Mid-Life Riders Online
Riding for Charity - Newfoundland & Labrador
Due to the size of our archived motorcycle articles, we have moved them to another page called Archive Articles. In doing so, the load time for the current article is much faster and easier to read. To access the archived motorcycle articles, please click Archived Motorcycle Articles. For the current and latest motorcycle article, click Motorcycle Articles
Motorcycle Articles
- Liquid Verses Air Cooled Engines
- Preparation makes the difference
- Green Motorbikes
- Winging It
- Rocky's Ride
- Why I Ride
- Indian Larry Never Dies
- The Best Motorcycle Accessories
- Bike Fitting For Women
- The Road Trip - Part 3
- The Road Trip - Part 2
- Motorcycle Tire Secrets
- H-D Supporting Women Riding
- The Road Trip
- Older Bikers aren't Bad Riders
- 33 Secrets For Smart Touring
- The Paranoid Motorcyclist
Check Our MLR's Archive Articles
Winging It
The Bike Life
Winging It
I'm Mr. Spontaneity when it comes to motorcycle trips and one thing I always loved about our early OFMC rips was that we had no plans. At most we would have a first-night destination and sometimes we would still end up stopping somewhere else. Nowadays, with nine of us, that's just not possible and everything is planned and arranged. Much as I dislike it, I know it's necessary.
No surprise then that the first time I went off on a trip with a lady friend, just the two of us on my bike, we didn't have any concrete plans, much less motel reservations. The one thing we did know was that we wanted to loop through southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico and stop in Ojo Caliente, NM, where the guys and I had discovered a nice little hot springs resort. Off we went.
Heading generally toward the Four Corners area, where Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico all come together at one point, there are only a couple routes available to you because of the mountains. We headed out on U.S. 285, over Kenosha Pass, through South Park, and down to Buena Vista. Then south to Poncha Springs, where we left 285 and headed west on U.S. 50 over Monarch Pass, down to Gunnison.
That's a really easy day's ride, we weren't pushing it, and we agreed to find a place for the night in Gunnison. Ha! Did we think to consider that this was graduation weekend at Western State College in Gunnison? And on top of that, there were a couple big weddings in town? Of course there were no rooms to be had, and dusk was setting in. Now what?
Fortunately, checking at the Chamber of Commerce visitor's center, the helpful woman at the desk was able to locate one cabin available in Almont, a little town we had never heard of just a bit north of Gunnison. We reserved it over the phone and hustled on out there to secure the deal. So no problem. The cabin was nice, they had a place for us to get dinner, and our first day on the bike trip was a huge success. A little iffy at the end but it all worked out.
We were only on a three-day trip, so the next day we knew we wanted to get to Ojo Caliente. Of course we would take the scenic route, and that meant cruising down through Lake City and over Slumgullion Pass, to Creede and South Fork, where we would pick up U.S. 160 over Wolf Creek Pass, down to Pagosa Springs. From Pagosa Springs we would dip down into New Mexico through Chama and over a range of mountains to where we would rejoin U.S. 285 and follow it north to Ojo Caliente.
This was what motorcycle touring is all about, riding in a leisurely manner through gorgeous country, stopping whenever you feel like it, and having a wonderful time. And that's exactly how our day went, right up until the point where it started getting dark and we were nowhere near Ojo Caliente and not even sure we were on the right road.
It looks so simple on the map. You follow U.S. 84 from Chama toward Espanola and between the little towns of Chili and Hernandez the map shows a road running maybe half a mile to connect with U.S. 285. In the dusk it was nearly impossible to distinguish this little local road from any other and we did some wandering. One way or another, though, we finally found 285. All right, we're good.
By this time we were getting hungry, not to mention stiff from riding all day. A good meal and a soak in the spa were foremost in our minds.
We finally rolled into Ojo Caliente and pulled up at the spa, just as another couple was getting out of their car and walking in. We stood behind them at the desk and gasped at our good fortune to discover that the four of us were taking the last two rooms available. And then we all four choked to learn that the only restaurant in town was closed for the night and there was no store or any restaurant closer than 20 miles away. On top of that, the spa was closed for the night and there would be no hot soak to ease the stiffness.
I can only describe this other couple as saints, because despite having only two one-serving packages of cheese and crackers, they gave one of those packages to us. That was our dinner. With stomachs grumbling we went to bed with hopes that the morning would come quickly.
Morning did come, we ate (voraciously) and we soaked, and then it was time to cruise on home. Did we have a good trip? Definitely. For the most part, it was wonderful. Would we do it again? You bet.
Did we learn anything? Oh, yes. Yes, spontaneity can open the door to wonderful adventures, but sometimes it can bite you in the butt. One phone call would have ensured that we had a room, informed us as to when the spa closed for the night, and alerted us to get dinner before arriving. Even Mr. Spontaneity realized that information is good.
Rocky's Ride
Rocky's Ride
By Glen Roberts
There are many worthwhile charity rides in Canada, from Victoria,
British Columbia to St. John's, Newfoundland and everywhere in between.
Some of the rides last for a few hours, some a day, and some last for a
weekend. Rocky's Ride for diabetes, however, lasts for a whole month
and does, in fact, cover ground from Victoria's Mile 0 to St. John's
Mile 0, with scheduled stops along the way to promote this worthwhile
cause.Rocky's Ride is the brainchild of Lou DeVuono and his wife, Anne, who organized their first ambitious Cross-Canada ride in 2005, and this past July marked the second annual Rocky's Ride. National sponsor for Rocky's Ride is Victory Motorcycles and this year's ride for Lou was a 100ci Victory Vegas. A beautiful machine that captured lots of attention and drew many questions while it was crossing the country.
|
The official 2006 ride began at Mile 0 in Victoria, BC, on the first day of July. Lou crouched down on the shores of the Pacific Ocean to fill a syringe of water that he carried to Mile 0 at Cape Spear in Newfoundland, where he later released the water into the Atlantic Ocean as a gesture to unite all Canadians who suffer from the disease. Lou had outstanding support in the western provinces as he made his way east.
I first hooked up with Rocky's Ride this year during one of the Ontario awareness rides in mid-July that began at Jacox Harley-Davidson. The first stop was at Davies H-D where more riders joined us. Then it was off to Mackie H-D for a BBQ lunch that saw Terry, from Mackie's, wielding the BBQ tongs. Soon it was time to enjoy some country roads as we made our way up to Freak~N~Leather in Keswick. Tina and Attila from Freak~N~Leather had arranged the entertainment. The Ramblers were playing their versions of some classic rock and blues tunes, and OZ Entertainment performed some pretty amazing magic tricks. We then continued to downtown Toronto with the plan to wrap up the ride with a Blue Jays game, however the extreme heat drew us, instead, into an air-conditioned restaurant.
One of the riders on this trip was the Honourable George Smitherman, the Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care. Mr. Smitherman had not ridden a motorcycle in 20 years but commented that diabetes is at epidemic levels and wanted to support the ride all he could.
I would travel with Lou, for the most part, through the Maritime Provinces to Newfoundland. A nine-day trip that would cover 6,970kms, a mileage that pales in comparison to Lou's mileage of more than 22,000kms in 34 days. He rode the Victory Vegas from Bowmanville, Ontario, to Victoria, British Columbia, to officially begin his journey, then across Canada to Newfoundland, and back to Bowmanville.
On July 23rd, at 9:00am, I again met up with Lou and we hit the road. At the 10-Acre Truck Stop, just outside of Belleville, we met up with John Chamberlain who would be riding with us back to Montreal where he lives. John had passed around a collection plate at his work and presented the donations to Lou. John then led us to the Orange Julep just off the highway, where we met up with Maureen Sawatzky who had been riding with Lou since day one from Victoria and was now continuing with us to Sydney, Nova Scotia. Since Lou was spending a few days in Ontario, Maureen had continued travelling to meet up with friends for a few days before hooking up with Rocky's Ride again. Maureen is a special lady and I feel honoured to have ridden with her. She is 68 years young and had never been on a bike, even as a passenger, until nine years ago. Her husband, Allan, finally convinced her to get on the back and ride around a parking lot. After that, she climbed aboard for a short trip on the street. After seven months of being a passenger she bought herself a 1200 Sportster on the premise that, "If I can drive a standard shift car and ride a bicycle, how hard can it be". After many trials and tribulations of learning to ride, her husband convinced her to take a training course. In the past nine years Maureen has ridden to Sturgis three times, as well as down into Baja California.
Allan and Maureen were planning a trip across Canada but, unfortunately, Allan passed away last spring. Maureen decided that she was going to follow through with their plans, and began searching for a travel partner. Between her husband's death and the July 1st ride date of Rocky's Ride, Maureen was diagnosed with diabetes so she considered it a calling as to who to ride with.
Maureen is an accomplished rider and handled her 2004 H-D Heritage like she had been riding all her life. She rode to Sydney, NS, to dip her toes in the Atlantic Ocean, before heading back to her home in Chilliwack, BC.
Montreal is also where we picked up Glen Astles, who didn't know if he would ride an hour, a day, two days or more. He was on holidays and would just ride along and see how it played out. We stopped as planned in Quebec City on our first night out. The next morning we could see from the hotel room windows that rain and black clouds were coming our way, so we exited the hotel garage wearing rain suits. We rode in the rain but after an hour and a half, we discarded our rain suits and rode under sunny skies for the rest of the day to Fredericton.
As it turned out, Glen rode with us from Sunday to Sunday, from Montreal, through the Maritimes to Newfoundland, and back to Saint John, NB, before departing into Maine and Vermont for his trip back home to Montreal.
During that week we shared a lot of laughs and good times together. It was mid-week when Lou and I gave Glen his nickname 'Buckles'. His saddlebags had fives straps each and it seemed to take forever for him to undo the straps and buckle them back up. We had to give him a fifteen-minute head start when packing his bike.
The time change messed us up getting into New Brunswick so the crew that was to meet us had left. We did eventually meet up with Wayne Remus, Chapter Director of the Fredericton HOG chapter, and the 92.3 Fred FM girls, Stacey Hatt and Julie Rowe. The radio station's 2006 promotion was to have a Topless Summer. Alas, only the car was topless, not the girls, despite our attempts to convince them otherwise. A local newspaper was also in attendance to run a story on Rocky's Ride, and Fred FM announced the Ride's intent over the airwaves. The local media is important to Rocky's Ride to promote more awareness of this killer disease and promote ridership each year. Wayne presented a cheque to Lou for money raised in a raffle through the HOG Chapter as well as a cheque for a HOG Chapter challenge Wayne threw out to other chapters.
On Tuesday morning in Moncton, NB, we met up with Marc (Mazz) Mazerolle, who is a high school teacher and oversees Bike Club. An after-hours class that designs and builds custom bicycles from scratch. The intent of Bike Club is to help 'at-risk kids' spend time doing something constructive instead of hanging out on the streets. Leaving Moncton, we swung by Kent County Custom to say hi to Luc LeBlanc, second place winner in TSN's Canadian Chopper Challenge with his creation entitled 'Misconduct'. Luc gave us a tour of the new shop he had recently moved into in Shediac Bridge and showed us some of his current builds.
Rocky's Ride then rode across the Confederation Bridge to PEI and into Charlottetown, then returned to the mainland on the ferry to Caribou, NS. Once getting back on the Trans Canada Highway 104 in Nova Scotia, the day's journey would terminate in Sydney at the ferry dock in preparation for the sailing to Newfoundland. It was in Sydney that we bid adieu to Maureen who would be turning west the next day for her ride back home to BC.
We tried to get on the 11:30pm sailing to Newfoundland but had to settle for the 2:30am ferry instead, which was running an hour late already.
When the ferry docked in Channels-Port-aux-Basques we were greeted by wet roads and a drizzling sky. We donned rain gear and rode out of the ferry behind the transport trucks that had blocked us in. I was looking forward to getting a breath of fresh, salt laden air, but could only smell diesel exhaust until the traffic dispersed. So much for meeting people at 8:00am, and riding by 8:30am, since our ferry arrival time was 10:15am. The three of us booted it up Highway 1 as the ten-hour ride that Lou and Buckles had to put in, in order to get to St. John's, meant they would be riding at night if they didn't hurry. I questioned a local as to the speed people travel on the island, a speed that is much higher than the posted limit. He said people do drive fast in daylight but try to avoid driving at night because of the moose population. The Tourism Newfoundland website estimates that there are 125,000 moose on the island.
|
I wanted to get to the northern tip of the island, to L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Park, and see where the Vikings first landed on North American soil but, due to the ferry running late, I arrived after closing. I then continued on 430 to St. Anthony to the end of the road and got a room for the night. Having to be at the ferry dock by 5:00pm meant I would have to leave St. Anthony by 8:00am in order to have time for a few pictures, but this also meant I would be leaving before the Viking Village opened. It was 12*C when I left that morning, crisp yet refreshing. After a couple of hours the sun had burnt the fog off and it was warm enough to peel the rain suit off.
The trip south looked much different from the trip north the previous day because of the lack of clouds, fog and rain. Gros Morne is a beautiful area with tall rolling mountains, covered with lush forests and plenty of twisty roads to keep any rider amused.
I arrived at the ferry dock right on time only to find out the ferry was running an hour late and should be leaving at 7:00pm instead of 6:00. At 7:00 the ferry was still unloading, and then, at 7:30, it was announced that Transport Canada was performing an impromptu inspection of the boat. We finally left at 9:00pm.
Note to self: Don't make any definite plans that revolve around the ferry schedule.
Lou and Buckles had left on the Argentia ferry at 9:00am and, in theory, we should have been landing in Sydney within a half hour of each other. The plan was to meet at the Tim Horton's at midnight. It sounded good in theory. The Tim Horton's closed at midnight and my ferry didn't arrive in Sydney until 3:00am so they had to hang around the parking lot for three hours. Accommodation in Sydney and the surrounding area was completely booked up with the National HOG Rally so our plan was to head to my brother's house, an hour away on the Cabot Trail. It was a slow ride with high beams piercing the blackness and our eyes peeled for moose. Moose/vehicle collisions are common and I didn't want any of us to be a statistic. We rolled into my brother's place at 4:20am; it was a long day to say the least.
Friday morning saw us having breakfast at my favourite restaurant on the Trail, The Clucking Hen, then the three of us headed north on the Cabot Trail. The weather got worse the farther north we went. At the bottom of Cape Smokey, with heavy low cloud cover about 10 feet above us, we stopped and decided to forfeit the Trail and head south. I know from past experience in that kind of weather that long-range visibility is nil and it really isn't much fun riding the Trail in heavy fog and rain. We decided to head to our night's final destination, Halifax, in a more leisurely manner along Marine Drive.
We turned onto Highway 7, at Antigonish, which led us to Sherbrooke, where we followed the coast right to Halifax. The roads, like much of the maritime secondary roads, are in pretty good shape, for the most part, but have a few rough spots to watch out for. I found that the area to be consistently wary of is the bridge abutments, where the road has settled but the bridge hasn't. Marine Drive offered us a generally nice road, with lots of twists and elevation changes that proved useful for some spirited riding. As exciting as the ride was, it proved uneventful...for the most part.
We made it into Halifax at around 7pm and after finding the Citadel Hotel downtown, we went out for food and a beverage. Halifax is a fun city and the downtown core is well stocked with pubs of all types and sizes. Finding one to relax in is never a problem. Thanks, Lisa, for the great service.
Saturday morning we headed to the local Victory dealer, Sunset Motorsports in Lower Sackville, for 8:30 to begin the day's ride. Of course, Buckles had to head down to his bike fifteen minutes before us to begin undoing his straps and packing up. The day greeted us with light mist and heavy fog; the kind you get soaked riding in within the first five minutes. The weather kept additional riders away but Mike and Christine, from Leather & Lace, rolled in and were ready to lead us through the centre of Nova Scotia to Annapolis Royal and the home of Leather & Lace, one of today's destinations. We left Halifax on the scenic Lighthouse Route along Highway 333, passing through Peggy's Cove, Chester, Mahone Bay, and Lunenburg to Bridgewater. Here, we took Highway 325 to Highway 8 through the interior of the province. The ride continued to be wet along the shore until we turned inland, at which point the day turned hot and cloudless. After skirting Kejimkujik National Park we stopped for an excellent lunch at M&W Restaurant before continuing on to Leather & Lace. Once again the roads today were outstanding. The previous weekend, Leather & Lace had their Customer Appreciation Day where a pair of Panoptx Day/Night glasses, worth $239.00, were raffled off with the proceeds going to Rocky's Ride. Mike and Christine presented Lou with a cheque for $325.
Leather & Lace is full of all the leathers, saddlebags and biker supplies a rider needs. Thanks, Mike and Christine, for the very enjoyable day.
Lou, Buckles and I continued our travels to our final destination for the day, Moncton, NB. We continued east on Highway 101 from Annapolis Royal, to Highway 14 and then to Highway 104, south of Shubenacadie. Highway 14 turned out to be an excellent bypass from the multi-lane highway and proved a fun road, once again full of twists and turns. Such a beautiful day deserved a road like this.
The last two days of riding in Nova Scotia on Marine Drive, the Lighthouse Route, and into the interior, proved to be some of the best riding I have ever been able to pack into two days. Simply outstanding roads, and I highly recommend them for anyone looking for riding roads in the province.
After checking into our hotel in Moncton, we decided to crash the ISRA Northern Stars Canadian Cruise-In 2006. We didn't exactly crash it but we weren't riding Yamaha's. Pat Norris, the National Director, was expecting us sometime on the weekend and the only time we could attend the event was Saturday night as we had to be in Saint John at 10:00 Sunday morning. There were Northern Star members representing almost every province (many who were from Newfoundland) as well as a few ISRA members from the States.
We left Moncton for Saint John where we met up with Wayne Remus, from the Fredericton HOG Chapter, once again. We stopped at a parking lot that had three locals with a pressure washer and a bucket of soap and charging $4 per bike; Lou and I got our bikes washed. After riding for a week, including a few days of rain and wet roads, they were quite dirty, to the point of being embarrassing.
|
Wayne led the way onto Highway 177 that led us beside the Saint John River, towards Fredericton to Highway 7 which took us into Oromocto, just southeast of Fredericton. After lunch, Lou and I said goodbye to Wayne and we headed in the general direction of Ontario.
We stopped for a break in Riviere-du-Loup after many hours in the saddle and it was starting to get cool. We hoped to get as far as Quebec City so it was time to get another layer on for the remaining couple of hours ride. After leaving Riviere-du-Loup it warmed up and, although it was a major highway, it was one of the nicest rides of the trip, with the sun going down on our right side and the warm wind blowing many different fragrances our way.
On Monday we left Quebec city for home at 8:30am in the sunshine but the air was crisp. It was warming up by the time we rode into Montreal and, by the time we hit Ontario, we were baking. The radio said it was 36oC, with a humidex of 47oC. Only a few days prior I was riding in 12oC and riding at 100kph. According to the Weather Network website, that temperature and speed provides a wind-chill of only 6oC, and it was in heavy fog also adding to the chill. I had to stop in Trenton for a break as I felt that I'd soon be passing out from the heat.
Although the ridership was less than outstanding in the east, the west was good for the Ride and the amount of money raised was up from last year. Doing a ride for awareness as well as promotion across the country is a massive undertaking. Lou, along with his wife, Anne, have done almost all of it by themselves. Lou will continue to attend bike shows across Canada promoting Rocky's Ride, building awareness of diabetes, and helping out at the Victory booth when he can. It's an expensive labour of love but Lou's determined to make it successful. Keep checking www.rockysride.com for the 2007 schedule, and mark a day's ride on your calendar; you can help make a difference.
Donations to Rocky's Ride can still be made at www.rockysride.com. MMM
Return to MLR Articles
Return to MLR Home
Why I Ride
Why I Ride
"Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out the window." That's a pretty good one-line summation of the choice to ride motorcycles, although it only goes so far. Many riders figure that another quote is apropos here: "If I have to explain you wouldn't understand." Maybe, but maybe not. I'll explain, you be the judge.
Riding Focuses You on the Now
Riding a motorcycle is commonly equated with freedom, but what does that really mean? You aren't free from the necessity of earning a living for yourself and/or your family just because you ride. You aren't free from obeying the laws. You aren't free from needing to fix that leaky faucet in the bathroom.
Riding does, however, allow you to let go of all of those things while you're on the bike. That deadline at work is not a priority when the sweet smell of the pine forest tickles your nose and you've just come over a crest to a view so gorgeous you have to stop and drink it in.
Everything about riding keeps you in the now. Your view is total, 360 degrees in every direction. None of this television-like focus on a rectangle in front of you that is your car's windshield. You are aware of where you are in a way you cannot be in a car with the windows rolled up and the A/C on. Riding past a restaurant? You smell the odors of food. Dropping down into a ravine and back up the other side? The cooler temperatures at the bottom are pronounced.
Riding is Physical
Most of the time, driving a car is about as physically taxing as sitting in an easy chair in your living room. Riding a motorcycle, by contrast, is like flying a fighter jet. You lean into a turn, pull the bike upright and then lean into another turn. You rise on the footpegs to absorb a bump in the road. You rock forward in the saddle going up hills and rock back going down.
And you have that jet-like power. (True, not all motorcycles are loaded with power, and they're still fun to ride even if they don't.) But most do, and there's something that just simply feels good about twisting that throttle and ripping around other traffic on a steep uphill without even needing to downshift.
On a motorcycle you also confront the elements. If it pours rain you don't just roll up the windows and keep going. But if you're a smart and well-prepared motorcyclist, you do pull on your rain suit and keep going. Riding in the rain can be an exhilarating experience provided that you are warm and dry.
And if you don't have the rain suit with you, you figure out something else. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered. Some of the best times you'll have on a bike are those that are unplanned. Riding a motorcycle can force you to be spontaneous.
Riding is Social
Riding alone is a joy of its own, but much of the time it is something you do with friends. It's also a great way to make new friends. When was the last time you stopped for gas and had a stranger ask you about your car or where you're headed? That happens all the time on a bike.
Then there's the biker wave, or salute. Two riders see each other on the road and they signal to each other in recognition that they share a common bond. And if you're broken down by the side of the road there's a good chance some brother will stop to offer assistance.
Why do I ride? Because ever since I was a kid I've thought that motorcycles were the coolest thing going and I wanted to be part of that. I only figured out the rest of this once I got my first bike. Icing on the cake.
Indian Larry
The Amazing Indian Larry. Legends Never Die.
by Bryan Lahr
© Native Films
He was a legendary custom motorcycle builder.
He was a stunt rider.
He was an innovator and a rebel.
He lived his life with the throttle wide open and roaring 100 miles an hour and ended his life with throttle off slowly, coming to a halt. His name is Larry Desmedt, better known to the world as Indian Larry. After building bikes and performing in relative as an industry favorite for 40 years, he stole the hearts of millions of people all over the world when he was featured on the popular Discovery Channel show, Biker Build off. He and legend Billy Lane faced off in an epic bike build and harrowing ride to the competition. Larry won with an amazing creation that was as much fine art as motorcycle. People loved his bike but what they really reacted to was Larry sharing the win with Billy and declaring a tie.
He brought the world of motorcycles and bikers most people thought of as outlaw and made it main stream setting off a custom bike craze.
Born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y. Desmedt was convicted of bank robbery and struggled with alcohol and drug abuse in his youth. He decided to leave his tumultuous early life behind and focus on his bike building talents.
Indian Larry was a teenager when he bought his first motorbike, a 1939 Harley Knucklehead, for $200. He took it apart and spent the next nine months learning how to put it back together again. He later moved to California and apprenticed under hot rod builder Ed "Big Daddy" Roth.
The tattoo-covered metal-sculptor and motorcycle mechanic launched the Brooklyn-based Gasoline Alley motorcycle workshop in 1991 and devoted the rest of his life to creating and riding "old school bikes." Several of his custom-built motorcycles won awards, including the "Grease Monkey," which was named Easy Rider magazine's Chopper of the Year.
Indian Larry also performed stunts in movies ("Quiz Show," "200 Cigarettes") and on television. He was a featured artist on the Discovery Channel's "Biker Build-Off" series, and once rode a motorcycle through a wall of fire on "The Late Show With David Letterman."
There's a new dvd available Called My Day With Indian Larry. It has some amazing footage of Indian Larry and Owner of the Broken Spoke Saloon, Jay Allen, taking an unbelievable ride in Sturgis just before his tragic death while shooting another show for discovery Channel. He and partner Paul Cox did mindblowing stunts like standing up on the seat and surfing at 60 miles an hour. Pick it up at Rumbum.com soon.
In the years since his death, things have changed. Biker Build Off is no longer. The bike craze has subsided. Paul Cox and Keino have gone their separate ways and building their own bikes. But one thing hasn't changed. Indian Larry is still loved. People fade away but legends never die.
Best Motorcycle Accessories
The Best Motorcycle Accessories
Nowadays you will find a variety of good motorcycle
accessories. You can purchase most of these items over the Internet. While
motorcycle dealers will offer you high-priced accessories, you can buy most of
the accessories from online auction shop.
Some motorcycle accessories, which are important for your motorcycle, are
windshield, engine guards, sissy bar, luggage rack, and saddlebags. You may
have come across the problem of wind and draft from the large vehicles during
your ride. A good windshield will deflect the airflow from the large vehicles
around the sides of your bike. While making a pick for motorcycle windshield
you should have the proper knowledge and know, which one will best suit you. It
is recommended that the windshield height should not be more than your eye's
level. Some windshields also allow you to hold a cup of coffee between sidebars
and a windshield-but do not let the coffee spill over!
A set of engine guards is also a useful motorcycle accessory. Not only does it
add an extra safety feature to your bike but also gives extra chrome to your
bike. In case of any accident that might occur and cause your bike to fall,
engine guards will protect your legs from getting broken as well as protect
your bike from getting damaged.
Another good accessory is sissy bar. It not only gives an improved look to your
bike but also, like engine guards, adds additional safety feature to your bike.
Sissy bars provide a support from the backside to the passengers sitting behind
you. If you are not carrying passengers, a sissy bar will provide support to
carry cargo. All you need to do is to place your cargo inside cargo net and
strap it firmly to sissy bar. Sissy bar is especially helpful in carrying cargo
if you do not have saddlebags.
Along with sissy bars, you should also consider adding luggage rack to your
motorcycle. This is a recommended motorcycle accessory especially if you go on
longer trips. You can place your bag in the luggage rack whenever going to
work. All that is required from you is to place your items in bungee cords or
cargo net and strap it to the luggage rack.
Other motorcycle accessories that you should consider buying are saddlebags and
cargo storage systems. There are many items in accessories that will come handy
during a ride. In addition, you can get different kinds of leather bags for
your motorcycle from online websites. You should also check for new exhaust
system for your bike.
As you see there are a number of different accessories that you can buy for
your motorcycle. Before spending any money, you should make sure to search
Internet for all available options. You should primarily opt for those
motorcycle accessories that are best for your motorcycle in terms of safety and
necessity. After that, you should move towards buying those items that are more
of a fashion statement. Always remember that from wherever you buy make sure
that it is a reputable dealer in motorcycle accessories.
Bike Fitting for Women
Bike Fitting for Women
Kathey Tolleson
CEO, Roar Motorcycles, Inc.
Let’s
face it, because motorcycles predominately have been built for men, a
lot of the bikes don’t fit women the way they should. Most women ride
perched on the nose of the seat rather than sitting comfortably down in
the seat. That’s a starting indicator, can you sit comfortable in the
seat or do you feel like you’re nearly sitting on the gas tank?
I’m going to give you a couple of rules of thumb on how to determine if a bike fits you or not.
First
and foremost, when you come to a stop, can you plant both feet firmly
on the pavement with your knees slightly bent? That is of up most
importance in maintaining control of your bike. There are lowering kits
and other things you can do to drop your bike a couple of inches, if
necessary.
Secondly,
are your arms fully extended when you’re simply sitting on the bike? If
so, you’ll need to either get extenders on the handlebars, a different
set of bars, or a different bike. Now be careful here, because a
different set of bars can totally change the handling of the bike. The
reason you don’t want to be fully extended just sitting on the bike is
because then you have no turning radius. You will get into situations
where you have more turn than you have arm which can be dangerous.
Being over-extended, also causes upper back, neck and shoulder strain.
Your arms should have a slight bend at the elbows and be relaxed from
the shoulders.
Thirdly,
can you sit on the bike with legs comfortably bent and your feet on the
pegs or footboards (I switched to footboards several years ago and
would never go back, especially if you’re going to do any distance
riding). You should be able to shift and brake without having your legs
totally extended.
One
last thing, the width of the bike is especially important for women.
The bike can look low, but if it’s too wide, it won’t be comfortably.
It will feel like the frame and seat cut you in the upper thigh.
Trying a bike on for size is like trying on shoes. They may look great
but if they are the least bit uncomfortable when you just try them on,
what about after a day of walking? Ouch!!! You may sit on a bike and
think you can live with it, but what about a couple of hundred miles
later?
I
remember the first time I rode a bike that actually fit me. It was a
whole new experience! I remember thinking to myself, that’s the way
most guys feel when they ride. It was awesome to ride hundreds of miles
and at the end of the day not have any sore muscles. And I am in my
fifties, so whether you’re young or old, I encourage you girls, ride a
bike that fits you, it makes all the difference in the world!
Road Trip Part 3
The Road Trip - Part 3
Putting distance between misaligned priorities, Southern Arizona
Putting distance between misaligned priorities, Southern Arizona
Olaf Wolff
AllAboutBikes.com Sr.Staff Writer
Editor’s Note: This is the last installment in a three-part series of Wolff’s travels.
The next morning the sun was smiling, the wind was now a breeze. Sunday in the desert was going to be brilliant. The destination for today was Mesa, Arizona, the home of a long time friend, and my turn-around point.
Mesa
was 160 miles away. I could explore back roads unhurried and still
arrive early enough in Mesa for the first afternoon beer with Nick.
Breakfast was still down the road a spell – first it was time for some
unhinged, desert cruising with Stevie Ray Vaughn blasting on the stereo.
As
rough as yesterday had been, Sunday offered the sort of riding
conditions road trips are designed for. As I rode over the gentle,
undulating grades of the Mohawk Mountains, I questioned why the need to
hit the road is still so strong a drive. All I could come up with were
the lyrics from a song by Faith Hills’ husband – “guess it’s just the
cowboy in us all.”
According
to my map, Gila Bend Arizona presented the first opportunity to veer
off along a back road heading in the general direction of Mesa. At the
one working gas station in town, I met the only other motorcycle rider
I’d seen since early yesterday, when two other wing riders rode with me
for nearly 100 miles.
Jerry
Reardon had ridden his bike from Portland, Oregon, to Daytona a couple
of weeks ago. He’d spent the last week ridding around southern Arizona
and Mexico waiting for the weather to clear up north, he was waiting
one more day before attempting the trek home. Jerry’s an old school
biker with many colorful road tales. We sat for a while sharing stories
and soaking up the warm Gila Bend sun.
Gila
Bend’s Chamber of Commerce is open Sunday. It’s a tiny building, barely
big enough to hold two chairs and the six-foot glass counter behind
which sat two Native American women. Every nook and cranny was stuffed
with handmade souvenirs. I asked the women for possible back road
options. The older of the two women, the one knitting and wearing a
huge smile, recommended I take Old Maricopa Road, adding it was a
pretty good road now that it was paved.
Old
Maricopa runs up along the bottom of the South Maricopa Mountains,
ending at Hwy 347, which I’d then take north to I-10 and into Mesa.
After thanking her and turning to leave she volunteered one last bit of
useful information – “Watch for cows.” Maricopa Road surpassed all
expectations. The desert landscape rambled on unobstructed in every
direction until it fell silently off the horizon, with only playful
puffy clouds dotting the turquoise sky. Clear sailing all the way into
Mesa.
Monday
morning when I woke at Nick’s house the sky over Mesa had once again
shifted into uncharacteristically gloomy. Nothing like yesterday’s near
perfect day. Nick assured me that it hardly ever rained for more than a
few minutes in any one place in these parts. According to the local
weather reports it was snowing in the Flagstaff/Sedona area – so that
route was out. My options had once again been trimmed by nature. It was
going to be I-10 all the way home.
The
Arizona sky stayed moody nearly all the way to Blythe, but luckily no
rain. There was wind again though, but nothing compared to the first
day. The Wing hummed, the going was easy, the transformation of
perspectives I was searching for had taken place somewhere between Yuma
and Mesa – when I wasn’t paying attention.
It
was 4:00 pm when I finished my buffalo burger and banana-date shake at
Hadley’s, a favorite tourist stop just west of Palm Springs. I could do
the bonsai thing and continue the next 150 miles back to Ventura now,
or get a room and challenge the city traffic rested. I wisely opted for
the latter.
Tuesday
morning was once again the kind of road trip morning that teased my
reasoning into doing something irrational like turning around and
riding back the same way I came. I wasn’t completely ready to end this
just yet. The stretch of I-10 that still lay before me wasn’t a
favorite. I was too close home to end this trip on anything less then a
truly harmonic note.
The
Hwy 330 off-ramp towards Highlands was a mere two miles ahead. I turned
my head to the right and glanced up towards Big Bear. There wasn’t a
single cloud hanging over the mountains. Hwy 18 off the 330 was no
doubt dry enough by now for me to traverse safely. I could follow 18 up
and over the mountains and drop down into Apple Valley. On the other
side of Victorville I’d catch the short stretch of I-15 West towards
San Bernardino, hook back with Hwy 18 west and slide back into Ventura
without ever dealing with traffic.
On
road trips as in life, it’s best to keep your options open, go with the
flow as it were. There’s an I-Hop in the heart of the Big Bear village
ski resort. The lure of banana-nut pancakes and hot coffee strummed the
proper harmonic chord I had been listening for.
Clearly, my priorities and perspective had reassembled into a perfect, uncomplicated alignment.
The Road Trip - Part 2
Putting distance between misaligned priorities, Southern Arizona
Olaf Wolff
AllAboutBikes.com Sr. Staff Writer
Editor’s Note: This is the second installment in a three-part series of Wolff’s travels.
Downtown
Pine Valley is about a half mile long – Sheriff Novak’s office stands
in the middle. Speaking from experience, the Sheriff figured the
weather was only going to worsen for the next few days. It was 2:30 and
the Arizona border was still three hours away. I was about five miles
from the summit, in the Sheriff’s opinion, unless I planned to hole up
in the one hotel in town for the next few days, the best thing was to
keep moving – the choice was clear.
The
weather remained pretty much the same up to the 4500 ft. Crestwood
Summit – sans the hail. As far as I could see the desert was dry and
clear, the decision to keep moving had paid off. I was back on I-8,
back on course.
Beginning
the decent into El Centro there are a series of large yellow highway
markers: “Warning – Extreme wind area for next 16 miles.” From what I
was encountering, this was a consoling attempt at understatement.
It
was sunny now, but the wind was exploding in random blasts as violent
as any I’d experienced in over 40 years of riding. The speed limit on
this stretch of I-8 is 75 mph, I slowed to 45 and still wasn’t
comfortable.
Riding
in a constant wind is one thing – you surrender naturally to the
correct lean angle and ride with your bubble a few degrees off
vertical. But extreme, unpredictable gusts attempting to rip the
handlebars from my hands presented an entirely different predicament.
At one point a dark, ominous cloud of solid debris, including a huge
sheet of aluminum siding, flew directly across my path, a few smaller
chunks striking the front fairing.
The
dynamic pressure deviations from one side of the mountains to the other
created unstable atmospheric conditions that seemed to intensify with
every mile. I slowed to 25 mph and rode the shoulder, until finally,
further down the grade the wind again became manageable.
Once
I reached the flat of the desert the wind subsided even more. Exit
2/Hwy 95 in Yuma came into sight around 6:15 that evening. The Motel 6
looked mighty good after 400 brutal miles of battling the elements.
After a dinner of barbecue chicken at Tyler’s Taste of Texas, I walked
back to my room and collapsed on the bed, staring blankly at the TV
screen. For just a split second I questioned the sanity of my journey
at this particular time of the year, but just for a second. It’s been
my experience that on road trips things always looked different, most
times better, on the second day.
Motorcycle parts - Motorcycle tires secrets.
By: Abdul Martin
Motorcycle tires are very tough to be
maintained. They are subjected day after day to vigorous trauma and
they wear and tear out. Although it is tough but its absolutely
essential to maintain them. Using the most reliable and durable
motorcycle tires is extremely important. First understand how you
should determine which tires are best for you. First the best place to
ask for advice is your friend motorcycle dealer {Guess you make friends
easily}. Here you will mostly get unbiased information about the
motorcycle tires that best suits your motorcycle. Also discuss about
front and rear tire matching. Talk about n Maintaining clearance n
Tubes, pressure maintaining, speed ratings n Tire modifications n
Spokes n Wheel balance n Oil and gasoline n Rim size n Tire
installation and tire mounting n Wheel alignment n Wheel inspection n
Importance of motorcycle tire maintenance Consult the motorcycle
manufacturer if you intend to mount sizes other than indicated in the
owners manual. Remember the tires physical dimensions are important
Adequate clearance of fenders, swing arm, etc., must be maintained.
Increasing tire size may require an increase in rim width. When
increasing tire size and/or rim width, rotate wheel and inspect closely
for sufficient clearance. Also decide what type of tires you want. Do
you want the high performance or sports type? Custom wide or cruiser
variety? Off road or racing tire? Also ask about the recommended front
and rear tire types for your motorcycle. Usually the recommended ones
are found through testing to be the most durable for the motorcycle
with less problems. When buying new motorcycle tires always ask for
warranty. First ask about the replacement warranty in case the tire
becomes unserviceable.
Normally always clean the motorcycle tires with a mild detergent and
always check the inflation and air pressure before you mount the
vehicle.
Now its time to enjoy your motorcycle ride. For motorcycle parts
information, where to find the best information, learn the secrets on
where and how to buy visit our site www.motorcycle-parts-home.com Also
visit our sister sites www.about-truck-accessories.com
www.carstereosforyou.com
For motorcycle parts information, where to find the best information, learn the secrets on where and how to buy visit our site www.motorcycle-parts-home.com. Also visit our sister sites www.about-truck-accessories.com www.carstereosforyou.com
H-D Supporting Women Riding
Harley-Davidson steps up to educate and support the rising trend of women riding motorcycles
Yvonne McAvoy
LadyMoto Content Editor
Women that ride and buy motorcycles have been on a steady rise in the last decade. According to the 2008 Motorcycle Industry Council Owner Survey, female ownership of motorcycles crossed the 10-percent mark, increasing from 9.6 percent in 2003 up to 12.3 percent in 2008. One manufacturer, Harley-Davidson, is stepping up more to support and educate this rising demographic.
Leslie Prevish was just what The Motor Company needed to head this initiative. Prevish, a 20-year riding veteran, had been a strong advocate for women riders since she began riding. She became Harley-Davidson’s Women's Outreach Manager and was soon joined by Laura Scherr. Together, these two women create women-specific rides and events, hold classes geared toward new riders, and publish educational and marketing materials targeted at attracting this ever-growing sector of female motorcycle customers.
H-D
designated an entire section on their website to women which includes
riding and safety tutorials, readers’ stories and the history of women
riders. H-D published a We Ride pamphlet,
a Harley-Davidson Guide for Women that is available online and in
print, and covers many subjects such as learning to ride, finding gear
and covers women related events and organizations. “Share Your Spark”
is an online Harley-Davidson mentoring program and a tool for current
and aspiring riders on how to be a resource and support system to
others during their motorcycling journey.
To connect women riders with each other, H-D declared May as Women Riders Month to celebrate “the millions of women who have already grabbed life by the throttle, while inspiring even more women to take control and experience the freedom of the open road.” Throughout May, rides and events are held at various dealerships to encourage women to come together and share their passion for motorcycles.
This year, H-D held a Women's Day at Sturgis complete with women-specific classes and educational events. They are also a presenting sponsor at 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference with Leslie Prevish conducting both opening and closing ceremonies. For smaller events, H-D created a group of women riders dubbed the “Harley Girls” to help promote female ridership for The Motor Company through the attendance of rallies, benefit rides and parades.
To
educate current women riders and encourage new ones, dealerships hold
“Garage Party” events aimed at educating women in different aspects of
the motorcycle-riding lifestyle. Women are split up into four groups
and circulate between four stations: Motorcycle Orientation,
MotorClothes Merchandise, Motorcycle Fit and Function and How to Pick
Up a Motorcycle.
Participating dealerships also hold The Rider's Edge New Rider Courses and many women participate in these classes. Motorcycles are provided to participants and the class includes 25 hours of instruction, both in the classroom and on a controlled practice range. This class uses the same curriculum as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Beginner RiderCourse, and upon completion, graduates receive the MSF card which may exempt them from having to take the written and/or riding portion of the motorcycle license test depending on the state they live in.
Laura Scherr is also helping to align strategy for ergonomic customization with H-D's Fit Shop
program, which will show ladies that they can ride almost any Harley.
“Whatever your body type or bike size, Fit Shop can adjust any
Harley-Davidson motorcycle for maximum comfort, control, style and
confidence.”
The numbers of women riding and buying motorcycles will continue to rise and Harley- Davidson is working hard to stake their claim in this growing market. Their efforts, although directed toward women buying and riding Harley Davidson motorcycles, benefit women regardless of what motorcycle they ride.
Road Trip Diary, Day 1
Putting distance between misaligned priorities, Southern Arizona
Olaf Wolff
AllAboutBikes.com Sr. Staff Writer
Editor’s Note: This is the first installment in a three-part series of Wolff’s travels.
Few things are more fundamentally American than the road trip. From Christopher Columbus to Jack Kerouac, Willie Nelson to the Grateful Dead, Lewis and Clark to Fonda and Hooper – that insatiable craving to hit the road “just because” has helped define this country.
A road trip needn’t be about a particular destination, it can simply be about putting distance between misaligned priorities, an old worn-out perspective and replacing them with fresh ones, and digesting crazy, aimless mileage just because they taste good.
Weather was the key factor in determining the direction of this adventure. Storms threatened to the north, so south it was. Southern Arizona, along the Mexican border, offers moderate weather ideal for nearly year round mileage gratification, so I reasoned anyway.
I rolled out of Ventura early Saturday morning. It was mostly sunny with the occasional fat cloud drifting lethargically in the path of the sun as I pointed the front wheel of the Gold Wing south on Highway 1. This stretch of the Coast Highway leading all the way to Interstate 10 nearly always puts me the proper starting reference for travel.
From I-10 I continued south on the 405 to I-5 through the business section of San Diego, finally settling in on I-8 east. At this point my only goal was to wakeup Sunday in Arizona. Uncomplicated and reasonably achievable I figured.
I still enjoy classic rock, but I’m listening to more country western music. I’ve made my peace with the fact that I’m never going to dunk a basketball – but I find a consolation in knowing I can still ride the hell out of anything with two wheels. To a mileage junkie, this sort of free and random associative thinking is a familiar session in road trip therapy. It’s as though my brain’s coil tension releases some with every measurable expanse of asphalt and concrete I devour.
Kites shaped like ships and airplanes speckled the clouded skies over Mission Bay. The wind was whipping up. On a slightly off-camber, long sweeping left turn on I-8, an adrenalin producing shot of wind hit the Wing from the east. My concentration immediately clicked up several notches.
Leaving San Diego, I-8 begins to pick up elevation. From my view, the end of the interstate menacingly disappeared into the descending gray atmosphere curtaining the top of the Cleveland National Forest. It was getting colder and rain was inevitable. The El Centro desert lay on the other side of Crestwood Summit. The desert was dry – I was fairly certain of that. What was in store for the next 19 miles before the summit was far less definite?
A quarter mile west of the Pine Valley exit, hail pelted the front fairing of the Wing, ricocheting ice BBs clanking on my helmet as though shot from a BB canon. On reflex I rolled back the throttle and pulled to the right in a single motion.
I retreated to the Pine Valley exit and took cover under the I-8 underpass. Within minutes the hail was gone as fast as it had arrived. I made the decision to stay off I-8 and get local updated weather information before heading on. Descanso Trading Post was the first stop. Inside a gracious stranger directed me to the Sheriff station further up the road in Pine Valley. The wind blew puffs of snow across the road like so much foamy surf at the beach. I rode the narrow snaking road into town very carefully.
Older bikers
Older bikers aren't bad riders
In yet another example of a tiny bit of information being a dangerous thing, an English policeman has denounced motorcycles for killing the Baby Boom generation! And like OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino, who misapplies specific accident cases to justify constabulary crackdowns, Hampshire Constabulary Chief Constable Alex Marshall told The Portsmouth News that "mature people riding motorcycles are having accidents and that is something we will be focusing on."
What disturbs Chief Constable Marshall is that, of the six recent motorcycle fatalities in the Hampshire area, "three of those motorcyclists were older, in their 40s to 60s." Now, that might shock those who think our golden years are best left for Parcheesi and shuffleboard, but it hardly warrants a "Police Warn On Mid-Life Crisis Motorbike Risks" headline. The screaming headline implies, of course, that motorcycling is a young person's pastime and if we born-again bikers are dying while riding, then it must be because we, the aging, are simply too doddering to ride our steeds safely.
The point Const. Marshall and others decrying that "Baby Boomers Are Killing Themselves On Murdercycles" are missing is that motorcycling isn't a young person's sport anymore. Indeed, what Hampshire's top cop either failed to mention or doesn't realize is that the reason older riders are crashing their motorcycles is because it is older riders who are the majority riding motorcycles.
The average age of Harley-Davidson riders in the United States, for instance, was 48 years old in 2007. That decreased last year by two years, Harley vice-president Bill Davidson was proud to announce at a recent new model introduction, mainly, he said, as a result of H-D's efforts in marketing to new demographics such as young women. Nonetheless, the median age for a first-time Harley owner is 43 and 20% of Harley owners are over 55 years of age.
The statistics for the rest of the industry are not much different. According to a recent survey by the American Motorcycle Industry Council, the median rider age is 41. But since the median age for a motorcycle-related fatality is 38, we aged and infirm are actually under-represented. Motorcycle riders less than 30 years old are, in fact, 50% more likely to perish in fatal motorcycle accidents than riders over 40. Even a study for the British Department of Transport in 2004 showed that 16 to 20 years old and 30 to 35 are the peak age ranges for motorcycle accidents.
What's killing riders is not age but alcohol, lack of training and, in some parts of the United States, the repeal of helmet laws. Almost 60% of motorcycle fatalities happened at night and half of the fatalities involved being unable to negotiate a curve. Alcohol is a major contributing factor to the above since, unlike cars, motorcycles require perfect balance of the operator, one of the first abilities to desert the drunk driver. Since motorcycle operation is a much more complex task than driving a car, any impairment will have a far more deleterious effect on someone riding on two wheels. Additionally, a study by the U. S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that one-third of fatally injured riders did not even have a proper motorcycle operator's permit and that the helmetless were over-represented in fatalities.
that we aging Rubbies (Rich Urban Bikers) are neither the cause nor the victims of an overly large percentage of motorcycle fatalities doesn't alter the reality that motorcycling remains a sport best enjoyed by the cautious. According to that 2004 study for the British government, a motorcyclist is 14 times as likely to be killed than a car driver based on the sheer number of operators of each vehicle. When the comparison is made by miles driven, the news gets worse (bikers, being seasonal animals, tend to cover fewer miles per year) with a motorcyclist 28 times as likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with car drivers.
Notwithstanding the erroneous conclusions of Const. Marshall, the cautions to motorcyclists remain the same no matter which side of the Atlantic they might ride on. Don't drink at all -- that one glass of wine that may be incidental to car driving may prove fatal on a motorcycle. Wear the very best safety equipment you can afford including a full-coverage helmet (and not those idiotic "shorties"), gloves, boots and a jacket with the appropriate padding/armour. As well, any time you switch motorcycles --not just when you're getting on a more powerful motorcycle -- give yourself time to acclimatize. So much of safe motorcycle operation is familiarity with its response and controls. Most of all, ride safe.
dbooth@nationalpost.com
33 Secrets for Smart Touring
There’s nothing like the feeling of loading up and heading out on a big
motorcycle trip.
And there’s nothing like the security of knowing you’re prepared for life on the road.
It can take years to develop that knowledge through trial and error. But we’ve got a shortcut. We’ve asked AMA staff members to share with you the experience they’ve accumulated over decades on the road.
What you’ll find here isn’t a comprehensive collection of touring knowledge. Instead, here are 33 insider tips—useful suggestions that have made our tours more organized and more fun. We guarantee you’ll learn something.
1) Eat at weird times. Everyone and their dog eats around 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. To get in and out of restaurants in a hurry, don’t be hungry then.
2) A short metal cable with loops on both ends (like those made to keep people from stealing bicycle seats) is perfect for securing a jacket and helmet to your bike’s helmet lock.
3) Carry a spare key. Zip-tie or duct tape it somewhere hidden on your bike, or better yet, give it to a traveling companion.
4) Portable weather radios are now in the $20 range, and the first time one saves you from running right into a massive storm, you’ll wonder why you ever traveled without one. Check accessory companies like Aerostich, or Radio Shack.
5) On high-mileage days, you’ll feel a lot better if you carry eyedrops and use them every time you stop for gas.
6) If you’re nearing the end of your riding day, and want to set yourself up for a quick getaway in the morning, consider riding to the far side of the next city you reach before you stop for the night, eliminating urban traffic the next day.
7) Take a tip from off-road riders and carry a backpack hydration system so you can drink while you ride. A must for arid weather.
8) Going on a long, complex trip? Keep yourself organized with the envelope system. Before you leave, prepare one envelope for each day on the road. Mark the dates and locations on the outside, then stuff things like hotel reservation info and lists of things to see inside. Instead of juggling your entire stack of literature to find the piece you need, you can just open up that day’s envelope.
9) A simple map case attached to your bike’s tank (we’ve used a Rev-Pak version that has been available through www.whitehorsepress.com for years) can keep you on course without the bulk of a tankbag.
10) Keep your stuff dry in saddlebags by using trash compactor bags as waterproof barriers. They’re thicker and more durable than standard garbage bags.
11) Use earplugs to help reduce wind noise. You can get them from most mail-order shops or dealers, or in bulk from safety-equipment supply houses.
12) Don’t forget that pack-and-ship places are just about everywhere these days. They’re perfect when you spot that antique umbrella stand you’re dying to buy hundreds of miles from home.
13) Don’t forget a small towel or rag for wiping dew off seats, windshields and mirrors, and even for doing a quick whole-bike cleanup. Those synthetic chamois cloths work particularly well.
14) Pack extra bungees and zip-ties. ’Nuff said.
15) Go ahead, buy that GPS you’ve always wanted. They’re perfect not only for finding yourself, but also for allowing you the freedom to get lost in the first place.
16) You’ve heard it a million times, but we’ll say it again: look over your bike carefully every morning on the road. Checking the simple stuff—air pressure, oil level, loose or missing fasteners—can save you from big trouble.
17) Sign up for Roadside Assistance. For $25 a year, you get peace of mind, knowing that if you do break down, a motorcycle-savvy towing crew is only a phone call away. To sign up, call the AMA at: (614) 856-1900.
18) Stash a little cash somewhere hidden on the bike or on you, so you can make something happen when all else fails.
19) Before you take off from the hotel or campground in the morning, double check every strap on tankbags or soft saddlebags, and every latch on hard luggage.
20) Especially if you’re riding alone, wear a dog-tag with your name and contact info. You can get them lots of places, including your local army surplus store.
21) Take a look back at where you were parked every time you leave someplace. You’d be amazed at what you find.
22) A cellphone can be a lifesaver in an emergency. You can dial 911 for help anywhere you find cell service, but you’ll need to tell a dispatcher where you are. Keep track of route numbers, interstate exits, towns you’ve passed, mileposts—anything that can save emergency officials time in getting to you.
23) Good motorcycle gear really is worth it. Waterproof, breathable linings in boots and jackets will transform the way you think about bad weather. A number of companies offer materials that work well, but always test your gear on a rainy day at home before facing a storm on the road.
24) Do routine maintenance at home with your bike’s toolkit, so you’re sure you have what you need along the side of the road.
25) On a long tour, plan for at least one day every week of doing nothing. Time is the ultimate luxury, and can mean the difference between a vacation and an endurance run.
26) Be realistic with your daily mileage. In really scenic areas, 150 miles may make a very full day. Don’t assume you can achieve freeway mileage on good back roads.
27) Guidebooks can be invaluable, but these days, a search of
the Internet can add spice to your trip by revealing special-interest locations
most books fail to include.
28) It is possible to use a kit to make emergency repairs on tubeless or tube-type tires alongside the road. But before you count on this as your safety net, practice using the kit on an old tire in your garage.
29) A packable motorcycle cover not only keeps your bike clean and dry overnight, it also discourages thieves. And don’t forget a stout lock of some kind for the bike itself.
30) If you can afford it and are short of time, you could always ship your bike somewhere cool and ride it back. Call the Federal Companies at (800) 747-4100, ext. 217 or 218, for details.
31) If you call a hotel--even if you're two blocks away--you can often get a better rate than if you just walk in. And if you have access to a computer, there are some spectacular Internet-only deals available these days. Either way, do yourself a favor and have a reservation by 4 p.m. You never know when a convention will take over your destination city. Remember that AMA members get a discount at several hotels chains including: Red Roof Inns (call 800-RED-ROOF or go to www.redroof.comwww.choicehotels.com, click on “Enter Special Rate ID” and use discount code 00947556); and Motel 6 (call 800-4-MOTEL6 or go to www.motel6.com and use discount code CP540176). and use discount code CP503343); Choice Hotels (call 800-258-2847 or go to
32) A nap can do wonders on a long day.
33) If you’re traveling east or west, schedule your breakfast or dinner times near sunrise or sunset so you don’t have to stare into the sun when it’s low on the horizon.
The Paranoid Motorcyclist
The Paranoid Motorcyclist
By Fred Rau, Photography by Alfonse Palaima
They are the scourge on our highways."
"They are an epidemic."
"They continue to clog the trauma centers of America."
Those are quotes from Dr. Jeffery W. Runge, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), while speaking at the Lifesavers Convention, Charlotte, NC, on March 14, 2005. And just in case you hadn't figured it out yet, the "they" being referred to is you and me - motorcyclists.Dr. Runge and other "authorities" making these statements always back up their comments with hard scientific evidence like, "motorcycle fatalities have increased 12% in the past two years." Of course, what they never include in such statements are modifying facts, like maybe, "the number of people riding motorcycles has increased by 18% in the past two years." We wouldn't want to confuse people with too many facts, so we'll just give them the ones that support the conclusions we've already jumped to.
The IIHS has us looking over our shoulders.
Per mile traveled, equestrians (horseback riders) are 25 times more likely to be killed or injured in an accident than a motorcyclist!
Are you beginning to see how this works? If not, I'll make it even simpler: Per mile traveled, a pedestrian is 18 times more likely to be injured or killed in an accident than a motorcyclist. We need to get those crazed, daredevil walkers and joggers off our sidewalks! But wait --there's something worse: Per mile traveled, equestrians (horseback riders) are 25 times more likely to be killed or injured in an accident than a motorcyclist! Sure, I'll admit that motorcycle riding can be dangerous --as riders we need to never forget that-- but I don't hear anyone talking about how dangerous it is to ride a horse, or about regulating them more, or even banning them outright.
The future of equestrian gear?
The plain and simple truth is that you can manipulate statistics to support just about any theory you'd care to propose.
Am I really paranoid, or am I detecting some kind of bias here? Do you remember, as I do, when Gary Busey fell off his bike and suffered severe head trauma? The newspaper articles weren't very sympathetic. In fact, most seemed to lean toward the take that if he hadn't been doing something so stupid and dangerous as riding a motorcycle, this never would have happened, so he really had only himself to blame. Granted, Gary is a kind of belligerent, in-your-face sort of guy, so I can see how he elicited some of these reactions, but the fact remains that he was given little in the way of public sympathy. And yet, not too long after that incident, Superman himself, Christopher Reeve, fell off his horse and also suffered severe head trauma. Now, I felt as sorry for Chris as anyone, but the fact is, the media almost immediately anointed him as a saint. Magazines and TV shows devoted entire issues and shows to extolling this brave, valiant hero who was fighting for his life after an unfortunate accident. Okay, so maybe Chris was a nicer guy than Gary --but does that really explain why Gary was portrayed as an idiot for falling off a motorcycle, but Chris was lauded as a hero for falling off a horse?
I forget who said it, but the quote goes something like this: "You're not paranoid if they really are out to get you."
Classified Photos
MLR Online Web Poll
Member's Rides
Recent Forum Posts
by Mervyn House - Mid-Life Rider
8 days ago
by Graveleater
13 days ago
by Graveleater
13 days ago
by Mervyn House - Mid-Life Rider
3 weeks ago
