Dave Terrell's Day in the Dirt

A Day In The Dirt is an Annual Motocross Event held on Thanksgiving weekend. It’s hosted by the Hollywood Stunt and Film Community, and it brings together people from the entertainment industry: actors, directors, stunt professionals and crew – as well as Motocross and Supercross champions, both past and present -- for three days of racing, reminiscing and good times. In its 11th year, A Day In The Dirt has become a modern classic. It has done so by capturing the spirit of the great Grand Prix races of the past.

Some of the racers are here just to have fun, while others are fiercely competitive. And then there’s Dave Terrell, who adds a layer of complexity to the vintage Grand Prix by wresting 600 lbs of German war machine around the track, in the spirit of “The Great Escape.”

You’ll probably never see Dave Terrell riding at the X-Games, or taking huge jumps like a freestyle motocrosser. You will see him at “A Day in the Dirt,” and I spoke with him about his rather unusual choice of motorcycle for the Vintage Grand Prix, a 1938 BMW 750.

Cycle World International Motorcycle Show

Get a first look at the hottest new motorcycles at the 28th Annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Seattle. The expo, which runs from December 12 – December 14 at the Qwest Field Event Center, features hundreds 2009-model street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers and ATVs and fuel-sipping scooters. The show is an opportunity for riders to speak with manufacturers’ representatives who aren’t pressuring you to buy a motorcycle. This is your chance to come out and learn about all the options available to you, including a chance to get a close up view of all the cool motorcycle-related accessories.

As Robert Pandya, the show spokes person says, "It's really a backstage pass into the motorcycle world." I interviewed Robert, who has his finger on the pulse of the motorcycle industry. We talk about the history of the show, motorcycle sales trends, and the latest in technology. If Robert’s enthusiasm doesn’t inspire you to brave the cold and rain to get to the event center, nothing will. The show will feature events for all ages, so bring the whole family.

Bonneville: Passion, Endurance and Teamwork

It's not just fuel that propels riders into the record books at Bonneville. Breaking a land speed records requires passion, endurance and teamwork. These three tenants of racing are exemplified by Paul Friebus and Team American Cycle Fabrication in this video podcast.

Paul’s family, together with Crew Chief Albert Pepe, and team members Ron Amos and Bob Berry, set a new land speed record at Bonneville this year, on a 1937 Harley Davidson Flathead.

Paul’s parents came all the way from Cape Town, South Africa to be with Paul and the crew at Bonneville Speedweek. His father, Henry Friebus, took a ride down the salt for his 83rd birthday. Henry Friebus broke the existing record in the APS-VF 1000cc class setting a new record of 137.541mph. Henry Friebus said, "We reckon that it's been riding a Harley that's kept us so fit and healthy, because we ride them everyday."

Paul Friebus is a well known engine builder and rider. Paul was born in South Africa and moved to the United States 14 years ago. He and his wife Barbara run American Cycle Fabrication, located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. American Cycle Fabrication specializes in engine building and restorations.

Paul had his first ride on a Harley Davidson motorcycle when he was 10 days old, which seems to have instilled him with a passion for riding, racing and setting land speed records. Paul has built two other vintage motors at American Cycle Fabrication that have set Land Speed records at Bonneville. A 1938 Flathead currently holds six records in the 1350cc Vintage class, and a 1950 Panhead, owned by David Pilgrim, holds six records in the 1650cc Vintage class. These records can all be found under the name "Bonneville Bobber."

Paul Friebus can be contacted by visiting the American Cycle Fabrication website, or by calling 570-752-8715.

You Know What We Did This Summer...

The sound of rain pattering against the window reminds us that summer is over – especially for those of us living in Seattle. The next few months will be punctuated with a few storms, the absence of sun, and falling temperatures. Fortunately for Girl Wonder and me, we still have a few events to cover in warmer, and presumably sunnier venues.

2008 was a great summer for us at peckhammer.blip.tv. Sure, the price of gas catapulted to over four dollars a gallon, and travel costs made our video shoots a lot more expensive to produce. The good news is that more people are riding motorcycles, lots of old Hondas and Suzukis and Yamahas buried beneath sun-bleached blue tarps have been exhumed from their dusty resting places, and our travels took us to locatons we've never been before. On the latter point, we owe a lot of our success this summer to a friendship formed with Rod Falkner, and Paul and Becca Livingston, AKA Faulkner Livingston Racing.

We’ve been busy shooting story after story, about some of the most fascinating people – some of the most motivated people— we’ve ever met. You don’t win races or realize personal goals by sitting on the couch with a remote control in your hand, and these motorcyclists make it obvious. There have been so many stories to chase, in fact, we’ve fallen behind on our production schedule. Fortunately, with the rainy season upon us, we will have an opportunity to catch up. We expect to finish the year with twenty-four shows. We are currently in post production on a truly inspiring piece about Paul Friebus of American Cycle Fabrication, his family, and several of his loyal customers who all worked hard to set some notable land speed records this year. Trust us when we say it will be worth the wait.

Girl Wonder and I are off to the Bonneville Salt Flats next week to document more great moments in motorcycling history. This may further slow some of our planned vidcast releases, so we are posting this video short that highlights a few of the great riders we’ve been privileged to meet this summer (as well as one driver). The video is by no means an inclusive list of riders we've met this summer; there have been many great riders we've done shows with, and we’ve been inspired by every one of them.

Alan Thoresen: Black Thunder at Bonneville

Alan Thoresen’s 50th birthday was a wakeup call. He was running out of time for all the adventures he wanted to experience. One of those adventures was to follow in the footsteps of a famous New Zealand racer named Burt Monro, and race on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Monro is an inspiration to many racers, but for New Zealander’s, it is a special honor to step upon the salt where Monro rode the World’s Fastest Indian.

Thoresen returned to drag racing in preparation for Bonneville, and he had a very successful first season. Thoresen came in second overall in the NZ Drag Association (NZDRA) Points Series for Modified Bike, winning the Season Points series at Meremere for Modified Bike, and Breaking the NZ National Record for Modified Bike twice, as well as a successive series of wins at other venues.Last year was Thoresen’s first attempt at setting a record at Bonneville on his modified Kawasaki ZX1400. Thoresen was doing well, improving his times with each run. His attempts ended abruptly, however, when he crashed through a timing tower at 180 mph.

Undeterred, Thoresen has returned to Bonneville Speedway with a goal of hitting 197 mph. His ZX1400 has been repaired and reconfigured to run in the stock class. We caught up with this very spirited Kiwi at the starting line on August 19, 2008. Thoresen spoke of his crash last year and what he is doing differently this year in this video podcast.

Texas Panhead Blazes Its Way Into The Record Books

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David Pilgrim of Rockport, Texas, has set numerous Land Speed records with his 1950 Panhead motor at Bonneville Speedway. A Panhead? Really? That goes 140 MPH?

Yes, really. It not a 120 cubic inch aftermarket Panhead either. It's the real deal, and it meets all the requirements set by SCTA to race in the Vintage Class. The motor was built by Paul Friebus of American Cycle Fabrication, who also races at Bonneville and has set his own Land Speed records on a 1937 Harley Davidson.

David Pilgrim owns four motors built by Friebus, three of which are record setters. Pilgrim has set numerous world speed records in excess of 140 MPH on motorcycles, and also holds a 236.664 mph record in his Chevy Corvette. Girl Wonder interviewed Pilgrim at the impound area for record setting vehicles on August 20, 2008.

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Randy Smith, The BMW R75/5 Bonneville Racer

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"We had an internet film crew that found us waiting in line the first day. They seemed interested in our project and followed us for a couple of days. I think they put together a video that shares my Bonneville experience pretty well."   Randy Smith, 2008

This year marks the 60th annual Speedweek, hosted on the famous Bonneville Salt Flats. Speed demons come from all over the world to see the salt flats, to set world speed records, and to take part in one of the last refuges of grassroots racing. At Bonneville, it’s you and your machine, racing upon a vast plain of white salt.

Randy Smith made the 1500 mile journey from Southern Illinois to race at Bonneville Speedway. Randy is the fastest man in the 750cc push rod class, setting a world speed record on his 1970, partially streamlined BMW R/75. Last year he posted a top record speed of 120.357 mph – and now he’s back to top his personal best. Randy set a new speed record, and he shares his Bonneville experience in this video podcast.

Zachary Norman and His Amazing Electric Motorcycle

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Numerous speed records have been achieved on the Bonneville Salt Flats, a surreal white plain that looks other-worldly. Some of the vehicles that race here look other-worldly, too. Imagine a 50cc streamliner rocketing down the salt speeds over 100mph, or the eerie whine of a lithium ion powered motorcycle, built on an old-school bobber frame.

The latter vehicle, built and raced by Zachary Norman of Venice, California, is the perfect juxtaposition of old and new technologies. Zack has outfitted a Flyright Choppers frame with a suitcase-sized lithium ion battery that powers an 84 volt, AC induction motor. A Curtis controller is matched to the AC motor for precise and smooth speed control. Zack also rides this motorcycle on the street, and claims a 50 mile range on a full charge.

Zack set a 69.059 mph record in the Omega class on his electric-powered motorcycle at the Bonneville Salt Flats this August. He also clocked a run at 77 mph, and was trying to solidify that record with a second run. At the end of the day, he had set a world speed record of 73.056 mph. I interviewed Zack about his unique motorcycle as he was approaching the starting line.

Interview: Bob Milewsky, 2008 Chehalis Classic

The Chehalis Classic is one of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association’s premier vintage events. Vintage MX Racing enthusiasts have been coming to “the farm” for 11-years. The farm is exactly what it sounds like – an agricultural property transformed into a great natural-terrain motocross track. This is the way things were done in the old days: Carve out a track, fire up the bikes, and then go racing.

A lot of people are attracted to vintage MX because the speeds are lower, and there aren’t so many punishing jumps and whoops like in modern motocross. This brings out riders of all ages, men and women, who have a love to race and ride older bikes.

The Chehalis Classic attracts vintage MX racers from all over the country. I was fortunate enough to run into a racer I had met at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb just a few weeks ago, Bob Milewsky and I sat down and talked about the Chehalis Classic, vintage motocross racing, and the special reasons that he and his wife Kim chose to attend this event.

Interview: Glenn Cox, "Lucky 13"

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Glenn Cox is a motorcycle racing privateer who is a seven-time competitor in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. This year he was racing a KTM Super Duke in the 1200 Class, alongside top racers such as Greg Tracy, Joe Kopp and Alexander Smith. The 1200cc motorcycle class is new at PPIHC. "It's not whiskey throttle, grab it and go," explains Cox, "You really have to play it finely, with a lot of finesse."

Handling a four-hundred pound street bike in the dirt sections is quite a challenge. Cox says that he can be doing 80mph in 4th gear and the rear wheel is still spinning from lack of traction. The bike is most at home in the paved sections, where Cox excels.

Cox's qualifying time put him on the front row at the 86th running of the race. Cox got the hole shot and ran the fastest pace he had ever carried up the mountain -- for about a mile and a half. After a perfect start, he led the race until Greg Tracy, as Glenn described it, "put a beautiful pass on me." Cox was determined to stay in front of the rest of his pursuers. He held the throttle open about a second too long while rocketing up the Picnic Grounds straightaway. When he finally grabbed the binders to break his 120 mph pace, it was too late. He couldn’t make the left-hand corner he was attempting to negotiate. Cranked over and sliding under full braking, he stood the bike up at the last moment and drifted off the pavement. Cox crashed into a 10 foot ravine and flew over the handle bars like a man being hurled into outer-space.

Waving like a beserker Viking, Glenn motivated eight spectators to help him drag his KTM up the embankment and back onto the course. Through sheer determination and a healthy dose of control, he managed to pass two other racers. Glenn finished in 9th place with a time of 14:38.

Glenn said it was ironic that he had been most worried about the dirt sections, and yet it was a paved section that bit him in the end. He admits that over-confidence on the pavement was the reason behind his mistake. Always the optimist, Glenn says he be a little wiser in next year's race.

In this video interview, conducted by Girl Wonder the day before the race, Glenn Cox shared his excitement and anticipation about running in the 2008 PPIHC on a KTM Super Duke.

Interview: Eddie Mulder, Racing Legend

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This year marked the 86th running of the "Race to the Clouds." We travelled to Colorado Springs to produce a series of video podcasts that would capture the buzz of this unique and exciting event.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) is the second oldest motor sports race in America. This annual automobile and motorcycle hill-climb, also known as The Race to the Clouds, starts at 9,390 feet and ends at the 14,110 foot summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado. The course covers a distance of 12.42 miles on paved and dirt/gravel sections. Racers must negotiate 156 turns -- many of which are lack guard rails -- as they climb nearly 5000 ft to the finish line.

The air density thins as racers approach the summits, slowing both man and machine. The reduced oxygen level robs engines of 30% of their power at the summit, and slows reflexes and strength of the participants.

I spoke with Hall of Famer Eddie Mulder in the first episode of this series. Eddie is one of the most colorful racing legends I've been able to kick back and chat with. Eddie was a leading TT Steeplechase and desert racer of the 1960s, and he's been racing for five decades. We talked about his early days as a dirt racer, his work as a stunt double for Clint Eastwood, and about his uncertainty in racing PPIHC because of altitude-related health problems he experienced last year.

Interview: Team MAX BMW at PPIHC

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The 86th running of the “Race to the Clouds” took place in Colorado Springs on Sunday, July 20, 2008. Hundreds of competitors on motorcycles, quads, sidecars, cars and trucks raced to the 14,110 foot summit in this event.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport sent a factory team to participate at the Pike's Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) last year. The five-rider team of Gary Trachy, Casey Yarrow, Micky Dymond, Greg Tracy and Markus Barth secured the top five 1200cc class positions on the HP2 Megamoto.

For 2008, BMW Motorrad Motorsport decided not to participate. TEAM MAX BMW took matters into their own hands. MAX BMW principal Max Stratton and his brother Ben, along with two customers, decided to take on the PPIHC themselves. We interviewed this grass roots team of dedicated riders at one of the early morning practice sessions.

Interview: Alan Heffernan, Desert Racer

Alan Heffernan is primarily a desert racer, but he has been competing in the Pikes Peak International Hill climb the past two years. Last year he came with Faulkner Livingston Racing. This year he came on his own, armed with a 1997 CR500, which has been grandfathered into the 450 Class. “It’s like bringing a gun to knife fight,” explains Heffernan. This analogy is especially spot-on when he talks about his secret weapon: Holtzman Engineering’s innovative carburetor compensator, used to combat the horsepower-robbing effects of altitude.

What’s next for Heffernan after Pikes Peak? A little vacation, and then he’ll return to Costa Rica to do a little surfing and fishing. Heffernan runs a motorcycle and surf camp in Costa Rica during the winter months. Then he will begin preparing for the Baja 1000.

As you will learn in Girl Wonder’s video interview, his “vacation” will likely include a few cold compresses to help him recover from the race.

Interview: Paul Adams, PPIHC Motorcycle Mechanic

Interview: Richard Harrison, Race Engineer, ATK Supermoto

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The AMA Supermoto Championship series has been dominated by Japanese and European four-stroke motorcycles. There is a notable new player on the track this year -- actually a remarkable manufacturer with a tremendous winning tradition.

ATK, the only remaining off-road motorcycle manufacturer in the United States has added a new flavor to the manufacturer's mix. ATK likes to do things a little differently.

In this video podcast, we spoke with Race Engineer at the July 5th AMA Supermoto opener in Monroe Washington about ATK’s supermoto racing endeavor.

They are running big 700cc two-strokes in the unlimited class. And they happen to be the only two-strokes out there. ATK also have some very interesting light-weight four-strokes whose fuel and timing settings can programmed on the fly, with a laptop. Richard Harrison shared a lot of interesting information about the ATK motorcycles in this interview.

Interview: David Joy, Troy Lee Designs Honda Supermoto Team

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Mechanics and support technicians are the behind the scenes forces rarely seen by supermoto racing fans. These mechanics and technicians are more than just wrench spinners. They work closely with the rider, tweaking an infinite number of details so that throttle response, power delivery, and handling are matched to the racer's needs.

In this video podcast, I spoke with David Joy, a mechanic with the Troy Lee Designs, Red Bull, Honda, Supermoto Team.

Interview: Chuck Graves, of Team Graves Yamaha Supermoto Crew

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Supermoto is a sport that combines several different type of motorcycle racing into one very demanding, very competitive motor-sport. The courses are part asphalt, part dirt, with whoops, jumps and a bunch of right and left hand turns thrown in to make things interesting.

Supermoto racing has a relatively inexpensive price of entry for those looking to try a two-wheeled, go fast sport. This makes Supermoto accessible, with some racers operating their pit from a the back of a pickup truck. Other racers are sponsored by KTM, Troy Lee Designs, Honda and Yamaha. Despite the demands and competition that this hybrid form of racing put on a rider, the atmosphere is friendly. I ran into Chuck Graves who regularly makes the rounds to offer his experience and advice to other riders.

I spoke with Chuck Graves about Supermoto racing as part of my next series of video podcasts. Chuck is head of Team Graves Yamaha Supermoto Crew, as well as President of Graves Motorsports in Van Nuys, California. I caught up with Chuck at the XTRM / AMA Supermoto Championship in Monroe, Washington.

Profiles in Vintage Racing: Keith Speir

Keith Speir grew up with a passion for motocross and desert racing. His father wanted him to ride flat track, but Keith wasn't interested at that time. Keith's father died at a fairly young age due to a heart attack. He was only 50 years old.

A number of years later, perhaps fueled by a bit of nostalgia, Keith was browsing through a Cycle Trader magazine and spotted a Triumph 500 flat-tracker racer for sale. He drove over to the sellers house and bought it. The seller asked Keith if he was going to race at Ventura that weekend? "Ventura," Keith asked?

The seller told Keith about a vintage flat track race taking place at Ventura raceway. Ventura was close to where Keith lives, so he showed up and placed third -- catching the attention of Eddie Mulder. Eddie is known for being a mentor to many riders over the years, and he took a liking to the 48 year old first-time flat tracker.

And that is what this month's webisode is about; racing, mentoring, and the vintage connection.

Part Three: Unleash The Beast, Moped Performance Tuning

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No matter how big, or how small a bike may be, if it's got two wheels and a motor, it can be raced. There are many categories for motor racing, the smallest being 50cc. 50cc racing is popular in Britain, and if the price of gas continues its gravity-defying ascent, this type of racing may grow in popularity here. Motorcycle racers only dream of getting 70 mpg on the track.

Enter the moped: A 50cc motor boasting 1.5 hp that's ready to be uncorked like a bottle of fortified wine. The availability of go-fast parts and the collective experience of tuners like Ryan Weibusch and Michael Mike Nazarof can help get your grocery runner up to speed. The price of entry is cheap, and these pint-sized motors sip fuel like a duchess at tea.

In part three, the final segment of moped video podcast series, I speak with Ryan Weibusch and Michael Mike Nazarof about performance tuning for closed-course racing. We'll learn about carb jetting, port tuning, how an expansion chamber works, and we'll solve the mystery of the variator.

Part Two: Rust to Glory, Moped Maintenance Tips

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In part two of my moped series, I speak with Tim Pearson and Brett Walker about what you need to know if you pick up a vintage moped. Even if you buy a brand new bike, what you'll learn from Tim and Brett may apply to you after your bike's warranty runs out.

Don't expect Latte machines, reading lounges and shuttle service from your local dealer. You're going to end up doing your own maintenance, much of which you'll have to learn to do all by yourself. That's why mopeds are character building machines.

Part One: The Moped Aesthetic

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Mopeds were popular in the '70s because America was in the midst of a gas crisis. Thirty-something years later, they are coming into vogue again, but for different reasons.

Mopeds represent both independence and community. That may sound like a paradox, but it's not. A moped rider has to be self-reliant. You don’t take your vintage ride to a repair shop; you fix it yourself. Mopeds may not require a motorcycle endorsement, registation or insurance either. This empowers people who might not otherwise be able to drive, or ride.

Community? The resurgence in moped interest has been powered by social networking, by community, by the internet. In part one of this video podcast, I speak with Seth Bedwell of Seattle's Mosquito Fleet to learn more about this resurgence, and the moped aesthetic.

A Conversation With Bill Palmer And Felecia Ford, From The Band "Hundred Year Flood."

Hundred Year Flood is a band that got its start in Austin Texas, and is now making Santa Fe New Mexico their home-base. Bill Palmer, Felecia Ford, Jim Palmer and Kendra Lauman are not only a band, they are a family.

Hundred Year Flood represents the new music business model, powered by the internet, powered by protools, powered by social networking. MySpace and FaceBook are allowing the band to reach places that would not have been possible with the traditional touring paradigm. And it allows them to be the gate keepers for their music, their creativity, and fruits of their of their labor.

Bill Palmer, has a keen eye for where the recording industry is headed. He is part of the recording revolution that is allowing small and medium sized recording studios to thrive. Bill is an engineer and producer for Frogville Records, and he has a relaxed approach to recording that emphasizes creativity.

Felecia Ford, besides being a vocal powerhouse in the band, is the community manager, if you will, maintaining relationships with the band’s many fans through their MySpace presence, and other social networking platforms. In this month's video podcast, I joined Bill and Felecia at Frogville Records Studio in Santa Fe to learn more about the band, and more about how they are leading the charge into a new world of music production and distribution.

Ride West's BMW G650 X-Challenge Drawing

This month's video podcast is about a local motorcycle contest which, despite the many tricks of the trade aimed at increasing the odds of winning, can be won by showing up, and having a bit of luck.

Do you exhaust every avenue looking for ways to grow your motorcycle fleet? Do you ride from dealership to dealership, entering every motorcycle contest within 1000 miles of your home? We've all filled out a form, stuffed it in the ballot box and dreamed of winning. Does it happen? Watch this year's drawing for a G650 X-Challenge at Ride West's Open House in Seattle, Washington. It can happen...

BMW R1200R: Windshield Basics

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This month's video podcast is about chosing the right windshield for your bike. I explain the basic ideas behind windshield dimensions, the proper shape and angle, how these attributes direct airflow and how they affect your comfort. I then install a Cee Bailey's 18" windshield on my BMW R1200R. Please be sure to see my other BMW R1200R videos too.

I am currently trying out blip.tv, which is a video sharing service that has a great interface. blip.tv provides content creators with free hosting, support for a variety of video formats, distribution using technologies like RSS and an opt-in advertising program with a 50/50 revenue share.

blip.tv's video playback quality is superior to the ubiquitous YouTube, but it may come at the cost of slower buffering. I discovered that it's better to let the whole video buffer before trying play it if you aren't on a really fast connection. If you find it too slow, you can view the video on YouTube.

Making a Custom Motorcyle Seat - Peckhammer's Video Podcast

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My latest video podcast answers the question, "Why do stock motorcycle seats kick your ass?" I document Rich O'Connor's transformation of my stock BMW R1200R seat into a comfortable masterpiece.

The biggest problem with stock seats is that they are supposed to fit riders who are 5’2” tall as well riders who are 6’4” tall. And they supposed to be comfortable for someone who weighs 120 lbs and for someone who weighs 240 lbs.

Rich explained, "Imagine making a pair of pants that is supposed to fit someone between 5’2” and 6’4”; they would fit absolutely no one."

Rich O'Connor started working in the upholstery business in 1973. Why upholstery? "It's all I know," he claims. He got his first job in the business at age 15. He has successfully combined his love of motorcycles, cars and leather into an incredible operation located on Aurora Avenue North in Seattle. Rich's Web site is www.richscustomseats.com.

Watch the video and you are guaranteed to learn more than you ever thought possible about motorcycle seats. Enjoy!