24-hour Moto-Marathon for Breast Cancer Awareness Presented by Kawasaki

The Supercross community rocked pink last weekend at A3 (the third stop at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif.) to promote breast cancer awareness. Just south in Irvine, Kawasaki took it a step further and did something challenging that would get people talking.

Adjacent to its U.S. headquarters building, Kawasaki conducted the first-ever 24-hour Moto-Marathon of Dirt Bike Schools to raise money for Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. A total of five 4-hour classes were conducted to teach beginners the fundamentals of off-road riding. After the students made it through the basic training, they were led on a brief trail ride.

This event was open to the public for a short time before all 75 spots were completely filled. Free with donation, the first class started at 8 a.m. Friday morning and the last class concluded at 8 a.m. Saturday. Just over $2,500 was raised.

One Kawasaki employee had never been on a bike of any kind before and he took the 4 a.m. class! All the guests who participated received a complementary Kawasaki Thor motocross jersey, an A3 ticket to Supercross, a special Kawasaki pit tour and exclusive track walk prior to the race.

For the training, Kawasaki provided a fleet of twenty motorcycles including the smaller KLX110L play bike, the mid-size KLX140 off-road machine, and a couple of the larger KLX250S dual-sport models. Safety gear and expert instructors were also provided. Music, video games, hot and cold beverages, food and two warm fire pits made the experience complete.

Top racers for Kawasaki such as Chad Reed, Ryan Villopoto, Nick Wey and Jake Weimer stopped by to show their support and sign autographs. Pro female motocross racers Sara Price (2009 Rookie of the Year) and Sherri Cruise (X Game Medalist) were there as well.

At about 1a.m., I was still feeling really good after shooting on and off for 15 hours or so, but I decided to take a little nap. I woke up at 4 a.m. for the final group. It was a little surreal to witness people emerging from the darkness at 4 a.m. to learn to ride a dirt bike! Hard core.

I was shooting on the Canon 5D mark 2 and the HD footage came out amazing. I m excited to have an edit posted in the near future on www.kawasaki.com.

Please take what this is all about to heart and realize it all boils down to communication, respect of the body and a lifestyle that is mindful of high stress levels. The more we stay positive and connected, the less disease of all types will occur.

Stress is the #1 killer diet and hydration exercise and just doing a regular check of the body to know if anything seems odd is so important. And if something does seem out of place, don t put it off. Early detection is key. Go get it checked out right away. This event was also supported and inspired by Shasta Johnson an avid MX fan and cancer survivor visit http://www.teamshasta.org to get involved or learn more.

Massive props to Kawasaki for being the only major bike manufacturer to step up and really invest in the effort to raise money and awareness for this important cause. This was such a success it seems like a great thing to do on a monthly basis so more enthusiasts can get excited about riding and doing it safely. Kawasaki did a fantastic job of creating a very special opportunity for those who have never learned to ride before and for me, it was something to behold. Special thanks to Jan Plessner and all the Kawasaki staff that supported this event.

Check yourself or get checked now,

RVE

All photos: J Dawes