The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters Moto keeps rolling through the fall/winter season on two wheels. After their Sisters Moto fall celebration party in October, they keep rolling with events, hosting a pre-party to the AMA EnduroCross competitions held in Redmond last weekend.

"EnduroCross is one of the wildest sports on two wheels. It combines the race format of motocross with the challenging obstacles of an enduro, all packed into the tight confines of a fan-friendly stadium setting," according to the American Motorcycle Association.

Last Friday evening, Sisters Moto hosted their pre-party meet and greet event, allowing the public and racegoers to meet and hang out with some of the best EnduroCross riders in the business. That included up-and-coming Trystan Hart, Hallie Marks, and some of the greatest of all-time riders in the sport, Cooper Abbott and Cody Webb. The riders are sponsored by Sherco, a brand Sisters Moto sells and works with often.

On a chilly November evening, racegoers and fans swigged hot apple cider and hot chocolate while mingling with the riders, getting autographs, and entering to win prizes in their raffle, including the chance to win tickets to the competition in Redmond.

The riders hosted a panel for some Q&A and introductions and signed posters and shirts for the up-and-coming racers inspired by the best in the business.

"It's kind of like having a house party; it brings everyone together, and with all the local kids participating, it's really cool to meet these guys," said Austin Brent of Sisters Moto.

The public also met local Central Oregon riders Nathan Kay and Conlan Archer, who are sponsored by Sisters Moto.

"Conlan just turned 16 and gets to see what the sport is about and how hard EnduroCross is," said Brent.

They competed in last weekend's AMA event as well.

Archer has been riding since he was 8 years old. He competed at a young age before moving to Bend, where he stopped racing for a couple of years until he learned about EnduroCross and met Nathan Kay.

"After hearing about this style of riding and meeting up with Nathan to practice, I found a new way to compete on two wheels," said Archer. "With the help of my family and Sisters Moto, I have been able to compete in the EnduroCross Series. This is the craziest, most fun, brutal thing I've ever done. Knowing that I get to travel the United States and compete on the same dirt as some of the world's best, such as Cody Webb and Cooper Abbott, all while doing what I love most, is an honor that does not go unappreciated."

Kay, who moved from the Oregon Coast to Central Oregon to be closer to his sponsor, has been riding dirt bikes since he was a kid growing up in Montana. Later, in his teens and early 20s, he started competing and taking racing seriously.

"As I started to race more enduro-style races, I looked for a new brand to fit my skill set better," he said. "I found my new Sherco SE-R 300 to be the perfect match. In 2022, I entered the Redmond EnduroCross. I qualified first overall in my qualifying round and had the first gate pick for the main event. After the race, the Sisters Moto race team contacted me and offered me the opportunity to join their race team. It has always been a dream of mine to ride for a team and be supported. This past year, I moved from the coast to Central Oregon. I started a graphic design company that mostly catered to graphics for bikes and printing on shirts and jerseys. I designed the Sisters Moto factory team Sherco graphics."

Austin and Biz Brent, and Sisters Moto, sponsor riders, and they drive their race semi to different events across the Pacific Northwest to watch their sponsored youth.

"We have 20-plus youth riders, and our sponsored riders go through interviews; we want to get good riders, but good kids and involved families," said Biz.

"We love two wheels with knobs, and we are so happy to rub shoulders with the top brass in North America in this sport, and inspire our very own riders," said Austin.

During the meet and greet and panel section, each rider was allowed to talk about their racing. Cody Webb, one of the top riders in North America, who has won countless titles - and in Austin's opinion will go down as the greatest rider of all time -said this about Sisters Moto: "It's an amazing community here; as soon as we came up, I knew this was something special, and I enjoy my time, and this is such a great dealership."

The Brents' passion for the motocross sport is unwavering in all that they do for young riders, and they continue to foster a growing and successful business in Sisters.