News and stories from the world of Powersports business.
Tim James Named 2024 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year
The American Motorcyclist Association congratulates the 2024 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year Tim James, whose service as the Board President of Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) helped continue the growth of adventure and dual-sport riding communities throughout the United States.
“Tim James’ work with Backcountry Discovery Routes has made a substantial impact on the world of adventure and dual-sport motorcycling,” said AMA Board of Directors Chairman Russ Ehnes. “Beyond the always-exciting recreational component, Tim and BDR’s focus to improve remote communities and put motorcycling in a positive light is admirable work that has benefitted all motorcyclists. For what he has done for motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists throughout the country, Tim was the clear choice for 2024 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year.”
BDR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creates and maintains off-highway routes for adventure and dual-sport riders. After first getting involved with the organization just over a decade ago as a volunteer, James has become increasingly involved with BDR in recent years to aid in its mission to grow the off-road motorcycling community as well as rural communities throughout the United States.
“I felt like I found my people,” James said, “like-minded people that love adventure and adventure motorcycles and love the mission of the organization, which isn’t just about riding motorcycles. We have a multi-point mission behind it, and one of those points is to run our routes through economically challenged rural towns to help drive tourism dollars. That was one of givebacks of the non-profit that I could really get behind.
“We’re doing good and having a good time doing it. We’re not just creating and preserving riding opportunities for adventure riders; we’re also helping the economies of small towns along the way and really making a difference.”
BDR has been directly responsible for economic growth in rural communities across the country, as a 2022 study revealed that BDR riders contributed more than $60 million out-of-state funds to remote communities. That same study found that BDR riders generated $9.6 million in motorcycle sales and several more million in parts, apparel, services and training in 2022.
As of 2024, BDR currently has 13 routes across the United States, with some spanning more than a thousand miles, along with six BDR-X routes — a shorter, loop-style route designed for riders looking the BDR experience in a shorter timeframe.
Looking toward the future, James noted that BDR has plans to create more routes — including some in Canada and Mexico — while maintaining its current collection of routes.
“We’re just 15 years in,” James said. “I wish I could be alive to see where BDR is in 50 years…We want to always maintain that image as the gold standard in adventure motorcycle route development and ensure that people are acutely aware of the mission behind the brand. And hopefully we help make people better adventure riders through education. BDR is more than lines on a map — way more.”
For more information on BDR, visit ridebdr.com/.
UFO Plast Becomes Newest Exclusive Partner of the SMX World Championship
The SMX® League is excited to welcome its newest partner, UFO Plast, a leader in producing off-road motorcycle accessories and components. UFO Plast becomes the Official and Exclusive Motocross Plastics Products sponsor of the SMX World ChampionshipTM. The multi-year deal will see UFO Plast on display across the entire SMX World Championship Series, including the television broadcast, live event, and social media. Plus, UFO Plast will notably become the newest entitlement partner of the historic High Point National on Saturday, June 14 in Mt. Morris, Penn.
“Sponsoring these iconic competitions represents a key step in our growth journey and fills us with pride. We are thrilled to contribute to a sport that embodies the energy, innovation, and determination that define UFO Plast,” said the company’s CEO, Walter Bracci.
The partnership marks a historic milestone for UFO Plast as the company makes its first significant commitment with the world’s highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing series. The strategic partnership is part of a broader industrial expansion project for the brand within the United States, a market that plays a crucial role in UFO Plast’s future.
“We’re thrilled to welcome UFO Plast to the SMX World Championship starting in 2025,” said Dave Muye, Vice President of Global Partnerships for Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “We share in their vision for the future and look forward to helping them meet their business and growth objectives within the U.S.”
Additionally, UFO Plast will now serve as the title partner for the High Point National at High Point Raceway. UFO Plast was founded in 1977 in Tuscany, Italy, the same year the first official Pro Motocross event was held at the iconic racetrack in Mt. Morris, Penn.
“We are excited to have UFO Plast on board for the entire SMX World Championship and having them as the title sponsor of the High Point National as well makes it even better,” said Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing. “High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, is the home track for MX Sports as well as Racer X Illustrated. My parents began holding the High Point National in 1977 and over the years it has become one of the pillars of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series. The High Point track is very popular with both the competitors and the fans who attend the big race every Father’s Day weekend in June. We now look forward to having UFO Plast be a part of the event moving forward as well as with the entire SMX World Championship Series.”
The SMX World Championship kicks off in less than 30 days as the world’s best two-wheel racers prepare to drop the gate on their 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Ca. on Saturday, January 11. Tickets are available for all 28 regular season Supercross and Pro Motocross rounds at supermotocross.com. Fans located in the U.S. looking to tune into the action from the comfort of their homes can stream every Race Day on Peacock, as recently announced. International viewers can watch year-round with three different language offerings in English, Spanish, and French on the SuperMotocross Video Pass available at supermotocross.tv.
AMA Supports Recreational Trails Program Full Funding Act of 2024
On Dec. 18, Senators James Risch (R-ID), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced SB.5583 the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Full Funding Act of 2024. This legislation aims to correct inadequate annual funding for this program, increasing it from $84 million to $281 million.
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) helped create the Recreation Trails Program in the early 1990s. This program uses federal gasoline tax revenue attributed to motorized off-highway recreational vehicles to fund, develop, and maintain trail infrastructure across the United States. As of 2023, the program has awarded over $1.6 billion to over 25,000 trail projects across the United States during the three decades of the program. This, despite the fact that off-highway vehicle enthusiasts have paid nearly $9 billion in gas tax during the same period.
“The Recreation Trails Program is incredibly important for the growth and development of off-highway motorized recreation in our country, and it is vital that all of the motor-fuel user tax imposed on off-highway vehicle enthusiasts be returned to those users who pay the tax in the form of trail maintenance and development dollars,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “SB.5583 ensures that RTP will continue to flourish for years to come, and equitably return the full amount of user tax revenue generated by off-highway vehicle enthusiasts to support the nation’s trails infrastructure upon which they rely.”
Funding for the Recreation Trails Program follows the “user-pay, user-benefit” principle upon which the Highway Trust Fund was originally based. RTP has only been funded at $84 million annually since Fiscal Year 2009 despite a much greater amount of tax revenue being attributable to off-highway vehicles. In 2020, Congress required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to provide a report , which found taxes on off-highway use of recreational vehicles are on average $281 million per year. The RTP Full Funding Act of 2024 seeks to ensure federal taxes collected from off-highway recreation are appropriately returned to the states for the Recreational Trails Program.
The American Motorcyclist Association with the Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) endorse SB.5583, the RTP Full Funding Act of 2024. The AMA will continue to support RTP funding and trail projects that promote the motorcycle lifestyle and motorcyclist interests. This legislation is an important step in the right direction to ensure future generations of motorcyclists have access to off-highway recreation.
VAHNA Brings Backyard Film Festival to AIMExpo Attendees
AIMExpo and VAHNA magazine are partnering to bring a unique cinematic experience to the Las Vegas Convention Center, February 5-7, for the powersports industry’s premier trade show. The collaboration will feature VAHNA’s “Backyard Cinema” at AIMExpo’s new Backyard section, where attendees can take a break and enjoy screenings of finalist videos from VAHNA’s 2024 Motorcycle Film Festival. The film tour will also stop at the Beverly Theater in downtown Las Vegas on February 6 to screen the top 10 films for 2025.
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“This collaboration will elevate the experience for all showgoers,” said Andre Albert, Director of Marketing and Events at the Motorcycle Industry Council. “VAHNA’s dedication to storytelling through print and video mirrors our goal to engage riders and non-riders in meaningful ways. Uniting our efforts to share the story of motorcycling and inspire current and future riders simply makes sense.”
The VAHNA Motorcycle Film Festival celebrates the art of motorcycle cinematography and storytelling. This year’s tour will feature 10 outstanding films, including one fan-voted entry. The films will be showcased in theaters across the country, with guest judges voting in each city. The ultimate winner will be awarded a brand-new Triumph Scrambler 1200 X.
“We’re really looking forward to having a dedicated space at the 2025 AIMExpo,” said Derek Mayberry, Publisher of VAHNA. “This event gives us the chance to invite people in to kick back, relax, and flip through the pages of our most recent issues while enjoying captivating content on the big screen. We’re excited to bring awareness to our 2025 Motorcycle Film Festival and thrilled to include Las Vegas as part of our tour.”
It’s not too late to help select the 10th and final film to join the 2025 lineup. Go to vahna.com/filmfestival to learn more about the festival, cast your vote, and buy tickets for the official Las Vegas screening.
AMA Looks Back On Its Successful 100th Anniversary
With the holidays just around the corner and the new year to follow, the American Motorcyclist Association prepares to cap off its year-long celebration of its 100th anniversary — 1924-2024 — along with its substantial achievements of this year.
“For the past century, the American Motorcyclist Association has brought together hundreds of thousands of like-minded riders with a shared love of motorcycling,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman said. “As we celebrated our 100th anniversary in 2024, we reflected on our journey as one of the largest motorcycling membership organizations in the world and the impact the organization has had on the motorcycle industry and its enthusiasts. We take great pride in our mission to protect motorcycling and promote the motorcycle lifestyle, and we will continue to do so for the next 100 years!”
During its 100th anniversary in 2024, the AMA continued to champion the diverse and growing motorcycling community through its commitment to advocate for motorcyclists’ rights at the local, state and federal levels. For its efforts at the forefront of the fight to protect motorcyclists’ freedoms over the past 100 years, the organization received special recognition from its local government in Pickerington, Ohio, the state legislature of Ohio, and the United States Congress.
Throughout the year, the AMA also held a collection of centennial celebrations — bringing members and AMA staff together to observe the AMA’s wide-ranging accomplishments over the past century. The AMA recognized its 100th anniversary at its Spring and Fall Bike Nights, AMA Hall of Fame Days, and AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days — which enjoyed its most successful running to date. The AMA also contributed anniversary displays to several high-profile events, such as Daytona Bike Week, Americade, AMA Supercross races, and more.
With the impending turn of the new year, the AMA launches into its next century with the same passion and devotion for protecting motorcyclists’ interests as it has maintained since 1924.
The AMA is incredibly grateful to all the members who have helped the organization thrive over the past century, and wishes everyone a joyous holiday season, a Happy New Year, and another 100 years of the AMA!
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