and it’s a theme you’re going to hear a lot during the next few months as the bikes debut in the flesh to media, dealers and customers.
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Powering the Pan Am party is Milwaukee’s all-new Revolution Max 1250 engine, a liquid-cooled, 60-degree, DOHC V-twin with four-valve heads, fuel injection, variable valve timing and a claimed 150 crankshaft horsepower. This totally new engine – which will be used in other, non-adventure motorcycles in the coming years – is a stressed member of the chassis, with engineers and designers stressing that the Pan Am was designed from the engine out – meaning they weren’t hamstrung by any previous engine designs in the company’s portfolio and, most importantly, were free to develop whichever design meshed best with their adventure-tourer concept. Instead of a traditional frame the Pan America uses three separate frame units, front, mid and tail, along with an alloy swingarm, all of which bolt directly to the engine. Harley says the design saves
weight and claims a wet weight of 534 pounds. Other features include Brembo triple discs with radial calipers up front, Showa suspension front and rear, a 6.8inch touchscreen display, ABS, linked brakes and traction control, selectable ride modes and much more. The Special model adds active suspension, tirepressure monitoring, a centerstand, heated grips, optional Adaptive Ride Height technology and other top-shelf accoutrements. Harley-Davidson will also offer a complete line of accessories for the Pan Am, including three different luggage systems and a full line of technical riding gear for men and women designed in collaboration with high-end Euro apparel specialist REV’IT! Like Honda and its late-to-the-party Africa Twin, Harley-Davidson is entering a crowded category that’s stacked with
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super-capable motorcycles. But the company has clearly done its homework here, and from what folks who’ve ridden the bike are saying, the Pan Am’s functionality puts it right in the thick of the fight, and in some areas it’s got a bit of an edge. And given the competition in this category, that’s saying a lot. Pricing, which ranges from $17,400 (std. model) to $19,999 (Special), is right in line with the competition. In its video rollout to the world in late February, Harley-Davidson said something like this about adventure motorcycling: This is our game. We’ve always played here. It’s how our founders used motorcycles. It’s part of us. It’s in our DNA. All true, and all signs point to the Pan America punching up in the category. Bikes will be arriving in dealers shortly, so we shall know how the Pan Am stacks up very soon.
“This is our game. We’ve always played here. It’s how our founders used motorcycles. It’s part of us. It’s in our DNA.”
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Striding To Riding Strider Bikes…helping build future motorcyclists, today By Joy Burgess
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hen I took the leap and learned how to ride a motorcycle, I remember being told, “If you know how to ride a bicycle and can balance, you’ll have no problem.” Luckily, I’d learned to ride a bike really young, so the transition to a motorized two-wheeler was pretty seamless. But what happens when kids or adults don’t know how or are unable to experience bicycling? Biking is an excellent pathway to riding motorcycles, especially among youth, but it’s been on the decline. Sports & Fitness Industry Association data from 2018 shows that only 16 percent of kids between the ages of 6 and 12 cycle regularly, a drastic decrease compared to numbers in the ’70s and ’80s. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has fueled bicycle sales in a way not seen in several decades, but this downward trend over the last few decades is a scary one for the motorcycle industry.
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Strider Bikes
Joy Burgess
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ride,” said McFarland, “and many times these were older kids, and we found out some had some special needs that kept them from learning or made them afraid to try. So we worked on designing a special bike for them.” “We started with a 16-inch wheel,” continued Strider Bikes Marketing Manager Susie Marcks, “and we saw that suddenly instead of just going up to five years old teaching kids to ride, we could go up to kids that were 10 years old and they could learn to ride. But there were teenagers and there were adults that still didn’t have the opportunity; they were past the point of having the Strider when they were little to start out on … We really truly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to ride. So that’s when we developed the 20-inch bike for adults.” By 2018, over 2 million Strider bikes had been sold, very likely positioning some (and maybe more) to become motorcyclists down the road. Meanwhile, I was struggling to teach my son how to ride a bicycle. While I’m not Ty’s birth mother – I didn’t come into his life
Joy Burgess
Back when I learned to ride a bicycle in the mid-1980s, all the neighborhood kids rode bikes. You could find the action by looking for the yard with most bikes tossed carelessly on the grass. We’d ride for hours in the summer until our moms shouted us home for dinner. But today, far too many kids spend hours gaming, watching TV or scrolling social media. Many have never swung a leg over a bicycle, which makes it difficult indeed for OEs with floundering sales numbers to attract a new generation of younger riders. Still, there are Sting-Ray- and Huffytinged rays of hope on the horizon. But let’s rewind a bit, first. Balance is one of the fundamental skills needed to ride a bicycle (and, later, a motorcycle), and Ryan McFarland, the founder of Strider Bikes, found himself obsessed with finding a way to help his two-year-old son develop balance so they could share a love of riding together. After examining a myriad of learn-to-ride vehicles, from tricycles to ride-on toys to training-wheelequipped motorcycles, McFarland knew he had to build something better. In 2007, McFarland built the very first 12-inch Strider Bike for his son Bode in his garage, not knowing his creation would change the path to riding for kids across
Strider Bikes
The author in the ‘80s aboard her first, bananaseat bicycle.
the country…and the world. “One day,” he says, “I bought the smallest, cheapest, lightest bike I could find and started modifying from there,” all of which led to the creation of the very first customwelded, custom-painted balance bike. “When [my son] started riding that prototype bike,” McFarland remembers, “everything changed. He was mobile, and we were trying to keep up with him. It was dramatic how our life changed…” But McFarland quickly realized that it wasn’t just his son that could benefit; kids across the world could experience the freedom and joy of two wheels. As Strider began selling these so-called balance bikes, its next step was to create community, and it did so by creating Strider Events where kids could come together to show off their skills and share the excitement of riding together to grow their appetite for riding. Events grew quickly, and the very first Strider World Championship was held in 2007 in Sarasota, Fla. “We were getting calls early on from parents desperate to get their kids to
Left: Ryan McFarland, founder of Strider Bikes. Right: The author’s son, Ty, who finally got the chance to take off on two wheels with a Strider.
until he was 12 years old – he’s the son of my heart. Ty was born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect that required eight hours of openheart surgery at the age of two. He also has pituitary dwarfism and was later diagnosed with autism. Like many children with Down syndrome, Ty struggled with balance and motor skill development, and there were no Strider Bikes when he was small to help him learn to ride. After I came into his life and fell in love with two wheels myself, he wanted to learn to ride so badly...and I tried so hard to teach him. I tried on a regular bike with pedals and training wheels, and it was a disaster. Larger trikes seemed out of reach price-wise for me as a single mom. All I wanted was for my son to enjoy the magic of movement on two wheels, and no matter how hard we tried we only met frustration.
Strider Bikes
The children of spectators and racers alike get in on the Strider Bikes racing action during intermission at the American Flat Track races.
By 2018, over 2 million Strider bikes had been sold, very likely positioning some (and maybe more) to become motorcyclists down the road. And then I heard about Strider Bikes. Ryan McFarland gave a presentation at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame in 2019, and my boss and colleagues happened to be there. In his presentation he’d spoken about another young man with Down syndrome who learned to ride bicycles and later dirt bikes by starting with a Strider. There was hope! After contacting and chatting with McFarland about my son’s situation, Strider graciously sent me a 16-inch Strider early in 2020, and with the aid of their helpful instruction videos, I built the bike and got it ready for Ty to try out.
He donned his motorcycle helmet – he’s always got one handy – and we were ready to ride. Ty learns best visually, so I gave him a demonstration on the bike myself, and then he threw a leg over it for the very first time. Both scared and excited, I wondered, ‘Could this finally be the solution, or would it end in frustration for both of us?’ In just minutes he took off on the bike, a bit shaky, getting used to learning to balance the bike while creating forward motion with his legs. And he was grinning and I was crying because, finally, my kid
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Strider Bikes
was mobile. And as he sped up a bit going down a hill with giggles erupting along the way, I felt like my heart would explode in that moment, finally sharing that joy of two wheels with my son who’d wanted to learn for so long. Incredibly, our Strider story is only one of millions, as the company continues to see explosive growth, pushing forward with the goal to get more kids on bikes. The Strider Education Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, works to distribute Learn-To-Ride Programs to schools and organizations committed to teaching kids, individuals with special needs and the elderly how to ride. The Strider Education Foundation launched All Kids Bike in 2018, which includes a Kindergarten PE Program that equips schools with everything teachers need to teach their students how to ride bikes. They provide training and certification for teachers, a curriculum, a fleet of Strider balance bikes, helmets and even a five-year support program. Their goal is for every child in America to have the chance to enjoy the physical and mental benefits – as well as mobility and freedom – of riding a bike. “We know that All Kids Bike is gonna be something that kids will take in different directions,” said Al Rieman, President of the Strider Education Foundation and President of Black Hills Harley-Davidson, “and we hope they get excited about two wheels, and we hope that someday they come and see us to help them down that path. They learn so quickly with the Strider experience… it makes it almost seamless as [kids] step into the motorized world in a way that I was quite surprised by, but very encouraged by at the same time.” Back in 2016, Strider Bikes – an AMA Business Member – also partnered with the AMA for the Go Ride with the Next Generation Week, a week that celebrates what it means to pass the
love of riding motorcycles to the newer, younger generation. “The first part of our mission statement at Strider is, ‘We love riding bikes, and we love inspiring kids to ride,’” said Strider’s McFarland, who’s excited about working with the AMA. “Getting kids onto two wheels with a Strider bike is the first step in a journey to becoming a motorcyclist. Amazingly, kids that start on Striders at two years old can be riding a 50cc mini without training wheels by the age of four. More riders mean more members, which means more moto goodness!” “Building a solid foundation of young riders and enthusiasts has always been a key goal of the AMA,” says American Motorcyclist Association President and CEO Rob Dingman, “and the Strider folks are contributing to this effort in a
significant way with their excellent bikes and programs. Spreading the excitement of two wheels to America’s youth can only help keep motorcycling healthy in the long term.” Today’s kids, of course, are the future of motorcycling, just as many of us were back in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Fortunately, Strider Bikes offers not only the vehicles that make it easy for kids to learn, but they’re also supporting programs such as All Kids Bike, which will help seed things from the bottom up, helping produce not only more riders, but better riders for the future. Striding to riding. It’s one piece of the puzzle, and an important one, as we work to preserve and grow motorcycling for future generations. More moto goodness, indeed!
Strider Bikes
The entire crew of amazing, big-hearted people behind Strider Bikes at Strider Sports International headquarters in Rapid City, S.D.
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Ice Queen Kaley Johnson wins big at the 2021 High Voltage AMA Ice Race Grand Championship, where nearly 240 racers banged bars on ice and raised money for cancer research By Joy Burgess with Kaley Johnson 46
AmericanMotorcyclist.com
Jen Muecke
“K
aley Johnson,” mused AMA Grand Championship race promoter Ron Brefka, “wow! That girl surprised everyone at the 2021 High Voltage AMA Ice Race Grand Championship. She was so fast! She won the Women's class, and when they finished up she went over to beat the boys, too.” On Miller’s Bay in Oshkosh, Wis. – the site of the longest running ice races in the state – the high temperature on Feb. 6, 2021, was just 8 degrees Fahrenheit, but that didn’t
Jen Muecke
Kaley Johnson (67J) won the Women’s class (right) and then raced against the boys in the 450, Open and Kold Kutter classes.
stop nearly 240 racers and plenty of fans from turning out for the AMA Ice Race Grand Championship. “Not one racer mentioned the cold,” Brefka told us, and for Kaley, dealing with the cold is just part of riding on the ice. “Every year we seem to battle the cold,” Kaley said. “I remember going to ice nationals back in 2015 in Edgerton, Wis., and starting the day out getting frostbite on my cheeks after the first practice. My parents worried I wouldn’t make it through the day, but I ended up earning three national championships and
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Ron Brefka
claiming the Ice Racer Of The Year award that day. So, from experience I’ve learned how to fight the cold while racing with improved equipment to keep me warm. I have heated handlebars, so cold hands weren’t a worry. Although aside from the cold temperatures, snow dust was a huge battle all day. I used heated goggles to be sure my goggles didn’t fog up with all the dust.” Snow dust wasn’t the only obstacle she faced. “I started the day rough,” Kaley said. “Just before my first heat race, my bike wouldn’t stay running due to a wonky kill switch. My older brother Kyle raced in the first heat race of the 450 class [which he went on to win later that day – Ed.], then came back to the trailer and swapped out my kill switch just in time for me to make it out for the fifth heat race of the 450 class.”
“Aside from the cold temperatures, snow dust was a huge battle all day. I used heated goggles to be sure my goggles didn’t fog up with all the dust.” — K.J.
Close to 240 racers lined up to go racing at the 2021 High Voltage AMA Ice Race Grand Championship.
“It was a busy day for both of us,” she continued, “with my brother racing in three classes and me racing in four. But he still managed to provide me with the best bike setup for the track conditions by changing my gearing, swapping tires and adjusting my suspension. He’s always looking out for his little sister, even when I’m also his competition.” “The highlight of the day was battling with him in the last chance qualifier of the Kold Kutter class after he crashed in his heat race while leading,” she added. “We
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“Racing is a family thing for us, and I can say that I am the rider I am today due to the many, many hours my brother spent riding with me and critiquing me to be faster.” — K.J. 50
AmericanMotorcyclist.com
Ron Brefka
Jen Muecke
Jen Muecke
Little Levi Leddy took the checkered flag for a spin around the ice after winning both the PW50 and 50cc Open classes.
Kaley Johnson (67J) mixing it up with the boys.
Gordon Halsey (4) finally won in the Senior class after chasing a championship win for 15 years.
finished first and second to both transfer to the main. Racing is a family thing for us, and I can say that I am the rider I am today due to the many, many hours my brother spent riding with me and critiquing me to be faster.” In the Women's class, Kaley found herself battling with last year’s class winner Andrea Walsdorf, as well as Megan Funk, Hannah Lange, Julie
Hanson and a handful of other female racers. Kaley won the class back in 2018 and was stoked to win again in 2021. “It was exciting to get the win again,” she said, “and so good to see the number of women riders participating this year!” Along with racing in the Women’s class, Kaley raced in the 450, Open and Kold Kutter classes, managing to earn a spot in all of those 12-rider Main events.
“In all those classes,” she told us, “I had my work cut out for me, lining up on the back row in all three, but I managed to pull off sixth-place finishes in the 450 and Open classes, and an eighth in Kold Kutter. Back home in Michigan, all of the boys are used to me ‘beating up on them,’ but it is always interesting when I line up with new competition to see how shocked they all are to see me battling with them.”
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Jen Muecke Jen Muecke
AMA race promoter Ron Brefka raced in the High Voltage Hooligan class aboard his Shovelhead to “show people that there’s life after cancer.” Below: David Kilkenny’s S&S 883 Sportster that got him to a win in the High Voltage Hooligan class.
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Kayley wasn’t the only one to deal with adversity before pulling off a win out on the ice. Dave Kilkenny competed in the High Voltage Hooligan division, a class that ran for the first time in the AMA Ice Race Grand Championship in 2020, and right before the main event had a flat tire. A bit of frantic work on the bike and he fixed the flat just in time to race…and won! “There’s nothing my S&S Cycle Sportster can’t do,” Kilkenny told us about his win, “and Ron and the AMA ran a flawless program in challenging conditions.” Persistence paid off for Gordey Halsey, too, who’d been chasing a championship win for years. “After trying for 15 years,” promoter Brefka told us, “Gordey finally won his first National Championship on his Honda ice racer in the Senior Class. He told me he screamed in his helmet as he crossed the finish line.” Handling the many race promoter duties didn’t stop Brefka from getting out on the ice aboard his Shovelhead in the High Voltage Hooligan class. “I
wanted to show people that there’s life after cancer,” Brefka said. “When you’re a cancer survivor, you can still get out and enjoy life and ride…live your dream!” As a cancer survivor, supporting cancer research is a cause close to Brefka’s heart. “We took an Indian FTR Jr., added AMA and High Voltage logos to the front plate, and raffled it off with proceeds going to cancer research.” All proceeds from the races went to the WeCare Fund, benefitting world-class cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin. At the end of that chilly day on the ice, Brefka’s heart was bursting. “I’d like to say a special ‘thank you’ to all the racers, spectators, track officials, sponsors and volunteers that made this happen,” he said. And Brefka’s not done racing for a cause. This summer, the High Voltage Half-Mile races debut on June 6, 2021, at the historic Elkhorn, Wis., half-mile cushion track during the Rustic Road Rally to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Visit Highvoltage414.com to find out how you can get involved.
2021 AMA ICE RACE GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS (BY CLASS) HIGH VOLTAGE HOOLIGAN David Kilkenny VETERANS Kyle Meiers OPEN AMATEUR Brady Bargeron
450CC AMATEUR Kyle Johnson SENIOR Gordon Halsey VINTAGE
65CC Blake Bradish 85CC Blake Bradish RUBBER SOLO OPEN Dustin Cook
Joe Stoppleworth
WOMEN Kaley Johnson
50CC OPEN
250CC AMATEUR Avery Dix
PW50
Levi Leddy
Levi Leddy
RUBBER SIDECAR DRIVER Kevin Lambert Sr. RUBBER SIDECAR PASSENGER Kevin Lambert Jr.
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COMING EVENTS ARIZONA OBSERVED TRIALS April 25 Kingman Central Arizona Trials Inc (602) 370-7546 centralarizonatrials.org
CALIFORNIA MOTOCROSS April 3 Porterville 2X Promotions LLC (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com April 4 Porterville 2X Promotions LLC (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com April 11 Porterville 2X Promotions LLC (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com HARE SCRAMBLES/ CROSS COUNTRY April 3-4 Orland Richmond Ramblers MC (510) 761-6115 rrmc.cc GRAND PRIX April 10-11 29 Palms Hilltoppers MC, Inc amadistrict37.org FAMILY ENDURO April 10 North Bay Motorcycle Club (707) 529-8719 northbaymc.org
IOWA MOTOCROSS April 17-18 Garwin Oak Ridge MX (641) 844-4849 oakridgemx.com
ILLINOIS MOTOCROSS April 3-4 Casey Lincoln Trail Motosports (217) 932-2041 lincolntrailmotosports.com April 10-11 Washington Park Archview MX Park, LLC (618) 719-3438 archviewmxpark.com
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INDIANA MOTOCROSS April 24-25 Crawfordsville MX Sports, Inc. (304) 284-0084 mxsports.com
MICHIGAN MOTOCROSS April 10 Millington Bulldog Riders MC, Inc. (810) 241-7740 April 11 Millington Bulldog Riders MC, Inc. (810) 241-7740 HARE SCRAMBLES/CROSS COUNTRY April 25 Portland Portland Trail Riders portlandtrailriders.com
MINNESOTA MOTOCROSS April 11 Cambridge BCMX Adventure Park (612) 280-8939 bcmxadventurepark.com April 25 Cambridge BCMX Adventure Park (612) 280-8939 bcmxadventurepark.com April 25 Brook Park Berm Benders Raceway (320) 980-2680 bermbendersraceway.com ROAD RIDE/RUN April 17 Lake St Croix Beach North Star Riders (763) 525-7756 flood-run.org
MISSOURI HARE SCRAMBLES/ CROSS COUNTRY April 25 Bixby Midwest Trail Riders Association (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com
NEW JERSEY MOTOCROSS April 11 Englishtown Raceway Park (732) 446-7800 etownraceway.com
April 24-25 Englishtown Raceway Park (732) 446-7800 etownraceway.com
NEW MEXICO ROAD RACE April 11 Deming Arroyo Seco Motorcyclist Association (575) 494-4794 asmaracing.com
NEVADA TRAIL RIDE April 16-18 Caliente Harden Offroad (951) 491-1819 haden-offroad.com
NEW YORK MOTOCROSS April 18 Wallkill Walden MX mxwalden.com
OKLAHOMA MOTOCROSS April 21-25 Ponca City MPG Creative Group LLC (816) 582-4113 poncamx.com
OREGON ENDURO April 10-11 La Pine Great Escape MC (503) 476-4584 omraoffroad.com
PENNSYLVANIA ROAD RIDE/RUN April 3 Oley Reading Motorcycle Club, Inc (610) 987-6422 FLAT TRACK - SHORT TRACK April 3 Shoemakersville Shippensburg MC (717) 796-0294 baermotorsports.com April 24 Delta Mason Dixon Fair M/C (443) 553-0897 April 24 Birdsboro Pagoda Motorcycle Club (610) 582-3717 pagodamc.org
FLAT TRACK - HALF-MILE April 17 Gratz Shippensburg MC baermotorsports.com April 18 Gratz Shippensburg MC (717) 796-0294 baermotorsports.com MOTOCROSS April 10-11 Shippensburg Doublin Gap Motocross, Inc (717) 249-6036 doublingap.com April 18 Seward Pleasure Valley Raceway (814) 317-6686 pvrmx.com OBSERVED TRIALS April 11 Elizabethtown Candytown Motorcycle Club (717) 919-4458 candytownmc.org April 18 Valley View Rausch Creek Powersports (570) 682-1075 rauschcreekracing.com
SOUTH CAROLINA MOTOCROSS April 3 Hamer Victory Sports Inc (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com SPRINT ENDURO April 10-11 Society Hill Trail Pros (301) 751-0006 ussprintenduro.com
TENNESSEE ADVENTURE RIDE April 17-18 Bybee Appalachian Trail Riders (865) 322-0193 carolinadualsporters.com April 17 Belvidere Let’s Take a Ride (615) 335-7644 letstakearide.com
TEXAS EXTREME OFF-ROAD April 10-11 Bridgeport MotoKolors LLC (940) 224-5388 revlimiterextreme.com
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations. Road Ride/Run April 17 Waxahachie Gryphons MC Inc. (215) 900-6094
VIRGINIA MOTOCROSS April 3-4 Disputana Middle Atlantic Motocross Association, Inc (919) 259-4890 April 17-18 Wytheville Victory Sports Inc (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com
Round 15: April 17 Atlanta Atlanta Motor Speedway (770) 946-4211 atlantamotorspeedway.com Round 16: April 24 Salt Lake City Rice-Eccles Stadium (801) 581-5445 stadium.utah.edu Round 17: May 1 Salt Lake City Rice-Eccles Stadium (801) 581-5445 stadium.utah.edu
MOTOCROSS 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
WISCONSIN MOTOCROSS April 11 Lake Mills Aztalan Cycle Club Inc (414) 265-1582 aztalanmx.com April 25 Nekoosa Rapid Angels Motorcycle Club Inc (715) 325-8014 GRAND PRIX April 24 Nekoosa Rapid Angels Motorcycle Club Inc (715) 325-8014
WEST VIRGINIA MOTOCROSS April 17-18 Hedgesville Middle Atlantic Motocross Association, Inc (304) 582-8185 tomahawkmx.com April 24 Hedgesville Tomahawk MX, LLC (304) 582-8185 tomahawkmx.com
SUPERCROSS 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
Monster Energy AMA Supercross, An FIM World Championship amasupercross.com
National Championship
AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series atvmotocross.com
Round 2: April 10-11 Conroe, Texas Three Palms Action Sports Park Round 3: May 15-16 Mount Morris, Pa. High Point Raceway Round 4: May 29-30 Washington, Ga. Aonia Pass MX Round 5: June 19-20 Walnut, Ill. Sunset Ridge MX Round 6: July 3-4 Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway Round 7: July 17-18 New Berlin, N.Y. Unadilla MX Round 8: July 31-Aug. 1 Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX Round 9: Aug. 14-15 Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn Ranch Round 10: Sept. 4-5 Nashport, Ohio Briarcliff MX 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
Round 13: April 10 Atlanta Atlanta Motor Speedway (770) 946-4211 atlantamotorspeedway.com
AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
Round 14: April 13 Atlanta Atlanta Motor Speedway (770) 946-4211 atlantamotorspeedway.com
NORTHEAST AREA QUALIFIERS April 10-11 Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX
mxsports.com
April 17-18 Southwick, Mass. The Wick 338 April 24-25 Englishtown, N.J. Englishtown May 1-2 Wallkill, N.Y. Walden Motocross May 8-9 Mount Morris, Pa. High Point Raceway May 22-23 Birdsboro, Pa. Pagoda MX NORTHEAST REGIONALS Vet: June 5-6 Hedgesville, W.Va. Tomahawk MX Youth: June 12-13 Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway Amateur: June 19-20 New Berlin, N.Y. Unadilla MX SOUTHEAST AREA QUALIFIERS April 10-11 Pell City, Ala. MillCreek MX April 17-18 Wytheville, Va. Pro Sport Motocross April 24-25 Henderson, N.C. North Carolina Motorsports Park May 1-2 Hamer, S.C. South of the Border MX May 8-9 Reynolds, Ga. Silver Dollar Raceway May 15-16 Axton, Va. Lake Sugar Tree Motorsports Park SOUTHEAST REGIONALS Amateur: May 29-30 Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Youth: June 5-6 Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park Vet: June 12-13 Dalton, Ga. Lazy River MX
MID-EAST AREA QUALIFIERS April 10-11 Waynesburg, Ohio Malvern MX April 17-18 Bloomingdale, Mich. Dutch Sport Park April 24-25 Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway May 1-2 Bronson, Mich. Log Road MX May 8-9 Millington, Mich. Baja Acres May 15-16 Chillicothe, Ohio ChilliTown MX MID-EAST REGIONALS Vet: May 29-30 Rossville, Ind. Wildcat Creek MX Amateur: June 12-13 Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX Youth: June 26-27 Nashport, Ohio Briarcliff MX NORTH CENTRAL AREA QUALIFIERS April 10-11 Washington Park, Ill. Archview MX Park April 17-18 Garwin, Iowa Oak Ridge MX April 24-25 Mount Carroll, Ill. MC Moto Park May 1-2 Tigerton, Wis. Motozone May 8-9 Maize, Kan. Bar 2 Bar MX May 15-16 Little Falls, Minn. Little Falls Raceway May 22-23 Byron, Ill. Byron Motosports Park NORTH CENTRAL REGIONALS Youth: June 5-6 Walnut, Ill. Sunset Ridge MX April 2021
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COMING EVENTS Vet: June 5-6 Winterset, Iowa Riverside Raceway Amateur: June 19-20 Millville, Minn. Spring Creek SOUTH CENTRAL AREA QUALIFIERS April 3-4 Conroe, Texas Three Palms Action Sports Park April 17-18 Amarillo, Texas Bowers MX April 17-18 Grand Cane, La. Desoto Motorsports Park April 24-25 Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City
April 17-18 Delta, Utah Bunker Hill MIDWEST REGIONAL Youth/Amateur/Vet: June 12-13 Porterville, Calif. Porterville OHV Park SOUTHWEST AREA QUALIFIERS April 4 Porterville, Calif. Porterville OHV Park May 8 Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway
May 1-2 Kemp, Texas Underground MX
May 22-23 Moriarty, N.M. Sandia MX at Moriarty
May 8-9 Tyler, Texas Swan MX Raceway Park
SOUTHWEST REGIONAL Youth/Amateur/Vet: June 5-6 Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway
May 15-16 Wellston, Okla. Reynard Raceway SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONALS Amateur: May 29-30 Centreville, Miss. Farm 14 Vet: June 12-13 Tyler, Texas Swan MX Raceway Park Youth: June 19-20 Wortham, Texas Freestone Raceway
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Aug. 2-7 Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn’s Ranch
MAJOR EVENTS: Mammoth Motocross June 19-28 Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Mammoth Mountain (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com
FEATURED EVENTS
NORTHWEST AREA QUALIFIERS April 10-11 West Richland, Wash. Horn Rapids Motorsports Complex
Justin Brayton Shootout May 15-16 Winterset, Iowa Riverside Raceway (515) 360-9738 riversideraceway.net
April 17-18 Delta, Utah Bunker Hill
Racer X Maine Event Aug. 28-29 Lyman, Maine (781) 831-2207 mx207.com
May 15 Junction City, Ore. Eugene MX Park NORTHWEST REGIONAL Youth/Amateur/Vet: May 29-30 Washougal, Wash. Washougal MX Park
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MIDWEST AREA QUALIFIERS April 3 Porterville, Calif. Porterville OHV Park
AmericanMotorcyclist.com
Yamaha All-Star Pro-Am Sept. 12 Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park (717) 249-6036 doublingap.com
45th Annual Kawasaki Race of Champions Oct. 1-3 Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park (732) 446-7800 etownraceway.com Top Gun Showdown Oct. 10 Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Raceway (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com The Motoplayground Race Oct. 15-17 Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City MX (816) 582-4113 poncamx.com California Classic Oct. 28-31 Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com Cash for Class Scholarship Race Nov. 13-14 Cairo, Ga. GPF (810) 569-2606 gpfmx.com
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AMA Tennessee State Championship July 11 Muddy Creek Raceway Blountville, Tenn. (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com
AMA South Carolina State Championship Nov. 14 South of the Border MX Hamer, S.C. (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com
Walden MX Spring Pro-Am April 18 Wallkill, NY. Walden MX waldenmx.com MAMA Pro-Am at VMP May 8-9 Petersburg, Va. Virginia Motorsports Park (804) 862-3174 mamamx.com Justin Brayton Shootout May 15-16 Winterset, Iowa Riverside Raceway (515) 360-9738 riversideraceway.net Dylan Slusser Memorial Pro-Am May 23 Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway (814) 317-6686 pvrmx.com Henrietta Classic May 30 Manheim, Pa. Sleepy Hollow MX Park, Inc. (717) 278-8998 sleepymx.com Raceway Park MX Pro-Am May 30 Englishtown, N.J. Raceway MX Park (732) 446-7800 etownraceway.com District 2 NJ Championship Series June 6 Millville, N.J. NJMP Field of Dreams (856) 765-3799 njmpfod.com Aztalan MX Pro-Am June 13 Lake Mills, Wis. Aztalan MX (608) 215-1594 aztalanmx.com
Pro-Am Motocross
Mammoth Motocross June 19-28 Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Mammoth Mountain (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com
Sunoco Spring Shootout April 3-4 Casey, Ill. Lincoln Trail Motosports (217) 932-2041 lincolntrailmotosports.com
AMA Tennessee State Championship July 11 Muddy Creek Raceway Blountville, Tenn. (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations. Best of the Midwest Series Aug. 7-8 Garwin, Iowa Oak Ridge MX (641) 844-4849 oakridge.com
Top Gun Showdown Oct. 10 Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Raceway (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com
Battle of Wisconsin Aug. 21-22 Tigerton, Wis. Tigerton MX (920) 419-2863 fantasymoto.com
The Motoplayground Race Oct. 15-17 Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City MX (816) 582-4113 poncamx.com
Best of the Midwest Series Aug. 28-29 Garwin, Iowa Oak Ridge MX (641) 844-4849 oakridge.com
California Classic Oct. 28-31 Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com
Racer X Maine Event Aug. 28-29 Lyman, Maine MX 207 (781) 831-2207 mx207.com Hangtown Motocross Classic Sept. 9-10 Rancho Cordova, Calif. Prairie City OHV Park 1-800-Hangtown hangtownmx.com Yamaha Pro-Am Sept. 12 Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park (717) 249-6036 doublingap.com Travis Pastrana Pro-Am Challenge Sept. 25-26 Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway (814) 317-6686 pvrmx.com Fall Classic Rip and Grip Sept. 25-26 Snelling, Calif. Oatfield Raceway (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com 45th Annual Kawasaki Race of Champions Oct. 1-3 Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park (732) 446-7800 etownraceway.com Big Bucks Pro-Am Oct. 10 Birdsboro, Pa. Pagoda Motorcycle Club (610) 582-3717 pagodamc.org
TRACK RACING FIM Grand Prix World Championship motogp.com
TBD Austin, Texas Circuit of The Americas (512) 301-6600 circuitoftheamericas.com 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
Motoamerica AMA/FIM North America Road Racing Championship motoamerica.com
Round 1: April 30-May 2 Braselton, Ga. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (770) 967-6143 roadatlanta.com
Round 6: July 30-Aug. 1 Brainerd, Minn. Brainerd International Raceway (866) 444-4455 brainerdraceway.com
Round 9: June 27 Greenville, Ohio Darke County Fairgrounds (Half Mile) (850) 637-5838
Round 7: Aug. 13-15 Wampum, Pa. Pittsburgh International Race Complex (724) 535-1000 pittrace.com
Round 10: July 24 Ashland, Ohio Ashland County Fairgrounds (Half Mile) (270) 442-7532 stevenaceracing.com
Round 8: Sept. 10-12 Millville, N.J. New Jersey Motorsports Park (856) 327-8000 njmp.com
Round 11: Sept. 2 Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds MultiPurpose Arena (Short Track) (270) 442-7532 stevenaceracing.com
Round 9: Sept. 17-19 Birmingham, Ala. Barber Motorsports Park (877) 332-7804 barberracingevents.com Round 10: TBD Austin, Texas Circuit of The Americas (512) 301-6600 circuitoftheamericas.com 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series americanmotorcyclist.com Round 4: April 18 Gratz, Pa. Gratz Fair (Half Mile) (717) 796-0294 baermotorsports.com
Round 2: May 21-23 Alton, Va. Virginia International Raceway (434) 822-7700 virnow.com
Round 5: May 1 Hanover, Pa. Trail-Way Speedway (Short Track) (717) 359-4310 trail-wayspeedway.com
Round 3: June 11-13 Elkhart Lake, Wis. Road America (800) 365-7223 roadamerica.com
Round 6: June 18 Port Crane, N.Y. Square Deal Riders (Short Track) (607) 725-3069 squaredealriders.com
Round 4: June 25-27 Shelton, Wash. The Ridge Motorsports Park (360) 427-7223 ridgemotorsportspark.com
Round 7: June 19 Port Crane, N.Y. Square Deal Riders (Short Track) (607) 725-3069 squaredealriders.com
Round 5: July 9-11 Monterey, Calif. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (831) 242-8201 weathertechraceway.com
Round 8: June 25 Greenville, Ohio Darke County Fairgrounds (Half Mile) (850) 637-5838
Round 12: Sept. 18 Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track) (845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Round 13: Sept. 19 Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track) (845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Round 14: Sept. 24 Schenectady, N.Y. Electric City Raceway (Short Track) (518) 727-0311 facebook.com/echo.valleymx Round 15: Sept. 25 Schenectady, N.Y. Electric City Raceway (Short Track) (518) 727-0311 facebook.com/echo.valleymx
OFF-ROAD FIM Hard Enduro World Championship/AMA Extreme Off-Road Grand Championship Aug. 13-15 Sequatchie, Tenn. Trials Training Center (423) 942-8688 tennesseeknockoutenduro.com
FIM International Six Days Enduro fim-live.com
Aug. 30-Sept. 4 Rivanazzano Terme, Italy
April 2021
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COMING EVENTS AMA West ISDE Qualifier Series April 17-18 Campwood, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders, AMA AMRA May 22-23 Craig, Colo. Enduro Colorado, AMA RMEC
AMA East ISDE Qualifier Series April 10-11 Society Hill, SC. AMA Sprint Cross Country Series May 1-2 Battle Creek Mich. AMA Michigan Sprint Enduro May 28-29 Plantersville, Ala. Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club (Friday-Saturday event) 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
AMA Grand National Cross Country Championship gnccracing.com
Round 5: April 17-18 Union, S.C. Tiger Run Round 6: May 1-2 Crawfordsville, Ind. Hoosier Round 7: May 22-23 Millfield, Ohio The John Penton Round 8: June 6-7 Mount Morris, Pa. Mason-Dixon Round 9: June 26-27 Snowshoe, W.Va. Snowshoe eMTB: Aug. 31 Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn’s eMTB Round 10: Sept. 11-12 Beckley, W.Va. The Mountaineer Round 11: Sept. 25-26 Millfield, Ohio Burr Oak
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Round 12: Oct. 9-10 Newburg, W.Va. Buckwheat 100
2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
AMA National Hare and Hound Championship nationalhareandhound.com
Round 13: Oct. 23-24 Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman
Round 4: April 17 Jericho, Utah Sage Riders MC
2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
AMA National Enduro Championship nationalenduro.com
Round 2: April 25 Forest Hill, La. Cajun Classic National Enduro (337) 519-2520 acadianadirtriders.com Round 3: May 16 Arrington, Va. Dragon’s Back National Enduro (757) 357-5665 oakridgeestate.com Round 4: June 13 Greensboro, Ga. Cherokee National Enduro (678) 572-7260 cherokeeenduroriders.com Round 5: July 25 Cross Fork, Pa. Rattlesnake National Enduro (610) 883-7607 ber.us Round 6: Aug. 22 Burgholz, Ohio Lumberjack National Enduro (216) 513-1297 aces-races.com Round 7: Oct. 3 Matthews, Ind. Muddobbers National Enduro (765) 998-2236 muddobbermc.org Round 8: Oct. 17 Sand Springs, Okla. Zink Ranch National Enduro tulsatrailriders.com Round 9: Nov. 7 Stanton, Ala. Gobbler Getter National Enduro (205) 340-4298 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com
sageridersmc.com
2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship mototrials.com Round 1: June 19-20 Farrandsville, Pa. Durty Dabbers Trials and Dual Sport Motorcycle Club durtydabbers.com
Round 5: May 1 Jericho, Utah Sugarloafers MC Round 6: Sept. 11 Panaca, Nev. Silver State Trail Blazers
google.com/site/ silverstatetrailblazers Round 7: Sept. 25-26 Lucerne Valley, Calif. Round 8: Oct. 9-10 Lovelock, Nev. Rimbenders MC
Round 2: June 26-27 Little Hocking, Ohio Trials Inc. trialsinc.org Round 3: June 31-Aug. 1 Kingman, Ariz. Central Arizona Trials Inc. (602) 370-7546 centralarizonatrials.org Round 4: Oct. 2-3 Tillamook, Ore. Columbia Observed Trials Association observedtrials.com
(909) 953-1200 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
rimbendersmc.com
National Championship
Lucerne Valley, Calif.
AMA/NATC Eastern Youth MotoTrials National Championship
100’s MC
mototrials.com
Round 9: Oct. 23-24
(760) 573-3191
100smc.org 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
AMA National Grand Prix Championship ngpcseries.com Round 4: April 10-11 Primm, Nev. Round 5: April 24-25 Twentynine Palms, Calif. Round 6: May 22-23
TBD Round 7: Aug. 21-22
TBD, Idaho Round 8: Oct. 2-3 Ridgecrest, Calif. Round 9: Oct. 30-21 Blythe, Calif. Round 10: Nov. 12-14 Havasu, Ariz.
July 2-4 Sequatchie, Tenn. Trials Training Center (423) 942-8688 trialstrainingcenter.com 2021 NATIONAL
CHAMPION
National Championship
AMA/NATC Western Youth MotoTrials National Championship mototrials.com
Aug. 6-8 Turkey Rock, Colo. Rocky Mountain Trials Association (719) 239-1234 rockymountaintrials.org
FEATURED EVENTS
AMA Sprint Enduro Championship ussprintenduro.com
Round 3: April 10-11 Society Hill, S.C. (ISDE Qualifier)
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations. Round 4 May 8-9 Bristol, Va.
Round 6: Nov. 6 Stillwater, Okla.
Round 5: May 29-30 Glen Daniel, W.Va.
AMA West Extreme Off-Road Regional Championship
Round 7: Nov. 7
amaextremechampionship.com
floridatrailriders.org
Round 6: July 17 – 18 Westernport, Md.
Round 8: Nov 20-21 Wilseyville, Calif.
April 10-11 Bridgeport, Texas RevLimiter Extreme Enduro MotoKolors LLC (940) 224-5388 facebook.com/motokolors
Round 11: April 17-18 Gatorback, Fla. River City Dirt Riders (904) 509-4383
REGIONAL SERIES
AMA East Hare Scramble Championship amaeastharescrambles.com Round 4: May 15-16 Eagleswood, N.J. Motorcycle Competition Inc. ride-mci.com Round 5: June 19-20 Tamaqua, Pa. Reading Off Road Riders rorr.org Round 6: Aug. 14 Harpursville, N.Y. Black Sky (518) 598-4532 Round 7: Sept. 19 Westfield, Mass. Knox Trail Riders Association Inc. knoxtrailriders.com Rounds 8-9: Nov. 6-7 Stillwater , OK
AMA West Hare Scramble Championship westharescramble.com Round 1: Apr. 3-4 Doyle, Calif. Lassen MC Round 2: May 15-16 Hagerman, Idaho MVMX Round 3: May 29-30 Jacksonville, Ore. MRA Round 4: June 12-13 Bellingham, Wash. Round 5: Oct. 16-17 Boise, Idaho OMC
Stillwater, Okla.
North Bay MC
AMA East Extreme Off-Road Regional Championship amaextremechampionship.com April 10-11 Bridgeport, Texas RevLimiter Extreme Enduro MotoKolors LLC (940) 224-5388 facebook.com/motokolors May 2 Spragueville, Iowa Iowan Hard Enduro 171 Investments, Inc. (319) 899-1451 iowanhardenduro.com May 29-30 Marquette, Mich. Mad Moose Hard Enduro UP Sandstormers Motorcycle Club (906) 420-4942 upsandstormers.com July 3-4 Tamaqua, Pa. Tough Like RORR Reading Off-Road Riders (570) 449-3973 rorr.org July 17-18 Little Hocking, Ohio Bad Medicine at Fallen Timbers Wildwood Lake Raceway (740) 331-5163 wildwoodlakeraceway.com Enduro Aug. 7-8 Taylorsville, N.C. Battle of the Goats Extreme Brushy Mountain Motor Sports Park (828) 635-7766 bmmspark.com
May 15-16 San Bernardino, Calif. Last Dog Standing Prairie Dogs MC (714) 264-6738 facebook.com/prairiedogsmc73 June 12-13 Donner, Calif. Donner Hard Enduro Garrahan Off-Road Training (408) 857-5884 garrahanoffroadtraining.com June 19-20 Kellogg, Idaho Silver Mountain Xtreme Stix and Stones LLC (509) 842-4477 stixandstonesoffroad.com
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AMA Arizona Off-Road Championship amraracing.com Round 4: April 17-18 Camp Wood, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders Enduro
AMA Florida Hare Scramble Championship
Round 12: May 1-2 Palatka, Fla. Apollo Motorcycle Club (321) 794-0993 Round 13: May 15-16 Ormond Beach, Fla. Daytona Dirt Riders (386) 852-3330
AMA Maryland State Off-Road Championship sprintcrosscountryseries.com Round 1: April 25 Charlotte Hall, Md. Grand Prix Round 2: July 4 Westernport, Md. Cross Country Round 3: July 18 Westernport, Md. Sprint Enduro
FEATURED EVENTS
AMA Sprint Cross Country Championship sprintcrosscountryseries.com
Round 5: May 1 Wickenberg, Ariz. FAST’R Motorcycle Club Hare Scramble
Round 2: April 24-25
Round 6: May 22 Lynx Creek, Ariz. Off Camber Motorcycle Club Hare Scramble
Round 5: July 2-4
Round 7: Oct. 9 Kirkland, Ariz. Prescott Trail Riders Hare Scramble
Round 8: Oct. 30-31
Round 8: Oct. 23-24 Globe, Ariz. Rock Stars Motorcycle Club Hare Scramble Round 9: Nov. 14 Oracle, Ariz. Xtreme Motorcycle Club Hare Scramble
Round 3: May 8-9 Round 4: May 29-30
Round 6: July 17-18 Round 7: Oct. 16-17
Round 9: Nov. 20-21
AMA Mid East Racing Championship mideastracing.com Round 4: April 3 Laurens, S.C. Round 5: April 23-25 Morganton, N.C.
April 2021
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COMING EVENTS Round 6: May 15-16 Union, S.C. Round 7: May 29-30 Union, S.C. Round 8: June 12-13 Martinsville, Va. Round 9: Aug. 21-22 Yadkinville, N.C. Round 10: Sept. 4-5 Union, S.C. Round 11: Sept. 18-19 Woodruff, S.C. Round 12: Oct. 2-3 TBA Round 13: Oct. 15-17 Shelby, N.C. Round 14: Oct. 30-31 Hickory, N.C.
EnduroFest May 22-23 Reno, Nev. Elevated Action Sports LLC (925) 858-0862 facebook.com/endurofest
RECREATIONAL
June 5-6 Durty Dabbers Great Adventure Lock Haven, Pa. Durty Dabbers (570) 748-9456 durtydabbers.com
Oct. 23-24 Cross-Florida Adventure Bartow, Fla. Dixie Dual Sport (727) 919-8299 dixiedualsport.com
Sept. 11-12 LBL 200 Dover, Tenn. KT Riders (270) 350-6324 lbl200.com
June 12-13 Ride for Research Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org
Nov. 26-27 L.A. - Barstow to Vegas Palmdale, Calif. District 37 Dual Sport (626) 446-7386 labarstowvegas.com
Sept. 18-19 Yosemite Dual Sport Adventure Buck Meadows, Calif. Family Off-Road Adventures (209) 993-7306 familyoffroadadventures.com
June 26-27 Big Bear Run Big Bear, Calif. Big Bear Trail Riders (818) 391-3083 bigbeartrailriders.com Sept. 1-12 Blue Ridge Pineola, N.C. Appalachian Trail Riders (704) 309-3271 carolinadualsporters.com Sept. 18-19 Buffaloe 500 Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club (812) 342-4411, ext. 4 stoneylonesomemc.com Sept. 25-26 Show Me 500 Bixby, Mo. Midwest Trail Riders Association (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com
AMA National Adventure Riding Series americanmotorcyclist.com/nationaladventure-riding
April 17-18 Slate Creek Bybee, Tenn. Appalachian Trail Riders (865) 322-0193 carolinadualsporters.com May 1-2 Yosemite Adventure Tour Buck Meadows, Calif. Family Off-Road Adventures (209) 993-7306 familyoffroadadventures.com May 20-23 PA Wilds 1500 TBD Pine Barrens Adventures LLC (732) 995-4343 pinebarrensadventures.com
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Sept. 25-26 Big Woods 200 Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org Oct. 2-3 Perry Mountain Tower Run Stanton, Ala. Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club (334) 327-5086 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com Oct. 2-3 Shenandoah 500 Natural Chimneys, Va. Washington Area Trail Riders (703) 596-2675 watr.us Oct. 15-17 Pine Barrens 500 Cookstown, N.J. Pine Barrens Adventures LLC (732) 995-4343 pinebarrensadventures.com
Sept. 18-19 Buffaloe 500 Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club (812) 342-4411, ext. 4 stoneylonesomemc.com
Beta AMA National Dual-Sport Series
americanmotorcyclist.com/nationaldual-sport June 5-6 Durty Dabbers Great Adventure Lock Haven, Pa. Durty Dabbers (570) 748-9456 durtydabbers.com June 12-13 Ride for Research Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org June 26-27 Big Bear Run Big Bear, Calif. Big Bear Trail Riders (818) 391-3083 bigbeartrailriders.com June 26-27 Ozark 200 New Blaine, Ark. Arkansas Dirt Riders, Inc. (501) 539-3361 arkansasdirtriders.net
Sept. 25-26 Show Me 200 Bixby, Mo. Midwest Trail Riders Association (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com Sept. 25-26 Big Woods 200 Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org Oct. 2-3 Perry Mountain Tower Run Stanton, Ala. Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club (334) 327-5086 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com Oct. 2-3 Shenandoah 500 Natural Chimneys, Va. Washington Area Trail Riders (703) 596-2675 Nov. 6-7 Hammer Run Port Elizabeth, N.J. Tri-County Sportsmen MC teamhammer.org
July 24-25 Copperhead Logan, Ohio Hocking Valley Motorcycle Club (614) 385-7695 hockingvalleymc.com
Nov. 6-7 Howlin’ at the Moon Prescott Valley, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders (602) 692-9382 arizonatrailriders.com
Aug. 28-29 Baby Burr New Plymouth, Ohio Enduro Riders of Ohio (740) 972-4214 enduroriders.com
Nov. 26-27 L.A. - Barstow to Vegas Palmdale, Calif. AMA District 37 Dual Sport (626) 446-7386 labarstowvegas.com
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations. Founder’s Hall: Honoring the Hall of Fame’s generous contributors. The Birth of a Hurricane: How Hall of Famer Craig Vetter reimagined BSA for an American market.
AMA National Gypsy Tour americanmotorcyclist.com/gypsytour
Laconia Motorcycle Week June 12-20 Laconia, N.H. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days July 23-25 Lexington, Ohio
HALL OF FAME EVENTS AND EXHIBITS AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME
americanmotorcyclist.com/hall-of-fame 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 Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Main Hall: Now featuring the 2019 Hall of Fame inductees, the main floor celebrates the heroes of the track, road, trails and halls of government who have elevated the sport, business and lifestyle of motorcycling to new heights.
AMA Trademarks The following represents active, registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of American Motorcyclist Association, Inc. (AMA). Usage of any AMA trademark or registered trademark without our permission is prohibited. Please contact jholter@ ama-cycle.org for more information or assistance. (800) AMA-JOIN® • AMA Dragbike® • AMA Endurocross® AMA Motorhead® • AMA Pro Grand National Championship® AMA Pro Racing® • AMA Race Center™ • AMA Racer® AMA Racing® • AMA Racing Land Speed Grand Championships® AMA Supermoto® • AMA Supercross® • AMA SX Lites® AMA U.S. ISDE Team™ • AMA U.S. Jr. Motocross Team™ AMA U.S. Motocross Team™ • Amateur National Motocross Championships® • American Motorcyclist Association® Arenacross® • ATV Hare Scrambles National Championship Series® • ATV Motocross National Championship Series® Flat Track Grand Championships™ • Grand National Enduro Championship® • Gypsy Tour® Hare & Hound National Championship Series® • Hare Scrambles Championship Series® Hare Scrambles National Championship Series® • Kids Just Want To Ride® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum® • Motorcyclist of the Year® • Motostars® • National Adventure Riding Series® • National Dual-Sport Series® National Enduro Championship Series® • Protect Your Right to Ride® • Protecting Your Right to Ride® • Ride Straight® Rights. Riding. Racing.® • Road Race Grand Championships® Vintage Grand Championships® • Vintage Motorcycle Days® Vote Like A Motorcyclist®
Sam Swope: Motorcycles that represent the generous, charitable giving of motorcyclist and philanthropist Sam Swope. Lords of the Board Track: Board-track racing was one of the earliest formal motorcycleracing disciplines. It featured man and machine speeding around a simple wooden track while huge crowds cheered them on. Learn why this form of racing dropped from sight almost as quickly as it emerged. Learn about the racers who dared to compete in this exhilarating sport and watch a video of actual racing from 1921.
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Buying or selling residential or commercial real estate ANYWHERE in the United States? Learn how it can benefit the AMA Hall of Fame at NO COST to you!
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FLASHBACK
MALCOLM AND BAJA: THE EARLY YEARS By Mitch Boehm
T
his photograph, the lead image of chapter seven of Malcolm Smith’s acclaimed autobiography Malcolm! The Autobiography, is a doozie in composition, lighting and focus, and gives us a glimpse of just how demanding and difficult racing in Baja – the chapter’s title – really is. “Baja is really tough on bodies and equipment,” Malcolm told me recently as we looked at this this image together in his home. “I rode 200 miles with a flat tire and broken spokes,
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stopping often to tighten the spokes enough to keep the wheel together. That’s Bill Ydiando (in the vest) and Doug Douglas with me here.” The shot and situation also show how inventive and intelligent Malcolm was as a rider, traits that would serve him well in his off-road racing exploits and in ISDT competition, where he won eight gold medals. As Bruce Brown used to say, “Nice, Malcolm.”
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geico.com/cycle | 1-800-442-9253 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2021 GEICO 21_ 550729928
