May 2012

gaz Ma our le T cyc tor Mo

MAY

2012

Volume 18 No. 5

ine

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

Riding Colombia Expect the Unexpected

Victory Cross Country Tour • Product Reviews • Places to Go and Things to Do

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E FEAT URES

MON THLY COLUMN S FREE WHEELIN’.................................................................................4

RIDING COLOMBIA ........................................................................26

WHATCHATHINKIN’..........................................................................6

CASA BLANCA HOSTEL ..............................................................46

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE .................................................7 ON THE MARK ..................................................................................8 BACKLASH........................................................................................11 INDUSTRY INFOBITES...................................................................13 THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD....................................................15 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN.........................................18 WE’RE OUTTA HERE .....................................................................20

M OTORCYCL E REVIEWS 2012 VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY TOUR.................................58

PRODUCT REVIEW S THE PERFECT VEHICLE BOOK REVIEW ...................................47 PARK TOOLS STAR DRIVER ........................................................54

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA...............................................................22

GSESSORIES FUEL PACKS ..........................................................54

BIG CITY GETAWAY........................................................................24

TWISTED THROTTLE POWER HUB ..........................................55

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE...................................................48

MICATECH AND WERKES COMBINE .......................................55

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR...............................................52

D.O.C.REVERSIBLE VEST..............................................................62

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .......................................................56

AEROSTICH KANETSU WINDSTOPPER...................................62

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ Publishers Contributors: Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Fred Rau, Ashley Rhodes, Dr. Seymour O’Life

BACKROADS • POB 317, Branchville NJ 07826 Phone 973.948.4176 • Fax 973.948.0823 • email editor@backroadsusa.com • web www.backroadsusa.com Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

For Advertising Sales Information: 973-948-4176

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2012. 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.

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 4

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN Parked Motorcycle SyndroMe e are oft times told that during the winter months, especially in far northern latitudes, folks can suffer from a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder – also known as Sad. According to Wikipedia, the ultimate source for anything these days, symptoms of SAD may consist of difficulty waking up in the morning, morning sickness, tendency to oversleep and over eat, especially a craving for carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain. Other symptoms include a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating on or completing tasks, and withdrawal from friends, family, and social activities and decreased sex drive. All of this leads to the depression, pessimistic feelings of hopelessness, and lack of pleasure, which characterize a person suffering from this disorder.

Or, maybe it’s just winter?

Although some of us might have lapsed into several of these characteristics during the depths of winter this year most had no real excuses, as we all know what a pleasure the last few months have been. Old Man Winter was replaced

by Warm Babe Spring.

I mention SAD because there is another closely related disorder called PMS. No, not the one we guys fear, but another PMS that surely is far worse…

Parked Motorcycle Syndrome.

Now some of you might be under the false idea that PMS happens when the days are short, the snow is deep and the icy grip of winter keeps you from riding.

Well, in some cases that might be considered true, but the real diagnosis of Parked Motorcycle Syndrome have far more painful and debilitating factors involved than just the time of the year.

W

Yes, it does bite badly when your friends in California are extolling the day’s ride they just finished in the warm and sunny southwest; but Buffett reminded us “they got riots, fires, mud slides.”

Still, any normal winter would have our driveway being plowed numerous times by now, another nail in the riding coffin with each pass of the plow.

But this year the real meaning of Parked Motorcycle Syndrome became apparent.

PMS is when you could be out riding, should be out riding, but simply can not be out riding!

Hell, weeks of 60 degrees plus weather in March almost crushed me this late winter. Screw college basketball - here was the real March Madness.

As some of you know, and others are figuring out, I finished the last day of our Colombian adventure with a low-sided crash in a small town in the Andes Mountains.

When the dust cleared and my entangled body was removed from the bike I found I had broken my leg and torn up my ankle. Two for the price of one.

Casting, transportation, flights back to the United States needed to be completed and then it was surgery to rebuild the ankle and weeks off the leg – the very weeks of our early spring.

Parked Motorcycle Syndrome quickly came into play.

During these warm afternoons you would find me sitting atop the porch overlooking the curvy and delicious roadway that Backroads Central lies along, watching the hundreds of motorcycles happily purring by while I sat.

Just sat. For all those beautiful, warm and enticing afternoons.

I tried to keep myself busy…reading motorcycle books. Chatting with squirrels. Loudly yelling up to the kettle of circling vultures that “I was not dead yet!”

But, the hardest part was watching other riders enjoying what, I surely was beginning to believe, was something I had a right to do too.

Except, I made a rider error and was now paying the price.

I do not want to sound bitter, as I am not sure bitterness is one of the medically-accepted PMS symptoms, but okay, I was and am a bit bitter.

Sure, I tried to sound chipper and was all smiles when Shira, who was unbelievably great during this time, told me she needed a Mental Therapy Day and took off for a ride of her own.

(Continued on Page 10)

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 6

W H ATC H AT H I N K I N ’ SHIRA KAMIL diStractionS There is pretty much NOTHING I despise more than enjoying a pleasant afternoon’s ride on a beautiful spring day when, all of a sudden, there appears a deadly weapon heading right for me. This could be some amazingly huge flying projectile waking from the cold weather for its brief, but annoying, life to smash into my face shield or, worse yet, my much more tender face. Perhaps I’m referring to those critters, also aroused by the warmth of the season, that wait for the perfect moment to dash in my path to get to the other side of the road.

What, pray tell, could be so much better on the other side of the road that they need to put their lives, and mine, in danger. Silly question to ask of a creature with a brain the size of a walnut.

These are all viable options, but I am, in fact, referring to the much more dangerous texting/talking four-wheeled driver. It absolutely enrages me to: A) have one in front of me on an otherwise clear road doing 20 miles under the speed limit because they are trying to write down instructions while looking for an address B) have one behind me, right on my butt, because they have already written down their directions but are still on the phone being verbally directed to said address and/or C) come upon one at a stop sign who

has written down the directions, has still become hopelessly lost and is now totally engrossed in a detailed discussion with someone at that address thus is parked.

I listen to Tom and Ray, the brothers who bring us the ever-informative and always funny Car Talk on NPR on Sundays. A few years ago they came along with a brilliant bumper sticker – Shut Up and Drive. What a concept.

Personally, I don’t even like it when folks use headsets for phone calls while driving. I know when I’m driving, I can have pretty in-depth one-way conversations with myself and I certainly don’t need the added tax on my concentration of a two-way conversation. I think my only saving grace is that I do ride a motorcycle and that makes me pay attention to my surroundings while driving much more so than your average American car driver.

Here’s an example; on a recent jaunt out to Pennsylvania to explore an eatery one of you marvelous readers suggested, we were taking in a small piece of I-80 over the Delaware Water Gap. Traveling in the left lane, I was scanning the road and noticed some cars ahead getting on the entrance ramp.

At pretty much the same time, Brian and I said to each other, ‘Oh, oh, that’s not going to be good.’ Seems the first car entering stopped until there was a space for him to safely enter the highway – the correct thing to do. Trouble was, the person behind him was, and you guessed it, texting and had no clue that he had stopped. As we passed the entrance ramp, the second car had slammed into the first car, causing his hood to pop up. Brian and I both noticed that his head was looking down at his lap, most likely finishing his text with, ‘OMG, I just hit the car in front of me.’ Day ruined for both parties due to distraction.

YELLOW CARD This magnet was tossed onto your car by a motorcyclist who felt that you might have been driving in a way that could have endangered their life.

They chose to toss this magnetic note because it can neither damage your automobile, nor affix itself to rubber or glass and therefore will not affect your driving. It serves to warn you.

With thoughtful contemplation and reverence for humanity, we can adjust our behavior to allow for all people to live life.

This is a yellow card, let’s please not let things get to Red.

Montgomeryville Cycle Center 2901 Bethlehem Pike, Hatfield, PA 215-712-7433 • www.MontgomeryvilleCC.com

In stock and available.

I’m pretty sure that I am preaching to the choir here.

As motorcyclists, we are all in danger from these pinheads. So what to do? I’ve often wanted to carry a paint ball gun on the bike and shoot these recidivists, but Brian has warned me of the criminal consequences. The folks at Aerostich have come up with a safe, and perhaps effective, solution. Their Yellow Magnetic Stickers are safe for both the environment and the car driver (not that this should be a concern, as the texting car driver is not safe for either my environment or my health). They warn the driver of their transgression and council that, with some purposed rehabilitation, they can alter their ways for the better of mankind. If this seems like a better alternative to paint ball pellets or a roll of pennies, you can get a packet of ten for just $8 at aerostich.com.

Until the authorities start enforcing the laws that have been put into effect regarding texting/talking while driving, we riders will need to be ever vigilant. Our minds are fragile things, and there are many distractions to drag them away from the concentration needed to travel safely. Let’s be careful out there.

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

P O S TC A R D S FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD Making your own SPecial edition (Before I start, I must say I just got home and the visor of my trusty Arai was so covered with small formerly-flying insects that my attempts to wipe it made the outside world look Dali-esque. It is TOO EARLY for this crap. Sorry. Back to the column-) Oh, so you think you’re special, do you? Well, you probably are in your way, and I appreciate and honor your special-ness. But what about your ride?

Unlike a lot of other forms of transportation (that are often considered mere appliances and therefore indistinguishable from one another), it is a rare motorcycle indeed that does not have the imprint of its owner translated onto it somewhere. Naturally, the manufacturers are keenly aware of this desire to stand out and not only provide many excellent accessories for customization (not to mention the vast universe of aftermarket gold out there); from time to time they grace us with Special Edition models that have very limited production runs. Some of these are fairly mild treatments that are essentially minor tweaks, while every once in a blue moon we see something that you can legitimately call “special.”

Here’s an example of a brand-new special edition bike that I appreciate, because I really love the idea behind it. We are all familiar with automobiles in certain movies essentially becoming characters themselves, like James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger, the retired Dodge police cruiser in

Page 7 the Blues Brothers movie or Steve McQueen’s Mustang coupe in Bullitt.

While the former two are famous machines that are easily recognizable on the silver screen but never left that realm to wander among us, the latter was recognized by the Ford Motor Company many decades later as something iconic that was incredibly popular with film/car buffs. So popular, in fact, that they decided to pay homage to their own product with Bullitt editions of certain Mustangs over the years. From a paint/trim scheme to a variety of clever detail touches, the last Bullitt Edition I drove was a lot of fun and did resemble the original film car but on a more contemporary platform. I think Steve McQueen would have liked it, and appreciated the effort.

Which brings us to motorcycle Special Editions, and danged if Steve McQueen’s film legacy isn’t once again in the spotlight. Triumph has had some real iconic motorcycles on the screen, such as Marlon Brando’s 1950 Triumph Thunderbird 6T that was an important part of The Wild One. To the best of my knowledge, though, the brand-new McQueen Edition Bonneville T100 is the first production bike based on a relative that was a genuine movie actor, and there for a one-of-a-kind creation in the motorcycle world. This Twin is an officially licensed tribute to not just the motorcycle that performed the famous fence jumping stunt in the 1963 movie The Great Escape, but the star on the bike who, amazingly, was once again Steve McQueen. Unlike the Bullitt replica, Triumph calls their new version the McQueen edition and salutes the actor and his love of two wheels even more than of the film itself.

McQueen as you may know was an excellent rider and keen desert racer, and a huge Triumph aficionado. He did most of his own riding in the film, but the actual fence-jumping stunt was performed by his good friend and stuntman extraordinaire Bud Ekins. In the film, the bike was supposed to be a stolen Nazi military unit but in reality it (Continued on Page 10)

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 8

ON THE MARK MARK BYERS deStination: relaxation I’m sitting in a chair overlooking the Greenbrier River in the county of the same name in southeastern West Virginia. The chair is in a house situated between the river and the rail trail. An April breeze is blowing through the screen doors and windows and the afternoon sun is shining on the deck just enough to make it wonderful. The quiet is only broken by the occasional call of a bird. My motorcycle is parked by the river, is going to stay there most of the week, and that’s just fine.

I don’t believe miles ridden equals happiness. I had a great ride through central Virginia horse country to Charlottesville on Saturday, worked a bicycle race on a stellar course there all day Sunday, and finished my trip with another great motorcycle ride Monday. I spent fourteen hours over the past three days on my bike and that’s more than enough to scratch my two-wheeled itch for a while.

Yes, I’m right in the middle of some prime riding territory, but this destination isn’t about riding, it’s about relaxation.

Does that seem like heresy? A motorcycle scribe should be up at the crack of dawn, planning a week-long assault on the curvaceous climbs and descents that make up the Mountain State, right? Ah, but as Mr. Miyagi told Danielsan, “You must find balance.” To balance the hours of manic motion, I find I need equal hours of stationary time.

I need to view the beauty that surrounds me as more than a passing blur in a bug-splattered face shield. I need down time, preferably accompanied by a tall, cold, brown bottle of elixir, my missus, and maybe some motorcycling friends.

I haven’t had this attitude forever. I used to go to motorcycle rallies and think: “Wow, this is a neat area – I should explore the hell out of it.” Seminars? Who wants to go to a seminar? Why would I want to go listen to some fogy talk about riding when I can be out there DOING it? I might cruise the vendors in a spare moment, but to me, a motorcycle trip was about riding,

pure and simple. That was BS: “Before Steve.” It took an interesting, annoying, intelligent guy named Steve Coburn, the late leader of the Oilheads BMW club, to get me to see the light.

“Mark, most people get their riding fix by coming here,” he said at one event, adding “it’s just as much about socializing as it is about riding.” That comment ranks up there with some of the most revelatory notions I’ve ever encountered. The only thing I’d add is that, even in the absence of socializing, the destination is also about relaxation. After Steve’s comment, I did an experiment at the next BMW RA rally in Canaan Valley: I parked my bike and went to most of the seminars and wandered the parking lots and campgrounds, talking to people I’d met in this weird, wonderful world of the riding fraternity.

Guess what? I had a ball. I got to see Dave Hough, Lyle Grimes, Dave Swisher, and Fred Rau all in one room at one time. I learned a lot and laughed a lot. I didn’t know it would be the last time I’d see Lyle. I did know it was the last time I’d see Steve – we scattered what remained of his ashes at that rally. I reconnected with riding friends from Canada and all over the US. I met quite a few new friends, people I’d never have met from behind the Lexan curtain of a helmet while cutting up the corners. The other amazing thing about parking the bike and putting my feet up was that at the end of the event, I felt GREAT. Roads make you smile, but friends make you laugh.

So here I sit, surrounded by roads that wriggle and writhe their way through the most stunning parts of my native state. Instead of plotting my path through the apex of the next decreasing-radius, gravel-littered corner, however, I’m watching three ducks ride the crystal green current downstream toward Caldwell. I don’t feel guilty about it, either – not one damn bit. Those roads are going to be there on the way home and for quite some time after that. I’m not wishing to be out there on the road right now: I’d rather Norm Smith and Denise was here to tell us about Switzerland. Sure, I’ve got a motorcycle, but right now I’ve got ducks.

AWARD WINNING SALES AND SERVICE

Harley-Davidson of Long Branch 671 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ • www.HDLongBranch.com • 732-229-8518 Like us on Facebook • www.facebook.com/harleydavidsonlongbranch

F.W. SPEER YAMAHA 7 Main Ave • Passaic, NJ • 973-778-6256 • www.SpeerYamaha.com Tri-State Metro Area’s Oldest Yamaha Dealer. Last of the Mom and Pop Shops.

We are not a boutique. Gold-Certified Service Department. Top Ten in the Country.

Back by Popular Demand:

VITO’S FULL MOON CRUISE • SATURDAY, MAY 5 Foggy Mountain Reliability Run • August Date TBD Stop by the Shop to be put on the e-mail Blitz List

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 10 free wheelin’

(Continued from Page 4)

I saluted and was all grins as she rolled down the road, beeped and waved as she disappeared around the bend. Have fun. Enjoy yourself.

Write when you have work….Hmmm, vixen.

I crutched out to the barn and stared at the remaining bikes. My GS looked very lonely, almost frustrated.

Of course, as I am an idiot, I thought of at least trying to sit on one of the bikes.

Just sit. Not go anywhere. But, alas that was too much to do at this point as well; so I humped it over to Physical Therapy and got abused knowing that every wince was one cringe closer to getting back on the motorcycle.

As I write this it is Day 40 since the Colombian touchdown and two months before my birthday.

I never ask for much on that day, but this year I more than know what I really want.

Like the commercial that has been haunting me every time I turn on The SPEED Channel – “I wanna ride!”

(Continued from Page 7)

PoStcardS froM the hedge

was a lightly-modified Triumph TR6 that today’s McQueen replica is visually based on. For this ride down movie history lane, Triumph took their already cool Bonneville T100 and added a number of special details including a khaki green paint scheme, solo seat with cargo rack, skid plate, etc. and of course McQueen’s signature on the side covers for good measure. Production is limited to 1100 units, and naturally you get a certificate of authenticity as part of your provenance.

The best thing about any type of special edition is you have two ways to go. From a collector standpoint, you can keep it as stock as possible so it is a real snapshot in time of a particular limited run production model exactly as it was when it appeared on the showroom floor. But, those whose ride is always a Special Edition (because it’s their bike) can start with this unusual machine and take it from Special to Very Special Edition status. This might not be the best thing to do from a collector/reseller standpoint, but if you want to actually ride and live with a bike that you want to be really unique you can start with this interesting canvas to express yourself. You’re starting with an unusually stylish sheet of paper that’s already apart from the crowd, and now you can take it to the next level.

Ultimately, I really have to applaud Triumph and any other manufacturer that decides to take a famous cinema creation and honor it in a very concrete fashion by rendering the memory in a running piece of art. Think about other bikes in movies you’ve enjoyed, and who knows? You can always make your own motion picture Special Edition, although I do hope you exercise both taste and common sense. We need to embrace the celluloid past, but maybe we should avoid things like the too-funky Honda that Prince rode in Purple Rain. I mean the guy makes awesome music, but Dude.

1269 DOLSONTOWN RD • MIDDLETOWN NY 10940 845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, snowmobiles, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, Yamaha and Can Am. With a large parts department, qualified service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories, we're here to meet all your power sport needs.

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

Be A BACKROADS Hunter Have you found a great eatery, roadside lunch truck, inn, or B&B? If you don’t want to write it up, why not just send it to us to check out. You’ll get some Backroads swag for your efforts.

CYCLE MOTION is now a Can-Am Dealer

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 11

BACKLASH

Letters to the Editor

No, Thank YOU… Dear Brian and Shira, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you once again for all that you do. Backroads is far and away the most informative and useful cycle publication I have come across, and I look forward to reading it each month. I first found Backroads at a now closed BMW dealer in South Jersey, and would use your mag as an excuse to stop in each and every month, and I developed some very good relationships there.

You helped me identify resources in West Virginia for my annual trip with friends, and sent several issues to me while I was deployed. I am most grateful for the complimentary subscription you gave me upon my return in 2007, and I was happy to finally meet you at the NYC Cycle Show at the end of the year, and every year since then. Our paths have crossed several times at various events, but I have not been able to make one of your rolling rally events …. yet.

When the dealership closed in 2009, I was distraught that my source was going away, and even promised to actually pay for a subscription. Fortunately (for me anyway), Rob and Alan surfaced at Eckenhoff Motorcycles in Cherry Hill, where they have established a successful independent shop, and recently became authorized dealers for Hyosung and Zero motorcycles.

Please accept my apology for not paying for your wonderful publication, but know that I have visited many of the sights and locations mentioned over the years and am always sharing copies with my riding friends.

Keep up the great work, you are much appreciated!

Bob Smith - Marlton, NJ Brian and Shira, I subscribe to two magazines; Motorcycle Consumer News and Backroads.

I don’t count the AMA magazine.

Your magazine gives me a lot of info and joy each month. Thank you both so much for keeping this going. Hope to see you on the road.

Charlie Olsen - Valhalla, NY

Wheel Sport Center Inc. 399 HUGUENOT ST • NEW ROCHELLE, NY

914.636.7235 • fax 914-636-6184

GREA T PRI O

N ALL CING GET Y CRUISERS OURS NewRocYamaha.com TODA Y! Franchised Yamaha Dealer for over 50 Years

WheelSportCenter.net

Dear Brian & Shira, I just received the latest issue of Backroads. Wow, I couldn’t have been more surprised and honored. That was a great write up! Can you send me a few more copies and a place near me I can get more! It’s already on the web site. Chumley’s is on the verge of opening a second location with a parking lot big enough for 60-70 bikes. When I’m in I’ll let you know.

Dan – Chumley’s BBQ Thank you, John Petrocelli.

Or, perhaps I should be obliged to Mrs. Petrocelli and friend, who went to the Jersey shore, giving John the “green light” for his ride.

A small group of us took advantage of the early “spring” weather and rode from Columbus down to Benham, KY to stay at The Old Schoolhouse Inn. What a great place, and my wife had already decided before we got there that a couple of us were going to be sent to the Principal’s Office for bad behavior. You see my wife is a retired elementary school principal, so she was in her glory at the Old Schoolhouse Inn. Brian/Shira, you need to put The Old Schoolhouse Inn on the Moto-Inn list. It’s a really fun place to stay. And very motorcycle friendly.

And John, thanks for a great article. FYI, Davis, West Virginia also has a couple of good B & B’s.

Philip Eramo - Columbus, Ohio

The Stand Hi Brian, When I was a boy, in about 1950, my parents had the foresight to buy two adjoining half acre building lots, here in Brewster, for about $300 each. Mine, which in 1977 became Carol’s and my first home, fronted on a dead end dirt road. In 1953, when I was 6, the town extended the road, and paved it, out to the State Highway. I set up a lemonade stand where I eventually built my driveway, and sold it to the workmen who built the road, which became my address from 1977 to 1986. In the 50s and 60’s, when we

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 12 came up from Brooklyn for Winter weekends, the dirt road that my parent’s house was on was not plowed, because there were no year round houses on it. My road was plowed to the end. We would park the car where my driveway eventually stood, and go down through the woods to the house. While my Dad got the coal furnace fired up, I would pull a toboggan up to the car and bring the groceries through the woods to the house. Fond memories.

Greg Bagen

My point is that it’s a great joy to stop by a lemonade stand and buy some drinks from some nice kids. That was all.

My solution is to continue doing so. It was a simple enough article.

You are probably in the pocket of Big Soda - Coke or Pepsi, right?

I never pander, I just have fun and sometimes folks take the bait.

Thanks for making Backlash.

I just got around to reading the April issue when stuck with an ultra quiet day at the bike shop that we have open on Sundays (ugh. Cuts into riding time) I loved Brian’s story on the lemonade stand, the BBQ trip (what exactly is tailgate steak?) buffoonery, frozen gas, spirit houses, and the rest. Congratulations on another great issue! We did have one of our customers in this past week who is riding out to Nevada to the women’s motorcycle conference, and wanted an oil change and inspection before going. I encouraged her to take pictures of her trip, what they covered at the conference, shape it into an article, and send it in to you guys. That’s gutsy this very nice lady setting out across country because she believes in the sport just like what Mike Stackhouse was talking about in his article, finding friends through motorcycles. Anyway nice issue! Thanks guys for being there for us.

George Mason - Pocono Cycle and Service Center

Boy, you guys did a number on me over that email I sent regarding the sealed rooms at the Mimslyn. Now I see I have a fellow Ontarian mocking me (anonymously) as a “Painintheass” in the current Letters to the Editor pages. I’ll have to remember in the future to specify whether my email is or is not “for publication.” Who woulda thought that such a trivial matter could produce such nastiness?

I wouldn’t have bothered to send this email to you but for something else that caught my attention in the latest issue. It too is a trivial matter that hardly deserves mention, let alone publishing, but, being a native New Brunswicker, I thought that Ken Aiken’s comment on the linguistic composition of the Province (in his article “Riding Down the Walloostook”) should be corrected. The article states that “New Brunswick is officially bilingual, but ... the primary language is Canadian French with Acadian being spoken more frequently than English.” It’s not clear what border he’s referring to, but the primary language of the Province of New Brunswick is definitely not French (or “Canadian French” or “Acadian”, whatever those “languages” might be). As any quick Google search will reveal, only one third of the population of New Brunswick is Francophone. While that one third does live mostly in the north-east third of the Province, where Ken began his ride through it, the rest of the Province is not even really bilingual but unilingual Anglophone.

Still, as they say: “Whatever.”

May see you in Luray. Sandra and I are driving back from a week in Georgia at that time and I booked a room at the BW across the street for the first night of the Spring Break. (Could be that the windows there don’t open either.)

Ride safe, Dave, the Persnickety Wimp

Hi Brian and Shira, Gigi and I are down in Baja right now. I just read my latest Backroads.

Loved your column on the lemonade stands. Unbelievable where we’ve taken it to. Glad I came over in ‘64, before the looney tunes mob came on the scene.

But this is not the America I came to.

Thanks for a great looking Backroads rag. Check out our Highway 1 sometime, you will love it!

Cheers, Reg Pridmore Hello Brian, Regarding your editorial: what’s your point? That regulations have run amuck? More importantly, what’s your solution?

Bob Young

WFO

More Whining

MOTORCYCLEMADNESS

inc.

Motorsports

**WE NOW BUY AND SELL USED MOTORCYCLES**

8 State Hwy 94 • Lafayette, NJ • 973-579-6088 • 877-252-9828

New Jersey’s Largest Pre-Owned Bike Seller Over 100 Clean Street, Dirt and ATVs In Stock AT ALL TIMES

Quality Late Model Motorcycles - All Manufacturers

Luggage • Jackets • Pants • Boots • Rain Gear Tools • Exhausts • Tires • Sprockets • Chains • Brakes Bar Risers • Lines • Ramps • Lifts • OEM Parts

SPORT • CRUISER • TOURING SPEED LIMIT

WFO

* Large Selection of Helmets * Track and Race Bike Set-Up

IKES OR ALL B F ID A P H TOP CAS HUGE selection of Parts and Accessories for cruisers and sportbikes 600 Helmets In Stock: Icon, Shoei, Suomy, HJC, Scorpion and more HUGE selection of apparel: Mens and Womens - Street and Dirt First Gear, Rocket, RIver Road, Fox, Thor, Alpinestar and much more Professionally Trained Mechanics • Gold Wing Experts

* Track Day Information

wfomotorsports.net

* Suspension Work

973-579-5103

* Tires - Mounted and Balanced

* Great Service and Reasonable Prices

188 Halsey Rd (Rte. 626), Newton, NJ 07860 • fax 973-579-1806

WE BEAT ANY INTERNET DEAL Located 1/4 mile north of 206/94 intersection and 1 mile north of Newton Tues: 9-6 • Wed: 9-5 • Thurs: 10-8 • Fri: 10-5 • Sat: 9-2

Closed: Sunday and Monday

www.MadMotorcycle.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 13

IND USTRY INFOBITES

News from the Inside

GERBING’S INVESTS IN AMERICA Gerbing’s Heated Clothing, the industry’s leading manufacturer of heated clothing, gloves, socks and accessories, announces that it has opened a new factory in the U.S. “We’re bringing jobs back to America and employing our fellow Americans,” said President and CEO, Jeff Gerbing. “It’s about time we started thinking of our country first, instead of just who’s got the cheapest prices.

And the response from our customers has been over the top. They love it, and our high loyalty rankings have shot up even more.”

Mr. Gerbing spoke highly of the work force he’s encountered at his factory’s location in Stoneville, NC. “This area has a great textile history. And the skills and productivity of the people is second to none. Our U.S.-made products are every bit as good as what China used to make for us, and in several areas they’re better.

We’re working on making them better in all areas.”

Part of that commitment has been to go beyond just manufacturing in the U.S. It’s a commitment to source all raw materials in the U.S. as well.

“When I say we’re going to make a product in America, that means top to bottom. Every piece of cloth, every zipper, every plug, every wire, every thread is going to be sourced from American companies.” The Gerbing’s owner went on to say, “That means we’re helping to employ Americans at those supplier companies as well. It’s win/win for us and for our country.”

The North Carolina facility is massive, as plans for growth continue. “We’re using 25,000 of an available 80,000 square feet. And there are more adjacent buildings to grow into. So our future is secure here. This is a vision I’ve had for years. It’s just time that someone took the lead and decided that Americans should come first.”

such legislation, and Virginia has become the latest state to pass a bill to bar law enforcement agencies from setting up safety checks that only stop motorcycles for inspection.

Following a motorcycle-only checkpoint set up during last year’s Rolling Thunder POW/MIA rally en route to Washington, D.C. over Memorial Day weekend, Delegate C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) introduced H.B.187, which passed and was signed into law on Feb. 28 by Governor Bob McDonnell.

Most recently, New Jersey introduced companion bills in the Senate (S1685) and the Assembly (A-508) to prohibit police from establishing checkpoints limited to certain types of vehicles and would require that all checkpoints include all types of vehicles.

Meanwhile on the legal front, New York A.I.M. (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) Attorney Mitch Proner told the Associated Press that he is preparing to appeal a federal court decision upholding the constitutionality of motorcycle roadblocks in N.Y., and the issue may eventually be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court.

MODS AND ROCKERS TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AT THIS YEAR’S AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS The American Motorcyclist Association is pleased to announce that the

COME AND SEE THE SHOW Join Twisted Throttle for their Open House & 10th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, May 19th, 2012.

There will be food, demonstrations, presentations, and entertainment galore. Stunt rider Chris “Teach” McNeil will perform every hour and a half in our parking lot. You can take part in our annual Slow Race, have your bike’s horsepower and torque measured on a dyno, and learn about all aspects of motorcycling by attending presentations given throughout the day and by tallking with our vendors. You may even win a door prize. You can also take a tour of our new modern 27,000 square foot facility that includes a retail store, warehouse, installation bays, tire changing services, and prototyping workshop.

Twisted Throttle is easily accessible off of I-95 at 570 Nooseneck Hill Rd., Exeter, RI.

MORE STATES BAN MOTORCYCLE-ONLY CHECKPOINTS While Congress continues to consider passing a prohibition on motorcycle-only roadside “safety checkpoints” by halting federal funding, several states are moving forward with their own laws to ban the practice.

New Hampshire and North Carolina have both passed

Long Island Yamaha 67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY

www.LIYamaha.com • 516-935-6969 Come experience our full line of Yamaha products, sales and service.

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 14 2012 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days rally — the country’s grandest celebration of old bikes and the people who love them — will highlight the classic “Rockers and Mods” two-wheeled subculture that is presently undergoing a popular resurgence in America. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, set for July 20-22 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, will shine a spotlight on British café-racer motorcycles and Italian metal-bodied scooters made popular by the self-described Rockers and Mods of the early 1960s.

“If you’ve ever seen the TV show Café Racers, or watched the movie Quadrophenia, you know the amazing impact the British Mods and Rockers had on motorcycle culture,” said Grant Parsons, AMA director of marketing and communications. “At this year’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, it’s not just about the custom café racers and blinged-out Lambrettas and Vespas, but also the crazy and wonderful people who are bringing these icons back to life 40 to 50 years later, an entire ocean away from where the craze got its start.”

High-profile characters in one of motorcycling’s most colorful bits of history, Rockers sported pompadours, wore leather jackets festooned with pins, and rode Triumph, Norton, BSA and other Brit-bikes chopped into café racers. The Rockers stood in stark contrast to the Mods of the same era — dapper-dressed riders who prized the glorious cosmetic and performance enhancements of Italian metal-body scooters like Vespas and Lambrettas.

For a Mod, the more shiny-chrome rear-view mirrors mounted on the front legshields, the better. Both groups — and their machines — will be honored as the 2012 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days “Marque of the Year.” The Rockers and Mods showcase at Mid-Ohio will be most evident in bike and scooter shows focused on the two groups, and in a special tent devoted to the Mods and Rockers, with machines, memorabilia, history displays and live interviews and entertainment throughout the three days of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days.

WILLIE G. DAVIDSON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT After nearly 50 years as head of styling, Willie G. Davidson is retiring from Harley-Davidson on April 30, 2012.

Willie G., Senior Vice President and Chief Styling Officer, is widely rec-

Town & Country CYCLE CENTER • 973-875-2111 www.townandcountrycyclecenter.com

115 Route 23N • Hamburg NJ

ognized as a legend in the world of motorcycling and motorcycle design. He will continue his involvement with the company as an ambassador at motorcycle rallies and events, and through special design projects as Chief Styling Officer Emeritus.

“Throughout my life, I have been truly fortunate to have the opportunity to marry my passion for design with my love for this amazing brand that runs so deeply in my veins,” Willie G. said. “What’s most rewarding has been to see the impact our motorcycles have on the lives of our customers. Everything we do in styling is based on the notion that form follows function, but both report to emotion.”

Over the course of his career, Willie G., 78, built a design team at HarleyDavidson that established the company’s unrivaled leadership in custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles. Today, the styling department is led by 19year company veteran Ray Drea, Vice President and Director of Styling, who has worked collaboratively with Willie G. in the development of numerous milestone vehicles.

“It has been my privilege to work alongside many incredibly talented people at this company and I have great confidence the future of Harley-Davidson’s design leadership will continue to grow in its pre-eminence,” Willie G. said. “I look forward to spending time with riders at rallies and to my involvement in special design projects.”

BMW MOTORRAD GAP COVERAGE GIVES PEACE OF MIND TO BMW MOTORCYCLE RIDERS A pair of industry-leading protection programs tailored for BMW motorcycle owners recently introduced by BMW Financial Services have the potential to significantly reduce the impact of physical and financial obstacles on riders of the German-made motorcycles.

The BMW Motorrad (motorcycle) Tire & Wheel Protection plan will provide replacements should the covered BMW motorcycle’s tires or wheels suffer any road hazard damage during the plan period, which can be purchased in one-to-five-year increments.

The BMW Motorrad GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) product protects a BMW motorcycle owner who financed his or her motorcycle through (Continued on bottom of next page)

SUSSEXMOTORSPORTS 446 Route 23 • Sussex, NJ • Located across from the A&P Shopping Plaza

Visit us at www.sussexmotorsportsnj.com

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles, sales and service we have to offer.

973-875-3640 •

Open Tuesday thru Saturday

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 15

TH OUGHTS FROM THE ROAD love on the road There are those of us who like reading nothing more than a detailed account of how to rebore an R80GS at a Somalian truckstop, using nothing more than a Swiss Army knife, a Haynes manual and a limitless supply of patience. Others, like myself, want to get inside the head of the rider; what makes him or her tick and who’s prepared to really bare their soul and let us into the darker recesses of their mind.

Here is a snapshot book review for those ‘motorcycle romantics’, amongst us; those who travel by bike not just for the undiluted pleasure that grinding footpegs on Andean mountain switchbacks, or riding an arrow-straight highway into a Kenyan sunset gives, but who seek romance, friendship and even the odd passionate encounter in some no-questions-asked faraway land.

When my own motorcycle travel adventures were documented and published in 2002 under the title Lonesome Rhodes, there were only a handful of motorcycle travel books on the market, led by Ted Simon, the god of motorcycle travel literature.

One sensed Ted had interests back home which prevented him sharing any intimate moments with us within the pages of Jupiter’s Travels-other than a surprisingly candid encounter with a Kenyan bar girl. I suspect four years on the road and the traversal of 45 countries probably threw up several similar adventures for Ted, and with the passage of time the octagenarian could probably now afford to reveal all, though his emotional honesty is probably held in check by his very English sense of chivalry.

Jim Rogers’ Investment Biker was also around at the time, though Jim was more into hunting down emerging markets than personal encounters. Having his beautiful girlfriend along for the ride, as well as a fondness for overnighting in Sheraton hotels probably kept the locals well at bay.

Although in my own book I allude to a string of romantic encounters on the road from Tierra del Fuego, I too had ‘issues’ back home that prevented overgraphic accounts. induStry infobiteS

(Continued from previous page)

BMW Financial Services should their motorcycle be totaled or stolen and their insurance carrier determine its value as less than that of the loan balance.

“Our customers and dealers have asked us to provide these products to ensure every aspect of the BMW motorcycle ownership experience is as positive as we can make it,” explained Lisa McPherson, BMW Financial Services general manager of insurance. “Products like this have existed in the marketplace, but our products are designed to meet the needs of the BMW customer and BMW dealer.”

Both products are available through authorized BMW Motorrad dealers and must be secured at the same time the motorcycle is purchased.

Replacement – never repair – constitutes a key part of the Motorrad Tire & Wheel Protection Product with OEM or OEM-approved parts installed when the originals are damaged due to road hazards, including glass, metal, potholes, debris, nails, blowouts, etc.

“Road hazards are everywhere, regardless of topography and climate,” said McPherson. “Now a BMW motorcyclist can ride out of the dealership secure in knowing regardless of the obstacles he or she might encounter, should something happen to a relatively expensive wheel and/or tire, a BMWspecific replacement is fully covered at no additional expense.

“Unfortunately, road hazards are a fact of life and wheels and tires take the brunt of them. This program provides just the kind of protection our customers want.”

Within the maximum $25,000 claim allowed under the Motorrad GAP is up to $1,000 of the customer’s primary insurance deductible. In addition, the

Ashley Rhodes There are some more recent motorcycle travel books which are almost heart-rending in their honesty about life, death and above all, LOVE. These are some of my favorites: Dreaming of Jupiter. Many of his fans thought that Ted Simon could never recreate the sense of wonderment at the world and its peoples that Jupiter’s Travels conveyed. But yes, in his inimitable style he shows us what falling in love at the age of 70 is like, in this case with a high-bred Chilean lady, also of ‘a certain age’. Ted has never been one to hide his weaknesses under a bluff exterior, and the reader is treated to a tender and emotional romance, sandwiched between the gritty realities of piloting a BMW R80GS along third-world dirt trails while facing some even grittier realities about his waning physical powers.

Running with the Moon, by Jonny Bealby is another personal favorite and chronicles our hero leaving his life as a London dispatch rider, stricken by grief at the recent death of his girlfriend, Melanie, to ride his Yamaha Ténéré to Cape Town. Desolate, Jonny meets a lovely Algerian hotel receptionist and falls head-over-heels, though as he needs to get the miles under his wheels he is unable to develop the relationship and we are left in suspended animation for the rest of the book, waiting to see if it will all result in a softfocus happy ending. An Ethiopian prostitute helps a drunken Jonny complete his catharsis, and by the end of the book we see a happier, wiser man emerge.

Personal disasters often form the basis for throw-it-all-in road trips, and in the case of Mike Carter, an acrimonious divorce on top of a beckoning middle age causes this English new-to-biking biker to buy a BMW R1200 GS and head off without a map to tour around 27 countries with no particular plan in mind, Uneasy Rider being the book this journey spawns.

Uneasy Rider is the antithesis of motorcycle adventure travel books, in that Carter’s selfconfessed mechanical cluelessness would make topping up the oil a challenge for him.

Boring roadside rebores are never likely to be coverage is available on both used and new motorcycles.

“We are going even one step further than the competition by offering our GAP coverage to non-BMW motorcycle buyers when they purchase their rides through one of our authorized dealers,” said McPherson. “Again, this product is about the BMW ownership experience and we want to help our dealers provide it to all of their customers.”

HELP NEEDED Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) is working in conjunction with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to conduct a long term, comprehensive Naturalistic Motorcyclist Study of everyday riding in a wide variety of environments and conditions and they need participants.

If selected, you will answer questions about your age, training and riding experience to determine where you fit in the study. To gather information, several small cameras, radar, GPS and a recording unit will be attached to your motorcycle for one year. Once the equipment is attached, your job is to ignore it and ride like you normally would. The data is encrypted as it is collected and kept confidential.

They have selected a number of motorcycles representing a cross section of riders and types of riding: beginners, sport bikes, cruisers and touring, and designed their equipment and mounting system to work with several specific models, and participants must live in or near the targeted study areas that cover different terrain and traffic patterns; Blacksburg, Virginia, Orlando, Florida and Irvine, California. For more details, contact VTTI at www.motorcycle.vtti.vt.edu.

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 16

an issue in this tale. Where Carter´s real talent lies is taking us through the vicissitudes of a European road trip, where the constant backdrop is of an emotionally delicate, hard drinking middle-aged Englishman, trying to make some sense out of his life and get laid at the same time. These are not misogynistic attempts to get back at his ex-wife, but simply a need for affection during a particularly bleak period in his life. Sound depressing? It isn’t. Carter is a master of self-deprecation and the whole book is written in a wry, witty manner. As a columnist for the UK Observer, his writing is razor-sharp.

Highly recommended.

Yet another Englishman carrying a trunk load of emotional baggage (the English do seem to be rather good at this kind of thing) is Dan Walsh, hard drinking beat poet, long distance biker, and occasional (when he’s sober) contributor to the UK’s Bike magazine. Walsh bares his soul even more than Mike Carter, and we’re treated to a grandstand view of his sad decline into alcoholism and his long-sufAre you ready for the most comfortable motorcycle saddle? fering girlfriend walking out on him in Buenos A saddle that fits properly eliminates pressure points that reduce Aires. Walsh’s bouts of remorse and self-analysis blood flow. It takes a solid understanding of human anatomy strangely, draw you to him, especially when reand extensive motorcycle experience to make a truly fine mocounted in his hip Kerouac style. torcycle saddle. Let Rick’s medical expertise as a critical care Nick Sanders is a name more readily known to nurse and extensive riding experience combine to create a truly UK bikers.

His numerous against the clock RTW great saddle hand-made just for you. Prices start at $269. (round the world) solo bike odysseys, on first a Triwww.RickMayerCycle.com umph Daytona 900, followed by later trips on a Yamaha R1 and currently on a Super Ténéré 1200, have helped him carve out a name as a slightly deranged but totally focused professional rider.

Sanders has written many accounts and produced numerous DVDs of his client-leading expeditions. As he barely has time to sleep on these trips, let alone write, one has to Agents who ride and understand make allowances for the speed at your Motorcycle Insurance Needs which his ramblings are churned MEMBER MEMBER out in book form. Saying that, the books; namely, Loneliness of Ask about our Tour Cycle Program – the Ultimate in Coverage the Long Distance Biker, are delightfully whimsical and veer between Nick’s extra-marital Passenger Coverage • Accessories Coverage affairs, lost loves and present Medical Payments Coverage loves to the grueling business of riding a motorcycle at top speed 18 hours a day, seven days a 448 Lincoln Ave • Hawthorne NJ 07506 • 973-427-2246 week, in the world’s most inhospitable environments. www.CycleInsuranceAgency.com Other emotionally-charged Serving New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania • ATV • Jet Ski • Snowmobile motorcycle travel books to be found include Mi Moto Fidel by Christopher P. Baker and Ghost Rider by Neil Peart. The former paints an accurate picture of modern-day Cuba and is unflinching in its accounts of numerous sexual encounters, though they do get a bit mechanical after a while. Nonetheless, as a journalist, Baker knows how to put it all together well.

In Ghost Rider, Rush drummer, Neil Peart, tells us of the tragic double loss of his wife (to cancer), as well as his daughter (road accident).

From the beginning our sympathy towards him is off the scale. However, when he does eventually fall in love again (and good luck to him) his self-obsession and rather glib style had long since worn this reader down.

So, if you’re planning the ‘big trip’ and want to write Our techs have over of experience combined. about it after, write it from the soul, with all the passion Don’t trust your machine to any “Fresh-Out-Of-MMI” crew. you can muster. As well as the mechanical bits, share your pain, fears, joys and loves; bikers have hearts too!

Take your motorcycle to a shop that has the knowledge and experience you deserve.

Cycle Insurance Agency Inc. Recreational Vehicle Specialists

NUMBERS DON’T LIE!

100 years

228 E. Backwell Street • Dover, NJ • www.4BLC.com

• 973-989-4252

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 18

O’Toole’s Harley-Davidson Presents

G REAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

tasty places to take your bike

r.e.d.S. hotS 5090 route 14, dundee, ny 1437 • 607-243-7100 Next to a good barbeque, you will rarely find the Backroads crew riding by a decent hot dog joint without at least making note for a return trip sometime in the future.

This very thing happened to publishers Rathjen and Kamil (they are a lot like Starsky and Hutch or Beany and Cecil) when they last went up to the Finger Lakes.

Spending a few days exploring the Alleghenies of Pennsylvania they rode into the Seneca Lakes area from the north and west. Running down Route 14 towards Watkins Glen they came across R.E.D.S. Hots – what was called A Finger Lakes Wienery – a play on the many wineries found in this part of New York State.

As usual they chatted it up on the radios and made a plan to return sometime during the weekend for lunch or early dinner.

A few days later they rode the short distance from Watkins Glen to the little town of Dundee, on Route 14 and to R.E.D.S. Hots for that early dinner.

They might have been expecting just a few dogs, but not here at R.E.D.S. Hots.

Here the owners, Ron and Sandy Spencer, will offer you a choice of six different dogs, or red hots, if you like.

The classic red hot, white hot, all beef, Glazier’s Snappy, turkey or – God forbid – veggie. Just ain’t natural we tell ya!

You can have said dogs - naked (the dog, not you unless you are Charisma Carpenter), dressed with one or two toppings or deluxe with three or more toppings.

Those toppings run from normal to a bit different.

Sauerkraut to meat sauce (yum), sautéed onions to banana peppers or their own special R.E.D.S. relish.

O’TOOLE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON®

4 Sullivan St. • Wurtsboro, NY • 845-888-2426 • www.OToolesHD.com

Sales • Service • Parts • Accessories Convenient location for the entire New York metro area New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Nassau + Suffolk Counties in New York

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 19

If dogs are not what you crave you might want to try their superior fresh ground, hand pressed 1/3-pound burgers. Also coming naked, dressed or deluxe.

This area is famous for Wixson’s Honey, a bee keeping and honey outfit, and they use this special honey in many of their dishes, like their awesome baked beans. Their fries are all hand-cut as well and their condiments run the gamut from ketchup to vinegar to hot sauces.

But, it was the House Specials that really filled the bellies this afternoon.

Dog Food is a grilled hot dog mixed with their delicious baked beans and then smothered in a thick and chunky meat sauce.

Puppy Chow gets even more decadent with homemade mac & cheese and grilled dog slices all baked together. You can even order that with the meat sauce as well. But it gets worse, or better, depending on your canine attitude.

This is all served up in a Dog Bowl that you can keep.

We know this might seem slightly crazy - but soooo friggin’ good.

The place also has some seriously good gourmet Sprecher sodas from Wisconsin that might be the best in the nation.

No correct that-they are the best in the nation.

R.E.D.S. Hots used to be an ice cream shop. They kept the home-made ice cream makers and they have all sorts of cold goodies to offer for dessert – like you will ever get to that here.

R.E.D.S. Hots is open May through October and if you are up in the Finger Lakes region it is a place to search out for sure.

You and your friends, if you are Hot Dog aficionados, will not be disappointed.

We’ll run this ride from Seneca Lodge in Watkins Glen, New York an excellent place to make your riding headquarters while in the region.

Rip & Ride® • R.E.D.S. HOTS 5090 ROUTE 14, DUNDEE, NY 1437 • 607-243-7100 • DOWNLOAD GPS HERE: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/FILE/AX0WUS

START: SENECA LODGE, WATKINS GLEN, NY RIGHT OUT OF SENECA LODGE BACK PARKING LOT ON RTE. 329

RIGHT AT CR 24 WEST WANETA LAKE RD.

LEFT AT MEADS HILL ROAD

RIGHT AT RTE. 14A

RIGHT AT CR 16 PAST RACE TRACK

RIGHT AT CR 5 DUNDEEE HIMROD RD.

RIGHT AT CR 22

LEFT AT RTE. 40

RIGHT AT RTE. 226

STRAIGHT AT CR 42 DUNDEE LAKEMONT RD.

LEFT A CR 23A

LEFT AT RTE.14

LEFT AT CR 23

R.E.D.S. HOTS IS ¼ MILE ON LEFT

RIGHT AT HAMMONDSPORT-WAYNE RD RIGHT AT RTE. 230

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 20

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

W E’RE OUT TA HERE ocean Point inn & reSort 191 Shore rd., eaSt booth bay, Maine 04544 207-633-4200 • www.oceanPointinn.coM rateS froM $59-$219/night As most of you know we here at Backroads like to invite our readers to join us a couple of times each year for weekend or weeklong rallies. We always try to find places that you’ll like – such as the Gray Ghost in Vermont or Inn on the Lake in the Finger Lakes of New York.

This past Fall Fiesta brought a good number of you to another place that we discovered and from the comments and remarks that we received we really hit the ball out of the park with this one.

The Ocean Point Inn & Resort.

Ocean Point Inn is a traditional oceanfront property located on the rockbound mid coast of Maine in the Boothbay Harbor Region. This Maine mid-coast Oceanfront Inn is over 110 years old, and Ocean Point has been called a “paradise on the coast of Maine,” enjoyed by Inn guests and summer residents.

Simply riding around the point you will see some superb properties and some of the most stunning views on the Maine coast. It is everything you would think of when the Maine coast comes to mind.

Most of the guest rooms and cottages enjoy fabulous ocean views including stunning vistas of the pier, islands, lighthouses, and boats that dot this mid-coast Maine location. The other accommodations feature decks for relaxing and enjoying the Maine Coast. Ocean Point Inn enjoys a rare western exposure, providing guests with one of the

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads best places on the East Coast to view sunsets.

Taking a seat on one of the many Adirondack-style chairs at sunset is a treat all by itself. Toss in some friends and a bottle or two of good wine and like the tee shirt says – “Life is Good!”

The rooms were comfortable and clean and ours had that wonderful westward direction so we could enjoy the sunset from the deck as well.

The restaurant, conveniently located at the main house so you can park for the night and enjoy, served up some exceptional American and continental cuisine featuring the freshest local seafood, including lots of lobster dishes, a superior Maine crab cakes, and the chef’s daily fresh salmon preparation and land-based meats for you lubbers.

The ample bar also has a great Pub Menu.

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 21

If an ocean swim is not to your liking the Ocean Point also has a heated pool as well as a hot tub.

While there you have a perfect launching pad to explore all that this part of Maine has to offer. Booth Bay Harbor is just a few miles away and all along the coast there is so much to see and do and, we dare say, most of our rally goers did quite a lot.

Located only an hour from Ocean Point is the Owls Head Transportation Museum. This highly regarded museum offers a lively trip into transportation history via an operating collection of antique aircraft, automobiles, bicycles, carriages, and motorcycles. In addition to regular exhibits and special exhibitions, the museum hosts a variety of events such as vintage car rallies, an antique aeroplane show, Model T rides and biplane rides.

In Portland is Loren Coleman’s International Cryptozoology Museum; a place where you can learn about all things monstery – like Big Foot, Chessie and the Mothman.

The many lighthouses that dot the shore are all worthy of a visit as is the trek north to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.

If you are the patient type and a lover of Lobster Roll then a stop at Red’s EATS is a must – considered the best lobster roll in the world – we can attest that it just might be.

All in all you cannot beat the Ocean Point Inn & Resort. It is the quintessential coast of Maine experience and we will be back whenever we ride along Maine’s rocky coast.

Riding along the rocky coast of Maine.

The Ocean Point Inn is a great place to host a group ride. Adirondack chairs are the perfect after-ride relaxation location.

The best Maine sunsets.

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 22

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s M YSTE RIOUS AME RICA cheSSie every body of water needS a MonSter the Sea SerPent of “the bay” The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States.

Mixing dozens of rivers, large and small and with the Atlantic right alongside it, it is a massive body of water. How massive? It’s surface and tributaries cover some 4,500 miles and in places it is nearly 200 feet deep.

One of the greatest technological marvels, the Chesapeake Bridge and Tunnel, cross its breadth and the United States Navy calls it home too.

It seems it also might be home to something else entirely.

When Europeans first settled local natives told of a giant creature that lived in and around the bay.

It has always been described the same way; about 20-40 feet long, dark in color and has no visible appendages. Think of Chessie and a very, very large aquatic serpent. Since colonial times this beast or beasts have been sighted again and again.

Not far up the Atlantic coast a large serpent slammed into a local fishing boat named the Goldie Budd in March of 1907.

Capt Hyland H. Parker said they were six miles off Ocean City, returning from the fishing banks about 2 o’clock that afternoon, the Goldie Budd ran afoul of a marine creature, fully 100 feet long, with a head which the sailors declared resembled nothing so much

as that of a giant rhinocerous. The sloop crashed into the side of the creature—whale, sea serpent, or whatever it was—with a resultant shock that broke the shaft of the boat’s auxilliary engine, unhinged the rudder, and opened her seams so that only by bailing were the crew able to make the nearest harbor, at Great Egg Inlet.

Said Capt Parker, relating his experience, “We were sailing along before a stiff east wind, when suddenly, as the boat sank into the trough of a wave, she struck something, then slid off into deep water again. The shock threw me from the wheel and brought the frightened

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 23 The legend of Chessie has been around since before the first settlers came to these shores.

men from the cabin pell-mell. The wheel was gone, our rudder broken, and the propeller twisted.”

“We were taking account of these injuries when one of my men cried out, ‘My God, what is that?’ and pointed over the stern. What I first saw looked like the head of a giant rhinoceros, only its mouth must have been ten feet across. The top of the head was covered with big bumps, and from each of these it would occasionally spout what looked like water and blood. I never saw nor heard of anything like it before, nor never want to again. I never took much stock in sea serpents, but this creature was not a whale. Its body was black and must have been fully one hundred feet long, tapering toward the tail.”

Interesting.

Perhaps these large ocean-going serpents have been around for a very long time? Back in 1881 the bones of an ancient serpent were discovered in a New Jersey marl pit.

Recent sightings in the bay, of what is now named “Chessie” (how original), started back up the mid-1940s when two fishermen Francis, Klarrman and Ed Ward, spotted a snake-like creature in the waters not far south of Baltimore.

Most sightings that have happened since then always say that Chessie swims with its body whipping side-to-side much like an anaconda.

1977 was a big year for the creature, as there were many sightings of Chessie that year. The same happened in the mid-80s.

One of the most famous sightings was that of Robert and Karen Frew who supposedly videotaped the monster near their Kent Island home. I have seen stills from this tape and to me it looks more sperm-like than snake-like.

But, back then video quality was poor at best and the footage does show something distinctly serpentish.

I have been down to the Chesapeake Bay dozens of times and along its waters I have seen untold numbers of birds, pods of dolphins, and a wide array of fish. The lower part of the bay has the US Navy crawling both above and below its waters and nothing has been dutifully photographed, cataloged, videotaped or caught.

Once, while kayaking off Tangier Island my small craft was rocked by something that passed underneath. I was told it might have been a manatee, up north for the summer. But, somehow I do not think so; this is Mysterious America and just ‘cause there is not hard proof that Chessie exists, there is no hard proof it doesn’t.

Why not travel around “The Bay” and see for yourself.

O’Life out!

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 24

BIG CIT Y G ETAWAY

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

naSa walloPS flight facility walloPS iSland, va • 757-824-1000 • httP://www.naSa.gov Each year we seem to swing by Chincoteague Island, right off the Delmarva Peninsula. As we near the island the road first travels through Wallops Island.

Wallops Island, originally known as Kegotank Island, was granted to John Wallop by the Crown on April 29, 1692. Since then it has been owned by others, including the state of Virginia but these days it is NASA that dominates the landscape. It is also home to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, or MARS as it is called.

The NASA facility here at Wallops is the oldest launching facility in the nation. They have been sending things high in the air since the mid-40s.

Today it is home to many sub-orbital Sounding Rockets as well as various scientific research and experiments.

A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into the water, to gauge the water’s depth. Sounding in the rocket context is equivalent to taking a measurement.

They also build balloons here that are so big that they border on insane.

Something else they have at NASA Wallops Flight Facility is a great visitor center.

We had been there many years before, but this time we had some junior astronauts in tow, ranging in age from 5 to 8, and we thought both parents and kids

would enjoy what NASA had to show so off to Wallops we rode.

This day we had the pleasure of being educated and entertained by Susie Salusky, the very energetic Education Coordinator here at Wallops.

Susie went on to explain just what NASA is doing these days since the Shuttle Program ended and how the future for space exploration is still very bright and promising.

She showed an interesting film on NASA’s future and then went on to explain to all just how astronauts live while up in space.

How do they sleep? How do they eat and how do they… well if they are eating then you know what must happen. Actually all of

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 25

the food must be rehydrated and kind of looked yummy.

Susie even got the kids with us involved, putting them into space suits and sleeping bags with Velcro-attached pillows.

It was all great fun and informative.

After the presentation we all wandered around the museum. Here they had all sorts of displays on the history of Wallops and NASA, along with models of their giant balloons. The one compared with a 747 is truly impressive.

I personally was fascinated with the Moon Rock on display. Every time I

see one of these Lunar samples I am amazed at what we as a people have been able to do and it is places like NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility that keep pushing our collective human envelope.

All around the grounds you will find rockets and things they like to put into the sky. As Susie said, “We like to get things high into the air!”

Back in the museum the kids had found the compressed bottle rocket sled and were busy seeing who could get the plastic bottles the highest. Others were looking around the small gift shop for things NASA – stickers, shirts and patches from various missions.

Some bought the Challenger patch, but as I already had one I purchased the last mission to fly STS 135. Sad to see the shuttle fleet mothballed.

There is always something going on at Wallops and if you time it right you can see them launch a rocket. It’s easy to do and they encourage visitors to see what NASA is up to here.

You can log onto their website for launch scheduling.

Now you know you don’t have to go to Florida to experience NASA – it’s right down the coast on a little island off Virgina.

The Wallops Flight Facility is open daily from July 4 through Labor Day from 10am to 4pm. If you plan on a visit before July or between September and November, they operate ThursdayMonday. You can check their website for more details and launching schedule: www.wff.nasa.gov Launches can be seen at the Wallops Flight Facility, day or night.

The patch from the last launch of the Space Shuttle program.

The kids are having some spacey fun and Susie Salusky gets us educated.

Take to the streets on KTM’s 990 Supermoto T

210 Route 10 West • East Hanover, NJ www.HanoverPowersports.com • 973-428-1735

Your local source for KTM motorcycles

Off-road • Street • Adventure Sales and Service

Go See the Pros that Know How to Ride!

5.99 % Fin

an Avai cing lable *

Get a little dirty on KTM’s 990 Adventure

Hit the track on KTM’s RC8 R

KTM’s 690 Enduro R

*Offer is subject to credit approval by GE Money Bank. Customers not qualifying for 5.99% APR may be approved for other promotional rates. Applies to purchases on all new 2012 and prior KTM Models of $2,500 or more. Rates of 5.99%, 7.99%, and 9.99% will be assigned based on credit approval criteria. Please see your KTM dealer for further details.

Ridi n Expe g Co ct th e ima g

lom bia Une xpe

es: B rian

Rath jen, D

cted

wo on a rds: Br nd S ia arah n Rath je Too thm n an

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 27

Leaving the city behind…

Medellin to Doradal • 260 kilometers The road leading out of the long valley that holds the city of Medellin, in Colombia, winds up the middle range of the Andes Mountains in a pleasant serpentine manner. In a matter of kilometers the crowded bustle that is a city of nearly 5 million fell behind in the mirrors, and the heat of the valley was replaced by a wonderful cool breeze slinking around us.

In truth Shira and I were glad to be done with Colombian cities for awhile.

We had flown south to Colombia, via Miami, a number of days before and spent a couple of them exploring the walled Spanish city called Cartagena.

We then took a quick one-hour flight south to Medellin.

Rooftop advertising in Medellin

El Peñón in the distance

When we first told friends and family that we were going to tour Colombia they, nearly to a person, thought it a bad idea.

Images of drug lords, guerillas, kidnapping and ransom played through their minds. But, others in the know told us to expect the unexpected in all things.

Well, we’re here to tell you the days of Pablo Escobar are far behind this great and friendly nation. Colombia offers today’s adventure rider much excitement and adventure – let us tell you about it.

First we must thank our friend Ashley Rhodes, a Brit whom we had met in Spain a number of years back. When he heard his friend Mike Thomsen, another ex-pat European (this one Dutch) was starting up Motolombia, a motorcycle tour company offering road and off-road tours of Colombia, he mentioned Backroads. A year later here we were again in South America.

We had a free day in Medellin, before the start of the tour, so we took the city Metro to the cable car system. This brought us to Arvi National Park,

atop the Andes peaks. Riding up the cable car we had splendid views of the city and, unfortunately, of the poorer section to be found right below us.

It was here on December 2, 1993, on one of these ratty rooftops, that the head of the Medellin Cartel Pablo Escobar met his well-deserved and bloody end. Who says the CIA doesn’t do things well; but more on this brute later.

These days opportunistic Colombians have rented their roofs out to advertisers – Apple, Kawasaki and even Kotex logos could be seen from the cable car floating above the rooftops.

The park was stunning and from atop the cable car you could see how large Medellin really is – it’s as if someone dropped Manhattan into an Andean valley.

That evening we met the rest of our group. The father and daughter team

The steps to the top of El Peñón

Entering Escobar’s ranch

of Don and Sarah Toothman, Bostonian Elizabeth Spelman and our friend Ashley Rhodes would be joining us. Mike Thomsen, owner of Motolombia, would be leading the eight-day tour along with Luis, Mike’s father-in-law, who would be handling the support truck.

After a briefing that evening, going over the many details of the tour, we made it an early night as we wanted to get out of the city as early and as quickly as possible.

Cresting any mountain range will always offer some serious curves and twists, but the road heading towards the lake district was an extremely pleasant one to ride. We found most of the pavement to be well done – until it was not. Part of “expect the unexpected” is that you can round a curve and suddenly find all the traffic stopped as the pavement drops away to gravel, gullies and potholes for a few hundred feet before staring up again in a pristine fashion. These sections are part of the nature of the steep Andes that occasionally decide to spit rockslides down to the valley so far below. The amusing thing

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 28

A friendly military stop

Making the best of Escobar’s bull ring and private runway

is that enterprising little kids pop up Fagin-like and run in front of your slowly moving bike selling anything from strawberries to gum.

Our first side trip of this day was to the incredible rock called El Peñón de Guatapé. At its highest part it has an elevation of 7,005 feet above sea level and has an average temperature of 18 °C or 64 °F. El Peñón is enormous and has some 6,500 cubic feet of rock mass and it is 1,263 ft long, with an approximate weight of 11,000,000 tons. It has some rock breaks, one of which was used for the construction of the 644 stairs that can be used to go to the top.

Bravely, or foolishly, our group made the assent. Winded and sweating

(my heart felt like Buddy Rich was playing drums on it) we summited the rock and the view was worth every step. Coming down was a bit treacherous too. Okay, down right scary.

We took a lunch of freshly-caught fish and fried plantains at the bottom and then continued along the ranges of the Andes.

Our last stop of the day was of great interest to me. Pablo Escobar’s Ranch.

We mentioned this guy earlier.

For those of you who do not remember Escobar he was the head of the cocaine cartel and was personally responsible for hundreds, if not thousands of deaths.

Ducati returns to Connecticut 10 Mill Plain Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 • www.motofit.com • 203-792-3900

Set up for speed, the 1199 Panigale S is immediately ready to hit the track and take on the stop watch.

Hail the new Superbike King!

Come and see us for your new 2012 purchase. All the new bikes, apparel, parts and accessories are here.

If he wanted somebody dead and that person happened to be on an Avianca jet, well everybody else was ‘collateral damage.’ Mass murder and drugs were his way and he was incredible wealthy for it.

Pablo Escobar once said that the essence of the cocaine business was simple; “You bribe someone here, you bribe someone there, and you pay a friendly banker to help you bring the money back.” In 1989, Forbes magazine estimated Escobar to be the seventh-richest man in the world with a personal wealth of close to $25 billion US dollars, while his Medellín cartel controlled 80% of the global cocaine market.

The war against Escobar ended on December 2, 1993, amid another attempt to elude the Search Bloc. Using radio triangulation technology provided as part of the United States efforts (CIA, hmmm?), a Colombian electronic surveillance team, led by Brigadier Hugo Martinez, found him hiding in a middle-class barrio in Medellín. With authorities closing in, a firefight with Escobar and his bodyguard ensued. The two fugitives attempted to escape by running across the roofs of adjoining houses to reach a back street, but both were shot and killed by Colombian National Police.

These days his ranch, the entrance of which features the first plane he used to smuggle cocaine into Panama, has been converted to an animal park using some of Escobar’s exotic animals that he collected.

Escobar even had his own bullring and airstrip that we promptly did donuts in and raced along on.

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Colombian gauchos at work

Page 29

Brian and Pepe sharing a moment

The mansion itself has been turned into a memorial to all the humans that this monster destroyed. I walked most of it but after awhile the blood was too much to digest.

Good riddance to this man and a bad chapter in Colombian’s past and hello to this nation’s future… Hail Colombia!

We overnighted in a fairly nice roadside hotel, not far from the ranch. After a very filling typical dinner and a dip in the refreshing pool, we called it a night as we were all pretty shot from a very busy and exciting first day of riding Colombia.

Monkeys and Mud Puddles…

Doradal to Villa de Leyva • 350 kilometers With a Colombian breakfast of eggs, ham and fruit under our belts we got on the road and made great time along a few of the straight roads we would encounter along this journey.

Along this route, that ran down amongst cattle farms and small oil rigs, we were still surrounded by the majesty of the Andes to both sides.

To my left I spied four gauchos rounding up their cattle, which prompted a digital moment and, moving along, I was touched by the raw beauty of this

Sharing the road with the local livestock

land; rugged, green and healthy. I could understand why so many riders come down South American way only to end up enthralled with the land and people and end up calling these countries home.

We stopped at a small place for coffee and a short break when we spied yet another unexpected thing. This time it was a White Faced Capuchin Monkey chained to a tree.

A monkey? We love monkeys!

Bringing out Shira’s little monkey puppet friend Pepe, who has been riding with her for awhile now, we went over to make friends with the little furry guy.

Turns out this capuchin was also called Pepe, but he wanted nothing to do with Shira’s little friend. In fact he got very agitated as he thought perhaps this was a real monkey and started screaming, carrying on and basically going bananas.

We stowed Pepe back in Shira’s tank bag and tried our luck a second time.

By now this tiny creature had gotten over his fear of us; being handed a baby bottle of his food made this a bit easier. He spent some time with Ash and then jumped on my shoulder. Now, the thing with primates is that they like to preen each other so he poked around Ash’s hair and then when he got to

174 Route 17N Sloatsburg, NY

Owner: Cal Mancuso Service Manager: Frank Caramico Formerly of New York Harley-Davidson

845-712-5406

Tuesday-Friday: 10am-6pm Saturday: 10am-4pm

• SPECIALIZING IN HIGH PERFORMANCE HARLEY-DAVIDSON • SERVICING ALL AMERICAN V-TWINS • SERVICE • REPAIR • FABRICATION • COMPLETE BIKE BUILDS • LARGEST SELECTION OF PARTS, ACCESSORIES, LEATHER AND CLOTHING

www.CycleCityNY.com

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 30

2012 Councours™14 available in black and burgundy

BERGEN SPORT CYCLES

Ride More, Stress Less

BERGEN SPORT CYCLES Ride More, Stress Less

30 US H’Way 46 East, Lodi, NJ 07644

30 US H’Way 46 East, Lodi, NJ 07644

973-478-7711 bergensportcycle.com

973-478-7711 bergensportcycle.com

2010 Metallic Silver

BERGEN SPORT CYCLES Ride More, Stress Less

30 US H’Way 46 East, Lodi, NJ 07644

973-478-7711 bergensportcycle.com

We understand perfectly if you think your eyeballs are lying to you. Indeed, the Fury® appears to be something from the farthest fringes of the two-wheeled world. Yet it's a Honda, through and through.

Here we have the rolling incarnation of the pure, undiluted chopper essence, a machine that simply looks right, sounds right and goes straight to the heart of radical enthusiasts. Yet despite the extreme lines and head-turning looks, the Fury is backed up with the same fit and finish, functionality, affordability, quality and reliability built into every Honda. Who would have ever thought it possible?

BERGEN SPORT CYCLES Ride More, Stress Less

30 US H’Way 46 East, Lodi, NJ 07644

973-478-7711 bergensportcycle.com

Register online!

ww.freedomrun.stayclassy.org

THE RIGHT SIZE FOR ALMOST EVERYONE CBR®1000RR

CBR®250R

Join us May 8 + 9 for Victory

Metuchen’s

Demo Truck Event

CBR®600RR

NC700X

Join us May 19 for our Summer Pig Roast/BBQ 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. For riding training information or to locate a rider-training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227. CBR ® is a trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (02/12)

Victory Metuchen

JOIN US

May 19th

911 Middlesex Ave. (Rte. 27), Metuchen, NJ 08840

732.491.2900 www.VictoryMetuchen.com

FOR OUR

SUMMER

911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 906-9292 PIG ROAST/BBQ Find Us on Facebook • SportHonda.net

THE REIGN BEGINS • WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL MASS-PRODUCTION 1441CC ENGINE • CATEGORY-LEADING TECHNOLOGY WITH MULTI-MODE TRACTION CONTROL

2012

Join Us th

Visit our new showroom located in Central New Jersey

SUMMER

Just 10 minutes from Staten Island, 30 minutes from New York and 1 hour from Pennsylvania

SAT., MAY 19 for our

PIG ROAST/BBQ

Join Us MAY 19th for our

SUMMER PIG ROAST/BBQ

Kawasaki Metuchen 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2900 Find Us on Facebook • KawasakiMetuchen.com

CAN-AM METUCHEN 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ 08840 (732) 491-2900 • www.canammetuchen.com

Your Ducati Source

Take yours home today.

All New 2012 Monsters 696, 796 and 1100 Evo. Shop our large selection for the latest in Ducati Performance parts, apparel and accessories.

OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE DEFINITELY SLOWER THAN THEY APPEAR. BMW Motorrad took the world by storm with the introduction of the original S 1000 RR. Now, only two years after its introduction, we’ve made more than 35 significant improvements. The NEW second generation RR is poised to retain its crown as the King of the Superbikes.

The 2012 BMW S 1000 RR is more than just the best. It’s superbike royalty. Long live the King.

We have the full line of BMW motorcycles as well as apparel and accessories.

Make us your final destination for the best BMW sales & service.

CROSS COUNTRY BMW

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen, NJ 08840-2224 (732) 635-0094 • www.ccbmw.com

May 19 • 11am to 3pm • Summer Pig Roast/BBQ MARK THESE DATES

JUNE 15-16 BMW Demo Truck Event

JUNE 30 Teach McNeil Stunt Show

Cross Country Ducati Factory Authorized Sales and Service 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ 08840

732.635.0094 • www.ccducati.com

Make us your

One-Stop for Apparel, Riding Gear and Accessories.

WE HAVE IT ALL!

CROSS COUNTRY CYCLE 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 635-2900 Find Us on Facebook • crosscountrycycle.net

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 34

back some of the road and here there was no road at all. Deep dirty puddles blocked our path every few kilometers. Expecting the unexpected we were ready for the trucks, cars and buses coming blindly around the mountain turns and we truly had a friggin’ blast doing it!

The more Colombia threw at us the bigger the grins got inside our helmets.

By the time we reached ‘I have no idea,’ which was a bustling burg full of shops and commerce we, and the bikes, were properly muddied and tired.

We had lunch at a small roadside place that would never pass US inspection (not that it would need to) and watched the school children all come over to look at the bikes and ask us all the question kids do everywhere in the world.

From there we headed back up the peaks along a very tight and curvy road, which rose by the mile. Remember – expect the unexpected ….

So here you are making great time up the Andes range and you ride into a turn only to find, halfway through, that the road is gone for 500 feet and you me he started what only could be called laughing.

He then started slapping my head, like he had never seen a shaved head before and laughing while looking at the gathered crowd which was, what we thought, half the town. All of them were watching and laughing as well. Then he began to play my head like a conga.

Not wanting to agitate a creature with such sharp incisors I remained still. Very still.

Then the little beasty decided that the salty sweat on my head was great tasting and he started licking my pate, which brought even more laughter. Now the monkey knew he had the crowd and started playing it up even more, with me the straight man to his comic antics. I thought Shira was going fall down she was laughing so hard.

This little ape-man could get a job back home at Monkey with a Gun. We knew that in a few miles we would be rising up along the eastern range of the Andes and that the Colombian government was constructing a new highway over the pass. The deal was that most of it, we were told, would be packed gravel; that was a fib. From ‘Nobody knew the name of the town’ to ‘I have no idea, Colombia’ was 50 kilometers of some of the roughest road we have been on in a while. Like the Dalton Highway in Alaska or Routa 40 in Argentina, but with ups, downs and twist and turns. Piles of exploded rock would lead into football fields of slick mud. Streams and waterfalls had taken

spring up onto the pegs to dive bomb through potholes, ripped pavement and puddles big enough to swim in.

Shira rode through one such whopper and made a splash so big you could have surfed the wave. By this time even Elizabeth, who was more or less a dirt newbie, was just powering through what the mountains threw at her.

For somebody who was tentative on gravel a week ago she simply was kicking ass on some seriously rough terrain. You go girl!

Don and daughter Sarah were deftly motoring along, stopping here and there to take pictures as Don is an avid and gifted photographer, as well as superb rider, and his daughter has not fallen far from that tree.

Atop another pass we ran into the police once again. More military then we are used to here, we had run into a group the day before and, instead of demanding papers, they simply posed for pictures. Hell, the day before they let us use a tank as a prop. Today we drank dark sweet coffee with them and

Our showroom is now open.

We are located directly across from the Cherry Hill Mall on Church Rd. • We have used cars in stock too.

Introducing the most fun you will have on a motorcycle

MOTORCYCLES - SCOOTERS - ATV

2012 GV250 Avg. 80 mpg Available in Black, Red, Orange or White

no gas, no oil, no emissions -

0

Averages up to 140 miles per charge • 95¢ for a fully charged 9kw battery Charge time approx. 8 hours fully drained

We also carry Gerbing Heated Clothing and Olympia Apparel

OUTSTANDING QUALITY • 2 Year/12,000 Warranty Dress up your motorcycle with Hyosung accessories

919 Church Road • Cherry Hill, NJ • 856-482-5300 • www.Eckenhoff.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

The cobble square at Villa de Leyva

Page 35

Not quite a Kronosaur

Salt Cathedral

talked bikes as they took turns getting on Don’s BMW F800GS, the far sweeter looking of all our rides.

On our way back down one of the valleys we fueled for the next day and then rode to the tiny town of Villa de Leyva and to a very nice boutique hotel, that, once again, nobody expected.

After showering Shira went for a much deserved massage and I went about getting a bit of work done writing these words here. All done and in clean fresh duds we searched out the town for a decent restaurant (there were a few) and to take a look at the cobblestone plaza, which at 14,000 square meters is the largest plaza in all of South America.

We found our group there and had a superb dinner before walking the town with our friend Ashley.

Returning back to the hotel I got a glass of malbec and a late night massage, the perfect way to end a rough day in the saddle.

Life was muy bueno in Colombia, amigos.

Detours and Dinosaurs…

Villa de Leyva to Honda • 340 kilometers Waking to a stunning, almost cold, morning this high in the Andes the first part of the day was brisk and, to me, as pleasant as could be. In this region of Colombia many dinosaur fossils have been discovered and they have even uncovered an almost complete skeleton of a Kronosaur, a giant marine creature that ruled the Earth’s oceans millions of years ago. There is only one other such skeleton discovered so far, and it is all the way in Australia. When you think that they are finding ancient marine fossils high atop the Andes mountain range you get a true feeling to how old this planet really is. Along this route we could see the odd dirt formations where paleontologists are still at work these days.

Right about then a giant bull’s head popped out in front of Shira’s GS on her right; she swerved to avoid the bull’s horns and, behind her, we all slowed down to let the herd of brahma out onto the roadway.

I love this place; you never know what would happen next. Luckily, most of it was good.

The road for the first part of the morning, heading towards the city of Zipaquira, was a pure joy and if you love the twisties then Colombia might just be the perfect place for you. The roads that run along the peaks and valleys of the Andes are superb, even if the pavement can disappear in an unexpected fashion. This morning it was nothing less than spectacular as each curve opened up to a new vista that stretched along valleys and peaks of deep green and floating white clouds.

Coming around a bend I spied a large lake to my left, looking almost primeval in the morning light. Along the shore, at the bottom of the road that followed down to the valley, Mike took a left along a small dirt road to the lake’s shore. Here we hired a local fisherman to take us all on a short excursion around the lake in a small boat that barely fit us all. The views from the lake gave the Andes a totally different appeal. Poking fun at all the local dinosaur diggings the fishermen had even built their own version of the Kronosaur hiding amongst the lake grass near the shore.

While we were on the water, a large pot of Tinto – a

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 36

Lake detour

Beasts of Burden

What’s wrong with this detour?

local dark and very sweet coffee – was brewed for us so rather than hop right back on the bikes we stayed for a spell and enjoyed the hospitality.

Heading to Zipaquira we stopped at the famed Salt Cathedral. After decades of mining salt in the hills above the town the miners began to make religious shrines in the mines and tunnels. The mining techniques created large rooms and these days the mining operations have ceased but the mine is a religious sanctum in itself with multiple rooms and one cavernous cathedral, complete with the Stations of the Cross.

The Salt Cathedral is well worth the visit as it is very striking and beautiful regardless if you are a believer or not.

We really wanted to avoid Bogota at all cost. The traffic is legendary and who really needed to ride through any large Colombian city? We didn’t.

So we bypassed via a small town that still was absolutely insane with truck, bus and car traffic as were many of these Colombian towns.

We had to ride alert and skillfully through many of Sussex NJ County Rd 639 • Next to the Airport these whistle-stops – if you have ever seen the opening Open 7 Days • 973-702-1215 credits of USA’s ‘Burn Notice’ you get an idea of how crazy things were in these little burgs.

We have New Jersey Lottery & Scratch Offs We accept cash, credit cards & ATM on premise “My name is Michael Weston and I used to be a WE’RE LOCATED iN SCENiC SUSSEx COUNTY spy…”

Right about here Ashley took leave of us as his bike A POPULAR NEighBORhOOD PUB was stalling and there was a local Yamaha dealer in the FRiENDLY SERViCE • iCE COLD BEER town. This was right about the time things started to go AND ALWAYS SOMEThiNg TO DO… down hill…literally. But, Ash would have his own adventure.

TWO POOL TABLES • JUkE BOx • DARTS Our destination for the night was the port city of OUTDOOR SEATiNg FACiNg ThE AiRPORT Honda, which lies on the famed and hard-flowing Mag“WATCh ThE SkY DiVERS” dalena River. Years ago steamboats would bring in Stop by and We’re Sure to Become One of Your Favorite Stops PLUS … WE SERvE a SImPLE PUb mENU cargo from the Caribbean coast to Honda where they SUPPORT OUR TROOPS would be carried further on by horse, burro and wagon to Bogota.

Speaking of horse and burro, we found that up here Free BBQ & Jukebox You Cook ‘Em in the Andes many of the locals still rely on these beasts Meet Old Friends & Make New Ones Burgers and Dogs of burden to do the heavy lifting and we saw dozens of horses, mules and burros packed with everything from huge water bottles, wood planking, cement to food and goods. It was amazing to me how much these creatures could carry and they seemed none the worse for wear.

Carrying on for that worse for wear theme….

We had made good time along one larger road, enjoying the beauty and curves of Colombia when we were finally stopped by military police that did not want to take pictures, but rather wanted all our papers. Mike handled this without incident – he has done it a hundred times – and we carried on until we ran into the first roadblock.

They were reconstructing part of the highway that had been washed away by a small landslide a few days earlier.

Once allowed through it was an easy, if rocky, path that led back to a pristine roadway.

About 20 kilometers out of Honda, as the road wound around the range before winding its way to the warm valley far below we began to see trucks lining the road.

Lots of trucks, with the drivers milling about the rigs chatting each other up. The police presence was obvious too. Hmm, I thought, “What is going on here?”

aIRPORT PUb & PaCKaGE

ENJOY THE RIDE

Wednesday is Bike Night

FREE BBQ EVERY SUNDAY

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 37

Local Flat Shop • Making our way through mud Our new friend Doris sports a Backroads’ sticker Group breakfast in Honda

What I should have been asking was, “Why would the last few miles to Honda kick our butts so?”

A few kilometers further on I had my answer as a large, and I mean large, landslide had taken a good portion of the mountain road to the valley below.

“Would we be able to get by?” we asked.

The reply was “Si, but, it will be very dangerous.”

Well I am not sure how dangerous the detour was, but it was challenging as they had dug a small boulder strewn trail down along the side of the valley, below the actual road, and it was passable by foot. Motorcycles were welcome to try and many travelers and locals on two wheels were making the run as we all had places to go.

One traveler in the queue with us was Doris Ziemek, a German teacher who took a sabbatical for a year to travel on her F650GS. She had shipped her bike to Vancouver and had been on the road for seven months and now found herself, with us, facing this challenging obstacle.

Heading into the detour had that first drop of a roller coaster look to it, but we all handled that easily; still the trail ahead was a horror story. Littered with large boulders, with more rolling down the mountain on a regular basis as the big machines on the road above were constantly shifting them, and

deep mud trenches that lined most of the route. Once committed you had best stay on the throttle if you wanted to rise up the other side to salvation.

Mike, Don and Sarah and I powered through; Don very impressive as he was two up as well.

Shira and Elizabeth raised their white flags and Mike and I trudged back through the mud and rode their machines across. But, that almost ended in disaster as well.

I got on Shira’s bike and was totally unaware that a good-size boulder had dislodged from above and was bounding down the peak in my general direction. I found out later that they all were frozen as I pulled away and the large stone bounced behind the GS as I rode away, oblivious to the peril. A second’s hesitation and this trip would have ended very, very badly.

Doris gave it a whirl too and almost made it before the mud monster dragged her down. She was up, fine but dirty in seconds and through to the other side.

This is where it really got complicated.

When we went to carry on to Honda I soon found I was riding only with our new German friend down toward the valley.

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 38

Relaxing in style in Honda

Mike does some maintenance on the bikes

Wondering what had happened I stopped and then Shira came across the Cardo radio saying Elizabeth had tipped over and something had broken.

That something was her clutch lever.

We did not have a spare with us, as Luis and the back-up vehicle were stuck on the line of trucks atop the mountain.

Lucky for us Doris had an extra and in no time we all were back on the road.

Sort of….

A few kilometers down the road it suddenly was just Mike and me. Then came the news via Shira that Don had a flat front tire.

Expect the unexpected.

I rode into town to find our hotel, which was craftily hidden in a warren of little cobblestone side streets.

I asked some locals for the hotel and one simply jumped on the back of the bike and led us, sort of, to the hotel…eventually.

Shira and Doris went to get our rooms, as Doris decided she had enough and would overnight with us rather than continue on this evening, and I went back to help with the tire.

I ran into Elizabeth coming over the bridge that crosses the Magdalena and she told me that they were taking the wheel to a local shop to have the tube patched or replaced. Mike brought Don’s daughter Sarah to the hotel and then went back with the now positively pressured 21 inch GS wheel to Don who was killing time atop the mountain.

Yes, it got complicated, but even more so when we heard that Luis might not join us till the next day and we were clothesless, sweaty and muddy in an old riverside town in Colombia.

We scrubbed the heavy mud off our boots and gear and made our way to the pool.

Cold cervazas and a refreshing dip (riding suit quickly dumped by the side of the pool) made us almost human, even if we ended up dining at the hotel in towels, bathrobes and underwear.

Hey, we made do.

Freshly caught local fish for dinner

As luck would have it the ever-resourceful Luis found another route and appeared as dinner was finishing.

All was back to normal except for Ashley… remember Ashely?

Well, he ended up in that small town with the Yamaha dealer and was told he needed the valves adjusted, but then jammed his key into his panniers and had to get a locksmith to get it out, but by that time the shop was closed and he had to grab a hotel along the road and wait till the following day for the bike’s service. He called us to tell us his tale of woe. We were not impressed.

Velvety roads and Volcanos…

Honda to Manizales • 140 kilometers

The hotel at Honda was most excellent and we didn’t leave till around 10ish, a full two hours behind what was a norm for us on this tour.

Fighting the riverside town’s traffic we broke free onto a high Andes plateau that ran along cattle farms and was dotted with small shanty shops.

At one we stopped for a wonderfully refreshing fruit cocktail with ice cream on top. At 11 am I could have done without the ice cream but I didn’t want to offend anyone so I was forced to eat it.

Another favorite of ours was a small purple fruit called mangostino. Super delicious once you get past the white pulpy look to it, we grabbed them whenever we could. Now if I could just find them in Shoprite.

Our journey today would take us up as high as we would go on this tour, more that 12,000 feet on Routa 50 a tight, twisty, undulating two-laner that begs to be ridden with skill and finesse.

We knew this was coming up and just before we got into this part of the day Don’s front tire began to lose pressure again. Fortunately for us all we were riding through a town and in every town, in most of Colombia, there is a shop that just fixes flats.

And, there it was.

We popped the wheel off and watched while an 11-year old boy pulled off the tire and installed a new tube in about ten minutes. We asked how much for the kid as we might need him again.

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 39 Routa 50 was everything Mike had promised and as far as sport riding goes it was the sportiest so far, on an already incredible ride.

The road is a true gem and much thought went into its construction with perfect cambers and slight banking that allowed for a seriously fun time while riding this pavement.

Up above twelve thousand feet the air was thin and cold, but refreshing after all of the heat and sweat we had been dealing with. Cresting the range we came in view of the deadly volcano, Nevado del Ruiz, that erupted on November 13, 1985. After 69 years of dormancy, the volcano’s eruption caught nearby towns unaware, even though the government had received warnings to evacuate the area from multiple volcanological organizations.

It wiped out the city of Armero, killing 25,000 people after a mudslide of biblical proportions swept away the town. All over South America and in parts of Central America the dust would be found for months.

There was much controversy over the degree to which the Colombian government was responsible for the disaster. A banner at a mass funeral in Ibague read, “The volcano didn’t kill 25,000 people. The government killed them.”

All the rivers surrounding the mountain were poisoned and fish, a much needed staple for the local people, died by the thousands.

This day we had a clear view of the volcano, sleeping peacefully under a blanket of deep snow. Luis told us it was the first time in 12 years he had seen the volcano so clearly. Timing is everything.

As peaceful as it looked Nevado del Ruiz is just a dozing beast and it will blow and kill again.

We ran into another battery of road construction heading towards the city of Manizales and by this time we had gotten very comfortable from coming through a curve and suddenly having to power down and get up on the pegs to ride through potholes, mud or deep gravel or combinations of all three.

Making our way through one construction zone Mike and crew took to the right (wrong way) and I

Beautiful clear view of Nevado del Ruiz Volcano • Not all the roads in Colombia are dirt - here are some beauties.

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 40

jumped a large dirt berm to the left. They got stuck behind the bulldozer that was working on that lane and I zipped on by happily beeping the horn and waving to them, much to their chagrin.

On my own I made my way around the twisty turns and hairpins, running through gravel and dust the whole way; then I too got stuck behind a pair of trucks, one trying to pass the other. These guys kicked up so much dust that I was totally blinded, heading down this mountain road.

So much fun, I tell ya. No, really I haven’t had this much fun riding through so much less than perfect conditions in my life.

If you have a hankerin’ to get better on gravel roads and enjoy spirited road riding as well, then this tour from Motolombia is surely for you.

Along these mountain routes you will run through many tiny towns that can barely be called that. But, more often you will simple see shanty shacks set up along the roadside and the hills. These people are very poor and poverty is rampant; so sad to see these folks living this way when they are surrounded by such a verdant and vibrant countryside.

The hotels we had stayed in on the tour were comfortable and varied, from small roadside inns to quaint boutique places in old mountain towns. But, this night we were city kids as Manizales is fairly urban and the Varuna Hotel was a 5-Star deal. This bustling little city, with its skyscrapers, soccer stadium and well-dressed and quaffed women (guys, I mean really!) stood in a stark contrast to the people miles back in the mountains.

Our day was a short one and we were in early, so a little exploration and a good meal was in order. We almost took in the local soccer game but the miles and hour weighed in and we hit the sack instead.

Hot Springs and Cool Digs…

Manizales to Filandia • 140 Kilometers We had another easy day, mile-wise, so we headed out of the city of Manizales after their small rush hour and immediately got onto a small highway that moved like an angry snake as it headed down the valley.

Along the side of the road, at the edge of the deep forest, signs had been posted to warn of the local wildlife. Fox. Armadillos. And, what looked like a giant standing rat.

They had four times the amount of the rat signs and Shira and I were commenting on the need to see said rodent.

Some miles down the road we did, dead on the side of the road and it wasn’t so much a rat but a creature called a Chucha, more opossum-like and harmless.

We made it a point to head to the hot springs and waterfalls at Santa Rosa de Cabal. This could be one of the most beautiful settings we have seen on the planet. With its massive waterfall cascading in series across the cliff and hot springs pouring in from the other direction and plants, birds and wildlife Santa Rosa shows just how beautiful the Earth is.

If a location was needed to film Eden well then Santa Rosa could easily fit the bill.

If there was a hotel here I would not have moved till the flight back to Estados Unidos…. little did we know what Mike and Motolombia had instore for us later that day.

Mike had promised us a tiny road that he claimed to be one of his favorite in the land. A tall statement from a guy who had shown us such a spectacular, wild and sometimes untamed journey so far.

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

845-357-1190 www.locomotionpowersports.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

The Butterfly Pool of Mirador del Quindio

Page 41

Magnificent falls and hot springs of Santa Rosa de Cabal

He kidded us not as this road was tiny, maybe a US lane and a half wide, but as tight and winding as they come. Such a hoot to ride and unusually well-paved throughout its length, lined with coffee and banana plantations.

Life is good in the two-wheel world when the road is grand, the bikes running well and the riders are in an excellent groove. We had all three this day.

Our group made another stop outside the town of Filandia where we ascended a large wooden tower called Mirador de Quindio. The tower made for an excellent vantage point for the region and also told the local history.

In darkness it is illuminated, with a large mosaic butterfly adorning the pool at the bottom of the tower.

We could see why the town was so proud of this.

Our next three days were to be spent at what Motolombia called a ‘Private Mansion.’ I was a little apprehensive of setting up a base camp… that was until I walked into this home in a gated community called La Hacienda.

Stunned is not a strong enough word. Mike had elevated this tour to Rock Star status.

The home, complete with Gladys the cook/housekeeper, small wine room, gym and multiple hammocks, rested atop the hills overlooking a wide and wondrous valley and was exquisite. Large rooms, huge bathtubs, and a pool that gave the illusion that it stretch on forever. Okay… we could live here.

After days of hard riding through the Andes, Mike and Motolombia knocked our socks off with one of the nicest places we have ever stayed on a motorcycle tour.

Ashely was still missing….

Free day - Ride to the heart of coffee country

Or – expect the unexpected

I saw this dawn rise while taking a dip in the pool. The sun made its ascent over the Andes and bathed the deep green valley with warm light, cutting through the mist that floated above the coffee plantations and banana trees.

Speaking of coffee, we were in Colombia and today we would take to the valley roads and visit a local coffee plantation known internationally for its exquisite beans.

We were told the road to the plantation was easy so Shira decided to double up with me on the Suzuki V-Strom. Once again Mike fibbed as the trail down to the plantation was typical of the trip so far; tight, gnarly and a bit of a rough ride, but still doable, even two-up.

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 42

We all enjoyed the stay at our Rock Star home, especially Happy and Pepe • The ‘simple’ road to the coffee plantation • Beware of Colombian witches bearing switches • Coffee beans drying • Nothing better than some fresh home brew.

Heading down one particularly rough section we found an old and somewhat craggy woman standing along the road. Mike, always friendly, stopped and wished her a buenos diaz. Her cold, witch-like face went from ice to scowl and she seemed to take great offense to us riding down what she must have believed to be her road and she showed it by nailing Mike across the back with a branch she was holding as we continued on.

We gave her wide berth between the peals of laughter. She would try to get us later on the way back up the valley.

The home at the plantation was very beautiful, as was the valley that surrounded it, bringing together that magical combination of coffee and banana trees that we had grown used to seeing in this part of Colombia.

The coffee growers keep the two together as the banana trees keep the sunlight and humidity perfect for coffee growth; which is a complicated art in itself. We toured the farm and small refinery where we learned all about coffee, its growth, picking (which we did as well) and bean preparation.

After the tour and the ‘must do’ coffee tasting we headed back up the valley’s side, carefully avoiding the witch woman and her branch, to the town of Salento for lunch and a bit of browsing around the town.

Gravity Storm in Colombia or…

Here comes the ‘unexpected’

I rounded first, never thought of the worst, As I studied the shortstops position.

Crack went my leg, like the shell of an egg Someone call a decent physician.

I’m growing older, but not up… Jimmy Buffett Horses are key here in these mountains and, if anyone wanted they could go for a horseback ride into the mountains. We all thought this an excellent idea after so many miles on the motorcycles.

So off to the stables we did ride. But, not for long.

Things happen. Most times they happen to other people, today it would happen to me.

Specializing in Ducati, BMW, MV Agusta, Triumph and Aprilia

Stumpy’s YAMAHA

Service • Repairs • Suspension upgrades and engine performance

YAMA-HOTLINE • 732-776-5514

Give us a call or stop on by 41 Ballard Rd • Middletown, NY www.europeancycleservices.com 845-725-7707

Your Toy Store at the Shore

1207 Route 35 South • Neptune, NJ • www.stumpys.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 43 We were heading out of Salento when my V-Strom’s front wheel caught up in some gravel on cement and tucked in on itself while making a turn onto a small side street.

As I said, Shira was riding on the back this day and as the bike and road met she was quickly tossed off the machine.

Unfortunately for me my left leg got caught in the saddlebag brackets and the bike went one way while I was heading the other.

My leg was twisted in, let’s say, an ‘unnatural manner.’

Snap!

A white hot flash crossed my eyes and about 30 seconds later, after taking stock in everything else, I opened them and saw my amigos from the last week kneeling over me not looking very happy at all.

Sarah and Elizabeth lifted me to my feet, and I tried to walk it off, but it was quickly obvious that the leg would not stand.

Shira had a whopper of a bruise on her hip but was, thankfully, unhurt otherwise.

Don, a radiologist when not traipsing around the globe on motorcycles, was right at my side and after a brief consultation made ‘the call’ and Mike agreed. My Colombian adventure, well at least on the motorcycle, was over and it was time to seek further medical assistance.

We shifted passengers, and Don rode me pillion a few blocks over to the town’s small infirmary (thanks, honey!).

Here a very cute young female doctor, complete with Mr. Happy uniform, examined the leg and told me that she felt something moving, and I believed her as I felt it too and I was grateful for the shot in the butt that mellowed the pain.

They arranged for me to be transferred to the city of Armenia where they had a hospital with an x-ray machine. The ambulance trip over the peaks on tight Andes mountain roads was a story in itself; Shira thought it the scariest part of our entire Colombian trip as we got tossed from right to left every few sec-

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 44

onds, the ambulance driver taking up all of the road for most of the trip.

To be honest the hospital, in Armenia, was like a throw back to the ‘50s. And, I mean Colombia’s ‘50s! Shira said she thought they had to turn off refrigerators for 6 blocks around the hospital to get enough juice to power the x-ray machine. Well, it wasn’t quite that dire, but just sayin’.

Still, the doctors and nurses there were caring and I was quickly x-rayed and the film of the fractured fibula was apparent even to my untrained eyes.

I knew then that my riding for this tour was truly done.

I swallowed hard and moved on.

I would later learn the ankle was dislocated too. Nice.

They wanted to put me on an IV drip, but I told them I was good. Truth is I skeeve those things. They give me the willies!

The IV drip was to be there so they could give me more painkillers as they made sure the bone was set. Looking back, I should have done the drip as manipulating the leg and ankle was not very pleasant at all. Yes, that was me being understated.

A half hour later I had my first cast in my 53 years. Whoopyfrackin’do.

Luis our driver drove me back to the home where Don read the x-rays and told me what I could expect over the next few weeks and months.

I was glad it was February and not May. Motolombia’s insurance would be covering the tab on this and as the day progressed Mike and crew really stepped up to the task, twirling a number of plates in order to get me, and the rest of the group, taken care of.

For us, with all the tours we have been on, this is a real litmus test of whom you are riding with. How the tour company handles adversity and troubles on the road is key, and Motolombia was superb!

Back to Medellin in a most unexpected way We had thought to take the next day off anyway, to enjoy the marvelous Hacienda, so we didn’t feel we had lost any of the tour, the upside of crashing out on the last day.

We had planned originally to ride straight back to Medellin on Sunday, but we opted to take the six-hour ride, with me in the back seat of the support truck, back to the city with Luis that Saturday instead.

Even that was an adventure as there are no real super-highways in Colombia and we rode back the ‘old fashioned way’ over the peaks, valleys and mountain roads. On route we were stopped by police who searched the truck and patted down Luis but left the two ‘Gringos’ alone. Yes, they called us Gringos.

Track to Dirt, KTM has the right ride for you

2012 Triumph Tiger Explorer

• Brand-new 1215cc three-cylinder engine delivering class-leading 135bhp • Cruise control, traction control and switchable ABS are standard equipment

10 Mill Plain Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 • www.motofit.com • 203-792-3900

• Durable, low-maintenance shaft final drive • 10,000 mile/one year service interval

Come and see us for your new 2012 purchase. All the new bikes, apparel, parts and accessories are here.

• Standard two-year unlimited mileage warranty

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

845-357-1190 www.locomotionpowersports.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 45 The one young officer asked where we were from and Shira made it easy by saying Nueva York.

He then, in broken English, asked since we rode motorcycles, if we knew the guys from Orange County Choppers.

That got a good laugh.

After the sun set we rode the truck route, terror on four wheels with a trailer, back to Medellin arriving around 9pm that night.

Final Thoughts…

As we said in the months leading up to this tour there was much trepidation from family and friends about riding through Colombia.

Visions of kidnapping, drugs and military shadowed the thoughts and imagination of the folks that care about us.

The truth is Colombia was absolutely marvelous.

The people were as friendly, accommodating and warm as any we have met in our travels; and Motolombia and Mike Thomsen led a brilliant tour that showed us so much of this wonderful country.

From any adventure rider’s perspective the tour offered some excellent riding, some a bit more challenging than others. But, as they say, what does not kill you will make you stronger, and riding this Motolombia tour will improve any rider’s confidence and finesse on dirt, gravel, mud and rock.

For us we felt that this was one of the more exciting trips we have done and certainly the riding was a real blast from day one, we’d come back to Colombia in a heart beat.

It is a nation on the rise with beauty, soul and more than a great deal of heart. for more information, tour options and prices on riding in colombia with Motolombia log onto their website:

www.motolombia.com

HUNTER’S LODGE

Ride Ireland!

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

Join Backroads in Ireland August 12-19. For full details visit the website and go to the 8-day tour.

Check out our website:

www.celticrider.ie

“The Real Taste of America” Open 7 Days for Lunch & Dinner 64 Route 446 • Delaware, NJ

908-475-0060 • www.hunterslodge.net Kitchen Open 11am-10pm Bar Open Late Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5-7pm Tues. Italian Night All You Can Eat Pasta $5.50 Wednesday • Wing Night 50¢ Wings and $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon Cans Thursday • Ladies Night $2 House Drinks 4pm-close For The Ladies

Page 46

More from the Folks at Motolombia

Casa Blanca Hostel was opened in August 2008 by world motorcycle traveler Mike Thomsen and his Colombian wife Diana Puerto. Over the years the hostel has been visited by overlanders and adventures of all types - backpackers, camper vans, overland trucks, bicycles, scooters etc. But the hostel is especially famous among the bikers and Casa Blanca Hostel has become a halfway “must visit” on the Pan American highway between the US and Argentina. More than 2000 bikers has passed by the hostel since it opened in 2008 and the “Bikers Wall of Fame” is expanding with new pictures of riders everyday.

On top of that Mike and Diana help travelers with all types of information like motorcycle transport in and out of Colombia, paper work, insurances, buying and selling travel bikes, long term storage, spare parts and tires, special permissions and much more! www.casablancahostel.com

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

BACKROADS • MAY 2012 BOOK REVIEW

Page 47

THE PERFECT VEHICLE BY MELISSA HOLBROOK PIERSON

Taking advantage a bit of forced downtime I have been able to dive deep into the wide variety of books that we have here at the office.

As you might consider many of these have to do with riding, living, thinking and breathing motorcycles.

The book’s subtitle, What It Is About Motorcycles, is a great question…or was a statement? Not sure, but either way Melissa’s book gives a magnificent read on one woman’s introduction and following years of riding these machines we all enjoy so much.

The book is multi-faceted, delving not only into her personal reasons and feelings, but the history, allure and flavor that makes up the sport of motorcycling. One of the things that I enjoyed about The Perfect Vehicle was that Melissa is from our general area, New York/ New Jersey, and many of the riders and characters mentioned in The Perfect Vehicle are people that we have known personally over the years as well.

Who doesn’t know Armen Amerian and not sat in awe when he goes on about some arcane subject that will eventually lead back to these motorcycles we love. Other familiar faces from the past popped up as well, as did Laconia ‘back in the day’ and some roads we are very familiar with too.

The Perfect Vehicle came highly recommended by Shira, who read it years back and also enjoyed Melissa’s newest book “The Man Who Would Stop At Nothing” although she prefaced it all with the statement that she doesn’t get and never will get the Iron Butt thing.

But, here was this book that had been sitting on the shelf too long and once I began it I made short work of it. It’s not like I was going for a ride at this time. And if you can’t ride them you might as well read about them.

First off - Melissa is a brilliant wordsmith and has a way of phrasing thoughts incredibly well and I would be happy to have just a smidge of her talent.

But, alas that day is just a slight glint of a rising sun, flashing off a distant horizon cut highway…

See what I mean?

Still that wouldn’t allow me to overlook some things that made me roll my eyes and exhale in that hard way that makes both Shira and my son cringe.

With the risk of sounding misogynistic I sometimes wonder what it is with single, northeast college-educated liberal, boyfriend-hunting vegans that they all, occasionally, sound the same.

Seriously Melissa and my friend Elizabeth sound exactly the same.

That being said, these “moments” did not detract from the book. It’s still one of the better works on the reason we all ride.

Melissa, when she is on, is very on. And, I am sure there will be times when you read this book that you will know exactly where she is coming from or can appreciate where she has been.

I thought to start highlighting many of these sentences of genius when they appeared, but I didn’t want to ruin the book itself; or empty my favorite highlighting pen.

My main regret with this book is that I didn’t read The Perfect Vehicle years ago.

Don’t make that same error. The Perfect Vehicle is a wonderful addition to any rider’s library and can be found at Whitehorsegear.com for just $16.95. ~Brian Rathjen

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 48

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

Join us Thursday, May 17 for our Bike Night See website for details

179 North Highland Ave/Rte 9 • Ossining, NY 10562 • 914-762-2722

www.hudsonvalleymotorcycles.com

KAWASAKI CARES: Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and proper apparel. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Adhere to the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual. Professional rider shown on closed course. ©2011 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

Don’t let an injury keep you off the road.

We’ll help to get you back on the bike faster.

156 Route 15 North, Lafayette, NJ • 973.862.6377 Damon Daura PT, DPT, OCS, COMT

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 49

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE If you didn’t like cool stuff, you wouldn’t be reading this magazine.

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST, STURGIS AND BEYOND

Here’s something you’re going to love.

TORQ-IT

BARN TRAILERS

SALES 718-426-7039 • www.barntruckrental.com RENTALS 57-05 BROADWAY • WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE & LIE)

Screwdriver/Speed Wrench/ Palm Ratchet All In One Tool Variable Speeds Over 600RPM Low Profile, with an “Ergo” Grip and a Non-Slip Design Accepts All 3/8” and 1/4” Sockets and Extensions

BASIC SET: $19.95 • DELUXE SET: $29.95 • ACCESORY SET: $9.95

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS, INC. 1701 Manor Road • Havertown PA 19083 Tel: 1.888.876.9555 • Visit Our New Website: WWW.TORQ-IT.COM

GenMar HANDLEBAR RISERS

KAWASAKI • HONDA • YAMAHA • SUZUKI • TRIUMPH • MOTO GUZZI • ETC Raise your handlebars for a more comfortable ride and still retain stock look.

From $59.95 to $139.95 Order Toll Free (877) 471-1515 Info and Fax (505) 743-2243 • www.zianet.com/GenMar

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

www.stopngo.com WASHINGTON CYCLE WORKS We cater to road racers and support all Track Day organizations Check us for Suspension Setups • One-piece Road Race suits in stock

The Best Tire Repair.

Know Before You Go! 800-747-0238

Sussex Hills Ltd. Now stocking a full line of heated gear Get ready for some cool riding.

WCW

www.washingtoncycleworks.com

Washington Cycle Works

Junction of Rtes. 57/31 • Washington, NJ 07882

Specializing in Motorcycle Repair, Parts & Supplies • Cycle Tires Mounted & Balanced • Batteries & Hard Parts • Dynojet 250 Dyno available for testing

973-875-2048 946 Rte. 23 South Sussex NJ 07461

Norman Gross Since 1976 Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

3 miles north of Sussex Borough

908-835-0043 Closed Sun-Mon • Open: Tues-Thurs 9:30AM-7PM • Fri 9:30AM-6PM • Sat 9AM-3PM

Keith A. Hyche, Attorney At Law Chapter 7 Bankruptcy $1,250 including filing fees* Many other legal services are offered, please call.

Free 1/2 hour initial consultation.

www.keithhyche.com • 973-300-0161 61 High St. Newton, NJ 07860 • khyche@mindspring.com We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.

*most cases

Who do you think keeps Backroads’ computers running?

718 Main St, Boonton, NJ

973.335.0255 • www.PCPS.com

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 50

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

The Charlesworth Hotel

lley’s Hudson Va ne Riding Number O t Restauran Barbeque W North 1076 Route 9 mery, NY Fort Montgo

oute 9W icturesque R Located on P rive D s n Perki minutes from k ar P te Sta and Harriman oint P t es W historic f o th u so st ju

845-446-0912 rmerbbq.com www.barnsto

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

is New Jersey’s REAL backroads’ hideaway Ro

THE Place to go when you REALLY want to Disappear

ng Dini c i t n ma

Celebrate the Holidays with some awesome barbeque!

Comfortable Rooms

Home of the BEST sunset on the Jersey Shore If you go home hungry it’s your own fault

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

…your personal heaven on earth!

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.

Rates from $70 - $90 per night

866.909.4262

www.AngelBandFarm.com Box 696 • North River Road • Philippi, WV 26416 Ask about our Diners Club.

Gift Cards available.

‘50s-Style Drive-In Restaurant Full and Varied Menu Room for the Whole Gang Spring is here and that means it’s time to ride to

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-IN

SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH • TUES.-SUN. 7AM~3PM

GREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING

Daily specialty items including burgers, homemade soup & pastries

Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300

Route 739 ~ just south of Milford Rd ~ Dingmans Ferry, PA

www.chatterboxdrivein.com

570.828.1920 • www.forkliftcafe.com

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

OPEN FOR DINNER • THURSDAY - SATURDAY 5~9PM

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

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

Page 51

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

Come Ride the Dragon Deals Gap Store • Motel Bar and Grill

Deals Gap 318 Curves in 11 Miles

www.dealsgap.com 800.889.5550 17548 Tapoco Road • Robbinsville, North Carolina 28771

American • Metric • Sport • Parts & Accessories • Award-winning Service • Performance Work • Dyno Tuning • S&S Pro Tuning Center • Power Commander Tuning Center

JDS CYCLE PARTS EST. 1988

247 W. Westfield Ave, Rosell Park, NJ

908-245-2445 Think your ad would look good here?

So do we. Print ads translate to online ads. Call us for details…

973-948-4176

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 52

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 Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com

MAY 5 • FW Speer’s brings back Vito’s Full Moon Cruise. For more details please call 973778-6256. 7 Main Ave, Passaic, NJ • www.SpeerYamaha.com 6 • Bergen County Harley-Davidso/BMW Presents Freedom Run and Festivalto benefit the 200 Club of Bergen County. Sign in: 9-10:30 Bergen County Courthouse • $25/rider; $15/pass. Ride leaves 11am SHARP. Endsite: Liberty State Park with vendors, live music, BBQ, stunt show and more. For full details please visit www.freedonrun.stayclassy.org 6 • South Shore MC/Big Sandbar Chapter AMCA-LI Vintage Motorcycle Show/Swap Meet. South Shore MC Club, 6 Seabro Ave, Amityville, NY. Awards given, food and beverages sold, no alcohol please. $5 admission/pp; under 12 free. For more information please visit www.southshoremc.com or www.thebigsandbar.com 6 • Branchville Motors Spring Open House. 63 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield, CT • 203544-7901 8-9 • Cross Country Cycles Victory Metuchen Demo Truck Event. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-906-9292 • www.victorymetuchen.com 12 • 10th Annual Ride for the River Poker Run. Sign in: 9-11am Schooley’s Mountain County Park, 91 East Springtown Rd, Long Valley, NJ. Pre-reg $25/rider; $20/pass. incl t-shirt. For details please call 908-234-1852 ext. 316 • www.raritanheadwaters.org 12 • Liberty Harley Davidson 10th Annual Hot Rods & Harleys, downtown Rahway, NJ. Antique & custom cars and motorcycles, live music, vendors, fun, food and family. For more info please call Rahway Center Partnership @ 732-396-3545 • www.RCPNJ.com 17-20 • Backroads’ Spring Break XIV. Join us for our fourteenth Spring Break as we head south to Luray, Virginia. We’ll stay at the historic Mimslyn Inn (540-743-5105 • www.mimslyninn.com • mention Backroads Group for discount). For additional overflow lodging please call the Best Western at 540-743-6511.

May 17-20 • Concours Owners Group Northeast Spring Fling Rally - Westerly, RI. Rally fee includes group banquet dinner Friday night. Discount for COG members and early registration. For more information contact Brian at bdfelice@cox.net or 401-828-3354.

Check out the COG Northeast calendar at www.cog-online.org or visit the rally webpage at tinyurl.com/COGSpringFling2012 19 • O’Toole’s Harley Davidson Spring Open House • 4 Sullivan St, Wurtsboro, NY • 845-888-2426 • www.otooleshd.com 19 • Cross Country Cycles Annual Pig Roast. Great Food, Great Deals. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-906-9292 • www.crosscountrycycle.net 19 • Whitehorse Press annual Open House. 10 am to 3 pm. Great tax free shopping, door prizes and free swag, mid-day BBQ by Fandangle's, and lots of moto-merriment in the heart of the fabulous White Mountains of New Hampshire. 107 East Conway Rd, Cen-

What’s Happening ter Conway, NH • www.WhitehorseGear.com • 800-531-1133.

19-20 • Bob’s BMW Vintage and Classic Weekend. Single Cylinder Saturday. Tech session at 11am; Food till 2pm; Fun All Day. • www.BobsBMW.com. 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 800-269-2627 20 – 11th Annual British/European Classic Motorcycle Day for all classic British & European motorcycles built through 1983. 10am-5pm; $10/admission. High Point Farm, Clarksburg, MD. Concours, Swap Meet, door prizes, tech talks, vintage trials demo. www.classicmotorcycleday.org 18-20 - Morton’s BMW 2012 Spring Fling Rally at Natural Bridge, VA. Weekend of fun, great riding, delicious food and some outstanding company in the heart of the scenic Shenandoah Valley. Friday evening Brats n’ Brew dinner social, Saturday seminars, guided lunch ride plus many self-guided routes, Sat. evening BBQ buffet dinner, door prizes and much more. $45 Rally fee/Brat Dinner $10. For more info www.mortonsbmw.com • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844 20 • Ramapo Rumble Poker Run. Sign in: Ramapo College of NJ, 505 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ @ 8:30am. $25/rider to benefit Ramapo College Foundation. Scenic 100 mile poker run through northern NJ/Greenwood Lake area, followed by BBQ lunch, vendors and live entertainment by the DRB Band. Prize for best poker hand. For more info visit www.ramaporumble.com 20 • Rockaway Township PAL Run for the Kids to benefit challenged kids. Sign in: Peterson Field, Fleetwood Dr, Rockaway Twp, NJ • 9-10am • $25/pp. 55-mile police-escorted run includes breakfast, lunch, live music by Brothers Wisdom band and many raffle prizes and car show. Endsite: Craigmeur Resort, 1175 Green Pond Road Newfoundland, NJ. 20 • Ramapo MC Spring Dice Ru. Sign in: Rhodes North Tavern, Rte. 17 N, Sloatsburg, NJ 9-10am. $15/bike. More info contact Dick 201-767-3594 • www.ramapomc.org 26 • ACE Motorworks Open House & Demo Day. 154 Cooper Rd #102, West Berlin, NJ •856-809-9990 • www.acetrike.com

JUNE 3 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson sponsors Fort Lee Art & Music Festival Ride-In Bike Show. Free registration (in by 11am) Bikes in by 12:30; Awards by 3:30pm. Municipal Parking Lot, Fort Lee, NJ. Food, music and more • 201-843-6930 ext. 133 4 • 7am-5pm • Bob’s BMW is hosting a day at the track with Motorcycle Xcitement for all the speed junkies out there! We want ALL brands to join us—it gives the S1000RR more bragging rights! Our staff and any friends you bring with you will cheer you on trackside under Bob’s VIP hospitality tent. Lunch, snacks, beverages, on-site techs for your mechanical convenience, and more will be included in this unforgettable day!

Learn from professionals and then put your new skills to the pavement in a safe environment. Spread the word, plan ahead, and mark your calendar TODAY. Registration forms and details regarding orientation available at bobsbmw.com 5-9 • 30th Annual Americade - the world’s largest touring rally. Lake George, NY. If you’ve never been, now’s the time to go; if you have we’ll see you again this year. For everything you’ll need to know visit www.americade.com 7-10 • New England MotoMarathon. Re-defining motorcycle sport-touring. It’s about riding as many twisties as possible, over four full days. Routes are kept secret until the night before each event. Through a series of self-recorded checkpoints, riders verify completion at the end of each day’s ride. $50 registration. Sign in: June 6 @ 7pm. Comfort Suites/Holiday Inn, 89 Mill Plain Rd, Danbury, CT • 203-205-0800. Get more info here: www.motomarathon.com 9-17 • 89th Annual Laconia Bike Week - one of the Big Three! Lake Weir, New Hampshire.

For all the information visit www.LaconiaMCWeek.com 15-16 • Cross Country BMW Demo Truck Event. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732635-0094 • www.ccbmw.com 15–17 • 3rd Annual Festival of Sidecars at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH. Hosted by the Sidecar Racers Association (SRA) in conjunction with the Loudon Classic. Modern and Vintage classes races all three days with trophies awarded. Spectators: $25 grandstand entry/$50 pit entry.

Camping available $25/site with electric/water. Other lodging available nearby. A parade lap for spectators with sidecars is scheduled for Saturday at lunch time. A fee of $15 per outfit will be charged. For more information contact www.nhms.com or contact Jim Laura at 603-227-9700 or email aqital@hotmail.com 16 • 9am-4pm • Bob's BMW Sport Bike Day. Riders of ALL brands are encouraged to wash and detail your pride and joy, ride to Bob’s, and show off what you’ve got! Enjoy great food while you visit, see the 2012 S1000RR up close and learn about all the new updates and features, get entered to win great prizes, plus more to be announced! 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 800-269-2627 • www.BobsBMW.com 16 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Father’s Day Bikini Bike Wash. $5 wash donated to Disabled American Veterans. Join the ladies of Lenora’s in Hackensack from Noon to 3:30pm with Free BBQ and music • 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com 18 • Ride to Work Day • www.RideToWork.org 21-24 • 15th Annual Thunder in the Valley presented by Johnstown Convention and Visitors Bureau. Johnstown, PA. More details: www.JohnstownThunder.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 53

23 • 1st Annual Ride for Nicholas. Sign in: Kosco Harley-Davidson, 1149 Route 23 S, Kinnelon, NJ • 9-10:45am; Ride leaves 11am. $30/Rider;$20/Passenger. 50-mile fully-escorted ride includes food, soda, beer, live bands and more. Endsite: Mountain Rest, 17 Wooley Rd, W. Milford, NJ. Nicholas Hahn is a 9-year old boy diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia called Burkitts. All proceeds will go to the family. 201-213-2664 • ridefornicholas@gmail.com 23 • Art of the Bike presents 3rd annual Classic Bikes and Blues. Music, vintage bikes, food and art. 10am-5pm • Tinicum Park, Erwinna, PA. Raindate: June 24. For more info visit www.artofthebike.com 24 • NJ Chapter VII Blue Knights benefit ride for Shriners Hospital-Livingston. Sign in: 910:30; ride leaves 11am from Salaam Temple, 369 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave/Rte. 10, Livingston, NJ. $20/rider; $10/pass. incl. breakfast, lunch and great ride. • 973-951-5011

sics of world travel by bike, plus specific benefits of traveling with Edelweiss • www.BobsBMW.com. 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 800-269-2627 28 • Cross Country Cycle Bike Wash. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-635-0094 • www.crosscountrycycle.com

AUGUST 12-19 • Backroads Magazine Ireland Tour with Celtic Riders. Spend 8 days, 7 nights touring the Emerald Isle. This will be a self-guided tour with accommodations and route set. Book early as motorcycle availability is limited. For full details please visit www.celticriders.ie and see the 8-day tour. Hope you can join us.

SEPTEMBER

24 • 4th Annual Poker Run to bemefit Multiple Sclerosis. Sign in: Baer Sports Center, 330 Grandview Ave, Honesdale, PA or Harmony Lodge #8, 519 Rte. 206, Andover Twp, NJ btw 9am-Noon. $20/pp incl. pin or patch, poker hand, raffles, 50/50, vendors, ive music by Big Boss Sausauge and others. Endsite: Mt. Haven, 106 Mt. Haven Dr, Milford, PA. For more info call 570-253-2000 or 570-686-2917

13-16 • 15th Catskill Mountain Thunder. Weekend filled with stunt shows, vendor expo, bike build off, bike show with cash prizes, pig roast, fireworks, free demo rides, live music throughout the weekend and so much more. For full details please visit the website: www.catskillmountainthunder.com or call 518-634-2541 • 348 Sunside Rd, East Durham, NY.

30 • Cross Country BMW hosts Teach McNeil Stunt Show. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-635-0094 • www.ccbmw.com

13-16 • Empire State Motomarathon. It’s about riding as many twisties as possible, over four full days. Routes are kept secret until the night before each event. Through a series of self-recorded checkpoints, riders verify completion at the end of each day’s ride. $50 registration. Sign in: Sept. 12 @ 8pm. Quality Inn, 849 Rte. 52, Fishkill, NY • 845-8979300. Get more info here: www.motomarathon.com

JULY 13 • Cross Country Cycles Sea-Doo Demo Event. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732635-0094 • www.canammetuchen.com 14-15 • 36th Annual Ramapo 500. Weekend Motorcycle Tour Classic. Sign in 7-9am (see website for address). $35/pre-reg riders;$48 at the door incl. self-guided tour directions, dinner Saturday, free camping, awards, prizes, breakfast Sunday, commemorative starter’s pin and finisher’s patch. AMA Sanctioned. For more info visit www.ramapomc.org or call 914-422-1806 July 19-22 • 40th BMW MOA International Rally. State Fairgrounds, Sedalia, MO. Five of the exhibitor buildings, the beer garden building, closing ceremonies arena, seminar rooms, and several of the on-site restaurants are air conditioned. The RV camping spaces have full service hook-ups and all of the fairground roads are paved. Why Sedalia? Located at the junction of US Hwy 50 and US Hwy 65, Sedalia is within a two-day ride of a majority of our members. This west central Missouri city is 1.5 hrs SE of Kansas City (think barbecue and blues), 2.5 hrs north of Branson (think shows and shopping), 1 hr NW of Lake of the Ozarks (powerboats, restaurants, resorts, shopping), and 3 hrs west of St. Louis (Gateway Arch and Anheuser-Busch). For full details visit www.bmwmoa.org.

28 • 11am-1pm • Bob’s BMW hosts Edelweiss Bike Travel to provide you with all the information you need to make your dreams come true! Bob’s is bringing the experts in guided motorcycle tours to you so come prepared with all your questions. Learn the ba-

29 • 9am-4pm • Celebrate Oktoberfest at Bob’s BMW. This annual, family-fun event is a great way to spend the day. Ride to Bob’s early for fresh coffee and donuts and stay for an authentic German lunch! Kick tires with fellow enthusiasts and shop great specials.

Details of the day are in the works. Check back for updates at bobsbmw.com

NOVEMBER 3 • 6-10pm • Bob's BMW 30th Year Anniversary Celebration. Tickets will be available months in advance for this monumental event. You will want to get tickets as soon as they are available …this is going to be a night to remember so we anticipate tickets will go FAST! Stay tuned for specifics to be confirmed, but for now, expect a private, catered evening among fellow friends with lots of surprises, amazing giveaways, first heard announcements from Bob, plus an official tribute to Bob’s BMW! Visit www.BobsBMW for details.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO GET YOUR FREE EVENT LISTING! Fill out the form on our Events Website, send it in and your event will be listed until the day of the event. DO IT NOW - NOTHING TO LOSE!

www.backroadsusa.com/events.html • editor@backroadsusa.com

Rider Education Of New Jersey Inc.

Basic RiderCourse • $275 Basic RiderCourse 2 (old ERC) • $125 “New” 3 Wheel BRC & The Advanced RiderCourse

Over 20 Years Experience!

Learn to Ride! Learn to Ride better!

No Permit Needed!

To Learn More or to Register Online Visit RENJ.com Call Today: 1-800-8WE-RiDE Motorcycle Safety Foundation & New Jersey State Approved MVC Written and Road Test Waived (certain restrictions apply)

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 54

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS PARK TOOLS TWS-2 STAR DRIVER FOLD-UP SET If you have a modern machine these days you might like to pick up one of these babies – the TWS-2 Star Driver from Park Tools.

Park Tool TWS-2 Star-Shaped Drivers use multi-position composite handles that are comfortable, lightweight, slipresistant, and 40% stronger than steel handles. Made from Bondhus Protanium, these Torx®-style drivers are through hardened and tempered for long life. Wrench tips are precision chamfered for a clean, tight fit and it easily slips into your existing tool bag.

TWS-2 includes T7, T9, T10, T15, T20, T25, T27, T30, and T40. It’s priced at $16.95 and is available from your favorite dealer or see www.parktool.com/motorcycle.

KOLPIN AND ROTOPAX FUEL PACKS FROM GSESSORIES “Thousands of Gallons! Much as ya need” “Ka-chung Ka-chung Ka-chung” !

It’s what always comes to mind when I think of loading up with as much fuel as I can carry. That famous line from…

The Road Warrior. Ahh the quest for fuel. It’s value, more then gold. Visions of Mad Max speeding through a vast wasteland with a multitude of bikes and machines chasing behind. All for the precious fuel.

OK… so we’re not living in a time after nuclear holocaust, but the quest for more fuel still remains. There were few reliable options for carrying additional fuel aboard your bike (Bungee cords and Velcro not a good option) until now.

BASIC RIDERS COURSE UPCOMING COURSES OFFERED FOR 2012

BRC-2 Basic Rider Course 2 ARC Advance Rider Course

TEACHING MOTORCYCLISTS SINCE 1966 Sign up now for summer classes.

THE MORE YOU KNOW THE BETTER IT GETS

PH: 516-541-1119 • 718-847-2015 Email: Tramas847@aol.com Web: Tramas.com • Tramas2Ride.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 55

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS GSessories Inc. offers Kolpin and RotopaX 1, 1.5, & 2 gallon fuel packs that can be mounted in almost endless variations using the “GSessory” Generation II mounting plate. On the BMW R1200 GS you can actually mount 1 to 3 gallons in place of your passenger seat. On other models they mount behind the passenger on OEM mounting rails or luggage rack. Available for BMW, Ducati, Yamaha as well as universal applications for all. The kit sells for $155.99 which includes mounting plate and fuel pack. Visit www.GSessories.com for yours and to see the full line of GSessories.

TWISTED THROTTLE’S POWER HUB CLEANING UP THE MESS Avoid the typical under-seat rat’s nest of wiring caused by hooking up multiple electronic devices directly to your battery. The PowerHub allows you to safely connect up to 6 electronic devices (total simultaneous draw no more than 30 amps) to your motorcycle in a clean, workmanlike manner.

Each electronic device can be connected so that it is switched on or off automatically with the vehicle, or powered constantly. Each 10-amp circuit is fused and accepts standard mini blade fuses available in any auto parts department. Suitable for both CANbus and standard electrical wiring. At only 3.3” x 2.4” x 1.4”, about the size of a deck of cards, the Power Hub is small and easy to install.

The Power Hub is available exclusively from Twisted Throttle and retails for $83.99. Log onto www.twistedthrottle.com for more information.

COME TO MICATECH FOR THE WERKES Riders who are outfitting their bikes with smart accessories to improve their riding experience can now come to Micatech Motorcycle Luggage. Micatech will be offering Excel Cycle Werkes accessories for BMWs. Micatech is known for its top quality aluminum side cases and top cases, manufactured at their facility in Hillsboro, New Hampshire. “We are excited to take on this new product line which suits our production capabilities and interests,” says owner Bob Gould. “Excel Cycle Werkes are clever, high caliber products with the attention to detail we appreciate.”

The products include cross bars and GPS mounts; light bars and mounts; shelves and brackets for GPS, satellite radios, garage door openers and radar detectors; Stebel horn kits; exhaust extensions; and a “plug and play” Centech kit to power up all your installed devices. The Excel Cycle Werkes products go the extra step in providing all the hardware and wiring you need to make installations neat and easy. These items and others are designed for the BMW R1200GS/GSAs and some are available for the R1150GS, F800GS, R1200RT, K1200LT, K1200GS, K1200GT, K1200S and other models.

Tom Dowell, of Excel Cycle Werkes, has been designing and making stainless steel GPS mounts, shelves and brackets in Illinois for years, after he retired as a machinist/tool and die maker. Excel products help BMW adventure riders solve problems and add accessories to improve riding experience and enhance safety.

The Excel Cycle Werkes are well known to the Adventure riding crowd, and have been favorably reviewed in Motorcycle Consumer News and other publications.

For more information about the Excel Cycle Werkes products, go to www.micatech.net or call 1-888-464-6494.

Excel Cycle Werkes

Autocom We’re Back - Actually, we never left…

The Best Motorcycle Communication System on the Market

NEW IMPORTER, NEW PRODUCTS, NEW DEALERS Enjoy crystal clear audio from ALL of your favorite devices. Integration for music, GPS, radar detector, phone, bike-to-bike including CB and more.

ANY BIKE To experience why Autocom is the clear choice for communications see one of our dealers or call

ANY SPEED

GUARANTEED

Max BMW Motorcycles

Mortons BMW Motorcycles

North Hampton, NH • 603-964-2877

Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844

Country Rode Motowerks

Adventure BMW

Blue Moon Cycle

Fairport, NY • 585-421-0480

Chesapeake, VA • 757-523-7055

Norcross, GA • 770-477-6945

Rocket Moto

Blue Ridge Powersports

Hollis, NH • 877-533-4245

Harrisonburg, VA • 540-434-7345

866-951-5550

www.autocomdirect.com

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 56

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

Expect the Unexpected Brian Rathjen If anything this column was born out of the need to look honestly and objectively at our own riding and any mistakes we might make. The only way to become a better and more proficient rider is to be honest with yourself and others when we make a riding error or series of mistakes.

Over the years I have been fortunate when it comes to traveling safely along the backroads and byways of this planet. And, except for getting stuck in sand or mud somewhere, I have always gotten to where I needed to be relatively unscathed.

Well, we all have heard that saying about two types of riders - stupid saying it is.

Near the end of our tour in Colombia, South America we had planned an easy day’s ride in and out of a coffee plantation valley and Shira, who had been hard-charging through the various jungles, mountain roads, passes and high plains of Colombia, decided she would two up with me on the Suzuki V-Strom 650 I was riding on this trip.

This is not out of the ordinary for her as we often double up to do dinner or for short days while touring on our own machines.

Heck, we have done entire tours with her pillion.

But, still that little voice in my head - the one we always ignore – threw up a red flag.

“You really don’t want to ride today?” I asked.

“Nope, I’ll get on the back with you, okay?”

Sometimes you might like to listen a bit harder to these voices that flit around our consciousness.

For over 30 years Circle Cycle has helped riders get and stay on the road

We had repeatedly said during this tour to “Expect the Unexpected.” Little did we know how that would play out this day.

The ride to and from the coffee plantation was typical Colombia with ruts, mud, misplaced pavement, loose stones and one nasty old crone who tried to beat us with a branch going down and coming up.

Surmounting yet another Colombia trail we found lunch in the colonial-style town of Salento.

Here is where things went bad quickly.

After lunch we were casually riding through town at a slow speed and going into a simple and easy left turn I was distracted by a kid on a small 150cc bike that entered into our lane from the right. Shira cautioned me to “watch the bike.”

I noted where he was, I had plenty of room so, after letting off the throttle a bit, I again lightly accelerated through the turn, but by this time I had the bike leaned over and the front wheel tucked in on itself along some unseen gravel atop cement. No matter what anyone says – somewhere along these milliseconds I made some sort of rider error or errors.

The bike slowly slid down to the pavement, much like a baseball player sliding into a base. It seemed to be no big thing, if just slightly embarrassing.

Shira cleared the bike but my leg got caught up in the brackets for the hard bags (they were not on – and that might have changed everything) and the Suzuki went this way, and I fell that way; Isaac Newton’s “Law of Motion” coming quickly into play as the machine tried to spin away from me.

Twist & Snap! A spark of white burst into my vision and a flash of pain shot up my leg… it was as if my foot had slid onto a subway’s 3rd rail.

It was one of those “wish we had tape running” moments, as I was told

RiSiNg WOLF gARAgE NYC EXCLUSIVE MOTORCYCLE PARKING FACILITY We p r o v i d e a f r i e n d l y, c l e a n a n d s e c u r e environment for the motorcycle enthusiast

Our variety of powersports products is second to none.

Whether you’re riding offroad, backroads, or on the track, we’re here to get you where you need to go.

Service Area Personal Storage Air Compressor Battery Charging

In northern New Jersey there isn’t a friendlier or more knowledgeable staff than ours. We’re happy to help you find the parts you’ve been looking for.

Online Shopping Available Check our catalog pages - if you don’t see what you want, give us a call or stop in - we’re always ready to help!

Circle Cycle For the discriminating rider.

CIRCLE

570 Broad Ave, Ridgefield NJ

CYCLE 201-945-2200

web: www.circlecycle.net

Monthly Parking Long & Short Term 24 Hour Access Video Surveillance

By Appointment Only East Village NYC Ph: 212 475 5858 • Fx: 212 505 5205

risingwolfgarage@aol.com

www.risingwolfgarage.com

BACKROADS • MAY 2012 the ankle really bent wildly.

Things got a bit confusing at this point; but I remember Shira telling me to get from under the bike, but I couldn’t move an inch.

My fellow riders slowly removed my leg from the tangle of the brackets and then lifted me to my feet where I promptly tried to “walk it off.”

That went for about three steps and I was back down on the ground.

Something bad had happened for sure and all I could think of was that my riding for this day was done. Little did I know I would be out for a few months.

We made our way over to a local clinic, but there was little to be done here in this small Andean town except for me to gratefully accept the pain shot and it was obvious to the very cute young female doctor that “something” was moving in the leg.

Ya think, very cute, young female doctor?

Cut me some slack here - she had on a Mr. Happy smock and if she took our health plan I would have her up here in New Jersey in a heartbeat.

They arranged for an ambulance to take me to the city (?) of Armenia.

Here there was a 50’s-style hospital, which reminded me in many ways of the asylum in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. The soldiers with automatic rifles got my attention immediately. Shira has said that they had to turn off the refrigerators for 6 blocks around just to power up the X-Ray machine! (Yes, they had an X-Ray machine, but I think it was an original Röntgen) Riding back down in the elevator I took the film from the orderly’s hands and had a peek.

The broken fibula was apparent and later on Don, a fellow rider and radiologist, pointed out the dislocated ankle.

Thanks, Don. Needed to hear that.

The doctors in Armenia did what they could and packed the leg in an oldstyle plaster cast to hold everything together and we drove back up to

Page 57 Medellin in the back of the chase truck.

A few days later I was back in the US and the next week I had a rod and screws put in to bring the ankle back into proper alignment.

So, for a few weeks I have been hobbling around Backroads Central, trying not to be a pain in Shira’s tush too much.

With this extra time on my hands I thought I would write to you, our readers, and let you know what the heck happened to me.

But, what did happen? I made an error somewhere along the line, but what?

I think a few things came into play this day.

First was hubris. We had been riding all week through some rough terrain and had handled all Colombia threw at us happily.

There might have been a bit of cockiness happening at this time.

Okay – there was. Thus my total surprise when we crashed.

Secondly was suddenly having a passenger on the back after a week of hard riding one-up. I had totally disregarded that my honey/best friend and better half was behind me. A huge mistake. With two riders the bike was a different animal entirely.

Third… the tires, although a fine bike the tires were getting old. We had commented earlier that the bike needed new rubber – this too was filed away and forgotten.

Fourth… The other rider who distracted me also comes into this mix. Seeing him and having Shira say to “watch out” for this rider caused me to snap off the throttle and then accelerate with a good twist, this alone would upset the suspension.

Looking back all these individual things that came together in this mixing bowl of chaos and the end result can be seen in the post-op X-Ray. Riding motorcycles well combines a large number of tasks and, sometimes, experience and instinct can be overridden by the smallest of things.

The bottom line is to stay alert, never get cocky and pay attention to the little things. Because it is the little things that will bring you down.

We’re Not Just a Shop, We’re a Destination The Metropolitan Area’s European Riding Center Headquarters for Moto Guzzi Triumph We stock new and Vespa pre-owned vehicles

Celebrate Spring. th

MAY 6 OPEN HOUSE SEASON’S BEST PRICES

BRANCHVILLE MOTORS Conveniently located across from the Branchville train station on the Danbury line of Metro North

63 Ethan Allen Hwy Ridgefied, CT

203.544.7901 www.Branchville.com Tues-Fri: 9am-6pm • Sat: 9am-4pm

Carrying only the best in motorcycling gear and apparel for scooterists.

Visit our Ebay store for our clearance and closeout items.

I

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 58

FIRST RIDE • 2012 VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY TOUR Fred Rau

’ve made no secret of the fact that in general, I’m not a fan of cruiser-style bikes that have been converted for touring duty. That being the case, I wasn’t too excited when Victory offered me their new Cross Country Tour model for testing. In fact, I even truncated my usual five-day test route through the mountains and deserts down to a three-day run, figuring that would be as much time as I would want to spend out on the road on this bike at a single stretch. Well, I’m here to tell you that I was wrong. Three days and about 1,000 miles later, I was ready to keep going for another week.

BACKROADS • MAY 2012 For starters, the 106 cubic-inch V-twin (1737cc) chunks out 92 HP at a whopping 109 lb/ft of torque. Those are some fairly impressive numbers for a bike that weighs right at 800 lbs. wet, and results not only in an impressively quick launch at low speeds, but plenty of get-up-and-go at highway speeds when you want to get around that slow mover ahead. Being a big Vtwin, naturally there is some engine vibration at lower speeds and RPM, but I found it to be non-intrusive and actually more of a pleasant, low-key rumbling effect. And at highway speeds, it virtually disappears.

The CCT features a six-speed transmission, where sixth gear is a true 0.87:1 overdrive. At 75 mph I could cruise down the Interstate turning over only about 2500 RPM, which would bring my gas mileage on those stretches up to slightly over 41 mpg. Running around town with my wife on the back, mileage dropped as low as 33.5 mpg, but the overall average after six full tanks came out to 36.38 mpg. Nothing to write home about, especially since the engine requires 91 Octane premium fuel, but within reasonable bounds.

With a 5.8-gal. fuel tank, total range works out to about 210 miles, with the low fuel warning coming on right about 175 miles.

Victory claims more luggage space on the CCT than any other production two-wheeler, and I don’t doubt it. In the tour trunk alone, I could put two of my XXL full-face helmets and still have room for an armored riding jacket.

And like the saddlebags, the space is easily accessible and very usable, and all three pieces of luggage can be removed easily without the use of tools, when you want to strip the bike down to a more pure “cruiser mode.” There are also two larger-than-normal storage pockets built into the fairing lowers that come in very handy. My only complaint here is that I wish at least one of them were lockable—meaning in particular the one with the iPod interface inside.

Page 59 found even on top-of-the-line touring bikes, and yet also the notable absence of, or lack of attention to, features that one would normally expect. I group these two lists into what I call “Niceties & Nitpicks.”

Niceties Who among us that tour hasn’t had to add one or two extra electrical circuits for accessories? If we’re lucky, the bike might have one extra accessory outlet, but if you use a heated vest (or two), a GPS, an iPod or mp3 player, or want to charge your cell phone, a single accessory outlet is woefully inadequate. To my surprise, the CCT featured no less than three 12-volt accessory outlets—one on the left side of the fairing, one inside the left lower storage pocket, and another inside the trunk. And as if that weren’t enough, there’s a full iPod interface plug that also acts as a charger for your iPod or iPhone, effectively giving you four accessory outlets. Outstanding.

And speaking of the iPod interface, it not only allows you to play your music through the auxiliary function of the stereo system, but also brings up the song information and menu on the radio display in the dash, and allows you to navigate through your music library with a touch of the left handlebar controls.

Get Your Back Ready

for the Spring Riding Weather

The CCT comes standard with a lot of goodies, like: ABS, heated grips, front and rear heated seats, cruise control, AM/FM, weather radio, gear indicator, ambient temperature gauge and clock. It also has an onboard trip computer, which with a touch of the left handlebar switch will show: two tripmeters, the odometer, average gas mileage, instant gas mileage, elapsed time and average speed. No fancy, full-color displays here, but the small monochrome LCD screen still displays a lot of useful information.

As for ergonomics, which play a very important part on any touring machine, I found the CCT to be a bit of a mixed bag. My wife and I both found favor with the seats, which were very comfortable, but in her case the backrest was a bit too far back, causing her to lean backwards somewhat. For myself, I have never been a fan of the cruiser-style position that puts your feet forward of your hips, but at least the oversized floorboards allowed me to slide my feet back for a more upright seating position. The problem with this though, is that it meant if I wanted to shift or brake, I had to quickly slide my feet back forward to reach the controls. Also, with my feet in the rear position my right ankle would come very close to the exhaust pipe, and I actually melted a small patch on my riding pants at the right ankle.

The wind protection afforded by the batwing fairing and large lowers was exceptionally good for both rider and passenger, but I really don’t see why they didn’t make the windshield height adjustable. It is a bit too high for my tastes, and looking at the mounting system it would seem fairly easy to have designed it so that the windshield could slide up and down a few inches.

Maybe on a future model.

The Cross Country Tour surprised me in a number of ways, but probably most notably in two respects: the addition of several features that are rarely

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 60 And for any extra accessory you might care to hardwire into the bike’s system, on the fairing dashboard there is a pop-out for installing an extra accessory switch. No more looking for a place to drill a hole in your fairing to mount that extra switch.

If you’re anything like me, once you’ve added those extra accessories, you become just a bit concerned about the voltage draw on your bike’s electrical system. Though the CCT features a very ample 48 amp alternator, I would still like to keep track of the state of my charging system, and with most bikes, that means I need to add a voltage meter. But not with the Cross Country, as one comes as standard equipment. Hooray!

The large passenger floorboards are adjustable to three different heights, and the air-adjustable rear shock can be set for a load range from 100 lbs. to 560 lbs. Victory provides a nifty little hand pump for this purpose, with a built-in pressure gauge.

Also, heated handgrips and heated seats are standard on the CCT, with high and low settings for each. And another big plus: HID (high-intensity discharge) lighting is standard! We all know that is an option on almost any other bike, and a very pricey one at that.

Throughout the years, one of my complaints about touring bikes has remained constant: low maximum load ratings. On average, most touring bikes have a maximum carrying capacity of right around 400 lbs. Most couples who ride two-up will pass that number just in combined body weight, not to mention any luggage and/or accessories. Imagine my surprise when I ran the numbers on the CCT and it came out to 560 lbs. That’s easily 100 lbs. greater than any other two-wheeler I’ve tested, and in fact challenges big threewheelers like the Can-Am Spyder RT. Impressive.

But of all the niceties I encountered, I believe I was most impressed by the lowest-tech item: a set of four adjustable air vents, two on the batwing fairing

and two more on the fairing lowers. To say that they worked well would be an understatement. Each of the four vents is easily adjustable even with gloved hands and while riding, though it would probably be best not to try to make the adjustments while you are moving. They can be angled to direct the air flow in almost any direction you like, or can easily be closed off entirely in cold or inclement weather. The exposed V-twin engine gives off a lot of side heat, as you would expect, but the vents easily carry this away from your body if you want, or capture it in a still air pocket when you need it. I rode in temps from 34 degrees to 91 degrees, and found that I could easily stay in a comfort zone through the use of this wonderful air management system. Kudos to Victory on this setup.

Nitpicks The very first time I parked the Cross Country Tour, I pulled in the clutch and dropped the kickstand, expecting the engine to cut off. It didn’t. I suppose this isn’t a big deal, but I can’t remember a bike in the last 10 or 15 years that didn’t have a sidestand cutoff switch, if for no other reason than to stop you from inadvertently starting the bike in gear with the clutch engaged, or engaging the clutch with the sidestand still down, which could cause an accident. Victory says their sidestand’s rubber bumper will cause it to retract without a problem if you start moving with it down, which complies with the Federal Safety Standard, but personally I would much rather have a cutoff switch.

Then, right after parking in gear, it is usually my habit to lock the front fork. Guess what? No fork lock. Again, I find that rather odd. Looking around the front end, I didn’t even see any attaching point for an aftermarket lock. I don’t like that. Another call to Victory and I was told that their surveys of Victory buyers found that the majority of riders don’t use a fork lock, and see them as unnecessary. I guess I am in the minority, and of course I know

290 Route 100 West Dover, VT 800-745-3615

Book your Summer 2012 Today Group Orientated

We can accommodate group dinners on site

Hot Tub/Outdoor Pool

www.grayghostinn.com

Firepit • BYOB Bar • Wi-Fi Hot cook-to-order breakfast

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 61

I can purchase an aftermarket disc lock, but I still want a built-in fork lock.

As this bike was entirely new to me, before taking off on a trip I wanted to check the engine oil level.

The cap and dipstick are easily accessible at the lower left of the engine, but when I checked the owner’s manual for the proper procedure to make the check, it said that the bike had to be level. Well, since there is no centerstand, that means you have to straddle the bike, and while holding it level, somehow reach down and unscrew the cap and remove it, wipe it off, put it back in, and take it back out again to check the level. Quite frankly, unless you are a contortionist, that is virtually impossible.

I could do it, but it meant leaning the bike to one side during the process, which negates the whole purpose and can result in a false reading. You are either going to need a set of chocks to hold the bike level, or a friend to hold the bike for you while you check the oil. Out on the road at a gas station, that can be a real problem.

My wife was a bit dismayed at the lack of any kind of grab bars for the passenger. When I get into the twisties, she needs something to hold onto to steady herself, and the CCT provides nothing. I was also a bit surprised to find that the Cross Country is not equipped with any helmet locks, but aftermarket locks that attach to the crash bars are pretty cheap and easy to install, so I guess it’s no big deal. Just a bit surprising on a bike so otherwise wellequipped.

But the one thing that gave me the most heartburn was the gas filler. Situated far to the right front of the tank, the locking cap hinges backwards, but only to slightly beyond straight up. With the handlebars pushed as far to the left as possible, that still leaves a fairly narrow angle of attack for the gas nozzle. It usually took me two or three tries just to get the nozzle wedged into the opening, and even then the rubber boot on the nozzle would catch on the filler cap. Usually, I could not in any way get the boot to seal over the opening, and as I filled the bike, gas would splatter out. It was very difficult to get the tank full, and even when I did, the way in which the nozzle had to

be removed from the tank would almost always end up dumping about a cupful of fuel on the outside of the tank. I got in the habit of having to wash off the tank and then go in the restroom and wash my hands after every fillup. It became a real pain in the ass. If I owned this bike, I would be looking for some kind of funnel-like extension I could use for gassing up. Victory says the preferred method is to pull up to a pump on the opposite side of the filler, and then pull the hose across the tank to fill from the left side. I tried this, and have to admit it worked a bit better, and eliminated a lot of the splashback, but I still couldn’t get the rubber boot to fit into the opening, and getting the tank completely full was a real trial.

Over the course of the past couple of weeks I have taken the CCT to a number of motorcycle meetings and rallies, not to mention talking to dozens of people at rest and gas stops. Almost without exception, riders had two comments about this machine. First, everyone commented on the beautiful paint job. I was riding the bright red model with silver metal flecks, and have to admit that especially when out in the sun, it looks for all the world like it has a $2,000 custom paint job (it also comes in black and blue). Second most common were comments that went something like this: “I like Victorys, but the styling on the Vision and some of the other models was just a bit too radical for my tastes. This looks a lot better. I like this.” And I have to agree.

Please note that for the most part, my misgivings about the Victory Cross Country Tour are minor. In general, this is a bike that I found very responsive, comfortable and well-designed. I wouldn’t hesitate to take off, as its name implies, on a cross-country tour for days or even weeks. It is a smooth, comfortable ride on the highway. It looks great, handles well, and carries a lot. It has most of the amenities I look for in a touring machine, and can easily be adapted with a few more I’d like to add.

With a price starting at $22,000 –that includes a lot of extras you wouldn’t normally expect— I’d call it a winner.

Dine in History Circa 1746 Lunch and dinner specials daily

The perfect stop on the perfect ride.

Dine inside or on the balcony.

Group seating available.

Featured in the Great All American Diner Run Moto-Inn Member On the square in Schaefferstown, where history, good times and great food come together.

101 N. Market St Schaefferstown, PA 717-949-2122 FranklinHouseTavern.com

Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge is the Smoky Mountains Premier ‘Motorcycle-only’ resort.

Located in the heart of the Smoky Mountains and minutes from all the great motorcycling roads like ‘Tail of the Dragon’, Cherohalla Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway and Moonshiner 28. Amenities include on-premise restaurant for breakfast and dinner with creekside dining, covered bike parking, nightly group campfire, laundry, gift shop and WiFi DSL HotSpot. We have a pavilion with multimedia entertainment, private function meeting room, RV sites as well as rustic luxury cabins cabin rooms, bunkhouse and tent camping.

Perfect for singles, couples or group getaways.

Located in Stecoah, NC • 828-479-3864 • www.ironhorseNC.com

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 62

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS THE D.O.C. REVERSIBLE VEST FROM MISSING LINK • NOW YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS We have become converts to the world of high-visibility and armored riding gear.

Still, we know that many of our readers prefer the classic American biker look and here black leather vests rule the roost. But what if you could have the black vest and the high-visibility too?

Enter the folks at Missing Link with their D.O.C. Reversible Vest.

The D.O.C. Reversible Vest is constructed of the highest quality Distressed Buffalo Leather on one side, and Fluorescent Cordura Nylon with ScotchLite 3M Reflective Tape accents on the other. A hidden zipper allows access between layers so that you can add patches and pins without affecting the reverse side of the vest. Great for organizations such as Freedom Riders, Legion Riders, Blue Knights, H.O.G. members, Road Captains, Safety Officers, Patriot Guard, Rescue Riders, First Responders, and a variety of other Motorcycle Clubs as well. These days, the roads are filled with distracted drivers more than any other time in history. You owe it to yourself and your family to make sure you are doing everything you can to protect yourself. The D.O.C. Vest is made in men’s and women’s cuts. Men’s comes in Leather with either Green or Orange HiViz Nylon. Women’s comes in Leather with either 2-Tone Pink or HiViz Green Nylon. The D.O.C. Reversible Safety Vest provides an added level of visibility and gets you noticed. Who knows, the life you save may be your own. Vests sized to fit over light shirt. Select larger size to wear over your jacket.

The D.O.C. Reversible Vest costs $159.95 and you can find it at www.missinglnk.com.

AEROSTICH KANETSU WINDSTOPPER E-VEST OK, we haven’t exactly experienced a frigid winter. However, this has meant a lot more riding as the roads have been largely snow-free, yet one of the most important things to consider has been how to keep warm (it may have not been arctic, but it was still chilly). What did we do before the invention of the electric vest? I think a good look at the Michelin Man may offer clues. But the deployment of an e-vest on your person is a modern miracle in riding comfort, and I have been using an excellent one the last two winters. It comes from the Aerostich folks and their Rider Wearhouse, and it’s a part of the Kanetsu electrics line. I love this model because it’s very simple and elegant, and therefore is low in bulk while still being high on warmth. This also means it fits easily underneath whatever type of road gear you like, as well as minimally restricting movement and being easy to pack. And speaking of packing, there are two zippered pockets on the Windstopper including a large one at the back interior you can use to fold the vest into for ultra-compact stowage (or to place flat items in). The other pocket is located at the front left interior and is ideal for stowing the power cord.

BACKROADS • MAY 2012

Page 63

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS This power cord is a very smart design in that the big on/off button (simple to deal with when you’ve got on heavy winter gloves) glows brightly when the vest is on, and is really easy to see. I love this little glowing red disc, as you can easily locate it in your peripheral vision day or night. The power required to power this garment is 3.3.amps/45 watts so it’s not a power monster that sucks all your juice. Nobody needs that, and as with any electrical accessory make sure your battery and charging system are working properly before you plug in and hit the road. You specify QuiConnect 2, SAE or BMW connectors to suit your ride, and in my case I went the QuiConnect route with zero problems. An excellent option ($75) are zip-off sleeves, made of a 50/50 blend of nylon and polyester like the vest. Both are made in the USA, and have that wonderful quality construction that is always part of Aerostich workmanship. The company has other, more elaborate e-vests in their Kanetsu line, but the simplicity (and excellent warmth) of this unit was perfect for yours truly and may be the ticket for you, too. Sizes range from Small to XX Large, and the price is $187. www.aerostich.com, 800.222.1994 ~ Bill Heald

SPRAY THE LOO BEFORE NO. 2 AND NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE A CLUE We get some funky stuff offered up for product testing, but when this email came across the wires we just had to get some for Backroads Central. With all the traveling we do, between road food and jet lag, the internal systems sometimes go haywire. This can cause some embarrassing moments in foreign environments, and Poo Pourri seemed just the solution. Not to mention those guests who just wait to use someone else’s bathroom so as not to ‘cause a stink’ at home. ~ Shira Kamil Let’s face it, we all go number 2. Poo-Pourri’s creative line is a sweet smelling toilet bowl spray made of all-natural essential oils, including a delicious bouquet of mandarin, bergamot and orange with hints of peach and berries. The sprays eliminate odors before they occur, and have been proven to work on the toughest smells with a simple spritz in the bowl before you go.

Each spray uses a secret formula that creates a film on the toilet water surface that safely and effectively traps and diffuses embarrassing odors, rather than just covering or masking odors, this spray completely eliminates them and refreshes the air with a pleasant, clean scent. Simply spray onto the surface of the water before using the toilet and it will eliminate any smelly odors.

The natural essential oils stop any stench at its source, so you won’t leave any odor behind and also won’t experience any odor while using the bathroom. There is also a neutralizer that attaches to harsh odors and completely dissolves them. So not only does Poo Pourri create a fresh scent and trap the odor, it also neutralizes any residual odor so it does not follow you. Finally, flushing releases the odor neutralizing formula into the air, leaving your bathroom smelling fresh and clean.

Some of the whimsical offerings include, for men, Heavy Doody and Trap-A-Crap; for women, Daisy Doo, No. 2 and Call of the Wild and, for shared bathrooms, Crap Shooter and Doody Free. Available in a 2 oz. spray bottle for $9.95, a 4 oz. spray bottle for $14.95 and is also available in a convenient travel size.

Each Poo-Pourri product includes a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee. For more information, to find a retailer near you or to make an online purchase, please visit www.poopourri.com.

RIDE LIKE A PRO NJ Jerry ‘Motorman’ Palladino’s Training Classes Being Held in New Jersey ‘NEVER

FEAR making a U-turn or dropping your 800lb. motorcycle again’

• Male-Female-Big-Small: It doesn’t matter • You can learn the 3 simple techniques that motor cops have been using for years • Our instructors - all active or retired motor officers - will show you how to use the motor cop riding techniques to better control and handle your motorcycle

Check our website for available dates

www.RideLikeAProNJ.com Pre-registration is recommended as classes fill quickly.

Gift certificates available • Course Fee is $150.00

Page 64

MAY 2012 • BACKROADS