SEPTEMBER 2011

THE JOURNAL OF THE

‘American Picker’ Mike Wolfe Is Crazy For Motorcycles

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SPY153_RS_7.875x10.5_AMsep.indd 1 7/14/11 3:26 PM

September 2011Volume 65, Number 9Published by theAmerican Motorcyclist Association13515 Yarmouth Dr.Pickerington, OH 43147(800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646)AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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

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

Copyright by the American Motorcyclist Association/American Motorcyclist 2011.

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

dues; $15 a year for non-members.

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

and at additional mailing offices.

Cover Mike Wolfe, star of the History Channel’s “American

Pickers” TV show, talks about his passion for motorcycles, barn-fresh finds, and how he got started criss-crossing

the country in search of treasures, beginning on page 32.Photo by Whitney and Peter Carlson.

Navigation Photo Nick Fahringer, riding a 2012 two-stroke, 300cc Husaberg,

earned the win at the famed Jack Pine Enduro held July 17 in Moorestown, Mich. The Jack Pine is part of the AMA Rekluse National Enduro Championship Series. Past Jack

Pine winners include extraordinary riders such as Oscar Lenz, John Penton, Jeff Fredette and Randy Hawkins.

Photo by Shan Moore.

8. LETTERS You write, we read.

10. GRANT PARSONS Buy low, sell high.

12. RIGHTS Saving lives in Tennessee and ethanol under attack.

18. RIDING Riding the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway, and a new AMA membership card.

24. RACING MXer Ryan Villopoto speaks out, and getting started in desert racing.

28. HALL OF FAME 1968 Penton Six-Day, Hall of Famer Terry Vance and Craig Vetter.

32. AMERICAN PICKER MIKE WOLFE The star of the “American Pickers” TV show stays true to his motorcycle roots.

38. ESCAPE FROM NORMALCY Bill Stermer explains why a long ride with good buddies is the perfect break from the real world.

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

50. PAUL AND GINNY RINGEL Racing through everything.

NAVIGATION

4 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

With the ideal combination of tread pattern and dual-compound technology for stable cornering, the BT-023 gives you the control you need for long touring rides. Whether the pavement is wet or dry, may the force be with you.

TOURING DE FORCE.

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5858 AmericanMotorcyclist-7.875x10.5.indd 1 5/5/11 1:41:10 PM

EDITORIAL OFFICES

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

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

ADVERTISING

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

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

All trademarks used herein (unless otherwise noted) are owned by the AMA and may only be used with the express, written permission of the AMA.American Motorcyclist is the monthly

publication of the American Motorcyclist Association, which represents motorcyclists nationwide. For information on AMA membership benefits, call (800) AMA-JOIN or visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Manuscripts, photos, drawings and other editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage. No responsibility is assumed for loss or damage to unsolicited material. Copyright© American Motorcyclist Association, 2011.

AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

Stan Simpson, ChairmanCibolo, Texas

Jon-Erik Burleson, Assistant TreasurerMurrietta, Calif.

Perry King, Assistant Secretary Northern California

John Ulrich, Executive Committee MemberLake Elsinore, Calif.

Dwight Conant, Kearsarge, N.H.

Charles Goman, Winder, Ga.

Maggie McNally, Albany, N.Y.

Scott Miller, Milwaukee, Wis.

Art More, Surprise, Ariz.

Jim Viverito, Chicago, Ill.

AMA PRESIDENT AND CEO

Rob Dingman, Pickerington, Ohio

RYAN SWEENEY, Photographer Ryan mainly shoots weddings and portraits, with the occasional editorial assignment. This month, we asked him to photograph Carol Simpson for the Rights section. WHITNEY AND PETER CARLSON, Photographers Whitney and Peter’s passion for photography and their outgoing, laid back, quirky personalities are the main reasons their clients love working with them. This month, they capture cover boy Mike Wolfe. GRANT PARSONS, Director of Communications Grant returned from interviewing super-picker Mike Wolfe for this month’s cover feature inspired. With AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days just around the corner, he has big plans and a fat wallet. Maybe he’ll pick up another Lambretta with a dodgy title like last time. BILL KRESNAK, Government Affairs Editor Doubted by some, envied by all, Krez secured a racebike just in time for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. His tire-shredding 100cc Spanish beast boasts 10 raw horsepower. After his test ride, he declared, “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing!” And he was right.

JAMES HOLTER, Managing Editor As Krez’s volunteer mechanic, James was flummoxed at how much safety wire he had to twist onto the Bultaco roadracer to pass tech. After spending nights in the garage drilling bolts and skipping the gym, he snapped. Demonstrating that self-loathing can be the mother of improvisation, he took matters into his own hands. MARK LAPID, Creative Director If Mark would have had just one more weekend to stare at his Ninja 250 project bike while holding a cold beverage, perhaps it would have fixed itself in time for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. The world will never know. JEN MUECKE, Designer With the AMA Racing Roadrace Grand Championships coming up, Jen is recruiting additional participants for her class. “If I win, I want it to really mean something,” she said. Amateur. JEFF GUCIARDO, Production Manager/Designer Somehow, Jeff got the idea a ’67 Bultaco Lobito would be a good first bike. Wonder who told him that? Other contributors include: Mark Kariya, Jeff Kardas, Jim Kimball, Paul and Ginney Ringel.

CONTRIBUTORS AND STAFF

BKWC & PCRS

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

JH

THE A

DV

ENTU

RE is out there

Get itcome

High Adventure. No Hassle.

The best routes, roads and two-

track, mapped by local experts.

A great challenge with like-minded

riders. A full weekend’s activities,

with camping, campfires, food

and prizes. Full information at

AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Riding

JUST GASOLINE, PLEASEThank you so much for your magazine,

and for lobbying on our behalf. I have been so busy lately, that I have finally gotten around to reading the August edition of American Motorcyclist. Something that has been on my mind lately as well as the minds of many others was featured in a Viewpoint article by Imre Szauter entitled: “Alcohol and Motorcycles Don’t Mix: And That Includes Your Gas Tank.”

I know this is a real concern for each and every one of us who cuts grass, “eats” weeds, blows leaves, has a boat or personal watercraft and, most importantly, rides a bike or an all-terrain vehicle.

I see that some folks on the World Wide Web are concerned as well about this issue, and they have a web site called pure-gas.org. As I read, I discovered that pure-gas.org is a site started by a rider and is dedicated to one, simple task: to list the gas stations in the United States and Canada that serve ethanol-free gasoline:

“Many cars, motorcycles, boats, aircraft and tools have engines that run worse, or have parts that deteriorate, when run on gasoline that contains high levels of ethanol. In addition, ethanol leaves residue on valves and other parts that can hinder performance.”

The site currently lists 3,568 stations by state and city (some with GPS coordinates) with a link that will allow folks to upload more if a station is not already on the list. There is also the option of deleting a station from the site if it becomes known that its ethanol gasoline status has changed. If you have a GPS, there is a POI application

file available for download, and if you use Google Earth, there is a file for that as well.

Thanks again to all of you at the AMA for helping our voices get heard on issues where it really counts and for providing us with more and more information that allows us to step up and fight for our “Rights. Riding. Racing.”

George Boyd Jr.Troy, S.C.

THE TRACE? REALLY?A few days after my brother and I rode

the Natchez Trace, the August issue arrived. Scanning the letters to the editor, I read Erick Anderson’s letter and chuckled out loud.

We also had the urge to ride the Trace after seeing it listed as one of the top 15 roads and being relatively close to home, Hot Springs, Ark. So after two days and a little over 1,200 miles later, we completed our trip and were kind of wondering the same thing as Mr. Anderson. Not a bad ride, but lacking. If you want to experience the Trace, ride 50 miles of it. The rest is not a whole lot different other than the last few miles in Tennessee and the awesome bridge you ride across. Now, we are glad we rode it, probably should have done the ride in three days, will never forget, and will talk about the ride among our buddies for years to come, but we’re unlikely to ride the Trace again.

But who knows what the future holds.

Paul CapleHot Springs, Ark.

YEAH! REALLY!While I regret that the riders from

Pennsylvania failed to fully appreciate the Natchez Trace Parkway, it remains very popular with those of us living in the area, many of whom have made the run from end to end. If one is looking for a curvy road experience, the Trace will not meet your needs. However, in my humble opinion, some reasons it scored high with bikers might come down to history: the Natchez and Vicksburg battlegrounds, antebellum ruins, scenic towns, any number of local roads that will test your mettle, wildlife, leisure riding under the umbrella of trees nearly the entire length (most welcome on hot summer days) and, best of all, little traffic, lots of bicyclists, no big trucks and only the occasional RV.

And another plus for me: Because of the posted speed limit, I achieved over 180 miles on a tank while traveling to Lynchburg, Tenn. Quite notable for a Star Stratoliner.

Pete BreslinMadison, Miss.

MOTOCROSS MEMORIESI saw the letter a couple months ago by

Tony Fiore and the one by Peggy (Fleck) Zaring. I was also a racer in western New York in 1973-78. I barely remember Tony. I was not one of the fast guys, yet. I do remember Peggy and her brother, Roy. My father found he could get paid for bringing me if we worked as flagmen.

I intend to write a book on those years, the positive influence motorcycle racing had on the relationship with my father and my life. As Peggy said, there were a lot of great people around.

I started on a 1970 Kawasaki 90, took motocross schools with [Motorycle Hall of Famer] Gary Bailey and Frank Stacey. Then in 1975, I got a Bultaco 125, and in 1978 a Yamaha 125. Some years later in Texas I raced a 1986 Yamaha 200 and a 1988 ATK 250. I started in motocross, but went to hare scrambles and eventually

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

LETTER OF THE MONTHBIKE PARKING WORKS

Our motorcycle parking was a huge success at the College World Series. While we don’t have a specific bike count, the picture says it all. We were able to accommodate many more spectators close to the stadium thanks to our motorcycle parking and did not get one complaint. We did get several compliments however, and it will happen again next year! Your article (July issue) was terrific, and one I’m very proud of. It was exciting to finally do something worth noting in my beloved AMA magazine. I appreciate your interest in our project.

Todd PfitzerCity EngineerOmaha, Neb.

Pete Breslin

Todd Pfitzer

8 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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

www.facebook.com/AmericanMotorcyclist

enduros. I got to meet [Hall of Famer] Malcolm Smith at a S.C.O.R.E. event where he had a dune buggy and I had my Bultaco.

In later years, I got to see some of the fast guys in AMA National Hare Scrambles and Enduros, in the pits and as they passed me in the woods—people like Kevin Hines, Larry Roeseler, Terry Cunningham and others. I saw Frank Stacey in the late ’80s, and he said he remembered me from when I took the school with him in 1974 on my Kawasaki.

I feel it is important that we let people know about the positive influence that a family sport like motorcycle racing can have. We should support the Kids Just Want to Ride Act.

I currently live in central Iowa. With a family, I had to put the riding on hold for a while. I already had dozens of trophies and years of invaluable memories. A couple years ago, I picked up a BMW R90/6 and rode it for a year but had to sell it due to the economy. Things are picking up for me though, so I look forward to getting back in the saddle.

This photo is of me in 1978 at Lancaster Speedway with my Yamaha 125. They had weekly Supercross-style racing that summer, and I got third in 125 Intermediate the day it was taken.

Al ProsserWest Des Moines, Iowa

RIDING TO WORKHere is a photo for our

annual photo submission for National Ride to Work Day at General Electric Aircraft Test Operations in Peebles, Ohio.

Heavy rain kept rider participation to a minimum this year and had to be moved indoors as well. Our aircraft testing facility boasts about 15 percent total riders out of 300 or so employees.

Gene McAllisterGeneral Electric, Peebles Test OperationPeebles, Ohio

I’ve been following this whole project on YouTube from the start. It’s come out really beautifully, and what a rare find.—Will Blood, commenting on AMA’s Bultaco project. Videos at YouTube.com/AmericanMotorcyclist.

Thanks for the article and the info. New York is one of those states that are an example of what you are talking about. They take money to register off-road ATVs and dirtbikes but there is no public land to ride on. Yet there is lots of public land available. I’ll be contacting my state representatives.—Billy Puskas, replying to AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman’s column “A Taxing Situation,” available at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Power in numbers!—Charlie Williams, responding to same. Lay everything out that you want to take, then remove at least 50% of it. People tend to way overpack.—Karen Boyd, with some simple but profound advice for packing light on your bike.

Franklin is a biker-friendly town. This is good news. I have traveled to Franklin a few times and the people are great.—Jason Harrison, responding to the news that Franklin, N.C., will host a motorcycle event next year to promote motorcycle tourism.

Al Prosser

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

Gene McAllister

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAMERS PASS

The AMA takes note of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame careers of Shell Thuet and Chester “Chet” Dykgraaf. Both were legends of the American dirt-track community.

Thuet passed away on July 8. He was 98.

Dykgraaf passed away on July 12. He was 96.

Thuet’s tuning career dated to the 1930s and it grew into one of the most successful in AMA Grand National Championship racing. He wrenched on racebikes for riders such as Hall of Famers Kenny Roberts, Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, Hank Scott and Ted Boody. One of his most notable accomplishments was building and tuning the Yamaha 650cc vertical twins that Roberts used to win two AMA Grand National Championships.

Thuet was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

Dykgraaf was the 1946 AMA National Champion. He was one of the leading racers in the United States following World War II and collected numerous regional wins across the Midwest. His career pre-dated the AMA Grand National Championship era by eight years. He earned his national title on the Springfield (Ill.) Mile, racing a Norton.

Dykgraaf was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

September 2011 9

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VIEWPOINT

I’m sitting in Mike Wolfe’s Nashville, Tenn., shop, talking to a guy whose obvious energy, knowledge and belief in his ideas has turned a love of old motorcycles and other “junk” into a successful business, a TV show and what appears to be a ton of fun (see story on page 32).

And I can’t help thinking that in one crucial way, Mike is a freakin’ genius.

It’s not because he’s savvy enough to find cool old stuff that others can’t. Nor because he spent four years pitching a TV show that

was repeatedly turned down until the History Channel bit and “American Pickers” became a breakout hit.

Nope. It’s because he regularly does something that I am repeatedly incapable of doing: buying low and selling high.

It sounds so simple. And believe me, I’ve been over the theory a million times. I just can’t put it into practice, especially when it comes to motorcycles. Thinking about it, there are two simple reasons.

First, there’s the emotional attachment. Every bike I’ve ever bought has been, at least when I purchased it, the greatest thing in the world. There’s nothing like a pending new-to-me-bike high to obscure my sense of reason and make me empty my wallet.

Second, though I know in my head that it’s true, I always forget when I buy something that the purchase price is just the down payment.

Because of this, I tend to see motorcycles, particularly used bikes, as starting points. The ’70 Lambretta SX 250 with the jacked-up title? A great looker with a checkered past that I could erase with the liberal application of money. The ’72 Honda CL350 with no swingarm bushings, dodgy electrics and a broken triple clamp? Love at first sight, though I’m still buying parts.

The Honda Reflex? Man, that was a cool playbike, once I spent a few hundred to (needlessly) trick it out. The ratted-out Aprilia Climber trials bike with the nearly-broken swingarm that snapped when I sat on it before I could even ride it for real?

Well, OK, maybe that one was a mistake. But it didn’t stop me from spending another $800 on the last remaining Climber swingarm parts in the country—along with a spiffy new Sawzall to do things I’ve managed to repress—in an entirely successful effort to go upside-down on the thing before taking it out of the garage.

Even the new bikes I’ve bought over the years—the Seca II, the Triumph Sprint, the KLR650, the CBR600F4i—I’ve foolishly hung onto until they’re deep in the part of their value curve that resembles a luge run. I just can’t bear to part with them until they’re long past their sell-by dates.

Mike doesn’t work that way. Though it should be obvious by now, he’s smarter than me. He’s either flipped his bikes quickly to make a buck, or he’s kept them in the condition in which they were found—rusty-but-cool art objects that will appreciate in value. The man’s got discipline.

Me, not so much.I don’t think I’ve ever done the math before buying. I’ll look at

something that inspires either pity or lust, and get it. I don’t add up all the expensive parts it’ll take to make it resemble the bike I want it to be. I’m pretty certain that’s because if I did, I’d never actually buy the bike in the first place.

And then I’d miss out on all the fun.Because it is fun. And that’s kind of the point when it comes to

motorcycles.If you ride, you know: Motorcycles are right-brain things. Very

few people buy motorcycles because they make good sense (although they actually do, if you consider things like miles per gallon, drain on environmental resources, efficient use of traffic and parking space, and fun-per-mile).

We buy motorcycles because they move us emotionally. They push our buttons. For me, at least, motorcycles are emotional purchases, starting points for adventure, tickets to ride. Journeys that are more important than destinations.

That’s not to say that my way is the only way, of course. I’ll continue to admire people like Mike Wolfe—and several friends who routinely manage to make money trading up on used motorcycles.

Buying high and selling low may not be the best system, but I’m resigned to the fact that it is, indeed, my system.

And I’m oddly comfortable with that.The only issue? Well, as I write this, we’re less than 48 hours

away from AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days—and North America’s largest motorcycle swap meet that goes with it. For someone like me, acres and acres of used bikes and parts is a gloriously, and wonderfully, dangerous place.

I can’t wait.

Grant Parsons is the AMA’s director of communications. Look for a full report on all that makes AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days great in the next issue.

BUY LOW, SELL HIGHIt’s Harder To Do Than To Say

By Grant Parsons

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MOST BIKERS ARE ALSO SOMETHING ELSE. GOOD THING WE COVER ALL KINDS.

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For almost three decades, Concerned Motorcyclists of Tennessee/American Bikers Active Toward Education (CMT/ABATE) has been at the forefront of efforts to save riders’ lives in Tennessee.

CMT/ABATE is an AMA-chartered, not-for-profit 501(c)4 political organization. It was formed to preserve freedom and safety for all Tennesseans

who enjoy motorcycling.Our major goals are to modify existing

laws that are detrimental to motorcycle safety and enjoyment, and to enact new legislation in support of all motorcyclists who ride in Tennessee.

This all-volunteer organization has 15 local chapters from Bristol to Memphis, and is working to make a difference

in the lives of motorcyclists through events, legislation, education, safety and awareness.

Since 2005, CMT/ABATE—through the Tennessee Department of Safety’s motorcycle rider education program—has received a grant for motorcycle safety and awareness efforts each year.

One of the most visible programs funded through the grant is CMT/ABATE’s “Look Twice Save A Life” motorcycle awareness effort, which is conducted jointly with the Tennessee Department of Tourism. This program involves thousands of brightly colored litter bags emblazoned with a motorcycle rider profile and the words “Look Twice Save A Life.”

The litter bags are distributed at Tennessee’s 14 tourism welcome centers.

Grant money has been used to post the message on billboards, in buses and even in public rest rooms. Money also has been used to create “Look Twice Save A Life” public service announcements for movie theaters and drive-ins.

For the past two years, the organization has used a portion of the grant money to post “official” motorcycle-awareness road signs on streets and highways within the city limits of incorporated municipalities. This effort was initiated by the Wheels of Thunder charter of CMT/ABATE in the Memphis area, whose members met with the mayor and city officials of Collierville, and within weeks produced an event with the help of Bumps Harley-Davidson that resulted in the posting of 45 signs in the community and a ride of nearly 700 motorcycles to celebrate the effort.

Elected officials, law enforcement and motorcycling organizations are supporting these types of events statewide.

There are now signs posted in 40 municipalities. With 347 incorporated municipalities in Tennessee, the work will continue for quite some time!

This year, a new project is being developed. A custom pedal tricycle is being fabricated and a course is being designed to create an opportunity for motorcyclists to ride the course wearing “Fatal Vision” goggles, which simulate blurred vision as if riding impaired.

The CMT/ABATE organization works diligently to build its circle of influence, including safety and awareness programs, tried-and-true fun events, charity work and ever-vigilant legislative work.

For more info, go to CMTABATE.com.

SAVING LIVES IN TENNESSEECMT/ABATE Works To Protect Motorcyclists By Carol Simpson

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U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), who is an AMA Life Member, attracted some positive attention for motorcyclists from Politico.com, which covers political news at the national level.

Politico.com noted that Walberg “took to Twitter to high five his fellow riders in 140 characters or less” for motorcycle and scooter Ride to Work Day on June 20. Andy Goldfine, a former AMA board member, started Ride to Work Day 20 years ago to showcase the positive value of motorcycles and scooters for transportation.

Walberg tweeted: “I want to give a wave to all my biker bro’s and sis’ as they ride their bikes to work on National Ride to Work day! Ride free and safe.”

We caught up with Walberg to chat.American Motorcyclist: What do you

ride?Rep. Tim Walberg: I’ve got a 2002

Harley Road King and a 1983 Honda Silver Wing Interstate.

AM: What’s your favorite ride? TW: My favorite ride is the one I’m

taking at the time, but several memorable rides over the years include the Tail of the Dragon, Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier National Park in Montana, the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Parkways, and the backcountry roads of Michigan’s Jackson and Washtenaw counties, leading to the Huron River Road.

AM: What are the biggest issues facing motorcyclists today?

TW: The biggest issues facing motorcyclists are safety and the freedom to ride. I think we should do what we can to encourage safety and manage public concerns over noise and aggressive riding. I also support motorcyclists making their own choices about riding. I am working to bring common-sense reforms to the Consumer Product

Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) to ensure that families with kids who enjoy riding can use motorcycles that are of the appropriate size for their age. And I believe we should be able to use our roadways for our best purposes, including riding.

AM: Why did you join the AMA?TW: I wanted to join an organization

that spoke for both motorcycling and motorcyclists. It is important because we all need to be engaged in the issues that are important to us.

FOUR QUESTIONS WITH…U.S. Congressman, AMA Life Member Tim Walberg

That’s Trent Young with his wife Ava. Last summer a buddy turned Trent on to S100 Total Cycle Cleaner. Then he wrote us: “I was absolutely floored as I watched the road grime, bugs and dirt I didn’t even know was there…Now I don’t have to be afraid of the rain. I am absolutely enthralled on how well your product works.” What Trent saw was S100’s amazing penetrating power getting the dirt that other cleaners miss, especially in the places he couldn’t see or reach. That’s where corrosion can start! Love your bike? Want to protect your investment and do it all in less time? Ask your dealer to set you up with some S100 Total Cycle Cleaner. Read Trent’s entire mail and learn more at www.s100.com or call us at 203-488-6569.

Rep. Walberg and wife, Sue, at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame

RIGHTS

A key U.S. House subcommittee was told on June 22 that off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation puts billions of dollars into the economy, and public land needs to be opened for OHV recreation.

Supporters of H.R. 1581, the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011, testified that the bill would free up almost 43 million acres of public land that now may be off-limits to off-highway riding.

“As it stands, the BLM [federal Bureau of Land Management] currently restricts activity on nearly 7 million acres of [Wilderness Study Areas] despite the fact the BLM itself has already determined these areas are not suitable for Wilderness designation by Congress,” testified Thomas Crimmins of the group Professionals for Managed Recreation.

“The situation with the Forest Service is even worse,” he said, “as access is restricted to over 36 million acres of [Inventoried Roadless Areas] that have been deemed unsuitable for ultimate designation as Wilderness.”

The testimony came during a House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests

and Public Lands oversight hearing on “Opportunities for Outdoor Recreation on Public Lands,” chaired by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah).

Besides Crimmins, others who testified included Scott Jones, who spoke on behalf of the AMA and the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition; Dick Lepley of the Pennsylvania Off-Highway Vehicle Association; Russ Ehnes of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council; Don Amador of the BlueRibbon Coalition; and Karen Umphress of the Minnesota Motorized Trails Coalition and the Coalition of Recreational Trail Users.

Crimmins, who worked for the Forest Service for 32 years, was involved in the process of evaluating Forest Service land to determine whether it deserved a Wilderness designation. A Wilderness designation bars off-highway riding and most other uses.

“The intent of the process was to identify any and all areas that could potentially be considered for Wilderness designation and then, once and for all, make recommendations for areas that

should be considered for Wilderness designations and areas that should be managed for multiple use,” Crimmins testified. “This would allow the agency to move forward with its mission to manage the national forests.”

While land mangers expected that areas ultimately deemed as unsuitable for Wilderness designation would be released, “this has not been the case,” he said.

On the economic side, Jones testified that “OHV recreation provided over a billion dollars in positive economic impact and resulted in over 12,000 jobs in the state of Colorado alone.”

Umphress said that all-terrain vehicle activity alone contributed $2 billion to the Minnesota economy in 2006.

LEGISLATION WOULD RELEASE 43 MILLION ACRES NOT SUITABLE FOR WILDERNESS

Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Boosts Local Economies

Take Action

What’s Going On? Federal agencies have determined 43 million acres aren’t suitable for Wilderness designation, yet because of various laws and rules they must continue to strictly manage the land until Congress “releases” it for other possible uses, which H.R. 1581 would do.

Key Legislation: H.R. 1581, the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011, would remove stringent use restrictions on 6.7 million acres managed by the BLM and on 36.1 million acres of U.S. Forest Service land that was evaluated for strict congressional Wilderness land-use designations.

What You Can Do About It: Call your lawmakers. You can find contact information for elected officials at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Issues & Legislation. Enter you zip code in the “Find Your Officials” box.

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DOVER, N.H., POLICE TEST FOR EXCESSIVE MOTORCYCLE SOUNDTwo Tickets And Six Warnings issued

Dover, N.H., police set up a checkpoint on June 10 to sound test motorcycles.The checkpoint operated from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and 21 motorcycles were stopped to

determine whether they violated the state’s 106-decibel limit. Police issued two tickets and six warnings. The other motorcycles tested below the legal limit.

The AMA has long maintained a position of strong opposition to excessive motorcycle sound and has developed model legislation for use by jurisdictions.

For information on the model legislation, go to AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Resources > Model On-Highway Motorcycle Exhaust System Sound Emissions Ordinance.

Off-highway riders put money into local economies, such as these riders who rented a cabin in Colorado.

14 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

RIGHTS

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ETHANOL UNDER ATTACK IN CONGRESSLawmakers Want To End Subsidies

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On June 16, the U.S. Senate voted 73-27 to eliminate $6 billion a year in ethanol subsidies, indicating lawmaker support for biofuels is wavering.

Ethanol is essentially grain alcohol produced from crops such as corn. It is mixed with gasoline to produce an ethanol-gasoline blend motor fuel.

The Senate vote is considered largely symbolic because the provision to end the subsidies was attached to a bill that isn’t expected to pass the full Congress.

Meanwhile, there is a measure in the House—H.R. 748, introduced by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.)—which would prohibit the federal Environmental Protection Agency from allowing the sale of gasoline containing more than 10 percent ethanol for use in light-duty vehicles.

The EPA has granted approval to allow the use of gasoline made up of 15 percent ethanol in model year 2001 and newer passenger vehicles, including cars, SUVs and light pickups.

But the EPA hasn’t approved the blend for motorcycles, heavy-duty trucks or non-road engines.

Currently, motorcycle manufacturers only certify their engines to run on fuels that have a 10 percent or less blend.

Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager, notes that the AMA supports the use of cleaner-burning fuels but is concerned that, if the allowable level of ethanol is raised, it could result in premature engine damage.

“Increasing the percentage of ethanol could have a negative impact on motorcycle engines and void manufacturers’ warranties,” he says.

“Until studies show that a higher ethanol blend won’t damage motorcycle or all-terrain vehicle engines, and won’t make motorcycles emit more nitrogen oxides than are allowed by the EPA, the AMA can’t support any proposal that would allow a higher blend,” Szauter says.

STATEWATCHLOUISIANA

A law that takes effect Aug. 15 prohibits the installation of any head lamp, auxiliary or fog lamp, rear lamp, signal lamp, or reflector on a motor vehicle or operation of a motor vehicle equipped with any type of lamp or reflector that changes the original design or performance unless it is in compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108. It’s the result of Rep. Tom Willmott’s (R-Kenner) House Bill 583.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Gov. John Lynch has signed legislation to establish a committee to “study the effectiveness of criteria for establishing all-terrain vehicle and trail bike trails on state lands.” The committee is expected to report back to the governor and legislature by Nov. 1. The legislation, which was sponsored by Sen. John Gallus (R-Berlin), is available for review in the “Rights” section of AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

NORTH CAROLINA

Law enforcement agencies are prohibited from establishing patterns for vehicle stops at checking stations based on a particular type of vehicle—meaning motorcycle-only checkpoints aren’t allowed—under a new law. The law is the result of House Bill 381, sponsored by Rep. John A. Torbett (R-Stanley), which Gov. Beverly Perdue signed into law on June 23.

Perdue also signed into law House Bill 113, sponsored by Ric Killian (R-Raleigh), which establishes a penalty of not less than $200 for any vehicle operator who forces a motorcyclist out of his or her lane or off the road. The penalty jumps to not less than $500 if the violation results in a crash

causing property damage or personal injury to the motorcycle operator or passenger. The law takes effect Dec. 1.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Gov. Dennis Daugaard has announced Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funding of nearly $1 million for trail projects. The Black Hills National Forest received funding for motorized trail system development and the Black Hills snowmobile trail system was awarded funds for trail grooming equipment. For more information on obtaining an RTP grant for a motorized trail project, contact the South Dakota RTP grant coordinator, Randy Kittle, at randy.kittle@state.sd.us.

VIRGINIA

A motorcycle or moped operator or a bicyclist can proceed through a steady red traffic light at an intersection under certain circumstances under a new law. The law is the result of House Bill 1981, sponsored by Del. Thomas Greason (R-Potomac Falls). The operator or rider must come to a complete stop and wait for two complete cycles of the traffic light before proceeding with due care and after determining it is safe to do so. The law took effect July 1.

16 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

RIGHTS

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RIDING

I really like to keep my Suzuki Bandit clean—perhaps too clean, as I get a lot of harassment from my riding buddies who say I must never ride it. It’s one of those bikes that generally looks nicer than the day it was born. But, I get a lot of comments on how good it looks, too—and I love that. As much as I like to keep it looking clean, I really enjoy riding it on short Saturday morning rides, or on large group rides through the twisty roads near my home in Ohio, or to my first track day (a couple months back). So, it’s not a garage queen by any means. It just looks that way!

In an effort to continue finding new two-wheeled challenges, I thought it might be fun to do a 1,000-mile multi-state ride, and do it all in less than 24 hours. I’ve heard of many people doing this, and they’ve all had a good time and have enjoyed the bragging rights that come with it. I mentioned this to my riding buddies—AMA members John Mathis of Delaware, Ohio, and John Wagner of Pickerington, Ohio—and to my surprise, they thought it would be a great idea, too.

Initially, we planned an all-freeway ride, making a giant square through some scenic country that would get us

back in easy time. Then one of the guys mentioned that we were going to be really close to The Tail of the Dragon, U.S. 129 on the Tennessee-North Carolina state line, and that we should re-route that into the ride. Well, once there, you also have to ride U.S. 28, the Cherohala Skyway, and, well, the list of great roads goes on! So, we changed the route to a beeline to U.S. 129, seven hours of riding in the general area, then a beeline back home.

We all left our homes and starting points around 4 a.m., met up at 4:30 a.m. along the route, and then shot “downhill” to Tennessee. We stopped about every 140 miles on the way down for gas, energy bars, water and to rest our aging bodies.

We arrived at U.S. 129—what a beautiful area and fun road. It was cool seeing all the motorcycles at Deals Gap and at all the other places along our ride.

We rode over the Cherohala Skyway, which is an outstanding scenic route as well. The temperature also is cooler at 5,400 feet, which was a nice surprise on our hot, dehydrating day. We then took a well-deserved, unplanned lunch stop at the Telli-Café in Tellico Plains. It was a good place to eat and they got us out of

there fast.With one eye on our GPS units to make

sure we were still making good time, we rode through the area and found our way to U.S. 28. This was quite a fun and curvy road as well. Then we rode one last time on the Dragon, smiling for all those photographers. We stopped for gas in Maryville, Tenn., and prepared for the 400-mile trip home. We stopped about every 100 miles on the way back just to break it up a bit. We arrived back home with 1,040 miles under our wheels.

With that, we completed our first 1,000-mile day riding through four states, meeting many motorcyclists of all kinds, seeing some really cool bikes, and running into a group of friendly people at the top of the Skyway—all in the course of a day’s ride. But, the ride was not just for us, it was also about the enjoyment of seeing other riders out there, too. We belong to a great community of motorcyclists. Get out there and enjoy it. Do something you’ve never done before.

Even so, don’t expect everything to change. The next morning, I woke up to a message from one of my riding buddies, asking if I had washed my Bandit yet. Unbelievable! The answer was “no,” but, yeah, I did clean it later that morning.

Phil Stearns is a motorcyclist, pilot and musician who works in corporate aviation. He rides whenever possible whether alone, in groups, or with his wife, Lisa.

ALL IN A DAY’S RIDEWant A Great Ride? Get Out And Do Something You’ve Never Done Before

By Phil Stearns

18 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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Up to the town of Franklin, N.C., for promoting motorcycle tourism by sponsoring a motorcycle event next year.

Up to a team of 11 financial industry heavy hitters for organizing the Out of Options U.S. Tour, which is using motorcycles to raise awareness of, and funds for, catastrophic childhood diseases.

Up to the Austin-Travis County (Texas) Emergency Medical Services staff for riding motorcycles to respond to calls on I-35 under the premise that two wheels are more nimble than four.

Down to Care.com for its negative portrayal of women motorcyclists in their “No Drama Mama” commercial.

Down, to a Buffalo, N.Y., motorcyclist accused of throwing a rock at another vehicle during a road-rage incident. He was later reportedly clocked going 131 mph while attempting to flee local police.

BIKE SHOW TO HONOR HALL OF FAMERPart Of AMA Legends & Champions Weekend

The late-Dave Mungenast earned his spot in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame through his commitment as both a racer and an advocate of motorcycling.

Although Mungenast passed away in September 2006, he is not forgotten, and on Saturday, Nov. 19, he’ll be honored with the Dave Mungenast Memorial Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance bike show at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nev.

The world-class bike show is part of the 2011 AMA Legends & Champions weekend, which also features the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Nov. 18, and the AMA Racing Championship Banquet on Nov. 20.

“Our late husband and father, Dave Mungenast Sr., as well as our entire family are proud to recognize and support the achievements of the Hall of Fame members by sponsoring this year’s Concours d’ Elegance,” says family spokesman Ray Mungenast, son of Dave Mungenast Sr. and president of the Mungenast

Automotive Family.The Motorcycle Hall of Fame class

of 2011, which will be inducted the evening before the bike show, includes former Cycle magazine managing editor Phil Schilling, industry leader Fred Fox, roadracing champion Doug Polen,

motorcycling pioneer Norbert Schickel and longtime motocross promoter

Stu Peters.A leading enduro racer of the

1960s and ’70s, Mungenast rode the International Six

Days Trials nine times. As a motorcycle dealer

and owner of off-road riding areas, Mungenast

continued to support off-road riding after his

retirement from racing.“It’s an honor to associate our event with Hall of

Famer Dave Mungenast Sr., a treasured friend, a great motorcyclist and a wonderful ambassador for the sport and business of motorcycling,” says Jeffrey V. Heininger, chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which raises money for the Hall of Fame. “I have high

expectations that the Dave Mungenast Memorial Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance will raise the bar for classic motorcycle shows in this country.”

Tickets to all events during the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend are available at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

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TAKING OFF-ROAD SKILLS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Q: “My 14-year-old daughter is learning to ride a dirtbike. She’s pretty proficient with the clutch and shifting. It seems like the next step would be improving her riding skills in general. What are some good, general skill-building drills she could practice in our flat field?”

A: Your daughter should focus on braking, cornering and riding over obstacles because these skills encompass the basics of off-roading. Because your daughter is under 16, you should supervise her at all times, whether she’s practicing in your field or riding on a trail in the forest. Of course, she should wear the full complement of riding gear. You two can also take the MSF DirtBike School together to further refine riding skills and make you a more effective supervisor.

If there are different surfaces on your field (dirt, grass, rocks), she should practice braking and cornering on all of them to gain experience on how the bike responds differently on each. For braking, she should practice from moderate speeds in first and second gear, using the brakes together, applying them smoothly and progressively. Encourage her not to grab the front brake lever or stomp on the rear brake pedal.

For cornering, you can set up a variety

of sizes of circles, figure eights, and weaves using markers, and monitor how she initiates lean with the handlebars, adjusts body position to maintain balance, and controls steering to maintain the desired path. For obstacles, you can use regular lumber (two-by-fours or four-by-fours), landscaping timbers (three-by-fours), or tree branches (under four inches in diameter, with no sharp protrusions). Coach her on approaching the obstacle slowly, at a 90-degree angle, while she rises up on the footrests; applying a bit of throttle to lighten the front end as she contacts the obstacle; and returning to the normal riding position after the rear tire clears the obstacle.

You can also print out a “Parents, Youngsters and Off-Highway Motorcycles” booklet at DirtBikeSchool.com, in which you and your daughter can find more details on these practice exercises and safety tips.

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AMA MEMBER MEETINGSet For Sept. 10 In Pickerington, Ohio

On Saturday, Sept. 10, at the AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA will hold a member meeting for the purpose of electing at-large members of the Board of Directors of the Association.

Full AMA members in good standing may attend the meeting. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m.

AMA headquarters is located at 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, Ohio, 43147. For more information, members may contact AMA Director of Operations Jack Penton at (614) 856-1900.

GO ORANGE WITH YOUR AMA CARDAMA KTM Affinity Program Offers KTM-Themed AMA Card

KTM owners can now opt-in to a new AMA membership affinity program that includes an exclusive KTM-themed AMA membership card.

“KTM and AMA affiliation are two passions that run deep in the hearts and minds of many of our customers,” says KTM North America President Jon-Erik Burleson. “Available exclusively through this program, this partnership offers a unique way for these customers and members to link those passions.”

AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman says the KTM-themed card is a unique benefit of membership.

“This new card is a cool way for KTM owners to take advantage of all their AMA benefits, including AMA Roadside Assistance and the ability to ride and race in events around the country, while proudly differentiating their membership,” Dingman said.

To receive the KTM-themed AMA membership card, KTM owners can call AMA Membership Services at (800) 262-5646.

RIDING

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Motorcyclists who ride in the heat and humidity look for any advantage for keeping cool. My locale is southeast Texas, where these conditions exist a good part of the year,

so I was glad to test TechNiche’s Evaporative Cooling Vest, distributed by SOUND RIDER! in the United States.

The vest is well made of quality materials. One thing to look out for, though, is keeping the “hook” side of the hook and loop closure away from the outer layer of fabric. It can grab and distress it.

The vest cools as water evaporates from its surface, so its performance depends on airflow and humidity. For best results, wear a base layer that wicks moisture away from the body under the vest. This will minimize the initial damp feeling and enhance the cooling effect.

Just soak the vest for a few minutes in tap water, gently squeeze out the excess water, then wear. The vest and sleeves can also be hydrated in the morning, stored in re-sealable plastic bags, and donned when the temperatures rise.

In 1,275 test miles with temperatures ranging from 83-102 degrees and relative humidity from 27-98 percent, my rides were made more comfortable and safer with this product. Just keep in mind this is not intended to be a substitute for common sense. You still need to drink plenty of water, and stop if you begin to feel overheated.—J.D. Ray, Katy, Texas

I soaked the vest for about 20 minutes. I then hung it for 15 minutes inside a shower stall. (Squeezing hard can damage the polymer fibers.) After draining, it weighed 5 pounds on my scale.

On my ride, my outer gear was a Vansen leather perforated jacket, and I wore a runner’s tank top underneath made of dry wicking material. I was surprised how well the cooling vest worked. I was a little wet, but after I got off of my bike I felt great. Although I could feel the weight of the five pounds of water, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Also, some moisture passed to my riding pants. Take care not to leave your wallet where water might get to it.

This vest worked great. Bravo!—Kathleen Cudmore, Baltimore

On my test ride, I put the TechNiche Cooling Vest on under my mesh Joe Rocket jacket. Immediately, a problem surfaced. Five minutes for draining the vest is not enough time to let the excess water run off. The top of my riding pants got soaked even before I got on the bike.

The vest did work as advertised during the first 60-mile leg of my ride. However, even though I was wearing a polyester t-shirt, as recommended, it felt muggy. We stopped at our normal mid-point, drank some water, ate some snacks and talked about the world and motorcycles. After 30 minutes, we saddled back up. In my experience, the cooling effect was far less on the ride home after this wait.

For maximum effect, you’ll need to re-soak the vest throughout the day.—Stephen Rome, Pensacola, Fla.

Want to be an AMA tester? E-mail submissions@ama-cycle.org for an application.

AMA MEMBER TESTEDTechNiche Evaporative Cooling Vest

GET YOUR HALL OF FAME HOLIDAY CARDS NOWCelebrate The Season With Motorcycles

Holiday cards are cool. Holiday cards with images of motorcycles on them are cooler.

The Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s holiday card program is now in effect for the 2011 season. Order your cards by going to AMA.PolkaDotYourWorld.com.

AMA Director of Operations Jack Penton cautions members to look out for imposter companies, however.

“Unfortunately, there are some pretenders trying to exploit support for the Motorcycle Hall of Fame,” Penton says. “In recent years, these companies have sent mailings that mimic the Hall of Fame’s design and message. However, no funds from these programs benefit the Hall of Fame whatsoever! Please be sure the holiday cards you order are the real deal, so all proceeds benefit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.”

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RACING

In only his third year as an AMA 450 pro, Ryan Villopoto has grabbed one of motorcycle racing’s most-coveted crowns—the AMA Supercross Championship. With three 250 class AMA Motocross Championships, two 250 AMA Supercross Championships, and now a 450 AMA Supercross Championship, the next notch on Ryan’s belt is the AMA 450 Motocross Championship, and his sights are firmly fixed on that goal.

We caught up with the 22-year-old motocross racer to get his thoughts on the current season.

American Motorcyclist: Ryan, looking at the Supercross season, it must have been satisfying to win it, particularly coming back from the severe broken leg that ruined your 2010 outdoor season.

Ryan Villopoto: You know, Supercross was a long season. Winning the championship was an awesome thing to do for myself and the team with everything that we have gone through—with the injuries that I have had, it was very nice to get a win!

It was a pretty severe injury, so coming back from it was very difficult. I knew that my speed would still be there as I had won races, but knowing that I was out and away from racing for so long, I had some questions.

AM: Then to start the 2011 outdoor season, you weren’t exactly 100 percent.

RV: Yeah, even the Thursday before, as I was driving to the Las Vegas Supercross finale I wasn’t feeling that well. I had something going on already. Then we raced Vegas, and had a weekend off.

Then I still didn’t feel that good coming into Hangtown, but at Texas I felt pretty good—we just weren’t there with the bike. But now, we have had some time to dial in the bike and it’s almost perfect.

We started out not having the greatest set-up, but did what we could at the first two rounds. Since then, we have gotten the bike way better and that is where we are at now. I was still able to gain some points and finish third overall at the first couple rounds—we did what we could for what we had at that time. But we do not go out here to race for second place. With all the work that the team and myself put into this, nobody is happy with second place.

AM: Yourself, Ryan Dungey, and Chad Reed are all in this championship battle—what will it take to win it?

RV: Consistency. My second motos have been getting better lately, but I need to get some 1-1 moto scores and overall wins. That’s my goal right now.

I definitely try to go race by race. Of course, we all want to win every race we enter. You need to win races, and if you are not winning you need to be on the podium. Also, you cannot afford to have any bad races. You need to stay near the front in points so it comes down to the last few races, and then win them. That’s what it is going to take.

But still you have those championship thoughts in your mind, and we would all like to get it. So thinking big picture is there, but I still always try to focus race by race. I’ll think about a championship when it gets down to just a couple races left.

THREE QUESTIONS WITH…Pro Motocrosser Ryan Villopoto By Jim Kimball

As the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship was set to start the second half of the season with the Spring Creek Motocross National in

Millville, Minn., TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed was coming off his fourth win of the year, giving him a 16-point advantage over Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto with Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey six more points back.

The racing at the front has been intense. At RedBud, where Reed collected that fourth overall, he battled a hard-charging Dungey for the first moto win, while

Villopoto charged back from an early crash. In the second moto, the trio paced the field, with Villopoto winning, Dungey taking second and Reed third.

“I learned a lot today,” Reed said after RedBud. “Each time I went out on the track today, it was different. I learned a lot about my bike, and a lot about myself as a person about the decisions I need to make on race days.”

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CHAD REED OUT FRONT IN MOTOCROSSLeads Dungey, Villopoto At Midpoint

24 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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GET STARTED IN HARE & HOUNDBeginner Basics For Your First Desert Race

The AMA Kenda National Hare & Hound Championship Series has gone through a rebirth in recent years, thanks to the AMA’s partnership with the National Hare & Hound Association (NHHA). The group has taken the lead in innovating and organizing at the grassroots level.

For West Coast racers, this is an excellent time to begin racing the series. There are numerous classes that accommodate everyone from youth to senior level, from first-time racers to some of the fastest desert riders in the world.

Getting started is easy. The NHHA offers these tips for first-time racers:

Step one: Gear. You need it. The more protection the better. The desert can be rough. But you already know that. There’s the obvious—helmet, boots, gloves, goggles—but you’ll also want a chest protector, knee pads, elbow pads, etc.

Step two: Bike setup. You’ll want a high-capacity tank. Stock tanks may make it, but on long sandy loops, you don’t want to be watching the race from an empty bike. For bike protection, hand guards and a skid plate will get you started. A tool bag with some basic tools and nuts and bolts is also a good idea.

Step three: Prepare for variety. Races can have a 2 mph rock canyon followed by a flat-out, fifth-gear valley. Get a couple of races under your belt to get a feel for gearing, but, in general, you’ll want to gear slightly taller than stock.

Step four: Don’t forget water! If you break down, you will be picked up, but it could be a while. Carry water with you. It can literally save your life.

Step five: Enter. You will need to be an AMA member. Join at the race or online at AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Next, you’ll need to sign up for a class. Classes are

broken down by skill level, engine size and age. If you are new to off-road riding, or this is your first race, consider a beginner or novice class. Age classes are another option. For example, if you are over 30, you can ride the Veteran class. There also are bike-displacement-based options.

Remember that minors must have both parents at sign-up or an AMA annual release and one parent (or a guardian with a notarized statement) at sign-up.

Non-California riders must meet special requirements to race at events in the Golden State. If your bike is registered as an off-road machine or plated in your home state, you can just show up and race. If not, you will need a California out-of-state off-road permit. You can buy one at the race or at several locations around the state.

Step six: Have an epic time! A lot of work goes into each race by volunteers who do their best to make sure all riders and skill levels will have fun. When you see the checkered flag, you will know you have accomplished something.

Want more info? Visit NationalHareAnd Hound.com.

RACING ROUNDUPRoadrace, Flat Track, GNCC, Enduro

U.S. TEAM EYES 2011 TRIAL DES NATIONSRiders Will Face World’s Best In Italy

Not only is trials one of the world’s oldest motorcycle sports, it’s also one of the most demanding. And the best trials riders in the world will compete at the Trial des Nations in Tolmezzo, Italy, on Sept. 18-19.

The United States will be represented at this prestigious event by some of the top riders from the AMA/North American Trials Council (NATC) MotoTrials National Championship Series.

Keith Wineland from Fountain, Colo.; Bryan Roper from Glendale, Ariz.; Karl Davis Jr. from Ormond Beach, Fla.; and Eric Storz from Ventura, Calif., will ride for the men’s team. Andrew Oldar from Aguanga, Calif., is the alternate.

For the U.S. women’s team, the competitors are Louise Forsley from Bernardston, Mass.; Sarah Duke from Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Caroline Allen from Norton, Mass. Rachel Hassler from Albuquerque, N.M., is the alternate.

Brian Behling, CEO of the NATC, said

that he expects experience to play a role in the U.S. team’s showing.

“We are proud to take a young and eager team to represent the United States at the Trial des Nations,” Behling said. “Both the men and women will be led by experienced Trial des Nations veterans in Keith and Louise, as well as Sarah and Caroline, so expectations are high. They have all worked hard to achieve success in the AMA/NATC National MotoTrials series and will do their best to make U.S.

MotoTrials fans proud of their efforts.”

Classic Win For Classic MarqueAfter a 12-year layoff, a legendary brand

raced its way back to the top step of the AMA Pro Roadracing podium at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 9. In the SuperSport race, Dustin Dominguez, riding the Team Latus Motors Triumph Daytona 675, took the brand’s first win since 1999 when Curtis Adams won at California’s Willow Springs Raceway.

Coolbeth Rules In HagerstownWith a near-capacity crowd looking on

at the Hagerstown Half-Mile on July 9, Harley-Davidson Motor Company-backed Kenny Coolbeth led every lap of the 25-lap AMA Pro Racing Harley-Davidson Insurance Flat Track Championship main event. Scott’s Powersports’ Johnny Lewis got the holeshot on his Kawasaki, but by Turn 2, Coolbeth had his Harley out front. Coolbeth’s lead even survived a red flag re-start after lap 17, which turned the event into an eight-lap dash for the win.

Whibley Wins John Penton GNCCPaul Whibley used a dramatic last-

second pass to claim an exciting win at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC, round nine of the 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Series in Millfield, Ohio, on July 10. Whibley’s pass spoiled what was shaping

up to be a first XC1 win for FMF/KTM’s Kailub Russell. Although Russell held the lead as the pair entered the motocross section for the final time, with two turns to go before the finish, Whibley made a pass over the final jump to secure his third win of the year.

Improved Scoring Tech For EndurosIf you race in the AMA Rekluse National

Enduro Championship Series, you’ll be pleased to know that organizers have introduced a new transponder scoring system. The new system is more compact and easier for the check workers to transport, and provides quicker scoring. The self-adhesive transponder is designed to stick to the underside of your helmet visor. They are available at sign-up for $10.

Entries Open For Extreme EnduroWhat the promoters are billing as “a

new American extreme enduro” is coming to the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, Tenn., on Aug. 28. The Kenda Tennessee Knockout will offer free entries to qualified Expert/Pro riders in addition to a shot at a nearly $10,000 purse. Amateur classes will compete on Saturday. Amateur racers also get a free entry to watch the Sunday finals.

For more info, see TennesseeKnockoutEnduro.com.

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HALL OF FAME

Hall of Fame features the machines and people of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio. The Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that receives support from the AMA and from motorcycling enthusiasts. For info and directions, visit MotorcycleMuseum.org, or call (614) 856-2222.

Back in the day, when off-road motorcycles were big, heavy and not all that different from streetbikes, nobody ever dreamed of a machine like this 1968 Penton Six-Day model.

Except John Penton.In the post-World War II era, Penton

raced enduros on Harley-Davidsons, BSAs, BMWs and NSUs, always choosing the route of smaller and lighter rather than heavier and more powerful.

Still, Penton wasn’t satisfied.When a Triumph representative urged

him to sell Triumphs at his BSA dealership, Penton exasperated the fellow by listing everything wrong with his motorcycles. The rep finally retorted that if Penton knew so much about motorcycles, maybe he should build his own.

So he did.After years of racing enduros in the

United States, and watching other riders zip past him on smaller machines in the International Six Days Trial in Europe, Penton knew what worked and what didn’t, which parts were reliable and which ones broke.

Penton picked the best components, including a Sachs engine, and had KTM build the motorcycles for him in Austria. The first of these unique machines bearing the Penton name went on sale in 1968.

Penton motorcycles, such as this Six-Day model named after the famed international competition, convinced U.S. riders that they could buy machines ready to race.

This machine was in the first shipment of Penton motorcycles delivered to the

United States in 1968, and was campaigned along with five others in the March 10 Stone Mountain Enduro in Georgia. The machines’ riders included Motorcycle Hall of Famers Dave Mungenast, Leroy Winters, John Penton, Tom Penton and Larry Maiers, as well as Al Born.

They took two class wins, a second and a third.

This 1968 Penton Six-Day, on loan from Al Born, and the story behind it is just one of the fascinating slices of motorcycling history highlighted at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio. To learn more, go to MotorcycleMuseum.org.

1968 PENTON SIX-DAY A Bike Born For Racing

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September 2011 29

Hall of Famer

TERRY VANCE Drag-Racing Legend

Terry Vance became the most popular rider in the sport of motorcycle drag racing during the late 1970s and 1980s, earning 14 National Hot Rod Association championships before retiring as a rider in 1988.

Born in Bristol, Va., on Nov. 26, 1953, Vance moved with his family to Los Angeles when he was 3 years old. In the mid-1960s, he saved money from his paper route and bought a minibike frame in which his dad installed a small engine from a lawn edger.

Vance spent countless hours riding his minibike up and down the gravel road next to the railroad tracks near his home in Lawndale. From there, he moved up to a Honda 90, then a Honda 350 and finally, in 1970, one of the new Honda 750 Fours.

Almost as soon as he earned his driver’s license, Vance began going to the local drag strips to race his Honda. He started winning right off the bat and was earning a couple hundred dollars a weekend from his hobby.

Not long after, future Hall of Famer and drag racer Russ Collins of R.C. Engineering approached Vance about riding one of the company’s new bikes, and Vance signed his first professional contract in 1972.

It was while working at R.C. Engineering that Vance met a young Byron Hines, who was building Vance’s race bikes. The two became best friends and would soon become the most famous pairing in motorcycle drag racing.

After Vance’s successful stint at R.C.

Engineering, in 1977 Suzuki approached him about racing its new GS 750. Vance, with Hines tuning, continued his winning streak on the Suzuki. Suzuki capitalized on Vance’s success in its advertising, and both Vance and his partner became two of the most recognizable figures in motorcycling.

In January 1980, Vance, along with Hines, parlayed his drag racing fame into a successful

aftermarket business called Vance & Hines. At first, the company built customer motors. By 1983, it began producing its famous exhaust systems. Vance & Hines rapidly expanded and much of the credit could be directly attributed to Vance’s drag racing results and the company’s focus on quality and service.

Vance concluded his racing career at the end of 1988. He won the final five events that he entered that year. He was considered the most successful motorcycle drag racer of his era, having set numerous milestones in the sport and winning championships in the Pro Stock and Top Fuel classes.

By the mid-1980s, Vance & Hines had grown to the point that it began expanding into road racing, first running Suzukis, then Yamahas and then Ducatis through the 1990s. Vance & Hines became a top AMA Superbike team and won championships and numerous prestigious races, including the Daytona 200 and the U.S. round of the World Superbike Series.

Terry Vance was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

Proceeds benefi t the Motorcycle Hall of Fame

MotorcycleMuseum.org

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Born: Selma, Ala., 1942. Son of an Army Air Corps mechanic.

First motorcycle ride: My dad used to take me around on turtledeck Cushmans, sitting between his legs. It was 1949. I was 7.

Motorcycling experience: My Dad gave me a Cushman “Airborne” in 1956 as a graduation-from-eighth-grade present. I learned to ride on Illinois washboard gravel roads. I learned how to maintain it. It gave me dreams of freedom.

Work experience: My first motorcycle job was to try to make a body around my Cushman Airborne’s open frame. My first paying motorcycle job was in 1964 while I was still a student of design at the University of Illinois. I designed and made the commercial display for Bridgestone Motorcycles to be used at the 1965 Armory Show at Daytona.

I always liked motorcycles. I always thought they were important because they burned a whole lot less gas than cars. Consequently, since I graduated from college, my self-appointed role in life has been to help to make motorcycles

be better transportation. I figured if motorcycles were used more, we would burn less fuel. That would be good for me, and good for our country.

Nobody was there to hire me to do this so I did it myself. I designed fairings and streamlining to make motorcycles better transportation. Hosting fuel economy events is my way to continue the advancement of motorcycle design.

Why I ride: Of course, it is fun. But I have come to realize that the thing I like most is riding with new designs, testing to see how new ideas are working. Or not working. When I find something wrong, I can’t wait to go back to my studio and fix it. I always find something wrong. I am always improving. It is design something...ride...make it better...ride...make it better... This gives me a great purpose in life.

Current bike: I absolutely love riding my streamlined Honda Helix. It gets 80-90 mpg at 70 mph in any conditions I experience. It can carry a real load, like four bags of groceries. It is quiet. It keeps me out of the weather, warm and dry. It is easy to ride. I’d rather ride this streamlined machine than anything. The lessons I am learning are significant. It makes me smile.

Best bike ever: Probably the Honda CT110. It will do anything.

AMA member since: 1966, I wanted to

do scrambles racing in Fisher, Ill.Why I’m an American Motorcycle

Heritage Foundation (AMHF) Board member: I like the AMA. I like the Museum. I want to help.

The biggest challenge facing the Hall of Fame: Funding. We want people to be eager to visit us and to support us.

The AMHF raises funds for the Hall of Fame. Learn more, and find out how you can contribute, at MotorcycleMuseum.org.

HALL OF FAME BOARD MEMBER PROFILECraig Vetter

HALL OF FAME

Mike Wolfe May Be The Star of History Channel’s “American Pickers,” But He Remains True To His Motorcycle RootsStory by Grant ParsonsPhotos by Whitney Carlson

ike Wolfe walks through the door of the new shop he’s

outfitting in an aging Nashville, Tenn., brick warehouse, and he instantly fills the room. He’s a high-energy guy, talking quickly and confidently, conferring with his staff, talking to a contractor who’s tracing a gas line through a hole in the floor and giving a quick look at the old bikes, clothes, curios, signs and other cool junk that have been arranged in the space.

In no time, talk turns to the motorcycles in the curio store—an Indian Chief in running condition, a land-speed racing rig that’s a beautiful, albeit rusty, piece of art, a Thor motor hanging on the wall—and some old AMA racing trophies. Every one has a story, and every one was pulled out of an improbable location while Wolfe scoured the country for his company, Antique Archeology.

He puts visitors at ease instantly, and one can see how Wolfe could use his skill for finding old stuff—including more than a few motorcycles—and not only turn it into ready cash and a thriving business, but also a breakout TV show on the History Channel, “American Pickers.”

“ got so many tickets during

high school that I didn’t bother taking driver’s ed because I couldn’t get a license.”

34 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

“When it comes down to it,” he says, “I owe a lot of the success I’ve had to motorcycles.”

It was motorcycles that helped fuel his early quest to become a “picker”—someone who finds, buys and resells old stuff. And it was picking motorcycles throughout the Midwest and eventually beyond that helped fund what first became a business, and then an empire.

Like many motorcyclists, Mike Wolfe fell in love with motorcycles after first getting involved with bicycles. Even at the age of 4, he says, he was dragging home old bicycles he’d find in the trash, hoping to fix them up.

The motorcycle bug also hit early.“I got my first motorcycle when I was

13. It was a Kawasaki 100—a beat-up little thing. I traded a guy a pair of stereo speakers for it,” Wolfe says. “I rode that anywhere and everywhere. I thought I was ruling the world. Where I grew up, you could traverse the entire area in alleys, and when I was in the alleys, I could see in garages, and in the trash, and that’s when I started getting serious about picking.”

Typically, he was always focused on trading up, and later wound up with a Can-Am 250. But the motorcycle lifestyle did have its drawbacks—especially for a kid too young to have a license to ride.

“I got so many tickets during high school that I didn’t bother taking driver’s ed because I couldn’t get a license. The

police wouldn’t even chase me. They’d just go to my house later. They’d see me buzzing around town and knew I had to come home sometime.”

It was only after he graduated high school and got a one-way bus ticket to Colorado to live with his aunt that he got his license—and his first streetbike, an old Kawasaki 500 triple.

Through those early years, Wolfe says he started collecting and selling vintage bicycles. The pedal-bikes planted the seed for his interest in vintage motorcycles.

“Someone told me that they had old bicycles at the Antique Motorcycle Club meet in Davenport, Iowa, so I went,” he says. “Once I saw all the old bikes with motors, I was hooked!”

He shifted his focus to finding old motorcycles, often putting up fliers in towns and taking out ads looking for bikes. When collectors of other stuff heard what he was doing, they asked him to search for non-motorcycling items. “I was like, ‘Yeah, that’ll pay for my bikes!’”

“That’s when I realized I could make a living doing this, and do it nationwide.”

Wolfe gravitated to early models.“I like the pre-1915 American stuff,” he

says. “After that, the manufacturing and the production of a lot of those companies became huge. But the early days with Reading-Standard and Yale and Merkel

and all the others, it was so beautiful and amazing. The more I learned about motorcycles, the more I was hooked. I learned that a lot of guys who started in bicycles—Maldwyn Jones, Glenn Curtiss and those guys—came to motorcycles from the cycling industry.”

The allure of old bikes, he says, is that they’re relics from an age that will never come again.

“Back in the day, the first time you’d see someone riding a bicycle down the street—it had to be like a moon landing: ‘What is that?’” Wolfe says. “Then five years later to see one with a motor? It would have blown your mind.”

His interest in motorcycles coincided with a lucky break that helped him create his business.

“It was motorcycles that got Antique Archeology started,” he says. “When the Antique Motorcycle Museum came to Anamosa, I worked with (Motorcycle Hall of Famer) John Parham to help him find motorcycles. I started finding stuff and picking the Midwest, and then I started going to the East Coast for him. While I was there looking for motorcycles, I’d ask people, ‘Do you have any extra speedos? Do you have any extra jackets or trophies or helmets? Any literature?’

“I found John about 10 amazing bikes, and that’s what took Antique Archeology to what it is now—him going, ‘OK, here’s $30,000. Go get me that bike,’” Wolfe says. “That’s when I realized I could make a living doing this, and do it nationwide.”

September 2011 35

Wolfe sold the bicycle shop he had built up, bought a van and hit the road, sometimes for months at a time, searching out anything of value in barns, garages, old stores or wherever he could find it. As a picker, he’s been fortunate when it comes to motorcycles. He’s picked a Crawford, a Pope and an Imperial that is the only one of its type that’s ever been found.

Along the way, several dozen motorcycles wound up staying in his personal collection, including Indians, Harley-Davidsons, Excelsiors, and many others. His latest project is having the rest of a 1908 humpback-tank Indian rebuilt around the tail section and rear triangle he recently found.

How does he decide what to keep and what to sell?

“That was extremely difficult before the show because that’s how I make a living, buying and selling,” he says. “Obviously, we get paid to do the show now, so I can keep a few things back. But when I started, I had to make a living. The only Imperial I ever found, I had to sell. The Merkels, when I found them, I had to sell ’em. The ’38 Indian Four I found, I had to sell.”

These days, though, there are a few bikes he doesn’t plan to part with.

“Right now, I’ve got my ’13 Harley that I pulled out of a garage in upstate New York. I’ll never sell that,” he says. “I’ll never sell that ’13 Indian I pulled out of a barn in Kansas. My ’34 Harley, I’ll never sell. Those are cool bikes.”

“I guess maybe I messed up on that Vincent motor, but did I really? I had the thing for about an hour.”

Through the years of buying and reselling, Wolfe says he’s seen a lot of changes. And despite the recent economic dip, he continues to see a strong market in old bikes. The only difference is a lot of the big money is coming from Europe.

“The prices of things have really gone up,” he says. “I just bid on a Knucklehead in Iowa that was sitting for 30 years. I bid it up to $35,000, and I still didn’t get it—it went for $42,000. And that was for a bike that needed a lot of mechanicals.

“Even last year, there’s no way it would have brought $42,000, but it went to Australia,” he says. “Everything I put on eBay, all the Indians I was finding, they were all going to Germany.”

Even parts of bikes are drawing top dollar these days, he notes. Motors, for example, used to not be worth much outside of a frame. Now, companies are making new complete chassis for old motorcycles, driving the motor market higher.

Still, even with the higher prices, you can make a misstep when it comes to buying and selling old bikes.

“One time, I bought a 1912 Flying Merkel chassis, all original, with original paint, for $25,000, but it didn’t have a motor,” Wolfe says. “I had a line on a motor, and I felt for sure when the guy with the motor saw I had the chassis, he’d sell me the motor. But he never would. I wound up selling [the chassis] for $27,000 after driving all the way across the country for it. At the time, for me to sit on $25K for a couple months was heavy. I’m a small businessman. It’s a bit different now with the show, but back then, that was tough.”

Any other regrets?“Not too much, really,” he says. “I found a

Vincent motor once, and I sold it to a guy for $12,000, and made $2,000 on it. Then I found out he sold it for $25,000 to a guy in Switzerland. So I guess maybe I messed up, but did I really? I had the thing for about an hour. So, no, that wasn’t bad.”

“When you’re not actually doing it, you’re dreaming about it.”

Wolfe says he still lives for the hunt, but things have changed for him, too, over the years.

“The longer you collect, and the more you acquire, and the more you’re around it, the harder it is to find anything that gets your juices flowing,” he says. “With motorcycles, I’ve been collecting them for 30 years, so do I get excited when I see a 1912 Harley-Davidson? Well, yeah, with original paint, maybe. But you go to a meet, and you see a line of them, perfectly restored.”

What keeps him searching, he says, are a few bikes that remain “Holy Grails.”

“I’m still looking for two motorcycles. One, there was a company in Genesee, Ill., called Hornaker Manufacturing. They made the Torpedo. There’s only one that’s been found, and it’s in a New York collection,” he says. “Then there’s the Blackhawk. They were made in Rock Island, Ill., and no one’s ever found one. There’s got to be one out there.”

For now, Wolfe is pretty happy with things. He’s got the successful TV show. He’s opening his new shop in Nashville. He’s got some new projects he’s working on, including a few books, a revamped website and a “Kid Pickers” TV project he’s pitching. But perhaps most importantly, he notes, is that the fire still burns when it comes to hitting the road and searching out stuff to buy and sell.

“When you’re not actually doing it, you’re dreaming about it,” he says. “Some places you walk into, and it feels like you’ve been there before—the way it looks, the way it smells, the way the guy looks. I bought a ’39 Knucklehead in a barn in Ohio, and it was like I had done the whole thing before I even got there.

“Things like that will keep me on the road forever.” •

36 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

IKE’S ADVICE FOR COLLECTORSThere’s good stuff out there, even in the lower price ranges

“It’s like anything. You’re not going to get into the heavy-hitter stuff to start off. You trade up.”

Becoming a motorcycle collector doesn’t have to break the bank. “American Pickers” star Mike Wolfe offers advice for the rest of us.

Don’t be scared off: “I think a lot of guys get into it, and then get out. The prices are high, and it kind of sucks. A lot of young guys out there would love to get into it, but they can’t touch it for the prices. Even a good Triumph, they’re going for 15 grand now.”

Instead, start small: “Start at the grassroots and start talking to people to find bikes. If you don’t have a lot of money, start trading up. It’s like anything. You’re not going to get into the heavy-hitter stuff to start off. You trade up.

Buy the Honda 360 for $100 and get it running and sell it for $400. That’s how I started. I didn’t start buying the $25,000 Indian Chief. I started with rusty Triumphs and Kawasaki 750s. I was finding them for $200 and selling them for $800.”

Formulate a plan: “Right now, the Japanese stuff is hot—the first 900cc, the first 500cc, the

first 750cc may cost a lot, but something like a ‘74 750? There’s a whole scene of taking old Yamahas

and bikes like that and making them into bobbers, or getting an old Triumph 500 motor and making a bobber. That’s how you can get into it for $5,000 to $9,000. Even old Shovelheads aren’t crazy money yet. You can still get a good one for $10,000 to $12,000. That’s not too bad.”

Set the right price: “With the Internet, everybody can be well-versed in a second. If you want to see what it’s worth, Google it on your phone.”

Connect with buyers: “That’s the beauty of it all. Now there’s the web. When I first started doing this, you’d have to use Walneck’s Cycle Trader. That was the only way. To sell my Harley to start my bike shop, I had to take a Polaroid of the bike, send it to Buzz Walneck, wait a month for him to put it in the paper, and some guy from Bancock called. I thought it was a friend messing with me. ‘I want to buy it!’

“So I give him my address, and a few days later a DHL guy shows up with a cardboard tube with wooden plugs on the end, and inside was $10,000 in cash. An hour later, the guy called and asked if I got the money, and a semi showed up at my house to pick up the bike.

“Now, it’s so much easier. I got a rusty BSA recently. I think I gave $800 for it. I took a picture of it and put it on Craigslist, and by the time I got home, I had sold it for $1,500. That’s how easy it is now.”

September 2011 37

A long ride with good buddies is the perfect break from the real world.Story by Bill Stermer

We ride motorcycles because we enjoy it—the freedom of the road and that feeling of flowing motion, excitement…relaxation. But another aspect of riding is the camaraderie, the social aspect. Truth be told, one of the major reasons I ride my motorcycle is to be with the guys, my buddies. Each spring and fall, we ride up from the Southern California coast to Byron’s cabin in the Sierras above Kernville, Calif., for a long weekend.

No offense to the ladies out there, but our only rule? No women.

Look, most of us interact with the women in our lives 98 percent of the year, but twice a year you just have to do a buddy ride. No, nothing goes on at the cabin that we wouldn’t tell our wives or girlfriends about—though it might be with some embarrassment. It’s just that when guys get together alone (or gals, for that matter), the dynamic changes. Things are just a little more laid back.

We’re an informal group of riding friends, an extended family of about 10, most of whom have known each other 20 years or longer. We now range in age from our late 50s to early 70s. Most of us are married—or have been. Most have kids, we own our homes, we’re not the footloose, drifter sort of guys that are often associated with motorcycling by the mainsteam media.

Most of us have retired. Over the years we’ve been there for the rides, the parties and the holidays. We have also been there for each other through the tragedies, the surgeries and the deaths in the family. We’re buddies. We know when somebody needs a quiet word, an arm around the shoulder, or sometimes a kick in the rear.

In groups or solo, usually six or seven of us will converge from all directions for dinner at a steakhouse on the Kern River, about 10 miles and 2,000 feet in elevation below the cabin, on average about a

W e had just unloaded the bikes and thrown our riding

gear on our bunks. The six of us meandered back to the living room of Byron’s rustic cabin where he was holding court this early Friday evening and, with a professorial manner, he intoned, “A guy goes into a bar, and he has a parrot on his shoulder . . .” It was starting already, and we knew it was going to be fun.

Escape FromNormalcy

38 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

250-mile day ride. After dinner, because we tend to go on these rides in October and April, the last 10 miles to the cabin are often traversed in the dark and cold. We huddle into our electric vests as our lights bore into the dark Sierra mountain shadows.

We see the stars wheeling overhead as we ride through the tunnel of pines, alert for the shining eyes of deer. Because we’ve had dinner and our destination is in sight, we’re puttering along at an unhurried, steady pace. One year we rode up in rain turning to snow, our steady hands set on survival mode, hoping to reach sanctuary before the road froze over. And we made it, another story now shared and enjoyed.

The first order of business when we reach the cabin is to claim a bunk by throwing down a sleeping bag. Then we assemble in the compact living room. At 72, Byron is both the leader and the geezer of the group, but you’d never know it from his fierce energy, round face and rounder belly. The man is a party on two legs, and always tells the best jokes. It’s not necessarily that the material is fresh—email has made that impossible. Instead it’s in his delivery—the voices, the expressions and mock emotions. He starts:

A guy goes into a bar, orders a drink, and suddenly someone yells out “Seventeen!” Everybody laughs. A little while later, someone else yells out “Forty-seven!” Everyone laughs again. So the stranger asks the barman, “What’s going on?”

We’ve heard it before, but we settle back into our chairs to enjoy the show.

“Well,” says the barman, “we’re a bunch of old friends and have heard these jokes a hundred times. So to save time we just numbered them. Somebody calls out a number, and we remember the joke.”

At that moment, somebody yells out “Sixty-six!” but the place goes silent.

“How come nobody laughed?” asks the guy.

“Well,” the bartender shrugs, “Some people can tell a joke, and some people can’t.”

Interspersed with the jokes are the stories and reminiscences. Scott, an engineer, reminds us how one early spring our route took us over the tight Breckenridge Road, a mountain snake heading into the clouds. We encountered snow at about the 6,000-foot level, but thought that perhaps if we could just get over that next ridge we could get below it. But we couldn’t, and had to turn back. One of our funniest memories was of Byron poking along down a slight slope in the snow on his BMW R1100GS as Carl, on his BMW R1100RT, suddenly started gaining speed behind him and shouted a warning. Moments later Carl’s left saddlebag struck Byron’s right, and both went over on opposite sides at a walking pace, face-first into the snow. Their swearing and giddy laughter told us they were OK. We also learned from the experience that anti-lock brakes aren’t much help on ice.

For much of the year we’re responsible citizens with duties and families and

lives. But up at the cabin we’re recycled adolescents eliciting belly laughs from silly jokes, comments and self-deprecating humor.

The reminiscences build. Duffy mentions how we had ridden Sherman Pass last year, up over 9,000 feet elevation, and on the way back on Highway 178 we’d hit a rainstorm followed by the most spectacular double rainbow we had ever seen. And today, this ride is Carl’s first since full knee replacement surgery just three months previous.

Eventually, with silly grins pasted on our dumb mugs, we begin to yawn and stretch and head for our sleeping bags. We climb into the bunks, jackets wadded as pillows, and the cabin soon resonates with snoring.

In the morning, Byron rustles coffee and sets out rolls to hold us until breakfast. We fight good-naturedly for the shower, and pack lightly in tankbags or tailbags for the day’s ride. Outside, our bikes are coated with frost. We remind Carl how, one year, he had plumped himself down on his seat only to find it was so cold that the vinyl actually cracked. Another year there were a couple inches of snow on the ground in the morning, so we went out on the porch and fed nuts to the raccoons while we waited for the thaw.

This morning is clear and cold, with a fine blue sky here at 4,700 feet, surrounded by tree-furred slopes, and we’re visited by five deer. They approach us cautiously, black noses raised and velvet-covered ears pointed like radar. Byron brings out our entire fruit supply and

Bob stops to contemplate a waterfall above Johnsondale.

Heading back down from the

Ponderosa at 6,000 feet. Sherman Pass, at more than 9,200 feet, takes us to the clouds.

soon has these brown-eyed girls eating from his hand. That evening a fox cub shows up looking for a handout, his tail nearly as long as his body.

Our in-between day is for riding. We’ll usually head north about 15 miles through the high pine forests and overlooks to the Ponderosa, a rustic lodge encompassing a bar, restaurant and gift shop. Around the breakfast table, Byron starts again:

“This senior citizen is driving down the freeway and his cell phone rings. He hears his wife’s voice urgently warning, ‘Herman, I just heard on the news that there’s a car going the wrong way on Interstate 77. Please be careful!’

“‘Hell,’ Herman shouts, ‘It’s not just one car—it’s hundreds of ’em!’”

While most of us ride sport-tourers, Larry joins us on his Harley Electra Glide. We don’t cut him any slack, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll run hard through the twisties for miles, then pull over expecting it’ll be a while before Larry shows up. Yet very shortly there he is, a nationally ranked senior motocrosser, a grin on his face and his bike smelling of hot oil and smoking brakes.

Sometimes we head out toward the desert, or over by the Kennedy Meadows offroad area, or over the mountain to Springville. It doesn’t matter where we go, really. These trips are always an adventure. There was the time we pulled into Kernville and noticed that one of our group had picked up a nail in his rear tire. Scott is our mechanical guru. I have seen him fix a broken ignition switch, jimmy a locked gas cap and fix numerous other such problems on the road. Soon, with Scott taking charge the patch kits are out, the nail

dispatched, the tire plugged and reinflated from CO2 cartridges. With our wits, a few tools and each other to help out, we feel like we can overcome any challenge.

On our most recent trip, someone in the restaurant the previous night had mentioned that there would be “lawn mower racing” at the fairgrounds in Glennville the next day…what!? Well, we had to see that, so in the morning we headed up over Greenhorn Summit on the twisty road to Glennville.

Sure enough, on the dusty grounds there were standard-looking garden tractors, except under the hoods of those in the Modified and Super-Modified classes lurked various three- and four-cylinder motorcycle motors, and one rather impressive Harley-Davidson Big-Twin! Soon they were roaring over this modified oval track, spraying dirt, their riders decked out in full motorcycle gear, hanging off on the inside as they jockeyed for position and we cheered from the hillside.

That evening we purchase steaks and salad makin’s at the local store, and while we’re tripping over each other in the kitchen Byron starts:

“‘So, what did you do last weekend?’” Jim asks Bob.

“‘I rode on up to visit my son. He’s 25 now and has a place up north.’

“‘How’d it go?’ Jim asks.

“‘Well, you know, it’s the same thing every time I see him: When are you going to get a job? When are you going to cut your hair? When are you going to make something of your life?’

“Did it have any effect?

“‘Naw, I just tell him, Sorry, son, but that stuff would cut too much into my ridin’ time!’”

Life is a series of tightenings and loosenings, and after the

losses we’ve experienced in our collective lives of wives and children and friends, we have come to understand that sometimes just being together is the best response. One year at the cabin, John had just suffered the loss of his adult daughter. I like to think that the weekend we spent together, the hugs and laughter, the reminiscences and tears, did more for him than months of therapy. That’s what these trips are—a release, a chance to not have to play by strict rules, a chance to loosen after months of tightening.

The third day is the ride back home. We whistle as we clean the cabin in the morning and pack up. Someone asks Byron, “Where do you want to eat?”

He gets that conspiratorial smile of his and says, “That reminds me of a joke.”

Yep, it’s only 8 a.m., and already it’s starting—and we’ve still got a full day of riding and eating and jokes ahead of us. Just us buddies. It looks like another loose day.

Getting wet for the privilege of seeing a double rainbow. Bob squires his BMW along Sherman Pass.

Over breakfast in the Ponderosa, Carl, Bob, Scott, Byron and Carlos prepare to tank up and the chatter starts.

Sunset over Lake Isabella.

Byron (seated) entertains Scott (left)

and Carlos with a few stories... some

of them possibly even true.

40 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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

1 The State Line Riders Motorcycle Club is hosting

a two-day dual-sport ride Aug. 20-21 with camping allowed at the Squaw Valley Field in Hoosick Falls,

N.Y. The ride covers scenic roads and areas in upstate New York, Vermont and Massachusetts. Routes include paved roads, dirt roads, fire roads and some trails. Info: StateLineRiders.org.

2 The Golden Aspen Rally, an AMA National Convention, takes place Sept. 14-18 in the town of

Ruidoso, high in the Rocky Mountains of southeastern New Mexico. The moderate fall temperatures, roads twisting up into the mountains and shady pines all combine to make this rally almost a spiritual experience. Info: MotorcycleRally.com.

3 K T Riders is celebrating its 25th year hosting the Land Between the Lakes 200, which will be held Sept. 10-11

in the Land Between The Lakes National

Recreation Area in Tennessee. This is just one of the great events in the popular AMA KTM National Dual Sport Trail Riding Series. Info: LBL200.com.

4 The AMA Pro Hillclimb Championship is wrapping up its season with competitions Sept. 25

in Jefferson (York County), Pa., and the famed Devil’s Staircase in Oregonia, Ohio, Oct. 9. Info: AMAProRacing.com.

5 Points leader Sammy Halbert hopes to hold

off hard-chargers Jake Johnson and Jared Mees as the gladiators of the oval dirt track head into the mid-season events of the AMA Pro Grand National Championship Series. Catch the action Sept. 3-4 in Springfield, Ill., Sept. 10 in Knoxville, Iowa, and Sept. 24 in Minneapolis. See the full schedule on page 45.

6 Motorcyclists have big hearts, especially when kids need help. Ride for Kids events benefiting the

Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation are happening in towns and cities around the country, from Puget Sound, Wash., to Philadelphia, Pa. To find a ride near you, go to PBTFUS.org/RideforKids.

7 Catch final-round action in the AMA

Pro Superbike Championship Sept. 2-4 at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J. Info: AMAProRacing.com.

COMING UP

The AMA Legends & Champions Weekend is set for Nov. 18-20 in Las Vegas, Nev. The weekend kicks off with the 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Nov. 18, followed by the Dave Mungenast Memorial Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance bike show on Nov. 19. The AMA Racing Championship Banquet rounds out the action-packed weekend on Nov. 20. Info: AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

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September 2011 41

ALABAMA

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

SEP 11: LEEDS: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

ARIZONA

ROAD RALLY

SEP 22: RUSSELLVILLE: RETREADS - GATEWAY REGION

ARKANSAS

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

SEP 17: LITTLE ROCK: MARCH OF DIMES-AR LITTLE ROCK, (501) 663-3100

CALIFORNIA

RECREATIONAL

DUAL SPORT RIDE

SEP 9: BERRY CREEK: IRONMAN DUAL SPORT, (530) 680-6019, IRONMANDUALSPORT.COM

SEP 17: DOWNIEVILLE: NEVADA COUNTY WOODS RIDERS INC, RECREATION.GOV-CALIDA

SEP 24-25: BUCK MEADOWS: 2-DAY EVENT, FAMILY OFF-ROAD ADVENTURES, (209) 649-3633, FAMILYOFFROADADVENTURES.COM

GRAND TOUR

SEP 2: HACIENDA HEIGHTS: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOTORCYCLING ASSN, (626) 274-2237, SC-MA.COM

POKER RUN

SEP 24: EL CAJON: BLUE KNIGHTS-CA VI, (619) 749-8690, BK-CAVI.ORG

SEP 24: RICHMOND: RICHMOND RAMBLERS MC, (925) 228-8757, RRMC.CC

ROAD RUN

SEP 17: SACRAMENTO: CAPITAL CITY MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (916) 442-2824

ROAD RALLY

SEP 2: GROVELAND: DISTRICT 36, (916) 206-7783, AMA-D36.COM

COMPETITION

EUROPEAN SCRAMBLES

SEP 25: IMPERIAL: ROADRUNNER OFF-ROAD RACING CLUB INC, (760) 275-9852, AMAD38.COM

ENDUROCROSS

SEP 17: ONTARIO: SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA, (909) 244-4550, CBBANKARENA.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 17-18: BEAR VALLEY: 2-DAY EVENT, SACRAMENTO P.I.T.S., INC., (530) 753-2579

SCRAMBLES

SEP 11: RIDGECREST: LOST COYOTES, (818) 667-2349

SPEEDWAY

SEP 2: AUBURN: FAST FRIDAYS SPEEDWAY, (530) 878-7223, FASTFRIDAYS.COM

SEP 9: AUBURN: FAST FRIDAYS SPEEDWAY, (530) 878-RACE, FASTFRIDAYS.COM

SHORT TRACK

SEP 3: LODI : LODI MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (209) 368-8718

SEP 17: LODI: LODI MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (209) 368-8718

TT

SEP 24: LODI: LODI MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (209) 368-8718

COLORADO

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

SEP 11: MILLIKEN: TWO RIVERS RACING LLC, (970) 587-5770

SEP 18: DACONO: IMI MOTORSPORTS INC, (303) 833-4949, IMIMOTORSPORTS.COM

DELAWARE

COMPETITION

SEP 17: NEW CASTLE: BLUE DIAMOND MX, (302) 834-4586, BDMXPARK.COM

GEORGIA

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

SEP 16-18: DILLARD: 3-DAY EVENT, MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

SEP 25: DALTON: LAZY RIVER MX RANCH, (706) 278-1620, LAZYRIVERMOTOCROSS.COM

ILLINOIS

RECREATIONAL

TRAIL RIDE - RECREATIONAL

SEP 11: OTTAWA: VARIETY RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (815) 434-3669, VARIETYRIDERS.COM

SEP 25: OTTAWA: VARIETY RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (815) 434-3669, VARIETYRIDERS.COM

COMPETITION

1/2 MILE DIRT TRACK

SEP 4-5: NEOGA: CENTRAL ILLINOIS M/C, (217) 234-4250

SEP 18: NEOGA: CENTRAL ILLINOIS M/C, (217) 234-4250

HILL CLIMB

SEP 3-4: NEOGA: 2-DAY EVENT, CENTRAL ILLINOIS M/C, (217) 234-4250

SEP 10-11: GEORGETOWN: 2-DAY EVENT, PLEASURE RIDERS MC, (217) 469-2672

HARE SCRAMBLES

SEP 11: WEDRON: MOTO PRO INC, (815) 431-9913, FOXVALLEYOFFROAD.COM

SEP 18: OAKFORD: DIRT RIDERS INC, (217) 789-9010

SEP 25: WHITE CITY: CAHOKIA CREEK DIRT RIDERS, (618) 946-4316, CCDIRT.COM

MOTOCROSS

SEP 4: BYRON: MOTORSPORTS ENTERPRISES LTD., (815) 234-2271, MOTOBYRON.COM

SEP 5-6: DU QUOIN: 2-DAY EVENT, PARADISE MOTO-PARK, (618) 542-2626, PARADISEMOTOCROSS.COM

SEP 10-11: WALNUT: 4P PROMOTIONS INC, (815) 379-9953,

SUNSETRIDGEMX.COM

SEP 17: MENDOTA: MOTO PRO INC, (815) 539-9021, MEGACROSS.COM

SEP 17-18: SALEM: 2 DAY EVENT, SOUTH CENTRAL MOTOCROSS, (618) 322-2840, SOUTHCENTRALMX.COM

SEP 18: BYRON: MOTORSPORTS ENTERPRISES LTD., (815) 234-2271, MOTOBYRON.COM

SHORT TRACK

SEP 17: NEOGA: CENTRAL ILLINOIS M/C, (217) 234-4250

TT

SEP 10: BELLEVILLE: BELLEVILLE ENDURO TEAM INC, (618) 233-3131, BETDIRT.COM

SEP 17: FOSTERBURG: SPLINTER CREEK DIRT RIDERS INC, (618) 372-2433, SPLINTERCREEK.COM

SEP 24: BELLEVILLE: BELLEVILLE ENDURO TEAM INC, (618) 233-3131, BETDIRT.COM

INDIANA

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

SEP 11: INDIANAPOLIS: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

COMPETITION

HARE SCRAMBLES

SEP 11: CULVER: PLYMOUTH BLACKHAWKS MC INC, (574) 259-9010

SEP 18: LYNNVILLE: IN IL KY ENDURO RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (812) 549-9838, BLACKCOAL.ORG

SEP 25: COLUMBUS: STONEY LONESOME M/C, (812) 350-0573

MOTOCROSS

SEP 2-3: PRINCETON: 2-DAY EVENT, LABOR DAY ASSOCIATION, (812) 664-1425, LABORDAYASSOC.COM

SEP 11: LA ALTO: G & S RACING, (260) 637-5416, GANDSRACINGS.COM

SEP 24-25: WABASH: 2-DAY EVENT, WABASH CANNONBALL MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (260) 578-2245, WABASHCANNONBALLMC.COM

SEP 25: PARIS CROSSING: HOOSIER HILLTOPPERS, (502) 713-3349, HOOSIERHILLTOPPERS.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 17-18: COLUMBUS: 2-DAY EVENT, STONEY LONESOME M/C

IOWA

COMPETITION

ENDURO

SEP 11: EARLHAM: DES MOINES ENDURO RIDERS, (515) 314-7420

HILL CLIMB

SEP 11: ANAMOSA: MIDWEST HILLCLIMBERS ASSOCIATION, (319) 489-2361, ANAMOSAHILLCLIMB.COM

SEP 17-18: SABULA: MIDWEST HILLCLIMBERS ASSOCIATION, (319) 489-9236, ANAMOSAHILLCLIMB.COM

MOTOCROSS

SEP 3: CEDAR RAPIDS: CEDAR VALLEY TRAIL RIDERS INC, (319) 363-7800, CVTR.ORG

SEP 10-11: MONTEZUMA: FV MOTO X, (641) 623-3456, FVMOTO.COM

SEP 17: CEDAR RAPIDS: CEDAR VALLEY TRAIL RIDERS INC, (319) 363-7800, CVTR.ORG

SEP 24-25: SHELL ROCK: 2-DAY EVENT, NEW HARTFORD RACING INC, (319) 885-6469, NEWHARTFORDRACING.COM

KENTUCKY

RECREATIONAL

DUAL SPORT RIDE

SEP 10-11: GOLDEN POND: 2-DAY EVENT, K T RIDERS, (270) 522-3703, LBL200.COM

ROAD RALLY

SEP 9: FRANKFORT: BLUEGRASS BEEMERS, (859) 223-5459, BLUEGRASSBEEMERS.ORG

SWAP MEETS

SEP 225: BURLINGTON: 2-DAY EVENT, CLASSIC BRITISH MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (513) 646-2743

MARYLAND

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

SEP 25: ELLICOTT CITY: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

SEP 17-18: MECHANICSVILLE: 2-DAY EVENT, MIDDLE ATLANTIC MOTOCROSS ASSOCIATION, (410) 375-5105, MAMAMX.COM

MASSACHUSETTS

RECREATIONAL

TRAIL RIDE

SEP 17-18: TULLAND: 2 DAY EVENT, BERKSHIRE TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (860) 916-7905, MUDSLINGER.ORG

COMPETITION

HILL CLIMB

SEP 11: GREENFIELD: NEW ENGLAND HILLCLIMB ASSOCIATION, (508) 612-2049, NEWENGLANDHILLCLIMBERS.COM

MICHIGAN

RECREATIONAL

DUAL SPORT RIDE

SEP 24-25: WOLVERINE: 2-DAY EVENT, GREAT LAKES DUAL SPORTERS, (989) 751-6863, GLDSMC.ORG

ROAD RUN

SEP 11: MARTIN: MARCH OF DIMES-MI, (616) 247-6861, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG

SEP 25: CRUMP: TRI-CITY TRAVELERS, (989) 501-0911

COMPETITION

DIRT DRAG

SEP 16-17: BRIDGETON TWP: MUSKEGON MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (231) 726-6937, MUSKEGONMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM

HILL CLIMB

SEP 17-18: BRIDGETON TWP: MUSKEGON MOTORCYCLE

42 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

CLUB, (231) 726-6937, MUSKEFANMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM

HARE SCRAMBLES

SEP 18: BENTLEY: VALLEY TRAIL RIDERS, (989) 879-6397, VALLEYTRAILRIDERS.TRIPOD.COM

MOTOCROSS

SEP 3-5: MILLINGTON: 3-DAY EVENT, BAJA MX INC, (989) 871-1335, BAJAMX.COM

SEP 10-11: PORTLAND: 2-DAY EVENT, PORTLAND TRAIL RIDERS, (517) 647-7045, PORTLANDTRAILRIDERS.COM

SEP 10-11: NEWAYGO: 2-DAY EVENT, BIG AIR MOTOCROSS, (231) 652-2522, BIGAIRMOTOCROSS.COM

SEP 17: BUCHANAN: RED BUD, (269) 695-6405, REDBUDMX.COM

SEP 17-18: BELDING: GRATTAN RACEWAY MOTOCROSS, (616) 691-7221

SEP 18: CADILLAC: CADILLAC MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (231) 884-3729, CADILLACMC.COM

SEP 18: BUCHANAN: RED BUD, (269) 695-6405, REDBUDMX.COM

SEP 24-25: NEWAYGO: 2-DAY EVENT, BIG AIR MOTOCROSS, (231) 652-2522, BIGAIRMOTOCROSS.COM

SEP 25: MIDLAND: POLKA DOTS M/C, (989) 832-8284, POLKADOTSMC.NCT

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 11: METAMORA: MICHIGAN ONTARIO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (248) 634-4218, MOTATRIALS.COM

SEP 25: WHITMORE LAKE: MICHIGAN ONTARIO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (517) 849-9923, MOTATRIALS.COM

SHORT TRACK

SEP 10: DEFORD: LUCKY THUMB MC, (989) 635-2219

TT

SEP 11: DEFORD: LUCKY THUMB MC, (989) 635-2219

MINNESOTA

RECREATIONAL

TRAIL RIDE - RECREATIONAL

SEP 10-11: THEILMAN: 2-DAY EVENT, GOLDEN EAGLES CYCLE CLUB, , GOLDENEAGLESMC.ORG

SEP 24-25: MENAHGA: 2-DAY EVENT, TWIN CITIES TRAIL RIDERS, , TCTRAILRIDERS.ORG

COMPETITION

HILL CLIMB

SEP 17-18: RED WING: 2-DAY EVENT, INDIANHEAD CYCLE CLUB, (651) 764-1220, INDIANHEADMC.ORG

HARE SCRAMBLES

SEP 18: DRESSER: NORSEMEN MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (612) 201-8125, NORSEMENMC.ORG

MOTOCROSS

SEP 4: KELLOGG: MOTOKAZIE INC, (952) 244-9996, MOTOKAZIE.COM

SEP 4-5: BROWERVILLE: MOTO CITY RACEWAY & RECREATION INC, (612) 919-9345, MOTORCITYRACEWAY.COM

SEP 5: KELLOGG: MOTOKAZIE INC, (952) 244-9996, MOTOKAZIE.COM

SEP 11: BROWERVILLE: MOTO CITY RACEWAY & RECREATION INC, (612) 919-9345, MOTORCITYRACEWAY.

COM

SEP 11: MAZEPPA: HURRICANE HILLS MX PARK INC, (507) 843-5154, HURRICANEHILLS.COM

SEP 11: BROOK PARK: BERM BENDERS RACEWAY, (320) 679-9258, BERMBENDERS.COM

SEP 18: MILLVILLE: HI WINDERS, (507) 753-3277, SPRINGCREEKMX.COM

SEP 18: MAZEPPA: HURRICANE HILLS MX PARK INC, (507) 843-5154, HURRICANEHILLS.COM

SEP 18: BROOKSTON: ECHO VALLEY MOTOCROSS PARK, (218) 348-4754, ECHOVALLEYMTOCROSS.COM

SEP 25: BROWERVILLE: MOTO CITY RACEWAY & RECREATION INC, (612) 919-9345, MOTORCITYRACEWAY.COM

SEP 25: KELLOGG: MOTOKAZIE INC, (952) 244-9996, MOTOKAZIE.COM

TT

SEP 11: CAMBRIDGE: NORSEMEN MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (612) 201-8125, NORSEMENMC.ORG

MISSOURI

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RUN

SEP 18: COTTLEVILLE: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

SEP 24: ST JOSEPH: MARCH OF DIMES-MO GREATER MISSOURI CHAPTER, (816) 238-8870, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG

SEP 24: COLUMBIA: MARCH OF DIMES-MO GREATER MISSOURI CHAPTER, (573) 635-5535, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG

SEP 24: JEFFERSON CITY: MARCH OF DIMES-MO GREATER MISSOURI CHAPTER, (573) 635-5535, MARCHOFDIMES.ORG

SEP 24: SEDALIA: MARCH OF DIMES-MO GREATER MISSOURI CHAPTER, (573) 635-5535, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG

SEP 24: OSAGE BEACH: MARCH OF DIMES-MO GREATER MISSOURI CHAPTER, (573) 635-5535, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG

SEP 24: PALMYRA: MARCH OF DIMES-MO GREATER MISSOURI CHAPTER, (573) 635-5535, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG

ROAD RALLY

SEP 7: CHEROKEE PASS: ROAD RIDERS FOR JESUS, (636) 285-5900

SEP 9: THEODOSIA: MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION

SEP 30: PARK HILL: MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

SEP 24-25: KIRKSVILLE: 2-DAY EVENT, THUNDER RIDGE MX PARK LLC, (660) 626-6513, THUNDERRIDGE-MXPARK.COM

NEW HAMPSHIRE

COMPETITION

ROAD RACE

SEP 5: LOUDON: UNITED STATES CLASSIC RACING ASSOCIATION, (413) 498-4433, RACE-USCRA.COM

SEP 17-18: LOUDON: 2-DAY EVENT, UNITED STATES CLASSIC RACING ASSOCIATION, (413) 498-8443

NEW JERSEY

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RALLY

SEP 4: BRIDGEWATER: DAWN PATROL MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (908) 722-2466, DAWNPATROLMC.ORG

NEW MEXICO

RECREATIONAL

ADVENTURE RIDE

SEP 17-18: TAOS SKI VALLEY: 2-DAY EVENT, AEROSTICH TOURS, (575) 776-6878, AEROSTICHTOURS.COM

COMPETITION

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 3-4: VADIDO: 2-DAY EVENT, NEW MEXICO TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (505) 332-2317

NEW YORK

RECREATIONAL

DICE RUN

SEP 18: GENESEO: CONESUS LAKE RIDERS M/C, (585) 335-5322, CLR-MC.COM

FIELD MEET

SEP 16-17: BROOKLYN: 2-DAY EVENT, NYC METRO MOTORSKILLS, (718) 389-0625, NYCMETROMOTORSKILLS.COM

POKER RUN

SEP 10: ALBANY: BLUE KNIGHTS-NY CHAPTER VIII,

SEP 11: FISHKILL: LOST WHEELS MC, , LOSTWHEELS.COM

ROAD RUN

SEP 18: MT VERNON: BLUE KNIGHTS-NY CHAPTER 12, (914) 490-5590

SEP 25: NANUET: HUDSON VALLEY HARLEY RIDERS INC, (845) 304-6144, DOGHOUSE.ME

SEP 25: LIDO BEACH: MARCH OF DIMES-NY LONG ISLAND, (516) 496-8442, BIKERSFORBABIES.ORG

ROAD RALLY

SEP 17-18: LONG EDDY: 2-DAY EVENT, CELTIC MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (914) 924-2170, CELTICM.C.C.COM

TRAIL RIDE - RECREATIONAL

SEP 11: E. QUOGUE: LONG ISLAND RECREATIONAL TRAILS CONSERVANCY, , LIRTC.ORG

COMPETITION

HARE SCRAMBLES

SEP 10-11: NEW BERLIN: RACER PRODUCTIONS INC, (304) 284-0084, GNCCRACING.COM

SEP 25: JASPER: SOUTHERN TIER ENDURO RIDERS, (607) 368-2961, STER-MC.ORG

MOTOCROSS

SEP 11: AUBURN: FROZEN OCEAN MOTOCROSS INC, (315) 784-5466, FROZEN-OCEAN.COM

SEP 17-18: RICHFORD: BROOME TIOGA SPORTS CENTER INC, (607) 849-4438, BROOME-TIOGA.COM

SEP 25: MAPLE VIEW: SMX ASSOCIATES LLC, (315) 480-7733, MOTOMASTERS.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 10: CAYUTA: AMA-DIST 04 TRIALS COMMITTEE, (607) 259-2710

SEP 11: CAYUTA: AMA-DIST 04 TRIALS COMMITTEE, (607) 738-6424

SHORT TRACK

SEP 11: PATTERSONVILLE: ELECTRIC CITY RIDERS, (518) 542-2144

SEP 17: PORT CRANE: SQUARE DEAL RIDERS M/C, (607) 693-2634, SQUAREDEALRIDERS.COM

SEP 18: PATTERSONVILLE: ELECTRIC CITY RIDERS, (518) 542-2144

NORTH CAROLINA

RECREATIONAL

ADVENTURE RIDE

SEP 17-18: MORGANTON: 2 DAY EVENT, JB SAKI PROMOTIONS, (704) 309-3271

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

SEP 18: SANFORD : DEVILS RIDGE MX, (919) 776-6176, DEVILSRIDGEMOTOX.COM

OHIO

RECREATIONAL

ADVENTURE RIDE

SEP 24-25: 2-DAY EVENT, BUCKEYE DUAL SPORTERS, (740) 385-3885, KAEPPNERSWOODS.COM

DUAL SPORT RIDE

SEP 3-4: NEW STRAITSVILLE: 2-DAY EVENT, NEW STRAITSVILLE ENDURO RIDERS, (740) 394-2220, NSENDURO.COM

SEP 24: BUCKEYE DUAL SPORTERS, (740) 385-3885, KAEPPNERSWOODS.COM

POKER RUN

SEP 17: CIRCLEVILLE: ABATE-OH INC

SEP 24: TORONTO: ABATE-OH INC, (740) 284-1577, ABATE.COM

SEP 25: GREENVILLE: TREATY CITY MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (937) 548-7197, TREATYCITYMC.COM

ROAD RUN

SEP 10: CINCINNATI: OHIO CHAPTER MARCH OF DIMES FOUNDATION, (513) 769-3588, MARCHOFDIMES.COM/OHIO

SEP 18: TOLEDO: OHIO CHAPTER MARCH OF DIMES FOUNDATION, (419) 534-3600, MARCHOFDIMES.COM/OHIO

SEP 18: ORIENT: CAPITAL CITY MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (614) 877-1777

ROAD RALLY

SEP 23: POMEROY: FUR PEACE MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (303) 358-8017, WWWFURPEACERANCH.COM

TRAIL RIDE - RECREATIONAL

SEP 10: HAMDEN: APPALACHIAN DIRT RIDERS INC, (740) 384-4637, ADROHIO.ORG

COMPETITION

ENDURO

SEP 11: HAMDEN: APPALACHIAN DIRT RIDERS INC, (740) 384-6379, ADROHIO.ORG

SEP 18: ATHENS: ATHENS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (740) 593-7459, ATHENSMOTORCYCLCECLUB.COM

September 2011 43

GRAND PRIX

SEP 11: LOGAN: HOCKING VALLEY MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (740) 385-7695, HOCKINGVALLEYMC.COM

SEP 17: ATHENS: ACTION SPORTS PROMOTIONS INC, (740) 591-7223, ACTIONSPORTSRACING.COM

SEP 18: SUGAR GROVE: CENTRAL OHIO COMPETITION RIDERS INC., (740) 983-3937, COCRMX.COM

HILL CLIMB

SEP 17-18: WATERFORD: PIONEER MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (740) 984-8831, PIONEERMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM

HARE SCRAMBLES

SEP 4: ATHENS: ATHENS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (740) 592-6480, ATHENSMOTORCYCLCECLUB.COM

MOTOCROSS

SEP 1: RICHWOOD: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

SEP 4: NEW VIENNA: NEW VIENNA MOTORSPORTS, (937) 987-2100, NEWVIENNAMOTORSPORTS.COM

SEP 5: MARYSVILLE: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

SEP 11: BLANCHESTER: DIRT COUNTRY, (513) 625-7350, DIRTCOUNTRYMX.COM

SEP 11: UHRICHSVILLE: AES PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 922-6655, CROWCANYON.COM

SEP 14: LOGAN: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

SEP 17: OLD WASHINGTON: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

SEP 18: GREENVILLE: TREATY CITY MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (937) 548-7197, TREATYCITYMC.COM

SEP 21: DELAWARE: AMERICAN MOTOSPORTS LLC, (937) 358-2427, AMERICANMX.COM

SEP 25: DAYTON: DAYTON MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC., (937) 263-9321, DAYTONMC.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 3-4: NEWARK: 2 DAY EVENT, TRIALS INC, (740) 467-2910, TRIALSINC.ORG

PENNSYLVANIA

RECREATIONAL

BIKE SHOW

SEP 10: LANSDALE: BLUE COMET MOTOCYCLE CLUB INC, (215) 362-7989, BLUECOMETMC.COM

CRUISE-IN

SEP 18: LINE LEXINGTON: MOTORCYCLISTS FOR JESUS MINISTRIES, (215) 234-4861, BIKERSUNDAY.COM

POKER RUN

SEP 5: SCHUYLKILL HAVEN: SCHUYLKILL COUNTY MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (570) 385-5146, SCHUYLKILLCOUNTY- MOTORCYCLECLUB.COM

SEP 11: MARIETTA: AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS PA POST CHAPTER #466, (717) 898-0871

SEP 25: LEBANON: LEBANON VALLEY

MOTORCYCLE CLUB INC, (717) 270-9797, LEBANONVALLEYMC.COM

ROAD RUN

SEP 18: PHOENIXVILLE: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

SEP 18: POTTSTOWN: FRIENDS OF THE FORGOTTEN INC., (215) 362-2798, FRIENDSOFTHEFORGOTTEN.COM

COMPETITION

ENDURO

SEP 18: BRANDONVILLE: VALLEY FORGE TRAIL RIDERS, (610) 476-3747, VFTR.ORG

HARE SCRAMBLES

SEP 3-4: GENESEE: 2-DAY EVENT, READING OFF ROAD RIDERS, (570) 672-2940, RORR.ORG

SEP 18: CLIFFORD: BP PROMOTIONS, (215) 357-2192, PAHSRACING.COM

SEP 24-25: RACER PRODUCTIONS INC, (304) 284-0084, GNCCRACING.COM

SEP 25: PLYMOUTH TWP: BACK MOUNTAIN ENDURO RIDERS, (570) 675-1814

MOTOCROSS

SEP 3-4: ELKLAND: MILES MOUNTAIN MX, (814) 258-0204, MILESMOUNTAINMX.COM

SEP 4: PINE GROVE: DUTCHMEN MX PARK, LLC., (570) 345-5668, DUTCHMENMXPARK.COM

SEP 4: DELMONT: BELLCO INC, (304) 284-0084, RACERPRODUCTIONS.COM

SEP 10-11: SUGAR GROVE: MAPLE SHADE MX, (814) 489-3266, MAPLESHADEMX.COM

SEP 11: NEW ALEXANDRIA: PITTSBURGH RACEWAY PARK, (724) 668-7600, PITSBURGHRACEWAYPARK

SEP 11: HANOVER: HAPPY RAMBLERS, (717) 633-7708, HAPPYRAMBLERS.COM

SEP 17: MT. MORRIS: RACER PRODUCTIONS INC, (304) 284-0084, RACERPRODUCTIONS.COM

SEP 17-18: ELKLAND: MILES MOUNTAIN MX, (814) 258-0204, MILESMOUNTAINMX.COM

SEP 18: THREE SPRINGS: ROCKET RACEWAY, (814) 448-2701, ROCKETRACEWAY.COM

SEP 18: MT. MORRIS: RACER PRODUCTIONS INC, (304) 284-0084, RACERPRODUCTIONS.COM

SEP 25: BIRDSBORO: PAGODA MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (610) 582-3717, PAGODAMOTORCYCLECLUB.COM

SEP 25: SHIPPENSBURG: DOUBLIN GAP MX PARK INC, (717) 249-6036, DOUBLINGAP.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 18: FARRANDSVILLE: DURTY DABBERS, (570) 748-8945, DURTYDABBERS.COM

SHORT TRACK

SEP 17: HANOVER: TRAIL-WAY SPEEDWAY, (717) 359-4310, TRAIL-WAYSPEEDWAY.COM

TT

SEP 25: PARKERSBURG: E PA PISTON POPPERS MC INC, (484) 336-9160, PISTONPOPPERS@MYSPACE.COM

RHODE ISLAND

COMPETITION

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 10-11: EXETER: RHODE ISLAND TRIALS CLUB, (508) 285-6074, RITRIALSCLUB.COM

TENNESSEE

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

SEP 11: BLOUNTVILLE: VICTORY SPORTS INC, (423) 323-5497, VICTORY-SPORTS.COM

TEXAS

ENDURO

SEP 25: NEW WAVERLY: TRAIL RIDERS OF HOUSTON, (832) 465-7790, TRH-CYCLE.ORG

VERMONT

RECREATIONAL

GYPSY TOUR

SEP 8: KILLINGTON: AMERICADE, (518) 798-9788

ROAD RUN

SEP 3: AMERICADE, (518) 798-7888

VIRGINIA

COMPETITION

CROSS COUNTRY

SEP 17: JAVA: LONE RIDER PRODUCTIONS, (804) 920-2529, VXCS.ORG

SEP 18: JAVA: LONE RIDER PRODUCTIONS, (866) 967-8927

ENDURO

SEP 3: CHARLES CITY: LONE RIDER PRODUCTIONS, (804) 966-7595

GRAND PRIX

SEP 11: ROCKY MOUNT: VIRGINIA CHAMPIONSHIP HS SERIES, (757) 871-1573, VCHSS.ORG

SEP 25: VIRGINIA CHAMPIONSHIP HS SERIES, (757) 871-1573, VCHSS.ORG

MOTOCROSS

SEP 10-11: PETERSBURG: 2-DAY EVENT, MIDDLE ATLANTIC MOTOCROSS ASSOCIATION, (410) 375-5105, MAMAMX.COM

SEP 18: WYTHEVILLE: VICTORY SPORTS INC, (423) 323-5497, VICTORY-SPORTS.COM

SEP 18: DISPUTANTA: SOUTH FORK MX CLUB, , SOUTHFORKMX.COM

SEP 24-25: AXTON: 2-DAY EVENT, LAKE SUGAR TREE, (276) 650-1158, LAKESUGARTREE.COM

WASHINGTON

RECREATIONAL

DUAL SPORT RIDE

SEP 17: EASTON: RAZZLE DAZZLE WHIZ BANGERS, (206) 783-3232, AURORA-SUZUKI.COM

ROAD RUN

SEP 11: CARNATION: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION OF THE U.S., (800) 253-6530, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG

COMPETITION

MOTOCROSS

SEP 17: PORT ANGELES: OLYMPIC PENINSULA MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (360) 565-5030, OPMC.ORG

SEP 18: PORT ANGELES: OLYMPIC PENINSULA MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (360) 565-0303, OPMC.ORG

WEST VIRGINIA

RECREATIONAL

ROAD RALLY

SEP 9: DAVIS: NATION’S CAPITOL NORTON OWNERS GROUP, (443) 253-6211, NCNO.ORG

SEP 30: SNOWSHOE: MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION, (877) 441-4386

WISCONSIN

RECREATIONAL

ADVENTURE RIDE

SEP 24-25: WABENO: 2-DAY EVENT, WISCONSIN DUAL SPORT RIDERS, (920) 350-2030, WIDUALSPORTRIDERS.ORG

DUAL SPORT RIDE

SEP 24-25: WABENO: 2-DAY EVENT, WISCONSIN DUAL SPORT RIDERS, (920) 350-2030, WIDUALSPORTRIDERS.ORG

COMPETITION

HILL CLIMB

SEP 4: BAY CITY: VALLEY SPRINGS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (715) 325-4034, VALLEYSPRINGSHILLCLIMB.COM

MOTOCROSS

SEP 4: ATHELSTANE: PINE RIDGE RACEWAY LLC, (715) 856-6661, PINERIDGERACEWAY.COM

SEP 10-11: LAKE MILLS: AZTALAN CYCLE CLUB INC, (608) 692-4648, AZTALANCYCLE.COM

SEP 24: ATHELSTANE: PINE RIDGE RACEWAY LLC, (715) 856-6612, PINERIDGERACEWAY.COM

OBSERVED TRIALS

SEP 10-11: MAUSTON: 2-DAY EVENT, WISCONSIN OBSERVED TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (608) 434-4553, WISCONSINTRIALS.ORG

SEP 24-25: BLACK RIVER FALLS: 2-DAY EVENT, WISCONSIN OBSERVED TRIALS ASSOCIATION, (608) 434-4553, WISCONSINTRIALS.ORG

SCRAMBLES

SEP 11: BURNETT: BEAVER CYCLE CLUB INC, (920) 319-6889, BEAVERCYCLECLUB.COM

SHORT TRACK

SEP 10: BURNETT: BEAVER CYCLE CLUB INC, (920) 319-6889, BEAVERCYCLECLUB.COM

SEP 17: LAKE MILLS: AZTALAN CYCLE CLUB INC, (262) 754-0686, AZTALANCYCLE.COM

SEP 24: BURNETT: BEAVER CYCLE CLUB INC, (920) 319-6889, BEAVERCYCLECLUB.COM

44 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME MOTORCYCLEMUSEUM.ORG

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

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

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

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

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

AMA PRO RACING

AMA PRO SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM

Aug. 27-28: Indianapolis: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Sept. 2-4: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsports Park

AMA PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP MXSPORTSPRORACING.COM

Aug. 13: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadilla

Aug. 27: Southwick, Mass.: Moto-X 338

Sept. 3: Delmont, Pa.: Steel City Raceway

Sept. 10: San Diego, Calif.: Pala Raceway

AMA PRO GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM

Aug. 21: Peoria, Ill.: Peoria TT, Peoria Race Park

Aug. 27: Indianapolis: Indy Mile, Indiana State Fairgrounds

Sept. 3: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield ST, Illinois State Fairgrounds

Sept. 4: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield Mile II, Illinois State Fairgrounds

Sept. 10: Knoxville, Iowa:

Knoxville Half-Mile, Knoxville Raceway

Sept. 24: Minneapolis: Canterbury Park Mile, Canterbury Park

Oct. 1: Calistoga, Calif.: Calistoga Speedway Half-Mile, Calistoga Speedway

Oct. 9: Prescott, Ariz.: Yavapai Downs Mile, Yavapai Downs

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

AMA PRO HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP AMAPRORACING.COM

Aug. 21: Dansville, N.Y.

Sept. 11: Freemansburg, Pa.

Sept. 25: Jefferson (York County), Pa.

Oct. 9: Oregonia, Ohio

AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

CAN-AM GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY GNCCRACING.COM

Sept. 10-11: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadilla Raceway

Sept. 24-25: Somerset, Pa.

Oct. 8-9: St. Clairsville, Ohio: Powerline Park

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

AMA RACING NATIONAL HARE & HOUND NATIONALHAREANDHOUND.COM

Oct. 9: Johnson Valley, Calif.: Justin Shultz, SoCal MC; (949) 981-6776, SoCalMC.com

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

AMA NATIONAL ENDURO NATIONALENDURO.COM

Aug. 28: Chandlersville, Ohio: Kory Young, Zanesville Trail Riders; (614) 204-1438, ZanesvilleTrailriders.com

Oct. 1: Matthews, Ind.: Doug Spence, Muddobbers MC; (765) 998-2236, MuddobbersMC.org

ENDUROCROSS ENDUROCROSS.COM

Aug. 13: Everett, Wash.: Comcast Arena

Aug. 26: Indianapolis: Pepsi Coliseum

Sept. 17: Ontario, Calif.: Citizens Business Bank Arena

Oct. 1: Denver: National Western Complex

Oct. 22: Boise, Idaho: Idaho Center

Nov 19: Las Vegas, Nev.: Orleans Arena

AMA RACING WEST HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM

Aug. 27 (Youth) Aug. 28 (Amateur): Big Sky, Mont.: Jamey Kabisch, Lone Peak Racing; (406) 223-0478, BigSkyXC.com

AMA RACING EAST HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM

Aug. 20 (Youth) Aug. 21 (Amateur): S. Edmeston, N.Y.: Jim Simmons, Thunder Ridge Sports; (607) 847-6520, ThunderRidge.biz

Sept. 18 (Youth & Amateur): Lynnville, Ind.: Kenny Moore, IN IL KY Enduro Riders; (812) 549-8385, BlackCoal.org

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

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

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

AMA RACING ATV HARE SCRAMBLES AMARACING.COM

Aug. 20: S. Edmeston, N.Y.: Jim Simmons, Thunder Ridge Sports; (607) 847-6520, Thunderridge.biz

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

ATV EXTREME DIRT TRACK AMARACING.COM

Aug. 20: Souix Falls, S.D.: Sioux Valley Cycle Club

Sept. 3: Goldsboro, N.C.: Busco Beach

AMA RACING PRO-AM MOTOCROSS AMARACING.COM

Aug. 12-14: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadilla Valley Sports Center, Unadilla Valley Sports Center; (607) 965-8784, UnadillaMX.com

Aug. 14: Crystal Falls, Mich.: Valley Raceway, Valley Raceway; (906) 0600, ValleyRaceway.com

Aug. 21: Armaugh, Pa.: Pleasure Valley Raceway, Pleasure Valley Raceway; (814) 695-2453, Cernics.com

Aug. 28: Millville, Minn.: Spring Creek MX Park, Hi-Winders; (507) 753-2779, SpringCreekMX.com

Sept. 3-5: Millington, Mich.: Baja MX, Baja MX Inc.; (989) 871-3356, BajaMX.com

Sept. 4: Athelstane, Wis.: Pine Ridge Raceway, Pine Ridge Raceway; (715) 856-6612, PineRidgeRaceway.com

Sept. 4: Delmont, Pa.: Steel City Raceway, Bellco Inc.; (304) 284-0800, RacerProductions.com

Sept. 11: Walnut, Ill.: Sunset Ridge MX, 4P Promotions Inc.; (815) 379-9534, SunsetRidgeMX.com

Sept. 17-18: Richford, N.Y.: Broome-Tioga, Broome-Tioga Sports Center; (607) 849-4438, Broome-Tioga.com

Sept. 18: Buchanan, Mich.: RedBud, RedBud; (269) 695-6405, RedBudMX.com

Sept. 24-25: New Castle, Del.: Blue Diamond MX Park, Baltimore County Trail Riders; (302) 834-5867, BCTRA.com

Sept. 25: Canton, Texas: Buffalo Creek Motocross Park, , Kingdom Motorsports; (214) 939-4321, Buffalocreekmx.com

Oct. 2: Gaylord, Mich.: Baja MX, Baja MX Inc.; (989) 871-3356, BajaMX.com

Oct. 2: Englishtown, N.J.: Raceway Park, K.R.O.C.; (734) 446-7800, Racewaypark.com

Oct. 2: Danville, Va.: Birch Creek Motorsports, Birch Creek Motorsports; (434) 836-7629, BirchCreekMotorsports.com

Oct. 9: Birdsboro, Pa.: Pagoda Motorcycle Club, Pagoda Motorcycle Club; (610) 582-3717, PagodaMotorcycleClub.com

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

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

Oct. 29-30: Leonardtown, Md.:

September 2011 45

Budds Creek Motocross Park, Budds Creek Motocross Park; (301) 481-6148; Buddscreek.com

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

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

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

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

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

AMA AMATEUR GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

AMA RACING HILLCLIMB GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS AMARACING.COM

Aug. 13-14: Oregonia, Ohio: AMA Racing Hillclimb Grand Championships

AMA DUAL-SPORT/ADVENTURE SERIES

AMA KTM NATIONAL DUAL SPORT TRAIL RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM

Aug. 20-21: Columbus Ind.: Buffalo 500 D/S Adventure Ride, Stoney Lonesome MC, Nathan Gaskill; (812) 343-9772; StoneyLonesomeMC.com

Sept. 3-4: New Straightsville, Ohio: Black Diamonds: New Straightsville Enduro Riders, Steve Wheeler; (740) 394-2220; NSEnduro.com

Sep 10-11: Golden Pond, Ky.: LBL 200, KT Riders, Jesse Thomas, (270) 522-3703, ginny42211@yahoo.com

Sept. 24-25: Buck Meadows, Calif.: Yosemite Dual Sport Adventure, Family Off Road Adventures, Lawrence Borge; (209) 649-3633; FamilyOffRoadAdventures.com

Sept. 24-25: Wabeno, Wis.: Big Woods 200, Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders, John Newton; (920) 350-2030; WiDualSportRiders.org

Sept. 24-25: Wolverine, Mich.: Ted’s Chandler Hill Challenge, Great Lakes Dual Sporters, Jeramy Valley; (989) 751-6863; GLDSMC.org

Oct. 1-2: Mt. Solon, Va.: Shenandoah 500 Dual Sport, NVTA, Detter Merz; (703) 505-9123; NVTR.org

Oct. 8-9: McArthur, Ohio: Baby Burr National Dual Sport, Enduro Riders Association, Steve Barber; (614) 582-7821; Enduroriders.com

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

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

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

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

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

AMA YAMAHA SUPER TÉNÉRÉ ADVENTURE RIDING SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM

Aug. 20-21: Columbus, Ind.: Buffalo 500 D/S Adventure Ride, Stoney Lonesome MC, Nathan Gaskill, (812) 343-9772; StoneyLonesomeMC.com

Aug. 26-28: Seattle: Ride the Hoh Rain Forest, AltRider, Christina Olson; (206) 922-3618; Altrider.com

Aug. 27-28: McCloud, Calif.: McCloud Adventure Ride, McCloud Dualsport Adventures, Michael Lingsch; (530) 925-0151; McCloudDualsportAdventures.com

Sep 15-19: Pendenton, Wash.: Sasquatch Dualsport Adventure Tour, Soundrider, Tom Mehren; (206) 329-7808; SoundRider.com

Sep 17-18: Logan, Ohio: Nutcracker 200, Buckeye Dualsporters, Bill Kaeppner; (740) 380-3050; KaeppnersWoods.com

Sept. 17-18: Morganton, N.C.: Blue Ridge Adventure Ride, JB SAKI Promotions, Ron Miller; (704) 309-3271

Sept. 17-18: Taos Ski Valley, N.M.: New Mexico Natl Adventure Ride, Aerostich Tours, Roger Pattison; (575) 776-8785;

AerostichTours.com

Oct. 1-2: McCloud, Calif.: McCloud Adventure Ride, McCloud Dualsport Adventures, Michael Lingsch; (530) 925-0151; McCloudDualsportAdventures.com

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

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

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

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

AMA PREMIER TOURING SERIES

AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM/ROADRIDE/TOURING

NATIONAL CONVENTIONS

Sept. 14-18: Ruidoso, N.M.: Golden Aspen Motorcycle Rally; Golden Aspen Rally Assn; Patric Pearson, (800) 452-8045, Motorcyclerally.com

NATIONAL GYPSY TOURS

Oct. 7-9: Redding, Calif.: Big Bike Weekend; BigBikeWeekend.com

GRAND TOURS

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

March 25 - Oct. 1: Smoke Chasing 2011, Eddie’s Road, smokechasing@teamstrange.com, SmokeChasing.com

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

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

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

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

7660, SC-MA.com

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

SIGNATURE EVENTS

Aug. 13: Salt Lake City: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Aug. 21: Fiskdale, Mass.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Aug. 28: Ashville, N.C.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Aug. 28: Ann Arbor, Mich.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride and dualsport), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Sept. 11: Carnation, Wash.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Sept. 11: Leeds, Ala.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Sept. 11: Indianapolis: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Sept. 18: Cottleville, Mo.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Sept. 18: Phoenixville, Pa.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Sept. 25: Lido Beach, N.Y.: 9th Annual Dee Snider Ride (road ride), March of Dimes, (561) 496-8442, BikersforBabies.org

Sept. 25: Ellicott City, Md.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Oct. 2: Las Vegas, Nev.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Oct. 2: Grapevine Texas: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Oct. 2: Fairfield, Calif.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Oct. 16: Mesa, Ariz.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Oct. 16: Cardiff, Calif.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Oct. 23: Lafayette, La.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

Nov. 6: Lithia, Fla.: Charity Ride for Kids (road ride), PBTFUS, RideforKids.org

46 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

2011 “CATS ON BIKES” CALENDAR

Everything’s better on a bike. A gift that’s sure to bring smiles, our new calendar brings together the love for the road with the love of pets. See household pets on a variety of different bikes as they purr along the highway,with their paw on the throttle.

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An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious on its smoothest ride ever.

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1. FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP

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An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious

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FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP AGAIN FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE ON THE ROAD

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An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious

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FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE AROUND A CORNER

RANDOM SOUNDS FROM A LOCAL DINER

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP AGAIN

An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity An audio massage for the soul, this CD is a cornucopia of calm, clarity and balance. It’s the soundtrack of your life, taking your subconscious

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FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE AROUND A CORNER

RANDOM SOUNDS FROM A LOCAL DINER

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP AGAIN

RANDOM SOUNDS FROM A LOCAL DINER

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP AGAIN

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE ON THE ROAD

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE ON THE ROAD

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FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE ON THE ROAD

RANDOM SOUNDS FROM A LOCAL DINER

RANDOM SOUNDS FROM A LOCAL DINER

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FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP AGAIN

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FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP AGAIN

FREEDOM V-TWIN ENGINE STARTING UP AGAIN

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new calendar brings together the love for the road with the love of pets. See household pets on a variety of different bikes as

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“Sock Puppets: Born to Ride” and “Garden Gnomes on Two Wheels.”www.catbikefever.com

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The advertised products/services are fi ctional, and are not available for purchase. *Message and data rates might apply. For terms and conditions, visit www.victorymotorcycles.com. ©2011 Polaris Industries Inc.

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GUEST COLUMN

Winning a WERA Novice national championship in your rookie year on a full-sized motorcycle is pretty impressive, especially for a young racer who started the season at 13 years old. Even more impressive? This racer, our son Harrison Ringel, has been battling Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) since November 2008.

Though humble, Harrison is proud of being the 2010 WERA National Champion, Novice Division in the E-Super Stock class. And for good reason. The obstacles life has put in his way, though sometimes causing him to be sidelined, have never deterred him from competing.

Harrison started racing at the age of 9, in the mini roadracing club Ohio YSR. The year he turned 12, though plagued at the end of the year with headaches and chronic fatigue, he won his class championship. As a step toward racing in the larger clubs, we purchased a Honda RS150R, but then he was diagnosed with ALL on Nov. 21, 2008.

Harrison’s first concern was whether he would be able to race his motorcycle through treatment. He discussed his passion for racing with the medical staff, and though they reacted with guarded optimism, they were supportive of his racing. The grueling first phase of treatment netted Harrison full remission, and then he entered the next four, equally grueling phases.

Sometimes he had the strength to race and sometimes he didn’t, but sheer will, and the intense love of the sport kept him going to the track. Whether there to cheer or to race, it was good medicine for him.

In anticipation of his final phase of chemotherapy, a maintenance protocol that lasts about 32 months, it was time to put this boy back into racing—and back to working toward racing on a full-sized bike. We purchased a Ninja 250 for him to race when he was really back to full strength.

It was then that the unthinkable happened. Apparently as the result of one of the chemotherapy drugs, Harrison suffered a watershed stroke in June 2009. That Friday morning, he awoke, unable to move, and he had to be hospitalized. Throughout the day on Friday and into the late afternoon on Saturday, with great terror, we watched our son lose all ability to control his extremities. He had just turned 13, nine days prior.

Though the medical team was optimistic, we were warned that it could take months for him to regain his strength and body control. We were expecting a lengthy hospital stay. For the first time since his initial diagnosis, Harrison was full of fear and was beginning to despair. But as his mind kept returning to racing, and whether he would ever be able to do it again, the miracle we had been praying for arrived.

In a matter of 45 minutes, beginning around 7:45 p.m., June 27, 2009, Harrison went from not having the ability to move his body, to standing and hopping from one foot to the other. For no reason that the medical staff could explain—though our friends leading the prayer vigil on Harrison’s behalf are sure of the source of his recovery—everything returned to normal.

He was back on the racetrack two weeks later, as if nothing had happened. He has suffered no residual effects from the stroke, and he went on to finish his treatment, get his radiation therapy, and his racing prowess has continued to grow.

Harrison began racing in WERA events during the 2010 season, and it was his first. He amassed several victories, and was invited to the Grand National Finals in October 2010. Though still injured from an earlier-season crash, Harrison was not to be deterred. He won the novice division of the E and D Super Stock classes on his Ninja 250 and was second overall. The E Super Stock race was an impressive race, whether you knew his story or not.

Currently, Harrison takes daily oral chemotherapy medication, the side effects of which include nausea, heartburn and sometimes headaches; monthly intravenous chemotherapy; and every three months, he receives intrathecal chemotherapy (through a spinal tap). Though he’s slowed down a bit by the spinal taps, he never lets treatment interfere with racing. Harrison has the same dreams all the youngsters on the racetrack share, but this young man has learned, through the treatment of a disease he refuses to allow to define him, that tenacity, hard work and positive energy go a long way in reaching your goals.

Harrison is scheduled to complete his chemotherapy in March 2012. He then will require monthly checkups for the first year, tapering off finally to annual checkups. Through it all, he will continue to race, hoping to make his sponsors proud. Harrison has every intention of becoming a common name in WERA and eventually the AMA Pro Racing circles. As we watch him work toward his goal, we often wipe away a tear, shed in honor of his journey, and the blessings that we have all received along the way.

Paul, Ginny and Harrison Ringel live in Galloway, Ohio.

RACING THROUGH EVERYTHINGYoung AMA Member Winning The Race Of His LifeBy Paul and Ginny Ringel

Pho

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50 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

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