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NAVIGATION
8. LETTERS
Navigation Photo
The Indian marque is one of motorcycling’s most historic, and it has the enthusiastic fan base to match.
That’s why you can bet the Indian “Motocycle” love will be rampant this July 11-13 at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days featuring Indian Motorcycles as Marque of the Year. Join us as we celebrate the brand’s past and present at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. More info: www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com.
Photo
by Yve Assad
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 2014. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $19.95 covered in membership dues.
Postmaster: Mail form 3579 to 13515 Yarmouth Dr., Pickerington, OH 43147. Periodical postage paid at Pickerington, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices.
May 2014
Volume 68, Number 5
Published by the American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) www.americanmotorcyclist.com
You write, we read.
12. WAYNE ALLARD
Battling discrimination.
16. RIGHTS
Fighting motorcycle-only checkpoints, reining in the IRS, reopening Rattlesnake Bay’s off-highway vehicle trails, talking with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Clear Creek update, and testing E15 in Illinois.
24. RIDING
The latest news, rides, interviews and more from the world of motorcycling.
34. HALL OF FAME
A post-war hot rod, Hall of Famer Max Bubeck, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days update and “67” by Dale Bert.
42. COVERAGE DENIED
As medical insurance companies look for ways to save money, they are denying coverage to those injured during perfectly legal activities. One of those activities is motorcycling. Here are some tips on making sure you are covered, as well as an update on what the AMA is doing to fight this unfair discrimination.
48. EVENTS CALENDAR
What to do, where to go.
58. FRANK L. PALMERI
Sunday bikes and Monday bikes.
MEMBER LETTERS
Letter of the Month ENJOYING TRAIL FREEDOMS
Over the last few years, I have gained a greater appreciation of the efforts that the AMA and individuals like Roy Garrett (recipient of the 2014 Friend of the AMA Award) have made to support off-road riding and keeping riding areas open for all of us to enjoy.
Send your letters (and a high-resolution photo) to submissions@ama-cycle.org; or mail to 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.
Your April 2014 article, “Following the Money Trail,” emphasized the positive impact these riding areas have on the local economies. I have personally been riding the Michigan ORV trails for 25 years, and twice a year a group of us Indiana riders make the journey to enjoy these trails. We spend our money at local hotels, restaurants, gas stations and motorcycle dealerships (and the local hospital on rare occasions).
During the last two years, I have started taking my two young sons to enjoy the riding in Michigan. This past October, we enjoyed four perfect days of riding aboard a KTM 450 XC-F, Honda CRF100 and a Honda XR80. After a long, cold winter, we are looking forward to our next trip.
The annual license fee is a good value and investment for the future of the sport. I only hope these riding areas remain open for my sons to enjoy for many years.
Thanks again for all the hard work!
Steve Reedy Columbus, Ind.
DOWNSIZING
Thanks for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation column “Movin’ On Up” (April 2014).
I’ve been riding for about 50 years, the first 30 on dirt and sport bikes and the last 20 on heavyweight cruisers and touring rigs. I never met a bike I couldn’t ride, but last summer when I turned 68, I decided I didn’t want to have to shove 700 pounds around my garage every time I wanted to take a spin.
So I sold my last behemoth and bought a new Honda CB500x. With about 50 horsepower pushing 400 pounds, it’s plenty fast for my needs, handles like a dream, and I can actually push it into the garage. Big bikes have their place, but for my needs, mostly day trips in the beautiful Texas hill country where I live, the Honda is perfect. And it gets about 65 mpg, no matter how I ride it.
Downsizing may not be for everyone, but it rekindled my
love of riding in a big way.
Bill Schiffmann
Charter Life Member Lago Vista, Texas
RIDING HATFIELD-MCCOY
It was a pleasure reading your write-up on the Hatfield-McCoy trail system in the April issue. My son and I visited there last summer and had a blast. The staging areas were spacious and easy to find. The trails, which took us through some absolutely gorgeous country, were well marked and surprisingly uncrowded.
We rode Little Coal River, Ivy Branch and Bearwallow trail systems, and the staff and rangers at the visitors center were helpful and friendly. It was fantastic to be able to come down out of the mountains and ride into town (Logan, W.Va., in our case) for gas and provisions before heading back up the trail.
It was a great experience and off-
highway enthusiasts of all kinds should consider visiting to support this great concept, if nothing else. The United States could use more systems like Hatfield-McCoy, and to get them we must support the existing systems by giving them our business.
Ben Cain Naperville, Ill.
WORKING TOGETHER
I want to extend my thanks for all of the help that AMA provided helping get the Rattlesnake Bay ATV trails reopened (see page 18). Had it not been for all of you, I don’t know if we would’ve been able to get this done. Everyone that I have had contact with at AMA, from membership staff to government relations, has been great! It makes me proud to be a part of such a top-notch organization.
Following nearly two years of letterwriting and phone calls, I thought that maybe this was a lost cause, but I kept at it. During a follow-up telephone call with U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker’s office, it was determined that we had come around full circle once again.
At the end of my conversation with Sen. Wicker’s office, I mentioned reaching out to the AMA for help. They agreed that it couldn’t hurt. So, what I felt was a Hail Mary play actually turned out to be exactly what was needed. In fact, in hindsight, I should have consulted the AMA considerably sooner.
I can’t remember how many people I sent my first message to at AMA but I know that it only took one round. I started to receive feedback almost immediately. Before I knew it, OffHighway Government Affairs Manager Steve Salisbury and I had been connected and the momentum had begun. Steve took everything I gave him (useful and maybe not so useful) and built from there. My singular voice became a diverse, unified voice rather quickly and we accomplished our goal thanks to everyone and their efforts.
It’s scary to think of where we may be without all of you, and I can’t say “Thank You” enough.
I share in the hope that other AMA members will be inspired by this and be more proactive in their areas. This has been a wonderful teaching opportunity for me. My son, along with the other kids that ride in our club, have learned a very valuable lesson through this. This experience will hopefully serve as a reminder for them as they carry the torch later in the pursuit to protect all of our rights to ride. Just knowing
Each month, a lucky AMA member wins a Bike Bandit gift card worth $100. Didn’t win? No worries. You can still take advantage of your 10% AMA member discount at BikeBandit.com.
Steve Reedy
that we/they have the AMA on our side is comforting to say the least.
Dale Tallman Blazing Saddles Trail Riders
DON’T GET FLIPPED
I really enjoy reading Rick Wheaton’s articles. I just wanted to comment on “In Praise of the Flip Up,” March 2014. I love my flip-up helmet, as does he. I use mine on my motorcycle in the spring and fall. However, many helmets are not designed for riding with the helmet unlocked (mine included). I was not aware that any were safe in the unlocked position, but Rick said his was. So I would like to warn everyone that you better check with the helmet manufacturer before you ride with it up.
Bob Washburn
Norridgewock, Maine
A roundup of recent comments on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/americanmotorcyclist
On legislation that would end federal funding of motorcycleonly checkpoints: Don Jacobs: Good. I’m tired of being singled out because I prefer two wheels over four wheels.
On news that E15 is coming to filling stations in Missouri: Dan Bogardo: This is ridiculous. It doesn’t save the consumer any money at the pump. In fact, the price of gas is more and mpg is worse. I hate ethanolblended fuel for any engine. Sound Off!
On reports that “black boxes” might be coming to modern cars and motorcycles: Charles Hood: Why I ride vintage bikes with nothing more sophisticated than a CDI ignition.
Helping to identify this photo , submitted by a member who found it in his collection but couldn’t identify the riders:
Jeff Henderson: 16 Jimmy Chann, 71 Bobby Hill, 7 Billy Huber, 1 Chet Dykgraff @ Milwaukee Mile
Steve Salisbury, Government Affairs Manager - Off-Highway
Imre Szauter, Government Affairs Manager - On-Highway
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Rob Baughman, Network Administrator
John Boker, Developer
Dave Coleman, Network Architect
Amy Hyman, Senior Programmer/Analyst
MEMBER SERVICES/DATA ENTRY
Joe Bromley, District Relations Manager
Jacki Burris, Organizer Services Coordinator
Jane Caston, Racing Coordinator
Lana Cox, Administrative Assistant
Kevin Crowther, Director SX & Pro Racing Relations
Bill Cumbow, Director of Racing
Alex Hunter, MX Operational Coordinator
Lori Cavucci, Member Services Representative
Deb D’Andrea, Member Services Representative
Linda Hembroff, Member Services Representative
Darcel Higgins, Member Services Manager
Kimberly Jude, Member Services Representative
Tiffany Pound, Member Services Representative
Jessica Robinson, Member Services Representative
ON HEALTH INSURANCE, MOTORCYCLIST BEWARE
By Wayne Allard
There is an old Latin term that you have probably heard before. It’s “caveat emptor,” which means “buyer beware.” This caution is truer today than it ever has been for the motorcycle rider buying health insurance. You may have the opportunity to get health insurance through a third party such as your employer or you may be making the purchase as an individual.
In either case, be sure to read the exclusionary fine print closely where it talks about risky or hazardous activities. You would expect such exemptions if you are a bull fighter, mountain climber, parachutist, explosives expert or test pilot. The provision may just mention “risky” or “hazardous” activities without being specific. Beware!
The coverage may be referring to you as a motorcyclist or allterrain vehicle rider.
Motorcyclists face discrimination. It’s a fact of life, but something we are fighting every day.
To be effective in fighting for motorcyclists’ rights, we need to know when motorcyclists are discriminated against, and we need help from motorcyclists at the local level or nationwide, depending on the issue.
Right now, the AMA is focusing on health-insurance discrimination against motorcyclists, and we want specific examples of motorcyclists suffering as a result. We need to show lawmakers that the discrimination is very real, and that it affects real people.
Health-insurance discrimination—excluding coverage for motorcycle- or ATV-related injuries in health insurance plans—is discrimination that has been going on for decades. You can read more about this situation in “Coverage Denied,” page 42.
The AMA and others fought for language to be included in the Congressional Record years ago that indicated the clear intent of Congress was to eliminate such discrimination when it passed the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996.
But the federal agencies charged with implementing the law told employers they could refuse to cover injuries related to riding a motorcycle, ATV, horse, etc. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—known by many as Obamacare—did nothing to remedy the loophole or prevent future discrimination.
Therefore, the AMA plans to continue this important battle.
You may want to compare U.S. practices with situations in other countries. Rider groups in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia say that the healthcare systems in their countries do not permit discrimination based on the source of injury.
While the AMA is hard at work on Capitol Hill, it’s important that you look at your health insurance policy to be sure that you are covered if you are involved in a motorcycle crash. Check your policy under “Exclusions” to see if it excludes coverage for motorcycle-related injuries.
The wording can be ambiguous, with language that denies coverage for injuries suffered while participating in “extreme” activities, without defining what those activities are. If so, contact your insurance company and get a written response.
If you learn that motorcycle-related injuries aren’t covered in your company’s or organization’s health-insurance policy, we want to know. Contact us at grassroots@ama-cycle.org. Your confidentiality will be protected.
The AMA wants your assistance to help us fight insurance discrimination and other threats to motorcycling. You can also act individually to protect riding freedoms. The AMA provides many valuable tools to help you fight for your right to ride.
Sign up to receive AMA News & Notes at http://capwiz.com/ amacycle/mlm/signup/ to keep informed on hot topics, news affecting the motorcycling community and opportunities to communicate with your elected officials.
You can also opt in to receive AMA Action Alert emails by signing up at the same link. When you receive AMA Action Alerts, you will be notified how and when you can make a difference on important issues.
Each of us can do our part to protect our riding freedoms by being AMA members and inviting our family and friends to join. More members mean more political clout, and with more clout we will have a better chance of ending health-insurance discrimination against motorcyclists and other threats to our riding freedoms.
Wayne Allard is AMA vice president for government relations.
BIPARTISAN SENATE BILL TARGETS
MOTORCYCLE-ONLY CHECKPOINTS
Legislation Would Cut Federal Funding
A bipartisan bill introduced in early March by U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) would prohibit the use of federal funds for establishing motorcycle-only checkpoints.
The Senate bill is similar to H.R. 1861, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013 by U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.).
The “Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act” would prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Transportation from granting funds to any government entity for a program to create checkpoints for the operator of a motorcycle or a passenger.
The AMA fully supports these bills and urges its members to tell their elected officials in the House and Senate to vote for these measures.
“During the past two years, federal, state and local governments spent more than a half million dollars on motorcycleonly checkpoints,” says Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations. “The AMA believes that money could be better spent supporting programs that conduct rider education, reduce distracted driving and encourage motorist awareness of motorcycles.”
The AMA has tracked motorcycle-only
checkpoints since they were first enacted in New York.
The state of Georgia used funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in March 2011 to establish motorcycle-only checkpoints as thousands of motorcyclists rode through the state on their way to Daytona Beach, Fla., for Bike Week.
Another motorcycle-only checkpoint was established in northern Virginia during one of the nation’s most visible motorcycle rallies—Rolling Thunder—over the 2011 Memorial Day weekend.
Motorcycle-only checkpoints were also
5 QUESTIONS WITH... SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBER JEANNE SHAHEEN
As a member of the powerful Senate appropriations committee, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) has a seat at the table during debates about how the federal government spends its money.
set up in Utah at a time when thousands of riders were attending a world-class road-racing event.
California, Missouri, North Carolina, Illinois, New Hampshire and Virginia have passed legislation curbing these checkpoints.
If passed, this federal bill will ensure that riders across the country are safeguarded from this ineffective and prejudicial practice.
For more information go to: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ rights/motorcycleonlycheckpoints.aspx.
Recently, Sen. Shaheen stepped up on the issue of motorcycleonly checkpoints by introducing the Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act. This bill will prohibit federal funding of all motorcycle-only checkpoints. We asked Shaheen about that issue, and here are her responses.
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST: How did the issue of motorcycle-only checkpoints come to your attention?
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN: As any Granite Stater will tell you, motorcycles are an important part of our state’s identity and economy. The New Hampshire State Legislature passed a law prohibiting the use of federal funds for motorcycle-only checkpoints, which is how I became aware of the issue.
AM: Why do you oppose federal funding for these traffic stops?
JS: Motorcyclists must have their vehicles inspected just like those driving cars. We don’t have checkpoints stopping passenger vehicles to check their tire pressure, and we shouldn’t for motorcycles. It’s a matter of simple fairness.
AM: What do you believe would be a better use of these federal funds?
JS: As motorists in New Hampshire know, maybe motorcyclists more than any, there are many bridges and roads throughout the state in dire need of repair. I think rehabilitating damaged bridges, roads and other infrastructure would be a better use of federal dollars.
AM: What can members of the AMA and others interested in this issue do to help get the Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act passed and signed into law?
JS: Contact your members of Congress and let them know that you oppose motorcycle-only checkpoints.
AM: Anything else to add?
JS: In June every year, motorcycles blanket New Hampshire on their way to Laconia for the annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, which is celebrating its 91st year in 2014. Come on up and tour beautiful New Hampshire!
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)
New York State Police
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AMA TELLS CONGRESS TO REIN IN IRS
Nonprofits Could Be Impacted By Regulations
Wayne Allard, AMA’s vice president of government relations, told a congressional subcommittee in February that a proposed Internal Revenue Service rule would stifle nonpartisan speech and create a de facto communications blackout period around elections.
The IRS proposal would, among other things, classify any communication to the public that even mentions a political candidate within 60 days of an election as political activity.
Nonprofits organized as 501(c)(4) corporations, such as the AMA, could lose their tax-exempt status for violating the rules.
“The proposed rule the IRS seeks to implement will stifle nonpartisan speech in a manner that leads to a less informed electorate,” Allard told the subcommittee.
Since the late 1950s, the IRS has allowed 501(c)(4) nonprofits to participate in issue-based advocacy, as long as their primary focus remained social welfare. Communications about legislation or public policy have never been restricted for this IRS class of non-profit organization.
The IRS proposal would outlaw material “without regard to whether the public communication is intended to influence the election or some other, non-electoral actions.”
Allard offered his comments to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation & Regulatory Affairs.
MISSISSIPPI TRAIL AREA TO REOPEN
Clubs, AMA Rally to Save Rattlesnake Bay
The AMA joined off-road-vehicle enthusiasts in Mississippi and the state’s tourism officials to win preliminary approval for the reopening of the Rattlesnake Bay ATV Trail System and for a fee structure to support trail maintenance in the DeSoto National Forest.
In late February, the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee unanimously approved the proposal, and officials say they hoped to open the trails to the public this summer.
The vote means Rattlesnake Bay could be open to the general public for OHV use for the first time since 2003.
Alison Koopman, regional landscape architect for the Forest Service, says the regional forester will render a final decision.
The AMA’s involvement began when member Dale Tallman Jr. expressed the local riders’ frustrations in a letter to the organization.
Steve Salisbury, AMA’s government aff airs manager for off -highway issues, helped unite several Mississippi rider groups into the Friends of Rattlesnake Bay and joined them in lobbying the Forest Service, the RRAC and local and state offi cials.
“Local riders worked for years to try to get the trails reopened, but met with frustration,” says Salisbury. “When an AMA member in Mississippi contacted us, we were happy to get involved, and we are elated with the results.”
The Rattlesnake Bay trail system is in the special use permit area for the Camp Shelby Military Training Site near
Hattiesburg, Miss.
Riders can expect a curving trail that follows the contours of the region, avoiding steep slopes, wet drainages and other sensitive areas.
“The committee appreciates what the AMA did to get support from users because we need to consider those affected,” says Jack Terrell, an AMA life member, chairman of the Recreation Resource Advisory Committee and senior project manager for the National Off Highway Vehicle Conservation Council.
The Forest Service committee approved a $10 daily fee for trail use and a $60 annual operator fee.
Trails covered by the fees include Rattlesnake Bay, the Little Tiger ATV Trail System, the Chickasaw ATV Trail System and the Bethel Motorized Trail System (which includes a motorcycle loop and ATV trail).
ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS DEMAND MORE E15 TESTING
Small Engine Damage Feared
The Illinois General Assembly is urging Congress to require more scientific testing of E15 vehicle fuels in light of studies that show the fuels can harm small engines and void many car manufacturers’ warranties.
HR 254, requested by ABATE of Illinois, calls for testing the effects of E15 on all types of internal combustion engines.
The fuels contain 15 percent ethanol, by
volume, compared to the widely available E10 fuels. E15 has not been approved for use in motorcycles or all-terrain vehicles.
HR 254, adopted in support of federal HB 875, cites studies by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute that conclude use of E15 can be detrimental to small engines.
The resolution was forwarded to members of the Illinois congressional delegation and majority and minority leaders.
Dale Tallman
Jr.
Almost 1½ feet tall
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Congress AdvAnCes
TAx-Money
TrAnspArenCy Bill
Groups Against OHVs Have Abused Program
Congress advanced another step toward voting on bipartisan legislation that would reinstate the tracking and reporting requirements for payments made under the Equal Access to Justice Act.
The lack of transparency and oversight has led to abuse of this program by groups that use taxpayer money to sue in an effort to stop off -highway vehicle recreation on public lands.
These lawsuits can ultimately lead to restrictions on responsible motorized access—without public comment—through what the U.S. Chamber of Commerce calls a “sue-and-settle” strategy.
Introduced by U.S. Reps. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), this bill—H.R. 2919, the Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act— would return the EAJA to its original intent, instituting targeted reforms to reinstate and track reporting requirements intended to make spending under the act more transparent.
CleAr Creek MAnAgeMenT AreA reopens
Severe Restrictions Stifle Access
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced the reopening of the 31,000-acre Serpentine Area of Critical Environmental Concern in California’s San Benito and Fresno counties to extremely limited use by street-licensed vehicles and pedestrians.
Under the decision signed Feb. 11 by the California state director of the BLM, vehicles licensed for highway use may obtain permits to enter the Serpentine area, and the BLM retains the right to limit the number of annual visitor-use days “to reduce human health risks associated with exposure to naturally occurring asbestos.”
Currently, the BLM is limiting vehicle touring to five days a year and pedestrian activity to 12 days a year.
The BLM decision also means that, on those few days, all-terrain vehicles will have access to the parts of the Clear Creek Management Area that were never closed, but were rendered inaccessible by the other restrictions.
Street-licensed vehicles can tow or haul the ATVs to the trailheads.
The 75,000-acre Clear Creek area, which includes the Serpentine ACEC, was closed in 2008 after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency raised concerns about asbestos exposure.
The BLM also says about 5,070 acres of public lands within the Clear Creek Management Area “exhibit Wilderness characteristics” and “will be managed to emphasize primitive, non-motorized recreation opportunities.”
roy gArreTT reCeives
2014 Friend oF The AMA AwArd
Off-Highway Activist
Subsequent testing by the International Environmental Research Foundation—at the request of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division of California State Parks— concludes that “there is clearly an opportunity to allow OHV recreation at CCMA.”
The state of California is conducting further testing.
it started. I am currently the off-road director for ABATE of Indiana DIRT, and the road captain for Stoney Lonesome M/C. I am very pleased and honored to receive this award from the AMA.”
AMA Life Member Roy Garrett, of Plainfield, Ind., is the recipient of the 2014 Friend of the AMA Award in recognition of his innovative work.
A member of ABATE of Indiana DIRT, Garrett has been a fixture in the offhighway riding community for many years, promoting responsible off-highway recreation.
Imre Szauter, the AMA’s on-highway government affairs manager, presented the award during the recent Hoosier Motorcyclists’ Roundtable and the Motorcycle Expo.
The AMA was impressed by the ability of Indiana’s on- and off-highway clubs and organizations to work together to protect the riding freedoms of all of the state’s riders.
“I joined the AMA in 1970 when I started racing motorcycles,” Garrett says. “I started working club and district business in 1983. I was an AMA congressman in the late eighties. The AMA helped us start DIRT in 1994. I have been the president or vice president since
Photo by
statewatch
GeorGia
House Bill 1047, sponsored by Rep. Sam Moore (R-District 22), would permit motorcycle operators to lane split if the vehicle being overtaking is traveling no more than 30 mph and the motorcyclist is traveling no more than 10 mph faster than the vehicle being overtaken.
Also, House Bill 869, sponsored by Rep. John Yates (R-Griffin), would permit lightweight vehicles, such as motorcycles, to proceed through an intersection controlled by a trafficactuated signal if, after coming to a complete stop and waiting for 60 seconds, the operator determines their vehicle wasn’t detected.
Kansas
House Bill 2543, proposed by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee, would exempt motorcyclists from paying tolls on the Kansas Turnpike.
Louisiana
Senate Bill 317, sponsored by Sen. Gary L. Smith (D-Norco), would prohibit the establishment of checkpoints where the only vehicles subject to or targets for inspection are motorcycles.
MichiGan
The Michigan House voted to let offroad recreation vehicle drivers go without a helmet and eye protection on private property.
Washington governor Wants task Force
Groups Would Study Outdoor Recreation
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee hopes to bring together public, private and nonprofit groups to form a Blue Ribbon Parks and Outdoor Recreation Task Force.
The goal would be to develop a strategic plan and provide solid policy direction to better leverage the state’s outdoor assets.
The task force would include representatives from outdoor recreation businesses and other key industries, recreation and conservation nonprofit organizations, elected officials and other opinion leaders.
The governor’s plan calls for as many as six listening sessions across Washington to ensure the state’s diverse range of interests is fully represented.
The task force would deliver its strategic plan and recommendations to the governor in September.
The exemption is similar to one that exempts helmet requirements for snowmobile operators on their land.
The legislation would exempt property owners, family members and invited guests from the helmet requirement while riding on the property owner’s land. The bill now goes to the state Senate.
Missouri
House Bill 1655, sponsored by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Springfield), would offer adult motorcycle operators and passengers the option of wearing a helmet while riding.
nebrasKa
Legislators supporting a repeal of the state’s mandatory helmet law proved unable to muster the 33 votes needed to end a filibuster of the bill.
State Sen. Dave Bloomfield of Hoskins had made repealing the helmet law a priority.
Although he thought he had the 25 votes he needed to pass his bill, the bill’s opponents would not let it go to a vote.
The proposal would have required helmets for riders younger than 21 and eye protection for all riders. Nebraska has had a helmet law in place since 1989.
location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. Fuel charges are extra. Rental must begin by 12/31/12. 12/31/13.
To the San Antonio, Texas, police officers who located and arrested a man who posted a video on Facebook showing him riding recklessly and illegally through traffic on a motorcycle. Alberto Rodriguez, 27, was arrested for suspected motorcycle theft. He also had several outstanding warrants. Prosecutors were considering additional charges.
OUTSIDE VIEW
Th ere ’ s noth ing be er than cruising with the guys on the weekend. Been doing the same for years and it never gets old - there’s always something going on or a place to go. And this is how we ride, jeans and denim jacket - unless it’s winter anyway. But now we wear this Bohn gear underneath. Yes it’s underneath! You can’t see it, and we can’t feel it.
I just feel happier when I have some protection these days, though I’m sure we’re not going to have a spill.
To Charles Jaco, a reporter on KTVI-Fox2 news in St. Louis, for his Tweet denigrating motorcyclists and perpetuating stereotypes. Jaco noticed an unusual number of motorcycles near the Missouri state capitol and Tweeted, “Lots of Harleys at State Capitol today. Assume #MOLeg finally getting around to legalizing meth?” The motorcyclists were testifying on laws that prohibit motorcycle sales on Sundays.
To KTVI-Fox2 television personality Charles Jaco in St. Louis for apologizing via Twitter for his remark suggesting that the presence of motorcyclists near the Missouri state capitol meant the legislature was thinking about legalizing methamphetamine and for removing his Tweet.
To Suffolk County, N.Y., Legislator Thomas F. Barraga (R-West Islip), for saying that no one in his county should ride motorcycles or bicycles. The remark came in response to a letter from a 17-yearold boy whose mother was seriously injured in a carbicycle crash last year.
They com for them on, t great, and g knowing I have the protection under my jeans. Thanks so much.
Check it out - read their testimonials - that’s what I did. And they give you a 90 Day Trial too. Riding seems much more stressfull these days and with this gear we can Relax and Ride, with Peace of Mind!
...your product has made a believer out of me and the select few who ..saw my kamikaze ight through the air. I can only.imagine the numerous injuries that luckily avoided by wearing the armor.
...the road li ered with gravel...I walked away without a scratch, the bike was not so lucky. I just wanted to say thank you and let you know that your product saved me a lot of pain
HELPING INJURED VETERANS
VETMotorsports Honored For Outreach
VETMotorsports, a nonprofit organized to help wounded and disabled combat veterans through hands-on motorcycling programs, received a certificate of appreciation in February from the Ohio Department of Veteran Services.
DVS Director Timothy Gorrell recognized the organization “for its work to help disabled veterans through unique motor sports programs.”
VETMotorsports, based in Upper Arlington, Ohio, offers post-9/11 combat veterans a chance to participate in racing events that can recreate the structure, sense of mission and excitement the veterans experienced while serving.
Some veterans participate as competitors, while others become members of the crew.
“The motorcycle community is a very positive and tight-knit group, so we thought, ‘Why can’t we capitalize on that?’ ’’ says AMA member Peter Cline, executive director and founder of VETMotorsports.
Cline got the idea for the program from a British effort, Race2Recovery, to involve wounded veterans in the Dakar Rally.
The holder of an AMA pro road-racing license, Cline decided to start using the veterans in his pit crew in the HarleyDavidson XR1200 series, owned and run by Daytona Motorsports Group, doing business as AMA Pro Racing under longterm contract.
After some test runs in the summer of 2012, Cline launched the nonprofit in May 2013. Since then, more than 45 veterans have participated in the program, along with a guest or caregiver.
“The key for us now is sustainability,” Cline says. “We are not directly affiliated with any one group. We work with all the veterans’ organizations. But we are completely dependent on contributions.”
Proceeds go to a non-clinical outreach program, provided free to the veterans.
“We can reach out to all the veterans’ groups and find participants, but we need funding to pay for meals, clothing, transportation and other program expenses,“ Cline says.
During 2014, VETMotorsports plans to continue its motorcycle-racing program, adding the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb to its calendar.
A pilot program in which a paraplegic soldier participated in a car race proved successful, Cline says, so 2014 also will bring an expansion into auto racing.
“We need to diversify,” he says.
To learn more about VETMotorsports or to become a program participant, visit the website www.vetmotorsports.org.
(L-R) Ohio Department of Veterans Services Director Timothy Gorrell and VETMotorsports Executive Director and founder Peter Cline
James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2013 with their VETMotorsports crew member
The No. 3 Motolist.com entry with its VETMotorsports crew at Daytona qualifying in 2013
naTional enduro opener Goes To Charlie Mullins
Record Entries Attend South Carolina Event By Shan
Charlie Mullins kicked off the 2014 season in a big way by taking a dominating win at the opening round of the Kenda AMA National Enduro Championship Series in Pelion, S.C., a race that saw a record 721 entrants sign up for the event.
Mullins got off to his usual strong start, winning the first five tests on the tight and sandy South Carolina course, before cooling his jets and cruising home for the win in the final test. In the end, the FMF/ KTM rider beat out second-place finisher Jesse Groemm by 1 minute, 34 seconds.
“It feels good to start off the year with a win,” says Mullins, who is looking to claim his second straight—and third career— AMA National Enduro Championship. “I took a pretty hard crash in the first test, but I was able to keep the bike running then get back on the gas fast enough to still win the test.”
In contrast, Groemm, who is riding for Shane Watt’s Maxxis/Klim/Dirtwise KTM Race Team in 2014, got off to a slow start in the 10.5-mile opening test, but came on strong in the end, finishing up with the fastest time in the final test.
“I was tight and felt like I was riding horrible in the first test, but I picked it up after that and had a strong finish, which put me into the runner-up spot,” Groemm says.
Stu Baylor finished third in his first major race since suffering a wrist injury over a year ago. The FMF/KTM rider was sitting in fourth behind Mike Lafferty until the fifth
Moore
test when Lafferty, who ultimately finished fifth, missed a marker and lost nearly two minutes trying to get back on course.
AirGroup Racing Husqvarna’s Nick Fahringer finished fourth in South Carolina, despite discovering afterward that he had broken some internal fork components during the race, which he says cost him some time.
Former AMA National Enduro Champion Russell Bobbitt pushed Mullins in the first two tests, finishing just seven seconds behind the defending champ in test one. However, a crash in test three sent the factory Husqvarna rider to the hospital with a serious leg injury.
In the new-for-2014 Rekluse ExpertAA class, which is designed to provide a proving ground for up-and-coming riders, South Carolina’s Zach Hayes took the win, beating out fellow KTM riders Tyler Trammell and Martin Howell. Hayes won two of the six tests and finished 17th overall.
“I was a little tight in the first two tests, but I still rode pretty well,” Hayes says. “I got off to a good start and was fastest in tests one and two, and then I was able to hold on for the win. There were some sketchy areas in the clear-cut section and you had to be careful, but I was able to stay out of trouble and keep it on two wheels.”
For more information about the national series, which includes classes for a range of skill and bike categories, go to www.nationalenduro.com.
KTM’s Charlie Mullins adds GnCC opener To win lisT
Inaugural Mud Mucker Offers Grueling Conditions
Not far from Daytona Beach and the excitement of Bike Week, the first round of the 13-round AMA-sanctioned AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series, presented by Maxxis, got underway on March 9.
The first running of the Moose Racing Mud Mucker GNCC offered up a challenging introduction to riders, with ample mud throughout the course. After a three-hour battle, factory FMF/KTM rider Charlie Mullins edged out a stacked field of XC1 Pros to capture the first overall win of the 2014 season.
AmPro Yamaha’s Josh Strang grabbed the holeshot, with his teammate Paul Whibley and Rockstar Energy KTM’s Ryan Sipes close behind.
The riders who dominated last year’s GNCC series—Mullins and his FMF/KTM teammate and defending national champion Kailub Russell—were down in a heap in turn one, complete with bent bars and parts sent flying everywhere. XC1 Pro Class contenders Stu Baylor and Andrew Delong were down as well, setting up drama-filled charges through the pack.
Mullins, the 2011 GNCC champion, quickly made his way from nearly last into the lead position by the second lap. From there, he engaged in a heated battle with Whibley that lasted for nearly an hour.
Whibley, who spent much of last year battling injury, was happy to start the year with a solid second-place finish.
RacerTV Offers Online Coverage
In addition to coverage on the NBC Sports Network, the 2014 GNCC series includes live online streaming coverage on RacerTV.com.
GNCC Live is providing indepth, live race coverage of every Pro ATV and Pro bike race this season, totaling approximately 65 hours of live racing coverage throughout the season.
A battle for third emerged between Strang and AMSOIL Honda’s Thad DuVall. They battled down to the final field section, with Strang grabbing the final podium position by less than one second.
JEFF SUTCH: BACK IN THE GAME
Hospital Uses Dirt Rider’s Recovery To Highlight Success
New Jersey’s Jeff Sutch found himself on the other side of the cameras recently when the hospital that handled his two hip-replacement surgeries made him a subject of its advertising campaign.
The “Back in the Game” promotion features several former patients from New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery active again in their pre-surgery pursuits.
searching for a surgeon he trusted with his future mobility. After interviewing six doctors, he settled on Dr. David Mayman, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
- Designed to increase
and acceleration - Pleated media provides a large surface area for long service intervals - Washable high-flow cotton media
“XD” high-efficiency cotton media for extreme conditions - Fits
Sutch, 45, spent most of his career as an action sports cameraman, handling features on athletes and shooting the first 26 X-Games. He was involved in the creation and launch of MTV Sports and won a 2010 Sports Emmy for HBO’s “24/7 Jimmie Johnson Race to Daytona.”
When shooting competitions or athlete profiles, Sutch often strapped on a camera and hopped on a dirt bike or a snowboard to get the best shots.
“I had to be an athlete myself to do what I did,” he says.
A dirt-bike rider since childhood, Sutch began to feel the strain from his riding and his camera work. Then he was run over by a teen-aged driver.
His hips hurt. His mobility faltered. One of his children started helping him put on his socks every day.
“I have some buddies who work on Wall Street who ride too, and we would go out on our KTM 350s on the weekends to ride,” Sutch says. “I was trying desperately to keep riding.
“My enthusiasm level is very high,” he adds. “I was doing some hare scrambles, but it was too much. So I eventually cut down to doing 15-minute motos. Then that failed me.”
Sutch got serious about his health,
“With the new prosthetics they have now, I needed to be the Bionic Man,” Sutch says.
The first hip replacement occurred in 2012, the second in February 2013.The first post-surgery issue: When could he get back on his dirt bike?
“The doctor said he could see how passionate I was about riding. So, he said, ‘Give me 90 days,’ ” Sutch relates. “I said, ‘Doc, I’ll give you 100.’ ”
So, 101 days after his second surgery, Sutch went for an off-road ride on his KTM. That’s when the hospital’s advertising agency approached him about the commercial. Sutch was happy to help.
“I had a world-renowned hospital endorsing me doing tabletop jumps,” he says.
The hospital’s commercial shows Sutch riding on a friend’s 300-acre farm.
“I feel 100 percent now,” Sutch says. “I just had my one-year follow-up with the doctor, and everything is fantastic.”
Nowadays, Sutch is looking forward to more rides with his Wall-Street buddies and his 12-year-old son. He says he might even try to work in an AMA District 6 motocross event.
“Riding is going to be huge for us this year,” he says. “I am itching to get out.”
Jeff Sutch’s camera work can be found at www.sutchworks.com.
The hospital’s commercial is at www.hss.edu.
RYAN VILLOPOTO WINS HIS FOURTH DAYTONA SUPERCROSS
Blake Baggett Takes 250SX Main Event
Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Ryan Villopoto led all 20 laps of the 450 main event to win his fourth career Daytona Supercross at Daytona International Speedway on March 8.
Villopoto, a native of Seattle, never faced a serious challenge for the lead on his way to a 12.632-second victory. Rounding out the podium were KTM riders Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey.
Villopoto’s race was uneventful—with the exception of putting his bike down with seven laps to go.
“Whenever you have a fall like that, all that’s running through your mind is ‘Don’t stall the bike, and get up as quick as you can and take off,’” Villopoto says. “Luckily I had a nice lead, and I was able to get up and regroup.”
Villopoto’s victory at Daytona, his fourth in the last five years, keeps him atop the AMA Supercross championship standings with a 28-point lead over Dungey.
Villopoto and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jeff Stanton both have four career AMA Supercross main event wins at Daytona. Ricky Carmichael, also in the Hall of Fame, owns a record five Daytona Supercross wins.
In the 250 main event, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett led 14 of 15 laps on his way to a 16.748-second victory. His teammate and hometown favorite Adam Cianciarulo of nearby Port Orange earned his fourth career podium by finishing second. Martin Davalos rounded out the podium.
RACE BY THE RULES
Looking For AMA Competition Rulebooks?
AMA-sanctioned events run according to the rules developed and written by AMA Congress, the elected rule-making body that meets annually. Based on the collective wisdom of promoters, clubs, racers, volunteers and AMA staff, the AMA Competition Rulebooks have been in effect for 90 years—and they are for the exclusive use of AMA-chartered clubs and promoters running AMA-sanctioned events.
The rulebooks are broken down by discipline, so you can grab just what you need for whatever you race. Visit www. americanmotorcyclist.com/rulebooks to find the 2014 AMA Amateur Competition Rulebook, as well as the following 2014 supplemental rules:
• AMA Enduro National Championship Series
• AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series
• AMA Youth Hare & Hound National Championship Series
• AMA MotoTrials National Championship Series
• AMA Hare Scrambles Championship Series
• AMA Youth Hare Scrambles Championship Series
• AMA ATV Hare Scrambles Championship Series
• AMA Indoor Dirt Track National Championship Series
• AMA Vintage Dirt Track National Championship Series
• AMA Ice Race Grand Championship
• AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship Holeshot Series
• AMA Amateur Motocross National Championship
• AMA Approved Limited Class 2014 Motorcycles-MX
• AMA Limited Class Equipment Standards for Motocross
• AMA Approved ATV Models-Motocross Class Detail
• AMA Land Speed Grand Championship-BUB
Jeff Kardas
podium finishers from the first main, while Bowers followed in ninth and Ames in 10th. It didn’t take long for Hayes to make his way up front, moving into third place by Lap 3 and the lead on Lap 6.
Kawasaki Rider Gets Eighth Win Of Season
After narrowly taking the Arenacross class victory on the first night of Albuquerque’s AMA Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael’s Road to Supercross doubleheader, Babbitt’s Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Tyler Bowers made it a sweep with a more convincing effort the second day.
Meanwhile, Bowers was also on the move, and made it to second on Lap 8. Despite his best efforts, though, he couldn’t make it around Hayes, who won the second main event.
Bowers moved into the early lead to start the first 15-lap Arenacross class main event of the second night, with TUF Racing Honda’s Jacob Hayes in second place and Bower’s teammate Zach Ames in third.
Bowers set a torrid pace over the first few laps to establish a multi-second lead on the rest of the field. Behind him, Hayes and Ames engaged in a battle for second with Ames ultimately making the pass on the third lap. From there, the three riders broke away from the field. Bowers finished just over two seconds ahead of Ames, with Hayes in third.
In the second main event, Motosport. com’s Michael McDade took advantage and grabbed the early lead, followed by FLY Racing KTM’s Cheyenne Harmon and Woodstock KTM’s Travis Sewell.
Hayes, in sixth, had the best start of the
BOARD ELECTIONS FOR 2015
Southeast, South Central Regions
Bowers’ 1-2 finishes were better than Hayes’ 3-1 results, giving him the overall by two points.
For more on AMA Arenacross, and to learn how riders in the series earn points to qualify for an AMA Supercross license, visit www.arenacross.com.
Individual member representatives on the AMA Board of Directors will be elected to serve the Southeast and South Central Regions starting in 2015. For information about obtaining a candidate application, email AMA Director of Administrative Services Sean Maher at smaher@ama-cycle.org or call (614) 856-1900. The candidate application deadline is Aug. 1.
Tyler Bowers
MSRP: $669.99
Info: revitusa.com
By Jason Lisica
The Chronos GTX textile jacket from Rev’It USA is a good all-around jacket, but it’s particularly well suited for adventure riders who encounter all types of conditions and can benefit from comfort and comprehensive protection.
As I took the Chronos GTX out of its box, my fist impression was of the color—not quite white but something that perfectly straddled the line between silver and light tan. At $669.99, I definitely expected the Chronos to deliver luxurylevel comfort, and I wasn’t disappointed. The thick Gore-Tex liner is very comfortable, and, at least in this reviewer’s opinion, the style is very fashionable.
My jacket was a large, and I was a bit skeptical of the fit. I’m 6-foot and 175 pounds. This would typically put me at the right size for a large, but it’s rare that I don’t have to go XL for arm length.
Thankfully, the Rev’It must be made a bit on the large size because they nailed it for me. Arm length was good and it didn’t feel bulky around the chest. However, the jacket was a bit long for my personal preference. One of my pet peeves is when the stomach area curls or bulges when you sit on the bike. With a waist-length jacket like this, the seated stomach bulge is noticeable.
The most surprising element for me was the out-of-the-box placement of the armor. Everything was anatomically correct. The elbows bent easily and the shoulders felt protected.
I live and ride in Northern California, and conditions were perfect with 50 mph winds and heavy rain to test the waterproof claims of the Chronos. The jacket itself was indeed breathable, having large mesh panels and a webbed inner lining. The liner was warm and did not let in the slightest hint of moisture. An especially nice feature was the adjustable neck snap, allowing me to regulate the amount of air intake to the neck and chest area. Overall, I felt the jacket itself was very
well made, and the placement of the zippers and snaps was ideal. The wrists fit snugly, and
the bendable areas left nothing to chance for protection. The liner was top notch, while the outer shell repelled water as promised and dried quickly
AMA Member Tested FLY RACING STINGRAY
MSRP: $129.95
Info: www.flyracing.com
Fly Racing’s Stingray is designed to be a protective roost guard with a built-in hydration system. I have tried multiple brands of protectors, along with various hydration systems, and I’ve discovered that each was lacking in some area. I was eager to see how the Stingray stacked up.
First off, I found the Stingray to be a high-quality product. However, the initial set up and adjustments were complex. I was glad I had access to mirrors to get the straps positioned properly. That said, while it was a complicated process, within a few minutes of unwrapping the system, I did have a satisfactory fit.
The shoulder cups are removable and the hydration system can be easily used without the roost guard. The front chest protector plate has buckles to allow removal, and the hydration system can be worn like a backpack. I liked the ability to adjust the upper chest strap closer to or further from my neck, which allowed more clearance for my neck brace. Although each of the straps was very long, the excess could be trimmed if needed.
The Stingray is currently only available in one size, which is not ideal. I am 5-foot, 11 inches and weigh less than 150 pounds. Although this hydration system fit
me OK, it would probably fit a larger body size much better. Additionally, it did take slightly longer to fit, remove, and reinstall than some other brands I have used. That may not be an issue when going out for a trail ride, but could be a problem in a race situation. Fumbling with gear for tools or parts stowed in a pocket during a race is not only stressful, it costs valuable time.
Although the storage bladder in this pack holds 70 ounces, I found that was not enough for a long day, but acceptable for shorter trail rides. At most longer race events, we have some limited free time at the gas stops, and can refill our hydration packs during those breaks. A larger filler cap would facilitate that, and be a nice upgrade to this unit as well.
Overall, the quality of the Fly Racing Stingray stands out. I appreciate some of the features and the combined roost guard/ hydration system design is executed nicely. While it would benefit from a few minor refinements, this is a well-made system worth a look.
—Kelly Hassman
NO-FEE DAYS AT WAYNE NATIONAL FOREST Trail Ride For Free
The Wayne National Forest, located in Ohio, will offer three recreation fee waiver periods during summer and fall of 2014.
• National Get Outdoors Day, Saturday, June 14
• National Public Lands Day, Saturday, Sept. 27
• Veterans Day Weekend, Saturday, Nov. 8-11
The Wayne National Forest offers more than 390 miles of multiple-use trails, which include all-terrain vehicle (ATV), off-highway motorcycle, mountain bike and hiking trails.
With the exception of the above fee-waiver periods, trail permits are required to ride the trails, which are open April 15 through Dec. 15.
In addition to the trail permits, ATVs and offhighway motorcycles operated in the Wayne National Forest must also be registered by the state of Ohio. The fee waiver periods only apply to the user fees charged by the national forest, not the vehicle registration requirement.
For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/wayne.
Amateur racers, such as 2013 AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship Womens class champion Bri Hazen from Dover, Tenn., can get the recognition they deserve by developing a relationship with their hometown newspapers.
PRESS RELATIONS 101
Promote Yourself, Promote The Sport
Everyone loves a cool story, and motorcycle racing is the coolest sport in the world. That makes you, as a motorcycle racer, news.
Even better, if you race in an AMA National Championship Series or Grand Championship event, you are competing at the country’s highest level for your discipline. That’s big news!
With a little work, you can get press for yourself, your sponsors and your sport by making it easy for local media outlets—in most cases, the local community newspaper—to cover your races.
Getting ink is just like winning a race—you can’t win if you don’t get to the starting gate. So, while you can never guarantee that you’ll see your name in print, if you don’t make the effort, chances are slim that you ever will.
In short, you want to make it as easy as possible for the paper to cover your race. That means giving them photos and a story. The paper probably won’t run your story word-for-word, but your write-up will give them the facts they need to jumpstart their own article.
Here’s what you want to do.
Get Busy
Write a story—called a press release—about an upcoming race or a recent performance. This may sound like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. Write the release as if you were a reporter. Be sure to add a quote from yourself. As an AMA member, you have the AMA’s permission to use the facts or quotes from past and current AMA press releases to promote your performance in AMA events. Search for them at www. americanmotorcyclist.com.
Just remember to keep to the point. You are not competing with Shakespeare. You are providing facts and a human interest angle.
Get Connected
Find the newspaper’s sports reporter or editor (or maybe both). Their contact information will be available on a “Contact Us” page of the newspaper’s website. If you don’t find it there, look for it in a recent sports story. If you don’t find it there, call the paper and ask for it. Be polite.
Follow Up
Provide Photography
Racing is exciting. A photo delivers that message quickly.
Provide a digital highresolution image of yourself in action. In technical terms, this means 300 dpi and a physical size of at least 5x7 inches, which most digital cameras and cellphones can easily produce.
If you don’t have a nice shot and you have competed in past AMA National Championship Series or Grand Championship events, the AMA may have your image in our online member photo gallery at gallery. americanmotorcyclist.com.
As an AMA member, you can download and use these images at no charge for this purpose.
If you are submitting a story about a recent race, ideally you will provide a photo from that event, but if that’s not possible, send in a generic riding shot. Sending something is much better than sending nothing.
It’s also a good idea to provide a high-resolution, quality portrait of yourself. If you have sponsors, represent them tastefully.
The day after you’ve emailed the story and images, follow up with a phone call. Ask the reporter or editor whether they received your e-mail, if the photos looked good, ask if they have any questions, and thank them for their time. Do not be pushy or arrogant. They don’t have to cover you or your race, but if you are polite, have a interesting story and make their job easy, chances are they will.
Yve Assad
A POST-WAR HOT ROD
Few motorcycles in the world are as classic or recognizable as an Indian Chief. With its muscular V-twin engine and deeply skirted fenders, the iconic machine has always stood apart from the crowd.
That’s even more the case with this bike, a 1947 model complete with a hot-rod paint job in keeping with its era. Even better, this particular Indian Chief is this year’s AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame raffle bike, meaning you can enter to win it with a suggested donation of $5 per entry ticket at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.
The Chief started its illustrious model life in 1922, though that early machine was much different than this 1947 model. It featured a 1,000cc motor that was enlarged a year later to 1,200cc (73ci). The sculpted fenders that came to define the Indian look debuted in 1940.
Indian’s Iconic 1947 Chief
WWII ended production of civilian models, with the factory output reserved for a limited number of military machines. When the war ended in 1946, Indian struggled to quickly return to the production numbers it had enjoyed during the war. The Chief was the only motorcycle offered in 1946 and 1947, and demand was high.
The 1947 model carried over the ‘46’s hydraulically damped girder fork that came from the military-bike development effort.
The ’47 also was the first to carry the chrome script “Indian” logo on the tank— previous models sported an Indian-head design. The front-fender light was also reworked to feature a face.
According to the book Indian Motorcycles by Jerry Hatfield and Hans Halberstadt, the special
“rainbow” paint job was invented by John Polovik in 1942, and was considered by the Indian factory as a factory option, according to restorer Bob Stark. Ultimately, the multi-layer paint scheme required too much work and expertise, and was never officially adopted. This ’47 was restored and painted in the same colors.
The bike is on display at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, and will be given away at this year’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, which will feature Indian Motorcycles new and old as Marque of the Year. For information on a chance to win this bike, visit www.motorcyclemuseum. org/rafflebike.aspx
For information on AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2014, July 11-13 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, see page 36, or visit www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com
AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, features the people and machines that have defined the sport, lifestyle and business of motorcycling in America. The Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that receives support from the AMA and from the motorcycling community. For info and directions, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org, or call (614) 856-2222.
Photos Rainer Ziehm
The
Hall of Famer
AN INDIAN ‘MOTOCYCLE’ ENDURO ACE
Max Bubeck tamed the deserts and the woods from the 1930s to the 1970s
Californian Max Bubeck became an icon for winning enduros and setting land-speed records on Indians during a career that spanned over 40 years from the 1930s to the 1970s. After retiring from competition in the late-1970s, Bubeck continued to be active in motorcycling, doing everything from restoring classic Indian motorcycles to sponsoring antique motorcycle meetings.
Bubeck was born in Los Angeles on June 28, 1917. He purchased his first motorcycle— an Indian 101 Scout—from his brother when he was 16. Bubeck learned his offroad riding skills in the mountains north of the growing city. By the middle 1930s, Bubeck had traded in his Indian V-Twin and began riding and racing the company’s fourcylinder model.
In 1937, a friend told Bubeck of an event put on by a local club, called the Greenhorn Enduro. The race was held annually over the mountains to the deserts north of Los Angeles. Bubeck finished fourth novice in the ’37 race.
Chase and Pop Schunk, to a record speed of 135.58 mph on the Rosamond Dry Lake. The speed was the fastest time ever recorded by an unstreamlined Indian.
In the late 1940s, Bubeck again went against popular opinion and began racing Indian’s vertical twins, then considered uncompetitive. Bubeck and Ed Kretz teamed up to develop the new bike and figured out many ways to make the machine better, which led to the introduction of the Indian Warrior in the late 1940s.
One of Bubeck’s most popular wins came in 1950 aboard the new Warrior. That year, he won the Cactus Derby, a long-distance desert race and mountain race originating in Riverside, Calif. The race was unique in that it started at midnight. That year, Bubeck’s bike lost its lighting barely an hour into the race. He managed to continue by riding with other riders and using their lights. Bubeck still won.
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE: AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS MARQUE OF THE YEAR
Old And New Indian Machines Will Be Showcased July 11-13
Indian Motorcycle will be celebrated as the 2014 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days Marque of the Year, July 11-13, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days featuring Indian Motorcycle as Marque of the Year will include special recognition, displays and race classes for historic Indian-brand motorcycles (including Indian “Motocycles” from the early days), as well as participation from the new Indian Motorcycle.
Attendees at the three-day festival of vintage motorcycling will experience a special Indian Motorcycle-themed tent on the Mid-Ohio infield featuring beautiful examples of classic Indian machines, as well as the latest machines from the new Indian Motorcycle. In addition, a full demo fleet of Indian Motorcycles will be at the event, allowing enthusiasts to get a first-hand feel for the company’s lineup.
“Few of motorcycling’s great brands have as much history as Indian Motocycle, which began in 1901 and helped define the preWWII motorcycling era with iconic models like the Indian Scout and Chief,” says AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “With the modern revival of the Indian Motorcycle name being backed by Polaris Industries, we’re excited to celebrate the brand’s iconic motorcycling history, as well as its future.”
“It turns out that I was lucky to finish fourth that first year,” Bubeck recalled. “The top three had to race expert the next year. So I got one more year in the novice ranks!”
The Greenhorn Enduro was temporarily discontinued after the 1939 race due to World War II. After spending the war years working for airplane manufacturer Lockheed, Bubeck picked up where he left off, racing in various off-road events. In 1947, the 130-pound Bubeck won the Greenhorn aboard a 530-pound Indian 4.
“I didn’t know it couldn’t be done, so I did it,” Bubeck said.
Bubeck’s riding expertise wasn’t confined to mountain trail riding. In 1948 he rode an Indian “Chout”—a mix of Chief and Scout parts—built with partners Frank
Bubeck’s last major win came in 1962. That year, the 44-year-old racer again won the Greenhorn Enduro (on a 1949 Indian Warrior), a full 15 years after he’d last won the race. In all, Bubeck competed in 32 Greenhorn Enduros (from 1937 to 1979) and finished the rugged race 24 times.
For years after, Bubeck hopped up Indians, and during the 1970s became a distributor for Hodaka motorcycles. After retiring in the early 1980s, Bubeck continued his love affair with Indians, restoring old bikes and making crosscountry trips on the classic American machines.
When inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, Bubeck still rode every week with a local group, and staged an annual antique motorcycle ride through Death Valley. He died in 2011 at the age of 93.
Indian Motorcycle Vice President Steve Menneto says the company is looking forward to showcasing its new models to some of motorcycling’s most die-hard enthusiasts.
“It is a real honor to our entire team for Indian Motorcycle to be selected Marque of the year for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days,” Menneto says. “We know that enthusiasts of all brands come to this event, and the chance to not only celebrate where the Indian Motorcycle came from but to display and ride where we are heading is going to make a for a fantastic weekend.”
AMA members can call (800) 262-5646 to purchase a weekend pass to AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days for $45, or a one-day pass for $25 through May 27, saving $5 off the regular advance purchase rate. The AMA member discount is in addition to the regular $10 savings on advance ticket purchases, and there is no service charge for AMA members when purchasing through the AMA, making the savings even greater.
On Display At The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
“67”
By Dale Bert
What it is: An airbrushed image of a racing motorcycle at speed, one of two paintings on display by the Chino, Calif., artist and motorcyclist
What the artist says: “I have always been told art should evoke emotion. It is much easier to evoke anger or sadness, but serenity is also an emotion. Sometimes in our world today, it is much harder to take the viewer to a place away from their stress, allow them to calm down and relax, to remember a moment when their worries just disappeared. There is simple beauty in most of the things around us. Sometimes you just have to look at it from a different perspective.”
See it: “67” is currently on display at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame as part of the exhibit “2 Wheels + Motor: an International Fine Arts Exhibition”
Put yourself in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is YOUR hall of fame—we couldn’t exist without the generous support of our donors. Now there’s a new way for you to show that support in a very visible way: My Hall of Fame. The idea is simple: A $20 charitable donation gets you a 3-inch-square space on the wall in the Hall of Fame entrance foyer that hangs during the campaign year. Want a bigger space? A 6-inch square is an $80 donation, and an 8-inch square is a $180 donation. You also get an official certificate noting that your picture is on display in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Hang your picture, your kid’s picture, your company logo, almost anything. It’s up to you! Get in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame today!
Perfect Balance: Trials Offers Thrills, skills
Go Slow To Go Fast By
James Holter
Motorcycle competition isn’t always about getting from Point A to Point B the quickest. One of the more popular disciplines that puts a premium on technique vs. speed is trials.
Trials, or “moto-trials” as it's sometimes called to distinguish it from its bicycle equivalent, tests a rider’s ability to navigate a section of trail without putting down his or her feet, stalling the motorcycle or crashing.
Trials bikes are off-highway motorcycles engineered to produce smooth, usable power across a range of engine speeds. They are light and nimble and feature relatively soft, trailfriendly suspension.
Trials enthusiasts ride on trails, in backyards, in fields and over obstacles both natural and man-made. Trials clubs host AMA-sanctioned trials events all over the country. These events provide an organized setting, new riding opportunities and a competitive outlet for an active community of trials competitors.
For new riders, or old riders wanting a new challenge, trials is a great option.
“If you can ride slowly over rocks and roots and things and control your bike, you can ride over those things fast and control your bike,” says Brad Baumert, AMA Life Member, offroad motorcycle enthusiast, trials rider and the U.S. importer for the Spanish trials bike manufacturer Sherco.
Baumert is something of a trials evangelist, championing its benefits for riders of all ages whenever he has the opportunity. He says that trials teaches good riding habits, promotes family, offers a supportive competitive landscape, and is a relatively inexpensive, low-maintenance motorsport.
Skill Develo P ment
Beginning riders often try to go too fast too soon, skipping over the steps necessary to develop the riding technique that ultimately would allow them to go even faster. Trials places no premium on speed and often penalizes it if riders rush, lose control and have to put a foot down. Instead, it forces you to focus on developing that technique.
“If you can ride a trials bike through sections, you can do any type of motorcycle sport there is,” Baumert says. “[Trials] teaches you the basics: throttle control, clutch control, balance, looking ahead, all the key ingredients to being able to ride on a trail fast.”
the conley S :
Like many families, the Conleys prefer to spend their time together riding dirt bikes. Clockwise from lower right: Logan, Lucas, Eryn, Kim, Gwendalyn and Greg.
The cross-discipline benefits of trials can’t be disputed. Many off-road race stars cut their competitive teeth in trials, including multi-time AMA Endurocross Champion Taddy Blazusiak and former Grand National Cross Country Champion David Knight.
“Having that control over the throttle and not having the
throttle control you is the biggest key,” Baumert says. “Being balanced on your bike, so when you’re in a corner you’re not weighted too much on the inside or the outside is important. If you're balanced perfectly, you can ride much more smoothly through the corners.”
Baumert says that trials also teaches you one of the most important skills of all, regardless of what type of motorcycle you’re riding: “Looking ahead, making sure that you know where you’re going and not staring at your front wheel and just reacting to things.”
The Conleys—Mom Kim Conley, Dad Greg Conley, 11-year-old Gwendalyn, 10-year-old Eryn and 5-year-old twins Lucas and Logan—from Conneaut Lake, Pa., love trials. Kim and Greg say that they saw immediate skill improvement in their
kids when they started the sport.
The two girls started at an older age and had the benefit of maturity, Kim says. What was most surprising to them was how quickly the younger twins developed. Both Lucas and Logan were able to balance and ride when they got their first bike—an Oset electric trials bike—for their third birthday.
sections, based on diffi culty. Greg says that once Lucas and Logan learned how to read the section signs, it became hard for him to keep up as the boys bounded from section to section on their own.
“When they started, they didn’t read their letters,” he says. “Now they pull up, walk the section, get back on the bike and away they go. They move so fast, I can hardly get close enough to take pictures. It’s pretty cool.”
Lucas and Logan started competing the following year.
“I couldn’t believe how they took off and how mature they became,” Kim says. “You could see it. The first year of competing, they needed help. You couldn’t really expect a lot out of them that first year, but at every trial competition, they got better and better.”
At trials events, diff erent classes follow diff erent marked lines through the
Photos by Todd Biss
Photography
FAMILY TIME
The Conleys say that the sport of trials has provided a number of family-friendly activities for all of them.
Kim Conley sums it up well: “It’s togetherness. It’s all about having fun. There are a lot of sports you can get your
kids involved in, but trials you can actually do together. One day, my husband and kids will all be able to go on the same loop together. It’s just about being able to do something together as a family.”
That, of course, is true about many disciplines, from harescrambles to dirt
helping each other
“When you ride a trials together, you’re within speaking distance of each other. You’re able to help each other, coach each other through the sections. For a family, it’s the best time you’ll ever have on a motorcycle because you’re communicating and helping each other and encouraging each other.”
—BRAD BAUMERT
track. What makes trials different, Baumert says, is a format that encourages constant communication.
“When you ride a trials together, you’re within speaking distance of each other,” he says. “You’re able to help each other, coach each other through the sections.
Brad Baumert
For a family, for a father and son or mother and daughter, it’s the best time you’ll have on a motorcycle because you’re communicating and helping each other and encouraging each other.”
For Greg Conley, who rode trials when he was younger, it means a lot to experience the same benefits with his kids that he enjoyed growing up.
“Trials is something I did with my brother, and my whole family is into it, and every event with the Trials Inc. group [an AMA-chartered promoting club] is like a huge family reunion,” Greg says. “I’m not knocking other sports, but some can get really competitive, and you have to spend a lot of money for just a few minutes of riding time. In trials, you have more time on the bike, more seat time, more time with your friends, and after the awards ceremony, everybody sits around and keeps talking.”
LOW IMPACT
There’s nothing wrong with kicking up some dirt or railing ruts through a corner, but such riding is best done on designated trails or tracks.
Trials, on the other hand, produces almost no noticeable environmental impact. The slow speeds, lack of intentional wheel spin, low-air-pressure tires, soft knobbies and very quiet exhausts mean not only can you ride without disturbing the soil, but you can have a conversation at the same time.
For the Conleys, who started their kids on electric trials bikes, the sport was even less invasive.
“We have the electric bikes, and Greg has a vintage gasoline-powered bike and a modern gas bike, and they don’t bother anybody,” Kim says.
COMPETITION BASICS
Like most AMA-sanctioned motorcycle competition, trials events welcome riders of all skill levels and on a range of equipment.
“Local events might get 60 to 70 riders, and they’re all different abilities,” Baumert says. “We have our novice class all the way up to what we call our champ class, which is our top class. In that, you’ll have fun as a beginner trying to navigate turns through sections that are mostly flat ground, and then you’ll advance your way up where you’re in a more advanced or expert class.”
Sections are carefully laid out by experienced trials riders so all competitors are challenged but safe. For example, beginner and kids' loops will focus on throttle control and turning, while expert lines will require riders to ride off-camber corners, rooted banks and large logs or rocks.
“Youth B is the beginners' class, and it's very safe,” Kim says. “Youth A is more challenging, but if they feel that an obstacle is unsafe, they’re not going to add it to the section. The kids also walk the sections. They can see, OK, here’s something I need to avoid. They might hit a rock and fall over, but the next time around they’ll avoid it.”
Baumert says that trials is more accessible than a lot of other disciplines.
One reason is the cost of entry. He says that trials bikes not only remain competitive over time, but their lowrevving motors and slower speeds reduce wear and tear.
“You could get a 10-year-old bike for $1,000 to $1,500 and ride it a couple years before you step up," he says. "The bikes are very inexpensive.”
Baumert says that riders from sports where horsepower is key will be pleasantly surprised by trials.
“Everything you know about maintenance in motocross or enduro you can throw out the door,” he says. “These motors don’t rev really high. They’re really a lifetime motor. You won’t ever have to rebuild your motor. You clean the filter, oil the chain and that’s about all you have to do maintenance wise.”
Although protection is paramount, the slow speeds reduce the possibility of a serious crash and the lack of roost permits a minimalist approach when it comes to gear, Baumert says.
“You have to protect yourself, of course, with a helmet, some boots and maybe some gloves,” he says. “But other than that, people might ride in blue jeans, or they might ride in the latest trials gear, but it’s all over the board at a local trials. It’s probably one of the easiest-entry motorcycle sports there is.”
To find a trials, search local events at www.americanmotorcyclist.com. For information on the AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship Series, see www.mototrials.com.
Special thanks to Bob Wentzel, who provided access to son Quinn Wentzel's Training Facility for the photography in this story.
COVERAGE DENIED Insurance Discrimination Threat Hangs Over Motorcycling
By Jim Wi ers
Street motorcyclists and offhighway riders who hoped that the Patient Protection and Aff ordable Care Act would require health-insurance policies to cover treatment for injuries sustained while riding are in for a big disappointment, experts say.
The president’s signature healthcare reform legislation, which began rolling out in January, failed to close the gaping loophole in the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that allows employers and insurance companies to exclude “risky activities” from coverage.
Instead, employers and insurers can continue to establish arbitrary standards of behavior and determine health-care coverage based on the source of the injury.
It’s not just motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders who are affected.
Other activities typically excluded by health-care plans include hang gliding, skydiving, bungee jumping, parasailing and rock climbing. Also excluded: automobile, aircraft or speed-boat racing; reckless operation of a vehicle or other machinery; “ultimate fighting;” use of explosives; and travel to countries with advisory warnings.
While injuries resulting from these activities can result in costly medical bills, motorcycle and ATV riding are arguably everyday activities enjoyed by an estimated 22 million Americans.
All too often, injured motorcyclists and ATV riders don’t realize the limits of their health-care coverage until they are lying in a hospital bed.
Devastating e ect
Kent Stuermer of Roseburg, Ore., crashed his Honda CR250 in December, breaking his neck and hand and tearing ligaments in his shoulder.
The results: $173,000 in medical bills that his health-care plan won’t cover, and the prospect of those expenses rising to more than $250,000 when all the treatments and rehabilitation are complete.
“That’s more money than I’ve made in my whole life,” Stuermer says.
Stuermer’s C2 vertebra is secured with a screw. He is wearing a neck brace. His arm and hand are in a cast. He can’t work his truck-driving job. And the 56-yearold and his wife are scraping by on her $700-a-month Social Security check and drawing down their savings account.
The Stuermers bought their policy
directly, because his employer does not provide health-care benefits.
“I should be the poster boy for the campaign to get people to read their insurance policies,” Stuermer says. “Most everybody trusts their insurance agent. You look the policy over a little bit, see you have $2 million in coverage, then sign it.”
The exclusion for injuries sustained in dirt bike crashes is on page 22 of Stuermer’s policy.
When he found out in mid-February that his policy would not cover his medical bills, Stuermer called his insurance agent.
The agent reminded him that he had 10 days to read the 50-page policy before signing it.
Stuermer wrote a letter to the insurer, called a lawyer and enlisted the help of a state lawmaker. But no one has been able to help.
“We are just up against a hard wall here,” Stuermer says.
Injured firefighter
Lt. James Baker, a fi refi ghter in Sebring, Fla., crashed his motorcycle along U.S. 27 while off -duty in June 2009. He was not wearing a helmet.
The city’s insurance carrier denied his claim for about $86,000 in medical expenses, saying the employees’ policies called for riders to wear helmets, even though Florida law does not require them.
The provision had been added to the policy in 2005 to exclude “activities of a hazardous nature,” but the city failed to inform the aff ected workers.
The city eventually reached a settlement with Baker, who successfully argued that he sustained no head injuries in the crash, so the helmet requirement was irrelevant.
But the result could have been much more dire.
Jumping through hoops
Even if your health insurance policy covers your motorcycle-related injuries, collecting your benefits may take extra time and effort.
Pennsylvania AMA member Jeffrey Goelz, a Motorcycle Safety Foundation certified RiderCoach who has been riding for 27 years, was involved in a crash with a car in September.
“I was whisked away in an ambulance, in only my boots, gloves and helmet. Everything else was cut off me in the road,” Goelz says. “The treatment I received was based on the thought I had medical insurance on my motorcycle policy. I didn’t, as my previous insurance covered me for such things, and I didn’t read the fine print when we switched providers.”
At a follow-up visit with his primarycare physician, Goelz was told that his employer-provided health insurance plan would not cover his care.
He contacted the insurer and learned that his plan would cover much of the expense, but the health-care providers were required to verify coverage on each and every visit.
“This took days,” Goelz says. “Sometimes appointments had to be moved. But it needed to be done every time, and took far too long to approve.”
Goelz’s lawyer told him that, because Pennsylvania is a “no-fault” state, Goelz couldn’t collect reimbursement from the car-driver’s insurance company.
When he got on a training bike in October to teach a motorcycle-safety class, anxiety consumed him.
“Even on a little 250, in a parking lot, demo’ing exercises I could do in my sleep, my heart was pounding, and I would almost hyperventilate,” he says. “I remember one day not being able to do the figure 8 in the box, something I had great proficiency with.”
For about four months, Goelz didn’t get back onto a bike. He sold his other bikes. By February, he was ready to try again.
“I put a deposit on a new (used) bike (a 2009 Suzuki GSF1250S),” Goelz says. “I would rather be anxious on two wheels and work through these issues than watch spring pass me by like a dog pressed against a window.”
The economics
Employers and insurers say they must exclude “risky behavior” from coverage to help contain the rising costs of health care and health-care coverage, several studies show.
But a study by the University of North Carolina’s Highway Safety Research Center shows that the average costs of motorcyclists’ injuries are actually slightly lower than the costs for other accident victims.
High-risk activities rarely enter the discussion about what drives U.S. healthcare and insurance costs ever higher.
David Cutler, a health economist who has worked for President Obama on health care issues, told PBS NewsHour that three factors account for most of the high cost of U.S. health care:
• Administrative expenses, which account for about 25 percent of healthcare costs;
• Doctors’ pay, drug costs and durable medical equipment prices are much higher here than in other countries; and
• Americans receive more care for the same illness or injuries than people elsewhere.
“I have yet to see a penny for pain and suff ering,” he says. “My FSA (Flexible Spending Account) is almost empty because of the expenses I’ve had to incur because my health insurance would refuse me treatment without a ton of red tape.”
His 2002 Suzuki GSF Bandit 1200S was totaled.
The ordeal affected more than just his physical health, Goelz says.
Meanwhile, a Harvard University study shows that unpaid medical expenses represent the biggest cause of bankruptcy in the United States, representing 62 percent of all personal bankruptcies.
The study also states that 78 percent of those filing for bankruptcy because of overwhelming medical expenses had some form of health insurance.
Kent Steurmer had been riding dirt bikes for more than 40 years when a 2013 crash damaged a vertebra. He faces hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
ACA brings no change
Kevin Lucia, a research professor and project director at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, says no federal standards affect individual or small-group policies and “there is a huge amount of flexibility for large companies” under the ACA and other laws.
His associate, David L. Cusano, says that each state must determine which exemptions are going to be allowed under policies issued within its borders.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners agrees with that assessment.
None of the ACA rating provisions applies to self-insured employer plans, so there would be no effect on the use of motorcycle-rider status to determine employee contribution rates, according to an NAIC spokesperson.
And those plans are not subject to state insurance law, so the question of whether state laws address it is not relevant for them.
Fully insured group plans are subject to state laws, but not to the ACA rating requirements.
Most people in the United States are covered under self-funded employer plans, Lucia says.
History of discrimination
The AMA became involved in the issue of lifestyle discrimination in the 1990s when members alerted AMA staff that employers were canceling healthinsurance coverage for motorcycle riding.
Because of the AMA’s hard work alongside other groups, HIPAA contained a provision prohibiting employers from denying health-care coverage to motorcyclists and others engaged in legal activities when injured.
But the federal agencies that implemented the law subverted the intent of Congress. Their rules forbid the exclusion of motorcyclists and ATV riders from overall coverage under the employer’s plan, but allow lifestyle restrictions in the payment of claims.
Two attempts to close the loophole failed.
In 2005, U.S. Reps. Ted Strickland of Ohio and Michael C. Burgess of Texas
co-sponsored a bill that would protect individuals injured in recreational activities. That bill was not enacted.
In 2007, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine reintroduced the HIPAA Recreational Injury Technical Correction Act, which also faltered.
Cusano says the agencies implementing HIPAA “wanted employers to have flexibility” in determining the scope of their health-insurance coverage.
Recent action
The AMA sent a letter on Nov. 7 to Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, seeking answers to two questions:
• Will injuries resulting from activities that contribute to active lifestyles, such
as riding a motorcycle or ATV, be covered without qualification under the minimum requirements of all the plans offered in the federal and state exchanges?
• Will the change in minimum requirements under the ACA require all private insurers to include coverage, without qualification, for lifestyle choices such as riding a motorcycle or ATV?
At press time, four months later, Secretary Sebelius had yet to respond.
States slow to act
Cusano, who served as chief legal counsel to Coventry Health Care, Inc. on implementation of the ACA, says motorcyclists and others with an active lifestyle must turn to the states for relief.
He says employers or insurance providers submit their plans, including
Jeffrey Goelz, injured in a crash in on his motorcycle in Pennsylvania, found that being insured did not always mean easy access to health care. His insurer required him to obtain advanced approval for each appointment for treatment.
Duncan Kendall
2013 Yamaha Super Ténéré
As the proud sponsor of the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré National Adventure Touring Series, Yamaha is awarding one lucky member a new 2013 Super Ténéré! Riders participating in the series will also be automatically entered.
exemptions, to the state insurance regulators, and the regulators decide whether the requested exemptions fall in line with state law.
According to a 2010 report from the National Conference of State Legislatures, 29 states and the District of Columbia have statutes that protect employees’ from adverse employment actions based on their off-duty activities.
These statutes provide three different levels of protection:
• Use of tobacco only;
• Use of lawful products; and
• Any and all lawful activities. Four states—California, Colorado, New York and North Dakota—offer statutory protection for employees who engage in lawful activities.
But most of those laws protect workers only from being dismissed or disciplined for their “risky behavior” off-duty and away from the employers’ premises.
The statutes do not address exclusion of lifestyle choices from the employer’s health care plan.
Only Colorado specifically prohibits discrimination in health care coverage for participants in “motorcycling; snowmobiling; off-highway vehicle riding; skiing; or snowboarding.” (See Colorado Revised Statutes section 10-3-1104.)
Time for local action
With no help on the horizon at the federal level, those who wish to end this type of lifestyle discrimination must focus on convincing their state legislators to adopt state laws and regulations recognizing motorcycling and ATV riding as legitimate activities.
Stuermer has asked his state representative in Oregon to press for a law like Colorado’s that prohibits lifestyle discrimination based on the nature of the injury.
“By the grace of God, somehow we’ll make it,” Stuermer says. “But what if this happened to someone with a wife and two kids? What if this happened to 40 families?”
The AMA encourages other states to use the Colorado law as a starting point for efforts to end this type of discrimination within their jurisdictions.
Ensuring You ArE insurEd Lawyers Say Coverage Worth Extra Dollars
The first step to take to ensure that you and your family are adequately protected is to read your current health insurance and vehicle insurance policies and take note of the levels of coverage, the maximum out-of-pocket expenses you could incur and any exclusions.
Then talk to your insurance agent to determine the types and amounts of additional coverage you need.
And the time to do that is now— before you are involved in a crash.
Anthony Castelli, a Cincinnati, Ohio, accident and personal injury attorney and AMA member, says the best type of insurance to buy is uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage.
Liability coverage pays if you injure someone else.
“But what if someone injures you and has very little or no insurance? Where are you going to turn to get compensated?” Castelli says. “That’s where uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance comes in. That’s what you purchase from your insurance company, and it pays you in the event that the person who caused your injury had very little insurance.”
Say the person who caused your injury carried $12,500 in liability insurance.
“Heck, if they put you in the emergency room and you had some significant follow-up, that’s going to eat that up,” Castelli says. “And if you’ve got a real serious injury, you’re going to have much more compensation than you’re entitled to.”
Castelli recommends buying at least $100,000 of uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage.
“It’s not that expensive,” he says. Pennsylvania attorney Edgar Snyder recommends adding or increasing
uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage and bodily injury liability coverage, as well as taking advantage of “stacking,” if it is available in your state.
Stacking increases your benefits, if all your vehicles are covered under the same insurance policy.
For example, if you have $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence limits on each vehicle, and you have three vehicles on your policy, with stacking you are entitled to coverage in the amount of $300,000 per person and $900,000 per occurrence, Snyder says.
For the other types of coverage, he recommends:
• Uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence.
• Bodily injury liability coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence. Many states have minimum coverage amounts for this coverage, which is designed to cover any claims against you if you’re found legally responsible for causing a crash.
Snyder advises to check with your agent to find out whether you can add medical coverage to your vehicle policy or whether you need to buy a supplemental health insurance plan.
“Keep in mind that some states may not allow you to have medical benefits on your motorcycle insurance policy, so it’s critical that you have other medical insurance,” Snyder says. “If you don’t and you’re in an accident, your medical bills will add up quickly.”
Carrying that additional coverage eases the stress on you and your family as you ride. And, if you are involved in a crash, it can provide the financial support you need while you are off work, receiving care and recovering.
A few of the hundreds of AMA-sanctioned events this month, detailed on the following pages.
1
Time to break out your dual-sport bike or adventure-tourer and run the roads and trails in the AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series and the AMA Yamaha Super Ténéré National Adventure Riding Series. This month, the Husqvarna series features the Hanging Rock 200 in McArthur, Ohio, on May 17-18, while the Yamaha series features the Yosemite Adventure tour in Buck Meadows, Calif., May 3-4; the Hanging Rock 200 in McArthur, Ohio, May 1718, and the Berkshire Big Adventure in Tolland, Mass. May 17-18. For the full schedules, see page 55.
2
You have two chances this month to catch the action of the AMSOIL AMA Grand National Cross Country series. Don’t miss the exciting racing on May 10-11 in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. and May 24-26 in Morgantown, W.Va. For the full schedule, see page 53.
5
The 2014 AMA Pro Motocross season gets under way with the Glen Helen National in San Bernardino, Calif., May 24, followed by the Hangtown Motocross Classic on May 31 in Sacramento, Calif. For the full schedule, see page 52.
3
Year after year, the AspenCash Rally—set for May 15-18 this year—dishes out heaps of camaraderie and good times for street riders. AspenCash is an AMA National Touring Rally held in Ruidoso, N.M. Info: www.motorcyclerally.com.
COMING UP
4
Join hundreds of other motorcyclists for a scenic ride through Tennessee and support a good cause at the same time at the Middle Tennessee Ride For Kids that starts and ends at Jim Warren Park in Franklin, Tenn., May 18. Registration is 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The escorted ride starts at 10 a.m. rain or shine. Info: www.pbtfus.org/rideforkids.
If you’re a touring rider and haven’t experienced Americade, plan to be in Lake George, N.Y. June 2-7. This AMA National Convention features motorcycle tours, meals, parties and all the fun you can stand. Info: www.tourexpo.com.
Laconia Motorcycle Week is June 14-22 in Laconia, N.H. This weeklong AMA Gypsy Tour is jam-packed with action, motorcycle racing and motorcycling activities. Info: www.laconiamcweek.com.
ALABAMA
RECREATIONAL
ROAD RALLY
MAY 29: BIRMINGHAM: BMW RIDERS ASSOCIATION INC. ARIZONA
COMPETITION
OBSERVED TRIALS
MAY 18: KINGMAN: CENTRAL ARIZONA TRIALS INC, (602) 840-3640, CENTRALARIZONATRIALS.ORG
ARKANSAS
RECREATIONAL
ROAD RUN
MAY 16: MARBLE FALLS: MOTORCYCLE SPORT TOURING ASSOCIATION, (870) 743-4062
MAY 29: EUREKA SPRINGS: MOTOMARATHON ASSOCIATION, (303) 641-1062, MOTOMARATHON.COM
COMPETITION
MOTOCROSS
MAY 24: SHERWOOD: 2 DAY EVENT, DIRT BIKE MIKE LLC, (501) 282-1864, DIRTBIKEMIKE.COM
CALIFORNIA
RECREATIONAL
ADVENTURE RIDE
MAY 3: BUCK MEADOWS: 2 DAY EVENT, FAMILY OFF-ROAD ADVENTURES, (209) 649-3633, FAMILYOFFROADADVENTURES. COM
ROAD RUN
MAY 14: TORRANCE: PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION, (828) 665-6891, RIDEFORKIDS.ORG
ROAD RALLY
MAY 13: RANCHO CUCAMONGA: RUN FOR THE WALL
COMPETITION CROSS COUNTRY
MAY 25: GRIZZLY FLATS: 2 DAY EVENT, EARTHSCAPE CUSTOM DIRT WORKS, (916) 421-7268 ENDURO
MAY 4: GEORGETOWN: CALIFORNIA ENDURO RIDERS ASSOCIATION, (925) 413-2434, CERA.ORG
MAY 10: OMO RANCH: POLKA DOTS MOTORCYCLE CLUB EUROPEAN SCRAMBLES
MAY 10: (Includes ATVs) RIDGECREST: 2 DAY EVENT, BADGERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, (661) 242-2712, BADGERSMC.ORG MOTOCROSS
MAY 4: RANCHO CORDOVA: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 2976686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 10: PALA: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 297-6686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 17: SNELLING: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 2976686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 18: SNELLING: 2X PROMOTIONS LLC, (740) 297-
6686, 2XPROMOTIONS.COM
MAY 29: RANCHO CORDOVA: 2 DAY EVENT, DIRT DIGGERS NORTH M.C. INC, (800)-HANGTOWN, HANGTOWNMX.COM
MAY 31: HESPERIA : 2 DAY EVENT, COMPETITIVE EDGE MX PARK, (760) 947-9054, RIDECEMX.COM
High Adventure. No Hassle. The best routes, roads and twotrack, mapped by local experts. A great challenge with like-minded riders. A full weekend’s activities, with camping, campfires, food and prizes. For more information visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Riding
THE ADVENTURE is out there
Get comeit
HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME
MOTORCYCLEMUSEUM.ORG
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Main Hall: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Recognizing those who have made significant contributions to all aspects of motorcycling.
Dirt-Track! All-American Motorcycle Racing: Celebrating the storied history of the dirt oval.
2 Wheels + Motor, A Fine Art Exhibition: The spirit, excitement and adventure of motorcycling is expressed through fine art.
Founder’s Hall: Honoring the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s generous contributors.
July 11-13, Lexington, Ohio: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. Information: www.amavintagemotorcycledays. com.
AMA PRO RACING
AMA PRO FLAT TRACK AMAPRORACING.COM
May 25: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield Mile
June 15: Knoxville, Ia.: Knoxville Half Mile
June 28: Lima, Oh.: Lima Half Mile
July 5: Hagerstown, Md.: Hagerstown Half Mile
July 19: Elma, Wa.: Grays Harbor Raceway
July 26: Sacramento, Calif.: Sacramento Mile
Aug. 2: Castle Rock, Wa.: Castle Rock TT
Aug. 5: Rapid City, S.D.: Sturgis Half Mile
Aug. 8: Indianapolis, Ind.: Indy Mile
Aug. 17: Peoria, Ill.: Peoria TT
Aug. 23: New Kent, Va.: Colonia Downs MIle
Aug. 31: Springfield, Ill.: Springfield Mile II
Sept. 28: Santa Rosa, Calif.: Santa Rosa Mile
Oct. 11: Pomona, Calif.: Flat Track Season Finale
AMA PRO HILLCLIMB AMAPRORACING.COM
June 1: Spring Grove, Pa.: White Rose MC
June 8: Freemansburg, Pa.: Bushkill Valley MC
June 18: Canaan, N.H.: Ridge Runner/Laconia Bike Week
July 13: West Branch, Mich.: Ogemaw Hills Bike Week
Aug. 3: Muskegon, Mich.: Muskegon MC *All Star Challenge
2014 EVENTS
Oct. 12: Oregonia, OH: Dayton MC
LUCAS OIL AMA PRO MOTOCROSS PROMOTOCROSS.COM
May 24: San Bernardino, Calif.: Glen Helen National
May 31: Sacramento, Calif.: Hangtown Motocross Classic
June 7: Lakewood, Colo.: Thunder Valley National
June 14: Mt. Morris, Pa.: High Point National
June 28: Blountville, Tenn.: Tennessee National
Jul. 5: Buchanan, Mich.: RedBud National
Jul. 12: Mechanicsville, Md.: Budds Creek National
Jul. 19: Millville, Minn: Spring Creek National
Jul. 26: Washougal, Wash.: Washougal National
Aug. 9: New Berlin, N.Y.: Unadila National
Aug. 16: Crawfordsville, Ind.: Indiana National
Aug. 23: Tooele, Utah: Utah National
AMA PRO ROAD RACING AMAPRORACING.COM
May 30: Elkhart Lake, Wis.: Road America
June 21-22: Birmingham, Ala.: Barber Motorsports Park
July 19-20: Lexington, Oh.: MidOhio Sports Car Course
Sept. 13-14: Millville, N.J.: New Jersey Motorsports Park
MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS AMASUPERCROSS.COM
Apr. 5: Houston: Reliant Stadium
Apr. 12: Seattle: Century Link Field
Apr. 26: East Rtherford, N.J.: MetLife Stadium
May 3: Las Vegas: Sam Boyd Stadium
AMA PRO-AM COMPETITION
April 9-13: San Bernardino, Calif.: Glen Helen Raceway, California Classic; www.2xpromotions.com
April 12-13: Manheim, Pa.: Sleepy Hollow MX Park, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifier; www.sleepymx.com
April 13: Blountville, Tenn.: Muddy Creek Raceway, Thor United States Mega Series; www.victory-sports.com
April 20: Casey, Ill.: Lincoln Trails Motosports, JM Racing Suspension Spring-Shootout; www.lincolntrailmotosports.com
April 26-27: Livingston, Tenn.: Thunder Valley, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifier; www.victory-sports.com
May 11: Hedgeville, W.Va.: Tomahawk MX, MAMA MX Series; www.mamamx.com
May 11: Walnut, Ill.: Sunset Ridge; www.sunsetridgemx.com
May 10-11: Little Falls, Minn.: MotoCity Raceway, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifi er; www.motocityraceway.com
May 11: Pala, Calif.: Pala Raceway, Road to Mammoth-King of the West Rnd 6; www.2xpromotions.com
May 18: Kellogg, Minn.: Motokazie Motocross; www.motokazie.com
May 24-25: Southwick, Mass.: Moto 338, Motocross League of American; www.motocross leagueofamerica.com
May 25: Athelstane, Wis.: Pine Ridge Raceway; www.pineridgeraceway.com
May 26: Brush, Colo.: Sweney Cycle Park; www.sweneycyclepark.com
May 29-30: Rancho Cordova, Calif.: Hangtown Motocross, Pro National Amateur Day; www.hangtownmx.com
May 31: Pecatonica, Ill.: Stateline MX; www.statelinemx.com
June 1: Mt. Carroll, Ill.: MC Motopark; www.mcmotopark.com
June 1: Berwick, Pa.: Evansville Motocross Park; www.evansvillemxpark.com
June 8: Nashville, Ill.: Holzhauers MX, Mid-America MX Series; www.thetrackatholzhauers.com
June 28-29: Mammoth Lakes, Calif.: Mammoth Moutain, Monster Energy Mammoth Motocross; www.2xpromotions.com
June 29: Blountville, Tenn: Muddy Creek Raceway, Thor United States Mega Series-Pro National Amateur Day; www.victory-sports.com
July 6: Clifford, Pa.: Hurricane Hills MX; www.hhmotocross.com
July 6: Altamont, Tenn.: Fast Farms MX; www.midsouthrace productions.com
July 6: Buchanan, Mich.: Red Bud Motocross, Pro National Amateur Day; www.redbudmx.com
July 13: Blountville, Tenn.: Muddy Creek, Thor United States Mega Series; www.victory-sports.com
July 19-24: Ponca, Okla.: Ponca City MX, Ponca City Amateur Championship (MLA); www.motocrossleagueof america.com
Aug. 10: Crystal Falls, Mich.: Valley Raceway MX; www.valleyracewaymx.com
Aug. 10: Malvern, Oh.: Malven Motocross, Battle of Ohio; www.omxa.net
Aug. 24: Nashport, Oh.: Briarclif MX, Battle of Ohio; www.omxa.net
Aug. 24: Edgewood, Tex.: Buffalo Creek; www.buffalocreekmx.com
Sept. 21: Spring Grove, Pa.: White Rose MC
Sept. 28: Freemansburg, Pa.: Bushkill Valley MC
May 3-4: Bloomingdale, Mich.: Dutch Sport Park, AMA Amateur National Area Qualifier; www.dutchsportsparkmx.com
May 4: Wallkill, N.Y.: Walden MX, Walden MX Spring Pro-Am; www.mamamx.com
Aug. 24: Millville, Minn.: Spring Creek, Viking Clash; www.springcreekmx.com
Aug. 30-31: Millington, Mich.: Baja Acres, Baja Brawl; www.bajaacres.com
Aug. 31: Athelstane, Wis.: Pine
Ridge Raceway; www. pineridgeraceway.com
Sept. 7: Seward, Pa.: Pleasure Valley Raceway; www.pvrmx.com
Sept. 7: Mason, Ill.: Crossroads MX, World of Powersports Crossroads Cup; www.crossroadsmx.com
Oct. 11, Youth; Oct. 12, Amateur: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Darren Moen, 100s MC; (714) 863-7170, www.100sMC.org
AIRES AMA/NATC MOTOTRIALS AMARACING.COM
May 24 -25: Texas Creek, Colo.: Rocky Mountain Trials Association; (719) 564-6476, RockyMountainTrials.org
May 31-June 1: Sedan, Kan.: Ark Valley Trials Assocation; (316) 644-7774, AVTATrials.com
June 21-22: Tremont, Pa.: Tiffany Tobias, Rausch Creek Powersports; (570) 682-4600, RauschCreekRacing.com
June 28-29: Sequatchie, Tenn.: Ashley Jackson, South Eastern Trials Riders Association; (423) 942-8688, TrialsTrainingCenter.com
AMA/NATC EAST YOUTH MOTOTRIALS AMARACING.COM
July 4-6: Sequatchie, Tenn.: Ashley Jackson, South Eastern Trials Riders Association; (423) 942-8688, TrialsTrainingCenter.com
AMA/NATC WEST YOUTH MOTOTRIALS AMARACING.COM
July 18-20: Howard, Colo.: Bill Markham, ITS Offroad; (719) 9423372, ITSOffroad.com AMA VINTAGE DIRT TRACK
YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
AMA members do it all—long-distance rides, off-road races, cruising main street, vintage dirt track... To better serve our broad membership base, American Motorcyclist magazine is now published in two versions. The dirt version includes more off-highway and racing content. The street version includes more articles for road riders.
To switch, call (800) 262-5646, ask for membership services and tell them which version you want.
Want to read both versions? Call the above number to get both delivered to your home for just $10 more a year. Members can read both online at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/magazine for free.
amaracing.com
May 4: Henry, Ill.: Half Mile; Steve Nace, Steve Nace Racing; (270) 442-7532; www.stevenaceracing.com
May 17: Tar Heel, N.C.: Short Track, Tar Heel Speedway; (910) 258-2272; richard.lovette@ robeson.k12.nc.us
May 18: Tar Heel, N.C.: TT, Tar Heel Speedway; (910) 258-2272; richard/lovette@robeson.k12. nc.us
June 20: Harpursville, N.Y.: Short Track; Square Deal Riders; (607) 725-3069; williamsracing12@yahoo.com; SquareDealRiders.com
June 21: Harpursville, N.Y.: Short Track; Square Deal Riders; (607) 725-3069; williamsracing12@yahoo.com; SquareDealRiders.com
July 12: Ashland, Ohio: Half Mile; AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days; Ken Saillant, (800) 2625646; ksaillant@ama-cycle.org; AmericanMotorcyclist.com
Aug. 9: Indianapolis, Ind.: Short Track; Mid-America Speedway; (317) 871-4392; info@ midamspeedway.com; MidAmSpeedway.com
Aug. 29: Springfield, Ill.: Short Track; Illinois State Fairgrounds; Steve Nace, Steve Nace Racing, (270) 442-7532; www.stevenaceracing.com
Sept. 27-28: Buck Meadows, Calif.: Yosemite Dual Sport , Family Off Road Adventures, Lawrence Borgens; (209) 6493633; www.familyoffroad adventures.com
AMA HUSQVARNA NATIONAL DUAL-SPORT SERIES AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
Apr. 26-27: Brooksville, Fla.: Devil’s Creek DS/ADV Ride, Dixie Dual Sport, Inc, Robert Frey; 727919-8299; www.dixiedualsport.com
May 17-18: McArthur, Ohio: Hanging Rock 200, Buckeye Dual Sporters, Bill Kaeppner; (740) 380-3050; www.kaeppners woods.com
June 7-8: Lock Haven, Pa.: Durty Dabbers Great Adventure, Durty Dabbers, Nils Mantzoros; (570) 726-3343; www.durtydabbers.com
June 7-8: Bixby, Mo.: Show Me 200, Midwest Trail Riders Assoc., Robert Kaufman; (314) 434-5095; www.ridemtra.com
June 7-8: Wabeno, Wis.: Ride For Research, Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders, John Newton; (920) 350-2030; www. widualsportriders.org
June 14-15: Odell, Ore.: Black Dog Adventure Ride, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 6818881; www.blackdogdualsport.com
June 21-22: Big Bear City, Calif.: Big Bear Run, Big Bear Trail Riders, Jim Nicholson; (818) 391-3083; www.bigbeartrailriders.com
June 28-29: Fort Rock, Ore.: Fort Rock National Dual Sport, Lobos MC, Billy Toman; (503) 656-5801; www.lobosmc.com/
July 19-26: Newberry, Mich.: 30th Annual “Michael R Burlingham Memorial” Six Days of Michigan, Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan, Lewis Shuler; (517) 781-4805; www.cycleconservationclub.org
Aug. 2-3: Walden, Colo.: Moose Run Dual Sport Rally, Front
Off Road Adventures, Lawrence Borgens; (209) 649-3633; www. familyoffroadadventures.com
May 17-18: Tolland, Mass.: Berkshire Big Adventure, Berkshire Trail Riders, David Seften; 860-201-4416; www. mudslinger.org
May 24-25: Westpoint, Tenn.: Factory Creek Adventure Ride, NATRA, John Bowling; 256-8107229; www.natra-westpoint.net
June 1: Atlanta, N.Y.: Thrills in the Hills, Wayne County MC Club, John Albanese; 315-946-3082; www.waynecountymc.com
June 14-15: Odell, Ore.: Black Dog Adventure Ride, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 6818881; www.blackdogdual sport.com
Aug. 16-17: Tillamook, Ore.: Rat Dog Dual Sport, NW Tour & Trail, Tom Niemela; (503) 681-8881; www.blackdogdualsport.com
aug. 29-Sept. 1: Hood River, ore.: Rally in the Gorge; soundrider.com/ rally
NatioNal gypSy touRS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
a pr. 23-27: l aughlin, Nev.: Laughlin River Run; laughlinriverrun.com
June 12-15: austin, tex.: Republic of Texas (R.O.T) Rally
June 14-22: l aconia, N.H.: Laconia Motorcycle Week; LaconiaMCWeek. com
June 26-29: Johnstown, penn.: Thunder in the Valley
July 28-aug. 3: tulsa, okla.: 37th
Annual National Bikers Roundup
aug. 4-10: Sturgis, S.D.: Sturgis; SturgisMotorcycleRally.com
aug. 28-31: Killington, V.t.: Killington Classic; killington classic.com
aMa SigNatuRe e VeNtS
AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
March of Dimes Bikers For Babies Rides: Nationwide: www.bikersforbabies.org
Rides For Kids events: Nationwide: www.rideforkids.org
aMa NatioNal gR aND touRS AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
Jan. 1-May 24: Big Money Rally Grand Tour: bigmoneyrally.com; bigmoneyrally@hotmail.com
a pr. 1- oct. 31: Tour of Honor Grand Tour: tourofhonor.com; regis@ tourofhonor.com
Mar. 1- oct. 31: Team Strange Airheads 30th Anniversary Memory Lane Grand Tour: teamstrange.com/2014/grandtours; bigmoneyrally@hotmail.com
aMa NatioNal e xtReMe gR aND touRS
AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM
Feb. 2-Dec. 15: USA Four Corners Grand Tour: Southern California Motorcycle Association
tBa : SCMA Three Flags Classic Grand Tour: Southern California Motorcycle Association
This ad material is the property of M.I. Integrated Media and may not be published or reproduced without written consent. 888-600-8494
and his colorful sidekicks as they navigate the ups and downs of wrenching and wrecking hot rods, going to school, and growing up on the back of a scrambler. Those who grew up in the 1970s culture of muscle cars and motorcycles will relate to the episodes of moto-craziness and find it hard not to grin at the mostly harmless hooliganism of the era. The second half of this book is full of colorful stories inspired by riding and wrenching those fun-filled hot rods of the two-wheeled variety. In these stories, Kirk not only relates his experience with the mechanical challenges of motorcycles, but also describes the great rewards granted to those who are lucky enough to ride them. Distributed to the trade by:
Guest Column
Sunday BikeS and Monday BikeS
It’s Good To Have Options
By Frank L. Palmeri
Not long ago, I was out on my recently restored barn find, a 1973-1/2 BMW R75/5, tooling around the beautiful hills and valleys of upstate New York. On the way home, I pulled into a gas station to top off. After putting my gloves back on, I hit the starter button and nothing happened. The silence was deafening. I checked the key and switches. Everything was fine, but no joy.
This bike has a side-mounted kickstarter, but my technique must be off, because I couldn’t even get that to work. Then I tried pushing and popping the clutch. I got a real good workout, but that didn’t work either. Finally, just for laughs, I hit the starter button again and she fired right up. How about that?
The next day, I had to ride from Albany, N.Y., where I live, to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to take a train into Manhattan for a business meeting. At 4:30 a.m., while it was still dark out, I rolled my 2003 BMW K1200RS out of the garage and into the driveway, hit the button and took off.
Soon, I was on Interstate 87 South slicing and dicing with early morning FedEx and UPS trucks heading down the road at a cruise-controlled 75 mph. When I got to the Metro North train station, I ditched all my riding gear in the cavernous cases on the big K bike, and then joined the swarm of commuters heading into Manhattan via rail.
When the meeting was over, I made it back to the train station, put on my riding gear, hit the button and not long after pulled into my driveway. No drama at all.
The R75/5 is what I call a Sunday bike, and the K1200RS is what I call a Monday bike. A Sunday bike is the kind of bike that many riders say has “character.” This usually means it is vintage, most likely with carburetors, points and maybe even a kickstarter.
A Monday bike, like my K1200RS, is usually modern, probably fuel-injected and with computer-controlled ignition—in other words, just push the button and go. In 35 years of riding, I’ve determined it’s the Sunday bikes that make me appreciate the Monday bikes so much, and that there’s a place for both in the garage.
A Sunday bike will almost certainly have a carburetor. While these simple devices have done an admirable job of running all kinds of internal combustion engines for decades, they can have issues. (I vividly remember a carb blowing right off a friend’s bike when his engine backfired.) They can leak, get clogged and have jets fall out from the vibration.
Still, when you’re on a Sunday ride (no business meeting to get to), you might not mind having to fashion a jet needle out of a toothpick on the side of the road. Think about it—what other device can a guy still fix with the multi-tool carried on his belt, get home and then have a great story to tell because of it?
A Monday bike will surely be fuel-injected and computer-controlled. If you’re as old as I am, you will remember having to carry around spare spark plugs, and being careful not to flood the engine when starting. EFI has taken all that voodoo away. Youngsters have no idea what it was like “back in the day.” That’s why, when you really need to be somewhere, you reach for the modern bike. Leave the spare plugs at home. Just push the button and go. Gotta love it.
Now, some say Monday bikes lack the character that Sunday bikes have, but I
have to disagree. I look at it this way: When I get on my K1200RS, I know I can burn two tanks, get three states away, have a cup of coffee, burn another two tanks and return home to watch the football highlights with absolutely no issues. The bike just works, and it works so well that you can spend long, long hours in the saddle just enjoying the ride. That, to me, is character in the same way a Swiss watch has character. Precision and dependability never go out of style.
Where you get character with a Sunday bike is what it does to you as a rider. When I first got my Norton Commando, I knew nothing about working on bikes. Owning that bike forced me to get tools (lots of them) and learn how to use them. When Sunday bikes are running right, there’s nothing better. The problem is there’s just no way something from the ’70s or earlier is ever going to run right for long without vigilant upkeep.
When I had my Commando on the road, I was fanatical about the maintenance. I made many long journeys on that bike, including several trips to the sorely missed and over-the-top Sport Bike Rally in Parry Sound, Ontario. I had some parts fall off along the way, and a cracked header pipe, but only once in maybe 20 years did that bike leave me stranded.
I like to keep at least one Sunday bike and one Monday bike on the road at all times. This way I have multiple ways to enjoy the endlessly fascinating sport of motorcycling. Plus, when a friend comes by and wants to borrow a bike, I can toss him the keys to the Sunday bike and say, “if you can start it, you can ride it.” That’s always fun, especially with something like my BSA Victor, a big kick-start single with a ferocious kick back.
Sunday bikes provide the promise of adventure. Monday bikes just get the job done. If you have room in the garage for both, you are a lucky rider indeed.
Frank Palmeri is an AMA member from Schenectady, N.Y.
