What's Been Happening!

It has been a long time since we posted a blog here on the page. We have been working hard on lots of other things including a ton of video stuff!

We have a live show on our facebook page now every Thursday Morning and our Youtube Channel is growing fast!

Instead of writing something today I am going to add some links to what we have been up to. Please let us know what you think. Either in the comments below or email me directly at morgan@highland-cycles.com

If you think we have earned it, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel by clicking this link here http://bit.ly/2SHy1Fk

Without further Adieu…

Racing!

Steve McQueen is said to have said “Racing is life, everything else is just waiting” or something like that. While I am not that die hard about it, I do believe it is an important part of my life and something that fills my soul. I don’t get to race as much as I would like and I don’t force the issue like I used to but every now and then I MUST get out and compete!

I recently answered that call in California at round 1 of the National Hare and Hound Association’s 2019 series. The Desert MC’s have been putting this race on every year for 52 year. Yeah!! 52 freaking years! To say it is a part of motorcycling history is an understatement. Heck, Steve McQueen himself has raced this race and so have the likes of Malcom Smith, Destry Abbott and Kurt Casselli.

This year would mark my 4th time racing this race. It all started back in 2006 when I decided to get ready for the Baja 1000 by racing my XR650 in the Desert MC’s race. What a colossal mistake that was. If you have ever ridden a Desert MC race, you know that an XR650R is not the best bike for their races!.

I have been trying to get people to go with me to one of these races for years and this was the year finally! I talked two good friends into joining me for some sun, warmth and GNARLY racing.

We headed out from Montrose on Thursday morning at 5 am with the goal of getting all the way to Lucerne that night to set up camp. We hammered down and made it in good time. We got camp set up, passed out in preparation for some play riding the next two days.

The conditions on Friday were perfect!. We were able to get a solid 50+ miles of riding in to check jetting and suspension settings. It was a ripping good day!

After a great day we headed back and relaxed while some more friends were trickling into the pits. The next day was another ride day but we took it a little easier and just got a lay of the land and then hung out in the pits most of the day, saving energy for the beat down to come!

Sunday was race day and I will let this video tell the story!

I finished the day 7th in my class and a respectable overall result but was bummed that I couldn’t repeat my win from last year. I was stoked though that my buddy Jason Lesure who joined me ended up 2nd in our class! Amazing performance for his first ever Hare an Hound

It was a great weekend and restored some of what I needed in my life and all of the rest of us crazy fools who have racing in our blood. If you haven’t ever raced a dirt bike, I cannot recommend it enough. YES, it is dangerous but so is getting fat on the couch and I would rather die twisting a throttle than opening a bottle! Here is Jason and My re cap of the race from our live show we do on Thursday mornings called the Gospel Of Two Wheels!

Thanks so much for checking in and reading this blog. Please subscribe to us on YouTube, it would mean the world to me. Also, click this button below if you want to get an email every time I post a new blog! Have a great day, spread the Gospel Of Two Wheels and go ride your DIRTBIKES!!!!!

Winter Maintenance

The snow is falling and a lot of our riding areas are shut down for at least a little while. What ever are we going to do??

Every year on New Years day, Highland Cycles RIDES!!! This year we rode Peach Valley in about 6 inches of fresh snow! It was AMAZING

Of course if you can’t get out and do that then its a perfect time for some bigger maintenance. Winter is when you need to take apart your bike and really get a good look at everything so you can make sure that when spring rolls around that you have a trouble free season. Here is what we suggest doing while the days are short and the temps are low.

Top end:

You should be replacing the top end (piston and associated parts) every 100 hrs on a two stroke and 150 hrs on a four stroke. Those numbers are based on recreational riders on modern bikes. Of course if you race hard or are on an older machine you might need to do that more often but those are good estimates. The reason it is a great idea to this type of maintenance during the winter is that it gives you a good look at the bottom end of the bike and all the chassis components that you have to take off to get there. Chances are that if you don’t have a brand new bike that you will find more that you need to take care of. Because it is winter that means you won’t be in a big hurry to get it back together and you can take your time to make sure everything is in tip top shape.

Here is an instructional video for a 2 stroke top end that we filmed right here in Highland Cycles. It is on a YZ250 but one of the great things about 2 strokes is that they are basically the same across the board.

We also have a great FREE checklist and instructions for this available here!

Chassis Bearings:

The other big maintenance that we recommend you do during this down time is to clean and grease your chassis bearings. This includes: Swing arm bearings, linkage bearings (if you don’t have a PDS bike), shock bearings, steering head bearings, and wheel bearings. When you do this, you have to pretty much take the entire bike apart and that lets you get up close and personal with all of the bike so you can see if there is anything else you need to tend to. This is great to do in the winter because if some of the bearings are junk and you need to replace them, you won’t be freaking out because the Thursday Night Ride is in a few hours! It is also a pretty big job and messy, so having plenty of time is really nice.

Check out the Gospel of Two Wheels show below where we talk about winter maintenance!

If you do those two things and you address anything you find during them, you should be ready for a trouble free, super duper fun Spring and summer!

Hope this helped and I hope you enjoy all of our stuff. If you do, please share this and subscribe to our Blog.

Have a great winter and we hope you get to ride your DIRTBIKES soon!! If you need some motivation, visit our YouTube Channel below and subscribe to it!!

Our LIVE intervew with Cody Webb

Hey everyone, if you have been following us on our Facebook Page then you know that our live shows have been taking off and we are having a ton of fun. We are starting to get some great interviews with some star athletes and some great product reviews and some amazing joking during the broadcasts. If you haven’t followed us on Facebook yet please do, because that is where we are focusing our efforts right now. If you have, then thank you so much for the support.

Here is our interview with Cody Webb from a few weeks ago. Cody was so great and has some awesome info for us. If you have any questions for Cody, comment on the video in YouTube and we will get the questions to him and answer back.

Thanks for watching. If you like this stuff, comment, like and share. It really helps us out a ton!

Have an awesome day and make sure you get out and ride your

DIRTBIKES

Gospel of Two Wheels #5 OIL!!!

Hey, here is our newest live show that we broadcast on Facebook.  We are calling this show the Gospel of Two Wheels!  If you want to follow us on FB, click here.

This week Morgan went on and on about oil.  He talks about 2 stroke oil, gear oil and 4 stroke motor oil.  He has some pretty strong opinions about this topic that might be counter to what you think.  Take some time to watch this and if you disagree, let us know, yell at us, post it on social media!  We are all about it!

DIRTBIKES!!

Live Shows!

Hey everyone!  How is it going?  We have been crazy busy having fun, fixing DIRTBIKES and now... Shooting live videos at the shop!  That's right, we are going full tilt into live broadcasts, trying to bring you guys good content that is fun to watch and informative.  We have 5 up now and the response has been really good so far.  I haven't been putting out the blog too much because of the time we have been putting into the broadcasts.  Anyway, I figured I would drop a post here with the links to all of the shows so you can catch up if you haven't seen them.  We are doing them all on Facebook Live right now but might include YouTube live in the future.  Here they are!  If you have any suggestions for more shows, please comment below or email me at morgan@highland-cycles.com

Sargents Colorado

Sargents Colorado is hardly a town at all and you’d miss it if you blinked while driving by but you be making a big mistake if you didn’t make a plan to bring your DIRTBIKE and spend a few days in what is becoming a DIRTBIKE mecca!

Sargents boasts a permanent population of 21 hearty souls and is the smallest town in the country with more than one thing on the national historic register.  Both the schoolhouse and water tank made the list.  It is situated at the Western base of Monarch pass and 32 miles East of Gunnison, which isn’t a very big town itself.  Despite being in “the middle of nowhere,” the Tomichi Creek Trading Post has all of the amenities you really need.  

The Trading post is owned by Yon Iaccio who is a hardcore moto enthusiast and he and his staff have done an amazing job renovating and updating the Trading Post.  The restaurant is great (try the western burger, it's awesome) and the bar is well stocked.  They offer 91 octane Ethanol FREE gas at the pump so you don’t have to transport your's long distances if you don’t want to.  The trading post also offers camping and cabins out back.  While being super close to the Highway isn’t a woodsy getaway, it is incredibly convenient and well equipped.  We recently spent 2 nights in a simple pull-through RV spot with our pop up and it was great.  

The single best reason to visit Sargents Colorado with your DIRTBIKE is the riding!  The trails near Sargents are world class and there are tons of them.  You can ride right from town (definitely no police checking for license plates in town) into some of the most beautiful terrain on the planet.  Imagine Taylor Park (which isn’t far away) but before all of the bikes tore it up.  That’s right, there is still dirt in the trails and it is amazing!  You can access the Continental Divide Trail via numerous routes and you can tie into all of the area classics like Taylor and Crested Butte if you have the skill and a credit card to refuel.  

I wouldn’t say that the trails near Sargents are for everyone.  There really isn’t anything easy or beginner level.  It is the deep end of the single track pool and there are some of the gnarliest routes around out there.  If you like a challenge that is set in the most scenic place in the country, you will LOVE Sargents.  Even the most traveled of the trails have some really tough sections. There is almost always some Erzberg-esque giant rock garden separating you from the next intersection and that is exactly why we LOVE the area.  On my most recent trip I brought my boys who are 9 and 11 and ride a KX65 and CR85 respectively and we managed to get a solid 20 miles of riding done so its not all super hard.  There are lots of roads in the area too if you just want to cruise around and do some sight seeing.  The Dual Sport opportunities are endless too.  

As with most of the best riding areas, having a local guide is the best way to see the area but there really aren’t any commercial guides in the area so you’ll need to befriend someone or beg Yon to take you out.  Latitude 40 makes a great map of the area and there are quite a few options on Avenza Maps too.  We love to just get out there and get lost, then find our way back when we get to a new area.  That is part of the adventure right?    

If you have any more questions about a Sargents Adventure, give us a call or shoot us an email and we can get you pointed in the right direction!  Below are some helpful links for you to plan your own adventure!  No matter what you do, make sure you have fun and get out and ride your DIRTBIKES!!!

Reviews, Updates and Blog RSS

Black Hills of South Dakota

Summer is going well and riding has been epic here in the Montrose valley but the lack of winter snow and no rain is causing it to become pretty freaking dusty pretty freaking early.  We had all been talking about our lack of motivation to go breathe dust and then “DING” my Facebook messenger goes off.  I check the notification and see that it's from a friend in Sargents CO.  This dude is a bad man on a motorbike and I have been wanting to ride with him for a long time and I was over the moon to see that he was inviting me to ride.  But there was a hitch, he wants to go to South Dakota??  What?  We live in dirt bike mecca so why travel, especially 11 hours to a state known for flat ground and a ridiculous Harley rally.  

But its THAT guy, and it must be good if he is going to drive that far.  Then there was the issue of getting out of work and leaving the family behind for an extended weekend.  I thought about it for a bit then decided that I should at least ask my amazing wife if it would be ok.  In true 21st century fashion, I texted her the question and then crossed my fingers.  To my surprise, she quickly answered, “Sure, you should do something fun.”  YEAH! I have the best woman on earth.  Now I just have to convince my boss to let me go.  Now, my boss is a hard driving, hard working, jerk of a man but he also understands that some free time is good for the soul.  It also helps that he is ME since I own the shop.  I granted myself the time off and told my buddy that I was IN!  

He quickly responded that the riding is EPIC single track and that I was going to love it.  He also gives me the roster of riders and I realize immediately that I am not going to be one of the fast guys and that I am going to have to bring my A-game to keep these boys in sight.  I was ecstatic!  I love new experiences and I LOVE dirt bikes so this was a match made in heaven.  My friend explained that all I needed was my bike, gear, some clothes and a little bit of cash.  We were staying at the Nemo Guest Ranch in a cabin with a kitchen so we will cook while we are there and can ride right from the front door.  Sounds PERFECT!

We were going to leave Sargents at 4:00 am so I headed over the night before and spent the night with Jeremy in the Single Track Shack.  4 am came… well, at 4 am but I was like a kid on Christmas so I was up and at them right away and we blasted up Monarch pass on the way to pick up Matt in Salida.  After a quick load up we were on the way to the front range to grab the last two Colorado boys in Denver.  From Denver to the Black Hills is a really boring and long drive but it went by fast as we talked about dirt bikes and the rad trails we were going to ride.  A quick stop in Cheyenne for tacos at Taqueria Mi Tierra (go there) and it was on.  The nice thing about a state that is so flat is that you can haul the mail in a van with a trailer full of bikes.  Jeremy made short work of the drive and before we knew it we were in the Black Hills.  

The Black Hills are absolutely beautiful.  Big, rolling “mountains,” covered in trees and deep green grass.  It is like a scene from an old west movie, giant expanses of incredible terrain, dotted with amazing ranches that have been there for a long time.  Our destination was the town of Nemo but we had to go through Custer to get our OHV tags and then Hill City to grab food and dinner.  We rolled into Nemo after dinner time and met the other half of the group.  3 guys from Iowa had driven almost the exact same distance to meet us.  It was like the East/West shootout!  

The Nemo Guest Ranch is an amazing place, nestled in the heart of the Black Hills.  They have a general store, a restaurant, and some really nice cabins.  The best amenity they offer is that it backs up to the National Forest and you can ride right from the cabins to the trails without any kind of street-legal equipment.  We settled in and got a campfire going.  That’s right, while Colorado is burning to the ground, SD has had a real winter and 2 days before we got there, it rained 2.5 inches.  I was the new guy to the group and it was a hoot getting to know everyone and bench racing around the fire.  Finally, it was getting late and early morning dirt bikes were calling so we hit the hay and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of tight single track and epic traction.

The sun comes up early that far north at this time of the year and since the youngest member of the group was 35, we were all up early and ready to rock.  Kickstands were up at 8 and we were headed out!  The initial riding was on a dirt two-track but we quickly turned off of that and up, up, up into the hills.  It amazed me how steep the climbing was for a group of mountains that never get above 7500 feet at their very tallest.  We pinned it through dense forests, open meadows, and jumbled boulder fields in the tightest, most single single track I’ve ever ridden.  Everyone could ride and we all just hung it out.  It was SOOOO much fun!  No one held anyone up and we were all laughing in our helmets about how good the conditions were. 

After 35 or 40 miles of pure bliss, we pulled into the Sugar Shack.  The Sugar Shack is a little outpost in the middle of nowhere on a highway running through the hills and they serve some absolutely amazing burgers and fries.  Every kind of burger you can think about is on the menu and the service is great!  They also have a gas pump so you can fuel your body and your bike at the same time.  

We inhaled the food and topped the bikes off, ready for the second half of the day.  Our leader told us that it was going to get harder and we all began to salivate.  Harder is good and we all wanted as much as we could handle.  The second part of the day did not disappoint.  It was much tighter and rockier than the previous section and everyone on the trip crushed it.  We hammered down and had a blast.  The end of the day was the hardest part of the whole trip and we finished on some really gnarly boulder sections that were jeep trails kind of like the stuff in Dry Creek but a different kind of rock.  We were all tired but the fun meter was still pegged and we all had a blast.  Rolling down the road,  Nemo was a welcome sight.  We rolled up to the cabins and geared down.  After a much-needed shower, we cooked some brats and kicked back in front of the fire again.  The temps were in the 60’s and perfect!  

Another night’s sleep lead to a bit later wake up on Saturday morning.  Even the toughest of us were a bit sore and welcomed the lazy morning.  My job was coffee so I took care of my duty while uncle John made us breakfast again.  Then it was off to the hills.  This day was tougher than that the previous one and left a few of us (me included) trying some hills twice to make it to the top.  Technical hill climbs are my Achilles heel so it was great practice for me.  To top it off, the trees are really close together in the Black Hills so navigating a 45 degree, rock-strewn slope is extra challenging. 

We repeated the Sugar Shack stop and put down some tough miles in the second half of the second day.   We rolled into Nemo fully worn out with perma-grins on all of our faces.  After some relaxing and showers, we loaded up and headed into Deadwood (23 miles away) for dinner and some entertainment.  Dinner at the Buffalo Bodega was great and across the street, we rolled into Saloon No. 10 for some beverages.  

The No 10 is a famous place that has been around a very long time and is best known for being the place where Wild Bill Hickock was shot while playing poker in 1876.  While there weren’t any gun fights this night, it was still plenty fun and entertaining.  Since I don’t drink I grabbed the keys to the van to ensure a safe night and it was on!  After a few drinks, a great cover band began to play and the crowd got into it.  “Shuffle” (the band's name) played everything from 70’s rock ballads to Thriller by Michael Jackson.  Everyone was having a blast, including the 5 different bachelorette parties that we saw that night?!  

When we decided we had had enough fun, we headed back to Nemo for a good night’s rest before the trek home.  The next morning was even later than the one before, but I don’t think it had anything to do with the riding?  We loaded the van and trailer up, said goodbye to our Iowa buddies and headed towards home. 

We stopped in Hill City at the cafe and stumbled on a breakfast buffet that was well supplied and fantastic.  A quick triple americano from the shop next door and we were on our way!   The trip home is always hard but we broke it up with a stop at the Wyoming border for some illegal (in Colorado) fireworks for my boys (and me).  The rest of the trip home was uneventful and fun.  Lots of great stories and great memories were made over the weekend and I count myself as a very lucky man to have been invited on such a wonderful adventure.   Life is short and fun is important.  Get out and have some!  Here is a link to a video of the first day!

My final assessment of the riding in the Black Hills is this:
IT IS EPIC!!!!  That is really all I can say.  I highly recommend getting up there if you like dirt bikes and single track.  I have provided the link to all the places I mentioned in the article and I recommend that you give these people your business.  They are great folks providing great service.  If you need any more info about tire choice, jetting, trails, coffee or anything else, shoot me an email at morgan@highland-cycles.com

Thanks and go ride your DIRTBIKES!!! #gospeloftwowheels

5 Mistakes A Dirt Bike Rider Must Avoid When Buying Gear

Hey there, we have a guest blog post today that we are excited about sharing!  Check it out!

5 Mistakes A Dirt Bike Rider Must Avoid When Buying Gear

As a rider new to the sport, purchasing dirt bike gear can not only be confusing but also costly to your wallet and health if you were to make the wrong decision. We are here today to let you know the top 5 mistakes that beginner riders make so you can get a head start towards riding comfortably, and safely.

Not Purchasing Boots

The most common mistake I see new riders make is purchasing equipment such as jerseys and pants before the essential protective gear. Yes, the jerseys and pants may be made specifically for motocross and we definitely condone purchasing them. Although, you must take safety into consideration first.
Helmets may be a ‘no-brainer’, but it’s astonishing to see so many riders with an expensive race kit and no boots. Motocross boots give you the support that is necessary to withstand the sudden twists and impacts that occur to the foot during a motorcycle tour. Broken ankles are not fun, and the risk drastically decreases with the use of proper protection.
The boots don’t have to be the most expensive on the market to give you ample protection. Any motocross or enduro specific boot will do the job just fine while introducing yourself to the sport. To further increase protection to the leg and knee, I would strongly recommend purchasing knee braces. To most, they may seem like something you wear after an injury, but they’re actually made to eliminate the likelihood of knee damage before it happens.

A Poorly Fitted Helmet

“Video Motorcycle Tech Tips On Helmet Size and Fit | MC GARAGE: https://youtu.be/2u8tXZ1hg”
Gs

Purchasing a poorly fitting helmet is an extremely common mistake that you will see beginner riders make when buying their first lid. We see people do this for several reasons, such as; “I’ll grow into it”, or “It’s a great deal!”.
These are valid statements but it is crucial to avoid any helmet that does not fit you perfectly. When manufacturers develop a helmet, they develop it with the intention of providing protection to the appropriate-sized rider. Although it’s much safer than riding without a lid at all, a helmet that is loose or too tight will take away from the helmet’s overall protection.
If it’s too loose, your helmet will leave a gap that will allow your head to move upon impact, offsetting some of the technology that protects you. If your helmet is too tight, you will find yourself with uncomfortable headaches after and during your trail riding tour, a high risk of biting your cheek/tongue while crashing, and with bothersome pressure points throughout.
If you are unaware of how a helmet should fit, we suggest you do your research or just ask for assistance in store. Many websites will offer a size chart so you can order a product knowing it will fit.

Not Selecting the Right Gear for Your Discipline

Choosing gear specific to your discipline is easily overlooked but can save your life in the long run. If you’re a motocross racer, you will be looking to buy a lightweight, highly ventilated set of gear to withstand your long sessions. But if you are planning to sign up for an enduro tour where you will be brushing by tree limbs, falling on rocks, and attempting hill climbs like Graham Jarvis, you may want to look into an enduro-specific option.
Enduro lineups are designed for durability and longevity as the first priority. Although these gear sets may be lacking some of the weight and ventilation features that your high-end motocross gear will have, they will help ensure that you’ll be coming out of your ride day comfortable and without having to replace anything.
You may be asking; “why should I purchase motocross specific gear if it’s more expensive and less durable?” Well, high-end motocross specific gear will be undoubtedly the most comfortable set of bike gear you can purchase. The breathability, lightweight, and advanced moisture wicking materials will suit the hot days on the track perfectly. It may not be as durable as enduro gear, but that’s not to say it’s not extremely tough and can withstand any day on the track.

Getting Gear That Doesn’t Fit You

All too often we will see riders with gear that does not fit them properly. To avoid this mistake, there are a few extremely important factors to consider when it comes to gear sizing to ensure a comfortable ride:

• When purchasing pants, waist size, leg length, and knee room are the 3 main factors you should take into consideration. A waist too tight may result in serious discomfort whilst riding; a waist that is too loose can fall down and be a massive distraction when out on the track. Luckily, brands offer a variety of adjustment features that can fine-tune the perfect fit.
• You’ll need the legs to match your waist. Pants that are too long for you will bunch up in your boot and cause you pain when riding. Several motorcycle gear companies offer regular and short options to avoid this from happening.
• If you are a rider who wears knee braces or knee pads, it is necessary that you purchase pants with ample knee room for them to fit. If your pants are too tight around the knees, it will limit maneuverability or hurt you while seating.

Choosing the right jersey is a much simpler process. If you’re going to wear a chest protector underneath, allow enough room to keep the shirt tucked and the sleeves short enough to not interfere with your grip.

Buying Uncomfortable Gear

The worst mistake you can make while buying motorcycle gear as a beginner is purchasing equipment that’s not comfortable. Some riders will even avoid wearing protection because it is uncomfortable, so make sure that when you invest, you invest in the gear that you will like to wear every ride. Always remember to be safe!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Martin Varrand
As a professional motocross rider for over 20 years, Martin has helped riders to choose right dirt bike gear and parts for their needs. Now he is sharing his knowledge with all of us on his site MotocrossAdvice.com

It's REALLY DRY!!!

Hey everyone, I just want to reach out and talk about something that is going to be SUPER important this year.  As everyone in our lovely state (Colorado) knows, it is CRAZY dry this year.  We didn't get the snow we needed and it's not raining yet.  The forest is like a massive tinderbox and we need to be super careful out there so we don't burn it down. 

Now I know I have said that I don't believe fires are started out of the back of dirt bikes and I still stand behind that statement BUT, lets do everything we can to make sure that we don't have a major catastrophe out there.  Also, it's the law that we have to have spark arrestors on our bikes and there is going to be some serious enforcement going on this year so let's all avoid conflict and potentially save our favorite riding areas by getting a SPARK ARRESTOR on your bike!  

I want to talk a little bit about types of spark arrestors here.  If you ride a 4 stroke, there really aren't a ton of options for the type of arrestor.  They are all pretty much screen types and they all work about the same.  The beauty of the modern 4T bike is that a little screen in the exhaust isn't going to make much of a difference in power so go with whichever one you like.  You can either buy a whole slip-on can or one of the bolt-on tips that have a removable screen for closed course competition.  

Now 2 strokes are a different matter.  The screen style spark arrestors on two-stroke bikes are problematic.  Because the 2T bike burns oil with the gas, it emits a thicker exhaust that will eventually clog up a screen and cause your bike to run terribly.  To combat this, you can remove the screen regularly (every 10 or so hours of riding) and clean it to keep the exhaust flowing properly.  This isn't hard and doesn't take long.  The fastest way I have found to do this is to take the screen and burn it off with a low temp torch.  You can also soak it in solvent if you don't have a torch.

If you know me at all, you know that I like to lower the amount of maintenance and attention that my bike takes so that isn't a great option for me.  I want more ride time and less work time!  So I like to run the turbine core style spark arrestors by FMF.  This kind of arrestor uses a propeller-shaped piece of metal at the end of the silencer to "spin" the sparks out into the packing of the muffler.  Yes, they do restrict the flow of exhaust and YES you can tell a difference in power but it is much less than when a screen style arrestor cloggs shut and your bike basically won't run. 

In a perfect world we would have moist, loamy dirt and no chance of fires but here in the real world when the precip doesn't always fall, we need to pay attention to our conditions and act accordingly.  We also need to work WITH, instead of against our local land management agencies so that we can develop a good, healthy relationship with the people who manage our public land. So get your OHV tags and get a SPARK AERRESTOR!!!

Need a spark arrestor?  Want to buy one from us?  Give us a call, we can ship you one or get one to the shop and install it for you!  970-240-2197

Spring Break in California

Hey, all of you Moto folks!  Just wanted to give a quick review of my spring break trip with my boys to California.  "Why?" You ask?  Because we had some of the most amazing Moto moments on this trip and I want to let you all know about them and recommend them if you are traveling in the Golden State.  

So, I normally don't get to do spring break because it is such a busy time of year for the shop but this year my wife was out of the country working so the rough duty was laid in my lap.  I am so thankful that it was because we had a blast.  We started off by traveling on Sunday from Montrose Colorado all the way to Buellton California.  That is a long day in a van with an 11 and 9-year-old but we hammered down and made it happen.  Buellton is North and West of Santa Barbara.  You leave the big town and head up a narrow canyon for a way then as it opens up you enter the quaint little town of Buellton.  The sign boasts of 4900-ish residents and it is great.  We stayed at Pea Soup Andersen's which we found out is a famous old restaurant and hotel that has been there over 90 years.  It's a great hotel and affordable at $73/night with breakfast and a pool.  We got to sleep quickly and got up early for our first adventure the next day. 

In the morning we quickly ate breakfast and headed North East into the Los Padres National Forest to meet the brother-in-law of our good friend Anna.  Owen met us about an hour out of town in a beautiful valley at a gate to a private road into the forest.  We rode 13 miles of tight, twisty, steep road to get to the family's 160 Acre in-holding in the middle of the National Forest.  This is where Anna grew up without running water or electricity.  It is heaven!!!   There are cool trails all over and it couldn't be in a prettier place.  Check out the video below for a quick look at our day in this wonderland!

The next day was dedicated to beach time and we did it right!  We started by storming the beaches of Oceana Dunes then moved to Pismo for more fun in the frigid water.  My boys are somehow impervious to the ice-like Pacific Ocean.  We rounded out the day in Avila Beach a little further north.  This was also the first In-N-Out visit of the trip which is super important!  All of the freezing salt water and sand wore us out and we headed back to Buellton for rest and dinner.  On the way, we checked out Solvang which is about 2 miles from Buellton and a lovely little Danish Hamlet that was founded by the plucky Danes in 1911.  

Wednesday dawned foggy and cool like all the rest of the days but we loaded up and headed to Zaca Station MX up near Los Olivos which is only about 10 minutes from Buellton.  If you haven't heard of Zaca you need to check it out.  It is the setting for lots of Moto Movie segments and is the coolest motocross track I have ever been to.  It's kind of like a speakeasy track.  There is very little info on the web about it and it took quite a while for me to figure out where it was and when they were open.  When we pulled up there were no signs, no banners, nothing but a sprinter van and a really nice lady with paperwork.  We filled out the obligatory waivers and stuff and as we rolled away towards the track she said, "The Combo on the lock is $#$# (not telling), make sure you lock it on your way out."  What?  We drove the long road to the track and found a great parking spot.  There were about 40 or 50 people there and it was a very mellow feel.  We unloaded and geared up.  As we were strapping helmets an old guy walked over and asked if we were planning on riding the smaller track too.  My boys piped up "Yep" and he said he would go water it for us.  After watering the whole track he came back over and told us to give it a few minutes to dry up and then have fun.  A little later the woman who had checked us in pulled up and unloaded her bike and then I realized that they only open the gate for a little bit then it's locked and that's it.  No more people.  It's like a private track.  Only its a private track in the best dirt and terrain I have ever ridden a moto track.  We spend the whole day there turning laps on the small and big tracks and it was amazing.  I cannot recommend that place enough.  It is so refreshing to go to a track that has amazing dirt, perfect grooming, and natural terrain that is amazing and not be overrun with people.  It is a special place.  Check out our pics and video from Zaca below.

Our last day in California was spent down in Long Beach touring the Battleship Iowa and playing more on the beach.  The USS Iowa is such an impressive thing.  We just don't have gunships like that anymore and this one is sooooo cool.  The tour is a little expensive but worth every penny because it is so interesting and amazing to see such firepower!  

From there we headed back east to our amazing slice of heaven that is Montrose for a day of rest before school and work started back up.  It was such a fun trip and I highly recommend a trip to that part of California.  It is so cool and so different from Colorado or anywhere I have ever been.  I also urge you to take time with your kids.  Life and work so often get in the way and make things hard and stressful but in the end, you will not be sad about time you spent with your family!  Get out and have fun everyone!  And hopefully you can involve DIRTBIKES!!!!

Answer Frontier Vest Review

Hey everyone!  As promised I am here to give a review of the new Answer Racing Frontier Vest. 

We have been waiting (not patiently if I am honest) for the release of this vest for a few months now.  I am a connoisseur of riding vests and this one looked great from the get-go.  I have worn out both Ogio and TLD vests and both of them had things I loved and things I didn't.  The Answer Frontier Vest proved to be better than both of them. 

The Frontier Vest fits like a glove!  It is very form fitting and doesn't slide around at all, even in the roughest terrain.  The strap system that you use to compress the vest is very good and allows you to get it really snug.  Even with it sinched down tight, you can move freely and ride like the wind!  The vest is made to cover a size range from 33-44 (if you know jacket sizes?!?).  What that means is that it fits me at 5'10" and 180lbs great but if you are a plus sized (or Man-sized) person then it will be tight and if you are really big then don't bother.    Answer wasn't thinking of the "Heavy Belly" race class when they built this one. 

The Storage on the Frontier Vest is great.  It has just enough space to carry what you need but not so much that you end up taking more than you should.   The tool pocket out back is perfect sized and includes a nice tool roll if you don't have your own.  The "backpack" pocket is small-ish but big enough to put a lightweight rain jacket or a few other items for a long day.  The hydration area is great but mine came without a loop to hold the bladder up.  I am sure that was an oversight and they will fix it soon.  The front pockets are great and easy to get into.  There is a perfect one for your phone so you can snap pics on your awesome ride. 

Overall comfort was great on the Frontier vest and it is much cooler than the Troy Lee vest.   I can't speak to the durability of the Answer Frontier vest yet but so far I am very happy.  

What's Hot: Fit is great and athletic.  Doesn't move around while riding.  Storage is big enough but not too big

What's Not: Expensive at $225.  Doesn't come with a hydration bladder. Not made for bigger riders.  No loop in bladder area to hold bladder up. 

The Verdict: So far we LOVE the Frontier Vest!  I don't think I'll be using my others any longer!

First ride with the Answer Frontier Vest!

My vest, all packed up!

2018 National Hare and Hound Association Round 1

Hey everyone, this is a little late in coming but I wanted to give a race report about the National Hare and Hound Associations Round 1 race in Spangler Hills California.  First off, Spangler Hills is about an hour and a half North and West of Barstow, near the little military town of Ridgecrest.  It is a really beautiful part of the Mojave desert and out in the middle of nowhere.  Which is the perfect location for a desert race.  

The drive from Montrose takes about 11 or 12 hours but it passes quickly with 80mph speed limits all the way across Utah. 

I pulled into the race site just after 9:30 pm on Thursday night and set up the inside of my van for sleeping. 

The night was pretty darn cold, especially for California but the sleeping was good and I woke up as the sun was coming up and made some coffee.  After breakfast, I geared up and got ready to ride.  I had just rebuilt the entire motor of my YZ250 because of a broken piston skirt just days before.  I had started it but only put about 2 minutes on the engine.  So I headed out into the desert easy to break the girl in.  As I got some heat into the engine I decided to wick it up a bit since in 2 days I would be pinning it wide open.  As I got the revs up, I noticed a funny sound coming from below me.  I stopped and began to freak out.  I had been in a hurry when I built the motor and I began to wonder if I had forgotten something.  Crap!!  As I sat out in the desert I thought to myself, "Well, I'm here and I might as well see if it's going to break now, instead of waiting for the race." So I fired it back up and pinned it!  As I ripped through the desert the bike ran perfectly but at a certain rpm, it would rattle just a tiny bit.  I put it out of my head and had a great ride.  The desert is so pretty and the weather was perfect.   

That afternoon I met up with Travis from TBT racing and hung out with him for most of the evening.  Travis and I have been "friends" on Facebook for a while but have never met in person.  I absolutely LOVE the motorcycle community.  Even if you really don't know someone, if they are a dirt biker then you are already friends!!  Travis was super generous and said he would provide a pit for me during the race.  I headed back to camp for dinner and some sleep.  I still had another free day before the race to check the bike out and get some practice in.

The next day was more of the same.  Perfect weather and a super fun ride in the desert.  It is so cool out there because you can just go and explore all over the place.  I had a blast and saw some really cool stuff.

I finished the ride for the day and finally figured out what was going on with my bike.  After the motor rebuild I had installed a new aluminum skid plate and one of the bolts on the bottom didn't line up so I left it out.  Well that allowed the skid plate to rattle on the aluminum frame at just the right rpm and made a noise that sounded like things coming apart.  WHEW!!  I could relax and just race.  I got a great night's sleep and got up early to get ready to race!!

After breakfast, I headed to the start line to check out the bomb run.  The bomb run is the first 1.5 miles (that distance changes every race) of a desert race that is essentially a high horsepower free for all!  It is the only part of the course you are allowed to pre-run so I rode it twice to check it out and see if there were any big hazards.  After a good look at the bomb, I headed back to the start and picked a spot.  The start of a desert race is one of the most exciting things on earth.  On this day there were 400 people at the start line, all racing for the same point 1.5 miles away.  When they raise the banner, everyone kills their engine and you have at least 1 minute before it drops.  I don't know about you but I can't accurately count a minute in my head so as soon as it goes dead silent I put my foot on the kick starter and waited.  The tension is out of control.  400 adrenaline freaks are dead quiet, waiting to race.  There is nothing like it.  The banner dropped and BAM, we were off.  

I am not a good starter so I was immediately in a ton of dust and could barely see.  The first 5 miles were basically riding by braille in 5th gear.  As the race continued I was able to find my way around some people and the field started to spread out.  The dust abated a little and I started to find my groove.  In the second half of the first loop we got into some rocks and I made some time on the other riders.  The first loop was 40 miles of fun, fast riding and I came into the pits in 1st place in my class.  I couldn't believe it. I was expecting to be a lot slower but I was stoked.  Travis got me some gas and I was back out. 

Second loops of desert races are always harder and this one was GNARLY!  The first few miles were fast and easy and then all of a sudden it got REAL!  The first canyon I came to, I passed a grip of guys struggling by jumping off my bike and just bull-dogging it off to the side through some boulders.  I jumped back on and pinned it.  The first real rocky hill climb came quickly and it was strewn with downed riders.  I took one run at it and botched it.  After a quick run down to the bottom, I launched back up and cleaned it.  I was stoked!  As I fought through the rocky second loop I caught up to a guy who I had met at Travis' pit.  Justin was just ahead of me in the gnarliest section of the race.  It was a heinous downhill canyon with massive boulders and big drops.  I caught Justin and we both made our way down.  From here our battle would begin.  He would gap me in the faster stuff and I would catch up in the hard bits.    After miles of back and forth I caught up to him near the end of the race.  We were both beat down and struggling to find the drive to push hard but I managed to dig a little deeper and passed him.  After that pass, I was fired up.  I pushed hard to the end and crossed the line in 1st place.  It was in the Senior B class which doesn't sound like much but trust me, those dudes are FAST!

I couldn't believe it!  I really didn't expect to do so well and I was elated!  I want to give a massive thank you to the District 37 people, the Desert MC's and the National Hare and Hound Association for a great race!   After packing up and getting my trophy I began the long trip home.  But somehow winning makes the drive easier!  I can't wait to go back and race another Hare and Hound and I hope I can get some folks from around here to join me.  It is one of coolest, oldest and most exciting kinds of dirt bike racing around!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I liked writing it.  If you are interested in my personal blog you can click the button below.

Highland Cycles OHV Tag Sale Day!

There has been friction between the motorized community and government agencies for too long!  Highland Cycles and WESTCORE want to end that NOW! 

We have been thinking about this for a long time and we hate it when Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the BLM send out law enforcement right after our OHV tags expire and give out tickets.  Of course, we should all be better at getting our tags and staying on top of that but let's be honest... WE AREN'T good about that and quite a few of us buck the system anyway.  Well, we want to stop that now and get on the same page with our land management agencies. 

We came up with what we believe to be a great idea.  Instead of getting a ticket for not having your stickers shortly after they expire, why don't we have a big fun party at the end of March and sell stickers?!  That is the whole point anyway right? Get people to buy the stickers??  So that is what we are doing!  We are hosting the first ever Highland Cycles OHV Tag Sale Day out at Peach Valley on March 31st!  

The BLM, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Stay the Trail and Colorado Canyons Association will be joining us to sell permits and help educate all of us about why the OHV money is so important to our community. 

Don't buck the system!  If you aren't getting your permits through the mail then come out and buy your permits at Peach Valley on March 31st between 10 am and 4 pm.  You can also meet the WESTCORE guys and learn about how they are helping our community through trail advocacy.  Let's develop a relationship with our land management agencies and work together to help keep our valley AWESOME!

Highland Cycles will be providing food and drinks and there will, of course, be DIRTBIKES!!!

To read a little more about WESTCORE click their name or the button below

Check out the event on Facebook

WESTCORE

For years the western slope of Colorado has felt immune to the pressures of the anti-motorized movement but recently the push has increased just like the population.  It is time for the off-road motorcycle world to organize and push back.

Since I started riding dirt bike in Colorado, the people in the community have been some of the most wonderful and friendly people I have ever met but also the least organized.  There seems to be a lot of the "I am going to ride whatever I want to ride" attitude and while my more instinctual nature loves that, I realize that itsn't the way to get things done.  The mountain bike community has been organizing for years and consequently they have been getting big things done for good and for bad in my opinion. 

If you don't know, the mountain bike (and other non-motorized) community has been slowly picking off traditionally motorized trails and getting them closed to motorized travel.  I could go on and on and I am sure you could too about why this is annoying and how unfair, and in some cases illegal all of this is but that isn't the point of this post.  The point of this post is to introduce you all to  WESTCORE They are a new club that is building membership and organizing to "...  keep our public lands in Western Colorado accessible to all user groups. Through responsible, cooperative usage, we strive to promote an atmosphere of shared stewardship"

Highland Cycles wants to support this group and all other activists that want to preserve and grow the motorized community through what we call "The Gospel Of Two Wheels"  Part of that mission is to raise money for dedicated groups so we are hoping to kickstart WESTCORE with a raffle/fundraiser during our Supercross Saturday on Jan 6th at Two Rascals

We will be raffling off a FULL suspension re-valve including parts and labor.  That is valued at over $1000.  We are working with our distributors to get some more prizes too.  We will only be selling 100 tickets priced at $30/each.  So your chances of winning are high.  Literally ALL of the money we collect will go directly to WESTCORE to help get some money in their bank and get them rolling.  Tickets are on sale now at Highland Cycles and will be on sale at Two Rascals or until they are sold out.  I would also encourage you to visit the WESTCORE facebook page and join the group so you can stay up to date with all they are doing to help our sport! 

Thanks for reading and please SHARE THE HECK out of this post to all of your motorized friends!!

RIDE MONTROSE!

Highland Cycles is super excited to announce that we are bringing "Ride Montrose" back in 2018! 

Ride Montrose is a celebration of the amazing off-road and dual sport riding that is here in our valley and surrounding area.  As many of you know and many of you WILL know, Montrose Colorado is MECCA for dirt and dual sport bikes and Highland Cycles wants to celebrate that and spread the "Gospel of Two Wheels"

Let me start by acknowledging the concerns that a lot of locals have about bringing more people to our treasured area.  I know that in a perfect world we would keep our little secret and live in our post card world all by ourselves but the reality is that the people are coming.  With the little thing called the internet, everyone knows everything about everywhere now and Highland Cycles wants to support this knowledge with responsible and fun advertising of our area. 

The reality of our sport is that it is being attacked from lots of different angles right now.  One of the biggest threats right now is the mountain bike community.  I don't understand this because we should be brothers on 2 wheels but that just doesn't seem to be the case.  Let me say that I understand that not ALL mountain bikers dislike dirt bikes.  I ride bicycles as much as dirt bikes myself.

But the reality is that a lot of the non motorized 2 wheelers don't like us and I want to change that and fight (responsibly) for our right to ride.  Just think, the more dirt bikers we share our valley with, the more people we have on our side when we need to fight trail closures like the one in Rico recently.  There is strength in number and organization and a fun, exciting, BIG event can help to promote that. 

Of course there is the added economic benefit to our community.  Not just Highland Cycles and Davis will benefit.  Hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and lots more.  Dirt bikers spend money where they go and money into our economy is a good thing for everyone.

So... Lets do this!!  I haven't picked a firm date for Ride Montrose yet because I am waiting for 2018 race schedules to be released so that we can avoid overlap as much as possible.  We are thinking early July so that all of our riding areas will be legally open and we can enjoy all that we have to offer. 

Here is a list of probable events we will be hosting:

• Group rides of ALL skill levels
• Riding skill clinics hosted by top level professionals
• Tire change competition with AWESOME prizes
• Guided rides
• Movie night
• Music and dinner party downtown
• Moto swap meet
• And hopefully lots more!!!

Last time we did this it was a great success and we look forward to making this one even better!  If you are interested in staying in the loop for Ride Montrose as it progresses, please click the button below.  You will be added to an email list and we will keep in touch.

Thanks and remember to get out and ride your DIRTBIKES!!!!

Our Conversation with Colton Haaker

Photo Credit Enduro21.com

Highland Cycles is back with our next pro interview.  We all know that practice on the bike and hard work is what it takes to be the best in the business but I believe there is more to it than meets the eye.  That is why I am asking the best in the industry some more questions to find out what makes them tick and who they are.  This interview is with the one and only Colton Haaker.  Colton is an amazing athlete who has won about everything you can win.  Her is a short list of some of his accomplishments:

2016 AMA National Endurocross Champion
2016 World Super Enduro Champion
2015 King Of The Motos Champion

HC: Do you have a morning routine that you practice everyday (i.e. not race days)? If so, what is it and why?

Colton:  My morning routine looks like breakfast, followed by a warm up exercise followed by stretching and foam rolling. This gets my body acclimated and ready for the day.

HC:  Do you have a pre-race routine that you use? If so, what does that look like and what are the benefits?

Colton:  Not so much pre-race routine. I do all my hard work during the week and when its race day I let it all go.

HC: What is your favorite book and why?

Colton:  I don’t really have a favorite book.
    
HC:  If you could only do one training drill, what would it be and why? I am talking about moto skills.

Colton: Trials riding. If there was one thing I would ride trials only.

HC:  Do you have a favorite failure? What I mean is, do you have a failure in your life that, while tough at the time, either changed the course of your life for the better or spurred you on to achieve greater things?

Colton: I would say my 2011 season and finish in the Endurocross series changed me for the better. I had a very hard year with different bikes and injuries that I fought through. I came back in 2012 and won the opener in Las Vegas after Taddy was undefeated for over a year.

HC: Who is the single greatest influence in your life and why?
Colton: My parents are because no one sacrifices as much as your parents. You don't notice growing up but when you get older and start doing things for yourself you do.

HC: What is the most memorable race in your career so far and why?

Colton: The Super Enduro Final in Spain 2016. It was a race that came down to the last turn of the last lap for the World Championship and I made it happen.

HC: What is the most fun about dirt bikes to you?

Colton:  Freedom!

HC: What is one non-motorcycle thing that you enjoy doing?

Colton: Basketball

HC: If you had to purchase a bike and ride it for 1 year and you couldn’t switch at all, would it be 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Colton: 2 Stroke, Husqvarna TX250

Thanks for taking time out of your schedule Colton.  If you want to check him out on social media you can find him on Facebook at facebook.com/ColtonHaaker10 and on instagram @coltonhaaker

Check out this video Colton did a little while back.  One of the coolest we have seen

My Conversation with Mitch Carvolth

Image given to us from Mitch (sea to sky race)

Dirt Bikers are an amazing group of people.  We come from every walk of life.  From the super rich to the guys who can barely scrape enough money together for a tire.  But dirt bikes bind us all together and make us bothers and sisters on two wheels.  A common thread through our sport is that we all want to be better riders.  Some of us have dreams of racing, maybe even professionally and others just want to clean a section of their favorite trail but all of us want to be better.  Its just in our DNA.  There is a ton of value in looking at all of the moto specific stuff that the pros in our sport do but I think there is more to it.  I think that what these guys do day to day plays a big roll in how they ride.  I want to know who they are and what habits, routines and influences make them different!

This is my conversation with Mitch Carvolth.  Mitch is a rad guy who is really fast.  He even came to Montrose for one of our Moto Mayhem races a couple years ago.  Here are his stats:

Photo: Mark Kariya  (King of the Motos Race)

Mitch Carvolth
Born: Truckee, Ca
Riding: 21 years
Racing: 15 years
@mcnasty177 on instagram

3x AMRA Champion
2nd Rev Limiter Hard Enduro
3rd King of the Motos
9th Sea to Sky
26th Erzberg

HC: Do you have a morning routine that you practice every day (i.e. not race days)? If so, what is it and why?

Mitch: I like to get a good stretch in and have a solid breakfast. I've never had great mobility so stretching has helped me gain flexibility and I feel that it helps prevent a lot of injuries as well. Breakfast is usually the first thing on my mind when I wake up so I typically cook up some eggs and vegetables before getting my day started.

HC: Do you have a pre-race routine that you use? If so, what does that look like and what are the benefits? Also, post-race.

Mitch: I’ve never had a pre-race routine. It all depends on the day and the race. Sometimes I like to do some shoulder and hip flexor stretches with a PVC pipe or I'll throw on my headphones and listen to music.
 
HC: What is your favorite book and why? -If you could gift one book, what would it be and why?

Mitch: I don't read as much as I would like to but I find myself re-reading a book called The Alchemist. It's an easy read but for me it's a book that inspires me to continue to follow my dreams no matter what the struggles are along the way. It definitely is a book I would gift someone, I think that's actually how I ended up with it.

HC: If you could only do one training drill, what would it be and why? I am talking about skills drills on the bike.

Mitch: I would pick a drill that I call the one-handed drill. It's something that I teach people when I do lessons. All you do is stand up and ride around without your clutch hand on the bars. This drill really teaches you to grip the bike with your legs. Once you've done that for a minute you can go back to having both hands on the handlebars and everything feels effortless.

HC: Do you have a favorite failure? What I mean is, do you have a failure in your life that, while tough at the time, either changed the course of your life for the better or spurred you on to achieve greater things?

Mitch: I can't recall a favorite failure but I would say any race I haven't finished would be it (not due to bike failure). For me not finishing is usually caused by timing out but nothing motivates me more than a DNF. Pulling off and quitting is never an option.

HC: Who is the single greatest influence in your life and why?

Mitch: The greatest influence in my life would have to be my Mom. She passed away from breast cancer when I was 17 but she did so much for me and my racing when I was younger. Raising two boys, fighting cancer and still having the energy to take me racing on the weekends blows me away. She was by far the kindest person I've ever known and the older I get the more I realize how much I learned from having her in my life. I wouldn't be the person who I am today without her.

HC: What is the most memorable race in your career so far and why?

Mitch: I would have to say it was a race called Ukupacha down in Equador. I got the invite driving home from Endurocross and couldn't book a flight on my phone so I had Taylor Robert, who I was living with at the time book me one. I got home late that night, repacked my bags with clean clothes, gear, parts and flew out early the next morning. That was my first Hard Enduro I had done that was out of the country and I managed to finish top 10 down there. It was one of the hardest races I have ever done but it was a blast getting to spend a week in a different country racing dirt bikes.

HC: What is the most fun about dirt bikes to you?

Mitch: In the beginning, it was all about the rush of going faster and jumping higher. Now I find myself looking for the gnarliest climbs and downhills to get that rush. A day exploring with friends and pushing our limits is definitely the most enjoyable time spent on a dirt bike for me right now.

HC: What is one non-motorcycle thing that you enjoy doing?

Mitch: It might not seem that far off but downhill mountain biking is something I enjoy just as much as riding motorcycles. I don't get to go that often but when I do its one of the highlights of my season.  

HC: If you had to purchase a bike and ride it for 1 year and you couldn’t switch at all, would it be 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Mitch: 2-stroke for sure! I've had more fun on my 2017 300xcw this past year than any other bike I've bought over the years.

Thanks for reading!  If you would like to subscribe to our blog and get an email every time we post a new one, just click the link below.

And if you haven't read our conversation with Cody Webb, just click the link below here!

Sport Align Systems Review!

Moto boots are a conundrum!  The best ones cost upwards of $600 but they don't even come in half sizes.  For a lot of people that isn't a problem.  But for those of us that have an in between foot size and jacked up feet to boot it is a bummer.  I have always said that if you are going to spend money on protective equipment you need to start with helmet and boots. 

I have been wearing Gaerne SG12's for years now and I absolutely love them but to fit both feet I have to wear a size 11 and that leaves my feet a little loose.  I have always just worn thick socks and its been fine but recently I was approached by Charlie Johnson of Sport Align Systems.  He specializes in setting up bikes to fit people and custom orthotics.  Charlie has followed me for a while and knew about how jacked up my left foot is and he explained that he thought he could help me. 

I agreed to have him come make some orthotics for me.  I asked where we should meet and he told me he would come to the shop and it shouldn't take more than a few minutes out of my day to get it done.  WHAT????  I have had orthotics made before and it always meant going to an office and eating up a whole bunch of time that I could have been making money or riding. Then you wait weeks to get the orthotics.  Charlie said I would be wearing them that day?!? Charlie showed up right on time and began the exam.  After looking at how I stand, asking me some questions and taking some measurements he did some calculations and then had me sit down in his cool portable recliner. 

He then proceeded to vacuum form the orthotics to my feet, shave them down to fit my boots and I was trying them out right there.  So cool.  I rode in them for a bit later that day but the big test came in Oklahoma with 3 straight days of racing.  Its hard to explain how good they feel.  What were really nice boots that felt pretty good turned into exceptional boots that fit like Geppetto himself had fitted specifically to my feet! Yes, that is a Pinocchio reference.  If you don't get it, google it!  I was so comfortable all weekend and I think my results speak for themselves.  Those orthotics helped me do better than I ever have at that race! 

If you are like me and your boots are good but don't fit quite right or you have messed up feet you NEED to give Charlie a call and schedule an appointment!

Sport Align Sytems 970-379-9694

Call Charlie at 970-379-9694 or check out his website HERE

Battle!

The line is set!  Bikes are off! A quick glance to either side reveals a big class of veteran riders all geared up for battle!  The only thing that feels odd is that we are all straddling our front fender, facing the wrong direction.  You can hear a pin drop as we wait for the 1 minute card to drop and the flag to waive! 

GO!!! The flag is up, its time to pin it!  I swing around my dumpster baby Jolene and she lights right up!  And we are off!  Not a great start but its a 2 hour race and I know I am fit, don't worry, just don't make any mistakes.  The narrative in my head is non stop.  "Wait on the brakes Morgan, get on the gas NOW!" 

The first mile is pavement and so much fun but its not my forte at all.  I manage to make up a spot on the asphalt but I am watching the leaders get a way and its maddening!  Ahhh, here comes the dirt, lets do this!!

A 180 degree turn onto the grass and now I can get to work.  I am twisting Jolene's neck to the limit and she not only doesn't seem to mind but I think she kinda likes it.  After a quick dash across grass we are on the motocross track.  Another discipline that I am not great at but at least there is dirt.  I put down a quick lap and its into the woods full tilt.  Time to take some chances and catch back up.  My friend is somewhere ahead of me and he is my main target!

The woods section is sooooo good.  They have changed a few things up with the course this year and it is making it a TON of fun!  There is a fair amount of moisture in the ground so the traction variable is high!  Imagine being on the worlds largest slot car track with the worlds fastest car and that is close to how it feels.  I really can't make any mistakes.  My tire choice is perfect, A Bridgestone M59 up front and a Pirelli Scorpion XC MS out back.  The Lectron carburetor is fueling perfectly and I can't stop smiling in my helmet. 

I charge hard through the woods and pass a few guys as quickly as I can.  Still no Jason but I know that he is really fast, especially early in a race.  I get back out of the woods and hold Jolene wide towards the pavement.  Timing and scoring shows me in 5th!! Damnit, I was really hoping I would be in the top 3 already.  Oh well, more work to do!  I pass my pits and give the high sign as I settle in for a mile of rest on the pavement.  After a solid lap on the motocross track I fly headlong into the woods to make up time!  This lap goes even better, I am still feeling strong and I have my lines dialed.  The few mud holes are getting good lines through them and I remember to take the left split at one of the 2 "choice" sections.  Its way faster and sets you up for the coming right hander way better. 

3 laps down now and I am back out of the woods and turning onto the pavement when I see Jason pulled over in the pits getting gas!  PERFECT!  Just as I expected, he needed gas because he is still running the Mikuni on is 2017 KTM.  I look down and I have plenty of fuel!  I tape Jolene wide open as I pass him, knowing that he will be coming for me with a passion hotter than the noonday sun in Oklahoma in July!  He is faster than I am in this terrain but hopefully I can put enough time between us during his pit that I can hold him off. 

I have one option now, GO FAST!  I put together a pretty good lap and get back through timing and scoring in 4th place.  Still not where I want to be but at least I am beating my good friend.  It's funny how all of us motorcyclists like to beat the people we like the most!  Its a sickness and one I love to live with everyday.  Lap 5 is going well and I haven't seen Jason yet but as I pivot turn in one of the few rocky sections I see him coming.  CRAP!!! He is on me pretty close and we only have a little bit of rocky woods left then its a mad dash in the open towards the pavement.  I know he is willing to hold it wide open and I will have to push it really hard to maintain my lead. 

There is one last wet, rocky section before we break out into the Oklahoma sun.  The grass comes and I give Jolene the equivalent of the whip as I put my head down!  I am screaming in my helmet "GO, GO, GO, PUSH PUSH PUSH!"  There is one last grass section before the 180 onto the pavement and about 100 yards to the finish.  I hear his SX screaming like he as the exhaust inside my helmet!  "DON'T SCREW THIS TURN UP MORGAN!"  Until this moment neither of us know how many laps we have left because we haven't seen a white flag and we don't know the time we have been out but I look down the track and see the CHECKERS!  HOLY (bad word) I might be able to do this!  I feather the clutch, twist the screw and pray for the best!  My dumpster baby gets a hold of the planet and accelerates like a Saturn rocket towards the finish line! 

The workers see how fast we are coming and start waiving us to slow down "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  I'M NOT SLOWING DOWN FOR ANYTHING!"  I cross the line and look at the monitor that is showing position and I am surprised to see 3RD place!?!?  What??  Hell yes, not only did I beat Jason but I ended up on the podium in a very competitive class!  Another level of happiness rushes over me as I congratulate Jason on a great race.  There isn't anything more fun to me than to battle on a bike, especially with a friend!  Racing dirt bikes is as good as it gets! I wasn't the faster rider today but my equipment kept me ahead and that is part of the game too! 

Stay tuned for the story of our team race the next day.  It was just as close and just as exciting!!