I remember the day my father brought home our family’s first ATV. It was a Suzuki 350 c.c. and I was terrified of it. It had a manual transmission and I spent several frustrating hours trying to learn how to shift the gears smoothly. After I figured it out, however, I was hooked on ATVing.
A couple of years later, my father bought two personal watercraft and it didn’t take me long to develop an interest in them as well. Since then, I’ve explored trails and lakes throughout the East and West Kootenay regions of B.C. and in the province of Alberta. I have also ridden a personal watercraft in the states of Montana, Arizona and Utah. My passion for motorsports is something I am pleased to share with my husband, who is also an experienced dirt biker and motorcyclist.
As a writer for RidersWest, I get to speak with top riders in the industry, learn about new products on the market and hear great riding stories from readers.
If you have a story that you’d like to share, know of an outstanding rider who should be recognized or would just like to talk about motorsports, please email me.
Bryan Vollmer, 20, is one of the handful of Canadians heading to the U.S. this spring to represent our country in the elite AMA Mountain Dew ATV Motocross National series.
by Kirsten Armleder
“There’s something about running a motorbike engine for a long time, then stopping it in the wilderness, that is both hugely satisfying and yet somehow a little terrifying,” wrote Trevor Marc Hughes in his book Nearly 40 on the 37: Triumph and Trepidation on the Stewart-Cassiar Highway.
by Kirsten Armleder
It may be a little early to start thinking about motorcycling, but now is actually the best time to see what’s on the market and to shop for your next ride. And boy, are there a lot of choices for 2014.
by Kirsten Armleder
When the dust cleared at the 2014 Dakar Rally on Saturday, it was Red Bull KTM rider Marc Coma who was first over the finish line in the motorcycle category.
by Kirsten Armleder
These days, snowmobiles are starting to look more and more like dirt bikes, or is it vice versa? But the ultimate mating of the two is a snow bike and love it or hate it, the technology to convert a motorcycle made to run on dirt into a snow crushing machine has really caught on.
by Kirsten Armleder
Even at this time of year, there’s no reason to be cooped up inside, pining away at the sight of your dirt bike parked in the shed. It’s ice racing season in B.C. and the popular Stake Lake series in Kamloops is about to get underway.
by Kirsten Armleder
Have a bike and want to race but don’t know where to start? Here you will find links to motorcycle, ATV and other motorsport racing associations in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
by Kirsten Armleder
The 2014 Dakar Rally came to a standstill on Saturday as racers had reached the halfway point. The day was spent testing, tuning and recharging the batteries, so to speak. Racers also took time to celebrate their sub-victory of reaching rest day.
by Kirsten Armleder
The 36th edition of the world-famous Dakar endurance rally is taking place right now. Racers are currently in Stage 4, battling not only time but geography and fatigue as well.
by Kirsten Armleder
Skully Helmets, a new company based in California’s Silicon Valley, is preparing to revolutionize the motorcycle world with its futuristic Skully P1 Helmet.
by Kirsten Armleder
Motorcyclists looking for a pair of gloves will want to check out the new FL-2 Gauntlet Glove from FLY Street Gear.
by Kirsten Armleder
Soon, motorcycle riders will be able to buy an HJC helmet with a Bluetooth communication system from Sena Technologies Inc. built right into it. The two companies have formed a partnership to create the all-new H-Talk system.
by Kirsten Armleder
Ice, water, rock, muskeg and mud are no match for the Argo 6X6 Frontier 580. This amphibious UTV is designed to handle the most extreme terrain you can throw at it. Plus, it’s designed to be more stable than a traditional ATV or UTV.
by Kirsten Armleder
Garmin International Inc. certainly raised the bar for other GPS units on the market with its new zūmo 390LM Motorcycle Navigator. Released in September 2013, the zūmo 390LM is loaded with smart, rider-friendly features.
by Kirsten Armleder
It’s official. Red Bull Canada has just released the dates for next year’s Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour and the season opener will be in Mexico City on March 14, 2014.
by Kirsten Armleder
This year’s final round of the Women’s AMA National EnduroCross Series—which took place on November 23, 2013, in Las Vegas—saw for the first time, a Canadian being crowned as champion of the series.
by Kirsten Armleder