#EricBostrom

It’s been said dozens of times, many different ways. The definition of adventure is unique to the person defining it. Like fingerprints, no two answers will be identical. Case in point: the KTM Adventure 790 R, BMW F 850 GS Adventure, and Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro. These bikes make up three-quarters of the burgeoning middleweight adventure category. These motorcycles comprise a niche within a popular category, yet within a few miles of riding each bike, it’s remarkable just how differently each brand approaches the task. The core philosophy of each marque shines through in these machines and plainly portrays how its part of the world, and the people riding there, define adventure.

I like to think I got into motorcycle racing at the tail end of an epic time for American motorcycle racers. It was approximately around the year 2000. A young whippersnapper named Valentino Rossi was all the buzz, but in the 500cc paddock, Kenny Roberts Junior took the crown. Over in World Superbike, the epic battles between Troy Bayliss, Nori Haga, and Colin Edwards were just hotting up, with the Texas Tornado sealing the deal and making it two American world champs in the same year.

You might remember Eric Bostrom from his days racing Kawasakis on both the national and international level. While highly successful, E-Boz’s post-racing life has seen him dealing with the lingering injuries he sustained in racing while continuing to live an active lifestyle. He decided to tackle the source of the pain with natural remedies instead of relying on medications. His solution is a company he’s founded called Backmate. Here you can find information related to natural healing as well as dedicated products to help relieve pain. And to spread awareness about natural, lasting solutions for pain, Bostrom is giving away memorabilia from his racing career. It started with this custom Kawasaki jacket and continues now with one of Eric’s Alpinestars leather suits. Says Bostrom:

Fastrack Riders is a popular track-riding organization that has expanded way beyond that of the typical group devoted to giving street riders the opportunity to ride their motorcycles at their limits in a proper closed-course environment. With the majority of its events being held at Fontana, California’s Auto Club Speedway, Fastrack is the venue’s official motorcycle partner. The 2.36-mile road course on the inside of the superspeedway features 21 turns and a section of banking that allows the current generation of sportbikes to really clear their throats. In addition to its exclusive relationship with Auto Club Speedway, Fastrack is sponsored by BMW and KTM.

Looking at the current state of American motorcycle road racing and how bleak it has become, it’s remarkable to think, just over a decade ago, our national series was widely regarded as the best in the world. Riders like Mladin, Duhamel, Gobert, Bayliss, Hayden, Spies and many others carved out a name for themselves here, piloting ferocious superbikes better than, arguably, anyone else in the world.

Brammo is in a unique position, being a small company in the ever-advancing electric motorcycle world. It has the ability to adapt quickly to change. Case in point? The 2014 Brammo Empulse R. We’ve ridden the mighty Brammo a few times over the past 18 months, and while the bike you see in these pictures might appear identical to the ones we’ve ridden before, a peek under its skin will reveal several updates.