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Michael Lohmeyer
AFM #177
Hello, my name is Michael Lohmeyer, and I am a motorcyclist. Sounds a little bit like an introduction to motorcyclist's anonymous. What can I say, motorcycling is addicting, but not something I plan to hang up anytime soon.
Born and grown in Oregon, I moved to California in 1990 to start my career as an electrical engineer in Silicon Valley. Not long afterwards, I bought my first dirt bike and street bike and have been riding ever since. It started out as a desire to explore the back roads of California, but quickly turned into a passion for riding in general, and a constant desire to improve my riding skill.
My first street bike was a '73 Honda CB500. It served both as my riding trainer and my mechanics trainer as well. Friends and the Internet had become my riding instructor, and the Clymer manual had become my mechanics instructor. Riding and motorcycle maintenance had become all part of the experience, and I couldn't imagine one without the other. Hence, much of the emphasis behind this web site is to highlight both riding, and motorcycle maintainance and performance.
In 1998, I started road racing. I bought a Kawasaki EX250, joined the AFM, and started racing 250 Production. Since '98, I have raced the EX250, an FZR400 and now a VFR400. Pictures of the bikes can be seen to the right.
I raced 250 Production for five years ('98 through '02), with a best of 5th place, a season best of 6th overall, and top novice overall in 250 Production my first year. In 2000, I started racing some 450 Superbike and Formula I races on an FZR400 as practice for the AFM 4-hour Endurance race. My team (consisting of Steve Demopolous, Mike Lowenstein, and myself) rode the FZR400 to a second place that year in the 4-hour, and I placed 4th in my first 450 Superbike race the next day. I really enjoyed racing the FZR, so I bought the bike from Steve Demopolous so I could start racing 450 Superbike full time in 2001.
In 2002, my emphasis shifted from 250 Production to 450 Superbike where I had a chance for a 450 SB top 3 overall. A mid season crash dashed my hopes, putting me in 4th overall in 450 SB, but setting the stage for my current race program. The crash on my FZR400 destroyed the bike. I had to rebuild it from scratch, including an engine rebuild. There wasn't enough time to rebuild the bike before the next race, but I lucked out and found a '92 VFR400, ready to race. I bought the bike and finished the 450 SB season on it.
The end of 2002 brought several changes. The FZR400, after being rebuilt, propelled my endurance team to a 1st place for the 2002 AFM 4-hour. But, the VFR was a noticeably better bike. I also realized that my goals for 450 Superbike required me to focus on one bike. I raced my last 250 Production race that year, and sold both the FZR and EX250 to focus specifically on the VFR and 450 Superbike. I also bought a second VFR400 through G-Force Performance Center, and made a sponsorship deal with them to develop the VFR400 engine into a 450cc motor (my bike became Mike Norman's test bed). Much of the content of this web site has benefited from that relationship.
The result of my first full year on the VFR400 - 2003: a second place overall finish in 450 Superbike, a tie for AFM 5th overall in points, and lap records at all three AFM tracks (at least in the recent history since AFM started using the dBcom lap timer system).
Motorcycle riding is something to be taken seriously, almost like a religion. Continual improvement is part of what it means to be a motorcyclist. It is much of what I enjoy about riding. I have learned a great deal about riding from others, and I have always taken the effort to pass that knowledge on. Starting in 2004, I am participating with Keigwins @ The Track as a race school instructor, both helping with K@TT's AFM sanctioned New Racer School, as well as the more advanced K@TT Race School. I hope to continue to improve both in my riding and racing, as well as improve in my ability to teach others how to be better and safer riders, no matter what kind of riding they choose to do.
Race Highlights:
- 2006 AFM Formula IV - 3rd Place Overall
- 2006 AFM 450 Superbike Champion
- 2005 AFM 450 Superbike Champion
- 2004 AFM Overall Club Points - 8th place
- 2004 AFM 450 Superbike - 2nd Place Overall
- 2004 AFM Formula IV - 4th Place Overall
- 2004 AFM 4-Hour Endurance Race - 4th Place Team 450 Class
- 2003 AFM Overall Club Points - Tied for 5th in Points
- 2003 AFM 450 Superbike 2nd Place Overall
- 2003 AFM 4-Hour Endurance Race - 4th Place Team 450 Class
- 2002 AFM 450 Superbike 4th Place Overall
- 2002 AFM 4-Hour Endurance Race - 1st Place Team 450 Class
- 2000 AFM 4-Hour Endurance Race - 2nd Place Team 450 Class
- 1998 AFM 250 Production Top Novice
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