Rick "Super Hunky" Siemen (1940-2023) by: Davey Coombs

We are sad to report the passing of Rick "Super Hunky" Siemen, the original editor of Dirt Bike magazine, which first hit newsstands in 1971. Siemen was a gonzo-style writer and wordsmith who simply loved off-road motorcycling. One of the most influential journalists the sport has ever known, Siemen mixed humor with hard-hitting honesty. During the magazine's ascendency in the 1970s and early '80s Siemen used his bully pulpit and influential column "From the Saddle" to help fight land closures, promote unique events and also keep motorcycle product manufacturers honest. He even appeared on the television program "60 Minutes" to advocate against the closure of huge swaths of the southwest desert to off-highway vehicles because of an endangered tortoise.

Rick was also a firm supporter and regular participant in the Barstow-to-Vegas Desert race, along with his friend and attorney Louis McKey, also known as the Phantom Duck of the Desert, and together they were a thorn in the side of the Bureau of Land Management.  

Siemen also became an early proponent of the Grand National Cross Country Series after attending his first Blackwater 100, hilariously entering the treacherous race on an over-bored 760cc Maico. He did not finish, but his feature article about this misadventure put the event and the series on the national map. Super Hunky also attended the first Loretta Lynn's AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship in 1982 and his constructive criticism had a similar effect on the event and its long-term future. Siemen, and his editorial staff that included Paul Clipper and Tom "Wolfman" Webb, set the standard for coming generations of moto journalists. Earlier this year Rick was nominated to be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, where his name remains on the ballot in the category of Leadership & Rights.

Upon retiring from the magazine business Siemen published a book of some of his most popular columns called Monkey Butt. He also moved to Arizona and would host aspiring moto journalists who attended his writing and testing seminars. 

Rick Siemen was 83 years old. Godspeed. 

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Bolt Wins in Poland

Following his dominant win at round one in France, Husqvarna Factory Racing star Billy Bolt has put in another stellar SuperEnduro performance, this time topping the qualifying Superpole before winning two out of three races inside the Tauron Arena in Poland. Earning 60 championship points aboard his FE 350, Bolt extended his lead in the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship.

The reigning FIM SuperEnduro World Champion began his evening in Krakow on a high, topping the Superpole by half a second. Billy was pleased to secure his fourteenth Superpole victory in a row, firing him up for the following races.

The first rider to roll onto the startline thanks to his Superpole win, Bolt opted to start on the far left in the night’s opening race. After claiming the holeshot, he began to pull away from the pack and set a solid pace. Despite pressure from second-placed Jonny Walker mid-way through the race, Billy kept his elbows out to retain his lead and finished with a deserved nine-second advantage.

In race two, the grid was reversed for the start, placing Billy at the back. As the competition navigated the first corner, he remained patient, making him the last rider to exit turn one. However, it didn’t take him long to get back in the mix, working his way up to second place by lap five. On the attack, the Brit closed the gap to first place to ultimately finish as runner-up, just eight hundredths of a second behind.

Determined to take another race win, Billy stormed out of the gate in the night’s final race to take the holeshot and immediately set about gaining ground. Putting in a mistake-free ride, Billy tested some faster lines and continued to extend his lead over second place. Finishing 14 seconds in front, the Husqvarna Factory Racing ace took the final race win of the night, securing the overall victory in the process.

The Sachsen Arena in Riesa, Germany will host round three of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship on January 6th.

Billy Bolt: “I’m pretty happy really with a 1-2-1. I rode well in the second race – I just made a few bad decisions and took too long to get to the front. I think everyone was expecting an eruption when I got back to the pits but I was pretty chilled to be honest. I knew I rode well, but I just didn’t put myself in the right place on the track. Overall though I was happy with my riding the whole night and I got better each race, I think. I switched up my line in the rocks on the final race so I think that made a difference and gave me some breathing room on what was a difficult track that Jonny pushed me hard on all night. I’ll keep working over Christmas and come back swinging in Germany.”

RIP Rick...Super Hunky

One of the great influencers of dirt biking has left us. Like many of us I enjoyed Super Hunky's stories.

Davey Coombs

"Very sorry to hear of the passing of Rick “Super Hunky” Sieman, the original editor of Dirt Bike Magazine and a very good friend of my parents. Rick put the Blackwater 100 on the map by flying out from California every summer to take on the original @gncc_racing event and then writing hilarious articles about his misadventures with the “Mud Fleas,” my dad and just West Virginia in general. He was a mentor to me as well and I am sure he was a huge influence in my future life in the media business. He was a tireless proponent for motorcycling and belongs in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Thank you for everything"

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