TLDR: Sons of Speed | Paolo Cattaneo | SM500 | Harley 883
Hey riders,
This issue is dedicated to George W. Barber Jr, the owner of the Barber motorcycle museum in Alabama, he passed on Feb 15th. The museum is quite possibly the best I have been to when it comes to covering all aspects of riding. There is a race course on the property and they regularly host events. I will be at the vintage show this coming October if you would like to meet.
But for now we honor George, a men who did what we have all dreamed of, and made it a reality.
Cheers!
-Zach, publisher of American Moto Co.
Headline event: Sons of Speed
THIS SATURDAY
AMA Pro Motocross Championship 2026 schedule drop!
All links can be found here - promotocross.com/schedule
Fox Raceway National
(Pala, CA) – May 30Hangtown Motocross Classic
(Rancho Cordova, CA) – June 6Thunder Valley National
(Lakewood, CO) – June 13High Point National
(Mt. Morris, PA) – June 20RedBud National
(Buchanan, MI) – July 4Southwick National
(Southwick, MA) – July 11
Spring Creek National
(Millville, MN) – July 18Washougal National
(Washougal, WA) – July 25Unadilla National
(New Berlin, NY) – August 15Budds Creek National
(Mechanicsville, MD) – August 22Ironman National
(Crawfordsville, IN) – August 29
Reviews for Riders: Harley 883
The Harley-Davidson 883 is one of those bikes that comes with a pre-loaded personality, and a ride style to match. There is just something about that classic cruiser style, potato engine sound, and the kind of presence only a Harley can muster. Read more….
Epic Rides: SM500
The Smoky Mountain 500, better known as the SM500, is a 500+ mile dual-sport loop that threads through the backbone of the southern Appalachians, stretching across Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina in one long, rolling exhale. Read more…
Safety and Performance: Airbag vests
(This one is recommended by me, but not sponsored, I have owned it for 7 years)
Freedom is part of why we ride. Risk is part of the equation too. An airbag vest like the Helite Turtle 2 sits right in that space between the two.
It straps over your jacket, clips to the bike with a simple tether, and waits. If you separate from the bike in a crash, it inflates in a fraction of a second, adding serious protection around your neck, spine, and torso before you hit the ground. No batteries. No charging. Just mechanical simplicity that is always ready when you clip in.
For experienced riders, that simplicity is the appeal. Nothing to manage, nothing to remember. For newer riders, it is a quiet confidence boost that does not feel intrusive. You hope it never deploys, but knowing it is there changes how you think about the miles ahead.
Community Spotlight: Paolo Cattaneo
When Paolo talks about the desert, he doesn’t describe it as harsh. He describes it as quiet.
That’s the part that catches you off guard. I personally considered the Australian outback as a proving ground. Endless sand. Hostile heat. A place where machines fail. But when Paolo rode around Australia with more questions than answers and more miles ahead than money in his bank account, what he found wasn’t hostility.
He found stillness. Read more…
We’re always down to talk bikes. And if you know someone who lives for throttle therapy, send this newsletter their way; their readership helps keep the newsletter going.
Keep the shiny side up.
– The American Moto Co. Team
