Everyone has a bucket list. In the case of motorcycle road racers, it would be nearly impossible to find one who doesn’t include taking the road course on the historic Isle of Man. For Edmonton, AB’s Dallas Reynolds, this dream continues to move towards reality, with a goal of competing the in the Manx GP on the Isle of Man Mountain Circuit in 2027.
Reynolds, a former member of the Canadian military, initially found his way to the racetrack in 2018 when he acquired his motorcycle race license from the Edmonton Motorcycle Roadracing Association. Quickly moving through the club ranks, Reynolds jumped on to the national stage in 2024, picking up the CSBK Pro Twins National Championship aboard an Aprilia RS660.
As part of his quest to make it to the Isle of Man, 2025 found Reynolds competing in Ireland and working his way through the challenges that come with racing full out on public roadways. Looking to further to his already impressive resume, Reynolds will head back to Ireland for the 2026 season, where he will compete in up to 8 different road race events. Then, if all goes according to plan, this bucket list item will get checked off in 2027.
Inside Motorcycles recently sat down with this talented racer to talk about racing and his road to the Manx GP.
Inside Motorcycles: You started racing with the EMRA in 2018. What initially drew you to racing and what keeps you coming back?
Dallas Reynolds: Well I have always had a very intimate relationship with adrenaline, so it just made sense to go race motorcycles. Being that I was based out of Edmonton area, the EMRA was my way into this world. I signed up for a race school in 2018 and pretty much didn’t look back. I couldn’t get enough of it, I met some incredibly talented and knowledgeable racers in that club, that I would have to say that played a big role in my continued pursuit of this mission.
IM: You retired from a military career in 2022. What skills and attributes from this career do you bring to racing and how do they benefit you on the track?
DR: I would say that I bring a few different aspects of my military background into my racing. Well over half of my 13-year army career was spent as a sniper. Patience, recording accurate data, weather reading, visual discipline, and split-second decision making under pressure. Those are just a few of many that transfer directly over to racing. However, I would have to say that my biggest crossover benefit is my mindset. I was fortunate enough to have been put in multiple situations throughout my life, that showed me just how far a person can go if you truly want it. This mindset has already brought me success and is ultimately going to be what gets me over that finish line.
IM: Of all of your accomplishments in motorcycle racing to date, which is the most memorable and why?
DR: This is a tough one, I have had some very meaningful and successful moments with regards to racing. If I have to pick one, I would have to say that it was winning the 2024 CSBK Pro Twins National Championship. This was very unexpected; it was my rookie year at a pro national level on tracks I had never seen and on a bike I had never ridden. This also made me the first person in CSBK history to win a pro national championship on an Aprilia.
IM: In 2025 you participated in 3 road course races in Ireland (Cookstown 100, Tandragee 100 and Armoy Race of Legends). How was the experience of moving from purpose-built racetracks to racing on actual roadways? What was the most surprising aspect of these types of circuits?
DR: 2025 was a massive year for me in so many ways. Getting over to Ireland and racing in my first road race was achieving one of my lifelong goals. It was surreal, but it took some serious work. I basically had to re acquire an entire racing program including a motorcycle. I showed up in Dublin with a gear bag at the end of March, 1 month later I was lined up on the grid of the Cookstown 100 Supertwin race on a bike that yet again, I had never even turned a wheel on. It was lashing rain and my rain tires were caked in mud. I could not believe what conditions these boys race in. You have to saranwrap your tires when you take the bike off the warmers, because the entire paddock is a mud pit and you push your bike up to pre grid. The roads are so tight, that mass starts are set off in waves, so you actually have room to breathe. The road lines are lethal in the wet and slick in the dry, your entire motorcycle will leave the earth minimum 2 times a lap regardless of what course you’re racing at. It’s simply madness. There are no practice sessions, you get a 10-minute qualifying session for each class you race in and then you either made the race or you didn’t. It was the most humbling experience of my life, and I am absolutely hooked.
IM: Your 2024 CSBK Pro Twins National Championship was won racing an Aprilia RS660, and you raced a Kawasaki ER650 last year in Ireland. How would you compare these two bikes? What are the pros and cons of each?
DR: I would say the RS660 and ER650 were fairly similar in how they performed, the biggest difference would be in the lack of electronics on the ER650 and how the bike is set up chassis and suspension wise. Bikes that are purpose built for road racing will be set up much different than for a short circuit. Road racing bikes will be geared very tall to maximize top speed on the long stretches. The suspension also needs to be set up to account for the jumps and bomb holes that these bikes are subjected to lap after lap, while also maintaining the stability under heavy braking.
The Kawasaki ER650 has been the go-to Supertwin for the roads for a very long time, tons of success with that platform and more specifically that engine. The Aprilia is an out of the box race bike, it doesn’t need much to be converted to a road racing machine. The Kawasaki on the other hand is a full on ground up purpose-built race bike. They do large amounts of engine work, custom airbox, custom fairings, upgraded swing arm to go from a 160- to a 180-rear tire, custom triple clamps; the list goes on.
IM: With plans to return to racing in Ireland this April, what is your off season training regime and how are you preparing to hit the road in just over a month’s time?
DR: Preparation this off season consisted of lots of dirt biking in freezing snowy conditions. I run a YZ250 2-stroke with studded tires. Lots of bush riding to really work the whole body and force you to be light on the bars or you just tuck the front in snow. This drill helps big time with the arm pump that develops from hanging on to a sport bike as you jump it between stone walls. Then for the sense of speed and reactionary training we take them to a frozen lake and just open them right up doing figure 8 drills.
As far as workouts, I have built a program specifically designed for improving reaction time and targeting the muscles used when manipulating a motorcycle at pace. The goal is to be strong enough that you can put that bike where you want it but maintain a light body mass, especially on Supertwins as you don’t have the horsepower to hide your mistakes.
IM: You are currently working towards to competing in the Manx GP in 2027. Compared to the road races you have been racing in Ireland, the Manx Circuit is substantially longer (60 km) compared to Irish courses you have been running. What do you think will be some of the challenges moving up to the Manx circuit and how will you prepare for these?
DR: My plan is to do the Irish National Road Race season for 2025-2026 and apply to the Manx GP in 2027. The biggest challenge is going to be trying to remember “what’s next.” The course has over 230 corners, 90 percent of them blind and late apex corners. So, I went to the Manx in 2025 with an Irish racer to be his fuel man for the pit stop. I did recon for 16 days on how everything operates. I did countless laps around the course with racers in cars discussing every corner in detail. I even got to do a lap around it on a BMW S1000 road bike while the roads were still open. I took full advantage of the situation I found myself in. For the next year I will be watching onboards and racing it in a simulator in preparation for the newcomers’ weekend.
IM: Who are the sponsors and supporters that you would like to thank?
DR: I’m currently backed by a few really good sponsors. My title sponsor is TerraBurst based out of Calgary, AB. Colin, the owner, has been such a massive part of the success of my racing program. Over the years he has supplied bikes, engines, tires, trailers, stands, travel etc. I would not be where I am today without his and TerraBurst’s support. I’d also like to thank Niko from Moto Meccanica based out of Burnaby, BC. He was brought onboard in 2024 for round 3 of CSBK. His presence and knowledge of Aprilia and absolute professionalism made him a key asset. We didn’t let him leave, he still supports me from back home in Canada when I need parts or tuning advice. 7 west clothing company has made all my racer swag, decals and race numbers for the bikes since day 1. Duffy Custom Designs and Baucon Ireland supply me with a van to utilize for race weekends and built my pit flooring. PMD Engineering Ltd. based out of Ireland supply me with tools and accommodation. Portanna Constuction based out of Spruce Grove, AB. The owner, Kevin, has been helping out with entry fees and introduced me to his connections over in Ireland. Shout out to John Ryan from Bike Breakers, he has helped me with parts over the years. Thank you all so much, I appreciate you. Also thank you to everyone else who’s supported by buying my racer swag off 7westclothing.ca .
IM: Racing halfway around the world involves planning, logistics and more. How can people who are interested in helping you out get involved?
DR: I’m definitely always looking for more people who want to get involved. It’s not easy racing in Euros and British pounds when your rocking monopoly money. All help is valued and appreciated, and honestly, I just want more people to experience this journey with me. We’re going for it. I’m the only Canadian racing on the Irish National Roads, and I will be the first Canadian to compete at the ManxGP since the ‘80s. If you’ve stayed this long and want to get involved, you can email me directly at Dallasjreynolds@protonmail.com or DM me on Instagram or Facebook.
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