April 2020

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E

MO NT HLY C O L U M NS

26

FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................4

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................6 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................7

Publishers

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

ON THE MARK ....................................................8

Contributors

Dan Bisbee, Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Dr. Seymour O’Life

BACKLASH ........................................................10 INDUSTRY INFOBITES .....................................12

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 620 Augusta, NJ 07822

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

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DD EL L E

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJeN

The ScenT of a…

As riders, our noses are constantly bombarded with all manner of aromas.

Some are good… The scent of fresh cut grass or that tang of an oncoming rainstorm.

We get the bad too; the bouquet of that recently deceased deer on the side of the road or that field that just had fresh manure laid down. And there is nothing more sensory awakening that getting stuck behind a garbage truck in August.

Most humans have a fairly decent sense of smell – some better than others.

I have lucked out in this regard – my nose defines the word keen. For better or worse I can locate that recently dead mouse in the house quicker than my cat Spenser.

The sense of smell is closely linked with memory, probably more so than any of our other senses. Those of us with full olfactory function may be able to think of smells that evoke particular memories; the scent of an orchard in blossom conjuring up recollections of a childhood picnic, for example. This can often happen spontaneously, with a smell acting as a trigger in recalling a long-forgotten event or experience. The French writer Marcel Proust, in his ‘Remembrance of all Things Past’, wrote that a bite of a madeleine

(French butter cake) vividly recalled childhood memories of his aunt giving him the very same cake before going to mass on a Sunday. I looked for the exact quote, but with 9.6 million characters I gave up. Couldn’t sniff this one out if I tried.

On a more personal level, smell is extremely important when it comes to attraction between two people. Research has shown that our body odor, produced by the genes which make up our immune system, can help us subconsciously choose our partners. Kissing is thought by some scientists to have developed from sniffing; that first kiss being essentially a primal behavior during which we smell and taste our partner to decide if they are a match.

So, as we can see, the nose knows a lot.

Some smells will immediately drag us back in time. They are unique. They are their own and unlike anything else.

Proust had his cake – for me, Bird’s Custard, found in any store as long as it is in Glasgow, does the same thing.

But, while riding through Harriman State Park the other day, I ran across another scent.

We were heading west on Seven Lakes Drive and approaching from the opposite direction was a low set of wheels, very sleek and as it passed very British, an old Jaguar XKE convertible. Nice.

Just a minute later another classic came past us. I like to think I have a handle on most machines that I come across and even though I could see it for just a second my eyes told me it was an older Japanese machine in a familiar red and white livery.

I was thinking old (or classic depending on how you look at it) Yamaha RD-something?

My eyes could have been wrong, maybe… but, not my nose. My sharp snout knew exactly what it was; as the strong whiff of Klotz 2-stroke oil quickly enveloped my bike and then was gone. The redolent effect this quick 2-stoke spoor fired up in my olfactory bulb and I was instantly carried back to the late 70s and early 80s.

Yamaha RDs, my first bike a Kawasaki S-3 400, TZ750s at Daytona.

Everything came rushing back but my hair.

Turning onto Arden Valley Road I let Shira go ahead so I could get an image or two of her riding through the spectacular fall colors of the day.

Right about then the familiar “twing da ding ding” of a two-stroke engine came up from behind and the rider yelled hello to me by name.

Hmmm? As Colin Hay would sing…who could it be now?

The rider went wide around me and began chasing Shira down.

Most times this would set off a somewhat dangerous alpha male response in me; but not this time as the rider would catch up to Shira, then hang back till I caught him and then rocket forward again.

Each time the lovely scent of a Klotz two-stroke oil would waft back to me.

I liked it.

Shira was a little confused.

Continued on Page 9

Page 6

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

WHATCHATHINKIN’ SHIRA KAMIL

DiScoverieS I was going to write an in-depth piece about the effects of COVID-19 on motorcycle travel but by the time this magazine is in your hands there will be some new emergency taking over the news so what’s the point. Instead here’s this…

We were out on a ‘clear our head’ ride, which usually consists of 50-ish miles around the ‘neighborhood,’ sometimes with a lunch stop, sometimes just some pie and coffee. We were about a halfmile from home and passed a road, which we have passed thousands of times. I asked Brian is he had ever been up that road, as I know I never have, and he answered in the negative. With a name like Ike Williams Road, you’d think we’d be enticed to investigate long before now. Up we went, turning onto some very curvaceous tarmac and discovering a great little loop – as it returned us to our original path home – with an amazing farm and home at the top. Who knew?

In this ever-evolving and all-encompassing era of technology, the sense of discovery and surprise has been somewhat taken away. As Bill states in his column this month, ‘the distribution of information’ has overshadowed, for many but not all, the fun of just going for a ride. My fondest memories are of pouring over paper maps in preparation for a road trip. Did we write down explicit directions? Not really. It was more a connect the dots, or roads as it were, in the general direction we needed to head. If a road, trail or path popped into our vision that elicited some intrigue, we’d alter course and investigate. Some of those turns would gift us with outrageous scenery, some natural wonder, a place serving the best coffee in the state or simply a much needed bathroom stop. So very many of the wonderful places we’ve brought you in these pages were come upon by serendipity and I believe that is the

best way to find things.

While we still ALWAYS carry paper maps when traveling, we’ve developed a routine that may have taken away that wonderful aspect of traveling – the surprise. For example, in planning for the upcoming Grand Tour in June, Brian and I are sharing the routes (yes, we’ll let you know which is which as we all know how FUBAR mine can become). We know we have to get from point A to B, and we know that most of those distances will be somewhere around 250 miles, more or less. Mapping on a computer with whatever software you may use can certainly open up some smaller roads that paper maps might not show and, in reality, these digital maps are pretty similar to paper other than the tangible. And making sure there will be fuel and food along the way is made easier through this method as well. So we put together what we think will be a terrific day’s ride, all the while following that little purple line, and hope that at the end of the day when the bikes are parked and the adult beverages have been ordered every one is happy.

But what we also hope is that people DON’T follow the little purple line absolutely and go off and discover those hidden Ike Williams roads or those Mom and Pop shops who would love to see new faces stop on by. While we do our best to suggest routes and interesting stops, many times those stumbled upon paths and places make for a more enjoyable ride. Sure, we can Google, TripAdvisor or Yelp to find what the masses may think is the best burger, wings or tofu spot along the way but wouldn’t it make it so much better if you walked into a quiet café situated in a pleasant burg, perhaps on a bubbling brook, and discovered the absolute best, tastiest peanut butter and jelly sandwich ever made. Or maybe, when you order your food, the owners will see that you are motorcyclists on a trip and suggest a place that only a local would know – a beautiful waterfall, an undisturbed scenic spot at the top of a mountain road or a place to enjoy your homemade lunch while watching some other amazing natural phenomenon.

And after making any of those discoveries or finding the most perfect piece Continued on Page 9

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE BILL HeALD

hiDDen no More “Once the genie is out of the bottle, the bottle is empty and the genie won’t shut up.” ~ Not Barbara Eden It is apparently a law of nature that every technological advancement has its price. The splitting of the atom has given us nuclear power, but also the power to destroy entire cites. OK, if you saw Chernobyl that’s not a good example, for nuclear power can be a disaster as well. But you get the idea.

And the biggest life-changing technological advancement of our age is arguably the internet, and it has turned out to be a genuine double-edged sword in terms of the huge changes it has launched all over the world. It can transmit information with the speed of light, but this includes false information and propaganda as well as factual data and art. The zeros and ones cannot discriminate truth form fiction, for they are mere codes controlled by man. And despite the term there is no artificial intelligence yet, just better and more complex algorithms.

But the thing that often goes overlooked, and is of great concern to the traveler in my head, is the fact that the distribution of information has taken which was once hidden and protected, and shown it to the world right down to its GPS coordinates. Yes, the search engines can allow you to expand the great expanse of potential places to visit, and allow you to find destinations of specific interest that you might have missed before the Internet took over the planet. And for those individuals that make their living running these museums, B&Bs, restaurants, exotic animal sanctuaries and other bits of paradise the fact that

Page 7 they are out of the shadows is no doubt a good thing. So why in Nobby Clark’s tool bag would a person like me be lamenting such good developments in our world?

In my personal touring history I’ve always made some of the best discoveries by accident, and many of them were the kind of “blink and you’ll miss it” locales that have the kind of charm only a life of semi-anonymity can create. In the case of eateries, I love the kind of joint where I feel like my humble visitations are an essential part of their staying in business, even if that really isn’t the case. So this brings us head first into the moral dilemma of what’s best for whom. I might enjoy the small hidden transportation museum that started when a plane made an emergency landing in the 50s and they just left it there, but if a lot more people enjoy it then the owners that have to keep the place up and make new acquisitions have a much better chance of staying in business (and even living comfortably). For me, though, it will lose a lot of the character that made it special. This makes me a villain of sorts, and I don’t want to be one of those. Villainy poisons the Karma, you see, and can be the deciding factor on whether you run over that roofer’s nail or somehow avoid it entirely. There’s also a degree of hypocrisy, too, for I made a good part of my living writing about such places in the past and thus exposing them to the masses.

So, I’m guilty as charged. But here’s the thing: we live in a very different time now, media-wise. Cameras are literally everywhere, and anybody with Internet access can be a publisher, YouTube personality, podcaster, whatever. In the past when a cozy restaurant or unusual museum was written about, the writer usually got permission from the owners and the volume of people that saw the article was a focused, finite group of travel/riding enthusiasts that would have to go to a bit of trouble to read about it and ultimately visit the place in question. You had buy a magazine, or pony up for a subscription, and then you were tasked Continued on Page 9

Page 8

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

ON THE MARK MARK ByeRS

inSurance: The naMe GaMe? The idea of insurance is good: take the risk and divide it among the participants. Some will come to grief, but most will not and if YOU happen to be the unlucky one, the fund created by all will help defray the cost of your misfortune. In a perfect world, the result would be a zero-sum-game where income and expenditures would come out equal. But it’s not a perfect world and insurance is a profit-making, commercial enterprise, so much so that I was told if a company pays you back more than 15% of what you pay in, you’re considered a bad risk. I don’t have verification of that number, but I wouldn’t bet against it.

Insurance rates are set by people called actuaries who study the statistics and probabilities of innumerable things, like how long we’ll live on average based on our lifestyle and behaviors. In the vehicle industry, they have an organization called the IIHS - the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - who

studies statistics and ways to reduce the number of crashes and associated injuries. That sounds altruistic until you realize it’s self-serving, because the fewer crashes and injuries, the fewer the payouts and the higher the profits.

IIHS claims it’s against their bylaws to lobby, but at a minimum, they feed data to insurance-industry lobbyists and they are definitely a public relations group for the insurance companies.

Some of you may remember Senator John Danforth’s “Motorcycle Safety Act of 1987,” which was highly touted by the IIHS (to the point that they were given a PR award), which would have effectively banned sportbikes. Fortunately, the AMA and other motorcycle-industry groups were able to fight off Danforth’s bill, but the IIHS never really abandoned its pursuit of sportbikes in the name of reducing crashes (in reality, minimizing payouts and maximizing profits).

Partly because of their efforts and frankly, in no small part because of the irresponsible behavior of some people in our own culture, sportbikes are viewed negatively from both a public and insurance industry perspective.

“What rant is Byers off on now?” you ask.

Recently, I had to change insurance companies because the one I was using sold out to a much larger firm and they no longer write policies in Maryland. Plus, there was one issue that always perplexed me about that company, one supposedly catering to motorcyclists: one of my bikes, a middleweight, was always priced above other, more powerful bikes, perhaps because it had the misfortune of being called a “Ninja.” If it was the fourcylinder, 636 cc, 112 HP, 160+ MPH Ninja, I probably wouldn’t be kicking, but it’s not. It’s the two-cylinder, 649 cc, 71 HP, 108 MPH model. But because it bears the name “Ninja,” apparently it wears the red badge of sportbike shame, at least within that company.

I compared the company’s price for the baby Ninja with other bikes I have in that size class, the 66 HP, 112 MPH, Suzuki DL650 V-strom and the 94 HP, 141 MPH Triumph Speed Triple 675. The Ninja was charged $130 more than the V-strom, despite being within 5 HP and 4 MPH in top speed (for the same deductibles). Despite the Trumpet’s 23 HP and 30 MPH advantage, the Ninja was charged $108 MORE than the Triumph with the same deductibles. It makes me wonder if the “baby” Ninja is being lumped into the statistics with its bigger brothers by the actuaries at that company. In addition, when I got the massive 43 HP Honda CBR-500R ABS that struggles to stagger above 100 MPH, it was $30 more than the Street Triple and $52 more than the Vstrom at that firm, also with equivalent deductibles.

When I was informed I could no longer get insurance from that firm, it was actually fortuitous. I went to another well-known company that caters to the motorcycle community and guess what? My rates went down, significantly in some cases. The baby Ninja went down 63% in fact and is now more comparably placed - although still not perfect - compared to the performance of my other machines. In addition, the baby CBR went down 48%. The message this experience sent to me is that it pays to shop around for coverage AND that even some so-called motorcycle specialty insurers get it wrong. Let the buyer beware, your mileage may vary, some restrictions apply, not valid in all states, read the fine print, keep away from children, live long and prosper, yadda yadda yadda.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020 free Wheelin’

Page 9

Continued from Page 4 Did we know this guy? Does he want to get around me? In truth, she was not pleased with having him play cat and mouse with her – especially when she didn’t know if she was the cat or the mouse.

I told her I thought it might be Kenny Roberts.

Eventually, the three bikes settle into a nice groove as we wound our way along Arden Valley Road towards the New York State Thruway.

Over the bridge, we had some room to stop off the road and we did.

The rider was a guy named Karl Dushin, whom we had met a few times many years back.

The bike? A Yamaha RZ350, the evolution of the old RD-series and one of the last street-legal two-stroke bikes of its kind sold in the United States. He recognized us when we passed and made a u-turn to say hello and then just decided to ride along and have fun.

The bike itself, with 38,000 miles on it, is a rider, not a collector’s piece; and Karl, who owns ten different two-stroke bikes, likes to ride them as frequently as possible; and during the week Harriman State Park is a great place to do just that.

We shot the poop about two-strokes and the smell of Klotz for a bit then Karl said goodbye and headed back into the park for another pass – doing the required twostroke wheelie salute as he ‘ding ding dinged’ back into the forest.

Interesting the people we meet when out for a ride and I was amazed at how much I miss that smell, those bikes and those days.

Frack the EPA. Let there be smoke.

Let there be Klotz.

PoSTcarDS froM The heDGe Continued from Page 7 with sitting down and reading some printed matter without the aid of an electronic device. Now everything is broadcast universally, and nothing can escape the surveillance of a search engine. You don’t even have to be able to read a map anymore; you just enter an address and follow the directions from your device of choice. It makes what used to be fairly involved far easier, and therefore much more accessible to more people. Who in their right mind would have a problem with that?

I guess the type of person that would lament this is, while not going as far as being a Luddite, could at least be branded a contrary old coot. Indeed, I find traces of Cootdom in my behavior with increasing frequency, although I will never speak ill of fuel injection or LED

lighting. I just lament when I roll into that cool little British tea house, where I had this special place to park my bike in the shade, and find the parking lot is full of patrons and I have little chance of getting that table at the corner of the outdoor deck. It’s been good for the proprietors, being discovered in videos, blogs, etc., but they’ve become so busy that they rarely have time to talk with their regulars the way they used to. I miss that. But hey, the more the merrier, right?

WhaTchaThinkin’ Continued from Page 6 of roadway, path or trail that you’ve ever ridden, how much better does that make the hanging out at the end of the ride – to be able to tell your friends and other riders about your wonderful day and share (or not, if you prefer to keep these discoveries to yourself).

Next time you’re noodling about, take the turn that you’ve passed thousands of time – it may be the best discovery you’ve made in a long time.

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Page 10

BACKLASH Hi Brian and Shira, Today I received a letter from the former publisher of Motorcycle Consumer News informing me and other subscribers that the magazine had folded. I’d expect you received a similar communication or were otherwise aware of MCN’s demise.

The news made me unhappy for a variety of reasons, but primarily because the publication — overall — had a nice, friendly personality and because it carved out its own niche among motorcycle magazines. It will be missed.

I was pleased to have a few of my travel articles appear in MCN. I’m very familiar with the print publishing business and I know how tough it has become.

I’m writing to you because Backroads provides a personal touch and personality and enthusiasm all its own; attributes that have made it successful, unique and enjoyable. It’s been nice to see the magazine evolve and thrive over the years, for which you are to be congratulated. Keep up the good work.

All the best, Brian Salisbury Brian, We have indeed heard this sad news. Although written and staffed by vibrant and dedicated riders MCN – like Cycle World and Motorcyclist – MCN was taken over just a few years back by various venture capitalists.

Not that we are against these people or capitalism – but these particular owners care only about ROI and had no two-wheel soul of which to speak.

For them, a good day was when the stock market broke new ground… For we riders, a good day is when we find new ground, ride through it and go in search of the next new ground to ride.

Separate but…

Dear Shira, Yes the world will be a better place when we all work together side by side male and female but that just might take a bit more time. I think many women are just beginning to find their own voices and their own power. #metoo

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

Letters to the Editor didn’t come around because men were outing their colleague’s for sexual harassment against women they work with! It came around because one woman found her voice and spoke out. The result has been a cascade of echoes finding their power.

And now the Women’s Centennial Ride is encouraging men to encourage women to ride that ride…preferably on their own bikes in the safety and camaraderie of thousands of other women and a few good men. And if you are a single guy I would suggest you find a woman to ride with or ride pillion with. The focus for this ride is women and riding. There are plenty of other coed rides that single men can ride on.

I also think that women need other women to find that voice, that strength, that learning and encouragement that only comes from other women. The best track classes I have ever taken were women only classes specifically because of the lack of testosterone and the tremendous bonding and encouragement other women give so effortlessly and freely. It’s just a different space, a different vibe, a different feeling that isn’t there in mixed company.

I think when you separate the species there is something else, something better that is brought back to the table when you come back together.

I can’t be the only woman who feels this way…as quickly as more and more women only motorcycling events appear they SELL OUT just as quickly! Clearly a need is being met.

I try to encourage as many women as I can to get out from behind the pillion seat and give riding a try. I dare say that I’ve been going to both Ramapo and Backroads rallies for over 20 years. Do you know that in that time I have seen a MAXIMUM of 7 or 8 women riding their own bikes and 2 of those woman are you and I!…unless there is a group riding together from one of the many Woman only riding clubs in our area.

Yes separate but separate. Nothing wrong with that!

Helene Darvick

Some Feeeback about Backroads Scholar Day What a great day for everyone. Thanks for putting it together.

Rising Wolf Garage

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

Page 11

What a great day. Thanks Brian and Shira Ed McCaughey What a great way to jump-start the riding season Mike Mosca Bri, Great to see you and Shira too. Thanks so much for putting together yesterday’s gathering. Perfect late winter event, it allowed us to see folks we might not have seen in a while, talk about motorcycles and travel and wait for spring.

Danny Herbst Thank you, Brian and Shira, for a great day,...it was like a class reunion with our motorcycling friends and family Jerry Foster-Julian Hey Brian, I met you at Motorcyclepedia in Newburgh and complained about my prize so you said you would send me a Backroads door prize. I just wanted to show you I read your magazines. There’s a lot of great stuff to be found in your magazines.

Thanks Again Jeff

Common Tread Hey. If Common Treads didn’t mention Backroads in their ‘Seven print motorcycle magazines thriving in the digital age’ I would have personally gone to Philly and Brooklyned them!!!! Congrats!

Your success is due wholly to you and Shira’s relationship with your readers. If you sold the magazine, it would be out of business within a year. YOU TWO are irreplaceable. Continued Success.

Ken Glassman

CHE

BPAG E W K C

E AND

Good day Backroads!

On page 30 of the new March issue, the picture on the top right shows what looks to be Backroads license plate frames. If you have any left you want to get rid of, I’d like a couple! I looked on your website but didn’t see any. Let me know, thanks!

Doug Bohl Doug, These were made many years back and have become almost collector’s items. BUT, your email has been the impetus to make new ones. If you have an address when we do get them again I will happily send one your way…

Dear Dr. Seymour O’Life, I read with great interest your article on the Gravity Research Foundation.

On behalf of all motorcyclists, there is no pursuit more important than trying to discover ways to combat gravity and minimize its most severe consequences. We have all had the misfortune of experiencing Gravity Storms in one form or another. I, for one, would be willing to pay a surcharge on my AMA membership or insurance renewal to combat this persistent and everpresent danger when riding. Perhaps the research will one day lead to an isolation device (anti-gravity tires?) that provides for stabilizing and reversing the ill effects of gravity. The goal should be to make gravity your friend. Let’s help make Gravity great (again)!

Tony Lisanti Hi Brian, YOU are a hell of a photographer, I wish I could just be your caddy. (cover of March Issue). YOU also write a hell of an editorial - I had to read “Zen” THREE times before I finally understood all the big words and I would love to run that route before I get much older, and maybe read the book as I go.

Kathy and I will have to find LeMans with Steve McQueen, AND then see if we can find old tapes (YouTube?) of Then came Bronson.

Rich Battles

DIA SI E M L A SOCI

R UPD O F S E T

ATES

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IN DU STRY INFOBITES 2020 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MOTORCYCLING EXCELLENCE Each Year Backroads presents its Lifetime Achievement in Motorcycling Excellence Award and the 2020 LAME Award was happily given to Lauren Secular.

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

News from the Inside some legislative meeting and heading to Ohio the next for AMA business.

She recently co-chaired, along with Shira Kamil, Helene Darvick and Diane Ortiz, on a panel discussing women and riding held at Motorcyclepedia – a subject she works diligently on as well.

Congrats to Lauren – this year’s LAME Award was well deserved.

POWERSPORTS INDUSTRY GETTING BULLISH According to reports the first month of 2020 showed an upward trend in sales across the board with an 8% jump in the American market; 5% rise in metric cruisers, 11% for sport machines and a great showing for dual-sport and adventure machines up 16%! We hope when we look back on 2020 we see that this was the year of the industry course correction.

WANTED – 12 DIRTY DOZEN RIDERS JULY 19-AUGUST 3 Lauren has been involved with motorcycles for decades. She is a founding member of the Chai Riders as well as a member of other riding clubs, and works tirelessly with the AMA and on so many fronts in addition to being a staple of the northeast’s motorcycle community. It is not unusual for Lauren to be on a Backroads or club ride one day, going to Albany, NY the next for

The Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation, Inc. (WMF) is hosting an all-women tour of the North East Backcountry Discovery Route. This will provide 12 women, having intermediate and above adventure riding skills, an opportunity to ride the NEBDR to improve their dual sport and adventure riding skills to the next level while giving back to the greater good.

WMF has three goals for this epic tour: To keep the coast down in return for accepting a minimum $300 fundraising commitment to support homeless female veterans with children through Final Salute, Inc. The ride will also benefit the Backcountry Discovery Route and the ride will honor the 100th anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote in the U.S. by serving as modern day female role models. Each day will be ridden in honor of a Suffragist who fought for women to control their destinies as fully recognized, participatory citizens of the United States.

For complete details on the Dirty for Good tour visit dirtyforgood.org • For more information on Final Salute, Inc.: www.finalsalute.org • For more information on RideBDR: www.ridebdr.com

YAMAHA’S WALL OF CHAMPIONS Yamaha recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the rededication and move of the Wall of Champions from Cypress, California to the company’s Motorsports headquarters in Marietta, Georgia. The Wall of Champions chronicles riders who won professional championships while competing on a Yamaha motorcycle, ATV or Side-by-Side.

“Racing and performance are at the heart of our brand, and the Wall of Champions is a testament to Yamaha’s passion, teamwork, and innovation,” said Mike Martinez, Vice President of Motorsports. “The Wall of Champions is a statement of what makes Yamaha great.”

The first induction ceremony for the Wall of Champions was held on November 16, 2012. Since then, close to 100 racers have been inducted for achieving more than 200 championships.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020 “The Wall of Champions gives us the opportunity to recognize and congratulate the racers for their hard work and dedication as they represent the Yamaha brand,” said Jim Roach, Yamaha’s Race Team Manager.

THIS ROCKET IS A ROCKET THE MUSCLE ROADSTER SETS A STAGGERING 0-60 MPH TIME The all-new Triumph Rocket 3, featuring the world’s biggest production motorcycle engine at 2,500cc, delivering the highest torque of any production motorcycle you can buy with 163 lb-ft/221Nm @ 4,000 rpm, has demonstrated an incredible acceleration by setting a staggering new Triumph pro-

Page 13 situations in 2018. Now, Arizona and Virginia could soon join California on the elite list of lane-splitting-friendly states.

Proposals to legalize lane splitting both in Arizona and Virginia were recently submitted to those states’ legislative bodies. The Arizona bill, House Bill 2285 introduced in January by Representative and Arizona House Transportation Committee chairman Noel Campbell, a former Navy and U.S. Forest Service pilot and a motorcycle tour guide, would allow riders to lane split on roads of more than one lane in the same direction with a speed limit of 45 mph or less and when traffic is cruising at no more than 15 mph.

In Virginia, Rep. Tony Wilt proposed a similar measure, House Bill 1236, to allow motorcyclists to lane split on roads of more than one lane in the same direction but traffic speed would have to be under 10 mph and motorcycles would be limited to a maximum speed of 20 mph.

Over the past few years, a slew of bills have been introduced to legalize lane splitting and filtering, including Connecticut, where lawmakers are actively considering Senate Bill 629 to make both lane splitting and filtering explicitly legal.

AND THE

MID ATLANTIC

BACKCOUNTRY DISCOVERY ROUTE duction motorcycle record of 0-60 mph in 2.73 seconds on the Cartagena track in Spain. The rider of the record-breaking Rocket 3 said, “It was great to experience this truly incredible acceleration. It’s hard to describe just what this motorcycle is capable of. The Rocket 3 R was well prepared and I felt very confident – even in this racetrack set-up. As early as the first attempt we made, I felt that the acceleration was so strong and that we would be successful. The Rocket 3 R ran perfectly and the track and weather conditions were ideal. The whole team did a fantastic job.”

STATES SEEK TO LEGALIZE LANE SPLITTING As of January 2020, California is the only U.S. state that formally authorizes motorcyclists to lane split. Utah passed a law to allow riders to lane filter in 2019, while Hawaii made shoulder surfing legal in rush hour traffic

The MABDR is a scenic ride for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles that uses dirt, gravel and paved roads to wind through remote parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania starting in Damascus Virginia and ending in Lawrenceville, Tioga County, PA. This route is perfect for riders who are newer to off-road motorcycling and want to get a taste of adventure. The MABDR also features glimpses into the nation’s past as they will explore Gettysburg and Antietam battlefields and the village of Harper’s Ferry, WV. They also plan on touring Penn’s Cave in southern Pennsylvania. They will meet on September 3rd in Damascus, Virginia and head out on the route on the 4th. The plan is to reach Lawrenceville on September 12th using hotels along the way for lodging.

You can find further details emmaumototours.com

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTER IOU S A MERICA The reaDinG PaGoDa 98 Duryea Dr, reaDinG, Pa 19602 610-655-6271 • WWW.reaDinGPaGoDa.coM Along a part of the Appalachian Mountains, there is a certain section that is called the Reading Prong. This formation runs from Connecticut south through New York (Storm King & Bear Mountain) and New Jersey (Stirling Hill & Jenny Jump) and ends just outside Reading, Pennsylvania.

The final mountain is called Mount Penn, rising up 1,120 feet, it lords over the town of Reading, for which the Prong is named.

Technically a mountain has to be 2,000 feet or higher, so many of these might be called ginormous hills – but this is the northeast and we do what we want, okay?

Still, the land reflects the irregular ridges and deep valleys of this unique landscape.

Some of the Prong, Storm King for instance, looks distinct and striking, but much of this geological feature seems to flow easily along with the land. Route 218 is a blast to ride and Storm King State Park is worth a stop.

Sitting atop the terminus at the summit of Mount Penn is something that would fit perfectly some 6,000 or so miles to the west – atop a peak in the Land of the Rising Sun. Yet here it is in the Land of Mysterious America.

The Reading Pagoda.

At the turn of the last century it occurred to Reading quarry owner William Abbot Witman, Sr. that his business was forever scarring the slopes of Mount Penn, which overlooked the city. Whitman had been involved in Reading politics for years and even ran for mayor, unsuccessfully a few times. He was known as a man who could get things done, one being Reading’s first baseball stadium, but the scarred mountain was hideous and the politician’s popularity began to wane.

Witman did not want to have this be his legacy.

He came up with, in his mind, a win/win idea and decided to make amends and some money by turning the top of the mountain from an eyesore into a luxury hotel. Whitman found his inspiration on a postcard from the Philippines. He would build a giant Pagoda atop Mount Penn.

He hired Charles and James Matz, well know builders, to construct a Japanese-style brick and tile Pagoda on Mount Penn’s southwest slope. Seven stories high, it was completed in September 1908. The first three floors were made of stone from Witman’s quarry. Its two large dining rooms on the main floor were furnished with Japanese rugs, dishes, lamps, and vases. Witman dreamed that it would be Reading’s most glamorous luxury hotel — 886 feet above the city.

Alas, the Pagoda was a failure.

RESCHEDULE DATE • CHECK WEB FOR DETAILS

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020 Witman had hoped to open a resort hotel in it but the rejection of a liquor license for it, the rugged roads to it and the fact that the city worried that drunken patrons would die on the twisty mountain road leading to and from the Pagoda sealed its fate.

They were also worried that Witman, who had a bad reputation, planned to turn the upper floors of the Pagoda into a brothel. Of course, he did.

The big red building became a big white elephant and was sold to a bank. In 1910, another investor tried and failed to make a go of a hotel there, but surrendered and sold the building to the city for $1.

The city made great use of the Pagoda as both a tourist draw and for practical uses.

Before the days of radio broadcasting, lights flashed as signals to the people of Reading. Morse Code was used to direct firemen, promote fundraising campaigns and give the public results of sporting events. The Code was based on the lights - a white light was a dash, while a red light was a dot and the codes were constantly published in local newspapers.

If you lived in Reading you knew what the Pagoda was saying. Every year at 9 pm on Christmas Eve the Pagoda lights flash to let the children know that Santa is on his way.

It is beloved by the citizens of Reading and to generations of residents, the Pagoda is a sure sign of home.

During World War II anti-Japanese zealots tried to have it torn down, but the Pagoda survived the attack and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1949.

The construction is unique as the Reading Pagoda is 7 stories high, 28 feet wide, 50 feet long-standing 620 feet above the City of Reading and 866 feet above sea level.

Page 15 The walls are 5 feet thick at the base tapering to 2 feet thick at the top of the second floor, from there to the top, they are frame-covered with terracotta shingles - there are 60 tons of tiles on the Pagoda, which is anchored to the top of Mount Penn by 16 tons of bolts. The stairs – all 87 of them – are of solid oak and it is the only Pagoda on the planet to have a fireplace and chimney. High atop the 7th floor, you will find a stunning bell that was cast in Japan in 1739. It was purchased by Witman in 1906 and shipped via the Suez Canal to New York Harbor and arrived in Reading on May 5, 1907, by rail. Atop the roof you will find fish sculptures to protect the Pagoda from fire. An ornate, corkscrew “finial” topped the temple, and also served as a lightning rod for what was now the tallest target in the county.

The road that leads to the top of the mountain is steep, twisty and a bit technical to ride – so much so that the SCCA holds Hill Climbs here twice a year, in June and August. 2020 will be the 69th year… who knew?

The Reading Pagoda is spectacular and more than a bit mysterious as it is reported to be haunted as well. Of course, it is.

The Reading Pagoda is open Saturdays and Sunday from noon till 4 and they have a café here as well for a lite lunch.

Although he was a mix of visionary and scoundrel you must admit that William Abbot Witman, Sr. did things in a big way and his biggest creation sits majestically atop a mountain in Reading, Pennsylvania – a deep part of this Mysterious America. ~ O’Life Out!

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

G REAT A LL AMERICA N DINE R RUN GeorGe D. GarriSS General STore 912 Main STreeT, STillWaTer ToWnShiP, nJ 07875 973- 383-0042 • finD TheM on facebook

OPEN FOR TAKEOUT DURING COVID-19 CALL IN ORDERS • SEE WEB FOR MENU We were once asked if Backroads was a motorcycle magazine with a history bent or a history magazine with a motorcycle bent? Yes. Riding along County Road 521 in New Jersey, not far from the Delaware River and the Water Gap, there is the small hamlet of Stillwater.

Along its Main Street you will find several historic and old buildings.

This town still holds the charms of what brought people here so many years ago - peaceful, comforting and real.

In the middle of the way was a building that had been a general store for more than a century. Over time it has seen many owners and even the U.S. Post Office called part of it home.

Situations closed it for a few years and eventually we would ride by and see that things were happening. We hoped for the best.

And it happened.

Sometimes getting the real story on a place can be difficult, but thanks to our friend Laurie Gordon, of the Township Journal, it was made a tad easier.

In July of 2016 the building, and the buildings on either side, were purchased by Dean and Albina Voris. The idea was to seek out and keep the history of the old general store, but make it workable and modern; to reach the standards asked for with construction codes and the health department.

Evidentially Dean and Albina have done this before. The work done to both save history and make New Jersey happy was nothing less than monu-

tasty places to take your bike

mental. And there was certainly history to be saved.

The store was originally built by George D. Garris, who fought in the Civil War, and took his pay to buy the property and put up the building, of which much is still here today.

He opened the George D. Garriss General Store in 1876.

As we have said, the store has had a history and sat silent for too long.

During reconstruction, the original hand-painted sign was uncovered. Dean used it as a template to historically recreated a bit of history from 144 years in the past.

Now, the George D. Garriss General Store is back and the most excellent breakfast and lunch stop for a hungry group of motorcyclists riding the Skylands of New Jersey.

Pulling up to the store there is some more modern, if still rusty and dated, history to be seen with an old gas pump and Texaco sign stand.

The Post Office is operational and before noon you can send a postcard if you like. 07875!

The wooden floors and the old beam posts harken back to post-Civil War New Jersey. When the store opened in January of this year, the local historical society talked about the first settlers of this region - Casper Shafer and family, in 1743, and how “They grew their own food or relied on traveling into Newton for provisions.” It was 130 years before this part of New Jersey had its own supplier and it was the George D. Garriss General Store.

Now, after being closed and abandoned – it has a new life.

According to Laurie’s piece, “The George D. Garris General Store was an icon of the community, a gathering place, where neighbors not only bought food and supplies, but also ran into each other, were introduced to the new-

OPEN FOR TAKEOUT DURING COVID-19 • THANK YOU! SEE WEB FOR MENU • CALL IN ORDER

OPEN FOR TAKEOUT DURING COVID-19 • THANK YOU! SEE WEB FOR MENU • CALL IN ORDER

Page 17

comers, and found out what was going on in the local community.”

On one of those incredible “Gift Days” in February we took the ride down to the old hamlet.

When we pulled up there were several people at two tables, which are handmade with beautiful old-world craftsmanship, and they were happy and enjoying a good talk. We sat off to the side waiting for our food and took it all in. I listened in on a conversation on the best guitars.

Although it says General Store, when we arrived a few months after opening they were more a café. The store is in the works, but at a different level. They are featuring locally sourced items such as maple syrups and will carry staples for those hiking through on the Appalachian Trail or simply enjoying the beautiful outdoors this area has to offer.

The George D. Garriss General Store opens from 6 am till 3 pm every day and chefs Taylor and Hannah were there this day creating a seriously good lunch for us – although we hear baking is really Taylor’s thing.

When a cafe goes to such length to brag about their coffee it better come through; well they do and they did.

For me, any place that advertises liverwurst is okay by me, but I looked to the specials. They have sandwiches hot and cold, deli and green salads and sides.

But let’s look at what we spied this day.

Shira is hawk-like on these things and she had heard their burgers were it! Their regular menu has your basic burger, with or without cheese, but today’s special burgers were a lot more. I thought U.S. Grant Burger: Angus topped with onion rings and accented with Hannah’s homemade BBQ sauce.

But, no…

Our resident Jersey girl, she is real, I was born at Shea Stadium, spotted the Jersey Burger. Fresh Angus burger with TAYLOR HAM (not pork roll – you heathens!) and the perfect egg and cheese. And it was…perfect.

There were other specials this day… The Daniel Butterfield: marinated grilled chicken with Virginia ham and green apples smothered with Swiss cheese and honey mustard.

I was this close…But, the Joshua Chamberlain got hold of me. Who the heck is Joshua Chamberlain?

And this is where the history part comes in – although we didn’t know him until the George D. Garriss General Store brought him to us.

Oh yes, they revel in history too.

Chamberlain was the governor of Maine, but his real history comes from his command of the Union troops at the surrender ceremony at Appomattox.

Although I am sure there are a number of statues for him - this day we celebrated him with grilled chicken, topped with awesome bacon, melted Swiss sprinkled with thyme and garlic.

It seems Joshua Chamberlain was impressive - and so was the sandwich.

Remember we mentioned Chef Taylor’s baking background? So don’t forget to leave some room for one of

her scrumptious scones, heavenly cinnamon bun or whatever else she may create that day.

We say many times that a restaurant on the Great All American Diner Run is surrounded by great roads. Well, this time they are our great roads. Enjoy the day’s ride and the General Store. It will be well worth it.

220 mile R/T, start: Bear Mtn Bridge • Finish: Barnstormer BBQ www.sendspace.com/filegroup/fiSyvGhrf05X2rDkPosweQ www.sendspace.com/filegroup/u8yhk%2fv820Gtlca2%2beu%2b2a

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

WE’RE OUTTA HER E

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

norWich inn 325 S Main ST, norWich, vT 05055 802-649-1143 • WWW.norWichinn.coM • rooMS froM $149 anD uP Riding into the town of Norwich it is hard not to see the history that is all around you. This part of New England has certainly seen the ebb and flow of American happenings.

Back in 1797 an inn was built in the center of the town by Colonel Jasper Murdock, serving as a stagecoach tavern and inn for years.

Known variously as the Norwich Hotel, Curtis Hotel, The Union House, and the Newton Inn, the little tavern gained quite a reputation over the years, particularly among tourists and coaching parties destined for the White Mountains.

The Norwich Inn was the first tavern in Vermont to entertain a Chief Executive of the United States. On July 22, 1817, President James Monroe visited the hotel, and while there, he addressed the townspeople of Norwich and “partook of a dinner, prepared…in handsome style.”

In the year 1889 a fire ravaged the building, and a good part of the town.

The Innkeeper, Dr. W.S. Bowles, rebuilt in 1890 on the foundation of the original structure. The new Vermont hotel renamed the Newton Inn was a handsome Victorian structure with a wraparound porch and central turret.

The Inn was purchased in 2006 by Joe and Jill Lavin who have continued

in the tradition of ongoing improvement of the Inn as it evolves through the 21st Century. Major enhancements include adding the Walker House and Ivy Lodge buildings, the creation of the Wine Cellar, and significant renovations to all public areas.

We took a look at all the buildings and accommodations and were impressed by each building – all having their own New England flair.

This is what we rode up to this past summer – an exquisite inn that all New England Inns should follow.

They have their own brewery. President Monroe dined at the Norwich Inn in 1817 while on a horseback tour of the New England frontier. Alas, history does not record whether he had a beer. But if he did, it was most likely brewed at the Inn. Vermont had no commercial breweries at the time, and the local beers were brewed in very small batches. Even the biggest copper kettle provided just enough ale for the brewer and his guests.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

We partook and it was excellent! ‘Nuff said!

Centrally located in the Green Mountain State the Norwich Inn is perfect for couples looking to get away or larger riding groups looking for something a bit above the typical Vermont Ski House. In addition to the more than comfortable rooms and brewery, their onsite restaurant, the Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse, was a welcome sight at the end of a long day of riding. Being able to park the bikes for the night, have a very cold and delicious ale and some fine vitals makes for a wonderful ending to a great day. There is indoor and outdoor dining when the weather permits and the ever-changing menu will surely have something for every taste. Our late pub dinner included fried pork potstickers and a heaping bowl of steamed Maine mussels served with crusty bread for dunking.

For us, a big bonus was that the inn was right next door to Dan & Whit’s.

If you have never been you must go. Dan & Whit’s is the most amazing general store on the planet. We strolled in to take a look… it was an hour later we walked out, arms full of stuff we’d have to jam into our luggage.

Just a short ride from the inn you will find the Montshire Museum of Science. Sited on 110 acres near the Connecticut River, they offer over 150 ex-

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hibits on nature, technology, astronomy and the physical sciences. The exhibits and programming foster interactive discovery for people of all ages, and the unique riverfront setting fosters deep creative learning in the physical and natural world. Well worth the visit!

Another place, just a few miles away, is King Arthur Flour. If you are a baker or know someone who is… this is a must! In addition to being one of the biggest producers of flour in the nation, they have a great restaurant and shop. Even Brian, the one guy we don’t want baking, bought some Muffin Mix and they were excellent.

When in central Vermont, you can not do better than the Norwich Inn. With the neat town and so much to do, the great accommodations and the incredible roads to and from – the Norwich Inn is truly a winner.

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

Frontline Eurosports Presents

B IG CITY GETAWAY car ShoW uSa This article is not about a particular place, time or event. Rather, it is a reminder and heads up for something that sometimes gets taken for granted.

You see them everywhere. In just about every larger town or fairgrounds.

Sometimes at a diner or restaurant with a large enough parking lot, or sometimes it is some friendly farmer’s field that allows a gathering of the motor-head faithful to converge every now and again.

What we are talking about is the local car show.

Last year, we attended a couple and are always amazed at what folks will bring out to show.

It makes you wonder how many wonderful motorized contraptions, both

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind two and four-wheeled, hidden behind closed barn and garage doors, that we casually ride by on our time on the bikes.

We live here in the northwest corner of the Garden State, so the two shows we will mention are fairly local for us. But, trust me, there is a car show nearby you as well – it is a purely American thing to hold.

Over Memorial Day we rode down to the M&M Mars Memorial Motor Madness.

Yes, that M&M- the melt in your mouth not in your hand M&M. For 25 years the Mars Company has opened its substantial parking lot to one of the biggest shows in the state.

We had heard a lot about it, so we took a ride and were blown away by the huge number of vehicles there and the incredible variety of cars.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

Here at the M&M Mars Memorial Motor Madness they have the cars in groups – by make and model. This made it easy to zero in on what you liked and what you simply were lusting after.

Ford GT? Oh yeah. I could get in it, but you’d have to lever me out.

I have a soft spot for late 60s Corvettes – most guys in their 60s have this primal lust. We all want to wrap our ass in fiberglass!

Among some of the neater, yet smaller cars were a collection of Nashs and one stand out for us was a modern-day Mustang with the Hawks Nest painted on the inside of the hood.

There seemed to be an endless supply of cool AND free M&Ms as you walked in the gate.

A bit smaller, but still a lot of fun for an hour or so, was a local show along Route 206 in Newton, New Jersey. This is now an every Friday evening happening and, even on a local level, the cars that were parked here for the evening were impressive.

GTOs, Chargers, old Mustangs, many years of Corvettes and a stunningly beautiful Auburn – one of the most beautiful cars we have ever seen at a smaller local show. There was one car that was a single creation, actually sporting a George Barris signature and his seal of approval with a very rare Barris Badge – given to the maker and owner by Barris himself. One Jeep drew our attention. It was like a Jeep-version of a BMW R1200GS Adven-

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ture. Way over-built, but we could not help but appreciate it all.

For the most part, at almost all these shows, the owners are very friendly and very proud of their machines – and they should be.

If you want to kick tires, talk shop or maybe have some questions on a model, brand or particular car, they will almost surely be happy to chat.

For us, motor-heads are motor-heads. We all have oil and gasoline running through our veins.

So, take a look around your area, town or region and we are sure you will find a number of great car gatherings - and probably find some great motorcycles there as well. Here are just a few that we found: 5/3/2020 • 69th Annual Collectible Show with Swap Meet/Vendors 161 east Hanover Ave, Morristown, NJ • njregionaaca.com/activities 5/17/2020 • 42nd Annual North Jersey Auto Show Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Rd, Paramus, NJ www.northjerseyautoshow.com 5/24/2020 • Memorial Motor Madness Car Show Mars Chocolate North America, 800 High St, Hackettstown, NJ 6/13/2020 • A Touch of england 2020 Gathering of classic British motorcars and motorcycles Hermitage, 335 North Franklin Tpke, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ

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The WinTer of ice creaM conTenT When the temperatures drop and the sun disappears, my energy and activity levels follow suit.

Sure, I still do my best to get to the gym every day (almost) and have gotten out on the bike as often as possible (this winter has been pretty mild), but my ice cream exploration has been put on the back burner. So, for this installment of Inside Scoop I bring you my experience at Penn State while taking the Ice Cream 101 Frozen Dessert course, courtesy of Brian to commemorate a ‘big birthday.’

The weekend of January 24-26 had me up and out early to make the 3-hour drive and the 11am registration. Pulling up to the Nittany Lion Inn, the grand hotel on the Penn State campus, I saw fellow Ice Cream students taking selfies and heading in. Standing in line, I chatted with several folks and found

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS many to be like myself – very fond of ice cream, having made it at home, and some who were contemplating going into the ice cream business in some capacity. The other portion of the 76 enrolled were already in the business, whether working for others or having their own shop. Once signed in, I was handed a VERY large binder, several manila envelopes and a comfortable fleece with the Ice Cream 101 logo – my new favorite. Lunch was of the boxed variety and there was plenty of caffeine and sugary treats, thank goodness, for the afternoon’s course.

While I had read the curriculum before showing up, I was not prepared for the extensive and intense science aspect. Dr. Robert Roberts, the Head of Food Science, kicked things off with an overview of ice cream and its composition. Fun fact: the legal definition of ice cream states that it must contain a

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020 minimum of 10% milkfat, not less than 1.6 pounds of total solids to the gallon and weigh not less than 4.5 pounds to the gallon. Should you want to read its entirety, look up the FDA’s Code of Federal Regulations Title 21.

We then got a lesson in shop operation, followed by preparing fresh fruit for frozen desserts.

Tip: if you can’t get perfectly fresh fruit, go for flash frozen as your next best choice. We finished the Friday instructions with ice cream ingredients, which is different from ice cream composition. What’s the one ingredient you need for ice cream? It’s starts with MOOOO…then gets more involved with fat, milk solids not fat, and a bunch of other stuff. Interested? Take the course.

Other than the classroom sessions during Reg Pridmore’s CLASS, I haven’t been in a class situation in quite some time and found all this information quite interesting if not a bit over my head – I was never a very good science student.

When 5 o’clock rolled around and we were let loose for the Welcome Reception, I was a bit bleary-eyed but ready to take on whatever was offered the next day.

I had decided to stay closer to downtown rather than at the Nitanny Lion, so I headed to find the Graduate Hotel. This was much more my style, with the funky library wallpaper and more than comfortable rooms, complete with ice cream wallpaper in the bathroom. College Avenue on a Friday night was hopping, with an abundance of options for eats and drinks. I found some of both and called it a night, as I would be back in class at 8am on Saturday.

There were representatives from ice cream, equipment and mix manufacturers as well as chefs for show and taste. We learned about mix proportions, custards (egg yolk based) vs. gelatos vs. Philadelphia-style (non-egg), flavors and mix-ins, processing, freezing and hardening. There was talk on food regulations and mobile vending operations. We tasted soft-serve of different consistencies, had a sensory evaluation session and were introduced to several, large and small, batch mixers. Many of these are Italian-made and the reps were as well. It was a pleasure listening to them all.

Did we make our own ice cream? Nope, but we sure did learn what to do, what not to do, how to do, what to use to do and what it should taste like. We had several iterations of vanilla, sweet cream, pistachio, coffee and lavender.

I thought I was ice-creamed out but during lunch on Saturday I made my way to the Creamery for a scoop of Peachy Paterno; probably a mistake, as

Page 23

I was definitely in a sugar crash by the end of the day. I learned and stayed away from the temptation on Sunday, as I had the 3-hour drive home after our 5pm dismissal and presentation of certificates.

Bottom line: if you are an ice cream aficionado and maker and have dreams of going into the ice cream business in any form, the Ice Cream 101 course at Penn State should be on your scoop list. If you just enjoy making ice cream, here’s a book that will give you much of the information in a condensed form: Hello, My Name Is Ice Cream: The Art and Science of the Scoop: A Cookbook by Dana Cree. I made a dark chocolate Philadelphiastyle ice cream from this book and it was delicious, if not a bit too chocolaty, if there is such a thing. And if you are simply an ice cream consumer, then keep reading these pages for some more amazing places to get your ice cream fix. See ya on the road!

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS PRODUCT REVIEW

HyperPro Suspension from EPM Performance Giving New Legs to Old Rides Words and images Brian Rathjen

Many of us have a second bike. Some, like columnist Byers, have many second bikes. But, for Shira and myself we have two ‘other’ machines that get ridden on a semi-regular basis; although the venerable 2002 Kawasaki KLR 650 and Shira’s still ass kickin’ 2005 Honda CBR 919 mostly play second fiddle to the other machines in the barn.

They have nothing in common and a lot in common.

One a 90’s era dual-sport before dual sport and the word adventure was tagged onto anything a shade different than white bread and the other a stripped-down, now “vintage” sport machine with a civilized riding position.

Yup, two machines that do share the fact they are Japanese, both green and both had sacked out suspension.

Indeed, something that a decade and a half + year-old motorcycles will probably need, more than anything else is a suspension upgrade.

The KLR rarely goes on long tours, though fully capable and an excellent choice in some regions. But, when it does get out to have fun it is usually a bit on the rough side, seeing more dirt and gravel than paved touring.

The 919 gets a bit more use – day trips and usually a long ride south to Virginia International Raceway – as this is Shira’s weapon of choice for Reg Pridmore’s CLASS. Although not super high on the mileage-side of things nearly two decades of use had taken its toll on the stock Kawasaki and Honda suspensions in the front and especially the rear.

It was time for an upgrade.

A quick call to Klaus Huenecke at EPM Performance, located in Manalapan, NJ got the ball rolling and a few weeks later we rode down to have some new legs added to the KLR. Not long after that the springs and rear shock were swapped out on Shira’s 919 and the bike set-up by Chris at WFO in Hampton Township. Set-up is important and takes time to do this right. In New Jersey look to Ron at Washington Cycle Works (washingtoncycleworks.com)– he too knows the ins and outs of proper suspension.

The stock rear shocks, sagged to the max, were removed and trashed and a new and very nice HyperPro rear shock was installed.

These look almost like art and it seems a shame to put them through such future abuse – but that is exactly what they were built for.

We have used HyperPro Suspension on several machines over the years and, in addition to being able to control ride height, they work incredibly well under all conditions.

HyperPro offers a basic emulsion shock with rebound adjustment, to give you maximum comfort, and they are fully adjustable. This will give even better performance to the shock and as a result of this the best performance of the motorcycle.

Another little known fact is that the better the suspension the quicker your machine will be, not only for handling but stopping as well.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

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Up front, the old springs on both machines were removed and the entire damping units were cleaned and adjusted.

New HyperPro progressive springs were added as well as fresh fork oil.

When done the change in the old Kawasaki KLR650 was impressive. Once again new suspension has added new life to a solid and long-term ride. As with my own GS a few years back - the thousands of miles and the many years of hard riding had slowly sapped the life out of the stock suspension.

Like my hair, I didn’t know it was going till it was gone.

And, like the GS, the new shocks transformed the machine.

The 2005 Honda CBR 919 went from a well-handling 15-year old machine to, well, something spectacular.

Testing the 919 I sought out irregularities in the road surface – bumps, missing pavement, ripples and the like.

What once was a bit bumpy but fairly adhered ride had now become planted, and solid. I could feel the road where before I was just running over it. The Honda was always good, but now it was nearly heroic.

For these machines, with installation came to a little under $750 each – money well spent.

If your machine has many years or miles on the stock suspension that came with the bike and you plan on keeping the machine consider swapping out the old and bring in the new. Done correctly you will not be disappointed – in truth, you will be impressed by how well your motorcycle can really feel.

Contact Klaus at EPM for more information on replacing your bike’s aging legs • epmperf.com

2020 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1260 S For 2020 Ducati will bring forth the Grand Tour edition of the Multistrada 1260 S. The Multistrada models constitute the best-selling Ducati series today, with a total of 100,000 units sold since the model was introduced in 2003. Since then it has gone through a number of makeovers and has become a serious contender for the more pavement leaning ADV riders.

The powerful 1,260cc eight-valve desmo Testastretta engine equipped with the exclusive DVT (Desmo Variable Timing) bring it into the upper stratosphere of power in the class and Ducati claims 158 hp at 9,500 rpm and 97.35 pound-feet of torque at 7,500 rpm, but with 85 percent of it available at as low as 3,500 rpm.

We like grunt.

The 2020 1260 S Grand Tour comes in a sweet metallic gray with a red frame and graphics livery; it is fully equipped with a set of largecapacity hard bags, a new (more comfortable) seat, fog lights, and a full suite of electronic systems that include a six-axis inertial platform. Ducati’s Safety Pack monitors attitude and speed of the bike to keep all safety systems (traction control, wheelie control, cornering ABS, by wire throttle response, and more) instantly ready for perfect rider support and assistance in case of problems. A 5-inch TFT color dash acts as the information and connectivity center. Find it at your local Ducati dealer or ducati.com

CHECK WEBPAGE / SOCIAL MEDIA SITE FOR UPDATES

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS The woman in charge on the Selden III waited patiently as I snatched a digital moment and then rolled onto the steel deck of the tiny ferry that crosses the Connecticut River between Chester and Hadlyme. She motioned for me to go around the center strip of the deck.

The ruler of this river’s second oldest ferry was simply making sure that those who came on board had a good trip and the massive splash of diesel on the steel plates would have made things difficult on the rain swept day in August.

As we crossed we could easily spy the stunning Gillette Castle high above the river, like some stony overlord.

New England Nuances

Summer Travels through the Green Mountains and More

words + images: Brian Rathjen

We had left New Jersey earlier this day, ignoring the dark overcast and predicted tempest. We had places to go and things to do – with a few days spent with family in Narragansett, Rhode Island before spinning north to DirtDaze, at its new Vermont home and then onto our own Summer Squeeze – the tenth time we’d be holding the now mid-summer classic.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

We enjoy planning trips like this and a bit of time in front of the magical combination of old-time maps and Garmin’s BaseCamp had plotted us a day’s journey that would wind its way across the Hudson and into the Nutmeg State. Along the way we crossed American history on a constant basis, one standout was the huge statue of Sybil Ludington in Carmel, New York.

Here you will find hundreds of American flags celebrating past soldiers, but it is Ludington’s statue that dominates the view. Ludington was just 16 years old when, on the night of April 26, 1777, she rode to alert militia forces in the towns of Putnam County, New York and Danbury, Connecticut, warning of the approach of the British regular forces.

In a town that truly celebrates its heroes, she was one of the first.

We carried on east, seeking out roads untouched by us before. I dare say we were successful as, even though the rains and wet kept us to a second and third gear sort of day, we did a good job of plundering some seriously interesting pieces of macadam. Evening found us rolling into the Bellisimo Grande – a large hotel not far from the region’s casinos and the town of Mystic, Connecticut. Casinos are not our thing, but the pool and short stroll to a decent Italian joint with calzones the size of my bike’s saddle down the road made for a great night.

The storms that had ridden with us the first day had abated and come morning we ate some time up at the hotel’s pool and then scooted down towards

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the ocean and crossed into Rhode Island, riding over the small bridge that spans the Pawcatuck River, once a natural boundary between the states.

Along the river we found an excellent breakfast spot called B & B Dockside. Unusual offerings and grab your own coffee station with ridiculously tasty coffee was an excellent way to get things going this day.

We meandered north and east, generally following bits and pieces of the river making a stop at the tiny village of Shannock. Here the river tumbles over a most unique waterfall that is formed in a perfect u-shape with the waters flowing over the stone dam and into a rock basin to form a picture-postcard cascade. Some of the water runs through a channel built at the side of the dam which once powered the mills that dotted the river’s banks. Next to the falls we found an elaborate fish ladder built in 2011, allowing for the hopeful return of native fish further upstream.

The ride, like the day before, was stellar, although far shorter than the previous day. All tiny backroads that strung together tiny hamlets and towns linked by some beautiful pavement.

We rode into Narragansett, took our room at the very picturesque Sheppard’s Inn and then spent some time with Shira’s sister and family – the family whiffle ball game as exciting as any MLB this year. Well, not a few of those Mets’ games. I think young Luke (age 7) might have hit the International Space Station with that one shot.

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Although we did come to visit with family, duty did call – or more like O’Life (once again). Yes, the master of mystery had another task for Shira and me and with coded message received we hopped on the bikes and headed north along the coast to the town of North Kingstown in search of the Narragansett Rune Stone.

Considered one of the great mysteries of the region, this 2.5-ton stone was found along the coast, at Pojac Point, after the 1938 hurricane. Inscribed along its side are markings, or runes, that have been examined and argued over for years. Were they made by the Vikings, Knights Templar, or very, very talented teenagers? Well, we left that up to Seymour to explain – but we readily admit that the Narragansett Rune Stone is special indeed.

We spent some more time exploring the coast, surprisingly free of traffic on this summer day, and the views along the coast were picture perfect New England.

We made a stop at Hazard Rocks, just south of the town. Stunningly beautiful we spotted a few sunbathers on the rocks as well as some fishermen casting lines.

It was a beautiful day and all was well here, but Hazard Rock is considered by many as a very dangerous place, as the warning signs contested. In fact

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

the magazine Outdoor Life called this place the #1 most dangerous place to fish in the nation. Do tell.

Narragansett is really nice and easy to deal with. If you want upscale they have it. If smaller, more personable venues float your boat you will find plenty along this part of Rhode Island’s coast for sure.

We did have a secondary mission on this ride and that was to visit the crew at Twisted Throttle. For years Twisted has been providing the best in motorcycle accessories and they specialize in adventure bikes and the like.

I had some additional brake lights I wanted installed on my GS and Erik and company were the guys to do it – I was there at 9 am, Shira spending the morning with her family and then meeting up with me in Exeter.

If you have never ridden to Twisted Throttle it is well worth the trip. Their showroom is like Toys-R-Us for motorcyclists with gear, accessories and products from many different manufacturers as well as Twisted Throttle’s home grown farkles and products.

With additional brake lighting installed (Thank you Dave – now go play some guitar!) we got going heading out of the Ocean State and clipping through Connecticut.

Although running in a basically northern flavor we did cut through some

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

interesting regions, one being a deep and dark forest that is owned by Yale University and used for their forestry program.

We soon cut into Massachusetts and connected the small towns in a leisurely fashion.

One town, Petersham had a large and interesting Historical Marker that drew our attention. It told of the battle that occurred in this town during what is known as Shay’s Rebellion. We had a feature on this a few years back, but the short story is that Daniel Shay and a few thousand other citizens of the newly formed United States were a bit unhappy with the economic realities of the new nation. More rights were demanded and this led to the lifting of firearms to shoulders. Governor Bowdoin of Massachusetts created a private Army led by former continental General Benjamin Lincoln.

During the winter the rebels (they were branded as such) made camp to the north of Petersham. Lincoln and his men made a forced overnight march in sub-zero temperatures and deep snow to surprise Shay and his rebel army – the rebels scattered and many were captures. Although Shay’s Rebellion was thought of as a failure it did win – as it led to the creation and ratification of the US Constitution.

History lives if you just seek it out.

As we neared the border with New Hampshire there were numerous signs telling us the ‘Bridge was Out!’ just ahead on our route. Undaunted our heroes carried on… and, indeed, the bridge was out – really out. But, they were working on the new span. The work crew was gone for the day, and there would be no going back this day as the footbridge was just wide enough for us and we soon rode into The Live Free or Die State.

By this time it was getting around that ‘look for a room’ hour of day and near Monadnock Mountain we found a splendid inn. Nice room, full bar, porch with rocking chairs and a super restaurant.

Life was good on our boat and the Monadnock Inn comes highly recommended.

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The plan was to meander north and into Vermont to catch the last few days of the DirtDaze Rally, but along the way we got sidetracked (funny how this happens all the time) to visit a stone dedicated to the belief and the hope that mankind would soon unfold the true mystery of gravity and that, when this happened, the world would change and in a great way.

We made it a point to seek out the stone and then we floated away towards the Green Mountain state and a few hours and 20 or so miles of dirt and gravel later popped out near the town of Pomfret and the Suicide Six Ski Resort, home of DirtDaze 2019.

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

There were a number of vendors and demos from the factories of Honda, KTM and Triumph.

I got a chance to go for a ride with Triumph buddy Bill Shelton on the new Triumph Scrambler 1200.

Tons of torque, superb suspension and killer throwback looks, this machine will appeal to a great number of riders – especially younger ones or those who still think they are.

DirtDaze had a number of loops set up as well as seminars, riding demos and ADV riding classes.

We spent the afternoon roaming around the grounds before scooting off to the nearby town of Woodstock so Shira could go in search of the next ice cream shop for the Inside Scoop. This year’s DirtDaze Rally will be August 20-23 in New Hampshire.

You can keep track and find out more on their website: dirtdazerally.com

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For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing it in the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads, we have their weapon of choice.

Many camped at the ski resort, but for us ‘camp’ is a four-letter word.

Spell it out… C A M P. See? Four letters.

So, we scooted to the very nice Norwich Inn in the town with the same name. Beautiful rooms, super beer from their own brewery and a very tasty restaurant all in a very Vermontish town. (see this month’s We’re Outta Here) As happens many times we had some things needed and light motorcycle issues to deal with, all made easier by the fact that the Inn was next door to Dan & Whit’s, a ‘real’ general store with a seemingly endless number of rooms with everything – well, almost everything – but well worth exploring.

Shira planned a breakfast at King Arthurs Flour which happened to be just down the road a piece from the Norwich Inn. I am not a baker, but this seemed like a big deal so I was in.

This company has been providing superior baking needs and flour since 1790. So off we went. Breakfast was super, if a bit crowded on this summer Saturday, but worth the wait and, if a baker, King Arthur is worth it for the shopping alone.

DirtDaze offered a number of self-guided tours and we checked out their routes and realized that many of these roads had popped up on a number of the many day trips we have had over a decade of holding rallies here in Vermont.

We rode along a few and added some new to us, but did wander north and east, eventually paving it to Essex Junction and Frank’s BMW, as I had a slight issue with my GS and it needed a BMW service center to see what the matter was. Lester was the man who sold me this particular GS some eight years back and he claimed it was an ABS pump problem that would have to wait till later the next week to handle. Or not.

Shira and I headed back, through the infamous Smuggler’s Notch.

This place has an interesting history that began back in the early 1800s when the U.S. Congress placed an embargo on the imports of all English goods. In order to circumvent that embargo, the British shipped their goods, clothing and medical supplies to Canada and then it was all smuggled down the Long Trail and through what is now called Smugglers’ Notch Pass. Since the large caves in the Notch could be used to store supplies,

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

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it became an ideal focal point for much of the smuggling from Canada to the U.S. prior to the War of 1812.

More than 100 years later, the Notch was again used for smuggling when the U.S. Congress passed the law prohibiting the sale of alcohol. Alcohol was smuggled through Smugglers’ Notch Pass and down to central and southern New England. The caves and caverns in the Notch were ideal for storing alcohol at approximately room temperature, while the smugglers were avoiding the revenue agents.

Today it is simply a stunning, if small, pass to ride through in this region of Vermont.

Route 100 was pleasant enough, when we were not faced with runners and their support crew and we were saddened to see that Bethel Mountain Road, wiped out by spring floods, would be closed for repair till late fall.

Our Plan C (or was it D at this point) brought us again on some gravel road – most of which were fine and dandy and a pleasure to ride… until they were not.

We both saw the warning sign that ‘GPSs can not be trusted on this road.’

But, did we listen? Heck no. We knew what we were doing. Right?

It is funny how the tone of a road can change in a flash. This time around that flash was followed by a booming thunder and a steady rain began to fall.

The road that was happy and getting back to the rally suddenly got narrower, and the gravel became more a deeper rip – construction was going on and the road’s flavor became less unicorns and bluebirds and more lions and tigers and bears. Then the road stopped in a large muddy pit.

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

The ten miles or so we had just ridden to the east looked different to the west (a small bonus) but at this point we stopped for fuel, called our friend and contributor Tony Lisanti, who was up at DirtDaze as well, and made plans for dinner in Woodstock.

We were not at the restaurant five minutes before the skies opened up in a Biblical way. Timing was everything this night and while it poured we had a great meal with a close friend.

The ride back to the Norwich Inn was slightly damp, but what we call Saturday on the road.

The next day we’d hook up with Tony to head down to the Gray Ghost and our Summer Squeeze in West Dover Vermont.

They say the tenth time is a charm. We hoped so.

The hard rains from the night before had filled many of the gravel roads with small gullies, but we were surprised that there was not more mud and muck and, in truth, half our route was along these hard-packed gravel byways that ran up into the mountain and through the valleys.

In Grafton we stopped by the Historical Museum featured in these pages a while back and the General Store across the street for a needed sugar and caffeine adjustment.

We rolled into the Gray Ghost by the middle of the afternoon and the pool let out a siren’s call to us.

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Refreshed and ready for the night we watched as the lot filled up with Summer Squeezers.

For us dinner was had at Two Tannery Road, just a short walk between the raindrops and lightning flashes. Great food and good friends make for a wonderful combination every time.

We had a number of suggested rides, most from previous Summer Squeezes and most involving gravel. Some relish this, others… not so much.

We did have one new route we jokingly called ‘If it ain’t Scottish, it’s crap!’ Okay, maybe not joking.

This had 15 miles of gravel from the very beginning and we said as such, still sport bikes and cruisers easily handled the route.

Our first stop was a very cool Scottish shop called Rablogan Castle of Scotland. In addition to a beautifully complete selection of tartans and kilts, there was plenty of food offerings – some Bird’s Custard and Haggis made its way back home.

Staying with the Scottish flavor we headed to MacLaomainn’s Scottish Pub, also featured in Backroads in a superb article by Mark Byers. If you like the Scots cuisine, then MacLaomainn’s is well worth the trip. Haggis, Neeps (parsnips) and Tatties (mashed potatoes), Mince and Tatties and Steak Pie filled the table, along with some more American plates. It was all good.

Our ride back was all paved and quick – and, once again, the pool was the center of everyone’s attention this mid-August afternoon.

Carina and crew had set up a Barbeque dinner (always superb) for us all that night and with speeches kept to a minimum we all had a great time, ready for another day exploring the Backroads of Vermont come the morning light.

But, before all that, there was the matter of the Corvette. Backroads’

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

alumni, Peter Miller, who has enough gravitas that he can bring anything he wants to a Backroads Rally, showed up with a newish Corvette and a very new bride (Lisa!) Tossing the key fob down in front of me just gave Shira a chance to drive the bright yellow beast – she is far faster that I will ever be and it showed. I need a 917.

Later that evening there was some excellent guitar and harmonica from Jon and Roy, which made for a nice bluesy ambiance and reminded us why we do these and how much fun they all are.

While my purposeful 325-mile early morning ride, filled with a beautiful misty sunrise and lovely Green Mountain scenery, turned out to be for naught, things tend to work themselves out. While others were heading to the Peace Pagoda and Bridge of Flowers or the Vermont General Store – Shira took off on her own solo ride. Her plan?

To bag as many Vermont passes as she could.

As she rode past the Rochester Café she spotted my bike… parked alongside the building and me waiting for my maple milkshake – a must have

Page 33

while in the region.

Of all the maple milkshake joints in the world she had to ride by this one.

We had lunch and then I happily followed her lead up and over a number of Green Mountain passes. She is very good.

This day folks seemed to go everywhere – even up - as our friend Bobby went hang gliding! Brave soul, he!

That night the fire pit was roaring and the porch full of people, as the last night of the Summer Squeeze began to wear down.

Although we had been fairly lucky with weather so far on this Squeeze, that Wednesday morning was a soggy one.

There was a brief respite and we took advantage of it and headed south, Jersey bound, and did decently… until we didn’t. Rain happens. It was all good, as is every day when we can get on the road.

Thank you to all who came along on our tenth annual Summer Squeeze – we look forward to another decade of them.

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS We reached out to Motorcyclepedia, the grand moto-museum located in Newburgh, New York and floated the idea to them. They liked it.

Soon plans were made and requests sent out to various local motorcycle dealers and a number of men and women that we knew would have some interesting and pertinent information to share with other riders.

Much to our delight, most shops answered the call immediately and our list of seminar speakers filled up in a wonderful way.

The museum itself was as gracious as can be and Ted, Chris, and company were stellar in helping us arrange it all.

We had hoped for a decent turn-out but were all smiles when we saw the crowds and learned that over 300 + riders and visitors crossed the door this day.

We all hoped for a good turnout but what the museum was amazed to see was the varied draw that this event brought. The motorcycle world is made up of many tribes… and we had a little bit of everyone this day.

GoldWing riders, Beemer aficionados, the Harley crowd, a strong showing by the female riding community and so many others – and of course our extended Backroads family. Wonderful.

Two words… Winter Sucks.

For us here at Backroads Central – we wait out most of this third of the year investing our times in deep research. You know, the usual – craft beers, different home-made ice creams and more than the occasional seeking out of new (to us) roads, odd destinations and thinking up new and creative ways to get you, readers, on the road.

The rest of the time we sadly stare out the window… waiting for the days to get longer and pitchers and catchers to report. Sigh.

As we have said umpteenth times, the New York International Motorcycle Show, held earlier and earlier each year, does not fill in the winter void as it once did and we thought it would be a neat idea to hold another event – not so much a Backroads Magazine gathering but more an assembly of likeminded riders looking for a jump-start to the 2020 riding season.

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BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

The invitation had been given to local shops and many gave up their offday to participate. Hudson Valley Motorcycles of Ossining brought Ducati and Kawasaki, Mavrix of Middletown brought a number of Honda machines, BMG Powersports located in Goshen New York brought Triumph, Piaggio and Moto Guzzi and the Newburgh dealer Moroney’s brought Yamaha, Suzuki as well as Honda too.

Their efforts gave us a solid anchor for the day’s events.

The seminars themselves were well done and varied as much as the crowd.

Tim James talked about the North East Backcountry Discovery Route, their

Page 35

newest journey that can take you from New York State all the way to Canada.

That was followed by Armen Armirian’s wealth of knowledge with ‘Confessions of a Toolaholic’… What to buy, bring, or borrow when it comes to tools for your bike.

Things were moving along at this point and folks were all over the museum, taking in the over 650 motorcycles now on display.

We had a break in the action for a bit as, right about then, the food truck rolled up. But, not just any food truck – one operated by Chef Law. Lawrence Ofori is a “Chopped” veteran and his food was on a very high and delicious

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

level. Yes, the line became long, but we heard nothing but praise for Chef Law and his food. I ordered a whole tilapia, but I think it was really a full-sized dolphin.

Soon the seminars started again and the Steve McQueen room quickly filled up.

For those of you who feel that GPS technology and mapping program savvy are simply not in your wheelhouse - Paul Donoghue’s GPS 101 did an excellent job in explaining how all this works and how it can make for a better and safer ride. We consider ourselves fairly knowledgeable with Garmin’s BaseCamp, but we always pick up tidbits of new routing skills when Paul speaks.

Next up – a fresh season was upon us and motorcycle safety maven Don Gomo shared his life-saving knowledge and easy teaching-style on topics such as proper cornering, braking, general riding skills, group riding, street strategies, road awareness and more.

At this point, like all good events, we were running against the clock and so a bit later than planned Shira’s ‘Women on the Road’ panel took charge with Diane Ortiz, Lauren Secular and Helene Darvick joining Shira for an hour-long audience participation-driven discussion on Motorcycle touring from a female perspective. Many great points were made and many men joined in the discussion as well.

During all this, a number of Door Prizes were given out – and some great ones too. Sena Communication, Nolan Helmets, Hornet Deer Avoidance Systems, Kershaw Knives, Aerostich and other industry suppliers came through in a huge way. Thank you.

We ended the day with a slightly abbreviated PowerPoint show on Backroads’ thoughts on the Top Five Motorcycle Destinations around the world.

We hoped an easy and light way to end a day that touched on some serious subjects as well as embraced the fun side of the sport of motorcycling.

We think this was a superb way to start off the 2020 riding season.

We have a lot of people to thank but want to start off by making it clear Backroads had nothing to do with admissions or entry. The museum donated the space for everything - so all the Backroads Scholar Day activities were gratis with the regular museum ticket. They have to heat that place, right?

Without Motorcyclepedia’s help, this would never have happened.

Thank you!

Please remember everyone here this day, the shops and speakers donated their time, machines and knowledge for free. Please, when looking for your next machine or motorcycle-related purchase, look to them first, as this was a great mutual effort by so many in our local motorcycle community, simply for the good of the local motorcycle community.

Thank you to all for making this day work so well. Without all of you attending and participating it would have fallen flat. On that note, we really wish to thank the crew that sprung one of our friends from physical therapy rehab – the result of a riding incident last year. David and Alma – you made our day rolling in. Joe and Byrd – you did a spectacular job of getting David there - Truly a Great Escape.

But, we sadly must announce that this will probably be the one and only Backroads Scholar Day. It was excellent. But, like our travels, we move on.

With that said…Is anyone interested in the Hudson Valley Motorcycle Festival? We are.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

PRODUCT REVIEW

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SMARTWOOL SOCKS • BETTER SOCKS, BETTER RIDE

S-O-C-K-S is not just a simple trick on how to turn any phrase into fluent Spanish. Socks are the outsider, the red headed stepchild, the non-person of the motorcycle gear world.

Sure, we have done an article or two on socks in the past – but motorcycle-specific socks come and go and, in truth, we need only look to the rugged outdoor-loving community to find socks that do the job in excellent fashion for today’s rider.

Socks have been around a long time. In ancient times, socks, a word derived from the Latin soccus meaning light shoe, were made from leather or matted animal hair. In the late 16th century, machine-knit socks were first produced. Until 1800 both hand knitting and machine knitting were used to produce socks, but soon after, machine knitting became the predominant method and that continues today.

What has changed are the fabrics being used to create today’s socks.

One of the roles of socks is absorbing perspiration. Your foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat in the body, and both of them – you have two can produce over a half cup of perspiration per day; socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can evaporate the perspiration. In cold environments, socks made from wool insulate the foot and decrease the risk of frostbite, calluses or abrasions.

Last season we realized that after several seasons the socks that we had been using specifically for riding were giving up the ghost quickly.

A hole here (darn), a pull there or just stretched out and unable to hold themselves up anymore. Although we might not consider our socks when kitting out our riding gear, it will be an all-consuming thought if they keep sliding down inside our boots.

While riding by Strip Mall, USA - we spied one of those Hiking/ Camping/ Sports Chain Department Store du jour.

We pulled into the lot and set out into this humongous building. This store was big, really big, and you can understand why they had tents, sleeping bags and energy bars scattered throughout it. It’s about survival, kids.

Finally, days later, eureka… we came upon the sock section. Many choices here.

But a little bit of research had narrowed the field and the material “merino wool” is to be sought out.

Enter Smartwool PhD Outdoor Socks. Smartwool had many styles and offerings here; we settled on a few pair of their PhD Outdoor Socks.

These PhD Socks feature their ‘Indestructawool’ innovation. This is a patent-pending Merino wool-based durability construction that uses a 4 Degree elite fit system for maximum in-shoe comfort. The socks went on easily and stayed put on long hard-riding days. The wicking power was very good and even during the hottest summer days they offered all-day comfort and, thankfully, we were

never knocked out when the boots came off – in fact, we got a few solid days out of each pair - a true blessing when on a long tour and packing is at a premium.

Back home we were so impressed with Smartwool socks we began a slow culling of our old and now greatly inferior socks.

Your feet deserve the best and these Smartwool Socks offer great fit, superb construction and extreme comfortability.

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Page 38

PRODUCT REVIEW

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

DENALI SOUNDBOMB MINI MOTORCYCLE HORN

The blank blinking eyes of my once adoring wife stared back at me with that, “What do you want?” look.

I had come in from the barn, after spending a late winter afternoon taking care of what needed to be taken care of. One thing on the list was replacing her anemic OEM horn on her Suzuki V-Strom 650XT with a DENALI SoundBomb Mini Motorcycle Horn.

Somewhat happy with the installation I came in with my best Austin Powers… “Do I make you horny baby?”

Being a Mets fan I am somewhat used to disappointment so I went, made a cup of coffee, and brought her out to hear the horn.

The DENALI SoundBomb - even the mini version – is very loud.

“Wow, that is very horny… Thanks.”

With that, she sauntered back inside.

Hmmm, How bout’ those Mets?

At 113 decibels, the distinct low-tone sound from the DENALI SoundBomb Mini Motorcycle Horn is twice as loud as a typical 100-decibel disc horn. Designed to be a direct Plug & Play upgrade from your factory horn, requiring no additional relay or wiring harness as long as the original horn has blade-style electrical connections.

Although we feel riding skill and being ever vigilant is key to riding survival, a good blast of the horn is in order now and again.

But, when you do press that button, the sound that follows better be of significance and not some anemic beep.

We’d much rather have a throaty BOMPPPP!!!

And, that is what you get with the DENALI SoundBomb Mini Motorcycle Horn. Installation should be easy with most machines, but on Shira’s Suzuki V-Strom 650 we had to search for the stock unit, eventually locating it hidden snugly – VERY snugly – behind the radiator. The stock unit, just a few seasons old, was rusted, pitted and its beep was laughable.

The new SoundBomb would make a robust replacement, but the Denali unit was too large to fit into the stock space, so we used the brackets that came with the SoundBomb and mounted it away from the heat of the engine, slightly tucked up under the small fairing on the bike.

Good and secure for now, it might get relocated when the V-Strom has a full service and all the bodywork is off the bike.

The stock electrical connections worked just fine and the machine now has a throaty and powerful horn when needed.

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BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

Page 39

MAIN STREET VERMONT Riding the Green Mountain State from Massachusetts to Memphremagog

Route 739 • Dingmans Ferry, PA • 570.828.1920

words + images: Dan Bisbee Vermont is a four-season state offering great skiing in the winter, sweet maple syrup in the spring, and fantastic foliage in the autumn. Summer?

Summer is for motorcycle riding. Vermont’s topography lends itself to incredible motorcycle roads, and Route 100 is one of the best. Extending from Massachusetts to nearly the Canadian border, Route 100 traces the eastern flank of the Green Mountains, and it is as fine a motorcycle road as you will find anywhere.

I entered Vermont from North Adams, MA, where Route 100 twisted through the quiet towns of Readsboro and Whitingham and looped around Harriman Reservoir before finally turning north. The first town of any size that I encountered was Wilmington where I stopped at Dot’s Restaurant.

Dot’s is a Wilmington icon. The building dates from 1832. It was originally a Post Office, and then a General Store, and then turned into a diner in the 1930s. Dot’s sits on the Deerfield River, with eight feet of the dining room cantilevered above the river. The view can be a bit disconcerting; during my visit one family asked to be reseated away from the river. When Hurricane Irene hit Vermont a few years ago the water backed up and pushed Dot’s off its foundation. At the time, it appeared the restaurant was a total loss, but after three years and a complete foundation replacement, Dot’s reopened.

The restaurant is every bit as popular as before, and the food is just as good.

After a delicious meal, I continued up 100 and stopped for the night at the Gray Ghost Inn. Like most of the hotels along Route 100, the Gray Ghost is locally owned. They serve accommodate skiers in the winter and cater to motorcyclists in the summer. My room was comfortable and clean and the made-to-order breakfast was excellent.

A few miles north of the Gray Ghost, Route 100 twists and turns down to the river. The same storm that nearly destroyed Dot’s also wiped out this section of Route 100. By rebuilding this stretch all at once, many of the off camber and reducing-radius corners were fixed, yet the nature of the road was not compromised. The miles of new pavement made this section of the road a joy to ride.

In Weston, I stopped at the Vermont Country Store where the tagline is “Purveyors of the Practical and Hard to Find.” As I surveyed the collection, I found myself saying, “I used to have one of those” about every 10 feet. The store shelves included wind up chattering teeth, a drinking bird, the Simon game and a Magic 8 Ball, to name a few. They offer candy bars you can’t

ESS N I BUS D-19 R FO COVI N E OP RING DU

Page 40 find in most places, as well as bulk candy. It’s one of those stores that keeps on going, to the extent I almost forgot which door I came in.

North of Weston, Route 100 tucked in tight against a series of small lakes.

With a few houses on the left and swimmers and boaters on the right, I felt like I was in the scene. The heat of the sun through the pine trees and, the mouthwatering smell of burgers on a grill made this stretch a feast for all five senses: something totally missing in a car.

In Plymouth, I took a side trip on Route 100A to Plymouth Notch. This is where President Calvin Coolidge was born and where he retired after his

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS presidency. Elected as Vice President in 1920, he happened to be staying here at the time President Harding was shot. Recent Presidential inaugurations have a lot of fanfare associated with them. Not so with Coolidge. He was sworn in as our thirtieth President by his father, a Notary Public, at 2:47 AM, in the front parlor of their home, by the light of a kerosene lantern.

Just behind Coolidge’s home is the Plymouth Cheese Company. John Coolidge, Calvin’s father, started this company in the late 1800s as a way to produce something that had a longer shelf life than milk. Today the company produces cheese with raw milk from a single, local cow herd. After sampling

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BACKROADS • APRIL 2020 several of the offerings in the tasting room, I happily left with a hand-waxed block of Hunter’s Sharp Cheddar. Also at the Coolidge homestead is the old General Store, preserved as it was in Coolidge’s time. I stopped and bought a can of Moxie soda. If you’re unfamiliar with Moxie, I’ll just say it’s an acquired taste.

There are about 20 ski Plymouth Cheese Company resorts in Vermont. Over half of them are near Route 100 and Killington is the largest. I stopped at Killington to take a gondola ride to the summit.

Killington Vista with the author

Page 41 Once on top, I hiked another couple hundred yards to the highest point. At 4241 feet above sea level, the view from Vermont’s second highest peak is outstanding. It was a clear day and I could see the Green Mountains rippling out in all directions. Looking north, I tried unsuccessfully to trace the path of Route 100 through the forested valleys.

North of Killington, Route 100 traces through the ripples I tried to make out earlier. It is a fantastic motorcycle road, as it dips and swoops through the woods and around the hills through Pittsfield, Stockbridge, and then Rochester. Rochester is roughly the halfway point on Route 100. Conveniently located here, the Rochester Café is a great spot for lunch. I wasn’t really hungry, but it was hard to pass up a maple milkshake, which I enjoyed on the porch.

This section of Vermont is known for its Gaps. Some places call them passes, other refer to them as notches but here in Vermont, they’re called gaps. In Rochester, Route 73 heads over Brandon Gap. While to the east, Bethel Mountain Road crosses Rochester Gap. In Hancock Route 125 heads west over Middlebury Gap, while the dirt road to the east crosses Roxbury Gap. The partially unpaved Lincoln Gap heads out of Warren and Route 17, The Appalachian Gap, leaves out of Waitsfield. More than once I have spent the day zipping back and forth on these.

Through this area, Route 100 follows the Mad River.

Outside of Warren, I pulled into a small parking lot, Warren Falls on packed with cars at Warren Falls. After a short hike down the Mad River a dirt path I found a beautiful gorge with water cascading over rocks in a series of small waterfalls and clear deep pools. There were no boardwalks or safety rails or signs telling people to keep out and the river was filled with swimmers on this warm afternoon. In these days of cellphone-addicted kids, and nanny state regulations, it was refreshing to watch young and old jumping off rock cliffs into the cool, deep water. I felt overdressed.

Riding into Waterbury I came across the first traffic light I had seen since Wilmington, 130 miles ago. Here,

Page 42

Route 100 crosses Route 2, as well as Interstate 89 and there are several traffic lights as well as a roundabout.

Just past the final light was Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory. I took a tour which naturally ended with a scoop of Ben and Jerry’s famous ice cream: Americone Dream today. The gift shop and takeout windows were doing a brisk business. Out in back is the ‘flavor graveyard,’ a mock cemetery with granite headstones for discontinued flavors or the, “dearly depinted,” as they call them: RIP, Cool Britannia and Urban Jumble.

Stowe, the next town on 100, is in a beautiful location, tucked in below the 4200-foot summit of Mount Mansfield. Despite being a big tourist town, it does not have a chain hotel. The accommodations run the full range of amenities and prices. The Gables is on the smaller side. It’s a nineteenth century farmhouse with multiple fireplaces and creaky floors. They have 18 rooms, most of which are in the main house. The rooms are small, clean, and reasonably priced. Randy and Annette, the owners, will make you feel right at home. Breakfast is outstanding.

In Stowe, the tourists were getting thick and I quickly departed. The stores catered to the tourist crowd, and the image they were attempting to project seemed a little forced. Two miles north of Stowe, when the traffic dissipated and dairy farms reappeared, I relaxed.

Continuing on, the landscape opened up to rolling hills and farms. The road was full of sweeping turns, and it flowed along with a certain rhythm to

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

it. The fields seemed larger and the forest farther away. I opened up the throttle a little more and enjoyed a thoroughly wonderful romp through the open sweepers. Farther on, I stopped at the Troy General Store. This is what a general store should be: creaky wooden floors and stuff hanging from the ceiling. A sandwich was being made in the deli, and I could smell a pizza in the oven. I decided to pass on the Moxie and instead enjoyed chocolate milk on the front porch while watching traffic pass.

In Coventry, at the intersection with Route 105, Route 100 just ended. After 200 miles, I expected something more than a 100 END sign, but, disappointingly, there it was. Naturally, I had to push on. It was fewer than 10 miles to the Canadian border. Newport passes for a big city in this area with a population of about 4500. The town is nestled against the southern end of Lake Memphremagog with 2/3 of the lake being in Canada.

Along the east side of the lake, I rode into the village of Derby Line, which sits right on the Canadian border. The border passes right through the Haskell Opera House and Library. Half of the building is in Stanistead, Quebec. In the reading room, the border is painted on the floor. Upon request, the librarian took my picture, where I stood with one foot in the U.S.A. and one foot in Canada. I couldn’t go any farther north without a passport.

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PRODUCT REVIEW

Page 43

LEXIN LX-FT4 PRO BLUETOOTH INTERCOM SYSTEM

Recently at an industry trade show, we came across a new Bluetooth Intercom System from Lexin.

There are a few excellent systems on the market these days and we have tested, featured and used the two big ones, Cardo and Sena, on a daily basis for the last number of years.

With each generation, many of the issues and problems with earlier versions are being readily addressed, but some upgrades seem a step backward and are more intrusive than wanted.

When we spotted the Lexin booth we spent a bit of time with Anthony Levano, the Director of Marketing for the company and he gave us the rundown on the new LX-FT4 Pro. The first feature that grabbed our attention was the waterproofness. They had a unit in operating-mode with water cascading over it. It had been soaking like this for days – and like a Timex watch – it took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’. The LX-FT4 is IP67 rated and this means the unit can be dropped into a body of water up to a meter deep for half an hour. Riding all day in a torrential rain will have no effect on this Bluetooth Communicator.

This is a big and constant issue with other brands.

The kit includes all accessories needed to fit open face, modular, and full-face helmets. Using the FT4, riders can take/make calls through mobile phones, listen to stereo music or voice instructions from GPS, listen to FM radio, and much more. The LX-FT4 features a four-rider long-range intercom with premium sound quality and crystal clear voice functions. Linked with a total of four riders the range is more than a mile.

We were able to get their Dual Pack ($299), which has two complete units and all that goes with it; perfect for couples, whether riding two-up or on their own machines.

Installation is identical to all the other brands and the LX-FT4 will fit into just about any real helmet.

Operation is easy after you get to the happy side of the learning curve.

When powered up the unit informs you of battery strength and the controls are large and easily found by a gloved hand on the road.

The Lexin allows for 6 pre-set FM station or you can listen to your music

via your smartphone, which can be operated by Siri or S-Voice activation.

Another bonus with the Lexin, not found in the competition, is that it has a built-in flashlight, which you might not appreciate till you need it. You can also change the cool trim light that rings the unit while in operation.

Unlike other brands the Lexin LX-FT4 has one plug for the headset and microphone. Most other brands have separate female input ports for the microphone and headsets. This allows for riders like us who prefer personal and custom earplugs with their own speaker to use them. If you have invested a few hundred dollars in custom earplug speakers, like from Marilyn at plugup.com, you will not be able to use these with the Lexin.

This made for a bit of a touchy debate with Anthony and Lexin, as they claimed their speakers are the loudest and clearest and far superior to anything else on the market; and personal earplugs with speakers are not needed.

We, on the other hand, prefer them as they allow the important sounds in, keep the bad sounds out and allow for superb music and communication clarity. It would be easy, with the next generation, to add this welcome feature.

So, back home at the not-so-secret underground laboratories at Backroads Central we put the specially constructed Acousta-room to good use (this was built so Shira could get away from my guitar playing and singing).

We tested a number of the small headsets from other brands, designed to be installed into your helmet, and indeed the Lexin’s headsets were more robust than any of the other units – if just a tad off the sharpness of the others. But this was at 11 on the volume scale.

The bottom line The Lexin LX-FT4 Pro Bluetooth Intercom System offers all the bells and whistles of the competition, but at half the price. Add in the phenomenal fact that they are waterproof and you have a serious communication system for a happier price.

Our only complaint is the lack of being able to use our personal earplugs and speakers. If this is not an issue for you, your choice for a new communication system might be as easy as simply doing the math.

Log onto www.lexinmotorcycle.com for more information.

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PRODUCT REVIEW

APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

SRC MOTO STEEL REPLACEMENT FOOTPEGS

We have seen many great products from SRC Moto, out of Hillsboro, Oregon and we recently received a ‘press release’ from SRC touting their new replacement footpegs for several different machines.

One was the Suzuki V-Strom 650. We have one of these machines in the barn.

Not that this was a common occurrence but, over the last few seasons - in sloppy and damp conditions - Shira has had her foot slip a bit on the stock rubber.

When this happens… you begin to think twice piloting your bike on rough surfaces standing up.

When we saw the SRC’s Steel Replacement Footpegs, and the very affordable price of just $68, we contacted SRC Moto the same day.

In the past, when I have added steel and cleated pegs, it meant removing the entire peg, pin, and spring. Not terribly difficult, but it took a bit of time.

This was not necessary with the SRC Moto Steel Replacement Footpegs. In fact, the installation was as easy as unscrewing the stock rubber footpegs (two screws) and screwing on the steel footpegs.

The SRC Footpegs mount with their own steel screws and then they are doubly secure with nuts.

When we installed them, we added a dab of blue Loctite and the entire installation was complete before our coffee had a chance to get cold.

If you’ve never run a wider high-quality footpeg, you will be amazed by the improvement this inexpensive and easy to install upgrade will make.

The additional width and aggressive tooth profile offer far more contact surface to reduce foot arch strain and improve grip.

This wider platform and increased contact points will improve rider confidence in wet and sketchy situations.

They add confidence… and everyone likes confidence.

The SRC Moto Steel Replacement Footpegs cost $68 from SRC Moto and you can find them and pages of other great moto-accessories at www.srcmoto.com.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

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2020 INDIAN FTR RALLY Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, has released the 2020 FTR Rally, a scrambler-inspired FTR 1200 that combines retro styling with modern performance capabilities. With an urban scrambler aesthetic that’s certain to turn heads, the FTR Rally takes a step in a new direction while still maintaining some of the original styling DNA of the FTR 1200. The FTR Rally features Titanium Smoke paint with the Indian Motorcycle headdress graphic, aluminum wire wheels with stainless steel spokes and a red pinstripe, brown aviator seat, a new rally windscreen and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires.

The FTR Rally combines responsive handling with upright ergonomics to create a commanding riding experience suitable for urban environments or backroad adventures. It’s equipped with cruise control, a USB fast charge port, and new ProTaper handlebars that are two inches higher for better comfort and handling. The FTR Rally also features an LED headlight and LED turn signals offering better visibility with minimal maintenance.

The 1203cc V-twin engine features a smooth power delivery with loads of low-end punch. The engine produces 123 horsepower, 87 ft-lbs of torque, and features a flat torque curve to deliver a fun riding experience in all conditions. The engine is housed in a black trellis frame and the FTR Rally will continue to feature an inverted front suspension with radially mounted dual Brembo brakes for exceptional control and stopping power.

Pricing for the FTR Rally will start at $13,499 MSRP. For more information on the 2020 FTR Rally visit indianMotorcycle.com.

VANSON LEATHER COMPASS JACKET This very versatile and touring-friendly jacket starts with a belted military tunic and cut to hip-length for comfort. Add a two-way center-front zipper for a perfect fit on the bike without bunching up. This zipper is covered by a snapped storm-flap, to avoid scratching your tank. CE-approved protection is included at the shoulders and elbows, with a back pad in a pouch sewn into the lining. Its uniformstyle full belt has a leather-covered buckle to protect your tank. A leather keeper, embossed with the unit number of the jacket, is on your left side near the buckle, making sure the belt stays with you. The sleeves are finished with race-style turned leather ends, and leather guards are under the wrist zippers. On the outside there is a chest-pocket on the left, which could take a cellphone, and two combination hand/cargo pockets. Inside are two large and secure zippered pockets. What makes this jacket really versatile and modular is the provision for zipping in their Streamliner Vest - ideal for those hot days that turn into chilly evenings, or for transitional-season riding.

Constructed of classic 10.10 oz. Field-tan + Dark-oak Army Duck waxed cotton, woven and finished in the USA. This material features equal warp and fill threads in the weave which results in a very tight, strong and durable fabric with both breathability and water repellency. Strength and water resistance are enhanced by the wax finish. It has a natural look and feel and only needs to be hosed off, then air-dried, for true on-the-go round-the-clock use. In the shoulders a double layer of military-derived ballistic nylon spacer fabric is used, which resists compression, so giving additional padding and energy-absorption. It offers little resistance to airflow, so cooling air can flow through it when you are hot. Available in men’s and women’s sizes from XXS to XXXL. MSRP: $549 Built by hand, one at a time, in Vanson’s Fall River, MA workshop. vansonleathers.com

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

The Law Office of Paul G. Gargiulo Presents

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival DON’T FALL INTO THE GAP For those of you seasoned enough you might well remember an old, catchy ‘can’t get it out of my head’ commercial jingle for a Levi’s jeans store.

The Gap. “Fall into the Gap now – get into the Gap! FALL INTO THE GAP!” And, many of us did. That’s how advertising works.

But this month we want to talk about the dangers of “Falling into the Gap” when riding.

“Wait a second!,” some of you more attentive readers might be saying, has not Backroads consistently espoused the benefits of Space Cushioning. That keeping a good bit of distance, between riders in a group, is a good thing?

Yes, we do – but there are times when riding with friends that things need to be tidied up a bit.

Let us explain.

When in rural regions and on more sporty rides, space cushioning is the only way to ride, you do not want to gang up on each other.

It is a recipe for disaster.

It is bad enough that any miscue, mistake or the unexpected can take out one rider but, without proper space cushioning, one bad can instantly turn into many.

Sometimes there is strength in numbers and that leaves the left behind solo rider on his or her own and occasionally vulnerable to bad things.

There are times when riding with a group, for whatever reason, that a rider can let a gap open up and this might lead to the unexpected.

Here are a couple of situations that I have heard of when “The Gap” became too wide and allowed for unfortunate things to occur.

Jenny was riding her bike with a gaggle of her friends. She is not the fastest rider, and she usually feels more comfortable towards the back of the pack; as she does not want to feel she is holding a quicker rider back nor does she

like the pressure of riding over her comfort-zone to keep up. She knows that someone will stop and wait if the group vectors in another direction. But, she soon realized the group had gotten so far away they were now around the next bend and out of sight.

Along a congested suburban neighborhood, with identical homes and fenceless yards, she accelerates to catch up. The dog that had been gathering up its courage to run after the motorcycles finally gets all Alpha as the last bike passes and he darts out on the road and right into Jenny’s machine, bouncing off the front wheel. Taken by surprise, Jenny lets a survival instinct take control back from her riding skill and she GRABS the brakes and stares down at the dog.

Just as fast she is on the ground with a broken clavicle and twisted ankle.

The dog is sitting on the porch, curiously watching as the ambulance comes to gather her up and scoots her off to the local Emergency Room.

Although you can never really predict what animals will do; chances are if Jenny was riding a bit tighter in this town with the rest of the riders the dog would not have darted out right into her while chasing the bikes ahead.

In another scenario, it was the humans who can be unpredictable.

Jim is also riding with a large group, coming down out of the mountains and into a large town. The group had spread out nicely in the sweepers and backroads and riding into the town their group was separated multiple times by traffic lights.

It is a good idea when in a sizeable town, city or urban environment – any place with multiple stop lights – to slow down and keep the group together as much as possible.

At one point, along a wide four-lane thoroughfare, Jim is at a light on his own as the main contingent of his group is far ahead of him. The lights all change at the same time and, like Jenny earlier, Jim twists the throttle to play ‘catch up’ with his friends.

The kid looking to pull into the strip mall parking lot is busy sharing his attention with his phone and the group of motorcycle riders coming past him in the opposite direction.

When they all pass – he thinks – he makes his left turn and, at the same time, he spots Jim who was lost in this young man’s perception of oncoming traffic.

The impact is immediate and violent. Once again, the ‘classic left turn’ has taken a rider down.

Although Space Cushioning is a great way to go – letting your friends get ‘too far’ ahead can be an issue with dangerous consequences.

This is a group mentality thing as the last rider in the pack needs to be aware of the rider behind him – always.

If a rider is having difficulty keeping up - it NEEDS to be addressed by the group BEFORE the ride.

Riders at a more moderate pace must check their egos when riding and realize that they should own and enjoy their ride and not feel pressured to stay with the pack.

Falling into the Gap can be very costly indeed.

BACKROADS • APRIL 2020

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UP C OM I N G E VE NT S CAL END AR PLEASE CHECK ALL EVENTS FOR UPDATES DURING THE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

What’s Happening 3rd Sunday - Hudson Valley Motorcycle Caffeine and Gasoline Morning Meetup. May to August. 8am-12noon, 179 North Highland Ave, Ossining, Ny. Meet friends and likeminded riders over coffee, tea and a bite before heading out for a great Sunday ride.

EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTING

APRIL 2020

every Tuesday • Two Wheeled Tuesday at Spiegel Restaurant • 26 1st Avenue, NyC. An eclectic gathering of motorcycles served with multi-cuisine meals. Kick some tires, have some couscous, enjoy the crowd • 212-228-2894

4-5 • 31st Toronto International Spring Motorcycle Show, International Centre, Toronto, Canada • 905-771-0132 • www.motorcyclespringshow.com

every Wednesday • Bike Night at Rutt's Hut, 417 River Rd, Clifton, NJ every Thursday - Bike Night at Jumboland. 3-9pm weather permitting. Great Food and Large Parking lot to show off your ride. ALL WeLCOMe! Nightly trophy awarded. 438 Route 206, Branchville, NJ • 973-948-6802 every Thursday - Bike Night at Skylands Craft Beer and Wine Garden. 6-10pm weather permitting. Good Food-Good Times. 20 draft beers, great wine selection. 447 Route 284, Wantage, NJ every Saturday April thru October • Bergen County Harley Davidson Saddle Up Saturday. 9am for coffee and bagels. Ride departs at 10am. Return to the dealership for FRee food and music. Proper attire MUST be worn! No shorts or sneakers. BCHD, 124 essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930

5 • POLAR BeAR RUN - CAPe MAy V.F.W. #386, N.J. 419 Congress St., Cape May, NJ • 609-884-7961 11 • Bergen County Harley Davidson Opening Saddle Up Saturday. Stop by the dealership at 9am for coffee and bagels. Ride departs 10am and returns to dealership for food and music. BCHD, 124 essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com 18 • Morton's BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House. Celebrating 50 years as a BMW dealer. Demo rides on the newest models, great deals, vendors, manufacturer reps, door prizes and much more. Follow them on Facebook for details. Morton's BMW Motorcycles, 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA • mortonsbmw.com 23-26 • Horizons Unlimited Virginia, Appomattox, VA. For everyone who dreams of adventure along the road less travelled. Join hundreds of like-minded adventurers and discover the thrills and joy of overland travel. Informative technical workshops on everything from tires to GPS to border crossings, exhibitors and comaraderie. www.horizonsunlimited.com/events/virginia-2020 18 • POLAR BeAR RUN eND OF THe SeASON GeT-TOGeTHeR - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting @ 11:30 AM. Cost to Members: $6.00 per person. There will be salad, Wings, Beef, rolls, and lemonade, plus a cash bar. you must get an arm band from your flight leader.

24-25 • Antique Motorcycle Club of America Perkiomen Chapter National Meet, Oley Fairgrounds, 26 Jefferson St, Oley, PA • 610-948-4553. No entrance fee/$5 parking.

26 • Celtic MCC Spring Poker Run • celticmcc.com 26 • Bergen & Hudson Valley Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Scavenger Hunt 4 to benefit the 200 Club of Bergen Co. Registration: $20/rider • $10/passenger • 9-10:15am at either Hudson or Bergen Harley. Register your teams of 2-6 people, get a list of places + things to find and you'll have 3 hours to take pictures of the group in front of as many places + things on the list. Get friends and family to sponsor you - raise $100 and rider's event reg and meal ticket FRee.Registration form here. BCHD 124 essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • HVHD 33 New york 304, Nanuet, Ny • 845-627-5500

MAY 2020 13-17 • PA WIlds 1500 presented by Pine Barrens Adventures. For more information lease visit www.pinebarrensadventures.com/ or call 732-995-4343

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APRIL 2020 • BACKROADS

UP C OM I N G E VE NT S CAL END AR 15-17 • Morton’s BMW 10th and FINAL Spring Fling. A weekend of great roads, good food, awesome riding and terrific company, all at the historic and scenic Natural Bridge Hotel. Rally fee includes vendors, door prizes, route sheets, scavenger hunt poker run, Friday brats & brews dinner, Saturday catered dinner and guest presentation by the incomparable elspeth Beard. Don’t wait! Register now www.mortonsbmw.com. For questions call 540-891-9844.

16-17 • New Sweden BMW Riders of South Jersey NS450. 2-day, 450 mile ride through NJ, PA, De and Ny. Sign in: 8:30-10am @ Cycle Gear, 2070 Route 70 east, Cherry Hill NJ. THIS IS NOT A GROUP RIDe. Donuts and coffee at sign in, free camping, great dinner on Saturday night and hearty breakfast Sunday morning, 50/50 drawing, door prizes and finishing patch. Route sheets provided at start, GPS download available donations accepted. endsite: Sunday, May 17 @ PJ Whelihans, 1854 Rte. 70 east, Cherry Hill, NJ • www.facebook.com/events/1340882499435349 25 • Tony's Track Days sponsored by Riding in the Zone Motorcyclist Training NonSportbike Day, Palmer, MA. Includes classroom sessions with Ken Condon and track time. This is not about 'how to ride' but 'how to ride better.' For full details and registration visit www.tonystrackdays.com.

30 • The Darkness Poker Run to benefit suicide prevention & drug addiction. Sign in: 8am • KSU 10am • $25/rider-$10/pass.. Scenic self-guided ride with card stops. Live music, speakers, BBQ/Pig roast @ 12:30, Painters Tavern, 266 Hudson St, Cornwall, Ny. For full details email chefmdederick@gmail.com • 845-321-1402 30-31 • Durty Dabbers Dual Sport event presented by the Durty Dabbers MC. For details visit www.durtydabbers.com or call 570-502-5830

JUNE 2020 1-6 • Americade, Lake George, Ny. Largest touring rally in the USA - scenic rides, vendor expo, seminars and so much more. www.americade.com 5-7 • Babes Ride Out east, Narrowsburg Ny. Tickets available at babesrideout.com 13-16 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com 15 • Ride to Work Day • ridetowork.org 11-24 • Backroads Grand Tour. Details online: www.backroadsusa.com/rallies.html

What’s Happening 13 • 37 Annual Italian Motorcycle Owners Club Rally, Hamilton Rod & Gun Club, Sturbridge, MA. America's biggest and longest running Italian motorcycle event. Featured machine: Tonti-framed Moto Guzzi LeMans (1976-1991). $10 admission to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation • www.imoc.website.

16-20 • Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Festival, The Blackthorne Resort, east Durham, Ny.A great weekend of motorcycle fun with rodeo games, wall of death, stunt jumpers, large vendor expo, bike show and builders, live music and more. • catskillmountainthunder.com.

21-22 • CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway. Complete details and registration classrides.com.

20-23 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com

OCTOBER 2020 9-12 • Backroads Run to the Chincoteague Oyster Festival. 5 hours of everything oyster, hot dogs, adult beverages and more. The music of Island Boy will have you dancing.

We’ll be at the Waterside Inn for 3 nights. ROOMS AND TICKeTS ARe AVAILABLe NOW but will certainly sell out so call now (there is no block of rooms for Backroads - first come, first served). Get your tickets online. Full information available on our Rally page.

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13-21 • 97th Annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, NH. World's Oldest Motorcycle Rally. Visit their extensive website for full details: www.laconiamcweek.com

NO BACKORDERS ~ WE STOCK WHAT WE SELL

24-27 • Johnstown PA 23rd Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally. All Bikes Welcome!

Parades, vendors, entertainment, manufacturers and demo rides are all part of this great 4-day motorcycle festival. Info: www.visitjohnstownpa.com/thunder-valley

Enter code BACKROADS in source code box @ checkout and click ‘apply’

26-27 • Antique Motorcycle Club of America Colonial Chapter National Meet. Warren County Farmers Fairgrounds, Route 519, Harmony, NJ. Two days full of vintage motorcycles, Vendor reserve space online $20 fee. Judging - $10 fee. For general info visit colonialchapter.com or email UncleBruce347@gmail.com • 862-268-5589 28 • Katie's House presents Dan & Mike's Place Charity. Sign-in: 9-11am Ridge Powersports, 725 Route 15N, Jefferson, NJ. KSU @ 11am. $20/rider • $15/passenger. endsite: Angry erik's Brewery, 2 Camre Dr, Newton, NJ $10 entry includes food, live band, silent auction, 50/50 and more. Don't ride? Show off your Classic Car at Angry erik's.

More info: 973-714-3584 or Find them on Facebook

JULY 2020 15 • 23rd Anniversary Kids for Cancer Motorcycle Benefit Run. Sign in: 9-11:45am (Rain or Shine) Zippo/Case Visitors Center, Bradford, PA. $25/pp. Blessing of the Bikes @ Noon. 120 mile cruise through the beautiful mountains of scenic northwestern PA, the Alligheny National Forest. Awards and prizes at end. kidsandcancerbenefitrun.com 17-19 • Black Diamond Rally by the Black Diamond Beemers. Chet's Place,885 Tizrah Rd, Uniondale, PA. $60 includes 2 nights camping, Fri/Sat dinner, coffee + campfires.

PRe-ReG ONLy. send fee to BD Rally, 135 Pierce Rd, Carbondale, PA 18407 by July 3rd. More info: 240-523-3637 20 • Tony's Track Days sponsored by Riding in the Zone Motorcyclist Training NonSportbike Day, Palmer, MA. Includes classroom sessions with Ken Condon and track time. This is not about 'how to ride' but 'how to ride better.' For full details and registration visit www.tonystrackdays.com 24-26 • Soggy Bottom MotoFest 2020. 3-day Adventure and Dual Sport Rally at the Godspeed event + Lodging, Port Matilda, PA. Included in registration: 5 catered meals, 4 rides with GPS files, beer, live music, bon fire and t-shirt. Tent and other bunking available at add’l cost. Details: www.kissellmotorsports.com/Adventure-Motofest--SoggyBottomMotoFest

AUGUST 2020 2 • Ride for Kids Hudson Valley. Sign in: 8-9:30am / KSU 10am • $40 online registration / $45/day of event • Motorcyclepedia Musem, 250 Lake St, Newburgh, Ny • rideforkids.org 9-12 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com 20-23 • Touratech DirtDaze Adventure Rally. Stay tuned for schedule, registration and more • dirtdazerally.com #TTDD2020

SEPTEMBER 2020 13 • 32nd Annual Harvey C. Irons Make-A-Wish New Jersey Ride hosted by the Blue Knights NJIX. Sign in: Vasa Park, Budd Lake, NJ • 9am / KSU 11am. Coffee/Donuts at sign-in. Scenic ride through Morris/Sussex Counties, vendors, lunch upon return, live band. $20/person • www.bknjix.org/

10% off BACKROADS Discount - Online Orders Only 973-775-3495 • M-F 12pm~5pm • inquires@beemerboneyard.com