As I write this in early May, spring is in full swing. Southern California’s winter rains have made everything green, and flowers are in bloom. Birds are atwitter, and mama hummingbirds drain our feeders in a matter of days as they deliver a steady supply of nectar to their tiny chicks in tiny, hidden nests.
With the winter chill in the rearview mirror and summer heat still out there on the horizon, spring is my favorite season to ride. Yesterday I enjoyed a long ride with a couple of friends on State Route 33 and Lockwood Valley Road, two of the best roads not only in the area but in the entire state. We started off with coffee and conversation, continued with curves and climbs, and ended with a leisurely outdoor lunch. Experiences like these are what make life worth living, and I cherish them.
Spring also means that Daytona Bike Week has come and gone, and the new riding season is firing on all cylinders. This issue features our second quarterly American Rider supplement, which includes my report from Bike Week, tests of Harley-Davidson’s new Street Glide Limited touring bike and Road Glide 3 trike, a profile of motorcycle designer JT Nesbitt, and much more.
This issue is also about transition. Exhaust Note (page 66) includes remembrances for two Rider luminaries. Alan Paulsen, who was our managing editor in the early 1980s and wrote many excellent travel stories in the years since, passed away on Easter. Clement Salvadori, known for his trademark beret and folksy writing style, wrote two popular columns and numerous features, motorcycle tests, tour reviews, and travel stories over the years. He passed away on May 1.
Alan and Clem were singular individuals, strong in opinion and voice, fiercely dedicated to writing well and to riding as often and as far as possible. Their voices helped define what Rider stands for, and they will be greatly missed. I consider it an honor to have known them both.
We also welcome a new staff member, Marisa McInturff. I’ve admired the work Marisa has done at RoadRUNNER over the past several years, and we’re fortunate to have her on our team. She’s a passionate enthusiast who loves to ride anything on two wheels. At our editorial meeting this morning, she showed off a 1st-place trophy for winning her first trials competition.
“I grew up riding dirt bikes with my dad and brothers, and motorcycles have been a constant in my life ever since,” she says. At 19, she started working at a local dealership stocking shelves. Since then, she’s done everything from installing accessories and mounting tires to managing e-commerce operations, overseeing training programs, contributing to motorcycle publications, and serving as managing editor and marketing director at RoadRUNNER.
Marisa did some off-road racing in college, but what she really loves is traveling by motorcycle.
“Riding allows you to fully immerse yourself in a place: the sights, the smells, the shifts in temperature,” says Marisa. “My goal is to bring readers along for that ride and help them feel those moments through the stories I tell. I hope what I share in Rider inspires others to ride more, travel farther, and see motorcycling (and the world) through a fresh lens.”
With that sort of attitude, she fits right in. Marisa has hit the ground running, working with Allison Parker (who has been on our editorial staff since 2022), Chad Cochran (who has masterfully designed our covers and layouts since the Oct. 2019 issue), our contributors, and the rest of our team to bring you “Motorcycling at Its Best.” We deliver fresh content daily on our website and social media channels, weekly through our newsletters and YouTube channel, and every month in the pages of this magazine.
Whether you’ve been a subscriber since 1974 or since last week, we appreciate you coming along for the ride with us. See you on the road!