June 2011

ine gaz Ma ou r le T cyc tor Mo

JUNE

2011 Volume 17 No. 6

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

There’s a New Kid on the Block BMW K 1600 GT and GTL

Land of Green Gables Cooling Off in the Alps The Fine Art of Farkling PLUS…All our great monthly columns, features and information

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E FEAT URES

MON THLY COLUMN S FREE WHEELIN’.................................................................................4 WHATCHATHINKIN’..........................................................................6 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE .................................................8 ON THE MARK ..................................................................................9 THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD ...................................................10 BACKLASH .......................................................................................12 INDUSTRY INFOBITES...................................................................13 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA...............................................................16 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN.........................................18 WE’RE OUTTA HERE .....................................................................20 BIG CITY GETAWAY .......................................................................22 MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE ..................................................60 UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ..............................................64 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .......................................................66

COOLING OFF IN THE ALPS........................................................25 AMA GRAND TOUR - SMOKE CHASING 2011.......................29 UGLY HELGA’S SECRET ................................................................39 DOING THAT BACKROADS THING ............................................42 LAND OF GREEN GABLES...........................................................45 BAGGIN TEXAS...............................................................................50 POKER RUN .....................................................................................68 THE FINE ART OF FARKLING......................................................69

M OTORCYCL E REVIEWS 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXS BLACKLINE ............................30 2012 BMW K 1600 GT AND GTL...............................................32

PRODUCT REVIEW S PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS ...............................................................54 BAGS-CONNECTION CITY TANKBAG .......................................56 ROADGEAR PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL TIRE GAUGE ........58 CHATTERBOX XBI2 COMMUNICATIONS................................59 ROADSIDEAMERICA.COM GPS APP ........................................67

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ Publishers Contributors: Ken Aiken, Ralph Angelo Jr., Neale Bayly, Dan Bisbee, Mark Byers, Dr. Gregory W. Frazier, Bill Heald, Jeffrey Kurtzman, Peter Miller, John Petrocelli, Dr. Seymour O’Life

BACKROADS • POB 317, Branchville NJ 07826 Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

For Advertising Sales Information: 973-948-4176 Phone 973.948.4176 • Fax 973.948.0823 • email editor@backroadsusa.com • web www.backroadsusa.com BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2011. 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.

138 Orange Ave (Rt. 202), Suffern, NY 10901 • 845.357.1190

• www.locomotionpowersports.com

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 4

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN

It’s an “appy” world It’s no secret that we here at Backroads can be easily sucked into gadgets, gizmos and farkles for our machines.

At one time it was just additional lights, or a handy radar detector and our Hornet Deer Alert seems to be working well.

We never go anywhere without our Gerbing’s heated gear stashed in our bags and the Garmin Zumo GPS’ have changed the way we look at the intricacies and details of our Rip & Rides each month for our different columns.

Most Rip & Rides have gotten a bit more complicated, yet many of them are available as a free download right to your Garmin GPS; a cool deal for everybody – well, those that have a Garmin that is. For those of you who don’t; the tried and true Rip & Ride will have to do.

This past winter, after a very long wait, Verizon finally offered the iPhone to its subscribers.

Backroads is run on Apple computers and we have a number of them that do all sorts of different tasks that need to be done to produce this publication on a timely monthly basis; so I picked up an iPhone immediately. Thus I was introduced to the world of Apps.

Major League Baseball, Shazam, Food Network, Star Walk (very cool) and even a handy carpenter’s level. All very neat and interesting on my new phone.

But now the world of apps are moving to other toys – specifically the many GPS’ on the market and particularly the Garmin Zumo series.

The first one that we ran across was brought in by Seymour O’Life – RoadsideAmerica.com’s Attractions & Oddities.

This program cost us just $19.99 and loaded up my Zumo with over 5,000 places and things that stand out across the United States. Seymour did a complete review of this app, but let me say it is very cool to be riding in a region you are not familiar with and suddenly get an icon that something really

bizarre and different is just down the road. It makes going for those exploratory rides that much more fun.

The next app that we heard of was a bit more serious in nature.

Don’t you hate it when some folks are riding like dimwits. In and out of traffic? Doing unwarranted wheelies? I know we’re never pleased at hooliganism. But, what we detest even more are the towns that create unnecessary speed traps simply to bring in revenue to the local coffers.

Not to mention all the cameras we see today and other devices, basically designed to raise cash more than to protect the public. So we were a little intrigued when we learned of PhantomAlert.

Now here is an app that can be downloaded to many GPS units, not to mention most smart phones, and will clue your GPS in on nearly 400,000 Enforcement Safety Locations across the USA and Canada.

Speed traps, red light cameras, speed cameras and even DUI checkpoints – but, please don’t put yourself in that position either on a bike or car!

For sure PhantomAlert can be used by many riders who simply want to avoid a ticket, but on the same note it warns you of school zones, railroad crossings and dangerous intersections – all places that, if I know I am approaching, I will check my speed and proceed with a heightened alertness.

Who can argue with that? Yes, I want to avoid the tickets; but I don’t ride at a crazed pace, I am simply trying to avoid the cash-hungry revenuers that are waiting to pickpocket all of us for simply riding by a few miles over the limit. Get me right here – I don’t blame the police, but I do blame their bosses.

I use a radar detector all the time and I think my Valentine 1 does an excellent job of keeping me out of the clutches of the King’s men.

Most of the times when this detector starts detecting I am not all over the brakes. I shouldn’t have to be. But, I do check my speed and turn it down accordingly. It’s almost enjoyable to hear the warning come from my PhantomAlert-abled Garmin around the same time the cautionary beeping in my headset is telling me that monetary chicanery is ahead.

I am sure, as time goes by, they’ll be dozens more usable and informative apps coming our way. We are certainly blessed to be living in these interesting technological times.

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Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! You’re off and away!

Come see the full line of BMW motorcycles, accessories and apparel at: Base Model: $17,250*

Always ride safely and wear proper protective gear. *Price shown is MSRP. Price subject to change. MSRP includes handling charges but excludes license, registration, taxes, title, insurance, options and $495 destination charge.

Actual price is determined by retailer. © 2009 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

Page 6

W H ATC H AT H I N K I N ’ SHIRA KAMIL

Is It legal?

As many of you know, Brian and I are avid Mets fans. Yes, we take our fair share of ribbing, and are ostracized, ridiculed and sometimes shunned by our very own family (well, really only my family; and as you read last month, they have their priorities completely backwards anyway). But nevertheless we persevere and, come Spring, off we go to see how we will be disappointed this season.

Turns out that, with the debacle of the Wilpon family and the need for them to raise some much-needed cash, the price of tickets at the gigantic new Citifield – Shea will always be home – were even more ridiculous than the Mets’ standing at the time of this penning. When I received an email offering single game tickets for a Mets/Philly game in Philadelphia I thought, ‘Oh how much fun would that be?’

We had been to Citizen Bank Park for a few Jimmy Buffett concerts and always had a great time. Tickets were reasonably priced (guess they knew the kind of abuse Mets fans would take in their stadium and took pity) so a road trip was planned.

I will save you the recount of the utter humiliation and defeat suffered that day, starting with the walk from the Holiday Inn next to the stadium and ending with the shamed walk back. Did it end with the game? Of course not. The next day we decided to visit the wonderful 9th Street Italian market we had heard so much about.

Spying some delicious meats to take home, we entered the market to a replay of insults (yes, we were wearing our Mets jackets). After berating them for dissing their customer, we exited with twice as much meat for half as much money – guess the redhead got her point across – don’t mess with New York. Time to head home to the friendly confines of New Jersey.

Reaching Belvidere, we stopped at Thisilldous for a much-needed lunch. Mike and crew do a fabulous job. Stomaches sated, we were heading home and, passing through the school zone, slowed to the required 25 MPH. Again, for those keeping track of my antics, you’ll know that this part of New Jersey has it out for me; more specifically my driver’s license. This day I was not driving, but just my being in the vehicle can cause chaos.

For whatever reason, the police car parked in front of the school suddenly made a U-turn, flicked on the lights and pulled us over. Remember, I was not driving and Brian is nothing if not extremely law-abiding in respect to speed limits (in a car).

Over we pull, looking at each other questioningly. The officer requested the registration, license and insurance and informed us that he pulled us over because our car was not registered. We guffaw and tell him he must be mistaken and I am certain that all paperwork, for all vehicles, is completely up to date. Not so quick, Red. Seems that, with the elimination of inspection and registration stickers in the great state of New Jersey, they also stopped sending reminders for registration on cars. I do not believe that this applies to motorcycles, as I just got a renewal of registration for one of our bikes. Well, looks like the car was four months overdue – shame on us. We overly apologized to the officer and told him we would drive straight to Motor Vehicle, would not pass Go and certainly not collect $200, and make everything legal once more. Did we do one heck of a double-take when he said that would be difficult as he was impounding our vehicle right there and then.

If I were Elaine Benes I would have shoved him while saying ‘Get out of here!’ and probably been arrested for assaulting an officer. Truth-be-told, coming up the block was the flatbed. Looks like we were to be stranded in Belvidere. Giving credit where it’s due, the tow driver did take us back to Thisilldous, where we borrowed Mike’s car, headed to Motor Vehicle just as we said we would, without passing Go and PAYING $200. Arriving at the Belvidere Police station, we attempted to pay our ‘administrative fee’ of $50 with a credit card and were told ‘You think you’re in New York City? We only take cash.’ What a surprise.

Car recovered, fee and fine paid, we were set back the price it would have cost us to attend a Mets game in Citifield, among fellow fans without the ridicule and potential harm of those nasty PhillyPholk. So, moral of the story? If you live in New Jersey, make sure that your paperwork is in order. When the state initially announced the elimination of inspection and registration stickers, we told you it would only be a matter of time before it was used for ‘revenuing purposes.’ Seems that time has come. Oh, did I mention that when we saw the kindly woman at Motor Vehicle, she said ‘You must have come from Belvidere; you’re the fourth person today with an unregistered car’. Word of warning – gather all your vehicles’ paperwork, make sure it’s up-to-date and legal, mark the renewal dates on your calendar and, unless you are going to Thisilldous, stay out of Belvidere. It’s only a matter of time before they’ll find something illegal about you, too.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 8

P O S TC A R D S FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD

the sum of our (sprIng) parts Time sure flies when you’re not fixing something you should have fixed. Case in point: I have a motorcycle that I’ve owned for a very long time, in fact this August we shall celebrate our 18th anniversary. Sometime in the past (and I should point out I’m not entirely sure when exactly what particular adventure/stupid miscue took place), my clutch lever was damaged. As I’m sure you know, when you have a bike you ride a lot for this many years there are many adventures/stupid miscues that result in the odd battle scar over time. If you do have a machine you’ve had as long and yet has no battle scars, I think you’re an awesome individual who clearly has it goin’ on. May you Live Long and Prosper. This story will be of little value, so go for a ride.

But for the rest of you, allow me to continue my tale of neglect and ultimate rebirth. The clutch lever was badly bent when the bike got knocked over at some point, and like the genius I am I used a pair of vice grips along with a pair of conventional pliers and straightened out my poor, warped friend. I got the bend about right, so that the bike was still ridable. This was clearly a temporary fix, though. Surely I, the owner of this attractive ’91 Honda VFR 750F, would see that the lever was not only damaged in the incident but also further weakened by bending it back, and therefore was fragile and should be replaced right away. It’s just a lever after all, and we’re not talking about a huge expenditure in time or treasure to make things right.

I don’t know how it happened, but a couple of days went by, and lo and behold the old lever remained in service. I was busy, so I just didn’t get around to ordering a new lever, much less picking it up and installing it. “Tomorrow,” I said. Days led to weeks, then months, then years, and I think an actual decade slid by. I was guilty of procrastination largely due to the fact that the straightened lever seemed to work fine, and although the engagement of the clutch felt a bit different compared to other motorcycles I ride, I just

went happily along making due with things as they were.

But something really miraculous happened a few weeks ago. I went on a very unexpected, but ultimately rewarding, maintenance spree and I started looking at all kinds of machinery I own and what kind of condition they’re in. Since most stuff I have (that has an engine in it, anyway) is a few years old, I discovered that I could bring things up to a level of top-notch condition by simply replacing a few things that had either been damaged or simply failed. The right side mirror on our ’94 Kawasaki Ninja 500 has had a knuckle that wore out I think back when the idea of a four-stroke motocrosser was still freakish, and I had, well, sort of applied some materials so that it didn’t droop and just point at the ground. As with the lever on the other bike, time just rolled on and the faux repair remained, even though the performance of the mirror was, let us say, substandard. A gent that spends a lot of time restoring old bikes pointed out that I, over time, had applied just about all temporary fixes you could find in the average garage to try and fix the mirror knuckle. There were zip ties and (of course) a generous allotment of not one but two different types of duct tape, and the only obvious omission was bailing wire. It looked as nasty as you can picture in your head, and really stood out since the rest of the bike was pretty much as good as new.

So, a few weeks ago I ordered some parts from an online parts concern for a helmet that needed a new base plate for the visor, and I liked the speed and accuracy of the transaction so much that I looked into their store of OEM parts and discovered something amazing: they not only had a brand-spanking new mirror assembly for the Kawasaki, it was only $60. This bike deserves the best, so bang, zoom, the next thing I knew I was bolting on this new assembly and the bike was whole again. That wasn’t so hard, was it? So why did it take so long?

As you have no doubt figured out by now, the ease and simplicity of this task spurred me to check my new parts source for Honda OEM parts, and there was my clutch lever, right there on the screen, for under $30. Imagine that. And to think I could have waltzed into my friendly dealer and done the same transaction years ago, if I’d only bothered. Why I procrastinated so long is pretty embarrassing, because once I installed the new lever (carefully aligning the adjuster and tiny little return spring), I noticed the whole feel Continued on following page…

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

MARK BYERS

Books of wIshes

postcards from the hedge was different even though the bend and angle looked almost identical to the one I “fixed.” I’m not talking about a slight difference in feel either, for apparently the slightest alteration of the bend of the lever changes the pressure on your fingers just enough as you engage the lever that it feels worlds different. It’s much, much better now, not to mention safer due to much better structural integrity. Wow. Who knew?

Well, anybody with a bit of common sense knew, but as is so often the case it took me some fieldwork to reach an all-too-obvious conclusion. So as the pollen is coating the cars outside (and slow moving cats as well), I think that rather than a sign that a curry powder factory exploded it’s a sign of Spring, and a sign that it’s time to do some parts purchasing. I can’t recommend this simple exercise highly enough.

OLD CLARK INN Motorcycle-Oriented Lodging dly ~ In Town ~ Free n e i r Bre tF ak e fa dg

st

I love catalogs. As a kid, I remember when Sears sent a Christmas catalog appropriately called “The Wish Book” that I’d carefully scrutinize for hours until the pages were soft enough to put in the outhouse in place of the corncobs. OK, not really, but I would page through that tome, salivating at the toys depicted therein. It didn’t matter if I ever got any (it was hit-or-miss) but my mind reveled in bizarre, vicarious, juvenile delight while looking at toys in the catalog. As I aged (for men never mature), the strange obsession with the Wish Book morphed into a fascination with elements of the “big one:” the Sears general catalog. Favorite sections included the firearms, tools, and a passing glance at the odd underwear ad.

Then came motorcycles. In my youth, Chapparal, Dennis Kirk, J&P, and a few dozen other outlets published accessory catalogs unrivalled in the field of motorcycle mechanical porn. I spent hours paging through those magical motorcycle wish books while, in my mind, I accessorized, restored, and outright built some of the most ass-kicking custom bikes in the world (never mind that I had no actual bike other than a geeky blue Schwinn that didn’t even sport a banana seat). My mental closet was full of the latest gear, too. I was Malcom Smith with a dirt bike catalog. Thanks to catalogs, I was, quite literally, a legend in my own mind.

Reality frequently sucks, of course, as I didn’t have a motorcycle of my own for the majority of my formative days and I didn’t have the money for so much as a Renthal sprocket. My brother let me ride his trail bike around the back yard when he was feeling oddly charitable (nine years is a big age difference). It didn’t matter: I had catalogs and they enabled my “projects” as I built fantasy machines from their dog-eared pages. His bikes sucked compared to mine (although his actually existed).

Now we have the internet, but there is something so visceral about those four-color catalog pictures on glossy paper. Maybe that’s why I eschew the electronic Backroads in favor of the print version. The real good catalogs were done on flimsy newsprint and you sorta had to use your imagination to get the full effect, but they were also the most voluminous. I frequently had newsprint on my forehead or clothes from a lengthy catalog customization session. I think I still have newsprint on my brain. You just can’t get that kind of joy from the internet: hell, your fingers never even get dirty and I’m sorry, but “bookmarks” just don’t have the same romance as dog-eared pages.

Catalogs are unrivalled for portability and accessibility too. If you’re a man, much less a gearhead, tell me there’s not a special spot in your bathroom devoted to keeping catalogs or magazines close at hand when you’re involved in eliminational moments. I mean, if we didn’t have something to read, we might actually have to engage in some kind of introspective thought and that would just be so…unmanly. OK, so there’s wireless internet, but the aluminum case of the MacBook is just so damn cold atop bare legs and electricity is the natural enemy of water. Give me a catalog and a well-lit throne and I’ll become an expert in the accessorization of anything short of a nuclear reactor.

The economics of catalog (or magazine) production are not lost on me. I still remember when this venerated publication was on newsprint and when the BMW RA magazine came in a plain brown cover. I understand that print media and postage are expensive compared to electronic publication and email, but I still love the feel of that paper in my hand. I do spend a lot of

time on the internet, but there’s a time and a place for a computer and the loo is neither.

I don’t have a Kindle and I’ll be damned if I want the folks at WhiteHorse Press or Andy Goldfine to start issuing their catalogs on one. These folks still get it: that wonderful feeling you get when the mailbox contains a carefully-crafted book of dreams. Sure, they have a “web presence” but they publish a CATALOG and, in Goldfine’s case, it even contains items of humor, fantasy and…gasp…literature. Where else can you mentally outfit yourself with the latest in protection or fashion while fantasizing about cell phone jammers and sporting a titanium combination tire iron in your adventure touring kit? Gawd, I love catalogs.

Bu

ON THE MARK

Page 9

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 10

TH OUGHTS FROM THE ROAD so what’s a lIttle cold?

There’s not too much argument that emotional attachments are an integral part of the human experience. We get attached to a lover, a spouse, (hopefully in that order) a child, an easy chair, perhaps a motorcycle. And so it was with me. I bought my first new, real motorcycle, a 2000 BMW R1100RT from its birth, so to speak. Ten years and a little over 100,000 miles later, after a good number of “personalizations”, a problem or few, I started to think about a replacement. But I had attached heartstrings to this bike. And I didn’t want to start all over making similar changes to a new bike. My friend Steve had been servicing the bike from day one since it was from his dealership, Touch of Class, I made the original purchase.

Since I liked the bike so much, he advised me to look for a little newer one of the same model, with lower mileage. He said he could swap the modifications, even the expensive Wilber shocks I got to lower the bike for my little body.

So, encouraged by my wife, I looked. Sure enough, a few months later, I spotted one in a classified ad. A 2004 BMW R1150RT with 1500 (yes, one thousand five hundred) miles on it. There’s always a “but”. This “but” was that the bike was in Arkansas. I dickered with the owner and agreed on a price. Being December, logic says “ship it”. Since I operate primarily from the gut rather than the head, I chose to fly down and ride it back. I rationalized it by figuring it would be about $10 cheaper to do that.

I’ve never been to Arkansas. To me, it would be kind of an adventure trying to ride back to New Jersey. I figured I’d take my laptop and check out

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John Petrocelli the weather forecast for my route every evening. Possibly hole up in a motel for a day or two if snow or head south, then east if a big system was coming through. Sounds simple enough. So I bought a one-way ticket, shipped a box with my gear, and waited for the date.

As the day approached, the forecast looked good for the whole trip home. I’d take a very early flight and meet the seller and the bike at the Springfield, MO airport at my 10:30 AM arrival and start home. It was about 1200 miles to NJ. I figured I’d do 200 miles that day and 500 miles each of the next two days.

If the weather looked good, I’d have the luxury of doing less daily mileage. Someone once said to me “People make plans and God laughs.” That principle combined with an overestimation of my intellectual capability made for my adventure.

First, halfway to the airport, I realized I left my cell phone home. Luckily there was enough time to go back and get it. Second, the plane landed two hours late in Springfield.

And third, he came without the bike. It seems the wife of the friend who was to drive him back from the airport told his friend that it was supposed to snow and he shouldn’t go. So he didn’t. So I rode with the seller 100 miles in the wrong direction to his house to get the bike, all the while looking up at the bright blue sky and biting my tongue. This guy lived in the booniest of the Arkansas boondocks, near the end of a road. No internet or cell phone coverage. His shop with 13 bikes (now 12) was bigger than his unfinished house. I couldn’t get upset with him; he was a really nice fellow.

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just had to start the bike, the engine hadn’t been off that long. Putting riding So, a few hours later, I was packed up, trying to find my way to civilization clothes over my pajamas, I went out. It started. I did it again at 6 AM and after turning the wrong way out of his driveway, of course. I made my way 14 degrees. Then I knew I was basically home free. I chose a path out of back up to Missouri. An aside - its state roads are designated with letters the icy driveway, packed up and headed out about 6:45. I was on Interstate rather than numbers, it seems. Cool. As darkness settled, I made it to West 70, hermetically sealed - 3 pairs of socks including the heated Gerbings, 2 Plains, MO, a town with a nice motel with Wi-Fi and a restaurant a block pairs of long underwear under my First Gear insulated riding pants, a heated away. In the parking lot I found I couldn’t flat foot the bike so I knew I had Gerbing jacket liner and assorted shirts under an insulated First Gear jacket, to be really careful. I settled in and checked the weather. Uh-oh. Everything a neck warmer and Gerbing gloves. I tell you this because I looked down at was fine on the route but it was supposed to snow in NJ the third day hence the thermometer shortly after starting and couldn’t believe it. I had to check and I was still 1200 miles away. I decided to just get as far as I could the next it several times. Four point nine (4.9) degrees. Honest. But my Gerbings day and see what happens. and 18 layers of clothing kept me toasty. I was euphoric.

At 6 AM the next morning the remote thermometer I had hooked up from The sky got lighter, the snow cover got thinner, the temperature warmed my old bike showed 27 degrees. The bike was kind of hard starting. I didn’t up into the mid-twenties. West Virginia, and into Pennsylvania was great. like that too much but I was on my way, wearing most of the heated gear I The PA Turnpike was dry, pretty, up and down through snowy mountains and brought. One hundred miles later, I made it to Interstate 44 and headed ditunnels. I passed Carlisle, PA and felt I was home. rectly home, becoming aware of the nooks and crannies I wasn’t careful Six hundred miles and ten hours from that morning, I pulled up my driveenough to really seal out the cold. My feet got cold so I stopped and put on way. I kind of expected the High School Band to be out there to greet me toe warmers I brought which worked and lasted about four hours. Then I but what I got was a nod from my son as I dismounted. had to stop again, go into a toilet stall, put on and wire up the Gerbing heated That was good enough for me. socks I brought. The temperature remained in the 30’s all day, not bad. The It was only a few days and many of you would just shrug it off and say no Interstate remained clear and dry but I saw a good covering of snow in the big deal, a tempest in a teacup. But for me, it was a big deal. An adventure. adjacent fields. Unfortunately for me, the feeder roads to the Interstate had I had put almost as much mileage in two days as that fellow did in six years. patches of ice and the gas stations and restaurant parking lots had some ice In December. and slush. I started to get that unpleasant feeling of apprehension. I was becoming aware that I wasn’t as smart as I’d like to think. I had not foreseen the surface conditions outside the Interstates nor the overnight temperature drop.

That day I made it out of Missouri, through Illinois, Indiana and into Ohio. It was just starting to get dark and the road divided due to construction. The left lane, mine, had the next exit in 8 miles, the right lane in 2 miles. Eight miles isn’t too far, I thought, I’d get off in about ten minutes and call it a day. Ha. After about two minutes, the traffic stopped dead. I glanced over to the now separated right lane, moving slowly, but moving.

While stopped, I kept the engine RPMs up a little to keep the battery charging with my heated clothing drawing current. But I noticed the temperature gauge raising a little too close to that red mark; the engine has no radiator, it’s air/oil cooled. The outside temperature was about 30 degrees but the engine temperature kept rising, nonetheless, though slowly. I came up with a plan. I turned up the Gerbing thermostat and I heated up along with the engine. Then I shut the engine down and luckily it cooled and I cooled at about the same rate. I did this for what seemed like an hour, hoping each time the engine would start, while watching the right lane of traffic get off exits I couldn’t access.

Finally, we got to the problem, a truck fire. At my 8mile exit, I got off in the dark onto another ice patched access road. Two motels, a Motel 6 with an unplowed parking lot and a Holiday Inn with a long driveway, which I chose. I couldn’t see too well with my dirty headlight and turned in one driveway too soon. I had to make a U turn over frozen slush. I felt the back end slip out and was sure I was going down. For an instant I pictured myself pinned under the bike on the ice in the pitch black parking lot. But the God who laughed at my plans held the bike up. I negotiated the Holiday Inn driveway and shut the bike down. I would have kissed the ground but my lips would probably have gotten 67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY stuck to it.

After I got settled in and my heart rate returned to normal, I checked the weather. It wouldn’t snow in NJ after all. Great. The local temp was to drop to 11 degrees that night. Not great, considering the hard starting at 27 degrees that morning. I knew I was just west of Columbus, OH but didn’t even know the name of the town if I got stuck. Just typical panic thinking, I guess.

At that point, I finally said “ Johnny, you banana, what have you gotten yourself into?” Then I let the panic pass and went to bed. I woke up at 1 AM and knew I

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 12

BACKLASH

Letters to the Editor

Another Great Spring Break Backroads, I just read in Backroads that you are sponsoring a weekend in Canandaigua, New York. Could you tell me what activities are planned for those who attend?

Thank you so very much for your reply. Your ads are great! My problem is that your publication is a very hot commodity at Schoch’s Harley-Davidson. If I don’t get there a day or two after they arrive they are gone. I think I need to subscribe so I don’t miss any issues. You and your staff produce a world-class publication that I truly enjoy.

Thank you, Scott T. Gilliland

Mail: BACKROADS PO Box 317 Branchville NJ 07826

Email: editor@backroadsusa.com Fax: (973) 948-0823

Got something to say? We’d love to hear it.

Letters may be edited, never censored, to fit.

Here are the basics... as it is now a done deal.

Great hotel, three days of riding, good people – no pressure just fun. No big group rides and all are welcome.

We have our Fall Fiesta coming this September from our region to Maine, to Vermont and then the Catskills – please join us.

think you strive to put many different things about motorcycle riding that everyone can learn from and enjoy.

As I am reading your letters to the editor in the May issue, I have to agree with Byrd. Don’t stereotype the type of bike a rider chooses to ride, but look at the individual rider. No matter where you ride there will always be “dumb asses” out there that do stupid things. I see it all the time when I am out ridPicking on other Riders? Not at all… ing. As you know I ride a 2008 HD low Rider. I love this bike. But I also Good Morning Brian, make it a point to wear the proper gear when I ride. I am probably one of the First let me start out by saying I always enjoy reading your magazine. I very few Harley owners that owns Olympia motorsport pants and jacket. I wear them all of the time not only because they are safe but because they are comfortable and practical. Additionally I wear a full face modular helmet. I beleive that safety is important when ever I get on my bike. With that said I will be taking the ERC class this coming Sun1269 DOLSONTOWN RD • MIDDLETOWN NY 10940 day May 8th.

845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM Again safety, safety and more safety.

And, on one final thought my number one rule when Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, I started riding was and still is NO ALCOHOL! Many snowmobiles, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, times we have stopped for lunch and I see people that Yamaha and Can Am. With a large parts department, qualified are riding having a drink- even riders that ride BMW service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories, and other types of bikes. we're here to meet all your power sport needs.

CYCLE MOTION As the riding season begins I wish you and Shira well For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing it is now a and safety. Hope to see you both at Chatterbox one in the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads, Can-Am Spyder Dealer night. we have their weapon of choice.

Regards, Michael Mania

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I’m with you Michael... Even Byrd realized he took this the wrong way. The folks I was referring to were two other tables at the NY Show that were just about the party and not riding at all. I walked a narrow fence there but most got it.

If you come on our Backroads rides you will see that most of our attendees - cruiser, sport and touring wear real gear – just like you.

Backroads, I agree… all the gear all the time. Yes, I learned that from you. It never ceases to amaze me at the number of folks who will ride with very little or no protection. Last year on the Blue Ridge Pkwy we rode for some distance with a young man from OH who rode in jeans, t-shirt, bandana, and flip flops. I find the age of the rider has no bearing in this regard. Both young and more senior riders choose not to wear appropriate safety gear. But, I do believe it is their choice.

My other concern is the number of riders in a group.

I’m very uncomfortable with any more than two or three other bikes being around me. While our club rides in a group of two lines with the bikes in staggered formation, I usually hang back on my own. Although I arrive about three to five minutes behind them, I’m more relaxed.

Your last issue about Kentucky was great. It brought back nice memories of the trip my wife and I took on a

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 13

IND USTRY INFOBITES

News from the Inside

MOTORCYCLE AND SCOOTER RIDE TO WORK DAY IS MONDAY, JUNE 20TH, 2011

NEW KAWASAKI DEALER IN JERSEY

The twentieth annual commuting event is expected to more than double the number of riders on the road, according to Ride to Work, the coordinator of the activity. “Riding on this day showcases the positive value of motorcycles and scooters for transportation. It is an economical, efficient and socially responsible form of mobility that saves energy, helps the environment and provides a broad range of other public benefits,” states Andy Goldfine, the event organizer. Motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts and rider organizations worldwide encourage their members to ride to work on this day, and the event has also been recognized by proclamation by over one hundred American cities.

According to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, over eighty million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On Ride to Work Day, the practical side of riding becomes more visible as a large number of America’s 8,000,000 cycles are ridden to work.

Studies have shown that across equal distances, commuting motorcyclists reach their destinations in less time than those using automobiles, that motorcycles and scooters consume less resources per mile than automobiles, and that they take up less space on roads. Motorcycle and scooter riders seek improved employer recognition and support for this form of transportation, and more public and government awareness of the positive value of riding.

Backlash Harley Owners Group National Tour a couple of years ago. We went from the Corvette plant and museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to the National Museum of the Air Force at Wright Pat in Dayton, and ended at the HD Museum in Milwaukee.

Mike OB Hi Brian and Shira, Three of us Massachusetts Red Knights spent eight days on the road this month for a spring motorcycle ride. We used your Moto-Inn section to help us find one of our way-points and wanted to tell you what a treasure we found in the Old Clark Inn in Marlinton, WV. Calling them a motorcycle-friendly spot is an understatement. Their facility is a wonderful spot in the middle of some fantastic roads. Our host, Andrea, was a super ambassador for the area and was more welcoming than anyone could expect. She told us that her husband would be disappointed in missing us as he was on his own motorcycle vacation.

The Old Clark Inn is a great place to stop, run by wonderful people, in a superb area to ride a motorcycle!

Bob Laford - Petersham, MA

Lovin’ My Backroads Dear Editors, Even though I can find back isssues on-line I get it delivered...My sweetie got it for me as a gift and I’ve been keeping it up ever since...Best damn mag out there in my opinion!!!

Joe Blaszky Brian, Your (May) editorial really stunk! (Just kidding, it was, as usuall, very well done.) But being about the smells of riding, you know I couldn’t resist.

Keep up the great work, Jeff the Whitehorse Guy

Sport Honda Powerhouse and Cross Country Cycle in Metuchen have combined resources to offer the most diverse selection of bikes, from full on luxury machines to straight economy rides. BMW, Ducati, Triumph, Honda, Vespa, Piaggio, Husqvarna, Hyosung . . . and now Kawasaki.

Sport Honda is one of the “Top 100” motorcycle dealers in the country, and last year was voted Best Motorcycle Shop in Central Jersey (Home News Tribune). Cross Country BMW was the USA’s leading supplier of the phenomenal BMW S1000RR sport bike last year, and is positioned this year to make a similar impact with BMW’s new six cylinder sport-tourer.

In addition to adding Ducati, Triumph, Hyosung, Piaggio, Vespa and Husqvarna to BMW and Honda, this season brings the addition of Kawasaki.

Kawasaki Metuchen has already started to receive the largest inventory of Kawi bikes, ATVs, Jetskis, Mules and Teryxs in central Jersey. Sadly, the other nearby Kawi dealerships closed last year (Greenbrook Cycle in Greenbrook, and Central Jersey Kawasaki in South River), as have so many bike shops since the economic downturn, but the expert staff at Kawi Metuchen is prepared to support all the needs of central Jersey’s Kawasaki community.

The dealerships are on 3 acres with a central parking lot, just off Interstate 287, Exit 2A. Open 7 days a week, you can find Kawasaki Metuchen, Sport Honda, Cross Country Cycle and Triumph Metuchen all on Facebooks.

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 14

AMERICADE TAKES ON ANOTHER GIG The Killington Classic, New England’s largest motorcycle touring rally, will roar into a new era this fall under the management and promotion of the company which produces the world’s largest multi-brand touring rally, Americade.

The Town of Killington Economic Development and Tourism Director Seth Webb announced this week that Americade has inked a management and promotion contract, effective with the 2011 Classic.

“The Town of Killington extended an invitation to us last year to spend time at the Killington Classic and see how we might work together to take this great event to a new level,” said Christian Dutcher, Americade’s VP. “We’re excited to partner with the forward-looking Killington community and we anticipate building on the foundation already in place to attract more bikers and vendors to the Killington Classic.”

“This is a tremendous step forward for the Killington Classic and our entire community.” notes Webb. “Having Americade’s expertise and organization managing the Classic will help us achieve our goal of growing the Classic into a strong annual event.”

Americade is the world’s largest touring rally, attracting tens of thousands of motorcyclists to Lake George, NY each June, and is often considered the best organized event of its kind in the U.S. The event management company behind Americade organizes motorcycle events year-round.

The Killington Classic, slated for this September 8-11, is New England’s largest motorcycle touring rally, and has earned praise from motorcycle press. Its overlooks the Green Mountains of Vermont, provides immediate access to unparalleled New England riding, and offers an array of motorcycle events and entertainment each day.

Registration for the 2011 Killington Classic opens on June 7th at www.killingtonclassic.com.

CONGRESSIONAL MOTORCYCLE CAUCUS CONTINUES TO GROW The Congressional Motorcycle Caucus — a bipartisan group that works to promote issues important to motorcyclists — is gaining strength with the addition of new members, the AMA reports. Reps. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Tim Griffin (R-Ark.), Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) and Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) are

the latest motorcycling enthusiasts to join this important caucus.

“I am happy to join the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus as we work to promote the freedom to safely ride motorcycles,” Walberg said. “As a Charter Life Member of the American Motorcyclist Association and a 40-year motorcycle enthusiast myself, there are few things I enjoy more than getting on my motorcycle with my wife and riding on the open roads in south-central Michigan.” Griffin shared similar sentiments: “As a lifelong motorcyclist and motocross fan, I am honored to be a part of this bipartisan group. I look forward to working with my colleagues to promote this growing sport and improving the safety of my fellow riders.” Ed Moreland, AMA senior vice president for government relations, thanked the legislators for adding their voices to the chorus of lawmakers concerned about the issues of motorcyclists. “We are looking forward to working with these representatives and the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus on behalf of all motorcyclists,” Moreland added. “There are many very important issues on the Hill that affect motorcycling, so it’s good to know that there are lawmakers who will take an active interest in motorcyclists’ concerns.” Reps. Michael Burgess (RTexas) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) serve as co-chairs of the caucus.

Other members include Reps. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Michael Conaway (R-Texas), John Duncan (R-Tenn.), Bob Filner (D-Calif.), Randy Forbes (RVa.), Walter Jones (R-N.C.), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Allen West (R-Fla.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.).

NHTSA REQUESTS MOTORCYCLE SAFETY MONEY Administrator David Strickland of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has submitted his 2012 budget request to the Appropriations Committees. One item in particular jumped off the page when the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) examined the $860 million request. Section 3011, Motorcycle Safety Grants, includes $7 million that specifically adds the promotion of DOT compliant helmet use to the fund.

In the past, the motorcycle safety grant program has solely put money toward two areas: teaching people to ride motorcycles and educating the rest of the motoring public to look for motorcycles while driving. Diluting this already small grant program to include helmet use promotion will certainly diminish the effectiveness of the two existing programs.

In a recent Senate hearing, Department of Transportation Secretary Ray

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2011 LaHood was asked by Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ) to include a mandatory helmet law in his budget request. LaHood responded, “This administration believes that is a State issue.” Apparently Strickland did not get that information.

It is troubling that NHTSA, whose mantra should be “crash avoidance,” continues to promote “safer crashing.”

BILL INTRODUCED TO BLOCK MOTORCYCLE-ONLY CHECKPOINTS A federal lawmaker has introduced legislation to prevent the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from giving money to states and local jurisdictions for motorcycle-only checkpoints, the AMA reports. On March 3, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) introduced the bill. The legislation, with original co-sponsors Reps. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), would prohibit the DOT “from providing grants or any funds to a state, county, town, or township, Indian tribe, municipal or other local government to be used for any program to check helmet usage or create checkpoints for a motorcycle driver or passenger.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is part of the Transportation Department, recently gave Georgia a $70,000 grant to conduct one or more roadside motorcycle-only checkpoints. New York state has operated a similar program using state funds. The AMA has been tracking this disturbing development of motorcycle-only checkpoints since it first appeared in New York several years ago. www.americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/issueslegislation.

DAYTONA’S 2012 BIKE WEEK TO COMPETE WITH COLLEGE SPRING BREAK Last month NASCAR said they intended to schedule the Daytona 500 a week later in the year. At that time, there was widespread speculation that the Daytona 200 motorcycle race would also have to be pushed back a week since the track needs a week to make the changes. Officials with Daytona International Speedway confirmed that next year’s motorcycle-racing schedule will take place a week later on the calendar.

That means the race will fall in the window of March 9th -18th with Spring break for most colleges typically falling on the 3rd week in March, putting the two in direct competition for hotel motel rooms in the Daytona Beach area.

Page 15 One possible solution that has been mentioned is to separate the races from Bike Week but critics of that proposal say that the manufacturers who participate in the Daytona 200 will not accept that as an option.

Right now the 2012 dates have been announced and all the parties in Daytona are taking a “let’s see what happens” approach to next year’s bike week.

SECOND ANNUAL REVIVE YOUR RIDE! WIN BIG SPRING GIVEAWAY OFFERS UP NEARLY $40,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES Revive Your Ride! WIN BIG SPRING GIVEAWAY is back, bigger and better for 2011. Scheduled to run from April 15 through June 30, the promotion offers powersports customers a chance to win one of fifty great prizes, $10,000 in cash prizes and nearly $30,000 in product giveaways.

This year’s Grand Prize is a $5,000 pre-paid MasterCard that can be used exclusively at participating motorcycle/aftermarket retailers. Twelve additional pre-paid cards will also be given away, with the amounts ranging from $100 all the way up to $2,000. Thirty-seven additional product package giveaways run the gamut from leather jackets and helmets to windshields to security systems, motorcycle lifts, exhaust systems, battery chargers, gift certificates and much more. All prize packages can be seen at mic.org/reviveyourride.

“Last year’s promotion drove thousands of customers into dealerships everywhere, exactly what it was supposed to do,” said Frank Esposito, MIC aftermarket committee chair. “Now it’s back, bigger and better, with a dramatic increase in participation from MIC member companies that have donated $30,000 in cool products and great services as giveaways. Lucky customers will ride away with one of fifty prize packages of gear or cash cards, or the Grand Prize of a $5,000 MasterCard to spend on accessories, gear, parts or services. Dealers get a fantastic opportunity to participate in a national promotion for a next-to-nothing investment.”

To enter, customers simply visit a participating retailer, pick up an entry card and enter online at reviveyourride.org.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 16

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s M Y STE RIOUS AME RICA the hIlls have eyes…and noses and mouths Dan Bisbee I had just crossed the state line from Maine into New Hampshire when a small brown sign caught my eye: Old Man of the Valley. Wait just a minute!

Wasn’t it called Old Man of the Mountain? Wasn’t that fifty miles away in Franconia Notch? And didn’t he fall down several years ago? What kind of trick was this? Did the Old Man have a kid? A literal chip off the old block so to speak. Inquiring minds want to know. OK, maybe that was just me but surely, if the state was willing to put up a sign, there must be something to it. I downshifted, banked the bike into a U-turn and dropped my kickstand in the small dirt parking area.

It took me a minute to locate the overgrown foot path that led a short way into the woods. When I looked up I was startled to be staring eye to eye, so to speak, with a stone head. The boulder was an almost perfect profile of a man with craggy eyes, a large and crooked nose and slightly parted lips. There was a definite family resemblance to the Old Man of the Mountain. One of his children? I could tell by his moss-green hair that he must be the rebellious teenage son and we shared a few minutes of awkward silence. I showed him my map and asked if he had any siblings and where I could find them but he kept staring ahead without acknowledging my presence like teenagers do. Walking back to the bike, I glanced over my shoulder once or twice but he continued staring straight ahead ignoring me like a teenager with an iPod. This little encounter inspired me to stop by the site of the original Old Man. I rode across Route 2 and then on Route 115 where the Old Man’s profile outlined the sign. I continued on Route 3 through Twin Mountain which merged into the Franconia Notch Parkway. Just before it dropped to a single lane I exited.

Rip & Ride® NEW HAMPSHIRE STONE FACES START: BETHEL, ME ROUTE 2 WEST TO NH STATE LINE OLD MAN OF THE VALLEY IS A SHORT WALK IN THE WOODS ACROSS FROM THE WELCOME TO NH SIGN TAKE ROUTE 2 WEST TO ROUTE 115 TURN LEFT ON ROUTE 115 TO CARROLL IN CARROLL TURN LEFT ON ROUTE 3 TO FRANCONIA NOTCH PARKWAY/ I93 I-93 SOUTH TO EXIT 34C TURN RIGHT AT THE END OF THE EXIT FIRST LEFT DOWN AN UNMARKED ROAD TO PARKING OLD MAN VIEWING AREA IS ABOUT ¼ MILE DOWN THE PAVED FOOT PATH GET BACK ON I93 SOUTH TO EXIT 34A (INTERSTATE IS ONE LANE THRU FRANCONIA NOTCH) ROUTE 3 SOUTH 1 MILE TO INDIAN HEAD RESORT ON LEFT (INDIAN HEAD ON RIGHT)

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2011 So what do you do when your biggest tourist attraction falls down? If you’re the state of New Hampshire, you call it a “Historic Site”. People used to visit Old Man of the Mountain from all over the world but, in the middle of a fog shrouded night in 2003, the freeze-thaw cycle finally got to him and he tumbled down in a heap. Even without the great stone face, it’s still a beautiful spot to take a break, nestled as it is between the peaks of Cannon Mountain and Mt. Lafayette. High above Profile Lake you can still see remnants of the cables that held up the Old Man in his final decades but that’s about it. There aren’t many tourists on the foot path to the viewing area anymore; most of them stop at the museum next door at Cannon Mountain ski area. Plans are underway for a monument to provide “a lasting legacy of remembrance” for the Old Man of the Mountain. (www.oldmanofthemountainlegacyfund.org) Construction has begun but completion still appears to be a few years away.

Back on the bike I headed through Franconia Notch and pulled in to the Indian Head Resort in North Lincoln. There’s no mistaking where Indian Head… this place gets its name. Directly Ya see him? across the street, the mimetolith (Yup, there’s a word for a natural stone face) of a Native American dominates the top of Mount Pemegewasset. The huge natural stone profile of the Chief with a long coniferous headdress encompasses the entire summit.

He’s probably not one of the Old Man’s offspring; more likely he’s a distant uncle. The Old Man doesn’t measure up either. While he measured 48 feet from chin to forehead, the Chief is twice as big measuring 98 feet.

I wandered through the Indian Head Resort’s slightly tacky gift shop and bought a token so I

Page 17 could climb the 100 foot observation tower. Ascending the steps while wearing my Aerostich suit took a bit more effort than I realized and I was huffing and puffing at the top. Once I regained my breath and took in the stunning 360 degree view, I decided it was the best 50 cents I’d spent all day.

Leaving Indian Head, I rode west on Route 112 and then over Sawyer Mountain Highway to Warren. Warren is one of my favorite towns because the church steeple on the town common competes with a Redstone Rocket for heavenly transportation (See Backroads October 2004 for details).

Just north of Warren, I found yet another stone cranium. He was right on the side of the road watching people pass. I wanted to call him Old Man in the Ditch but a hand painted sign named him Old Man by the Dam. He’s not really old though, having been unearthed during recent highway reconstruction. Perhaps Young Kid by the Dam would be more appropriate. Nowhere near as big as the original Old Man, this little tyke measures about 8 feet from chin to forehead. He’s also a bit more down to earth and laid back with his Jay Leno chin and perpetually furrowed brow, just hanging out in the ditch watching the traffic go by.

You would think that natural stone formations shaped like human faces would be rather rare. In New Hampshire, at least, you would be wrong. In addition to the stone faces I encountered, Old Man of Winnipesaukee is near, of all places, Lake Winnipesaukee. Old Man of the Shore is, of all places, along the state’s 20 mile coast line. And somewhere high in Dixville Notch is supposedly the profile of Martha Washington. It looks like I’ve got a few more family members to track down.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 18

G REAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

tasty places to take your bike

shady acres restaurant 164 danIelson pIke, foster, rI 02825 • 401-647-7019 Bill Heald One of the most interesting aspects of the modern diner is how it tries more than anything else to not be modern. What I mean by that is there are a few different strategies that try to capture the nostalgia of the classic American diner atmosphere, while at the same time delivering the kind of food people want at a decent price. Witness all the brand-new diners that flaunt nostalgia with everything from the decor to the uniforms of the wait staff and cooks, and you know what I mean. Some are pretty successful at capturing the past, while others, though well-intentioned, come across as kind of fake to me.

Then, we have diners that really are nostalgic because they really haven’t changed much over the last few decades. The Shady Acres Restaurant in Foster, Rhode Island is one of those rare birds that is sort of frozen in time in the best way. Located on Route 6 (also known as the Danielson Pike in this neck of the woods) not far east of the Connecticut border, it’s really kind of in the middle of nowhere as opposed to being part of a town or city. You stroll in and over the big window in the back wall that serves as the pass-through for the kitchen, you see the following: “Live a Good Life. In the end, it’s not the years in a life, it’s the life in the years.”

This is a very traditional, unpretentious place that has a sizable menu of excellent diner fare, including killer breakfasts and excellent midday feasts that should please a broad variety of appetites and tastes. Lunch has always been my diner thing, and Shady Acres is an ideal venue. You can of course start with an appetizer, such as soups and salads or one of my favorites like mozzarella sticks, potato skins, and the Shady’s “Goody Basket” that includes onion rings, mozzarella sticks, potato wedges and chicken tenders with a red sauce. I think, for most of us, the appetizer of choice has the word “basket” in it.

As much as there are many sandwiches where I would define the quality of a midday dining experience, on a day of travel that has burned many calories, brain cells and protein I go for a big ol’ cheeseburger.

Here the Shady Acres knocks the run in, for my cheeseburger platter was simple, elegant and delicious.

The burger was cooked to perfection (with an optional strip of bacon) and from the bun to the lettuce and tomato garnishes everything was farm fresh. I have consumed many burgers in my time, and when every last component is crisp, flavorful and filling it does wonderful things to my stomach, heart and head. It’s like the difference between a mass-produced product and something that is made by hand by a true craftsperson. A healthy compliment of fries sealed the deal, and I was a very happy camper. I avoided dessert, which I have to point out is noble because this is a true dairy bar country establishment that has a huge assortment of shakes, sundaes and other expressions of cold love. Perhaps next time. OK, tomorrow. They’re close.

The Shady Acres Restaurant is located in Foster, Rhode Island, right on Route 6 that runs from Hartford, CT to Providence and places East.

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Service work that is an

HOUR OR LESS! Change Engine Oil and Filter (not 1k, 5, 10k service etc)

Get in. Get serviced.

Get back on the road.

All in about an hour.

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Front or Rear Tire Replace Brake Pads Handgrips (non-heated), Pegs, etc.

So the next time you need one of these HOUR OR LESS services, just give us a call - we’ll do it while you wait. Shop for a while or relax in our customer lounge while we complete your work, then get back out on the road.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 20

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WE’RE OUTTA HERE

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

poInt au roche lodge 463 poInt au roche road, plattsBurgh, new york 12901 518-563-8714 • www.poIntaurochelodge.com In the northeast there is little question that one of the grandest places you can spend time touring your motorcycle is the Adirondacks.

Larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Yosemite combined, almost 1/3 of the Empire State can be found in these mountains, valleys, forests and lakes and the old logging roads, now mostly paved, offer some of the most seriously perfect riding to be found in the nation.

Many of us head up each year for the party called Americade, but not far north of the rally along the western shore of Lake Champlain you will find Point Au Roche State Park; a peaceful oasis of beauty and tranquility; maybe quite the opposite from the sometime raucous Americade.

Right at the entrance to the park we have found the most delightful Bed & Breakfast – Point Au Roche Lodge.

A number of years back the owners, Karen and Creston Billings, were looking for a lodge, inn or B & B. Their search brought them from their

northern California home to the northeast of the country. Places were seen in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont but just north of Plattsburgh, New York they found what they were looking for and the Port Au Roche Lodge was born. Ironically Karen was raised not too far from the lodge, so she has come full circle in a way to own and run such a beautiful place.

We have been in many nice B & Bs but the way this lodge is built is quite extraordinary.

Featuring eight individually decorated rooms, four with their own fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs, the lodge is very comfortable.

The great room has a suspended walkway that leads to a sitting area that would be perfect for planning the next day’s ride, especially with a glass of fine wine for the sunset.

The region itself allows for comfortble access to the greater Adirondacks and to the east Vermont and the islands of Lake Champlain are within easy reach.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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The Billings have created a superb hideaway from the day-to-day bustle and with eight rooms they can easily handle a small riding group.

The morning found a delicious breakfast of homemade goodies, fresh eggs and fruit, the best bacon we’ve ever tasted and some good, strong coffee to get you on your way. Creston is a wonderful cook and you won’t be disappointed with whatever is on the menu for the start of our day.

For those of you who do ride to Americade each year you might consider the Point Au Roche Lodge a place to overnight for a day or a few days before

or after, to or from the big rally.

I know when we went to explore the region in the offriding months we were truly taken in with the ambiance and flavor this lodge offers. We think you will be to. And if you do decide to spend a few days, you’ll have the beautiful and rugged Point Au Roche State Park to explore, with its many hiking trails and sandy beach to take in some sun.

With that in mind we will send you to this lakeside retreat along some equally impressive roadways from where else? Americade.

Rip & Ride® • POINT AU ROCHE LODGE 463 POINT AU ROCHE ROAD, PLATTSBURGH, NY 12901 • 518-563-8714 • WWW.POINTAUROCHELODGE.COM 120 MILE ROUTE: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/FILE/VEN2U3

RTE. 9 N NORTH FROM TOWN LEFT ON CR 11 IN BOLTON LANDING RIGHT AT SR 64 EAST SCHROON RIVER RD. RIGHT AT EAST SHORE DR. BEAR RIGHT ADIRONDACK RD. LEFT AT ALDER MEADOW RD. RIGHT AT SEVERANCE RD. LEFT AT RTE. 74 RIGHT AT RTE. 9 LEFT TO RTE. 73 STRAIGHT AT RTE. 9N & 73 RIGHT TO RTE. 9N

RIGHT AT TRUMBULLS RD LEFT AT VALLEY RD LEFT AT GLEN RD RIGHT AT CR 64/STICKNEY BRIDGE RD RIGHT AT GREEN ST RIGHT AT DUGWAY/LOWER RD LEFT AT AUGUR LAKE RD LEFT ONTO RTE. 9 NORTH RTE. 9 THRU PLATTSBURGH RIGHT AT POINT AU ROCHE RD. B & B DOWN ON LEFT

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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BIG CIT Y G ETAWAY

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

motorcyclepedIa the east coast’s motorcycle museum Peter Miller There have always been good reasons for motorcyclists to come to the Hudson Valley in New York. Great roads like Route 218 along the Hudson River and Hawks Nest high above the Delaware offer spectacular views and sweeping curves. Historical sites dating back to our Revolution abound along with parks, hiking trails and an endless variety of restaurants. If none of these reasons are enough for you to point your front wheel towards the Orange County area (yes, Orange County Choppers is here too) then let me tell you about one more attraction: Motorcyclepedia.

Motorcyclepedia is a museum dedicated to motorcycles. It’s incredible!

The museum, established by Edward and Gerald Doering, houses motorcy-

cles and motorcycle memorabilia that have been collected by the Doerings for decades. The press release offered by the museum states, in part: “The purpose is to establish and maintain an educational museum open to the public so that motorcycles can be enjoyed and studied. At present Motrocyclpedia has a collection of more than 300 dating from 1897 consisting not only of motorcycles but memorabilia, parts, sidecars and a large collection of magazines, technical books, catalogs’, videos, posters and movies which will allow scholarly research, as well as recreational exploration, investigation and examination”. So, will those who visit Motorcyclepedia enjoy, learn, investigate and examine motorcycles? You bet. The museum is housed on two floors in an 85,000 square foot building. Entering the museum you’re immediately struck by its spacious, well-lit and elegant displays of all things motorcycle. Gerald “Ted” Doering’s intention was to create a museum that anyone could enjoy. “You don’t have to be a motorcycle enthusiast to enjoy the museum,” Ted says, “there’s something for everyone”. Is there ever. It’s impossible for anyone to walk through the museum and not be reminded of

BIKE NIGHTS!

WEDNESDAYS For exact dates please visit www.TramontinHD.com

Page 24

some memory resurrected by a motorcycle, movie poster, song, television show or comic book displayed in the museum.

For the motorcyclist and enthusiast there are displays of motorcycles and memorabilia representing road racing, hill climbs, board racers, choppers, military, police, full dressers, moto-cross, drag racing, side cars and servicars. But wait, there’s more. Parts, tools, accessories, advertising, films and music are all included. The lower floor includes a complete operational Wall of Death with its own stage and audience seating. The Antique Motorcycle Foundation maintains a revolving exhibit with the museum. Currently, “Fast from the Past” displays over 35 motorcycles representing the evolution, changes, transformation and perfection of each machine and the racing segment of the sport. The museum does more than display motorcycles; it communicates to everyone who visits just how deeply motorcycles are woven into the fabric of American culture. From politics and films to music and recreation, motorcycles are there. The museum seeks to educate

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS riders and prospective riders with programs including Motorcycle Safety Council courses offered by SmartRider, ongoing presentations on rider safety, travel, motorcycle maintenance, even a presentation by police on how to avoid getting ticketed for equipment violations. The Steve McQueen meeting room within the museum is made available to community-based clubs for monthly meetings in exchange for volunteer hours throughout the year.

A visitor would have to spend a whole day, if not more, to see and study all that is on display. I counted more than 60 different manufacturers of motorcycles displayed. The room for Indian brand motorcycles, the originals manufactures by Hendee of Springfield, Mass., has on display a motorcycle for each year of manufacture, 1901 to 1953. What is believed to be the oldest running motorcycle in the USA, a 1897 De Dion Bouton Trike, is housed here. There are motorcycles completely restored, as if they came from the manufacturer yesterday. There are others that are displayed just as they looked when they were discovered in barns or basements, desperately in need of work.

For me, the motorcycle that brought the greatest joy was a Yamaha TZ 250 factory Road Racer. Except for the color, it was exactly the same bike that I raced some years ago. Seeing that bike perfectly preserved brought a rush of joy to my heart. I recalled the races, the friendships, the places and thrills that accompanied my road racing days. But then again, isn’t that what a museum is supposed to do?

Motorcyclepedia Museum is located at 250 Lake Street (Route 32) in Newburgh, NY. Hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

For information call 845-569-9065 or go online at www.Motorcyclepediamuseums.com. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 3 through 12.

T

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 25 Words and images: Neale Bayly

he dog days of summer have slowed the pace of life to a crawl, with seemingly endless triple-digit temperatures scorching the earth and boiling my brain. Riding home after dark, even the slither of moon hanging low in the early evening sky is on fire. Sweat rolls into my eyes and every warm, moist breath feels labored. Battling traffic, waiting for lights to turn green, and inhaling car fumes, I start daydreaming about cool Alpine passes. Of twisting roads, climbing and tumbling through sweet smelling pine forests, of strong coffee and clear mountain lakes at the base of picturesque mountains, and small, family run hotels that serve fantastic cuisine a short walk from my comfortable room.

Lying back on a blanket of soft, green grass, peppered with brightly colored wild flowers, I fill my lungs with crisp mountain air. Above, the clearest, brightest blue sky competes with the lazy billowing clouds in nature’s own beauty contest. Jagged peaks thrust out of the frame of vibrant green and brown trees that ring my horizon, and with a smile that warms through to my soul I close my eyes. Five days of riding through the European Alps has brought my own personal nirvana, as my mind drifts back to the heat and congestion I have left behind in America.

s p l A e h t n i f f O g n i l o o C

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 26 Picking up a loaner BMW F650GS in Bad Tolz outside Munich, I quickly crossed into Austria as the rain came. Ducking out of the deluge into the incredible city of Salzburg I took a short tour with a local guide. It was certainly a highlight seeing the town that boasts Mozart for it’s own while marveling at the stunning European

architecture. Leaving Salzburg, the rain came harder and the going got tougher, and as the temperatures dropped toward the low ‘40s the visibility slowly disappeared into the mist.

Splashing through long valleys, occasional views of the rivers showed fast running muddy water, signaling more rain in the higher mountains. Thankfully, the Austrian roads are in great condition and by nightfall I had made the ornate village of Tamsweg. Tuck-

ing into a warm meal, with a comfortable bedroom a flight of stairs away, it was good to be out of the rain.

Loading my bike as the low-lying cloud burned off the picturesque hills around Tamsweg, it was time to gas and climb up into the mountains for a day of fun and adventure. Quickly finding a long series of hairpin turns, it was a steep learning curve, as I don’t experience this type of riding in North America very often. The roads also tightened up, and the surface became rougher as I climbed up into the clouds. Spinning along in the crisp mountain air there was a lot to concentrate on. Picking a stunning alpine pass for coffee, I marveled at the many cyclists that were making the wickedly steep ascent.

Joined by a group of small brightly colored Fiats, some weird BMW riders, shadowed by the majestic mountains overhead I enjoyed the deep valleys stretching away in front of me.

Lunch over, I made my descent, and by mid afternoon had made my way back to Tamsweg, with enough daylight for a short ride up the top of a neighboring mountain. Drinking strong coffee and meeting the locals was just what I had traveled to the Alps for, and though tough the first day, this only made it seem that much better. LingerGo See the Pros that Know How to Ride!

2011 CBR250R Great Entry-Level Bike at an Equally Great Price

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The all-new 2011 CBR250R brings a fresh take on the fun side of motorcycling, one that especially suits riders entering the sport. Thanks to its extremely efficient 249cc liquidcooled single cylinder engine—an all-new design featuring a sophisticated four-valve DOHC cylinder head, engine counterbalancer, and fuel injection—this dependable and lightweight machine delivers nimble handling, a broad spread of easily accessible power and low operating costs all in one. Whether the day calls for a commute to work, quick trips around town or all-day explorations in the countryside, the CBR250R is a great way to get acquainted with the many faces of motorcycling, all at an affordable price.

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210 Route 10 West • East Hanover, NJ www.HanoverPowersport.com • 973-428-1735 honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 27 the job of staying on the narrow road. Ending in a long, open valley with grass blanketed in wild flowers, it was time to make speed for the town of Kotschach Mautern in Austria where I would stay the night.

ing long enough to absorb the atmosphere, it was soon time to meander back down to Tamsweg where I found the small Austrian town bathed in the glow of an early evening sunset.

Leaving Tamsweg for good, I spent an enjoyable few hours’ criss crossing the mountains before crossing into Slovenia. Quickly finding a mountain pass, the Vrisicpass that had been built during World War One, I was soon picking my way up an impossibly steep road comprised of slick, cobblestone corners and bumpy narrow straights. This was turning into another great adventure as I made my way off the other side of the mountain, and through the beautiful countryside, the BMW was soon blasting into Italy.

Later in the afternoon I pulled over in a small Italian town for coffee, and a chance to enjoy the soap opera of Italian life being played out in the town square. Picking up a small road out of town, it took me up over the Mangartpass, the steepest pass imaginable, with breathtaking views that threatened to tear my attention from

After experiencing the joy of total respect and assistance from the German and Austrian four-wheel brigade, it was time for a quick reminder that this isn’t so in Italy. If you’re in front of them, even if you have a line of ten cars

Page 28

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

ahead of you, the car behind you will try to make the pass. Having experienced one particular silver-haired gent who tried to pass up the inside as I was parking, it was time to proceeded with extra caution. This didn’t detract from the stunning vistas, warm golden sun, and the first view of the Dolomites. Coupled with an antique car show in Cortina during lunch, and window boxes exploding with colorful flowers the day was as perfect as it could be.

The ride took me though a kaleidoscope of experiences, as the country roads ran through villages full of people dressed in their Sunday best for the many church services being held. God still holds the dominant position in these mountain villages, with the huge financial buildings that have taken over the cities nowhere to be found. I marveled at processions, old men in

get used to sharing the road again. Thankfully, it didn’t take me long to find a hotel and, like the rest of the European hotels, it was first class with superb food.

“Layer up” was the advice I got from a fellow motorcyclist as I set out for a loop up around a local pass road above Meran the following morning. The weather forecast was predicting rain and cold, so I headed off bundled up for a day playing in the cold. Throwing me for a loop, I got extremely lucky for the first few hour as glorious sunshine, quiet roads, and the usual majestic scenery was the order of the day. Back in Meran a few hours later amongst apple orchards and wineries, I picked up the road for Serfaus, a famous ski town in Austria. With most of the pass roads above 1800 feet closed by early snow I stayed low, and arriving in Serfaus early to rapidly dropping temper-

medals, and devout ladies in dour costumes making their way to church.

Stopping a while in the rugged, treeless Dolomites at Passo di Giau, it was time for some photos and a hike as I deeply breathed in the crisp, alpine air.

Taking time to watch the white clouds sail across the incredible blue skies that are punctuated by the jagged mountains, it was hard to think anything on the trip would beat this. Little did I know there was more to come.

The following day I was shooting some stunning pictures in an insanely beautiful valley, while pinching myself to see if I had stumbled on to the set of a Heidi remake. Warm sunshine, blankets of soft green grass, and views that you only see in postcards, I knew I was having the perfect moment and fully exploited it with my camera. Descending toward the town of Meran unfortunately broke the spell, as the temperatures climbed and civilization reappeared. Finding the roads full of cars and trucks, it was a shock, and I had to

atures that were already down into the ‘30s.

Pulling out of Serfaus with the sun lighting the huge valley with its golden rays, it couldn’t have been a more impressive start to my last day. It was actually hard to concentrate on how breathtaking this last ride was turning out to be, with the myriad of experiences exploding in my brain from the last few days. By lunchtime, I had dropped out of the mountains proper for the last time and found the rain that had greeted me on my first day. Bookending the journey, it didn’t do a thing to detract from the enjoyment and might have been the perfect tonic to stop me from heading home too giddy. I made it back to Bad Tolz without incident, dropped off the bike, and had my last German supper. Soon I would be home in America and back to work, but for now I was going to sit and savor the memories of fantastic riding, stunning scenery and first class hospitality.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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THE ULTIMATE RIDIN’ & BBQ EATIN’ GRAND TOUR • A BENEFIT FOR EDDIE’S ROAD

Now here is a Grand Tour that is a natural for Backroads readers….

Smoke Chasing Grand Tour 2011 is a BBQ themed self-paced event that requires riders to eat at BBQ restaurants in different states and document their journey using a passport book and photographs. Riders can achieve different finishing levels from the fun “Griller” who visits three different states and eats at five different BBQ joints in each state to the more ambitious “BBQ Pit Master” who visits fifteen different states & eats at one BBQ joint in each state. Those who finish receive bragging rights, certificates and a chance at motorcycle related prizes. Proceeds from the event benefit Eddie’s Road, a charitable foundation helping abused and neglected youth in memory of the late Eddie James who was killed in a motorcycle accident in 2009.

Smoke Chasing is unique in that it is designed to honor the riding philosophy of Eddie James, the former National Road Riding Director for the American Motorcyclist Association, a National Ride Manager for a major children’s charity and co-founder of Team Strange Airheads. Eddie was also a legendary rally master creating entertaining and challenging motorcycle events including the Minnesota 1000 and the Butt Lite.

Eddie’s two great passions in life were riding and eating BBQ. He believed that being a rider was more important than the brand of bike you rode, and Eddie owned and rode virtually every brand of motorcycle produced during his lifetime. Eddie also believed in helping out the little guy, the underdog, and those who found solace on two wheels and an open highway.

With Eddie in mind a group of riders developed the concept for Smoke Chasing and presented it to Eddie’s Road and Team Strange. The concept was simple.

Ride, eat, go new places, and have fun. The event would be open to all brands of bikes and all styles of riders. There would be certificates for levels of completion to accommodate weekend riders, rally riders, and group riders.

Team Strange and Eddie’s Road were thrilled with the idea and so were many of the great rally masters, riders,

and motorcycle dealerships throughout the country. Soon thereafter all prizes, web design, labor, artwork, and advertising were donated

by Smoke Chasing supporters to ensure maximum returns to Eddie’s Road.

Smoke Chasing’s registration opened on February 8th, 2011 and collected riders from 30 different states in its first two weeks of registration. The riders are from all walks of life and range from long-distance riders to casual and club riders and are mounting every major brand of motorcycle for the Grand Tour.

Smoke Chasing is being supported by motorcycle dealers nationwide who are posting Smoke Chasing fliers in their shops while the AMA , Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly and Backroads have provided free advertising in their magazines. The ride is also supported by the Iron Butt Association, ABATE Georgia, many motorcycle clubs nationwide and dozens of motorcycle event websites that posted the ride on their event calendars.

Smoke Chasing prizes include gas cards, rider gear and highly coveted single rider spots in the 2012 versions of the Minnesota 1000; Land of Enchantment 1000; Mason Dixon 20/20; Minuteman 1000; and Cape Fear 1000.

All riders, all bikes, riding, eating, and having fun. Eddie would be proud.

Join the Grand Tour at www.SmokeChasing.com

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 30

FIRST RIDE - 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXS BLACKLINE

HARLEY MAXIMIZES MINIMALISM Bill Heald I’m willing to bet you’ve noticed that we’re living in a period of history where technology and its intervention in our daily lives has been accelerating at a fever pitch. Movies and TV are trying to push us towards 3D, our mobile phones are becoming smarter than we are, and while I’m talking about the “S” word, even motorcycles are showing up with Smart Keys.

So if you’re a company like Harley-Davidson that prides itself on keeping a big ol’ tattooed arm wrapped around tradition (yet like to incorporate the latest tech when you can), you’ve got a challenge on your hands when it comes to blending old and new together. The Dark Custom Movement has been a big part of keeping it real from a grassroots Harley point of view, as it celebrates a more elemental side to design that sticks to the basics nuts-and-bolts of what the Motor Company thinks a motorcycle should be. This is more about taking stuff off the bike rather than adding to it, and the new FXS Blackline Softail looks Spartan yet polished, and as we were to discover it’s really gained a lot through paring things down. Harley has hurled some memorable PR at this bike including the statement that, “The Blackline throws new fuel on a fire that burns across generations, an unquenchable desire to ride.”

Well, hell yeah. We were also told at a Manhattan reveal that the full name of the Motor Company is really Harley F***ing Davidson, so yes, there is a bit of attitude going on here. It is clear that a certain rebellious spirit is a necessary component in machines such as this. A quick examination reveals it definitely has the look, but how does that translate to the road? Will this Dark Custom turn rebellious and be a pain to ride, or be a great ride that you wouldn’t mine having in your stable?

As it turns out, this is not only a very well-executed bike in the visual department; it works really well and packs the best kind of custom charisma. At the heart of Blackline is one of the finest engines ever forged in Harley’s House: the Twin Cam 96B. This 1584cc Aircooled rumbler is rigidly mounted and counterbalanced, so it gives a lovely bit of the vibage to your person along with excellent low-end and midrange torque. Despite

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011 those big pistons hammering away, it never got annoying or abusive. It’s a fine balance of smoothness and character, and moves the 638+ lbs. quite smartly while delivering a true, deep, Big Twin exhaust note. The 6Speed Cruise Drive transmission has the right ratios for this engine, although with all the lovely torque on tap you can get as sloppy as you want for the Blackline pulls like a black & chrome locomotive even from very low revs.

The long 66.5-inch wheelbase and forward-mounted pegs stretch you out a bit but it’s not excessively chopperesque for this day and age, and a low 24 inch (with rider aboard) seat height makes paddling the bike around easy. One of the coolest things on this machine lies within the speedometer, and I think is a real testament to the Dark Custom idea of keeping it simple yet using some contemporary technology without compromising the elemental look. The “instrument cluster” is a single, round, analog instrument sitting on the handlebars, with an elegantly scribed speedometer and a window for the odometer. But wait: I want a tachometer, dammit. No worries. By toggling a switch near the left grip, you can access through that odometer window the time, trip A & B, miles remaining on the tank, and (my favorite) the gear selected and RPMs.

Another quiet technological surprise came in the form of a tiny yellow light in that lone speedometer, which winked off after the bike rolled forward a bit. After a bit of personal ponderage (I made this discovery at night), I wondered, could this be an ABS check light? A quick impromptu parking lot test confirmed this was indeed an ABS model (part of the optional Security Package), and even though this heavy bike had only a single disc in front to match the one out back the brakes were quite good and had antilock software to boot. Cool.

The visual appeal of this rather excellent Softail is found of course in the stylistic details, some of which I’ll detail right off the spec sheet (deep breath): Black Denim powdercoat frame and swingarm, Profile Laced aluminum wheels with black anodized rims, wide FX front end with black powdercoat triple clamps and black

Page 31 painted fork lowers, Split Drag internally-wired handlebar that mounts directly to the top triple clamp, asymmetric five-gallon Softail® fuel tank with low-profile fuel fill on the right (no lock on the standard gas cap, BTW), bobbed rear fender with combination stop/ turn/tail lights in black housings, and a new composite license plate holder and light module that mounts on the lower edge of the fender.

These details actually mean nothing until you take a nice, slow walk around the bike and see how everything works together to make the ride look far simpler than it really is underneath. But as sweet as the styling is, I am far more impressed at how well this newest Dark Custom works when you’re in the saddle. It’s got an amazing engine, good cruiser ergos and is a true pleasure to ride. When you consider the functional side is so respectable, the whole rebellious streak becomes your companion rather than a quirky, form-over-function personality with annoying compromises you have to deal with. The Blackline really does show you how less can be more, and a very satisfying way to roll. The Harley-Davidson FXS Blackline starts out at $15,499 in Vivid Black.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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2012 BMW K 1600 GT & GTL • Redefining the Gran Tourismo

I

n the world of motorcycles there are occasions when riders need to take notice. I like to call it the Etch-A-Sketch moment.

Words: Brian Rathjen • images: Kevin Wing and Jon Beck

There has been a handful that I have witnessed over the years. The Honda CB750 Four, Kawi’s Z-1 and the GL1800 come to mind and it was with these new machines that everything had to be rewritten, or at least rethought. It was time for competing engineers to go back to the drawing board and start over.

This has now happened again with the introduction of BMW’s new 2012 K 1600 GT & GTL. There have been 6-cylinder offerings in the past, but a lot of effort went into these new machines and this new power plant is key and, after spending some two-up time with both bikes, we are here to tell you they are everything you have heard. Comfortable, confident and fast.

Good looking too.

Great Place for Groups or Rallies

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 33 Rain was a bit boring and Dynamic was a bit more than I would ever need.

Nate Kern I am not.

The K1600s also have a factory option Dynamic Traction Control for added safety. Combine this with BMW’s famed ABS and you have two very rider-friendly motorcycles.

Both machines also feature ESA II, Electronic Suspension Adjustment, and with this there are a number of settings depending on conditions, luggage and passenger status.

Another unique piece of this puzzle is BMW’s new Adaptive headlight, which moves with the machine and allows for superior light distribution during night rides. Very trick!

The instrument panel of the K 1600 models comprises two classic circular instruments for the speedometer and tachometer and a 5.7-inch TFT color display. The design of the information display is also completely new in the motorcycle field. Among other things, it enables the attractive presentation of text and graphics over several lines.

From the moment these machines were conceived BMW’s desire was to make them as exciting as possible; machines that begged to be ridden and enjoyed. They have succeeded.

The incredibly smooth and powerful 1649cc 6-cylinder engine is very narrow and weighs just 226 pounds. The engine puts out 160 horses and has 129 foot pounds of torque, with 70% of that available from 1,500 rpm. Both bikes are controlled by Egas, a ride-by-wire system that uses sensors in the throttle to control the power. This also allows for three different power modes from which to choose. Rain, Road and Dynamic – which it is.

Piloting the K 1600s, both GT and GTL, I found the “Road” mode to be just right.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 34 Another world-first is the Multi-Controller as part of an integrated operating concept, first introduced in the BMW R 1200 RT at the end of 2009. In addition to audio system control, the K 1600 models also have a menu for operating the comfort functions and on-board computer. Yes, there are plugs for your iPod, iPhone or memory stick and Sirius Radio is an option too. All easily controlled by your left hand.

At first I thought this was going to be confusing, but I found it rather intuitive and easy to use. I wish I had it on my GS.

Both machines have a full 7 gallons of fuel to ride with and a 300mile range is not out of the question, but you would have to baby the bikes to get such mileage, and these bikes are not machines to be babied.

Nope these machines are all about the ride. Your gas mileage will vary!

Cosmetically the GT and GTL are very sharp offerings. Not to sound cliché, but they look fast parked!

But, although the machines have the same DNA, there are differences.

It’s like Iron Chef America.

BMW started with the same basic ingredients, but the final dish is a bit different. The GT has a seat height of just under 32 inches, where the

What both bikes have, as an option, is a GPS Navigation system, built by Garmin. Unlike some other touring machines these units slip into the power cradle and then are secured by the windscreen itself – all this Bluetooth friendly and having the ability to be removed at night for new mapping routes to be downloaded to the units memory. Although it is called the BMW Navigation IV it looked a lot like our Zumo 660.

Both bikes had luggage, which you would think with BMW, but the GTL has a standard top case, which is an option with the GT.

Sit in the lap of luxury.

Upcoming Event Across America on a Vespa • Sat. June 4th @ 11am We are excited to inform you that Ken Wilson will be traveling from Florida through the Northeast this Spring on his Vespa. Ken plans on making a stop at Country Rode and giving a talk about traveling on a Vespa/Scooter. He has slides to share along with his adventure tales.

Check his blog @ http://lostboater.blogspot.com

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 35

GTL has the rider at just 29.5 inches – big difference. Both machines run on the same rubber with a whopping 190/55 X 17 in the rear and a 120/70 X 17 up front. The GT hits the scales at 703 lbs. and the GTL at 768 lbs. wet. Neither bike feels anywhere near as portly on the road.

The GT has the neatest exhaust note I have heard in years and riding with Shira as my passenger along the hills of northwest Georgia that bike was as thrilling as you could hope for.

I felt less thrilled with the GTL, but that is a matter of opinion and taste.

Other journalists preferred the GTL with its shorter seat height and larger faring. For me the K 1600 GT could just be the ultimate sport-tourer.

I did find it interesting that BMW states in its press material that the top speed for both bikes is “Over 125 mph” – we can attest to that.

The entry fee to these two new toys from BMW start at $21,000 for the GT and $23,200 for the GTL and that is before all the options that the bikes will hit the U.S. shores with.

Still, the price point puts it slightly less than a comparably equipped Honda Gold Wing.

Our bottom line is that both bikes have hit the mark and have raised the bar for the touring and sport-touring market.

For those of you who want the more comfortable ride, the GTL is for you, but for you sport-touring kids there is no question that the GT is simply one of the most awesome machines on the market today.

Now where did I put that extra 25 grand?

Saturday June 18 Party starts at Noon We’re honoring Father’s Day with BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and Aloha chicken

Wear the best Hawaiian Outfit and have a chance at a $100 O’Toole’s Harley-Davidson Gift Basket!

Father’s Day Shopping Event Featured Sale Items: Torch Nylon Jacket Original: $110.00

Now: $85.00 Lined Shirt Jacket Original: $75.00

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 39

Ugly Helga’s Secret • Round The World 1981 R80 G/S Dr. Gregory W. Frazier “It’s ugly, that’s why I call it Helga, not even sure if it is a he, she or cross dressing it.”

That was my answer when Bob Henig, owner of Bob’s BMW in Jessup, Maryland asked my moniker for the motorcycle.

Henig and I were talking about the 1981 R80 G/S I donated to his BMW Motorcycle Museum collection. It had taken me to the ends of the earth, and some very difficult places in between. Of the 100’s of motorcycles I had owned over the years, I had never named one. To me it seemed naming a motorcycle would be like naming a hammer out of my tool kit. Not so with many other people who see something humanoid in a two wheel motorized vehicle. So Henig had asked, thinking I must have named the one that had been with me to many wild and faraway places.

There are numerous other dirty secrets about Helga I shared with Henig.

For instance, like a whipped mule, I had often parked Helga after a hard day without so much as a wash or oil check. The next day I would do the same.

As I drove it through Central America I was operating on the axiom of, “If it’s not broke, don’t mess with it, and if it’s running don’t change the pace.”

Once, in Alaska, the battered R80 G/S fell off a dirt road and landed upside down when I had parked it on the side stand too upright. Rather than run over and try to pick it, I calmly took a few pictures while gas poured out of the top of the gas tank and one carburetor. One of those pictures made it into a magazine and later one of my books about how to ride to Alaska.

Learning it would be cheaper to ship several boxes of “used parts” through one country Customs versus a complete motorcycle, I once took it apart for shipping and saved several hundred dollars when that was a lot of money.

The rear sub-frame is not the original. After the first one broke numerous times from too much weight on the back I gave up re-welding broken welds and started over again, resulting in some newer welding but better thought out. I used the sub-frame off of another R80 G/S that I owned and later sold.

Pristine Ugly Helga and Dr. Greg “before” starting one of his five ‘round the world rides.

Somewhere out there in the USA R80 G/S collector world the original Helga sub-frame can be recognized by the ugly welds on top of ugly welds and a good “S” bend from front to back.

While Ugly Helga never had a complete heart transplant it did undergo several major surgeries. The transmission was apart 3-4 times, once for a new rear output bearing and twice for unknown noise that resulted in new bearings, seals and one new cluster gear. The clutch plate was once re-built (Toyota car parts were modified to fit) and twice replaced, along with the pressure plate.

None of the electrical parts hidden from the public eye are original and several are aftermarket replacements that over time proved superior to the OEM parts.

The suspension has been modified numerous times. The first two or three

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 40 rear shocks were replaced with OEM stock shocks until an aftermarket shock was found that would not blow out in 40,000-60,000 miles. When it did blow the seals the aftermarket shock was easily re-buildable.

One often asked question was which aftermarket seat manufacturer made the seat. The answer is J. C. Whitney. The seat base is the original BMW pan to which I hand cut the foam and cover from a $90.00 aftermarket seat made for a Honda Goldwing.

The odometer is number three. The first one was re-built, the second one replaced after a crash took out the whole front instrument pod and the third one was a used one found on a G/S wreck that had been stolen, then crashed and I bought the wreck from a State Police for parts. The total number of miles on Ugly Helga is in excess of 240,000.

Ugly Helga was purchased from the second owner for $2,500.00, and then made ready for its first long ride, to Alaska.

Several other trips using Ugly Helga were made to Alaska before it ventured off the North American continent.

There is a skull glued to the front fender which draws people’s attention. That came from a dog that ran at a 90-degree angle into the front wheel in the Yukon, knocking me and Ugly Helga down at 45-60 mph and the dog committing suicide. Ugly Helga was not so ugly at the time, having just been newly refurbished with fresh paint and ready for a long ride. I was so mad at the dead dog I lopped off the head, boiled it that night in the campground to get

Ugly Helga and Dr. Greg after finishing a long ride around the globe. all meat and skin off. The next day while limping around with considerable road rash I glued the head to the front fender, saying, “You’re going to go around the world with me, just to see what you missed with your foolishness.”

179 North Highland Ave/Rte 9 Ossining, NY 10562

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Avoid excessive speeds. Never engage in stunt riding. Study your owner’s manual and always inspect your Suzuki before riding. Take a riding skills course. For the course nearest you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. © American Suzuki Motor Corporation 2011.

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Ugly Helga and “stuffed” Dr. Greg on display at BOB’s BMW Motorcycle Museum in Jessup, Maryland.

As I stood looking at Ugly Helga in Bob’s BMW Museum I reflected on some of the highs and lows it had taken me to, and then some nasty places it had broken down. The times it was just purring along Interstates knocking down miles had long since faded in my memory but I could still remember a hot and humid afternoon spent in the jungle of Panama replacing a fried clutch plate, and then doing it again a week later while staying in the garage of an undertaker in Bogota where I spent two nights sleeping in the owner’s hearses while Doberman Pinschers roamed the garage to keep prowlers out.

I also remembered the night Ugly Helga was stolen by a couple of idiots who thought they could roll it away from the hotel parking lot by lifting the front end. One nearly complete turn of the rear wheel stopped them when the locked chain woven through rear spokes brought it to a halt and they flopped it down in the street and took off running.

Henig asked if I had the original riding gear I used

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011 while humping Ugly Helga around the world. I told him I did and sent them off for his curator to put on a mannequin. When I was told what they were doing with the riding gear I said I was beginning to sense how Trigger (the favorite horse of Roy Rogers) felt after it died and Roy had it stuffed.

Henig laughed and said, “Greg, look at it this way, we are taking the clothes off one dummy and putting them on another.”

Page 41 My guess is Customs would stick the wax head in an X-ray machine to check for drugs, which they well might think I was using while carrying a replica of my own head ½ way around the world. With my luck, and that of Ugly Helga, the wax would melt leaving an Ugly Greg to match Ugly Helga.

BOB’s BMW is located in Jessup, Maryland. For directions and museum hours go to www.bobsbmw.com. Stop in and take a look at Ugly Helga. If Bob Henig is around, ask him about some of the other secrets, like why Dr. Greg claims even though Helga has over 240,000 miles on the odometer, he still thinks it has at least one more ‘round the world ride left inside Helga’s heart.

Dr. Gregory W. Frazier has circled the globe five times by motorcycle. His adventures can be followed at www.horizonsunlimited.com/gregfrazier under “What’s New.” Author and film producer, his numerous books and DVD’s can be found at that site under “Catalog.” His latest book, MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURER, recounts the incredible first global circumnavigation by motorcycle in 1912-1913, done by Carl Stearns Clancy.

www.beemerboneyard.com USED OILHEAD & K-BIKE PARTS Since Henig has had me “stuffed” and standing next to Ugly Helga in his museum I have had numerous visitors write and say how sad my head looked.

One BMW aficionado suggested I have a wax head made of my own head while traveling through Bangkok where there is a Madame Tussouds Wax Museum. My initial though was “not a bad idea, and the price would be reasonable.”

I thought about how I would explain to the Customs officials the wax head in my carry-on luggage when I re-entered the United Sates. “’Well sir, as you can see it is my wax head. I need it to go with my dummy standing next to Ugly Helga in BOB’s BMW Motorcycle Museum.”

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 42 For 16 years now we have been putting out this magazine and the hundreds of destinations and rides to help spur you kids out onto the backroads on your motorcycles.

Every so often we even follow our own advice. Case in point a beautifully warm mid-November weekend this past fall that just beckoned to be ridden.

Saturday found us just finishing up with the December issue and it wasn’t till late in the morning that we got out of the office and onto to road.

It’s funny when we go out for rides like this. Either we have a pre-planed route all set up for the day, or we just do the Bronson thing and make up the ride as we go along.

This day we had no idea where we would go so we just simply went.

My general idea for these is to kind of stitch together points on the map in my mind and then see how it all comes together.

This day brought Shira and me along the Kittatiny Ridge and then down towards the Walpack Valley and Worthington State Park.

Hanging a left at Millbrook Village we meandered down Old Mine Road and past the heavily signed Turtle Beach – which the Feds have dumped a ton of money into, replacing the old and flooded-out Depew Beach. We’ll explore and write about this another day so they can feel they spent our money in a worthy fashion.

At this time of the year solar energy is critical and running on the shady side of the eastern shore of the Delaware River saw the temperatures drop nearly 15 degrees from the sunny 60s we enjoyed riding down into the valley.

Still the plethora of small and some not so small waterfalls cascading to the river made for a visual treat.

Looping around the Delaware Water Gap we crossed over into Pennsylvania and then exited to the Welcoming Center where we would pick up River Road.

Here on the sunny side of the river the ride was very comfortable.

This was our first chance to ride along some of these roads that were destroyed a few years back by the same floods that crushed the old beach on the Jersey side. Well paved and just as twisty as I remembered, this road really rocks but we had a few others we wanted to toss into the mix this day.

Following !

Road toBroadhead g ce n i wards Milford is a far beth h an ter idea than the boringly straight T s h e c Route 209 and allows for easy explod a o ve t r ration of the Upper Delaware and its surroundk a c roads. ing uh Ba

yo t a n th s w h e g n Doi t h e r ide

Gr

in a bb

g

Our rag-tag group enjoyed a beautiful day’s ride

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 43 Lost, waiting or checking her music?

One of the less-travelled roads in New Jersey.

Stitching together a westerly route along Raymondskill Road and then along Twin Lakes Road (also completely re-opened) we meandered to 434 and then right up the hill on Lackawaxen.

I would be wary on this piece of pavement as very slow turns come up rather fast.

Our goal this day was to stop by and visit Mom and family in Narrowsburg, so we took 539 to Welcome Lake Road and then scooted down the cliffy Peggy’s Runway to 652 which brought us over Bridge #4 back into New York.

From there we were working against the clock as the sun would be gone in an hour or so - so we took the roads paralleling Route 97 and then popped back out somewhere west of the Hawks Nest, near Barryville.

All said and done we put on a good amount of happy miles and returning home chains were lubed, oils checked and fuel served as we still had our Sunday Brunch Run the next day.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 44

Yep, the ride had it all and Shira was given a hearty round of applause more than once this day for her navigational prowess.

Brunch at Gourmet Expression was delicious, different and filling and I felt like a nap afterwards if not for the Sprint - the Italian Harley, built in the late ‘60s by Aermacchi - for sale next door. As intrigued as some of us were, at $2,500 or best offer, we had no takers. We’re those the original tires?

A carbon copy of Saturday, Sunday found us joining a few friends at the Chatterbox, in Augusta, NJ around 10am’ish for a ride we promised would be the bomb! (I love young people speak) Actually the route would be taken exactly from our Great All American Diner Run from November where Shira devised the largest and most intricate Rip & Ride in Backroads’ history.

At Backroads, we live to give you riding pleasure.

Consisting of over 50 direction and routing changes, and almost the same amount on the way back, we simply did what we tell you guys to do and downloaded it to our Garmins and let modern technology take some of the guess work out of the day’s tricky ride.

The 60-mile or so ride down to Gourmet Expressions was full of elevation changes, tiny forest roads, broad farm roads, mountainous trail-like roads and all sorts of critters including crazed squirrels, dogs and one lost black bear that ran out in front of Shira’s bike.

As I said our route back differed in roads, but not fun, and by the time we returned to Backroads Central I think everybody was glad they made the effort to join us for the ride – especially Roy and Bridget who rode in that morning from Brooklyn just to ride with friends.

As predicted the weather became more traditional as we moved towards Thanksgiving but we still found days that beckoned us to get riding.

Sometimes you have to grab the rides whenever you get the chance!

e r e G n f G o a d bles n a L

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 45

words and images: Ken Aiken

T

he bridge stretches into the distance, a long grayish thread of concrete pillared across deep blue water to the island beyond. This one is the longest in Canada and, at 12.9 kilometers (8 miles) in length, it’s also the sixth longest in North America. The bridge was completed in May of 1997, and although it’s only a couple of days ride from home it nevertheless took me over a decade to reach it.

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Page 46

The aptly named Gateway Village lies at the foot of the bridge in Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island.

It’s an ideal place to grab a cup of coffee and some maps and glossy propaganda from the information center. This is the smallest province in Canada and everything seems close by. In fact, the two extreme tips of the island, North Cape and East Point, are only 124 kilometers (77 miles) and 172 km (106 mi) away. With everything being so close a base camp can be established almost anywhere regardless of whether you are camping or looking for more luxurious accommodations. After a 40-minute ride on the “T-Can” (Trans-Canada Route 1) I’m parking in front of The Rodd Charlottetown, a four-star hotel in the heart of the city’s historic downtown.

With a population of only 32,000 Charlottetown feels more like a small town than a provincial capital and all its promoted sights and attractions are within easy walking distance of the hotel. This is a charming little city,

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

but its promoters seem to suffer from provincial naiveté when comparing its features to other metropolitan areas.

One true oasis turns out to be Gahan House, the only microbrewery on the island. Beyond the historic town center the sprawling newer city seems indistinguishable from many small college towns in the U.S. except for being so much cleaner.

In the morning I set out for the Green Gables Shore.

Route 6 is part of the scenic Central Coastal Drive and meanders across the northern portion of central PEI. One can’t help but notice what appears to be swimming lanes that are laid out in the bays using white buoys, so I stop to ask about them. They turn out to be the suspension “lines” used in the commercial farming of the famous PEI blue mussels and Malpeque oysters, which are considered to be the world’s tastiest. Lobsters are so plentiful that 80% of the catch gets shipped to the U.S. Needless to say, restaurants in PEI serve some of the best seafood imaginable and at very affordable prices.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 47 The area around Cavendish was made famous in the classic children’s novel “Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery so it should come as no surprise to discover the existence of the Anne of Green Gables Museum, the L.M. Montgomery Birthplace, the Lucy Maud Montgomery Heritage Museum, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s home, and even the original Green Gables farm. However, the main attraction is miles of beautiful sand beach in the PEI National Park.

Any of the roads that crisscross the rolling landscape that lies between Routes 6 and 2 are sim-

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ply a delight to travel. Lupines grow wild along the highways and farms dominate the landscape. Someone once explained PEI as being “like Vermont, but with an ocean” and this must have been the region they referred to.

With stops and detours it has taken me most of the day to reach Kensington, but the straight east on Route 2 to Charlottetown is covered in just a bit over 30 minutes. Time and distance seem to bear little relationship to each other on this island.

Two of the most popular motorcycle-touring destinations are the extreme tips of the island, North Cape and East Point, a mere 273 kilometers (170 miles) apart by way of Route 2 through Charlottetown. I opt for Routes 235 and 1A to reach Summerside, the second-largest city in the province with a population of 14,000. The scenic highway is called the North Cape Coastal Drive and includes Routes 11, 12, 14, and a short segment of Route 2. I follow the meandering Route 12 north, sometimes on good pavement and sometimes not. At one point a neatly painted sign proclaims one stretch of Route 12 to be “Ragged Ass Rd.” The official nickname for PEI is “The Gentle Island.” This refers to its people or the topography, not the weather. North Cape has more than 80 commercial electric-generating wind turbines and the provincial government has a goal of become energy independent by 2015. This means wind. Dependably frequent wind powerful enough to spin giant propeller blades like a child’s pinwheel; the kind of wind that plays with a rider like a cat with a mouse.

Lots of short stops – historic Green Park shipyard in Port Hill, the Shellfish

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 48

Having covered 300 kilometers (186 miles) since leaving Summerside, I still have another 75 km (46 mi) to travel to reach Charlottetown and chose the fastest road: Route 2.

There are no four-lane highways in this province and this primary east-west route is a scenic rollercoaster ride. With the wind at my back I cover the distance in 40 minutes, but still arrive after dark.

Museum in Bideford, and the First Nation (Native American) Reserve on Lennox Island – and hours of travel bring me to my destination. North Cape with its red cliffs and the infinite expanse of the largest estuary on earth is dramatic, but the best view is from behind glass in the interpretive center restaurant where, out of the wind and with a cup of hot coffee, I can fully appreciate the windswept beauty of this spot.

Route 14 follows the western shore, which is quite different from Route 12 on the eastern side. Ocean to my right, potato fields to the left, and the occasional stand of trees that somewhat breaks the wind. South around West Point, northeast across the potato fields near O’Leary, detouring around the vast estuary wetlands of the Percival River, then south on Route 11 to finally escape the wind as I pass Cap-Egmont. This is the Acadian Shore at the western end of the Northumberland Strait and somehow it reminds me of portions of inner Cape Cod, despite being more rural and having much less traffic.

A quick glance at a map shows PEI divided by topography into three roughly equal sections: North Cape, central PEI, and Points East. Route 2 divides central PEI into two tourist regions: Green Gables Shore north and Red Sands Shore south. Each of these four regions has their own unique characteristics and atmosphere and it takes at least five days to adequately tour this small province.

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2011 but you have to pay to return to the mainland. The bridge has a $15 toll for motorcyclists, the ferry is $79. I’m taking neither.

The Points East Coastal Drive follows the coast of this region on a 475 km (295 mi) loop from Charlottetown. East Point is the other extreme end of the island and its lighthouse is a noted touring destination. I head east, following the scenic route in a counter-clockwise direction, passing the ferry terminal at Wood Islands to reach Cape Bear.

Even in the age of GPS navigation lighthouses are essential to mark the points and capes of the island. The lighthouse at Cape Bear once included the Marconi station that was the first to receive the distress call from the sinking Titanic. The station is gone, but the lighthouse contains the Marconi mu-

Page 49 seum. Encroaching sea erosion of the red sandstone cliffs will require the lighthouse to be moved in the near future, as the Wood Island lighthouse was moved in 2009.

The scenic drive loops around deep bays and estuary inlets and runs through small fishing villages. It’s a wonderful lazy-summer-day cruising road, but when time is an issue there are many direct shortcuts to be had.

My destination is Souris, which offers me a backdoor off the island. The CMTA ferry leaves the dock once a day for the five-hour trip to the Madeleine Archipelago. From there I’ll put the motorcycle on the ferry transport for the three-day sail up the St. Lawrence River to Montreal. It seems that my island adventures are not yet over.

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 50

ROAD TRIP

BAGGIN’ TEXAS

Brian Rathjen I got a chance to spend the day with Kawasaki’s newest Vulcan, the Vaquero, just north of Houston, Texas on an unusually chilly day for the Lone Star state.

The Vaquero is a serious looker having both Kawasaki and ‘Bagger’ all over it. The deep Candy Fire Red paint scheme on my ride for this day just accented this.

The route from our hotel on the shore of the large Lake Conroe brought us quickly from Texas suburban strip mall horror into the Texas that a kid from New York City imagines. It’s still there - one just has to search it out.

The big Kawasaki V-Twin offers a great deal of torque – 108lb-ft, which was apparent the first time I rolled down the tiny south Texas farm roads.

We were soon on a road flanked by tall pines as the Vaquero happily ate up the miles leading into the Sam Houston National Forest and the area called Little Lake Creek.

After a few miles of more or less straight road, with the occasional curve tossed in, we broke out into a more open and hilly terrain. To the right and left large cattle and horse ranches dotted the scenery.

Pushing the button for the Vaquero’s sound system I added a bit of soundtrack to the day’s ride.

From the beginning it was apparent that the large frame-mounted fairing was excellent at dispersing the wind around me. I started that day with the

stock wind deflector but swapped that for a larger 14inch shield during lunch. The higher screen offered far more protection, but didn’t impede my line of sight whatsoever.

The larger screen quieted the turbulence down a huge amount and, even without headsets, the audio system was fairly decent at speed.

Running through the iPod and Satellite Radio stations was a breeze and easy to see and handle.

The seating position was as pleasant as any cruiser I have ridden, putting the body in a sort of V-shape that worked just fine for my 5 foot 12 inch frame.

Getting into a few good twisties all the work that Big Green put into designing this Bagster was apparent as the machine handled excellently, although I did run into the power roadblock at 6,000 redline rev limiter a few times. Hauling this cruiser down from speed was never a problem as the 300mm rotors with dual piston calipers in the front and the 300mm twin-piston did the job admirably.

Running through the gears Kawasaki’s new 6-speed tranny is indeed quieter, but not silent. Such is the nature of these beasts.

The Vaquero rolls on attractive 9-spoke wheels running a 130/90 X16 up

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2011 front and a modest 170/70X16 in the rear. 16 inch wheels front and back reminded me of my old Ninja 600R. The suspension, although a bit soft for me, always felt fairly planted and responsive even in some of the hillier and twistier parts of the day.

Pumping up the rears shocks a touch with the optional pump would help a bit here.

Through the day we scooted through ranches and old Texas towns, some of which have seen better days, although they did make for great photo-ops.

The chill of the day had given way to a pleasant, southerly warmth and stripping off my layers I simply tossed them into the sleek bags that ride with the Vaquero. They offered decent room and certainly enough for two on the road while touring.

Texas is fairly easy to read terrain-wise. You’ll get miles of small hills with the road slinking in between, then some flat cattle space.

And, when you see a cluster of trees, you can be pretty sure they’ll be some turns and a small creek and most likely a small wooden bridge crossing the water.

Don’t be fooled by the tranquility of this scenery for when the Texas rains come these areas are mostly underwater.

No rain this day.

After a morning of tooling along the Texas farm roads and stopping here and there to soak in some Lone Star culture we picked up a fairly large road and headed for lunch.

On the highway the Vaquero really shines.

The 1700cc V-Twin is very much at home at highway cruising speeds

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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Passing was a breeze and the 5th and 6th gears overdrive let the Vaquero’s engine fall into an easy pulse as it quickly ate up the Texas miles.

The Electronic Cruise Control worked well and was easily turned on and off.

It seemed whether on the backroads or the big roads the bike performed with gusto.

If you like barbeque then Texas is your place! Lunch was had at a local favorite called C & J’s, with one serious meal of homemade barbeque sausage, lean beef brisket, corn and fried okra and a number of other creations of Texas goodness.

With thoughts of heading back to Lake Conroe before dark we left the highway in the mirrors and took back to the smaller, more fun roads.

Along the line my eye caught a road sign warning of the number of riding fatalities that have occurred on this road. Nice. That’ll get your attention.

Earlier that day, on the way out, I noticed a stunning building as we passed the small town of Anderson. If I were by myself I surely would have ridden by it to investigate. Lucky for me this was part of the day’s plan and not soon after lunch we rolled into Anderson and around this stunning building which turned out to be the County Seat.

The Grimes County Courthouse, in Anderson, was built back in 1891 and is about as stately as they come.

The town of Anderson itself has an interesting history and along Main

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Street is a small park dedicated to the Confederate soldier and what they had to endure during that tragic war. The plaque says the town will fly the Rebel flag on this spot till the end of days. The bronze statue was telling with the man’s shoes worn away and his foot sticking out, his uniform tattered and his look haggard. The hardships these men, on both sides, had to endure was sobering and Anderson has done a wonderful job with this small but elegant memorial.

Riding back towards Lake Conroe we once again took the pleasant roads through the Sam Houston Forest, with its deep woods and pleasant scent.

The rumbling engine of the Vaquero seemed to be at ease along these roads.

Much like the cowboy of Texas’ past the Vaquero felt like it was home as we ran through the forest of pines. Near the end of the afternoon we rolled back to the shore of Lake Conroe and I reluctantly gave back the keys to this newest Kawasaki Vulcan.

I had never ridden this part of Texas, but the combination of the land, the scenery, the people and the excellent new Vaquero made it a phenomenal day exploring around a small portion of the Lone Star State.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS MUSTANG TURNS ON THE HEAT How could Mustang improve on their legendary comfort? How about making those comfortable buns of yours toasty warm too?

Mustang’s new Heated Touring seat features illuminated switches on the side for convenient adjustment of the dual zone, high/low settings for the driver and passenger. Constructed of triple layer fiberglass, the seat installs easily and comes complete with a wire harness that hooks to the accessory port in front of the battery; no OE controllers or switches are required.

Mustang’s One-Piece Heated Touring seat provides the fullest, most comfortable seat possible—both in the front and back. Featuring a 17” wide front bucket and a 14” wide rear seat, Mustang’s Heated Touring seat is also available in a “Super” style which offers a 19” wide front bucket that sits the driver 1.75” further back than the stock seat.

Both Mustang’s standard Touring and the Super Touring Heated seats fit Road King, FLHT, FLTR and FLHX Street Glide 2008-up models and are priced from $749. All heated seats are available with an optional, fully adjustable driver backrest for dawn-to-dusk comfort; choice of plain or studded style (chrome or chrome with black pearl centers). For more info, visit MustangSeats.com.

LEAN, GREEN BATTERY MACHINE There’s a new charge on the block, and it comes from the folks at Shorai.

The product utilizes Shorai exclusive, eXtreme-Rate LiFePO4 cell technology, LFX. Benefits offered over traditional lead-acid batteries include: Massive weight reduction (1/4 to 1/5 standard lead-acid battery weight!), two to four times the average service life vs. lead-acid batteries, and the ability to hold a charge for up to one year without maintenance.

In addition to the game-changing performance enhancements, Shorai LFX batteries offer revolutionary environmental benefits. Unlike traditional lead-acid batteries, Shorai LFX batteries can be disposed of with no toxic effect to landfills.

Shorai LFX use military-spec carbon-plastic composite cases, and are a drop-in replacement for original-equipment lead-acid batteries.

Shorai LFX batteries are backed by a 2-year limited warranty.

“Our products are truly a breakthrough in the Powersports starter battery category,” states Kevin Riley, EVP Sales & Marketing. “For the first time, consumers have the ability to radically improve their vehicle’s overall performance, while increasing reliability and reducing maintenance, at price points that are within the reach of the average enthusiast.” Further information regarding the company and batteries can be found at www.shoraipower.com.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS KAW-BOYS AND GIRLS CAN BE PIRATES, TOO Pirates Lair (located in Asheville, NC) have been making specialty motorcycle backrests for over 10 years now. They pride themselves on making their backrests not only functional, but pleasing to the eye. Most look factory. They currently offer them for a host of BMWs as well as the Honda ST1300, FJR 1300, and the Suzuki VStrom. We just got word that they have a new backrest about to hit the streets for the Kawasaki Concours 1400. The new kit will include an all-new light-weight aluminum rear rack that installs in under 4 minutes. The 2-position backrest can be removed or installed (without tools) in under 15 seconds. The cover material is a dead-on match for the factory Concours seat. Full details and contact information can be found at www.PiratesLair.net or 828-628-7093 EST.

LUGGAGE THAT CAN SAVE YOU MONEY ON GAS With gas prices hitting $4 a gallon and above, many people are leaving the car at home and using only 2 wheels to commute to work. But what do you do if you need to wear a suit or nice clothing at work? Traditional “bucket” motorcycle bags are no place for nice clothes, and riding in your work clothes probably isn’t an option.

A new type of garment bag from SkyRoll helps motorcycle riders by letting them gently roll up their suits, dresses, or nicer clothing so they stay looking nice. The new SkyRoll MC is a specially modified version of the popular SkyRoll carry-on garment bag designed just for motorcycles. It takes the original SkyRoll design and adds multiple tie-down straps, an adjustable sissy bar strap, reflective details for safety at night, and a rain cover with reflective logo.

The concept behind all SkyRoll luggage is simple; rolling your clothes is better than folding. The key patented feature of SkyRoll is the detachable garment bag that allows you to gently roll your suits and dress clothing instead of folding them. The result is fewer creases and wrinkles. And when you need to catch a flight, SkyRoll MC is a carry-on bag that saves you again by skipping the checked luggage fee.

For additional information on the complete line of SkyRoll luggage, visit www.skyroll.com or www.facebook.com/skyroll.

SkyRoll MC is only available at www.skyroll.com or www.facebook.com/skyroll. The rest of the SkyRoll line is available nationally at Men’s Wearhouse, and in Canada at Moore’s Clothing for Men stores, and online at www.skyroll.com.

GERBING IS TAKING CARE OF THE LADIES With this past winter being just about as bad as any I can remember, the riding days were pretty nonexistent for me. Thus, the brand new Gerbing Microwire jacket liner and Lady Rider gloves had to wait until the driveway was thawed for testing.

Having owned a Gerbing jacket liner for many years, I’m very familiar with its comfort and fit. The updated version, not the Hybrid LT, brings a silky soft micro denier collar to the platform, as well as zippered pockets inside and out, a power distribution unit to eliminate dangling cords, dual controls for liner and gloves and zippered glove plug pockets for secure storage when not in use. You can almost custom-fit the jacket as sizes range from 2XS to 4XL with sleeve lengths in both regular and long.

As wonderful as the new liner is, what I was really excited about were the gloves. With all Gerbing heated gloves fit for both men and women, this particular pair is specifically made for we ladies. The Lady Rider gloves are not only cut to fit a woman’s hands, but sport a lace-up gauntlet styled to complement the Ladies’ Hybrid LT jacket. I’ve used Gerbing gloves in the past and, while they are always toasty, they’ve always been on the bulky side for my small hands. The Lady Rider gloves taper the fit and make these quite manageable while piloting the motorcycle. With Microwire technology running the length of each finger, including the thumb and back of your hand, heat surrounds you with no discomfort whatsoever.

These gloves also feature a waterproof and breathable membrane so a little moisture will not compromise the warmth. There is also a unique adjustable wrist fastener so they can be snugged over your jacket sleeve. Coming in sizes XS to L, they accommodate all shapes. Pricing on the Lady Rider Heated Gloves is $169.95 and you can go to Gerbing’s webpage - www.gerbing.com - for a size chart and measurement instructions.

I got a chance to use my new gloves recently on a 2500-mile trip and they are terrific. The fit is spot-on and they heat up like lightning. The long gauntlet fit nicely over the sleeves of my jacket, keeping all wind and wetness out. No matter the season, I always have my Gerbings with me as you never know when an extra layer, heated or not, will come in handy.

Shira Kamil

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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BAGS-CONNECTION “CITY” QUICK-LOCK TANKBAG FOR THE SW-MOTECH GASCAP MOUNTING SYSTEM New bike, new gear, big credit card bills. That’s the way it goes. When I waved bye-bye to my last ride along with it went a very pricey model specific tank bag. With today’s Tupperware covered machines and their sloping gas tanks, the era of snapping down a magnetic bag on a metal tank or using a few universal straps to hold a generic piece of luggage in place, is a thing of the past for some of us.

Enter the Motech Gascap Mounting system and the Bags-Connection line of luggage. As soon as I saw the simplicity of the attachment mechanism I knew it was the right tank bag for me. You simply replace a few of the bolts holding down the gas cap on your bike with a new longer set that goes through a lower horseshoe shaped locking ring. Then, you choose your bag and install a mating ring on its bottom surface. If all goes well, docking procedures initiate and the top locks into the bottom. There is no sliding around a bag or moving straps out of the way at a refueling stop. One tug on the little pull located at the front of the Bags Connection unit, the two locking rings separate and you are left holding the bag as it were. Simple and secure.

Now of course, I couldn’t stop there - not with the option of running electricity into the bag. I mean, who knows?

I might want to install a hottub inside. So, Twisted Throttle (www.twistedthrottle.com) will gladly sell you an electric-ready lower ring with a wiring harness coming from it. I chose to attach those two wires to a previously installed fuse block located below the seat but you can connect the fuse and relay protected ring right to the battery if you want to keep it simple and actually follow the instructions. Then, you pass two wire leads through the bottom of the bag from the ring you attached to it previously. The only connection between the bag and tank are two little contact points located on the two rings. There are no wires to detach when you remove the tankbag from the bike.

The result is available charging plugs inside the bag where you can hide your cell phone or any other electronic gizmo that probably should be resting at home on a bike trip anyway. Such is progress. The downside is you now have a wiring harness going from your gas cap across the surface of the tank to its power source. With the bag on it is not visible. With it off you will learn to deal with it when you remember you can now fire up your hot tub and jump into your tankbag.

With that in mind, that tub better run on no more than 5 amps as that is the maximum draw you want to subject the wiring harness to or risk blowing the included fuse. I tested that for you all by the way.

I firmly subscribe to the axiom of cutting immediately, measuring never. If you are so inclined, then the few measurements that need to be taken to insure that the bag sits properly on the tank might be beyond you and you should consider another product. With that caveat in mind, even I, stripper of threaded holes, rounder of bolts, took a few extra minutes and lined everything up. The result is a bag that fits well and does exactly what I hoped it would do; sit there and not make a sound. I also opted for the map holder for while I love looking at the GPS screen as the little motorcycle moves along the roadway, there is still nothing like a good old fashioned map. There is also a nifty gadget holder that snaps into the front of the bag. I held off on this one as I am not certain how I want the GPS secured to the bike. For now, a simple RAM mount is taking care of things quite nicely. Incidentally, while all this stuff isn’t cheap (the bag alone retails for $174.99) this bag exceeded my expectations in terms of its looks, its construction and the way it integrates with the bike. So far, I’m a happy customer.

You can find out more on this bag and other offerings at www.TwistedThrottle.com.

Jeffrey Kurtzman

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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ROADGEAR PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL TIRE GAUGE As human beings, we are not only really good with tools but we often get rather attached to them almost to the point of obsession. Case in point: I have what some people might consider a weird passion for air pressure gauges, because I want the best there is. Why? Ponder this: having your tires properly inflated is critical to about everything your bike does when it’s moving, including handling, braking, ride quality and of course traction (especially in the wet). Ponder also the fact that while technology is marching along at a fever pitch, pneumatic tires look like they’ll be with us for the foreseeable future.

An accurate, easy-to-use and easy-to-read tire gauge will remain as critical to riding gear as your helmet, and I have one I think you should definitely have in your bag of tricks.

Remember, this is coming from a guy who loves tire gauges and has a special appreciation for especially good ones.

Roadgear’s Programmable Digital Tire Gauge is not your cheap, pen-style measuring device and it’s designed first and foremost for motorcycle use. But it works great for any type of tyre (even British ones, hence the spelling) and has a range up to 99.5 PSI measured in half-lb. increments. It feels comfortable and substantial in your hand, and is claimed to be accurate within plus-or-minus 1% thanks to a “double-bridge” smart-chip processor that compensates for temperature, humidity and altitude variations. The 90-degree, rotatable head makes use with either hand a cinch, and helps you snake around things like drive shafts and brake rotors to get a secure measurement. Here’s a brilliant bit: a white LED flashlight is built in, so it makes not only checking the air in a dark parking lot easier but helps you find the bike to begin with, well after the sun has gone down.

Now to the programmable feature. What this gauge lets you do is set the proper PSI value for both your front and back tires separately, and then when selected this value is displayed in a lower segment of the screen as a “target” PSI when you check pressure, while the current value is still displayed and easy to read (even if your vision requires reading glasses). This feature spares you looking up what the right pressure is for your tires, because if you’re like me you tend to forget such things especially if you have cars, lawn tractors, bicycles, etc. to keep track of. Honestly, it does seem like they’ve thought of everything when they designed this gauge.

Finally, I’ll bet you’re wondering what powers this beast and you’ll be pleased to learn it’s a replaceable lithium battery. So amongst the sea of tire gauges I’ve accumulated over the years, this excellent Roadgear specimen has migrated to the top of the heap and its 5-year warranty should help keep it there. The Roadgear Programmable Digital Tire Gauge has an MSRP of $32.90 and can be found at www.roadgear.com Bill Heald

Summer is here and it’s time to ride. Event, run and rally ideas on page 64.

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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CROSSROADS BED AND BREAKFAST

CHATTERBOX XBI2 COMMUNICATIONS The ability to communicate with your passenger or fellow riders can make the average Sunday ride into something more substantial.

We recently tried a pair of Chatterbox’s XBi2.

It has all the features that the original XBi has but with additional power that will allow simultaneous communications between 3 riders with up to 500 meters of range [1,640 ft] in optimum conditions.

Like many such units these days the XBi2 attaches to the side of your helmet easily enough, although the system used by Chatterbox seems a bit more substantial than others in the market.

The units themselves take just one hour to express charge and on the road they ran well for our entire ride, which started mid-morning and went into the evening.

Communication from rider to passenger, or rider to rider uses, what they call, DMA crystal clear technology and works by either voice activation or push-to-talk. Both rider and passenger module are capable of pairing with up to two accessory devices at the same time, like an iPod, Mp3, satellite radio, GPS, cell phone, radar detector. SMART technology will automatically prioritize the transmission of the paired devices.

The catch is here that your devices must be Bluetooth enabled. Your iPod will need to use Chatterboxes’ Bluetooth Adapter, as will other things. The idea being to sever what some feel is a pesky cable between bike and rider.

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Although you can Bluetooth in music and GPS, we strictly used the XBi2 for bike-to-bike communication, which it excelled at.

Chatterbox makes available a number of accessories, including microphone and headset units for open, flipup and full-face helmets.

You can find the XBi2 at many shops or go onto their website at www.chatterboxusa.com for a dealer near you.

We found prices varied at some shops, but each XBi2 will run you about $200 a piece.

Happy communicating.

Like what you see? Think your ad would look good here? So do we. Give us a call and let’s make it happen.

973-948-4176 • editor@backroadsusa.com

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JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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Raise your handlebars for a more comfortable ride and still retain stock look.

HANDLEBAR RISERS From $59.95 to $139.95 Order Toll Free (877) 471-1515

Brands you Know and Trust From Long Island’s Premiere Motorcycle Outfitters…

Info and Fax (505) 743-2243 • www.zianet.com/GenMar

Gen Mar Mfg. Inc. • 110 1st Street • HC1 Box 35 • Arrey, NM 87930

Dual Sport Rentals in the

Smoky Mountains Fleet includes Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki Transportation to and from Knoxville airport

15 East Deer Park Rd, Dix Hills, NY

631-262-0600 • www.ReadyRiders.com

Lots of maps and self-guided dual sport routes to choose from

www.GSMmotoRent.com

Townsend, TN

865-448-6090 Let us help plan your next adventure

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 63

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH TUESDAY-SUNDAY 7AM~3PM Daily specialty items including burgers, homemade soup & pastries Route 739 ~ just south of Milford Rd ~ Dingmans Ferry, PA

570.828.1920 • www.forkliftcafe.com …your personal heaven on earth!

Ask about our Diners Club.

Gift Cards available.

Located in Arden, only 15 minutes from Philippi, on the beautiful Tygart River in West Virginia, our bed & breakfast is the perfect place to call home while exploring the Mountain state.

‘50s-Style Drive-In Restaurant Full and Varied Menu Room for the Whole Gang

Rates from $70 - $90 per night

866.909.4262

~~ BIKE NIGHT IS BACK EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT at ~~

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THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-IN

Box 696 • North River Road • Philippi, WV 26416

GREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300

www.chatterboxdrivein.com

The Charlesworth Hotel is New Jersey’s REAL backroads’ hideaway

The Boat House Restaurant

THE Place to go when you REALLY want to Disappear

ining tic D n a Rom

FEEL THE WARMTH The Only Outdoor Lakeside Dining on Swartswood Lake

Member

Comfortable Rooms Excellent Ride Destination

Serving Lunch, Dinner and Sunday Brunch Tuesday ~ Sunday 11am-9pm Brunch 10am-2pm • Closed Mondays 1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood, NJ 973-300-0016

www.theboathouserestaurantonline.com

The Riverton

Travel along the scenic backroads of the Delaware river.

Meet the Markopoulos family and taste chef George’s Greek American cooking.

Best bar menu, lunch or dinner.

Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clams and crispy wings with 8 different sauces.

Tues. thru Sat. 11am-10pm Sunday: Breakfast 9am-Noon Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

John, Christina, chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends.

The Riverton Hotel and Restaurant At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA

610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com

Member of

Home of the BEST sunset on the Jersey Shore

New Jersey Avenue • Fortescue, NJ • 856-447-4928

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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UPCOM IN G EVENTS CAL ENDAR E V E RY M O N T H - W E AT H E R P E R M I T T I N G Every Sunday • Eastern Suffolk ABATE Breakfast Run. Crossroads Diner - Calverton NY. 10:30am. Eat and Ride After • 631-369-2221 First Sunday of the month • Layton Meet at the Layton Deli, corner of Dingmans/Bevans Rd, CR 560, Layton, NJ. Meet around 8am – breakfast available. Join others for a ride or head out on your own Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do some benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish Third Tuesday • 7:30pm ABATE of the Garden State, North Jersey chapter. Black River Barn, 1178 Rt. 10 West, Randolph, NJ. 7:30pm. New members and all mc brands welcome. Help fight for rights as a motorcyclist in NJ! Alex Martinez 973-390-1918 First Wednesday • Bergen Harley-Davidson Hump-Day MusicFest. 6-9pm. BBQ and Free Live Music. Bergen Harley-Davidson/BMW Motorcycle, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenbmwmotorcycles.com Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com Every Saturday • Stop by the dealership at 9am for coffee and bagels. Ride departs at 10am. Return to the dealership for FREE food and music. Proper attire MUST be worn!

No shorts or sneakers. What are you waiting for, Saddle-Up! • Bergen Harley-Davidson/BMW Motorcycle, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenbmwmotorcycles.com

JUNE 2011 3-5 • 4th Annual Bennington Triumph Bash, Bennington, VT. Grassroots, independent rally for Triumph motorcycle owners by Triumph motorcycle owners. Camping available at the Greenwood Lodge and campsites or indoor lodging at the Paradise Inn. For itinerary and other info go to: www.armchaircommando.org/bennington/BenningtonTriumphBash/Home.html 5 • Hudson Valley Harley Riders Nyack Hospital Rockland 100 Ride. Sign in: 9-11am Dolce Palisades, 334 Rte. 9W, Palisades, NY. $30/rider; $15/pass;AMA discounted $5 each. 100 mile ride through scenic Rockland County with route sheet provided. Lunch, live music, entertainment, raffled and door prizes • www.hudsonvalleyharleyriders.com 4 • Carly’s Kids Day Ride. Sign in/endsite: OCC, 14 Crossroads Ct, Newburgh, NY. 9am; leaves 10am. $20/rider;$30/rider+pass;Day of event add $5 to each. Motorcycle ride thru Hudson Valley led by Paul Sr. to benefit the Carly Fund • www.orangecountychoppers.com

What’s Happening Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com 19 • New Roc HOG 2nd Annual Bike Run for Kids to benefit Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundaion Ride for Kids. Sign in: NewRoc H-D, 8 Industrial Lane, New Rochelle, NY. 9am10:45am. Ride leaves 11am. $20/rider; $10/pass. or walk-in. BBQ to follow, 50/50 raffle and more. AMA sanctioned.

20 • Ride to Work Day. Be Green and show that motorcycles are for more than fun. www.ridetowork.org 25 • Edison First Aid Squad #2 auto/motorcycle show with craft fair to benefit the 75th anniversary of the Edison First Aid Squad. Doors open 10am with trophies, prizes, food and fun for the whole family. 848 New Dover Rd, Edision, NJ. For more details visit www.edisonfas2.org or call 732-549-3883 25 • Bob’s BMW Sport Bike Day - 9am-4pm. The badder the better. Show us what you’ve got - ALL BRANDS - and let us be the judge. Dyno on site • www.bobsbmw.com • 10720 guilford Rd, Jessup, MD 26 • 3rd Annual Poker Run to benefit Multiple Sclerosis. Two sign in locations: Baers Sports Center, 330 Grandview Ave, Honesdale, PA • Harmony Lodge #8, 519 Rte. 206, Andover Twnshp, NJ • 9am-Noon. $20/pp incl. t-shirt, food at endsite (Walpack Inn), prizes, live music, 50-50 and more • Baer 570-253-2000 • 570-686-2917 26 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson/BMW Motorcycle hosting THREE great events for one great time. Ride starts at Rockaway Townsquare Mall, Rockaway, NJ. Sign in: 8-9am; Ride leaves at 9:15am to Willowbrook Mall for Law Enforcement Skills Show and Bike Show. For info call Rich at 201-843-6930 ext. 133.

30 • Bob’s BMW Track Day at Summit Point Raceway, 201 Motorsports Park Cr, Summit Point, WV. Learn to be a better rider in a safe environment. All brands welcome. For more info visit www.bobsbmw.com

JULY 2011 4 • Rider Motorcycle Touring Club 25th Anniversary Celebration Picnic. Mountain View Park, Tannersville, PA - 11am-4pm. Free. Music, games and auction. Scott @ 570-8397530 • www.poconoriders.com 9 • Customer Appreciation Day at Sport Honda. Bike wash, in-store specials and more.

Check website for details: www.sporthonda.net • 911 Middlesex Ave/Rt. 27, Metuchen, NJ • 732-906-9292 12-17 • Suzuki Owners Club of North America RallyFest 2011. Goshen, NY. Rally location: Comfort Inn and Suites, Hatfield Lane, Goshen, NY • Host Dealer: Jim Moroney’s Cycles, 833 Union Ave, New Windsor, NY. For more info: suzukiownersclub.org

5 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Bike Show at Fort Lee Art and Music Festival. Awards given and Registration is FREE. Bike in by 12:30 • Awards given by 3:30pm. Food, Music and more. For info call Rich at 201-843-6930 ext. 133.

16 • Rawhyde Adventure Clinic and Trail Ride at Bob’s BMW. A day hosted by Rawhyde Adventures. Learn to ride the BMW GS the way it should be ridden. 1 hour of prep, 3 hours of training and 2 hours of adventure riding - ALL FREE! Contact hanna.creekmore@bobsbmw.com to reserve your spot.

5 • 10th Annual Poker Run/Pig Roast to benefit POW MIA and Veterans sponsored by Rolling Thunder Chp. 3 NJ. Sign in: Tramontin HD, Rt. 80/Exit 12, Hope NJ 9-11am. Endsite: Glen Gardner VFW with live music by Psych, vendors, prizes food. $20/rider; $20/pass. For more info: 516-659-2510 • www.rollingthunder-nj3.org

16-17 • 35th Annual Running of the Ramapo 500 sponsored by the Ramapo Motorcycle Club. 500-mile, two-day scenic ride. $33 Pre-reg/$45/day of event includes camping, Saturday dinner, Sunday breakfast, entertainment, awards, prizes, starters pin and finishers patch. Limited to 400 entrants. For complete info: www.ramapomc.org

10 • 11th Annual Informal Gathering of Sidecars at Americade. Headquarters: Adirondack Camping Village. Info: Bruce 610-866-1611 • stephens.bruce.d@gmail.com

20 • Bob’s BMW BBQ Bash. 9am-4pm. Register Today! Tire & Oil Changes and more whileU-wait. Camping is FREE! 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • www.bobsbmw.com

11 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson S.T.A.R.T Run. Come out and support this Great Run for a Great Cause. All Riders & Passengers must check in 9am to 11am the day of the event at Petco Totowa "Where the Pets Go !" Located at 1 US Route 46 West in Totowa just past McBride Avenue. Petco is at the top of the hill next to the Holiday Inn. Ride ends at Bergen County Harley Davidson. Enjoy BBQ, FOOD, FUN AND PRIZES. SIGN UP FOR BBQ Only $20.00. www.bergenharleydavidson.com

24 • Second Generation MC 8th Annual Dice Run to benefit United Hospice of Rockland.

Sign in: Haverstraw Motorsports, Rte. 9W, Haverstraw, NY. 9:30-11am. $20/rider;$10 pass;$20/walkins. Enjoy 100 mile scenic ride through beautiful back roads. AMA sanctioned. BBQ and Live Music at American Legion, Station Rd, Pomona, NY • www.secondgenerationma.org

7-11 • Americade - the world’s largest motorcycle touring rally. Get the complete lowdown on their new, revamped webpage: www.americade.com 3-12 • Warrensburg Bike Rally. Main Street, Warrensburg, NY. Vendors, food, free public8events. 518-791-8728 • www.warrensburgbikerally.com 9-12 • 2nd Annual New England MotoMarathon. Start: Motofit Motorsports, Danbury, CT. Two-day, three-night riding with headquarter hotel in Shelburne, NH being the Birch Bend Motolodge. For complete details visit www.motomarathon.com or contact John Metzger at 303-641-1062 • john@metzger.com 12 • Nassau County FireRiders XMas in June to benefit the children of St. Christophers.

Sign in: 9am-Noon with breakfast Applebee’s, 938 S. B’way/Rt. 107, Hicksville, NY. $10 an unwrapped toy (no stuffed animals) • www.fireridersmc.com 15 • Blue Knights IX NJ Garlic Run. This year’s ride is to Newark’s Ironbound District with great food, vendors, music and more! Sign up starts 4:30pm • Leaves from Rockaway Mall, Rockaway, NJ at 6:30pm SHARP! Fully police-escorted. $15/motorcycle prereg; $20/motorcycle at event. For details visit their website: www.bknjix.org • 973-729-4072

28-31 • United Sidecar Assoc. 33rd National Rally ‘Buckeye Rally’ in Dayton, OH. Headquarters: Dayton Tall Timbers Resort KOA. Info: www.sidecar.com 28-31 • MountainFest, Morgantown, WV • www.mountainfest.com 31 • District II of NJ Corn Boil/Rally. Sigin: 9-11am Williams HD, 1100 US 22, Lebanaon, NJ. Endsite: Bridgewater Eagles, 350 Woodside Ln, Bridgewater, NJ. $15/pp.

AUGUST 2011 8-12 • Concours Owners Group National Rally. Green Mountains at Mount Snow, VT. Rally fee includes buffet dinner. Discount for COG members. For more information please visit www.cog-online.org • 978-394-2591 27 • Pigs N Poker Run to benefit Shriners Hospital for Children. Sign in 10-11:30am at Riverton Hotel and Restaurant, 7758 Martins Creek/Belvidere Hwy, Bangor, PA. Ride: Noon to 2pm with picnic to follow. $25/pp ride/picnic; $10/just picnic; $10 Quoit Tournament @ 4pm • More info email: lineridersmc@hotmail.com

SEPTEMBER 2011 2-5 • Vermont Rolling Rally. For details visit www.rollingthruamerica.com

11-19 • 88th Annual Laconia Bike Week. Find out about all the goings-on right here www.LaconiaMCWeek.com

4 • Dawn Patrol MC Labor Day Run. Signin: 9-Noon Bradley Gardens Firehouse, 24 Old York Rd, Bridgewater, NJ. $15/pp.

17-18 • Triumph Metuchen Demo Truck Event. 875 Middlesex Ave/Rt. 27, Metuchen, NJ • 732-462-4881 • www.triumphmetuchen.com

11 • Larz Anderson www.larzanderson.org

18 • Art of the Bike presents the 2nd annual Classic Bikes and Blues featuring music, vintage bikes, food and more. 10am-5pm. Tinicum park, Erwinna, PA. For more details visit: www.artofthebike.com

26-Oct. 2 • Backroads Fall Fiesta Rally. Join us for our week-long rally through MA, NH, VT and NY. See the ad on page XX or www.backroadsusa.com for full details.

18 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Barely Legal Father’s Day Bikini Bike Wash. Join the Ladies of Lenora’s for our annual Father’s Day Bike Wash. $5/bike goes to Disabled American Veterans. FREE BBQ, beverages and great music with Charlie Jones • 124

Museum

European

MC

Day,

Brookline,

MA

•

OCTOBER 2011 16 • Blue Knights IX NJ Make-A-Wish Run. For details visit their website: www.bknjix.org

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF Worth the ride from anywhere!

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983 Member of

Join Us for 1st Friday Celebration 1st Friday of each month from 6 to 9pm Live Music • Dinner Specials 320 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-2274 • www.thisilldous.com

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond • 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

TREBOURMOTORCYCLES • Serving motorcycle enthusiasts and representing our brands with pride for over 12 years • Recognized for service excellence including Suzuki’s highest honor The Cutting Edge Award - Servicing all makes and models

Bearskin Neck Motor Lodge

If you don’t mind the haunting cry of the gulls or the sound of the waves, look no further.

Open May thru October

• We offer Pick up and Delivery service for the entire New York Metro area

Convenient to all of Rockport Walk to Bearskin Neck’s quaint shops and restaurants

• Conveniently located just off I-80 at Exit 28

8 rooms directly on the ocean

1445 ROUTE 46 LEDGEWOOD NJ 07852 • 973-584-0810 • TREBOURMOTORCYCLES.COM

Plenty of parking 64 Bearskin Neck, Rockport, MA • 877-507-6272 • www.bearskinneckmotorlodge.com

BRANCHVILLE

63 Ethan Allen Hwy • Ridgefied, CT

203.544.7900 www.Branchville.com

MOTORS

Maplewood Lodging B&B

In the heart of the Berkshires, in Western Massachusetts, surrounded by some of the best riding in New England.

• Secure Motorcycle Parking • Comfortable Rooms • Full Country Breakfast at your time schedule • Reasonable Rates • Owned by Riders

Ask about our

Discount for any Active US Military or Honorably Discharged in the past with a DD214

www.maplewoodlodging.com

Oz’s Homestay

Peru - Aug. 2011 Patagonia - Nov. 2011

266 North Main St, Otis, MA

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The Alternative FLY-IN B&B

Oz’s Offers:

Visit our website for all 2011/2012 tour dates

Independent touring or guided tours with multilingual guide, mechanic and support vehicle. 11 Years organizing tours and BMW rentals, BMW Travel Partner and Official BMW Dealer

• Stay two nights and the third night is on us

Ride through Chile, Peru and Argentina.

Visit the full range of our beautiful and enchanting places and see our lakes, other-worldly deserts, the dramatic Andes, snow-covered volcanoes and, of course, the magic world of Patagonia.

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Queen Memory Foam Mattresses Private Bathrooms Wireless Internet Outstanding Meals Tandem Skydives and Lessons Great Roads/Trails for Riding WARM HOSPITALITY

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Oz’s Homestay 296 Faulkner Rd, Shinglehouse, PA 16748 ozhomestay-huntinglodge.com • 814-697-7218

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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

Four Tips for Safe Riding and Rallying this Season

By Marcy Gray, long-time rider and a motorcycle Product Manager at Progressive Rally season is just around the corner, and many of us are gearing up for months of fun, food, and camaraderie. I look forward to rallies all year long; they’re a chance to meet up with my friends from across the country, check out the newest bikes and equipment, participate in charity rides, and, of course, taste the local fare. As a long-time rider and motorcycle product manager at Progressive, I’ve learned a few things that can help you better enjoy both the journeys and destinations of rally season. Here are four tips for staying safe and getting the most out of your time on the road.

Tip 1: Steer clear and stay visible Regardless of where you’re headed, you’ll be sharing the road with car drivers. I’ve learned that the best way to enjoy the ride and get to rallies safely is to be aware of others and avoid unnecessary risks on the road. This includes keeping off the center line (in some states it’s the law) and staying at least one bike length from other vehicles.

Wearing reflective clothing and using auxiliary lighting will help others see you. Also, keep in mind that when you ride close to the curb or roadside, you’ll blend into the landscape, making it harder for other vehicles to distinguish you from the passing scenery.

Tip 2: Minimize your time on the shoulder Having the right gear and a little know-how can cut hours you’d otherwise spend on the curb or in line at the local gas station. If you’re comfortable repairing your own bike, be sure you pack what you need for easy fixes. Make room in your tank bag for a flat repair kit, spare fuses, plugs, extra bulbs, simple tools, and a flashlight. Don’t forget to take care of yourself too—remember to find space for a basic med kit, sun block, and lip balm. And bring an extra key. These steps will save you time and a stop or two.

For new and experienced riders, roadside assistance is a valuable addition to motorcycle coverage. This is especially true during rally season, when you’re far from your garage and a shop you know and trust. Regardless of where you are or what’s the matter, a simple call gets your bike to the closest qualified repairman and back fast on the road to the rally. Progressive’s roadside assistance costs less than a buck a month, and you won’t pay a penny on the shoulder or at the repair shop. Just sign a receipt, and you’re on your way.

Tip 3: Do your local research Rallies offer new places, new roads, and new people. But a few friendly faces (like those of the highway patrol or local sheriff), can bring delays and costs you can easily avoid. Before you leave, consider spending a few minutes online. You’ll find information on speed limits and road conditions in the areas you’ll be traveling. Here are a few helpful sites: state speed limits from the Insurance Institute for highway safety www.iihs.org/laws/speedlimits.aspx national traffic and road closure Information from the federal highway association www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/

Tip 4: Check it out before you test it out Rallies are great for testing out other bikes, but differences between makes and models can be challenging even for the most experienced rider. In fact, in more than half of all motorcycle accidents, the rider has less than five months’ experience on that particular bike.

Before you take off, familiarize yourself with the throttle (rev it up to get a feel), clutch, and brakes, and locate the turn signal, horn, headlight switch, fuel-control valve and cut-off switch. On the road, accelerate gently, take turns more slowly, and leave extra room for stopping while you’re getting a feel for the bike.

Five minutes and a little patience can help you keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up.

FOR EVEN MORE PREPARATION AND SAFETY, CONSIDER TAKING SOME RIDER TRAINING CLASSES SUCH AS AN

ERC, CLASS, RIDE LIKE A PRO, STAYING SAFE, RAWHYDE, TOTAL CONTROL OR A TRACK DAY.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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ROADSIDEAMERICA.COM ATTRACTIONS AND ODDITIES PROGRAM FOR GARMIN GPS When searching out the odd, strange and mysterious each month for my Mysterious America I have a number of sources from which to choose.

The internet is full of odd ball stuff, but one site is consistent with highlighting some of the more peculiar places and things around these United States - RoadsideAmerica.com.

Now they have a program that can be downloaded to your Garmin GPS which allows you to pinpoint thousands of locations around the USA that just might pique your inner O’Life.

On the road and looking for something to see?

Ask your GPS what’s about and if something grabs your attention simply click on it, read about it and then hit the button and get directions right to it – simple!

While traveling, if you are near one of their listed sites a little message will come across the screen and let you know you are in the vicinity of something odd.

How cool is this?

This program is a “must have” for those with a Garmin GPS that like to get out and explore.

The Attractions and Oddities Program cost just $19.99 and can be bought on the roadsideamerica.com website.

Dr. Seymour O’Life

Who says you can’t take it with you?!

Bicycle/Golf Clubs to Motorcycle Carrier Systems This unique and adaptable system is the most versatile motorcycle accessory on the market today. Handmade in the USA, it enables motorcycle riders to rack their bicycles securely and travel.

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www.2x2cycles.com

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

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CYCLE SIDEBAR

POKER RUN

Tim Wineland Other than the view of a fellow biker I know named “Fatback” and his backseat squeeze Darlene, I can honestly say it has been quite some time since I’ve seen a grossly overloaded motorcycle.

However, before the days of tow-behind townhouses and steamer trunksized saddlebags, it was not uncommon to see a colossal mound of camping gear motoring down the road, seemingly under its own power; or a pallet of roofing tiles precariously balanced atop an intrepid two-wheeled warrior, spurning crosswinds and common sense alike. Transporting unwieldy items on a motorcycle was once a respected and learned skill, mastered only through long hours of trial and error and fevered apologies to the fools following too close behind. It required ingenuity, dogged determination, several coils of heavy-gauge repelling rope and a patent disregard for the laws of physics. Rolls of gauze and surgical tape were often handy as well.

The occasional loss of cargo resulting in the immediate loss of control was a small price to pay for achieving that final result: a fully laden and still upright, road-trip ready motorcycle. Veteran stuffers were recognized by the numerous welts and scars emblazoned across their forearms and scalp from over-stretched pack lines snapping and flailing into exposed flesh at the speed of light. Nowadays, thanks to voluminous and aerodynamically designed storage options, riders can safely carry enough tonnage to supply a six-family Martian colony with little effort and even less duct tape. Sadly, it seems to me that the art of balancing and bungee-cording bulky cargo has fallen by the wayside, much like the cargo so often did.

I learned the intricacies of transporting unsuitable items years ago along with my even more unsuitable travel companion, Rex. Just out of high school, we prepared for a week-long excursion by emulating the roving tribesmen of the Siberian steppes – stuffing the entire contents of a nomadic village including at least one musk-ox into our backseat duffle bags. We secured our bloated loads with taut ropes and strained bungees and watched with pride as our once lean cruisers transformed into gigantic, fattened ticks on wheels.

Then it started to rain.

Our trip apparently coincided with what is known in the Nation’s Breadbasket as the “Thirty Day Flood” cycle; what the rest of us call “June.” We hydroplaned down back roads for days; our saturated payloads bulging at their restraints while our shredded garbage bag rain-covers flapped gaily in the breeze behind. We soon found ourselves hungry, wet and bored in a tiny tent outside Farmville, USA. As every parent knows, bored teenagers rank just below “Rogue nations harboring WMDs” on the Department of Homeland Security’s Watch List; yet there was little to do but listen to the incessant pattering. For some reason, Rex – being the sensitive guy that he is – took offense to my calling his boring conversation “incessant pattering” and offered to ease my suffering by stuffing his socks in my ears by way of my mouth, maybe while they were still on his feet. I suggested a game of poker instead – the loser would mount

up and return with a watermelon from a field we passed earlier. I knew Rex loved watermelon. I also knew he had size fourteen feet.

I reached in my backpack for the deck of cards only to find most of them soaked and unusable; meaning we wouldn’t be playing with a full deck, something our parents had suspected for years. I also brought out lunch in the form of some freeze-dried soup packets. After several unsuccessful attempts at finding dry wood, we had given up on enjoying a cozy campfire with boiling water and reconstituted liquid sustenance; so instead snacked on the dry, pungent powder and rock-hard “noodle nails” as best we could, given that it made our throats swell shut and our vision turn purple for a while.

Beaten by a three-card straight, I motored back from the field with a fat, ripe watermelon precariously held in my lap. Bungee cords proved useless on the oblong atrocity, but by scrunching forward I stabilized it with my stomach; though this gave the impression I was giving birth to a grotesque alien seed-pod, or possibly suffering from a severe case of intestinal cramps – not totally out of the question given the past week’s diet. It was then that I noticed the cow.

It was a magnificent Holstein, slowly chewing her cud, looking placid and serene as only cows can do – from the middle of the road. I respectfully yielded the right-of-way and came to a somewhat lengthy but controlled stop – a pretty impressive feat given the slippery conditions from the recent rain and my suddenly relieved bladder. Fortunately, all survived the near-fatal bovine encounter. All but one, that is.

Tragically, my passenger now lay in ragged red chunks on the highway. It launched from my lap like a jolly-green football and landed with a dull thud, scattering its scarlet innards like so much vegetated road-kill. I stooped beside the pulverized pulp and watched helplessly as Bossy nosed a nearby morsel.

Rex was a bit skeptical about the cow that ate his melon. He was also a bit puckered, having choked down another packet of soup-sand just so he would be real thirsty and maybe see what a purple watermelon tasted like. I admitted it was quite unusual; I didn’t even know cows liked watermelon.

Rex then suggested we play another game of poker; this time the loser brings back ice cream – something he would dearly love to see me carry. As he ducked into the tent for the cards, I mistakenly asked him to bring me one of the noodle-nail toothpicks, as I seemed to have gotten a seed stuck in my teeth.

I learned many things that day. I learned how dangerous it is to overload or carry cumbersome items on a motorcycle lest I end up with a splattered melon of a more personal kind. I learned that cows do indeed like watermelon; maybe not as much as Rex, but it’s still tough to wrestle the big pieces away from one. Mostly, I learned how dangerous it is to lie to your friends – especially those with large, smelly socks.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

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The fine arT of farkling OR HOW TO MAKE ANY MOTORCYCLE, YOUR MOTORCYCLE Ralph L Angelo Jr. Like many of us, when I buy a new (to me) motorcycle I like to add items or personalize it to my tastes. Recently I purchased a 2006 Yamaha FJR 1300 with almost no miles on it, actually less then two thousand.

The bike was bone stock, save for a ‘Battery Tender’ lead.

My first step was to make a list of things I thought I needed to make the bike perfect for me to do long miles on. As I compiled my list I would find, from putting miles on the motorcycle, I would need more than I originally anticipated.

My first thoughts were of little things; items I’ve used on other motorcycles that have proven themselves indispensable, such as a Vista Cruise throttle lock to begin with. I’ve used these on all my previous motorcycles and they’ve proven to be worth more than their weight in gold.

On several of my other motorcycles I’ve used headlight covers for both looks as well as their protective ability over an expensive headlight module. So I bought a set of Cee Bailey headlight covers for the FJR. The last little item I placed on the FJR was a ‘Green Light Trigger’ high performance model. I’m personally iffy if these work or not but I’ve always put them on my previous motorcycles as more of a ‘What if they do work?’ kind of thing.

Next, being a safety-oriented rider, I wanted to make my new motorcycle more conspicuous, so I decided to add a set of ‘Hyper-Light’ auxiliary brake lights (16 LED per module, flashing brake lights only.) Now the question is where would I mount them?

This was easily answered as I decided to install a ‘Helmet Guardian’ license plate helmet bracket, again as I do on all my motorcycles. These allow plenty of area to mount the ‘Hyper-Light’ modules. I also added a set of hard bag reflective decals made specifically for the FJR bags. These are black reflective material that is nearly invisible during the day and as soon as headlights hit then, they light up like the sun.

JUNE 2011 • BACKROADS

Page 70 Now I decided to turn my attentions to the tank area. I was looking for a simple tank bra, but the only one I found was around the $100 mark, which I did not deem to be appropriate for such a small item. So instead I decided to install a ‘Tank Slapper’ clear, stick-on tank protector. I also wanted to add a tank bag and after doing some research I decided to go with the ‘Nelson-Rigg SL-10 Solar Tank bag’ This is a magnetic, full sized tank bag with a solar panel built in to charge such items as cell phones and Mp3 players.

Between the two hard bags and the large sized tank bag it sounds like I have enough storage space, right? Wrong. I next ordered up a color matched Givi V46N tail bag and bracket.

NOW I had enough storage space.

Now it was on to creature comforts, gadgets and amenities, and let me tell you, this creature likes his comforts! So after much deliberation I decided to buy a ‘Garmin Zumo 660’ GPS, which is a waterproof, motorcycle-specific GPS. Next, after riding several times, I decided the windscreen was not big enough for what I wanted so I bought a ‘National Cycle V-Stream’ windscreen, which solved all my screen issues. The standard electric screen moves up and down and, with the new windscreen, gives me all the wind protection I need and, when in the down position, I get a nice wind blast on hot days.

Next I found I had some physical issues with the width of the tank and seat, so I opted for a ‘Motorcycle Larry peg lowering kit’ which brought my pegs down an inch and a half for some comfort on both sides of the seat. Comfort-wise the peg lowering kit has made long rides much more comfortable for me.

Next I decided I needed to accessorize my dash area. I added several ram mounts, including a custom-made ram-type ball directly in front of the tank for the aforementioned GPS. I also added two double ball mounts, one to each perch mount.

On the left perch I decided to mount a ‘Sirius radio motorcycle kit’ for my Sportster 5 radio that usually sits in my car, but will now pull double duty. With this set up I can also switch to my Mp3 player whenever I want to.

Clockwise from top right: Vista Cruise and Ram Mount Helmet Guardian and Hyper-Lights Zumo GPS 660 and Sirius radio Motorcycle Larry Peg Lowering Kit Nelson-Rigg SL-10 Solar tank bag

2011 Fall Fiesta Mon., Sept. 26 thru Sun., Oct. 2 A Full Week of Riding Fun Join us for all or part, but do join us.

It’s shaping up to be one of our best Rallies yet.

Monday, Sept. 26

Tues-Wed, Sept. 27-28

The Publick House

Ocean Point Inn

Thurs, Sept. 29

Fri-Sun, Sept. 30-Oct. 2

The Gray Ghost Inn Colors in the Catskills

Sturbridge, MA

East Boothbay, ME

West Dover, VT

The Hunter Inn

508-347-3313 • Rooms: 89/night

Rooms: starting at $89/night 800-552-5554

Single $59 • Double $98/night 800-745-3615

Rooms: starting at $110/night

$

Ask for Backroads when booking

Mention Backroads for a 10% discount

We’ll spend our first night at the Publick House’s Country Motor Lodge nestled in an apple orchard near the main inn. Enjoy a great ride into New England on the way to our more northern stop…

Perched at the tip of a scenic, rockbound peninsula in East Boothbay, we’ll spend two days exploring It’s back to our old friends the ‘Fingers’ of Carina and Magnus and their Maine’s coast never-ending hospitality. It may with its historic only be one evening, but we’ll enjoy lighthouses, quaint villages and a great meal, roasting marshmallows around the campfire and tall tales all the lobsta rolls you can eat. on the front porch.

What would a Backroads’ Rally We could end it here, but we’ll head be without a stop at… south to Hunter Mountain and…

800-270-3992 Mention Backroads for discount

This will be the 4th year that Colors in the Catskills will be held at Hunter Mountain, in conjunction with Octoberfest. Hunter Inn is within walking distance, so we’ll enjoy a great day’s ride then park the bikes and join the festivities.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2011

Page 71

The right perch will now host a bracket for my communicator and for my cell phone, which will be routed through the Zumo using its bluetooth capability.

All of these are connected with my ‘Moto-Comm ST-1’ audio system.

Next up are a set of ‘Symtec’ grip heaters mounted under a pair of ‘Pro Grip’ gel grips.

As I rode the FJR day to day I noticed a lot of dirt was getting up on the splash panel behind the front tire and underneath the radiator. I bought a ‘Fenda Extenda’ extension that helps keep the dirt and road grime away from the nicely painted area.

I was noticing some small amount of vibration through the bars, and with my carpal tunnel I decided to add a set of one pound ‘Manic Salamander’ bar ends which greatly reduced the vibration until it disappeared.

I installed a set of extra long carbon-look frame sliders from ebay, which went on 1-2-3.

The last piece of the puzzle is a Sargent Cycle seat I recently ordered from Sargent with Cobalt Blue piping to match my FJR. The seat looks great and so far seems to help greatly when maneuvering the bike at low speeds and while paddling it around. Comfort-wise the seat is excellent. A recent set of five hundred-mile days proved that point.

The seat and the Zumo were each over $500 and were the crux of this experiment in farkling. There are other options out there I might explore as well including a new triple tree which will bring the bars higher and closer to me, but at this point I’m fine with the bar set up the way it is.

What I have completed here is a motorcycle, which is now specifically fit to me. Not only do I have satellite radio for long distance entertainment variety on the road, but I also have phone and communicator ability at my fingertips, as well as a GPS directly in front of me, but NOT blocking my view of my gauges. The solar tank bag can charge my Mp3 player or phone when I’m on the road while the seat, peg-lowering kit, and heavy weight bar ends provide perfect comfort for long days in the saddle.

The next time you begin to customize or ‘Farkle’ a motorcycle, whether it is a newto-you motorcycle or one you’ve been riding for years and merely want to add some

Above: Sargent Cycle Seat, Cee Bailey Headlight Cover and National Cycle V-Stream Screen new excitement to by changing and upgrading a few things, do so with a plan. Decide what this motorcycle is for - is it to be seen or is it to be a long distance beast that will carry you on five hundred+ mile days. Do you specifically want comfort? Or is it merely to be used locally? These are all questions you should ask before you begin your experiment in farkling.

Make a list either on your computer or on a pad (you know, the old fashioned way with a pen and paper.) and jot down what you want on your self-customized motorcycle. Remember, the motorcycle you’re customizing is going to be an extension of yourself. When people look at it, they are really looking at you, so think about what you are doing and about how the finished product will reflect on you.

Your motorcycle is a personal canvas that only you can paint, so cut loose, have fun, and most especially ride safe!

Ride Ireland!

Ancient culture, mysterious and enchanting landscapes, roads created by a motorcycling god, stunning rugged coastline and renowned Irish hospitality.

Check out our website:

www.celticrider.ie