Born To Ride

Fall Weather Riding Tips

Fall has arrived in the Southlands! Here are a few tips to keep you safe:   Know your skill level: Riding a motorcycle is a physical and mental skill and can diminish if you haven't ridden in a while. Take so time to get reacquainted with your bike if it's been some time since your last ride.   Hazard Awareness: Your nice relaxing ride through the country should be fun but you must maintain a constant state of awareness. If you try to identify every hazard you see when ride, there will not be any surprises. When identifying potential hazards,…
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Annual Exotic Car and Charity Fashion Show to Take Place at Private Estate

Tampa, FL (October 2018) –The 8th Annual Cars & Couture event takes place on Saturday, November 10th at a Private Estate in Odessa, FL., home of Tom Frederick Owner of Sun Print Management. Cars & Couture benefits non-profit organization Autism Speaks and will be hosted by Julie Winetraub owner of the Gold & Diamond Source. Cars & Couture guests will experience a lavish reception featuring an exotic car display, catered cuisine by Dolce Speakeasy and Supper Club, premium open bar, cigar lounge by Ash House, a live jazz band, a fashion show featuring local designers, and a silent auction benefiting…
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High Tech Helmet

High Tech Helmet A Lid with AR Display and Alexa/Siri Support Numerous motorcycle helmet companies have been attempting to introduce built-in “smart tech” features in recent years, with limited success. Yet the trend is inevitable. The latest to debut a smart helmet is Jarvish, a Taiwan company known for cutting-edge, user-friendly technology for riders. Jarvish recently premiered two new models packed with rider aids, the X and X-AR motorcycle helmets, both of which will be available in 2019. The Jarvish X will include an integrated microphone and speakers, Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant support, and a 2K, forward-facing built-in camera…
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THUNDER BY THE BAY ANNOUNCES MUSIC LINEUP & CHANGES

THUNDER BY THE BAY ANNOUNCES MUSIC LINEUP & CHANGES Thunder By The Bay’s relocation to the Sarasota Fairgrounds, and date change to mid-February, proved to be very successful this year raising over $130,000 for Suncoast Charities for Children and generating $7.8 Million in economic impact. The 2019 Festival is scheduled for February 15-17 at the Sarasota Fairgrounds and has rebranded its name to be the Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival. This year’s entertainment lineup includes a variety of genres to include blues, rock, and country featuring national recording artist Steelheart performing on February 16. Steelheart’s memorable hits…
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American Flat Track Announces Provisional 2019 Schedule

Includes two all-new venues and a return to Southern California DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 11, 2018) – American Flat Track has announced its provisional 18-event schedule for the 2019 season, which once again features coast-to-coast action and launches anew at legendary Daytona International Speedway on March 14 with a bigger, better and even faster DAYTONA TT. It all finishes next fall with the Meadowlands Mile finale at the famed MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey (date to be announced shortly). There are two entirely new events for 2019 and one that’s returning to the schedule after a one-year…
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The American Motorcyclist Association and MotoAmerica Announce Extension

Sanctioning and promoting partnership to be extended for 10 additional years LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The American Motorcyclist Association and MotoAmerica announced this evening at the MotoAmerica Night of Champions that they have signed a Letter of Intent for the North American series to remain the home of the AMA Superbike Championship through the 2029 season. "Our first four years of MotoAmerica have been pretty amazing," said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. "And much of our success goes back to our relationship with the AMA. The first four years have gone by quickly and we're not where we want to be…
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Indian Debuts Flat Track-Inspired FTR 1200 for 2019

Indian Debuts Flat Track-Inspired FTR 1200 for 2019 Indian Motorcycle is shifting gears. Since reopening for business in 2013, the legendary brand has targeted the tourer, bagger and cruiser crowd with their array of Chief, Chieftain, and Scout models. But with the runaway success of their vaunted FTR 750 flat track championship-winning race machines, the motorcycle world has been begging for and anticipating a street legal version. The wait is over. Set for a 2019 release, Indian Motorcycle has introduced the flat-track inspired FTR 1200, a radical departure from their successful formula in recent years. The company had been hinting…
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Can-Am Unveils the Ryker

A Spyder for the Masses Can-Am debuted a new 2019 addition to their Spyder line this past week, a model targeted at younger, beginner, and women riders. Dubbed the Ryker, the new 3-wheeler is smaller, lighter, more affordable than ever before, and supremely approachable. Long perceived as a company building machines for older males with money to burn but who prefer the stability of a tripod stance, Can-Am takes a turn toward the younger generations with the Ryker. In two iterations, a 600cc twin and 900cc triple, plus an up-spec “Rally Edition” of the 900, all Rotax-powered, the Ryker models…
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Three-Wheeled Vehicle Classification

Three-Wheeled Vehicle Classification Three-wheeled vehicles such as the Slingshot and Can-Am Spider are becoming more popular, and thus more questions have arisen about classification, licensing, and helmets. In July 2018, the Dept. of Public Safety Legal Review sent out the following information: O.C.G.A. 40-1-1(29) defines a motorcycle as every motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, excluding a tractor, all-terrain vehicle, and moped. Therefore, these vehicles are generally considered to be motorcycles. Despite the general classification of a Slingshot as…
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Bryan Smith Victorious in Shocking Minnesota Mile Finish

Briar Bauman and Jared Mees DNF; Carlile and Bromley go 1-2 in AFT Singles Photo Credit: Scott Hunter/American Flat Track SHAKOPEE, Minn. (September 29, 2018) – Bryan ‘Mile Master’ Smith (No. 4 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750) scored a crazy, surprise-twist victory in Saturday evening’s AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines Main Event at the Indian Motorcycle Minnesota Mile – a race in which 5000-plus hearty spectators turned out in 45-degree temperatures to experience. Briar Bauman (No. 14 Zanotti Racing Indian Scout FTR750), fresh off his first victory of 2018 at the Williams Grove Half-Mile, looked…
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Phil Peterson’s 2018 Florida Keys Motorcycle Poker Run

Return is a success Phil Peterson is smiling! The 45th Phil Peterson’s Florida Keys Motorcycle Poker Run was a success! Blessed with good weather (because Hurricane Florence pulled all the bad weather north) and a nice turnout of 957 Poker Run Players. Thank you, everyone who played the Poker Run Game and who donated Ten Dollars a hand for a total of $9,570. Dollars. All proceeds will go to all the local Rotary Clubs of the Florida Keys and Homestead and all the money raised is earmarked for Bright Future Scholarships for the local high school kids to be able…
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Winning Battles, Losing the War

Winning Battles, Losing the War MotoAmerica Epic Season Ender at Barber The MotoAmerica motorcycle road racing season wrapped up at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama this past weekend, in two days marked by devastating crashes, fierce competition, the retiring of a legend, and the crowning of the 2018 champions. An epic weekend to end an epic season. With most class championships sewn up by the New Jersey round earlier in September, the MotoAmerica staff nonetheless predicted stiff competition across the two days of racing, with riders battling for the remaining points and podiums, and their drive to finish strong…
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Major Moto Moves

Major Moto Moves   This past week, two major motorcycle companies announced plans to relocate large portions of their operations, on opposite sides of the United States. Both moves came as a surprise to industry insiders, yet both companies see great prospects in their new locales. Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited_Touring     Harley-Davidson announced plans to locate an all-new R&D division in the Silicon Valley of California. The company is moving forward with plans for a complete line of “E-Bikes”, electric motorcycles, and sees the tech center of the world as the perfect location to assist development. As H-D seeks to…
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Beaubier Clinches MotoAmerica Crown

Beach, Dumas, & Lee claim titles as well Cameron Beaubier claimed his third MotoAmerica Superbike title at New Jersey’s Thunderbolt Raceway this past weekend, after two wet, treacherous days of racing. Beaubier led race 2 from the get-go, sewing up the championship with the Barber round still ahead. Beaubier’s Sunday win also marked his eighth of the season, and his 32nd career, placing him in third on the all-time most wins list in AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike. Roger Hayden took second in Sunday’s race, followed by 2017 champ Toni Elias. Hayden has announced his retirement the end of the season. JD Beach…
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Creating a National Motorcycle Flashmob of Lifesaving

Following a visit to our headquarters by Ken Engelman, I reached out to BTR. Ken, who is an American, was on a tour around Israel to see how the country uses and works with motorcycles to respond to medical emergencies. He was very impressed with our operation and suggested that I reach out to Born To Ride. After looking at your website and online media, I thought that this would be a terrific place to tell the story of how motorcycles are used to save lives here in Israel. United Hatzalah’s motorcycle responders are Israel’s most active volunteers. We come…
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Race Like a Girl

Jamie Astudillo in MotoAmerica Not many females currently run professionally in motorcycle road racing, but those who do, have definitely earned their place. Here in the States, in MotoAmerica, there are only three—Caroline Olsen in Supersport 600, Melissa Paris in Stock 1000, and Jamie Astudillo in Liqui Moly Junior Cup. And of these, only one has rewritten the record books—Jamie Astudillo. We pointed out in our May issue that Jamie etched her name in the MotoAmerica/AMA Road Racing archives as the first woman to ever podium in an American professional motorcycle road racing event when she took third place in…
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