OCTOBER 2012

32

CONTENTS

Dunlop Download magazine is published for Dunlop Motorcycle Tires by Vreeke & Associates. www.vreeke.com

4 2012 WORLD JUNIOR MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

5 DUNLOP TAKES THIRD SUCCESSIVE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

6 DUNLOP ANNOUNCES NEW BI-DIRECTIONAL MULTI-COMPOUND RACE TIRES

10 TAYLOR ROBERT DOMINATES THE 2012 WORCS PRO CHAMPIONSHIP

14 RICKY CARMICHAEL CLINCHES 10TH LORETTA LYNN AMATEUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

16 TEAM D AT LORETTA LYNN’S

24 JESSE ROOKE CAN’T LEAVE ANYTHING ALONE

30 EXCITING RACING RULES 2012 MX SEASON

44 RD DELIVERS

50 RSD HURLEY SPORTSTER

56 MOTO2 AND MOTO3 RACING UPDATE

60 CAMERON BEAUBIER

66 AMA ROAD RACING UPDATE

76 UPCOMING EVENTS

FOR DUNLOP VIDEOS PLEASE VISITYOUTUBE.COM/DUNLOPTIRESCHANNEL

ON THE COVER: In his first year on the Red Bull KTM Team, running a brand-new bike,Ryan Dungey not only wins the first AMA Motocross championship forthe brand, but he also sets multiple records along the way—mostimpressive results indeed. Photo by Simon Cudby.

JOSHHAYES

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The Federation International de Motocylisme recently staged the

Junior Motocross World Championship in Sivlievo, Bulgaria. The

USA sent a strong contingent of young riders to this year’s annual

competition, which includes riders from all around the world

racing in the 65cc, 85cc and 125cc classes. Team Dunlop

member Austin Forkner ended up earning high points for the

American team, pacing the squad to third place overall.

Austin and his Team Green Monster Energy Kawasaki got off to a

great start by winning the first moto in the 85cc class.

Unfortunately, the second moto did not start as well for Austin

and he had to work his way up to the front for an eventual third-

place finish. That tied him for top points with Germany’s Brian

Hsu, who finished 3-1. But by merit of his better second-moto

placing, Hsu was crowned 2012 FIM 85cc World Champion.

Still, Austin’s finishes were instrumental in leading the USA to

third overall in the Nations standings, with the Netherlands first

and Italy second.

Dunlop and the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) have been crowned the 2012 FIM

Endurance World Champions after a close second place in the Le Mans 24 Hours Moto season

finale on September 9th.

The result is the latest endorsement of Dunlop’s very public research and development program—

conducted under public scrutiny on the race tracks of the world, at the very highest level, against

the most demanding competition.

Dunlop and SERT add the 2012 title to those accrued in 2011 and 2010, as well as countless

other silverware accumulated in the relentless pursuit of better results. Seven of the last eight FIM

World Endurance Championships have been won with Dunlop tires.

DUNLOP TAKES THIRD SUCCESSIVE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

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2012 WORLD JUNIORMOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

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Dunlop proudly introduces a whole new concept in road race

tires: The KR451™. This innovative tire is an asymmetric,

bi-directional multi-compound rear slick. This new rear tire

differs from others in its use of a custom combination of tire

compounds, so the tire can deliver maximum performance

regardless of the track’s directional flow. Multiple variations in

compound combinations of the KR451 will be made available.

DUNLOP ANNOUNCESNEW BI-DIRECTIONALMULTI-COMPOUND

RACETIRES

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The reversible nature of the KR451 and versatility are made

possible by a new Jointless Tread application of the tire

compounds, which are wound onto the tire carcass in

continuous strips rather than being laid down in a more

conventional, directional manner. As a result, the tire sidewall

features double rotation arrows, and the different compounds

are also clearly identified on the sidewall as well. By simply

picking the KR451 with the most desirable compound

combinations and then mounting it in the appropriate

orientation, the racer can then ride with a new level

of performance.

In general, a tire with a very grippy compound will produce

faster lap times at the track, but that tire may not be able to

maintain those lap times for the duration of a race. A vivid

example is a qualifying tire: It’s ultra-grippy, but only lasts a

few laps. Tires with compounds that produce consistent

lap times over race distance don’t normally generate as

much maximum grip. By offering different compounds on

each side, the KR451 can deliver more consistent lap times

throughout the race and deliver high grip, allowing the rider

to reap lower and more consistent lap times for the duration

of the race.

During the development phase, top AMA riders sponsored by

Dunlop as the exclusive tire of AMA Pro Road Racing, tried the

new tire and provided feedback. Here is what Roger Lee

Hayden had to say regarding the KR451. “The first time I used

the KR451 was at the NOLA test. I liked how quickly it came in

and how much edge grip it had driving into the corners. I was

also impressed with how well the tire ran after many laps in the

hot temperatures at NOLA.”

Developed and produced in Dunlop’s Buffalo, NY facility, the

KR451 racing tires are the culmination of a long development

process headed up by Dunlop personnel. “This new tire is a

very exciting innovation for racers in America,” says Sabastian

Mincone, Dunlop Senior Road Race Manager. “Obviously,

most tracks around the country are biased in the number of

turns they have to the left or to the right, a result of their

clockwise or counterclockwise directional flow. With the

KR451, racers can now choose from a variety of tire

compound combinations given the demands of the particular

track they are racing on that weekend. The ability to reverse

rotational direction of the tire gives racers more latitude than

ever as they make their race-day preparations. We are very

proud of this new degree of flexibility as well as the

heightened racing performance the KR451 delivers.”

The KR451 is available through Race Tire Service at 800-772-

TIRE (800-772-8473). The direct line for orders or tech

questions is 615-641-3323; fax 615-641-8959. Also, the

KR451 can be ordered via email at info@dunlopracing.com,

and online orders or requests for information can be obtained

at www.dunlopracing.com. Race Tire Service is available for

phone orders from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central time (7:00 AM

– 3:00 PM Pacific time). Orders placed before 2:00 PM

Central time will ship that day. All messages left will be

returned the next day so orders can be shipped as quickly

as possible.

DEVELOPED AND PRODUCED IN DUNLOP’S BUFFALO, NYFACILITY, THE KR451 RACING TIRES ARE THE CULMINATIONOF A LONG DEVELOPMENT PROCESS HEADED UP BYDUNLOP PERSONNEL.

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DOMINATES THE 2012WORCS PRO CHAMPIONSHIP

TAYLORROBERT

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After 10 rounds across the West Coast, the 2012 World Off

Road Championship Series (WORCS) came to a close at

Honolulu Hills Raceway in Taft, CA, with Monster Energy

Kawasaki’s Taylor Robert grabbing his seventh win of the

season. Robert dominated the last three rounds of the series,

winning all six races aboard his Dunlop-sponsored KXF450.

At round eight in Pala, CA, Robert rode flawlessly in race one,

taking the win unchallenged. In race two he had his work cut

out, battling for first place a majority of the 90 minutes but he

eventually pulled away, nailing down another win. Teammate

Bobby Garrison grabbed third overall despite still suffering

from a shoulder injury.

Cahuilla Creek MX in Anza, CA hosted round nine, where

Robert maintained his momentum, dominating the weekend

with a 1-1 performance. This marked his sixth win of the

season, ultimately giving him enough points to wrap up the

2012 Pro WORCS Championship title with one round

remaining. JCR/Honda’s Timmy Weigand, who had only raced

one other round previously, was able to put together a

noteworthy weekend in taking second overall with his 2-3

scores. Garrison was unable to contest his teammate as he

had done at the beginning of the season and would settle for

fifth overall.

At the season finale, Robert launched off the line in race one

and quickly took the lead. Weigand was able to keep him in

sight for much of the race but was never able to get close

enough to make a pass. In the second race, Robert got another

good start but battled the entire time for the lead and at one

point was passed and ran in second. He regained the lead and

took the checkered flag for another 1-1 overall victory. Weigand

finished second with a 2-3 performance and Garrison finished

seventh but placed second overall in the series.

Other Dunlop-sponsored riders finishing out the season in the

top 10 include Justin Soule in sixth, Mike Brown in eighth and

Kyle Summers in ninth.

WORCS POINTS STANDINGS (after 10 out of 10 rounds)

1. Taylor Robert 456 (Dunlop)

2. Bobby Garrison 351 (Dunlop)

3. Robby Bell 311 (Dunlop)

4. Ryan Abbatoye 308

5. Gary Sutherlin 260 (Dunlop)

6. Justin Soule 211 (Dunlop)

7. Joshua Strang 207

8. Mike Brown 196 (Dunlop)

9. Kyle Summers 157 (Dunlop)

10. Timmy Weigand 117 (Dunlop)

BOBBYGARRISON

ROBERT DOMINATED THE LAST THREE ROUNDSOF THE SERIES WINNING ALL SIX RACESABOARD HIS DUNLOP-SPONSORED KXF450.

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After a 16-year absence from the most prestigious amateur

motocross race in the world, Ricky Carmichael returned to

Hurricane Mills, Tennessee to take on the 31st annual Red Bull

AMA Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Champion.

Carmichael, also known as the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T)

has been retired from competitive racing for five years but

wanted to revisit his MX roots and experience a no-pressure

form of racing.

Despite being one of the most decorated racers of all time

with 67 amateur titles and a record 150 Supercross and

Motocross wins, Carmichael, like nearly 20,000 other racers,

had to qualify for his spot at the National. For the Southeast

region the area qualifier was hosted at Aonia Pass Motocross

Park in Washington, GA, where Carmichael lined up on the

gate for both the Junior +25 class and Open Pro Sport class

aboard his Dunlop-equipped RMZ450. In the +25 class he put

together two commanding performances, riding unchallenged

for 1-1 finishes, guaranteeing him a transfer to the regional

qualifier. Unfortunately, he did not grab a transfer spot in the

Open Pro Sport class, finishing 10th overall with 15-4 scores.

Carmichael then took on the regional qualifier at Millcreek

Motorcross Park in Pell City, AL. He had another impressive

showing, launching to great starts both motos and taking the

overall win plus a spot at Loretta Lynn’s.

From July 29 to August 4th Carmichael and his family returned

to what is deemed as the “World’s Greatest Motocross

Vacation” for another chance to be crowned champion. During

that week Carmichael took on some heavy hitters but

triumphed, taking the win in his first two races. Finally, in moto

three of the +25 Junior class Carmichael grabbed the holeshot

but was passed by another rider on the opening lap. The

“G.O.A.T” ran in second for a couple laps until regaining the

lead and quickly pulling away from the rest of the pack. He

rode flawless the remainder of the race and won his 10th

Loretta Lynn Amateur National Championship, sweeping the

class with 1-1-1 scores.

CLINCHES 10TH LORETTA LYNN AMATEUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

RICKYCARMICHAEL

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TEAM DJORDANBAILEY

AT LORETTA LYNN’S

1918

In the first week of August, amateur racers from all over the country flocked to

country singer Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee for the 31st

annual Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocoss Championship. Marked as

the most prestigious amateur-racing program in the world, over 20,000 racers

attempt to qualify each year in 36 classes for one of the 1,446 available

positions. Each rider must go through the qualifying program, which consists of

50 area qualifiers that take place from February through May and 12 regional

qualifiers in June. This year Team Dunlop riders had an impressive showing,

clinching a total of eight championship titles over the five days of racing.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, who is also an original Team

Dunlop member, put together a flawless performance, riding undefeated in both

Super Mini 1 and Super Mini 2 classes to grab two more Super Mini

Championships. Cianciarulo ends his mini career with a whopping 11 total

Loretta Lynn titles, and he also earned the 2012 AMA Youth award. Jordan Baily

likewise had a very successful week, wrapping up two championships in 85 (9-

11) Modified with 1-1-2 finishes and 85 (9-11) Stock with 2-1-1 finishes.

THIS YEAR TEAM DUNLOP RIDERSHAD AN IMPRESSIVE SHOWING,CLINCHING A TOTAL OF EIGHTCHAMPIONSHIP TITLES OVER THEFIVE DAYS OF RACING.

ADAMCIANCIARULO

RYDERDiFRANCESCO

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BRANDYRICHARDS

ANDREWPIERCE CARSONMUMFORD PIERCEBROWN

Other Elite Team Dunlop members to leave the prestigious amateur national as

crowned champions include Ryder DiFrancesco sweeping the 51 (4-6) AMA 1

Stock class with 1-1-1 finishes, Pierce Brown in the 65 (7-9) Stock class with 1-

1-1 finishes, Carson Mumford grabbing 1-1-2 finishes in the 65 (7-11) Modified

class and Brandy Richards in the Girls (12-15) class with 2-2-1 finishes.

51cc (4-6) AMA Stock

Ryder DiFrancesco Champion

51cc (7-8) AMA 2 Stock

Jett Reynolds 8th

Gage Linville 12th

65cc (7-9) Stock

Pierce Brown Champion

Stilez Robertson 2nd

Gage Linville 7th

65cc (10-11) Stock

Carson Mumford 3rd

65cc (10-11) Mod

Carson Mumford Champion

85cc (9-11) Stock

Jordan Bailey Champion

Garrett Marchbanks 2nd

85cc (9-11) Mod

Jordan Bailey Champion

Garrett Marchbanks 3rd

Mini Sr. (12-14) Stock

Austin Forkner 4th

Chase Sexton 8th

Mini Sr. (12-14) Mod

Tanner Stack 2nd

Sean Cantrell 3rd

Chase Sexton 5th

Austin Forkner 11th

Super Mini 1 (12-15)

Adam Cianciarulo Champion

Andrew Pierce 11th

Super Mini 2 (13-16)

Adam Cianciarulo Champion

Mark Worth 2nd

Andrew Pierce 27th

Girls (12-15)

Brandy Richards Champion

Women’s (14+)

Brandy Richards 4th

MARKWORTH

2322

TANNERSTACK

STILEZROBERTSON

GARRETTMARCHBANKS SEANCANTRELL GAGELINVILLE AUSTINFORKNER

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON TEAM DUNLOP

24 25

JESSEROOKECAN’T LEAVE ANYTHING ALONESome guys love a clean, stock bike. Some even painstakingly return piles of junk into

picture-perfect restorations. Jesse Rooke has a new shop in Arizona that could handle any

restoration, and routinely builds a bike from scratch, but Rooke has no love of stock. He

creates machines that are innovative, clean, stark and rolling works of art.

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While most of his work has been in the custom and chopper

genre, his latest creation started with knobbies. He began with

an exceptionally unusual all-wheel-drive Christini 450. The

Christini is based on a Honda CRF450X, and while it is hardly

smooth in the way street bikes are, adding Christini’s drive

system to the front adds more barbs. As exotic as the Christini

is stock, JR wasn’t interested in stock.

“Steve Christini wanted to see what we could do with his

Christini AWD 450. I’ve always been fascinated by flat track

racing, so we went in a dirt track direction. Carey Hart had

parts from racing Supermoto, so we swapped the X parts to a

full Pro Circuit CRF450R Supermoto race engine, swingarm,

airbox and subframe. We shortened the suspension, and

Steve Christini shortened the drive system to match. The

rolling stock is 19-inch wheels from Dubya with the ultra-

strong D.I.D Dirt Star rims in black with black spokes. The

entire bike is built with titanium and aluminum fasteners. The

guards and levers are from Works Connection.”

Naturally, being a Rooke custom, the bike had to look the part.

“The frame is bead-blasted, but all of the other chassis parts

are powder-coated. Even the aluminum fasteners get in on the

program, since many are anodized. The plastic and graphics

are special. We haven’t decided yet, but we might sell replicas

to raise money for charity.”

And, since Jesse is a Dunlop guy, there are Dunlop tires. “We

haven’t ridden the bike on dirt yet, but I can’t wait. I’ve got an

invitation to Kenny Roberts’ ranch to get some dirt track

practice and have a chance to ride the bike. I’ll be riding with

really good guys, so I am hoping the AWD is as good as

everyone says it is. I’ll need every advantage in that crowd.”

Look for Rooke customs at various events this year. “I prefer

to display my bikes at events rather than just custom shows. I

want to have things to do and see, and I love dirt track. I’m

hoping to schedule in shows that coincide with dirt track

races. Many of our greatest racers have come from dirt track,

and I want to see it thrive.”

CLICK HERE TO KEEP UP WITH JESSE ROOKE AND HIS MACHINES

“MANY OF OURGREATEST RACERSHAVE COME FROMDIRT TRACK, AND IWANT TO SEEIT THRIVE.”

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EXCITING RACING RULES

2012 MX SEASON

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Dunlop-sponsored riders Ryan Dungey, Blake Baggett and Ashley Fiolek won all three

national Motocross titles. Elsewhere in this issue of Dunlop Download, we’ve provided an

in-depth interview with Red Bull KTM rider Dungey, who earned the 450 Class

Championship—the first-ever pro Motocross or Supercross championship for KTM in the

USA—with a masterful effort, posting 10 overall victories in the 12-round season; he won

every overall from the third round forward. Motoconcepts’ Mike Alessi worked hard all

season long to challenge Dungey, and his efforts earned him the runner-up spot on the

year. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer edged out Chaparral Honda’s

Andrew Short by a single point for third overall in the championship points chase.

In the 250 class, Blake Baggett earned the title for his Monster Energy/Pro

Circuit/Kawasaki team, in part by winning a class-leading five races. The championship

came down to three Team Dunlop alumni riders—Baggett, GEICO Honda teammates

Justin Barcia and Eli Tomac. It all came down to the final at Lake Elsinore, where Baggett

once again asserted his dominance, never giving up the points lead, and emerging

victorious at the end of the year.

Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Ashley Fiolek closed out the 8-round Women’s Motocross

Championship on top following a wide-open season that saw three riders still holding a

chance at winning the title entering the final round. Fiolek’s hard-earned championship

was her fourth in five seasons as a pro—this, despite missing a round of competition with

an injury early in the season. Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Tarah Gieger earned a

career-best runner-up finish in the championship, while Rockstar Suzuki’s Jessica

Patterson fought on gallantly despite an injury to round out third in the points chase.

ONE THING’S FOR SURE: THE LUCAS OIL PROMOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, SANCTIONED BY AMAPRO RACING, PROVIDED LOTS OF EXCITEMENT ANDA NUMBER OF FIRST-TIME ACHIEVEMENTS AS THE2012 SEASON FINALLY CAME TO A CLOSE.

ELITOMAC

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RYANDUNGEY

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BLAKEBAGGETT

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ASHLEYFIOLEK

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MIKEALESSI

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JUSTINBARCIA

JAKEWEIMER

ANDREWSHORTCLICK HERE TO SEE MORE IMAGES FROM THE MX SEASON

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2012 SEES RYAN DUNGEY DELIVER MANY FIRSTS TO KTM—INCLUDING THEIR FIRST AMA MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

RDDELIVERS!The 2012 AMA Motocross season will go down in the history books—especially the KTM history

books—as one of the most dominant one-man shows to ever brace the grueling National outdoor

circuit. Red Bull KTM rider Ryan Dungey staged a truly amazing display of racing prowess as he

absolutely dominated the competition all season long with a staggering collection of moto wins and

overall victories. These wins elevated Dunlop-sponsored Dungey to third on the all-time win list, as

he overtook Rick Johnson and now closely trails Bob Hannah—both true legends of the sport.

We managed to carve a little time out of RD’s busy schedule to gain a few insights on his

championship season.

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First of all, congratulations on your championship! You had

an incredible run of moto wins and overall wins in 2012;

what were some of the elements that helped you find so

much success?

RD: The Motocross season went really well. I stayed healthy

the entire season, which is what every rider aims for. At the

start of the season James Stewart and I had some great

battles and I was bummed to see him get hurt because I was

having a great time racing him. We were really pushing each

other. But as the season went on I feel the team and I got even

stronger. We were consistently at the top of our game and on

the podium every week. Consistency is definitely very

important as is staying healthy. I think we got the bike dialed in

a little better with every race and by Unadilla we were able to

wrap up the championship. I know KTM is stoked, as am I.

How gratifying was it to be able to keep on top of your

game, racking up win after win, building up a points lead

to an early championship?

RD: It felt good but it wasn’t without a lot of hard work along

the way. What’s the old saying; “It’s hard work getting to the

top but even harder to stay there?” The biggest challenge was

staying focused and trying to continuously push myself to

keep getting better and faster each week. When it comes to

racing I always strive to do better and keep learning new

things about the sport and myself. Like I said, James and I had

some great battles and as the season went on Mike Alessi

continued to get stronger as well so I always had someone

there ready to capitalize on any mistakes.

The first year on a new bike with a new team is supposed

to be an “adjustment period”, but you quickly found

success early on during Supercross—what helped you to

adapt so quickly?

RD: When I signed with KTM late last year I literally had two

weeks on the new KTM 450SX-F before we decided to race

the cup race in Las Vegas. We figured there was no better

way to find out where we were at in terms of the competition

than to race with them. We raced Vegas and gathered a lot

of valuable information about the bike at that race and we

were pumped to finish in second place in the process! It

gave us a solid platform to build from heading into the

Supercross Championship.

And you found success right away once the Supercross

season began, right?

RD: Our first Supercross season together was a really good

one. We put the Red Bull KTM on the podium at the series

opener in Anaheim and that was awesome. It was a big boost

for the team to know we were on the right track and a reward

for everyone’s hard work, bringing the revamped KTM program

into fruition. And from there we continued to get stronger,

taking our first win of the season—and KTM USA’s first-ever

big bike win—the following week in Phoenix. Our second win

came at the Atlanta SX. However, just like anytime you’re

working with something brand new, there were some weeks

where we were a little ways off from where we wanted to be

but I think we always figured it out and were back on it the

following week. It was a shame that I got injured midway into

the season and missed five rounds but I think we made up for

it by winning the final two Supercross races.

Did you ever have any reservations about joining a new

team with an all-new, virtually unproven bike?

RD: There are a lot of factors that come into play when it

comes to signing with a team. I guess coming to KTM, a

company that for a long time had dedicated the majority of its

resources to the European racing scene, was a bit of a leap of

faith. But I knew that if Roger DeCoster was there then

something good would come out of it. I’ve had a great

relationship with him for many years and I trust his

workmanship. If he says he can make something work, then I

know he will. Roger never does anything half-heartedly. I also

went to Europe to meet with KTM and I saw firsthand the level

of commitment and resources they were putting toward the U.S.

racing program in an effort to win here. It’s awesome for

everyone involved to experience the success we experienced in

our first year together.

GOOD TIRES ARE ESSENTIAL. WE CAN DO ALL THEWORK IN THE WORLD DEVELOPING AND SETTING UPTHE BIKE BUT IF THE TIRES, THE ONE PART THATACTUALLY CONNECTS THE BIKE TO THE TERRAIN,AREN’T ANY GOOD THEN WHAT’S THE POINT?

48 49

Tell us about the bike; what are some of the things you like

best about it?

RD: It just feels good. The weight is just right for me and I like

the power delivery from the engine; it handles great.

Tell us about getting adjusted to your new team; how is

this team different compared to past situations?

RD: That’s hard to answer because all but one year in my

professional career has been under the leadership of Roger! I

think one of the biggest factors when it comes to a rider’s

performance and success is your confidence. If you don’t

have confidence in the equipment you’re on or the people that

surround you working on your race bike then it’s hard to go

out there and race at 100 percent to 110 percent. What we do

can be dangerous so you have to have your head in the right

place when it comes time to race. At Red Bull KTM I am

working with a bunch of new faces; however I’m also working

with many guys I’ve worked and trusted in the past (Roger, Ian

Harrison and Rob Hendrickson). Roger is very good at putting

an experienced hard working team together. Everyone at Red

Bull KTM is good at what they do and I don’t have to worry

about things because I know they have it handled. KTM both

in Europe and America made me feel welcome from the start

so the adjustment period didn’t take too long.

Tell us about some of the development work you and the

team did with the bike as the season progressed, and how

those changes have helped your performance.

RD: When you are working with an all-new bike, every time

you ride you discover new characteristics about it. I think

Roger and the guys in Austria did an awesome job in the short

time they had to develop a bike that was virtually ready to go

out of the box. I can honestly say that when I received my first

KTM 450SX-F practice bike I felt just as good on it for the first

time as I had felt on any other new bike I’d ridden. I was

actually surprised. We had a really good platform to build

from. That’s why two weeks after getting my first bike I was

able to race the cup race in Las Vegas. The key areas we

focused on since then have been suspension and engine

development. We use WP Suspension components and the

team spent a lot of time testing and developing our settings.

We also worked on engine power delivery to make the ride

smoother—the way I like it. I think these are the two key main

areas we made improvements and are still improving on.

The outdoor tracks vary considerably in terrain and

soil types; tell us about the different Dunlop tires you

use at the different tracks, and how they contribute to

your success.

RD: Good tires are essential. We can do all the work in the

world developing and setting up the bike but if the tires, the

one part that actually connects the bike to the terrain, aren’t

any good then what’s the point? They literally are the part of

the bike that grounds it. And it’s the travel and feel we get from

the tires to the bike that we eventually base our set-up from.

So the quality of the tires we use is crucial to our overall set-

up and development. We choose Dunlop because the product

they produce, I believe, is the best. And the support we

receive from them is exceptional. We are always trying and

experimenting with tires working in conjunction with Dunlop.

Do you have a favorite Dunlop tire, one that gives you the

best feel in most track situations?

RD: My favorite is the tire that hooks up best to the conditions

we’re riding in! (Laughs) No, I don’t really have one favorite.

We work closely with Brian Fleck and the entire Dunlop crew

on race day and work with their suggestions for tire choice. No

one is more knowledgeable than them when it comes to

knowing what will work best in the various conditions. We

have a good idea of what we should run but we definitely lean

on them for advice when the time comes.

What are some of your high points and favorite memories

from this 2012 season?

I think getting my first win with KTM and delivering KTM USA’s

first-ever Supercross win in Phoenix at only the second race in

the series is a standout moment for me. And of course,

winning the Motocross Championship! It’s been a great year

for the team and me. And being back with Roger, Ian and the

crew is awesome. I feel at home with the team and with that

feeling then I think the good results will only continue.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE IMAGES OF RYAN DUNGEY

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RSD HURLEYSPORTSTER

KEEPING IT SIMPLE.

52 53

Simple things are best. And Hurley’s H20 initiative is, at heart,

a simple thing. Hurley makes surfing gear, and the initiative is

to supply clean water to, well, everyone. Pretty simple, seeing

as how clean water is a simple requisite for life. Hurley’s a

natural match for the project, because it’s a company that

makes surfing gear, which depends on—water.

Enter Roland Sands Design. Sands and some of his crew are

avid surfers, and liked Hurley’s H20 initiative, as well as the

designs of the company’s apparel, specifically the Phantom

line. Sands says, “The Hurley pattern on the tank was the

inspiration for the build. I really liked the geometric pattern.”

So with that RSD decided to build a “surf-worthy café bike” to

show its support for Hurley. And Sands’ choice for a platform?

Simple. A Harley-Davidson Sportster, specifically the Nightster,

arguably one of Harley’s simplest models.

As Sands says on his Web site, “The guys at Hurley are stoked

on bikes and we’re equally stoked on surfing, so a

collaboration was born … using Hurley’s Phantom pattern as

inspiration. …”

As Sands says, “My friend Punker Pat works with them

[Hurley] on various projects, and this was really an excuse for

us to hang out and combine bikes and surfing.”

Sands aim was to create “a bike you could ride to the beach

that was easy to build.” To that end, the changes aren’t

necessarily sweeping, but are well thought out, and took about

a month. The suspension, brakes, wheels and ergos have all

been fettled, plus there’s a pipe and fuel module for the 45-

degree V-twin. “It’s really a bolt-on build, not much fabrication

involved,” Sands says.

“We have changed the bike quite a bit in its lifetime. We build

a lot of parts for Sportys, so we’re constantly trying new bars,

seats, foot controls, levers and whatever else we can throw at

it,” he adds.

But the Sportster won’t be the end of the RSD/Hurley

collaboration. Sands says, “Our plans are to develop some

future concepts that can be a part of the H20 initiative,

possibly building some bikes specifically to reach places that

need clean water.”

No easy feat that. But you can be assured the simplest

approaches will work best.

54 55

SIMPLE THINGS ARE BEST. AND HURLEY’S H20INITIATIVE IS, AT HEART, A SIMPLE THING.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE IMAGES OF THE BIKE

RACING UPDATE

MOTO2MOTO3

5756

MARCMÁRQUEZ

The racing in the Dunlop-spec-tire Moto2 and

Moto3 series has been terrific since the start of

the year, but with 12 rounds down as the season

progresses, a few select riders are rising to the

top.

In Moto2, as of the Brno GP round in the Czech

Republic, Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol’s Marc

Márquez has notched his second consecutive win

and sixth on the season. These efforts have given

him a comfortable gap in the championship stand-

ings, with his closest challenger Pons 40 HP

Tuenti’s Pol Espargaró trailing by 48 points, which

is a margin of almost two race victories. Six races

remain on the calendar, so things look very posi-

tive for Márquez.

Such impressive results, among other factors,

prompted Honda to sign the 19-year-old Spanish

rider to the factory Repsol Honda MotoGP team

for 2013 and 2014. Márquez will take the spot va-

cated by team rider Casey Stoner, who an-

nounced his retirement earlier this year.

In Moto3 racing, tight competition continues to be

the rule with any one of a number of racers vying

for the win come race day. Case in point: in Brno

it was Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3’s Jonas Folger

who locked up the win in only his second race for

the Aspar team after switching squads midway

through the season.

Currently, Sandro Cortese of the Red Bull KTM Ajo

team leads the Moto3 championship chase with

200 points, followed by Blusens Avintia’s Maverick

Viñales with 168 points and RW Racing GP’s Luis

Salom with 149. But there’s plenty more racing to

be done, and the only thing for certain in this class

is that there will be plenty more close races before

the final checkered flag has fallen.

AND

5958

SANDROCORTESE

6160

EUROPECAN WAIT.

CAMERON BEAUBIER

6362

At 19 years of age, Californian Cameron Beaubier has a racing

resume longer and more impressive than many riders 15 years

older. A second-generation racer, Cameron has been racing

most of his life, starting out on a Yamaha PW50 minibike, and

moving from there to race motocross and supermoto. He

found his way to Europe in the Red Bull Rookie’s Cup, then

raced the MotoGP 125 GP class and the Spanish 125 series

and now has returned to the USA to race for the Yamaha

Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha team in the AMA Pro GoPro

Daytona SportBike class.

At an age when most parents would not let their teen stay over

at a strange house, Beaubier was traveling all over Europe, at

times by himself. Credit goes to his Dad, Jeff, who was a racer

himself and understands the sacrifices and laser-like focus you

need to be successful.

After several years in Europe, Beaubier returned to the United

States and began a progression through the racing ranks. He

won races in the AMA SuperSport series, including his first

race on a 600 at Daytona. He adapted easily to production-

based racing here in the States. From his motocross and

supermoto roots, one might believe that Cameron Beaubier’s

heart lies with the aged two-strokes when it comes to a

favored mode of racing motorcycle, but it’s exactly the

opposite. He says he likes the power and responsive chassis

of a 600 over a two-stroke 125cc GP bike. “You can’t do much

with a 125,” he says.

Known for his youthful appearance, Beaubier can look forward

to being one of those people who gets asked for his ID well

into his 30s. And his physicality? Like so many of his racing

peers, Beaubier prefers to spend long hours on his bicycle for

training purposes. In Europe, Beaubier saw that his heroes like

Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner, and the rest went racing with no

fat on their bones and just enough muscle to get the job done,

and he’s adopted that same physical profile.

Beaubier has enjoyed an explosion of success in 2012. After a

somewhat slow start to the season—due to the broken leg he

suffered in a Christmas Eve dirtbike mishap, followed by a

post-Daytona scooter accident that broke his kneecap into

three pieces—the Californian has won four of the past five

Daytona SportBike races, including his breakthrough weekend

at Barber Motorsports Park where he earned his first career

DSB pole position, followed by his first two career DSB race

wins. The racecraft that Beaubier demonstrated in the class

has garnered a great deal of accolades. He’s aggressive

without being overly aggressive and he’s got such a strong

technical riding style that he doesn’t look like the fastest rider

on the track even when he is.

Thanks to racing, he’s got friends all over the world. He and

American JD Beach stayed with Casey Stoner at Casey’s

home in Australia, and he enjoys a close relationship with

reigning World Supersport champion and current Aprilia World

Superbike rider Chaz Davies.

With his recent explosion of success, some wonder if Beaubier

will return to Europe next season. There is unfinished business

for Beaubier in Europe, but his focus will be the AMA series in

2013. For now, there is the U.S. to conquer. The World

championships will have to wait for Cameron Beaubier.

“I LIKED WHAT I SAW. I LIKED HIS ATTITUDE. HE WASTRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD ON HIS OWN, AND WEWERE ABLE TO HELP HIM AND GUYS LIKE HIM A LITTLE BIT.” –CASEY STONER ON CAMERON BEAUBIER

6564

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE IMAGES OF CAMERON BEAUBIER

66 67

AMA ROAD RACING

UPDATE

JOSHHAYES

When the MotoGP crowd comes to town, every single national rider afforded an opportunity to

race on the same weekend as the GP stars has his internal meter set to “impress.” A national rider

who has a good showing at a MotoGP event cannot underestimate how it may impact his career.

MotoGP arrived at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in late July, and the full accompaniment of AMA

Pro Road Racing classes joined the storied Euro-centric world championship series. While each

class—SuperBike, Daytona SportBike and SuperSport—were afforded just one race on the week-

end, all were held in good weather and with the good vibe brought on with the announcement that

GEICO had signed on to become the series sponsor for the AMA Pro Road Racing series.

68 69

In the SuperBike class, Josh Hayes enjoyed a historic week-

end at Laguna Seca Raceway. The Monster Energy/Graves/

Yamaha rider and two-time reigning SuperBike Champion

qualified on pole and handily won the race and, by doing so,

he cemented himself further into the AMA Pro Racing records

book. Josh won his 11th SuperBike race of the season, includ-

ing his 8th victory in a row, which is a single-season SuperBike

record in AMA Pro Racing. As icing on the cake, it was Josh’s

28th career SuperBike win, tying him with Ben Spies for third

on the all-time wins list.

“Good things are happening right now,” Hayes said. “I’ll ride

the train as long as I can. If I get into a battle in a hard race,

you’re going to see me fighting for it for that individual race; it

has nothing to do with streaks or race wins or anything like

that. It’s for that race win. I’m in a position where I can try for

every single one of them. I don’t have anything to worry about.

I’ve got a points situation that I don’t even think about at this

point in the season. I’m just focused on winning every race

that I can. If I toss one down the road—or two down the

road—then I’ll reevaluate how I’m going to approach it. But,

right now, I just want to win everything.

“I’m still riding like I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder.

I still remember last year very clearly. I remember it more

clearly than I remember winning eight races in a row. It seems

like things have happened pretty quickly and it doesn’t feel

like that to me. I’ll just keep focusing, and trying hard, and

pushing myself.”

Going into New Jersey Motorsports Park, Hayes was leading

his third consecutive SuperBike Championship by 74 points

with six races and three rounds remaining on the season. With

dominating back-to-wins in Jersey, Hayes not only increased

his point lead, but set a new record for most AMA SuperBike

wins in a single season—eleven—surpassing the record previ-

ously held by Mat Mladin. JOSHHERRIN

BLAKEYOUNG

AMA PRO NATIONAL GUARD SUPERBIKE

70 71

In the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike class, Cameron Beaubier just continues to impress. The

Californian won a cut-and-thrust, three-way fight for another victory at Laguna Seca, taking his fourth

victory in the past five races in the DSB class. If you’re of the opinion that Martin Cardenas is one of the

best riders in the AMA Road Racing series and the best rider in the Daytona Sport Bike class, you can’t

help but be impressed by Beaubier beating series points leader Cardenas in a impressive, last-lap pass.

In Jersey, Beaubier won the first race ahead of Cardenas to close the championship points gap, but in the

second race Beaubier was caught up in a horrific crash with Yamaha teammate Tommy Hayden (both

riders walked away) after Hayden hit a damp spot on the tarmac and highsided. The crash left the door

open to Cardenas to take the win, stretching his championship lead.

CAMERONBEABIER

MARTINCARDENAS

AMA PRO GOPRO DAYTONA SPORTBIKE

72 73

James Rispoli won the AMA Pro Motorcycle-

Superstore.com SuperSport race on Saturday at

Laguna Seca in a race that few on hand will ever

forget. The Celtic Racing/Orient Express Racing

Suzuki GSX-R600 pilot led the majority of the

race, but he was kept honest in it by RoadRace

Factory/Red Bull Yamaha YZF-R6 rider Hayden

Gillim. The chance to show the world what you’re

capable of at a MotoGP event was not lost on

anyone at Laguna and certainly not on the

SuperSport rivals. Both almost crashed as the

laps wore down, and Rispoli put himself on the

top of the podium with an aggressive pass in

Laguna’s final corner for the win. In Jersey, Rispoli

did it again, taking another win and stretching his

significant championship points lead.

AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM SUPERSPORT

JAMESRISPOLI

74 75

The Vance and Hines XR1200 class did not race at Laguna Seca, but they were

back in action on an equally hallowed ground at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,

and they had good news to report. AMA Pro Road Racing, Vance & Hines, and

the Harley-Davidson Motor Company announced on Saturday that the spec

racing class will be extended for the 2013 and 2014 seasons in the GEICO Mo-

torcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Championship.

With an international crowd watching and a $50,000 weekend purse on the

line, Kyle Wyman won Saturday’s race one. In Sunday’s race two, Tyler O’Hara

withstood an early battle, and then he notched a lopsided win that he cele-

brated in style with one of the longest cool-down-lap wheelies in recent AMA

Pro Road Racing memory.

All bets were off in New Jersey as Shane Narbonne took his first win in the XR

class. Wyman finished fourth, knocking him back to a tie for the championship

points lead with Benjamin Carlson.

AMA PRO VANCE & HINES XR1200 SERIES

SHANENARBONNE

TYLERO’HARA

CLICK HERE FOR MORE RR IMAGES

UPCOMING EVENTS

©2012 Dunlop • P. O. Box 1109, Buffalo, New York 14240-1109 • 1-800-845-8378 • dunlopmotorcycle.com

GNCC Series #11October 6-7

Powerline ParkSt. Clairsville, OH

National Hare and Hound Series #9October 14

Johnson Valley, CA

MotoGP–Moto2October 14

Motegi, Japan

Monster Energy CupOctober 20

Las Vegas, NV

GNCC Series #12October 20-21

Crawfordsville, IN

MotoGP–Moto2October 21

Sepang Circuit, Malaysia

National Hare and Hound Series #10October 28Lucerne, CA

MotoGP–Moto2October 28

Phillip Island, Australia

GNCC Series #13November 3-4

Hurricane Mills, TN

MotoGP–Moto2November 11

Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia