VOL. 53 ISSUE 30 AUGUST 2, 2016 P29
KUDLA NAMED AMA OFF-
ROAD RACING MANAGER
T
he American Motorcyclist
Association (AMA) welcomes
new Off-Road Racing Manager
Erek Kudla, who most recently
served as director for the AMA
National Hare and Hound
Championship and the AMA
West Hare Scrambles Champi-
onship Series.
In his new role at AMA
headquarters in Pickerington,
Ohio, Kudla will be responsible
for supporting and growing all
AMA-sanctioned off-road racing
in America. His duties include
organizer assistance, rules en-
forcement, event management
and competitor relations.
"Off-road racing has been my
life for as long as I can remem-
ber," said Kudla, who competes
in the 250 A class in hare and
hound, enduro and cross coun-
try. "My experience as a pro-
moter and organizer, as well as
a racer, gives me a well-rounded
understanding of what's needed
to expand off-road racing in
America not just for the current
generation, but the next genera-
tion of racers, as well."
"For me, my role as the AMA
off-road racing manager is the
pinnacle of the sport," Kudla
said. "I will work hard every day
here at the AMA to project my
enthusiasm and love for off-road
racing." CN
KTM 800 DUKE SPOTTED IN TESTING
T
his is the first spy pic of what we believe to
be the highly anticipated KTM 800 Duke, set
to take on Yamaha's FZ-07, Suzuki's SV650 and
Triumph's Street Triple 675 next year in the middle-
weight naked bike category.
KTM has been developing the new 800 engine
for use in this new Duke and a rumored upcoming
790 Adventure, as well as a 500cc version with a
date of release yet to be disclosed.
This 800cc machine, to be dubbed
790 as all KTM road and adventure
machines end in 90 (i.e., 390 Duke,
690 Duke, 1290 Duke), shows much
more aggressive lines than the cur-
rent generation of small capacity Duke
machines. The exhaust is the most
obvious alteration and the muffler now
resides near the passenger seat. There
are inverted forks, twin front discs, an
alloy swingarm and a small windshield
not seen on the current Duke range.
No word has been given on a formal
release date but expect to see them on
sale next year. CN
Erik Kudla is
the new AMA
off-road racing
manager.
The 800 Duke will be
a strong middleweight
contender when it gets
released next year.
