The ride with the ugly soul

Just wanted to share my little solo ride from back on Memorial Day. Now I have to be honest, it wasn’t so much that I really wanted to go for a ride, it was just that it was a beautiful day and I wasn’t at work, so I felt kind of obligated to take advantage of it.

I thought I would ride down to Winterset again, and pick up the St. Charles/Truro loop that the girls and I had missed out on due to closed roads last Fall. So I set off along my usual route to points South – down R63 to G14, across G14 through Norwalk and Cumming and over to 169 South. (Yes, Iowa has a town called Cumming. Go ahead and snicker quietly to yourself, I’ll wait.)

Ready? Ok. So anyway, I was really close to Cumming when I had the big idea to stop at this small old gas station and take a picture or two. It’s a neat little place I’ve wanted to photograph for awhile, so being by myself I thought it would be the perfect opportunity.

I pulled off the highway onto a narrow concrete approach alongside Sweeney’s, put down my kickstand, and snapped a few photos. Getting back on the bike revealed the problem I had created for myself: because of the angle of the approach, which I had thought was flat and level, I couldn’t lean the bike over far enough to the right to get the stand back up, without tipping the bike all the way over. I tried a couple strategies to correct this, but they only served to inch me forward so that by the time I decided it really couldn’t be done, I had run out of approach and was left with very sketchy footing on the right-hand side. For the second time in as many weeks, my right foot was holding up the entire weight of the bike and I was in danger of going over, with no immediate “fix” and no companion around to help me out.

Fortunately for me, this is a well-trafficked highway and it was only a moment before another vehicle came along, so I managed to flag them down. A very nice guy named Troy pulled over and helped me steady the bike, get the kickstand up, and get on my way.

I beat myself up plenty over this little faux pas for the rest of the day – I admit it clouded my enjoyment of the remainder of the ride, but at least I did get to experience the Madison County loop I’d been studying all winter.

Make no mistake, it was a very scenic ride – though I did get the feeling I was seeing it from the backside, as though it would have been prettier going the other way. My route was to head south out of Winterset on P71, east on R50, south on R35, then back to the west on G60 to P71. The problem with this part of the ride wasn’t the view, though – it was the incredibly poor condition of the roads!

At one time I thought these bumps in the road were the result of badly engineered repairs. But it appears they are actually places where the road has buckled up to the point of needing repair. In any case, they are raised sections of the road (always at a seam in the asphalt) that lift you up out of your seat and re-arrange your innards by the time you land on your ass again. (No kidding – I actually felt like I was sitting on my liver by the time I stopped.)

I had hoped to be able to call this the prettiest route through Madison County – but, just like elsewhere in life, it’s not worth being pretty if you have an ugly soul. And the crappy roads and the lingering bad karma were definitely the “ugly soul” of this ride. I did make it home without any further stupid decisions, so I’m happy to say I’m tanned, rested and ready for the next opportunity not to waste a day off!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/_Dz42xB666Y/

Sebastien Pourcel Wyman Priddy

Stewart injury out of 2012 AMA supercross for now

James Stewart’s crash at Indianapolis will prevent him from racing this weekend at Toronto. James has been

under observation over the last few days and has stated that the crash “aggravated a couple old injuries and I’ll need time to fully recover from that”

James will continue to work hard on recovery and will re-evaluate is injuries and race readiness before Houston. But for now he is not ready to compete at the level required. “’I wouldn’t be able push myself at the pace needed to run with the guys out there”

Source: http://www.superfreestylemotocross.com/blog/stewart-injury-out-of-2012-ama-supercross-for-now/

Heikki Mikkola Auguste Mingels

Wojo at WEC #7 at Burnt River

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/wojo-at-wec-7-at-burnt-river.html

Marty Smith Steve Stackable

Yoshimura Suzuki's latest video of James Stewart

Yoshimura Suzuki's James Stewart is captured putting his new #7 RM-Z450 through its paces in this official team video produced by the Yoshimura Suzuki team.

The film, from American Suzuki Motorcycle Corporation, features interviews with Stewart, behind-the-scenes footage, plus on-track and onboard camera action as he tests the 2012 RM-Z450 during a recent team Photo Shoot in California. (HD - 4.45 minutes).

Source: http://www.supercross.com/features/yoshimura-suzukis-latest-video-of-james-stewart

Kent Howerton Neil Hudson

Red Bull Teka KTM factory motocross rider Steffi Laier "Ready to Race" in 2011

When Steffi Laier, Red Bull Teka KTM factory rider and two-time Women's MX World Champion takes to the track in the pre-season MX races in Valence, France, this weekend it will be her first competitive ride for 2011. Steffi has been training hard on the bike since mid December and in Valence tests herself against a field of male riders.

At the French pre-season special, she faces off with a strong lineup of riders including those from the Nestaan JM Racing KTM squad led by Joel Roelants, Yentel Martens and young talents like 125 European champion Jordi Tixier of France and Austrian Pascal Rauchenecker. Also in the field are other KTM riders like British rider Nathan Parker (PROPPA-COM KTM and French riders Loïc Leonce (B G R KTM) and Loïc Larrieu (WOLFF KTM). But these and other top riders hold no fear for Steffi who his very well known for her toughness, skill and courage when attacking any MX track.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/mxgirls-news/red-bull-teka-ktm-factory-motocross-rider-steffi-laier-ready-to-race-in-2011

Tony DiStefano Jamie Dobb

Ride like a girl!

  Today is International Female Ride Day! Here’s hoping you have the opportunity to get out and ride!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/PJ_txsxbXsI/

Claudio Federici Tim Ferry

Ontario Arenacross Championship & Practice Facility Re-Opens in Wallaceburg for 2011 /2012 Season

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/11/ontario-arenacross-championship.html

Greg Albertyn Jeff Alessi

Ski Jumps

The best thing about riding a motocross track is the elevation change.  This gives you more dimensions to the track and allows you to “spice up” some obstacles.  One of these obstacles is the ski jumps.  Most of the time, you find these jumps right before a downhill and there is no real lip or face.  This sort of jump can be used to your advantage, if you do it correctly.

The most important part of this type of jump is approach.  You want to be in the attack position so you are ready for the upcoming drop.  Depending on the situation, there could be a lot of braking bumps, and being in the attack position really helps you get through the bumps without the bike dancing underneath of you.  Don’t forget to grip with the knees and look ahead.

As you are about to make the drop, you want to be slightly leaning back.  If you are leaning to far forward, your front end is going to drop because there is no lip to give you that “pop” and raise the front wheel.  It also helps to be on the gas, if possible.  If it’s not, stay in a higher gear so the engine braking doesn’t drag the front down.

As you leave the ground and make the descent, you want to make sure your front tire is slightly higher than the rear.  When landing down a hill, you don’t want to land front wheel first.  This throws a lot of your weight and momentum to the front wheel and you have a greater chance of going over the bars.  So, land rear wheel first and be on the gas.  Most down hills are going to be rough; so, getting on the gas when you land gives you forward momentum through the rough stuff.  It helps to jump a little further than everyone too.  This isn’t normally the case with average jumps, but in this case, when you jump further, you keep your speed and momentum up.  Plus, you have a chance to jump past the slower riders’ bumps.  These jumps are usually low visibility, so make sure you know what the next obstacle is or you could end up like Doug Henry (i.e. broken back).

Source: http://www.mxtrainingblog.com/riding-techniques/ski-jumps/

Connor McGechan Jeremy McGrath

Our most popular video of James Stewart

James Stewart is a popular guy. He's won AMA Supercross Championships. AMA Motocross Championships.

This video is James Stewart preparing for Supercross before the 2007 season. Our most popular video ever. James would go on to win his first ever AMA Supercross Championship. And the photo below is from the opening round of AMA MX in 2008, James with his familiar number 7. James went on to win every moto that season - 24 in a row!

Twitter Supercross.com

 

Source: http://www.supercross.com/features/our-most-popular-video-of-james-stewart

Darrell Schultz Tommy Searle

Ontario Arenacross Championship & Practice Facility Re-Opens in Wallaceburg for 2011 /2012 Season

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/11/ontario-arenacross-championship.html

Pierre Karsmakers Vladimir Kavinov

MX Adventures - Supercross Racers go Pink

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Supercross will undergo a 'Pink' transformation this weekend in Anaheim to show their support and help promote Breast Cancer Awareness, including contributions to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Orange County.

Expect to see a lot of masculine Supercross guys wearing pink riding gear, or somehow sporting the color to show their support for this great cause. Also it is a Valentines weekend, so many of the guys are getting all kinds of lady love ...

Source: http://www.supercross.com/rss-features/mx-adventures-supercross-racers-go-pink

Jeff Smith Marty Smith

Dungey to Make KTM Debut at Monster Energy Cup

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/dungey-to-make-ktm-debut-at-monster.html

Jeff Leisk Victor Leloup

Canadian MX Reigning Champ Colton Facciotti signs with KTM for the next 2 years!

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/canadian-mx-reigning-champ-colton.html

Steve Lamson Grant Langston

Long Ruts on Straights

Nothing reminds me of motocross more than a rutted up, fast, flowing track.  This is the pinnacle obstacle that separates the men from the boys.  If you watched Southwick this past weekend, then you saw the insane ruts in the moist New England sand.  Most beginners find themselves nervous approaching long ruts and often end up on the ground.  It doesn’t matter if a rut is in a corner, on a straight or on the face of a jump, you will encounter one sooner or later.  Some look at this as a burden, but you can actually use these to your advantage.

A lot of people can go fast on a straightaway.  It’s pretty simple; open the throttle as far as possible.  That’s generally how ruts get formed on straights.  People actually use the power of their bikes and it trenches out the soil.  Obviously, the main line will get dug the deepest.  In the beginning of the day, this won’t be a bad choice to use.  It just depends on how it sets you up for the next section.  However, a majority of the time, the main line usually gets too deep and ends up slowing you down.

When the whole straight gets rutted out, things start to get a little tricky.  The middle of the track is going to have deeper ruts than the edges of the track.  So, by taking the edges of the track, you can avoid the choppy mess made by the slower riders and you can save your energy for more important times in the moto.

As with any rut, approaching it with both wheels in line is very important.  You want to keep both wheels in the rut, preventing you from getting cross rutted.  You also maintain your momentum and forward drive, as well.  Once, you have both wheels lined up, keeping your head up and vision ahead is very important.  Staring at the ground right in front of you will only send you one place, the dirt.  That is not where you want to be.  A good guide is to keep your vision a few bike lengths ahead of you.  The faster you go, the further you want to look.

Depending on how deep the ruts are, a good idea is to ride on the balls of your feet (and point your toes in, gripping the cases).  This prevents your feet from getting caught in the rut and ripping your leg off the peg.  As always, you want to be gripping the bike with your knees and applying steady, consistent throttle.  As you get to the end of the straight, there are more than likely going to be braking bumps.  This is where you want to start shifting your weight back slightly to keep you from going over the bars.

Like I said, if you can conquer ruts, you can conquer anything.  It is mind over matter and just keeping good form and looking ahead.  Stay loose and relax; you’ll get through them sooner than you think.

Source: http://www.mxtrainingblog.com/riding-techniques/long-ruts-on-straights/

Håkan Andersson Victor Arbekov

DC Moto TF Ride Day with Josh Hill

In the 2010 AMA Supercross Championship series, Josh Hill consistently found himself on the podium. He ended the season sixth overall in points, in which he finished second in 5 of the 17 Main Events. In July, Josh spent time preparing for the 'Speed and Style' event for X Games 16. His practice session went from 'landing a backflip on his first attempt' to 'under rotating the next time around.' This horrific crash sent Josh to the hospital with a list of injuries and a whole new respect for the sport of Freestyle Motocross. I caught up with Josh, at Pala Raceway for the DC Moto TF Ride day, where he talked about his rehabilitation, his plans for Supercross 2011, and more!

Josh Hill at the DC Moto TF Ride Day

Angela: Hey Josh, you are looking good. How are you feeling?

Josh: Yeah I am getting better, everything is starting to heal up and I am getting to where I can function normally again. So it is getting better, but I need to focus on getting my body stronger. That is my main thing right now.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/rss-features/dc-moto-tf-ride-day-with-josh-hill

Steven Frossard Eric Geboers

Gemma-Lee Farrell Appointed as Miss Monster Energy Cup

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/gemma-lee-farrell-appointed-as-miss.html

Sven Breugelmans Larry Brooks

The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Season Celebration

This year's AMA Motocross Banquet & Season Celebration was held in a magnificent banquet room at the Pala Resort & Casino. The room was decorated beautifully, lined with motocross décor, as well as a stage decorated with the championship bikes and awards. The line-up of food, appetizers, desserts, and beverages was very elegant and delicious.

After dinner, the awards ceremony began. Jason Weigandt, along with Tim Cotter hosted the show. And of course Jason started it just like he does many of his shows - after slamming down an energy drink.

Jason went on to talk about each round of this summer's AMA Motocross Nationals, with a list of funny jokes pertaining to all the good and bad situations at each of the races. After that, the awards and trophies were handed out.

The night was filled with special memories, good times, and laughs. One poignant moment was when Kevin Windham accepted the award for 'Sportsperson of the Year'. Kevin always has a great way of expressing himself, but made a great comment towards his friend & the team manager, Mike LaRocco. He commented on Mike's motivation, that pushed Kevin to work hard and do his best ... it was touching, but at the same time very funny.

Kevin Windham accepted the award for 'Sportsperson of the Year'

Source: http://www.supercross.com/rss-features/the-2010-lucas-oil-ama-pro-motocross-championship-season-celebration

Bengt Åberg Greg Albertyn

Stewart injury out of 2012 AMA supercross for now

James Stewart’s crash at Indianapolis will prevent him from racing this weekend at Toronto. James has been

under observation over the last few days and has stated that the crash “aggravated a couple old injuries and I’ll need time to fully recover from that”

James will continue to work hard on recovery and will re-evaluate is injuries and race readiness before Houston. But for now he is not ready to compete at the level required. “’I wouldn’t be able push myself at the pace needed to run with the guys out there”

Source: http://www.superfreestylemotocross.com/blog/stewart-injury-out-of-2012-ama-supercross-for-now/

Torsten Hallman Bob Hannah

2012 AMA Motocross Schedule

2012 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Schedule:

• May 19 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
  Phone 1 800 HANGTOWN
  
  Map of race track area

• May 26 – Freestone Raceway – Wortham, TX
  Phone 1 877 77-CLICK
  Map of race track area

• June 2 – Thunder Valley Motocross – Lakewood, CO
  Phone 303 697-1003
  Map of race track area

• June 9 – High Point Raceway – Mt. Morris, PA
  Phone 304 284-0084
  Map of race track area

• June 16 – Budds Creek Motocross – Mechanicsville, MD
  Phone 301 475-2000
  Map of race track area

• July 7 – RedBud MX – Buchanan, MI
  Phone 269 695-6405
  Map of race track area

• July 14 – Spring Creek Motocross – Millville, MN
  Phone 507 753-2779
  Map of race track area

• July 21 – Washougal Motocross – Washougal, WA
  Phone 360 837-3975
  Map of race track area

• Aug 11 – Moto-X 338 – Southwick, MA
  Phone 413 569-6801
  Map of race track area

• Aug 18 – Unadilla Valley Sports Center – New Berlin, NY
  Phone 607 965-8784
  Map of race track area

• Sept 1 – Steel City Raceway – Delmont, PA
  Phone 304 284-0084
  Map of race track area

• Sept 8 – Lake Elsinore MX Park – Lake Elsinore CA

Source: http://www.superfreestylemotocross.com/blog/2012-ama-motocross-schedule/

Billy Liles Ove Lundell

Dungey to Make KTM Debut at Monster Energy Cup

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/dungey-to-make-ktm-debut-at-monster.html

David Bailey John Banks

Husqvarna Celebrates Victory at Loretta Lynn's GNCC

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/11/husqvarna-celebrates-victory-at-loretta.html

Christian Beggi Mike Bell

The Scrub

Watching the pros, you can guarantee that every rider is going to scrub.  Even amateurs are perfecting the “Bubba Scrub.”  This is not just something they do for fun.  This is a technique that can help you stay lower in the air and get back on Mother Earth and on the gas.  If you see someone perform the scrub right, it looks effortless and so smooth.  It really is an art form as no 2 scrubs are alike.  For this reason, it is important to start things slow and on a single or something small; eventually working your way up to normal size jumps.

The first thing is to approach the face at a slight angle.  If you plan on leaning to the right, you want to angle yourself to be pointing slightly to the left.  This allows you to turn the bars and lean the bike without scrubbing off of the track.  As the front wheel comes off of the lip, you want to begin to turn the bars the same way you are leaning.  You don’t want to try and make this like a turn.  That will only throw the rear end out and you will still be upright, defeating the whole purpose of this.  Keep this in mind and just lean.  As I said before, this is a unique technique, so it you prefer to stand, stand up.  If you like to sit down, have a seat.

Once you feel you are off of the jump, you want to keep turning the bars down.  This gets the motion of the whip going.  You really want to try and pivot and squeeze with your legs.  This is not just a movement with your arms; you want to help the bike through the flow with your hips and legs.  As you approach the peak of your flight, you will start to feel a point where you need to bring it back.  I have not brought it back in time and I can tell you, it hurts.

You will feel the bike want to come back to its normal, upright position.  To get this process going, simply turn the bars back the other way.  Combine this with a little bit of gas (to get the rear wheel spinning) and the centripetal motion of the wheels will get you back to the right position.  Don’t forget that apply pressure on the foot pegs so you can help bring the bike back with your legs.

When you get the bike straight, be sure to get on the gas.  This will help you drive through any swaps or any problems you have with the scrub when you land.  Like I said, this is a one of kind technique.  You need to practice this and start small.  Jumps that are slower and have long faces will help you out a lot and when you feel comfortable enough, transition to faster, shorter jump faces.  Everything should be a fluid, smooth motion.  It will come faster than you think and you will be throwing scrubs like James himself.

Source: http://www.mxtrainingblog.com/riding-techniques/the-scrub/

Tyla Rattray Chad Reed

Dungey to Make KTM Debut at Monster Energy Cup

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/dungey-to-make-ktm-debut-at-monster.html

Davide Guarneri Thomas Hahn

2012 Lucas Oil Lakewood CO AMA Pro Motocross Highlight Video

Ryan Dungey and Justin Barcia were the big winner's in Saturday's Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross event in Lakewood, CO. Click here for results, points and more from "Thunder Valley MX"!

Source: http://www.supercross.com/news/2012-lucas-oil-lakewood-co-ama-pro-motocross-highlight-video

Mike Brown Rick Burgett

Chrome Divas come to Des Moines

I’ve been keeping this under my helmet for awhile, but am so excited to finally be able to mention that the CHROME DIVAS have come to Des Moines – and that I am a founding member!

While poking around on the Web one night last summer I did some reading about this organization for women motorcycle enthusiasts, founded in 2002. I was surprised to learn that although there was a very large and active chapter in the Cedar Rapids area, there was not yet a chapter here in Des Moines.

So, together with my gal pals Shirley, Susan (Coyote) and Stephanie (Iowa Harley Girl), we launched the Chrome Divas of Des Moines in August 2011. We’ve added two additional members since then – Janet (“Seven Over”) and Penney (“One Cent”).

The Chrome Divas is simply an organization for women who share a passion for motorcycles – all brands, all levels of riding. We currently meet monthly, and we’ll be creating opportunities to ride together and work on behalf of some our favorite community organizations. Our primary mission is four-fold:

• Promote a positive image of women who ride, and of motorcycling in general.
• Provide a social atmosphere for women who ride or simply love motorcycles to gather and get to know each other.
• Give back to our community by participating in local non-profit events and activities.
• Ride and have fun!

We’re lucky and thankful to have Sambetti’s, a local bar and grill, as the “official home of the Chrome Divas of Des Moines.” A big THANK YOU to Paul Strome, owner of Sambetti’s, for his encouragement and support of our little group!  (I personally recommend the “10 oz top” special, the chicken strips, the house dressing on the crisp, cold salads, and – OMG – the ONION RINGS!! Lunch, dinner or drinks – Sambetti’s is one of my favorite spots in Des Moines!)

As for membership, right now we’re keeping growth slow and purposeful so as not to get too big too fast, but we are excited about being part of this great organization and are definitely planning to increase our numbers!

 

 

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/vKuS2ihxylg/

Brett Metcalfe Heikki Mikkola

DC Moto TF Ride Day with Josh Hill

In the 2010 AMA Supercross Championship series, Josh Hill consistently found himself on the podium. He ended the season sixth overall in points, in which he finished second in 5 of the 17 Main Events. In July, Josh spent time preparing for the 'Speed and Style' event for X Games 16. His practice session went from 'landing a backflip on his first attempt' to 'under rotating the next time around.' This horrific crash sent Josh to the hospital with a list of injuries and a whole new respect for the sport of Freestyle Motocross. I caught up with Josh, at Pala Raceway for the DC Moto TF Ride day, where he talked about his rehabilitation, his plans for Supercross 2011, and more!

Josh Hill at the DC Moto TF Ride Day

Angela: Hey Josh, you are looking good. How are you feeling?

Josh: Yeah I am getting better, everything is starting to heal up and I am getting to where I can function normally again. So it is getting better, but I need to focus on getting my body stronger. That is my main thing right now.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/rss-features/dc-moto-tf-ride-day-with-josh-hill

Mike LaRocco Jason Lawrence

Catching up with JDR Motorsports Video Shoot

We recently meet up with the JDR Motorsports team at Lucas Oil Mx Park in Perris California and got a behind the scene look at their up coming video project with team owner Jay Rynenberg and producer Jason Macalpine.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/news/catching-up-with-jdr-motorsports-video-shoot

David Strijbos Kevin Strijbos

Route 65 bike blessing and ice cream ride

After having a bad start last week that resulted in my beloved Kitten going over onto her side, Steve and I ended on a high note with a lovely bike-blessing event at Route 65 Harley Davidson in Indianola on Saturday. The event included live music, complimentary lunch, and group and individual blessings offered by the Christian Motorcyclists Association.

Following the food and fellowship, we decided to take a short ride so we headed south out of Indianola on Highway 65/69.

The “dual identity” of the highway ends just a few miles outside of Indianola – with a left turn it becomes Highway 65, while going straight means you stay on 69. Our plan was to ride to the town of Osceola at Highway 34, so we stayed on Highway 69.

While in the northern part of the state this highway is straight as a string, this stretch of 69 has some lovely curves as it meanders to the southwest. We passed the tiny town of Medora at the G76 junction, where I noticed a beautiful little field of purple-blooming Dames Rocket – the roadside version of garden Phlox. So pretty in the dappled sunlight.

We cruised into Osceola from the north a short time later, and stopped to top off gas. While there, we asked a local where we might get an ice cream cone, and she directed us to Junction Creamery a few blocks away along Highway 34.

We pulled into this nice locally owned shop, which has lunch and dinner selections as well as sweet treats. (Apparently they also do catering!) Enjoyed our soft-serve sundaes, then decided to head back home. We headed back the way we had come – out of town on Highway 69. Just a couple miles up the road, we turned north at the junction of County Road R45, which is a straighter stretch that took us through New Virginia, St. Mary’s and Martensdale.

A couple of notables from the ride home: heading north on R45, just after we turned off Hwy 69, it was pretty cool to catch a glimpse in the rear-view mirror of the long straight road behind us. At one point I think you could see the road disappearing into the distance for 2-3 miles!

And, in the tiny town of New Virginia, the local grocery/convenience store has a neat little hand-painted sign over the door that optimistically proclaims, “TOURIST INFO.” What a throw-back to the days before Interstate 80 went through just to the west, when this road was likely more heavily-traveled! (The town’s website has a locally-written history of New Virginia.)

P.S. – there was a slim chance I was going to miss the Blessing event. Our graduating-senior-daughter was required to participate in “team districts” with her tennis team. So feeling a bit like one of those over-booked soccer moms, I headed off early Saturday morning to the tennis match knowing it was possible I would return too late for the blessing. So as a back-up plan, I wrote this little prayer that I intended to use to bless my own bike if need be. I wrote it out on a little card, and although I didn’t end up needing it on Saturday, it seems like “not a bad idea” to have it on board:

Oh Lord,
Thank you for this beautiful day and
the opportunity to gather and fellowship
with our friends and fellow riders.
As we look to the season ahead, we ask
that you bless and keep us safe… that you
grant us wisdom for the safe operation of
our bikes… and that you make every
person on the road aware of the presence
of motorcycles and the need to share the road.
Lord we ask that you guide us along our
journey.. that you help keep the road ahead clear…
and we thank you for the freedom and the
opportunity to enjoy your beautiful creation
each and every day.
We ask these things in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/AKqRr8zPAKM/

Mickael Maschio Connor McGechan

KTM Canada adds National #2 Dusty Klatt to powerful MX1 Team

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/12/ktm-canada-adds-national-2-dusty-klatt.html

Roger De Coster Ken De Dycker

Barcia looking to defend Bercy crown; teammate Tomac fired-up for France

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/barcia-looking-to-defend-bercy-crown.html

Marc de Reuver Michele Rinaldi

Brian Deegan Unveils the Metal Mulisha Monster Truck

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/11/brian-deegan-unveils-metal-mulisha.html

John Banks Mark Barnett

Rutted Corners

There are two obstacles you will always have to face on the track: ruts and corners.  Combine the two and traversing themcan be frustrating.  The power and torque that modern four strokes produce is pretty incredible and lines get dug out quickly.  Corners are the backbone of speed which makes it essential to be extremely proficient in riding at any situation.

One thing that has always helped me is to concentrate on one corner that is giving me problems.  Try to get to the track later in the day when it is rougher and not as many people are there.  Find your corner and enter the track safely in the section before, then hit the corner and go back to the previous section to repeat.  If there aren’t many people, this will allow you plenty of time to find what you need to work on.

The first aspect you need to look at is your entrance technique.  You want to be in the attack position all the way through the chop.  Braking should be gradual; do not lock the back tire up or the rear end can sway side to side.  For inside ruts, putting more emphasis on the front brake will get your front forks to squat lower so you can carve harder.  As for outside lines, it is better to use the back to keep more momentum up.

When it comes time to sit, the process from standing to sitting should be one, fluid motion.  You sit, put the inside leg up, and apply the throttle smoothly.  Some have a tendency to blip the throttle and it bounces them around.  The suspension throws the rider from the flow of the turn as leaning and steering become out of sync.  A simple way to help with this is to just look ahead!  When you approach the corner, look at the apex.  As you get closer to the apex, begin looking further and further ahead to the next obstacle.  You go wherever you look.

One overlooked method is to stay relaxed.  Ride with the turn and don’t try to blast through it.  Don’t tighten up so much and worry about messing up.  You know how to ride a bike so have confidence in your abilities.  Take some time to get this down and you will be making up time on every one.

 

Source: http://www.mxtrainingblog.com/riding-techniques/rutted-corners/

Brian Myerscough Maximilian Nagl

Red Bull Teka KTM factory motocross rider Steffi Laier "Ready to Race" in 2011

When Steffi Laier, Red Bull Teka KTM factory rider and two-time Women's MX World Champion takes to the track in the pre-season MX races in Valence, France, this weekend it will be her first competitive ride for 2011. Steffi has been training hard on the bike since mid December and in Valence tests herself against a field of male riders.

At the French pre-season special, she faces off with a strong lineup of riders including those from the Nestaan JM Racing KTM squad led by Joel Roelants, Yentel Martens and young talents like 125 European champion Jordi Tixier of France and Austrian Pascal Rauchenecker. Also in the field are other KTM riders like British rider Nathan Parker (PROPPA-COM KTM and French riders Loïc Leonce (B G R KTM) and Loïc Larrieu (WOLFF KTM). But these and other top riders hold no fear for Steffi who his very well known for her toughness, skill and courage when attacking any MX track.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/mxgirls-news/red-bull-teka-ktm-factory-motocross-rider-steffi-laier-ready-to-race-in-2011

Michael Byrne Antonio Cairoli

Mastering Starts

Listen to any pro’s interview and they will always say they need to work on start.  The start is one of the single most important aspects of winning.  If you can holeshot, you just saved yourself a lot of tear offs.  Shawn Simpson (European GP MX2 racer) has once said that “Getting the holeshot is 50% of any race.  If you don’t get away with the top three, you have lost 15 seconds or so by the end of the first lap, not to mention getting filled with roost and having to pass a lot of other crazy fast riders.”

So, what is a solid way to get good starts?  First of all, you have to see yourself getting the holeshot.  Like I said in my visualization article, see yourself getting the start from your perspective, then through the eyes of a spectator.  If you can conquer this mental monster, you have beat half of the guys on the line who doubt their abilities.  Now, don’t get cocky; just know you have as good a chance of coming out first as any other rider on the gate.

Most of the gates now are dirt; even the Supercross and National races are all natural.  For me, I always had an easier time with dirt because I could “feel” my rear wheel spinning.  I have had the best results with gates that have the straightest rut outside of the gate.  When you come off the line, you don’t want to follow a sideways rut from a 450 Beginner.  You will lose forward drive and momentum.  So, if you are allowed, try and get a peek before your class lines up.  Be warned however, that the shortest distance to the first turn is not always the fastest line.  You have to take into consideration of getting cut off or pushed out.  That is why you want to look for the straightest line.

Once my gate is picked out, you have two choices for prep.  You can either put some more dirt back into the rut and pack that down or you can clear the loose dirt out of the rut and pack it down.  Both have drawbacks.  If you put dirt in the rut, you run the risk of not packing it hard enough and your rear wheel will just spin.  However, if you choose to clear it out and pack it, your rut will be deeper and you have a greater chance of wheeling out of the gate; this forces you to slip the clutch and loose drive.  Each gate and every soil is different.  Experimenting with different scenarios would be a smart thing to do each time you ride.

Now that you are set up on your gate, start to go over the visualization again.  Get into that “zone”.  For dirt starts, a solid spot on the seat is that “dip”.  Maybe a little bit further up depending on your weight.  You want your weight shifted forward, but not too much because you will spin the rear wheel if you are too far forward.  When that 30 second board goes sideways, it’s time to get those RPMs up.  When looking at the gate, some people say to look at the pin holding the gate up, others look at the actual gate itself.  However, it is up to you.

As for throttle amount, I like a little more than half throttle at the gate.  That way I can still get on the gas harder (if need be) or if I mess up, I can still let off a bit.  A good way to tell if you have the clutch out enough is when your chain tightens up.  This is the point where the clutch is almost un-engaged and all you have to do is GENTLY let it out.  When you let the clutch out, don’t dump it and stab the throttle.  You want everything to be in motion, smooth motion.

For 250f’s, you can get away with 2^nd gear.  For the bigger bikes, it is personal preference.  Once you are out of the gate, you want to keep both feet down (start with both feet down on the gate, placing all your weight on the seat) throughout the gear you started in.  If I started in second, I want to keep both feet down until I have to shift up.  When I need to shift up, I bring both feet up.  Shifting with your heel is spotty at best.  Try to get it normally.

It’s a lot to take in, but this is a broken down process.  Try it a few times and it will get easier.

Source: http://www.mxtrainingblog.com/riding-techniques/mastering-starts/

Guennady Moisseev Bobby Moore

Gemma-Lee Farrell Appointed as Miss Monster Energy Cup

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/gemma-lee-farrell-appointed-as-miss.html

Ernesto Fonseca Lauris Freibergs

Stanmore Motocross Club to re-open

Funds which were intended to be used to develop the Stapylton motocross

facility will now be used to make improvements to the existing motocross track Stanmore. The improvements will be primarily noise protection measures. Stanmore MX should be able to re-open until construction isready to start although no dates have been given at this time.

Source: http://www.superfreestylemotocross.com/blog/stanmore-motocross-club-to-re-open/

Victor Leloup Aigar Leok

Interview: AMA Women's Motocross Champion Jessica Patterson

Jessica Patterson is the 2010 AMA Women's National Motocross Champion. Here is Supercross.com's latest interview with JP$.

Jessica, congratulations on your 2010 AMA Women's National MX Championship. You walked away with some amazing trophies from this summer's race wins .... where do you put all those great awards, and what does it mean to you when you see them?

Thanks Annj. I usually go straight to my parents house and drop them all off and let my mom decorate the house with them. But recently she told me that I have started to bring home too many, and to figure out where to put them at my place because her place is now full.

Her suggestion to me was to rent a storage unit if I didn’t want to keep them all over the house. They are all just hanging out at her house right now, and eventually when I decide where I want to move, then I will take them with me and start the decorating.

To see the trophies is pretty cool. It is what I have been working so hard for, and after struggling for for two years and now coming back and winning the championship in 2010, it makes it that much better. Seeing that I have all those number 1 trophies from each race except for two, it reminds me of how good of a year it really was, so it makes me really happy and makes me want to keep pushing.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/mxgirls-feature/interview-ama-womens-motocross-champion-jessica-patterson

Ron Lechien Jeff Leisk

WMX Rider Insight: Vicki Golden's 2010 Season Review

When Vicki Golden turned pro in 2009, she went into the season open minded; she just wanted to see how she'd do in the Pros. It worked out pretty well for Vicki as she consistently finished in the top 4 in the first 5 rounds of the 2009 WMX season. After a season ending injury to Trey Canard, Geico Honda gave Vicki an opportunity to ride Trey's bike the remainder of the season of the Women's Motocross Series. It was a great experience as she finished 4th in Colorado, but her season ended prematurely as she injured herself in a practice session at Perris Raceway before the 6th round in Washougal.

In 2010 Vicki came back healthy and was picked up by Moto Concepts Yamaha. She wasn’t as consistent as she expected, but she did finish the season 4th overall points, with a 3rd place finish at the Pala Raceway National. In 2011 she will be running the #4 plate in the AMA Women's Motocross Series.

Vicki Golden sitting on the line at the inaugural Pala Raceway National

Vicki got back from Geneva, Switzerland a few weeks ago where she participated in a women’s supercross exhibition race with some pretty stiff competition.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/mxgirls-feature/wmx-rider-insight-vicki-goldens-2010-season-review

Håkan Carlquist Ricky Carmichael

American Honda Announces New-Model Releases for 2013

The 2013 model-year season really heats up this month with the announcement of several all-new Hondas along with the return of a number of off-road favorites. The power of Honda’s engineering prowess has never been more apparent.

“These exciting new models really illustrate the engineering capabilities that Honda brings to bear in all segments of the powersports market,” said Powersports Press Manager Bill Savino. “The radical CRF450R is a potent, game-changing ride for those who are serious about 450-class motocross racing, the CRF250R is the next step forward from the bike that won both Supercross Lites championships in 2012, and the CRF150R race bike continues to set the pace in its class. The all-new CRF250L and CRF110F demonstrate the power of Honda engineering to offer exceptional value to consumers; the CRF250L is a very cool and capable dual-sport model with strong off-road credentials, while the introduction of the electric-start, automatic-clutch CRF110F that replaces the CRF70F represents some out-of-the-box thinking. In addition, Honda’s incredibly popular family of small-displacement recreational off-road bikes, the CRF230F, CRF150F, CRF100F, CRF80F and CRF50F, offers a perfect size for all beginners. Of course, Honda has a long history of bringing innovative ideas and great values to the market, and we’ll see that again as we release even more models later this year.”

Source: http://www.supercross.com/news/american-honda-announces-new-model-releases-for-2013

Blair Morgan Gaylon Mosier

MX Adventures - Supercross Racers go Pink

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Supercross will undergo a 'Pink' transformation this weekend in Anaheim to show their support and help promote Breast Cancer Awareness, including contributions to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Orange County.

Expect to see a lot of masculine Supercross guys wearing pink riding gear, or somehow sporting the color to show their support for this great cause. Also it is a Valentines weekend, so many of the guys are getting all kinds of lady love ...

Source: http://www.supercross.com/rss-features/mx-adventures-supercross-racers-go-pink

Vladimir Kavinov Mike Kiedrowski

Ride to eat: Williamson

In addition to the graduation and Memorial Day activities we enjoyed this past weekend, we also managed to squeeze in a ride. (I actually squeezed in a solo ride, too.) On Saturday, we took off on a short “ride to eat” trip with Garry and Shirley to the tiny town of Williamson, Iowa.

This trip took us southeast along Highway 5 out of Carlisle to County Road S45, which we took south through Melcher-Dallas, then a short jog on State Highway 14 and in to Williamson.

At our destination, lunch at the Williamson Tavern was large and cheap – it was also the only thing to do in this tiny town of under 200 people. The view from the main road in either direction is testimony to the “sleepiness” of this little place, which is still three times bigger than Millerton! (Garry & Shirley also ended up buying us lunch – what Williamson lacks in venues it also lacks in ATM’s. Thanks guys, next time we’ll try to remember to bring cash!)

After lunch we headed back out along the same route, but stopped in Melcher-Dallas for a couple of pictures. We had detoured through this hyphenated town on our way down (instead of passing right by), and I wanted to go back and catch pictures of a bridge and a mural.

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find any information about either of these local features. My “keen eye for the obvious” tells me the bridge is very old, given the weathered boards showing through under the top layer of asphalt. It arches over train tracks that run parallel to the highway. Heading into town isn’t as tricky as heading back out – the bridge dumps you right at the highway with a very short approach and a sharp downhill slope.

The other photo opp was this really neat mural painted on the back wall of the Melcher-Dallas Coal Mining Heritage Museum. A small landscaped seating area provides space to enjoy the artwork, which is signed simply “D.E. Adams, ’98.”

I posted more pictures from this ride on the BCN Facebook Page.

After taking my pictures we headed home along a route that included G76 west and S23 north. We did have one near-incident along S23 – I spotted what I thought was roadkill in the middle of the road up ahead, but quickly figured out that it was actually moving (walking) right to left. Uncertain whether it was something that could quickly reverse course, I slowed way down and went around it on the right – turned out to be a large turtle – my friends followed, but not before riding up on each other a bit too quickly. Of course I didn’t see this happening behind me, but I learned later that by slowing I had almost caused them to wreck in the back. Not good!

This, plus another near-incident on my solo Monday ride and my recent bike drop in the garage, have sort of caused me to wonder if I’m “off my feed” this year for some reason… maybe thinking too hard, or not thinking enough… anyway, it feels like I need to take a breath and push the re-start button on this riding season!

 

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/LAF2RG7IU0Y/

Chad Reed Warren Reid

DC Moto TF Day with Ryan Morais

Ryan Morais' goal for a 2010 West Coast Lites Supercross championship came to a screeching halt in just the 3rd round of the series, when another racer landed on the back on his bike, sending both riders crashing to the ground. This unfortunate crash would sideline Ryan for a few rounds, but he would eventually return to racing action in Seattle and finish the season 10th overall points. When the AMA Motocross Nationals came into around, Ryan was ready to get back to racing, but going into the second round he was once again out with an injury. Ryan has been busy the past few months, but is back and ready to set some new goals for the upcoming 2011 series. I spoke with Ryan about what he learned over the past year and his prospects for the new season.

Angela: Well Ryan, here we are just a few short weeks until the first Supercross race of the season; let's talk about sponsors and the bike?

Ryan: Yeah, DC Shoes stepped up recently and is sponsoring the entire Rockstar Energy Suzuki Team, so I am really excited to be a part of it. I have only been with this sponsor for a few days now and they're really taken care of the team. I'm with the same team as last year, Rockstar Energy Suzuki, with the same mechanic (Rene Zapata), and the same team manager, and owner, everything is pretty much the same, but Suzuki really is stepping up this year. Last year we were on a 2009 carburetor bike, so we were kind of behind the ball, but this year we are on the new 2011 fuel injected, the whole new chassis and everything, and Suzuki has really helped us out with factory support. Our bikes are pretty much in house bikes, running Shoei Suspension, so everything is looking great. Everyone has been doing a great job and the people at Yoshimura have been doing a lot of testing and getting our bikes dialed in, so I'm excited for Anaheim 1. Our bike should be one of the best ones out there, making things really competitive, and that is very cool.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/rss-features/dc-moto-tf-day-with-ryan-morais

Richard Eierstedt Jimmy Ellis

Long Ruts on Straights

Nothing reminds me of motocross more than a rutted up, fast, flowing track.  This is the pinnacle obstacle that separates the men from the boys.  If you watched Southwick this past weekend, then you saw the insane ruts in the moist New England sand.  Most beginners find themselves nervous approaching long ruts and often end up on the ground.  It doesn’t matter if a rut is in a corner, on a straight or on the face of a jump, you will encounter one sooner or later.  Some look at this as a burden, but you can actually use these to your advantage.

A lot of people can go fast on a straightaway.  It’s pretty simple; open the throttle as far as possible.  That’s generally how ruts get formed on straights.  People actually use the power of their bikes and it trenches out the soil.  Obviously, the main line will get dug the deepest.  In the beginning of the day, this won’t be a bad choice to use.  It just depends on how it sets you up for the next section.  However, a majority of the time, the main line usually gets too deep and ends up slowing you down.

When the whole straight gets rutted out, things start to get a little tricky.  The middle of the track is going to have deeper ruts than the edges of the track.  So, by taking the edges of the track, you can avoid the choppy mess made by the slower riders and you can save your energy for more important times in the moto.

As with any rut, approaching it with both wheels in line is very important.  You want to keep both wheels in the rut, preventing you from getting cross rutted.  You also maintain your momentum and forward drive, as well.  Once, you have both wheels lined up, keeping your head up and vision ahead is very important.  Staring at the ground right in front of you will only send you one place, the dirt.  That is not where you want to be.  A good guide is to keep your vision a few bike lengths ahead of you.  The faster you go, the further you want to look.

Depending on how deep the ruts are, a good idea is to ride on the balls of your feet (and point your toes in, gripping the cases).  This prevents your feet from getting caught in the rut and ripping your leg off the peg.  As always, you want to be gripping the bike with your knees and applying steady, consistent throttle.  As you get to the end of the straight, there are more than likely going to be braking bumps.  This is where you want to start shifting your weight back slightly to keep you from going over the bars.

Like I said, if you can conquer ruts, you can conquer anything.  It is mind over matter and just keeping good form and looking ahead.  Stay loose and relax; you’ll get through them sooner than you think.

Source: http://www.mxtrainingblog.com/riding-techniques/long-ruts-on-straights/

James Stewart Jr Brian Stonebridge

Ride to eat: Williamson

In addition to the graduation and Memorial Day activities we enjoyed this past weekend, we also managed to squeeze in a ride. (I actually squeezed in a solo ride, too.) On Saturday, we took off on a short “ride to eat” trip with Garry and Shirley to the tiny town of Williamson, Iowa.

This trip took us southeast along Highway 5 out of Carlisle to County Road S45, which we took south through Melcher-Dallas, then a short jog on State Highway 14 and in to Williamson.

At our destination, lunch at the Williamson Tavern was large and cheap – it was also the only thing to do in this tiny town of under 200 people. The view from the main road in either direction is testimony to the “sleepiness” of this little place, which is still three times bigger than Millerton! (Garry & Shirley also ended up buying us lunch – what Williamson lacks in venues it also lacks in ATM’s. Thanks guys, next time we’ll try to remember to bring cash!)

After lunch we headed back out along the same route, but stopped in Melcher-Dallas for a couple of pictures. We had detoured through this hyphenated town on our way down (instead of passing right by), and I wanted to go back and catch pictures of a bridge and a mural.

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find any information about either of these local features. My “keen eye for the obvious” tells me the bridge is very old, given the weathered boards showing through under the top layer of asphalt. It arches over train tracks that run parallel to the highway. Heading into town isn’t as tricky as heading back out – the bridge dumps you right at the highway with a very short approach and a sharp downhill slope.

The other photo opp was this really neat mural painted on the back wall of the Melcher-Dallas Coal Mining Heritage Museum. A small landscaped seating area provides space to enjoy the artwork, which is signed simply “D.E. Adams, ’98.”

I posted more pictures from this ride on the BCN Facebook Page.

After taking my pictures we headed home along a route that included G76 west and S23 north. We did have one near-incident along S23 – I spotted what I thought was roadkill in the middle of the road up ahead, but quickly figured out that it was actually moving (walking) right to left. Uncertain whether it was something that could quickly reverse course, I slowed way down and went around it on the right – turned out to be a large turtle – my friends followed, but not before riding up on each other a bit too quickly. Of course I didn’t see this happening behind me, but I learned later that by slowing I had almost caused them to wreck in the back. Not good!

This, plus another near-incident on my solo Monday ride and my recent bike drop in the garage, have sort of caused me to wonder if I’m “off my feed” this year for some reason… maybe thinking too hard, or not thinking enough… anyway, it feels like I need to take a breath and push the re-start button on this riding season!

 

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/LAF2RG7IU0Y/

Marnicq Bervoets Fritz Betzlbacher

The ride with the ugly soul

Just wanted to share my little solo ride from back on Memorial Day. Now I have to be honest, it wasn’t so much that I really wanted to go for a ride, it was just that it was a beautiful day and I wasn’t at work, so I felt kind of obligated to take advantage of it.

I thought I would ride down to Winterset again, and pick up the St. Charles/Truro loop that the girls and I had missed out on due to closed roads last Fall. So I set off along my usual route to points South – down R63 to G14, across G14 through Norwalk and Cumming and over to 169 South. (Yes, Iowa has a town called Cumming. Go ahead and snicker quietly to yourself, I’ll wait.)

Ready? Ok. So anyway, I was really close to Cumming when I had the big idea to stop at this small old gas station and take a picture or two. It’s a neat little place I’ve wanted to photograph for awhile, so being by myself I thought it would be the perfect opportunity.

I pulled off the highway onto a narrow concrete approach alongside Sweeney’s, put down my kickstand, and snapped a few photos. Getting back on the bike revealed the problem I had created for myself: because of the angle of the approach, which I had thought was flat and level, I couldn’t lean the bike over far enough to the right to get the stand back up, without tipping the bike all the way over. I tried a couple strategies to correct this, but they only served to inch me forward so that by the time I decided it really couldn’t be done, I had run out of approach and was left with very sketchy footing on the right-hand side. For the second time in as many weeks, my right foot was holding up the entire weight of the bike and I was in danger of going over, with no immediate “fix” and no companion around to help me out.

Fortunately for me, this is a well-trafficked highway and it was only a moment before another vehicle came along, so I managed to flag them down. A very nice guy named Troy pulled over and helped me steady the bike, get the kickstand up, and get on my way.

I beat myself up plenty over this little faux pas for the rest of the day – I admit it clouded my enjoyment of the remainder of the ride, but at least I did get to experience the Madison County loop I’d been studying all winter.

Make no mistake, it was a very scenic ride – though I did get the feeling I was seeing it from the backside, as though it would have been prettier going the other way. My route was to head south out of Winterset on P71, east on R50, south on R35, then back to the west on G60 to P71. The problem with this part of the ride wasn’t the view, though – it was the incredibly poor condition of the roads!

At one time I thought these bumps in the road were the result of badly engineered repairs. But it appears they are actually places where the road has buckled up to the point of needing repair. In any case, they are raised sections of the road (always at a seam in the asphalt) that lift you up out of your seat and re-arrange your innards by the time you land on your ass again. (No kidding – I actually felt like I was sitting on my liver by the time I stopped.)

I had hoped to be able to call this the prettiest route through Madison County – but, just like elsewhere in life, it’s not worth being pretty if you have an ugly soul. And the crappy roads and the lingering bad karma were definitely the “ugly soul” of this ride. I did make it home without any further stupid decisions, so I’m happy to say I’m tanned, rested and ready for the next opportunity not to waste a day off!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/_Dz42xB666Y/

Daryl Ecklund Erik Eggens

Setting up for Corners Mid-Flight

Saving time on the track is always a priority.  If you can master a technique to get faster, you better take advantage of it.  When things get tight during racing, it’s the little things that add up and make a big difference in the end, especially if you can set up for corner more efficiently.  When the outside is not available or you need to make a pass on the inside, sometimes setting up mid air for a corner can help get that pass made.

If there is a berm already there, you don’t have to do this, but if the inside is flat off the downside, this technique will come in handy.  You want to make sure that you have the jump sized up before trying to sit down and set up mid air.  If you come up short or over shoot it, this will hurt.  Especially guys.  Once you have everything timed right, you want to loosen up in the air, trying to get the back end of the bike out just slightly.  You can let the outside leg out and lean in to get the rear end moving.

As you approach the down side, you want to start moving into the correct position for the corner.  You don’t necessarily have to be seated in the air, but as long as you are ready for the landing and corner, this transition will be smooth.  When you land, make sure that your inside leg is ready for the forces of gravity; keep it high and stiff.

If traction is not a problem, you can apply a handful of throttle and accelerate towards the corner.  Remember to keep weight on the outside foot peg and outside elbow up as this will plant you into ground for more traction.   If the downside is harder, you will have to apply the throttle with grace as you don’t want to the rear end to break loose.

This is something that you should start small on and on a jump you are comfortable with.  No sense in trying this on a new jump and getting hurt.

 

Source: http://www.mxtrainingblog.com/riding-techniques/setting-up-for-corners-mid-flight/

Greg Albertyn Jeff Alessi

I’m featured at ‘Helmet or Heels’!

Have you been following the series of woman-rider profiles over at Helmet or Heels? So many wonderful women being featured there the past few weeks, and today’s my day! Here’s a link to my nifty-difty profile on Pam’s terrific blog!

Profile of a Female Motorcyclist: Meet Janet!

Huge hugs and thanks to Pam for the opportunity! If you’re a lady rider, be sure to contact her through the blog and get your own self featured!

Oh! And, tomorrow (Friday May 4) is International Female Ride Day! Why not celebrate by taking a ride… learning to ride… or simply hugging a biker chick!

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BikerChickNews/~3/bFCo4mbWw5U/

Alex Salvini Donny Schmit

Zip-Ty Husqvarna Wraps Up WORCS Season

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/11/zip-ty-husqvarna-wraps-up-worcs-season.html

Michele Rinaldi Joël Robert

KADE WALKER UPDATE

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/11/kade-walker-update.html

Pierre Karsmakers Vladimir Kavinov

SUZUKI PODIUMS AT MONSTER CUP SX

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/suzuki-podiums-at-monster-cup-sx.html

Rui Goncalves Josh Grant

Ashley Fiolek Extends Contract With American Honda Racing Factory Team For 2011

American Honda is proud to announce that two-time WMA Women’s Motocross Champion and two-time X Games Gold Medal winner Ashley Fiolek will be racing once again in 2011 with the American Honda Racing factory team. Fiolek will join American Honda Racing teammates Trey Canard and Josh Grant and will campaign for a third WMA title in 2011 on Honda’s CRF250R.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/mxgirls-news/ashley-fiolek-extends-contract-with-american-honda-racing-factory-team-for-2011

David Strijbos Kevin Strijbos

RYAN DUNGEY DELIVERS PODIUM IN DEBUT KTM RIDE

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/ryan-dungey-delivers-podium-in-debut.html

Eric Geboers Sylvain Geboers

American Honda Announces New-Model Releases for 2013

The 2013 model-year season really heats up this month with the announcement of several all-new Hondas along with the return of a number of off-road favorites. The power of Honda’s engineering prowess has never been more apparent.

“These exciting new models really illustrate the engineering capabilities that Honda brings to bear in all segments of the powersports market,” said Powersports Press Manager Bill Savino. “The radical CRF450R is a potent, game-changing ride for those who are serious about 450-class motocross racing, the CRF250R is the next step forward from the bike that won both Supercross Lites championships in 2012, and the CRF150R race bike continues to set the pace in its class. The all-new CRF250L and CRF110F demonstrate the power of Honda engineering to offer exceptional value to consumers; the CRF250L is a very cool and capable dual-sport model with strong off-road credentials, while the introduction of the electric-start, automatic-clutch CRF110F that replaces the CRF70F represents some out-of-the-box thinking. In addition, Honda’s incredibly popular family of small-displacement recreational off-road bikes, the CRF230F, CRF150F, CRF100F, CRF80F and CRF50F, offers a perfect size for all beginners. Of course, Honda has a long history of bringing innovative ideas and great values to the market, and we’ll see that again as we release even more models later this year.”

Source: http://www.supercross.com/news/american-honda-announces-new-model-releases-for-2013

Jaroslav Falta Claudio Federici

2nd Annual DC Moto TF Ride Day and Invitational Poker Tournament

Supercross 2011 is right around the corner! So much is going on, both publicly, but also behind the scenes. One public and noteworthy item - DC Shoes has a new three year contract with Monster Energy Supercross!

Adam Cianciarulo

I was invited to the 2nd Annual DC Moto TF Ride Day and Invitational Poker Tournament at Pala Raceway. It was a full day's 'work' for the DC Athletes; group photos, action shots, interviews, and lots of MX riding at Pala. And there was good game of Poker to raise money for Road 2 Recovery. The list of Athletes sponsored by the DC Shoes brand is a very impressive group making this Supercross assignment unique fun for me!

Source: http://www.supercross.com/rss-features/2nd-annual-dc-moto-tf-ride-day-and-invitational-poker-tournament

John Banks Mark Barnett

Video Highlight: MXGP of France 2012

Two podium spots in the MX1 class and runner-up in MX2, plus a blistering outing from Mel Pocock in the first European MX2 sortie of the season: the Grand Prix of France was a fast feast of action for Monster Energy. Check out all the scenes from St Jean D'Angely for round six of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/news/video-highlight-mxgp-of-france-2012

Mickael Maschio Connor McGechan

2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Series Preview: High Point

This Saturday is round four of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series. You'll find coverage of this race coming Saturday here on Supercross.com.

A preview of the High Point / Mt. Morris PA race this Saturday should start with a look back at last week's race in Colorado, where Ryan Dungey won the 450 Motocross class, and Justin Barcia did the same in the 250 MX Lites class. Last week's race coverage in Colorado is here, including results, points and photos.

In addition to Barcia and Dungey winning, James Stewart had a crash in the first moto that knocked him out of action for the entire day. Dungey went on to sweep both motos and takes over the points lead ... although James is expected to be back in action tomorrow in PA. And while Barcia won the overall, Blake Baggett maintains his 250 MX Lites series points lead over Kenny Roczen.

Source: http://www.supercross.com/news/2012-lucas-oil-pro-motocross-series-preview-high-point

Gaston Rahier Steve Ramon

SUZUKI PODIUMS AT MONSTER CUP SX

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/suzuki-podiums-at-monster-cup-sx.html

James Stewart Jr Brian Stonebridge

Sandstorm postponed to October 23

Source: http://imxmag.blogspot.com/2011/10/sandstorm-postponed-to-october-23.html

Andrea Bartolini Willy Bauer