A little while ago I got an email from Twisted Throttle saying they were accepting applications for 2020 brand ambassadors. Needless to say, I applied almost immediately because who wouldn’t want to have access to the awesome collection of aftermarket accessories sold by Twisted Throttle?! In case you’ve never heard of TT, have a click on the link for a peek.
I was thrilled to get the news not long after that I had been selected as one of the new ambassadors for 2020! It turns out Denali Electronics was a part of this deal too. Oh, baby!!!
I LOVE Upgrading Lighting Options
That was huge news for me because like many people I love adding aftermarket lighting solutions to my bikes. Factory lighting packages never do enough for my low light riding needs and quite often I avoid riding after dark for that reason.
Denali builds some of the brightest and toughest lights around including excellent mounting and wiring kits to go with them!
COVID-19 Relief Projects
With physical distancing, isolation and even lockdown/quarantine measures in place all over the world, this couldn’t have come at a better time. I guess the only challenge will be road testing these updates to my motorcycles, eh?
The Plan
I’ve already been in discussion with Marissa (she’s managing the Ambassador program) about what they have in mind, not to mention what I want to experiment with from their lineup of products.
The idea here is this:
- They send me products to install on my bikes and I try them out on my adventures.
- I share my experience on social media for wBW and the Twisted Throttle website blog.
My 2018 Kawasaki Ninja H2SX SE is first up to the plate.
The website lists several bike-specific parts that will bolt on directly, but I’m not limiting myself to just those add ons. I’m going to be experimenting with more than just the average kits and maybe tackle a custom installation or two. I’ll go where no one else has gone before!
The Ninja is due to get some extra Denali lighting (if I can sort out how to mount them) using the CANbus friendly wiring harnesses that Denali is famous for. Plug and play versatility is really sweet instead of having to solder and splice into existing harnesses. It’s not even possible to do that with most newer motorcycle electronic systems anyway without triggering error codes and creating electrical havoc in general.
I’m keen to get a Scottoiler eSystem electronic chain oiler on my baby to cut down on chain maintenance and a massively loud Sound Bomb Air Horn Kit on the “H2SeXy”. “Meep! Meep” isn’t a fitting voice for such a mighty 200 hp piece of machinery to have, right?
We’re also discussing trying out some carbon fiber protection add-ons from R&G to make my ride stand out in a crowd.
I’m unsure at this point which of these add ons specifically I’ll be getting, but all of them are on my wishlist and a possibility. Yes, it does feel like I’ve won the motorcycle junkies’ lottery!
What have I missed? Let me know in the comments.
My 2019 KTM 790 Adventure is also in play.
We haven’t spent a ton of time discussing the KTM project yet, but at a minimum, I expect to install the Denali D7 Trioptic Flood Lights and some sort of mounting rack on it. They’re sorely needed on my bike because the stock lights don’t light up the ditch in turns. There are no cornering lights on the bike to help, so I’ll fix that problem with these D7s. Bouncing deer or moose off my beloved 790 isn’t in my game plan! Better lighting could help me avoid doing that, right?
These are a brand new lighting product for Denali and so I’ll give them the “royal treatment” in a review on wBW as well.
There’s an attractive rackless luggage system on the TT site from DrySpec (The D-68) that I’d like to try out as well.
The Other Ambassadors
I’m not the only lucky rider who will enjoy showcasing what TT and Denali have to offer.
Here are some brief introductions to my fellow Ambassadors, but you can read full interviews with them here http://blog.twistedthrottle.com/meet-the-2020-twisted-throttle-ambassador-team/ and follow them on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter and FaceBook.
Bree Molitor
Bree Molitor has been involved in off-road racing since 2012, and she currently drives the rock racing buggy the Avenger. She has also been a media representative in various forms within the off-road industry for many years. Bree currently travels with the Southern Rock Racing Series for the 2020 season and co-hosts the live coverage of their events, and often competes with that series and others. She also enjoys trail riding off-road vehicles on her family farm in Tennessee whenever possible.
Tony Prust – Analog Motorcycles
Tony Prust, owner of Analog Motorcycles, started the brand in 2008 out of passion, principal, and necessity. Combining skills from his past careers and interests including audio engineering, and carpentry, he focused his interests and imagination into creating motorcycles and components that were complex in thought and design, yet simple and pure in execution just like analog music, thus the monster was born. Tony works with all makes and models of motorcycles from BMW and BSA, to Yamaha and Zundapp. He specializes in the unloved orphans. The land of forgotten toys is his asylum, the misfits are the residents and Tony is the surgeon. To say that he loves a challenge is an understatement.
Corey Lofton
Corey has been riding motorcycles since age 8 and is the content creator and owner of Dual Sport ADV. He is an avid enthusiast for the Adventure bike segment and enjoys showing people how adventurous we can be through the Dual Sport and Adventure segment of bikes. He currently rides a KTM 1290 Super Adventure R and explores all areas of the Southeast US. Corey plans to travel the eastern segment of the Trans Am Trail this year from North Carolina to Northwestern Arkansas.
Anna Backlund
Anna Baklund has been chasing adventure on motorcycles since 2015. Whether she’s camping off her dual-sport or riding remote enduro, it’s the beauty of the wilderness that keeps her coming back for more. She enjoys sharing her adventures and hopes that by sharing, it encourages others to find what they’re passionate about. With trail stewardship at the forefront of her message, she hopes to promote responsible riding so that future generations can enjoy access to our public lands.
Nipun Srivastava – Image Drivers & The Nirvana Team
At 14, Nipun commandeered his Dad’s motorcycle and fell hard, on the ground and also in love with two-wheeled motor machines. He’s been racing in the dirt, fooling around off-road and shooting photos everywhere he tours ever since! He currently rides the BMW R1250GS HP, amongst a few other motorcycles he’s accumulated over the years. An avid 4×4 enthusiast, his daily driver is a tastefully modded Jeep. His passion is now his work as he leads a creative team for Image Drivers LLP (India).
Andrew Salter – Baffle Culture
Salts began his obsession of motorcycling after watching David Beckham and his mates tackle South America on custom Bonnie’s and wanted a bit of the action. He started an Instagram page called ‘Baffle Culture’ where he posted builds and everything that captivated the motorcycle culture he found infectious, this mainly being cafe racer and retro-inspired stripped back builds. Four years later and Salts has ridden around some of the world’s best riding routes whilst growing Baffle Culture ‘BC’. BC is now an established company based at Baffle Haus which is being used this year for ride outs and various events based in Wales near Cardiff. Salts rides his custom BMW R nineT which has been at the forefront of Baffle’s Instagram page. His bike along with the other members builds and ventures can be followed @baffleculture!
Skylar Weaver
Skylar started his motorcycle career with an unplanned motorbike trek through Vietnam on his trusty 1967 110cc motorbike. He hasn’t looked back since, and in August 2019 Skylar kicked off a grand Pan-American motorcycle adventure from Washington DC to Patagonia to raise awareness of Alopecia. As of the March 2020, he has made it to El Salvador and will plan on reaching Patagonia over the next year.
Julie Nordskog
Julie’s first love was a Harley-Davidson 1972 Sportster Ironhead. Over the past five years, she has learned to ride dual sport on her KLR 650 and excelled as a long-distance touring rider on her 2019 H-D Road Glide. She qualified as a member of the Iron Butt Association (2015), completed the New Mexico BackCountry Discovery Route (2018), and became one of the few female Finishers of the 10,000-mile Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge (2018). Through riding and writing (blogs, print magazines), Julie strives to support and promote women in the motorcycling community. Julie’s next motorcycle challenge is the ten-year anniversary ride of the Hoka Hey in August 2020.
Pat Trahan
Patrick Trahan is considered an adventurer more than a racer. Everything started in 1998, when he bought his first motorcycle, a KLR650, and shipped it to Morocco to participate in his first rally. But he had never ridden before. So it was quite the challenge, but he finished the rally. The road ahead of him would be one filled with adventure. He became the first Canadian to participate in Dakar on a motorcycle only 1.5 years after his debut. 12 years after that, he has completed 15 rallies around the world, participated in 3 Dakar rallies and finished 55th in 2010. He now organizes rallies in Quebec, works with Honda Canada as an ambassador, fabricates rally kits, etc. He lives his passion and has multiple more projects to come.
Watch For More Updates
I’m hopeful that the COVID-19 obstacles will clear before our riding season is over in 2020. Even if it isn’t, you can still follow along as we the Ambassadors feverishly work on beautifying our rides!