ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE DIRT RIDER ART IMAGES

The dirt rider image that has become well known amongst the dual sport motorcycle community and even associated with Wabeno Wisconsin itself has its roots from our dual sport community and comes right from the heart.

Artist Julie Roth created the image originally as a draft for a painting. That image later became a poster and then was adapted by her into light pole banners that lined the town of Wabeno and helped the forge the community into the mecca for dual sport riders from throughout the Midwest that it has become today. The image has welcomed riders into town at the Wabeno city limits over the years proudly proclaiming it to be the dual sport capital of the world. The image has adorned billboards, our website, shirts, signs, stickers, and hats used as giveaways and rewards for participants and productive club members.

The original image was intended to be a painting that Julie was going to create for a fundraising benefit for Dan Kelsey’s family at a WDSR event. Dan Kelsey was an avid dual sport and street bike rider tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2007. Julie worked with him at Harley-Davidson and they were both CAD designers for the company. They became friends and Julie and her husband started riding dirt bikes with Dan which is how they were introduced to WDSR and Wabeno. Dan rode a KTM, so the original colors of the bike in the poster reflected the brand. The painting never was completed but Julie kept the concept drawings, which were digital.

The memory of Dan Kelsey lives on through Julies' art and the spirit of dual sport as old and new riders of like mind and spirit fly through the beautiful woods of northern Wisconsin to this day and are excitedly looking forward to the next big event.