Photo Credit: Palmyra Racing Association

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (May 2, 2025) — The American Motorcyclist Association is pleased to announce the return of the annual AMA Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month, a nationwide campaign to cultivate the next generation of riders by getting America’s youth aboard two wheels and learning the necessary skills to ride with confidence.

Throughout the month the AMA will be working with its racing and recreational riding organizers to promote the value of riding dirt bikes to children and give them controlled opportunities to ride.

“Building the next generation of riders is imperative for the future of our sport, and AMA Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month is an important step in that mission,” AMA Director of Marketing and Communications Joy Burgess said. “This annual campaign has grown each year, and we cannot wait to celebrate with kids across the country in the month of May.”

To raise awareness and visibility, the AMA and its partners will also utilize social media during May to promote Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month and celebrate the hard work of organizers to aid in its efforts to get more kids aboard two wheels.

While Take a Kid Dirt Biking-themed events will take place across the country in the month of May, kids do not have to attend an organized event to be involved. To participate, kids simply need to get out and ride in the month of May and submit a photo or video at https://americanmotorcyclist.com/take-a-kid-dirt-biking-photo-submissions/. By sharing photos, kids will be entered to win prizes throughout the month, including a STACYC bike, and will also have the chance to be featured on the AMA’s social media, website, and in the AMA’s print publications.

As part of AMA Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month, a special edition of American Motorcyclist for Kids is now available for AMA members! This edition is filled with exciting features about outstanding children in the world of motorcycling, Q&As with some of motorcycling’s most notable figures…and games, too! Read the issue at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/american-motorcyclist-for-kids/.

More information about Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month can be found at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/events/event-resources/take-a-kid-dirt-biking-month/. 

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PICKERINGTON, Ohio (May 1, 2025) — With May serving as the unofficial start to riding season, the American Motorcyclist Association reminds motorists to keep an eye out for motorcycles and extend courtesy to riders this Motorcycle Awareness Month.

Motorcycle Awareness Month is the annual campaign to increase awareness of motorcycles on the open road and advocate for measures that improve the safety of riders on our nation’s roads and highways. 

“Motorcycle Awareness Month provides an annual opportunity for the American Motorcyclist Association to remind motorists of the seasonal return of motorcyclists to our nation’s roadways,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman said. “It also gives us the opportunity to encourage motorcyclists to ride safely. We will continue to stress the importance of enhancing safety measures to increase the safety of all riders on the open road.” 

While the AMA fights year-round to ensure safe roadways for motorcyclists, Motorcycle Awareness Month is a reminder that motorists and motorcyclists must rely on one another to reduce the number of crashes on our nation’s highways.

In recent years, the AMA has been deeply engaged in several issues that impact the safety of street riders, including Automated Driving Systems (ADS) in cars and trucks, distracted driving, and lane-filtering.

The AMA has continually sounded the alarm regarding ADS and the testing of such systems on the open road. The inattentive use of these systems by motorists remains a major issue affecting the safety of motorcyclists, and the AMA reminds drivers to maintain vigilance behind the wheel even when using ADS systems.

To help protect riders in slowed or stopped traffic, the AMA was instrumental in efforts to legalize lane-filtering in Colorado and Minnesota in 2024. This year, the AMA has been engaged in efforts to establish the practice in Oregon and Michigan. The AMA is a steadfast supporter of lane-filtering, as it reduces the possibility of rear-end collisions by allowing motorcyclists to filter through congested traffic at low speeds.

Created in the early 1980s, Motorcycle Awareness Month is a monthlong reminder of the necessary steps needed to ensure safe roadways for all users — including motorcycles, cars and trucks. The AMA, its networks of clubs, state motorcycle rights organizations, the motorcycle industry and federal and state government entities have been steadfast supporters of Motorcycle Awareness Month.

Multiple states, including Colorado, Massachusetts and Washington have already instituted resolutions to observe Motorcycle Awareness Month.

Keep up with all things Motorcycle Awareness Month by staying engaged with AmericanMotorcyclist.com and the AMA’s social media channels on Facebook and Instagram. 

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Photos Courtesy of Golden Eagles MC

For the last 75 years, Golden Eagles Motorcycle Club has been a staple of Tampa, Fla., and the motorcycling community, and to celebrate, the club is hosting their GEMC 75th Anniversary Poker Run on Saturday, April 5.

The poker run, which will pass through various counties in and around Tampa, will pay out a cash prize to the first, second and third best hands. The club welcomes all to attend, and participants can purchase each poker hand for $10, with half the money raised donated to a hospice charity. 

The element of supporting the community is one that has been engrained in the history of the club, with the last decade seeing club members supporting Gulfside Hospice by giving donations and helping set up the annual Hittin’ the Road for Hospice poker run. 

Golden Eagles MC got its start in 1950 when a few young members of Tampa’s largest motorcycle club — the Gasparilla Motorcycle Club — wanted to start their own club. With loyalty to the AMA from the start, the club got recognition early on when they were awarded “Best Dressed Club” at Daytona in 1955. 

Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, the club operated a scramble track and owned 11 acres of land, which was home to the Golden Eagles MC clubhouse. When the track closed, the club sold most the land and rebuilt the clubhouse in the mid-1980s. The clubhouse as it is known today was updated again in 2015 and is the site of monthly social events and meetings. 

Beyond meetings, Golden Eagles MC hosts several riding events throughout the year, including the Sea to Sea Ride, Tex and Mac Memorial Ride, Around the Lake Ride and Mountain Ride. 

More information on these events and Saturday’s anniversary poker run can be found by going to https://www.facebook.com/GoldenEaglesMotorcycleClubTampa/.

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PICKERINGTON, Ohio (March 14, 2025) — The 2025 AMA National Gypsy Tour kicked off with Daytona Bike Week in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Feb. 28-March 9, with a full slate of unique and exciting events for motorcyclists across the country to follow.

With more than 100 years of history, the AMA National Gypsy Tour is a celebration of the freedom and camaraderie of motorcycling.

“The 2025 AMA National Gypsy Tour schedule is jam-packed with incredible events and rallies for motorcyclists of all backgrounds,” AMA Director of Marketing and Communications Joy Burgess said. “We look forward to working with our partners to make this year’s Gypsy Tours the best ones yet.”

With 10 total events aimed at bringing like-minded riders together, the AMA National Gypsy Tour is one of the longest-running motorcycle series in the country. At each individual event, AMA members can collect official AMA National Gypsy Tour pins to show they attended.

The full list of AMA National Gypsy Tour events can be found below:

• Daytona Bike Week — Feb. 28-March 9, Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Midwest Women Riders “Get Your Groove On” — May 1-3, Crystal Lake, Ill.
• Americade — May 27-31, Lake George, N.Y.
• Laconia Motorcycle Week — June 14-22, Laconia, N.H.
• AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days — July 25-27, Lexington, Ohio
• Four Corners Motorcycle Rally — Aug. 28-31, Durango, Colo.
• Biketoberfest — Oct. 16-19, Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Rides 4 Fun
• April 25-27, Breaks, Va.
• May 16-18, Buckhorn, Ky.
• Aug. 15-17, Pipestream, W.V.
• Sept. 12-14, Pineville, Ky.
• Oct. 3-5, Helen, Ga.

For more information, check out the 2025 AMA National Gypsy Tour schedule.

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PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Jan. 29, 2025) — The American Motorcyclist Association announces the availability of liability insurance for AMA-sanctioned competition and recreation events for the new insurance cycle, which runs Jan. 30 through Jan. 31, 2026.

Policies in the AMA’s preferred insurance program will be written by Ren Specialty Insurance. Forms and rates are available now for AMA-sanctioned events from AMA Sanctioning Services at (614) 856-1900.

“Motorcycle events are at the heart of what we do, whether it’s our members’ lifestyle or how they make their living, and those events don’t happen without quality insurance coverage,” said AMA Chief Operating Officer James Holter. “The AMA is pleased to facilitate access to this comprehensive program exclusively for our chartered organizers.”

Unlike independent policies, coverage through the AMA’s preferred insurance program is issued with set premiums. Apart from certain sanctions that have unique characteristics or ancillary activities, such as rallies and other multi-day events, AMA organizers avoid a lengthy underwriting process.

In addition, AMA program premiums are generally lower than market rates thanks to the collective bargaining power of thousands of events. The AMA generates no revenue from insurance premiums, with 100 percent of negotiated savings passing to AMA organizers.

“Servicing the AMA calendar of events is always attractive,” said Don Birdsong, division leader at the AMA’s insurance broker Jones Birdsong Insurance Services. “While we have seen a rise in risk aversion among many major insurance providers in recent years, along with commensurate increases in rates, AMA-sanctioned activity remains an appealing market.”

Holter added that the AMA’s racing and sanctioning staff continues to work with organizers to identify ways to make events safer and more predictable.

“AMA-chartered organizers know that we are in this together, and we are always developing clear and comprehensive risk-management guidelines for clubs and promoters,” Holter said. “We encourage all of our organizers to contact the AMA to get involved in this process.”

The AMA sanctions thousands of competition and recreational motorcycle events each year. The events, owned and operated by independent motorcycle clubs and professional promoting companies, benefit from the AMA’s rules of competition, rider classification standards, potential recognition as AMA championship events and series, and opportunities for riders to advance to the professional ranks. Individual AMA members of all ages participate in these events, creating a rich culture of activity, sport and camaraderie while advancing the motorcycle lifestyle.

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Photo Credit: Daytona Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 27, 2024) — The American Motorcyclist Association is adding a new stop to its annual AMA Gypsy Tour: Biketoberfest® in Daytona Beach, Fla, which runs Oct. 17-20 this year.

“Biketoberfest® is a fall staple for motorcyclists, giving riders the opportunity to enjoy Florida’s longer riding season along with the many vendors, motorcycle shows and custom bike builds that are a part of this city-wide road rally,” AMA Director of Marketing & Communications Joy Burgess said. “We’re pleased to add Biketoberfest® to our AMA Gypsy Tour schedule and look forward to fostering a long-term partnership with the event.”

At the four-day rally, AMA Gypsy Tour pins, as well as other materials that highlight the 100-year history of the AMA and American motorcycling, will be distributed at the Official Biketoberfest Welcome Center located trackside at Daytona International Speedway’s Fall Cycle Scene display area.  

“Biketoberfest® attracts motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world to enjoy the Florida sunshine, gentle ocean breezes, scenic rides, fun-filled activities and live music and to share their passion and love for motorcycles,” said Lori Campbell Baker, Executive Director for the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the promoter of Biketoberfest®. “We’re thrilled to have Biketoberfest® included on the AMA Gypsy Tour schedule and bring more awareness to all the activities surrounding this popular rally.”

The weekend event will include motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway, motorcycle shows, hundreds of vendors, scenic rides throughout Daytona Beach area, and much more!

For more information on the 2024 Biketoberfest® event, visit www.daytonabeach.com/biketoberfest/.

To learn more about AMA Gypsy Tours, head over to AmericanMotorcyclist.com/riding/on-road-riding/national-gypsy-tour/.

About Biketoberfest®
The Daytona Beach area welcomes motorcycle enthusiasts for the 32^nd annual Biketoberfest® rally on October 17-20. Biketoberfest® is a four-day event that attracts motorcycle enthusiasts to Volusia County with beautiful Florida weather, live music, the industry’s top vendors, bike shows, motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway, and miles of scenic rides along famous A1A, historic Main Street and The Loop in Ormond Beach. More information is available on the official event website, Biketoberfest.org, including a list of area events, concerts, demo rides, places to stay, top scenic rides, and more.

Official sponsors of Biketoberfest® include the American Motorcyclist Association, Daytona Beach Racing and Card Club, Dream Giveaway, Florida Motorcycle Safety Program (Florida Department of Transportation), Alert Riders, Rue & Ziffra, Southern Stone Communications and Teddy Morse’s Daytona Harley-Davidson.

About the Daytona Beach Area | #LoveDaytonaBeach

Experience endless adventures in this eclectic destination that offers the perfect, beach base camp from which to explore the greater Daytona Beach area and all of Central Florida. Choose thrilling activities or embrace the tranquility of days spent on 23 miles of world-famous, white-sand beaches. With more than 12,000 rooms, and a variety of meeting hotels and unique spaces, the destination has accommodations for meetings and groups of all sizes and budgets. Learn more at DaytonaBeach.com. #LoveDaytonaBeach

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PICKERINGTON, Ohio (May 3, 2024) — As more riders return to the open road, the American Motorcyclist Association reminds motorists to look for motorcycles and extend courtesy to their two-wheeled counterparts this Motorcycle Awareness Month. May heralds the unofficial start of the summer travel season, and this annual campaign aims to increase awareness and advocate for enhanced safety measures that improve motorcyclist safety nationwide.

“The safety and increased awareness of motorcyclists on the road is one of our paramount concerns here at the AMA,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “Motorcycle Awareness Month is the perfect time for the AMA to address our core mission to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. One of the best ways to accomplish that is by encouraging measures that make our members safer on the road.”

During Motorcycle Awareness Month, and all year long, it’s imperative that motorists and motorcyclists work together to create safe roadways and reduce the number of crashes on our nation’s highways.

In a recent survey, AMA members indicated that the most concerning issues facing motorcyclists on the road pertain to distracted driving and the inattentive usage of Automated Driving Systems (ADS) in cars and trucks. Regarding these dangerous issues, among others, the AMA stresses the importance of exercising vigilance behind the wheel and avoiding all distractions while driving.

The AMA also reminds those who own cars with advanced driver assist capabilities to remain alert and attentive when operating their vehicle. Additionally, drivers should remain aware of their surroundings when using driver-assisted technology, including lane-keeping assistance, automated braking and adaptive cruise control, as many of those features remain in the early stages of development.

The AMA was encouraged by a recently enacted law that permits lane-filtering in Colorado, as well as other efforts around the country to pass similar legislation. As seen through implementation in several other states, lane filtering reduces the possibility for rear-end collisions by allowing motorcyclists to filter through congested traffic at low speeds.

As we celebrate Motorcycle Awareness Month this May, the AMA urges all road users — including both cars and motorcycles — to drive safely and remain vigilant on the road to ensure a safe environment for riders and drivers alike.

Since the creation of Motorcycle Awareness Month in the early 1980s, the AMA and its network of clubs, state motorcycle rights organizations, the motorcycle industry and U.S. government entities have been steadfast supporters of Motorcycle Awareness Month. Stay engaged with AmericanMotorcyclist.com and the AMA’s social media channels throughout the month for more information on motorcycle awareness.    

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April 30, 2024 (This story appeared in the May 2024 edition of American Motorcyclist)

By Keaton Maisano

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Established in 1887 in Coventry, England, Triumph has evolved into one of the world’s premier motorcycle manufacturers, renowned for its commitment to crafting high quality motorcycles. The partnership between Triumph and the AMA’s National Adventure Riding Series underscores a shared dedication to promoting and advancing the adventure riding community.

“As a long-time Triumph adventure bike rider, I am thrilled to welcome Triumph Motorcycles as the title sponsor of the AMA National Adventure Riding Series,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “The company’s century-plus legacy and commitment to excellence make them an ideal partner, and we look forward to working with Triumph to deliver an excellent experience for adventure riders across the country.”

The 2024 Triumph AMA National Riding Series will span 12 two-day events across the United States, offering a wide range of routes, roads, two-track trails and backcountry exploration, all thoughtfully designed by local clubs and built around a weekend of activities that typically includes camping, bonfires, food and prizes.

These events provide riders of all skill levels the opportunity to experience and enjoy the many diverse facets of adventure riding.

“There’s a strong passion for adventure motorcycling at Triumph, as evident by the development of the Triumph Adventure Experience training facilities around the world, and of course from the continuous updates to the Tiger family of motorcycles,” Triumph Motorcycles America Marketing Director Adam VanderVeen said. “By offering ADV riders across the country an outlet to enjoy their motorcycles to the fullest with a welcoming group of like-minded riders, the AMA National Adventure Riding Series represents the best aspects of adventure riding. Triumph is proud to support this program which gives so many riders an organized way to ride their ADV bikes the way they were designed to be ridden. We hope everyone that participates in one of the events this season truly enjoys their adventure!”

The 2024 Triumph AMA Adventure Riding Series includes the following events:

• April 12-14: Perry Mountain Tower Run Adventure Ride (Plantersville, Ala.)
• May 18-19: Show Me 500 (Bixby, Mo.)
• June 1-2: Durty Dabbers Great Adventure Ride (Lock Haven, Pa.)
• June 8-9: Ride for Research (Webeno, Wis.)
• June 8-9: MTVR Adventure Bike Ride for Cystic Fibrosis (Belmont, N.H.)
• June 22-23: Big Bear Run (Big Bear Lake, Calif.)
• Sept. 14-15: Buffaloe 500 (Columbus, Ind.)
• Sept. 28-29: Big Woods 200 (Webeno, Wis.)
• Oct. 19-20: Green Ridge Moto Adventure (Little Orleans, Md.)
• Oct. 26-27: Cross-Florida Adventure Ride (Daytona, Fla.)
• Oct. 26-27: Scenic Adventure Ride (Morgan Hill, Calif.)
• Nov. 29-30: LA-Barstow to Vegas (Palmdale, Calif.)

For more information about Triumph Motorcycles, visit triumphmotorcycles.com.

Learn more about the Triumph AMA National Riding Series or view the full schedule at americanmotorcyclist.com/national-adventure-riding.

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March 20, 2024 (This story appeared in the March 2024 Edition of American Motorcyclist)

By Keaton Maisano

Plenty of hard work has gone into putting on the Durty Dabbers Great Adventure Dual-Sport event, and it has resulted in years of clean fun and great riding.

The annual event hosted by the Durty Dabbers — a trials and dual-sport motorcycle club in Central Pennsylvania with more than 100 active members — is the longest-running event in the Beta AMA National Dual Sport Series. Running the first weekend of June, the two-day event maintained its popularity for more than three decades, selling out its 2023 event within an hour.

“The series started out relatively small, numbers-wise,” Durty Dabbers President Nils Mantzoros said. “It grew with time.”

Today, the event hosts 550 riders — the maximum allowed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources — for two days of riding that covers about 100 miles each day. In 2023, riders ranged from 16–87 years old.

Running simultaneously to the dual-sport ride — which has two course options of varying difficulties navigated by roll chart — is an adventure ride. Despite differences in skill and style, Mantzoros sets up the courses to promote togetherness.

“Every 10 or 12 miles I’ll have a reset,” Mantzoros said. “All three courses meet at each reset. So you can ride with a group of friends on bikes that aren’t necessarily compatible, but still hang out and be with your buddies during the day. I think that’s made our event quite popular.”

Using several forestry areas for its event, participants are offered free camping. Colleen Wise, who helps with the registration, said the camping is one of the many bright spots of the event.

“One of the best things that happens here is the camping because of the comradery,” Wise said. “Some people will come to see the same people they saw before.”

In addition to riding and camping, the event offers snacks and meals to its registered riders. Riders also receive a T-shirt and prizes at the event banquet.

Most of the proceeds made from the event go toward the Durty Dabbers’ riding area, a 100-acre area purchased by the club to serve as a free riding park. The club uses this space to teach the next generation how to safely ride dirt bikes.

“We maintain [the park],” Mantzoros said. “We built a quite exotic pavilion, and our goal this year is to put in bathrooms.”

While the club’s success could be measured in land it’s purchased or in the structures its built, Mantzoros finds the number of returning riders for its annual event as a great barometer that the club is doing good work.

“We have folks who come every year, because it shows we’re doing a good job that they want to come back,” Mantzoros said. “When they come here, it’s almost like a reunion.”

The next reunion is set for June 1–2, and registration for the event is set to open the first week of April. Those looking to participate can stay in the loop by going to durtydabbers.com and clicking the link in the top right of the landing page to sign up for the email list.

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