I'm hearing that KTM is no longer supporting the AMA Dual Sport Series....Interesting.

Rod1, on 03 February 2012 - 01:31 AM, said:

Could be. But you'd never know from the AMA. They haven't updated their web site since 2010.

Probably figure that since everyone is already riding there's KTM's no need.....

Well, at least the AMA mag is showing Yamaha as the Adventure Ride Series and KTM as the Dual Sport Series Sponsers. ( ae of feb. 2012 ) I e-mail the AMA this question and about updating thier web site.

What is the dual sport series?

Who Cares. Not sure we need KTM to organize dual sport events ... and charge us for the privilege to let them market their products to us. The very best events I ride in California and Nevada are mostly small privately run club events. Most are FREE (or very cheap). Many are word of mouth only. We keep them OFF ADV and TT for a reason ... Who wants to ride a dual sport ride with 400 other chumps? Not me. On big organized Pay To Ride money makers, we find hordes of Noobs requiring lots of hand holding ... and medical assistance.

Our rides get between 30 the 50 guys depending. Our routes are NOT SHARED and are put together from DECADES of experience passed down. We never check in with any officials or ask permission. We just show up and go, in and out before anyone is the wiser. We TREAD LIGHTLY and obey most traffic laws.

I support the "spirit" of the AMA but have been forever disappointed in how ineffective they've been over the years and their continued failure to bring the big OEM's into our sport to protect our riding areas. Being in Ohio is part of the the AMA's problems. ALL the big OEM's are in California ... and California has 10 times the rider base than any place else. Why aren't the AMA here? This is where the industry is based ... and riding events happen 365 days a year.

54321, KTM does not organise the national dual sport series. What they do as the title sponsor is to sometimes show up at the national events with their support truck. Good thing too as I lost a special bolt at the Ohio round and the KTM rep there graciously gave me the bolt.

Also, KTM gives away a bike at the end of the year in a drawing of all riders that enters the series. Pretty nice prize I'd say.

It's nice for you that you have the advantage of have lots of little dual sport rides that only you and you buddies get to go on but is that really promoting the sport?

What the AMA provides is insurance for the organizers and a level of legitimacy that opens up access to otherwise closed riding areas. The latter might not be an issue on the west coast where there are public lands that are open to riding. But on the east coast we have virtually zero public lands and very little of what public land there is is open to riding.

So those AMA sactioned dual sport rides that are sponsored by KTM offer about the best dual sport riding we get over here. As for pay to ride, the entry fee is too minimal to whine about. They could double the fees for the ones I ride and not make me think twice. I paid more for gas getting to my last one than the whole weekend of riding cost.

I could care less who the industry sponsor is. But, just in case I ever luck out and win the bike giveaway, I would prefer it to remain KTM.

Layton, on 06 February 2012 - 11:02 AM, said:

grreatdog, on 07 February 2012 - 07:45 AM, said:

Sponsors come and go. KTM are there as part of a business plan ... and that's fine ... I welcome their participation. The gifts and giveaways are great too ... but not new. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki have all had some On/Off involvement in Dual Sport sponsorship (along with the AMA) over the years. They will be there as long as it's in their best interest and has low or no risk.

Why can't the AMA persuade ALL the big OEM's to be involved? Legal issues are a concern and a major roadblock to AMA efforts. Ironic that an OEM can't even openly promote it's own product. If the big OEM's are concerned about such law suits ... what makes anyone think the AMA could ever protect a local club or AMA District club from a lawsuit? They can't really. So insurance is really not much good in a serious law suit. Sad but true. This is partly why many of us have gone rogue and just do our own thing. No club, no affiliation.

BIG dual sport events go back to the mid 80's when private business's got into the act and brought in sponsors. Entry fees were not all that cheap. In some cases events got too big and the BLM or Forest Service denied permits ... Too Many People. A few rides still survive to this day. The Sheetiron 500 is one, organized by OMC (Oakland MC) and held on public USFS land. OMC also put on the AMA Dist. 36 Jackhammer Enduro in the same location. I have a dozen finisher pins from both events. I no longer do the Sheetiron ... and am frankly amazed OMC can still pull it off.
Local Clubs (like OMC and others) have given money to the BRC (Blue Ribbon Coalition) for 20 years or more. They also do trail maintenance before and after their events. I sympathize with the situation in other states. I guess you team up with whomever you have to to make it work ... or ride out side the law.
Kudos to KTM for hanging in and local dealers for adding support.

Are you really protected?
http://www.district3...ead.php?t=50034

March 2012 issue of American Motorcyclist shows 24 Dual Sport Events and 18 Adventure Ride Events. They show no sponser for the Dual Sport Sereis BUT do show Yamaha as the Adventure Ride Series sponser.

ccman60, on 09 February 2012 - 05:52 AM, said:

My guess is each local district/club in the various event locations will find sponsorship on their own. It usually comes from local dealers and moto related businesses with some national sponsorship or OEM backing. Each club/district most likely handle promotion of their own event, with some help from the AMA for advertising and promotion.

54321, on 07 February 2012 - 12:29 PM, said:

Better check your facts. The first Dual Sport rides were very small events in So Cal. Terry Nichols, Jim Pilon and I put them on at about the same time. My first one had the editor, and advertising guy from Dirt Rider and a bunch of guys from Malcolm Smith. I used the brand new XL600 to lay it out so must have been 85-86. We kept getting bigger then finally Pilon put on the LA-B-V and we started getting over 100 riders. It wasn't until the 90's that D37 got a real series but most of the promoters were old Enduro clubs, then several years latter the AMA finally split us off from plain road rides. the National series had to start in the very late 90's.

After 22 years, I still put on events that cater to the better riders and draw small groups 50-100. some have four loops to choose from so there may be only 10 guys on a loop. Check them out at DualSportWest.com

Countdown, on 09 February 2012 - 10:06 PM, said:

Nope. I know for sure that the national series was running in the late 80's as the club I belong to, the Midwest Trail Rider Association from Missouri , was running a national dual sport event back then. At that time Suzuki was was the sponsor.

This years event is something like the 22-23 year as a national and it was running before the national series even began.

Layton, on 10 February 2012 - 10:58 AM, said:

You are correct.

I checked with our historians and Jim Pilon put on the LA to Barstow to Vegas in 1984 and coined the phrase "Dual Sport" before that it was Dual Purpose. We were protesting the BLM denial of a B-V Hare & Hound event permit. Other protests at the time were the Pahnton Duck of the Desert rides on the old race course. Since this was the first big event of that type, the AMA didn't even have a Sacntion for Dual Sport, it was just sanctioned as a Street Ride.The first flyer that mentioned "National" was indeed 1987.

See our news letter with history of LA-B-V:
http://www.district3...-Newsletter.pdf

In 81 through 85 I was working for Al Baker and Honda R&D and I was putting on the first west coast Roll Chart rides for plated dirt bikes. I got the idea from the New England Trail Riders who inserted a Roll Chart as the dirty center fold of theri magazine. In 84 or 85 Dirt Bike covered my first 3-day 600 mile ride.

I thought it took longer to develop but it all happened in the 80's.

That is interesting reading.

Thanks,

Husqvarna sponsors AMA National Dual Sport Series:

http://www.coloradod...Dual-Sport-News


Could BMW be far behind ?