The Daytona short track is going to be back in action for the first time since 2016 for two nights of double-headers.
Begin press release:
Progressive American Flat Track announced today its plans to hold an epic season finale at one of the most iconic racing arenas in the history of the sport. The Progressive AFT Finale at DAYTONA will feature two back-to-back nights of racing on the Short Track at DAYTONA on Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17, 2020 at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).
Known for producing some of the most exciting bar-banging action, Progressive AFT has not held an event on the short track at DIS since 2016. The return of this wheel-to-wheel racetrack as the finale of what has proven to be an unpredictable championship race will surely provide fans an unforgettable weekend of flat track competition.
Premium Trackside Grandstand seating starts as low as $40 with advanced purchase on Friday and $50 on Saturday. Advanced pricing for General Admission Grandstand seating starts at $30 on Friday and $40 on Saturday. Kids 12 and under are free in General Admission with the purchase of an Adult.
As with all 2020 events, series officials continue to collaborate with public health experts to implement its comprehensive plan in accordance with all federal, state and local requirements. All race-day procedures have been thoroughly reviewed and will continue to be examined and updated to follow specific guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local authorities.
At all American Flat Track events new guidelines and protocols include:
· Reduction in ticket availability to conform with state and local guidelines for sporting events.
· Reserved seating areas to include buffer zones to provide ample space between fans.
· Everyone (including fans, competitors, staff, etc.) on-property will undergo a medical screening prior to admittance into the facility.
· Fans entering the venue will be required to wear facial coverings. Masks will be provided at no charge.
· Enhanced sanitation and disinfection protocols with frequent cleaning throughout the facility.
· Regular medical screening of staff and competitors.
As an additional precaution, there will be no public access to the paddock area and AFT officials have suspended Fan Walk, rider autograph sessions and paddock upgrades for the remainder of the season. Event-specific health & safety procedures will be updated to meet or exceed state and local requirements as they are updated over the coming months.
Customers who purchased tickets to the 2020 DAYTONA 200 presented by Comoto will be offered a 120% credit to any AFT Events race held through October 2021 or a full refund. Please contact [email protected] for more information. The 2021 DAYTONA 200 presented by Comoto is scheduled to return on Saturday, March 13, 2021, during Bike Week at DAYTONA (March 5-14).
In 2018, women accounted for 19% of motorcycle riders in America.Polaris aims to bring this number sky-high with their new Empowersports Women’s Riding Council with hopes to drive more participation and representation of women in the Powersports world.
This new council will be operated by 12 successful women coming from all kinds of different backgrounds in motorsport.
The council will host regular meetings with the Polaris group executives to help uncover new ways for women to enter the powersports sphere – even providing considerations for new products and gear to ensure they are suitable for use by women.
Polaris Chief Customer Engagement and Growth Officer Pam Kermisch stated as follows: “For over 65 years, Polaris has created new ways to connect riders with the outdoors on all terrains, and we are committed to inviting more people to join powersports for work and for play“.
The council includes notable women such as(taken from their official press release):
Michelle Barraza
RZR Racer
Carrie Barton
Klim & Timbersled Brand Ambassador, MX Racer, and Tour of Idaho Finisher
Julie-Ann Chapman
She Shreds Mountain Adventures founder and Professional Snowmobiler
Amy David
Professional Mountain Athlete, Skier, Guide, and Polaris Snowmobile Ambassador
Gevin Fax
Actor, Musician, Educator, and Speakers Bureau Ambassador
Vicki Gray
International Female Ride Day and Motoress.com Founder
Lisa Lockhard
Rodero Champion, Rancher and Polaris Ranger Ambassador
Kristen Matlock
Professional RZR racer and SCORE Baja 1000 Champion
Jody Perefitz
Racer and Sturgis Motorcycle Hall-of-Famer
Porsche Taylor
Black Girls Ride Magazine Founder
Jolene Van Vugt
Stuntwoman, Nitro Circus Athlete, and Canaidan Woman’s National MX Champion
Kelly Yazdi
Wild Gypsy Tour creator, Polaris Adventures Ambassador, Actress and Host
Kristen Matlock, current council member said, “For me, riding is a form of expression and freedom that every woman should get the chance to experience. Women have always been a force within the world of powersports, but we haven’t always been a part of the narrative. This council allows us to tell our stories and provide our perspectives our way.”
For more information about the initiative and council members themselves, feel free to stop by the Empower Sports section of the official Polaris website found here.
The FZ name holds weight in today’s day and age. The Yamaha FZ-07, FZ-09, and FZ-10 (recently changed to MT-0X) have dominated the naked sports bike market and brought large popularity to this section of bikes through providing a comfortable yet sporty alternative to Yamaha’s more traditional full-fairing street bikes.
All amazing vehicles have humble beginnings, and this 1986 FZ600 is the original motorcycle that brought weight to the FZ name.
This near-perfect specimenhas just 4000 miles on the odometer (300 of which were put on by the current owner), featuring a 599cc inline-four engine that revs to 10,500 RPM, married to a 6-speed transmission with a clean Arizona title.
The bike also features three-spoke wheels sitting in Michelin Pilot Activ tires, dual disks, conventional fork, and a swingarm with a monoshock.
The seat and paint are in perfect condition aside from a small crack and damage location on the lower left fairing. The paint is a beautiful flat white with classic Yamaha FZ red and blue graphics along the fairings.
The most recent owner purchased the motorcycle in 2010, and it has sat with fuel stabilizer for the last decade in storage until today where it is up for auction on bringatrailer.comwith no reserve and 7 days left on the auction.
Don’t feel like using wrenches and screwdrivers to change your KTM’s performance? Now you can simply log in to an app.
Begin press release:
Thousands of hours and testing have gone into the creation of KTM’s advanced myKTM app that for 2021 graces the complete line-up of KTM SX-F 4-stroke bikes. This innovative tool places simple and concise adjustability of engine mapping and performance, along with precise recommendations for suspension settings using well-presented and intuitive menu screens.
The myKTM app functions through a straightforward Bluetooth connection with a Connectivity Unit that is located on the handlebars. Once synced, the bike will be added onto your virtual GARAGE and will immediately become available for a range of tuning options and recommendations described in the respective ENGINE and SUSPENSION sections.
Entering ENGINE allows riders to customize parameters of the engine to their taste or to suit the terrain and conditions they are about to face. It involves a basic ‘sliding scale’ approach, with several pre-sets allowing modifications of vital parameters such as ENGINE BRAKING, THROTTLE RESPONSE, TRACTION CONTROL and LAUNCH CONTROL. The changes made through the app are tangible, effective and very noticeable from the first metres of a new lap.
Selecting SUSPENSION means that riders can make their KTM SX-Fs even more specialized in terms of handling. It removes some of the guesswork to deal with hard-pack, muddy or sandy tracks thanks to the SAG ASSISTANT and the SUSPENSION SETTING recommendation. Again, the choices can be clear-cut for the first-term user but still a valuable guide for the experienced rider and racer.
Joachim Sauer, KTM Senior Product Manager Offroad:“It’s exciting to bring the myKTM app to the market. Allowing for a whole new spectrum of adjustment possibilities, this is a tool designed to enhance the riding experience and make every KTM SX-F rider get the best out of their bike. We’re happy with the versatility of the app and how alterations made with a smartphone can have such an interesting and immediate effect once out on the track. The work continues for us and for the foreseeable future we look at expanding the use and scope of myKTM to many more models from the KTM Offroad range.”
For more information on pricing and availability of the KTM PowerParts Connectivity Unit kit, please contact your local authorized KTM dealer.
If you’ve you’re a fan of Italian motorcycles but are intimidated or have no use for a literbike, the Aprilia brand has pretty off-limits with producing mid-displacement motorcycles – especially ones with that of a sport-bike form. Sure, you have the Mana 850, Shiver 750 and Dosoduro 750; but all these bikes have one thing in common… None of them feature your typical street-bike (crotch rocket) styling and design.
Yamaha has the smaller R6 to their R1, Honda has the CBR 600RR as a smaller option to their 1000RR etc. Aprilia finally hits the market with their agile 600cc class sportbike and have decided to host the official unveiling on the Westcoast of USA at none other than the legendary Laguna Seca race track.
Aprilia has teamed up with Rennie Scaysbrook to be their official demo rider, an Aussie racer who took the Aprilia Tuono V4 on a victory run at the infamous Hillclimb of Pikes Peak.
The brand unveiled a new colour option for the motorcycle at the event in addition to the full-speed race demo to display the capabilities of the motorcycle.
The new ‘Acid Gold’ colour scheme available for the RS 660
The new RS 660 is a 4100 pound, two-cylinder, 100HP “full-fairing sport bike with semi-handlebar that exploits the dynamic qualities of perfect chassis architecture“, as their official release states.
Currently paired along with their Europian press launch – as of yesterday – those of you in europian markets are welcomed to prebook online and order the new RS 660 from the official Aprilia website.
Kailub Russell has had an impressive run in the world of off-road racing.
Begin Press Release:
Kailub Russell Goes Out a Champ
Rancho Cucamonga: Champions dream of retiring on top, but few pull it off. Kailub Russell is an exception. The KTM factory rider won nine races this year to win his eighth consecutive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) title, and called it a career.
A longtime Dunlop rider, Russell has had a storied off-road career; two-time ISDE gold medalist; two-time Full Gas Sprint Enduro Pro Champion; AMA National Enduro Champion; record-setting GNCC racer who amassed 67 premier class wins en route to eight championships.
One of the secrets to Russell’s success is his tire combination, one he rarely changes despite the huge variety of gnarly terrain and conditions encountered in GNCC racing. Up front, he normally runs the Geomax® MX33, and in back a Geomax AT81—the same tires available to the public.
“The MX33 front gives me control and the feeling I’m looking for in every type of terrain we come across,” says Russell. “And the AT81 is a great all-around tire for the variety of different surfaces of dirt we find during a race. Most races always have some soft terrain along with very slippery hard pack and this tire allows me to find the most traction the track has to offer. There’s an advantage in knowing you have the best tires on the track no matter what the terrain. That gives me the most comfort and confidence in my line choices.”
“Kailub Russell is one of the greatest off-road riders in history, and it’s great to see him finish his long and decorated career as a champion,” said Mike Buckley, Senior VP, Sales and Marketing. “Big congratulations to Kailub from all his friends and fans at Dunlop.”
About Dunlop Motorcycle Tires
Dunlop is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the U.S.A. For more information, visit: www.DunlopMotorcycleTires.com
Klim announces it’s new footwear for adventure riders, the Adventure GTX boots.
Begin Press Release:
KLIM ANNOUNCES NEW ADVENTURE GTX BOOTS
KLIM HQ, Rigby, Idaho – KLIM is proud to announce their brand new Adventure GTX Boots, which balance riding protection with walking comfort for adventure motorcycle touring. After months of small teases and occasional photo appearances, the curtains are finally withdrawn and KLIM has released the full product information.
The waterproof Adventure GTX Boots are an exciting competitor to enter the motorcycle boot market, with an emphasis on combining three primary characteristics: riding protection, walkability and excellent comfort for extended use.
Not to be confused with stiffer, more aggressive off-road and motocross boots, the Adventure GTX boots are designed for long days on the bike, including hikes to scenic lookouts and a stroll through town – all with great comfort so you’re not kicking them off as soon as you stop for the day.
Foam impact absorption pucks, reinforced guard areas and a polycarbonate lasting board separate the boot from softer competitors. Complimenting the protection features are flex zones in key areas to allow for walkability. Unrestrictive support is delivered by a combination of Velcro, an ankle buckle and the BOA® Fit System, while the lining and Ortholite® insole provide internal comfort. The aggressive Michelin sole is properly suited for hiking traction while providing excellent wear and grip on the footpegs. GORE-TEX construction keeps water out while letting your sweat evaporate.
The new Adventure GTX Boots from KLIM will take you from a long day in the saddle to new adventures on foot without missing a step – pun intended. To see the new boots visit KLIM.com
ADVENTURE GTX BOOTS
FEATURED SPECS
GORE-TEX
GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY®
MICHELIN RUBBER OUTSOLE FOR DURABILITY AND TRACTION
POLYCARBONATE LASTING BOARD
REINFORCED SHIN PLATE & TOE/ANKLE AREA
5MM XRD® IMPACT PROTECTION FOAM ANKLE & MID-FOOT TOP PADDING
BOA® FIT SYSTEM FOR FAST PRECISION FIT
ACHILLES & CALF FLEX ZONE
MOISTURE-WICKING BREATHABLE LINER
REMOVABLE MOISTURE-WICKING ANTIMICROBIAL ORTHOLITE® INSOLE W/ GEL HEEL PAD
KLIM Technical Riding Gear is a global leader in designing, developing, sourcing and distributing the most advanced powersports apparel for snowmobile, motorcycle and off-road riding. Utilizing the world’s most premium technologies in waterproof, breathable, durable and comfortable materials, KLIM offers gear for the most demanding riders. Driven by the continual feedback and input from dedicated test pilots and passionate customers, KLIM strives to do one thing above all – enhance the riding experience. For more information, visit KLIM.com.
In addition to all the other swell motorcycles it rents in Europe, Hertz Ride has struck a new deal with MV Agusta. Now you can rent a Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso SCS or a Dragster Rosso in Italy and France. Soon to be followed by Portugal and Spain – also nice places to ride – and later even in the US, says MV.
MV Agusta Press Release:
MV Agusta announces partnership with Hertz Ride
and the launch of new fleet in Italy and France
Varese, Italy, October 13, 2020 – MV Agusta and Hertz Ride are thrilled to announce a new partnership that allows thousands of moto tourism enthusiasts who tour with Hertz Ride every year to have brand new MV Agusta models available for their next riding experience.
Hertz Ride offers a wide range of fully equipped, high-end motorcycles for rent in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and the United States. Filling the ambition to deliver the tour of a lifetime to all motorcycle lovers and moto tourism enthusiasts, Hertz Ride has decided to enlarge its motorcycle brands’ portfolio and be relevant to new riders: In Europe, the chosen brand is MV Agusta. Starting in Italy and France, MV Agusta models – Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso SCS and Dragster Rosso – are available to rent. Portugal and Spain will follow at the beginning of the 2021 riding season and, later, the USA.
This collaboration couldn’t be more appropriate, as MV Agusta and Hertz Ride share the same motorcycling ideals in their constant search for innovation and offer the best experience and the most enjoyable adventure when riding a motorcycle.
MV Agusta’s mission is not only to design, develop, and manufacture the most advanced motorcycles in the world but also to craft emotions. This vision concurs with Hertz Ride’s DNA, which seeks to provide motorcycle enthusiasts a tour of a lifetime, with cleverly designed routes meant to be complete and remarkable life experiences, a true escape from the daily routine with the finest motorcycles on the market.
About MV Agusta Motor S.p.A.:
MV Agusta is one of the world’s leading premium motorcycles manufacturers. Based in Varese, in Northern Italy, it crafts legendary racetrack-derived bikes. Iconic design and class-leading performance through advanced technologies and materials make MV Agusta motorcycles admired the world over and celebrated as unique pieces of Motorcycle Art. Since 1945, the brand has evolved to become a point of reference in the industry, having won 37 World Championship titles. A record still undisputed. www.mvagusta.com
About Hertz Ride:
Hertz Ride is offering premium motorcycle rental service for both short and long durations, and even for one-way international road trips. The company offers adventure travel enthusiasts not only motorcycle rental, but also the option of guided or self-guided tours. See our selection of motorcycles that we have to offer you and start your adventure. For riders’ comfort and added safety, Hertz equips its bikes with keyless ignition, side panniers, a top case, and engine protection accessories. We are committed to making each of our tours as unique and special as you expect it to be. Our selection of routes, attractions, restaurants, and hotels are second to none, and our experienced tour guides know how important the individual attention to each of our guests is. You can rest assured your journey with Hertz Ride will be memorable in every way.
Hertz Ride is operated by Hertz International Licensee HR Aluguer de Automoveis, owned the Hipogest Group.
Established in the 1974, Hipogest Group is one of the most pioneering regional automotive business groups headquartered in Portugal. Hipogest employs more than 550 people and operates in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Angola, Cape Verde and in the United States. Structured into four operational divisions; automotive, services, real estate and engineering, the success of Hipogest is attributed to proactively managing change and to its entrepreneurial culture. The majority of businesses built on a portfolio of world leading brands in their sector.
The morning sun paints the Sierra Nevada, a snowcapped pink backdrop to the Alabama Hills. Action Photography by Kevin Wing. Static photography by Jenny Smith.
On the eastern edge of California’s Sierra Nevada, tucked away beneath Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the continental U.S., is a tiny little town called Lone Pine. Lone Pine is best known as the jumping-off point for mountaineers seeking to summit Whitney, a convenient place to freshen up and grab a hot meal for hungry Pacific Coast Trail through-hikers and a playground of outstanding bouldering for rock climbers. If you’re a film buff, you might also appreciate the area’s history as a backdrop for Hollywood movies since the 1920s, especially the Westerns of the 1950s and ’60s like “How The West Was Won,” “The Lone Ranger” and “Hell Bent For Leather.” It’s not the town of Lone Pine itself that features on the big screen, however, but rather a uniquely beautiful and photogenic geological formation that lies on the western edge of town, in the shadow of the snowcapped Sierra peaks: the Alabama Hills.
A fine way to get to Alabama Hills and enjoy them? The new 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro.
Named for, of all things, a Confederate battleship, the CSS Alabama, the Alabama Hills aren’t really hills but a series of rock outcroppings and formations that jut from the scrubby desert floor. With a little imagination, you might pick shapes like an eagle’s head or a human face out of the hoodoos. And of course, for 100 years Hollywood directors have used the Alabama Hills to stand in for locations from the Wild West to the Arabian Desert to the Himalayas. Located on U.S. Route 395, the Alabama Hills and Lone Pine are a fabulous diversion on a loop through Death Valley. Riding the short, paved loop through the area is rewarding on its own, but to fully appreciate the Hills — and to see the actual filming locations — a detour onto graded dirt is required, which made the new Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro a perfect choice for this road trip.
Despite its tall 21-inch front wheel and long-travel suspension, the Rally Pro is nimble and easy to handle in the twisties.
I was smitten with the new Tiger, especially in its off-road oriented Rally Pro guise, since my initial ride in Morocco (Rider April 2020 and on ridermagazine.com), so when our tester arrived I snatched up the keys and wouldn’t let go. I’d traveled through Lone Pine once before, but had never stopped and only had a glimpse of the Hills from a distance; this time, I was looking forward to spending more time exploring and catching a famous Alabama Hills sunrise. Unfortunately, my timing wasn’t great; temperatures were in the low 100s, and I had a lot of flat, featureless desert to cross before reaching my destination. To make things more interesting, I diverted through a giant wind farm along curving, undulating Tehachapi Willow Springs Road — it was out of my way, but broke up the otherwise straight, flat, hot ride across the Antelope Valley and Mojave Desert. One word of caution: mind your p’s and q’s on this road, as the Highway Patrol seems to keep a cruiser or two on it, trolling it for speeders.
This plaque at the entrance to Movie Flat Road gives a brief overview of the area’s history.
The Tiger 900 was just as pleasant as I remembered, its revamped in-line triple with T-plane crank and new firing order generating plenty of power with a new V-twin-like character. Fortunately, that character was limited to sound and feel; the enlarged 888cc engine has been fitted with a new balancer shaft and is just as smooth as the previous Tiger 800. At 476 pounds wet, it’s lighter than before (our 2018 Tiger 800 XCA weighed in at 505 pounds) and makes a bit more power and torque. On the Jett Tuning dyno, our 2020 Tiger 900 Rally Pro spun out 89.7 peak horsepower at 8,800 rpm and 59.4 lb-ft of torque at 7,300, compared to 84 horsepower at 9,900 rpm and 51.2 lb-ft of torque at 7,700 on our most recent Tiger 800 tester. For some riders, a liter-class or larger ADV tourer is the only way to go, but the Tiger 900 Rally Pro makes plenty of power for my needs and offers all the creature comforts a girl could want — including a heated seat (not that I needed it on this ride).
The Alabama Hills are a geographical wonder, but they’re also famous as a Hollywood filming location.
Speaking of which, though it’s clearly the more off-road worthy of the new Tiger 900 family, the Rally Pro handled the several-hours long slog through the desert heat like a champ. A new split radiator meant my left leg wasn’t roasted, a common complaint on the previous Tiger 800 models, and the windscreen — adjustable with one hand from the saddle — did a nice job of deflecting the worst of the blast-furnace air without buffeting. Slowing through small towns along the way, I dropped it to its lowest position to allow maximum flow through the vented panels in my Spidi riding suit. Sometimes even hot air feels good, as long as it’s moving.
Overnight duffel strapped to the rear rack, Tiger and I paused at the Tehachapi wind farm for a photo op and a cool drink.
Another key improvement over the previous off-road Tiger 800s are the new tubeless spoked rims — still a ready-for-anything 21-incher up front (the base model Tiger 900 and the Tiger 900 GT and GT Pro have tubeless cast wheels with a 19-inch front). While it’s taller and longer (thanks to longer-travel suspension and the larger front wheel) and has plush suspension well suited for gnarly terrain, the Rally Pro is easy to handle and flicks through corners with ease and very little drama.
With a table-flat torque curve and a larger, more powerful engine, the new Tiger 900 is more fun than ever.
I tackled some legitimately “adventurous” sections on my first ride in Morocco, but this trip was more about the scenery and history, accessed via graded, occasionally sandy and often washboard dirt roads. After a pause at the (temporarily closed, thanks to the pandemic) Museum of Western Film History in Lone Pine, where I had to settle for a selfie outside the locked, theater-marquee style front doors, I checked into my hotel room, dropped off some stuff to lighten my load and headed for the Hills.
The Rally Pro is ready and willing to explore dirt roads, with an Off-Road Pro riding mode that’s nicely dialed-in for maximum confidence and control.
In “normal” times, riders will want to grab a free map from the museum before exploring. The map highlights some of the more famous filming locations, everything from old Westerns to modern movies like “Gladiator” and “Iron Man,” along with how to access them. Since these are not normal times (or maybe it’s just the new normal), I had to do my own research on the Internet before leaving home. After a leisurely putt around the paved loop road, I returned to the turnoff for the dirt Movie Flat Road, also known simply as Movie Road, along which are the Alabama Hills’ famous arches, eerie formations and hoodoos—and, of course, Hollywood movie locations. A street bike, ridden carefully and with an eye out for surprise sand drifts and washboard, can easily handle the early section of Movie Flat Road, where almost all of the interesting waypoints are located. On the Rally Pro, it was child’s play. Standing on the pegs, right hand lightly gripping the throttle, the Tiger and I floated over the washboard and tracked confidently through the shallow sandy areas. The traction control wasn’t intrusive, but I still toggled through the various settings, including Off-Road Pro, which disables ABS and traction control entirely and uses a dedicated off-road throttle map. Not surprisingly, I was happiest with this mode on Movie Flat Road, feeling the most direct connection with the bike and any tiny wiggles it passed up to me.
The hoodoos of the Alabama Hills peer down at the resting Tiger.
I put the seat into its taller 34.2-inch position to achieve the most open knee bend for the four-plus hour highway ride, despite the fact that it put me on my toes at a stop. But another tradeoff for choosing my parking spots carefully (mind the slope!) was an ability to transition easily from sitting to standing as I meandered through the hoodoos, occasionally turning off onto a rockier, rutted jeep trail to get to a particularly interesting formation. I also appreciated the new, larger 7-inch full-color TFT display, which includes Bluetooth connectivity to your phone, GPS and/or GoPro on the GT Pro and Rally Pro. My only complaint is that the tachometer is difficult to read, but otherwise all pertinent information, including range to empty (we averaged 50.3 miles from the 5.3-gallon tank) and the tire pressure monitoring system, are easy to find and see.
South of Lone Pine, along U.S. Route 395, is a fossilized waterfall. Tens of thousands of years of rushing water wore this volcanic rock smooth; when the Owens Valley was drained to divert water to Los Angeles, this “fossil” is all that remained.
The next morning, after enjoying a beautiful pink sunrise, snapping a few photos and recording some brief riding impressions on video, it was time to point my front wheel south and toward home—but not before stopping at the Alabama Hills Café and Bakery for one of their massive omelets (did I mention the hordes of hungry through-hikers that pass through town?). Feeling at least several pounds heavier than when I woke up that morning, I wondered if the Tiger would notice my big breakfast. Probably not; its preload- and rebound-damping adjustable Showa rear shock sports 9.1 inches of plush, compliant travel, and its 45mm fully adjustable Showa fork a frost-heave eating 9.4 inches. It functioned just as well as I remembered from our rollicking ride in Morocco, tuned just how I like it: on the softer side for low-speed damping and quick to respond when the pace picks up. It still feels distinctly like an ADV bike, especially when ridden back-to-back with a more street-oriented machine, but the tradeoff is not so great that I felt robbed of my ability to enjoy a twisty road.
You remember that tacos are a favorite road food of the Rider staff, right?
At any rate, I suspect that a rider looking for something to challenge sportbike riders in the canyons might pass up the Tiger 900, even in GT/GT Pro form, for something sportier. But if your ideal adventure tourer can carry you and your gear comfortably through hours and hours of monotony in inclement weather, then handle the tough stuff with enough competency to allow you to enjoy the ride — and the scenery — then you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t at least consider the Rally Pro.
Extent of Hunter Lawrence shoulder injury to require surgery
Section: Competition
Sights now set on a strong recovery heading into 2021 season.
Image: Octopi Media.
The extent of Hunter Lawrence’s shoulder injury will require surgery after he suffered a dislocation again in Fox Raceway’s Lucas Oil Pro Motocross finals.
Lawrence was fourth overall at Thunder Valley’s penultimate round, however, the 20-year-old was injured in the second qualifier at the Pala circuit.
His shoulder initially popped out at Loretta Lynn’s 2 and this is another disappointing injury blow for the highly-capable Geico Honda rider, who has vowed to return stronger next year once his shoulder is repaired during the off-season.
“Unfortunately my shoulder popped out in second qualification at Fox Raceway, which wasn’t ideal, but after the first shoulder injury back at Loretta Lynn’s we knew there was a chance it could be good and a chance it could happen again,” he explained.
“We rolled the dice and gambled on building my shoulder stronger even more, which did help me get through the rest of the races, but it could not handle my 100 percent, which I felt like I was coming into full form these past two weekends.
“[I’m] going to take a few weeks after the small surgery to tidy it up and be ready for a great 2021. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and to [Geico Honda] for giving me the chance to come to the country of opportunity and chase my dreams – will never be forgotten.”
With Geico Honda closing its doors after losing its longtime title sponsor, Lawrence is understood to be remaining with Honda to ride a factory CRF250R alongside younger brother Jett from the 2021 season.
—the same tires available to the public.
