Travis Pastrana – London Calling

Travis Pastrana

Action sports icon and Nitro Circus ringleader Travis Pastrana is poised to add yet another huge world’s first to his CV: the first motorcycle backflip while floating on water.

Pastrana will attempt to backflip a 75-foot wide gap between two barges floating in the Thames River. Both will be 120-feet out from the embankment without any mooring lines tied to the shore or each other. Without either an open ended run-in or landing – not even solid ground – Pastrana will only have 150 feet to accelerate to takeoff speed. Then after hitting the lander he will only have 36 feet to come to a stop before sliding into the river. Pastrana must also contend with the choppy water of the Thames that will make his landing ramp a moving target, not to mention high winds that will buffet him in midair, threatening to send him flying off course and miss the 27 foot wide landing barge altogether.

The stakes are high: Mike Metzger crashed hard during a 2006 attempt in Long Beach harbor, fracturing his L-4 vertebra. While fortunately Metzeger made a full recovery, no one has braved this trick since.

Pastrana’s attempt will celebrate the announcement of the all-new 2018 Nitro Circus Live European tour, the action sports phenomenon’s first arena trek on the continent in two years. More tour details to be announced soon.

Dissected: MXoN Preview

Previewing the MXoN

Team France were just five points down on the eventual winners, Team USA, when the Motocross of Nations last took place in Great Britain. The French will have a chance to redeem themselves on British soil this weekend though, as they are entering Matterley Basin with a considerable amount of momentum on their side. The last time that they failed to claim the Chamberlain Trophy was back in 2013! However, there are some questions surrounding the team currently. An unknown quantity, Christophe Charlier, has been pulled over from the FIM EnduroGP World Championship to fill the MX2 berth.

Dylan Ferrandis was originally slated to fill the spot, but then broke his scaphoid at the penultimate round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series. Benoit Paturel, who was down as the reserve rider, sustained internal injuries days later, hence why the nation suddenly had to search further afield. Charlier achieved some success in the MX2 class a handful of years ago, including a moto win at Matterley Basin in 2013, so perhaps he will be able to uncover that fire this weekend?

Gautier Paulin is set to lead the defending champions into action yet again and has recorded impressive finishes in the premier division lately. Paulin has never finished higher than third overall on a 450F at this venue, which is somewhat of a surprise. The jump-laden layout should suit his flamboyant style perfectly. Romain Febvre, who has won three of the four motos that he has competed in at the Motocross of Nations, will complete the team. The former champion has dealt with set-up and health issues this season, hence why he has only stood on the podium a handful of times, but those appear to be in the rear-view mirror now.

Romain Febvre and Gautier Paulin enjoyed success one year ago (Monster Energy/Ray Archer)

The Netherlands rarely garner too much attention in the bench-racing discussions that take place prior to the Motocross of Nations. It is time to take notice of the Dutch, however, as some pundits are labelling them as the favourites entering the event this year. It is easy to forget that they would have actually won the Chamberlain Trophy a year ago, had Romain Febvre not pushed past Tommy Searle on the final lap and gained an additional point. Although The Netherlands are entering the event with the same three riders as they had a year ago, they may be in a stronger position than ever before.

Jeffrey Herlings has worked through the various teething problems that he encountered at the start of the season and is arguably the man to beat on a 450F. If everything goes to plan then Herlings, who will once again pilot his Red Bull KTM in the Open category, should slide into the top three in each moto. A brace of thirds would actually be considered a disappointment for Herlings, who will undoubtedly shoot for individual glory.

Glenn Coldenhoff, who will contest the MXGP class for the team, recorded a handful of mediocre results at the start of the season, but turned things around at the halfway point. Eleventh was the average finish that he acquired through the first half of the MXGP season, for example, but an eighth was his average through the final portion. Brian Bogers is the greatest question mark on the Dutch team, as he has endured a turbulent campaign in MX2 that has featured less trips to the podium than he has experienced in the past.

Jeffrey Herlings rarely falters at the Motocross of Nations (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

Team USA decimated the competition when the Motocross of Nations was held at Matterley Basin in 2006. James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto and Ivan Tedesco represented the team and did not drop outside of the top ten at all across the weekend. That consistency was unmatched, as a lot of the other teams had a DNF on their scorecard, hence why they were so unstoppable. The American riders will hope to unearth some consistency again this weekend, as that is often the key to success at this unique race.

Team USA enter the unknown whenever they travel across the Atlantic to compete at the Motocross of Nations, but two members of the team are already familiar with Matterley Basin. Zach Osborne, who will contest the MX2 division and also lead the team into action, reeled off countless laps around the venue earlier in his career and will undoubtedly put that to good use. Osborne will pilot a 250F, of course, so will be at a disadvantage when matched up against the MXGP and Open riders, but do not be surprised if he wins an individual moto. Antonio Cairoli managed it on the smaller bike back in 2006!

Cole Seely will fill the MXGP berth and undoubtedly be considered a question mark by some. The Honda HRC rider just completed a successful outdoor season though and hovered around the podium more often than not in the second half of the series. Thomas Covington is in a similar position, as he is stepping up to the bigger bike and racing it at the highest level for the first time, but believes that he actually rides the 450F better.

Cole Seely is a rather large question mark on Team USA (Honda Racing Corporation)

Team Belgium appeared to be extremely strong just a couple of weeks ago, as Clement Desalle was set to lead the team into action. Desalle has not competed at the Motocross of Nations since 2013, when Team Belgium claimed an emphatic victory, because some untimely injuries have scuppered his plans. That has occurred again this year, as the Monster Energy KRT rider injured his lower back at the MXGP of The Netherlands just three weeks ago. Who has been drafted in as his replacement? Kevin Strijbos, a wily veteran, who actually competed at this event back in 2006.

Although some will fear that he is not going to be competitive so late in his career, his record at the MXoN is rather outstanding. Four individual podiums have been acquired by Strijbos and he has dropped outside of the top eleven in a moto just once! Just last year he slid into the MXGP class and finished third overall. Another veteran, Jeremy Van Horebeek, will fill the other 450F spot on Team Belgium and often rises to the occasion on the world’s greatest stage.

Julien Lieber was supposed to return to the MX2 berth for the first time in two years, but sustained a knee injury at the MXGP of Pays de Montbeliard and had to withdraw. Team Belgium were left scrambling to find a replacement, once again, but did not have to look too hard. Brent Van Doninck will return to the squad for the second season in succession, but pilot a machine that he is much more familiar with this year. That should help him improve on his results from Maggiora and break into the top fifteen in at least one moto.

Brent Van Doninck has been drafted into Team Belgium at the last minute (Monster Energy/Ray Archer)

Team Great Britain will step onto home soil with one of their strongest teams in recent memory. Max Anstie will act as the team leader, a position that he has undoubtedly earned, following a successful term in the premier category. Anstie has enjoyed success at the Motocross of Nations in the past, as well as some crushing blows, but has a lot of momentum in his corner this time around. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider has been competitive on all surfaces this season, jostled with some former champions and proven that he belongs at the front of the field. Max will expect to lead the team to a podium finish and also contend for an individual victory.

Tommy Searle has had his sights set on the MXoN for quite some time, following a turbulent season. Seeing him race around Matterley Basin on a 250F will bring back brilliant memories for a lot of fans; he swept both motos in an incredible fashion back in 2012. Searle also enjoyed success when he last contested the MX2 class at the Motocross of Nations, as he romped to an individual victory in Latvia three years ago. The British fans can rely on the fact that he’ll use that experience to put his Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki near the front in each race.

Dean Wilson will complete the team, much to the delight of British fans, and race around Matterley Basin for the first time. Wilson has a brilliant record at the Motocross of Nations, as he has finished inside of the top ten in seven of the eight motos that he has completed at the event. That consistency also helped him claim fourth in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series earlier this year.

Words: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo

Josh Strang - A Decade of Chasing the Dream - Part 1

At the age of eighteen, Josh Strang left his native Australia and moved to the United States to pursue his dream of racing dirt bikes. Ten years later, Strang is still racing offroad in the U.S. at the highest level as a member of the Factory Husqvarna offroad team. In part one of this three-part series, Josh reflects on his childhood growing up in Australia around dirt bikes, his move overseas, and the difficulties of establishing his racing career in a foreign country.

Red Bull 2-stroke Shoot Out?

Ken Roczen – 2-stroke Shoot Out

Have to love the attitude of Ken Roczen in his quest to be a little different. Check out his latest social media topic. Social media isn’t something that would make you sign a rider, results do that, but how cool is it that this guy puts so much effort into letting his fans know what is going on

"Red Bull and I are bringing back the best part of the 90’s by hosting the Two Stroke Shootout at Red Bull Straight Rhythm. Lets see what 250 two strokes these guys can pull together for the event! I know @Crtwotwo is ready. @uncleronnie69 never says no to anything or anyone! @RyanVillopoto you gonna show these guys you still got it? I know you have a two stroke sitting in the garage. @therealjs7 you there, bring out the 259 Kawi and break the internet! @adamcianciarulo have Mitch build you a KX250 and mix it up bud! Who else is gonna show @Kdub_14 @nickwey27? | #StraightRhythm #ChadvsJames #45secondsoffun"

Webb Wins Reno!

Cody Webb takes the win at Reno Endurocross

 

Photo credit: Adam Booth

KTM's Cody Webb has won the second round of the 2017 EnduroCross Championship from Reno, Nevada. Kyle Redmond took the runner-up spot, while 2016 Endurocross Champion, Colton Haaker secured third.

The final was a very crash-heavy affair with eventual winner, Cody Webb coming off his machine twice and third placed Haaker also coming to grief multiple times but able to recover to grab the final podium spot.

After several rounds of qualifying put the top thirteen Super EnduroCross riders into the gate pick qualifier, Webb took the win after passing RPM KTM’s Ty Tremaine. Haaker also made a last lap pass on Tremaine to take second. 

The bracket race groups the top 12 riders into single lap head to head battles until the final two riders face off. Webb and Haaker worked their way through the brackets to face off in the final for a single bonus point. The two riders leaned hard on each other going to the first turn and Webb used the inside line to his advantage and Haaker ended up hitting the dirt, which allowed Webb to take the win. 

When the gate dropped for the main event, Redmond took the holeshot coming out of the first turn but was quickly passed by Haaker through the first series of obstacles but then Haaker crashed in the second turn. Webb was knocked around a bit on the first lap and then crashed at the end of the wood pit, putting him further back in fifth, just ahead of Haaker.

On lap three, Webb turned into the No Joke Lane and Haaker ran into the back of him taking both riders down. They both completed the required pass through the No Joke Lane anyway and dropping back to fifth and seventh respectively.

Photo credit: Adam Booth

Meanwhile, Redmond rode a steady race out front while Webb and Haaker sliced their way back through the field. Webb caught and passed Redmond for the lead on lap nine of fourteen. Redmond lost a little more time on lap thirteen when he made the mandatory pass through the No Joke Lane. This allowed Webb to take his first win of the season with a perfect night, winning the qualifier race, bracket race and main event.

Haaker crashed at least two more time but still worked his way up to third, just a few seconds back from Redmond.

SRT backed Trystan Hart put in another solid ride to finish fourth on his Husqvarna. Noah Kepple rode at the front of the pack for the entire main and finished fifth on his GasGas. Tremaine, who lives in nearby Gardnerville, showed a lot of speed during the night but a few crashes pushed him back to sixth on his RPM KTM.

Geoff Aaron rode a steady main event to finish seventh on his GasGas. Mason Ottersberg rode a Yamaha to his best ever EnduroCross finish of eighth. Beta’s Ty Cullins finished ninth and Spain’s Joan Pau Segura round out the top ten on his GasGas.

“It was a long race so it gave me a long time to recover from a couple of mistakes," told Webb. "The track was really fun tonight and made for some great racing. There were multiple lines in a lot of spots. So, it was great to get the win. I have to thank KTM and my mechanic Robbie, my bike was awesome tonight.”

“Yeah, I got a really good start from the outside gate," told Redmond. "I was out front and I just tried putting in consistent laps but then Cody caught up me and Colton passed me but then crashed. So, second is good. I have not led a race like that for a while so I am happy.”

Photo credit: Adam Booth

“The track was fast and nothing too difficult but things came out of nowhere on you," exclaimed Haaker. "The first crash was my fault on the first lap. You couldn’t tell if somebody was going to turn into the Joker Lane and I plowed two people there and went over the bars. I think I crashed at least five times so it was good to get back up to the podium."

Photo credit: Adam Booth

2017 Reno AMA EnduroCross main event results

1. Cody Webb, KTM
2. Kyle Redmond, Husqvarna
3. Colton Haaker, Husqvarna
4. Trystan Hart, Husqvarna
5. Noah Kepple, GasGas
6. Ty Tremaine, KTM
7. Geoff Aaron, GasGas
8. Mason Ottersberg, Yamaha
9. Ty Cullins, Beta
10. Joan Pau Segura, GasGas

Where Will Barcia Land?

Barcia for Europe?

As he always does, Eric Johnson continues to get the interviews that make stories. His recent interview on RacerXonline (here), he asks Justin Barcia about racing in Europe.

Any thoughts on what might happen for you after the Monster Energy Cup? Do you have anything significant in the works or is it maybe too early to tell right now?

Yeah, it’s tough right now. I can definitely race in Europe. I already have a couple of, I wouldn’t quite say offers, but I have some things in the works. I have a couple of teams I’ve been talking to in Europe. It’s hard right now because I really want to ride for a factory team, but there are no factory rides in Europe or America right now. I’ve just kind of been talking with some teams. If it came down to it, I could probably do it myself. You know if I need to put my money in, then that’s what I’m going to do to go racing. That’s just what I’ve got to do right now. That’s how it worked out. I’ve had a tough couple years and I’ve just kind of got to restart and build back up. I think that will give me the confidence in knowing that I did it myself. I just have to get out there and pretty much get my own thing going. The sport is tough right now, for sure. There is not a lot of money out there, there are not a lot of teams. It’s very unique. Will I be racing in 2018? Yes, I’ll be racing, for sure. I’m not 100 percent sure what I’ll be doing right now. You never know what can happen in a season, if a guy gets injured or something and has to miss some races, I could do a fill-in thing. There are a few rides out there that I could do, but I’m just kind of keeping the door open and seeing what’s going to happen. Worse comes to worse, I think I can do it on my own for a little while and be in it for the fight. I know I’m still fast enough and if I stay healthy and get me training right, which I haven’t been able to do with the injuries the past few years, and if I can get a good bike, I’ll be good, for sure.

Sipes Wins GNCC

Ryan Sipes Wins First Career GNCC at Mountaineer Run

 

MASONTOWN, W.Va. - The 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, spent the weekend at Marvin's Mountain Top in Masontown, West Virginia, for the sixth annual Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mountaineer Run GNCC.

Ricky Russell jumped out to the early lead on his N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha-backed machine once the green flag waved and earned the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Pro Holeshot Award. Mason Atherton was in tow, but as they entered the woods Coastal Racing/Husqvarna's Ryan Sipes led the way onto the dusty 12-mile course.

After dicing it out in the woods and settling into a pace, Sipes maintained the lead as they emerged in the first open field section with FMF/KTM Factory Racing's Kailub Russell sitting 30 seconds behind him. As the opening lap came to a close it was Sipes, K Russell and JCR Honda's Trevor Bollinger sitting in podium contention.

Ricky Russell earned the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award in addition to finishing third overall. Ken Hill

Sipes continued charging and as they completed the second lap, he sat over a minute ahead of K Russell who was accompanied by Bollinger who was on his rear wheel. Bollinger secured the second-place position on the next lap right before the FMF PowerPoint rock garden, but K Russell quickly worked his way back by him.

All eyes were on K Russell and Bollinger who had cut the gap on Sipes to only 30 seconds as they set out on lap four of the seven-lap race. Sipes' struggled through a pit stop where his quick fill gas can malfunctioned, followed by a machine that wouldn't fire back up, but even with the added time he kept a comfortable gap over K Russell.

Ryan Sipes lead every lap from start to finish, winning his first-ever GNCC in a commanding fashion. Ken Hill

At the mid-way point of the race, a change-up occurred for the final podium position where Bollinger fell back to fifth and R Russell and SRT/KTM's Stu Baylor moved to third and fourth.

Sipes still had command of the lead once the two-lap card came out, while K Russell tipped over just before checking in timing and scoring. K Russell quickly remounted his bike, but the gap remained the same as the white flag came out.

Kailub Russell remains on the hunt for his fifth consecutive GNCC championship after finishing second overall. Ken Hill

Sipes continued his dominance on the last lap, while R Russell began closing the gap on K Russell. Sipes raced his way to the checkered flag 33 seconds ahead of K Russell, earning his first ever overall win. R Russell cut the gap to only five seconds by the time he crossed the finish line in third.

S Baylor was accredited fifth overall, while Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/Husqvarna's Grant Baylor and Bollinger finished sixth and seventh.

When it was time for the second line to take off, Coastal Racing/Husqvarna's Layne Michael earned the $100 Hot Cams XC2 Holeshot Award. Michael lead the first two laps of the race, until N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Josh Toth took over the lead. Toth stayed consistent in the lead until the finish, where he was awarded with the No. 1 plate for the XC2 250 Pro class championship. Coastal Racing/Husqvarna's Craig Delong followed in second, while Michael followed his teammate in third.

Overall Podium: (2) Kailub Russell, (1) Ryan Sipes, (3) Ricky Russell. Ken Hill

N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha's Paul Whibley snagged the $100 Wiseco FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class holeshot, but Jason Thomas was able to get in the early lead and maintain the front position until the checkered flag flew. Whibley and Coastal Racing/Husqvarna's Jack Edmondson rounded out the class podium. Thomas' win vaulted him to the top of the points standings where he was presented with the National Championship.

Alex Teagarden secured top amateur honors with 18th overall, while Cole Mattison and Hunter Bush filled the rest of the amateur podium in the 1 p.m. pro race.

Jason Thomas wrapped up the inaugural FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class championship at the Mountaineer Run GNCC. Ken Hill

The WXC ladies topped the 10 a.m. overall podium, where Fly Racing/Maxxis/Seat Concepts/KTM's Becca Sheets claimed her second win of the season. Bonanza Plumbing/Trail Jester KTM"s Mackenzie tricker followed in second, while The Motorcycle Shop/Kenda/Bell/V3 Off-Road's Brooke Cosner rounded out the podium in third. Randall Ervin was awarded the Overall Amateur award after his 125 B/C class win and tenth overall.

After a hard fought battle, MXTire.com/Cernics Racing/Sidi-backed Ryder LeBlond grabbed his first-ever youth overall win over Shawn Myers and Tely Energy's Peyton Whipkey.

The 1 p.m. pro bike race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as archived video online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page. A highlight show featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network on Sunday, November 11 at 6:30 p.m.

The 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series travels to St. Clairsville, Ohio in two weeks, October 7 and 8, with the Polaris Ace Powerline Park GNCC.

Round 11 – Mountaineer Run - Masontown, WV

XC1

OVERALL FINISH	RIDER	BIKE
1st	Ryan Sipes	Husqvarna
2nd	Kailub Russell	KTM
3rd	Ricky Russell	Yamaha
4th	Stewart Baylor	KTM
5th	Grant Baylor	Husqvarna
6th	Trevor Bollinger	Honda
7th	Russell Bobbitt	KTM
8th	Mason Atherton	Husqvarna
9th	Chris Back	KTM
10th	Josh Strang	Husqvarna

Electric MX ?

The Future Of Motocross May Well Include E-Bikes, But The Future Is Not Now

Photo: AltaMotors.com

E-bikes are an expensive, quickly evolving technology from which the industry can profit. And this is starting to seem reminiscent of when two strokes were killed off by four strokes.

That, funnily enough, is probably the biggest danger electric bikes like the Alta Redshift pose to the sport of motocross. If the inclusion of e-bikes in racing is not handled with delicate care, it could spell the end of significantly cheaper combustion bikes and result in a further decline of bike sales and rider participation.

For years, motocrossers have heard that electric bikes are the future. Most riders know intuitively that it's true, due to the very nature of racing. Every racer who has been around for more than a few months has their own story of an angry neighborhood association taking out the friendly local motocross track. Typically, the main complaint cited is the supposed noise nuisance.

To racers, the sound of a powerful motor is as pleasant as listening to a Mozart symphony. Hearing the roar of 40 bikes on the starting line fills them with joy, excitement, and the racing spirit. But it is rare that the new housing development next door shares that opinion.

Electric motors are supposed to be the solution but are often met with mixed feelings from riders. The smell of race fuel and exhaust, the sound of a high-revving engine, the vibration of a powerful 450 -- these are all huge sensory components to the allure of racing.



Bike reviewers and magazine writers often celebrate the electric bikes unilaterally, praising the manufacturers for their torque, and curiously omitting any remotely negative points. For a group of people that can find the faults in a factory bike, this is a particularly suspicious phenomenon.

No doubt the reviewers have the best interest of the sport at heart when they talk up the e-bike, but it is potentially a short-sighted measure. When people ride the bike for themselves or buy one for themselves, they will overcome the thrill of instant torque, begin to notice the flaws, and might be turned off by the machines altogether. A healthy dose of reality would be wise to include with the electric bikes.

Let's start with the main problem: An e-bike cannot finish a moto right now. At best a pro rider might be able to finish a supercross race, but that's no guarantee. And that's with a bike that is an additional 20 to 40 pounds heavier than the competition, depending on how close they want to cut it with the battery life.

Battery capacity is the main limiting factor for electric vehicles as a general rule, from the Tesla to the Alta. Lithium-ion batteries have opened up a massive door for electric vehicles, as their energy-to-weight ratio is drastically better than old lead-acid batteries. And with modern production techniques, they are becoming relatively affordable and pretty much ubiquitous for anything battery-powered in the modern world.

But could they last a 35-minute moto at pro-level power output? Unfortunately, the technology is not there yet. Without having a bike that weighs as much as a MotoGP machine, it just isn't going to happen until some substantial progress is made.

That might sound like a pretty small feat, as progress is made daily in the fast-paced, hi-tech world of today. But batteries are really pushing the limits of our ability to improve on them, and it's not likely that they'll be able to squeeze twice as much energy into a LiPo without making enormous sacrifice on safety, reliability, and, of course, cost.

Safety is a huge issue for a sport like motocross. Motocross bikes take a beating that no other racing machine in the world can handle. Even rally cars and trophy trucks would crumple up into a ball if you tried to hit a 70-foot triple and a set of fourth-gear stadium whoops. Rarely can a MotoGP rider remount his bike after cartwheeling it down the track, but that's a regular occurrence at the motocross park.

Racers are often baffled at how certain parts are broken during the course of a race. Physics-defying rocks can crack what were supposed to be solid metal components. It's really impossible to know if a new part is capable of lasting through moto after moto of rigorous abuse, unless it has actually been through those real-world stressors.

And that's not to mention what happens to a bike during a crash. Experienced racers have all seen crashes result in broken subframes, punctured engine cases, flattened exhaust pipes, cracked frames, and everything else under the sun.



Needless to say, it would be a very unfortunate outcome if a lithium battery pack was punctured on a $15,000 motorcycle. Aside from the risk of becoming engulfed in the flames emanating from between the legs, the fire would be almost impossible to put out, and if the other cells caught on fire it would mean the end of that fancy machine at best.

Even if a bike didn't succumb to fire, there are other glaring issues with electric bikes. First, servicing a battery pack or motor is going to be impossible. There is no chance that a manufacturer will open themselves up to that liability, if it's even possible to fix. Which means, the only alternative is to purchase an extraordinarily expensive additional battery pack to swap out. In fact, if racing is the goal for an electric motocrosser, at least one or two additional batteries would likely be requisite to keep on hand.

There is little information on what the battery costs, but considering it is a proprietary, high-capacity battery with cutting edge technology involved, one may assume it is probably very expensive. Somewhere in the realm of $4,000-5,000 would not be surprising for a retail price.

With lithium-ion batteries, there are a number of factors that can affect the lifespan and health of a battery. Vehicles like the Alta will have computer protection systems in place to manage the battery, but as with any electronic system it can fail. Batteries are to be kept at 50 percent when in storage to maximize their lifespan, not held at 100 percent for very long, and never discharged to zero percent (or even close to it). Even under perfect care, given the rigors of motocross, batteries will probably need replacement relatively often.

It is easy to get swept up in the excitement of e-bikes, with charismatic brands like Tesla and Alta working the media up into a frenzy. But the sanctioning bodies involved in motocross need to keep a level head and not make decisions that will adversely affect the participants of the sport.

E-bikes are great, but let's not get carried away.

Idaho Gets New Riding Area

New OHV park opening

September 23, 2017 at 2:30 pm | By KEVIN TREVELLYAN

As a result of safety risks and damage posed by unauthorized riding on private land, eastern Idahoans will soon have a new public space for their off-highway vehicles — complete with maintained trails and educational areas.

An OHV park officially opens to riders Friday at the city-managed Idaho Falls Raceway, 8433 W. Arco Highway. It represents several years of collaboration between the Idaho Falls Trail Machine Association, Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Department and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

The park will have more than 6 miles of trails, both developed and relatively primitive. Much of the space will be accessible to beginner riders, which makes the park a family resource, Idaho Falls Trail Machine Association member Tim Thomas said.

“This is designed to get people out of the vacant lots and ditch banks, and give them an area where they can ride close to Idaho Falls that’s somewhat controlled where they aren’t trespassing or breaking laws,” he said.

Thomas, who spearheaded the project, grew up in eastern Idaho. From age 9 onward he rode through the foothills east of Idaho Falls, but much of that land has since been developed.

Thomas and other association members approached parks department officials in 2014 to repurpose unused land at the Idaho Falls Raceway 7 miles west of the city. He wanted his daughters and granddaughters to enjoy trails similar to the ones he used as a child.

“It was one way to give back. I wanted to give other families the opportunity to experiment how we did,” Thomas said.

Parks department officials saw an opportunity to keep recreationists from generating law enforcement attention riding through canal banks and private property, Director Greg Weitzel said.

The new park is wrapped around the Idaho Falls Raceway’s motocross and stock car tracks. It was built with state parks department grants totaling more than $46,000, as well as coordination between a handful of local, state and federal agencies.

To build the trails, city officials had to secure permission from the U.S. National Guard, which has frontage land near the park. The National Guard then had to gain permission from the Bureau of Land Management to authorize the city’s request due to convoluted property ownership in the area.

Archaeologists also had to sweep the area for Native American and homesteader artifacts.

“It’s been educational for me to hop through these hoops,” Thomas said. “That was a process itself, but it all worked out.”

Association volunteers and parks department employees built a gravel parking lot and 7,200-foot fence around existing raceway tracks. A bathroom and more than 70 signs were added, while litter and other debris was removed.

Meanwhile, more than 500 volunteer hours went into the new trail system, which was created partially from endurance racing ruts dug years ago into the 375-acre Idaho Falls Raceway footprint.

Volunteers used a state parks department trail building machine to cut new paths through the sagebrush, where riders are liable to see badgers, jack rabbits and deer. At certain points Taylor Mountain and the Lemhi Range can be seen peeking over the desert.

The park allows families to ride without making a day trip to a national forest or other public lands, Thomas said.

The main trail loop is accessible to beginners. There’s also more primitive offshoot trails.

“Those are a little more challenging,” Thomas said. “But there’s nothing out there too difficult to navigate. It’s somewhat of a training area to go use an off-road motorcycle or ATV and get acclimated to the terrain and how the machine operates.”

The park will be open from dawn to dusk until snow closes it for the season. Vehicles can’t be wider than 50 inches. No fee is required, though riders must have state OHV stickers and helmets. Riders also will have access to a training site where they can take the official state OHV safety training course.

“There was a lot of people riding where they shouldn’t have been, now there’s a good place for new riders to get the safety training they need,” Weitzel said.

The Idaho Falls Raceway, formerly Noise Park, has made strides in recent years. Idaho Falls Lions Club members gave up their lease on the land in 2013 due to declining membership, at which point city officials, including Weitzel, had a meeting.

“We had a decision to make,” he said. “What do we do? Do we go forward or do we walk away and let the park continue to deteriorate?”

City officials decided to rebuild the motocross and stock car racing tracks. Now, Weitzel said each motocross practice averages more than 60 riders, and there’s eight to 10 stock car races per year.

“It’s been one of those things — if you build it or invest in it people will come. Now here we are in this third phase; I think there’s been a huge turnaround. It’s been good for our community and economy,” Weitzel said, emphasizing the work of volunteers and funding partners.

There’s plenty of open land still available at the Idaho Falls Raceway. Depending on ridership and stewardship of the initial trails, more could eventually be on the way.

“We’re talking about that. We’ll keep a close eye on how this goes,” Weitzel said. “People should be safe and follow the rules. We’ll probably continue to see improvements out there as long as people continue to take good care of it.”

Endurocross Round 2 ...Reno

Round two of the two-wheel mayhem known as Endurocross. Live 10:30 ET/ 7:30 PT from the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center in Reno, Nevada 2016 Super Enduro World Champion and current reigning AMA Endurocross champion California’s Colton Haaker leads an impressive lineup of riders including two-time Endurocross champion Cody Webb, multi-time trials champion Geoff Aaron and three-time Endurocross junior champion Ty Tremaine to name only a few of the off-road stars on hand.