Americade, the largest touring rally in the U.S., was held June 7-11 in Lake George, New York. (You can read our 2021 Americade Rally Report here.) The event was a huge success, with tens of thousands of attendees, demo rides from eight major motorcycle manufacturers, an enormous vendor expo, guided and self-guided rides, and entertainment. The organizers are already planning for next year’s rally, and they recently issued the following press release announcing new dates.
Americade 2023 will take place one week earlier than normal, May 30-June 3, starting the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Americade 2023 will celebrate a historic milestone, its 40th event, featuring a number of special additional live music, entertainment, and motorcycle attractions.
“Laconia will be celebrating a big milestone too, their 100th, next year,” said Christian Dutcher, Americade’s Director, “and having two major events overlapping during special years doesn’t make any sense. So, we’re going to slide Americade earlier to give each event a little elbow room.”
Americade 2022 featured the most factory demos of any event in the U.S. and in 2023 Americade will likely feature even more. Kim Knupp, National Events Manager for Yamaha said, “This is exciting news. It’s a great move for Americade and will increase attendance. It opens up opportunities for those who want to go to both events but currently can’t.”
Additionally, national brand vendors fully support the move as well. “I support it 100%,” says Melissa Auclair, of Mustang Motorcycle Seats. “Not only will it benefit the vendors, but it will also benefit the customers.”
Americade 2023 kicks-off in full May 30 (May 29 pre-registered attendees).
Hayley Bell gets ready to pass the baton during the Women Riders World Relay in 2019.
Our guest for Episode 39 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Hayley Bell, Founder and President of Global Business Development for Women Riders World Relay. The mission of Women Riders World Relay is to bring fun, experience, confidence, and a sense of unity to female riders globally. Between February 2019 and February 2020, more than 3,500 women from 79 countries on six continents circumnavigated the globe on two wheels, passing a baton from woman to woman and logging 63,000 miles.
For her efforts with WRWR, Bell was named 2019 Motorcyclist of the Year by the American Motorcyclist Association. We talk to Bell about how she started WRWR, how the movement grew exponentially within a matter of weeks, and how hundreds of women around the world volunteered their time and effort to plan, organize, and complete the global relay. We also talk about the impact WRWR is having on the motorcycle industry, and her role as a spokesperson and advocate.
You can listen to Episode 39 on iTunes, Spotify, and SoundCloud, or via the Rider Magazine Insider webpage. Please subscribe, leave us a 5-star rating, and tell your friends! Scroll down for a list of previous episodes.
Triumph is moving into the world of off-road motorcycles. Earlier this month, it announced that Ricky Carmichael, the greatest motocross rider of all time, and Iván Cervantes, a five-time enduro world champion, visited the Triumph motocross and dual-sport team in the U.K. to help with prototype testing.
As part of Triumph’s expansion plans, this week it announced the acquisition of OSET Bikes, a manufacturer of electric dirtbikes for kids, teenagers, and adults. The following is the official press release from Triumph America.
Ahead of the launch of the Motocross and Enduro range, Triumph Motorcycles takes another exciting step in the off-road world through the acquisition of OSET Bikes, a leader in the world of children’s electric, off-road motorcycles. Started in 2004 by Ian Smith, who wanted to build an electric off-road bike for his son Oliver, OSET has been setting the benchmark in its segment for the past 18 years. OSET has sold more than 40,000 bikes globally that feature their inhouse developed electric powertrains.
The acquisition of OSET sits within Triumph’s strategy of entering the off-road segment, announced in 2020, and provides both companies with the opportunity to share and benefit from each other’s knowledge and experience in their respective segments, enabling both brands to grow internationally in parallel.
Triumph’s philosophy, For The Ride, played an important role in the acquisition of OSET as it enables the Hinckley-based brand to inspire future generations of riders by providing them with the perfect starting point to develop their passion and dreams. OSET Bikes offers products that are suitable for any rider, starting from 3 years old and upwards.
Nick Bloor – Triumph CEO “We are excited about the opportunity of joining forces with OSET Bikes: a dynamic brand that has been encouraging children into motorcycling for many years and have been at the forefront of developing electric trials bikes for fun and competition. Whilst the two brands will continue working independently, Triumph and OSET will collaborate on new state-of-the-art products to inspire young riders into off-road riding, across the segments that Triumph and OSET will have a presence in, drawing on their respective strengths to build the best bikes in the world.”
Ian Smith – OSET Bikes CEO “When we built that first ‘garage’ bike for my son, Oliver, I had no idea that it would lead to this moment. We are all very excited for what the future holds for OSET as part of the Triumph family. The OSET brand will remain as OSET and will continue to serve the trials and off-road motorcycling community. We are now better positioned to develop and innovate across our range, while enjoying the security of scale and market position Triumph can offer OSET.”
Screenshot courtesy of Fox 11 Los Angeles (foxla.com).
Starting just before 10 a.m. Pacific time in California, there was a police chase of a motorcyclist through Los Angeles and Orange counties, according to a report by Fox 11 Los Angeles. The suspect was wanted for speeding.
The pursuit, which was recorded on video from a helicopter, lasted nearly an hour before the suspect was apprehended by two California Highway Patrol (CHP) motor officers.
The chase began in Los Alamitos, in northeastern Orange County. Video of the pursuit shows the motorcyclist riding a first-generation Kawasaki KLR650 dual-sport with faded red bodywork. He’s wearing a black helmet and black riding gear, and there’s a black tailbag mounted on the back of the bike.
With two CHP motor officers on Harley-Davidsons close behind, the suspect rides north into Los Angeles County on the 110 freeway. According to the Fox 11 News report, the SkyFox helicopter recorded speeds up to 90 mph during the freeway pursuit.
The suspect then winds his way between cars and trucks on a traffic-clogged interchange, merges onto U.S. Route 101, and then exits the freeway and takes surface streets through the neighborhood of Echo Park, near downtown Los Angeles.
For another 22 minutes, the motorcyclist takes a circuitous route through Echo Park, even riding through Elysian Park, which is home to Dodger Stadium and the City of Los Angeles police academy.
Elysian Park is full of hiking trails, and the KLR-mounted rider briefly leaves the pavement to take a short cut on one of the trails. In the video, he’s partly obscured by tree cover.
Back on Stadium Way, the suspect leaves Elysian Park and navigates a meandering path on Sunset Boulevard, Laguna Avenue, Echo Park Avenue, Glendale Boulevard, Alvarado Street, and other busy urban streets, often riding between cars and trucks at traffic lights.
Screenshot courtesy of Fox 11 Los Angeles (foxla.com).
Perhaps realizing his efforts at evasion were hopeless, the motorcyclist pulls into the parking lot of an apartment building and parks his KLR650 in the back. He parks near a set of stairs, puts the kickstand down, and takes off his helmet, as if he were just arriving home from work on a typical day.
A CHP Harley pulls in behind the suspect, and before the motorcyclist can dismount there are two CHP officers behind him with guns drawn. The suspect is taken to the ground and cuffed without putting up a fight.
According to Fox 11 News, no injuries were reported, which is a relief after an hourlong chase through two of the most densely populated counties in the U.S.
Pro tip: Don’t be like this guy. If you’re wanted for speeding or other infraction, pull over. You can’t outrun helicopters and radios. Making the police chase you is dangerous and will make your problems much, much worse.
Eric Trow, Rider Magazine Contributing Editor and Stayin’ Safe principal, on his late grandfather’s 1953 Indian Chief.
Our guest on Episode 38 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Eric Trow, a life-long motorcyclist, a renowned motorcycling proficiency expert, and a recipient of the AMA Outstanding Road Rider Award. Trow is a Contributing Editor at Rider Magazine, where he writes the popular “Riding Well” column as well as special features. Trow developed the modern Stayin’ Safe method of advanced rider training, and Stayin’ Safe Training Tours are available through MotoMark1. In this episode, we talk with Trow about his background in motorcycle skills training and how he got involved with Rider Magazine. We get the backstory on two of Trow’s popular features published in Rider, “Chasing Gene and Washie” (Feb. 2022 issue) and “Parker Discovers America” (Aug. 2021 issue). And we learn what motorcycles Trow has in his garage, from his grandfather’s 1953 Indian Chief (one of the last ones built) to his newly acquired Honda Trail 90.
You can listen to Episode 38 on iTunes, Spotify, and SoundCloud, or via the Rider Magazine Insider webpage. Please subscribe, leave us a 5-star rating, and tell your friends! Scroll down for a list of previous episodes.
Americade is coming up June 7-11 in Lake George, New York, and Tucker Powersports is a Platinum Sponsor for the 2022 rally. Its Kuryakyn and TwinPower brands will have a major presence at Americade. Read more in the press release below.
Touring motorcycle riders of all brands will connect with Tucker Powersports’ Kuryakyn and TwinPower brand representatives at the annual Americade Rally in Lake George, New York, this week. Tucker, the nation’s leading distributor of powersports products, is a Platinum Sponsor of the rally and will have a commanding presence at the event.
Kuryakyn and TwinPower will share a large display tent in the festival commons in Lake George, where riders will be greeted by the Kuryakyn entrance arch as they arrive. Tucker will also sponsor the shuttle for rally attendees, helping them more easily between activities on the rally site.
The partnership between Americade and these Tucker brands comes quite naturally. The Kuryakyn brand has been a top source of accessories for all brands of touring motorcycles, especially Harley-Davidson, BMW, and Honda Gold Wing models. This year, the brand launched new touring bags, a line of waterproof bags, and even a Pet Palace for riders traveling with their “best friend.” Since its inception in 1982, TwinPower has been supporting riders with great oil, batteries, drivetrain components, maintenance items, and tools, which are a perfect fit for long distance riders.
“This event is important for both Kuryakyn and TwinPower,” said Tyler Anderson, Kuryakyn Brand Manager. “Americade is the most significant gathering of touring riders in the country. We want to learn from the attendees while sharing our great products that are designed expressly for long distance riders.”
Americade, started in 1984, was one of the first motorcycle rallies designed for the long-distance touring rider. It combines rides through the beautiful roadways of upstate New York and New England, a huge trade show and expo, presentations by expert riders and touring veterans, and social events that bring out the camaraderie of riders who love putting lots of miles behind them on their motorcycles.
Americade 2022 runs from June 7-11 in Lake George, New York. For more information, visit americade.com.
Five-time enduro world champion Iván Cervantes (left) and U.S. motocross legend Ricky Carmichael (right) are helping Triumph develop new motocross and dual-sport motorcycles.
The greatest motocross rider of all time, Ricky Carmichael, and five-time enduro world champion Iván Cervantes, spent last week with the Triumph motocross and dual-sport team in the U.K.
Receiving a warm welcome from Triumph employees, Ricky and Iván took the time to meet some passionate Triumph fans, before deep diving into development workshops with the design team and testing the latest prototypes, continuing in their unique role of providing invaluable feedback and input into the project.
Ricky Carmichael “It has been a pleasure to finally come to the Triumph headquarters. Meeting everyone in all the departments, seeing how it all works, and getting to put faces to the names of those I have been working with for so long. I have been incredibly impressed throughout the project, from my first test with the team in the U.S., and it’s great to see how much progress they made to this point.
To see the masterminds at work, and the dedication and motivation from everyone has been absolutely incredible. The sky is the limit and I believe everyone’s hard work on this project will mirror the level of the Triumph brand. It is an exciting time to be a part of this historic project!”
Iván Cervantes “For me, this is a huge moment. We’ve tested the bike many times, but it was wonderful to ride with Ricky in person, and so satisfying to see how happy he is with the setup we’ve developed. We have made some very big steps and some very productive changes, and I’m very happy with where we are.
I have worked for a long time on this project with an amazing team, who all share the same goal: to be competitive from the very beginning. I can’t wait for the next steps!”
Steve Sargent – Chief Product Officer ”It was a pleasure to have both Ricky and Iván with us for a whole week and to continue to take full advantage of their experience with the development of our off-road prototypes. Having both legendary motorcycle racers together to contribute to such a crucial phase of the bike’s development is invaluable. Together we share a single-minded ambition to launch motorcycles that are 100% capable of winning, that bring something new and different to riders in both worlds, that encompass all of Triumph’s expertise and capability, and that leverage everything Ricky and Ivan know about winning and developing bikes that deliver consistently race after race.”
Join us on the IMTBike Southern Spain Andalusia Tour, October 15-23, 2022, for fantastic riding, delicious food and wine, and luxurious accommodations.
Scott Moreno, the American-born owner of IMTBike, the motorcycle tour and rental company based in Spain, has one of the most infectious personalities of the many people I’ve met over the years in the motorcycle industry.
Born in New York City and raised in northern New Jersey, Moreno studied abroad in Spain. After getting his MBA, he made a good living as a currency trader, but he was miserable. When a friend asked him what he loved to do, he said “ride motorcycles and have adventures.” So, in 1997, Scott bought eight BMW motorcycles and started Iberian Moto Tours (IMTBike’s former name) from his apartment in Madrid.
All smiles on the IMTBike Southern Spain Andalusia Tour. Scott Moreno is second from left in the front row.
This year, IMTBike is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Through the hard work of Moreno and his team, the company has grown to include more than two dozen staff members, office locations in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Málaga, and Lisbon, and the world’s largest fleet of BMW motorcycles – 200 at last count (IMTBike is an Official Partner of BMW Motorrad). In 2021, IMTBike earned a coveted TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” award.
IMTBike specializes in tours of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), but it also offers tours in France, Italy, the Alps, and Morocco, as well as MotoGP tours (Catalunya, Jerez, and Valencia) and tours in Turkey, Thailand, Japan, and New Zealand.
To help IMTBike celebrate its “25 Years of Magic,” Rider’s Editor-in-Chief Greg Drevenstedt and his wife Carrie will be joining Moreno on the Southern Spain Andalusia Tour this fall, October 15-23. The tour starts and ends in Málaga, on Spain’s famous Costa del Sol (“Sun Coast”) on the Mediterranean Sea.
Route for the IMTBike Southern Spain Andalusia Tour
The 9-day tour includes seven riding days, one rest day (in Seville), and travel days on either end. Here’s the itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Málaga
Day 2: Málaga – Costa del Sol – Sierra Nevada – Granada
Day 3: Granada – Córdoba
Day 4: Córdoba – Seville
Day 5: Seville – rest day
Day 6: Seville – White Towns
Day 7: White Towns – Ronda
Day 8: Ronda – Serranía de Ronda – Málaga
Day 9: Flight home
We recommend arriving a couple of days early to get acclimated to the time zone and explore Málaga, one of the oldest cities in Europe, which is full of history, culture, and vitality. Walk the city streets and tour the Alcazaba, a Moorish palatial fortress built in the 11th century.
The tour route includes some of Spain’s best motorcycling roads in the Grazalema and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.
The region of Andalusia is home to some of Spain’s most famous cities, including Seville, Córdoba, and Granada, all three of which contain UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Stay in Spain’s famous Paradors – castles, monasteries, fortresses, and other historic buildings converted into luxury hotels. The Parador in Ronda stands on the edge of a cliff and is next to the Plaza de Toros (bullfighting ring), and the town is surrounded by the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
On this tour you’ll visit Spain’s iconic “White Towns,” villages full of white-washed houses, and you’ll enjoy Andalusian cuisine, famous for its jamón Ibérico pata negra (black-footed Iberian ham) and delicious tapas. You’ll also get your fill of curves and twisties in the Grazalema and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.
You don’t want to miss this tour. Pricing starts at just 3,225 euros (about $3,450), and includes transfer to/from the airport, motorcycle rental (BMW G 310 R), lodging, eight breakfasts, and seven dinners. Choosing a larger motorcycle, adding a passenger, and a single-occupancy room adds to the price.
Click HERE for more details and to book the tour. Sign up soon because this tour will fill up fast!
Our guest on Episode 37 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Bill Dragoo of Dragoo Adventure Rider Training (DART). Bill has led an interesting and varied life as a pilot, a sky diver, a scuba diver, and as a competitor on dirtbikes, adventure bikes, mountain bikes, and sailboats. He has been a winner or podium finisher in three RawHyde Adventure Challenges, and he was a member of the BMW GS Trophy team that represented the U.S. in South Africa in 2010. Bill is a certified BMW factory-trained off-road instructor, and a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Coach. Through Dragoo Adventure Rider Training (DART), he trains motorcyclists of all ages to ride adventure bikes with more confidence. We talk about how Bill got into riding and racing motorcycles, his challenges and successes in competition, and his philosophy for training riders how to handle big adventure bikes. Visit the DART website for Bill’s upcoming training and immersion tour schedule as well as links to DART tips, publications, podcasts, videos, and more.
You can listen to Episode 37 on iTunes, Spotify, and SoundCloud, or via the Rider Magazine Insider webpage. Please subscribe, leave us a 5-star rating, and tell your friends! Scroll down for a list of previous episodes.
A new exhibition, “The Open Road: The Art of the Motorcycle,” opens on June 16, 2022, at the William King Museum of Art in Abingdon, Virginia. The exhibition will be part of the Open Road BikeFest, a weeklong celebration of the motorcycle held June 22-25 at locations across Abingdon and Bristol, Virginia.
In addition to the museum exhibition, there will be bike rallies, block parties, bike rides, live music, and more.
Stay in Abingdon, Virginia, for the Open Road BikeFest and never miss a moment of the fun. Plan your route ahead of time with Appalachian Backroads, your complete guide to routes in Southwest Virginia, or The Southern Dozen, your complete guide to routes in Northeast Tennessee.
Indulge in Abingdon’s award-winning Small Town Food Scene at more than 30 independently owned restaurants. Finally, relax for the night at Hampton Inn by Hilton. Receive special BikeFest rates by calling Hampton by Hilton’s front desk at (276) 619-4600 and mentioning William King Museum of Art or the Open Road BikeFest.
JUNE 22 (Wednesday) Bike Night Texas Roadhouse, Bristol, VA 3:00 – 8:00 p.m.
JUNE 23 (Thursday) Cruise In Hampton Inn, Abingdon, VA 6:00 p.m. Music from The EDGE and food trucks on-site
JUNE 24 (Friday) Block Party Spring House Tumbling Creek Cider Company, Abingdon, VA 6:00 p.m. Music by Florencia and the Feeling and Annabelle’s Curse
JUNE 25 (Saturday) Ride to BikeFest Black Wolf Harley- Davidson, Bristol, VA 9:00 a.m. registration Begin your ride at Black Wolf Harley-Davidson on Saturday at 9 a.m. and finish around 1 p.m. at the Open Road BikeFest at Latture Field in Abingdon, VA FREE TO RIDE! Please consider donating to benefit William King Museum of Art, donations collected on site at registration.
JUNE 25 (Saturday) Open Road BikeFest Hosted by William King Museum of Art, Latture Field, Abingdon, VA ** MOTORCYCLE PARKING ON GRASS, BRING YOUR KICKSTAND PLATE ** Gates open at 1:00 p.m. Featuring music, vendors, food trucks, beer garden, best in show contest & more! ** BRING YOUR OWN LAWN CHAIR ** TICKETS: $20.00 at the gates Music starting at 2:00 p.m. by Ron Short and the Possum Playboys and Phantom
More information about the Open Road BikeFest and “The Open Road: The Art of the Motorcycle,” can be found online at williamkingmuseum.org. The Open Road BikeFest is sponsored by The Town of Abingdon, Virginia, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
