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Motorcycle magazine for all types of motorcycles and brands

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Page 1: Throttler magazine May 2012
Page 2: Throttler magazine May 2012

02 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

Page 3: Throttler magazine May 2012

Publisher Roderick “Caine” [email protected]

ADVerTisiNG Art MarkosAmerican Magazine [email protected]

PresiDeNT & AccouNTiNG:Stacy “Fancy Face” [email protected]

MoTocross eDiTor:Sean “Wide Open” Goulart

GrAPhic DesiGN iNTerN:Amanda “Hulkster” Strong

eDiToriAl coNTribuTors:Tony Tice, Luuezz Denise Gasper, Ken Bingenheimer, Jeff GlassEthan Lincoln

Policies: All content is 2012 copyright THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C. THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C. is published and distributed throughout IA, IL, KS, MN, MO, NE, SD, WI. Readers are permitted one free copy per month; contact the publisher for additional mailed copies at $6 each. THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C. is not responsible for loss, damage or any other injury of unsolicited material. THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C. does not know-ingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial, nor does THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C. assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. Statements of fact and opinion in articles written by contributing columnists and writers are solely those of the author alone and do not necessarily imply those of THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C.

Material may not be reprinted in any form without expressed written permission from the publisher of THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C. All data and information provided is for informational purposes only. Throttler Motorcycle Magazine makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitabil-ity, or validity of any information written and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

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NTS PUB NOTE04Motorcycling is all about having fun and living a lifestyle, whether it’s riding the open road, a motocross/hair scramble or attending rallies and events. It’s about spending time with friends and family. It’s about the freedom we all feel doing what we love and enjoying life.

METRIC 062012

While the phenomenon of the street cruiser motorcycle keeps growing, it shows itself not to be a fad, but actually, one of the hottest categories in the manufacturers’ showrooms.

IMBIBE09There have been many breweries that have emerged from the scenes of the craft beer drinking masses. It seems us beer drinkers sometimes want more interesting beers, and more choices.

HOUSE OF 10HARLEY-DAVIDSONAs consumers become more savvy and technology continues to become a more prominent factor in everyone’s lives, social media has grown to become a main component of a marketing department’s media mix.

3 WHEELS 12Adding a third wheel to a motorcycle adds stability, but until now that stability has come at a high cost: the trike handles and steers like a car.

AHDRA 14

There are some careers that people perceive as dirty jobs, requiring physical body strength and holding high levels of danger are undesirable for most women.

MX 2012 16After the all the lights, fireworks and champagne popping of Supercross has ended, teams and riders prepare for what is considered the most grueling form of two-wheeled competition in our sport, the Lucas oil pro motocross nationals.

LOESS HILLS 18

Driving up and down interstate 29 in western Iowa about four times a month for my job, I often gaze to the east towards Iowa’s loess hills and think, “man, I bet that’d make for a great ride.” so last week, I got off the interstate and hit the hills.

MOTOGP 20Motogp, as many of you know, is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing in the world. Every year the series changes a little bit, sometimes sweeping changes take place.

Page 4: Throttler magazine May 2012

OVER THE YEARS I’VE HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND MOTORCYCLE

RALLIES, EVENTS AND BIKE NIGHTS ALL OVER THE MIDWEST. I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING RIDERS FROM EVERY TYPE OF BACKGROUND

THERE IS IN THIS LIFESTYLE. FOR THAT MATTER, EVERY EVENT WAS PRETTY MUCH WHAT I EXPECTED IT TO BE WITH LITTLE SURPRISES. The same goes for the different motorcycle magazines that I have paged through over the years. Each one has their own unique

flair, page layout, color scheme and mission they stick to with passion. As an avid reader of this magazine, we hope you can distinguish us from the others as a read, that, is unbiased towards every brand of motorcycle there is. Motorcycling is all about having fun and living a lifestyle, whether it’s riding the open road, a motocross/hair scramble or

attending rallies and events. It’s about spending time with friends and family. It’s about the freedom we all feel doing what we love and enjoying life. 2012 statistics show there are roughly 10 million registered motorcycles in the US who ride each year, upgrade their bikes with accessories and that number is growing with women riders daily. Throttler Magazine is dedicated to motorcycles, businesses and the people who ride them. Our goal is to produce motorcycle articles that explore the issues impacting riders, to the unparalleled coverage of new products, industry news, business bios and what’s hot. If it’s about motorcycling, we’re covering it with accurate and up-to-date information on developments and trends. We’re serious about giving readers the finest publication of its type loaded with professionally-written, 100 percent motorcycle related stories from professional journalists and industry leaders themselves. All that said, we are just as proud to say that Throttler magazine is always published in a classy and respectable manner allowing every age to enjoy our magazine.

Honestly, that’s a huge factor for us here at the magazine. There are hundreds of motorcycle magazines to choose from as a reader and your tastes are your own. As ours is to only publish motorcycle related articles and never offense material or photography. It does go to say, that, our youth and young riders will be the purchasers of our future. So, why not get them started learning and reading about motorcycling at a young age with a tasteful magazine? Make sense to us! Lastly, this summer will be filled with some great events. Be sure to check out the Iowa Grand Rally coming to the Iowa Speedway July 25-28. Attractions galore and celebrities from Sons of Anarchy with great music filling the weekend air. Personally, I can’t wait to meet the gorgeous Danielle Colby Cushman from American Pickers and Iowa native! As always, ride hard. — R. Kabel

04 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

clAssY AND AlWAYs resPecTAblehuNDreDs oF choices

FroMThePublisher

#1 Way to Avoid an Acci-dent and 9 Insider Secrets to Avoid Costly Mistakes

By COREY [email protected]

Iowans who ride motor-cycles are beginning to realize that they should learn about how to avoid an accident and if they have been in an accident how to avoid costly mistakes. Some riders fail to bring their case within time limitations (which can be as short as 6 months to provide notice) while others do not learn about their rights. A New Book about Iowa motorcycle accidents is being offered at No Cost, Risk or Obligation which reveals: • #1 Way to Avoid a Motorcycle Accident • 9 Insider Secrets to Avoid Costly Mistakes • 7 Things to Know Before Talking to the Insurance Adjus-tor or Hiring an Attorney and much more. Why offer a Book at No Cost? Because since 1997, Iowa Personal Injury Attorney Corey Walker has rep-resented hundreds of injured Iowans including many who have been injured in motorcycle accidents and he has seen too many make mistakes resulting in

them losing thousands of dollars. Franklin of Washington, Iowa says “Corey’s book includes information that most people don’t know but should in case of an accident.” James of Sioux

City says “I would recom-mend this book to my friends because most riders I know are informed with their bikes, the roads, and their abilities, but not the laws.” Why offer a free book? Because after having represented hundreds of in-jured Iowans, Iowa Injury Attorney Corey Walker has seen the consequences

of costly mistakes. Finally, you can learn about motorcycle accidents in the comfort of your own home with no risk or obligation. If you own a motorcycle; or if you or a loved one have been injured in an accident and do not have an attorney then this book is for you. Claim your copy (while supplies last) Call Now (800)-707-2552, ext. 215 (24 Hour Recorded Message) or go to www.MotorcycleAccidentBook.com.

Our Guarantee- If you do not learn at least one thing from the book let us know and we will donate $100 in your name to ABATE (A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education which works for you, the motorcycle enthusiast.)

11 Common Mistakes by Motorcycle Riders and How to Avoid Them

Page 5: Throttler magazine May 2012

throttlermotorcyclemagazine 05

Page 6: Throttler magazine May 2012

WHILE THE PHENOMENON OF THE STREET CRUISER MOTORCYCLE KEEPS

GROWING, IT SHOWS ITSELF NOT TO BE A FAD, BUT ACTUALLY ONE OF THE HOTTEST CATEGORIES IN THE MANUFACTURERS’ SHOWROOMS. With television shows such as American Chopper and Biker Build-Off touting the qualities of the largest V-twin street cruisers, a new segment in this category is surging in popularity. The new mid size metric cruisers have shown that they are here to stay. These smaller variants (typically 650 to 950cc) offer low seat heights, lighter weight and exceptional value for the dollar. The very first group generation of Japanese metric cruisers were the Yamaha Virago (1981), Honda Shadow (1983), Kawasaki Vulcan (1984) and Suzuki Intruder (1986). These bikes tried to emulate the classic Milwaukee V-twin but missed the mark in the first round. They were just too, well, “Japanese” for the average American rider with their

small controls, funky styling and weird engine configurations. Even with these flaws the sales of these bikes skyrocketed due to their small size, light weight and low price. Parts were inexpensive and the bikes didn’t require the maintenance routine that the bigger American V-twins required at the time. Seeing this, the Japanese factories worked overtime to provide a better product. Fast forward 30 years and this class of motorcycle has grown up. The problems that plagued these first versions are gone and features like reliability, styling and high quality electronics are considered standard fare. No beginning rider should be swinging a leg over a full sized cruiser. With wet weights of up to 800 pounds and more, these machines can seem like behemoths in many situations like slow speed maneuvering, backing up and slippery road surfaces. At slow speeds the weight of larger cruisers is just too much for the beginning or inexperienced rider to handle and this situation can have some dangerous consequences. Smaller riders can also benefit greatly from the low seat heights

offered, as being able to plant both feet on the ground when stopped which is critically important for beginners and shorter/smaller riders. With that in mind, we want to introduce you to what’s available in this segment, to help guide you through the different models so you can make an educated purchase and most importantly — get the bike that’s right for you. First up we’ll look at what mid-sized cruiser models Yamaha has to offer for 2012. Yamaha experienced rapid growth in the cruiser category and in 1994 formed a specific division to market these machines called Star Motorcycles. Technically a separate brand, V Star branded motorcycles are sold and serviced at Yamaha dealerships.

Yamaha V Star 950 and 950 TourerYamaha has come a long way from those first Virago models in 1994, and they continue to refine and remodel their offerings. The V Star 950 is called the “entry cruiser” by Yamaha but the features and comfort offered are top-notch. The 2012 V Star 950 is Yamaha’s middleweight cruiser featuring a 57.5ci

By Sean GoulartEditor, www.MXNewsfeed.com, The #1 Rated Motocross Newsfeed

The hoTTesT cATeGories iN The MANuFAcTurers’ shoWrooMsMiD-siZeD MeTric cruisers hiT The roAD

06 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

Honda Shadow

Phantom

Yamaha V Star 950

Yamaha 950 Tourer

Page 7: Throttler magazine May 2012

(942cc) air-cooled V-twin, fuel injection, belt drive, 8 spoke cast wheels, 2-into-1 exhaust system and is available in both “Candy Red” and “Liquid Silver” color schemes. It weighs in at a claimed 613 pounds with a seat height of 26.6”and the MSRP is $8,490. The 2012 V Star 950 Tourer is the up-rated version of the V Star 950 c r u i s e r a b o v e and also added to the feature list are hard saddlebags, windshield and a passenger backrest for riders looking to put in those extra miles. It’s available in both “Raven” and a gorgeous “Impact Blue” color schemes, weighs in at a claimed 657 pounds with a seat height of 26.6” and the MSRP is $9,490.

Suzuki C50T Classic and BoulevardNow let’s take a look at what Suzuki has to offer in their showrooms for 2012. Suzuki has experienced great success with their midrange models. Their model in this segment is the C50T and it comes in two flavors. The Suzuki C50T Classic heads up the mid-sized group at Suzuki, featuring a 27.6” seat height coupled with a 49.1ci (805cc) liquid-cooled V-twin, fuel injection and shaft drive. It’s is available in a “Candy Sonoma Red / Glass Sparkle Black” color scheme, weighs in at 611 pounds and the MSRP is $7,999. The up-rated 2012 Boulevard C50T model adds even more features to the mix like height-adjustable windshield, leather saddlebags with the same 49.1ci (805cc) liquid-cooled V-twin that’s in the Classic and a 27.6” seat height. It has fuel injection, shaft drive and is available in a “Metallic Triton Blue / Glass Splash White” color scheme, weighs in at 644 pounds and the MSRP is $9,499.

Honda Shadow Aero, Phantom, RS, SpiritNext up are the offerings from Honda. The Honda Shadow is the 750cc platform upon which the mid-sized line is based. It has 4 different flavors and Honda hopes that at least one will capture the heart and mind of the new buyer. The Honda Shadow Aero features a 25.9”seat height coupled with a 45.4ci (745cc) liquid-cooled V-twin with fuel injection and shaft drive along with dress up items like chromed cylinder-head and air-cleaner covers and an in-tank speedo. The Shadow Aero comes in either “Candy Dark Red” or “Pearl Black/Silver” color combinations and weighs in at 560 pounds. The Aero sports an $8,240 MSRP. The Shadow Spirit 750 features the lowest seat height of the lineup at a comfortable 25.7” and a 45.4ci (745cc) liquid-cooled V-twin with fuel injection, shaft drive and a 21 inch front wheel with a 2-into-2 exhaust system and bullet-style mufflers. The Spirit 750 weighs in at 542 pounds and is offered in two color combinations, a “Candy Orange Flame” or basic “Black” which looks awesome and has an $8,240 MSRP. The Shadow RS weighs in at a lightweight 503 pounds, making it the lightest cruiser in our comparison. This should be an important consideration in any beginning riders’ choice of steed. It has a

45.4ci (745cc) liquid-cooled V-twin with fuel injection and is a

more sport-oriented model, differing from the rest of the

lineup in its riding position, higher seat height

(29.4”), light weight and chain drive. This results in even crisper handling due to absence of “shaft effect,” a phenomenon where the rear end of the bike tend to ride as you accelerate, affecting the handling. The Shadow RS is only

offered in “Candy Blue” and has an $8,240 MSRP. The Shadow Phantom is the meanest looking bike of the bunch and lives up to its name with a dramatic blacked out color scheme, a 45.4ci (745cc) liquid-cooled V-twin with fuel injection and a low seat height of 25.8”. In the spirit of its singular purpose — to look mean — it’s only offered in a “Matte Black Metallic” paint scheme, which graces the rims, fenders, wheels and engine. The Phantom, like all other Shadow models, sports an $8,240 MSRP.

Kawasaki Vulcan Classic, Classic LT/SE and 900 CustomWhen looking at the mid-size category when walking into a Kawasaki showroom, you will be gazing upon the Vulcan 900 lineup. The Vulcan 900 chassis makes up the basis of the model, so let’s look at the three variants. The Vulcan 900 Classic is the basic model but its features are far from basic! The Classic features a powerful 55.1ci (903cc) liquid cooled V-twin, fuel injection, belt drive and a 26.8”seat height. The Classic weighs in at 619.6 pounds, has a large 5.3 gallon gas tank and comes in two 2-tone color schemes, “Candy Arabian Red” and “Pearl Meteor Gray/ Polar White.” The Vulcan 900 Classic has an MSRP of $8,299. The Vulcan 900 Classic LT is the up-rated Classic model featuring the same 55.1ci (903cc) liquid cooled V-twin,

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Suzuki C50T ClassicKawasaki Vulcan Classic

Honda Shadow Aero

Yamaha 950 Tourer

Page 8: Throttler magazine May 2012

fuel injection, belt drive and a 26.8”seat height as found in the standard Classic, but also adds some long range cruising options such as a adjustable windshield, saddlebags and passenger backrest. The Classic LT weighs in at 657.1 pounds and is offered in three color schemes — “Metallic Moondust Gray”, “Ebony Pearl Burnish Beige” and “Metallic Majestic Red.” The Vulcan 900 Classic LT has an MSRP of $9,499. The Vulcan 900 Classic (SE) — If Classic lineup has a black sheep then it has to be the 900 Classic SE (Special Edition) and it’s immediately identifiable by its blackout treatment on the forks, fender struts, air cover, engine covers/cases/valve covers and cylinders. It also features the same 55.1ci (903cc) liquid cooled V-twin, fuel injection, and belt drive setup as in the other Vulcan models, the seat height is 26.8”and it weighs in at 619.6 pounds. The Vulcan 900 SE has distinctive whitewall tires and is offered in a “Pearl Meteor Gray / Polar White” color scheme, the MSRP is $8,299. The Vulcan 900 Custom is a simplified cruiser, no windshields or saddlebags found here, but it does feature a fat 15 inch rear rim (largest in the class), spoked wheels and a big 21 inch front tire for a

more raked look. It features the same 55.1ci (903cc) liquid cooled V-twin, fuel injection, and belt drive setup as in the other Vulcan models, has a 27”seat height and weighs in at 610.8 pounds. The 900 Custom is offered in two color schemes, a “Pearl Purplish Black Mica” or “Candy Sparking Orange” and the MSRP begins at $8,699. The Vulcan 900 Custom SE is the “Special Edition” model and it features a special blackout treatment on the air cleaner, engine cases, and exhaust as well as wheels. It sports the same 55.1ci (903cc) liquid cooled V-twin, fuel injection and belt drive setup as in the other Vulcan models, has a 27”seat height and weighs in at 610.8 pounds. The 900 Custom is offered in “Candy Sparking Orange” and the MSRP begins at $8,999.

So to wrap it up, you have a huge range of options when it comes to middleweight metric cruisers. With great features for beginners and smaller riders like low seat heights and lighter weight one of these models can be the perfect entry into the cruiser market. You can go with a basic look and customize it for your own tastes, pick a bad blacked out sport model

for late night blasts or go the whole way with windshield and

saddlebags, the choice is up to you!

Kawasaki Vulcan Classic LT/SE

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom

08 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

Page 9: Throttler magazine May 2012

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THIS COLUMN IS FOR AMUSEMENT PURPOSES ONLY. WE IN NO WAY SUGGEST DRINKING AND DRIVING/RIDING IS ACCEPTABLE OR OKAY. IT IS IN FACT, ILLEGAL AND SMOKING WILL CAUSE CANCER. STATEMENTS ARE OF OPINION IN ARTICLES WRITTEN BY CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS AND WRITERS OPINIONS ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR ALONE AND DO NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY THOSE OF THROTTLER MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE L.L.C.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY BREWERIES THAT HAVE EMERGED FROM THE SCENES

OF THE CRAFT BEER DRINKING MASSES. IT SEEMS US BEER DRINKERS SOMETIMES WANT MORE INTERESTING BEERS, AND MORE CHOICES. IF THERE IS ONE BREWERY THAT HAS STOOD OUT SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1996, IT WOULD BE THREE FLOYD’S OUT OF MUNSTER INDIANA LOCATED ON 9750 INDIANA PARKWAY. Three Floyd’s was started by two brothers in 1996 in Hammond, but soon grew with increased demand in 2000 to their new home in Munster. With some footwork I acquired a few bottles of their beers and had to admit I was quite impressed with their taste, but more striking was their labeling. Glancing at a bottle of Gumballhead, a scary demented yellow character of a Looney Tunes tweety bird reject stared back at me wanting to pick a fight. I decided I wanted to get more of their beers and was lucky enough to receive a beer that normally flies off the shelf, and that was a pale ale called Zombie Dust.

Three FloYD’s AND DiViNG bAcK iNTo WhisKeYZoMbies AND TeNNessee

iMbibeWiTheThAN

Zombie Dust is quite a hop forward ale, but manages to stick to being in control. Quite light bodied in feel, but filled with wonderful citrus aromas and palate dripping quenching taste. Further sips seemed to bring out more melon and hints of cantaloupe with an almost quick and juicy quality. Faint bready malt on the finish, and what I would call in the beer realm stupidly drinkable. It will keep any hop head happy, but stays away from imperial and big booming aggression, stay-ing true to a simple pale ale root it seems. It’s big yet feels tolerable. If you can, try to get some or visit the Three Floyd’s website to learn more about distribution www.3floyds.com.

Whiskey time againI am in the process of re-build-ing my basement which will also contain a brand new bar which I am quite excited about. When thinking back to all the bourbon I reviewed, I realized it was quite

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By Ethan Lincoln ([email protected])Ethan Lincoln is an avid motorcycle rider and hobbyist blogger who writes often about many different libations that are available and noteworthy. His youtube channel can be see here: www.youtube.com/user/imbibehour and his blog at imbibehour.blogspot.com.

im·bibe Verb:1. Drink (alcohol)2. Absorb or assimilate (ideas or knowledge)

some time ago that I had jumped into it. Numerous barrel aged beers, Lambics and Belgian styles beers consumed, whiskey seemed like a distant memory. I needed to get back, but... where to start? I grabbed a bottle of George Dickel no. 12, which is a “Tennessee Sipping Whisky”... It was a great place to get my feet wet before starting to dive into bottles of say, George T. Stagg. There’s no point right after you haven’t been riding for a while to suddenly go out on the biggest bike and tear it up. Everyone has to get their feet wet and probably do a few parking lot drills and prac-tice perhaps first. This seemed like a good place to start. Dickel seemed like the fun small ride to hop on again instead of trying to jump on a 1800cc+ cruiser. I seemed to enjoy Dickel, and it was a good whiskey to start off with. Easy drinking, fairly non aggressive but with a small hint of maple and sweet-ness on the nose. Light palate and finish seemed to come with a little char, certainly a whiskey that is simple but nothing that didn’t make me seem like I was jumping on a Hyabusa or a V- Max. As I enjoyed my drink, thoughts of returning back to the road and drinking bigger whiskies filled my mind. For now though, I was happy to just set-tle in after the ride with a simple fun 250cc.

With its rich history and reputation, Montecristo has become the standard

by which all other cigars are judged. To complement our original Montecristo, we created the new Montecristo White. Reminiscent of the original, the elegant Montecristo White boasts a lovely, hand-selected Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. With a Nicaraguan binder and a blend of select Dominican and Nicaraguan long fillers, the White makes for a rich, creamy and flavorful, well-rounded smoke.

MoNTecrisTo WhiTe

Kawasaki Vulcan Classic LT/SE

Page 10: Throttler magazine May 2012

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AS CONSUMERS BECOME MORE SAVVY AND

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LIVES, SOCIAL MEDIA HAS GROWN TO BECOME A MAIN COMPONENT OF A MARKETING DEPARTMENT’S MEDIA MIX. BUT AS CUSTOMERS ARE HIT WITH MORE AND MORE ELECTRONIC MESSAGING, HOW CAN A DEALERSHIP STAND OUT FROM THE PACK? That’s the question the folks at the House of Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee, WI, tackled earlier this year. Their increased social media efforts in 2011 resulted in a doubling of their Facebook fans and it was time to take their fan engagement to the next level. In January, 2011, the House of Harley-Davidson introduced the Bike That Social Media Built. For six consecu-tive weeks the House polled their fans and followers to vote on the details to customize a brand new Harley-Davidson

Iron 883. The experts in the House’s House of Customs department customized the overall style, paint, seat design, and vari-ous parts and accessories options. The bike was on display in each stage of customization inside the House of Customs, located in the Parts Department of the House of Harley-Davidson. Fans chose to turn the Iron 883 into a high bar bobber with forward controls, short shot exhaust, tall sissy bar, amazing patriotic-themed paint job, and awesome brown distressed leather seat. The entire promotion was run via social media, with House of Harley staff posting polls on their blog (http://blog.HouseOfHarley.com) and feeding the polls through Twitter and Facebook. Over the six week promotion nearly 3,500 fans, followers, and subscribers voted on the details of this dream bike. The best part? After the official unveiling at the Milwaukee Auto Show, the House of Harley-Davidson donated The Bike That Social Media Built” to Fisher House Wisconsin, whose mission is to provide a “home away from home” for military and veterans’ families so that they may be close to a loved one during hospital-ization for an illness, disease, or injury at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. Fisher House

Wisconsin (www.FisherHouseWI.org) is currently selling raffle tickets for the Bike That Social Media Built and the winner will be drawn on Saturday, November 10, at the House of Harley-Davidson. Dan Buttery, president of the board of directors for Fisher House Wisconsin said, “The House of Harley-Davidson continues to be a strong supporter of the Fisher House project here in Wisconsin. The House helped to estab-lish an annual benefit ride in support of our cause two years ago, and now the building of this custom bike takes their support of our mission to a whole new level. We’re honored to see this level of support coming from a prominent Milwaukee- based company and world renowned brand, Harley-Davidson.” The House of Harley-Davidson is serious about providing world-class motorcycling experiences for life for customers in Milwaukee and throughout the country. Engaging their social media communities is just one way that The House has differentiated themselves from the pack while supporting a cause close to their hearts — Fisher House. More information on the Bike That Social Media Built is at www.HouseOfHarley.com or on their blog, http://blog.HouseOfHarley.com.

house oF hArleY-DAViDsoNDoYouKNoW?

10 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

The biKe ThAT sociAl MeDiA builT

Page 11: Throttler magazine May 2012

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ADDING A THIRD WHEEL TO A MOTORCYCLE ADDS STABILITY, BUT UNTIL NOW

THAT STABILITY HAS COME AT A HIGH COST: THE TRIKE HANDLES AND STEERS LIKE A CAR. Bob Mighell and Tilting Motor Works (www.tiltingmotorworks.com) intend to remedy that problem with a two-wheel front-end kit that will allow the bike to steer, lean, and handle just like a regular motorcycle. The kit bolts right on with no drilling, cutting, or welding on the frame. Their initial product, designed for the Harley-Davidson Road King frame, is expected to hit the market later this year. A unit for 1800cc Gold Wings will be right behind, followed by conversions for other cruisers. Mighell (pronounced “Mile”) wasn’t thinking of the marketing possibilities of this sort of device when he started toying with the idea. He was thinking of himself. “I’ve also enjoyed running around in faster cars, including my Porsche 911 and a BMW M3. I run around on these

backcountry roads and I compare how fast I can take the cars through the cor-ners and the bikes through the corners and I thought that the drawback to motorcycles, the limiting factor, is that one single front tire. So, whereas, I can drift my Porsche 911 around the corners, you don’t want to be drifting motorcy-cles because if you lose that traction on that front tire she’s all done. And so, I thought well, wouldn’t that be cool if I could add another front wheel to a motorcycle and yet still make it handle like a motorcycle.” Unlike most of us, Mighell is in a posi-tion to actually turn that kind of idea into reality. He is a design engineer and runs a medical equipment company that outfits operating rooms. He developed a proto-type and took it to some local machine shops, some race car builders, and even to a local university with a design pro-gram but, “They all told me the same thing; what I was wanting to do wouldn’t work. And that just encouraged me a lit-tle bit more to build the darn thing.” For his first prototype, Mighell used a 250cc Honda Rebel, mainly because it

was a bike he could get inexpensively. The counter-steering part was easy, but the suspension was a different matter. The suspension system needed to operate independently of the lean angle, and figuring that out took another couple years in the spare time he was devoting to this project. Licensing the little Honda led to a major shift in the development process. Because the frame had been severely modified, Mighell had to take it for inspection and relicensing. During that process he was told, “Hey look, if you don’t drill, cut, or weld onto the frame, we really don’t want to see you.” Clearly the better approach would be a con-version that did not involve drilling or cutting the frame. Mighell built his second prototype using a Yamaha V-Max. Showing that bike around at a few rallies he saw a pat-tern developing. “It was the Harley-Davidson crowd that was really telling me, ‘Hey, if you got one of these on a Harley that would be really cool.’ So I bought a Road King and built the next conversion.”

By Ken Bingenheimer

TAKiNG A Que FroM The NeW TreND iN 3 Wheel DesiGNsPuTTiNG The leAN iNTo Three Wheels

12 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

Bob Mighell demonstrates his leaning, three-wheel Road King.

Tony Foale riding the

Road King out on

the road.

The Road King prototype on one

of Bob’s many road trips.

Page 13: Throttler magazine May 2012

Dirty jobs have to be done by someone, and Mighell has taken it upon himself to test-ride the Road King more than 18,000 miles. He has taken it to numerous rallies, including Americade and Sturgis Bike Week. At Sturgis, he says, “That was definitely a Harley-Davidson crowd and I wanted to see what kind of response I would get. The best compliments I would get when I would pull in a gas station or side street or something like that was guys coming over and saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t know Harley was making those.’ And to me that was like, all right, I’ve done the design work well enough.” The design includes a tilt-lock system so that the bike stays upright when you come to a stop. With that system, Mighell sees his market as being both aging riders who have trouble holding a regular motorcycle up as well as women, whose physi-cal stature often makes it impossible for them to handle really big bikes. As for pricing, Mighell intends to keep it in the same range as current trike conversions, generally around $10,000. For the actual conversion, “We haven’t got that all figured out. At this point I’m looking to probably set up a dealer network and then have them take their bikes to a local dealer who will have sent somebody here, and we’ve trained them to go ahead and do the installation.” And the most important ques-tion: How does it ride? “Beautiful. The thing that I find, I’ve got a bunch of different bikes, and I prefer riding my three-wheeler just for the fun experience. I find I can brake harder going into my cor-ners. I find I can accelerate through and out of the corners harder as well because I’m not worried about slid-ing out that front end. When I ride with a passenger on my tilting three-wheeler, the passenger doesn’t know that they’re not on a motor-cycle. I’m having a blast. I’m testing the heck out of it.”

throttlermotorcyclemagazine 13

“THEY A

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ME TH

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E THING

; WHAT

I WAS

WANTI

NG TO

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uLDN’T

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” bo

b m

ighe

ll

Bob Mighell’s Road King prototype, which he has put 18,000 miles on while testing it.

Page 14: Throttler magazine May 2012

14 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

AS I STOOD BEHIND THE START LINES ON THE RACE TRACK, AT AHDRA I COULD SEE A

STAFF WORKER HOSING DOWN THE TRACK WITH WATER. EACH RIDER DID A BURN OUT BEFORE ENTERING

THE DRAG STRIP, THEN PULLING UP TO THE TREE. BURNOUTS ARE TO HEAT UP THE REAR TIRE FOR BETTER TRACTION TO RUN THE TRACK. Two riders on their Harleys pull up side by side, each having their own lane

separated by a concrete jersey barrier. The motorcycle riders wear a full face shielded helmet, black leather jacket, pants, leather gloves, boots and armor for protection. As I watched, I noticed that the two riders had different body statues. While I was viewing the second rider from a dis-tance, I noticed long blonde hair in a pony tail grouped with tie bands every inch until it reached the lower back. My eyes darted back and forth from one

rider to the other, all of a sudden I spoke out loud, that’s a woman! Just as I said it, the tree turned green and the race was on..........go......gooo.......gooooooo Yessssssss, she won! I have attended numerous motorcy-cle hill climbs before and never had I seen a woman racer. As I looked around to my surprise, there were many other woman racers there that day. I was immediately excited, intrigued to be able to meet and talk with them about their passion of this dangerous sport. What would make a woman want to go 144 MPH in less than 9 seconds? I had to find these woman racers to satisfy my curiosity. I wanted to see their vision, feel their anticipation and find out what inspires them. I had to get a closer view from the other side of the track to reveal what drives these women beyond the finish line! I tried to visualize what they had, that I hadn’t had. I have a lot of guts, how-ever, these woman have so much more that I couldn’t visualize in myself. As we talked, I tried to figure out what charac-teristics they would have. I thought if I dig deep in her body language, I’ll find it in her but I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary of a stereotype. These are

woman that are your all American girls. Nothing more and nothing less. She walks with you in your daily steps of life. They were not hard core biker women. This is what impressed me the most. They wear a variety of faces and play many roles. They are woman who have a great passion for fun, speed and thrill. They all share the excitement, ener-gy and adrenaline that can only come from this extreme sport. The women I talked to were genuine and sincere and knew what they want-ed to achieve. They had brushed off their knees and butts and are living their passion from their soul. All of the ladies I interviewed were very pretty, one was shy, and anyone of them could easily be one of my best friends. I would go out riding my Road King with them for the day; they were friendly, outgoing and easy to talk to. Without visual distractions present, I found it easier to appreciate the struc-ture of the woman, her inner strength and passions that make up the woman racer. Their sweeping curves and whimsical per-sonalities capture the spirit of their great-est passion, without succumbing to sac-charin sweetness. Each of the women I interviewed

By Luuezz Denise Gasper

woman that are your all American girls.

DrAG rAciNG isN’T JusT For The boYs!The lADies oF AhDrA

PiNK8bAlls

Karen Wagner from Escondido, CA, riding for Tri-Ryche Racing. In 2003, Karen piloted an awesome 1994 Harley-Davidson Sportster-based drag bike to the AHDRA National Championship in the Super Sport class! Karen is the first woman in the history of the AHDRA to win a Naional Championship.

Page 15: Throttler magazine May 2012

throttlermotorcyclemagazine 15

forms a unique identity for the Woman HD drag racer. The result is a rhythmic presence that introduces the Woman HD Racer within the Motorcycle. The drag strip allows the woman racer to become a charismatic part of the motor-cycle without completely being noticed. Their motorcy-cles that they ride are specifi-cally designed for the race track. These women have been for years, the most overlooked and one of the strongest pio-neers of woman in drag rac-ing. Their dedication to racing and paving the way for other woman in the sport of HD Drag Racing is inspirational. By forming a sense of sis-terhood, women are able to accomplish so much. Successful HD Drag Racing women of today are inspiring the woman of tomorrow.

Next month interviews with drag racers Stacy McMillan, Julia Holliday, Wanda Poff and Karen Wagner.

“THEY A

RE WO

MAN W

HO HA

VE A GR

EAT pA

SSION

for

fun, s

peed a

nd th

rill.”

Page 16: Throttler magazine May 2012

AFTER THE ALL THE LIGHTS, FIREWORKS AND CHAMPAGNE

POPPING OF SUPERCROSS HAS ENDED, TEAMS AND RIDERS PREPARE FOR WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE MOST GRUELING FORM OF TWO-WHEELED COMPETITION IN OUR SPORT, THE LUCAS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS NATIONALS. FEATURING ICONIC TRACKS LIKE UNADILLA, HIGH POINT AND BUDDS CREEK, NINETY-DEGREE PLUS TEMPERATURES AND CRAZY FANS, THIS IS WHERE THE REAL HARD-CORE RACERS SHINE. As of the writing of this article, in the 450 Class Ryan Villopoto and Chad Reed are both out with injurie s and James Stewart is off the JGR Yamaha with rumors swirling he will be released from his contract (both sides willing) and maybe heading to Suzuki. Wow, that leaves some space for surprises in the 450 Class outdoors.

In the 250 Class the field is rich and deep with talent, from front runners like Justin Barcia to dark horses like Darryn Durham and Blake Wharton promising lots of bar to bar racing at every stop. One obvious top contender on the big boy bikes is Ryan Dungey. Previously an outdoor MX Champion on Suzuki, he has recently switched teams to be with his former mentor and world champion racer/team manager Roger DeCoster on KTM. Dungey has the skill, experience and determination to win it, but can the KTM provide the platform he needs to do it? Dungey’s new 450 is unproven outdoors and KTM is historically the underdog in these contests, but the recent acquisitions of both DeCoster and Dungey certainly could change that for the Austrian powerhouse. I’m looking for Dungey to podium no doubt this year. Next up I like Davi Millsaps, he’s on good bike and a good team, the same JGR Yamaha squad that Stewart is doing poorly on, but Millsaps has been playing second fiddle here for too long. It’s Davi’s time to shine; he’s recently shown a maturity in his riding that could prove to be a winning formula for him and his

team. Millsaps has previously been plagued by injuries outdoors and needs to focus on the podium and not the stretcher to be ultimately successful. Lastly, I like Jake Weimer. The Kawasaki rider has shown a lot of speed outdoors, finishing 6th last year in the series and his Pro Circuit ride is among the best in the field. Weimer’s at the top of his game right now, it’s time for him to step up to the podium. “Dark Horses” — these are guys who could just pop up and take a win or two — Mike Alessi is one and seems quite comfortable on the Suzuki, he’s mastered the holeshot and rides harder outdoors than indoors in my opinion. Brett Metcalfe another good rider on the cusp of being great. Metcalfe’s the Rockstar Suzuki rider who took the win at Southwick last year and seems to be hitting his stride…and a win at Southwick is nothing to sneeze at. There are a slew of 450 Class riders who could mess this up at any time. James Stewart is always fast outdoors and has the championships to prove it. He needs to either pony up on the Yamaha or move to a bike he wants to ride, and quick with the season starting,

By Sean GoulartEditor, www.MXNewsfeed.com, The #1 Rated Motocross Newsfeed

16 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

We PicK uP The coNTeNDersMX ouTDoors

Ryan Dungey Justin Barcia

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Davi Millsaps

Brett Metcalfe

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Page 17: Throttler magazine May 2012

Mike Alessi

throttlermotorcyclemagazine 17

he needs the seat time if he is to be competitive. Then you have Trey Canard, the FLY Racing sponsored Honda rider who just can’t seem to catch a break with multiple serious injuries in the SX season. Can he come back in time for the start of the season? Many say no.

I’m calling it Dungey, Millsaps, Weimer.In the 250cc Class, Geico Honda’s Justin Barcia/Eli Tomac and the Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett/Dean Wilson combinations are all looking fast as well as newcomer ARMA Energy rider Malcolm Stewart hitting his stride too. So Wilson will have to hold on tight to keep the title this year, if he can stave off Barcia. Geico Honda’s Justin Barcia grew up riding outdoors East Coast style so should be looking great in the second half of the season when many of the circuits are back East, not to mention the fact that he almost swept the East Coast portion of the SX Lites series before winning it. The kid is on fire and seemingly unstoppable and has beaten all the contenders on his own terms at some point in the last 3 years. Barcia even gained a ride on the Geico Honda 450 last year and showed he is ready to move up with no issues, but it seems that will be next year.

I’m calling it Barcia, Tomac, Wilson.So that’s what we have to look forward to this year, some of the best talent in ever to line up, everyone with something to prove…to prove who is the best in the mud, sweat and tears that we call outdoor motocross!

“THIS I

S WHER

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RD-COR

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Blake Wharton

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Justin Barcia

Malcolm Stewart

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rt

Page 18: Throttler magazine May 2012

18 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

DRIVING UP AND DOWN INTERSTATE 29 IN WESTERN IOWA ABOUT FOUR TIMES A

MONTH FOR MY JOB, I OFTEN GAZE TO THE EAST TOWARDS IOWA’S LOESS HILLS AND THINK, “MAN, I BET THAT’D MAKE FOR A GREAT RIDE.” SO LAST WEEK, I GOT OFF THE INTERSTATE AND HIT THE HILLS. First, Loess Hills? Yes, Loess Hills — 15 miles wide by two hundred miles long unique land formations left over from the glaciers that once ripped through here. Think of them as Iowa’s mountain chain — some of those hills are as high as 200 feet tall. The Loess Hills are generally located between 1 and 15 miles (24 km) east of the Missouri River channel. These hills are the first rise in land beyond the flood plain, forming something of a “front range” for Iowa, and parts of Missouri and Nebraska adjacent to the Missouri River. During the last Ice Age, glaciers advanced into the middle of North America, grinding underlying rock into

dust-like “glacial flour.” As temperatures warmed, the glaciers retreated and vast amounts of meltwater and sediment flooded the Missouri River Valley. The sediment was deposited on the flood plain, creating huge mud flats. When meltwaters receded, these mud flats were exposed. As they dried, the fine-grained silt was picked up by strong prevailing westerly winds. Huge dust clouds were moved and redeposited over broad areas. The heavier, coarser silt was deposited close to the Missouri River flood plain, forming vast dune fields. The dune fields were eventually stabilized by grass. Due to the erosive nature of loess soil and its ability to stand in vertical columns when dry, the stabilized dunes were eroded into the corrugated, sharply dissected bluffs we see today. Today, the hills stretch from Westfield, Iowa in the north to Mound City, Missouri in the south. Loess topography can be found at various points in extreme eastern portions of Nebraska and Kansas along the Missouri River Valley, particularly near the Nebraska cities of Brownville, Rulo, Plattsmouth, Fort Calhoun, and Ponca.

The hills are usually no more than 200 feet above the Missouri River bottoms. What does this mean to a motorcycle rider? It means miles and miles of winding open roads with scenic views and rolling hills. Up and down, swerves and curves make the hills a perfect ride. On this day, I would cover one hundred of those two hundred rollercoaster miles. Heading West on Interstate 80 to the Interstate 680 exit, my first stop: Exit 15 off I-680, to the Loveland Overlook rest stop. It features a gigantic tower to climb for a fantastic panorama of Iowa’s countryside, plus a preview of the upcoming ride. Also important, it offers DOT-maintained restrooms. From there, back on I-680 West, to I-29 North, to the Mondamin Exit 89. It’s also a good place for a fuel stop, as you’ll find fuel can be fairly sparse throughout the Hills. I continued my zigzag tour to the north, sometimes using two-lane state highways or angling off onto county roads. The route offers plenty of excursion loops. Be advised that not all of the loops offer paved roads. My route took me through great Iowa towns like Pisgah, Moorhead,

By Jeff Glass

NATioNAl sceNic bYWAYloess hills riDiNG

Loveland Overlook rest stop

Page 19: Throttler magazine May 2012

throttlermotorcyclemagazine 19

Soldier, Turin, Rodney, Smithland, Oto, Climbing Hill, and Bronson — to name a few. Along with great people, many of these towns offer something for the motorcycle rider. A stop at Fat Boyz in Moorhead yielded a great visit with a local group of bikers. Further up the road in Soldier is the Midway Tavern. The gals at the Smithland General Store assured me that Runts, next door, was very open to bikers. My final stop in the Hills was at JR’s in Bronson. JRs offers a bike night every Thursday and Jason (from JR’s) tells me that they get great crowds for their bike nights and shouldn’t be missed. I wrapped up my ride in Sioux City, where my friends in the Dakota Dunes tell me about an excellent bike night held every Saturday in the historical downtown. To add an educational element to my day, I finished up at the Sergeant Floyd River Museum. Stop and tour the old riverboat and enjoy the view of the Missouri River. My Loess Hills ride delivered everything I expected, and I only covered a portion of the potential route. With so many miles of roads and scenery, one can’t go wrong with whatever route you choose. So, take some time and head to western Iowa, and hit the Hills.thi

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Page 20: Throttler magazine May 2012

20 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

MOTOGP, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IS THE PINNACLE OF MOTORCYCLE RACING IN

THE WORLD. EVERY YEAR THE SERIES CHANGES A LITTLE BIT, SOMETIMES SWEEPING CHANGES TAKE PLACE. TWENTY TWELVE IS ONE OF THE SWEEPING CHANGES YEARS! IN BROAD TERMS, I WILL TRY TO EXPLAIN THEM. Beginning this year MotoGP will include teams known as CRT or Claiming Rules Teams, in hopes of drawing in more race teams into MotoGP (so far there have been 16 new teams added to the roster of the current teams involved), like before the prototype 4 strokes came into domination. Another key rule change is everybody is using 1000cc engines. For the teams involved, this means they can use the prodigious torque of the 1000cc engine to help make passes more fre-quently. The ability with the 1000s is to be able to change racing lines on the track at will and make the change w/o the fear

of being slightly off-line and not being able to recover the speed you lost in that corner on the next straight. The 800s were down enough on power that it was impos-sible to race off-line and recover. Being able to hit your lines on the 800s was EVERYTHING in terms of lap times. An inch off-line here or there could add up in a hurry during a lap and cost valuable time against someone that was able to repeat the perfect line each lap. The inclusion of CRTs does a couple things for the series besides add entrants to fill the grid. It will also be used to culti-vate racers. Many of these racers may never have a chance to race against the “Big Guys” otherwise. Or on a stage that may be conducive to increasing their level of riding. And, give them a chance at a shot on a Factory team. I personally believe that may be the single biggest thing in recovery for this series. You can be certain there are some VERY talented rac-ers that may never have a chance to ride before a Factory audience without this happening. Since the majority of the CRTs will be made up of niche chassis builders, some free-thinking and great ideas also

have a means to an end. The CRTs are allowed to use twice as many engines during the season as the Factory teams. This gives them the advan-tage of being able to build as much power as they can while not caring quite so much about the longevity of an engine, making them more competitive with the Factory prototypes. They have a 3 liter larger fuel capacity which means they can make peak power over the entire length of a race without fear of running out of fuel. The CRTs can also “claim” an engine from a rival CRT for 20,000 Euros with transmission or 15,000 without trans-mission. With CRTs being involved, that most likely means that all 4 Japanese manufactures, and 3 European manufac-tures will have engines involved in this series. Nothing bad can come from that. In my estimation, the downside to this revolution at this level is that it will divide the series into two parts, Factory Teams and CRTs. Until the series is at least a cou-ple years old and the CRTs are able to fully develop the engines that the manu-factures make they will be at a disadvan-tage power-wise. Talent-wise too, the

By Tony Tice

chANGes Will MAKe or breAK TeAMsMoToGP 2012

Suter Racing Technology (SRT) specializes in project engineering, developing and manu-facturing of high-tech concepts for industrial

applications as well as the International Motor sport. www.suterracing.ch

Colin Edwards

Page 21: Throttler magazine May 2012

The worldwide unique combination of a top team of highly qualified engineers and technicians, spearheaded by an ex GP

rider and supported by a state of the art production facility allows SRT to compete with the largest bike manufacturers.

throttlermotorcyclemagazine 21

deep pockets of the manufactures will always pay the best and they will always have the best riders. There is always hope though that there is a hidden talent that found the right team that could propel them to the top level of the podium and displace a Factory team. That’s the dream/goal anyway of the CRTs. The beginning.

Colin Edwards

“THE D

OWNSI

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THIS R

EVOLuT

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AT THIS

LEVEL

IS THA

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Page 22: Throttler magazine May 2012

May 3 & 17 Crossroads Tavern Kelley IAMay 5 Carver Fun Run 2012 Carver MNMay 4-5 Vintage Torque Fest Maquoketa IAMay 5 American Legion Riders Post Mulvane KSMay 5 Noblesville Relay For Life Noblesville INMay 5 Defiant Crew MC Open House Moline ILMay 5 Bike Show and Poker Run Richmond MOMay 5 Midways Biker Bash Columbia MOMay 6 First Sunday Show And Meet Kansas City MOMay 6 Motorcycle Sunday Aurora ILMay 6 Bikers with a Mission Kansas City MOMay 6 Ride For Residents - 3rd Ann Midlothian ILMay 6 Ride Janie Ride 2012 Villa Park ILMay 6 CVMA Bike Show Springfield MOMay 6 Ride For Strong Kids Andover KSMay 5 -6 Macksville Bikes & Blues Macksville KSMay 6 Ft Wayne Motorcycle Swap Fort Wayne INMay 9 Ride Janie Ride 2012 Villa Park ILMay 10 Cowskin Motorcycle Rally Anderson MOMay 12 Peotone Motorcycle Swap Meet Peotone ILMay 12 Wichita Dice Run Wichita KSMay 12 Dead Cow Poker Run Wichita KSMay 12 Wichita Dice Run Wichita KSMay 12 Angel Ride Music Festival an… Plainfield INMay 12 Spring Fling Ride Kansas City KSMay 12 Nebraska Law Ride - 4th Ann Omaha NEMay 12 Save the Innocence Run Leavenworth KSMay 12 Sidecar Garys Benefit Ride Kendallville INMay 12 Cruzin4aCure Ride for Life Mishawaka INMay 12 Ride For Life - 8th Annual Paola KSMay 12 Highway to Help Ride Topeka KSMay 13 Potwin Bike Run Potwin KSMay 12 -13 Action Riders Spring Fling Pacific MOMay 19 2012 Thunder on the Smoky Marquette KSMay 19 Cannonball Run Decatur INMay 19 Carl Duke Fallen Riders Mem Plainfield INMay 19 East Noble Show Choirs Kendallville KSMay 19 WAR - Warrior Appreciation Kansas City MOMay 19 Mooseheart Bike Blessing Mooseheart ILMay 19 Allstate Insurance Charity Wichita KSMay 19 BACA 100 Mile Ride St John INMay 19 Pack the Park Car and Bike Thomasboro ILMay 19 Motorcycles On Main Plattsmouth NEMay 19 Biker awareness Annual Ride Bloomington ILMay 19 National Armed Forces Ride Creve Coeur ILMay 19 The Rhino Run Plattsmouth NEMay 19 Ride for the Red Bloomington INMay 19 Meisters Wishes Scandia MNMay 19 Hawg Nutz Jamboree Polo ILMay 19 Lady Riders Photo Shoot Manhattan KSMay 19 Freedom of the Road Riders Columbia MOMay 19 He Lives Through Me Ride Marion INMay 20 Wisconsin Motorcycle Swap Jefferson WIMay 20 Jeff Williams Motorcycle Kansas City MOMay 18 -20 Niehaus Cycle Customer App Litchfield ILMay 20 Little Angels Pledge Run Woodstock ILMay 18 -20 40th Annual Blessing of Bikes Baldwin MNMay 19 -20 National Armed Forces Ride Saint Francis WIMay 20 Big Bikes Big Hearts Ride Chicago Ridge ILMay 18 -20 NHRA Summer Nationals Topeka KSMay 20 Ride for the Kids at Riley Evansville INMay 20 Ride For TARC Topeka KSMay 19 -20 Armed Forces Day Decatur INMay 20 Bike Blessing - 2nd Annual Zumbro Falls MNMay 20 Baker College Center Flint MOMay 18 -22 Hog Follies Motorcycle Rally Evansville INMay 23 Ride for Dime Memorial Ride Barrington ILMay 23 The Ruff Ride Poker Run Noblesville INMay 24 Last Chance Flight Concert Olathe KS

May 26 Memorial Weekend in Mitchell Mitchell SDMay 25 -26 Qulin Bike Rally Qulin MOMay 26 Habitat for Humanity Alexandria MNMay 26 ALR 131 Legacy 1000 Warrensburg MOMay 26 Blessing of the Bikes Lake Geneva WIMay 23 -27 Nebraska State HOG Rally Beatrice NEMay 27 Vern Worley Helping Hands Clinton IAMay 27 Paws and Claws Charity Run St Charles ILMay 25 -27 Kick off to Summer Bash Hermitage MOMay 27 Legacy Run - 5th Annual Shawnee KSMay 25 -28 Mid-America Freedom Rally Buckhorn MOMay 28 Memorial Day Ride Kokomo INMay 28 Stop, Drop, and Roll Ride Brazil INMay 26 -29 Iron Horse Bike Rally Savanna ILMay 31 Kansas State HOG Rally 2012 Junction City KSJun 1 Land of OZ Rally - 33rd Ann Lacygne KSJun 1 Motors and Music Sun Prairie WIJun 1 Route 66 Motorcycle Classic Rolla MOJun 2 Ride for Wishes in Memory South St. Paul MNJun 1 -2 Motors and Music 3rd Ann Sun Prairie WIJun 2 St Baldricks Motorcycle Charity River Grove ILJun 2 Miracle Ride - 19th Ann Indianapolis INJun 2 Route 66 Motorcycle Classic Rolla MOJun 2 Carpenter Place Poker Run Wichita KSJun 2 Red Knights Lunch Ride Wittenberg WIJun 2 Guns N Hoses Benefit Ride Lenexa KSMay 2 -2 MFA Oil Poker Run Jefferson City MOJun 2 I Believe in Angels Bolivar MOJun 2 Ridin For A Reason Rally Eau Claire WIJun 2 Petersburg Fire Dept Poker Run Petersburg NEJun 2 Retina Rumble Taylors Falls MNJun 2 2 Wheels 4 Paws Charity Ride Belton MOJun 2 Victory Day Clara City MNJun 2 Kruzin 4 Kidz Classic Car &a… Wadena MNJun 2 Cycle Rodeo Lawrence KSJun 2 Ralston Jaycees Poker Run Omaha NEMay 31/Jn 3 Branson Motorcycle Rally Branson MOJun 3 Walnecks Motorcycle Swap Morris ILJun 3 Ruben Browns Motorcycle Run Island Lake ILJun 3 Blue Knights Illinois Palatine ILJun 3 Life Support Ride - 5th Ann. Lawrence KSJun 3 Wings Benefit Ride - 12th Ann Antioch ILJun 2 -3 Winfield Rally and Bike Show Winfield MOJun 2 -3 City Heat M/C Boots Up Biker Maple Park ILJun 1 -3 Midwest Biker Bash - 3rd Ann Savanna ILJun 1 -3 Throttle Fest Chicago Bridgeview ILJun 3 NEW! Topless Tour Yorkville ILJun 3 NEW! Rubens Run Chicago Island Lake ILJun 6 Mother Road Ride Rally Willowbrook ILJun 7 & 21 Crossroads Tavern Kelley IAJun 7 Deadend Rally Peru KSJun 8 Wisconsin CMA State Rally Antigo WIJun 7 -9 Illinios State HOG Rally 2012 Rosemont ILJun 9 Shawano Riders MC Ann Shawano WIJun 9 Cerebral Palsy Motorcycle Barrington ILJun 9 Ride for Rite Wichita KSJun 9 Ride For The Money - 1st Ann Danville INJun 9 Bell Tower Festival Poker Run Jefferson IAJun 9 American Legion Post 295 Cheney KSJun 9 Bradley Lions Poker Run Bradley ILJun 9 Have a Heart Motorcycle Ride Menomonee Falls WIJun 9 Soldiers Ride for Rehab Mendota MNJun 9 St Jude Benefit Ride Yates City ILJun 9 Gentlemen’s Choice Cancer RideOmro WIJun 9 Ozaukee Guzzlers M/C Tomahawk WIJun 9 Wallace Winkie Poker Run Belle Plaine IAJun 9 Duane Dreyer Memorial Ride Whiteland INJun 9 Moundridge EMS Poker Run Moundridge KSJun 9 Ride On Kiwanis Motorcycle Kansas City KS

Jun 9 Soldiers Ride for Rehab Rochester MNJun 9 NEW! Make-A-Wish Kinsley KSJun 9 NEW! Ride For Rehab Hastings MNJun 9 NEW! Ned Fasel Memorial Ride Oshkosh WIJun 9 NEW! Dakota Sioux Casino Watertown SDJun 10 Garvis Honda Charity Ride Des Moinews IAJun 10 Rockford Car, Truck Show Rockford ILJun 7 -10 National Safety Forces Ride Branson MOJun 8 -10 Thrills In The Hills Council Bluffs IAJun 8 -10 ABATE of Oregon Spring Bash Dubois NEJun 10 Scottys Ride Middlebury INJun 10 DuKane ABATE Kneez Berwyn ILJun 8 -10 ABATE of Nebraska District 1 Bridgeport NEJun 10 Camp Riley Poker Run - 8th AnnKokomo INJun 13 Mississippi River Rally Davenport IAJun 14 Awesome Biker Nights Sioux City IAJun 16 Ride for Life in memory St Michael MNJun 14 -16 Iowa State HOG Rally 2012 Des Moines IAJun 16 Care Packages for Soldiers Ann Albert Lea MNJun 16 Freedom Fest La Crosse WIJun 16 Rockin and Roddin 2 Rantoul ILJun 16 Illinois Motorcycle Freedom RideMorris ILJun 16 Flame of Hope Ride 2012 Council Grove KSJun 16 Central Mo Honor Flight California MOJun 16 Ride for the Red Wichita KSJun 15 -16 Midwestfest 2012 Oshkosh WIJun 16 Judes Ride Chillicothe ILJun 16 Ride for the Salute Plainfoeld INJun 16 M Kenneth Drobny Memorial Neligh NEJun 16 Kylers Kruz Mound MNJun 16 Lionsgate Academy Ride Northfield MNJun 16 Marias MADD Poker Run Ottawa KSJun 14 -17 Hogrock River Rally Cave in rock ILJun 15 -17 Spring Fling - 26th Annual Chillicothe MOJun 16 -17 NEW! Ride and Rally for a Cure Marengo ILJun 22 South Dakota State HOG Rally Sioux Falls SDJun 22 Clark County Riders Run Bradley SDJun 23 Carps Cancer Crushers Rally Vadnais HeightsMNJun 23 Ride For the Children - 3rd Ann Kaiser MOJun 23 Mid America Harley-Davidson Columbia MOJun 23 Ride To Honor - 3rd Annual Kansas City MOJun 23 Diatribe Stop Diabetes Independence MOJun 23 CHOKE Poker Run El Dorado KSJun 23 Iron Justice and Northern Gages Lake ILJun 23 Ride for Rachel House Lees Summit MOJun 23 Fun Run for Shriners Hospital Northfield MNJun 23 OccuPaws Hogs Middleton WIJun 23 Poker Run to benefit Rockford ILJun 22 -23 Abate Region 13 Gonads Montgomery INJun 23 Autism Ride Nashville INJun 23 Exiled 1823 MC Annual Party Chicago ILJun 23 NEW! Children of Fallen Rider St Charles MOJun 24 Jeff Williams Motorcycle Swap Kansas City MOJun 24 Janeys Ride Liberty MOJun 24 Hawgs and Hot Rods Woodstock ILJun 23 -24 Motorcycle Field Events Hiawatha KSJun 24 Ride With The Flame Gilberts ILJun 24 Bobstock 10 Elk Grove ILJun 23 -24 J and P Cycles Open House Anamosa IAJun 24 Backpacks Against Hunger Run David City NEJun 24 Steel Horses for Real Horses Greenfield INJun 24 -25 Bobstock Ten Elk Grove ILJun 28 -30 Minnesota State HOG Rally Brainerd MNJun 30 Unity Ride - 2nd Annual Lincoln NEJun 30 Ride for Burn Injured Children Mukwonago WIJun 30 Cruisn for Autism in Minn. Aitkin MNJun 30 Rock For the Cure Ride Indianapolis IN

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22 throttlermotorcyclemagazine MAY2012 www.throttlermagazine.com / Twitter: @ThrottlerMag / Facebook: ThrottlerMotorcycleMag

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