Author: Jim Witters

The Kentuck OHV Trail system in the Talladega National Forest near Mumford, Ala., offers fun for the whole family with its four loops that total 23 miles.

The trails weave through the woods and are considered easy to moderate. The U.S. Forest Service says some of the trails have easy sections with gentle grades, sweeping turns and smooth surfaces with few obstacles.

Comedian and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jay Leno is probably the most famous celebrity motorcyclist known to AMA members. But there are scores of other celebrities who share a passion for motorcycling.

Some, like Leno, still ride while others, like actor George Clooney, are former riders. Here’s a look at some celebrity motorcyclists as well some motorcycling ties to celebrities that may surprise you.

Kawasaki is bringing back its KLR650 big-bore dual-sport machine for 2022.

The all-new bike features a fuel-injected 652cc single-cylinder engine that promises to be a reliable performer. Kawasaki says the engine features a flat power curve that is well suited for tackling challenging roads or cruising at freeway speeds while also boasting increased mid-range power and torque.

Honda is offering new CRF300L and CRF300L Rally dual-sport machines beginning in March 2021.

The bikes are billed as upgrades to Honda’s smallest dual-sport models, the CRF250Ls, and feature a 15 percent increase in engine displacement, lower weight and increased suspension travel. The Rally also boasts a larger fuel tank. Both bikes are also offered in ABS versions and feature updated bodywork and styling based on Honda’s CRF450R motocross bikes.

Imagine you’re far from home on a great ride and suddenly your bike breaks down. What would you do?

You could be in a real jam. But a little thought before you hit the road could get you out of trouble. Hopefully the problem that stalled your bike can be corrected quickly with the right tools.

Do you have the right tools with you for roadside repairs? It’s better to find out while you’re at home and your bike is running than on the side of the road when it isn’t.

Fire engulfed a motorcycle museum high in the Austrian Alps on Jan. 18, destroying more than 300 rare and significant machines.

When it’s time to plan your next motorcycle road trip, be sure to use your 15 percent AMA member discount to get MAD Maps that guide you to some of the best riding in America.

Whether you want to explore a state or several states, make a cross-country trip or do some riding outside big cities, MAD Maps has you covered. Mad Maps can even put together custom maps.

he Rock Run Recreation Area in west-central Pennsylvania offers more than 140 miles of trails for a weekend of off-road riding fun.

The trails offer a lot of diversity and great riding in the scenic Allegheny Mountains, past mining activity and different areas of vegetation. You can be riding in a dark, dense, cool forest of tall trees then stop at one of many streams to relax and even stop to listen to a waterfall.

The area was originally heavily mined for coal and clay. The old remains of some of the buildings, air shafts and other mining-related activities can be visited if you take time to look around.

What makes the Tiger 850 Sport special, Triumph says, is that it offers “a new ‘tailor-made’ performance and specification set-up designed to deliver an even more manageable, accessible and intuitive road-focused adventure riding capability.”

Have you ever wanted to compete in the world-famous Dakar Rally, pilot a MotoGP bike at a historic European race track or go wheel-to-wheel against some of the best Speedway racers on the planet?

You can. Sort of.

Right now, riders are stuck at home due to the COVID-19 virus or because of winter weather and are looking for ways to feed their motorcycle jones. One of the easiest ways is to play motorcycling-related computer video games. You don’t need a high-powered gaming rig to conquer the virtual motorcycle racing world, especially if you choose to play and older (and cheaper) game.

The Manchester State Forest near Wedgefield in west-central South Carolina offers some great off-road riding on sandy, tree-lined trails.

The forest consists of almost 29,000 acres, with 1,400 acres dedicated to OHV recreation. The Red OHV Trail is 8.6 miles long, while the Blue OHV Trail is 7.8 miles, and the Green OHV Trail is 1.8.

American Honda Motor Co. reports that its popular Gold Wing long-distance touring machine gets several improvements for 2021, including a larger trunk that can hold two full-faced helmets.

he Safe-to-Race Task Force members are named 2020 AMA Motorcyclists of the Year, seven riders give their impressions of BMW’s 2021 R 18 cruiser and a motorcyclist explains her role as a federal highway safety specialist in the January 2021 issue of American Motorcyclist magazine.

The all-new 2021 Benelli TRK502 and TRK502X mid-sized adventure-tourers are being sold in the United States.

Offered by Benelli Motorcycles USA and SSR Motorsports, the TRK502 retails for $5,999 while the TRK502X sells for $6,399. A full set of EVO aluminum cases consisting of a top case and two side cases retails for $999.

A Christmas Day fire destroyed historic collectibles and souvenirs at the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association office in Laconia, N.H., WMUR-TV reports.