December 2022

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W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

MONTHLY COLUMNS FREE WHEELIN’ ........................................ 4 WHATCHATHINKIN’ ................................... 5

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ON THE MARK .......................................... 6

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

Publishers

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

Contributors

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

BACKLASH ............................................... 7

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 620 Augusta, NJ 07822

THOUGHT FROM THE ROAD ..................... 8 INDUSTRY INFOBITES............................. 10 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA .......................... 12 BIG CITY GETAWAY................................. 15 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN......... 17

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CALIFORNIA BASEBALL TOUR ................ 23

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HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS .............................. 33

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WE’RE OUTTA HERE ............................... 19 INSIDE SCOOP ....................................... 21 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .................... 39

FEATURES

MOTORCYCLES KAWASAKI VERSYS 650 + 1000 LT .......... 31

PRODUCTS SW-MOTECH LEGEND GEAR .................. 36 HELD AIR N DRY GLOVES ....................... 37 On the cover: Inspiration can be found in many places.

The angelic cloud over Van Sant Airport might be one.

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2022. 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.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

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FR E E W H E EL I N’ BRIAN RATHJEN

BARN TIME As I write this we are about to go into some very dark times.

I don’t mean Putin, Ukraine, the economy, or the way ‘they’ use pronouns these days. Although all of them have the little gizmo that registers my gamma-ray levels running full tilt.

Na, what has me shaking my head is the yearly autumnal ritual called “Standard Time.”

Historically, standard time was established during the 19th century to aid weather forecasting and train travel. Applied globally in the 20th century, the geographical regions became time zones.

So, if we have a Standard Time, and it is the “standard,” then why Daylight Saving Time?

Well, it had to do with conserving energy and there are several theories and misconceptions surrounding the origins of daylight saving time (commonly mistakenly referred to as daylight savings time). Benjamin Franklin is often credited with inventing the concept in his 1784 satirical essay titled “An Economical Project,” when he suggested that Parisians alter their sleeping habits to save money on lamp oil and candles.

While Germany and Austria were the first countries to use DST in 1916, it is a little-known fact that a few hundred Canadians beat the German Empire by eight years. On July 1, 1908, the residents of Port Arthur, Ontario—today’s Thunder Bay—turned their clocks forward by one hour to start the world’s first DST period.

DST is generally accepted as a way to save energy and daylight during the spring and summer months, as the ‘extra’ hour means people have more daylight hours to do outdoor activities and use less energy in their

homes. More time to ride!

Some want to end DST and make Standard Time, well…the standard.

They claim that permanent Standard Time is best for health, safety, sports, education, productivity, wages, environment, and civil liberties.

Civil Liberties? To paraphrase a great American president…

“There ‘they’ go again.”

Give me sunlight. Give me dawn at 5 am and the sun finally disappearing in the west by around the 7th inning of a Mets night game at Citifield.

But that is not going to happen this time of the year.

Nope, this weekend I’ll go around Backroads Central and begrudgingly turn back the clocks one hour, and with my riding time getting shorter by the day I find myself spending more and more time in the barn… doing things. Motorcycle things. Maybe they could call it Barn time.

Around this time of year, I usually begin to take stock of what I have, what I need, and what I want and need, but will never buy. Yes, that bay with the oil stains from the old Audi will probably never have a Mustang Mach 1 in it but there are some other tools and items in the barn that deserve a good look and while doing this some new descriptions came my way and I thought I’d share them with you.

DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your soda across the room, splattering it against that freshly-stained heirloom piece you were drying.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built for frustration enhancement. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

WHITWORTH SOCKETS: Once used for working on older British cars and motorcycles, they are now used mainly for impersonating that 9/16 or 1/2 socket you’ve been searching for the last 45 minutes.

Continued on Page 38

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

W H AT C H AT HI NK I N ’ SHIRA KAMIL

THE EYES HAVE IT I have always worn glasses. For as long as I can remember, I have worn glasses. I remember sneaking a pair of my sister’s contact lenses to see if they would work for me, and nearly poked my eye out trying to get them in and couldn’t get them out fast enough. Eventually, I did get my own contact lenses, with my prescription, and wore them for many, many years.

When I first started dating Brian, I had both green and blue lenses (my natural eye color is a shade of brown), which I would alternate. I could tell he was a little perplexed, as my eyes would change colors randomly. Having red hair and wearing green lenses, he must have thought that I was Irish. He did ask me what Shira meant, and I told him it was Hebrew for song; he asked why an Irish girl had a Hebrew name. I simply held up the Jewish Star I was wearing and probably rolled my eyes. A little while later in our dating, I must have lost one of my blue lenses and when Brian looked at me, with one brown and one blue eye, he then thought I was a Siberian Husky (this was long before Scherzer came into the picture).

Lots of years have passed, and I am now at the stage where my vision is deteriorating. It started a couple of years ago, when I finally went to the eye doctor to have my prescription checked. New glasses were ordered – it is so much fun selecting new frames – and I was looking forward to seeing sharply once again. Unfortunately, when the new glasses were delivered, my right eye was still blurry. They double checked the prescription, made a slight adjustment, and fixed the glasses.

Page 5 Eh, a bit better, but not what I was expecting.

This went back and forth a bit, even to the point of my trying a different eye doctor. Again my prescription was updated and, again, I had to get new glasses. These, too, were not perfect but I wasn’t going to fiddle with them again. I lived with a bit of blurriness and, after a couple of months, decided to make another visit to the doctor. He told me what I suspected all along, as it was in my DNA – I had the beginnings of a cataract.

I don’t really know why this game is played, but there apparently is a line that has to be crossed before insurance will deem it necessary to have cataract surgery. I am probably telling many of you something you already know but for those who don’t: there are several types of cataract surgery, ranging from the surgeon using a blade (as Bones from Star Trek would say – BARBARIC!) to the most modern of laser equipment and lens insertion.

After the hemming and hawing of the one doctor and my increasing lack of clear vision, I decided to find yet another who took one look and said, ‘You have cataracts. What’s the question?’ I was given the spiel and printed information on all that I needed to know to make my decisions.

Back to the game of insurance; yes, cataracts are covered but only to an extent (at least with our insurance). I read, I listened, I watched videos, I asked those who had it done. On one hand, why not let the insurance pay for the surgery. From all I read, it was perfectly safe, it worked and the down time was just a bit longer than having the laser do it. But there were the cons – relying on a surgeon’s hand, more suction to remove the cataract, more chance of infection. Laser surgery, with multifocal lens insertion, would be cleaner, smoother and more precise. Cons: out of pocket dollars that would easily buy me a new motorcycle – at least a new Grom.

The bottom line is that these are my eyes, the only ones I have, and as Brian, my sister and so many others said, get the best you can because you are only doing it once.

Continued on Page 38

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

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ON T H E MAR K MARK BYERS

RIDIN’ AMONG THE PLAIN FOLK This afternoon was a warm, autumn chance to take a Triumph ride. I had the excuse of dropping off a package - as if I needed one - but the route was purposefully convoluted. The trees have turned brilliant hues of red, yellow, and orange and the fallen leaves spun in little tornadoes as the Speed Triple left eddy currents in its wake. The temperature was perfect for a jacket with its hatches thrown open while the low autumnal sun dappled the road.

My route took me off the well-traveled paths and into the farmlands that make up much of this county.

Not far from where I live starts a swath of farms inhabited by Amish and Old-Order Mennonite people that extends a distance of about fifty miles. The villages are aptly named, like “Loveville,” as are roads like “Friendship School.” I usually pass the Friendship Buggy Shop, the local equivalent of a vehicle repair service. Their one-horsepower vehicles run the gamut from two-seat carts to fully-enclosed family “vans” with battery-powered, LED electric lights and hydraulic brakes.

The farms are easily recognized by the absence of electric wires and paved driveways, but they’re frequently adorned with signs hawking everything from fresh eggs to other goods and services. I love doing business with them, as they are inherently honest and are excellent craftsmen. I took my neighbor’s fancy treadmill to Wenger’s Motor and for $75 they replaced the bearings (parts and labor), whereas the fancy-brand service was going to be $300 just to look at it. A friend needed a bushing for a sander and they sold him a better one for the princely sum of seventy-five cents.

Don’t get me wrong: they’re no strangers to making money and for something like their handmade furniture or a hand-stitched quilt, you’re going to pay a good price (and wait a while), but you can be sure it’ll hold together long after the mass-produced stuff has broken. Some people are intimidated by the plain folk and think they’re humorless, but we find quite the opposite. Everyone from Manasseh Yoder to Leon Weaver has been friendly and even delightfully funny…as long as you show them some respect. I was honored to be invited into the Stauffer’s home to see a new baby, their ninth, but it was following a long-term, mutually-beneficial business relationship.

If you are respectful, friendly, and fair, you’ll get that in return. Refrain from coarse language and while a little haggling isn’t out of the question, there’s a limit (remember - big families) and their prices for things like produce are usually very good. Bring cash and never expect business on Sunday. One thing for them, in this age where every phone has a camera, is NOT to take their photos as it is against their beliefs to have “craven images” made. You can photograph the horse and buggy, the house, and the farm, but refrain from anything where a recognizable image of their faces can be seen. If in doubt, ask. Don’t take them for fools: they use three languages and while children don’t go past middle school, they can do math in circles around you.

This evening, I was reminded about riding among the plain folk. Sundays after church, they visit friends and family so expect traffic. As I came over a rise on Friendship School, two young men in a two-seater were waiting to make a left onto Bishop. I was moving at a sedate pace and although they were stopped, expecting me to pass, I signaled for them to turn ahead of me. Their horses are usually really well-behaved, but I give them wide berth lest the motorcycle frighten them. They waved in acknowledgement of my wave, which is common. They also use bicycles, so be prepared for them too.

Another thing to remember when in buggy country is that the horses Continued on Page 38

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

BACKLASH Several thank you are in order, #1 thank you for the monthly magazine, #2 thank you for the weekly email addition, #3 thank you for the 3 spectacular riding events each year, and finally, #4 supporting the Ramapo Motorcycle Club and getting the word out about the Fall Foliage Run. I am eternally grateful.

Your friend and ally, BYRD Brian, Sorry to hear about your lost camera Brother. It got me thinking though, maybe take a picture of your contact info so if found it can easily be returned.

It also got me thinking about a jet we lost when I was in Beaufort. There were multiple crashes while I was there that resulted in smoking holes but this one went missing...literally. My squadron was deploying to Aviano, Italy in support of Operation Deny Flight. Bosnia was kicking off and the Marines wanted in. We had a Midnight brief for a 02:00 takeoff to meet the tankers for a 10 hour flight. We arrived on base and learned a VMFA (AW)-533 jet was missing off the coast. One of the guys in my squadron said his roommate Tony Slick didn’t came home last night. 533 was our sister squadron and we all knew Tony. The search was on but we had our orders, so off we went to Aviano. They never found a trace of the jet or either of the two man crew. They searched for days and eventually brought in the heavy recovery vessels from the Navy. They found a rudder with 533 markings but it was from an A-6 Intruder lost from the 80’s.

They found parts of the space shuttle and even a body from a Navy burial at sea that didn’t go as planned, but no F-18 or crew. Rumors flew in the Marine’s home towns that they were on “secret missions” because jets just don’t go missing...but they do. Boeing working with Naval investigators believe the crew lost situational awareness over the water and impacted in a shallow descent. The impact was such that it didn’t disintegrate the aircraft but enough to blow the engines out of the airframe which lightened

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Letters to the Editor the aircraft enough to reach neutral buoyancy at 60 ft or so under water.

They learned about this when an Australian F-18 impacted the water in a shallow dive after the pilot ejected. They assumed the jet sank to the bottom but instead if floated under the surface for weeks and was discovered by divers. My question is, why couldn’t they find the engines? Crazy shit... all we knew was that Tony was gone, his family had no Son to bury and we had missions to fly.

Tim Hi Brian & Shira Regarding the “Critters” article in the September issue... My rule of thumb is... if it is small enough to eat in one sitting, you can ride over it.

Steve Smith Hi guys, I’m asking for an opinion from you guys. I have a 2018 V-Strom 1000 which I love. As you know I recently got into un-paved riding and rode the MABDR with John Ciribassi in June etc. I have decided that I really like being able to go off-pavement but I admit that the Strom is a handful. Very little ground clearance, not that much suspension travel, and it weighs 539 lbs with empty soft bags. The summer was great but lately I can’t seem to stop taking dirt naps. First I stuffed it into a huge thorn bush along a soft gravel road (2 hours for extraction and I ended up calling Tod to help me get it out.) Then I wrapped it around a small tree on my own property (1.5 hours for extraction with a friend helping; I was ready to cut down the 7^%* tree...) so finally I decided to just practice some basic balance and control drills; slipped on the grass and racked up my left knee; been on crutches for 2 weeks while I wait for my MRI appt.

So I’m really looking at dual sport bikes that would have better suspension travel, more ground clearance and lighter weight. I want to be able to ride on the highway for some hours, then ride jeep roads and stuff like we Continued om Page 9

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD

Dick Roberts + Burt Richmond

Seems the Isle of Man article released some memories and other suggestions. Since it’s truly a motorcycle destination, we thought we’d bring you those thoughts…

Seeing the article about the fabled IOM brough back so many memories, some good, some not so good.

It was 1957. I was a young soldier, stationed in Hanau, Germany at the time. I had purchased a new BMW R250 ($450) and wanted to travel about Europe..

Where would be a great place to start?

The IOM!!!!!

As the Steam packet approached the isle, the first that you see that you see is the ‘isle of refuge’ a tiny island just off the main island. Back in the ‘50s, the ship was not a drive off vessel. Depending on the tides, the bikes were lifted off the boat by a crane. I was finally there.

My housing was at the Douglas Holiday Camp. This camp was used as a pris-

on of war facility for German soldiers. My room was one of many small cabins. The first thing I did was to get out on the race course and have the ride of my life. Something, probably most of my friends would never get to do.

In the evening there was many activities at the camp. It was there that I saw a couple of lovely ladies. They were young nurses working for the summer, before venturing out into the world.

The next day, I ran into them in Douglas and ask one of them if they would like a ride around the course. It was a cool day and I offered the young lady, whose name was Lillian, my jacket. I was a gentleman back then. This was the beginning of things to come. I spent all of my non-race watching time with this young lady. To be continued!!

As for the races back then, there were two races on the mountain course, 500cc & 350cc. The 250cc, 125cc and the side cars was on another course. The roads were closed early in the mornings for practice. The sounds of the bikes racing around the 39.5 course were different then. There were no Japanese bikes back then. Most of the bikes were equipped ‘dust pan’ fairings, which were banned in future years due to cross winds. It was a different world then.

The Sunday before the races was known as Suicide Sunday for obvious reasons. Every biker on the island was out on the course going as fast as they could.

But at this time, the course was not closed to regular traffic and the hospitals were standing ready for new business, which they got. I had a great time making believe I was Geff Duke on my 250cc BMW. The roads, on race days, were open to regular traffic, before the races so that people could get somewhere around the course to watch the days event. I picked the Ramsey Hairpin for my first viewing of the 350cc race. If you got tired of your viewing location and you had left your bike outside of the course, you could just ride to another spot. Sorry, if your bike was on the inside of the course, you were there for the entire race. You were standing about 8 feet away from the bikes going by at well over 100.

Can’t do that in the USA. I could go on forever talking about my adventures.

It was a sad day for me to be going back to Germany.

Not only was I leaving the IOM but I was also leaving the love of my life, Lillian. I was watching the island getting smaller in the distance with the song, ‘Around the World’ playing in my head. BUT, I returned to the island two more times that summer and by September, we were engaged to be married. I returned to Blackpool, England just before returning to the USA with an engagement ring.

We were married the next June in England and where do you think we went for our Honeymoon?

The Isle of Man, where else!

I am sorry to say that Lillian passed away in 1985, but not before giving me 3 lovely daughters.

So now you know a piece of my life.

Dick Roberts Shira & Brian, As I read Peter Geffert’s & John Kovach’s article of their experiences attending their trip to the Isle of Man, I felt that I should share my experiences with

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022 THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD

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Backroads readers as I have been to the IOM 6 times in the past 30 years.

With UK Pound at its lowest in decades and the Euro at par with the US, suddenly, the cost of an all-inclusive trip with a motorcycle, shared room, meals (minus lunches), ferries, support vehicle for luggage and a spare bike looks affordable at €4,600. Eligio Arturi, who I was with last weekend at the Barber Motorsports Fall Festival, is offering a 10% discount for those who sign by Dec 31, which is €4,140. That helps offset the cost of airfare from JFK to London Gatwick (AA-$798) or from NWK to Gatwick (TAP-$829) – then train to central London.

Passenger is €2,900 (discounted €2,610)!

BACKLASH Continued from Page 7 had on the MABDR. 650cc is my first impulse (like the Honda XR650L or Suzuki DR650S, but what about 400/450 or even 250? You guys ride a lot of motorcycles; what do you think? (And what’s it going to feel like riding a thumper on the highway?) I would value your input greatly.

Stephanie Feld Hello, I enjoyed this month’s article on Lake Hopatcong. I lived there as a kid and have fond memories of Bertrand Island Amusement Park. There was a ride whose name escapes me, that you’d sit in a circular car that would go faster and faster in a circle, until the car would be released, banging the occupants through a dark tunnel. That ride surely wouldn’t be allowed to exist today.

The itinerary & details are mototouring.com/product/motorcycle-tours/ classic-motorcycle-tours/isle-man-manx-gp/. Eligio has 20+ vintage bikes listed on the website from BMW, Honda, Ducati & Moto Guzzi. It is true that hotels & ferries are reserved 1 year ahead of time. Yes, he made all the reservations last summer for 2023.

There are stops along the way from London to the ferry in Heysham. The races are every other day, so I used to get everyone up at 6:00am for a 2 quick laps on the race route before the public and the Police are on patrol before breakfast! There is a lot to see and do…

The IOM is a worthy Bucket List adventure!

Burt Richmond Lake Hopatcong is where I also had my first motorcycle experience, my Dad bought a surplus CZ Jawa 250 Enduro from Popular Mechanics magazine that was dropped off crated on the curb, “assembly required”.

I helped put it together and was taken for a ride a few times around the neighborhood. That began my fascination with motorcycling.

In the winter the lake used to freeze to the point where vehicles could drive onto it. At some point one of the bridges was rebuilt, but with a grated surface. During the winter salting trucks would drop some salt through the grate, leaving the ice below somewhat precarious. I believe a few snowmobiles and perhaps vehicles wound up going to the bottom of the lake when trying to go under the bridge. Ah the 70’s...

All the best!

David Friedman

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

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INDUSTRY INFOBITES

News from the Inside

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN The leaves have fallen and there’s going to be a nip in the air. That can only mean that it is Polar Bear Season. The official kick off for the 202223 was Sunday, Oct. 30 at the VFW Post 386 in Cape May, NJ, as it has been for years, and the meet ups will continue until Sunday, April 23, 2023 at the Plumsted Grill in Cream Ridge, NJ. You can find all the stops in between on their website, as well as the other pertinent information to join in this winter riding tradition: polarbeargrandtour.com/rides.htm

DAMON HYPERFIGHTER UNVEILED Damon Motorshas has unveiled its critically acclaimed HyperFighter Colossus, a raw, muscular-silhouetted, electrifying naked sport bike. Damon appeared in the Öhlins booth located at Stand I71 in EICMA Hall 24. Öhlins is a Damon partner that supplies the suspension systems for the HyperSport Premier and HyperFighter Colossus motorcycles.

Damon’s HyperFighter Colossus is the ultimate stripped-down, urban assault, electric sportbike. With 200 horsepower, a top speed of 170 mph, and the ability to go from 0-60 in less than three seconds, HyperFighter Colossus pays homage to the streetfighters of yesterday while looking to the future with never-before-seen technology advancements including the CoPilot™ advanced warning system; Shift™, which transforms

the riding position between sport and commuter modes while in motion; and HyperDrive™, the world’s first monocoque constructed, 100 percent electric, multi-variant powertrain platform.

For more information on Damon Motors, visit www.damon.com.

GARMIN INREACH AIDS IN 10,000 INCIDENTS Garmin® International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN), supported the milestone of 10,000 SOS incidents with an inReach® device1. As a global leader in two-way satellite communication, Garmin offers a wide variety of handheld devices with inReach technology allowing for two-way text messaging, location tracking, and critical SOS emergency response services, providing peace of mind to individuals around the world. From family camping trips in California to mountain climbing in the European Alps, inReach users participate in a variety of adventures, and thanks to inReach, users have the security of knowing help can be a button press away.

ARIZONA LANE FILTERING GOES INTO EFFECT The new Arizona state law that allows lane-filtering for two-wheeled motorcycles under very specific circumstances officially went into effect on Saturday, September 24, 2022.

The Arizona state legislature passed bipartisan Senate Bill 1273 in March, signed into law March 24, 2022, by Governor Doug Ducey (R), and the bill does not allow “lane splitting,” but rather “lane filtering” by motorcycles traveling between lanes of street traffic at a speed of 15 miles per hour or less. Threewheeled vehicles, such as trikes or sidecars, are specifically not included in this change in the law.

Lane splitting or filtering in some form are now allowed in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Utah, while states including Connecticut, Oregon, Washington and Virginia have introduced or are considering such legislation.

BIG BROTHER TO PUT END TO SPEEDING IN NEW YORK Legislators in New York are mulling a bill that would mandate speed limiters in new vehicles that would be set to the local maximum allowable limit.

The system, called “Active Intelligent Speed Assistance” (ISA) would use GPS and traffic sign recognition technology to determine the speed limit. New York City is already running a six-month trial with 50 vehicles from the city’s fleet fitted with an ISA system.

Introduced by Manhattan State Senator Brad Hoylman (Democrat – really?) on Aug 12, if passed,

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022 would require any vehicle manufactured or registered in the state of New York to be fitted with the ISA system, starting from Jan. 1, 2024. It cites the results of a study that show such a system could reduce traffic fatalities by 20%.

The bill also calls for existing active safety systems like automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors with pedestrian detection, driver drowsiness detection, and even a data event recorder to be mandated from the same date.

Notably, safety standards for new vehicles, unlike emissions standards, are set at the federal level, which brings into question whether New York officials will be able to implement the bill even if passed.

MUSIC AND MOTORCYCLE FAN LORETTA LYNN PASSES

Page 11 tional Motocross Championship at her “Loretta Lynn Ranch & Family Campground” since 1982, personally inspiring many young riders, and was appropriately inducted into the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2021 for “opening her arms and ranch to countless motocross families.”

WALKING DEAD STAR TO JOIN THE BIKERIDERS For your Moto-tainment pleasure, Hollywood sources report that “The Walking Dead” star Norman Reedus has become the latest celebrity to join the cast of “The Bikeriders,” a fictional film inspired by the photography of Danny Lyon and his 1967 book of the same name, and follows the rise of a fictional Midwestern motorcycle club. Seen through the lives of

Country Music Star and AMA Hall of Fame inductee Loretta Lynn died in her sleep on October 4, 2022 at her popular ranch and tourist destination in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, at age 90.

The Grammy Award winning singer rose to stardom in the music industry over six decades with hit singles like “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin,” but Ms. Lynn was also a long-time supporter of amateur motocross racing, and hosted the AMA Amateur Na-

the members, the club evolves over the course of the decade from a gathering place for local outsiders into a more ‘sinister gang’.

The biker theme is fitting for Reedus, a longtime rider whose ‘TWD’ character Daryl Dixon is known for riding a motorcycle across the show’s 11 seasons. The 53-year-old actor also hosts the travel series “Ride with Norman Reedus” as he hits the open road to explore biker culture. ,

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

I AM IRON MAN A TITANIC PIECE OF MYSTERIOUS AMERICA Tony Stark makes you feel He’s a cool exec with a heart o’ steel As Iron Man, all jets ablaze He’s fightin’ and smitin’ with repulsor rays!

Amazin’ armor! That’s Iron Man! A blazin’ power! That’s Iron Man! There is another Universe out there.

The gateway for me was a Mom & Pop’s Candy store on 30th Ave, on the corner of 50th street right on the border of Woodside and Astoria, Queens, across from the Bohack. (Pretty sure non-New Yorkers will be lost on that reference.

(Backroads Swag for the first reader to tell me what a Bohack was) To get to the “Gateway” all I had to do was walk into the shop and on the left the entirety of what would become the MCU was at my fingertips; a circular, spinning wire rack full of the new month’s latest editions of super-hero comics.

For 12¢.

Let me slingshot forward a half-century later. Mom & Pop’s is gone replaced by the 4 Your Convenience Candy,

Beer & Stationary - Woodside still has its priorities, I see. Yes, let me have some skittles, a six-pack of suds, and some writing paper to pen a ransom note.

But I bet they still have comics. How many of us became avid readers of Spidey, Cap, and Iron Man? A bunch, I’d wager.

Spidey has a place of honor here at Backroads Central – but as a kid, I always knew that each month Tony Stark’s Iron Man would be action cover to cover.

Most of you probably didn’t have the deep Marvel Comic upbringing I did. To this day Marvel outshines DC in every way. No contest.

Why? Seriously? It is easy. Peter Parker was from Queens, Tony Stark from Manhattan and Captain America—Steve Rogers—hailed from Brooklyn, New York.

Not Smallville or Metropolis or Gotham. New Friggin’ York.

I never thought I’d run into Iron Man on the backroads of Pennsylvania.

But first a bit of Iron Man history…

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022 The Golden Avenger - Iron Man - first appeared in 1963 in Tales of Suspense # 39. His creation is officially credited to four people: writer and editor Stan Lee, who plotted the first story; Larry Lieber (Stan’s brother), who scripted it; artist Don Heck, who drew it; and Jack Kirby, who designed Iron Man’s original armored battle suit.

Iron Man would get his own comic in 1968.

Much like the movie adaptation, Tony Stark was a capitalist billionaire, something that went against what most readers were expecting.

According to Lee: “I think I gave myself a dare. It was the height of the Cold War. The readers, the young readers, if there was one thing they hated, it was war, it was the military ... So I got a hero who represented that to the hundredth degree. He was a weapons manufacturer, he was providing weapons for the Army, he was rich, he was an industrialist ... I thought it would be fun to take the kind of character that nobody would like, none of our readers would like, and shove him down their throats and make them like him ... And he became very popular.”

That is an understatement.

And, for the record… we like capitalists and billionaires – they keep the lights on.

In both the films and the original comics, the story is the same. Genius inventor Tony Stark continued his father Howard Stark’s weaponry business after his parents’ untimely deaths and flew it to even greater heights of innovation. While in Afghanistan or Viet Nam to demonstrate a new missile for the U.S. military, Stark was taken prisoner by the group.

Stark awoke in their headquarters to learn that shrapnel near his heart had nearly cost him his life, but swift action by scientist and fellow prisoner Ho Yinsen—who had inserted a powerful electromagnet in Stark’s chest—would prolong it temporarily.

Stalling his captors after they demanded he build them a new weapon, Stark replaced the magnet with the RT, a miniature version of a device originally designed by his father, the Arc Reactor. Furthermore, he and Yinsen created a crude suit of armor that could provide them the means with which to escape. The suit worked as planned, though Yinsen sacrificed himself in order to allow Tony enough time to power it up to fight their terrorist captors.

Page 13 The first Iron Man was not the sleek gold with a splash of “Hot Rod” red – but a hulking, rotund, and slightly slow warrior; but that all changed as Tony Stark and Iron Man’s saga continued.

We have yet to meet someone who didn’t like Tony and Iron Man. So, back to real-time.

We were motoring along Summer Valley Road (Route 895), on our way to Hermy’s BMW / Triumph for some service on our BMW R 1250 GS, when my eyes flashed to the left as we were

passing a huge used car parts lot called J.W. Zapranzy in New Ringgold.

Was that… Iron Man. Hard on the brakes and a quick U-turn brought us face-to-face with a life-size Iron Man that was welded out of stainless steel in 2013 by Danielsville sculptor Charles W. Applegate.

Applegate has spent years creating some of the most amazing metal and wood sculptures and is one of those rare human beings

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 14 blessed with both inspiration and talent – always a potent mix.

Applegate is a welder by trade but has been an artist most of his life. A decade ago, Elizabeth Zaprazny, owner of the scrap yard, called Applegate and commissioned him to build a life-sized Iron Man. “It was a big job,” Applegate said. “It took me 10 months to finish.”

Using illustrations from the original Iron Man comics, Applegate painstakingly created a silver statue of the Marvel superhero that stands 6 feet tall and weighs 300 pounds.

Applegate based his Iron Man on the original 1963 comics and he absolutely nailed it.

Iron Man is definitely a piece of art to seek out when riding in this part of Mysterious America that has a great motorcycle dealership, a store dedicated to peanuts and the wonderful Hawk Mountain Raptor Sanctuary all within minutes of the ever-vigilant Iron Man. He is certainly a hero… clearly. ,

THE DEATH OF SEYMOUR O’LIFE You try for words, and for me, it is almost too easy sometimes.

But not right now.

I walked into our home from the barn to find Shira talking in hushed tones on the phone.

Her head slipped up as I walked in and her eyes met mine. I could see they were red and moist.

Oh no.

Shira was on phone with our friend Barbara Hoffman. She had called to tell us her husband, Bruce Locklin, had passed.

I stood by until she finished the call and then we both had that heavy weight of finality bear down on us… one that even the tightest hug could not help support… well, maybe a bit.

If you live in the northern part of New Jersey you might be familiar with the name Bruce Locklin, as Bruce was a journalist for the Bergen Record for decades; and not just another scribe – but an intrepid journalist that could, would, and did change lives, for the betterment of most and the detriment of a few others.

But, in truth, if it was the former, Bruce was happy to help, if the latter you probably deserved it… and that is what made Bruce Locklin rise so far above the rest.

His obit was written by Mike Kelly – another legend in NJ – and is well worth seeking out.

Bruce was one of those rare men that would look for the best in everything and, much like another man I was blessed to know, looked at life with wonderment and a smile – but could, would, and was deadly serious when he needed to be.

Nearly 30 years ago, over one of Barbara’s magical meals, he asked who this new writer in Backroads was.

This Dr. Seymour O’Life?

Always the investigative reporter, my raconteuresqe explanation of O’Life bounced off him and he continued to strip away my brilliantly contrived story… a layer at a time.

He then asked, while pouring another glass of red, what O’Life looked like?

This I had an answer for… You, Bruce. He looks like you, and in my mind, our good doctor – the master of mystery - was loosely based on Marvel’s Dr. Strange – but he would look alot like Bruce.

From the next edition of Backroads to this very issue – the face of Mysterious America and of Dr. Seymour O’Life was Bruce – who kindly sat for a ridiculous amount of photos of him until Shira finally decided we had what we needed.

What, you thought Seymour was real?

Well – he was and still is – sort of.

For years the duties of O’Life were handled by our friend Jeff Bahr. Jeff flew west many years back and we thought a part of O’Life died that day on a Pennsylvania backroad.

This day I felt like another part of Backroads has left us as well.

There was one rally, a good number of years back, that Bruce and Barbara were going to attend; with the thought of Bruce ‘method acting’ in the best Lee Strasberg way. We thought it would be so much fun to have Dr. Seymour O’Life brought right to the throngs of his adoring fans.

They didn’t ride motorcycles, but they had a great love of travel and a greater love of good people.

If you have ever attended a Backroads rally you know we have the best people riding along with us. Bruce… I mean Seymour, would have fit right in.

With Bruce’s passing the world lost a good man, Barbara lost an adoring husband, and Backroads and Mysterious America lost a wee bit of its magic.

But, I am sure, somewhere down some dark and tree-shrouded road, over that next hill and across the dark river there will be another part of Mysterious America and just maybe Bruce will be waiting. Vade cum deo, my friend. ~ Brian Rathjen ,

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 15

Warren County NJ Tourism presents

BIG CITY GETAWAY TOYS IN THE ATTIC – THE VERMONT TOY MUSEUM words + images: Dan Bisbee Have you ever seen someone’s toy collection and wished you could make it your own? If so, there’s a place in Quechee Vermont that could make your dreams come true. Quechee is rightfully famous for Quechee Gorge.

At 165 feet deep, it’s worth a visit. But today I’m stopping just down the road inside the Quechee Antique Mall. In the back of the general store a sign beckons me upstairs. It simply reads “Toy Museum.”

Remember that toy you got when you were six? How about the lunchbox you brought to grade school? Your first video game? It’s probably on display here. I eagerly climb the stairs, drop a donation in the bucket, and enter the Vermont Toy Museum.

Just inside the entrance is a series of cases with toys displayed by decade.

The first item that catches my eye in the 1950s display is a pair of Satellite Jumping Shoes. I used to have a pair of those. They laced on over your regular shoes and, with 3-inch springs on the soles, you could jump really high. My big brother convinced six-year-old me I could jump to the ceiling and I excitedly put them on. I bounced once before sprawling face down on the floor, bursting into tears, much to my brother’s delight. There are a few less traumatic memories in the case as well with an Etch-A-Sketch and a Magic 8-Ball.

The next case is packed with toys of the 1960s including Rock’em-Sock’em Ro-

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind bots, Mr. Machine and a selection of Barbie dolls.

Moving along, the 1970s case represents the decade with Six Million Dollar Man figurines, Dorothy Hamel and Charlie’s Angels themed toys. The 1980s includes Ninja Turtles, Rubik’s Cube and Cabbage Patch dolls. The Simpsons and Where’s Waldo represent part of the 1990s collection.

Lunch boxes have their own aisle: there are over 1100 of them. Another aisle is lined with board games based on television shows: Starsky and Hutch, Barney Miller, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Crackerjack toys are featured along another wall and fast-food kids’ meal toys line another aisle.

Video games and consoles occupy one complete alcove. Atari? Absolutely.

Nintendo? Naturally. Even a Sega Dreamcast. But how

Page 16 about the Magnavox Odyssey 200 released in 1972? Or the Hasbro Mark 106 computer from 1968? There is even a TRS-80 Color Computer like I used to have.

Science Fiction fans will rejoice at a huge line up of robots staring out from a wall. Ray guns and vintage planetary rovers occupy other displays. Star Wars and Star Trek each have their own dedicated cabinets.

I purposely seek out motorcycle toys and I’m not disappointed. A couple of early cast iron bikes are on display as well as some more modern plastic ones. The “Fonz” is giving me the thumbs up from his Triumph on a lunch box – he’s between Laura Croft Tomb Raider and Dick Tracy. Evel Knievel has his own lunch box too. Evel is on full display with his Road and Trail Adventure set as well as his “Scramble Van.” Several other motorcycle toys are scattered throughout the museum.

You couldn’t call it a toy museum without model trains and a huge layout dominates the center of the space. Drop a quarter in the slot and the trains move through simulated Vermont towns, into and out of tunnels.

I dumped a pocketful of quarters just to watch the trains – much to the delight of some kids.

If you’re a Baby Boomer or a Gen-Xer, this museum is for you. It seems like every thirty seconds I found myself saying “I used to have that” and I wondered who had put together such a phenomenal collection. His name is Gary Neil and he was inspired by a visit to the Toy Museum in Nurem-

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022 berg, Germany. While that museum traces 600 years-worth of toys, Gary was intrigued by the section of the museum where toys were displayed by decade and based his own museum on that.

With toys covering the walls and ceiling, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the sheer volume of toys but Gary has done a great job in providing an overview of everything. You won’t find a lot of Disney toys or Legos but they are there. He tries to fit a representative from many genres. The collection on display seems to end around the year 2000, not for a lack of toys, but for a lack of space.

Toys come to the museum in a variety of ways: yard sales are always a good source. Some he buys new but many pieces come from older collectors who want a caretaker for their personal collections. The back room, where Gary cleans and inventories new toys, is also approaching capacity.

There are many toys that he simply has no space to showcase. Figurines from The Incredibles and South Park stand on a desk in the back room simply because there is no room to exhibit them properly.

As mentioned earlier, all this could be yours! Gary has been running this museum for most of his adult life and collecting even longer and now it’s time for someone else to become caretaker of this phenomenal collection.

His lease at the Vermont Antique Mall expires in late 2023 and he is hoping to find someone with a similar passion to take over the collection and bring it to the next level. If he can’t find someone to take it over, he may end up selling it off piecemeal and that would be a shame. If you are interested in acquiring the contents of the museum, or know someone who is, please contact Gary at the number or email address below.

At the very least, you should plan a trip to the Toy Museum for 2023.

It’s just a short 75 miles from the Gray Ghost Inn or the Kitzhof Inn in West Dover, VT. The toys will put a smile on your face, make you do a happy dance, and possibly even jump for joy. Just don’t do it while wearing the Satellite Jumping Shoes. ,

Vermont Toy Museum 5573 Woodstock Rd, Quechee, VT • 802-291-0200

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 17

Thisilldous Eatery presents

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN JOE’S STEAK SHOP

274 S MAIN ST, PHILLIPSBURG, NJ 08865 908-454-9545 • www.joessteakshop.com Eat at Joe’s!

According to the Free Dictionary this cliché means: A stock slogan used as an advertisement for a restaurant or diner. Derived from the placeholder restaurant name “Joe’s Diner,” the phrase is often featured in works of fiction, especially as an example of such a typical advertisement. The bright neon words “Eat at Joe’s” could be seen from miles away, the sole source of light on that dark, lonely desert road. It was the type of place where you would see old rundown trucks parked on the side of the road with tattered “Eat at Joe’s” signs slapped on their sides.

But, this time… we mean it!

Along the Delaware River, in the town of Phillipsburg, New Jersey right across from the confluence of the Lehigh River sits a small restaurant that has a long history of serving some of the best sandwiches along the river.

Particularly the venerable Cheese Steak; somewhat of a legend from this region and the big city to the south and the other side of the Delaware.

We had been by Joe’s Steak Shop a number of times but an early morning call from a friend in Philly who was going to go for a morning ride with some other friends and head there for lunch got us geared up and ready to go in quick time.

These guys would be heading up from the south, while Shira and I would be vectoring in from the north.

tasty places to take your bike We wanted to do something a bit different this morning so Garmin’s BaseCamp was fired up and, in a few minutes, we had devised a ride down to Phillipsburg along roads we hardly knew or had never ridden before.

Who does not love a little exploring on two wheels?

The day had a chill to it, but the bright sun quickly brought the temperatures up to a comfortable warmth.

Life was good in western New Jersey.

Right along the river, just south of the bridge into Pennsylvania, we saw the small building with the bright red neon signage—Joe’s Steak Shop.

It was 1938 when a young Joseph Attinello opened his first shop selling cheesesteaks for a whopping 15 cents with his own special sauce which you could get mild or a wonderful hot.

Over the next few decades, Joe moved his restaurant a few times but, in 1958, Joe bought a tiny shack from a local driving range, and with the help of a friend, Joe moved the shack overnight to 289 South Main Street, the location of Joe’s in-laws, Mary and James Pacenti. The building was put on a concrete foundation that was dug out by Joe’s oldest son also

Page 18 named Joe, (nickname Butch) one day after football practice with the help of one of his teammates.

But there would be yet another move in 1965 when the property, the City Service Gas Station, across the street became available.

Joe Sr. ran the place, with more and more locals, travelers, and foodies that had heard about this tiny place in Phillipsburg with the best cheesesteaks in the world, until 1978 when he handed it to Joe (Butch) to continue running the business. Growing up in the family business was Joe’s son, “Little” Joe who worked alongside his father for many years.

Now joined by his daughter Jody – Joe’s Steaks is a solid piece of this part of the Delaware and we were excited to finally get to sit down with friends and see what all the hubbub was about.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022 It did not disappoint.

Cheesesteaks are their specialty topped with theirr signature hot or mild sauces – the same creation that topped those 15-cent cheesesteaks back in 1938.

These sandwiches are served on a crisp roll, with onions, and your choice of cheese. Certainly, they also have a variety of sandwiches and wraps, including burgers, pork roll, fish, and chicken. But it was the cheesesteaks that brought us riding in on this day.

Brad went for the mushroom cheesesteak, while Jeff went hot and ordered up the buffalo chicken – Shira and I went for the good-old and famed cheesesteak; though our cheese choices differed.

They all were really, really good.

Other standard sandwiches at Joe’s include burgers, hot dogs, BLTs. But at Joe’s you can order up a pork roll and for those who need a bit more North Jersey – you can order up a double pork roll.

In 2004, Joe’s established a Classic Car Show to coincide with Phillipsburg’s Cruise Night. On Tuesdays, May thru October, you can enjoy your choice of meal and ogle some classic cars, along with listening to some live music.

We have always believed that the divide between the Garden States north and south can be drawn at I-78.

Joe’s sits a few miles north of the interstate – perhaps that is why they call it Pork Roll and not Taylor Ham. You have to ask them yourself when you follow along our route from Van Sant Airport in Erwinna, PA to this month’s stop on the All-American Diner Run! , Download GPS route here: www.sendspace.com/file/ptaa52

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 19

Wytheville VA Tourism presents

WE’RE OUTTA HERE THE ARLINGTON INN

3904 VT ROUTE 7A, ARLINGTON, VT 05250 802-375-6532 • www.arlingtoninn.com Things got you down, Pokey? Maybe the boss has been too bossy this week. The puppy is fighting with the kitty, and losing? Your coffee that you just paid a King’s ransom for from Starbucks spilled all over the car’s passenger seat?

Wow – you need to get away. Okay, we got you covered. So, put on your riding gear and roll out the bike – ‘cause We’re Outta Here!

On the western edge of the Green Mountain state, along the Vermont Valley, the Battenkill River (we know, redundant) flows from the Green Mountains some 60 miles until it meets with the Hudson and flows south.

Along its way it passes through the small town of Arlington.

Arlington was chartered July 28, 1761, by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth, as part of the New Hampshire Grants. In 1777, Arlington became the first capital of the Vermont Republic.

Over the years the natural beauty and peacefulness of the region have drawn many people; Norman Rockwell had his retreat and studio in Arlington and it was here that his career surged and he became one of the most famed artists in American culture and history.

Another icon of American History also lived in the Arlington area, as Robert Frost’s Farm was just a few miles to the south.

a weekend destinationkeeping you on the backroads If you are into fly fishing and the great outdoors, the Orvis Company hails from this region and their main outlet is just a few miles north of town.

Near where Vermont’s Route 313 and the historic 7A meet up you will find a most stately inn. Built in 1847 the Arlington Inn, listed on the National Historic Register, has been serving the needs of travelers for 175 years, and these days the inn has a total of 16 guest rooms in the Main House, Carriage House and The Old Parsonage, as well as a barn for weddings and events.

The Arlington Inn has so much to offer today’s traveling riders but it has something that no other inn can brag about.

Well, not something, but someone. Buzz Kanter.

Many of you might be saying now, “Hey, I know that name,” and if you have been riding motorcycles and reading motorcycle enthusiast’s magazines (you got this in your hand, right?) you will know Buzz Kanter.

Page 20

For decades Buzz was the publisher of various successful motorcycle publications like Old Bike Journal, American Iron and RoadBike.

Buzz was one of the first other moto-journalists we met when we started and we remind ourselves it was Buzz who taught us the first rule of Moto-Journalism… Get on the line for the buffet first!

Seems like Buzz knew the lay of the land and we were very excited to hear that he is now involved with this historic inn in a beautiful, picturesque and easily reachable part of Vermont. With his partner Tabitha Salsbury Hammer, they have renovated and beautified an already beautiful property, making it their own.

So, not only do you have a simply excellent inn in the foothills of the Green Mountains, but a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame to talk bikes with – something we know Buzz lives for and is really good at. This man has forgotten more motorcycle lore than we have ever known. Buzz has competed in the Motorcycle Cannonball Run a number of times as well.

He has had an amazing motorcycle life.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

But, let’s get back to the inn itself.

All guestrooms include private bathrooms & televisions, many rooms also include two-person jetted tubs, fireplaces, private porches, and patios.

Come morning a full cooked-to-order “Country Breakfast” can be found in the Garden Solarium.

As we began to put this month’s article together, we heard that The Arlington has hired a new executive chef and that their restaurant will soon be back, and we’re sure this will just make The Arlington all that much better.

For this month’s We’re Outta Here! -we’d like to do something a bit special and high-mileage for you.

We’ll start this at the Hainesville General Store, on Route 206 north of Branchville, New Jersey and send you for an excellent 225 mile ride to The Arlington Inn. Say hi to Buzz for us. , Download GPS route here: www.sendspace.com/file/4ulcac

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 21 This month’s Inside Scoop is brought to you by Kate Hartnett, who wrote to me about a scoop shop she found in her local stomping grounds. Thank you Kate, next ice cream cone is on me.

SUPER SECRET SCOOP SHOP

2213 MAIN ST, BETHLEHEM, NH • THURS 5-8PM • FRI-SUN 12-8PM • supersecreticecream.com ALERT!! Ice Cream Lovers!! Make plans for 2023 to come North of the NH Notches!! Why??

Well…because…Tucked into a Main Street storefront in Bethlehem, NH is the best ice cream I have found, but it is a “Super Secret,” only shared with the very special Backroads readers and riders.

What I learned from the owner, Kristina Zontini, confirms my taste buds…

First Secret? “Making ice cream isn’t complicated; for us, it is a labor of love. We really care about the craft, and are committed to using whole ingredients, mostly local, but always quality.”

Next Secret? “Our big secret is that we make everything from scratch. So, instead of buying an “ice cream base” and flavoring it with strawberry flavored syrup or other artificial flavor extracts, we actually make our own base. Our process is different…”

Step 1: a high quality scratch made base with local milk & cream from the local Hatchland Farm, with unusually high butter fat; Step 2: Very little air is added to the ice cream, keeping it dense & creamy; Step 3: Working with lots of local ingredients to create the flavors. For example, using local maple sugar from Mount Cabot Maple (organic, single source, wood fired, woman-owned for the Maple ice cream; it creates such a rich flavor! In the summer the blueberry and strawberry ice creams are made with local berries, fresh mint is used for mint chip, etc. This fall, they are featuring a stunning Delicata Squash Spice (think the more sophisticated older cousin to your traditional pie pumpkin, from Bent Fork Farm in Bethlehem). The chocolate ice creams use a very special single-origin chocolate from Ecuador that’s unlike any other chocolate.

The product: “Churned in the White Mountains. Tiny batches from scratch.

Local dairy. Happy cows. No weird stuff.” It tastes like all of that.

Kristina is self-taught. She spent lots of time internet searching, reading cookbooks, and using the old fashioned “trial and error” on her lucky friends and family. She now is part of an online community group of other artisan ice cream makers who share tips, tricks, what works, what doesn’t, etc. She has learned a lot from following other shops online, especially when they share behind the scenes shots of ice cream being made. Like many of us, she always loved ice cream and more specifically the experience of going out for an ice cream cone with friends. It started off as a hobby and it just kept growing. Her motto? ”I’ll keep going if I’m still having fun.”

She chose Bethlehem, New Hampshire, instead of some bigger place because her husband grew up here, and she, too, fell in love with the area. The location is beautiful, and Bethlehem’s little Main Street is filled with other awesome local business-

Page 22 es. When their building came up for sale, it won their hearts because they knew they would have a wonderful community of neighbors. Her intent is for their little “scoop shop” to become a spot where community members can gather for special events, celebrations, etc. Right now, they are fin-

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022 ishing renovations to the inside, to make a seating area and kitchen to be able to offer sundaes and other treats.

Why the name “Super Secret”? She started off offering ice cream to friends and family via a private Instagram account/e-mail list. It just popped into her head when trying to send out her first email to friends, when she wasn’t sure yet what she actually was doing. So she jokingly called it the “Super Secret Ice Cream Club.”

It ended up being pretty fitting, as she had to keep it all a secret as she learned. She was making such small batches at first, and pick-up was at a little shed behind her house! She thought about changing the name, but now there are too many kid customers that love whispering “Let’s go to super secret!,” and that’s just too cute.

I have tasted Mt. Cabot Mable, Single Source Chocolate and their autumn invention of Delicata Squash Spice. I look forward to many return visits to sample their other offerings and summertime rides for that treat of a cone. As of this report, only the Scoop Window is open but they are working on interior seating, hopefully ready by the spring. If you see this before Thanksgiving and you are in the area, Kristina will be making pies to be paired with recommended ice cream flavors.

PS you can sign up for email updates on new flavors and other news at their website. ,

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

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Little Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac Sputnik, Chou En-Lai, “Bridge on the River Kwai” Lebanon, Charles de Gaulle, California baseball We Didn’t Start the Fire – Billy Joel

D

ear Mr. & Mrs. Backroads, what is with the stick & ball stories? Is this Backroads or Sports Illustrated? C’mon, will ya?! Not to worry dear reader. Yes, there has been baseball, and in fact, with the plan working as planned (right, when has that ever happened with us) we’d cover a good portion of The Great Bear State and hit all five Major League ball fields and teams – and a concert by the great, yet elusive, Tikiyaki Orchestra.

It was ambitious, even for us, but the truth was we had plans for the middle of summer scuttled by the Russian Army and Tikiyaki was playing.

Okay, they were playing…in San Diego; but this is how great riding adventures get born.

Let me tell you, Shira is a dangerous woman when it comes to planning what I’m gonna do.

Long-time readers and friends know where our allegiance lies when it comes to New York baseball. But, let’s all admit that our Metropolitans would not even be here if not for Tuesday, May 28, 1957.

Every self-respecting baseball fan from New York will never forget this date; for the face of New York baseball was forever changed when the Giants and Dodgers—two teams that had been playing in the Big Apple since the late 1800s—abandoned the city for California. When club owners Walter O’Malley and Horace Stoneham yanked the Dodgers and the Giants out of New York to move to the west coast all HE-Double Hockey Sticks broke loose. To this day, their relocation remains a touchy subject to longtime fans throughout the five boroughs. But, from this abandonment, we got the Mets and fellow Mets-fan Billy Joel thought this important enough to slide into his hit ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 24 For many years now Shira and I have been whittling down the long list of Major League Ball Parks – and have gotten to a few truly historic ballparks – like Rickwood Field, the oldest park on the planet. So, nailing the California parks was on top of our Bucket List.

The planning began. The first thing needed were some wheels, and wheels that would fit the job and both of us. Kawasaki has three versions of their Versys series, a standardish light ADV sport-touring machine, and we reached out to our friends at Team Green and they graciously provided two of these machines, a 1000 and a 650 for the journey.

New Jersey to Laguna Beach, California We grabbed a morning flight out of Newark that got us to Orange County and Kawasaki’s U.S. headquarters in Foothill Ranch by late morning.

After a quick set-up of both machines we took off, heading down the Pacific Coast Highway for an early (California) or late (East Coast) lunch, depending on your thinking.

Just south of Dana Point we made a stop at a roadside Mexican joint called Olamendi’s.

With the Pacific Ocean across the PCH, we ordered up some tacos and took the same table that President Nixon had taken many times, as Olamendi’s was a favorite of his.

There certainly was enough of the Red Hunter and White House swag throughout the place, all mixed in with that lovely Mexican Día de Muertos flavor.

Hunger sated, we spent a bit of time around the coast, cruising through Laguna Beach and then up into the hill for an overnight and a bit of poolside relaxing before the real riding, more a charge, would begin.

cific, we spotted a few large dust clouds kicked up by U.S. Marines doing maneuvers in their new ACV (Amphibious Combat Vehicles). With a rest stop just a mile or so to the south, we turned on the speed to catch them up close as they rolled by. Between them and the ambiguous choppers above you had to be impressed with our military and these warriors.

The evening before I was scanning the many tourist information cards in the hotel’s lobby and came across a museum I had not heard of before…

The Museum of Making Music. Nice!

On our last trek to the Ozark, we had stopped in Cleveland to take in a Guardians game and spent a full day at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

If the HOF is about those who have become the superstars of music, the Museum of Making Music is almost the opposite, but easily as amazing, informative, and fun. Here it is about everyone making music… Everyone, as we all can do this if we wish. I have always wished, so I was so excited to find the MOMM!

Walking in, a docent was strumming a beautiful Martin 12-string and stopped his playing to welcome us.

The place was truly an amazing find and here the story of music, all music, is told and they have dozens of instruments you can try. Shira went for the drums (Ya’el she is not), but she made up for that with a keyboard. For me, I spent some time with the various guitars. The docent that had greeted us when we arrived, another guitar player named Brian, came into the room and asked if I had ever played a Collings guitar?

South to the Border We had an entire day to cover the 90 miles or so, south from Orange County to “America’s Finest City” San Diego, and we covered most of that along the PCH heading south; until we got near Camp Pendleton and we were forced back onto the I-5.

In typical Californian-style, traffic would flow briskly for a bit then suddenly would slow to a crawl.

Shira reminded me that lanesplitting is a reality here and it took a bit to get used to meandering in a vibrant way between slow-moving beat-up junkers, Teslas, and Porsche Carreras (the Toyota Camry of California). We tucked in behind a good-size motorcycle club heading south and let them part the cars for us.

Lane-splitting… simply brilliant - but, with our narrower roads it’s never gonna happen back east.

Up ahead and to the right, running alongside barren land between the highway and the Pa-

Collings guitars hail from Austin, Texas and are considered by many as one of the finest acoustic guitars on the planet.

I certainly had not.

Brian brought out a D2H; a square-shouldered 14-fret dreadnought – a wonderful mix of Sitka Spruce, East Indian Rosewood, and Honduran Mahogany – with a price tag about the same as all my guitars put together. Evidentially my humble playing was heard and I was deemed worthy to play one of “The Good Stuff ” that they keep locked away for special occasions.

I was more than a tad stunned and had a mix of “Oh Boy Excitement” and “OH BOY” alarm as he handed the dreadnaught to me and simply said, “Have fun;” and, walked away. When do you get to play a guitar that is worth a half year of mortgage payments?

Right! Never! Thank you, Brian!

The Museum of Making Music was simply extraordinary and we were so tickled to have ridden over to take it in.

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Petco Stadium Fun Facts:

We found a late lunch along the coast, before riding to San Diego’s Old Town section where we were staying for the night. We locked up the smaller Versys for the night and doubled up on the 1000 and rode over to Shelter Island and the Tikibash 2022.

This event is held each year to benefit San Diego’s Food Bank and this year it was Tikiyaki Orchestra that would be headlining the show. We had waited many years to see them and they did not disappoint.

If you have never heard them, make some sort of boat drink, in fact make two, drink one, and then Google the band and the song Bachelor #1, turn up the volume and sit back and enjoy your #2 while you listen to Bachelor #1 – it will explain it all.

When the show was over we took a quick tour of the San Diego waterside and rode into their Little Italy section where we met our son, yet an-

other Brian, and his gal Ashley for a nice dinner and family time. From soup to nuts this was just a magnificent day of riding, music, and family!

San Diego - Anaheim - Santa Paula First thing in the morning we rode over to Petco Park, home of the Padres. The team was on the road this day, back east where they would take a win from the Nationals 6-0 (sorry, Steve), but the park is fairly open and well worth seeing.

According to their website… “Petco Park is spectacular in every way, combining the best sight lines in baseball with breathtaking views of San Diego.

Architecturally magnificent, it celebrates the sea, the sky, the natural beauty, cultural diversity and unique spirit of the region.”

Opened in 2004 it replaced the old Qualcomm Stadium as the home of the Padres and can hold 42,000 fans.

On August 4, 2007, Barry Bonds hit his 755th home run to tie Hank Aaron’s record.

On April 17, 2008, the Padres and Rockies played in a 22-inning game, the longest game in Petco Park history.

The Rockies won the game, 2–1. It was the longest MLB game in nearly 15 years On June 14, 2010, during a game with the Toronto Blue Jays, there was a magnitude 5.7 earthquake, which was centered about 85 miles east of San Diego. Play stopped momentarily in the eighth inning. The Blue Jays went on to win 6–3.

Petco Park’s Mascot: The Swinging Friar (What is under his frock?)

We said hello to the park and Tony Gwynn’s statue before heading north.

We had tickets for the Angels game against the Minnesota Twins and were to meet our friend Jon and his stepdaughter Meagan for the game.

We have known Jon for so many years, as he was the press-maven for Honda and, even after a well-deserved retirement, has stayed close.

It was a great game, the Angels romped the Twins, and the stadium, with its fire-belching waterfall in deep centerfield, was very cool too.

Angels Stadium Fun Facts: Then Angels Stadium has had many names, but most simply call it The Big A.

Page 26 The NFL Los Angeles Rams played there from 1980 to 1994.

The stadium was host to the 1967 MLB All-Star Game, the first AllStar Game to be played on prime-time television. This was the first time an All-Star Game was held at night since World War II.

Famous individual baseball milestones attained here include Mickey Mantle’s last game-winning home run, Nolan Ryan striking out of nine straight Boston Red Sox and two of Nolan Ryan’s seven no-hitters, Reggie Jackson’s 500th career home run, Rod Carew’s 3,000th ca-

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022 reer base hit, Don Sutton’s 300th career win, Vladimir Guerro’s 400th career home run, George Brett’s 3,000th career base hit, and Albert Pujol’s 600th career home run. Their Mascot is The Rally Monkey With the Angels’ win we said our goodbyes to Jon and Meagan and continued north, and eventually headed towards the Pacific Coast, stopping just short of it and in the high mountainlined town of Santa Paula.

We have a lot of friends that live in California and two special ones are Gigi and Reg Pridmore.

Many of you know of Reg - the first AMA Superbike Champion and the man behind CLASS Riding School which we attend every chance we get. Knowing we’d be riding through the region they invited us to dinner and to stay at their place – which we happily accepted.

Dinner was great and it was a lot of fun to simply hang with the Pridmores when they were not busy running one of the most exciting and successful motorcycle riding schools on the planet.

Santa Paula to Morro Bay The next morning Reg and Gigi, along with Duke the Australian Shepherd, brought us over to see his hangar where he keeps his plane, and where they lived for many years.

Reg’s hangar is just around the corner from where a guy named McQueen kept his planes. While there, we visited some of his neighbor’s hangars as well.

There is cool and then there is this sort of thing.

What an amazing guy and amazing life. Boy Reg, all this and Gigi too. Damn!

After breakfast we packed up and got going, making a quick stop to see “The Warning,” the monumental forged steel sculpture by Eric J. Richards that honors the spirit of heroism and depicts two police officers riding Harley Davidson and Indian motorcycles to warn the sleeping citizens to get to high ground as devastating floodwaters swept through parts of Santa Paula on March 12, 1928, when the St. Francis dam collapsed. We have told this story before, but it is worth reading again.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. on March 13, 1928, an urgent message of imminent disaster reached the night operator Louise Gipe in Santa Paula and was quickly relayed to police officers Thornton Edwards and Stanley Baker, city officials, and then homes in the lower portions of town. Among the many heroic acts that evening were the actions of these two motorcycle officers who rode through the night to warn the sleeping citizens in the low-lying areas of Santa Paula that

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Page 27 a torrent of water was about to destroy the town. Their heroic efforts saved hundreds of lives.

Their wild ride that night was stopped at 3:05 a.m. when the 30 ft. high wall of water swept through Santa Paula on its way to the ocean.

The monument depicts that specific moment in time. Truly an amazing tale of heroism made possible by the motorcycles.

We then followed Shira’s GPS route down to the ocean and then east on California Route 33 – which creeps back

up and over the mountains, like a vicious and angry snake.

We sped through the tiny town of Casitas Springs, once home to the legendary Man in Black – Johnny Cash. His once home is for sale and you can Walk that Line for 1.8 million. Route 33 cuts through Ojai and then up into the Los Padres National Forest. The difference in temperatures was remarkable, and not in a good way, as the mercury (remember mercury?) broke the triple-digits.

The terrain went through some serious changes as well, with the trees giving way to scrub, and then, as we rode across and into the Taft region, we were reminded of how much oil California had and still has. Hundreds of oil derricks are all busy pumping away.

In 1910 an oil well exploded and spit out 100,000 barrels a day for 544 days. It was called the Lakeview Gusher – and it was the World’s Largest Oil Spill up until that time.

We had heard there were some historical markers to flag the site, but later learned that very day they had melted into a bronze slag along Route 119…. which might have been the actual temperature at this point.

As we passed this area, we also passed a fuel station. I glanced at the Kawasaki’s gauge reading the bike’s fuel range – about 80 miles left.

Okay, I thought – no problem.

Then, some miles down the road, Shira’s route vectored onto California Route 58 west.

There was a sign.

A big sign….

No Services for 75 miles.

I glanced at the gauge once again – it now read 60 miles left.

Okay, I did not go to college, but even I knew that 75 was more than 60, and the thought of running out of fuel seemed especially ironic with hundreds of oil pumping machines all around us.

We doubled back, filled

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Page 28 up the bikes, and headed west along 58 that was an absolutely fantastic 3 gear romp from one end to the other.

That night found us in Morro Bay, a place we have been many times. A semi-cheap hotel was an easy find, as was a great seafood dinner while we enjoyed the enveloping combination of heavy fog, barking seals, and the encroaching night. rd

Morro Bay to Monterey Some of the best road trip days are the ones when you have no place you have to be come day’s end – this was one of those rare days for us.

A leisurely morning walk and breakfast overlooking the big rock in the middle of Morro Bay started us off. First we made a quick stop on the north end to check out the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle they have on display. After the USS Thresher submarine sank in 1963 some 200 miles off of Boston, while doing deep sea testing, the Navy knew it needed a better rescue plan – this sub was the answer a full decade later.

Just as interesting was the tug Alma right behind it. We think Almas are all beautiful.

It was an odd day weatherwise along the coast. California’s interior was hotter than hell and the cold Pacific was just that – cold.

That caused a deep fog and mist that we would run through all day, but better here in the ethereal light and temps in the 60s, than a few miles into the hills where it was summer on steroids.

We have ridden this way a dozen times and always had a final destination. But, not today and with no particular place to go, we decided we should finally stop at one of the grandest homes that has ever been built in this nation - La Cuesta Encantada, more popularly known as Hearst Castle.

William Randolph Hearst started to build a fabulous estate on his ranchland overlooking the village of San Simeon in 1919. He called the estate “La Cuesta Encantada” - Spanish for The Enchanted Hill. By 1947, the hilltop complex included a twin-towered main building, three sumptuous

guesthouses, and 127 acres of terraced gardens, fountains, and pools.

Everybody who was anybody probably took the invitation from the publishing king and the list of guests is amazing.

Although it was conceived and paid for by Hearst, it was architect Julia Morgan that made his dream a reality.

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The visit lasted a good part of the day and the castle is, by far, the most impressive home we have ever visited, including The Biltmore, which is amazing in itself.

Just north of the castle, we stopped to see the Elephant Seals. There have always been dozens, some time hundreds here; but today just two that were probably paid by Gavin Newsom to hang out for the tourists.

Our run north through Big Sur and along this stunning piece of America was the best ever. There was little traffic and the backmarkers that we came upon were quickly dispatched.

By evening we rolled into Monterey, found a Motel 6 and some pizza, and called it a day, with no particular place to go, well spent.

Free Day around Monterey We had tickets for the San Francisco Giants, who’d be playing against the Arizona Diamondbacks… but that was a Thursday game and this was Wednesday; another free day for us.

Mid-morning found us riding down to Cannery Row, and it turned out that this was the big Monterey Car Week, with shows, auctions, and racing happening throughout the next few days. We were not surprised when we ran into a serious high-end Sotheby auto auction being held right next to the pier and harbor, which was full of at least a hundred Harbor Seal – barking, frolicking and generally doing a whole bunch of seal stuff.

We were not sure which was more fun - the cars or the seals.

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We had planned to take a ride out to the famous Laguna Seca track, just east of the town, but had not planned that this day they would be celebrating a race that is held each year 5,600 miles to the east – the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They called it Le Mans Meets Monterey, and this day there would be an incredible amount of vintage, antique race cars from Le Mans’ distant past to the cutting-edge racing machines of today.

There was plenty of track action as well. Four race groups were dedicated to celebrating Le Mans with race cars from 1923 and progressing through 2005.

On a trip full of great destinations and (we thought) well-laid plans, we kept seeming to one-up ourselves.

This day spent at Laguna Seca, one of the most famous tracks in the United States and the world, was one of the best track experiences we have ever had – and we have had a lot. For me, it really came down to the tented area with so many cars that had raced Le Mans, and out of all of them – one in particular. Done up in that wonderful and famous Gulf Racing livery of baby blue and orange was a Porsche 917K. Be still, my beating heart!

Right across from that an Aston Martin that took Shira’s affection.

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To see these up close and then watch them circle the track and charge down the famous section they call the “Corkscrew” made for one of the best racing experiences ever.

As the sun began to head further west we knew we’d have to get going. With all sorts of Laguna Seca swag stowed away we continued northward towards the City by the Bay – San Fransico.

Back on the coast road we, once again, ran into that cool fog that seemed to reach in like an icy finger on the hot California soil, only to pull back a few miles later.

We’ll continue our tale next month, with incredible riding, historic rock & roll sites and, of course, baseball. ,

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Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT During our 10-day, 5-stadium California tour on Kawasaki’s Versys1000 SE LT, I had a song repeat a few times through my headsets.

Sade’s Smooth Operator. After the third time in several days I realized that maybe it was appropriate as, like Sade Adu, the Nigerian-born British pop singer, this Versys 1000 was black, beautiful, and very smooth.

The in-line four-cylinder 1043 cc powerplant, basically the same that powers Kawasaki’s Ninja 1000, was up to my expectations – brutish and ass kickin’ when called on; effortless and velvety in crosstown traffic in San Francisco (Yes, Hendrix reference), and the canyons.

Throughout the 10 days the Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT was comfortable wherever the needle rested on the tachometer.

The machine comes with all the bells and whistles that Big Green can stuff into a bike like this – electronically controlled suspension, ABS, traction control, and Kawasaki’s Cornering Management Function.

Slick cornering lights lit the way when leaned over in the approaching night as we rode to Nevada from Monterey to get a motel room on the Saturday of Car Week.

It also comes with an Inertial Measurement Unit that measures inertia and acceleration along longitudinal, transverse, and vertical axes, plus roll rate and pitch rate are measured. The yaw rate is calculated using Kawasaki’s proprietary dynamic modeling software. Inputs from the IMU give the ECU software an even clearer real-time picture of chassis orientation. Okay, I stole that from Kawasaki’s press site. In plain English, the bike told me how far I was leaning in the turns.

Page 31 I tried not to let this take up too much of my attention, but putting numbers (re: riding skill) in front of some people, childish men (not me) made for a bit too much self-competition. Where is Jonathon Rea? The machine’s upright riding position lent itself to long days in the com fy saddle (a rarity in OEMs these days) and the large multi-function TFT Screen was both easy to operate and read.

The bike comes with KQR 28-liter saddlebags.

That, with the addition of a Nelson Rigg Tail Bag, allowed me to carry all my clothing plus a camera and computer. These bags are really excellent and open and close with authority. If Kawasaki added a few more liters of packing space, well it would not be a bad thing. The ample 5.5-gallon fuel tank let me go half a day before I begrudgingly paid…

IDONYWANTTOTHINABOUTIT for fuel.

The fully adjustable windscreen cut through the cold temps on the coast and the torrid heat to the east.

During the trip, I was asked what sort of machine it was. Adventure? Sport?

I came away thinking the Versys is a wonderful crossover, taking a bit from both genres and adding some serious long-distance sport-touring into the mix as well.

Has anyone said Sport-Adventure Bike yet?

Foothill Ranch - feel free to use that.

The bottom line with a machine like the Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT, which lists at an affordable $18,399, is simple. If you told me this was to be my day-to-day ride for the season… how would I feel? I think I’d feel like riding. ~ Brian Rathjen ,

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Kawasaki Versys 650 LT My ride for our semi dash/tour would be the Versys 650 LT equipped with hard luggage and hand guards. The 33.3 inch seat height was comfortable, and the 483 pounds was well-balanced (side note to come). The sleek Black/Metallic Flat Spark Black, while not ideal for photography, had a subtle design on the gas tank and side covers to offset its blackness.

Illumination came via LED headlights and an LED taillight gave the Versys a modern, sporty visual identity.

I opted to bring along my Nelson Rigg Commuter Touring tail bag. Each 28-liter hard luggage bag would be more than sufficient to hold clothes and other travel necessities, while the Nelson Rigg, holding almost 25 liters before expansion, would be great instead of my usual tank bag for easily accessible items like camera, hat, etc.

We arrived at Kawasaki and proceeded to unpack our Ogio luggage, strapping on the tail bags, filling the saddle bags and generally making these bikes road-ready for our 10 day trip. My bag liners easily fit inside the Kawasaki bags, making for easy unpacking at overnights, and the Nelson Rigg bag would snap right off as well.

Taking a look around the bike, as I had not ridden one before, I familiarized myself with its functions and settings. The Versys 650 LT is equipped with Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC). There are two modes: Mode 1 is the least intrusive, helping to manage traction during cornering and facilitate acceleration out of corners and Mode 2 reduces engine output when excessive wheel spin is detected, allowing for maximum grip. There is also the option to turn off the traction control system.

The 4.3” full-color all-digital TFT, quite visible both day and night, displays information of all types, from speed to temperature, fuel to time.

You will be in the know wherever you go. A Bluetooth chip allows for connection to your smartphone utilizing the RIDEOLOGY app for control many functions.

The newly-designed windshield offered four positions, easily adjusted by hand using a release button below the TFT screen. I kept it at the lower position, which was just below my line of sight, and was quite comfortable with no noticeable wind buffeting.

Our 10 day ride had a good mix of freeway and backroads, give the 649cc, parallel twin engine a chance to perform in all conditions. While Brian, on the Kawasaki Versys 1000, was purring along at speed on the freeway, I was easily keeping up, with no wind stress, on the 650. Even with our saddle bags, we were able to do most of the lane splitting necessary to navigate the congestion that is California.

A side note on lane splitting: I was amazed at how the drivers made room for the motorcycles coming through. For the most part, unless there was a truck or bus, we were able to scoot by at a pretty good clip, with the cars moving just a bit to allow that extra foot of lane to accommodate the bike.

Of course, it truly purred when on the many twisty tarmacs we enjoyed

– California 1, Angeles Crest Highway and Route 33, to name a few. The torquey twin delivers a deep ribbon of power in the low-and mid-range of the powerband, while also pulling vigorously to the top of the rev range.

It flipped easily through the turns keeping in the lower of the six speeds with its excellent maneuverability.

My touring ride at home is the Suzuki V-Strom 650 and I was excited to see the comparison in fit and comfort. The light and narrow frame of the Kawasaki Versys 650 LT, along with its high-tech suspension and comfortable riding position, made for an enjoyable ride.

We had some long mileage days and they were not met with aches and pains, but with the feeling that I could certainly have ridden longer. The stock saddle was absolutely acceptable, with comfort and the ability to slide around while riding the more aggressive roads.

The front adjustable Showa forks and rear shock handle the damping and rigidity to add to the comfort of the ride.

The dual 300mm petal-style rotors with two-piston calipers in front and single 220mm petal rotor with single-piston caliper on the rear handled the braking needed on those congested roadways.

The only issue I noticed was when filling the 5.5 gallon tank, there was a bit of top-heaviness felt. This only lasted a few miles, until that extra bit of gas was burned off. With the seat height at the top end of my toe reach, this did come in to play in parking lots, but for those who are not vertically challenged, this would be no issue at all.

Bottom line: comfort, maneuverability, handling and touring capacity were all excellent. With a starting MSRP of $10,999, including the saddlebags, the Kawasaki Versys 650 LT makes for a terrific touring motorcycle that can handle most anything you’d like to ride. ~ Shira Kamil ,

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Holiday Gift Ideas o you have that special someone you would like to make smile come this Christmas morning? Perhaps your spouse, good riding buddy or handy-dandy mechanic. How about you, Pokey? We think you should treat yourself to something great come this Holiday Season! Here are some of the neater products, books and gizmos out there in Motorcycleland to help with your gift-giving. Happy Festivus!

RACER COFFEE

What better way to start off your Christmas morning than a cup of good, strong coffee.

Better even if the bag it came in has a motorcycle on it.

We came across the Racer Coffee Company while strolling around Laguna Seca this past summer. I was looking for some joe and there they were slinging up some seriously great coffee at their booth. We immediately fell in love with their vintage-style labels and their blend names: Vintage Black, Apex, Whiskey Throttle, Dakar and The Corkscrew – all with appropriate art to go with them.

We have been buying from them regularly and if you love coffee as much as we do check Racer Coffee Company out on the web: www.racercoffeecompany.com

VALENTINO ROSSI: LIFE OF A LEGEND BY MICHAEL SCOTT Since its release in 2018, the first edition of Michael Scott’s Valentino Rossi: Life of a Legend has been a solid part of the living room coffee table. Anyone who knew anything about MotoGP could not help but to pick up this colorful book.

But after all this time it, like Rossi himself, the book has been retired – replace by the obvious.

The revised and updated copy of Valentino Rossi: Life of a Legend brings us up to date on the Doctor’s life over the last half decade and leading up to #46 stepping away from the track; but thankfully not the sport. If you are a fan of Tavullia’s favorite son then Scott’s latest edition is a must.

From the day he was born into a racing family on February 16, 1979, Rossi was destined for racing greatness. Rossi started his international racing career in 1996, riding for Aprilia in the 125cc class, and won his first World Championship the following year. Rossi’s career would see him go on to win nine Grand Prix World Championships, score 87 wins in 500cc/MotoGP, and many more accolades. His MotoGP career is almost without peer.

Life of a Legend is visually stunning and this well-written biography covers this incredible racer’s journey, his victories, rivalries, and transitions from brand to brand. See his incredible battles against the likes of Max Biaggi, Sete Ginbernau, Dani Pederosa, and Marc Marquez, and why they inspired three films (Faster, Fastest, Hitting the Apex). Get to know Rossi’s incredible charm and wit, and why he has achieved rock-star status among racing fans. If you are fan of the man then pick up Scott’s book – it is highly recommended. Selling for about $30 on Amazon.

HI-PER HANGERS FROM BLACK & GRAY This might be the one riding accessory that you never think of – until the one that you are using snaps like a twig. As we have said many times taking care of your gear is a good thing.

Black & Gray’s Hi-Per Hangers are some of the toughest gear hangers on the planet. There are several different versions of these, but all will easily hold 150 lbs of gear. Created from powder-coated aluminum, stainless steel, and molded plastic they look as tough as they are. Add in Black & Gray’s Power-Clips with rubber-tipped jaws to hold your heaviest riding gear without damage.

The Hi-Per Hangers start from $45 @ blackandgray.com.

THE EXPLORER’S LIBRARY FROM ATLAS OBSCURA The Explorer’s Library combines the two New York Times bestselling guides from Atlas Obscura, packaged in a slipcase that evokes the timeless allure of travel. It is the perfect gift for the person who lets curiosity be their compass, who is alive to the world in all its possibilities.

Atlas Obscura will bring you to some of the most fascinating and oddest places on the planet and Gastro Obscura will feed you tasty and not-so-tasty morsels equal to your adventures.

We have been fans of Atlas Obscura for years and you will often find them being linked on The Backroads Report. It is one of Dr. Seymour O’Life’s favorite books and websites.

You can find the set on Amazon for $85.

CRUZTOOLS ROADTECH B2 TOOL KIT If you have a newer BMW machine you really should take a look at CruzTools Roadtech B2 Tool Kit. For its fairly tidy roll and relative lightweight, this Tool Kit is a must have if you spend any real time on the road, as it is perfect for road-side repairs and adjustments. This kit includes a 34mm axle wrench and a fourstage hex axle adapter with 10mm, 12mm, 19mm, & 22mm sizes in one compact tool. It also includes 6 torx keys, 5 hex keys, 4 metric wrenches, a mini ratchet with 2” extension and 4 sockets. The kit is rounded out with a 6-in-1 screwdriver, locking pliers, adjustable wrench,

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cable ties, mechanics wire, duct tape, thread locker, and a tire gauge. The tools stay organized in a heavy-duty roll-up pouch easily stashed in the bottom of a saddlebag.

All of CruzTool’s products come with a Lifetime Guarantee – no questions asked. For $139.95 you are not going to match this at Home Depot or Harbor Freight. You can find CruzTools @ touratech-usa.com.

ADVANCE GUARD FROM MACHIEARTMOTO If you ride one of today’s modern ADV machines – BMW, Triumph, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha or KTM - you might have noticed that, as tough as some of these rides are, their stock handguards have always been a bit lacking.

MachineArtMoto’s ADVance Guard v2, multi-functional hand guards are uniquely designed to provide broad coverage and easy adjustability to adapt to a variety of temperature and weather conditions. The tough composite frame material is engineered for resilience against impact forces. ADVance Guard‘s patented multi-functional adjustability has distinct rider comfort benefits, and their unique appearance enhances all motorcycle brands. Built with a Twin Spar Aluminum Frame, the ADVance Guard height adjustable Sliding Shield and removable front Insert permits more air flow over hands and arms which enables you to easily adapt to conditions without the need for tools.

We have been using ADVance Guards for a few seasons now and their quality and design are exemplary.

We have it on good word Santa has these on his sleigh. They start at a little more than $200 - log onto machineartmoto. com to see if they have the perfect set and colors for your machine.

CARDO PACKTALK EDGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Would it not be nice to have clear and clean communication as you ride into the next season? The Cardo Packtalk Edge is just what you need to find under the tree this year.

These units are tough as nails and no matter what you throw at it, your waterproof Cardo Packtalk Edge will take the beating and keep you connected. Rain, shine, mud, dust or snow.

It uses a brilliant Air Mount that is so simple and very secure. Just bring your Packtalk Edge near the magnetic mount and it will snap right on. The sound is powered by JBL with new and powerful 40mm highdefinition speakers engineered to perfection by JBL’s experts, with an improved music processor and three redesigned audio profiles.

It utilizes their own Dynamic Mesh gen 2 system taking the world’s best motorcycle intercom, and made it better. For up to 15 riders at a range of up to one full mile.

You can buy them as a single unit for $350 or a paired set for $629.

To find out more log onto www.cardosystems.com.

GARMIN ZUMO XT GPS This latest version of the zumo series motorcycle-based GPS is a true workhorse. The ultra-bright 5.5” display is brighter than previous models and can be seen in any light. It’s also glove-friendly with crisp HD resolution in landscape or portrait mode. The unit is a breeze to install, and with the backlight set at 100% brightness, the battery lasts up to 3.5 hours, and it can go up to 6 hours on regular settings.

The unit comes with preloaded street maps for the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Bahamas. You’ll have access to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery around the world with direct-to-device downloads via Wi-Fi connectivity2 and no annual subscription.

The Garmin zumo XT GPS easily pairs with your smartphone and bluetooth communication systems and this unit will last you many, many years and hundreds of thousands of miles. The Garmin zumo XT GPS can be found from various sources for around $500. Find it @ garmin.com

LD COMFORT POWER SLEEVE • DESIGNED FOR THE HEAT, BUT SUPERB IN THE COLD TOO… We all know Mother Nature is a fickle bitch. Cold mornings can give way to broiling afternoons. Hot valleys give way to cooler and cooler temperatures as we ride higher into the surrounding mountains.

There have been plenty of times when I start my day’s ride in a chilly briskness, only to have it end up hot and humid after lunch. Sure, I could just carry some different tee shirts and base layers – I certainly have the room – but I have come across a better and easier idea. The Power Sleeves from LD Comfort.

LD comfort has been around since 1999 when Mario Winkelman invented LDComfort Riding Shorts.

He was looking for a far more comfortable and less chaffing material to be used as a base layer. After months of research, Mario created riding shorts that had no seams in the seating area, a stretch material to form fit to the body avoiding any wrinkles or folds, and leg openings extended closer to the knee.

This custom-designed fabric, which keeps the rider’s skin dry, proved the ultimate answer in Long Distance Comfort – thus the company name.

But comfy shorts are not all LD Comfort offers.

We recently discovered a pair of Power Temp Cool Sleeves.

These sleeves slide up and over the arm and work both in the hot and the cold. They are close-fitting and designed to hold water in the outer fabric layer while air is funneled up the sleeves and into the main section of an outer jacket. Simply saturate the Power Temp Cool Sleeves and pull them over each arm and then replace the outer riding jacket. Rehydrate when needed to maintain the cool air bubble in the outer jacket. They are effective for temperatures up to 120 degrees.

We don’t doubt it, but I like the idea of having and using them in the cooler weather as well. No real need to carry a few different shirts – Power Sleeves turn a short sleeve tee into a full sleeved base layer in seconds - and look like you are simply wearing two shirts ball-player-style. Power Sleeves come in three sizes and orange and black for just $29.99. Visit ldcomfort.com for their full line of products.

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FOR THE DIRT: RIGG HURRICANE GEAR Nelson Rigg expands their Rigg Gear Hurricane Adventure line with new and improved collection of seven pieces of 100% waterproof gear. This rugged, stylish two-tone grey/ black luggage features the patented Rigg-Strap mounting system included in all new items. The Hurricane collection is made from a 100% waterproof, UV-coated tarpaulin PVC featuring electronically heat welded seams, to keep your contents dry and free from dust regardless of the weather or terrain you encounter. For compact packing each new item has an air purge valve. All of the Hurricane bags have reflective accents for better visibility. Starting at $99.95, you can check them out @ nelsonrigg.com

FOR THE STREET: RKA LUGGAGE 10-LITER MINI EXPANDABLE SUPERSPORT TANK BAG & STARR REAR SEAT BAGS Looking for day-to-day luggage for your machine… Take a look at the Mini eXpandable SuperSport Tank Bag & Starr Rear Seat Bags from RKA. The tank bag attaches with RKA’s excellent 3-point system that works incredibly well and allows for ease of fueling as well as holding the small tank bag just where we want it, and there are two style from which to choose, depending on what will work better with your particular machine.

All of RKAs luggage is made out of a 600 Denier solution dyed polyester and use durable YKK-Zippers and the interiors are 3/8 -inch foam combined onto a 200 denier coated nylon.

The Tank Bag has a Portal to run power for USB or cell phone charging. There are two compartments – a spacious lower and a very convenient upper that incorporates a mesh compartment – perfect for paper work and other documents - and a handy pen / flashlight holder as well. It also has a shoulder strap and strong rubberized handle if you need to carry it off the motorcycle. The 10-Liter Mini eXpandable SuperSport Tank Bag sells for $175.

For a bit more carrying capabilities check out one of RKA’s Rear Seat Bags for the back of the saddle. RKA has four choices; their 18-Liter Expandable Star II Rear Seat Bag seemed to fit just right, with the expandable section easily stowing a few days’ worth of sundries and most of the other stuff we have grown to want and need on the road. Visit rka-luggage.com to see their full range.

Last minute gift needs? How about a Backroads’ Subscription?

Makes a great stocking stuffer, grab bag or Secret Santa gift.

backroadsusa.com/subscription

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 36

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

LEGEND GEAR FROM SW-MOTECH

Not all Backroads scribes call the northeast home. Being Backroads’ semi-staff and living out in Joshua Tree, CA gives my husband and me a great opportunity to do some testing of products and attending events that the honchos at Backroads Central tend to miss on this time of year.

I recently lusted and landed a Ducati Scrambler, and with its lightweight (430 lbs.) and low seat height, it was the perfect combination of power and size I was looking for to match my big wanderlust, but small stature.

Although the Ducati seemed to do everything I needed it to do it was lacking any sort of luggage. Its cool retro looks cried for motorcycle luggage that would add to the Scrambler’s flavor – not take away from it.

Last year we attended the AIMExpo, in Las Vegas, and saw SW-Motech’s Legend Gear. Since 1999 this German-based company has quickly grown into one of the largest suppliers and innovators in the motorcycle market.

Later, at Austin’s MotoGP, we were able to spend some time with Sarah Schilke from SW-Motech, where she gave us an in-depth look at their Legend Gear Luggage.

The Legend line combines modern technology with a wonderful retro look that would compliment the Ducati, and the ample capacity of nearly 14 liters allows me to carry all the gear I need while on the road on longer tours. Well, everything but my drums.

The luggage – both saddle bags and the tail bag - are made with a combination of black coated canvas sailing material and a tough, yet attractive, brown Napalon synthetic leather.

This was exactly the look I was in search of.

Installation, which can sometimes be tricky, was incredibly easy by using SW-Motech’s Saddle Strap SLS. Although we had the tail bag as well, it also doubles as a backpack – which worked for me as the Scrambler has a solo seat and no real place to attach the bag; but it easily attached to my husband’s Yamaha XSR900 – and looked great on this Japanese retro machine as well.

To round out the ensemble, I added the Legend Gear tank strap set, also with a retro design. The MOLLE system of loops on these tank straps allow for flexible but secure attachment of other accessory bags or for fast access to sunglasses or such.

Let me tell you, whatever the song says… it does rain in southern California. But that is not an issue as the Legend Gear has roll closures and waterproof inner bags, so those sneaky and hard storms were ridden through without a worry that my gear would be soaked.

The combination of well-thought-out design combined with the durable materials and attractive look make the Legend Line of motorcycle luggage from SW-Motech the perfect choice for riders who want modern stowage and carry-all capacity while keeping that retro look. The Saddle Bags list for $425 and the Tail Bag for $166 and all come with a two-year warranty.

For a bit more stability, I also added a side stand foot. This durable extension has a large contact surface for enhanced stability, even on uneven ground and soft soil. I never hurts to have a little extra balance when parking the bike. Made of anodized aluminum alloy with a stainless steel mounting bracket, the side stand foot is simply mounted onto the original side stand using three screws.

The Legend Gear and accessories from SWMotech can be found @ sw-motech.us. , ~ Ya’el Rallis

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 37

MORE HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

HELD AIR N DRY GLOVES When on the road you have to have serious hand protection.

The hand is made up of 29 bones; there are 9 dice-sized carpal bones near the wrist, joined closely to each other, 5 tubular metacarpal bones that end at the knuckles and the phalanges of the fingers and thumb (3 in each finger and 2 in the thumb). They can be easily damaged and if damaged badly enough it will change your life – and not for the better.

Lately, I have had to bring a few pair of gloves for the ride. Vented, regularly touring and gloves specifically created for those inevitable rainy days.

Years back I ran with a pair of Held Air N Dry Gloves and they lasted for many years. Hardly any glove can put up with the abuse I throw at them, but eventually, they gave up the ghost and I went back to carrying multiple pairs on every journey.

It only took one long season to see I needed to return to Held’s Air N Dry Gloves. It was an easy choice.

These gloves are truly innovative as they feature GORE-TEX 2in1 technology with two separate chambers. The first chamber is unlined and perforated for excellent breathability in warm weather.

The second chamber is 100% waterproof, thanks to the GORE-TEX membrane, with molded knuckle guards and SUPERFABRIC for an extremely high level of abrasion resistance.

Most of Held’s Gloves come in a fairly wide selection of sizing and after a few long days on the road, they became like a second skin.

In the heat, the perforations allow ample air in and around my fingers to keep them cool. When the sky turns dark it is easy enough to slide your hands into the second GORE-TEX and keep your digits dry, warm, and working.

The gloves also feature a highly abrasion-resistant kangaroo leather palm, a visor wipe on the left index finger, and 3M Scotchlite piping for nighttime conspicuity.

There are a few nitpicks that stop the Air N Dry Gloves from being perfect and my main complaint is that the gauntlet on these gloves should be wider and longer to allow them to more easily slide over the sleeves and, at times, getting my hands in and out was hindered by the tight wrist strap. Still, the gloves have built-in tabs help you pull the gloves on completely and are a nice touch.

These truly need to be addressed by Held when and if a next-generation Air N Dry comes about.

But for right now, living with the smallish gauntlet the Held Air N Dry Gloves are a superior product and the workmanship that goes into all their products is easily seen, and these gloves will take you many years and many miles down the road. Air N Dry Gloves are not inexpensive, at $299, but with these gloves, you truly get what you pay for.

See the Air N Dry Gloves at your Held dealer or at Held USA website rideheld.com ,

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

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Continued from Page 4 FREE WHEELIN’ VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See hacksaw.

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids, opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans, and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.

STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws.

AIR COMPRESSOR: A machine that takes energy produced in a coalburning power plant 200 miles away and transforms it into compressed air that travels by hose to a Chicago Pneumatic impact gun that grips rusty bolts which were last over tightened 40 years ago by someone in Japan, and instantly rounds off their heads. Also used to quickly snap off lug nuts.

PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50-cent part.

And of course…

The HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent to the object we are trying to hit.

Maybe we can use it on the guy who said let’s roll back to Standard Time? , WHATCHATHINKIN’

Continued from Page 5 The last couple of times I’ve been out on the bike, it was not a good thing.

Oh, the weather during the first week of November was absolutely glorious, with brilliant, warm sunshine and crystal clear blue skies. That was the problem – the uber-bright sun practically blinded me and my vision was so clouded that I should have been wearing those black wrap-around glasses that many older folks sport. I am anxiously waiting for my pre-surgery testing and hope to have this all taken care of by December so that I can find a warm, sunny spot to go riding when the calendar pages turn to 2023.

Here’s looking at you, kid. , ON THE MARK Continued from Page 6 leave “exhaust” and their hooves beat up the right side of the road, so it’s best to stay to the left of the lane and to watch for excreted “road apples,” especially when the roads are wet. Slow down, because you never know when a buggy is over the next rise. Be patient and pick your place(s) to pass because cutting in too close to the horse can be hazardous. Finally, if it isn’t Sunday, please do business with these delightful, friendly, funny people. They work hard and you’ll be glad you did. ,

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

Page 39

The Law Office of Paul Gargiulo, P.C. presents

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival

NOT IN THE REAR! DON’T BE DIM! A few weeks back we recovered an email from Rob Roth, a reader from Pennsylvania. He sent a news clipping that he wanted to share… His query being how can we stop being rear-ended, clipped, or simply run over?

‘A Schuylkill Haven man was seriously injured when his motorcycle was rear-ended by a car last week on Route 61 near Hamburg, state police said Tuesday. The crash happened on Aug. 31 at about 10:30 a.m. at Pottsville Pike, which is Route 61, and Schappell Road in Windsor Township. Troopers at the Hamburg station provided this account: Jody Christman, 50, was stopped on his motorcycle in the left, southbound lane of Route 61 with his left turn signal on, waiting for traffic to clear to turn onto Schappell when his bike was struck in the rear by a southbound car. The driver of the car, Jean M. Rauscher, 69, of Hamburg, told investigators she was in the midst of adjusting the air conditioner just before the crash. When her attention returned to the road, she noticed the stopped motorcycle and tried to swerve around it. Upon impact, Christman was thrown 50 to 75 feet but was able to get up and walk to the shoulder on his own power before laying down on the pavement. Christman was taken to Reading Hospital by Hamburg EMS for what appeared to be a serious head injury. Information on his medical condition was unavailable Tuesday. Rauscher was cited for following too closely.’

Really – Driving too closely? Ya think?

Just a few weeks later a friend of mine was taken out by a young cell phone-obsessed woman during our Backroads Fall Fiesta. Dale, a riding instructor, was simply sitting at a light waiting for the green. The woman came to a stop sign and began to turn and continued turning – right into his lane and just ran Dale over. Punting him down the road with a busted shoulder and a wrecked bike – the girl didn’t even get her hands slapped.

Sadly, the police report tried to heap the blame on a motionless rider.

You wonder who this kid’s dad knew?

So, the question is, how do we at least give ourselves a better chance of survival on the mean streets? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just “Raise Shields” like the Enterprise? A protective layer of energetic distortion throwing a ‘shield’ of gravitons around the bike and rider. FM. Friggin’ Magic. (Yes, that is how shields work – I’m a geek, don’t argue) But, alas, that magic is not going to happen any time soon – so we need another plan, right?

At the BMW MOA National Rally this last summer in Missouri I sat in on a very illuminating seminar given by Erik Stephens, owner of Twisted Throttle. If anyone knows how lights and lighting really works it is Erik.

It was a great talk and there was a lot to learn, especially how some lights are better at long-range illumination and others at conspicuity.

Conspicwahtaty?

Conspicuity is being clearly discernible. The state or quality of being clear or bright; brightness; conspicuousness.

You want to be seen.

We have all seen highway workers, and they are always wearing some brightly colored vest or jacket, and the reasons are obvious.

Still, they get hit and killed by distracted and inattentive drivers. Work zone fatalities reached a 16-year high in 2020. Between 2013 and 2020, work zone fatalities increased by 45%.

Cellphones are the most likely culprit here, but without the use of bright safety vests highway work would be the most dangerous occupation in the nation.

So, as riders, we have many choices to make and the first is gear that stands out. Black leather and solid dark riding gear doesn’t help in any way and become almost invisible in some circumstances. There is plenty of well-made, protective and brightly toned riding gear to be found on the market these days. Something for everybody.

For years I have been wearing a two-piece Aerostich Roadcrafter suit.

The Stark Industry option for motorcyclists. Waterproof, armored, and my riding companion for years.

Light grey with bright yellow ballistics -okay- maybe not so bright after a half-dozen years – but still stands out in a big way, and more than once I have walked into a place of business to see the staff think I was a First Responder and something was wrong.

Dale’s incident happened in the rain when visibility diminishes, and there are a number of great rain suits – Nelson Rigg’s SSJ Solo Storm Rain Suit is new on the market and offers superb rain protection and is very bright, conspicuous, and comfortable.

So, with more noticeable gear making us stand out we must move on to other tactics to be noticed while on the road.

LIGHT AND SOUND During Erik’s presentation, it was shown that some of their Denali Lights are better at some tasks than others.

With a bit more knowledge about this, I fitted my BMW R1250GS with four additional Denali Lights up front and an additional brake light in the rear.

Mounted just below the stock LED headlight, the Denali D4 lights throw an enormous amount of candle power down the road – literally turning night into day and making riding in the darkest of night far easier and more pleasurable. Down low, by the brake calipers, I have two Denali D2 LEDs – fitted with their optional

Page 40 bright yellow lenses. Research has shown that this particular color is noticed far more often than just white light.

Having these five lights – the four Denali Lights and the stock BMW LED headlamp creates a pyramid of conspicuity and makes this bike far more likely to been seen even by the dimmest of drivers.

Even during the day – with just the stock lamp and the two yellow beacons on the lower part of the machine – it really stands out.

The Denali System, available from Twisted Throttle, was one of the easiest installations we have ever done; made that much easier by their CANsmart System that allows an easy plug & play of multiple lights, brake and horn units.

With the CANsmart you can also adjust the lights to operate in a wide swath of variations. For my set-up, the big D4 lights work when I run the stock high beam.

This allows me to turn down the lights when I have approaching vehicles and need to be a bit courteous.

The bright B6 Brake Light adds a bunch more kick to the rear when stopping and with the CANsmart I have them pulsating before the LEDs burn a solid red.

Can you hear me now?

That is the question, right?

In addition to the stock horn, which is better than most, I have the Denali Sound Bomb and when I hit the horn they can hear it in Europe.

This point was brought home to us on a return trip and a stop in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, a busy little Potomac River town that was bustling this Sunday afternoon.

We had found a prime spot for three bikes this day and after lunch, we mounted up, just as a deluge came pouring in from the west with darkening skies and loud fanfare.

Just as I got on the bike and was settling into the saddle the SUV to our right pulled out of the spot next to us and another SUV began to back in … but not with much talent.

In fact, she was back right into me - as if I were invisible.

I saw my imminent Police Report flash before my eyes, so I laid into the horns!

The way I set up my CANsmart System, the two horns blared and all the Denali lights flashed at once like a First Responder’s lights would flash.

The driver – awakened to reality by a wave of bright flashing lights and sound – stopped frozen. She then timidly waved sorry and we rode away – unhit.

The question that started this was “how not to get hit.”

This time it all worked, but if I were not on the bike at the time I would have come back to a very bruised BMW. So, it is still all about that word – conspicuity.

I recently installed yet another layer of light.

Weiser Technik has been making LED Replacement Kits for many bikes for years. We had run a story on them a few years back and recently they have added another system to their arsenal of lighting solutions.

For some reason, BMW had been shipping machines to the USA with old-style filament bulbs. Weiser’s LEDs are 10X brighter.

The newest Weiser Technik System, which is shipped with a sticker that states “Don’t Be Dim!,” allows the signal lights to act as both running lights and brake lights in the rear as well. A magical combination.

Like most things after-market it is best to listen and watch their installation videos and this particular system necessitated my taking off the rear section of the bike to access the proper brake lead – but this also allowed me to ‘clean up’ some of the other accessories as well.

All in all, it took a long hour to install it all – but was well worth it.

My signal up front burns bright white and does double duty hurling

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2022

light down the road and making me very, very noticeable.

The back signals run bright red and double in intensity when the brakes are applied.

Both the front and rear of this machine are very well lit indeed… and at night, compared to the stock set-up, is as bright as the Phare du Créac’h.

So now I think my GS has everything covered conspicuity-wise.

That does not mean I have the Deflector Shields I long for – and we all have to remember to be ever-vigilant in our minute-to-minute situational awareness.

We hope they see us- but sometimes we have to see them first.

Mirrors are not just the things on the side of the bike – like the throttle, brakes, and your brain – they are tools to be used – so use them!

Have them set up correctly.

I was once following a rider and I watched as each time he went to look in his mirrors he had to shift and drop his head. These mirrors might have looked nice aesthetically, but they were not all that useful.

You should not have to move your body to glance in the mirrors; a quick shift of the eyes is all that is needed.

Ride safe, ride far, ride the backroads! ,