SportBikes Inc Magazine July 2011 (Volume 1, Issue 10)

ROAD RACING . DRAG RACING . STUNT RIDING

CUSTOM BIKES . Moto tECH

JuLY 2011 Vol 1 Issue 10

SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM TM

T h e MoVIE I S S U E

BIKES

CAMERA

ACTION! CRYSTAL HOOKS | ERNIE VIGIL | SBI STAFF’S TOP BIKE FILMS | GP VS STANDARD SHIFT | WEIGHT TRANSFER DURING ACCELERATION

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SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 3

WHAT’S INSIDE

July 2011 - VOLUME 1, ISSUE 10

THE FEATURES THE SHOW: MEGATRON

48

WEIGHT TRANSFER DURING ACCELERATION

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16

ERNIE VIGIL

68

CRYSTAL HOOKS

62

SBI STAFF’S TOP BIKE FILMS

40

GP SHIFT VS STANDARD SHIFT

78

THE USUALS

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=6 6 EDITOR’S LETTER http://issuu.com/action/page?page=8 8 THE PRESS ROOM

CLICK ON NUMBERS TO JUMP TO A PAGE

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=14 14 DEALER SPOTLIGHT - BEVERLY HILLS DUCATI http://issuu.com/action/page?page=16 16 THE SHOW - TPC MOTORSPORTS’ MEGATRON http://issuu.com/action/page?page=22 22 THE GRID NEWS http://issuu.com/action/page?page=26 26 THE INSIDE TRACK - By Corey Alexander 35http://issuu.com/action/page?page=35 THE YOUNGEST IN CHARGE - By Dystany Spurlock http://issuu.com/action/page?page=54 54 FEATURED CLUB - DAY BREAKERS, M.C. http://issuu.com/action/page?page=56 56 FEATURED RIDERS http://issuu.com/action/page?page=62 62 MOTO TECH http://issuu.com/action/page?page=68 68 IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS http://issuu.com/action/page?page=88 88 SPORTBIKES INK!!! http://issuu.com/action/page?page=90 90 THIS LIFE - IN MOVIES By Tyson Beckford http://issuu.com/action/page?page=94 94 THE NEW ISH http://issuu.com/action/page?page=98 98 STAFF STUFF

http://issuu.com/ action/

http://issuu.com/action/ page?page=60

JUly 2011

INTERACTIVE

http://issuu.com/action/ page?page=28

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Welcome to the movie issue of SportBikes Inc. We opened up the floor to the SBI Staff to voice their opinion on their favorite biker films in the SBI Staff’s Top Bike Films. Have a read and see if our choices line up with yours. We sit down with Crystal Hooks and Ernie Vigil to discuss their experiences performing stunt work for Hollywood blockbuster films. A huge nod to the crew at Killer Kreations and TPC Motorsports for their “Transformers” inspired Megatron Busa in “The Show” section.

To do a themed issue slanted toward the film industry is important to me as the motorcycle industry is so closely tied to the entertainment industry. You may hear me reference the term “motorcycle entertainment” often. I consider myself a provider of motorcycle entertainment. Everyone needs entertainment...

I must announce the following disclaimer regarding this issue. Unless otherwise noted, images from the movie productions are solely the property of the respective film depicted. SBI in no means claims ownership to any of the images or productions herein.

And for anyone checking, my first son was born this past June. Happy and healthy, “the boy” as I affectionately call him (his name is Brock Anderson) is doing awesome.

Enjoy the issue!

Allan allan@sportbikesincmag.com http://twitter.com/sportbikesinc

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ART & DESIGN

EDITORIAL

THETEAM

Editor-in-Chief: Allan Lane Lifestyle Editor: Tyson Beckford Moto-Tech Editor: Mark Rozema Technical Advisor: Thomas Campion Contributing Editor: Simona Mihiela Contributing Riding Editor: Eric Wood Senior Staff Writer: Lisa Macknik Contributing Writers: Brittany Murrow Dystany Spurlock Corey Alexander Copy Editor: Amy “Diesel” Lane Art Director: Leon Brittain Graphic Designer: Baz Staff Photographers: Meekail Shaheed Brian Nitto Cover Design: Leon Brittain

SportBikes Inc Magazine — July 2011 Volume 1, Issue 10 To receive SportBikes Inc Magazine’s 2011 Media Kit and Advertising Rates, please email: info@sportbikesincmag.com.

SportBikes Inc Magazine (ISSN 2158-009X) is published monthly by Hard Knocks Motorcycle Entertainment.

Any and all items submitted to SportBikes Inc Magazine will become the sole property of SportBikes Inc Magazine and are subject to, but not limited to edits, comments and titles.

In no way can any part of this magazine be reproduced in print, digital, broadcast or any other manner without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

SportBikes Inc Magazine is not responsible for any advertising claims made by its advertisers or partners.

Sportbikes Inc Magazine, staff and partners are not responsible for injuries, loss or damage to their being, vehicle or property, including death that may result from contest submissions.

the press room BIG TIGGER’S 4TH ANNUAL HIV/AIDS RIDE FOR LIFE CHARITY EVENT Big Tigger’s 4th Annual HIV/AIDS Ride for Life kicks off on August 13, 2011. It’s a great event for a great cause that echoes the meaning of riding with a purpose. SportBikes Inc Magazine will be along for the ride and to show our support.

This year, Suzuki has stepped up as the marquee sponsor and is offering registrants an opportunity to win a new 2011 GSX-R 1000, Busa or M109.

Big Tigger’s charity, Street Corner Foundation, is dedicated to “eradicating a deadly disease while uplifting communities.” Visit http://streetcornerfoundation.org for details on the charity ride and the foundation.

MOTORCYCLE SALES ON SUNDAY ALLOWED IN PENNSYLVANIA

Starting this September, dealerships in Pennsylvania will be allowed to sell motorcycles on Sunday thanks to a new law that Governor Tom Corbett has signed that amends a 1983 law.

SUZUKI MOVES ITS MOTORCYCLE OPERATIONS FURTHER INLAND

Suzuki has purchased land in the Miyakoda Industrial Park in north central Hamamatsu and announced that they were moving their motorcycle business further inland to consolidate operations.

The move comes on the heels of prepping for the dreaded Tokai earthquake. The current factory is only 200 meters from the Japanese shoreline.

The new factory’s working title is the Miyakoda Technical Center and is scheduled to open in May of 2017.

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DUCATI OPENS A RETAIL SHOP IN ROME AT FLUMICINO AIRPORT

So you’re in Rome and find yourself at Terminal 3 of the Flumicino Airport and lookie lookie here… The brand new Ducati Shop has opened for business! In fact, this is the second Ducati retail store in an airport terminal. The other is located at the Bologna airport.

The store carries apparel and accessories from Ducati and their partners Puma and Oakley.

“The decision to open an airport retail format stems from the growing interest in the Ducati brand and the entire product range associated with it. For years, Ducati has been a committed global ambassador of the ‘made in Italy’ concept of premium quality and so the decision to open this first shop in Italy’s capital was inevitable. We feel sure this opening will be followed by many others, enabling us to offer the fastgrowing community of Ducati fans and enthusiasts the chance to purchase apparel and other products. To ensure our customers enjoy a unique experience we’ve put our trust in a truly professional travel retail specialist, Meridian Duty Free.” – Lucio Attina, Director of Ducati Apparel & Brand Development.

PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN OF MICHELIN NORTH AMERICA TO RETIRE Richard Wilkerson will retire from his role as President and Chairman after 31 years of service to Michelin North America at the end of 2011. He will be succeeded by Pete Selleck who currently holds the position of President of Michelin Truck Tires worldwide.

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Dealer Spotlight

Words: Allan Lane Photos: Courtesy of Hudson Valley Motorcycle Sales

Dealership name: Beverly Hills Ducati | Address: 428 North La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90048 Hours:Tuesday thru Friday 9am - 6pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm Year established: 2002 | Brands sold: Ducati

H

eritage, vision and service are just a few elements required when seeking a loyal customer base. An understanding of the life and the thrills that get an enthusiast’s blood flowing, it’s all part of the science. Of course it doesn’t hurt to be the premiere Ducati dealership in Los Angeles, CA. With a staff that not only rides but actively races as well, it’s a no brainer that Beverly Hills Ducati is the “go to” place for the Southern California Ducatisti.

Contact Info: www.bhducati.com

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W W W. P E R F O R M A N C E M A C H I N E . C O M MOTORCYCLE WHEELS, BRAKES & ACCESSORIES

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THE SHOW

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MEGATRON:

MORE THAN M E E T S THE EYE

W ords : A llan L ane I ma g es : F red S i c oli

“DECEPTICON” LOGO COURTESY OF HASBRO TOYS SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 17

THE SHOW

MEGATRON: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE T ransformers 3: Dark of the Moon hit the big screen earlier this summer to rave reviews and stunning box office numbers. As a kid, I recall watching the First Generation of the Transformers cartoon and thinking to myself how awesome it would be to have an Autobot as a friend and a car. But in all honesty, its safe to say that everyone truly wanted to be a Decepticon. Autobots were cool, but Decepticons kicked ass. There was no Decepticon more deadly than the bad

man himself, Megatron.

The team at TPC Motorsports from Delaware transformed this stock 2008 Hayabusa into the show piece that it is today in the winter of 2007 and claims to be the first camp to customize the 2008 Busa. An insane paint job by Killer Kreations takes the bike to the next level, creating the illusion that this bike could transform into a warmongering robot in the blink of an eye.

2008 SUZUKI HAYBUSA MEGATRON Spec Sheet Engine/Power Upgrades - Stock Front Brakes: Single front chrome caliper and rotor - OEM Rear Brakes: Wave rotor - Galfer USA Brake Lines: Stainless Steel - Goodridge Exhaust: 4 into 1 into 2 - VooDoo Industries Front Suspension: Modified Forks - OEM Rear Suspension: Chrome Air Ride Kit - Tricky Air Swingarm: Single sided 330, jackshaft braced - Hickman, modified by TPC Motorsports Front Wheel: 808 Wheels 17 x 3.5 - TPC Motorsports Rear Wheel: 808 Wheels 17 x 12 330 - TPC Motorsports Rear Tire: 330/30/17 Venom - Avon Bodywork: Fully molded and integrated windscreen, headlight and front cowl Paint By: Killer Kreations, Inc Built By: TPC Motorsports Owner: Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan

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THE SHOW

M E G A T R O N :

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MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

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THE GRID: NEWS BEN SPIES CAPTURES HIS FIRST MOTOGP VICTORY AT ASSEN Ben Spies rode his anniversary Yamaha machine to his maiden victory at the seventh round of the MotoGP 2011 season. On a grid missing Dani Pedrosa and Loris Capirossi not to mention a few offs by Marco Simoncelli and reigning champ Jorge Lorenzo… Spies remained cool breeze and enjoy a brilliant run on the Iveco TT Assen.

“It was a strange race today as it was one of the most comfortable races we had and it resulted in a win. I saw the Simoncelli crash on the TV screen in the corner of my eye so I knew about it. I had a good feeling in the bike in the first couple of laps and had to push as much as I could to get a gap. When Casey was pushing back I still had a few tenths if I needed to, we could always match the pace. To do it this weekend with the 50th colours gives a little bit of pressure but it came out good! I was racing as hard as I could, I have to thank my guys; they gave me a great bike today. At least we’ve won a race now!” - Ben Spies.

MOTOGP AND MUGELLO TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS Dorna Sports S.L and the Mugello circuit have signed an agreement for the next five years extending the relationship until 2016.

“We’re very pleased to announce the renewal of the agreement which confirms Mugello will continue to be a MotoGP venue. This also ensures that the Italian Grand Prix will remain the most important event of our sporting calendar in years to come. In addition we will also continue our positive relationship with Dorna, whose professionalism has allowed motorcycle racing to be more successful and popular than ever.” - Paolo Poli, Chief Executive of the Mugello Circuit.

For more sportbike news and announcements:

VISIT THE SPORTBIKES INC BLOG

HTTP://SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM/BLOG

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KENNY ROBERTS TO RIDE AT THE RED BULL US GP AT LAGUNA SECA Kenny Roberts returns to the track at Mazda Laguna Seca over the Red Bull US Grand Prix weekend in Monterey, CA. On Saturday, “The King” will ride a specially prepped 50th anniversary factory YZR-M1 for several laps during the lunch break.

On Sunday, Roberts is scheduled to ride his 1980 World Championship winning YZR500 just prior to the big race.

“I’m really looking forward to it! As this will be the very first time I’ve ridden at the USGP and my 31 year old championship winning YZR is ready to go!” - Kenny “The King” Roberts.

SBI’S OWN DYSTANY SPURLOCK LAUNCHES HER MUCH AWAITED WEB SITE

The Princess of the Quarter Mile has officially launched her new website. The site gives her fans a chance to see all sides of Dystany’s life that includes racing, modeling and just being herself.

As always, you can check out her monthly column, YOUNGEST IN CHARGE here in SportBikes Inc Magazine (page 35).

Show Dystany some love and visit her page at http://dspurlockracing.com.

VIR CANCELS THE SUZUKI WHITE LIGHTENING NATIONAL ROUND 8 OF AMA PRO RACING

In a press release the AMA announced that the 8th round of AMA Pro Racing to be held at Virginia International Raceway has been canceled for the 2011 season.

Sources say that despite any and all efforts made by the AMA supporting the venue were ultimately declined by VIR. While not the sole purpose of the cancellation, the current state of the economy is undoubtedly a factor in VIR’s decision to cancel what some consider to be one of the most well attended races on the circuit.

“AMA Pro Racing has made VIR a part of its season calendar for the past decade. And I am gravely disappointed by the impact this will have on our paddock, fans, and other series participants. I assure all of those involved parties that a significant effort was made to negotiate an arrangement that would have preserved the event.” - David Atlas, AMA Pro Racing COO and Managing Member.

In a statement released to the media, VIR retorted: “We want to make it clear that the decision was not onesided, as David Atlas’ remarks have implied, and that VIR made numerous proposals to AMA Pro Racing to keep this event on schedule. Due to our 10 year history with this premiere event, we are as disappointed by this outcome as most of those we have heard from.

VIR has worked hard to bring the event to fruition for months. Despite requests by VIR beginning in December 2010, AMA Pro Racing did not deliver its proposed contract for the 2011 event to VIR until early June 2011.

Resulting discussions made it apparent that insufficient time remained to negotiate the new terms in the proposed contract and, if agreement were reached, to plan, promote and conduct the event in a professional manner. In an effort to preserve the date, VIR went to extraordinary lengths to reach an alternative agreement with AMA Pro Racing, which AMA Pro Racing chose to reject.”

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THE GRID

The INSIDE TRACK Words: Corey AleXANDER IMAGES: MEEKAIL SHAHEED

D

uring the last article I left off on my way out to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. Prior to Miller, I was having a decent season coming off of a couple 4th place finishes but after testing, which is more or less just practicing while recording some data for bike setup, I expected some better results. I arrived from 80 degree New York to 45 degree Utah, which was definitely not a fun transition. Due to the conjunction of the AMA and the World Superbike Series, we only had one race scheduled opposed to the typical two races. The forecast called for on and off rain all weekend and so after qualifying third in provisional qualifying, it ultimately turned into final qualifying due to rain. Consequently, a wet final qualifying also meant that the race was going to be wet, as the rain had not let up.

Prior to that race I had little rain experience so I didn’t know what to expect as I rolled up to the starting line. Little did I know, I was apparently a very good rain rider and came out of the race on top with my first career win by over 20 seconds. It was totally unexpected for me and I was in shock from winning and probably also slightly hypothermic being as it was 40 degrees and raining. Winning was such a new feeling to me that I actually didn’t know how to celebrate, so I just rode around the track waving and thinking, “Man, I wish I could feel my fingers!” and “Wow this really just happened. What do I do now?”

Since then I’ve had two more races and 26 | SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM

I finally finished 11th grade thankfully!

Before school ended we raced at Road America in Wisconsin. Overall it wasn’t a terrible weekend and I had a pretty epic battle with a fellow competitor, Benny Solis, just beating him out for 4th in Saturday’s race. Sunday’s race seemed like it was going to be better as I was right up with the front few guys but unfortunately I made a rookie mistake and tried pushing a pass in a bad spot, ultimately crashing. I was definitely not happy especially after chasing that follow=up win or podium after coming off of a big win but what can you do, right? I returned home for a week or so as school was coming to a close. I was worried I wasn’t going to receive credit for any of my classes because I missed tons of classes. Fortunately, I still passed all of my classes regardless of my absences so apparently they gave me a little bit of a break and let it slide.

New York has these silly state standardized exams that you have to take for each class. Unfortunately, my next race at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama was right in the middle of all of those exams. This meant that on Thursday morning I was taking a ten-page long history exam and Thursday afternoon I was on a plane flying to Alabama. On Friday, I was the fastest qualifier even after crashing, and Saturday morning I crashed again but my time still held up from Friday to put me fourth on the front starting row. Unfortunately, crashing twice consecutively tends to take a toll on your confidence so my race on Saturday was not the way I wanted it to

be. I finished 8th after jumping the start. Sunday was a bit better and I finished 4th but it was certainly not a podium. After a weekend to forget, I flew back home to take some more tests. Fun, right? I can’t complain too much… Not every 16 year old travels all over the country and races motorcycles.

Since Barber, I’ve had a little bit of down time so I decided it’d be helpful to fly out to one of Jason Pridmore’s STAR Schools to work on some stuff and also help some people out as an instructor.

I suggest to anyone that’s trying to become a better rider on or off the track or even to become a better racer, attend the school. It’s one of the best in the country and there’s many other top level racers that I’m sure agree with me when I say the things you learn at the schools have a tremendous positive impact upon your riding. In a few days I will be flying out to Mid-Ohio for my next race and then going straight to another STAR school at New Jersey Motorsports Park to continue working on my riding. Following that I’m flying out to California to put in some training with Jordan Suzuki’s, Ben Bostrom, which I’m super excited about since he’s one of the most physically fit racers out there.,, Not to mention it should be tons of fun! I’ve been working on updating some stuff on my website, Corey23. com, so check it out. Also, follow me on Twitter @corey5alexander, so you can keep up with me on a dayto-day basis!

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THE GRID: ON THE COME UP

Photos Courtesy of: Christi Midlam

NAME: Christi “BamBam” Midlam AGE: 43...If you go by my energy level, I’m 23.

Association/Affiliations/Series: Sportbike Track Time Sportbike Track Girl WERA North Central Division

Goals: A s Director of Sportbike Track Girl, my goal is to provide female sportbike riders a safe, comfortable and confidence-building atmosphere through services, on-track instruction and education. My mission is to promote and support women in a predominately male sport; so that she receives the moral, technical and mental foundation to succeed--however she defines “success”. My personal goal is to compete competitively in the WERA 2011 season, with some significant wins under my belt. It’s sponsor time...

Accomplishments: A couple of years ago, I was asked to become a Sportbike Track Time instructor. That was such a huge accomplishment for me. My next accomplishment was achieving my race license and competing with MotoSeries and WERA in the North Central division in 2010.

Since that time, my biggest accomplishment has been my appointment as Director of Sportbike Track Girl.

Define your passion in one sentence: I don’t need a whole sentence..how about just one word? MOTORCYCLES! In all seriousness, road racing, track day instructing and Sportbike Track Girl’s success have become my true passion; good luck having a conversation with me that does not include any of those topics.

CONTACT INFO: www.sportbiketrackgirl.com

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July 23-24, 2011

at Maryland International Raceway

• Brand New Pro Mod Class • 200mph Pro Street Class Live Music • Short Wheelbase Real Street Class Sunday by “Bela’ Dona” • Sportsman Motorcycle ET Classes • Smack Talkin’ Grudge Class All bikini contestants must send photos to • WPGC On-Air Live Broadcast bikinicontest@mirdrag.com for casting • Custom Bike Show Huge Vendor Midway!

• Motorcycle Club Hot Spot • $1,200 Bikini Contest • Huge Streetbike Corral • Thousands in Attendance • Huge Vendor Midway • Live Performance by “Bela’ Dona” • $4,000 Stuntbike Competition • Beer Garden • Motorcycle Dyno Big Tigger on the • Great Food WPGC Stage Bikini Bartenders!

ADMISSION

1-Day $20 • 2-Day $35 • Kids 6-11 $5

SCHEDULE

Saturday: Open 9am - Elim 3pm Sunday: Open 8am - Elim 12noon Custom Bike Show!

Come See 9-Time AMA World Champion Rickey Gadson In Action!

Over $400,000 in Cash and Contingencies!

MIROCKracing.com

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THE STRAIGHT LINE: The Youngest in Charge

Words: Dystany Spurlock Photos: Meekail Shaheed

In 2010, Dystany Spurlock set a new record on a stock BMW S1000RR at the Valdosta Manufacturers Cup Finals in Valdosta, GA. She was only 18 years of age.

And that’s why she’s the youngest in charge.

Email her at Dystany@Sportbikesincmag.com. otorcycles have always captured my heart in more ways than one, whether it was the loud distinct sound from the pipes or its unique look. Bikes are a very hot commodity in today’s society. They are everywhere now, especially on the big screen. For instance, my favorite movie is “Biker Boyz.”

M

The movie “Biker Boyz” attracted me because of its adventure, thrills, and friendly rivalries. In one scene the characters are racing on a bridge and in another they are on a dirt road…

The challenges were limitless. Just as on the race track you never know what challenges you may run into.

Being a motorcycle drag racer I can relate a lot to “Biker Boyz.” Although they race on the streets and I race on the Drag Strip, there are some similarities... such as launching, racing for a 1/4 mile, getting tunnel vision because you’re going so fast. It’s all one in the same. There is a motorcycle on each side and the outcome of who will get to the finish line first.

One of the main attractions in the movie was the stunts done

by Rickey Gadson.

Gadson is a 9-time World Champion of Drag Racing and a great friend of mine.

It was so awesome to see Gadson in the movie as it inspires me to want to appear on screen as a stunt woman.

Biker Boyz is a great motorcycle film. I wish there were more movies like Biker Boyz that were dedicated to sportbikes.

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THE STRAIGHT LINE: ON THE COME UP

Photos: Meekail Shaheed

NAME: Erika Allison AGE: 26 Association/Affiliations/Series: MiRock Series MIXED CHICKS Vance & Hines Western Power Sports Shinko Tires World Wide Bearings DoctorDug Grey’s Auto Collison Schnitz Racing

Goals:

To open up new avenues in motorcycle drag racing.

Accomplishments:

1st Place, Female Race Wars ATL 2010 #1 Qualifier & 2nd Place, PSCA Divisional 2009 2nd Place, NMRA Sacramento Championship 2009 1st Place, NMRA Fontana Championship 2009 #1 Qualifier, NHRA Division 7 2009

Define your passion in one sentence: Racing is more than just my hobby, it’s my profession and lifestyle.

CONTACT INFO: www.velociteracing.com www.facebook.com/velociteracing

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Crystal Hooks

HOLLYWOOD STUNTWOMAN

WORDS: MORROW IMAGES: COURTESY OF CRYSTAL HOOKS 40 | BRITTANY SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM

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The Rev LIMITER: Crystal Hooks

C

rystal Hooks isn’t exactly sure how she ended up in every girl’s wildest dream. After a Breast Cancer scare, surgery, and several weeks in recovery, things seemed grim for Crystal.

Everything turned around with a single phone call. Picture yourself unexpectedly sitting in a hair and makeup trailer next to a slew of sexy action film stars chatting about motorcycle stunts, and you’ll know what it feels like to be this lucky lady.

Rewind several weeks, back to the beginning. While still in recovery from breast surgery, Crystal was asked to play the role of Gal Gadot’s stunt double in this summer’s hit blockbuster, “Fast Five.” She claims to have received this opportunity by “God’s grace” after two other stunt women had declined the role for personal and professional reasons. “From what I understand to be true, Tena Colbert and Jesse Toler put a good word in for me with Kyle Woods, who was assisting the stunt coordinator for the movie.” Besides her Hollywood connection, Crystal was chosen after a digital audition including photos and videos of her riding skills. “I had to prove that I wasn’t a fool on a bike.”

A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Crystal refused to start her career on anything less than a spot-on performance. Preparing for the role included tons of practice.

Crystal said, “I asked exactly what the stunt would be and the dimensions of the set, and just set

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up a similar situation.” She only had two weeks to get it right before she was on a plane to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“The first time I was on set it was the most awesome and horrifying thing I think I have ever dealt with in my entire life. Here I am with the opportunity of a lifetime, to show people what I am capable of, and I was stressed out like crazy!” Crystal says there were many things going through her mind that first day of filming.

“I kept thinking what if I drop the bike? What if I hit a camera? What if I talk to the wrong person? What if they don’t like the end product?” After riding the beautiful 2011 Ducati Streetfighter for just a few moments, she returned to her usual happy self. “Sometimes riding is the only thing that can make me happy,” says Crystal, and riding professionally in a Hollywood movie was no exception.

One of the hurdles she faced included the wardrobe, which was quite different than Crystal’s normal protective riding gear. She wore tight jeans, a purple tank top, a leather jacket “with about a million bedazzled metal pieces on it” and brown laced boots with slick bottoms.

“I would never ride in that stuff normally, but it wasn’t too bad,” as she describes having to be ready for anything and adapting to the needs of the filmmakers.

Adapting to the swanky new Ducati was not something she mentioned as a challenge. She filmed several scenes for “Fast

Five” in Puerto Rico over several days.

Two months later, Crystal was called to Atlanta to film more scenes involving Paul Walker, Tyrese, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. It’s no surprise to learn that Crystal was happy to work with such “well-seasoned” actors. “I have to say that all three of those guys were really cool. I talked to Paul about freestyle riding and his personal motorcycles.

In one of the scenes, Tyrese was

teasing me about being in a Dodge Charger coming up fast behind me, and I told him if he hit me I was gonna kill him and we laughed. But the best by far was Dwayne and how awesome his personality was. He introduced himself to me, shook my hand and even caught me dancing off set and joined me for a quick moment of comic relief.”

Crystal’s favorite memory is when her “acting double” Gal Gadot high-fived her and told her that

she looked like a bad ass. Gal was crowned Miss Israel in 2004 and played the role of Gisele Harabo in both “Fast and Furious” in 2009 and “Fast Five” in 2011. “I absolutely loved the entire experience! I am so blessed to be able to do this and loved every moment.”

After filming finished in Atlanta, Crystal received her SAG (Screen Actors Guild) card which will enable her to continue to be available for motorcycle stunts

Crystal on the set of FAST FIVE with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

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The Rev LIMITER: Crystal Hooks Hair and make, prepping to double for actress Gal Gadot.

in movies, TV, and commercials.

“Just a few weeks ago I filmed my second professional Hollywood movie stunt in “The Baytown Disco” where I doubled for Serinda Swan (you might remember her from “Tron: Legacy” in 2010).

Crystal hopes to continue on as a professional stunt woman for

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many years to come, and pursue her dream of making riding into a career. Crystal also competes in the XDL Championship series.

Crystal leaves us with some inspirational thoughts to consider. “I think that it’s important for people to remember that you have to go

through the hard times to really enjoy the good ones. Never, and I mean NEVER give up on your dreams. It’s you that makes the call to give up or to run your own race in life! So, sprint toward the finish line and overcome all the obstacles in your path, because it’s all worth it in the end!”

Crystal on the set of BAYTOWN DISCO, doubling for Serinda Swan.

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H O L LY WO O D ST U N T M A N

ERNIE V I G I L

WO R D S : L I S A M AC K N I K I M AG E S : C O U R T E SY O F E R N I E V I G I L SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 49

The Rev LIMITER: ERNIE VIGIL We have all seen them, probably more than we even realize.

They perform death defying feats from which most would cower.

Instead, these guys welcome the challenge with open arms or open gowns in this case.

SBI: What is the most difficult aspect of working in Hollywood?

EV: “The pressure. On a shoot day you only have so much time allotted for each scene. The day is jam packed with stuff to get done so if you’re the main focus of the shot all eyes are on you to make it happen. There were some sketchy things that I still have no idea how I pulled off, but I did... Sweatin’ bullets!”

SBI: Most enjoyable?

EV: “For me it was just being in a movie. As a kid, I always dreamed of someday being in a movie, so for it to actually happen was bad ass. Aside from that, the treatment was top notch.

Chauffeurs, rental cars, hotels, all executed flawlessly - no hassles. It was nice to have some organization in my life for a change. Oh yeah, and getting to beat the living piss out of someone else’s bike knowing that if you broke something there were spares, wasn’t bad either!”

SBI: In “Yes Man”, I recall you doing a wheelie/ stoppie in the scene, how many takes did it take?

EV: “The first wheelie was the most intense. It was the first time 50 | SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM

I was on camera on a big budget movie, so the butterflies were kickin’. Aside from that it was out of a parking garage, then dropped off six inches onto a hard right curve into an oncoming lane, dodging an oncoming car then maintaining a wheelie alongside a UPS truck for a good

200 feet. I had six takes to get it right. First take I actually came out of the garage too slow and the slope was so steep that I slammed down to the right and pretty much ate it. What a way to start the day! A few takes later I nailed it and it was on to the next one.

The stoppie wasn’t any easier. I was trying to stoppie the Hypermotard, which doesn’t stoppie all that easy to begin with, on glazed marble. I needed to pick it up and roll it at a car that’s pulling out, then wheelie off the curb. I remember torching the front tire so much that it actually caught fire. From grip tape to glue, we tried it all. Finally, the heat laid down a rubber patch that if I threw my body hard enough, the bike would finally come up. That one took like 12 takes. Luckily it was the end of

the day. I almost felt like a squid.

There was a point that I didn’t think it was gonna happen.

Being a stunt rider and knowing how hard that actually was, I wanted to rip the hospital gown open and show the superman S on my chest! Haha!”

SBI: Do you find it challenging riding in front of so many people and distractions?

EV: “It was a little rough, but not bad. We’re used to riding in front of people at shows and

competitions so I wasn’t stressin’ it all so much. It was more that massive camera they are pointing in your face than the people.”

SBI: Describe the feeling when you first saw yourself on the big screen.

EV: “It was cool as hell. I didn’t think it was real until then. Kind of helped it all set in. It happens so long after it’s filmed that it actually just helps you re-live the good old days when you were

Ernie on the set of YES MAN, doubling for Jim Carrey.

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The Rev LIMITER: Ernie VIGIL

riding in downtown LA in a hospital gown butt naked!”

SBI: What did it take for you to get to where you are today with your riding?

EV: “A lot of bruises, road rash and broken bones. It’s easy for people to get discouraged doing this as a living. It definitely takes a toll on your body. I guess you can say that for me the determination to want to progress is far bigger than the pain I’ve gone through. And that pain would make most people cringe.

Without that dedication to succeed, I might have quit a long time ago. I guess just do it cause you live it. It’s always better that way.”

SBI: Any movies in your future?

EV: “I’d definitely like to play the sacrificial stuntman some more. A lot of movies are actually being filmed here in Albuquerque, NM where I live so I’m hoping I can find some that need bike talent. (It’s) kind of tricky with the whole sports side of things. Movies need you there on shoot dates no matter what so if you have an important competition you have to just miss it. I’ve put too much into the sport side to give it all up for a little movie glory. At least for now anyways…lol.”

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THE LIFE Featured Club

Day Breakers United M.C.

Chapter: Woodbridge, VA | Founded: 2009 | Members: 10 Elected Officials: President - Caddy | Vice President - Joker | Public Relations Officer - Ice

Rocker Interpreation: The four leaf clover represents luck and is also derived from a prior patch before they changed names and became a coed club. The top head also represents the old club. The bike and flames represent riding into the future.

founding fathers, Teck, Stitch, Caddy, and Joker. The club came about because the founding fathers not only shared a love for motorcycles, but because they also felt a need to serve the community and shed a positive light on motorcyclists as a whole.

In late 2010 Day Break Boys MC changed their name to Day History/Origin of Club: Breakers MC. They have members Day Breakers MC formerly in 4 states due to its members known as Day Break Boys serving in the US Army and serving MC was established in 2009 the country. in Woodbridge, VA by the

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Club Milestones/Memorable Moments: The Rehoboth Beach, DE ride was the first event and ride they helped sponsor. Also in 2010 they worked with Kerrydale Elementary and sent snacks and toiletries to troops fighting the war in Afghanistan.

Future of the club: To grow as a family and as a club, gain membership and to continue to excel in community service, but they would like to focus their efforts this year on helping children.

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THE LIFE: FEatured riderS ZACH SIGLOW

STATS

Venice, CA

Producer, Director

ZACH SigLOW

Years Riding: 30 years in the dirt, 4 years on the street.

RIDING STYLE: Never ridden on the track, stunt only with my daddy. bike(s) Owned: 2008 Kawasaki Z1000 customized by Nick Anglada Originals

FAVORITE BIKE MOD/ACCESSORY: I love my Gator Customs paint because it’s got a lot of detail and a mother of pearl shine that only comes out in the sunlight. I also love my GPR stabilizer. The freeways have tons of cracks here in L.A. and the damper keeps me straight.

Favorite piece of riding gear: My Icon Retro Daytona jacket. It’s hard to find a jacket that fits a big dude and doesn’t look all JC Penney, but Icon did it right with this one.

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most memorable ride: Black Bike Week 2008. I was surprised with my new custom Z1000 and within five minutes rode in a pack of about 300 other bikes. It was my first time on the street in five years.

Some of the guys were dropping parts, riding crazy (and dirty) and I was on camera for Super Bikes. It was a mixture of total excitement and huge fear that I’d do something stupid in HD.

Sean “Shizz” Hightower

Elkins Park, PA

Occupational Therapist

Years Riding: 3 Years RIDING STYLE: Street

bike(s) Owned: 2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000

FAVORITE BIKE MOD/ACCESSORY: Hot Bodies short exhaust... so far.

Favorite piece of riding gear: ICON Warthog 2 Helmet.

most memorable ride: Pocono Screamer 2010... Felt it for the rest of the week!

SEAN “SHIZZ” HIGHTOWER

STATS

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FEatured THE LIFE: LIFE rider FEatured FEaturedriderS riderS Joanne Donn

San Francisco, CA

Owner of GearChic.com

JOANNE DONN

STATS Years Riding: 8 Years

RIDING STYLE: Street and some track. bike(s) Owned: 2003 Suzuki SV650S

FAVORITE BIKE MOD/ACCESSORY: My Givi Top Box. Favorite piece of riding gear: Dainese Cage Leather Jacket.

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most memorable ride:

My first ride from San Francisco to Ventura, CA on my first motorcycle, a 2003 Kawasaki Ninja 250.

FEatured rider of the month

Matt Gordon

Saint Cloud, FL

Student at MMI Orlando

Years Riding: 12 Years RIDING STYLE: Street

bike(s) Owned: 2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000, 2005 Suzuki GSXR 750 Favorite BIKE MOD/ACCESSORY: I love my 240 in the back and the air ride suspension.

Favorite piece of gear: My Dainese jacket.

most memorable ride: IThe “Remembrance Run” for all the fallen Service members.

MATT GORDON

STATS

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MOTO TECH Words: Eric Wood Images: Allan Lane/Meekail Shaheed

GP Shift Versus A Standard Shift

s the owner of a company that manufactures rearsets, I get asked to differentiate between standard and GP shift rearsets frequently. “GP shift” got it’s origins from Grand Prix motorcycles, which were capable of much greater lean angles than their street derived counterparts from decades ago. The shift pattern on these motorcycles is one up-five down, as opposed to the one down - five up orientation that street bikes have been sold with for years.

So, why do racers elect this gear pattern? The simple answer is that upshifts often happen while the motorcycle is at considerable lean angles and downshifts typically happen only while the bike is reasonably upright. The motivation for many riders comes when they begin to have difficulty making upshifts out of a left hand corner. As riders have the need to upshift out of these turns, they often find themselves dragging their toes as they reach under the shift pedal. After replacing toe sliders, taping up boots and occasional bloody pinkie toes, many riders are motivated to make the switch.

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Markbilt Racing was founded in 1998 by Racer and motorcycle enthusiast Mark Rozema.

From its humble beginnings the Markbilt mission has always remained steadfast, to build and tune race winning motorcycles. Markbilt is proud to have been the driving force behind the success of such factory-backed teams as: Team Pepsi Suzuki, Celtic Racing Yamaha, Attack Kawasaki and Markbilt GYTR Yamaha. Markbilt has had the honor of working with many talented riders and winning over 23 regional and national championships including the prestigious Daytona 200. Markbilt proudly offers CNC manufacturing capabilities, welding, fabrication, engine & chassis shop and a fully featured Superflow chassis dynamometer and tuning center. At Markbilt, racing is a passion not a job.

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Website: www.markbiltracing.com

Phone: 201-406-1921

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Then re your altern g of custom sp w our CNC what we got. od stuff. We’ e the beginnin go nc e Si th . s de te ca if you ever sa ea e de cr us a d ca er an Be ov s . r el fo gn fe it at orth. e and YZ desi st. We’ve been ur money’s w ybody can se ROARING TO stands for: yo tter be our be difference an e be a m it u na e, yo s m yz ve na To r gi g in use it get ou . what that Roar it has to. Beca e created here u’d really know ore. Because yo m sportbikes wer g, tle in lit ch a at u w were will cost yo their mothers n with quality of a part like ils Our obsessio ta de st ie eat the tin it. craftsmen sw we’re not on t is long. And lis e th p, ea ch If you want

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improve your skills

Words: Eric Wood Images: Meekail Shaheed

Weight Transf During A

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fer Acceleration

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improve your skills

A

s riders progress on the racetrack, little things begin to make a big difference. If you ask an experienced rider what it takes drop a second per lap, most will tell you that it takes a major change and significant amount of effort. For a racer, 1 second per lap results in about 8 seconds at the end of the average club race.

For track day riders, it can be the difference between hanging with your buddy or losing touch with him. However, regardless of what type of rider you are, to drop 1 second per lap on the typical track in the United States, it amounts to the increase of only

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about 1 mph in average speed.

This article focuses on one of the little things that any rider can do in their quest for that 1mph.

One of the easiest places to pick up time is on the drive out of the corner. However, as most of you are aware, getting a better drive is not as simple as just gassing it harder on the way out. It takes many riders years to master early corner acceleration, as the ramifications for making mistakes can be both painful and expensive. Many successful road racers come from the world of dirt tack racing, where steering with

the rear wheel is the norm rather than the exception. These riders have the distinct advantage of understanding the feedback given by the rear tire.

For those who do not have the access to a local dirt track or the luxury of an unlimited parts budget, there are techniques to focus on that can significantly improve confidence during acceleration.

When we teach this concept at the Penguin School we often begin the discussion with the simple question, “If you wanted to make your bike wheelie, how would you position yourself on the motor-

cycle?” How does this relate to acceleration? Read on.

In order to make a motorcycle wheelie more easily, one thing a rider can do is to raise the center of gravity. The higher the center of gravity, the more leverage the motorcycle has to create the torque needed to lift the front wheel. Practical experience shows us that it is much easier to lift the front wheel off the ground during acceleration when we are sitting completely upright as opposed to lying flat on the tank.

For riders who do not actively

spin the tire (most track day riders), the most pronounced effect of weight transfer on acceleration relates to the ability to finish a corner. Most corners require riders to finish turning during acceleration. The amount of grip that the front tire has to turn the motorcycle is directly proportional to the amount of weight that is pushing it down into the asphalt. Riders must strike a balance between how hard they turn the bars and how hard they accelerate. The harder a rider turns the bars, the more grip the front tire demands.

The harder the motorcycle accelerates, the more weight will

transfer away from the front tire, reducing the total grip it has to offer. It’s obvious that significant turning during increased acceleration can lead to asking more from the front tire than it can handle.

Before there is a complete loss of traction, the front tire will begin to “push”. All riders, at one time or another, have had a motorcycle run wider on the exit of a corner than originally intended. The handlebars tend to get heavy in the rider’s hands, and the only real option in order to regain the intended path is to decrease the rate of acceleration (by pausing or reversing the roll of the throttle).

This action transfers weight back to the front tire and provides the extra grip needed so that the rider can turn the bars harder and get back on line.

Unfortunately, getting out of the throttle (even for a moment) can completely kill the drive off of a corner. The faster the exit of the corner, the more severe the consequences will be. We have run purpose built tests during our schools that have demonstrated losses of nearly 20 mph in both exit and terminal straightaway speeds as a result of rolling out of the throttle during the exit in certain corners. These are big numbers, especially considering that we only started discussing an average increase of 1 mph around the track when we began this article.

The main goal that we look to make with the wheelie comment

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improve your skills is to bring to light what must be done when a rider needs front traction. It is critical to drop your center of gravity as the motorcycle begins acceleration. The more power that your motorcycle has, the more important it will be to master this technique.

Through the entrance and middle portion of a corner, riders need to be in a position of control.

The arms are an important indicator of this control since riders may literally have to move in any direction (front, back, up, down, left or right) in order to make corrections mid-corner. It is critical that a rider’s arms never extend fully in this process, as this signals the end of the ability to make necessary adjustments. The term we use for riders in this balanced position is “45 degree back.”

This is just a reference term and not an actual measurement…it is designed to simply remind riders that they should have their upper body in a position where they have the ability to move equally in any direction.

As the motorcycle accelerates it also begins to stand up. This decrease in lean angle also decreases risks involved with spinning the tire. With less risk and fewer variables, it becomes safer for a rider to move away from the “45 degree back” position and do all that they can to help the bike accelerate. This motion is essentially the opposite of what is required to wheelie. Instead of sitting up and sliding back, riders should allow their chin to 72 | SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM

drift down and forward (towards the inside grip). This motion will flatten the back of the rider and bring the rider’s center of gravity as low as possible. The primary means for holding on to the bike at this point is the rider’s legs and the arms are simply allowed to relax and let the bike come towards the rider’s chest.

When the bike has fully come to the rider, he or she has then achieved the term we call “15 degree back.”

As a significant portion of the overall package, riders have a major impact on the amount of weight transfer that occurs during acceleration. If lowering the center of gravity by flattening the rider’s back can even have a 10% impact on weight transfer, the effects are highly noticeable.

As a 600 lb combined package of bike and rider accelerates out of a corner, a typical weight distribution may be 100 lbs on the front and 500 lbs on the rear. If, by lowering the center of gravity, a rider changes that distribution to 150 lbs front and 450 lbs rear then that rider will have 50% more front tire grip to finish the turn.

With more weight on the front, the motorcycle will safely allow for more bar input and will be able to carve a tighter arc on the exit. This will also allow the rider to get the motorcycle upright more quickly. The sooner the bike gets upright, the sooner the rider will be able to get the throttle wide open and the faster

the bike will be all the way down the ensuing straightaway. The beauty of this technique (as with a majority of the things that we learn to help us go faster) is that by using basic physics to reason out their actions, riders will not only drop their lap times but will be less likely to fall as well. Until next time - ride fast, ride safe.

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Toll Free: 888-497-4774 SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 75

FRICTION ZONE

SBI STAFF’S TOP BIKE T

he cultures and subcultures of the Motorcycle universe have heavily saturated today’s modern cinema. The portrayal of the machines and their riders have been subject to extreme criticism regardless of the film being a documentary, drama, comedy, etc...

Some have been hits and others have missed.

Being very opinionated, critical and true motorcycle enthusiasts, several of the staff here at SBI have taken a moment to jot down our thoughts on motorcycles in film from the last several decades, weighing in on our favorite flicks or anything that we could properly defend if pressed to do so. The movies listed are in no particular order. Enjoy!

(Left to right) “I, SUPERBIKER”, “The Matrix: Reloaded”, “Mission: Impossible II” and “Cool as Ice”

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E FILMS

The truth is that there is a multitude of bike movies and bike scenes that I am fond of. So I reserve the right to amend this list at my discretion...

Cool As Ice (1991) - Horrible production but I love the movie poster. Yes, I’m giving cool points for visuals.

The Matrix Reloaded (2003) Trinity riding the 996 during the expressway scene... Enough said.

I, Superbiker (2011) - Mark Sloper’s in-depth look at a season in the life on and off the track of a group of racers in the BSB circuit. A great documentary that captivates the unsung heroes of the series.

Faster (2003) - There’s something about the manner in which this film delivers the message

that really takes hold of you.

The fact is that for the highest level of motorcycle racing in the world, there is no edge.

Hell Ride (2008) - Just a fun romp as a parody for the outlaw chopper bike gang life. Larry Bishop is so over the top in this movie as the writer, director and star.

Biker Boyz (2003) - To date, the only real attempt to capture the urban bike scene. A great cast really helped to bring this script to life. Mixed reviews on its authenticity but none the less, a classic in the urban sportbike world.

Hell Ride (2004) - I’ve always describes this movie as a cartoon. If Hell Ride is a parody of the outlaw chopper life, consider Torque the same for the sportbike culture... strictly for

entertainment purposes only.

TRON: Legacy (2010) - The light cycle scene really captivated me but if you really paid attention to Kevin and Sam Flynn’s character profiles, you may have picked up on the notion that they were real motorcycle enthusiasts.

Mission: Impossible II (2000) Okay, take it for what it is... But Ethan Hawke got busy on the Speed Triple. As always, they took creative license with the bike’s abilities but it’s a great scene.

The Dark Knight (2008) - Big deal: Bruce Wayne rode a MV Agusta F41000. Two words: Bat Cycle. I want one.

Allan Lane Publisher & Editor-in-Chief SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 77

FRICTION ZONE

SBI STAFF’S TOP BIKE My top favorite biker movies: “Easy Rider” (1969) and ”Biker Boyz” (2003).

I like “Easy Rider” because of the choppers that became an American idol for most bike builders and bike lovers all over the world! Also the film showed the freedom and the spirit of the American rider.

I like “Biker Boyz” because I was able to be in it and got a chance to work with a lot of great actors like Lawrence Fishburne and Derek Luke.

Tyson Beckford Lifestyle Editor

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E FILMS

Unfortunately I don’t think there have been 10 good motorcycle movies. I don’t even think there have been 5. All of my favorite motorcycle movies except “Wild Hogs” were way back in the day.

The Wild One (1953) – Marlon Brando plays The Black Rebels Motorcycle Club leader, Johnny Strabler. This movie portrays old school outlaw bikers and is based on the Hollister California old street biker parties. A must see for anyone who wants to see how the old school outlaws rolled!

On Any Sunday (1971) – This documentary film explores motorcycle racing and the racers. It takes you into the minds of the racers from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Steve McQueen makes an appearance in this film. It stays loaded on my

IPAD! Wild Hogs (2007)– Martin Lawrence and the cast do a great job in portraying the weekend bikers who get in over their head. Although a fiction comedy, those of us who are “true riders” can relate to our fair weather riding friends!

The Wild Angels (1966) – This was made before Easy Rider. Old school film about hell raising California Harley riders who rebel against the police.

You notice my list is void of any sportbike movies. Hopefully there are some coming out soon that will be worthy to make my list!

Meekail Shaheed Staff Photographer

(Above) Marlon Brando as Johnny Strabler in “The WIld One”.

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FRICTION ZONE

SBI STAFF’S TOP BIKE Easy Rider (1969) Classic, classic, classic. Dirty biker dudes traveling the country searching for... well... no one really knows what! Freedom at its most tangible.

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man(1991) Drugs, bank robberies, bars - this is pretty normal stuff for Mickey Rourke. His bike is sick, regardless of the brand. Watch it!

One Man’s Island (2003) A movie about Isle of Man TT, the greatest street race ever concocted... need I say more?

The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) A movie about a woman who does whatever the hell she wants, and happens to own a sweet custom bike and wear a full leather one-piece suit. Hotness!

Wild Hogs (2007) - The pure entertainment factor of watching Hollywood try to depict a group of hobby day riders vs.1%ers makes this movie a must-watch.

Torque (2004) - Two females battling each other using Sportbikes as weapons, train-jumping white boy, and Ice Cube. Nuff’ said. In reality, it’s a terrible movie, but terribly entertaining as well.

Ghost Rider (2007) - Who wouldn’t want to light himself on fire and ride a custom chopper at night while doing Evel Knievel tricks in sweet American flag themed leathers by day?

The World’s Fastest Indian (2005) - Home-built badassness and overcoming adversity make for a great flick!

The Fast and the Furious (2001) - Johnny Tran wasn’t the nicest guy in the world but the scenes with the bikes are pretty sick. The rest of the movie rocks based on the principles of speed and sex appeal.

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E FILMS Biker Boyz (2003) - Seriously, do I have to defend it? So maybe it wasn’t the most realistic, but the entire movie was about what we love and live for!

Sick custom bikes, crashes, stunts, racing, tattoos, sex... what more could you ask for?

Brittany Morrow Staff Writer

99% of the portrayals of motorcycles in the movies are really terrible. I laugh anytime I see “Terminator” and the XR100 makes CR80 noises and upshifts enough times to go into 14th gear.

“Faster” (2003) was fun to watch. “On Any Sunday” (1971) needs to be on any list of motorcycle films purely due to its impact during the era it was made. Malcolm Smith is a legend. Hollywood can have the rest of them... My friends and I will be out riding as the rest of the world plays the role of critic while sitting on the couch.

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FRICTION ZONE

SBI STAFF’S TOP BIKE Mel Gibson as Mad Max Rockatansky in “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior”.

The Wild One (1953) It was the one that started it all!

The Loveless (1982) Sure it’s REALLY slow, but it just looks SO COOL!! Willem Dafoe epitomizes coolness in this flick!

Mad Max 2:The Road Warrior (1981) Sure, Max WAS driving a souped up Falcon (with a

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fake blower!) but no other movie presents bikers as WARRIORS as much as this awesome movie!

Psychomania(1971) - Little known British movie from the 60’s, wherein the gang, “The Living Dead”, sell their souls to Satan to become, well... The Living Dead!

Great scene of the biker being buried with his bike!! Some nice

classic bikes throughout too!

Easy Rider (1969) Yea, a cliché now I know, but it did offer up the similarities between “bikers” and the pioneering cowboys of the Old West.

Baz Graphic Artist

E FILMS

Easy Rider (1969) - Thought this movie was interesting to see how motorcycles were viewed in the 60’s.

Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper were just so hip ripping around the US on their choppers. You throw Jack Nicholson in the mix and how could you not love this movie? Granted it was kind of trippy and the dialogue was poor but the riding scenes made you want to set out on the open road (hence the Steppenwolf song “Born to be Wild”).

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) - Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson in the 80’s were the A-list actors. This was a typical late 80’s, early 90’s action flick. This movie bombed big time but still had some cool action scenes. Two biker buddies cruising around LA. This is still a guilty pleasure to watch once in awhile.

Quadrophenia (1979) - Yes, this involves more scooters than anything but The Who is all over the movie.

This was Peter Townsend’s second attempt at the rock opera. The whole mod vs. rockers theme just was so cool to watch. Teen angst films are always a hit or a miss. This was a hit for me. Soundtrack was killer with The Who classics. Also, it had a young Sting in the flick, pre-The Police era.

Anyway, the ending with the scooter going over the cliff did it for me...

On Any Sunday (1971) - Not really was a big fan of this until I was in my 30’s. Steve McQueen is bad ass.

Enough said. The man could ride and for that time period, cinematography was stellar.

Dust to Glory (2005) - A mix of offroad trucks and dirt bikes, the camera SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 83

FRICTION ZONE

SBI STAFF’S TOP BIKE angles make you want to plan a trek across Baja Mexico immediately.

Great to see Ex-Motocross Racer, Ricky Johnson, in the film with other allstar enduro riders. High speed action, adventure, off-road bikes, and will to survive the Baja 100 all wrapped up in one brilliant film.

Silver Dream Racer (1980) - People forgot about this 80’s sleeper. If you’re into motorcycle racing, you’re all about this movie. Has a pretty decent cast but the motorcycle track action did it for me as a kid. I watched this with my dad quite often. I wanted to grow up and race motorcycles after watching this but... don’t we all have that same thought as well...

TRON (1982) -The light cycles… just sick watching this in the 80’s. Disney made the coolest movie ever. Some say the best movie of all times but the light cycles were the high point of this movie. Nothing else.

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Rossi, Max Biaggi, Loris Capirossi, Colin Edwards, a young John Hopkins, 2 strokes, 4 strokes, and the most beautiful circuits on the planet play the backdrop to this cool and rare look at the new era of MotoGP. Love it and watch it quite often. This motivated me to move forward with motorcycle photography. Seeing the bikes on the big screen made me see the true art form of rider and bike.

TRON: Legacy (2010)The recent movie did make me stand up and take notice. The 3D action scenes of the light cycles are stunning. The intro of the main character riding his Ducati through the streets being chased by the police sealed the deal for me with this classic.

Mad Max (1979) - This movie is the benchmark for all action movies. Mel Gibson’s first film and probably his best role as the cop who snaps after the motorcycle gang kills his best friend and family.

The motorcycle gang led

by The Toe Cutter and

E FILMS

the rest of the misfits on their Kawasaki 1000’s floored me. I must admit, seeing this when I was 7 was a big bug out for me but this is a movie that got me intrigued with motorcycles until this very day.

The Goose was such a bad ass on his custom MFP bike. Still till this day, I am looking for a replica to make my own. One character still stands out in that movie to me - Bubba Zanetti. He rocked a black helmet with silver visor.

Presently, my helmet is the same in tribute to this cool movie about mayhem, motorcycles, anarchy, and horsepower.

The behind the scenes of this movie show the true art form of how this movie was captured on film. Brilliant angles, brilliant camera positions‌ (Remember the scene when Goose is clocking 100 plus mph before his bike locks up and throws him in a ditch?).

They had no GoPro cameras back then. Just heavy film cameras or a cameraman on the back of these bikes as a passenger. Just sick. Just the end all, be all bike movie.

Brian Nitto Staff Photographer

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Troy Bayliss III Time World Superbike Champion

EVERYDAY IS A RACE DAY. DIABLO ROSSO™ Corsa. Every corner is pure excitement. Stable in braking, precise in line, fast on exit and the throttle beckons to be opened again. A riding experience Pirelli brings to the road directly from the Superbike World Championship. From the rear tire’s three zone differentiated compound and EPT technology that optimizes the contact patch, exceptional performance is guaranteed both on the road and on the track. DIABLO ROSSO™ Corsa: every day is a race day.

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FRICTION ZONE: SPORTBIKES INK!!!

Words: Baz

T

hanks to everyone for sending in the their photos this month. Remeber to watch this space every month for more awesome tattoos.

Want to show off your SPORTBIKES INK? Please send clear, high quality, hi res photos to Baz@sportbikesincmag.com. See you next month!

RIDER// Jemma Hayden BIKE// Working on it...

TATTOO ARTIST// Kev Brayshaw

RIDER// DPG BIKE// BSA 650 TATTOO ARTIST// BAZ RIDER// Matt Gordon BIKE// 2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000 TATTOO ARTIST// Mike Rouse

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RIDER// Mark Pulliam BIKE// 2007 Triumph Bonneville

2010 HD Sportster 48

2005 Suzuki Hayabusa

2008 KTM XC 200

2011 Kawasaki KX250F TATTOO ARTIST// Evan Vittetoe

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this life: IN MOVIES Words and Images: Tyson Beckford

motorcycle movies but because I’m a working Screen Actors Guild member won’t call out any names. I might have to work with any one of these directors and don’t want to burn any bridges, if you know what I mean.

ovies can be good but M can also go bad if the director is not familiar with the

motorcycle world! Over the years, Hollywood has had its hits and misses when it comes to

Many actors, like myself, ride motorcycles to work or for fun, so I can’t blame the actors for bad motorcycle movies, just the writers, producers and director take that cake. But don’t think I haven’t stepped up and said, “Hey, this isn’t how it’s done in the real bike world.”

Unfortunately, most directors say,“If I want your opinion, I will ask!” That my friend will cause you to bite your lip and say in your head “@#$ you !@##,” but you know you’re just trying to

keep the world you live in and ride real for the audiences out in the world. So, you stay quiet, collect your check and hope the peeps that know you will respect your body of work and understand ol’ Hollywood and how it’s done.

I personally wrote a bike film with friends and have had many biker film ideas but is Hollywood ready for the realness of the culture we all know and love?! I dunno man! I dunno! I guess in time we shall see.

(Above) Tyson as Donny in 2003’s “Biker Boyz”

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ING OPEN TS I CRED

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THE NEW ISH KNOX • DRY INSIDE COMFORT FIT T-SHIRT Under your riding gear, things have a tendency to get a little sweaty whether on the track, out on a sunday blast or just rolling to the local bike night. Knox has developed their own line of what I call “keep cool clothing” to help remedy the situation.

The Dry Inside Comfort T is made from a soft cotton and elastane blend for comfort and shape retention. Its mission is to quickly absorb perspiration from the body and move it to larger areas of the fabric to increase the evaporation process. The result is a cooling effect that protects the wearer from overheating. It’s even antibacterial and odor resistant.

Size: XS - XXL Price: $47.38 Contact: http://dryinside.co.uk VELOCE PUBLISHING • THE DUCATI MONSTER BIBLE The Ducati Monster was released in 1993 and is deemed by many as the original “naked bike”. Author Ian Falloon covers the Monster from its inception to the current 2011 model year. The history of the Monster is beautifully documented with over 150 colorful photographs and technical specifications of each model.

Price: $47.80 Contact: http://veloce.co.uk SCORPION • TORNADO TEXTILE JACKET Scorpion’s latest textile jacket packs a lot of features for under $200.00. The Tornado’s outer shell is composed of a durable nylon and is then treated with polyurethane for maximum water resistance. It features an internal AirGuard liner to block the wind chill. For warmer conditions, the AirVent feature keeps you cool with strategically placed zippered air intakes in the front and back of the jacket.

Size: S - XXXL Colors: Black, Red, Bllue Price: $19.99 - $22.99 Contact: http://sportbiketshirts.com 94 | SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM

RS TAICHI • GP EVO GLOVES Any true rider will tell you that one of the most desired factors in a pair of gloves is the combination of comfort and protection, regardless of whether you are on track or the streets. The guys over at RS Taichi combined the best of the best from their GP Max and their Evo glove models and the GP EVO glove was born.

The shell is a high grade cowhide leather while the palm is made of kangaroo leather and held together with Aramid top stitching. Other features include the Knox Scaphoid Protection System, easy slide armor on fingers, knuckles and wrists as well as perforations where it counts for great air flow.

Price: 100.00 Contact: http://montgomerymotorsports.net

MOTION PRO • REVOLVER THROTTLE KIT The Revolver Throttle Kit allows the rider to customize the throttle rate of their machine. It comes with four reel sizes, ranging in sizes from 35mm to 50mm. Here’s how it works: the smaller reels have a slower throttle rate while the larger increase the throttle rate. Motion Pro’s innovative throttle kit allows for reel swapping without throttle cable adjustments.

The kit is available for a number of models and come complete with their VR Throttle Assembly, black vinyl cables and grips specific for your bike.

Price: $154.99 Contact: http://motionpro.com R&G RACING PRODUCTS • AERO CRASH PROTECTORS The British Firm, R&G Racing Products, have always made great looking accessories for your bike that complement the lines of the motorcycle. Such is the case regarding their Aero Crash Protectors for the 2011 Kawasaki ZX 10R. Composed of high density polyethylene and having “tear drop” shape, the crash protectors require no modifications to the fairing and attach to the engine mounting points. They are designed to take the hit and not shatter upon any unfortunate moments.

FUN FACT: R&G Racing Products is the only manufacturer of crash protection items whose products qualify for insurance discounts in the UK. Colors: Black, White Price: $112.00 Contact: http://rg-racing.com SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 95

THE NEW ISH: Featured Item

DRIVEN RACING • D-AXIS REARSETS Made in the USA, the D-AXIS rearsets offer 14 different positions on each mounting plate and 360 degree rotating pegs to add an additional 12mm of adjustments. They are available with optional peg sliders and in a variety of six different colors. And they are good looking!

The D-AXIS rearsets include a fully adjustable brake pedal system and retain the OEM brake light switch as an option. Current fitments include the Ducati 848, 1098 and 1198 models.

Price: $589.95 Contact: http://drivenracing.com

For more sportbike news and announcements:

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Shop Online - www.LegendaryUSA.com/SBI SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM | 97

staff stuff C.I.A. • Front-wheel Bike Stand Leon Brittain Strong, sturdy and dependable. I wish these were all characteristics I could use to describe my Concepts in Aluminum (CIA) front wheel bike stand. However, I can’t. Don’t get me wrong. It is strong and is made of sturdy yet lightweight material. However, as far as being dependable, that’s when my feelings change. On more than one occasion my bike was almost subjected to dancing with the ground while on-stand.

Granted, it may have had something to do with a climbing 4 year old or lack of properly being set-up (doubt it). Whatever the case may be, I’ve used similar products that I’ve found to be strong, sturdy AND dependable. www.ciastands.com Rating: 3 (out of 6)

“Hell Ride” DVD Allan Lane I love the television series, “Sons of Anarchy.” In between seasons, to get my fix, I pop in a little screen gem entitled “Hell Ride.” Written and directed by Larry Bishop, this film is a wild sideways spiral into the outlaw biker culture bordering on satire.

Don’t get it twisted...This is nothing like “SOA.” However, in the same manner that “Torque” was not even close to representing the true sportbike world but fills a certain void, “Hell Ride” is great entertainment. Starring an all-star list of celebrities that fall somewhere in between the B and C list, tons of chicks, guns and violence, “Hell Ride” is a crazy trip, strictly for laughs. www.imdb.com/title/tt0411475 Rating: 4 (out of 6)

LEATT • STX Road Neck Brace Brittany Morrow

As a connoisseur of gear and new technologies to fight injuries in case of a crash, I jumped at the opportunity to own this beauty. At first, it was a little awkward putting it on and getting used to the position as it sits on your shoulders, but after just a ride or two, I was hooked. Who wouldn’t want that added protection and peace of mind? I plan to wear this thing every time I ride. It is so lightweight, I barely even notice it is there anymore, and it takes just five seconds to clip into place. I would recommend this product to anyone who rides on the street. We are always at war out there; why not protect yourself as much as possible? www.leatt-brace.com Rating: 6 (out of 6)

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ICON WOMENS RELAXED FIT DURABLE FIGHTER MESH CHASSIS BALLISTIC IMPACT PANELS CE FIELD ARMOR™ IMPACT PROTECTORS REMOVABLE INSULATED WIND-PROOF LINER AVAILABLE IN PINK OR IN BLACK $185

WATCH THE BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO AT WWW.RIDEICON.COM/GLAM 100 | SPORTBIKESINCMAG.COM

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE THE MUSIC ISSUE! Suzuki’s Busa Beats Big Tigger Billy Morrison The Playlist