As I find myself sprinting across the street I'm thinking to myself, wow these Sidi sliders actually provide pretty darn good traction ! no sooner had that thought left my mind I was aboard my bike kicking it to start the race....kick-kick-kick-kick-kick-kick-kick-kick as I hear my teammate yelling at me... go go go go go go go go.........bbbbraaaap finally !! Drop the clutch and off to turn one I go........cold front tire pushing as I try the inside on three guys, cool !, three gone...turn two I got two more and was able to hold a good spot goin into the next two turns as I'm trying to get a drive on the next two bikes at the beginning of the back straight which is a drag race....up inside I go, pinned laying on the bike trying to get every ounce of speed out of the little 250 which is reving her brains out. As I cross the rough section I loosen up on my grip to try to get the speed wobble out, no sooner had I done this and two of the 450's I passed get by me....DAM ! three deep into the next corner, I managed to eek out ahead but I get out powered down a short chute but I re pass on the inside again going into the slowest corner which leads to the one and only urban jump.....two more corners I stay ahead till the last corner before another long drag race of a straight.....I get passed by the same two riders plus another......curse curse curse....wish I had my 550...grrrrrr......after 15 minutes the white flag waves in front of my bike and just after the guys I was trying to hang with...woo hoo..happy days, so off to the staging area I go in first gear trying to maintain a slower speed which is part of the race rules...up ahead is my partner, who at 15 yrs old happens to be one of the fastest guys in our series.....as we bang boots (have to tag off, his engine was revving ready to go) Jacob takes off like the Tasmanian devil goin sideways into turn one....I can imagine him muttering to himself @@##&&^^%%**!! that dam bike of Brian's was starting in 1 kick before....I tried to watch as much of the track as possible to see how my boy was doing, as always the cold tires didn't slow him down too much and the track temp was warm enough that he was going like a madman.....He was litterly flying...
Two sessions apiece and the race is over......I started, he finished...prolly a good thing as we won quite convincingly......or should I say he won........Won what, you ask ?..... well here's the deal...last weekend we shared an event called the Hub City Grand Prix http://www.hubcitygrandprix.com/hcgp/schedule.php with the karter's and they put up a really cool street track through and around the local college in Centralia WA. Which is located 1.5 hrs south of Seattle. So basically we took over the neighbourhood for two days.....The first race was on Saturday afternoon which was a team race which is what I described above....The idea is there is a "Le man's" start which means your bike is turned off and located across the street with your teammate holding it...You dash across the street, jump on and fire the bike. You race for 15 minutes doing as many laps as you can in that time period, when the time is up a white flag comes out showing you to the staging area where your teammate is waiting with his bike revving...tag off and the new rider tears onto the track for another 15 minutes then comes in tags off again with the starting rider, repeating this process once more, so both riders get two sessions each.....which means one guy starts and the other finishes......Being a street coarse it took awhile for us to get accustomed to man hole covers, cross walks, grass growing between the cracks, not to mention stop signs and speed limit signs....Wooo Hooo, I felt like such a hooligan for the first half day, after that it was heads down racing as usual....I will do this next year but with my big bore, as this race is all about power and speed.......
Here is a "safe" link to one of the heats......http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3931271025710256557&hl=en
It was a blast ! Hope to see some of you there next year......
Ride Safe ! BrianSM
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
AMA Supermoto in Hartford, CT
Rockstar/Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co./Motostrano-JSTracing/Leo Vince/Carter Powersport
The 5th round of the AMA Supermoto Championship is sure to be remembered as one of
the best races of the season! It’s all over the internet and in all the race reports, it was a fantastic race! Congratulations Congratulations to Motostrano/JSTracing sponsored rider Micky Dymond of All Access Communications for a well deserved win!
We’re coming back to the Championships after a six week break where Cary Hart participated in X-Games 13 and the team tested their new equipment. We’re moving up in points and expecting strong finishes from all of our riders.
In the first practice session for the 450 Supermoto class, Cary lost a clamp bolt and was only able to complete 2 laps before having to return to the pits. He had more mechanical issues in the 2nd practice session so didn’t qualify for a good position in the qualifying grid. Regardless he pulled up and finished in 13th place for the race and maintained his 15th position in the series.
Travis Marks and his mechanic are still making improvements to his bike and hope to be done by next weekend! Travis sustained some lower back injuries during the practice sessions, but pulled through to finish 8th. Being in 7th place in the Supermoto Unlimited class series, puts Travis only 11 points away from the 3rd place position, giving him a good shot for a top 3 in the series.
Doni Wanat did well in practice, earning a starting position mid-way in the grid. Maintaining a steady pace in the Unlimited class, he was able to pull up through the pack to finish 10th with a 9th place in the series so far. With Doni’s consistency and attitude he is a great asset to the team, both as a rider and Team Manager.
We’d love to see you this next weekend in Nashville for round 6 of the AMA Championships.
Tyler Evans is no longer racing with us as he will be focusing on the upcoming Supercross season. Good Luck Tyler!!
We would like to thank our sponsors for all their support, especially;
Rockstar, Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co., Carter Powersports, Motostrano-JsTRacing, Leo Vince, Weekend Warrior, FOX, Parts Unlimited, DVS Shoes, TAG Metals, Alpina Wheels, Dunlop Tires, MotionPro, Works Connection, Factory Effex, MB1 Suspension, Hinson, ACERBIS, Pinit Motorsports, Magura, and Moto-Master.
About Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company: Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company is the tattoo shop founded by freestyle motocross legend Carey Hart. The first Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company Shop opened in 2004 in the Palms Casino is Las Vegas, making it the first tattoo shop located in a casino. The tattoo shop has since grown to include a line of tattoo-inspired clothing. In addition to the Las Vegas shop, Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company is expanding with shops open in Waikiki, Hawaii, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and Universal Studios Florida. For more information, please visit www.hartandhuntingtontattoo.com.
About Motostrano:
Motostrano is the leading supermoto parts and accessories company in the USA. Motostrano offers complete supermoto conversion kits for race and street duty, custom wheels, Moto-master brakes and more all for supermoto. To learn more about our services please visit www.motostrano.com.
The 5th round of the AMA Supermoto Championship is sure to be remembered as one of
the best races of the season! It’s all over the internet and in all the race reports, it was a fantastic race! Congratulations Congratulations to Motostrano/JSTracing sponsored rider Micky Dymond of All Access Communications for a well deserved win!We’re coming back to the Championships after a six week break where Cary Hart participated in X-Games 13 and the team tested their new equipment. We’re moving up in points and expecting strong finishes from all of our riders.
In the first practice session for the 450 Supermoto class, Cary lost a clamp bolt and was only able to complete 2 laps before having to return to the pits. He had more mechanical issues in the 2nd practice session so didn’t qualify for a good position in the qualifying grid. Regardless he pulled up and finished in 13th place for the race and maintained his 15th position in the series.
Travis Marks and his mechanic are still making improvements to his bike and hope to be done by next weekend! Travis sustained some lower back injuries during the practice sessions, but pulled through to finish 8th. Being in 7th place in the Supermoto Unlimited class series, puts Travis only 11 points away from the 3rd place position, giving him a good shot for a top 3 in the series.
Doni Wanat did well in practice, earning a starting position mid-way in the grid. Maintaining a steady pace in the Unlimited class, he was able to pull up through the pack to finish 10th with a 9th place in the series so far. With Doni’s consistency and attitude he is a great asset to the team, both as a rider and Team Manager.
We’d love to see you this next weekend in Nashville for round 6 of the AMA Championships.
Tyler Evans is no longer racing with us as he will be focusing on the upcoming Supercross season. Good Luck Tyler!!
We would like to thank our sponsors for all their support, especially;
Rockstar, Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co., Carter Powersports, Motostrano-JsTRacing, Leo Vince, Weekend Warrior, FOX, Parts Unlimited, DVS Shoes, TAG Metals, Alpina Wheels, Dunlop Tires, MotionPro, Works Connection, Factory Effex, MB1 Suspension, Hinson, ACERBIS, Pinit Motorsports, Magura, and Moto-Master.
About Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company: Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company is the tattoo shop founded by freestyle motocross legend Carey Hart. The first Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company Shop opened in 2004 in the Palms Casino is Las Vegas, making it the first tattoo shop located in a casino. The tattoo shop has since grown to include a line of tattoo-inspired clothing. In addition to the Las Vegas shop, Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company is expanding with shops open in Waikiki, Hawaii, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and Universal Studios Florida. For more information, please visit www.hartandhuntingtontattoo.com.
About Motostrano:
Motostrano is the leading supermoto parts and accessories company in the USA. Motostrano offers complete supermoto conversion kits for race and street duty, custom wheels, Moto-master brakes and more all for supermoto. To learn more about our services please visit www.motostrano.com.
Ten Year Old Starting Petition to Change Helmet Law
Boise, Idaho -- A motorcycle accident took the life of a Boise man last week and now his 10-year old daughter is on a campaign to change Idaho's helmet law. The Chapman Family says their father and husband would be enjoying his daily routine today had he been wearing head protection. Emily Chapman is now adamant about requiring bikers to wear helmets, so she's starting a petition drive to try and change state law. "They had to do more operations to stop the swelling, they had to open up his head," said Julie Chapman, who lost her husband in the motorcycle accident. Julie describes how they tried to save her 43-year-old husband, Shane, this past weekend.She says Shane was riding his motorcycle last Thursday night on Fairview, east of Maple Grove.
Boise Police confirm a car pulled out of the Pop-eye's Fried Chicken parking lot trying to turn left when Shane was approaching. "When she pulled out, he lost control, trying not to run into her. He flipped as he tried to lay down the bike and it catapulted him," said Julie. Shane was not wearing a helmet. The Chapman's say he died from massive trauma to the brain. Married for 15 years, Julie now has to make funeral arrangements and tell her youngest the devastating news. "Katy is only 4. She doesn't understand where her dad is, she'll never know her dad," said Julie. Emily, 10, is starting a petition to change the current Idaho law requiring bikers to wear helmets. "I'm going to send it in to the governor and see what he does. If it doesn't work, I'll keep doing it," said Emily.
Read the rest of the story.
Boise Police confirm a car pulled out of the Pop-eye's Fried Chicken parking lot trying to turn left when Shane was approaching. "When she pulled out, he lost control, trying not to run into her. He flipped as he tried to lay down the bike and it catapulted him," said Julie. Shane was not wearing a helmet. The Chapman's say he died from massive trauma to the brain. Married for 15 years, Julie now has to make funeral arrangements and tell her youngest the devastating news. "Katy is only 4. She doesn't understand where her dad is, she'll never know her dad," said Julie. Emily, 10, is starting a petition to change the current Idaho law requiring bikers to wear helmets. "I'm going to send it in to the governor and see what he does. If it doesn't work, I'll keep doing it," said Emily.
Read the rest of the story.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Dymond shines at New England Supermoto
August 27, 2007
UPDATED!
All Access Racing’s Micky Dymond earned his first-ever AMA Red Bull Supermoto race victory following a wild 20-lap final at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT.
It was obvious the race would be a hectic and unpredictable affair right from the start, as championship favorites Jeff Ward and Mark Burkhart collided in the race’s opening corner, pushing the series’ top two riders to the back of the field almost as early as they got the green light.
Heat 2 race winner Troy Herfoss on the HMC KTM took advantage of their misfortune early, concluding the first lap in first position. His time at the front was short lived, however, as a mishap of his own knocked the Aussie down to 20th position on the very next lap.
Factory Aprilia star Ben Carlson was next, leading laps two and three before falling down the order (and ultimately out of the race). Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Robbie Horton inherited the lead, but only for a lap before dropping outside the top five himself as the racing incidents continued to mount.
Mach 1 Motorsports’ Steve Drew provided the race with a sense of order, holding down first place for a seven-lap run, before finally conceding the position to former AMA 125 Motocross champ Dymond, who proved that Troy Lee Designs’ reigning class champion, Ward, isn’t the only rider in the field capable of outrunning youth thanks to a healthy dose of experience.
Once moving into the lead on lap 12, Dymond wouldn’t surrender the position and grabbed the checkered flag with a 3.649-second margin of victory to pick up his first win since swapping KTMs for Hondas and focusing on the premier class after earlier winning four races and a series title in the Unlimited category.
Afterwards, Dymond said, "I am the most surprised guy here. All race I really did not know what place I was in. The sun made a glare on my pit board so I could not read it. I battled the whole time coming from mid-pack and thought the leaders were gone way out front -- this sport is amazing. I want to thank everyone over the years for all their support."
Ward made a remarkable recovery to work all the up to second at the flag, just ahead of young Aussie Herfoss, who made a similar climb up through the field.
Ward remarked, "Burkhart got in to me off the start. Once I saw it was him, I tried to get going quick and never gave up until the checkers. The whole race I did not know the place I was in. It feels great to be able to battle back up front after that. Micky is a great guy, I am happy for him to get a win."
Herfoss commented, "I got a good start but I lost it in the sand and hit the wall pretty hard and had to push my bike up the next jump to start it. I rode as hard as I could and tried to catch Wardy and Micky, but ran out of laps. I want to thanks HMC KTM. A win will come soon guys".
Drew just missed out on the podium in fourth, with Georgian Horton completing the top five.
Graves Motorsports Yamaha ace Burkhart did his best to minimize the damage considering his early race fall, which was compounded by a spill earlier in the day that injured his shoulder. The Ohioan finished in sixth, and while he lost his championship lead in the process, he remains in striking distance, just three points removed from Ward, 111-108.
Carlson’s Factory Aprilia Rip It Energy Racing teammate, Darryl Atkins, guided his RXV450 to seventh, followed by CHM Exhaust’s Jason Conlon, Supermoto Depot’s Gray Tracy and Troy Lee Designs-backed Jason McDonald, who rounded out the top ten.
The AMA Supermoto Championship will be back in action in just a week’s time, as the series picks back up at the Music City Motorplex in Nashville, TN September 1-2.
UPDATED!
All Access Racing’s Micky Dymond earned his first-ever AMA Red Bull Supermoto race victory following a wild 20-lap final at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT.
It was obvious the race would be a hectic and unpredictable affair right from the start, as championship favorites Jeff Ward and Mark Burkhart collided in the race’s opening corner, pushing the series’ top two riders to the back of the field almost as early as they got the green light.
Heat 2 race winner Troy Herfoss on the HMC KTM took advantage of their misfortune early, concluding the first lap in first position. His time at the front was short lived, however, as a mishap of his own knocked the Aussie down to 20th position on the very next lap.
Factory Aprilia star Ben Carlson was next, leading laps two and three before falling down the order (and ultimately out of the race). Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Robbie Horton inherited the lead, but only for a lap before dropping outside the top five himself as the racing incidents continued to mount.
Mach 1 Motorsports’ Steve Drew provided the race with a sense of order, holding down first place for a seven-lap run, before finally conceding the position to former AMA 125 Motocross champ Dymond, who proved that Troy Lee Designs’ reigning class champion, Ward, isn’t the only rider in the field capable of outrunning youth thanks to a healthy dose of experience.
Once moving into the lead on lap 12, Dymond wouldn’t surrender the position and grabbed the checkered flag with a 3.649-second margin of victory to pick up his first win since swapping KTMs for Hondas and focusing on the premier class after earlier winning four races and a series title in the Unlimited category.
Afterwards, Dymond said, "I am the most surprised guy here. All race I really did not know what place I was in. The sun made a glare on my pit board so I could not read it. I battled the whole time coming from mid-pack and thought the leaders were gone way out front -- this sport is amazing. I want to thank everyone over the years for all their support."
Ward made a remarkable recovery to work all the up to second at the flag, just ahead of young Aussie Herfoss, who made a similar climb up through the field.
Ward remarked, "Burkhart got in to me off the start. Once I saw it was him, I tried to get going quick and never gave up until the checkers. The whole race I did not know the place I was in. It feels great to be able to battle back up front after that. Micky is a great guy, I am happy for him to get a win."
Herfoss commented, "I got a good start but I lost it in the sand and hit the wall pretty hard and had to push my bike up the next jump to start it. I rode as hard as I could and tried to catch Wardy and Micky, but ran out of laps. I want to thanks HMC KTM. A win will come soon guys".
Drew just missed out on the podium in fourth, with Georgian Horton completing the top five.
Graves Motorsports Yamaha ace Burkhart did his best to minimize the damage considering his early race fall, which was compounded by a spill earlier in the day that injured his shoulder. The Ohioan finished in sixth, and while he lost his championship lead in the process, he remains in striking distance, just three points removed from Ward, 111-108.
Carlson’s Factory Aprilia Rip It Energy Racing teammate, Darryl Atkins, guided his RXV450 to seventh, followed by CHM Exhaust’s Jason Conlon, Supermoto Depot’s Gray Tracy and Troy Lee Designs-backed Jason McDonald, who rounded out the top ten.
The AMA Supermoto Championship will be back in action in just a week’s time, as the series picks back up at the Music City Motorplex in Nashville, TN September 1-2.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Morongo Casino & Troy Lee to host AMA Season Finale
August 23, 2007 - Following up on last year's highly regarded AMA pro supermoto season finale at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, Troy Lee and company are heading inland for this year's two-day racing finale to the spectacular Morongo Casino Resort & Spa.
Located along Highway 10 in Cabazon, California between Riverside and Palm Springs, motorcycle friendly Morongo has welcomed the November supermoto event with open arms, as well as plenty of open space to accommodate another of the inventive racetrack layouts that has become a signature of Troy Lee's events.
The Morongo Resort ( www.morongo.com) is one of the original California tribal gaming faciliti es and after undergoing a massive $250 million upgrade in 2004, was transformed into an award-winning 4-Diamond destination resort. The property boasts 310 deluxe rooms and suites, many with spectacular mountain vistas and canyon views, and a bevy of fine restaurants and nightclubs that will delight racers, teams and fans alike when they aren't out at the track enjoying the bar-to-bar supermoto action.
"We are very excited to be hosting the 2007 AMA Supermoto final round and Championship here," commented Michael Potts, Morongo's Director of Sales. "As the gateway to the desert, plenty of motorcycle riders and fans already know about our facility, but now we'll have the opportunity to really show supermoto racers and their fans a great time this November. We're looking forward to it!"
Troy Lee's team concurs.
Morongo's Director of Sales, Michael Potts shares the spectacular view with Bob Weber
from Morongo's high-rise Club 360. Looking on is Gavin Trippe. - Scott Cox photo
"We're extremely excited about bringing supermoto to an awesome world-class facility like Morongo and working closely with the Morongo staff and management. So far they have been great to deal with," said Bob Weber, GM of Troy Lee Designs. "Fortunately, there's lots of room to stage a championship racing event here because like last year, Troy is looking to blow this thing up in huge fashion with all the special features and activities now planned."
"I have to agree with Bob," said Troy Lee. "Morongo is the perfect venue for our 2007 event and I can't wait to get started. We set the bar high last year in Long Beach but we'll be pulling out all the stops come November."
The ninth and final round of the 2007 AMA Pro Supermoto series will take place on Saturday, November 10, 2007, with the championship final occurring the next day on Sunday, November 11th. Preceding the weekend pro doubleheader, a promoter practice will kick things off on Thursday, November 8th, with a complete amateur race day on Friday, November 9th.
Extensive event details and schedules will be found at www.troyleedesigns.com early next week. Information on all aspects of this event will be flowing steadily soon, so please pay attention to the TLD website and the motorcycle press during the coming weeks.
2008 Alpinestars Products
We've received our first preview information for the Fall 2007 and 2008 Alpinestars gear products due to roll out to the world in the next few weeks. Most of the items are things I took a gander at on my recent trip to Alpinestars Italy where many of the products were already released.
Being one of the top Alpinestars
dealers in the USA, we're keen to see what the factory will serve up to the US and we often advise astars on what we need and what we think would work. Looks like they listened for the most part and will be coming out with a great new lineup of street gear, plus a totally re-designed race glove line-up and some new bionic protection. A few months ago we explained that the flashy ways of ICON and the "stunt hooligan" look were dying fast and you better get out early or get stuck with a lot of imitation biker image product. Let's get some more classic looking stuff, practically retro, but not, something for the everyman, instead of only the wanna-be-fast-guy. A bunch of new men and women's jackets, leather and textile. Redesigned GP PRO, GP Plus, SP1 and SP2 gloves. A new SPX Glove, SP3 glove, Hero and SMX4 gloves. All new Gore Tex gloves with a new Storm, WR-3, WR-2 and SR-2 Glove. Gals also finally get a waterproof women's riding pant.
The catalog also shows what the new BIONIC protection will look like. Astars redid
their BIONIC protector jackets converting them to a 2.0 version. Looks like great stuff. Make sure to check our alpinestars section in a few weeks for all the products ready to purchase.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Spousal Motorcycle Parts Purchase Approval Form
MOTORCYCLE PARTS SPOUSAL APPROVAL FORM
Please complete the following authorization form before purchasing motorcycle parts if you are a married man. Original copies required. Please send by Certified Mail.
Your Name: ____________
Your Nick Name: __________
Number of Bikes Your Wife Thinks You Own: (NONE), (1), (5), (10)
(if more than 5 please provide a copy of your marriage certificate)
Is one or more of your bikes "actually" hers but you tend to ride it? _____
Are your bikes stored at your or a buddy’s house? _______
Last time your wife saw your bikes? ________
(required if you are purchasing an exhaust, or other noticeable parts)
How Many Years Have You Been Married? _______
Approved Purchasing Limit: _________
"Stretching-it" Purchasing Limit: _________
Secure Email Address: _____________________________________________________
(please no "jimandmandy@soandso.com" or "thewilburfamily@soandso.com"
Secure Shipping Address: __________________________________________________
(work or buddy's house OK)
Wife’s Signature: ______________________ Date: ___________
(place women's mail order clothing catalog above this area when acquiring signature)
Notary Signature: _______________ Date: : _________
Stamp: _____________
Your Signature: __________________
Please complete the following authorization form before purchasing motorcycle parts if you are a married man. Original copies required. Please send by Certified Mail.
Your Name: ____________
Your Nick Name: __________
Number of Bikes Your Wife Thinks You Own: (NONE), (1), (5), (10)
(if more than 5 please provide a copy of your marriage certificate)
Is one or more of your bikes "actually" hers but you tend to ride it? _____
Are your bikes stored at your or a buddy’s house? _______
Last time your wife saw your bikes? ________
(required if you are purchasing an exhaust, or other noticeable parts)
How Many Years Have You Been Married? _______
Approved Purchasing Limit: _________
"Stretching-it" Purchasing Limit: _________
Secure Email Address: _____________________________________________________
(please no "jimandmandy@soandso.com" or "thewilburfamily@soandso.com"
Secure Shipping Address: __________________________________________________
(work or buddy's house OK)
Wife’s Signature: ______________________ Date: ___________
(place women's mail order clothing catalog above this area when acquiring signature)
Notary Signature: _______________ Date: : _________
Stamp: _____________
Your Signature: __________________
Friday, August 17, 2007
Troy Lee Makes It A Double
Troy Lee Makes It A Double:
Final 2007 AMA Supermoto Round and Pro Championship Race will take place in Southern California November 9-11
August 16, 2007 - Corona, CA - For the second consecutive year, Troy Lee Designs will stage the AMA pro Supermoto finale in Southern California. But this year, they're going to "make it a double" - a double-header that is, with the 9th qualifying round of the series taking place on Saturday, November 10, 2007 and the finale occurring the following day on Sunday, November 11th. This year the venue will move away from the ocean to a new location in the greater Los Angeles region to be formally announced next week.
To great reviews, TLD hosted the 2006 AMA season championship final - "Troy Lee's Duel at the Docks" - at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. But for 2007 the Fall event moves to an exciting new venue.
"Months ago we considered returning to the Queen Mary but they're in flux now and we would be unable to produce a quality event like we did last year," said Lee. "The ship's up for auction and looking for new ownership. When that happens my team and I will be happy to discuss another event. Until then we've pursued a new venue that our racers, sponsors, and fans will really enjoy."
Troy Lee
Troy Lee scopes out an all new track design for his November supermoto weekend. - Scott Cox photo
"We're on great terms with the City of Long Beach and look forward to producing another race there in the future," offered Troy Lee Designs GM Bob Weber. "One of the best aspects of supermoto racing is that it's moldable and you can be creative, depending on the location. And the group we're finalizing details with right now enables us to put together the best supermoto double-header race weekend ever. It will be amazing!"
The tentative schedule for the November event calls for pro and amateur practice on Thursday, 11/8; amateur practice and racing on Friday, 11/9; pro practice and the 9th round of AMA Supermoto series racing on Saturday, 11/10; and the AMA pro championship finale taking place on Sunday 11/11.
And of course, courtesy of one of the motorsports industry's most creative minds, Troy Lee and his world-class event production team, supermoto racers and fans can expect another innovative track design and spectacular event."
"It will definitely be a weekend of awesome entertainment," said Lee. "Next week we plan to reveal the fantastic venue we're working with and as our plans unfold we will be announcing a few additional surprises that the racers and fans will love."
As was the case for last year's final weekend, a core group of sponsors have lined up quickly to support the racing event including Honda, Red Bull, Parts Unlimited, Weekened Warrior, Oakley, PPG, Mattel Hotwheels, and the motorcycle world's official beer, MotoBrew.
"We had a great experience producing and promoting the Queen Mary event last year," said Lee, whose custom-painted racing helmets have been worn by the world's fastest racers for over 27 years, and who is a supermoto team owner and racer himself. "We learned a few things that will help us put on an even better show and continue to support the exciting and fast-growing sport of supermoto."
Extensive event details can be found at www.troyleedesigns.com.
# # #
Submitted by: Resource Marketing, Encinitas, California 92024
Tel 760-436-9937 / Fax 760-436-3711
Contact: Tim Hackett tim@resmarket.com or Scott Cox scott@resmarket.com
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Press Release Rockstar/Hart & Huntington/Motostrano.com-JSTracing/Carter Powersports
Press Release
Rockstar/Hart & Huntington Tattoo Inc./Motostrano.com-JSTracing/Carter Powersports
X-Games 13- August 4, 2007
The Rockstar/Hart & Huntington team competed in X-Games 13Rockstar/Hart & Huntington Tattoo Inc./Motostrano.com-JSTracing/Carter Powersports
X-Games 13- August 4, 2007
(http://expn.go.com/expn/index) at the Home Depot center and we had a GREAT time! Riders and fans agree that the track was fantastic! Starting out with a right hairpin, leading the riders through a super twisty road section to an awesome dirt track with the X-games signature jump into the stadium to the roar of the crowd! Like last year, all the riders had to take a mandatory pit stop to refuel and change the
back tire. Unlike last year the stop didn’t seem to cause any problems. The riders were able to complete their pit stops and get back on the track in good time. The other main difference between the AMA circuit and the X-Games are the 25 laps the riders have to complete, testing each rider’s stamina.
Tyler Evans and Carey Hart were invited to compete this year and the team was able to get the new bikes together, tested and ready in time for the race. This will be
You know what this means?! When we get back to the AMA circuit we should kick butt!!
We would like to thank our sponsors for all their support, especially;Rockstar, Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co., Carter Powersports, Motostrano.com-JsTRacing, Leo Vince, Weekend Warrior, FOX, Parts Unlimited, DVS Shoes, TAG Metals, Alpina Wheels, Dunlop Tires, MotionPro, Works Connection, Factory Effex, MB1 Suspension, Hinson, ACERBIS, Pinit Motorsports, Magura, and Moto-Master.
About Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company: Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company is the tattoo shop founded by freestyle motocross legend Carey Hart. The first Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company Shop opened in 2004 in the Palms Casino is Las Vegas, making it the first tattoo shop located in a casino. The tattoo shop has since grown to include a line of tattoo-inspired clothing. In addition to the Las Vegas shop, Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company is expanding with shops open in Waikiki, Hawaii, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and Universal Studios Florida. For more information, please visit www.hartandhuntingtontattoo.com.
About Motostrano.com:
Motostrano.com is the leading supermoto parts and accessories company in the USA. Motostrano offers complete supermoto conversion kits for race and street duty, custom wheels, Moto-master brakes and more all for supermoto. To learn more about our services please visit www.motostrano.com.Media contact:
John S. Tai John@motostrano.com / 650.430.2846
Which Supermoto Boots?
Hey.... over here...: One of the most common questions amongst supermoto racers and die hard supermotard street riders. What boots?
If you're a street rider, you know full well if some one made a specialized type of underwear and named them with a "SM" in front of it, you'd be sporting your S-Moto Boxer Briefs every time you swung a leg over. Same generally goes for Boots, but boots, like boxers I suppose, are all not made equal.
The basic demands for a true Supermoto Boot are the following:
- Replaceable sliders on the sole of the boot.
- The best protection possible.
- Lightest weight possible.
- Great feel on the shifter and brake.
- Availability of said product and replacement parts.
- Reasonable price for the boot and parts.
A few manufacturers have tried to tackle the problem in various ways and not all of them have really done much to supply the Supermoto rider with a real reason for buying into the Supermoto boot domain.
The distinguishing factor of an SM boot vs. any other motorcycle boot is the attempt to make the sole of the boot more capable of sliding on asphalt vs. dirt- Virtually every Supermoto boot out there is an adapted MX boot with some type of replaceable and slidable sole system. No boot maker has made a ground-up Supermoto boot and so the person in the market for an SM boot really also has to consider that there is a full range of MX boot technology out there and it really ranges from crap on one side to over engineered art on the other.
One thing to consider is that you can build a boot with replaceable sliders and that solves one minor problem, but in Supermoto the entire boot takes such a beating that in the end sliders really don't help offset the cost factor of sliders vs. resoling or a new boot.
The other issue is, you can slap a great, cheap removable slider system on any boot, but if the boot itself isn't up to snuff, where's that gotten you? It could get you a broken ankle, if the boot itself isn't offering some good protection.
In 2009, Alpinestars finally released their entry to the Supermoto Boot world. We
are biased to the Alpinestars line. Full specs of the boot can be found here and on the Motostrano web site. The Alpinestars Supermoto Boot is based on the Alpinestars Tech 7 Boot. It looks and fits the same and features the same protection specs as the MX Tech 7 that replaced the Tech 6 a few years ago. The Alpinestars Tech 7 Sm features removable soles that screw on with allen head screws. The Alpinestars Supermoto Boot soles sell for $34.95Gaerne has been making a Supermoto Boot for many years. Uses a Vibram sole. Great boot.
Sidi Boots. One of the most popular "SM" boot in use would be the Sidi model. Sidi does a great job of satisfying all of the
above criteria, except perhaps the price category. At $500, that's a lot of boot that is going to get ground down, slapped on the asphalt and run over. The replaceable slider design of the Sidi is good and readily available. Sliders are relatively inexpensive and the factor of good ankle, toe and shin protection is all there. For most folks though the price is just too much boot to melt on the pavement.The other players include Oxtar, AXO (which is really no longer made), a few others- even Fly Racing had a kind of Supermoto boot on the market.
By far the most dominant actual Boot used in Supermoto today would have to be the Alpinestars Tech 8. Look at any starting grid and that's the boot you'll see on the track most. Not an SM boot at all and there's not even an after market slider system available, the Tech 8's been the dominant boot in motocross for quite some time. The Tech 8 is reasonably priced and it protects your feet, period. Plus, for not much more than the cost of most slider systems, every Tech 8 boot sole is resolable. Same goes for the Tech 10, as well as the 3 and 7.
A few notable racers and a lot of street riders go with sportbike boots. A lot more comfortable, light weight and offering great feel of the controls, Sportbike boots just don't cut it in terms of the specific kind of protection needed for supermoto. Sportbike boots aren't designed for riding with a leg out and off the bike and they're not designed for the sharp pegs on an MX bike. They'll work and they'll protect to a degree, but only MX boots provide the kind of protection to the whole foot and bones inside - a real foot brace - where a sportbike boot is more designed for a high speed impact and slide scenario.
Update: We blogged about the Alpinestars Supermoto boot recently which are available NOW.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Gage Mcallister #15 Race Report
Just got this cool race report from Motostrano sponsored racer Gage McCallister. Go Gage!
Friday, August 10, 2007
2 men drown off Huntington Beach
We knew Ryan only briefly and wish his friend's and family all the best.
2 men drown off Huntington Beach
By Tami Abdollah and Garrett Therolf, Times Staff Writers
8:09 PM PDT, August 8, 2007
Two workers from a dirt motorcycle accessory company drowned just off Huntington Beach early Wednesday, their bodies spotted by surfers after an all-night search, officials said.
The men were among five people who went into the water after midnight just north of the Huntington Beach Pier, said Huntington Beach Police Lt. Craig Junginger. When their friends noticed the two men were missing, they notified the beach maintenance crew, which called police, officials said.
The victims were identified as Christopher Palmer of Long Beach, who died about a week before his 25th birthday, and Ryan Reid, 22, of Huntington Beach.
The cause of death is "presumed drowning" pending autopsies, said Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
All five members of the group had been drinking in the hours before entering the ocean, but they were not believed to be heavily intoxicated, said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Michael Baumgartner.
Ronnie Kimble said Palmer, his cousin, went far into the ocean in an attempt to save Reid. "If the ocean wants you, it's going to take you," Kimble said. "There's no fighting Mother Nature, but he died a hero."
The search involved lifeguards, five divers, two helicopters, boats and the Coast Guard's 41-foot search vessel, Baumgartner said.
Reid's body was found at 5:48 a.m., about half a mile north of the pier near 17th Street and Palmer's was found at 7:53 a.m. near Goldenwest Street, roughly a mile north of the pier, Baumgartner said.
The death of Palmer was especially shocking for his family because he was a strong swimmer who had been a lifeguard and was an experienced surfer. He also enjoyed dirt biking and skiing.
He worked with Reid at ASV Inventions of Huntington Beach, a maker of handles, levers and kickstands for dirt bikes.
Reid had started working for the company in recent weeks, and his family had seen the job as a turning point in his life.
"He just got his life together. He got a good job. He had struggled to live in the past with drinking, but things were getting better," said his cousin, 19-year-old Justin Reid.
The city beach closes about 10 p.m., Baumgartner said. Popular with surfers, the beach had low to normal surf breaking about 1 to 3 feet, Baumgartner said.
"The best we can say is there are rip currents on the beach, and it is possible they got caught in a rip current and drowned," he said. Rip currents are the No. 1 reason for ocean rescues in the country's coastal zones, Baumgartner said.
"Obviously, we love people to come to the beach to enjoy surfing and swimming," he said. "And to do it safely, we always recommend they come during the day to have lifeguards to help them out if they get into trouble."
garrett.therolf@latimes.com
2 men drown off Huntington Beach
By Tami Abdollah and Garrett Therolf, Times Staff Writers
8:09 PM PDT, August 8, 2007
Two workers from a dirt motorcycle accessory company drowned just off Huntington Beach early Wednesday, their bodies spotted by surfers after an all-night search, officials said.
The men were among five people who went into the water after midnight just north of the Huntington Beach Pier, said Huntington Beach Police Lt. Craig Junginger. When their friends noticed the two men were missing, they notified the beach maintenance crew, which called police, officials said.
The victims were identified as Christopher Palmer of Long Beach, who died about a week before his 25th birthday, and Ryan Reid, 22, of Huntington Beach.
The cause of death is "presumed drowning" pending autopsies, said Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
All five members of the group had been drinking in the hours before entering the ocean, but they were not believed to be heavily intoxicated, said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Michael Baumgartner.
Ronnie Kimble said Palmer, his cousin, went far into the ocean in an attempt to save Reid. "If the ocean wants you, it's going to take you," Kimble said. "There's no fighting Mother Nature, but he died a hero."
The search involved lifeguards, five divers, two helicopters, boats and the Coast Guard's 41-foot search vessel, Baumgartner said.
Reid's body was found at 5:48 a.m., about half a mile north of the pier near 17th Street and Palmer's was found at 7:53 a.m. near Goldenwest Street, roughly a mile north of the pier, Baumgartner said.
The death of Palmer was especially shocking for his family because he was a strong swimmer who had been a lifeguard and was an experienced surfer. He also enjoyed dirt biking and skiing.
He worked with Reid at ASV Inventions of Huntington Beach, a maker of handles, levers and kickstands for dirt bikes.
Reid had started working for the company in recent weeks, and his family had seen the job as a turning point in his life.
"He just got his life together. He got a good job. He had struggled to live in the past with drinking, but things were getting better," said his cousin, 19-year-old Justin Reid.
The city beach closes about 10 p.m., Baumgartner said. Popular with surfers, the beach had low to normal surf breaking about 1 to 3 feet, Baumgartner said.
"The best we can say is there are rip currents on the beach, and it is possible they got caught in a rip current and drowned," he said. Rip currents are the No. 1 reason for ocean rescues in the country's coastal zones, Baumgartner said.
"Obviously, we love people to come to the beach to enjoy surfing and swimming," he said. "And to do it safely, we always recommend they come during the day to have lifeguards to help them out if they get into trouble."
garrett.therolf@latimes.com
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Motostrano Doesn't Suck
Some months you just end up taking on too much in life, in business, at work, whatever. July was one of those months for Motostrano, and me.
Going into it, you know it's too much and that's part of the thrill I suppose- pushing the limits, going into a turn too fast, braking late, buying a bike that's too much for you, etc. Going into it, you know there'll be casualties and you hope for some forgiveness as you just work to get through the chaos.
July was your average 4 week month like any other month. 31 days, a couple of holidays thrown in for good measure. Typically the peak of the great riding season each year. MotoGP is at its pinnacle. Supermoto season is in full swing. Motostrano is generally at its busiest this time of year, though this year business was certainly down due to the general downturn in the economy. Most moto shops are reporting 20% decreases in sales from last year. Motostrano is doing better than that, but still less than last year.
4 week month like any month, yet in July, Motostrano's schedule included:
- Annual Open House Event - typically takes a week to prepare for and a week to recoup from. All 8 Motostrano employees work straight through the weekend for one great sales day. Our regularly scheduled programming- getting orders in and out the door on time gets bogged down.
- MOTOGP Weekend - practically the entire store is boxed up and thrown into a van, rolled into a 20x40 booth and sold off at a discount, all weekend, to 100,000 race fans. All 8 Motostrano employees work straight through the weekend, waking up early and going to bed late. When the event ends Sunday afternoon, we all get to drive home to make sure we're ready for work bright and early Monday morning.
- Inventory count shut-down. Actually, the first time in 5 years that we've actually closed our doors for a full business day just to count our inventory. A very painful day, when you'd rather be at your desk or on the floor working with customers. Yes, a week after MotoGP, 2 weeks after our open house, the ordeal of inventory counting took its toll.
- Luke Witherspoon, age 3 days. - like I said, sometimes you just take on too much. 2 children was a nice balance. Nice round number for the family. But then we accepted the reality of having a 3rd and now (8/4/07) he's here. Luke could have been born during the open house, during MotoGP or during inventory, but he decided to spare his Dad and wait till all that was done. Thanks Luke!
Like I said, some times you just take on too much and there's always casualties. For Motostrano- this generally results in customer complaints. When things are nice and dull and the phones aren't ringing and its raining, that's the best time to put on your "I Want It Now" hat and go shopping. When all lines are lit and there's a line at the register and you're worn out, let's just say, shit will hit the fan somehow, guaranteed.
We tend to consider these casualties a fact of doing business and ask for some slack from customers whenever they occur. Most give it and heck are we grateful. Others, steamed by their own inability to see the future I guess, seek pure, compulsive and unadulterated revenge by way of spelling out each and every step that went wrong on whatever chat forum they belong, from their perspective exclusively, mis-interpreting anything you could possible explain and disbelieving anything you could possibly report. You know the drill. We've all read the long diatribes. I suppose that it's the release, or the damage they feel they might do to a company's reputation, but in the end it seems to me like some one's got really nothing better to do with their time. When these events take place, our policy is to let them vent, respond as courteously as possible, but also not encourage the venting situation, because it's a pretty childish.
No company's perfect. Northwest Airlines loses your luggage, Microsoft XP crashes, AT&T drops your call, Il Fornaio over cooks your pasta. Motostrano botches up orders. That's at least for the 1% of the world. The rest of the time, the luggage is there, XP is running like a dream, you're chattin' and chompin' away, Motostrano delivers.
Motostrano doesn't suck.
July is done. Thanks July for being done. You sucked! See you next year.
Metzeler USA offers $13,650 in Supermoto Contingency
Metzeler USA offers $13,650 in contingency prize money for top finishers in the 2007
NASMOTO announced today that Metzeler has come onboard and will offer $13,650 in contingency prize money for the top finishers in the 2007 running of the NASMOTO SuperMoto Regional Qualifiers and finals.
Metzeler is supporting North American amateur SuperMoto racing by getting involved with NASMOTO. From July through November Metzeler will be providing racing pilots with some of the best racing rubber available today and rewarding them for their performance.
“We are excited about Metzeler coming onboard and building a contingency program for all the NASMOTO racers in North America ,” said Ted Baker, NASMOTO VP. “SuperMoto is one of the most exciting racing experiences for racers and fans and we are pleased that firms like Metzeler are experiencing value from aligning with the NASMOTO series.”
NASMOTO is leading the way with contingency awards for amateur SuperMoto racers with programs provided by Metzeler, Yamaha, KTM, Michelin and Kawasaki .
About NASMOTO
NASMOTO was created in 2004, in partnership with the AMA, to grow SuperMoto racing at all levels. Taking a grassroots approach by working with local clubs and promoters across North America , NASMOTO’s goal is to provide premier racing experiences for racers, fans, promoters and sponsors. New SuperMoto clubs are forming everywhere as the sport grows in the amateur ranks. To get involved as a promoter or racer, or for more information about rules, classes and regional and national events, please visit www.nasmoto.com, email info@nasmoto.com or call (416) 907-6817.
NASMOTO announced today that Metzeler has come onboard and will offer $13,650 in contingency prize money for the top finishers in the 2007 running of the NASMOTO SuperMoto Regional Qualifiers and finals.
Metzeler is supporting North American amateur SuperMoto racing by getting involved with NASMOTO. From July through November Metzeler will be providing racing pilots with some of the best racing rubber available today and rewarding them for their performance.
“We are excited about Metzeler coming onboard and building a contingency program for all the NASMOTO racers in North America ,” said Ted Baker, NASMOTO VP. “SuperMoto is one of the most exciting racing experiences for racers and fans and we are pleased that firms like Metzeler are experiencing value from aligning with the NASMOTO series.”
NASMOTO is leading the way with contingency awards for amateur SuperMoto racers with programs provided by Metzeler, Yamaha, KTM, Michelin and Kawasaki .
About NASMOTO
NASMOTO was created in 2004, in partnership with the AMA, to grow SuperMoto racing at all levels. Taking a grassroots approach by working with local clubs and promoters across North America , NASMOTO’s goal is to provide premier racing experiences for racers, fans, promoters and sponsors. New SuperMoto clubs are forming everywhere as the sport grows in the amateur ranks. To get involved as a promoter or racer, or for more information about rules, classes and regional and national events, please visit www.nasmoto.com, email info@nasmoto.com or call (416) 907-6817.
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