The New Wild Ones

Monday, September 28, 2009

Story: Gary Koz Mraz, Quick Throttle Magazine Photos:  Heath Cofran and Ricki Bedenbaugh

Where are the young bucks, the new generation of motorcyclists? They can’t all be on crotch rockets.  Enter B.A. Moto.  Based in Orange County, The British American Moto MC has a devout core of riders with one goal in mind, to ride. Ride far, ride fast…then party.  I bumped into them while doing a story on the Triumph Speedmaster. Most ride modern Triumphs, Thruxton’s and some vintage Triumphs. They remind me; of me when I was young.

Twisty mountain roads aren’t their thing, they’re Old School. Rolling to Vegas, 24 hours there and back, Camping at El Mirage dry lake for speed trials or roller derby matches in LA or San Diego. They love road trips where they burn through 3000 miles in 9 days. If there are some sweet roads along the way, then that’s just an added bonus. Their girlfriends travel on back or on their own Triumphs. A true testament to the reliability and quality of modern Triumph motorcycles. They look for wild and wooly places to stop along the way whether it’s a nude pool in Las Vegas or refused entry at the Canadian border, its all in fun.

Not officially recognized as a club, they wear a very distinctive one piece patch.  The Pike in Long Beach is where B.A. Moto holds bike nite the first Thursday of every month. Owned by the drummer of punk band Social D it’s a cool atmosphere with great food. Anyone is welcome to join and I guarantee you will enjoy hanging with this crowd; they are fun, young, and adventurous, imbued with a fresh passion for motorcycling.  

COOL LINKS:

BA Moto MC

QuickThrottle Magazine

Pike Restaurant  (1836 E. 4th St.,  Long Beach, CA 90802 PH: 562-437-4453)

Heath Cofran Photography

Ricki Bedenbaugh Photography