DANNY LAPORTE: WORLDWIDE OPEN Always following his heart, never having the desire to repeat accomplishments, constantly looking for new, seemingly impossible challenges…few racing careers compare to the epic moto journey of Danny Laporte. Danny is and will always be part of our FMF family. Take a dive into the life of one of the most interesting personalities ever to race on two wheels. Video courtesy of FMF Racing - Uncle Donnie's Flying Machine Stories  

September 20, 2017 Motor Sports Newswire PICKERINGTON, OH – September 20, 2017 – (Motor Sports Newswire) –  The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the professional competition numbers for pro-licensed riders competing in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship for the 2018 season. All riders use the assigned professional number for competition. In addition, the current champion runs the No. 1 plate instead of an assigned professional number when competing in the class or region in which the No. 1 plate was earned. When competing in a class other than the class where the championship was earned, the rider must use the assigned professional number. 2018 Top 100 and Career Pro Numbers for AMA Supercross and Motocross * Career Numbers ** New Career Number for 2018     About the American Motorcyclist Association Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today. Source: American Motorcyclist Association

At a ready-to-ride weight (all fluids) right at 330lbs., my 2017 KTM 690 Enduro R is at the max. weight capacity of the Fly Racing Lift Stand. It's simply too heavy for me to lift onto a fixed position stand, so I took my chances. Outside of its lifting capacity meeting my needs, the key feature that made me want this stand was the damper shock that eliminates your bike coming down with a crash landing and the jack pedal snapping upward like a catapult.   Out of the Box The Fly Racing Lift Stand requires some assembly, but just a few nuts & bolts with basic hand tools and a few minutes of your time. No instructions are included, but honestly, they are not necessary. You'll also need a 3mm Allen to lock the adjuster shaft into place that is not included, but I don't know a self respecting dirt bike owner who doesn't own a set of Allen wrenches.   Fit & Finish While the stand isn't blow-you-away well made, for just under a hundred bucks retail, there is nothing to complain about. The welds appear strong, the body finish is powder coated, and the thick rubber top is held on with countersunk wide-head rivets. The jack pedal hardware is substantial, using nylon locking nuts, and its foot pedal pad is covered with stick-on, slip-free grip tape. The rubber feet are pre-installed and look burly.   Function Once assembled, you'll need to adjust the height of the lift pad for your bike's stature. It's adjustable from 10" to 14", listed as fitting "most" dirt bikes, including my somewhat lower 690 Enduro R.  To set the lift height, simply loosen the threaded shaft set screw and rotate the top counter clockwise to the desired height. The top measures 11" X 6.5" and can be locked into whatever orientation suites your application. I do wish that the lift pad footprint was a couple of inches wider so that it made full contact with the entire width of my skid plate. The Fly Racing Lift Stand lifts my portly dual sport without having to jump up & down on the jack pedal and letting the bike down doesn't require a whole lot of force either. As a frame of reference, I live in Florida, we wear flip-flops much of year, and I can operate this lift stand wearing them. In terms of the damper shock, it does a good job of not letting the bike come crashing down. Yes, it's faster/less controlled than say, a car coming down from a hydraulic lift, but I think it works as intended and it met my expectations. In the up position, the rubber footed base is rock-solid on the shop floor, but there is a little play in the threaded shaft assembly. So, the bike doesn't sit quite as securely as on a good fixed stand. Tighter shaft thread tolerances would be appreciated. However, I managed to get a a little "wow" in my front wheel and the bike sat on the Fly Racing Lift Stand with the front wheel removed for a few days without issue. Proof's in the puddin'; the bike didn't hit the floor, including when working on it, so the little bit of play in the shaft assembly hasn't been a material issue.   Bryan's Bottom-line My goal was a lift stand for the shop that allowed me to get the big girl's feet off the floor for various maintenance & repair tasks and the Fly Racing Lift Stand has done what I've asked without issue or complaint. And considering that I'm maxing out its lifting capacity, not too shabby.

STACYC, the innovator of the 12” &16” eDrive Electric Balance Bikes is ready to launch it’s Rider Creation Program to dealers in the US. The brand has successfully tested the market for this amazing new product by selling direct to the consumer since Christmas. The response from STACYC riders and their parents has proven that the “idea” was more than just one dads quest to build the ultimate training tool for his two year old son, it’s a movement that will change the way kids learn to ride their first bicycle or motorcycle. STACYC has been able to help parents Share the Love of Riding with their kids earlier and safer than ever before. “We’ve engineered an electric balance bike that has redefined the process of getting kids Proficient on two wheels. The days of adding training wheels to a mini-moto or bicycle for the 2 – 5 year old are over. Our new bikes will engage kids in riding more often. The STACYC can be ridden in the backyard, the cul-de-sac or in the dirt anywhere they would ride a pedal bike. Waiting for the weekend for dad to get off work and take them to the off road park is not necessary any longer. Our vision is to help develop young riders earlier and safer than ever before. The seat time possible on a STACYC is the key. With hours of riding each week, kids begin to challenge themselves often and improve their riding almost instinctually. The skills they learn on their STACYC translate directly to bicycle and motorcycle riding, in turn giving them more confidence in their riding and better chance at pursuing a lifelong, lifestyle on two wheels.” – Ryan Ragland Co-Founder & CTO Checkout the video: https://vimeo.com/223400194 Mike Dettmers, Director of Sales, STACYC, Inc.: "At STACYC we believe that we can help combat the trend that seems to be the hot topic industry-wide. The lack of new blood coming into both the motorcycle and bike industry is not something to take lightly. At STACYC we are a group of parents that are dedicated and passionate about bringing the two-wheeled lifestyle to our kids and others around the nation. Our goal is to bring these new riders and their parents into their local bike and motorcycle dealerships so that they can become part of a community that supports their new passion for riding.“ The first dealers creating new riders in their local community are – Malcom Smith Motorsports – Riverside, CA Berts Mega Mall – Covina, CA Escondido Cycle Center - Escondido, CA Incycle Bicycles – 4 locations in Southern CA AD Farrow Co. Harley Davidson – Columbus, OH WMR Competition Performance – Stuart, FL PH Extreme – Miami, FL Cycle Barn – Marysville, WA Innovation Cycles – Derby, KS     For more information about STACYC visit our website and social media channels www.stacyc.com and @ridestacyc on Instagram and Facebook.   For Dealer Inquiries reach out to miked@stacyc.com 

Last year during the Red Bull Straight Rhythm, Alta Motors unveiled their Redshift motocross bike proving to critics the electric bike is no longer a novelty.  Recently, I had the opportunity to test ride the Redshift bike and tour Alta Motors.  I was blown away by the power of the bike and thought if someone replaced my gas powered bike (KTM350SX) with the Redshift I would not miss a beat.  The Redshift is comparable to any modern gas powered 250cc four stroke motorcycle, minus the noise pollution and emission of exhaust, but this article is not about the breakdown or the technical aspects of the bike.   There are quite a few articles out there that already do an exceptional job of reviewing the Redshift, you can find the information at www.altamotors.com.  Having a competitive Electric Motorcycle that offers comparable or superior performance to a gas powered machine can open new opportunities to the Motocross world and ultimately expand the industry, key word expand not replace.  Electric motorcycles are the future, opening doors to new riding areas and attracting a fresh generation of enthusiasts. Ripping in the city, causing no disruption. As city populations grow, riding areas and racing facilities continue to decline. Racing facilities are coming under fire for noise pollution, and in some cases are pressured to close or relocate to a further distance.  This problem began with 2 Stroke motors but 4 Stroke motors have significantly amplified the issue.  Electric bikes are not completely silent, but they are quiet enough to ride in highly populated areas without disturbing neighbors.  Anyone with land can have their own track, it doesn't matter if it's next to a library, the bikes does not cause noise disruptions.  With quiet motors and no exhaust, indoor riding facilities become a possibility.  Earplugs and giant industrial sized fans will no longer be required to make an indoor facility bearable.   Having fun while not bothering anyone. This is not to say electric bikes will not encounter their own challenges, run time was my main concern.  With that said, I hammered the Redshift (as fast as a 42 year old B rider can) on a motocross track for a solid 45 minutes and 18.9 miles before the battery was done.  It takes 2.5 hours to recharge, so if I had plugged the motorcycle in during my water break (about 30 min) I could have added approximately a quarter of charge back to the bike.  If I had charged the motorcycle it would have outlasted my fitness.  Alta Motors explained the bike would decrease power as the battery ran down, but I hardly noticed the difference.  The Redshift is the first generation of Alta Motors and motorcycle performance, and battery life will only improve from here.  With simple updates to your motorcycle’s software Alta motorcycle owners are constantly receiving the latest upgraded technology.  Rather than rebuilding your ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) motor, you can install an update. A look inside the Redshift motor I often ask people at motorcycle dealerships their opinion of electric and I receive instant resistance that is eerily similar to the past when motorcycles changed from 2 Stroke to 4 Stroke.  I remember the first 4 Stroke motorcycle I owned, it was a 2001 YZ426 and after 4 months I decided I was done with Motocross.  It was hard to start, it flamed out and handled like a bread truck. As gearheads we sometimes struggle with accepting change. For example, how much attention does any 2 Stroke event receive these days?  In 2004 after a few years of not riding, I was convinced to try a Honda CRF450 and to my surprise it started easy, had trackable power and handled like a motorcycle. I was back riding and hooked on motocross again!  If electric follows a similar development curve, bikes in the next few years are going to rapidly improve as the starting point is further developed than 4 Stroke motorcycles were in 2001.  Electric motors are simple and leave opportunities for manufacturers to create a plethora of bikes to suit all rider’s needs and budgets.   The guys hard at work in the assembly line.   Today's kids are not riding motorcycles because they have iPads, Drones, Xbox and many other electronics to compete for their attention. If electric motorcycles create more urban riding areas and motorcycles with less bike maintenance, electric has potential to grab hold of the next generation.  My kids enjoy riding but don’t like the extremely loud sounds of 4 Stroke motorcycles and the 1-2 hour commute to our nearest track.  They would rather commute 10 minutes to the nearest BMX or skate park.  Imagine if parks could convert into an electric motocross track, far more kids would try motocross.  We need to involve younger kids in the sport we love or risk losing it.  I would love to see motorcross as a high school sport. Electric motorcycles will not take over all aspects of motocross, the electric motorcycle’s battery life may not be suited for sand tracks or long rides for quite some time.  There is definitely room for both electric and gas motors to coexist.  Motocross riders, myself included typically have more than one bike.  I would love to ride an electric track in town during the week and then hit the Sand Dunes on the weekend with an ICE bike.  Both can exist and compliment the industry and lifestyle. I got the guys to smile for a pic, then right back to work. I am a gear-head at heart and love the smell of burnt 2 Stroke oil, the vibration of an ICE motor and the sound of a full gate of motorcycles wide open waiting for the gate to drop.  These sounds and smells will never be replaced for me because they invoke memories that make up my entire life.  While electric bikes do not offer the sound or smell stimulations as and ICE bike they will open up new opportunities.  Have you ever wondered what Supercross riders say to each other after a dirty block pass?  With Electric bikes there is a good chance you will hear the conversation.  Will the electric generation of racers use trash talk?  No more need for pit boards, just yell!  The same joy I receive from the smell of 2 Stroke oil or hearing a bike roar will be what the electric generation receives from a buzzing sound similar to an RC car along with the sound of tires spinning.  Yes, I said the sound of the tires on the dirt.  About 5 minutes into my Redshift ride I stopped and checked to see if I had a flat.  Chad at Alta Motors erupted into laughter as almost everyone who rides the bike assumes the same.  Dirt Bike tires make a lot of noise, but the motorcycle usually drowns out the sound.  Hearing your tires might lead to advancements in tire performance, who knows? Chad from Alta showing his Endurocross prowess.   The team at Alta Motors received homologation for FIM North America competition in the 250 class.  This unlocks Canada and propels them halfway closer to AMA Supercross, where they really want to race.  They have big plans this offseason.  Alta Motors is returning to Red Bull Straight Rhythm and including additional European Supercross events.  While racing with gas bikes proves they are not a novelty, attention should be focused on an electric only event too.  If the Electric bike is as fast as or faster than an ICE motorcycle the sport could expand to unthinkable territory.   All the major manufacturers have purchased Alta Redshift motorcycles to study and dissect.  They see the future and it’s ELECTRIC! Another shot of Chad.   Here are some other articles and podcasts out there with information about the Alta Redshift: https://www.altamotors.co/redshiftmx#redshift-mx https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rocky-mountain-atv-mc-keefer-tested-podcast/id1245516386?mt=2&i=1000391436611 http://www.cycleworld.com/alta-motors-redshift-mx-electric-motocross-bike-full-test-review#page-3 http://motocross.transworld.net/videos/first-impression-2017-alta-redshift-mx/#eiydtZMiphJBuSgs.97