Metzeler Announces AMA Supermoto Elephant Run For Sturgis 75th

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

For 2015, the 75th anniversary of the famed Sturgis motorcycle rally, Metzeler has announced the inclusion of the AMA Supermoto “Elephant Run” race event on the schedule, which will provide Sturgis attendees and off road racing enthusiasts with a chance to see quality race action from the world class series live on-site.

Named the “Elephant Run” in tribute to Metzeler’s iconic brand logo of the blue elephant, the race will take place over August 1-2 in Downtown Sturgis City Park and Sturgis South Dakota.

Sturgis has a strong racing heritage since its origins in the late 1930s when the Rally was called the Black Hills Motor Classic, where in affiliation with the American Motorcyclist Association it aimed to put on modern motorcycle races for “speed demons to thrill motor fans” (August 3, 1939 local newspaper headline). Many great athletes have raced at the Sturgis Rally, including AMA Hall of Fame Chris Carr, AMA National Champions Ben and Eric Bostrom; Grand National Champion Jared Mees and Brad “the Bullet” Baker. The Rally has hosted flat track, hill climbs and motocross over the years but never Supermoto. The City of Sturgis, AMA Supermoto and Metzeler are therefore excited to host the first ever Sturgis Rally Supermoto Race and bring this exhilarating form of racing to Sturgis.

Matt Stewart, President of AMA Supermoto, says, “We are very excited about the Metzeler Elephant Run. Our experience with both Metzeler and the city of Sturgis has been awesome. We look forward to being a part of this historic event.”

Metzeler has also recently launched these new 2014 Racetec SM Supermoto tires, developed in world Supermoto competition, in North America in either a 16.5” or 17” size and in a K1 soft or K2 mid soft compound. The rear 17” slick tires are offered in K0 super soft, K1 soft, or K2 mid soft compound. And if conditions change, Metzeler also offers a 16.5” front rain tread pattern in the K1 rain compound and a 17” rear block pattern rain tire in the K1 rain compound.

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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