Meet the future of moto: Yamaha’s 2022 lineup of off-road competition bikes. Featuring new
6 PERSPECTIVES
Editorial Director Mitch Boehm on AMA Supercross
10 FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman on motorcycling to the rescue
14 BACK IN THE DAY
Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear!
16 A FAMILY AFFAIR
The Tsakanikas family of seven shares a love for race day
20 AMA RIGHTS ROUNDUP
Assorted news and notes on your motorcycling rights
24 COVER STORY: THE DRAGON LADY
Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Angelle Sampey, the winningest lady in all of motorsports
40 ELSINORE!
A short photo history of the iconic Elsinore Grand Prix of 1970
50 THE QUAIL MOTORCYCLE GATHERING
Photos and owner stories from the first Quail Gathering in three years
70 AMA GARAGE
Tips, tweaks, fixes and facts: The motorcycle ownership experience, explained
74 LAST PAGE
Terry Vance and Byron Hines: The way they were
ON THE COVER:
Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Pro Stock Motorcycle phenom Angelle Sampey is more than a heat-seeking missile on the quarter mile aboard her 400-horsepower V&H Hayabusa…she’s also the winningest female in motorsports history. Put that in your pipe and smoke it! Hot-to-the-touch image by Matt Polito.
COMMUNICATIONS AND EDITORIAL
Mitch Boehm Editorial Director
Todd Westover Creative Director
Joy Burgess Managing Editor
Kali Kotoski Editor-at-Large
Keaton Maisano Communications Associate
Chad Fulton Graphic Designer
Alice Sexton Graphic Designer
Eliza Mertz Digital Content Manager submissions@ama-cycle.org
Steve Gotoski Director of Industry Relations and Business Memberships (951) 491-1910, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org
All trademarks used herein (unless otherwise noted) are owned by the AMA and may only be used with the express, written permission of the AMA.
American Motorcyclist is the monthly publication of the American Motorcyclist Association, which represents motorcyclists nationwide. For information on AMA membership benefits, call (800) AMA-JOIN or visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
Tiffany Cipoletti Government Relations Manager, On-Highway
Peter Stockus Government Relations Manager, Off-Highway
Erin Reda Grassroots Coordinator
MARKETING AND MEMBER SERVICES
Amanda Donchess Director of Membership Marketing and Services
Lauren Kropf Marketing and Advertising Coordinator
Tiffany Pound Member Services Manager
Joe Bromley Program Development Manager
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
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American Motorcyclist magazine (ISSN 0277-9358) is published monthly (12 issues) by the American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Copyright by the American Motorcyclist Association/American Motorcyclist 2021. Printed in USA. Subscription rate: Magazine subscription fee of $19.95 covered in membership dues.
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Standing just a few feet behind the starting gate of the 250SX East-West Showdown Main Event at this year’s AMA Supercross finale at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City as the riders clicked into gear and got the revs up, a surreal feeling came over me.
Not because I’d attended many a football game in this very place while a student at the U during the 1980s, or the fact that I’d worked out on occasion here as a player/athlete (running stairs, ’cuz our pitching coach stressed strong legs), or the fact that I’d had a nice conversation with motocross legend and AMA Hall of Famer Roger DeCoster a few feet away an hour before.
That stuff helped, of course. But the main reason was the utter spectacle of AMA Supercross itself, which is not only arguably the world’s most intense (and physically demanding) sport to participate in but also to watch, especially when viewed from the floor.
If you’ve been on the floor during practice or a race, you know. But if you haven’t, let me tell you that, as wonderful as watching from the stands or press box can be, it’s a whole different world down below.
It’d been a long time since I was on the floor of an AMA Supercross race, the last time being a Rose Bowl event in ’85 or ’86. But standing there behind Christian Craig, Hunter Lawrence and the rest of the 250SX riders as they blasted off toward turn one and pelted me with dirt clods, it was hard to ignore what an insanely visceral sport AMA Supercross really is — especially at this level.
You can’t really see this from the grandstands, but from ground level the jump faces, rhythm-section launches and even the whoops are shockingly, mind-bogglingly tall and very steep —
PERSPECTIVES SUPERCROSS SPECTACULAR
BY MITCH BOEHM
nearly vertical in places. Standing there during practice, I remember thinking the only way I could get through some of those sections would be on a trials bike, and never mind a 60-horse motocrosser at speed. And that’s coming from someone who’s raced motocross for decades.
I shared the thought with AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier, an accomplished pro racer himself, and he agreed: “It’s definitely gnarly out there!”
I found myself wondering how these guys do it — how do they go out there and, very quickly, learn a track with skyscraper-sized jumps and whoops and rhythm sections… and get up to speed so quickly? It boggled the mind. Of course, AMA Supercross riders are the best in the world — so it makes some sense.
I was at the Salt Lake City finale ostensibly to shadow my AMA colleague Pelletier all weekend to generate grist for an upcoming Day
In The Life feature story on what Mike P. and his team deal with during a typical AMA Supercross weekend. And let me tell you, it’s a veritable ton of stuff. From morning ’til night on both Friday and Saturday, Mike’s crew handles dozens of crucial items, from rules to tech inspection to team communications to medical stuff to timing-and-scoring to flagging to track safety and a large handful of other key things.
And that’s just the AMA side. You’ve also got promoter Feld Entertainment, who rents the stadium, sells tickets, hires the track-building crew Dirt Wurx (another story in itself), deals with 50,000-plus fans, manages the TV broadcast, handles food vendors and security, and does a bazillion of the other critical jobs that allow an
AMA Supercross race to come off without a hitch. Behind the scenes, the whole thing is absolutely mindboggling.
Highlights for me? A biggie was sitting in the control tower high above the track with Mike P. and his top people (along with Feld’s Mike Muye) while they monitored practice, qualifying and the races themselves. The back and forth ranged from track safety and flagger locations to track conditions, race stoppages for medical reasons and the always-present extracurricular (and sometimes overly aggressive) action during races themselves, which ended up happening in the 450 Main Event when GasGas’s Justin Barcia tagged Team Husqvarna’s Malcolm Stewart.
If you watched it on TV or read about it, you know. But if you were there, as I was, the entire day was a total spectacle. And as I wrote earlier, a whole different world. Be sure to check out the behind-the-scenes pieces in upcoming issues.
Mitch Boehm is the editorial director of the AMA
AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier, before the storm.
YOUR SISTER’S DOG’S BIRTHDAY PARTY
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2022 MEMBER
MONTHLY DRAWINGS
• Liberty Sport Eyewear
• Nelson Rigg Choice: Cover, Luggage
• Mimi & Moto Children’s Books
• Motion Pro: Pro Fill Airchuck
• Warm & Safe 12V USB Adapter
• Bohn Armor Skull Cap
• AMA T-Shirt
QUARTERLY DRAWINGS
• Bohn Armor Pant & Shirt Set
• Motool Slacker & Street Kit
Members who join or renew their AMA membership from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022 are automatically entered to win one of these awesome motorcycling prizes!
SWEEPSTAKES
Strong motorcycle sales are the silver lining to what we have all endured over the last couple of years. Whether it was something to do while other activities were limited, a realignment of life’s priorities, the fulfillment of lifelong ambitions or a combination of all the above, consumers descended on dealerships and opened their checkbooks.
While inflation and a slowing economy threaten to rain on this parade, skyrocketing gas prices are likely to get more people to consider motorcycling as a fuel-efficient and, therefore, more economical way to get around.
Although I have been thoroughly impressed with just about every electric-powered motorcycle I have had the opportunity to throw a leg
From the President and CEO MOTORCYCLING TO THE RESCUE
BY ROB DINGMAN
generation of the electricity necessary to power all the electric vehicles currently in use, let alone the electricity necessary to replace all the gas-powered vehicles on the road today.
So for now we can settle for conserving natural resources the old-fashioned way… by riding a motorcycle! With gas prices reaching $5 and $6 a gallon, riding a vehicle that gets 40 miles per gallon or more is a financially sensible decision.
time it takes you to get from one place to another on a motorcycle, you have had to make hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions. He says that for this reason, motorcycling helps increase mental acuity and makes us all more clear-headed and stronger.
Not only is riding a motorcycle cost effective, it’s also good for our overall well-being. Several years ago I wrote about this aspect in this
“The idea that riding a motorcycle is not only good for you, both mentally and physically, but also good for society as a whole sounds like a concept generated by a marketing department. But if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.”
over, I am not yet willing to give up my gas-powered machines in favor of them. Maybe I am a purist, but there’s just something about the internal combustion engine that makes motorcycling what it is.
I am also not convinced that doing away with gas-powered vehicles is going to save the planet. The electricity necessary to run all those new-age electric vehicles must be generated somehow, and you can bet that the sources are not all wind and solar. There is still a massive carbon footprint associated with the
column space, attributing this concept to former AMA Board member and founder of Aerostich/RiderWearHouse Andy Goldfine.
Riding motorcycles, according to Andy, is a social good, much like exercising, eating healthy and bettering oneself through the pursuit of higher education. Andy once explained to me that when you begin your day commuting to work on a motorcycle, you are more prepared for the day when you get to work because your mind has already been focused on the task of riding. In the
Andy has also been a long-time advocate for motorcycling as a means of congestion mitigation. If even a small percentage of car drivers on our roadways got out of their cars and onto motorcycles, the traffic wouldn’t be so bad, there would be more places to park, and our carbon footprint would be reduced. And after all, isn’t at least the last item the point of all the promotion of electric vehicles over gas-powered ones?
The idea that riding a motorcycle is not only good for you, both mentally and physically, but also good for society as a whole sounds like a concept generated by a marketing department. But if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. We might as well do some good for ourselves and society while we’re combatting higher gas prices by riding motorcycles more!
When you encounter someone new to motorcycling who has taken up riding because of the high cost of gasoline, tell them about the AMA and everything we do to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. Then ask them to join.
Rob Dingman is the President and CEO of the AMA, and a Charter Life Member
PHOTO:
Aerostich’s Andy Goldfine
THE ARAI DIFFERENCE
At Arai, not only the management, but its owner also knows the mission to protect riders and continues learning how a helmet works to protect the wearers against riding impacts.
Witnessing how severe and unpredictable some impacts can be, Arai’s focus continues to be the consistent pursuit of gains in protection for helmets bearing our family name.
When a helmet is impacted, the inner liner is crushed, absorbing impact energy in the process. The liner’s ability to absorb impact energy varies depending on the helmet’s construction and thickness in its upper regions. But Arai helmets, with their proprietary onepiece multi-density EPS liner, can maintain a consistent thickness even in areas where high levels of energy absorption are needed. The helmet remains compact by forming different EPS densities into a single liner of uniform thickness while still satisfying strict helmet standards.
XD4 • COVER WHITE FROST
Photo courtesy of Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.
BACKFIRES
SAFETY FIRST
I have fallen down more than once, and every time I was at least partially at fault. I have heard many people say, “Ride as if you cannot be seen,” but my attitude is, “Ride like I can be seen, and every other vehicle on the road is aiming at me!” My take is, I am the only person responsible for my safety, and I do not trust anyone that can possibly hit me. When a car is coming out of a driveway, does it actually come to a stop (so the driver can check traffic), or do you just trust that it will because that’s what the driver is supposed to do? How about the car approaching from the opposite direction…is the left turn signal on, or is it slowing down, or are his front wheels starting to angle toward you? If you missed any of these clues as to the driver’s intent, you have some responsibility for the altercation. I believe this has helped keep me alive.
Daniel (Bo) Sporer AMA# 3310153
While reading the Gear Basics piece in May’s AMA Garage section I recalled a helmet story I’ve been telling over the years that I’ve always called “Just a scratch.” I had helped a friend repair his Gold Wing after a serious get off, and after he’d healed sufficiently to ride and the bike was repaired like new he grabbed his old helmet and made ready to ride off. I asked if that was the same helmet he was wearing when he crashed, and when he replied “yes” I expressed some concern that, while the lid may have saved his life once, it wasn’t designed to do it again. He replied, “it’s only a scratch.” After some discussion on the value of his head and our friendship, I told him we should cut that helmet in half with a band saw, and then I’d show him why he shouldn’t wear it again — and if I couldn’t prove it, I’d replace it with a brand new one. He agreed, and once
we cut it open he saw the obvious compression of the EPS liner where the helmet had impacted the ground when he fell — and why he should toss it. Which he did, and was happy to replace it with a new one. So remember…if you’ve got a $5 head, buy (and continue wearing) a $5 helmet. Gear is vitally important.
Don Mikkelson, MSF Instructor AMA Life Member #292513
Concerning All The Gear All The Time (ATGATT), a person wouldn’t think to go out on a racetrack without gear. As an old racer, I recognized right away that the street was much more dangerous than the racetrack, but still, my motto for the street was: helmet, leather gloves, leather jacket and good leather boots, minimum. After being broadsided last year by a full-grown doe at 50 mph and subsequently being unable to even get on a bike for the next nine months, I will now be ATGATT. To Mitch and crew: although I was slow to warm to the new format, I have come to really appreciate the new mag. Keep up the good work.
Lee Hamness AMA Member
Something that I have always added to my motorcycles are spot mirrors, the small rectangular ones mounted on the inner lower corner of the mirror glass. They work great on cars and even better on motorcycles. One thing I don’t understand about some of the new adventure motorcycles is they design the widest part of the mirror at the top outer corner where it isn’t needed. I want to see the car next to me not the sky above it, so I swapped mine side to side for a better view.
Robert Boothe South Carolina Whatever works for you, Robert. —Ed.
LETTER OF THE MONTH
THE VETTER EFFECT
hat a joy it was to read the letter from Craig Vetter in the May 2022 issue reminiscing about all the testing he did with fairings and motorcycles from that era. Then he mentions the time he and his employee Henry Tate rode a combined 190,000 miles in just one year. I was a teenager in the early 1970s when I saw his motorcycle fairings and realized what a big plus he was to the motorcycle world.
Roy Hooper Ojai, Calif.
It’s all very true, Roy, and thanks for the reminder of Hall of Famer Craig Vetter’s substantial contribution to our sport. Check out his latest thoughts in our Quail story on page 60.
—Ed
Letters to the editor are the opinions of the AMA members who write them. Inclusion here does not imply they reflect the positions of the AMA, its staff or board. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. Send letters to submissions@ama-cycle.org or mail to American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.
ALL ABOUT TIME
Just want to tell you how much I enjoy the magazine’s new format, and especially the article It’s About Time in the May issue. One aspect of enduro time-keeping that was not really touched on is the need for an accurate and resettable odometer. The odometer needs to be resettable in both directions in 10ths of a mile, and the reasons are twofold: The first is to adjust for the difference between the odometer used to lay out the course and the odometer on your bike. Say for example the route sheet told you the mileage at turn #26 was 47.2 and when you arrived at that turn, your odometer showed 47.9. You then reset your odometer back to 47.2 and recalculated your time based on the corrected mileage.
The second reason is if you missed a turn or strayed off the course, your odometer kept on accumulating mileage while you were off course. After getting back on course, you had to correct your odometer to what your route sheet shows.
Back in the day, the only motorcycle speedometer I know of that had this resettable feature was from a Harley-Davidson big twin. After mounting it and connecting the drive cable to your bike, you had to get it to read mileage accurately, which was accomplished using a special Stuart Warner ratio correction gear box.
It wasn’t until the mid 1960s that VDO speedometers with resettable odometers became available, and these were used by just about all riders that hoped to do more than just finish the run. With these VDO speedometers, you marked out a certain length on the ground, 52.8 feet if I remember correctly, and counted the number of turns your speedo cable made in that distance. You then sent this cable-turn info along with your speedometer order. I believe John Penton was instrumental in making these available.
This time-keeping game on a motorcycle wasn’t confined to just
enduros. There were Reliability Runs and Road Runs that were scored the same way, only the course was less severe and could, in theory, be covered on a street bike or even a car. Time marches on and things change, but it just might be fun to play these time keeping games again just for old time’s sake.
Dennis Pataki AMA #2847739
Rode with Vern Street for many years. One helluva guy and one helluva rider. I could tell you many stories about him. When I think about his riding skills I think about the time at Wheeler ranch when we were having a national enduro. I was working with a check crew. It was really wet and muddy that day. We made a chicane coming into the checkpoint to slow the riders down, and when Vern came through the chicane he never let off the throttle and threw the bike from side to side. I was very impressed.
KUDOS TO THE CREW
The AMA has improved its magazine greatly! Major kudos to Rob Dingman and the AMA for bringing Boehm as Editorial Director. The changes in the magazine, all for the positive, have been immense. I now look forward to the arrival of American Motorcyclist and read it thoroughly from front to back. Before Mitch joined the team I’d take a quick look, maybe read a small bit on legislative issues, and toss it aside. American Motorcyclist has become a real motorcyclist magazine and a real benefit of AMA membership! I appreciated and enjoyed reading Dingman’s article in the May issue explaining how COVID affected the AMA and the actions the AMA took to come out of the pandemic as good as, or better, than it was prior to the pandemic. I see a better and stronger AMA and hope that prevails and grows. Thank you.
Mike Crowley
Thank you, Mike, for the kind words! Not everyone agrees, but the vast majority of members are enjoying the new magazine experience we’re offering, and are saying so. —Ed.
Presented by:
BACK IN THE DAY
Where the photos are blurry but the memories are clear!
he photo on the left is my brother on his 1968 Triumph Trophy 500. He was five years older than me and was killed in Vietnam less than a year after this photo was taken. It was him taking me for rides on his first bike, a 1965 Honda 305 scrambler, that got me hooked on motorcycles.
TMy first bike was a purple Taco minibike I bought in the summer of 1968 with the help of my brother.The Taco was followed by an all-white street legal 1969 Honda Cub 90.
The second photo is me with my 1983 VT500 Ascot and my two kids. This bike was used to commute to work in SoCal for 13 years. Sure wish all states had legal lane splitting like California! The Ascot photo was taken in 1988. Each of my kids born in the mid ’80s took a ride around our cul-de-sac in my Ascot top box when they were less than a year old…unbeknownst to their mom.
Like many in the day, my first “cycle” was a Schwinn Sting Ray — metallic gold with white tuck and roll seat.
This photo was taken at the local Honda dealer in 1976 or ’77. This day we were testing a CR125. The dealer ended up sponsoring me on a CR250. Loved motorcycles, loved racing and loved working at this dealership. How much better could it get? I was in heaven. (Yes, the pants are leather and, yes, I still have the pants and jersey!)
Barry Hesson
Jay Antognini
This is me at 17 years old in 1972 on my 1971 Yamaha CT1-C 175 Enduro, somewhere near Ringwood, N.J. It was my first bike…the one that started me on my journey. I have numbers 11, 12, 13 and 14 in my garage now. Of course, I am now an ATGATT rider…but obviously I wasn’t back then. Young and foolish? Weren’t we all?
Gene Heil
I learned to ride in 1966 while assigned by the Air Force to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. My classroom was a clapped-out Ducati 125. The picture is me in ’89 on my ’88 Kawasaki Ninja 750R. Hiding behind me under the cover is my ’87 Toyota MR2.
Bill Smith
My first bike was a Honda CL70; I think it was a ’73 model. I got my 5hp Tennessee license and rode that thing everywhere! I delivered papers on it, rode it to school, rode it to my ball games, and rode it off-road on the mountain behind our house. I took that little bike to places it was never designed for! It never had a problem, and you couldn’t kill that engine. I remember gasoline being $0.19/gallon. The tank held 2.5 gallons. I filled it up for 50 cents and could ride 250 miles!
Mark Ray
My brother and I were best buds, and this is me trying to style on his Yamaha YZ100 circa 1978 at our private practice area in Northern Ohio. Note the iconic Team Dynamic jersey from Dynamic Cycle in Troy, Mich.
Brian Hennessy
My dad Edmund and his four sons in 1965. Left to right, Niles, Mark, myself and Eric, the oldest. My dad didn’t keep the Indian; he ran it into a stone fireplace in the yard when the throttle stuck and it caught fire. But he did leave me with his 1968 CB450 K0 that my brother Mark used when he was in Fort Schuyler Maritime college. It took 15 weeks to get it cleaned up and running like new. We love this old Honda, but we all wish he would have kept the Indian.
Reid Tagliamonte
The recent news of Can-Am getting ready to release their first new motorcycle in decades inspired me to send this picture to you. The bike of my dreams in 1979 was this Can-Am MX 5 250cc that I was so fortunate to be able to purchase with the money I saved from cutting lawns, scooping ice cream and borrowing a few bucks from my parents. I was 15
years old in 1979 and absolutely had the time of my life on this amazing motocross bike. Long Island is a very crowded place and there weren’t many places to ride the bike, but I found a few and also enjoyed racing in AMA-sanctioned motocross events in Bridgehampton and Rocky Point Long Island. If you look closely on my helmet you can see that Bob Hannah was my teenage motocross hero, as I made my own “lightning bolts” to put on my helmet just like Hannah. Man, I loved that bike! I am so happy CanAm is coming back on the market with what looks to be an amazing futuristic new electric motorcycle, and I do plan to be one of their first customers!
Don Goldstein
up to speed
News, notes, insight and more from the motorcycling universe
Tsakanikas Takeover
The Tsakanikas family of seven shares a love for race day
BY KEATON MAISANO PHOTOS: TSAKANIKAS ARCHIVE
ound by blood and bonded through motor oil, the Tsakanikas family is no stranger to motorcycles and race day.
BAndrew, who grew up in a racing family, and Meagan Tsakanikas are married with five kids, the oldest four of which have followed in Andrew’s footsteps — and tire tracks — by competing in off-road events.
“It’s just honestly something we bond over,” Andrew said. “I don’t know how they grew into the passion, but it just came and it’s what we talk about at dinner; it’s what we look forward to doing on the weekends. It’s a life that we created.”
Both 15-year-old Austin and 12-year-old Mason were the first two kids to ride off-road, and now they serve as mentors to their younger siblings — 9-year-old Aubrey and 7-year-old Maura. The youngest of the group is 3-year-old Alden, who will have plenty of teachers as he grows and gets into the full swing of things.
While there is undoubtedly support among the kids, Andrew said there is still some friendly competition as well.
“My boys are very competitive with each other,” Andrew said. “They’ll talk around the dinner table, on the way to the races, after the races. They definitely push each other to
get better, and everybody wants to be the one that got first on the weekend. And the kids for the most part can win.”
Competing in the GNCC series, AMA U.S. Sprint Enduro races and other events near their home in Maryland, the Tsakanikas kids have not only raced but taken home hardware.
Racing motocross growing up before switching to off-road later in his racing career, Andrew recently got to do something at the 2022 Dragon’s Back National Enduro he had never done before in his decades of racing: line up in a race next to his two sons.
“We all got to line up together and race on the same row at a national enduro for the first time, which was definitely a good dad feeling,” Andrew said. “It’s definitely an event I won’t forget for a long time.”
In terms of bragging rights at the dinner table, Andrew said Austin was able to flash his talent and potential, which Andrew jokingly said left himself with mixed emotions.
“He beat me in a couple sections of the enduro, which kinda upset me,” Andrew said while laughing. “Proud moment being able to line up with him and proud moment that ‘Hey my kid’s getting faster than
“I don’t know how they grew into the passion, but it just came and it’s what we talk about at dinner; it’s what we look forward to doing on the weekends. It’s a life that we created.”
ANDREW TSAKANIKAS
up to speed
me,’ so he’s doing something right.”
Beyond the competitions, Andrew instills in his kids the need to be of service within the world of motorsports. Serving as a trail boss for enduro and hare scrambles, Andrew — with the help of his family — has worked to set up courses for different events.
“We’re not just racers,” Andrew said. “We also try to give back as much as we can to the sport because
we love it.”
Andrew added that his wife, who was not involved in the world of motorsports before meeting him, has become “a moto-mom like you have never met before” and has provided unwavering support to their kids’ racing careers as well as his own pursuits.
“Besides wrenching on bikes, she has everything else covered,” Andrew said.
When it comes to the kids’ futures within motorsports, Andrew said it is up to them to decide what they want to do and how far they want to take it.
“Their mother and I just give them every opportunity,” Andrew said. “We’ll give them every opportunity to chase this as far as they can, and if they want to get into something else, we’d support them just as well.”
Clockwise from the upper left: Meagan and Alden (on the right) at Big Buck GNCC; Maura at Specialized General GNCC; Austin at Track 93 U.S. Sprint Enduro; Aubrey at Hoosier GNCC; Dad and Maura at the South of the Border MX U.S. Sprint Enduro.
Northeast, Southwest Regions to Hold AMA Board Elections
Individual members can apply to run
MA members in the Northeast and Southwest regions of the United States may apply to run in an election for the AMA Board of Directors. The Northeast seat is currently held by AMA Board member Hub Brennan, while the Southwest seat is currently held by AMA Board member Byron Snider.
AAMA members who live in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia or West Virginia are eligible to apply to run for the Northeast Region.
AMA members who live in Southern California, Nevada,
Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Hawaii are eligible to apply to run for the seat representing the Southwest Region. The deadline for applications is Sept. 1, 2022. The election will be held Dec. 15 through Jan. 15. For application information, email elections@ama-cycle.org or call (614) 856-1900.
JEFF KARDAS
up to speed
RIGHTS Roundup
What’s trending in government relations and legislative affairs
BY KALI KOTOSKI
Marsh Rights Returned
Ice riders can now return to New Hampshire’s Hoit Road Marsh this winter after Governor Sununu officially put to rest an issue that had pitted some property owners against motorcyclists that have enjoyed ice riding for generations. The passage of H.B. 517 repeals a 2019 ban that was underhandedly snuck in as a budget item.
Correction: In last month’s edition (June 2022) we mistakenly referred to the recreational ice riding at Hoit Road Marsh as ice racing, which, to be clear, it is not.
AMA Sound Meter Program Open for 2022
The American Motorcyclist Association’s Sound Test Kit Program is officially open for 2022 applications. The program is administered by the AMA’s Government Relations Department and provides kits to AMA Districts, club members, race organizers and others who educate riders about sound levels. The kit contains a Type 2 sound meter, a tachometer, training materials, a spark-arrestor probe, personal protective equipment and a storage case.
The goal of the sound meter project is to educate riders about acceptable sound levels according to AMA guidelines, while being able to show quantitative data to complainants about levels that fall within acceptable legal ranges. With the AMA’s mission to keep both off- and on-road riding areas open to the public, the program aims to help prevent the implementation of laws and regulations that specifically target riders. For more information on how you can apply, please contact Erin Reda, AMA Grassroots Coordinator, at grassroots@ama-cycle.org
A America’s Outdoor Recreation Act Receives Unanimous Committee Vote
merica’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022 sailed through the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources without a single dissenting partisan vote. Introduced by committee chairman Joe Manchin of West Virginia and John Barrasso of Wyoming, the landmark legislation comes with a bevy AMA-supported acts. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy Act, the Simplifying Access to Outdoor Recreation Act, the Recreation Not Red-Tape Act, the Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act, the Federal Interior Lands Media Act, and the Biking on Long Distance Trails Act are all included.
“The last time outdoor recreation legislation of this size and scale was enacted was 1963,” said Senator Manchin.
The act aims to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities on land managed by the federal government. Specific provisions in the act include streamlining the permitting processes for guides operating on federal lands, expanding broadband internet connectivity at recreation sites, and supporting public-private partnerships to expand parking facilities. The legislation also seeks to promote collaboration between federal agencies while working with gateway communities grappling with an unprecedented surge in tourism.
The act now goes to the Senate floor before heading to the House of Representatives.
CHRIS REAL
JEFF KARDAS
Riding ROUNDUP
Local Vintage Vigor
From its humble beginnings as a Facebook group created to promote the Nutter Hardware Vintage Motorcycle Night, the Columbus Area Vintage Motorcycle Group received its AMA charter in 2022 to further its ability to provide great experiences for its members.
Bonded by a shared love and appreciation for vintage motorcycles, the group is a collection of riders of all ages and backgrounds. In April, the group began monthly gatherings at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum for coffee and kickstands before going for a ride.
“Not only do we like to show up, show our bikes and talk to people about our bikes, but we also like to ride,” said group member Warren Olds. “[The museum meetup] will include a nice ride.”
While the group welcomes everything from vintage mopeds to big twins, UJMs and everything in between, Dennis Moore — who created the Facebook group and serves as its admin — said the true power of the group comes from the individuals that have created a positive community.
“This group has embraced the idea of respect for one another,” Moore said. “And then everything that happens after that is good.”
—Keaton Maisano
Learning to Adventure
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation announced in May the AdventureBike RiderCourse (ADVRC) — created for adventure and dual-purpose motorcyclists who want to learn foundational off-road skills.
The single-day course includes 12 exercises and an adventure prep discussion to help riders build confidence in and understanding of their motorcycles.
The riding portion involves low-traction surfaces to give riders the chance to develop necessary skills for off-road environments. While the course is for licensed riders who own adventure and dual-purpose bikes, no prior offroad riding experience is needed to participate in the opportunity.
“The AdventureBike RiderCourse will make core off-road skill building available nationwide and help these riders explore the capabilities of their motorcycles,” said Director of Rider Education Expansion Corey Eastman. “We hope riders take this knowledge and go on to discover thousands of ADV riding opportunities.”
The ADVRC facilities are located in the following 12 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. The course is also available under the Adventure Touring Rider Course name at participating Harley-Davidson Riding Academy locations.
—Keaton Maisano
...got their start more than 100 years ago at places like Weirs Beach near Laconia, N.H., and Harley-Davidson Motor Co. in Milwaukee, Wis.
AMA Gypsy Tours have always been about riding and sharing the camaraderie of two wheels with like-minded enthusiasts at great destinations.
And that continues with the 2022 Gypsy Tour schedule, where riders can meet, share experiences and even grab their collectible AMA National Gypsy Tour pin dated with the year.
Laconia Motorcycle Week June 11-19
Thunder in the Valley June 23-26
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days July 22-24 Four Corners Motorcycle Rally Sept. 2-4
www.americanmotorcyclist.com/gypsytour
Racing ROUNDUP
WHAT’S WHAT IN THE WORLD OF AMA RACING COMPETITION
Congrats AMA Supercross Champs
The AMA presented No. 1 plates at three consecutive AMA Supercross events recently, with Jett Lawrence becoming the first recipient at Gillette Stadium after the Foxborough, Mass., round; Eli Tomac earning the plate at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver; and Christian Craig most recently collecting his No. 1 plate May 7 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
Hymas Reigns Supreme in Title Race
n a race full of young riders with bright futures, Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas outshined the competition on his way to capturing the newly formatted Supercross Futures AMA National Championship on May 7 in Salt Lake City.
In the winner-takes-all final race — which coincided with the AMA Supercross season finale — Hymas battled with runner-up finisher Ryder DiFrancesco early on but stretched his lead to more than 8 seconds by race’s end to claim the title.
“This is so awesome,” Hymas said from the podium after accepting the National No. 1 plate. “So many people from home and around Utah came to watch me, and every lap I came around I could hear people cheering for me. [Winning today] is something so special.”
—Keaton Maisano
Monster Energy Star Racing
Yamaha’s Eli Tomac clinched the AMA 450SX championship — his second in the last three seasons — in his home state of Colorado. The 250SX classes saw a pair of first-time AMA Supercross champions, with Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence taking the 250SX East title and Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Christian Craig claiming the 250SX West crown.
“The AMA congratulates all three AMA Supercross champions and their teams,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “AMA Supercross showcases the best riders from around the world, and Eli Tomac, Christian Craig and Jett Lawrence brought the dedication, skill and energy required to claim the victories.”
—Keaton Maisano
JEFF KARDAS
PHOTOS: JEFF KARDAS
JETT LAWRENCE
ELI TOMAC
CHRISTIAN CRAIG
Mission Foods: Title Sponsor of AMA FTGC
ission Foods — the world’s leading manufacturer of tortillas, wraps and tortilla chips, and a proud supporter of flat track racing — will be the title sponsor of the 2022 AMA Flat Track Grand Championship (FTGC) at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill., July 7-13.
Over the past several years, Mission Foods has been a passionate supporter of motorsports, specifically backing flat track racing and riders on both the pro and amateur levels. Much of this support stems from the fact that Mission Foods Chief Executive Officer Juan Gonzalez is a motorcycle enthusiast and an exracer himself.
“We are excited to partner with the AMA Flat Track Grand Championship,” said CEO Gonzalez. “We are proud to be able to support these up-and-coming racers, and I strongly believe that our partnership will create some unforgettable moments for all race fans.”
The three-year title sponsorship deal with Mission Foods highlights how instrumental the company has been in bringing energy to flat track at every level of the sport, according to AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant. “We’re proud to have them on board as our title sponsor for seven days of the best amateur flat track action in the country.”
—Joy Burgess
From motocross roots to the leading lady of drag racing, Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Angelle Sampey reigns as the winningest woman in motorsports
DRAGON LADY
BY JOY BURGESS PHOTOS: MATT POLITO & SAMPEY ARCHIVES
’ve never really felt very significant in my life,” Vance & Hines Suzuki NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Angelle Sampey told me, her voice quiet with emotion. “I’m just a little, insignificant girl.”
“
I“But when I put on a helmet and get on my bike,” she added, “I become a fire-breathing dragon!”
Angelle’s racing career backs up that Dragon Lady MO. She’s the winningest female in NHRA racing — and all
of motorsports (let that sink in a minute…), with 45 pro wins to her credit (at presstime), three NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championships, and in 2021 reset Suzuki’s alltime best speed of 202.03 mph, a career-best.
The biggest name in all of motorcycle drag racing backs Angelle up, too.
“Angelle made it clear that women can win in this sport,” AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and 14-time NHRA champion Terry Vance told American
Angelle aboard her Suzuki GS1100 Super Comp bike in the 1990s. She sold it to attend Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School — she was all in! Far left: Growing up for Angelle was a mix of ballerina days and beauty pageants interspersed with her real love — the Suzuki RM50 her dad bought her one Christmas.
wanted a street bike so bad.”
A couple years later, Angelle married. And when her husband went off to fight in the Gulf War, he left his bike with her and asked her to take care of it while he was gone. It was a request she gladly accepted.
“I basically gutted the bike… lowered it, took off the headlights, taillights, license plate and mirrors, and started taking it out to the State Capitol Raceway to drag race it. A friend invited me to the Cajun Nationals — the NHRA drag race that takes place at State Capitol Dragway — and that’s where I was first introduced to NHRA drag racing.”
“I fell in love at that moment!” Angelle says, “and I knew I wanted to do it. I wasn’t as good on a dirt track, but I was really good on a start line, popping the clutch and racing to the first turn.”
Eventually, she purchased her own drag bike, a Suzuki GS1100, and raced it in the Super Comp class at State Capitol Dragway. But that wasn’t enough. She had her mind set on Pro motorcycle drag racing but didn’t have a clue how she’d get there.
Meanwhile, Angelle went to college, first working toward a TV production career (she had a strong
interest in photography and video though she’d dreamed of being a nurse as a girl), and then switched to nursing at the Charity School of Nursing, where she became a registered nurse.
“I decided I wanted something that wouldn’t be competitive,” she said with a laugh. “Imagine that!”
“Funny story,” she continued. “I worked the night shift, and when things were slow I’d practice my autograph on the patient boards in the middle of the night. One of the male nurses asked me what I was doing. ‘I’m practicing writing my autograph,’ I said, ‘because one day
I’m gonna be a pro racer and sign autographs.’ Everyone laughed.”
One reason she decided on nursing was due to the cost of racing. “Super Comp racing was very expensive,” she noted, “And I knew I had to have a good job that paid well. It wasn’t easy becoming a nurse. I’d call it the best and worst thing I’ve been through in my life. But I got a job right away and was using it to pay my way in my then-drag-racing hobby.”
Nursing was her day job; but she still longed to make drag racing her career.
“One day I found out about Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School [run by two-time NHRA World Champion and nine-time NHRA National Champion Frank Hawley —Ed] in Gainesville, Fla. You can go be a student and get your drag-racing license. I sold my Super Comp bike to afford to go…I was all in. And that’s where I met George Bryce of Star Racing, the first team I ever competed with.”
“Bryce hired me from the school,” Angelle continued, “and we started training together. I’d gotten my first Super Comp bike when I was about 21, and by age 26 I was competing professionally in the NHRA circuit.”
But once on the Star Racing team, it wasn’t easy. She was starting at the bottom.
“Those Pro Stock bikes were so big and powerful, and I was so little,” Angelle remembers “and I really didn’t know what I was doing. I was teamed up with a great group of people, though, who had the expertise to teach me.”
“Even after I had my Pro Stock license,” she went on, “I wasn’t really ready to ride a Pro Stock bike. I was training with the team, following [three-time NHRA champion and
three-time AMA Prostar Pro Stock Bike champion] John Myers and just shadowing him everywhere he went. I watched him ride. Learned what to do on camera and how to handle public appearances.”
After Meyer’s competed at an NHRA event, the team would often stay another day to do a test and tune. “I’d get the chance to do some passes, or we’d visit local tracks and I’d do some passes.”
“I wasn’t that great,” she said with a chuckle. “I could burnout and go straight down the track. But I wasn’t shifting right…there were so many things I wasn’t doing right. But they saw my potential, and we kept working.”
In July 1996, Angelle finally got her chance to race at an NHRA event in Denver.
“At my very first NHRA event I qualified fourth,” she said. “I went all the way to the Semi round and lost to then-currentchampion Dave Schultz. That was an amazing feat at my first race! And because I did so well I went out again at the next race and qualified third or fourth. Then, at my fourth race in September of ’96 in Redding, Penn., I was the top qualifier, I set the national record and I won the race! And that’s when everything really blew up.”
national record-holder! So we kept going. I raced just half a season in ’96 and still ended up seventh in points, which is unbelievable. In ’97 I raced the full season and ended fifth. By ’99 I was second in points, losing the championship by just 14 points. And then in 2000 I finally won the world championship, backed that
motorcycles to being completely distanced from them for six years.”
But then she got a phone call.
“It was my original team — Star Racing — calling me. Their rider had quit mid-season, they were sidelined, and they didn’t have anyone. They asked me if I’d come back and ride until they found a permanent rider.”
The V&H/Suzuki team’s Hayabusa-based engines make nearly 400 horsepower thanks largely to a from-billet alloy cylinder head that utilizes the very latest in 4-valve technology — though it’s tech that was developed in the 1980s. The 20-pound head starts out as a 100-lb chunk of aluminum.
up in 2001, and in 2002 won my third championship in a row!”
From her start in 1996 through 2008, she never went a season without winning races. But at the end of 2008 — after racing to a total of 41 pro wins — she decided that it was time to hang up her leathers.
Suddenly, she was invited to TV talk shows, sponsors were interested, and Angelle wasn’t about to stop now.
“I’d been testing the waters,” she told us, the excitement of that first win still evident in her voice, “but after that win, holy crap…I’m actually the
“I left the sport,” Angelle said, “married my now-husband Seth, had my daughter Ava, and decided drag racing was my history…something I was never going back to. And I was happy as a mom and wife. I went from this deep love and passion for
“Now, I’m a mom and a wife,” she continued, “and I hadn’t been on a Pro Stock bike for six years…and they’re asking me to jump back on one? I said, ‘absolutely not!’”
But when they wouldn’t take no for an answer, Angelle gave in, her goal to simply pay them back for all they did for her when she was racing.
But after six years off the bike, she was scared.
“We met the team in Georgia,” she told us, “and I got on that bike and I was so scared I was trembling and crying my eyes out. They started the bike and turned on the lights on the tree. I told myself I just wasn’t going to get on the throttle until I was 100 percent ready. But when that pre-stage light came on, everything went into auto-drive, I hit the throttle and made a full pass to the finish line, running a 6.86...a really quick run at 195mph. Well, that was good enough to go to the next race and qualify in the top five — or even win — after six years of not riding the bike.”
“I stopped that bike on the racetrack,” she continued, “because all of a sudden the adrenaline kicked in. The fear was back, but I was so excited, so I made a second pass and
she struggled her butt off. The sport had changed and the competition was harder. But this time around she had an entirely different reason for getting on the motorcycle.
did just as well. After a third pass, I was ready! We went to the next week and told the world, ‘Guess who’s back!’”
that yet, and I started to worry I was teaching her how to fail.”
But then, finally, at Englishtown, N.J. in 2016… she won!
quit for real and pursue the sport in another way.”
But once again, a phone call changed the direction of her life.
Angelle competed the remainder of the 2014 season and raced full-time in 2015, noting that she struggled her butt off. The sport had changed and the competition was harder. But this time around she had an entirely different reason for getting on the motorcycle.
“I knew Ava was watching me on TV, and after my win I was so emotional when they interviewed me.
“I saw this as an opportunity to teach my daughter what she could do if she put her mind to it,” said Angelle, adding that her daughter Ava was only three when she returned to racing.
But it wasn’t coming easy. “Ava was watching me trying to compete and failing,” Angelle remembers. “I was struggling, and wondered if I had done the wrong thing. I’d told her I’d win some races, but I hadn’t done
I told her I was bringing home my 42nd trophy to her. And that win…it was the most important win I’ve ever earned and the one that meant the most to me. My career started over on that day!”
The next couple of years brought more struggles, with Angelle and fellow Pro Stock racer Cory Reed starting their own team — Team Liberty. Ultimately the venture didn’t work out. Getting sponsorships was tough, the money wasn’t there, and Angelle found herself sidelined again.
“I’d come back and won a race,” she said, “and I was happy with what I’d accomplished. I was ready to
This time it was a phone call from Vance & Hines NHRA Pro Stock racers Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec. They wanted to meet with her.
“I wanted to know why in the hell the Vance & Hines guys wanted to meet with me,” Angelle recalls. “Star Racing — my first team — was a big rival of Vance & Hines. What was this about?”
“We went to breakfast,” she continued “and they told me they were considering having a third motorcycle racer for the 2019 season and asked if I’d be interested. At first I thought they were messing with me, honestly, but once I realized they were serious, my answer was yes! I was freaking out.”
Above: Angelle holding one of the 45 “Wally” trophies she’s won, this one in 2021. The trophy pays tribute to NHRA founder Wally Parks and was first presented to winners in the 1969 season. The NHRA warns, “He is elusive. Only the very best can catch him.” Opposite: Angelle celebrating her first-ever Wally with her Star Racing team.
“I try to teach my two daughters the power of determination... that if there’s something you want bad enough, nothing is going to stop you.”
ANGELLE SAMPEY
While Angelle never thought she’d have the opportunity to be on the Vance & Hines team, both V&H and Harley-Davidson wanted her on board.
“[Angelle’s] probably one of the most talented riders that has ever ridden a Pro Stock bike,” Terry Vance told us, “and I went to HarleyDavidson and told then-Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer
program was well-established, and we had a wonderful partner in Terry [Vance] and Vance & Hines. Eddie and Andrew were tremendous ambassadors for the brand. What I felt was missing was the opportunity to showcase a female racer as another way to reach more of our audience of women.”
“What was most important,” she continued, “was that anyone we
Heather Malenshek there was an opportunity to put Angelle on the team, and I thought we had to take it. Heather said to get it done, an indication of the respect level that Angelle carries with her.”
According to Malenshek, HarleyDavidson’s strategy was to build the next generation of riders. “I was particularly passionate about showcasing the strong, confident, and amazing women who are part of the sport of motorcycling,” Malenshek told us for this story. “Our drag racing
dream come true, “the best thing that ever happened to me in my career,” she said. But the transition to the Harley-Davidson Street Rod drag bike was a struggle after she spent most of her career aboard inline-four Suzukis.
“The Harleys were heavy,” Angelle said, “and there wasn’t much of a fairing to block me from the wind. That was like sensory overload at
had representing the brand share our values … I also wanted people who we could be proud to showcase as great examples of the positive side of motorcycling. Angelle was it! And I’m still in awe of her. She’s the embodiment of a strong, fearless woman who takes her place in the sport very seriously in how she helps inspire others.”
Angelle had spent 20 years of her career competing against the Vance & Hines team, and now she was wearing their team duds. It was like a
first, with 200 mph feeling more like 400 mph. The torque was fierce, and it took a lot of strength to keep up with the bike. It took some time for me to get used to it; it was the most challenging motorcycle I ever raced.”
In 2020, Angelle got her first win with the V&H team at Indy. “[After that] the pressure was off,” she said. “I’d proved I could win on the Harley. And then in 2021 we switched from the Harley-Davidsons to Suzukis. I started riding the Suzuki Hayabusa, and this year we are the factory
Left: Angelle with daughters Ava and Mya. Right: Ava poses aboard Angelle’s drag bike pre-race.
“I’m a 14-time champion... and I still believe that Angelle’s without question the most significant person to ever ride a Pro Stock motorcycle.”
TERRY VANCE
Suzuki drag racing team.”
“I won two races last year on the Suzuki,” she continued, “and my motorcycle is really fast this year, so I expect to see the winner’s circle more than once.”
Terry Vance agrees. “I think people will be surprised about mid-season, and by the end of the year she’ll be devastating as a competitor.”
For Angelle, being part of this team is the payoff for years of feeling like she was scratching and clawing her way to success.
“It’s like all the hard work — from the day I first got on my little RM50 to now — this was what it all was for,” she said. “And I’m going to finish my career with the best team that’s ever been in drag racing.”
Looking back, the now-51-year-old says she’s still in awe of how it all happened.
“At the start I had no help, no
money and no one telling me what to do,” she said, reminiscing about her earliest days in drag racing. “I must have been one extremely determined individual.”
“I try to teach my two daughters the power of a strong will and determination,” Angelle continued,
“that if there’s something you want bad enough, nothing is going to stop you. That’s where I was… nothing was going to stop me. I did everything I could think of to reach my goal of racing professionally.”
Vance remembers how determined she was at the start of her career, and it stuck with him. “She was young and full of energy, hope and excitement, and I remember she told me once, ‘I’m gonna be world champion one day.’”
She accomplished that… and so much more. Three world championships, 45 wins to-date, and a chance to show her daughters — and all women — what’s possible with determination.
“When I get on my motorcycle, I’m a fire breathing dragon!”
Watch you don’t get burned! AMA
Angelle with drag racing legend Terry Vance.
A
short photo history of the iconic Elsinore Grand Prix of 1970
BY MITCH BOEHM PHOTOS: MALCOLM SMITH ARCHIVE
Many of you can probably recall Bruce Brown’s words without even being prompted:
“Fifteen hundred riders and 50,000 spectators fill the little town. It’s a 100-mile race through the streets of the city and in the foothills outside of town…If there’s one event you ride each year, it’s the Elsinore Grand Prix. People of all ages…Girls, the pig farmer from Murietta...”
It’s one of the best-loved segments of Bruce Brown’s legendary moto-documentary On Any Sunday, one that made the race internationally famous.
The mix of pro riders (Malcolm Smith, for one) and personalities (actor Steve McQueen, for another), intermediates and weekend warriors, the sleepy little retirement town,
ELSINORE!
that epic mudhole and the uncontrolled ’70s-era craziness of it all (the crowds were the catch fences in places!) resonated pretty strongly with an American public in the process of flipping its lid over motorcycling.
But there’s actually a lot of bittersweet irony here. Brown’s lovely documentary cemented legendary status to the Gripsters-promoted 1970 race for a couple of lifetimes, but also helped doom it, as the 1972 event, which took place less than a year after the debut of the movie in the summer of 1971, was nearly totally out of control in terms of crowds and (mostly) young people and the issues that come with that — crowd-control and safety, drugs and alcohol, lawsuits, what have you. That 1972 event was the last of the
five original EGPs (1968 – 1972) and the last for more than two decades, until pro motocrosser Goat Breker resurrected the Elsinore GP in 1996.
“The town of Elsinore got pounded during that 1972 race,” remembers Gripsters club historian Ms. C. J. “Sparkplug” Stewart. “[On Any Sunday] was just too good, too powerful,” she added. “Folks just had to come and see what the fuss was all about, and neither the club nor the city was ready for the many thousands of spectators that showed up.”
Of course, when Brown approached the Gripsters and the City in early 1970 about his desire to film the event for a movie he was planning to do (Brown reportedly offered $1,000 and a copy of the film when finished for the right to shoot it), no one had any idea what would come to pass in the summer of 1971 and beyond, and how significant Brown’s efforts would be to the sport of motorcycling.
Still, despite the EGP’s only-five-year run (initially, at least), the celluloid snapshot Brown gave the world back in mid 1971 remains an epic touchstone to motorcycling’s semi-recent past — and to the Elsinore Grand Prix itself. While it’s sometimes difficult to
absorb that On Any Sunday is now 51 years old, and that Malcolm Smith and “Harvey Mushman” (Steve McQueen) were young men at the time Brown filmed them, the film’s ability to inspire and tell evergreen motorcycle stories continues today — and in some cases even more strongly than it did in the 1970s.
So enjoy the photos, and to keep up with the Gripsters (an AMA Historical Charter) and Elsinore Grand Prix history and the people that make it all possible, check out Gripsters MC on Facebook.
That the Elsinore Grand Prix of the late 1960s and early 1970s was “a happening” isn’t in dispute. It was perhaps the country’s coolest motorcycle race, a coming together of hard-core racers (more than 1,500 in 1970), weekend warriors, casual enthusiasts and the curious — but it only lasted five years, in its original form, anyway.
The EGP was put on by a Southern California club called Gripsters MC, and its current president Mike Boyle (a club member in his early 20s back then) recalls the scene and the reasons for its eventual demise in late 1972. “It was wonderful, and crazy, and lots of fun,” he told us for this story. “But what eventually undid things…”
“….were the hassles of a lawsuit, which were expensive for a not-for-profit club.” The litigation referred to was a suit filed by the woman who ran across the track with two kids in tow and was hit in Sunday’s open-class race by none other than AMA Hall of Famer Malcolm Smith…
…who was severely shaken by the incident. “I was headed straight for the smallest child,” Malcolm says, “and while I swerved and missed the child, I hit the woman pretty hard, breaking some ribs and knocking her into the crowd. She survived, but it was not fun.” Hey, that’s a cherry Ford Pinto in the background! 1970s, baby!
Back stronger than ever, the 2022 Quail Motorcycle Gathering once again showed why it’s the best bike event on the west coast
After an achingly long three-year hiatus, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering finally returned to the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, Calif., on Saturday, May 14, 2022. And boy, were enthusiasts happy. Really happy! One way to tell was by the attendance, a record 3,200 this year. But the best method was observing peoples’ faces and hearing their voices and laughter.
“Motorcycles always represent a sense of direction and purpose in our lives,” says event founder Gordon McCall, “but there was clearly an extra sense of gratefulness this time. Observing everything,
what hit home for me was how important it is for people to get out there and share what they are doing with their bikes, projects and adventures.”
As previously, the event offered qualified entrants the chance to simply display their bikes on the green, or else submit them for judging in hopes of winning what have become hugely prestigious awards. Led by Somer Hooker, a premium judging team scrutinized machines in over a dozen categories. These included American, Antique, BMW /5 Series, British, Choppers, Competition, Custom/
Modified, Harley-Davidson XR750, Italian, Japanese, Mini Bikes, Scooters, TwoStrokes and more.
The Custom/ Modified class drew the most entrants and produced the Best of Show, a sensational Vincent Rapide-powered lowboy created by Max Hazan (see page 59). Additionally, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Heritage Award chosen by AMA Hall of Famers went to The Revival Fuse, a striking minimalist Ducati sprinter. Then at midday, McCall honored customizer Roland Sands as a Legend of the Sport.
Since its 2009 inception, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering has supported selected charities monetarily through silent-auction proceeds. This year’s charities included the California Cadet Corps youth and community program, the Monterey County Youth Museum’s experiential “MY Museum,” and the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni. We hope you’ll enjoy the motorcycles and people on the following pages as much as we enjoyed discovering and bringing them to you. And then, quite absolutely, we’ll see you next year!
BY JOHN L. STEIN
THE QUAIL
PHOTOS: JOHN L. STEIN, PENINSULA SIGNATURE EVENTS
THE QUAIL
Bottom: Each year at the Quail a group of AMA Hall of Famers picks an AMA HOF Heritage Award winner, and this year it was Mike Corbin and Craig Vetter — with help from HOF Design and Engineering Category Committee chair John McCoy — choosing this 2006 Ducati Fuse custom bike built by the folks at Austin, Texas’ Revival Cycles. Aside from the Ducati Monster engine, the machine is hand-built, and the level of detail, engineering prowess and finish quality is astonishing. From the alloy bodywork to the from-billet swingarm, hand-fabbed exhaust and everything in between, it’s motorized, twowheeled eye candy of the first order. For more information, visit revivalcycles.com
Seeing Kristen Skvorak happily sitting aboard her 1987 Yamaha YSR50, you might guess she’s a racer…but not that she holds a PhD in human genetics and develops therapies for rare diseases. So, what brought Dr. Skvorak to the Quail? A chance encounter with a loaner YSR50 on the kart track at BeaveRun near Pittsburgh back in 2004. Weeks after completing Motorcycle Safety Foundation training, she’d gone with her boyfriend Ryan to see what racing was all about, and a club member offered up a race-prepped YSR50 and leathers.
“As a brand-new motorcyclist,
WHY SHE RIDES
Research scientist Kristen Skvorak’s passion for YSR50 racing won her the Why We Ride Award
when I first got out on the track I was pretty nervous and unsure of myself,” she admits. “And everyone said I should have been riding a John Deere because I was in the grass so much!” After completing the 2004 season on the loaner bike, the hook was set, and for the 2005 season Kristen bought the 1987 YSR50 shown here. “I’m pretty competitive and like to push myself,” she adds. “Since crashing is part of that, I wanted to get my own YSR50 so I didn’t feel like I was destroying someone else’s bike.” That carried her to a Most Improved Rider award, and just two years later to the Stock YSR championship.
The bike was a stripped-down, rattle-can racer, so Kristen gradually improved it — and her mechanical skills. “I’ve split the engine, replaced bearings and seals, changed tires, rebuilt the brake caliper, fork and carb,” she says. “All this handson experience made me more comfortable doing the maintenance on my other motorcycles as well.”
Now after 50-plus events, Kristen’s YSR50 experience is about way more than racing. “It brings me confidence, is a stress reliever, and is both challenging and rewarding,” she says. “And it’s where I’ve met a lot of the best people I know.”
McQUEEN’S MINI
Commissioned by Steve McQueen and built by Von Dutch, this Honda is the King of Cool Minis
There is way more to this little sunflower-yellow 1969 Honda Mini Trail than meets the eye. One clue is the cool metal tank badges, which carry the name Solar Productions — the film company owned by Steve McQueen, the “King of Cool,” during his Hollywood reign. Three more are engraved side cases, a miniature replica acetylene headlight, and custom paintwork — including a discrete “Von Dutch” logo — handpainted on the front fender by the legendary beatnik artist, McQueen’s personal friend and collaborator.
Here’s the basic story: McQueen had commissioned Von Dutch to customize the Mini Trail for Mitch Vogel, a kid actor in Solar Productions’ 1969 film The Reivers Just 12 years old at the time, Vogel was delighted and rode his new Mini
Trail on the studio lot, at McQueen’s property, and at home. Showing good intuition, after outgrowing the Honda he stashed it safely in his garage, where it remained until its appearance at Mecum’s 2020 Las
Vegas auction a half-century later.
Surprised to find the Mini Trail up for grabs, motorcycle friends Hugh O’Neill and Matt Torrens quickly made a pact to buy it together. “We both wanted the bike, but did not want to bid against each other,” O’Neill explains. “I took over the bidding and won the bike, and now we have ‘joint custody.’” The price was $20,900. Thanks to O’Neill and Torrens’ passion for history, Quail attendees got to see it in person at the bike’s first-ever show appearance. There, the Mini Trail remained just as Vogel had left it. “I just gave it a very careful, ‘gentle’ cleaning,” O’Neill notes. “I did not want to compromise the patina or damage any of Von Dutch’s art.” With O’Neill’s background in engineering and manufacturing, and Torrens’ career as a sculptor, the Mini Trail is certainly now in good hands.
REBORN BOXER
With a decade of diligence, Stephen Burns made his 50-year-old Toaster Tank as good as new
The “favorite bike” of a longtime Tennessee enthusiast, this 1972 BMW R75/5 was parked with a mysterious engine knock many years ago and left to molder. Unfortunately, the machine slumbered in a less-thanhospitable environment, and when California BMW fan Stephen Burns received the “Toaster Tank” he’d adopted for $1,000 in 2012, he began to doubt the wisdom of buying sightunseen. “The photos did not show all the issues,” he sighs. “The bike had significant wear and tear, the tank and headlight bucket were dented, and it was rusty. Honestly, it looked like it had been sitting in a barn, and I suspect it was.”
As a website and SEO manager,
Stephen knows how to research, manage and complete projects, so after realizing the extent of the bike’s problems, he dove straight in. “I decided immediately that if I was going to do this, I would do it right the first time,” he explains. “After I placed the motorcycle on my lift I started removing parts one by one. My first goal was getting the frame painted as that was the foundation of the whole project. Then I took all the not-soshiny parts to a local chroming and plating shop to get them looking like new.”
Next up, the wheels went off to get re-spoked and polished, the fork was rebuilt, and a specialty BMW shop put the engine and Bing carburetors right. Stephen sent the rumpled tank
to a metalworking shop, and with that repair complete, delivered all bodywork for paint and striping. “Over nine years, I slowly put the parts back together,” he says. “It was daunting, and I would sometimes lay awake at night wondering if I was ever going to finish. But completing the project was satisfying, and it made me realize something: Problem solving — it’s what I enjoy doing.”
“It was daunting, and I would sometimes lay awake at night wondering if I was ever going to finish. it made me realize something: Problem solving — it’s what I enjoy doing.”
STEPHEN BURNS
THE BARN FIND
After languishing for some 80 years, this 1916 H-D is up and running again
Because Doug McKenzie had long wanted a true barn find with a solid history that could become a runner, he was excited to find this 1916 Harley-Davidson Model 16F at Bonhams’ 2019 Las Vegas auction. But there was one problem: The estimate was much higher than he was willing to pay. However, on some days fate turns on a dime.
“When bidding slowed at one-third of the low estimate I got involved, and a few bids later I owned it,” Doug says of his $34,500 purchase. “That was exciting for me, but I am pretty sure the seller was hoping for more.”
After bringing the bike home, Doug conducted a thorough assessment. “The motorcycle was owned by one family since new and was last run in
about 1940,” he says. “It was missing its seat post, muffler and tailpipe, the rod that adjusts the timing and compression release, the rack, headlight lens and acetylene tank. It was also missing the rear tire, and the front tire was completely without rubber — just shreds of tattered fabric. It would not roll and had to be
“Starting it is fairly simple, Just turn on gas petcock, set the choke, slightly retard the timing and it usually starts on the second or third kick — unless people are watching!”
moved with a dolly.”
Undeterred, he set about getting it running. “I am not a fan of fake patinas at all, so preserving the barnfind patina was my No. 1 goal,” he admits, noting that there was plenty of it. “The bike was rusty, rusty, rusty. When I removed the gas tank, I filled a 22-ounce cup with the rust inside, and there were more frozen chain links than free ones.”
Carefully solving these and other challenges ultimately produced a running and ridable 106-year-old survivor Harley-Davidson. “Starting it is fairly simple,” Doug explains. “Just turn on gas petcock, set the choke, slightly retard the timing and it usually starts on the second or third kick — unless people are watching!”
DOUG MCKENZIE
BEST OF SHOW
Max Hazan’s double award-winning Vincent custom shows what one man with a plan can do
When it comes to bike building, sometimes there’s a fine line between inspiration and insanity. And with the radical Vincent shown here, builder Max Hazan definitely pushes that point. The project began when his client Mike acquired a group of bikes, including a basket-case 1951 Rapide. “We were initially going to build a custom and leave the motor stock, but that idea went out the window once Mike saw another wild custom that I had made,” Max says. “He literally said ‘Build anything you want’ — so I did!”
At the Quail Motorcycle Gathering, the end result took two awards, including Design and Style and Best of Show. Witnessing the bike in person, the question “How in the world?” comes to mind. “My vision was ‘simple, clean and coherent’ in this case, but I design as I go,”
Max begins. “I started by mounting the engine to a table at ride height and selecting tires that fit the project. I then built the whole bike around the engine and wheels, and the design emerged throughout the process.”
To get an idea of what Max created, consider that the only stock Rapide parts included are the crankcases. He designed and manually machined the big front brake and wheel rims, and the frame, fork and minimalist bodywork. Max even designed and built special carburetors. “I wanted carbs that looked elegant and well-proportioned, but I also wanted a challenge,” he explains. For aesthetics, fuel is delivered
by a custom diaphragm setup that eliminates float bowls.
Prior to the final build, Max put about 300 miles on the bike, and reports that it runs great, is pretty quick and stops well, but is “not all that comfortable.” As a fulltime builder, though, his greatest pleasure was “seeing Mike’s face at the Quail after winning Best of Show!”
RENAISSANCE MAN
How Craig Vetter, America’s most influential motorcycle designer, got started — and what still excites him today
AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Craig Vetter needs little introduction. A prominent figure in motorcycle design for most of his life, at one time his enterprise, Vetter Fairing Company of Rantoul, Ill., was ranked just behind HarleyDavidson in economic productivity. By introducing fairings to the market in volume, the company transformed everyday motorcycles into comfortable and efficient tourers.
The motivation for this, he said at the Quail, was his lifelong mission of “doing more with less.” Vetter’s inventiveness arrived early. “At 8, my first vehicle was a Radio Flyer wagon,” he recalls. “One day I found another one that was missing its front wheels. So, I bolted them together and said, ‘Now let’s find a dog to tow us.’” Craig and his friends never found a sled-dog, but the
exercise shows Vetter’s penchant for improving efficiency.
Jump ahead a decade and a half, and Craig was a college grad attending design school aboard a Yamaha YM1, a 305cc two-stroke street twin. “That bike is the reason I designed a fairing,” he explains. “The idea stemmed from my first tour on it in 1966, riding from Illinois to Aspen to attend a conference.” Although Vetter had ample riding experience, at the time he didn’t know much about fairings — nor the westerly winds that sweep across the Great Plains.
“While riding into the wind, I couldn’t even go 65 mph without lying flat on the tank,” he admits. “But when a big truck passed me in Kansas and I tucked in behind it, suddenly there was no wind. At that moment I knew I could go faster, be
more comfortable and burn less gas with a fairing. When I got home from Colorado I made the Series 1000, my first fairing design.” An airplane fan since childhood, Vetter incorporated aerodynamic forms that worked in aviation. (Fun fact: To help publicize his fledgling product, he laminated business cards into the fiberglass.)
The frame-mounted Series 1000 was a good learning experience, but the grand-slam of Vetter’s subsequent fairing designs was the Windjammer series that debuted in 1971. Bike manufacturers typically didn’t offer OE fairings at the time, so if you wanted a touring bike, you created it yourself. A half-million customers agreed, buying Windjammers and making the name synonymous with touring. And more importantly, thanks to Vetter’s longago trip on his little Yamaha, the entire
motorcycle industry evolved.
With the godfather of American motorcycle design in the house — or more accurately, on the Quail event field — the AMA was honored to spend some time with him reviewing the machines in the Custom/Modified class. “I’m so impressed with how this thing is done,” he says about one particularly rakish cafe racer. “There’s good taste and workmanship going on here, but it’s a long, flat motorcycle and I don’t want a flat motorcycle. I think they should catch your eye and make you want to go sit on it and go for a ride.”
This is an important clue about how Craig Vetter beholds motorcycles — on a practical level. He validated this in comments about another machine, a delicate postwar custom. “To me, this bike is for looking at and dreaming about, but not really for taking to the grocery store or anything,” he confides. “It’s wonderfully done, but I think a custom bike should be something that you’d use.” Functionality, check.
Then a 2015 Ducati Hyper Scrambler built by Hugo Eccles catches Vetter’s eye. “This bike looks very strong and simple, like it will last forever,” he begins. “The frame is everything here; it has great big orange tubes, and the rest of the bike is sort of bolted onto it. The frame’s mostly covered up on most motorcycles, but this frame isn’t. And everything is off of it that stylists put on for decoration. The bike also looks usable, like it would feel right if you sat on it.”
Then Craig’s attention turns to the wheels, gray with a single lateral orange stripe on each rim. “Usually when you see a motorcycle driving, the wheels are all fuzzy because they’re turning,” he notes. “But here, the stripes would allow you to see the wheels turn, and they’re the same color as the frame. This would be a fun bike to ride, and it would stun a lot of people.”
After we move away, Craig Vetter stops. “To me, out here today, that’s the most impressive bike,” he says. “It’s absolutely attractive and distinctive and would draw attention anywhere. Let’s go look at it again!” AMA
Motorcycle designer, enthusiast and racer Craig Vetter was a talented pioneer in fairing design, aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. His fairing designs changed the course of touring-bike design in the ‘70s. Vetter was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.
MAKE IT YOURS
The AMA offers a variety of card types and designs for members. In addition to our standard card, we offer a number of themed cards that identify you as belonging to a specific group or speak to your passion as a motorcyclist.
Call (800) AMA-JOIN (262-
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THE ESSENTIALS
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CALIFORNIA
COMING EVENTS
Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.
Speedway: July 1. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. 530-878-7223, fastfriday@aol.com, fastfridays.com Speedway: July 8. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. 530-878-7223, fastfriday@aol.com, fastfridays.com
Road Race: July 8-10. Salinas. 4th Round - Super Hooligan National Championship with MotoAmerica. Roland Sands Design, racing@rolandsands.com, www.superhooligan.com Road Ride/Run: July 9. Walker. Sierra Sidewinder, Concours Owners Group, danbreeden@Icloud.com, https://concours.org
Speedway: July 15. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. 530-878-7223, fastfriday@aol.com, fastfridays.com Speedway: July 22. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. 530-878-7223, fastfriday@aol.com, fastfridays.com
Flat Track – ST: July 23. Lodi. 2022 D36 Dirt Track Championship. Lodi Motorcycle Club, 209-368-7182, lodimcemail@gmail.com, www.lodicyclebowl.com Speedway: July 29. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. 530-878-7223, fastfriday@aol.com, fastfridays.com
COLORADO
Road Race: July 7-9. Deer Trail. Motorcycle Roadracing Association, High Plains Raceway, 303-769-4771, trackmanager@highplainsraceway.com
Flat Track - Short Track: July 9. Dacono. Colorado Speedway & Flat Track. IMI Motorsports Complex, 303-8334949, imimotorsports@hotmail.com, imimotorsports.com
Flat Track - Short Track: July 23. Dacono. Colorado Speedway & Flat Track. IMI Motorsports Complex, 303-8334949, imimotorsports@hotmail.com, imimotorsports.com Motocross: July 24. Lakewood. RMRA Series. Colorado Motorsports Promotions LLC., Thunder Valley Motocross, 303-909-7003, denjump@gmail.com, www.tvmx.net Road Rally: July 29-30. Dolores.The Best of the West. GS Giants, 860-258-9016. secretary@gsgiants.com, gsgiants.com
CONNETICUT
Enduro: July 23. Family Enduro. Middletown. Meriden Motorcycle Club, 203-430-0168, mmc.trials@gmail.com
GEORGIA
Road Race: July 9-10. Bloomingdale. ASRA Team Challenge/CCS, American Sportbike Racing Association, 817-246-1127, info@asraracing.com, www.asraracing.com Road Race: July15-17. Bloomingdale. North America Talent Cup. Rise Moto LLC, 717-495-7265, info@ northamericatalentcup.com, www.northamericatalentcup.com
IDAHO
Trail Ride: July 20-24. Warm Lake. ITMA State Ride hosted by Treasure Valley Trail Machine Association, 208-484-4980, verrickbach@gmail.com, www.tvtma.org
ILLINOIS
Flat Track – TT: July 7-8. Du Quoin. Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship. American Motorcyclist Association, 614-856-1900, americanmotorcyclist.com
Flat Track – Mile: July 9. Du Quoin. Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship/AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series. American Motorcyclist Association, 614-856-1900, americanmotorcyclist.com
Flat Track - Half-Mile. July 10-11. Du Quoin. Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship/AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series. American Motorcyclist Association, 614-856-1900, americanmotorcyclist.com
Trail Ride: July 10. White City. Kids Skills Day. Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders, 314-805-6306, igtse@yahoo.com, cahokiacreekdirtriders.com
Motocross: July 10. Casey. Fly Racing Showdown Series. Lincoln Trail Motosports, 217-932-2041, lincolntrailmotosports@gmail.com, www.lincolntrailmotosports.com
Flat Track - Short Track: July 12-13. Du Quoin. Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, American Motorcyclist Association, 614-856-1900, americanmotorcyclist.com
Road Race: July 16-17. South Beloit. ASRA Sprint Races/ CCS. American Sportbike Racing Association, 817-246-1127, info@asraracing.com, www.asraracing.com
Off Road: July 16. Wedron. Ultimate Racer Challenge Series & Fox Valley Off Road Series, Grand Prix. Moto Pro Inc., 815-431-9913, wardy@mtco.com, foxvalleyoffroad.com
Motocross: July 17. Walnut. District 17 Motocross Series. 4P Promotions, Inc., 815-379-9534, jan@sunsetridgemx. com, www.sunsetridgemx.com
Off Road: July 17. Wedron. Hare Scrambles/Cross Country. Ultimate Racer Challenge Series & Fox Valley Off Road Series, Moto Pro Inc., 815-431-9913, wardy@mtco.com, foxvalleyoffroad.com
Off-Road/Trail Riding School: July 18-21. Casey. Fuel IL Camp, Fuel Ministry, 217-932-2041, lincolntrailmotosports@ gmail.com, lincolntrailmotosports.com
Motocross: July 23. Mendota. Megacross Shootout Series. Moto Pro Inc., 815-539-9021, wardy@mtco.com, www.megacross.com
Flat Track - Half-Mile: July 27. Urbana. Champaign County Fair Half Mile. Central Illinois M/C, 217-246-7154, hopper54p@yahoo.com
Flat Track - Short Track: July 29. Peoria. Joe Baggott Memorial. Curt Mottaz Racing, 309-231-7951, motaz82@outlook.com, peoriaspeedway.com
INDIANA
Off-Road/Trail Riding School: July 4-7. New Albany. Fuel IN Quad Camp. Fuel Ministry, 502-551-6190 Motocross: July 9-10. Akron. Reads Racing Unlimited, Inc., 574-893-1649, reads1@myfrontiermail.com, www.readsracing.com
IOWA
Enduro: July 30. Fremont. Fremont Family Fun Day. Turkey Scratch Enduro Riders, 641-660-1326, loskaloosafirechief@ gmail.com
KANSAS
Observed Trials: July 10. Fall River. AVTA Observed Trial. Ark Valley Trials Association (AVTA), 316-648-8410, avtatrials.com
LOUISIANA
Motocross: July 2-3. Grand Cane. South Central Amateur Championship. Desoto Motorsport Park, 318-461-9226, desotomotorsportpark@gmail.com, www.desotomotorsportpark.com
MARYLAND
Enduro: July 23. Middle River. Family Enduro. Wooden Bridges Blind Enduro. Gunpowder Valley Motorcycle Club, 410-977-2534, president@gvmcoffroad.com, gvmcoffroad.com
MICHIGAN
Motocross: July 1-3. Buchanan. RedBud Recreation, Inc., 269-695-6405, info@redbudmx.com, www.redbudmx.com
Flat Track/Short Track: July 8. Deford. Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., 810-404-2895, raymie2895@gmail. com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com
Flat Track/TT Scrambles: July 9. Deford. Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc., 810-404-2895, raymie2895@gmail. com, www.luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com
Motocross: July 10. Brookston. District 23 Motocross Series. Echo Valley Motopark, LLC., 218-391-8422, echovalleymotopark@gmail.com, echovalleymotocross.com
Road Rally: July 12-14. Winona. International Women On Wheels® Ride-In™. Women on Wheels®, 402-326-9736, treasurer@womenonwheels.org, www.womenonwheels.org
Road Race: July 15-17. Brainerd. Central Roadracing Association 2022 Season. Central Roadracing Association, 612-332-4070, info@cra-mn.com, www.cra-mn.com
Motocross: July 15. Millville. Fly Racing Super Series sponsored by Dunlop. Hi-Winders, 507-753-2779, springcreekmxoffice@gmail.com, www.springcreekmx.com
Motocross: July 17. Millville. Fly Racing Super Series sponsored by Dunlop. Hi-Winders, 507-753-2779, springcreekmxoffice@gmail.com, www.springcreekmx.com
Motocross: July 24. Cambridge. BCMX Motocross. BCMX Adventure Park, 612-280-8939, bcmxllc@hotmail.com, www.bcmxadventurepark.com
Motocross: July 9-10. Huntsville. Missouri State Motocross. HLR Motorsports, Inc., 660-263-4321, hlrmotorsports.com, www.hlrmotorsports.net
Motocross: July 24. Adrian. Triple A Race- Adrenaline AMA Ambush. Motorplex LLC., 816-589-0903, adrenalinemotorplex@gmail.com, adrenalinemotorplex.com
MONTANA
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: July 9. Big Sandy. Bear Paw XC. Coal Mine Coulee XC, 406-390-0904, coalminecouleexc@gmail.com, coalminecouleexc.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Road Race: July 16-17. Canaan. United States Classic Racing Association, 413-498-4433, raceuscra@yahoo.com, www.race-uscra.com
NEW JERSEY
Motocross: July 9-10. Englishtown. Raceway Park Motocross - Saturday Night Lites Series. Raceway Park, 732446-7800, rtrevelise@racewaypark.com, etownraceway.com
Motocross: July 17. Millville. Liberty Shootout/NJ Championship Series. Field of Dreams MX, LLC., 856-765-3799, info@njmpfod.com, www.njmpfod.com
NEW YORK
Motocross: July 2. Caroga Lake. CNYMRA Series. Royal Mountain Ski Area, 518-469-9834, info@ royalmountainskiarea.com, www.royalmountain.com
Motocross: July 3. Carlisle. MSC Championship MX Series Sports Committee,. Diamondback MX at The Ranch at Carlisle, 845-554-8717, info@diamondback-motocross.com, www.diamondback-motocross.com
Motocross: July 3. Caroga Lake. CNYMRA Series. Royal Mountain Ski Area, 518-469-9834, info@ royalmountainskiarea.com, www.royalmountain.com
Trail Ride: July 17. Medina Fun Trials Ride. Niagara Trials Riders, 716-930-0766, rscorpa@aol.com, ntrmototrials. weebly.com
Observed Trials: July 24. Cuba. D4 Observed Trials. District 4 Trials Committee, 585-472-2577, grbrinkw@gmail.com, d4mototrials.weebly.com
Motocross: July 24. Carlisle. MSC Championship MX Series. Metropolitan Sports Committee, Diamondback MX at The Ranch at Carlisle, 845-554-8717, info@diamondbackmotocross.com, www.diamondback-motocross.com
Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: July 24. Cortland. The Ditch Banger, 607-280-8765, theditchbanger@gmail.com
NORTH CAROLINA
Enduro: July 9-10. Henderson. Full Gas Sprint Enduro RD 6: NCMP. Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series, 919-238-1627, contact@fullgasenduro.com, fullgasenduro.com
Road Race: July 30-31. Garysburg. ASRA Sprint Races/ CCS. American Sportbike Racing Association, 817-246-1127, info@asraracing.com, www.asraracing.com
OHIO
Motocross: July 6-10. Chillicothe. ChilliTown Classic. East Fork MX, 513-266-2866, www.chillitownmx.com
Motocross: July 16-17. Nashport. Battle for Ohio State Championship Series, Briarcliff Motocross, LLC., 740-7630935, josborn@briarcliffmx.com, www.briarcliffmx.com
Dual Sport: July 16-17. Logan. Copperhead Dual Sport. Hocking Valley Motorcycle Club, 740-385-7695, rmyers807@ gmail.com, http://www.hockingvalleymc.com
Flat Track - Half-Mile: July 23. Van Wert. Van Wert County Motorcycle Flat Track Race. Best of Ohio Summer Series, 937-548-5044
Road Rally: July 22-24. Lexington. Vintage Motorcycle Days. American Motorcyclist Association, 1-800-262-5646, http:// www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com
Motocross: July 23-24. Lexington. AMA Vintage Motocross Grand Championship. American Motorcyclist Association, 614-856-1900, mburkeen@ama-cycle.org, www.vintagemotorcycledays.com
Motocross: July 2-3. Seward. AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series. Pleasure Valley Raceway, 814-317-6686, jeffcernic@gmail.com, www.pvrmx.com
Extreme Off-Road: July 2-3. Tamaqua. Tough Like RORR/ AMA Extreme Off Road Series. Reading Off Road Riders, 844-440-RORR, jim.graffius@gmail.com, rorr.org
Flat Track – TT: July 3. Parkesburg. E PA Piston Poppers MC Inc., 484-336-9160, pistonpoppersmc@hotmail.com, www.pistonpoppersmc.com
Motocross: July 3. Birdsboro. District 6 Henrietta Classic Series. Pagoda Motorcycle Club, 610-582-3717, pagodamc@gmail.com, www.pagodamc.org
Motocross: July 9-10. Shippensburg. Doublin Gap - MDRA/ MAMA Shootout. Doublin Gap Motocross, Inc., 717-5715824, doublingap@gmail.com, www.doublingap.com
Motocross: July 9. Hillpoint. Wisconsin’s Southern Cup. Sugar Maple MX Park LLC., 608-425-8643, sugarmaplemxpark@gmail.com, www.sugarmaplemx.com Motocross: July 10. Lake Mills. Aztalan Cycle Club Motocross. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc., 414-265-1582, aztalancycle@gmail.com, www.aztalanmx.com
Flat Track - Short Track: July 16-17. Lake Mills. AMA District 16 Flat Track. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc., 262-225-9011, jkainz3505@gmail.com, aztalanmx.com Observed Trials: July 16-17. Baraboo. Mountain Road MotoTrials. Wisconsin Observed Trials Association, 319-3308016, nursehuber@aol.com, wisconsintrials.org
Flat Track - Short Track: July 23. Burnett. District 16 ST. Beaver Cycle Club, Inc., 920-319-6889, mikeschwarzenbacher@gmail.com, https://www.facebook. com/BeaverCycleClub
Flat Track – TT: July 29. Wausau. ACES Racing at Wausau 525. ACES Racing Co., 715-212-6340, acesracingco@usa. com, acesracing.com
Flat Track - ST: July 30. Wausau. ACES Racing at Wausau 525. ACES Racing Co., 715-212-6340, acesracingco@usa. com, acesracing.com
MOTOCROSS
2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship promotocross.com
Round 5: July 2. Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX
Round 6: July 9. Southwick, Mass. The Wick 338
Round 7: July 16. Millville, Minn. Spring Creek MX Park
Round 8: July 23. Washougal, Wash. Washougal MX Park
Round 9: Aug. 13. New Berlin, N.Y. Unadilla MX
Round 10: Aug. 20. Mechanicsville, Md. Budds Creek Motocross Park
Round 11: Aug. 27. Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman Raceway
Round 12: Sept. 3. Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway
Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations redbudmx.com/mxon-2022
Sept. 24-25. Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship mxsports.com
Aug. 1-6. Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn Ranch
AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series atvmotocross.com
Round 8: July 2-3. Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway. Round 9: July 30-31. Buchanan, Mich. RedBud MX. Round 10: Aug. 13-14. Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Loretta Lynn Ranch.
AMA Vintage Motocross Grand Championship amavintagemotorcycledays.com
July 23-24. Lexington, Ohio. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
MAJOR EVENTS
Thor Mini O’s, presented by Pro Circuit unlimitedsportsmx.com
Sept. 17-18. Yosemite Dual Sport Adventure. Groveland, Calif. Family Off-Road Adventures. (209) 993-7306. familyoffroadadventures.com
Sept. 24-25. Show Me 200. Bixby, Mo. Midwest Trail Riders Association. (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com
Sept. 24-25. Big Woods 200. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org
Oct. 1-2. Perry Mountain Tower Run. Stanton, Ala. Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club. (334) 327-5086 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com
Oct. 1-2. Shenandoah 500. Natural Chimneys, Va. Washington Area Trail Riders. watr.us
Oct. 7-9. Eastern Sierra Dual Sport. Lone Pine, Calif. Family Off Road Adventures. (209) 993-7306. familyoffroadadventures.com
Nov. 5-6. The Hammer Run. Port Elizabeth, N.J. Tri-County Sportsmen M.C. Inc. teamhammer.org
Nov. 5-6. Howlin’ at the Moon. Payson, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders. (602) 692-9382 arizonatrailriders.org
Nov. 25-26. L.A. – Barstow to Vegas. Palmdale, Calif. District 37 Dual Sport. (626) 446-7386 labarstowbegas.com
AMA National Gypsy Tour americanmotorcyclist.com/gypsytour
4 Corners M/C Rally September 2-4. Durango, CO
AMA Vintage Motorcyle Days https://vintagemotorcycledays.com/page/racing
AMA Vintage Motorcyle Days July 22-24. Lexington, Ohio
AMA Grand Tours https://americanmotorcyclist.com/grandtours
Great Lakes Cabot Trail Tour. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 330-857-8131, cabottrail@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com USA Four Corners Tour. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 805-889-5220, usa4c@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com
Best 15 US Roads Challenge. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 330-857-8131, best15us@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com California Adventure Series. Jan.15 - Nov. 30. Southern California Motorcycling Association, 330-857-8131, adventures@sc-ma.com, sc-ma.com
Beta AMA National Dual Sport Series americanmotorcyclist.com/national-dual-sport
July 16-17. Copperhead. Logan, Ohio. Hocking Valley Motorcycle Club. (740) 385-7695 hockingvalleymc.com
Aug. 6-7. Mountain Madness. Flagstaff, Ariz. Coconino Trail
Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas. March 1-Nov. 15. MC Grand Tour of Texas, LLC, 210-777-1434, davidcanada@ mcgttx.com, www.mcgttx.com Tour of Honor. April 1- Nov. 30. Tour of Honor, 208-740-0899, admin@tourofhonor.com, tourofhonor.com.
Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. June 23-July 22. Medicine Show LLC. (605) 890-0386, beth.durham@ hokaheychallenge.com, hokaheychallenge.com
Garage
Tips,Tweaks, Fixes and Facts: The two-wheeled ownership experience, explained
Cover Me!
There’s analytical debate about whether or not to cover your brake lever, but experience makes the case
BY MITCH BOEHM
Like a lot of (probably) older motorcyclists, I learned to ride exclusively by experience, and all the bumps, bruises, close calls and actual falls that come with that, and I’ll happily admit to never having taken a rider skills course.
Of course, having ridden for 50 years, raced motocross for 47 of them, road raced for 37, ridden on the street for 40, having taught road racing skills and strategy in the classroom and on the track, and having written a lot about riding technique over the decades, I’m thinking there’s not much I haven’t yet encountered.
Commuting for 30-plus years and hundreds of thousands of miles in the loveliness that is Los Angeles traffic
taught me a lot of useful things over the years, and one of the most vital was covering the front brake lever to varying degrees depending on the particular traffic situation.
It’s a tactic that comes in handy on backroad rides and on the racetrack, as well, but for this discussion I want to stick to street riding and the many benefits covering the brake offers.
Of course, not everyone agrees, including a lot of instructors that work for various riding-skills entities out there. Boiled down, their argument is basically that, for newer riders, especially, covering the brake lever to reduce reaction time in an emergency or brake-now situation can get in the way of separate and proper braking and throttle-application techniques, and for new riders just learning the
basics I can see some logic here. You want to become proficient at throttle and braking separately before you start mixing them, as covering the brake (and working the throttle at the same time) entails.
But then you read something like this on an online forum, and you wonder…as I did.
• I took the MSF Experienced Rider Course yesterday (excellent refresher course, BTW), and the instructor noticed that I used two fingers to cover the brake at all times. She asked me where I learned that technique, and I told her that I learned it from talking to experienced riders, reading about it in various books (such as Reg Pridmore’s “Smooth Riding”) and from firsthand experience. I ride in a
Women’s Gear, On The Gas
More
women riders have resulted in more ladies’-gear choices
BY JOY BURGESS
O
ne of the biggest complaints I hear from lady riders is that it’s tough to find good gear that fits. Not only have offerings traditionally been limited, women struggle with limited sizes and cuts that just don’t fit their body types.
But that’s changing, especially as more women join the ridership ranks and more ladies launch female-focused gear companies. The benefits of these for-women-bywomen companies are that they have a greater understanding that women come in all shapes and sizes, and that many want quality gear that actually
looks good.
One such entrepreneur is Jenna Stellar, a former Hollywood costume designer who runs Stellar Moto Brand (StellarMotoBrand.com). She grew up around motorcycles and always dreamed of applying her designer skills to moto gear. But it was crashing without the right gear and being injured that resulted in her career move. “No one should have to suffer through an experience like mine,” Stellar says, adding that she was angry she let vanity get in the way of safety.
Stellar’s gear offers sizes ranging
from XXS to 3X and uses a synthetic fiber called Dyneema that’s super-strong and offers some of the best protective technology available. Her gear is armored, too. “Companies often cheap out by not giving us armor with products. While my gear may be a little more expensive, an ambulance ride is really expensive!”
Another woman-owned gear company is Jennifer Williams’ Wind & Throttle (WindandThrottle.com), an outfit born out of her frustration with searching for functional, comfortable gear.
“I’d have to sift through tons of men’s gear just to find a few options,” she told us, adding that it drove her to create her business, which includes a curated selection of gear specifically designed for women.
“My favorite part is working with women to help them find the right gear,” Williams said, and I can personally attest to that. When I was looking for gear and having a tough
time because I’m vertically challenged, she asked for my measurements and helped me find some great options.
The good news is that finding great ladies’ gear is no longer a scavenger hunt…if you know where to look, that is.
Jennifer Williams shown at one of her Wind & Throttle pop-up stores.
LiveWire/Harley-Davidson’s new Del Mar e-bike fills a prime mid-price category slot
BY KALI KOTOSKI
The recent parade of electric motorcycle offerings from brands like Zero, Energica, Damon, and even recent rumblings that Can-Am’s debuting an electric motorcycle soon, make it clear: electrification is coming.
Harley-Davidson first went electric in 2019 with the debut of the LiveWire, and now Harley’s electric motorcycle subsidiary LiveWire has
unveiled the second horse in its “charged” stable, the splashy and tastefully futuristic flat-track-inspired Del Mar.
The all-electric bike was designed with zippy urban commuters in mind, and the first 100 launch-edition units have already sold out at a retail price of $17,699, though they won’t be delivered ’til Spring 2023. Immediately after, LiveWire will focus on producing the standard S2 Del Mar with a
target price of $15,000. Specs haven’t been finalized, but the Del Mar has a target output of 80 horsepower, weighs under 440 pounds and delivers an expected 0-to-60 in 3.5 second or less, with a city range of 100 miles per charge.
Utilizing LiveWire’s scalable ARROW architecture that debuted in the Del Mar, the design is meant to be highly modular, with proprietary battery, electric motor, charging and control systems.
“The ARROW architecture underpinning the Del Mar, developed inhouse at LiveWire Labs, demonstrates our ambition to lead in the EV space and establish LiveWire as the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson, in a news release.
Many longtime enthusiasts are understandably lukewarm on the whole e-bike concept, and the genre does have its limitations in terms of range and higher prices — as all e-bikes do. But once you ride one and discover how seriously interesting and different they are from what you’re used to, you may become a fan after all. It’s definitely going to be interesting.
this 1975 in the AMA’s Hall Of Fame Retro Raf e!
$5 per Ticket $20 for Five
Such a deal on such a classic motorcycle! Raffle tickets not only give you chances to win this restored, retro-classic Monza-blue Boxer, it benefits the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Museum – where motorcycle legends live! A winner will be drawn next July at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2022 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Don’t miss your chance!
