The sign at the starting point of Idaho’s Winchester Grade should have been a clue, should have served as an early warning that we were riding into a danger zone- “Closed To Thru Traffic. Locals Only.” We ignored the warning. “Aw, that sign’s been there for years,” one guy quipped. “Yeah, just a little bumpy pavement,” declared another. “The views are worth the road,” chimed in a third. I was thinking, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”
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The phrase, “perfection is a fickle mistress” could be appropriately applied to the MotoAmerica race weekend at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Only one rider remains undeafeated: Richie Escalante in Supersport.
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European motorcycle apparel company Sedici has long been regarded for high quality riding products, specializing in street and track performance gear. They have partnered with Cycle Gear to carry their brand to American riders for a number of years, and since I’ve consistently had great experiences with the good folks at CG, I naturally sought them out when contemplating a new set of all-purpose, all-weather riding gear.
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Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac earned his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship Title in the 450SX Class at the season finale, Round 17 Presented by the Utah Sports Commission inside Rice-Eccles Stadium. Tomac won the title by 25 points after a smart ride to finish fifth in the race. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne won the event, taking home his career-first 450SX Class victory. Second went to his teammate Jason Anderson, who led 15 laps of the 25-Lap Main Event. Rounding out an all-Husqvarna and team podium, Dean Wilson turned an early lead into his first podium of 2020, the second of his career.
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An Aging Father Shares More Tales From His Early Riding Years *Here’s a few fun tales...
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My brothers and I grew up in the house of a master mechanic. In the garage behind our home, there was always an automobile up on jacks, a motorcycle or two to the side, and enough extra bike parts hanging from pegs on the wall to practically build another. Accompanying all the machinery, there were stories in abundance. One would never know it by observing this stooped, white haired, soft-spoken senior chap, but in his younger years, Dad was a hooligan, a 50s greaser (think “Fonz” from the old “Happy Days” sitcom. I’m not exaggerating), even a bit of a renegade during his overseas stint in the USAF. Even now as he recounts these stories to me, some I’m hearing for the first time, I can see that glint of mischief in his eyes, as memory carries him back to those heady days of his youth and young adulthood. Here’s a few of my favorites, in his own words-
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Four-time MotoAmerica Superbike national champion and current defending title holder Cameron Beaubier completed as perfect a weekend as we’ve ever seen, dominating the premier class even more solidly than the day before at Wisconsin’s Road America raceway. Jumping out from pole position again to snag the holeshot, the Californian took command of the race and ran away again on rails, finally crossing the finish an astounding 13.4 seconds ahead of the field in Sunday’s drama-filled race. Beaubier didn’t just put on a show, he took the HONOS Superbike class to school- fastest lap records fell at his hand, claimed both day’s pole positions, and blasted away with both victories, snagging the full 50 points in the first weekend of racing.
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In one of the first live sporting events on TV since COVID-19 brought changes to sporting schedules worldwide, MotoAmerica motorcycle road racing got underway at the fabled Road America racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin this weekend. With no fans present, and strict social distancing protocols in place for all teams, track and series personnel, and media representatives, the Saturday races launched amidst silent stands and grounds. Yet the races are being carried across the globe, as MotoAmerica inked a deal to broadcast their races on Eurosport, exposing the American race series to a worldwide audience.
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It was the summer of 1970 and I was fourteen years old. 1969 was the year of Woodstock and the man on the moon. I was too young for a drivers license, too old for parental rule, and too cool for school. I didn’t have a real job, but I earned some money working a paper route. My whole (young) life I wanted a minibike. If you were rich, you could buy a new Honda Trail 70, or maybe a Rupp minibike. If we could scrounge up enough parts, maybe we could build a minibike, but home-built minibikes always broke down. Our best bet was to buy a small, used motorcycle. I found a 50cc Harley and I had $50 to buy it. My first Harley-Davidson and freedom at a bargain price. A new one was $225, and a Honda 70 was over $300.
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