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As reported from:http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/836/12753/Motorcycle-Article/KYMCO-USA-Joins-Forces-with-AMA-Pro-Racing.aspx

KYMCO USA has become an official sponsor of AMA Pro Racing in a multi-year partnership that will have the two entities working closely together on a host of promotional opportunities to create KYMCO brand awareness among fans of the top motorcycle racing series in the nation.

This new partnership gives KYMCO USA access to display and promote KYMCO brand products at AMA Pro Road Racing & AMA Pro Flat Track events, offering KYMCO USA paddock displays, banners, PA announcements, website and social media inclusion, KYMCO logo placement, promotional rights to AMA Pro Road Racing & AMA Pro Flat Track series marks, hospitality events and a host of other opportunities. Also a part of the agreement, AMA Pro Racing garners the use of an initial batch of 10 Agility 125 scooters to be used at events.

“We are excited to begin this partnership with KYMCO,” said David Atlas, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing. “The company has a longstanding reputation for manufacturing high quality motor scooters, which we have been using in our paddock for quite some time. During our event weekends, when time is of the essence, our staff members will now be able to rely on the always-dependable Agility 125 to get them where they need to go.”

“The folks at AMA Pro Racing understand two-wheelers, so it’s a great compliment that they utilize KYMCO brand products to accomplish their tasks at AMA Pro Road Racing & AMA Pro Flat Track events,” said Bruce Ramsey, Vice President of Operations, KYMCO USA. “We’re thrilled to be a part of the nation’s #1 motorcycle race organization and anticipate an all-around great relationship as we together promote the sport, recreation, transport and utility inherent in two-wheeling.”

The 12-round AMA Pro Road Racing series launched March 15 in Daytona Beach, Fla. and ends October 7 in New Orleans, La. The 19-round AMA Pro Flat Track series started March 15 in Daytona Beach and wraps up October 13 in Pomona, Calif.

About KYMCO

Serving consumers and a selection of valued OEM clients, KYMCO is committed to maximum customer satisfaction, constant innovation, and making use of the most advanced CAD/CAE tools to bring superior engineering and design to their products. KYMCO USA, wholly owned by Kwang Yang Motor Co. Ltd., is the exclusive importer/distributor of KYMCO brand products in the United States. With its headquarters, marketing and distribution based in Spartanburg, S.C., KYMCO USA serves more than 700 dealers in the U.S. and Caribbean and is dedicated to building the brand’s reputation and market share through superior value, frequent new product introductions, excellence in dealer network support, participation in enthusiast events, race support and sponsorship, and strategic industry partnerships with organizations such as the NHRA, IndyCar, Ford Motor Company, Full Throttle (Coca-Cola) and Geico. Learn more atwww.KYMCOUSA.com

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing atwww.amaproracing.com.

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As reported from:http://www.newsherald.com/entertainment/habits-101837-motorcyclists-beach.html

S. BRADY CALHOUN / News Herald Writer
@sbradycalhoun

PANAMA CITY BEACH — During Thunder Beach, it can seem like everyone in the world owns a motorcycle, but each year Rick Law hears from people who want to ride for the very first time.

“We get a lot of people who look at it who see ads on TV with the wind blowing in your hair and they go, ‘Man that really looks nice,’ ” said Law, Thunder Beach’s general manager.

And it is nice if you are safe, he added.

“Of course you got to be careful, but the freedom that comes out of it is just outstanding,” Law said.

Floridarequires all riders to complete a basic rider course.

Bill Tuttle, a local motorcycle riding instructor, said sometimes riders show up of their own volition and sometimes they come because an officer has given them a ticket and a judge sent them. He added he sees all kinds, from the grizzled veterans who say they don’t need any help to the newcomers who are so nervous they don’t want to get on the bike in front of other people.

“I shouldn’t have to be here” is one of the most common phrases Tuttle and his wife, Kim, hear from veteran riders who take classes through their business, Emerald Coast Motorcycle Training.

Everyone used to teach themselves how to ride, but many people were doing important things the wrong way, Tuttle said. Doing something the wrong way isn’t a big deal when everything is going good on the road, but it becomes a big deal when things go bad, Tuttle said.

Instead of a test in a classroom or on the safe confines of a practice course, riders with no training find themselves faced with split-second decisions and headed for “the school of hard knocks,” Tuttle said.

“Sometimes you find out you have been doing it exactly wrong,” he added. “Motorcyclists have to adopt defensive driving to a whole new level.”

That includes assuming the worst of everyone else on the road, making sure you are running with a strategy and constant practice.

“A lot of times the driver of a car will look you directly in the eye and then pull out in front of you,” Tuttle said.

He added that practicing important moves and developing good habits on the motorcycle need to be done even if you ride regularly.

“When you need an ‘A’ game, the ‘B’ game gets you in the hospital,” Tuttle said.

Safety also is promoted every year at Thunder Beach, which is May 2-6.

Florida’s Department of Motor Vehicles and other police agencies will be on hand to talk about safety and let new riders try out a motorcycle in a simulator, Law said. When people ask him about getting into motorcycle, Law stresses education and experience.

“Get out there and ride,” he said. “And of course ride with someone. Don’t try it alone.”

More info

Want to know more about classes for new riders? Visit emeraldridesafe.com or call Bill Tuttle 890-5932.

Read more: http://www.newsherald.com/articles/habits-101837-motorcyclists-beach.html#ixzz1rkbl18tj

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Connor Penhall, son of television actor (CHiPs) and Word Speedway Champion Bruce Penhall, was killed by a suspected drunk driver April 4th on the I-10 freeway near Baldwin Park, California, according to reports from Los Angeles television news station KTLA,

Connor Penhall, 21, of Corona, was working for a Caltrans subcontractor — operating a concrete saw — on the westbound side of the freeway at Francisquito Avenue when he was killed about 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, the California Highway Patrol reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Connor along with his older brother, Ryan, raced motorcycles like their father. The family owns Penhall Co., a concrete cutting business located in Anaheim, California.

The accident happened on the westbound lanes of the 10 freeway at Francisquito Avenue, according the CHP. CHP also says I-10 is closed nightly between La Puente Ave and I-605 freeway for construction work. The closure had been in effect for an hour when a motorist, identified as 37-year-old Sakamoto Tatsuhiko, of Arcadia, went through the cones.

Penhall was struck by the driver’s RAV4 at about 60 mph, tossing him 50-75 feet according to KTLA. Penhall was declared dead on the scene. Tatsuhiko initially tried to flee, but officers were able to keep him at the scene, CHP officer Edmund Zorilla said.

He was arrested on suspicion of DUI and booked at the Industry Sheriff Station. Tatsuhiko could also face charges of vehicular manslaughter.

Tags: CHiPs, Connor Penhall, Connor Penhall Dead, Drunk Driver
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M1 PowerSports and long-time supporter LeoVince have reached an agreement naming the prestigious aftermarket performance part manufacturer as the Official Exhaust and Electronics Supplier of the 2012 Triumph Big Kahuna Triple Crown, three events on the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing schedule. The first round of the Triumph Big Kahuna Triple Crown, the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta, kicks off April 20-22, 2012 at Braselton, Ga.’s Road Atlanta.

Although LeoVince is well known for being on the cutting edge of motorcycle component technology, their latest endeavors into the social media realm bring them to breakthrough areas of fan interaction and engagement. Beginning at the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta, fans will have access to LeoVince/M1 PowerSports Photo Kiosks located at select locations around the venue, allowing them to take photos with friends or superstar riders and upload them directly to Facebook, Twitter or have the photos sent to an email address. Mobile and tablet apps are in development as well, and are expected to be available in advance of the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta. For those fans that are not socially inclined, LeoVince is also sponsoring the Big Kahuna t-shirt cannon, which will be firing off top notch M1 PowerSports event shirts and other merchandise all weekend long.

“Every time I talk to Tim and the LeoVince crew I get excited and I’m so glad we’re working together again in 2012,” said Cameron Gray, CEO of M1 PowerSports. “The unique, innovative ideas that they come up are the kind of thing that will keep this industry moving forward. This is going to be the best year of motorcycle road racing entertainment that this country has seen in decades and our friends at LeoVince will be helping us deliver the action that the fans deserve all year long.”

LeoVince will also be a preferred vendor for M1 PowerSports event tickets and merchandise, and fans will be able to place orders directly from LeoVince’s website. In an effort to embrace the motorcycle community and build SEO for all involved, LeoVince has successfully undertaken the overwhelming task of gathering a complete list of the major players in motorcycle racing, with their sites displayed within the familiar context of www.leovinceusa.com.

“I am very happy we are once again partnering with M1 PowerSports to make LeoVince the Official Exhaust of the Big Kahuna Triple Crown,” said Tim Calhoun, Executive Vice President of LeoVince USA. “This is an important partnership for us working with Cameron and I-San. They always deliver tremendous ROI to us and bring real excitement back to the fans who attend the Big Kahuna events. Their mindset of ‘Come for the Party, Stay for the Race’ delivers and I can’t wait to see who will walk away with the first ever Big Kahuna Triple Crown championship!”

Tickets for the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta begin at just $20 and that event is just the first of three M1 PowerSports-promoted events on the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing calendar which make up the 2012 Triumph Big Kahuna Triple Crown. Get ready for Atlanta’s biggest entertainment experience in years and grab your tickets now at the M1 PowerSports Big Kahuna Atlanta event page, located at http://www.m1powersports.com/big-kahuna-atlanta/. For tickets and information about the Big Kahuna Miami, scheduled for September 21 – 23, 2012 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., visit http://www.m1powersports.com/big-kahuna-miami/.  For tickets and information about the Big Kahuna New Orleans, scheduled for October 5 – 7, 2012 as the first professional motorsports event at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, La., visit http://www.m1powersports.com/big-kahuna-new-orleans/.

About M1 PowerSports, formerly M1 Entertainment: A Denver-based company, M1 PowerSports has been working in motorsports for over 16 years. Originally spawned from Daniels Corporation under the name FAST, the fledgling company was heavily involved in television production for car and motorcycle racing. With the birth of Speedvision, FAST morphed into Race Promotion Management (RPM) and is now operating as M1 PowerSports with many of the same staff still in place. We still sell advertising for Speed, sell merchandise under the brand Moto 1 and promote our own events, keeping us busy year-round! For more information, please call 303-377-3278 or email info@m1powersports.com.

Tags: AMA, m1 powersports, Power Sports Directory
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The following is from Motorsport Aftermarket Group

Motorsport Aftermarket Group, Inc. (“MAG”), a family of leading brands and businesses in the powersports industry, announced today the acquisition of Motorcycle Superstore, Inc. The Oregon-based Motorcycle Superstore, Inc. (“Superstore”) joins with J&P Cycles to create the MAG retail group.

Superstore founder, Don Becklin, assumes the role of president for the new Retail Group, reporting directly to MAG’s Chief Executive Officer, Brian Etter. “We are very pleased to welcome Don and Superstore to our family of companies,” says Etter “Don has a proven track record driving both growth and innovation in a rapidly changing market. I am proud to have him join our leadership team.” “Since founding Superstore 14 years ago, I’ve seen it grow from a humble start-up to one of the nation’s largest retailers in the powersports industry,” adds Becklin. “Joining forces with J&P Cycles and creating the Retail Group represents an exciting new opportunity. Superstore has found a strategic partner that opens the door to more success and growth for all parties involved.”  As president of the new retail organization, Becklin will oversee operations of both companies from the Superstore headquarters in Medford, Oregon.

Superstore and J&P Cycles will retain their unique consumer brand identities, and the two companies will continue to operate as separate businesses. “We want to create an environment where both J&P Cycles and Superstore keep their cultures and connection with the customer, while allowing both companies to benefit from the efficiencies and expertise of the group,” says Becklin. “Superstore has developed into an industry-leading powersports retailer by delivering great customer service through their incredible team of dedicated employees,” explains Etter. “It is a leader in street, sport and off-road motorcycle segments, excelling in the sales of motorcycle helmets, riding gear and tires. These strengths perfectly complement J&P Cycles’ position as the leading retailer in the V-Twin motorcycle segment and the world’s largest source for aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories.”

The Retail Group remains committed to fostering an environment where Superstore and J&P Cycles can maintain their focus on customer service while continuing to strengthen the working relationship with all its business partners in the motorcycle industry.

“I have gotten to know Don during the past year,” says J&P Cycles Vice President and General Manager, Zach Parham. “His story is very similar to how my parents started J&P Cycles and I have a lot of respect for what he has accomplished. The knowledge and experience he brings from online e-commerce will help me and my leadership team grow J&P Cycles in new and exciting ways. This is a new chapter for J&P Cycles and I can’t wait to get started!” Parham says.

“I have a lot of confidence in the Retail Group’s prospects moving forward,” concluded Becklin. “While the industry has struggled in recent years, our team has thrived by working hard to meet the needs of our customers. Our combined resources will enable us to forge a dynamic new partnership that benefits both companies and our valued customers.”

About Motorsport Aftermarket Group, Inc.

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Irvine, California, Motorsport Aftermarket Group, Inc. (“MAG”) is a family of leading brands and businesses in the powersports industry. MAG businesses and brands operate worldwide as independently managed business units. MAG businesses and brands work together in product design and development, marketing, advertising and special events, receiving support from MAG. For more information, visit www.maggroup.com.

About Motorcycle Superstore, Inc.

Motorcycle Superstore, Inc. (“Superstore”) is the leading online retailer in the powersports industry. Serving motorcycle riders since 1998, Superstore specializes in selling powersports helmets, riding apparel, accessories and parts. Internet Retailer Magazine has ranked Superstore in the top 10 of all sporting goods sites and in the top 200 of all e-commerce sites. Powered by a dedicated staff of motorcycle enthusiasts, Superstore continues to meet the needs of customers by constantly raising its online shopping standards. Visit www.motorcycle-superstore.com.

About J&P Cycles

Founded in 1979 by John Parham, J&P Cycles has emerged as a leader in V-Twin aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories. Founded on principles of unmatched customer service and selection, J&P Cycles has proven to be a powerhouse, multi-channel retailer for more than three decades. J&P Cycles is currently led by Zach Parham who is continuing his father’s vision. Visit www.jpcycles.com

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