PERSPECTIVES

We have a new Art Director at American Motorcyclist, and his name is Todd Westover. Todd’s not only a longtime magazine Art Director (Hot Rod and Motorcyclist, to name just two), he’s also an accomplished fine artist and rock musician. Even better, he grew up racing motocross in the ’70s, so he knows our sport intimately. He’ll be making some design upgrades in the coming months, so please welcome him!

By Mitch Boehm

Having worked in motorcycleindustry editorial since 1985, and having ridden and raced motorcycles since 1971, I have been around a bit, and seen a lot of motorcycle stuff. It happens when you’re on the cusp of becoming an “old-timer.” And I am there.

I tend to reflect a lot these days…on how much fun I’ve had over the years, and how fortunate I’ve been to land in these positions — with this one at the AMA being the best yet in some ways.

So while reflecting during the production of this issue, a couple of things stood out, the most prominent of which was Miss Brittany Morrow, the young lady gracing this issue’s cover.

I have broken more than fifteen bones in my motorcycling life (eight ribs, both collarbones, a femur, a fibula, a radius, both wrists, a thumb and a few others) and have seen the results of some mighty ugly crashes involving friends and racers, so I’m pretty aware of the ugly side of motorcycling. It’s there, crouching in the darkness, and it’s the devil we all have to live with when we make the decision to be motorcyclists.

But I have to tell you, I have never been exposed to a more brutal accident — and a more inspiring, gritty recovery — than Miss Morrow’s. From the moment Joy Burgess told me about Britt a year ago I’ve been continuously moved; gutted one minute acknowledging the severity of what happened to her, and inspired the next seeing how bravely she recovered and what she’s done in the aftermath to help others not share her fate.

A couple times I’ve tried to put myself in her position — laying in a hospital bed with much of my body’s skin torn off, and looking at the prospect of painful skin grafts and many, many months of painful rehab — and, despite all the painful injuries I’ve had (including the broken ribs and chest tube, which you do not ever want to experience), I literally cannot imagine what this young lady went through.

What’s even more amazing about Britt, of course, is the positive attitude and energy she carried with her during that rehab…and even more important, the body- and life-saving advice and activism about riding skills and proper gear she’s spread throughout the industry over the last decade or so. That’s more than just talk or good intentions; that’s dealing directly with the issue with real riders, many of whom are new and not at all ready for the exposure to the dark side they’ll be dealing with out there on the mean streets.

I’ve dealt with those “mean streets” — ugly LA traffic (with even uglier commuters), scary-fast backroads during testing, or the racetracks of America, Europe and Asia — for the better part of 40 years, and when I consider all that I’m stunned at the level of exposure I’ve had to death and dismemberment over the years.

Luck plays a part in staying alive, for sure, because if you’re in the wrong place at the right time, no skill set is gonna save you. But growing up on dirtbikes, and having literally hundreds and hundreds of thousands of miles of experience on the streets, has been a godsend for me.

But I’m an outlier here. A freak. Few of us have had the opportunity to work with motorcycles as their 9 to 5 for nearly four decades as I have. So I wonder about all those other folks, the newbies and re-entry riders who don’t have the benefit of my experience. Will they stick around and continue to be motorcyclists in three or five years? And will they survive?

If the Brittany Morrows, ChampSchools and STACYCs (and Striders) of the world have their way, more will. And that’s a great thing. Ride safely out there, eh?