March 2023 On the Pegs Magazine

IN CASE YOU NEEDED MORE

Mr Wolf Mousse Balls, the official mousse balls of team FactoryONE Sherco.

Model Features

» 2-Stroke Liquid Cooled Engine

» Non Intimidating Entry Level Trials Bike

» Most Dependable Youth Trials Bike on the Market

» Six Speed Transmission

» A Great Transition Platform Leading into Enduro or Trials

» EVO Jr. 80 - Ages 9 - 12

» EVO Sr. 80 - Ages 11 - 15

THE PERFECT TRIALS YOUTH STARTER BIKE

CONTENTS

FEATURED ARTICLES

PG 56 - VERTIGO MOTORS SIGNS RYON LAND

PG 46 - WHEELIES SHOULD BE EASY

PG 80 - USSE - RD2

PG 126 - WINTER TRIALS TRAINING

PG 66 - NATIONAL ENDURO - RD 1

PG 112 - GNCC RD 1

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Steph Vetterly

ADVERTISING

Steph Vetterly

stephanie@onthepegsmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Abigail Buzzelli

Brian Pierce

Tom Trantow

Ron Hensley

Dustin Land

Vertigo Motors USA

Shan Moore

Kayla Bolton

Ken Hill

Mack Faint

Quinn Wentzel

GASGAS AND AKRAPOVIČ

courtesy of GASGAS

Akrapovič will officially partner with the GASGAS Factory Racing trial team, supplying them with header pipes in 2023. Following many months of close work between GASGAS technicians, team riders, Jaime Busto and Sondre Haga, and team manager Albert Cabestany, Akrapovič engineers in Slovenia have created super-trick titanium header pipes that deliver impressive performance gains together with a 40% weight saving compared to standard.

Proud to have such a world-famous exhaust manufacturer by their side in trials in 2023, this exciting partnership expansion will see GASGAS Factory Racing officially use Akrapovič products in the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM SuperEnduro, FIM Hard Enduro, and FIM EnduroGP World Championships, the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, and now the FIM X-Trial World Championship and FIM TrialGP World Championship.

ALBERT CABESTANY

GASGAS Factory Racing Trial Team Manager:

“Everyone in the team is thrilled to have Akrapovič as an official partner for 2023. Akrapovič is known all over the world for the quality and high

performance of their products, but to have them enter trial for the first time with GASGAS is super exciting for us. Like all motorsports, any opportunity to make improvements, to save weight, is so, so important. Both Jaime and Sondre have spent many weeks riding with and testing our new exhausts and they’re really happy. They can’t wait to use them in competition for the first time this weekend.”

ROBERT JONAS

Head of Motorsports Offroad:

“Expanding our long-term partnership with Akrapovič into trial is a logical and exciting next step to take together, one that we’re sure will give our riders the very best performance and technical support, ensuring they make a real impact in both the X-Trial and TrialGP World Championships this season. GASGAS Factory Racing has already enjoyed success together with Akrapovič in rally, enduro, and motocross, and everyone is excited to get the 2023 trial season underway this weekend.”

SLAVKO ALOJZ TRSTENJAK

Head of Akrapovič Racing R&D:

"We've been working successfully with GASGAS Factory Racing in various motor sport series for several years now, and so we're very pleased to expand this partnership to the Trial World Championship. We're confident that through our close cooperation with the GASGAS engineers we can contribute to an even lighter racing bike that will allow riders to overcome the demanding obstacles with even greater confidence – and offer us a great deal of fun on the way. We're looking forward to GASGAS Factory Racing's battles for this year's podiums, and we wish its racers an excellent start to the season in Barcelona."

KTM AND MOTOREX

courtesy of KTM

The collaboration between the factory motorsport department and the Swiss firm began in 2003, with KTM fresh from their first years of DAKAR Rally success – a streak of performances since 2001 that has now reached 19 victories – and beginning its spread throughout other FIM contests as well as other leading national race series.

KTM’s strive for excellence and technical development at the sharp end of racing aligned perfectly with the high standards of MOTOREX’s range and their own lofty goals of evolution through single-minded competition. The subsequent use of MOTOREX product in KTM’s serial production portfolio and as their main ‘first fill’ choice further underlines the mutual trust.

For 2023 MOTOREX will continue to be a valuable partner in KTM’s work and goals on various racetracks. From the speed of Moto2™ and Moto3™ to the tough, diverse challenges of MXGP, AMA Supercross and Pro National Motocross, U.S. OFFROAD, U.S. Flat Track, Hard Enduro, EnduroGP and, of course, to Rally where Kevin

Kevin Benavides, 2023 Dakar

Benavides’ recent DAKAR success fired the year on all cylinders; the distinctive MOTOREX green logo will continue to be a visual part of the READY TO RACE KTM package.

PIT BEIRER

KTM Motorsports Director:

“MOTOREX have been with us from the beginning, and from the point where KTM became a major international racing force across the world. Our development and all of our results, now over 330 world titles, have been built on some shared values and the fact that we both want the best and we both aim

to win! We go again for 2023, where we have already taken the DAKAR and we can be hopeful for some stories on the tracks as we get deep into the seasons.”

EDI FISCHER, CEO, and RONALD

KABELLA, Director of Powersports, MOTOREX AG:

“Trust and reliability are essential qualities in any partnership and our numerous joint projects in the areas of first fill, series production, global aftermarket and racing over the past 20 years have only served to strengthen them. Even after nearly 120 world championships involving countless hours of nervous anticipation, nail-biting and fingercrossing at the racetrack, our collaboration has lost none of its allure. Both partners are thoroughly convinced that the partnership between KTM and MOTOREX will deliver more interesting results in the future too. And we're proud to play our part in the continuing success story of the KTM Group going forward.”

Manuel Lettenbichler, Hard Enduro

HART AND ARCHER RECOGNIZED BY AMA

courtesy of AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST ASSOCIATION

The American Motorcyclist Association congratulates the winners of its 2022 AMA Racing and Organizer Awards, given to the standout individuals and organizations from AMA-sanctioned competition and recreational endeavors.

AMA members participated in the selection process of certain racing categories while AMA staff selected

recipients of the organizational awards.

“We are excited to recognize the recipients of the 2022 AMA Racing and Organizer Awards,” AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier said. “The winners earned their recognitions through impressive performances and profound impacts throughout 2022, and we are proud to honor each of them.”

AMA ATHLETE OF THE YEAR GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPTrystan Hart Simon Cudby

2022 AMA RACING AWARD WINNERS

AMA ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP -

Kyle Peters - Arenacross National Championship Series Pro Sport Champion

AMA ATV ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Brycen Neal — Grand National Cross Country Series XC1 Pro – ATV Class Champion

AMA VETERAN/SENIOR RACER OF THE YEAR

Steve McSwain - NEPG, 50+ Champion

AMA YOUTH RACER OF THE YEAR

Junior Motocross World Champions

— Tace Morgan, Maddox

Temmerman, Carson Wood, Seth

Dennis, Landon Gibson, Casey

Cochran, Collin Allen

AMA FEMALE RACER OF THE YEAR - Rachael Archer Shan Moore

SHERCO AND MR. WOLF MOUSSE BALLS

courtesy of SHERCO USA, photos BANTA VISUALS

Mr. Wolf Solve Mousse Balls and FactoryONE Sherco have teamed up for 2023 and beyond. As their brand name suggests, they solve a problem by providing a new solution for mousse bibs with flexibility. Their mousse ball system allows the rider to set up their tire to the exact feel they desire by inserting or removing segements.

Mr. Wolf’s MousseBalls are the link between the versatility of an inner tube and anti-puncture features and the performance of a traditional mousse. Thanks to the innovative and patented sector structure it will be possible to completely customize the wheel hardness according to the terrain condition and the rider preferences, without renouncing the reliability and feel of a mousse.

Mr. Wolf’s MousseBalls are perfectly suitable for any type of tire, offering a wide range of customization.

Mr. Wolf Mousse Balls are available today at www.factoryonemotorsports.com

“Mr. Wolf Mousse Balls has been a very welcome addition to the team,” said Cody Webb. “I loved them from the moment I tested them. I loved the flexibility it provided me in terms of how soft or how hard I wanted to run my tire setup by simply adding or removing a segment. It is almost like having a mousse that you can select air pressure on. We don't have to guess with drilling anymore. They are pairing well with the Dunlops.”

Chief Technician, Cody Richelderfer, installing the mousse balls

“We jumped at the opportunity to support the FactoryONE Sherco team,” said James Richards of Innteck USA. “We had a solution to an issue they were seeing on a regular basis. Our Mousse Ball product eliminates the need to drill mousses or to cut away foam in

order to find the feel you desire. The Mousse Balls allow for different tire pressure "feel" by simply adding or removing ball segments. Cody and Cooper are tremendous ambassadors and we are looking forward to getting their feedback on the products over time.”

QUINN WENTZEL RENEWS WITH RIEJU

courtesy of RIEJU USA AND QUINN WENTZEL

Rieju has signed Quinn Wentzel for another year to compete in the AMA Hard Enduro series aboard the MR300 Pro. In addition, Quinn will race select hard enduro events around the globe in 2023.

"This will be Quinn's third consecutive year working Rieju,"

said Mark Berg. "We all have learned a lot together. We couldn't be happier to continue our efforts and focus with him on hard enduro, as our Rieju bikes are a solid platform for the abuse of extreme enduro racing."

NEPG 2023 YOUTH CHALLENGE

The NEPG along with the following clubs presents the NEPG Youth Challenge, introducing the sport of enduro to 50cc, 65cc, and 85cc riders. Events will use the restart enduro format, with 2-3 sections, some may be ridden twice. Events will be run on Saturday afternoon at 1pm, before each club's AMA National Enduro. Entry fee will be $30 per rider, rider number provided, AMA Membership required. This will be a 4-event series with the best 3 of 4 events counting for the series class championships. Series awards will be handed out at the final round in Alabama.

NEPG CLASSES

• Class 1 - 6 and under (50cc)

• Class 2 - 7-8 (50cc/60cc 4t)

• Class 3 - 7-11 (65cc/110cc4t)

• Class 4 - 9-13 (85cc/150cc4t)

• Class 5 - 15 and Under Super Mini (19"F and 16"R is max wheel size)

• Class 6 - Women any age (Super Mini 19"F and 16"R max wheel size or smaller)

NEPG CLUBS

• Wilderness Riders (Kinston, AR)April 22nd (BJEC Youth Event)

• April Fools Promotions (Arrington, VA) - May 13th

• Cherokee Enduro Riders (Greensboro, GA) - June 10th

• Perry Mountain M/C (Stanton, AL) - October 28th (SERA Youth Event)

Clubs may have additional classes that are not part of the NEPG championship.

MWVTA 2023 TRIALS SCHEDULE

The Mountain West Vintage Trials Association has released their 2023 competition schedule.

All events are two days, with classes for both vintage and modern bikes available for skill levels ranging from novice to expert. Sections are set for vintage bikes, and scoring follows the "no-stop" rules. All riders must be AMA members; MWVTA members receive points towards season standings.

2023 SCHEDULE

• April 22-23: San Ysidro, NM at San Ysidro Trials Area

• June 10-11: Cotopaxi, CO at Tucker Ranch

• July 15-16: Lakefork, NM at Lakefork Canyon

• Sept 2-3: Mosteller Cup - Casper, WY at Mosteller Ranch

• Sept 30-Oct 1: Roswell, NM at Haystack Mountain OHV Area

REDWOOD ENGINEERING AHRMA

MAY 20-21 2023

NATIONAL VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE OBSERVED TRIALS EVENT

Opportunity for top riders from across the country to compete in a premier event

Family event for all ages

A short 1.6 mile loop with 7 sections per day

Free primitive camping ROCK RIDERS

QUARRY

2786 84 TH STREET NEHAWKA NE 68413

mickhutcheson@yahoo.com

ddzornes@gmail.com

All AHRMA CLASSES PLUS MODERN CLUBMAN AND VINTAGE OUTLAW (1987 or older)

$5.00 day or $10.00 weekend

Under 12 free Riders out at 11:00am

Three Chicks and a Wagon Food Truck

NO OFFROAD MOTORCYCLES ATVS, UTVS, OR GOLF CARTS ALLOWED

M

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

2023 KTM/HUSQVARNA PRO FOOT PEGS

Over the years, riding styles and techniques have drastically changed with riders now tending to slide to the back of the bike to allow for more traction to the rear wheel. This ultimately increases forward drive allowing for the riders to go faster and jump further leaving their ankles hanging below the foot pegs.

The BPD Pro Foot Pegs give a performance advantage over the competition. They allow you to lean

back on the bike and feel in control while also providing extra support.

The BPD Pro Pegs are designed from 7075 billet aluminum, then anodized and laser etched logo. All BPD Foot Pegs come with spare footbed pins and stainless-steel peg springs.

Current Price: $180.00

SPOTLIGHT

BETA RACE EDITION FACTORY SUSPENSION

With 2023 came the exciting news that all Race Editions and RX models would be coming with a Kayaba C46 Shock to pair with the 48 mm Kayaba AOS closed cartridge spring fork! As soon as we got our hands on these, the Beta Factory Suspension team went to work on perfecting suspension settings to match any riders abilities as well as lowering kits! We are proud to offer 3 new packages for the 2023 models; Support, Factory, & Factory Pro packages and 1" & 2" lowering kits!!

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

SHOCK BLADDER & CAP KIT, 46MM KYB REAR SHOCK

This bladder kit replaces the OEM cap with Schrader valve, eliminating the use of a hypodermic needle. Improves shock performance & reduces heat. Includes bladder & machined fitting. Fits 46mm KYB Rear Shock.

PART # AB-41015-KYB

Current Price: $149.99

SPOTLIGHT

BETA MOTOR FLANNEL BETA BEANIES

The Beta Motor Flannel is a cotton/ polyester blend with a front pocket in charcoal and red. Available in sizes Small-3XL.

Current Price: $59.99

Built for cold weather! The Beta Factory Race Team acrylic waffle style beanie comes in Black. Featuring a hand stitched Beta Race Team logo.

The Beta Motor acrylic waffle style beanie comes in heather grey. Featuring a hand stitched Beta Motor tag on the front.

PART # AB-31082-BK

AB-31079-G

Current Price: $27.99

PART # AB-31080-S-3XL

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

NEW GASGAS CASUAL COLLECTION MERCH!

From the initial designs through to what you’ll find on the shelves of your local GASGAS dealer, the allnew Casual Collection has been a super-fun project right from the start. Making sure everything fits right, looks right, and delivers the very highest quality has been our mission. And we believe we’ve got it just right! Not restricted to riders and racers, the Casual Collection really is for everyone with both subtle and bold designs ticking all

the right boxes when it comes to modern casual wear. Throw in the all-important protective items like the new helmets and boots and you’ve got yourself a super-cool head-to-toe look for weekend shreds!

All styles available now at GasGas dealers worldwide!

SPOTLIGHT

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

2023 HUSQVARNA APPAREL COLLECTION

Designed and developed to deliver the highest levels of safety without compromising rider movement, Husqvarna Motorcycles’ functional clothing is well-known for its superior quality, comfort, and versatility. These three important attributes are achieved by the use of innovative materials and the very latest in fabric technology.

The waterproof Gotland WP jacket is manufactured to fend off the elements with adjustable front and rear inlets, featuring pre-curved sleeves. The Gotland WP pants use reinforced material in high-wearing areas for longevity, with adjustable lower legs for a snug fit while keeping moisture at bay.

An exciting new addition to the Functional Street Collection for 2023 is the all-new Spherical Gear line. Headlined by the Helios Helmet, this modern and stylish jet helmet is made exclusively for Husqvarna Motorcycles by leading brand Airoh. It features generous ventilation, a removable and washable liner, and an integrated sun visor. Styled in line to complement the Helios Helmet are the Sphere WP Jacket

and Sphere WP Gloves by REV’IT. Both waterproof, these premium clothing items are designed to fend off the elements and offerfull adjustability for a personalised fit.

Away from the tracks and trails, Husqvarna Motorcycles’ Casual Lifestyle Collection allows everyone to express their passion for the brand in a variety of ways. Consisting of multiple casual classics to refresh your wardrobe, along with new t-shirts for kids, the subtle, Swedish inspired styling of the clothing also carries over to the redesigned Day Bag and Duffle Bag.

New for 2023 is the Rockstar Casual Collection. As worn off track by the brand’s US based racing team - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing - the exclusive range includes tees, hoodies, jackets, and caps that allow for easy layering up or down depending on the weather.

All products availble now at Husqvarna dealers!

*Heritage Collection available in April 2023

SPOTLIGHT

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

FACTORY EDITION FX REAR GUIDE

The all-new Factory Edition FX Rear Guide was developed for Hard Enduro, Baja, Motocross, and Off-Road. Its streamlined profile increases coverage of the swing arm mounting tabs making it less likely for the tabs to take damage. The large chambered outside leading and bottom edges provide maximum rock deflection with redesigned wear pad mounting bolts to reduce snagging and provide more clamping strength.

Current Price: $117.95

Our friction reducing additives and UV protection eliminate color fade keeping the chain guide looking new after countless hours of abuse.

Our products are used by championship winning race teams worldwide and have been given the seal of approval from the sport's top athletes.

All Rear Guides come with new mounting hardware.

The Mecatecno factory is now beginning to produce the Dragonfly electric adult trials bike with first deliveries to dealers in Spain and other countries. Midwest Mototrials is expecting its first shipment in early April. The test/demo preproduction bike I received in November is working very well now after a few tuning modifications. It's very easy to ride, resulting from the light weight and nimble handling characteristics, easy pull clutch and a quick charge battery which gives five hours + of riding time. A dealer network is being set up and prices will be forth-coming. For more info, check out

www.midwestmototrials.com

• The T-18 Dragonfly is direct-drive from the motor to the rear wheel

• An easy-pull diaphragm clutch for maximum control and traction

• New M4 39mm Aluminum AIR FORKS are the lightest on the market

• Linkless Ohlins shock direct to the swing arm

• 5 hour+ quick change and fast charge battery

• Weight 132 pounds

• Seat can be added for trail riding comfort

BETA MINITRIAL ELECTRIC BIKES

The Minitrial Electric model is back and comes in two sizes. The 16" model is designed for youth riders between the ages of 5-9 years of age and the 20" model is for riders aged between 8-12 years. These two MiniTrials Electric Bikes are a

great introduction to riding trials for young riders in a nonintimidating way.

These models have taken electric trials to a new level with their seamless power that has no hesitation or gaps. This alone will build confidence in future trial champions. The frames are aluminum making the bikes a full 8 pounds lighter than other brands. These bikes have fully hydraulic brakes with an adjustable air shock in the back. Maxxis tires provide these bikes with the grip and control to produce a stable platform for kids to learn the sport of trials.

The Minitrial E has a three-position power switch (Slow, Medium, Fast) and will run for roughly a full two hours on the slow/trial position.

PRICING

MiniTrial 16" - $2,299

MiniTrial 20" - $2,499

Destination Fee - $189

AVAILABILITY

March

FEATURES

• RUGGED CHASSIS AND SWINGARM: Weight is important in a youth trial bike. Both the frame and the swingarm are constructed of aluminum with a hardness heat treatment, achieving a robust bike that does not exceed 53 lbs. Another very important feature is the weight distribution, it is designed with an optimized center of gravity for a comfortable ride while providing maximum traction.

• PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL SWITCHBOARD: The Minitrial-E has a programmable digital control with 3 power curves. All of them with an initial soft engagement to eliminate the abrupt “on / off” characteristic of electric motors. The first setting, slow for riders starting out, then medium for after they get the basic skills, and the highest setting for more advanced trial riders.

• ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION:

The front fork with 25 mm tubes, adjustable compression spring in an oil bath with an air shock for the rear suspension.

• SHIMANO HYDRAULIC BRAKES: Provide perfect braking, a mark of quality, and reliability for the younger rider.

• GUARDS: The front brake, as well as, the drive chain are enclosed to insure safety.

• CHAIN GUIDE: Essential for offroad, this unique chain guide insures a proper guide for the chain to reduce failures.

2023 KTM 390 ADVENTURE

This compact and highly advanced package is one of the most versatile in the KTM range. The 2023 KTM 390 ADVENTURE is not only about the epic outings but also the ‘every day’. Want that serviceable and dependable machine for the commute but also something that can handle a light offroad blast? No problem. Desire a bike that can still put out the torque and motor performance for a longer weekend ride-out with buddies? Easy. Need a modern, developed, race-informed all-rounder to discover the delights of a trail for the first time and for A2 requirements? Look no further.

For 2023 KTM have not only splashed the KTM 390 ADVENTURE with a sharp, fresh look but have also beefed-up the offroad credibility even more. The bike now has tough and light black anodized aluminum rims and spoked wheels (19” front and 17” rear) so even the hardest of bumps and stones will not bring a journey to a swift halt. The 2023 KTM 390 ADVENTURE warranted this upgrade considering the strengths of the rest of the motorcycle, and to emphasize that ‘adventure’ really can be part of the daily routine.

The 2023 KTM 390 ADVENTURE may have smaller dimensions and specs compared to some of its big brothers but it does not lack features essential to adventuring. Ride-by-wire, Motorcycle Traction Control, Cornering ABS, OFFROAD mode (more rear wheel slip) and linked OFFROAD ABS (disengaged on the rear, reduced on the front) are feathered by the 46mm throttle body and the slipper clutch while being administered through the 5” color TFT and intuitive handlebar switch.

Light weight and unbeatable agility is partly supplied by a chassis that takes its design cues from KTM’s work at the sharp end of rally competition. The KTM 390 ADVENTURE’s ’23 color also comes from this racing background. The steel trellis design and subframe construction achieves a satisfying blend of both feel, flex and longterm comfort; even the wind of the exhaust system is optimized for prime centralization. WP Suspension APEX hardware is adjustable for compression, rebound and preload and achieves that rare chemistry of tactile grip with the road and confidence-inspiring efficiency for the dirt.

ON THE HORIZON

REVISED 2023 KTM 390 ADVENTURE FEATURES

• New tougher aluminum spoked wheels for robust extra offroad potential and all-round topline performance granted by the CONTINENTAL TKC70 tires

• Brand new 2023 color and graphics scheme for fresh vibrant and sporty look

• Dependable 373cc 4-stroke single engine pumping out 44 hp at 9000 rpm & 37 Nm of torque at 7000 rpm. Euro5 ready for the best emissions count

• Lightweight and reassuring steel trellis chassis with adjustable WP APEX 43 mm forks and shock

• Bosch electronics helping to inform the latest generation of Motorcycle Traction Control and Cornering ABS systems

• 172 kg fully fueled, 14.5-liter tank and 830 mm lowest seat height

• Wide selection of KTM PowerParts including accessories, aftermarket components, aesthetic touches, riding gear and more

ON

2023 BETA EVO FACTORY

The 2023 EVO Factory models are here! These premium models are manufactured with the finest components at Beta’s Italian factory and represent the next level of trial EVOlution. The EVO Factory models share the same base platform as the standard EVOs along with a series of updates on both the frame and engine side, providing riders with a competition model like no other and make the EVO Factory trials bike competition ready. The EVO Factory models are built in limited numbers providing exclusivity as well as performance.

All EVO Factory 2-stroke engine sizes (except for the 125 and 200)

will receive the new crankshaft and connecting rod. The cylinder and combustion chamber have been modified to provide an increase in the compression ratio. New crankcases have been introduced, featuring different internal volumes designed to work in harmony with the new crankshaft, cylinder, and cylinder head, which all provide more power over the standard EVO models.

The 2023 EVO Factory model gets an upgrade over last year’s model with the addition of a titanium header with heat shield. This new titanium header increases performance over the standard version while also

125cc 2-stroke

250cc 2-stroke

reducing the overall weight of the bike (conical cylinder connector flange on 125 cc model only).

The Factory edition is fitted with new gold front fork tubes, providing both aesthetic and functionality. New internal valve settings provide better oil flow, and a new internal damping system which reduces the harshness when landing large obstacles. This new dampening system also keeps the fork higher in its stroke while descending to provide the rider with better control, greater support, and greater damping capacity when landing from significant height.

The configuration of the rear suspension linkage is more progressive to ensure greater traction and provide the rider with

superior feel, facilitate wheelies, and helps overcome large obstacles.

The completely redesigned radiator grill introduced on the 2023 EVO is also fitted to the Factory model. In addition to optimizing the air flow directed to the radiator, the new radiator grill boasts a greater protective surface in the cap and radiator body area which prevents these components from sustaining damage when in contact with branches, stones, or in the case of a fall.

With the new design introduced on the 2023 EVO standard model, the tank cover fits tighter to the frame and allows all the cable routing to be covered for a cleaner look. There is a built-in MAP switch as well.

4-stroke

TRIALS TRAINING CENTER TRIALS TRAINING CENTER

423-942-8688 • Train With A Pro!

instruction by top national riders • Riding Park

on our 650 acre Mountain Resort Beautiful trails, streams and vistas • Lodging, Cabin Rentals, RV sites and Tent sites

• Full Service HeadquartersMotorcycle We sell Gas Gas, Sherco, Beta, Montesa & Scorpa

2023 SCHEDULE

March 10-11: Downhill Southeast Bicycle Race

March 18-19: Trials Training Days

May 20-21: STRA Spring Splash

June 26-29: Family Camp

June 30-July 2: East Coast Youth Nationals & Women’s Open

August 18-20: TKO: 13th Annual Red Bull Kenda Tennessee

Knock Out Extreme Enduro

October 14-15: 31st Annual 58K Fall Trial (STRA)

December 2: Toy Trial - Fun Trial

* All dates are subject to change

#10X12Challenge

Earlier this year, we introduced a new initiative from Abigail Buzzelli called the 10x12 Challenge, designed to get more people on the pegs, riding motorcycles. We're back to celebrate everyone who completed their second month's challenge - riding at least 10 days in the month of February.

Congratulations to the following riders:

Haley Bankston

Tyler Bankston

Chris Bankston

Keith Bell

Kevin Bobal

Lara Burnett

Chris Buzzelli

Abigail Buzzelli

Rachel Campbell

Ellis Daw

Brad Evans

Norman Foley

John French

Zackary Guelde

Kenny Gwyn

Ash Harrison

Brittney Hoy

Tommy Justice

Caroline Kent

Mack Locklear

Mike Mazak

John Montoya

Toni Profer Roach

Jason Robb

Ken Schrock

Jimmy Sharpe

Martin Sturla

Tom Trantow

Seth Vorseth

If you don't see your name on the list, visit www.10x12challenge.com to see the challenge rules and get your February swag.

ABOVE: Not only did Seth break his handlebars right out of the gate on February 1st, he managed to ride every single day of the month!!

BELOW: Lara Burnett makes good use of indoor practice during the month, in between helping set up for an upcoming trial in Georgia.

Perfect Dirt Conditions RUINED by a Dead Battery

courtesy of BRIAN PIERCE

Another Gnarly Routes Grinduro dirt bike trip ends in another bike failure. This time it wasn’t the suspension on the Sherco or the MCL in my right knee. This time it was a dying FirePower Lithium Battery. To be honest, this battery is fairly long in the tooth, but why did it have to go out after a 5 hour drive to West Texas for a dirt bike adventure?

This is the 7th Edition of the Grinduro Event put on by Cole Kirkpatrick, Russell Bobbitt, Family and Friends in Post, Texas. I’ve spent a long year rehabbing my knee, my shoulders, and what I thought was a well-tuned bike. Recently I have been learning the hard way that dirt bikes need maintenance to stay ready for action. This is the weekend that made me wake up to the fact that I was

neglecting my Sherco. Once I got the new battery in, and realized the starter and bendix were good to go, I knew my two stroke needed to start getting more attention. That’s what brought about the Top End Rebuild. I also have new bearings for the swingarm and shock ready to go in as well. I’m trying to be more proactive with my dirt bike maintenance, instead of reactive to the issues that arise. We all see how this goes here on Seat Time, because I’ll be keeping you in the loop!

EP 23.2 | Zach Osborne brings a meticulous mindset to offroad racing

Zach Osborne has a new lease on life, well, as a professional racer that is. He recently signed a two year deal with Ampro Yamaha to compete in the XC2 Class at the GNCC Series and at the US Sprint Enduro Series. He joined Woody to chat through where this offroad opportunity came from, how his mindset has changed throughout his racing career, and how amazing it feels when you can find a flow state. Epic conversation with Zach and we’re super thankful for his time!

Wheelies ‘SHOULD’ Be Easy

by TOM TRANTOW & RON HENSLEY

Hang on a second, what I mean is that although wheelies are certainly hard and take a long time to learn, they SHOULD be easy. The foundational skills of throttle, clutch control, body position, and balance can be isolated and developed independently. We can build skills, layer on layer rather than attempting wheelies via trial and error.

Now if you are not much of a reader

Just click this link to find out how:

CLICK HERE: TRIALS PROGRESSION WHEELIE

Certainly, lots of folks have successfully learned the basic balance point wheelie via trial and error. It is possible to rev the engine, pop the clutch, and hope to get to the balance point and try to maintain

it. That approach is certainly valid but it usually leads to lots of bad experiences that are hard on the bike and the rider, such as going too far back and looping out or falling over.

We have all done way more wheelies that DID NOT get to the balance point than wheelies that did. Our brains have a natural survival instinct that tells us we should not lean back that far. Honestly, it’s good to have a healthy fear of crashing. Maybe you have reserved yourself to not get hurt, but you still want to somehow get better on the back wheel. Is there a way to work through the fear of looping out in a safe manner so you don’t end up with a busted bike? Or worse yet, a broken body?

We need to retrain our brain to get more comfortable at the balance

point and it can be done in a much safer way that is far more conducive to learning. Like Neo in the Matrix, you can either take the blue pill or the red pill. Blue, and you will wake up tomorrow and continue to do the same thing and ride the same way getting the same results. Take the Red pill and start down an adventure towards wheelie progression and many other riding skills.

The red pill has within it The Progression Method (TPM). The Progression Method is at the intersection of how we assimilate knowledge, acquire skills, develop muscle memory, stay motivated, and remain safe. TPM can be applied to almost any complex skill, and I find that it works exceptionally well for learning wheelies because the balance point can be such a scary place with little margin for error. Through drills, action steps, focus points and even tests, this approach allows you to travel down a much safer and better lit path. Through baby steps or building blocks of skill development, you can program your body to respond with desired outcomes. You will develop “muscle memory” to automate the quick reactions required to safely hang out at the balance point. Achieving milestones along the way also helps maintain motivation.

The basic high level components of TPM are listed below.

1. Isolate each Micro Skill of a desired technique and find a SAFE way to practice just that single individual Micro Skill.

2. Verbalize the desired actions aloud by using 'Cue Words' which will reinforce what you want your body to do. (i.e. Rev, Push back, Pop, Slip)

3. Practice this Micro Skill for a set limited time (10 minutes, during each practice session). Working on good form & technique to establish muscle memory.

4. When it goes right, celebrate your success and enjoy the moment. Emotions cement memories and help to form neurological connections for easier recall.

5. Integrate that 1 Micro Skill into a more real-world scenario by adding another part of the technique.

6. Use Circuit Training to help your brain lock in the learning. For example, if you are working on wheelies, do a wheelie, then do a figure of 8, then do 30 seconds of static balance. Then repeat the circuit. This will enhance automatic recall so that you can perform the wheelie skill without needing 10 warm up attempts.

As it relates to learning to wheelie, here are a few examples of progressive drills geared towards maintaining the balance point.

1. Standing Clutch Ups - With the bike in a small ditch and your feet on each side so you are standing a little higher than the wheel base, hold the front brake and rock the bike forward putting your body weight into the bars while building about 10-20% RPM. Then, as the front suspension rebounds, push back from the bars and pop the clutch so the bike is standing up in front of you, with the front end at the balance point. Then pull the clutch in, and try to hold it there.

2. Standing Clutch Slip Rollbacks at the Balance Point - Doing the above and with the front wheel at the balance point, pull in the clutch and allow the front wheel to start to come down and the rear tire to roll back slightly. Keep your feet firmly planted with a wide base. Then add a touch of RPM and slip the clutch in the friction zone to gently bring the front wheel back up to the balance point and repeat.

3. Walk the Bike - Same as #1, but allow the front wheel to come down just slightly from the balance point and then slip the clutch so the bike gently moves forward. Maybe 5-10% RPM and between zero and 15% clutch engagement. Walk your feet with a wide base along behind the bike getting used to the balance point.

4. One Foot Standing Clutch Up to Rear Brake - Same as #1, but with your right foot on the peg and your left foot on the ground. Clutch up to the balance point or even past it and then engage the rear brake while also pulling in the clutch. Repeat this 20 times a day for a month so your body knows what to do when the front comes up too high.

3a

3b 3c

5. Wheelie to

- Now while riding along just above idle, use the front brake compression rebound we learned in #1 and pop the clutch with about 20-30% RPM. Do a quick clutch up wheelie so you are not going far or fast. When the bike gets just past the balance point, pull in the clutch and jump off behind while still holding onto the bars. This will give you a safe exit strategy so your brain learns it's ok to play at the balance point, you don’t have to panic and crash.

Jump Off the Back

If you would like to fully explore the red pill training experience, check out the Wheelie Progression Course at the link in this article where you can progressively learn all the trials wheelie techniques from the most basic to the most advanced.

Pro Rider Sam Fastle is also a part of this course as a special guest instructor for some of the more advanced wheelie related techniques. The Wheelie Progression Course is a full A to Z library with 20 lessons covering all

things related to trials wheelies such as: clutch control, body mechanics, rear brake, exploring the balance point safely, front wheel accuracy on an obstacle, wheelies in the mud, seated wheelies, floater turns and even hopping on the back wheel.

On The Pegs readers will have free access during March 2023.

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Vertigo Motors Signs Ryon Land

introduction by STEPH VETTERLY photos courtesy of DUSTIN LAND AND VERTIGO MOTORS

Vertigo Motors Spain and Vertigo USA have made an exciting announcement regarding their 2023 rider roster. America’s own Ryon Land, currently 13 years old, has signed a four-year contract, officially becoming part of the Vertigo Factory team. He has also entered into an agreement with Comas Trials Spain.

For the current season, he will contest the 125 Championship class in five rounds of the Spanish Trials Championship, as well as contesting the Junior EX 125 class in the AMA NATC National Mototrials

Championship here in the USA, as well as the El Trial de España and California Trials Invitational.

In the following years in Spain, he will progress through the classes in preparation for the 125 World Championship, and if Vertigo Motors feels he is ready, will contest the entire 125cc TR3 World Championship. In the USA, he will continue into the Expert class with the goal of riding Pro in 2025.

As one can imagine, so much travel and time spent training means little

time for traditional schooling; Ryon has transitioned to online schooling to continue with his education in conjunction with this opportunity. In between races, his time in Europe will be spent based out of the Vertigo factory in Barcelona, spending each day training with the Vertigo team riders and other worldlevel riders in the local area. Dalton, Ryon’s brother, will be traveling with him on all trips, working as his minder and chaperone for all time spent overseas.

“We are proud to have Ryon in our VERTIGO youth team,” said Manel Jané, Chairman of Vertigo Motors. “For over twenty years, I have been lucky enough to personally see the evolution of many riders: Jeroni Fajardo, David Cobos, Alcaraz, Justribo…. In our area, NOASSAR, many riders came through the years, some really talented ones, others, hard workers with a clear goal, and finally, some others show this unbreakable desire to become professional trials riders. I got really impressed with RYON, as I can identify all these characteristics in him, which I can honestly tell you it is not as common as it seems. I am convinced that we are setting the bases for a long, profitable, and successful relationship and I can’t wait to see again an American Trial World Champion.”

“I am super excited and absolutely amazed at the opportunity I have

been given by Vertigo Motors and Vertigo USA,” explained Ryon. “I am really looking forward to being able to contest the entire Spanish Championship series to gain experience of competing internationally as I prepare for the 125cc World Championship series in a couple of years. I am really looking forward to working with the Factory to help me increase my riding level and chase down my goals of being a world championship contender. I am also really excited to be able to represent USA trials in Europe. It is truly an honor to be a part of the Vertigo Factory team and to represent the USA at the same time.”

Ryon’s sponsors include Vertigo Motors, Vertigo Motors USA, Lewisport USA, Comas Trial, MotoLand Trialsport, Hammer Nutrition, and Mel Hambelton FORD Racing. While competition expenses are covered under the contract, travel and living expenses are not. The Land family has created a GoFundMe for those who wish to help support Ryon in his endeavors.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT GOFUNDME FROM VERTIGO MOTORS USA

Our relationship with the Land family started after Adrian [Lewis] had returned from a USA National Trials in 2004. Adrian said he had met a nice young guy who was a really good rider on a GasGas and that we should start supporting and sponsoring him. This rider was Dustin Land, Ryon's father. Lewisport has continued to support Dustin for many years, sponsoring him when we began to import the new OSSA trials bike into the USA in 2012. Our relationship has lasted over 20 years.

Dustin’s oldest son, Dalton, was also riding and doing very wellso Dustin started to ride less and help Dalton.

In the background, Dustin’s youngest son, Ryon, was starting to ride. The “Wee Guy” would come home from school and load his bike and his gear into Dustin's truck and pretend he had

driven somewhere to go riding. He would unload everything on the drive and ride and so it went on. Even at a very young age, Ryon’s passion for trials was obvious.

At the AMA NATC National Mototrials Championship Series event in California, held at Boreal - Lewisport presented young Ryon with a brand-new GasGas 80cc bike and a complete set of riding gear, and he has been riding pretty much riding every day since.

In 2015, the opportunity arose to become the importer for Vertigo. This was a natural fit for us as we had been the OSSA importer for several years. Dustin Land became a dealer in Kansas for Vertigo

Motors USA. Young Ryon would get on Dustin's 300cc Vertigo in the driveway and start riding. He would post videos of himself hopping the back wheel over to one side or the other, which was unbelievable considering he was 9 years old and tiny. Ryon takes away every adult's excuse for not riding well.

As Ryon continues to ride and compete, he generally wins everything he enters.

Eventually Ryon was ready and big enough to ride a Vertigo 125cc. He and his brother Dalton have been riding for Team Vertigo USA for a few years now, both showing their professionalism, talent, and an incredible amount of focus and

determination. It was becoming more apparent that Ryon really was special.

In 2022 a visit to the USA was arranged, and Jaime Busto, Àlex Solà (Jaime's Minder) and also Daniel Regas (Vertigo Export Manager) visited California for a week.

Vertigo USA had organized an invitational ride day for all Vertigo customers at Lombardi Ranch where everyone got to ride with Jaime for the day. A few days later, it was the AMA NATC National Mototrials Championship Series round in Wilseyville, California. Jaime rode the event as an exhibition rider, and Ryon got to hang out with

the Factory Team. Jaime, Àlex, and Daniel all noticed that Ryon had a very special talent, so we approached them to host Ryon and Dalton to visit Spain for training and they agreed! In the summer of 2022, the boys headed to Spain for seven weeks. Ryon competed in several Spanish Championship trials and won the events, impressing Manel Jané, Owner of Vertigo Motors.

For 2023 - The Factory and Vertigo Motors USA - joined efforts - to send Ryon and Dalton over again for further training and to compete in the full Spanish Championship series which runs from February until October. The Vertigo Factory and Vertigo USA have both signed Ryon to a four-year contract to train

to become a World Class Trials Rider. On the international trials stage, the potential for Ryon is huge and we will continue to support him and his family through this amazing journey.

The boys have been learning Spanish in preparation for this season and many thanks to Ed Llorca for spending countless hours teaching them!!

Ryon and Dalton spend a lot of time training in Arizona with Josh Roper

and Nigel Parker and all the regular NATC Pro and Expert riders. Many thanks to the Roper family for all of the support they provide to all of our USA national riders.

Ryon was actually in Arizona training with two other Vertigo USA team riders, Courtney Allison and Coran Calvert, when we received the final contracts from the Factory - we all had to keep it quiet from him until he returned home, where his parents, Dustin and Shawna, let Dalton break the news to Ryon.

We have to add that Dalton is amazing and has decided to put Ryon’s riding career first to become Ryon's minder, mentor, and guardian in Spain to help Ryon achieve his dreams.

We are very passionate about helping riders achieve their goals. We love to see people enjoying the sport, and getting people out to ride. Many thanks to the USA trials community for helping Ryon and the Land family follow his dream.

Vertigo Motors USA will be at all of the upcoming NATC Nationals with our Team Riders, Courtney Allison, Coran Calvert, Dalton Dunman, Dalton Land, and Ryon Land.

Stop by and say hello!!

Stay tuned, it will be an exciting year!!!

- Vertigo Motors USA

Adrian Lewis, Mandy Lewis, Bill Merritt

GRANT BAYLOR TOPS SUMTER

NATIONAL ENDURO

words and photos by SHAN MOORE

2023 Magna1 Motorsports AMA National Enduro Series presented by Moose Racing

ROUND 1

SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

Grant Baylor picked up where he left off last year by winning the opening round of the 2023 Magna1 Motorsports AMA National Enduro Series presented by Moose Racing in Sumter, South Carolina.

Grant was eighth at Sumter last year, but came on strong at the end of the season to win his second title in three years. The quick start he got this weekend, despite crashes in the final two tests, one of which tore the radiator off his Babbitt’s Online/ Monster Energy Kawasaki, could be a bad omen for the rest of the competition.

Grant won the first four tests of the day, but was fourth and second in the final two tests after his crashes

Ben Kelley

in each test. In the end, Grant took the win by just over 20 seconds ahead of Coastal Racing GasGas’ Ryder Lafferty.

“I won the first four tests, and I had a good gap going into test five, but then maybe four or five turns into the test I hit a stump and wrecked and I went straight over the bars in third gear. It was a really gnarly wreck. I got up and the front wheel was locked up on the bike. The levers were bent straight down below the handlebars. So, I tried to get the bike rolling again and get the levers and everything straightened back out. I took off again and then just smoked another tree a mile later and ripped my radiator clean off from the left side. Then I ended up wrecking three more times in that test because my radiator was hanging down behind my front fender, so I couldn’t turn right.”

If that wasn’t enough, Grant crashed again in the final test.

“We got it all straightened out for the last test,” said Grant. “I knew I still had a little bit of a gap on Ryder, but I wasn’t sure how much. So, going into that last test, I just had to kind of put my head down and ride a solid test and ended up making another little miscalculation. I hit a big pine tree with the handlebar pretty good, probably third gear. It threw me to the ground and the bike landed on top of me and had me pinned between a tree and the bike.

So, it took me a good ten seconds to get out of that. So, we just tried to ride it in after that. I ended up losing that last test to Ryder by a second, but it was enough to bring home the overall today.”

Lafferty was in the hunt all day, finishing second in every test except the final one, which he won.

“I stayed off the ground and I felt like I had a good pace all day,” said Lafferty. “I just kind of rode my own race and worried about myself. It was good.”

After switching teams during the offseason, Enduro Engineering GasGas’ Josh Toth looked comfortable on his new bike and brought home a thirdplace finish behind Lafferty, which included a win in test five.

“Starting off there was just a lot of traffic, a lot of people in front of us,’ said Toth. “I was doing a lot of revving and yelling and stuff and I just kind of got tight. The first two tests, it took me a while to loosen up, but as the day went on, I felt a lot more like myself and was riding good at the end of the day. I kind of wish I started like that, but overall I’m pretty stoked to come away with a third.”

AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper won the NE Pro2 class with a fourth overall finish, winning five of the six tests in the class, despite crashing hard in test five.

Ryder Lafferty

“It was a good day, overall,” said Draper. “I had a little advantage following Ryder for most of the day since I was on the same row as him. He pulled me the last two tests, though. I just made some silly mistakes missing some good lines and he got away. Other than that, I was pretty stoked. My bike’s good. Had fun being back at the enduros.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong was third-fastest in three of the six tests, but missed the podium by just over 16 seconds.

“I’m a little frustrated and disappointed,” DeLong said. “We were pretty good in the morning and posted consistent test times. We were just kind of in that third place, fourth place spot. I had a crash during the last test, just kind of little stupid mistakes that I don’t normally make. But overall, it was a good day.”

Phoenix Honda Racing’s Mike Witkowski turned in a brilliant ride to finish sixth overall and second in the NE Pro 2 division. Witkowski posted five seconds and a win in the six ne Pro 2 tests.

Five-time national enduro champ Steward Baylor came into the event a little under the weather and rode a sluggish race to seventh overall on his Tely Energy Racing/Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM.

Bonecutter GasGas rider Thorn

Korie Steede

Devlin finished third in the nE PRO 2 class with an eighth overall finish, while Beta USA’s Evan Smith finished ninth overall.

FMF/KTM’s Ben Kelley made his return to racing after near a year off due to injury and came away with 10th overall, despite a nasty crash in test three.

Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Korie Steede topped the Women’s Elite class, beating out GasGas-backed Rachel Gutish by 6.6 seconds.

“It started off pretty slow,” said Steede. “I had a couple of crashes in the first couple tests, but got better and I’m looking forward to the next one. The first test, I got a little lost. Some people were waving their arms up and I thought I was going the wrong way, but it turns out I wasn’t. So I wasted a little time there. Second test, I had a stick go in my vest. It ripped me off the back of my bike. I had another little fall after that. But all day after that I just tried to smooth myself out and stay off the ground.”

Enduro Engineering GasGas’ Mackenzie tricker was third another 55 seconds back.

Ryder Sigety (Yam) took the win in the Futures class ahead of Husqvarna riders Brayden Baisley and Brody Amos. Meanwhile, Michael Delosa won the AA class on a Yamaha, topping KTM rider Cade

Henderson and GasGas-mounted Neil Enman.

The AMA National Enduro Series resumes action on March 19th in Turkey, Texas, for round two of the nine-round series.

MENS OVERALL:

1. Grant Baylor (KAW)

2. Ryder Lafferty (GG)

3. Josh Toth (KTM)

4. Liam Draper (YAM)

5. Craig DeLong (HSQ)

6. Mike Witkowski (HON)

7. Steward Baylor (KTM)

8. Thorn Devlin (GG)

9. Evan Smith (BET)

10. Ben Kelley (KTM)

WOMENS OVERALL:

1. Korie Steede (KTM)

2. Rachel Gutish (GG)

3. Mackenzie Tricker (GG)

4. Shelby Turner (KTM)

5. Jocelyn Barnes (HSQ)

6. Tayler Bonecutter (GG)

7. Elizabeth Perez (HSQ)

8. Jennifer Sheppard (YAM)

9. Emma Dunn (KTM)

10. Julianne Pacey (KTM)

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Girroir Tops Mac Daddy’s XC Paradise US Sprint Enduro

words and photos by SHAN MOORE

US Sprint Enduro Series ROUND 2

FEBRUARY 11-12, 2023

HEPHZIBAH, GEORGIA

FMF/KTM’s Johnny Girroir dominated this weekend’s Mac Daddy’s XC Paradise US Sprint Enduro in Hephzibah, Georgia, beating out Coastal Racing GasGas’ Thad DuVall by 49.5 seconds after 12 tests during two days of racing, to win round two of the 2023 US Sprint Enduro Series presented by Moose Racing in Hephzibah, Georgia.

Saturday’s and Sunday’s events couldn’t have been more different. Although it rained on both days, the sandy soil soaked up the rain on Saturday and made for perfect dirt for racing. While on Sunday, the sand had apparently taken all it could handle from Saturday’s precipitation, and more rain on Sunday turned the final day of racing into a slippery affair.

“Conditions were a 180 from Saturday,’ said third-overall finisher Cody Barnes, who also won the Pro 2 division on his Phoenix Racing

Josh Toth

Thad Duvall

Honda. “Yesterday was real fast and sandy and today was slick with lot of ruts and a lot of feet off the pegs. I think in these conditions I’m a little bit better. I grew up riding a lot in the mud and racing these conditions, so it was good.”

As Barnes mentioned, the conditions had little effect on the top riders, as most had few problems with the tricky conditions.

Girroir won 11 of the 12 tests, losing only to Toth in the second Enduro test on Sunday. Girroir set the tone for the event when he topped RPM Racing’s Angus

Riordan by 7.5 seconds in Saturday’s opening test, a sandy Cross test. DuVall kept Girroir honest all day, barely losing out by mere seconds to the KTM rider in several tests, but by the end of the day, Girroir held a 19.4-second lead over DuVall to take Saturday’s win, with Pro 2 rider, Phoenix Honda Racing’s Cody Barnes holding down third overall, another 33.6 seconds back.

Riordan sat fourth after Day One, while Engineering GasGas’ Josh Toth followed in fifth overall, riding a 250 two-stroke.

Even though Toth won one of the Enduro tests on Sunday, Girroir still topped the day by 30 seconds over DuVall, with Barnes in third,

Cody Barnes

15 seconds behind DuVall. Phoenix Honda Racing’s Ruy Barbosa and Toth were fourth and fifth.

In overall scoring, Girroir was the clear winner, beating out DuVall by 49.4 seconds, with Barnes winning the Pro 2 division with a third-overall finish., another 49 seconds behind.

Missing from the event was AmPro Yamaha’s Zach Osborne, who announced on social media that he had broken his elbow earlier in the week and had to have surgery.

Girroir was gracious in victory on the podium.

“These guys kept me honest,” said Girroir. “I felt I rode well for just not knowing how it was going to go, but I was able to ride smooth. Thad kept me honest all weekend. I kind of got him the first two tests each day, but other than that, he was nipping at my heels and we were fighting for test wins, for sure. And you always got to expect Toth to come out and get a test win or have a fire day. You can never count him out, even if he was struggling on the two-stroke a little bit.”

DuVall was pleased with the improvements he had made over the first round.

“This was a lot better than round one,” said DuVall. “I just needed to be more comfortable being uncomfortable. I went back to Kailub Russell’s place in Florida and

just learned how to go fast. I knew the speed was there because I’ve been riding with Johnny all month and I never really got discouraged after round one. Just kind of held my head high and put it down this weekend and tried to keep Johnny as honest as I could, but he’s really fast.”

Barnes filled out the final spot on the overall podium and topped the Pro 2 podium.

“I just had one small mistake in the last cross test right here before the finish, but besides that, the weekend was pretty solid,” said Barnes. ‘I didn’t make a lot of mistakes and just tried to ride smart. The enduro test got real beat up, so it was real easy to hit a stump right next to the rut and hit tree roots that kind of weren’t exposed. So, I just tried to ride smart and have a good time.”

Toth was at somewhat of a disadvantage riding a 250cc twostroke in the Pro class, but wanted to change things up.

“It’s a handful,” Toth said of the twostroke 250 GasGas. “I’m starting to figure it out by the end of today, I feel like and making some adjustments, but it’s a handful. Out of the corner, it rips and when I hit the next corner I can’t stop.”

Toth was the only rider to beat Girroir in a test.

“I kind of got a little lucky there. I

made a bobble in the beginning, and Thad made a mistake right after so I caught him and just latched on and shredded from there so I was able to get that test win and shut Johnny down.”

RPM KTM’s Angus Riordan got off to a fast start, finishing second to Girroir in the first test of the weekend, and eventually finished fifth overall ad second in the Pro 2 class.

Yesterday was good fun, and then today I must have had a run,” said Riordan. “I don't know what happened.”

The lead swapped in nearly every test in the stacked Pro-Am division, however, in the end, Precision Offroad Racing’s Dominik Morse built a dominating lead in the first four tests of Day Two, landing on top of the box at the end of the weekend. Morse also finished sixth overall.

“Started off a little slow,” said Morse. “I’m not really used to the sand and sending it, so I just kind of started sending it and clicked off some wins at the end of the day and got the lead at the last test. I started off the day today winning most of them, and at the end I kind of just started riding a little tight. Just wanted to secure the win for the day and he ended up beating me in the last two tests. Congrats to Jason. It was just overall a blast of a weekend. I love the mud.”

Cole Whitmer

Angus Riordan

Jason Tino (Hsq) was seventh overall and third in the Pro-Am class, while Nicholas DeFeo (Kaw) won the 250A class in eighth overall. Gavin Simon (Hsq) and Cade Henderson (KTM) rounded out the top 10 and were third and fourth in the Pro-Am class, respectively.

AmPro Yamaha’s Rachel Archer topped the Women’s Pro class after going 2-1 over the course of the two-day event. Enduro Engineering

GasGas’ Mackenzie Tricker beat Archer in a close race on Saturday by a mere .6-seconds. However, Tricker fell near the start of test one on Sunday, injuring her collarbone and was forced to drop out, leaving Archer a clear way to victory on Sunday, including the overall win.

“Me and Kenzie were pretty tight all day yesterday,” said Archer. “So, I knew today was going to be a long day, but, unfortunately, she crashed. It sucks to see a friend go down, but I hope she heals quickly. There was a good change in conditions from yesterday to today, so it took me a little while to find my flow, but eventually we got there. Went down a couple times in the last test in those deep ruts, but still made it happen. Massive thanks to my mechanic, Derek, and the whole am-pro Yamaha team and all our sponsors.”

GasGas’ Rachel Gutish finished second ahead of FLY Racing/KTM’s Shelby Turner.

In the Youth Divisions, Austin Tsakanikas and Jayden Riley went head-to-head in the Super Mini Senior (14-15) class, with Tsakanikas getting the win over riley and Jacob McPherson on Saturday. Riley took the win on Sunday with McPherson again in third.

Mason Tsakanikas won both days of the Super Mini Junior class, beating Ryan Smith and Koen Bunch each day to take the overall.

John Berry, Brenan Mazzola and Tyler Yost went 1-2-3 on both days in the 85 Senior division, which also reflected their overall finish.

Brody Boland and Nolan Hudson swapped firsts and seconds over the two days of competition in the 85 Junior division, with Braxtyn Cheney getting third on each day. Boland won on Saturday, while Hudson won on Sunday. Boland finished with the overall win.

Rylan Roberts won the 65 Senior class on both day; ahead of Donnie Ryan and Rylan Engle, who were second and third each day.

Nicole Rupert was the lone entry on each day in the Girls (10-16) division, giving her the overall win.

Colt Chaney won the 65 Junior class ahead of Jameson Sowers and Aubrey Tsakanikas on Saturday. Sunday saw the exact same order play out.

Rachael Archer

Maci Ryan was the lone entry in the Trail Bike class, winning each day.

Maura Tsakanikas was tops in the 50 Senior (7-8) division, beating Oliver Stewart and Latham Parkman on both days for the overall win.

In the 50cc Junior division (4-6) Ryder Baricska was first on each day with Carson Zink in second and in Gracelynn Bunch taking third each day.

MENS OVERALL:

1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)

2. Thad DuVall (GG)

3. Cody Barnes (HON)

4. Josh Toth (GG)

5. Angus Riordan (KTM)

6. Dominick Morse (HSQ)

7. Jason Tino (HSQ)

8. Nicholas DeFeo (KAW)

9. Gavis Simon (HSQ)

10. Cade Henderson (KTM)

words and photos SHAN MOORE

East Coast ISDE Qualifier and US Sprint Enduro Series ROUND 3

FEBRUARY 25-26-27, 2023

WINNSBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA

FMF/KTM’s Johnny Girroir topped some of the best sprint racers in the country at the Carolina Adventure World US Sprint Enduro and threeday ISDE East Coast Qualifier, which were held in conjunction with each other this past weekend in Winnsboro, South Carolina, as racers competed in the US Sprint Enduro Series Round 3 while Letter of Intent (LOI) riders attempted to qualify for this year’s International Six Days Enduro, which this year will be held in San Juan, Argentina on November 6-11. The Trophy riders who will eventually compete at Six Days aren’t required to qualify since they are picked on merit, but the event proved a great training event for the top hopefuls who attended. Saturday and Sunday served as round three of the US Sprint Enduro Series, while all three days (adding in Monday’s race) counted as the eastern round of the AMA ISDE Qualifier Series. The two events were scored separately, although series regulars and Letter of Intent (LOI) riders could ride both events.

Thad Duvall

In the end, Girroir edged out Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong by seven seconds for the overall win for Saturday and Sunday’s round of the Sprint Series in very slippery conditions, as rain on Friday and Saturday left the course in rugged condition, forcing several re-routes during the weekend. Then on Monday, Girroir completed the sweep, winning Monday’s ISDE-style race (with transfer trail added in), by beating out DeLong by nearly 28 seconds over the three-day event.

DeLong kept Girroir within his sights all day on Saturday, finishing the day just two seconds behind Girroir. However, it was Phoenix Honda’s Ruy Barbosa who led the first half of the day, taking advantage of a later start time in the muddy conditions. In fact, Barbosa won the first test by nine seconds over DeLong, while Girroir had a miscue and was another 10 seconds back. Barbosa was third in test two, just .3-seconds behind Girroir, with RPM Racing KTM’s Angus Riordan just .01-second behind Girroir, as Barbosa continued to lead out front.

Barbosa had the fastest time again in test three, but Girroir settled down and started to reel off the fastest times in the final few tests with Coastal Racing GasGas’ Thad DuVall adding a test win, as well.

Girroir won three tests, Barbosa won two, and DuVall topped one,

Ruy Barbosa

giving Girroir Saturday’s win by two seconds ahead of the consistent DeLong, with Barbosa in third, three seconds back. Barbosa also was the top-finishing Pro 2 rider on Saturday.

Coastal Racing GasGas’ Thad DuVall was fourth after winning test five, with Phoenix Honda Racing’s Cody Barnes rounding out the top five and finishing second in the Pro 2 division.

On Sunday, Girroir edged DeLong by five seconds, with Barbosa again finishing third on the day and first in the Pro 2 class.

Girroir claimed the overall win, with DeLong a mere five seconds behind in second overall; however, FXR GasGas’ Layne Michael kicked off the day with a big win in test one and then again in test three. A few two-many tip-overs cost Michael a top spot, as Girroir came out on top with Delong, Barbosa, Barbosa’s Phoenix Honda teammate Cody Barnes and DuVall just behind.

“It wasn’t easy,” said Girroir of his win. “Everyone was ripping this weekend. Thad (DuVall) showed a lot of speed, obviously. And Old Diesel Craig over here never hit the ground once. I was just was laying on the ground a lot. Those are costly mistakes. But it was a good weekend. It was just a nail-biter, really, both days all weekend. It was good, close racing.”

Consistency paid off for DeLong, including a win in test five on Sunday, earning him second overall.

“Five seconds doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but it actually is,” said DeLong of the difference between him and Girroir on Sunday. “I’m happy to be giving Johnny a run for his money which is better than I’ve done in the past. So, I feel like we’re getting faster, which is good.”

Barbosa was third overall for the weekend and first in the Pro 2 division, breaking his Barnes’ streak of Pro2 wins, which went back nearly two years.

“I’m just getting comfortable with the bike after a few weeks testing my suspension,” said Barbosa, who had his best weekend to date. “Yesterday was a really good day. Yesterday I had a pretty good test to start the day. Today was a completely new day because they changed a lot of things on the enduro side, so it was like a short race but really intense. But, I’m happy with my pace, with my speed, with my team.”

Barnes was fourth overall and was second on the Pro 2 podium.

“The first day didn’t really go that well,” said Barnes. “The second cross test I threw it all away by crashing twice. I was kind of riding like an idiot, pushing too hard in the slop. I crashed right off the bat

Kaitlyn Jacobs

Layne Michael

pretty high speed and was all mad so I was pinning it. Then I crashed again, when really I should have just slowed down and rode smart. I threw the weekend away right there.”

Finishing fifth overall, DuVall was pleased with the improvements over the first round after getting off to a fast start on Sunday.

“Yesterday was good,” said DuVall. “Close times all day. I was able to put in a couple test wins. Good start, I won a couple but then it was just pure downhill from there. I was laying on the ground three out of six tests today. I need to eliminate that. Then today, I just threw it away. I felt like I had the speed and was comfortable all weekend. It feels good to be battling with these guys after a rough first round. Definitely getting better. Just got to keep these boys on their toes.”

RPM Racing’s Angus Riordan was sixth after an exceptional ride in Saturday’s second cross test which saw him finish second by .1-second behind Girroir. It also earned him third in the Pro 2 class. Meanwhile, Layne Michael was seventh overall on an FXR-backed GasGas. GasGas-mounted Thorn Devlin was eighth, with Precision Offroad Racing’s Dominik Morse winning the Pro-Am division with a ninth overall finish.

Gavin Simon (Hsq) rounded out the top 10.

Am Pro Yamaha’s Rachel Archer Trail topped ISDE veteran Rachel Gutish (GG)for the win in the Pro Women’s division, while Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Korie Steede was third.

Archer won 10 of the 12 tests with Steede winning the other two.

“We had a bit of rain on Friday night which made things pretty technical and I do well when it’s technical,” said Archer. “I got a big lead on

Saturday and got the win by about 58 seconds. I won every test, so that was pretty cool. Then on Sunday it dried up a little bit. The track was still pretty technical, so it was still to my liking, although the cross test got pretty gnarly. I ended up winning four out of six tests. Korie beat me in two. I crashed in one and then just made a couple mistakes in one of the cross tests.”

FLY Racing/KTM’s Shelby Turner was fourth overall.

On Monday, which was the day added for the three-day ISDE Qualifier, there were 40 competitors including LOI rider and the potential Trophy Team riders. Transfer trail was added in for this day, with each rider competing three times on the cross test and three times on the enduro test to simulate an actual ISDE event. Each rider competed three times on the cross test and three times on the enduro test. These times were added into the times the riders accumulated during Saturday and Sunday’s events.

“This is actually my first time to attend a qualifier, so I’m taking a little deeper look at the club riders,” added Kallonen. “We’re grooming the next generation of Trophy riders, men and women.”

Missing from the event was FMF/KTM’s Taylor Robert, who was supposed to be riding a sixrace schedule this year, strictly in preparation for Argentina.

Team manager Antti Kallonen talked about Taylor Robert’s absence from the event.

“Taylor was supposed to ride both the east and west qualifier series for practice and it’s good for these up-and-coming racers to get to watch a past ISDE overall winner, so it’s a bummer he injured his wrist. Hopefully, we’re not sure if he will be ready for the west qualifier, but that is his

Craig DeLong

main goal for the year is to ride Argentina,” said Kallonen.

FMF/KTM’s Johnny Girroir was the overall winner for the threeday qualifier event, taking the overall by nearly 28 second ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong and he commented that with the transfer trail, Monday’s event was much tougher.

“The tests were longer and there was about a 10-minute transfer between the tests, so it was a bit more challenging,” said Girroir. “I was on the ground a lot the first two days but I cleaned it up today and only fell once, so I feel good about the win.”

Coastal Racing GasGas’ Thad DuVall was third overall for the three days, while FXR/GasGas rider Layne Michael was fourth.

Pennsylvania’s Thorn Devlin was the top LOI rider in fifth overall so he will get a chance to make up for his last two attempts at Six Days when he qualified but didn’t get to ride due to injuries.

“In 2019 and then last year, I got hurt at the last minute and didn’t get to go,” said Devlin. “I’m pretty much giving it one more shot and hopefully we stay healthy.”

Rachael Archer

Trail Jesters KTM’s Korie Steede came into Monday’s event a minute-and-a-half behind Rachel Gutish, but managed to come back and take the Pro Women’s win by five seconds over Gutish.

“Actually, the pressure of Saturday and Sunday were just kind of lifted off my shoulders and I just told myself to go out there and have a good time,” said Steede. “I wasn’t too worried about the times since I was so far down, but after two tests I realized I had a chance to pull it off.”

Husqvarna-mounted Jocelyn Barnes was third in the Pro Women’s class, with Raine’s Racing Yamaha’s Prestin Raines and RPM Racing KTM’s Kaitlyn Jacobs rounding out the top five.

The US Sprint Enduro Series resumes action on March 25-26 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, for round four of the series.

MENS OVERALL:

1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)

2. Craig DeLong (HSQ)

3. Ruy Barbosa (HON)

4. Cody Barnes (HON)

5. Thad DuVall (GG)

6. Angus Riordan (KTM)

7. Layne Michael (GG)

8. Thorn Devlin (GG)

9. Dominick Morse (HSQ)

10. Gavin Simon (HSQ)

ISDE QUALIFIER 3-DAY OVERALL:

1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)

2. Craig DeLong (HSQ)

3. Thad DuVall (GG)

4. Layne Michael (GG)

5. Thorn Devlin (KTM) LOI

6. Jaden Dahners (YAM) LOI

7. Trevor Maley (KTM) LOI

8. Jhak Walker (GG) LOI

9. Zack Toth (KTM) LOI

10. Hunter Smith (KTM) LOI

Master your art.

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Expertly assembled with premium and essential off-road components as standard, the all-new 2023 TX 300 continues to lead the way in off-road 2-stroke development.

Steward Baylor Earns Round One Win in South Carolina

The Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, (GNCC Racing) concluded its season opener on Sunday, February 19, 2023. The VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC saw 2,029 riders throughout the weekend.

As the green flag waved for the XC1 Open Pro riders, it was FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Jonathan Girroir getting the jump off the line and across the holeshot line for to earn himself the $250 All Balls Racing

XC1 Holeshot Award. However, it wouldn’t take long for Rocky Mountain/Tely Energy KTM Racing’s

Jordan Ashburn Mack Faint

words courtesy of KAYLA BOLTON photos KEN HILL & MACK FAINT

Steward Baylor to make his way into the number one spot.

Aboard his new team and KTM machine, Baylor would continue to hold the lead for the duration of the three hour race. FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Benjamin Kelley would push his way into second, at one point catching Baylor and creating a 4 second gap between themselves. Unfortunately, Kelley would have a small tip over in the woods and the gap would increase once again. Baylor would cruise to earn the season opener win and put himself in a good position to battle for the National Championship.

Kelley would cross the line in second to start the season after a leg injury sidelined him in 2022. Kelley’s second place would not come easy though as AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell would put up a fight. Russell would hold the second place position for the first couple of laps, but he would continue battling Kelley for the remaining laps of the race. Russell would close the gap to just five seconds but would be unable to make a pass for second. Russell would round out the podium at the Big Buck GNCC.

Magna1 Motorsports/Husqvarna’s Jordan Ashburn, the defending GNCC National Champion, would battle his way up to fourth after starting back in the sixth place position. Ashburn would steadily work his way through the pack,

Steward Baylor Ken Hill

crossing the line just seven seconds off of Russell.

Coming through to take fifth overall at the opening round was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong. As the race got underway DeLong would find himself running mid-pack in seventh on the opening couple of laps. As the race continued on DeLong would make the necessary passes to move into a top five spot as the checkered flag flew.

Aboard a new team for the 2023 season, Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor came through to earn sixth overall on the day. Baylor, who missed the final two rounds of 2022 due to injury, came back on a new machine ready to battle.

Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Thad Duvall would come through seventh on the day after starting at the back of the pack in 10th place. Duvall would work his way up to eighth and then make a pass for seventh as the two-lap card came out. Duvall remained seventh until the checkered flag flew.

Fighting his way back to eighth in the XC1 Open Pro class was Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/ Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Strang. After starting out eighth in the class, Strang would fall back to 10th before making a push back to eighth by the end of the race.

Korie Steede (444) Ken Hill

GASGAS/FXR’s Layne Michael would come through to earn ninth in the class aboard his new GASGAS machine. After earning the holeshot Girroir would run fourth for the first couple of laps before having to make an extended pit stop and falling back to 10th in the XC1 Open Pro class. Our friends from the Japan National Cross Country (JNCC) Series came to race the Big Buck GNCC. Daiki Baba and Ryota Suzuki made their way to the United States to take part in round of the 2023 GNCC season, where they finished 11th and 12th in the XC1 class.

Unfortunately for Rocky Mountain/ Tely Energy KTM Racing’s Ben Nelko, he would only complete one lap of the race before his race day ended. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Trevor Bollinger was also unable to finish the race after completing one lap, Bollinger would suffer what looked to be a wrist injury.

In the XC2 250 Pro class it was Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/ Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass jumping off the line first to earn the $250 Steel City Men’s Clinic Holeshot Award. The XC2 class have some great racing battles throughout the day with lead changes happening throughout the duration of the race. Snodgrass would hold the lead for the majority of the race, but Coastal/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder Lafferty was

lurking and would make a last lap pass to take over the lead.

Lafferty would hold onto the lead to take the season opener win. Snodgrass would come through five seconds behind Lafferty. FMF/RPM

KTM Racing’s Angus Riordan made his way onto the XC2 class podium after battling back from a fourth place start to take over third as the checkered flag flew.

In the WXC Bike class, when the green flag waved, it was Trail Jester's Korie Steede who would grab the first holeshot of the season. For the first two laps it was a spread out race, with AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer leading the way, Steede in 2nd, GASGAS/Over and Out/RG Factory Racing’s Rachel

Gutish in 3rd, Shelby Turner in 4th, and Prestin Raines in 5th. Steede was slowly chipping away at the gap, and with less than two laps to go, the race was on. Battling wheel-to-wheel, Archer and Steede swapped places countless times fighting through lappers. Down to the checkered it was Steede who would take the win with Archer finishing only .76 seconds behind. Gutish held third the entire race to finish on the podium.

We had a chance to speak with Steede and Archer about their epic battle, and here's what they had to say:

"I had a stack on the second lap, and she pulled me in closer", says Archer. "Eventually we started hitting lappers and she caught up to me. We just started going back and forth. I made a mistake, blew a turn off a big braking bump and she got around me. She went down with a lapper, and I got around her again. I had some good lines and was just trying to be patient, but we got about a mile from the finish and there was a lapper in the inside rut I'd been taking all race. They kind of crossed over into the rut as I was trying to get passed and I had to almost stop. Korie took the outside and just rode right around me. We were about 40 seconds from the finish so there wasn't much I could do. I tried taking a different line through the straightaway right before the finish, but I couldn't get close enough to make the pass. It's definitely stressful when you battle like that, but it's definitely cool for the fans and keeps it interesting. It makes you a better rider."

"Something kind of just clicked inside of me," says Steede, "and I just really wanted to try and chase her down and not give up. That was really the first race for me where I was like, “You can do this.” That felt really good, that win meant so much to me. But yeah, coming down to the last two laps it was pretty intense. I caught her, she'd hit a lapper, go down, it was so intense just trying to stay off the ground. We'd get into a

pack of lappers again and you'd just kind of overthink it. Then I'd follow the wrong guy, crash with him, and she'd get around me. Luckily about a quarter mile from the finish there was this one line to the right where these guys were pointing me all day. I remembered the line, she followed the lappers down the main line, I cut right on the good line and made the pass. I tried to just stay off the ground and make it to the finish line and it paid off. Obviously, it was a really close race, so this season is going to be intense. I enjoy the intense racing like that, unless it's the last lap and I'm like crapping my pants, it really gets your heart rate spiked, but it's fun!"

We also chatted with Rachel Gutish on her podium ride, here's what she had to say:

“By the time I got around some of the other girls off the start, Archer and Steede had both gapped me a bit,” said Gutish. “I don't think they were very far away because I kept getting flashes of them in the distance – but they were far enough away I couldn’t pace off them. They continued to gap me bit by bit as the race went on, about four minutes altogether. On the last lap I crashed and popped the quick release of my fuel line out. I panicked for a few minutes before having the presence of mind to look over the bike and find the issue. So, although I was six minutes down from the leader on the

Rachael Archer (417) Ken Hill

day, I’m only going to own four of it (laughs). Four isn’t a bad start and I look forward to trying to cut down on that time this season. As good as I feel on the bike, I expect to be a regular on the box this year.”

All three of last round’s podium contenders are confident heading into Florida, so we expect that the next round will be just as actionpacked as Big Buck. Archer believes her determination and setup will help her carry the day:

"Yeah I feel like I have a good set up this year, Feeling good in the sand. I always do pretty decent in the sand so it should be good. I'm a pretty gritty racer so whenever you start

getting tired is when I can have an advantage over some other riders", says Archer. Steede also feels confident, though she took a more relaxed view of the event, saying she was “going to find a good flow, look for alligators, and have fun!”

Meanwhile, Gutish rates her enjoyment of the sand as only a 7/10 but says that even if it hasn’t always been her favorite, wintering in Florida has greatly improved her skills and she expects to be a contender.

XC1 PRO EVENT RESULTS:

1. Steward Baylor (KTM)

2. Benjamin Kelley (KTM)

3. Ricky Russell (YAM)

4. Jordan Ashburn (HQV)

5. Craig DeLong (HQV)

6. Grant Baylor (KAW)

7. Thad Duvall (GAS)

8. Josh Strang (KAW)

9. Layne Michael (GAS)

10. Jonathan Girroir (KTM)

OVERALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:

1. Steward Baylor (30)

2. Benjamin Kelley (25)

3. Ricky Russell (21)

4. Jordan Ashburn (18)

5. Craig DeLong (16)

6. Grant Baylor (15)

7. Thad Duvall (14)

8. Ryder Lafferty (13)

9. Lyndon Snodgrass (12)

10. Angus Riordan (11)

Women's Winter Trials

Training With Wentzel

words and photos STEPH

There are few women in the trials community more passionate about getting more women riding motorcycles than Toni Roach. In her history of riding, she’s become comfortable riding with the guys, but has realized that not all women, especially those new to the hobby, feel the same way. So, she reached out to Quinn Wentzel, former Pro Trials Rider, and asked for a women’s only trials training class, to which he happily agreed. The five available spots filled up quickly, and soon there were five women geared up and ready to train at The Compound, Quinn’s personal training facility in North Benton, OH. Quinn is a sponsored rider for Rieju USA on the enduro side of off-road, but as the US importer also dabbles in Electric Motion, Quinn has one of those, too. Not surprisingly, the Electric Motion, the all-electric trials bike, makes for the perfect demonstration bike – during the class, Quinn was able to talk while demonstrating the next challenge, explaining everything from body positioning to clutch and throttle control as he did so, elevating the quality of teaching to the next level.

Following traditional February Ohio weather, the day was chill with a slight breeze, but enough to merit moving the class within Quinn’s Quonset hut. For those who have never had the opportunity to visit

The Compound, the Quonset hut is filled with concrete tubes, rocks, and logs for every skill level. And knowing trials riders, they can take even the simplest-looking obstacle and find a way to force a high-level skill out of it, making the facility the perfect training grounds.

As most of the women in attendance were riding at a Novice or Intermediate level, Quinn started the class as he normally does –talking about body positioning. Talking through placement of the controls, making sure levers were at the right angle for quick access through most maneuvers, and foot positioning on the pegs. Then it was all about balance. Because so much of trials is at slow speed, being able to balance on the pegs without dabbing a foot and taking points is crucial. The girls spent some time working on balancing with the engine off, learning how to find the balance point and stabilize with only slight movements from the handlebars.

As trials is done with the rider standing on the foot pegs instead of sitting in the seat, there was discussion about how to properly move with the bike, especially around turns, and after a quick demonstration from Quinn, it was back on the bikes for practice. Then it was the dreaded cone slalom, which forced the women to weave around cones only a bike-length

apart from one another; the goal was not to see how fast they could navigate the course, it was how slow and controlled they could reach the finish, riding back and forth around the cones. With each pass, they would continue to improve until everyone had passed through the course several times without dabbing or running over a cone.

Next up on the agenda was the wheelie. Quinn laid a 2x4 on the ground and showed the women how to lift their front tires – the goal was not a standing wheelie, but just enough lift that the front tire didn’t touch. For some women, this was more a mental challenge than a physical one. Those who had a little more experience, or were already riding at a higher level, took to the wheelie rather quickly. After a break for lunch, provided by Quinn’s dad, Bob, and the Vintage Movement, it was back to the hut for more wheelies and obstacle-crossings. Once Quinn saw the women were comfortable lifting their front wheel, he moved them to a slightly more difficult obstacle, railroad tie, then a small concrete tube, then a larger rock, and so on until he found everyone’s comfort level. For the others, the 2x4 proved a significant challenge, but they kept at it, hitting it over and over again until they started to see progress. The final portion of the day was spent working on hitting obstacles at an angle, or through a turn. Cones were

moved around rocks and logs to simulate the ribbon typically used as section boundaries in competition. At the end of the day, everyone was in agreement that Quinn’s method of teaching was spot-on. But why a women’s-only class? When it comes to co-ed classes or rides, many women still fear making a mistake and looking foolish, or holding the class up because they may not be as fast or as skilled as the guys. There’s an inherent fear of asking questions and feeling silly for not already knowing the answer. To some, this may sound ridiculous. No one is an expert right out of the gate, but with motorsports still being dominated by men, the women are slowly and tentatively testing the waters to see if they are welcome. Quinn provided a great environment for learning, making sure to take time with each rider and allowed the class to progress naturally through the skills he demonstrated, without feeling pressure to hurry.

“Quinn was freaking awesome,” said Michelle Robison. “I know that he’s kind of a quiet guy, but he was very informative, broke everything down, and that makes it so easy for us girls, or anybody, really. I think this class ranks right up there with the Ryan Young training class I’ve taken. It was kind of the same thing – all about breaking down each section or technique, and I think he did a really good job.”

“Quinn is so great at giving you the skill, showing an example of the skill, and reiterating it, but giving it to you at your level,” explained Nicole Robinson, who currently rides the Novice class in Trials Incorporated. “He’s really calm and gives you confidence in the way he delivers the information. He gives you time to work up [to a skill] if you’re not ready for it right at that moment. He encourages you and tells you exactly what he sees that you’re not doing and what you’re doing correctly. It was a great class – I’m really excited; I feel like I got two new skills today that I had shied away from for two years. It was a baby wheelie, but I’m gonna own it! The other skill was climbing up those rocks and the square timber; anything squared off like that really intimidates me, but you get the little lift there and lean back a little bit and you go right over it.

I think it gave us a venue to not be intimidated and not feel like we had to over-push ourselves, but still feel like we could do things. I think had I been in a class with a bunch of other guys, I would’ve thought I was taking too much time of some of the obstacles. Today, I felt like we had the time for everything that we wanted to do, we had the space. Quinn was attentive with every one of us, walked around and saw everything everybody was doing. I think it was a great class size, and I think all girls is a great thing.”

“This was the first all-women’s class,” said Quinn. “It went really good; we had a great group of ladies, all fairly close in skill level, so that makes for a more pleasant learning experience. What’s good about having an all-ladies class is that they’re more comfortable learning together. Sometimes when there’s other guys around, they can make them a little bit nervous. This way, everybody gets a lot more comfortable and willing to try more stuff and push themselves.

As far as it being different from an all-men’s class or a co-ed class, honestly today I didn’t think there was much difference because the ladies were really willing to let it hang out [laughs] – they were sending it, which is awesome! Sometimes, I guess you could see a little bit more timidness within a ladies class, but honestly, today everybody was killing it.”

I thought today’s training was really good," said Toni Roach. "I had a good time, I definitely learned some stuff to go home and practice, which is kind of the idea of these kinds of schools.

Last year I took it and I was the only girl with a bunch of guys. I know so many of these gals get uncomfortable because they haven’t been in that environment their whole life, and so I thought this would be better having an all-girl class, and it was – it worked out great. I loved how serious everybody was about learning but still having fun.

That class last year, I was intimidated, but only because it’s indoors with the obstacles, not because it was with the guys. Listening to the other women talk, they are so much more comfortable

when we do the all-girls thing. It’s different for me to get in that mindset, but hearing them talk about it, I realized we needed an allgirls training day. I’m trying to get them outside of their comfort zone, so if it means having to do it with all girls for now, we can.

I’ve learned a lot from talking to the gals that would come up and talk to me after an event. I was just trying to find out why they rode, but were afraid to compete. A lot of it came down to the fact that they were afraid of looking dumb; it was almost like a mindset where they didn’t feel they had a right to be out there as much as the guys because they weren’t as good."