Senator Aims to Fix Red Sticker OHV Regs

KTM CEO and MIC Vice Chair John Hinz with state Senator Brian Jones at KTM North America headquarters in Murrieta, California.

California State Senator Brian Jones, a longtime motorcycle advocate and rider himself, recently visited KTM North America headquarters to talk about the powersports business and fixing the red sticker registration rules that could jeopardize the use of competition OHVs on public lands across much of the West Coast.

“On behalf of the motorcycle industry, we were honored to have Senator Jones visit our facility to discuss the importance of critical issues facing motorcycle dealers and our industry in the state of California,” said John Hinz, CEO of KTM North America, Inc., and MIC vice chair. “In particular, the senator has led California in finding a resolution to the red sticker competition motorcycle registration issue through his sponsored bill SB-708, and has our support to pass this legislation in 2024.”

Authored by the senator, SB-708 would create “sanctioned event permits”—starting on January 1, 2025—that would allow California residents to operate competition OHVs at sanctioned events. The new event permit will help facility staff and law enforcement to quickly identify such vehicles at these sanctioned events held on public lands. SB-708 would also restore funds historically slated for important conservation and law enforcement efforts that were lost with the termination of the Red Sticker Program.

Last year, the Motorcycle Industry Council called on all powersports companies to add their names, on their letterhead, to an MIC-drafted letter in support of legislation to allow continued use of competition-model OHVs on public lands in California.

“Without the passage of California Senate Bill 708 in the state assembly, the use of competition OHVs on public land in the state will be in jeopardy,” said Scott Schloegel, senior vice president at the MIC Government Relations Office. “We’re facing this threat because the state’s Red Sticker Program for competition OHVs was terminated by the California Air Resources Board in 2021. We’ve been able to send dozens of letters from across the powersports industry to the committee to try to advance the senator’s important legislation and keep access open for these popular competition machines.”

Bogle on Racing the Stark Varg

Jonathan McCready talks to Justin Bogle at the Belfast Arenacross about riding the electric Stark Varg and how it feels compared to a four stroke doing Arenacross. We also talk about Justin's career, Jett Lawrence and Jeremy McGrath!

Max Vohland injured...Out For San Diego

Today, some photos surfaced of Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Max Vohland after a crash, lying down and not looking well. Vohland, who was gearing up for the San Diego Supercross this weekend, experienced a significant crash during testing. According to Steve Matthes, Vohland injured his hip in the incident. Unfortunately, it appears that Max Vohland’s season could be cut short after just two rounds of the AMA Supercross Season.

Mosiman Previews San Diego

With San Diego on the horizon KTM has two guys in the 450 top ten (Sexton &  Plessinger). Yamaha has two guys in the top ten (Tomac &Webb). Kawasaki has two guys in the top ten (Anderson & Cianciarulo), Honda has two guys in the top ten (Lawrence & Ferrandis). Suzuki has one guy in the top ten (Roczen). GasGas has  one guy in the top ten (Prado and he is returning to Europe after the San Diego Supercross).

Celebrating 50 Years Of Supercross in San Diego

FOX 5's Heather Lake reports from Mission Valley as she speaks to another local, AMA legend, Broc Glover. Glover won at San Diego back 40 years ago, and his knowledge of the sport is just breathtaking. A really cool interview with a really cool guy.

2024 DAKAR RALLY, STAGE 11

2024 Dakar... Brabec and Honda can see the finish line!

Ricky Brabec took a huge step toward winning his second Dakar Rally today. He finished in second place, 32 seconds behind Ross Branch, his chief rival for the overall victory tomorrow. He opened the trail all day, which usually puts a rider at risk for navigation errors and massive time losses, particularly on a long, difficult stage such as today’s. Brabec stayed on track, though, and captured 5 min 45 secs in time bonuses. Overall, the gap between Brabec and Branch remains at over 10 minutes. Adrian Van Beveren is in third, some 14 minutes behind. Brabec will start behind Branch on the final stage tomorrow, allowing the American rider to follow rather than lead.

Stage 11 was a 420 km long stretch through canyons and dry rivers, taking the competitors from AlUla to the final bivouac in Yanbu. The terrain was mostly rugged, with rocks and stones lining up the entire length of the special. On the final day of Dakar 2024, the race will take the competitors on a shorter 175 km long special, devoid of major difficulties.

Ross Branch: “It was a really cool stage today. I had a lot of fun right from the start until the finish. I really enjoyed myself out there – the bike was going amazing, and I made no mistakes today – which is quite important to stay calm in the race. The leader of the race has a significant lead over me, but I’m really happy with where I am at the moment, and I’m looking forward to the last day tomorrow.”

Ricky Brabec: “It’s close. I opened the whole day by myself and I was expecting my team-mate Nacho to catch me, but unfortunately he had a little issue. Then I was waiting for my team-mate Adrien for him to grab some bonus time. I know Ross is pushing hard today and I don’t know what the results are so far from the stage, but I have a feeling that it’s going to be me, Adrien and Ross as the top 3 tomorrow. We’ll see what happens, but there’s still one stage to go. I would say it was my best ride of the rally. On the last 100 km, I went really slowly just to get here and wait for my team-mate, but I made no mistakes today. I put my head down and I got to the finish. The first goal on the Dakar is always to make it to the rest day. Obviously, you have to make it day by day, so the first goal is essentially to make it day by day, but after you make it through the first day, you say I want to make it through the second day and then you want to make it to the rest day. Once you make it to the rest day your next goal is to make it to the finish. If you finish the Dakar, that’s a win. It’s gnarly, the Dakar’s not easy, especially for the bikes because we’re up at three in the morning and we’re riding all morning, we’re riding all day and we’re getting back to the bivouac late. But finishing the Dakar is a win in my book and if you can win the Dakar it’s legendary. We’ll go back to the bivouac, we’ll talk to the team and we’ll push on for tomorrow.”

Jacob Argubright: “Stage 11 was a fun one with lots of rocks and tough terrain. Pretty smooth day finishing P14 but with another penalty putting me back to P21. Guess it’s year of the penalty and mishaps for me but all great learning experiences. I’m healthy and ready for the final stage tomorrow!”

Stage 10 and 11 - 2024 Dakar Highlights

Ricky Brabec cements his lead in the overall standings as the final day of the 2024 Dakar Rally awaits for the Monster Energy Honda Team riders.

LEGENDS AND HEROES TO HONOR DAVE ARNOLD AT SAN DIEGO SUPERCROSS

Dave and Marty Smith celebrating a win!

Legends and Heroes, along with their spokesman Broc Glover, is proud to announce that they will honor Dave Arnold at the San Diego Supercross on January 20th., 2024.

For nearly 50 years, Dave has been one of the motorcycle industry icons since beginning his career at Honda in the mid-1970s. Soon after he began at Honda he started working with Marty Smith, who won the ‘74 and ‘75 125cc titles, as well as the ‘77 500 championship. Fast forward 50 years and Dave is still at it, working with Triumph Motorcycles in the development of their new motocross line.

• Dave was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 2021
• Working with Roger De Coster, Dave organized an all-Honda effort comprising riders Donnie Hansen, Danny LaPorte, Johnny O’Mara, and Chuck Sun and scored Team USA’s first win in the Motocross des Nations and Trophee des Nations.
• Dave has a long list of motocross and supercross titles with riders including David Bailey, Rick Johnson, Ron Lechien, Jean-Michel Bayle, Jeff Stanton and Jeremy McGrath.

Parade Lap of Champions to Honor Dave Arnold
Dave Arnold’s contribution to the sport has led to numerous world championships and paved the way for successes enjoyed by every manufacturer today. With the suggestion from Feld Entertainment, Legends and Heroes has invited many of Dave Arnold’s friends and former teammates to join us in this celebration and will be doing a parade lap around the racetrack at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium. The parade lap will feature about 20 past champions of our sport. Riders like Lars Larson, Broc Glover, Tommy Croft, Gary Chaplin, Rex Staton, and Grant Langston to name a few. Four-time National Champion David Bailey, and Monster Energy Supercross announcer Danny Hubbard will handle rider introductions. These past champions will be riding vintage motorcycles in period correct gear.

2024 DAKAR RALLY STAGE 9

 Honda Dominates Dakar

The 2024 Dakar Rally continues to be a Honda dream event with the team’s sixth stage victory today. Teammates Adrien Van Beveren, Ricky Brabec and Pablo Quintanilla went 1-2-3 on the day and now occupy three of the top four spots overall. Ricky Brabec continues to have near perfect rides from day to day, always close to the front but never getting a stage victory and therefore never having to start first. His lead in the overall standings has now grown to 7 minutes, although Hero’s Ross Branch won’t let go of second overall and is the only fly in the Honda ointment.

Ricky Brabec

Ricky Brabec: “Today was possibly one of my only shots to make a big push and try to make a bit bigger gap than forty or fifty seconds so I gave it my all today. I think tomorrow we’re probably going to have to open but if I can clean up I think we’ll be set free. In the 2020 Dakar I pulled a gap early on and this has definitely been the most stressful race of my life because it’s so close. Anyway, with a few more days to go, let’s keep the hopes up and keep charging.”

Jacob Argubright: “Little bit of a bittersweet day for me. Rode really well and finished P15… but I missed my first waypoint ever and the penalty put me back to P23. I still had a really fun day on the bike so I’m going to continue bringing that energy into the last 3 stages!”

Kyle McCoy

Kyle McCoy is the U.S. service veteran who is riding in his third Dakar. Currently, he is running 12th in the Originals By Motul classification, which allows no outside assistance. On social media, he recently posted his account of a harrowing incident on Stage 7: “I came over the crest of a very large dune right as the cars caught up to us in the mid pack. When I came to the bottom of the dune I dropped the bike in the sand. I was in the main line of traffic when this happened (which I normally avoid for this reason) so I rushed to pick it up and get going. Only the bike didn’t start. I ran up the dune as fast as possible on all fours clawing at the sand to mark my position with my helmet right as one of the lead cars was coming at me. Then I ran back down as cars and bikes came through all around me. It took me a while until it was quiet and I realized I couldn’t hear the fuel pump when I pressed the starter. All this happened in a very chaotic,sweaty and loud way. Then a nice French man came on the phone from Paris to my bike and asked if I was okay. I said yes it was mechanical. He then asked “How long will it take you?” What??!!!! I said I had no idea. 5 min later he said it again and then again until I shouted to the nice French guy I needed him to shut up. I said it with more direct language than that :)… he was just doing his job though. I then remembered it’s usually the fuel tank selector (front to rear) when you don’t hear the fuel pump and there’s a bypass created by BAS Dakar that I had on me. I took it apart and plugged it in and voila. I’ve done some stressful things (like all of us) but this was top 5 in my life. The low and high were so extreme I can’t express it in words.”

Tim Gajser TESTING 2025 Honda CRF450RW!

5 X World Champion testing the new HRC CRF