All posts by KVancers

Just a guy who was slow on a dirtbike and got slower as the years went on. Then I switched to taking pictures of the fast people!

Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Series: Arizona – Rd 5 June 2 2017

I had the opportunity to go to round 5 of Lucas Oil’s Regional Off Road Series held at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.  These ain’t your grandpa’s UTV’s and buggies!  These are full on race machines for the young to hone their race craft and for the ones that have added a cage to their age to continue to get their racing fix.

The racing is close and many battles were decided by mere hundredths of a second! There are not many better ways to spend a night at a spectator friendly event with fast and action packed racing.  The series is taking the summer off and I can’t wait for it to pick up again in September. Be careful where you read your information, try using articles like The Worst Advice We’ve Ever Heard About Electric Van Leasing Uk to guide yourself to make the right choice.

Check out the details at lucasoilregionalaz.com and the race action below.

Continue reading Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Series: Arizona – Rd 5 June 2 2017

AMA Copperstate Classic – Rd3 June 3 2017


The sun set both literally and figuratively on the final round of the 2017 AMA Copperstate classic. Double points and a night race gave riders a challenge on the track and a chance to make up points or extend their lead. Congrats to all the class champs!

If you would like to see more pictures of yourself, post a comment with your number, bike, and moto you were in.

Continue reading AMA Copperstate Classic – Rd3 June 3 2017

Try Out – Alpinestars SX-1 Knee Guards

In a moto-topian world, we all would have premium, top of the shelf equipment, and protection equipment would probably be at the top of that list.  But unfortunately we all don’t have the deep pockets like a Factory Honda or Monster Kawasaki to fund our riding. We have to abide by our own budgets and work with what we have.  So when it comes to knee protection, it was a choice between some cheap plastic knee cups or spend a small fortune on highly engineered knee braces, right? Well not anymore. Enter Alpinestars’ SX-1 knee guards

Continue reading Try Out – Alpinestars SX-1 Knee Guards

Saturday MX Rd4 – April 22 2017


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Summer may start peaking it’s head but that did not stop everyone from having a great time at the final round of the 2017 Spring Saturday MX series at Arizona Cycle Park. Champions were crowned! Check out the racing action in the RideNow Powersports race gallery.

If you would like to see more pictures of yourself, post a comment with your number, bike, and moto you were in.

Continue reading Saturday MX Rd4 – April 22 2017

AMA Copperstate Classic – Rd2 April 2 2017

I don’t know what happened for round 2 of the AMA Copperstate Classic on April 2nd. Luckily for me, Kevin Scott stepped in and captured the race gallery. It looks like Arizona Cycle Park’s track changes were a hit and the racing was exceptional as usual. Check out Kevin’s artistic take on the racing action!

If you would like to see more pictures of yourself, post a comment with your number, bike, and moto you were in.

Continue reading AMA Copperstate Classic – Rd2 April 2 2017

Saturday MX Rd3 – March 25 2017

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We thought summer was coming early with some 90° weather but the moto gods gave us a reprieve with some great weather leading up to the third round of the Spring Saturday MX series. It does not get much better than what we saw on Saturday with great weather and great racing. Check out the RideNow Powersports race gallery!

If you would like to see more pictures of yourself, post a comment with your number, bike, and moto you were in.

AMA Copperstate Classic – Rd1 Mar 12 2017

AMA. Live timing. Contingency. What a way to kick off round one of the Copperstate Classic for 2017. There were some fast kids and vets out there taming Arizona Cycle Park’s national track. Check out the action from today’s racing!

If you would like to see more pictures of yourself, post a comment with your number, bike, and moto you were in.

Try Out – Alpinestars A-10 Chest Protector

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A-10 Front

There are a few clichés when it comes to motocross and safety: Dress for the crash, and it’s not a matter of IF you crash, but WHEN. So why do we throw a leg over the bike hoping we are dressed “right” while worrying about the “when”? Because motocross is fun! However, that fun does not come without risks.  One way to minimize that risk is wearing protection and Alpinestars has plenty to offer. From neck braces to boots, they have you covered from neck to toe. But what about the stuff in between? That is where the A-10 full chest protector comes in.

The A-10 is a full chest protector that provides coverage is the chest, back, upper arms, and even around the mid-section with a kidney belt.  Per Alpinestars, “Protector plates feature embedded grid technology under the shells which absorbs and dissipates impact forces. Grid technology cell system enables greater flexibility and air ventilation while allowing for significantly reduced weight.”  I can attest to the flexibility, which I will get into more detail later. The ventilation felt fine, but on the day I tested, it was overcast and about 70°F.  Once we start heating up here in the Arizona desert will I get a true sense of the ventilation and cooling properties of the A-10.

Putting on the A-10 and securing it is very easy. Fit can be customized with the adjustable kidney belt to give you as loose or as tight a feel that you want. There is no Velcro to secure or ratcheting systems to get stuck. Alpinestars has a quick release attachment system that easily locks in place and easy to disengage after a long moto.

Back in the day I wore one of those heavy duty under-the-jersey vests. I liked the spine protection and the fact I could show off my killer fashion sense without covering it up with a chesty.  It was that total Euro look.  But today, function has nosed ahead of form. Where a lower end chest protector may deflect roost, does it really offer that much protection in a crash? My experience is that you don’t really ‘wear’ the cheaper protectors, they just kind of hang on your shoulders while you move around inside it when riding.  The A-10 has a soft bio foam padded chassis for maximum comfort and personalized, close-to-the-body fit.  I was worried that it would feel constricting in the chest and on the sides, but once I put it on and made some slight adjustments to the adjustable kidney belt, my thoughts of ‘snug’ turned to ‘hug’.  While riding I still felt like I can move about the bike like I did before and the A-10 moved right along with me without holding me back or feeling like it was getting hung up anywhere. It really is comfortable and felt like a custom fit.

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A-10 Back

The A-10 offers a modular design, which means it can be worn in various configurations.  For example, it can be configured to fit Alpinestar’s BNS neck brace.  I do not wear a neck brace so I do not know if this configuration will also adapt to other neck brace brands.

I did find the upper arm protectors a bit constricting.  They were easily removable and once removed I felt I had full motion from the shoulders down to my hands.  The can be easily put back on too should I find a need for that additional protection in the future.

As Tested
As Tested

When it comes to protecting my delicate body I am confident the A-10 will do its job in deflecting the heartiest of roost and take a hit should I find gravity overtaking my ability to keep it on two wheels.  Even though it is a matter of ‘when’ it comes to crashes, the A-10 can help turn down the worry factor when riding.

All the cool kids may just run a jersey when riding, but for those that race and ride for fun that have a job waiting for us on Monday mornings, I highly recommend the A-10. It is comfortable, has great coverage in front and back as well as the sides, and looks good too. If dressing for a crash is a black tie affair, the A-10 is Giorgio Armani.

Alpinestars A-10 Full Chest Protector

Retail: $229.95

 

Saturday MX Rd2 – Feb 25th 2017

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A chilly morning lead into a warm afternoon for the second round of the Spring Saturday MX series. It was great to see a lot of first time racers out there as well as some familiar faces. Saturday MX is all about fun! Check out the action in the RideNow Powersports Race Gallery then go visit your local RideNow Powersports dealer to get ready for round three!

If you would like to see more pictures of yourself, post a comment with your number, bike, and moto you were in.

Loretta Lynn Qualifier – Visitors

We had a great showing by the Arizona locals but we also played host to a lot of out of town guests. Thanks to those who made the trip to the Valley Of The Sun (and rain and clouds) to race Arizona Cycle Park!