September 2014

SEPTEMBER

2014

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure Volume 20 No. 9

Surf to Turf Tour Four State Meander Part Two Historical and Cultural Rides Monthly Columns and More

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E 42

MON T HLY COLUM N S

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

FREE WHEELIN’ ...............................................................4 WHATCHATHINKIN’........................................................5 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE................................6

Publishers

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

ON THE MARK.................................................................7

Contributors

Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Robert Laford, Michael Nemlich, Dr. Seymour O’Life

BACKLASH........................................................................8 INDUSTRY INFOBITES.................................................10 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA .............................................14

28

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 317 Branchville NJ 07826

BIG CITY GETAWAY......................................................16 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN.......................18

phone

973.948.4176

fax

973.948.0823

WE’RE OUTTA HERE....................................................20

email

editor@backroadsusa.com

SHIRA’S ICE CREAM RUN..........................................22

online

www.backroadsusa.com

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .....................................40

Advertising

973-948-4176

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR.............................48 MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE.................................53

16

FEAT URES BARBER VINTAGE FESTIVAL.....................................25 SURF TO TURF TOUR .................................................28 IMPACT ...........................................................................38 THE PAVED AND THE PURE .....................................42

PROD UCT SPOTL IG HTS/REV IEW S GIVI HPS HELMETS .....................................................47 HELD GS TOOLBAG .....................................................47

ON THE COVER: Sunflower field at Brodecker’s Farm Hampton Township, Sussex County, NJ

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2014. 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.

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 4

Spring Break Rally this May at the General Francis Marion Hotel, in Marion, Virginia you know that Paul pointed out a few things that may help you when BRIAN RATHJEN pre-planning a ride.

Some places and regions should be avoided, while other localities should be embraced.

GoinG for the fences To paraphrase our forefathers, “We hold these truths to be self-evident.”

Big cities bad. Open roads running We have been doing this magazine now along small rivers and streams good. for almost 20 years and with a name like Backroads Crowded interstates bad. Mountain you would hope we would have some seriously backroads good. Sunday morning usugood roads for our readers to ride and explore. ally good. Monday morning – usually Well, we have always given it a solid shot and we bad. Any road in the Alleghenies with feel we have a fairly good batting average as far as a name ending with “Trail” or Holthrowing interesting, curvy, fun and motorcyclelow” you might think twice, unless friendly rides your way. you are the adventurous type. Trail With today’s modern GPS technology and the and Hollow are Mountainese for Road ability to bounce back and forth from conventional of Death and Road of Bones.

Manual Acquired Positioning Systems (maps) and Personally I like these. programs like Bing and Garmin’s Base Camp I Bouncing back and forth between know I can usually throw a decent route together in maps and mapping programs can be under 20 minutes – regardless of how long GPS very helpful too. Having one map that Jedi Paul Donoghue says it should take. shows a bit of the topography lets you For those of you lucky enough to have been at know that the twisty piece of pavePaul’s excellent GPS seminar held at the Backroads ment you are tracking along will have some meaningful elevation changes along it.

Even the best laid out route can go bad.

But, don’t feel you need to take the blame if the local highway department has detoured your precious and well thought out journey.

Things happen on the road and, with some common sense and a good GPS, you can usually go to Plan B and then back to Plan A with little hesitation.

Not every ride is going to be Day One of the Ramapo 500, but sometimes you know, when you are routing it out, that you have a winner.

Like a major league batter who just felt the ball come off the bat with that assuredness it means a home run, there are some times when you just know, without even riding the road ever in your life that you have just hit a home run.

Case in point was back in late June. We were out in Millheim, Pennsylvania, just west of the Susquehanna River. We had ridden the Interstate out there a few days earlier (yes, we occasionally do this) but wanted a decent ride back. Before we left I sat down with a cup of coffee, Garmin’s Base Camp program and a dream.

Looking at the map I could see some familiar places, and between them some twistys and inviting roads. It crossed rivers, ran along lakes and gained and lost altitude with regularity. Some of these roads would take me The limited production Raider SCL is loaded with premium cruiser features. Crafted north and south, when what I was interested in, eventufor riders who value exclusivity, only 500 of these exceptional machines will be built. ally, was to head east.

The Raider SCL features newly developed, aggressive, robust, dark Matte Iron paint accented with a Matte Raven No matter. What I was looking for this day was a color including unique pin striping on the front/rear fenders and headlight. A new blacked-out theme embodies home run - that perfect day’s ride. the Raider SCL with black components throughout: oxidized titanium coated fork tubes, push-rod tubes, forks, The good thing about the perfect day’s ride is that exhaust, air cleaner box, wheels, meter panel, switch gear, and master cylinders, just to name a few. The 2014 they are infinite in nature and number, as many as the Raider SCL simply stands out from the crowd. Get yours today at: stars in the universe or grains of sand on the beach.

There can always be another perfect day’s ride And, once a route has put that silly grin on your face and that comfortable soreness in your ass, you can easily move on to the next day’s home run ride.

67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY That Sunday morning, preparing to leave the mountains of PA, Shira and I fired up the ride back to New Jersey on the Garmins. Shira asked where it would take us.

I told her, “A little bit of here and a little bit of there.”

No worries I thought. I knew, like that batter at the plate, I had a home run on my hands. I pressed “GO” on the screen of the Zumo and swung for the fences.

FREE WHEELIN’

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BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

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

Why do you really ride?

Social. Solitary. Therapy. Work. Pleasure.

All of the above.

When I first decided to ride my own motorcycle, it was purely a functional and practical reason. I had been sitting pillion for a number of years and decided, should something happen that the pilot could not function in his capacity, I should have the knowledge and wherewithal to take this vehicle wherever it had to go to get me out of the situation. I knew how to shift gears and ride a bicycle, so why shouldn’t I be able to ride a motorcycle.

Turns out that after I took the MSF Beginner’s Course, I had much bigger plans than ‘just in case.’ I was smitten and was out to get my very own ride. So, for the past 20 or so years, that’s what I’ve been doing.

It started off as ‘Follow the leader’, progressing to ‘Follow me’ and soon turned into ‘Catch me if you can.’ I would ride my bike to work, taking slightly extended lunch hours to do a lap of Harriman Park, and revel in the evening ride home. Weekends saw the bikes packed with camping gear and pointed in any direction new to explore.

On any Sunday, you would find us meeting at the State Line Lookout for an outing with like-minded riders, heading to Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York State, etc.

It was a social thing. Sure, the actual riding was solitary, introspective and mind cleansing, but the before and after was all about catching up with friends and kicking tires. Events like the Ramapo 500 would see us gathering as many club members as we could to represent and, perhaps, take home the coveted ‘Most Represented’ prize. Of course the ride was the draw, but the hanging out afterwards was the icing on the cake.

Page 5 Roll forward a number of years and the social aspect dwindled to a secondary position. Outings and trips were pretty much a two-bike adventure.

Riding was still, and always will be, fun but it now took on a work status with the inception of Backroads. And there was more of it. Not just the occasional weekend or Sunday, but extended excursions of hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of miles on the road. To any motorcyclist, this was paradise.

But can too much riding be a bad thing? This past month there have been events that have kept me off the bike more than on. And you know something; I didn’t feel that badly about it. Lots of ‘to do’ chores got done, the garden looks fabulous, and Spenser T. Cat was very happy to have us home.

There was maintenance and upgrades done on the bikes and cleaning done.

I’ve never seen the chain or wheels on my GS sparkle as brightly as they do now. Ready for the next adventure.

But now look forward to the times I pull my bike out of the garage and head off by myself. It’s usually just for a couple of hours, with no particular destination. It’s purely for the joy of riding and many times to clear my head. With so much interference and static from day-to-day life, the aloneness one gets while riding can beat the hourly cost of a therapist.

No music, no cell phone, no internet. Just nature and two wheels.

I recently had some time to go off on my own and realized that, after all these years and ‘incidents’ that I’ve been through, when riding by myself I am much more cautious. Where I used to go hell-bent on the empty roads I know, now I turn it down a notch. Perhaps I’m feeling a bit more vulnerable without my riding buddy, maybe it’s the bumps along the way or it could just be that I’ve learned smelling the roses is much more satisfying than getting nowhere any quicker.

Riding, for me, seems to have gone through a metamorphosis from social to work to therapy, but always pleasure. What is it that makes your juices flow about riding? Is it purely function? Do you dream about throwing a leg over the saddle and heading out to parts unknown? Does your motorcycle serve the purpose of the analyst’s couch? Why do you REALLY ride?

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 6

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

GroundbreakinG nostalGia The trend of resurrecting old ideas, creations and designs seem to be as pervasive as the juggernaut that is advancing technology. When you combine these two trends, you get some interesting results and sometimes a new type of motorcycle is born. This takes the form of something completely new, yet somehow still manages to have visual cues linking it to where the design inspiration came from.

While I have a problem with how much rehash we’re seeing in everything from movies to automobiles, I have to acknowledge when a company really takes some chances with a product that has a familiar name and look but in many ways is all new and innovative. In this case we’re talking about a very old name in the hands of a new owner, and what appears to be a very concerted effort to bring the brand back to where it was in its heyday. As you no doubt have noticed over the years, the Indian marque has been batted around like a ping-pong ball with all kinds of concerns trying to capitalize on the name while cobbling together some pretty mediocre (and often very expensive) motorcycles. This seemed such a shame, especially considering how contemporary the bikes were back in their original days where they were always pushing the design and engineering envelopes in a uniquely American way (even offering a longitudinally-mounted Inline Four in their lineup).

What always intrigued me was how even though they were building a VTwin that competed directly with Harley-Davidson, the engines were very

different from the Harley camp and could be easily visually distinguished even from a good ways away. But more recently, the Indian motorcycles that have been available were an unsuccessful effort, especially compared with how unique the brand was in its prime when it came to taking the road less traveled.

But if you think the Indian name is doomed to forever float around as a trademark for something less than worthy, things may have changed rather dramatically for the better. Back in 2011 Polaris Industries (which also builds Victory motorcycles of course) purchased the Indian brand, and has been gradually putting together a new line of machines. They did something very bold during the festivities at Sturgis this year by introducing the Scout, and for the first time in ages we have an Indian that is truly unique, and blends the old with the new in very striking fashion. At the time of this writing I haven’t thrown a leg over one yet, but I have to say I am very intrigued at what they’ve created and the closer I look at it, the more I can tell they’ve really worked hard on building something special. For starters, it has an all new engine which marks several firsts for an Indian and it radiates out from there to reveal a lot of original thinking.

The new engine in question is a 60-degree VTwin (the original was 42-degrees), and it has some very un-retro features to it. First and most noticeable is liquid cooling, something that was not exactly common when the Scout was originally sighted back in 1920. It displaces 1133cc (or 69 cubic inches), and has 4-valve heads and a closed-loop fuel injection system. Indian claims an output of an even 100 horsepower, with a lot of low-end torque at your disposal. The transmission is a 6-speed, final drive is via belt. All this alone makes for a very appealing drivetrain, but what is also cool is how the original Scouts were known for the versatility of the engine (which seemed to run just fine even while sideways on the Wall (Continued on Page 9)

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

ON THE MARK MARK BYERS

tWiliGht Five hundred miles down and a couple hundred to go and the v-twin’s spinning a steady six thousand times for every sweep of the second hand. There’s a hiss from the tires as they trace graceful arcs through the remnants of the shower I’m chasing across the mountains. Long white stripes streak through my peripheral vision in a staccato blur. The wind, muted by the helmet, rumbles in a distant drumline.

The smell is one only denizens of the road know well: the raw, clean odor of pavement well-washed by a cool summer rain. It drifts up through the chinbar of my helmet. I wish there was a cologne to capture the essence, but I’ll have to be satisfied by its fleeting presence in my gear when I get home. The truly rare things in life are short-lived.

The most short-lived of all is the sky. Ahead, the trailing edge of the high cumulus are tinged light rose by the waning sun behind me, contrasting starkly with the indigo depths of the clouds at the fore. The sky above is painted a pastel blue, clinging desperately to life as the sun sinks lower in the Western sky. My mirrors are awash with gold sunset from the scattered clouds behind that hang over the roads just traveled.

The road ahead is tinged with a rose-gold hue reflected on the sheen left by the rain. The fields seem unnaturally verdant, viewed as they are through the rose-colored glasses of twilight. Everything looks better when viewed in twilight: old red barns seem new again and the world seems cleaner, better somehow.

Coupled with the smell of rain and the highway, it’s a powerful sensory cocktail that reaches deep into my memory, to other times when I’ve experienced that potent mixture.

Even though I’m far from home, I want to suspend time and ride in this light forever. How wonderful it would be to see the world through twilight’s eyes: fresh and deeply colorful, with stark contrast between the pastel skies and the dark land. I want to feel the cool twilight air coursing through my jacket and take it with me to ward off the inevitable heat of the city.

Even my attitude is affected. I find my frustrations mellowed and my mood improved as I gaze on the twilight world. The fatigue of five hundred miles is forgotten and the distance ahead seems meaningless. Soon enough, darkness will descend and force me to peer into an incandescent tunnel, but for now, I’m suspended in an otherworldly, alien twilight landscape. I like it.

Time passes and gold becomes red and rose becomes purple. The sheen from headlights and the stare of cateyes in the road adds to the display. The fields and barns lose their definition and my vision begins to constrict again to just the road ahead. Later, the shadows turn from purple into gray and my reverie collapses as the harsh shadows of the driving lights rip holes in the thickening darkness.

The ride turns hard again. Without the rich pastels and dramatic landscapes to distract me, I ride into the deepening darkness, my reverie replaced with resolve. The van Gogh twilight is replaced by the stark definition of an Edward Hopper painting as the lights come on at

Page 7 service stations and chain restaurants. Faces in passing cars go ghostly blue and yellow in the soft glow of instrument panels.

At times like this, I seek solace in gaps in the traffic, wanting the distraction of lights other than my own to be gone so I can be alone with my thoughts.

I want to paint my own halogen landscape on a concrete canvas without the added hues of others. The mirrors become a nuisance. The temperature lowers more and I’m chilly, but thankful, for it keeps me awake even though the long day’s fatigue tugs at my eyelids. I squirm in the saddle like an impatient child.

In a few more hours, I’ll see the warm, incandescent glow of lights framed in my house windows and hear the crunch of gravel that announces my arrival.

The dog will bark as I kill the motor and sit there for a minute, listening to the ticking as it cools.

I’ll put the bike away and go to bed. My room will be dark, but my mind will still be lit by the memories of the twilight and if I’m lucky, in my dreams, I’ll ride.

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 8

BACKLASH

Letters to the Editor I thought of your article in Backroads when I came across this little girls stand in Unionville today. I was alone but told her I was very thirsty and would need a few cups Joseph Stella

Dear Backroads, We at Jersey Shore HOG and Long Branch Harley-Davidson just want to send you a thank you note for allowing people to advertise their events in Backroads. Our event this summer “Peach (Carney Vetrano) Benefit” on June 14th was a huge success and we’re sure that the events page in Backroads had some part in it. We were able to raise $18,500 that day between the poker run, silent auction, bowling, and car/bike show. 100% of which will go to the Ronald McDonald Cancer Camp for Kids.

We also want to thank Bubbakoos Burritos from Manasquan, Point Pleasant, and Brick for not only providing food services for the event but also donating back their entire proceeds for the day to the cause.

Overall it was a great day....the weather was great...the people were great....and we are looking forward to next year already. The kids will be really grateful when we deliver the check to them at the camp on August 22nd.

JSHOG - Calvert Schlick Just a heads up to all who ride through Port Jervis, which I think must be almost all of us.

Toward the end of the Ramapo 500 at the end of Rte. 97 going into town, a police officer stopped and ticketed my friend. He was kind enough to explain that due to the high number of accidents experienced by the town lately, they have instituted a zero tolerance policy. 30 MPH means 30. Once an officer stops you he or she must issue a ticket, there is no choice it is police policy. There was no mention why the 3 of us who were riding with him were not sited, and we weren’t asking any questions. Anyway, if you don’t want your passage through the beautiful town of PJ to be an expensive experience obey the speed limit to the letter (or number).

Danny Herbst Brian, Just read your article about texting in the Free Wheelin’ column (August 2014) and like yourself if I see someone at a light or driving I usually say something but it falls on deaf ears or gets ignored.

Last Friday there was a 4 car pileup caused by a 21 year old girl that was texting. The police gave her a ticket for reckless driving and a few other charges. She had stopped short because she wasn’t paying attention.

Unfortunately a motorcyclist on a sport bike hit the pileup and died; she was charged with causing the accident because she was texting, but not his death because she didn’t hit him. Unbelievable!

Tom Antonacchio – via Facebook As a firefighter and EMT I have seen my fair share of distracted driving accidents. At first it seemed to be mostly teens and those in their twenties involved in the accidents. But these days I see a lot more professionals causing these crashes. I guess its a “work can’t wait” attitude.

This has a caused a change in my attitude. I now assume many drivers will only glance up from their screen for a second or so. Therefore I need to do everything possible to be noticed in that brief moment. That means auxiliary lighting and a switch to hi-viz gear for me. I know I am preaching to the choir with Backroads readers but it is still worth noting.

John

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Excellent article by Peter Miller in the July 2014 issue - “I never saw him”. Spot on with every point. We stress these points in the MSF beginner, experienced and advanced courses we offer. We try to hit these points home by using a variation of Smokey the Bear’s slogan “Only YOU can prevent a motorcycle crash”!

Dave Bellizzi • The Riding Academy of NJ Hi Brian & Shira, Here it is... A beautiful Sunday afternoon at the Lake and I was able to sit and read the entire August issue.

And read it before August! Really that is not a small achievement for me. Seriously, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Maybe more than usual, as It was filled with trips that expanded the geography and motorcycling exploration beyond our wonderful northeastern section of America.

The Coal Country article was excellent. I have been though there a number of times and I always love the

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014 roads in addition to how one can experience a different life, life style, and human existence by those living there in a very tough industry.... all by us choosing to go on a multiple day trip to somewhere that isn’t part of our world. The Loopin the Cats article was great too. A great 250 mile day-trip loop that anyone in our area can follow and enjoy. Putting the map at the end was excellent, as it provided an easy picture of the entire trip. Then off to the next great article within the We’re Out of Here - Four State Meander Part One. Now I am looking forward to the September issue to see where else your adventure goes. Really cool... creating anticipation that is.

Then....Having a winter residence just above Sarasota, FLA, the original and current home of “ The Circus” where they have numerous museums and so much more to see, in an interesting artsy kind of way, that doesn’t offend the arts rookie like me or the art expert. Plainly, it is a fun place. In addition to the circus’s daily practice facility and aspiring circus artists facility, that are both open to the public, one will find that there is a huge emphasis on circus history everywhere. Talk about circus history... a buddy of mine went to the Retired Circus Performers New Years Eve Party last year, that is open to the public and boy did he get some incredible photos! Talk about crazy! I definitely need to do a New Years Eve party there after seeing the pics.

Huh? - you say....well these thoughts were all spurred by your article about the Elephant House. Gonna definitely make my way up there to explore that and to be able to say.... I was there- when I am back down in Sarasota. I will have been to the founding circus town. Yeh! Then there was the article that was national in scope while being filled with history. The Cannon Ball Baker Story. What a great article. How wonderful that you were able to share local, regional and national adventures with us , your motorcycling fans and readers, all in a single issue. No small Mt Everest there! Tough job indeed. Kudos to you both for putting together a great publication, month after month.

Wishing you a continued Endless Summer and many more exciting trips that are worth sharing with us readers and fans. Until we meet again..... Best wishes always Graham Graham, Thank you for one of the nicest letters we have ever received.

Page 9 Postcards from the hedGe

(Continued from Page 6)

of Death) and this newbie seems armed with the same kind of sporting versatility. Responsive handling and user-friendliness for a broad spectrum of riders was also an attribute of the old Scout, and once again these qualities seem to be major design goals with this new middleweight. In addition to the type of mass centralization and low center of gravity approaches that are a trademark of modern motorcycle design, the Scout doesn’t go for the heavy metal philosophy and instead tries to reduce mass where possible while still giving the bike a solid presence. With a claimed wet weight of 588 lbs. this is certainly no featherweight but is positively feathery compared to a lot of bikes in the cruiser genre. A stout frame and equally substantial 41mm front forks look promising for handing competence, and Indian claims a 31-degree lean angle. All this is dressed in some aggressive styling that seems to hit that magic combo of fresh, contemporary feel with a definite link to the architecture of Scouts past.

So here we are in 2014 with what may be the real return of Indian, meaning we may start to see bikes like the Scout in decent enough numbers to establish some healthy market presence. With a starting price of $10,999 and a healthy assortment of accessories on tap, things are looking up for Polaris’ new acquisition and I look forward to riding one of these beasts soon, to see if the hardware lives up to this first exposure.

The best part of this for me is I really was surprised when I first saw it and read about the new liquid-cooled mill, for it looks like at the very least the company’s heart is in the right place in terms of understanding what to take from the past, and what to adopt from the present. That’s a tough balancing act, and I sincerely hope they pulled it off.

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 10

INDUS TRY INFOBITES 2014 RIDE FOR KIDS HUDSON VALLEY EVENT A rainy Sunday didn’t stop more than 150 participants from enjoying the 22nd Hudson Valley Ride for Kids on Aug. 3. The event raised $49,906 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation by ride time.

Pediatric oncologist Dr. James Garvin of New York-Presbyterian spoke to the crowd of participants and stressed the importance of fundraising to support childhood brain tumor research.

“If you played baseball and got a hit two-thirds of the time that would be pretty good, but it is not nearly good enough if your child has a brain tumor,” Garvin said.

As of Aug. 3, the individual, motorcycle club/chapter and motorcycle business with the most raised were John Priesel ($5,500), Empire H.O.G. ($11,115) and Empire Harley-Davidson ($9,349). The top non-motorcycle group was Ride for Liam ($9,660).

Thank you to the dedicated volunteers who organized the event. This year’s task force leaders were Jack Jones and Mark Perillo.

2015 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX-10R AIMING FOR LAND SPEED RECORD AT BONNEVILLE SPEED WEEK It’s been an amazing 30th Anniversary year for the Kawasaki Ninja®. To date, the highlights have included Jeremy Toye’s triumph at Pikes Peak, Tom Sykes leading the World Superbike Championship and the release of the 2015 Ninja ZX®-14R 30th Anniversary Limited Edition.

The celebrations haven’t finished yet, and the next milestone will be an assault on Bonneville Speed Week in an attempt to set a new Land Speed Record at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

The 2015 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R has been entered by catalytic converter specialist, ACAT Global, with the aim of proving its motorcycle products in the most challenging conditions. The Ninja has been modified by racing specialists, Erion Racing, and will be ridden by Cathy Butler.

“The rules dictate that any part of the motorcycle that can be seen must be stock,” explained Erion Racing President, Kevin Erion. “We can remove the

News from the Inside mirrors and turn signals, as well as the rear footpegs, provided they don’t support the muffler. This is why the class is so attractive to a manufacturer, because the motorcycle that breaks the record looks exactly like the machine somebody can buy.

We’re allowed to make internal damper and engine modifications, so it’s basically a near-stock bike running on Pirelli World Superbike tires, which are mandated by the rules.”

The current SCTA P-P 1000 record stands at 198.24mph, set in 2012, and the team is confident they can achieve a new speed record after several shakedown runs at the El Mirage dry lakebed in California.

AMA ASSISTS EAST COAST ENDURO ASSOCIATION IN EFFORTS TO REOPEN NEW JERSEY TRAILS The American Motorcyclist Association presented research data and assistance to the East Coast Enduro Association during discussions with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in an effort to reopen some existing off-highway motorcycle trails in New Jersey state forests that were closed by administrative action in 2012.

The AMA-chartered ECEA outlined its objection to the DEP’s current policy that restricts enduro and other events to blacktop, gravel and sand and woods roads, with off-road travel limited to existing fire cuts. Information about the positive economic impact of off-highway-vehicle use was presented as well as advice on the use of volunteers and other trail-management solutions.

The DEP’s policy change — called the menu system — initially was pre-

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Products are distributed in the U.S.A by BRP US Inc. always ride responsibly and safely. Follow all instructional and safety material. BRP recommends a minimum operator age of 16 years old. Always observe applicable laws and regulations.

Respect the rights of shoreline residents, and keep a safe distance fro other recreationists. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including a Coast Guard-approved PFD that is suitable for PWC use. Not all riding conditions are appropriate for inexperienced or beginner riders. Always ride safely and responsibly. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

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SAVE THE DATE • SAT., OCT. 4 OPEN HOUSE

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www.CrossCountryPowersports.com Victory and Victory Motorcycles® are registered trademarks of Polaris Industries, Inc. Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing and obey the speed limit. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. ©2013 Polaris Industries Inc.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014 sented to the ECEA in 2009. The original draft of the plan included the OHV trails, and DEP staff members requested from the ECEA the GPS coordinates for the trails.

When the final plan was issued in 2012, the ECEA trails had been eliminated with no further discussion, said ECEA President Jamie Theurkauf.

“The system, imposed by the DEP two years ago, fails to acknowledge hundreds of miles of existing single-track trails that are approved in the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan and have been used by the ECEA and its predecessors since 1937,” Theurkauf said. “All we are seeking is development of a plan that will enable integration of sound forest management principles and ensure the survival of a 75-plus-year tradition of enduros in New Jersey. Included should be the use of sustainable trails that have been part of our DEP-approved events.

“Neither the DEP nor the anti-motorcyclist groups offer any scientific evidence that our events are responsible for any adverse effects in the state forests,” he said.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND MARVEL STUDIOS CONFIRM PROJECT LIVEWIRE WILL APPEAR IN MARVEL’S AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON At the San Diego Comic-Con, Harley-Davidson and Marvel Studios will introduce Project LiveWire™ – Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle – to fans gathered at the annual international convention. Project LiveWire, which is featured in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, will be the ride of choice for Natasha Romanoff (a.k.a. Black Widow) played by Scarlett Johansson, in an epic scene with Captain America in the film.

The addition of Project LiveWire to Avengers: Age of Ultron confirms months of speculation that Harley-Davidson and Marvel are, indeed, teaming up again.

Harley-Davidson mo-

Page 11 torcycles – including the Harley-Davidson Street 750™ featured in Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier earlier this year – have appeared in a number of Marvel movies and television shows over the last several years.

While not for sale, Project LiveWire is specifically designed to get insight into rider expectations of an electric Harley-Davidson motorcycle. To learn more about Project LiveWire and The Experience Tour, visit www.projectlivewire.com

MOTORCYCLE TOUR EXPLORES THE INCA WORLD OF ECUADOR Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental and Motorcycle Tours has announced that they have expanded their offering of guided motorcycle adventures to include a new 10-day adventure called Inca Roads. This all-inclusive tour will explore cultural and historical sites of the ancient Incan Empire while riding the best paved motorcycle roads in South America.

Inca Roads will have its first departure on October 10, 2014 with other dates set in 2015.

The Inca reigned over South America before the arrival of the Spanish and were some of the best road builders in history.

When their empire expanded from Peru into Ecuador in the early 1500’s, they built impressive cities, fortresses, burial grounds and temples connected by an extensive system of paved roads and suspension bridges known as the “Qhapaq Nan”. These roads were of such high quality that large stretches of them are still intact and last month were awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. The Qhapaq Nan road system was a unique achievement of engineering skills as it passed through varied geographical terrains, including the snow-capped mountain ranges of the Andes, rainforests, fertile valleys and

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 12 stark deserts.

In recent years Ecuador has rivaled the Incan Empire in road building. The country has the highest investment of GDP in road construction in all of the Americas and this has resulted in the creation of thousands of miles of newly paved and properly cambered roads.

This new motorcycle adventure begins in the second Inca capital city of Quito, high in the Andes Mountains. It ventures deep into the Amazon jungle, visits the colorful indigenous markets in Otavalo, zigzags up a mountain aboard one of the steepest railways in the world, and introduces the colonial city of Cuenca. It even offers an opportunity for a fishing expedition in the Amazon. Following portions of the Qhapaq Nan, riders will visit the Inca Solar Temple at Ingapirca and small villages where the Inca language, Kichwa, is still spoken. However, above all, this adventure is about panoramic views of spectacular landscapes seen while riding the newlypaved roads of Ecuador.

For more information please visit FreedomBikeRental.com

LONE COMPLAINT FORCES CHP TO REMOVE LANE-SPLITTING GUIDELINES A single complaint from a Sacramento man has forced the California Highway Patrol and other state government agencies to remove information from their websites that was intended to help motorcyclists safely execute the allowed lane-splitting maneuver.

Kenneth Mandler, a longtime state employee who now conducts training sessions on how to get a state job, petitioned the California Office of Administrative Law in 2013, claiming the CHP created an “underground regulation” by formulating and distributing guidelines for safe lane splitting.

Lane splitting, also called lane filtering, is the practice of riding a motorcycle or scooter between lanes of stopped or slowly moving traffic. The practice has been permitted in California for decades and no statute prohibits it.

No other state allows the maneuver.

The CHP posted its guidelines with the intention of helping motorcyclists and motorists understand safe practices and to discourage unsafe lane splitting.

“Some have interpreted the recently published Motorcycle Lane Splitting Guidelines as rules, laws or regulations that could or would be enforced by the department,” according to a CHP statement. “The guidelines were never intended for this purpose and were prepared simply as common sense traffic safety tips and to raise public awareness.”

The Office of Administrative Law sided with Mandler, noting that CHP Commissioner J. A. Farrow certified that his department would not “issue, use, enforce, or attempt to enforce the public education information.” The OAL determined that posting the guidelines on the website was “issuing” them.

“By forcing the California Highway Patrol to remove its guidelines, Mr. Mandler and the Office of Administrative Law are denying the public vital safety information,” said Nick Haris, AMA western states representative and a member of the California Motorcyclist Safety Program Advisory Committee, which helped write the guidelines.

“Lane splitting is still allowed, and motorcyclists are still using this longrecognized riding technique to relieve traffic congestion and improve safety,” Haris said. “But now, neither riders nor motorists have a place to turn for authoritative guidelines on the practice.”

RAMAPO MOTORCYCLE CLUB HELPS OUT AGAIN “Striving to Enhance the Sport of Motorcycling” since 1938, the Ramapo Motorcycle Club of Rockland County has also been a strong supporter of local charitable and communityminded institutions. On Friday, August 8, 2014 the Club donated another $500 to the Helen Hayes Hospital Foundation, the second such gift this year, representing fund-raising proceeds from its 38th annual running of the Ramapo 500 ™ Motorcycle Touring Rally held on July 12th and 13th. The Club is a GOLD Sponsor for the Hospital’s 10K Walk/Wheel/Run event scheduled to take place in October. Pictured here, Club Road Captain Richard Roberts is presenting a check to Marci Kurtz from Helen Hayes Hospital.

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s M YSTE RIOUS AME RICA lovers, sPies & traitors THE STORY OF MAJOR JOHN ANDRE For the last three months we have be hot on the trail of a little known side of the Revolutionary War. The seldom-mentioned Battle of Brooklyn, the now talked about Culper Ring and, for this final installment, a story of sex, spies, treachery and betrayal - The tale of Major John Andre.

John Andre was born in London in 1750 to French Huguenots parents. He was educated in Switzerland and returned to London when he was a young man of 17 years.

Unlike many London men of his time Andre had a lot going for him. He was fluent in English, French, German, and Italian. He drew and painted, wrote lyric and comic verse, and played the flute.

He was handsome, charismatic and very much a ladies man.

It has been said that he chose a life in the military after the break up of an engagement and he was commissioned on March 4th, 1771, and was selected for special training in Germany, where he spent two years. In 1774 he went to America as lieutenant in the Royal English Fusileers traveling to Canada by way of Philadelphia and Boston.

As a British lieutenant in Canada, Andre was involved in the defense of St. Johns, which was taken by American forces on November 2, 1775, after a two-month siege.

Now a prisoner-of-war he was brought to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and eventually was freed to General Howe as part of a prisoner exchange.

Back with the British John Andre made a name for himself with gallantry and fortitude in several battles including the Battle of Brandywine, Grey’s bloody night raid, known as the Paoli Massacre, the Battle of Germantown, the British occupation of Philadelphia, the Battle of Monmouth, and Grey’s brutal raids of 1778 in Massachusetts and New Jersey. One of the most reliable sources for the history of the war from the British side is Andre’s journal.

During the winter 1777 - 78 British occupation of Philadelphia, while Washington and his men endured that terrible winter at Valley Forge, Andre wrote poetry for the Tory women, including Peggy Shippen, and took center stage in making the otherwise boring days entertaining.

The young Peggy Shippen (whose family has the town of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania named after them - our home base for this year’s Fall Fiesta) was greatly taken with the dashing officer – who would soon rise to the rank of Major – and let’s say the lust was mutual.

The following spring Andre was transferred and it was said that the young lass cried for days missing her paramour.

But, times and things change during war and soon the Continental Army was in charge of Philadelphia.

Andre had won the fondness and friendship of General Clinton, Howe’s successor, and Clinton had confidence in Andre’s resourcefulness and discretion. He delegated to Andre the coordination of British intelligence activities, to which he entered enthusiastically. His journals shed light on his competence maintaining secrecy among his network of spies, while gathering information as to which American officers might prove corruptible.

By this time Peggy Shippen had also moved on - catching the eye of a Continental Army General named Benedict Arnold.

Even though she was far younger than Arnold and had loyalist tendencies

the two were soon married.

Not caring for the way he was being treated, mounting debts and with less than stellar ego about him Arnold requested a transfer and was mistakenly given the post of commanding West Point.

West Pont and its great chain across the Hudson River was key to the Continental Army’s plans and the war as a whole.

If West Point were to fall the mighty British Navy could control the important Hudson River and the war could very well be quickly lost.

With his young wife in contact with her former (?) lover, Arnold saw a way to turn his fortunes around, clear his debts and become the important man he always wished to be. There is little doubt that Benedict Arnold would do all this with the urgings of his wife.

On May 10, 1779, Andre received a most historic offer. American General Benedict Arnold, commander of West Point, the fort key to control of the Hudson Valley and New England, offered to surrender the fort to the English — for a fee. Negotiations continued for months, but bogged down over the fee. Arnold wanted 10,000 pounds, success or failure. Clinton demanded success.

For more than a year messages were secretly sent between the two officers.

Benedict Arnold now asked for twice the price, a goodly sum of 20,000 pounds.

On the night of September 21, Andre came ashore from the British sloop “Vulture,” anchored in the Hudson just south of West Point, met with Arnold, accepted a sheaf of documents, and spent the night at the house of Joshua Hett Smit, whose house was located on the hill that the Helen Hayes Hospital sits on Route 9W in West Haverstraw.

Smith, a Loyalist collaborator, escorted Andre back to the “Vulture,” only to find it missing. It had withdrawn after coming under fire the night before.

Andre would have to make his way back to New York City and the safety of British held territory on foot.

He changed from his British officers uniform to civilian clothes – a fatal, if necessary, mistake.

With just miles to go and thinking he was safely in British territory Andre ran into a trio of American freelancers – not even regular soldiers - dressed in British uniforms. Andre commanded them to give way. To Andre’s surprise they immediately searched him, and discovering the secret papers hidden in his boot, Andre was immediately arrested.

By this time Washington, who was supposed to be captured by the attacking British forces that very day, had discovered that Arnold is nowhere to be found at West Point. It is soon learned of his treachery and the capture of Major John Andre. The plan has gone terribly wrong.

Ironically Arnold escaped by ordering his own men to row heartily down river to catch the Vulture.

He is taken aboard and his own men taken prisoner.

He has left his wife and child behind at West Point – trusting General Washington to be a man of honor and that no repercussions will happen to his family for his treachery. Arnold is correct and eventually Peggy and family are reunited with the nation’s most famous traitor.

Andre is held at Mabie’s Inn - what is now the Old 76’ House, a restaurant

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

in Tappan, New York, while Washington decides how to handle this “British Spy.” Andre is beloved by the British and admired by Washington and fellow officers of the Continental Army.

But, what goes around comes around in war and life.

Four years earlier a young soldier, just 21 years old, named Nathan Hale was caught spying by the British and hanged near what would become 64th street and 3rd Avenue in today’s Manhattan.

Washington cannot forget nor forgive this act and regrettably the same will be done to John Andre – regardless of the General’s feelings about the man.

On September 29, 1780, Andre is found guilty of being behind American lines “under a feigned name and in a disguised habit.”

He requests to be put to death by firing squad, as is customary in these cases, but it is not to be and Andre was hanged as a spy at noon on October 2, 1780.

Today in Tappan, New York you will find a granite marker atop the very hill that Andre was hung. The monument was constructed in 1879 by millionaire Cyrus W. Field.

The monument caused quite a bit of controversy when it was first constructed. It was vandalized, and then had its base blown up twice by persons who felt that a monument to a British spy was an insult to Washington. For

Page 15

this reason a bronze tablet was later added to commemorate the bravery of Washington and his generals during a crisis of the war.

We felt the monument was more about the bond that England and the U.S. now have.

And, while in the town, you should stop by the ’76 House for lunch – a true part of America’s history and once a stop on our own Great All American Diner Run. We have come full circle now. From Brooklyn to Setauket, Long Island, across the Sound into Connecticut, back west to the Hudson and West Point and onto the hanging of Major Andre.

The really curious part of all this is that it’s all true - yet hardly known.

It all happened, it is all a few day’s ride around modern day New York and it is all part of what I call Mysterious America.

O’Life out!

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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BIG CIT Y G ETAWAY Grounds for sculPture SEWARD JOHNSON – THE RETROSPECTIVE I am serious about giving the viewer a meaningful experience.

I am serious about wanting the viewer to leave the sculpture with a different view of art…possibly, with a different view of the world.

Seward Johnson Last year we told you about one of finest sculpture parks in the United States – Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, New Jersey.

With this September issue we’d like to really urge you … really urge you, to take a ride down to see the largest and most significant exhibition in its history—a presentation of work by its founder, Seward Johnson.

Johnson, age 83, is an American sculptor and philanthropist who has ded-

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind icated his career to public art. His realistic bronze and monumental figures are familiar sights throughout the world.

If you are not familiar with Johnson’s work know that his famed likenesses are incredibly life-like and you just might be fooled a few times into believing you are next to a real person.

This exhibit will feature more than 287 of Johnson’s works, including his Forever Marilyn (a giant statue of the famed starlet), The Awakening (a giant bronze Lincoln bursting from the ground), and Unconditional Surrender (the famed sailor and nurse kiss from VJ-Day).

There was no way Shira was going to miss this exhibit so, one splendid riding day, we rode down with friends Flip and David.

Parking was easy and the $15 admission fee well worth it.

Strolling around the 42-acre park we were once again wowed with the great variety of statues and exhibits.

In addition to the wonderful works of art and statues the grounds are magnificent – from the great water features to the giant lotus flowers – simply walking around the Grounds for Sculpture is a worthy endeavor.

We spent a good couple of hours strolling around the grounds and taking in the many, many statues and hidden nooks and crannies of the park.

I wanted to take a break only to see the bench had somebody already laying on it. Nope – a Seward Johnson statue.

The guy washing the windows – again a work from Johnson.

His works are so lifelike that most folks will be fooled, if only for a second.

Inside the museum they had Johnson’s take on famed pieces of art, all done in the third dimension style for which he is known. You could even walk into these famed pieces to become part of art history. Cameras are set up at many

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

pieces and while you are posing in Van Gough’s Bedroom in Arles, your friends can be across the museum photographing you complete with a frame. Take a stroll in Cailebotte’s rainy day Paris street; don’t forget your umbrella. Sneak in behind Mona Lisa and find out just why she was smiling.

Strolling under the giant statue of Marilyn Monroe I tried my best not to look up; but was unsuccessful. Hey, I’m a guy. We then walked along the lake and to Rat’s restaurant, a very French-style bistro in the most beautiful setting you could imagine. A lagoon full of art, ducks, peacocks and smoke.

Prices here are not off the chart and certainly the presentation, staff, ambiance and the food itself is well worth the price.

We easily got an outdoor table facing the smoky head and Monet’s Bridge and dove into one of the nicest meals we have had in a long time.

After lunch we spent another hour walking along some of the paths we had missed before. Johnson’s ‘Were You Invited?’ is simply something that

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has to be seen – especially when you read the story behind it.

In addition to Seward Johnson you will find so many other great artists represented here at Grounds for Sculpture. I particular like the large stone works, and the Forest of the Subconscious was interesting if a bit creepy.

Yep, we all agreed the forest was a bit creepy.

We strolled back across the park to the Meadow to see The Awakening – a most dramatic piece – and then headed back to the main building to watch a short film of Seward Johnson himself.

We wish we would have gotten down to this exhibit sooner but, there is still time to see this phenomenal show. Seward Johnson: The Retrospective will be on view through September 21, 2014 and for more information please visit their website: groundsforsculpture.org.

We still loved our first ride down so here it is again. Enjoy.

Rip & Ride® can be found on page 50

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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Rollin’ Fast Cycle Sports presents the

G RE AT AL L AM ERI C AN DINE R R UN

tasty places to take your bike

texas lunch 204 E MAIN ST, LOCK HAVEN, PA 570-748-3522 • WWW.TEXAS-LUNCH.COM While Brian was busy working up a sweat riding with the ALTRider group in the woods, I decided to explore the region my own way. Having fellow moto-journalist friends Pam and Tim Collins just up the road a piece in Montoursville, I thought meeting for breakfast would be a great start of the day.

Pam suggested an old establishment that she frequented while attending college, Texas Lunch.

Seems Texas Lunch has been dishing out food from early morning to late night snacks since 1918. It was situated centrally between the three theaters, and folks could get a hot dog and chocolate milk before a movie for a quarter.

During those 96 years, it passed through four families but has always been a diner-style restaurant and always in its original location. Phil Anastos, the current chief cook and bottle washer, took over the reins from his parents, who bought it in 1961. As a matter of fact, his mom, Stella, still works at Texas, with this being her 53rd year serving up their legendary grub. Pam told me they used to head to ‘The Texas’ after frat parties for a Growler (hot dog with special sauce, onions and then some), Grinder (hamburger shaped like a hot dog served in a hot dog bun with chili sauce) and gravy fries.

Today you’ll find Texas Lunch pretty much the same as it was all those years ago. Sure, they’ve had a bit of an update and remodeling, cleaned off some of the grease from the grills and perhaps changed their late night hours, but you

still find that old-style diner atmosphere. You’ll find your red vinyl seating, counter stools and open grill cooking. The place is on the small side, so if you happen to show up at peak dining hours with a group, you may have to slide in where available.

Service is fairly quick, courteous and, all in all, no frills. And, of course, breakfast is served all day.

And you’ll have plenty to choose from for your breakfast wishes. Eggs any way you’d like with lots of breakfast meats and that every famous Pennsylvania scrapple. Prefer your eggs stuffed? How about a variety of omelets ranging from plain to Big Pete’s which will bring you gyro meat, tomato and feta wrapped in your cackleberry. I opted for something called the Camp Mess that plated eggs with my choice of meat, potatoes, onion, green pepper and cheese topped with Growler sauce.

Northwest Jersey’s

TUESDAY BIKE NITE only on tuesdays only at texas smoke Indoor and outdoor dining Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Located on scenic Route 97 along the Delaware Big enough for a group • Outdoor Seating

Pond Eddy, NY • 845-557-0097 www.RiverRunnersRoost.com

See us at Champions of the Grill Sussex County Fairgrounds, NJ September 21

Texas Smoke Barbecue 400 Route 15 South • Jefferson NJ 862-209-4078 • www.TexasSmokeBBQ.com

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014 Holy cow, did I need a hike in the Alleghenies after that meal.

Continuing on with your morning meal, you’ll find hotcakes, waffles, French toast, sandwiches and, if you happen to be one of those people who needs a healthy start, there’s yogurt and fresh fruit or oatmeal.

If you’ve been out riding the trails and curvies of the area and find yourself stopping in for lunch, no worries. You’ll find what The Texas is famous for – the Growler; a Texas weiner served with Greek sauce, mustard and diced onions. From all my research, the Texas Weiner has absolutely nothing to do with the state of Texas. In fact, it was originated in Paterson, New Jersey in a Greek-owned hot dog restaurant, such as Hot Grill in Clifton, NJ. Greek sauce is something similar to a Bolognese but with a Greek twist that includes chopped meat, cayenne, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and cumin, to name a few spices. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, the dogs are usually grilled rather than deep-fried as in the Jersey version, but the toppings and the ownership of the establishment are pretty much universal.

Not in the mood for a frank? How about a smattering of burgers with toppings galore (how’s this – the Mickey Burger with peanut butter, bacon and American cheese?), paninis with an equal amount of variety, a good old fashioned BLT or the ever present entry in any Greek diner worth its salt, the gyro. Sitting alongside your main dish will be that loved potato from across the pond, French Fries.

Whether naked or smothered with gravy, cheese, Horsey sauce (don’t ask me, I didn’t order it), 5 spice or the always-present Texas sauce, you’ll be in starch heaven. Moving on to the more substantial entrees you’ll find fried chicken, always a favorite in our house, steaks, fish and chips, pork chops and my personal diner favorite, liver and onions.

Whether you start or finish your day at Texas Lunch, you’re sure to find a little piece of classic Americana in every ruby red booth. Stop by any day starting at 6am (Sundays at 7) for your fix of comfort food.

Here’s a route for anyone living in the Shippensburg area or those coming on our Fall Fiesta ride at the end of September.

Shira Kamil

Rip & Ride® can be found on Page 39

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FULL LINE OF 2014 VICTORY MODELS MASSIVE SELECTION of 2014 VICTORY APPAREL See the full line of Victory motorcycles and apparel at

ROLLIN’ FAST Cycle Sports 104 Main Street, Lebanon, NJ

908-236-9000 • www.rollinfast.com Here to serve you Monday-Friday 9a-6p • Thursday 9a-7p • Saturday 9a-5p Gone Riding Sunday

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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Bergen County Harley-Davidson presents

W E’RE OUT TA HERE FOUR STATE MEANDER PART TWO Continuing along with our meander, we will cross the river just north of Kingston.

Not too far along you’ll come to a fork in the road. We’d tell you to ‘take it!’ but considering it is 31 feet high perhaps we should just admire it this day.

This side of the Hudson is a bit more wide open in parts, compared to its twin across the river and this region is part of old America. It was along these roads that General Washington and the Continental Army marched against his majesty’s Lobsterbacks. George seemed content in his castle whilst his generals and armies tried to hold his colonies.

Well King George isn’t the only one with a castle.

Our ride will bring us by one of the oddest homes in these United States – Wing’s Castle. The brainchild of artists Peter and Toni Ann Wing is created from recycled material and old rubble.

The result is an incredibly unique and wondrous home that is also a Bed & Breakfast and makes a more than excellent stop for the night, depending on where you are on this Four State Meander.

Whatever your plans, take the tour and see what this couple has created, it’s one of O’Life’s favorite places.

Following the forest and farmland roads east we will cross into the Nutmeg state of Connecticut and then start heading south on picturesque Route 7.

Along this route you will find many small towns and plenty of things to see, including Kent Falls State Park. Coming off the southern Berkshires the park’s falls, Connecticut’s highest waterfall, cascades 250 feet down on its way to joining the Housatonic River.

South along Route 7 we’ll sidetrack over Bull’s Bridge, one of just two ‘covered bridges’ that you can motor over in Connecticut.

This historic bridge was built in 1842 but the mystery is…. by whom?

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads It seems nobody knows and there is no historical record anywhere.

The Bulls Bridge is a one span Town Lattice and Queenpost Truss with a total length of 109 feet. Some serious work went into a bridge built this well and that could last to this day and “nobody” knows who built it?

Wild. It used to be said that Bulls Bridge was noted for three things, “lamper eels, bull beef and handsome women.”

Tough bridges too.

Our romp will continue south just a bit longer before we vector westward and cross back into NYS. Hopefully at this point everyone is hungry, as we’ll be heading right by one of the best barbeques in the region – Big W’s!

Warren and crew do a serious job at America’s favorite. Their pulled pork, chicken and brisket have become the stuff of legends and the ribs are to die for. Take a break and enjoy a great meal.

Once we are all geared back up, and on the road again, we will be heading west, along some of the neatest roads in the area.

Along Route 301 we might want to stop once again for something big and special.

Inside the Great Buddha Hall at the Chuang Yen Monastery sits the 37-foot tall statue of the Buddha Vairocana. This figure is encircled by 10,000 smaller Buddha statuettes arranged on a lotus terrace semi-circle. It is quite the sight and the imposing statue is part of an active temple in the monastery, so they appreciate respect and quiet. Visitors remove their boots before entering the hall. It is an extremely impressive sight to behold, and to find it here along our Four State Meander is especially inspiring.

From the Giant Buddha we will head back to the Hudson River and scoot south to cross back over the Bear Mountain Bridge.

Passing by the refurbished Bear Mountain Inn which serves an ex-

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

Page 21 cellent Sunday Brunch and has a some new rooms for the night, we’ll ride up the mountain and bear right on Perkin’s Drive.

High atop the mountain you can get a bit higher if you decide to hike up the tower. From here you can see the true majesty of the Hudson River and valley and once again appreciate what Thomas Cole and others saw in this beautiful part of our country.

Uh oh…. Hey, this is it. The tour is done, fini, over.

We have touched four states - New Jersey, Pennsylvania New York and Connecticut and we hope you had a good time, discovered a lot of things and you will urge others to follow in your wake.

There is nothing better than sharing two-wheeled adventures with your friends.

Wing’s Castle, 717 Bangall Rd, Millbrook, NY 845-677-9085 • www.wingscastle.com Bed and Breakfast includes continental breakfast and tour of castle.

Big W’s BBQ, 1475 NY 22, Wingdale, NY 845-832-6200 • www.bigwsbbq.com Open at Noon Wednesday-Sunday ‘til ribs run out Chuang Yen Monastery, 2020 Route 301, Carmel, NY 845-225-1819 • www.baus.org • Open April 1-January 1 9am-5pm Bear Mountain Inn, 3020 Seven Lakes Dr, Bear Mountain, NY 845-786-2731 • www.visitbearmountain.com Lodging at Inn or lodge starting at $135/night. Cottages please call for pricing.

Two restaurants on site open Thurs-Sun. Check Groupon.com for available specials.

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SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

hayek’s market ice cream Parlor 1 MILL ST, NEWTON, NJ 973-383-1640 • WWW.HAYEKSMARKET.COM Sometimes the thing that you search out the most ends up being in your own back yard. I was recently sent a listing of 27 ice cream shops you need to visit before you die from our friend Steve Andersen at Morton’s BMW in Virginia. In his message he said that I’d probably been to most of them. Truth is, I’d been to four of the 27 as most were west of the Mississippi or over the pond, but the ones within striking distance will be added to my ice cream bucket list. Of course there were hundreds of people commenting after the post about their omitted favorite ice cream haunts. I think that people defend their foodie places (pizzerias, ice cream or hot dogs) more than they’ll defend a slur on their mother. After reading BuzzFeed’s listings, I thought of all the great ice cream places I’d visiting over the years and, when they were scooping their own homemade stuff, I was hard pressed to find fault with any of them. Ice cream is good, plain and simple.

With September easing its way into the edges of summer, I’m bringing the ice cream hunt closer to home; well, my home anyway.

There is a very good local market in Newton, NJ that has been serving folks home cooked and delicious food for quite some time.

Hayek’s Market, right off the square and down the street from the county courthouse, went through a major remodeling last year, reopening in October. As part of their renovations they added an ice cream parlor, scooping up premium hard ice cream in a plethora of flavors.

While they aren’t churning their own dairy stuff, they are serving some of the finest ice cream you can find in New Jersey from ‘down below’ – Cliff’s Ice Cream in Ledgewood, NJ. Cliff’s was one of the first stops on my Ice Cream Run, and continues to please the crowds of folks they serve all year round.

Hayek’s may not have the full compliment of Cliff’s enormous flavor offerings, but what they do have will make your mouth water. Of course they have their seasonal flavors such as peach and strawberry and the standards like Hershey’s chocolate and vanilla but they also carry such awesomeness as Oreo Cheesecake, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter Campfire S’mores and, my personal favorite, Holy Cannoli (vanilla ice cream with pieces of cannoli and chocolate chips). They have some sugar free flavors as well as soft serve, Italian ice and frozen yogurt. You can get your ice cream au natural in cup or cone, build yourself a custom sundae including whipped cream and a cherry or order

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

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up a thick shake or malt using any of the hard ice cream flavors. Hayek has their own signature Avalanche (think DQ Blizzard only a whole lot better) with an abundance of toppings and mixins. If you’re visiting with a group, why not try their Crowd Pleaser – your choice of twelve monstrous scoops of ice cream, five toppings, whipped cream AND a cherry? Try eating that before it melts. If you happen to be having a special celebration, Hayek can supply you with a specialized ice cream cake to wow your friends and loved ones.

Hayek’s has placed some picnic tables around the parking lot so you can sit and relax with your frozen confection. If you happen to be hungry for more than just ice cream, they have a wonderful market inside with loads of prepared foods and made-to-order sandwiches, fruits, drinks and whatever else may satisfy your hunger. Plop yourself at a table, enjoy the comings and goings of downtown Newton, and top it all off with your favorite flavor.

Being as some folks think there is a season for ice cream (FOOLS!) Hayek’s Ice Cream Parlor stays open until some time in November, depending on the fickleness of Mother Nature. Their hours are Sunday-Thursday Noon-8:30pm and Friday and Saturday Noon-9pm. If you bring a freezer bag or just live close by, you can bring home pints and quarts for later consumption.

Here’s a little ramble to bring you to my backyard. Enjoy the day, your ice cream and we’ll see you on the road.

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Page 24

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START: HARRIMAN STATE PK SEVEN LAKES DR CIRCLE CONTINUE ON SEVEN LAKES DR RIGHT ONTO ARDEN VALLEY DR LEFT ONTO ROUTE 17 SOUTH RIGHT ONTO ORANGE TPKE/CR 19 LEFT ONTO BRAMERTOWN RD LEFT ONTO BENJAMIN MEADOW RD RIGHT ONTO ROUTE 17A BEAR RIGHT AT FORK – STAY ON ROUTE 17A LEFT ONTO ROUTE 94 SOUTH RIGHT ONTO CR 1A LEFT ONTO AMITY RD RIGHT ONTO NEWPORT BRIDGE RD LEFT ONTO CR 88/LIBERTY CORNER RD RIGHT ONTO OIL CITY RD RIGHT ONTO ROUTE 284 BEAR RIGHT ONTO CR 36 INTO CR 651 RIGHT ONTO GORGE RD RIGHT ONTO ROUTE 23 NORTH

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

LEFT ONTO CR 519 RIGHT ONTO CR 636/UPPER NORTH SHORE RD RIGHT ONTO ROUTE 206 NORTH LEFT ONTO STRUBLE RD LEFT ONTO CR 615 LEFT ONTO OLD MINE RD RIGHT ONTO CR 615 LEFT ONTO MILLBROOK RD LEFT ONTO CR 659/SPRING VALLEY RD LEFT ONTO CR 521 RIGHT ONTO OLD ORCHARD RD-HESS RD LEFT ONTO HENFOOT RD LEFT ONTO FREDON MARKSBORO RD LEFT ONTO DIXON RD RIGHT ONTO PUDER RD LEFT ONTO OLD MIDDLEVILLE RD RIGHT ONTO KOHLBOCKER RD RIGHT ONTO CR 614 LEFT ONTO VAN HORN RD LEFT ONTO ANDERSON HILL RD RIGHT ONTO CR 622 RIGHT ONTO CR 519 HAYEK’S ENTRANCE ON RIGHT BEFORE ROUTE 206

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

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EVENT RECAP

words & images: Michael Nemlich Last year’s Barber Vintage Festival was the biggest yet. Aided by perfect weather and an event filled calendar, attendance was up significantly from the previous year. The Barber management team continues to improve the event and build attendance every year. They confirmed over 65,000 people attended over the 3-day weekend!

Originally headed to Colorado for an end of the season ride we had to come up with a plan B after the Rockies and parts of the Midwest had severe fog and an early season snowstorm. Knowing some friends were going to Barber to race their vintage bikes we decided to head south instead of west. The 700-mile trip was a day’s ride. Leaving Chicago’s 45 degree weather we arrived in Birmingham’s 80 degree and sunny weather twelve hours later after several construction delays and detours.

The event is held annually at the Barber Motorsports Park which comprises 740 acres only ten minutes from the Birmingham International airport and fifteen minutes from downtown Birmingham. Accessibility to Barber is unbelievably simple and organized for such a major motorcycle event compared to Laguna Seca, Road America, Watkins Glen, or Mid-Ohio. The Park comprises the Barber Vintage Motorcycle Museum, a 2.38 mile, 17-turn race track, and motocross/ offroad course. The family friendly park has plenty of parking, dining choices, facilities and a free tram system that circulates around the track all day. They even have a high plateau motor coach parking area for those who travel by executive coach.

The motorcycle museum has to be one of the world’s finest. The collection includes over 1100 bikes, of which over 700 are on display at any time. The

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collection includes bikes from around the world including many one-of-a-kind, and race bikes. Also included is the world’s most extensive collection of Lotus racecars. The building is currently at capacity with bikes and cars seemingly covering every wall, hanging from the ceiling and riding atop the elevator! Besides bikes that are brand new there is Jim Rogers 1988 BMW R100RT and Tabatha Estabrook’s 1989 BMW R80, both used in their round the world trip covering 65,067 miles in twenty-two months.

Admission to the Museum (separate from Park admission) included several seminars all of which were well attended.

John Healy and Don Hutchinson with over 100 years of experienced could answer any question on British motorcycles. A collecting and protecting seminar covered the current and future market for vintage bikes and how to safeguard them. Leo Goff discussed how to get more power from your vintage bike. A TIG welding demonstration showed the technique to weld steel, aluminum and stainless steel.

Each day had a full schedule of fifteen vintage races. Using the tram between races would allow one to see each race from a different vantage point around the track. The picturesque grounds contained many pieces of interesting sculptures.

The highlight for many was the lunch time Century Parade and Race of the Century. All entries must be at least 100 years old! There were ten entries in this year’s race. In a photo finish, the winner was Dale Walksler on a 1912 Indian Twin, followed by less than a bike length by John Menefee on a 1911 Indian Twin.

The swap meet, which has gotten bigger over the years, was bustling all day with many bikes with sold signs appearing by 9am on the first day. The selection of parts and bikes were mostly Japanese but with enough BSA, BMW, Harley, Husky, Norton, Ossa and Triumph to keep everyone interested.

The Ace Café Corner on turn 17 (additional charge to enter) was the only place to buy a cold beer in the Motorsports Park. On display were four Brough Superiors and many custom Triumphs. The London based Ace Café had an incredibly

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diverse display of all of their branded clothing, watches and farkle items for riders and their motorcycles.

The offroad/motocross course was busy Saturday with trials, vintage and post vintage cross country races and Sunday with motocross racing.

The Classic Motorcycle Auction was well attended and 84% of the bikes sold.

Sales totaled over $520,000, with the majority of bikes offered at no reserve. The highlight was a 1905 Indian Camelback that sold for $54,000. Most bikes sold for less than $10,000 and over 40 went for less than $5,000. As with any auction it’s best to get there early and know what you’re bidding on.

As is the tradition at the Barber Fall Motorcycle Festival, the VJMC (Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club) was the first display as one enters the Motorsports complex. The VJMC consistently attracts Japanese bikes from all over the USA, which are then featured in their bike show and restoration workshops. Motorcycle Classics magazine hosted their annual Vintage Motorcycle Show featuring BMW. In addition they produced seminars on Ignition systems, carburetors and tire fundamentals.

Besides all the terrific vintage bikes on display and ridden, there was a good display of vintage fire trucks.

The Fan Zone vendor area was highlighted by the Triumph Dealers of North America tent which featured the Triumph rocket bike as seen in many of their recent ads. If you’re anything but a size small, you’re not fitting into the bike! The wide variety of vendors would appeal to any rider and your wallet would be thinner when you left.

Next year’s Barber Vintage Festival will be October 10-12, 2014. Save the dates on your calendar now and make your hotel reservations as rooms sell out quickly. For all the details, ticket purchases and hotel listings visit www.barbervintagefestival.org/

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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Surf to Turf Tour Mid-Atlantic R o m p

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e have always encouraged our readers to learn as much as they can when it comes to riding motorcycles. The more you practice, the more proficient a rider you will be. It could and will save you pain down the road.

There are a number of schools and instruction to be had in the world of two-wheeled motorbike riding and, no matter how many years you have been riding, you can always learn something new. Over the past few decades we have taken dozens of different schools and instructional days, but have returned again and again to Reg Pridmore’s CLASS. INTRODUCING THE NEW

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We usually did just one day each time we attended, but last year we stuck around for a second day of instruction for, as Reg himself said, “Sometimes on the second day everything just clicks and you smooth out and become that more confident and skilled rider you were seeking.”

He was right. Day Two was much more fun and far smoother.

We had the opportunity to return this year to Virginia International Raceway, right on the border with North Carolina, and to Pridmore’s famed CLASS for another two-day scamper and instruction – or do I have that backwards – with Reg, Gigi and crew, and took advantage of this master and his instruction once again.

spacecrafts, battling some urban blight around Wilmington, Delaware, but soon had us on, for us, the very familiar roads of Maryland’s Eastern Shore as we piloted down along the Chesapeake Bay. Crossing the Sassafras River Shira ferreted out a little ice cream joint – perfect place alongside water for double scoop cone with a view.

We spent this first night in Chestertown, taking a chain hotel room and riding to the Chester River for dinner with waterside view.

This charming little town is situated on the banks of the peaceful Chester River and exemplifies the easy, country living that is Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It is known for its superb waterfront homes, built during the Revolu-

Last year I remember a long haul one-day ride to VIR. Hot, tiring and 500 miles of interstate made for little fun and adventure.

This year we had the time so we pulled out the manually acquired positioning systems (MAPS) and Garmin’s Base Camp program and very soon we had a giant 1,000+ mile loop from Backroads Central down along Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Delmarva peninsula and across the humongous Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel into mainland Virginia and to VIR. After two days of happy instruction and learning, we’d run directly up through Old Dominion hitting a number of points of interest along the way.

From the sea to the mountains it would be a Surf to Turf Tour.

Day One found us scooting along the Delaware River region, spotting lawn

tionary period, which can be seen from the Chester River Bridge. These Georgian mansions along the water, and many of the buildings in the town’s center will tell of the town’s history, rooted in the Revolutionary era of the 1700s.

It is such a pleasant place that we could live here but the town already has its own motorcycle publication as the folks at Mid-Atlantic Monthly call Chestertown home.

The previous day found us leaving in the wet and dodging precipitation most of the day, but this Saturday was a far different day with bright sunshine and about 200 backroads miles to put away before we parked for the day in Cape Charles, Virginia, at the bottom of the Delmarva.

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 30 As we mentioned in our special Crab Runnin’ issue a few months back, there are plenty of great roads to be found in this region – you just need to put in the effort and search them out.

We made a great day of it as we rode under a bright azure sky jogging off the main road, crossing on the small Whitehall ferry, with its pair of osprey

keeping vigilance on us from their nest full of their brood, we generally ate up some great miles all the time heading south (more or less). Along one small estuary we stopped to help a good sized Snapping Turtle make his way across the road.

In truth he’d have been happier if we just let him be as there was near zero traffic and he or she (more likely) was on a mission. He really wanted no part of us – well, maybe a finger or two.

Still, Shira is a founding member of IMPACT – “ International Motorcycle Protection And Caretaking of Turtles” – that being the case we stop and save when possible.

Still, it is interesting situations like these that point out why we travel the way we do and on these out of the way routes. There is also a bit less chance of running into “Imperial Entanglements” on the tiny backroads. (Complimentary Backroads goodie bag for the first person who tells me where that is from.)

Just to our east –a few miles as the crow flies – Route 13 was packed with late spring travelers heading to the Maryland and Virginia “beach towns.”

It would be bumper to bumper at times, but not for us. We had clear pavement that weaved its way along rivers, wetlands, farms and historic little towns like Quantico, Maryland with its cute brick sidewalks and Franktown, in Virginia, with the smallest 1269 DOLSONTOWN RD Town Hall I have ever seen. We crossed tiny wooden MIDDLETOWN NY 10940 one-lane bridges, with just a few other riders waving as they came past. In truth we saw just a smattering of cars along this route and, of course, Mr. Snapper who we 845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM hope is enjoying a long turtle life.

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I rode down the middle somewhere in Maryginia.

By early afternoon we had rolled into Cape Charles.

Located near the bottom of the peninsula, Cape Charles was a pre-planned and purposely-created town made so by railroad and ferry interests.

Today’s harbor was dredged at great expense to allow shipping and today railroad tracks still dominate parts of the town.

In 1890 the Corps of Engineers dredged the harbor basin, its entrance, and a channel through Cherrystone Inlet and built stone jetties protecting the harbor outlet. By 1912 the Corps estimated that Cape Charles harbor handled 2,500,000 tons of freight a year.

The ferry ran across the bay from here to Little Creek for years with the last ferry sailing in 1963 – the year before the opening of the mighty Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel.

High above it, like a giant sentinel, stands the town’s water tower looking like a typical Chesapeake Bay lighthouse.

This weekend they were celebrating the Tall Ships down at the harbor and after a quick bite we strolled the town and looked around the festival, avoiding the pirates and touring both the top sail schooner Lynx and the Swedish tall ship Kalmar Nyckel; both very impressive ships.

Making sure to keep an eye on our caloric intake while on the road I dutifully followed Shira on another of her ice cream runs – this time to the Brown

Page 31

Dog, a local legend, for some tasty afternoon treats and then another lap around Port Charles and its eclectic shops.

By evening I started making Blue Crab noises, but crabs were a bit hard to find here. The harsh winter beat the yield up far worse than expected and we might be crabless this year. I hoped not.

A local favorite called Stingrays was perfect and within walking distance of our

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Page 32 hotel. Located just a few miles north of the big bridge and tunnel Stingrays is one of these places that you might ride right by. That would be your loss.

Located in the Exxon station Stingrays is all Americana and has been around for decades. I heard their fried chicken could not be beat.

With gas station food it is either one way or the other. It is either superb or very, very bad. There is rarely an in between.

I was reminded of touring through central Mexico with a small cadre of riders. Everyday we had one rider pull us into the PemEx for lunch. This lasted just a few days before Shira and I revolted and began hitting local eateries.

There would be no arguments with Stingrays. There was a reason the place was packed with locals on a Saturday night; a future GAADR for sure.

That Friday, June 13, was the rising of the full moon. Called the Honey Moon because of its low location, the moon shines through the thick layers of atmosphere near the horizon, sometimes making it appear to glow with the color of

From shore to shore, the Bridge-Tunnel measures 17.6 miles and is considered the world’s largest bridge-tunnel complex. Construction of the span required undertaking a project of more than 12 miles of low-level trestle, two 1-mile tunnels, two bridges, almost 2 miles of causeway, four manmade islands and 5-1/2 miles of approach roads, totaling 23 miles. It is not uncommon to see mighty US warships crossing the waters at the bridge.

After spending a number of days, just weeks earlier, in Virginia we could not help but notice the difference in the topography from the sea to the mountains of the west. From the coastal plain and pines to the rolling Piedmont region, Virginia is one of the most varied states in the Union.

Plotting our route I looked for lakes and bridges and really hit the jackpot as the roads, once away from the coast, took on a pleasant tone and the miles went by easily. Along the way we crossed in and around Mayo Reservoir and Hyco Lake; both offering lots of fishing and boating, not to mention some great roads.

Once again our route brought us along state borders with the road having the said borders running square down the middle.

It had to be confusing when making up the state maps, but it seemed one town got it right as they had Virgilina Distillery. No reason to argue points

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Early morning found us crossing the massive Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel.

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Page 33

on a map when there is a party and all this booze to be had.

We even found a town named Branchville.

Somehow I tossed in a few miles of loose stone and gravel, much to Shira’s pleasure, and by mid-afternoon we rolled up to Virginia International Raceway, just above the North Carolina border. It was a busy Sunday and we could not get our room until that evening, so with temperatures now in the 90s and little shade to be seen we went to the coolest place we could think of for a few hours – X-Men at the nearest Cineplex.

You should always have a Plan B. That night we met up with our buddy, fellow scribe and monthly columnist Mark Byers, who had come for a few days of CLASS as well and found a table at the Oak Tree Tavern, located in a 1840 plantation house, right on the track’s property.

We featured VIR as a ‘We’re Outta Here’ last year and I am hard pressed to think of a better road course with amenities like they offer at VIR. We had clear skies and cool temperatures come

the morning light (Ha, that would not last) and Reg’s people quickly ran nearly 70 riders through sign-up and tech inspection.

We have taken CLASS many times before and last year we did two days with Reg and crew. It was during the second day things truly clicked, for me at least (Shira is always smooth), so two days were planned again for this year. You can’t get too much of a great thing.

If you have never taken such a riding school do not feel intimidated by the idea of the track.

It is really the safest place to learn to be smooth, confident and to improve your motorcycle riding skills. What you acquire here transfers directly to your street riding. It is possibly the single best investment and improvement you can make for your motorcycle.

Under blues skies, but terrible heat – over 100 degrees – we split our time for two days between the track and the air-conditioned classroom. While everyone was having a tremendous time on the freshly-repaved curves of VIR, no one complained about coming back into the air-conditioned class room and guzzling as much cold water and Gatorade as one could, courteously provided by CLASS. There was also some tasty morning treats and potassium-enriching bananas each morning to get you off to a good start.

Just as we finished Day One we got some semi-relief with a few light sprinkles, but Tuesday was another scorcher. Retiring to our Pit Lane room for much needed showers and a short cat nap, we regrouped with our fellow riders at the Oak Tree Tavern to discuss the day’s events over a well-earned and frosty cold

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Page 34

local brew.

Our tires, new for this school, took a major beating, but that was what they were there for. The second day was not as full as day one, as some participants chose only to take a single day.

If you choose to take CLASS I highly encourage you to do both days.

You will improve and be a more confident rider, I promise. You’ll receive a nifty t-shirt and certificate of completion to wow your friends and relatives.

Wednesday we aimed north and began the real “Turf” part of this “Surf and Turf Tour.”

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Our route, consisting of 99% backroads ran a little under 600 miles from the North Carolina border up through the middle of Virginia all the way to Backroads Central.

Riding out of North Carolina we passed through the tiny town of Milton.

You could blink and miss it except for an historic sign heralding the life of Thomas Day. Day was a free black man whose woodworking and cabinet making brought him acclaim around the nation. Day’s creations were crafted, unique pieces—each playing an essential role in the over-all architectural composition. Day considered his parlor designs to be the pinnacle of his projects. The ornate wooden mouldings found at the Oak Tree Plantation house that we dined the last three nights were creations of Day and absolutely splendid.

Last year we did a piece on Appomattox Court House, where the Civil War was officially ended; this year we swung by the Museum of the Confederacy. This museum houses an incredible amount of artifacts and doc-

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Of special interest to me were General Robert E. Lee’s sword and the frock coat he wore at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia to General Grant.

This part of Virginia is rich in Civil war history and that would be apparent, the further we rode through Old Dominion.

We have always been lovers of the tiny roads and the history found along them, but our route this day was filled to the brim with both history and fun. This part of Virginia, just east of the Blue Ridge Parkway, has miles of exquisite roads. The only thing that was beginning to drain us was the oppressive heat.

At the track we had twenty minutes riding and then the same in an air-conditioned room with lot of Gatorade and water. Today we had just the heat and quickly warming Camelbaks.

We stopped in the small burg of Mineral around lunch for a well-deserved break. Continuing onward we popped into our friends at Morton’s BMW to say hi and then surprised ourselves with even better roads just to the north of Fredericksburg.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

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Earlier in the day a piece of roadway named, oddly enough, Tight Squeeze Road kept us amused for miles, that afternoon we found Eleys Ford – another great ride!

We did run into traffic in and around the battlefield at Manassas, and after paying our respects we vectored around to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Air Museum.

Part of the Smithsonian it houses one of the greatest collections of aircraft in the world including the Spirit of St. Louis, the space shuttle Discovery and allowed us to get close to one of my favorites the SR-71 Blackbird.

Can we spoon one of these engines into a motorcycle?

From there we sped north crossing from Virginia into Maryland on the White’s Ferry. This ferry, as tiny as it is, has had some serious problems with authority.

Once the United States Coast Guard ordered White’s Ferry to be shut down because the operator was unlicensed. The ferry continued to operate in spite of the order; snubbing the Coast Guard.

I like spunkiness.

We followed the route north till the sun began to set, finding room and food in Frederick, Maryland for the night.

The heat broke a few hours later, with a small cold front that came through that night and dropped the temperatures some 30 degrees.

We crossed into the north, passing the Mason – Dixon Line along a small country

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Page 36 road, marked with an old stone obelisk stating entering Pennsylvania on one side and Maryland on the other.

Much classier, I thought, than a stamped piece of metal.

Crossing over the Susquehanna River I felt as if we were on home ground, but we still had a few things we wanted to see, one being the Army Base at Fort Indiantown Gap. We didn’t ride into the base, but the collection of aircraft right along the roadside was very impressive.

We took to a number of routes that we hadn’t ridden before and even found a superb barbeque place alongside one route.

It was leaving there that things got a bit too interesting as my GS suddenly jumped into the air followed by a whack, whack, whack… from the back of the bike.

I pulled over and took a look at the rear tire where I found the head of a bolt buried into my tire.

Back to School - Return to CLASS If they hold it we will come. That is kind of how we here at Backroads feel about Reg Pridmore’s CLASS. If we are anywhere near striking distance, we try our best to attend. Virginia International Raceway is a good day’s ride (or a couple days meander) from the Backroads Central area, and we were ready for some more teachings.

Earlier this spring the track was repaved and some slight adjustments made in and about the facility. This made for a pristine environment and superb conditions on which to learn.

With a Pit Lane room at VIR secured, we were ready for our two-day excursion into becoming smoother, more confident and faster riders.

Reg, former AMA champion, pilot, motorcyclist and nice guy extraordinaire, has been instructing riders on how to do this for years. He and his instructors, along with his wife, the effervescent Gigi, can and will improve your riding dramatically – if you listen and apply what you are being taught.

I had learned a lot from Reg the previous year and I hoped some of it stuck. It was my thought to work on smoothness in braking, shifting and through one or two turns that gave me pains the previous year.

We came to VIR with brand new tires and very open minds. Reg runs a pretty tight ship, with sign-up and tech inspection done early each morning. They will make sure your ride is safe for you and the track, with fresh tires (95% tread life remaining) on a positively leak free bike with good brakes. Other than that, you need only disconnect your brake light and cover or remove your mirrors. Full gear is mandatory, including one or two-piece leather or Cordura, gloves and boots.

For those who don’t know, the instruction is split, more or less, evenly between the classroom and track sessions. Students are divided into two groups, with between 7 and 9 session for track time. For those of you who think you will not log a lot of track miles let me tell you that I rode nearly 300 miles over the next two days.

Reg explains riding skill much like climbing a ladder. You must go up one rung at a time. I can honestly say that between my experience with CLASS last year and the two days well spent this June I have moved up a bit higher on that riding skill ladder.

Having my ego removed has helped. I don’t need to be fast, but I do need to be as smooth as I can. Reg Pridmore’s CLASS got me that much closer to that goal.

I still have a long way to go, but since this June’s CLASS school, both Shira and I have had the enjoyment factor go through the roof.

When you get instruction as good as this you can not help but improve and with that improvement comes a more confident, smooth and enjoyable ride on the track or down the backroads. Reg and company will be back at VIR next month on October 20 & 21. We can’t stress enough how worthwhile these two days can be. Make a small vacation out of it – spend the weekend getting there is need be, immerse yourself in a great learning experience and meander back home. If you are really serious about becoming a smoother and more confident rider than log onto www.classrides.com and see when and where you can get back to school. CLASS is waiting for you!

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014 The tire was still holding air, but that ended quickly as I pulled out the bolt with my trusty Leatherman needle nose pliers. What I thought would be a small piece of road shrapnel was much bigger and the bolt kept coming and coming out of the tire.

As a friend called it a PITA bolt (pain in the ass), more that 5 inches long, that had been kicked up by my front tire and had punctured my rear.

Do you have a Stop & Go Tire Repair Kit? You should.

It was raining fairly hard at this point, adding to the carefree ambience of the moment but, we dutifully laid out the tools and plug from the kit and went to work. I had a Best Rest Air Pump as well. Once patched you do need to fill the tire back up somehow. Although I was concerned the hole would be too large to plug successfully, the Stop & Go plug not only sealed the tire, but also allowed it to hold air for the rest of the ride home.

Once again Stop & Go saved the day.

We made a quick stop at Hermy’s BMW, in Port Clinton, where both the parts and service folks were more than considerate allowing us to top off the tire and check for correct pressure. We’d also like to thank Tom and crew at Motorcycle Madness, in Lafayette, NJ - who replaced both tires that same day when we returned home.

It is shops like this that go out of the way to help riders.

Let’s see the cut-rate internet store do this! Wait - they can’t. Moral here is support your local shops or they will some day be gone and you will be looking for an app or your computer screen to help remove that frozen bolt, change that tire, or fix that electrical short.

Visit your local shop today!

By that evening the big bolt incident was just another part of this story.

I have always loved big loops. Rides like this Surf to Turf go around offer you the chance to see the wide diversity of the nation. The Mid-Atlantic region has much to offer. From the tall ships and small crab traps of the Chesapeake, to the fast laps at VIR, to the deep history of America’s Civil War you can find it all along the backroads of this region of the USA. What we really like about touring the country on motorcycle is that, unlike “normal” tourists who need to hassle around airports, flights, cabs and resorts – our adventure starts when we turn on the motorcycle.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Page 37

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Page 38

IMPACT It’s a sultry hot summer’s day and you and your friends are riding along a tight two-lane roadway laced in by lakes, streams and wetlands. Coming around one bend you, being in the lead, see it first.

It looks like a round stone in the middle of the road except for the fact it is slowly – and I do mean slowly - moving across your lane.

Your left hand goes up in warning as you apply your brakes and stop about ten feet from a common box turtle.

You and your friends all stop and control the road as if it were an accident scene; slowing down and warning approaching cars, trucks and other riders of Mr. Turtle’s sojourn across the macadam.

It’s a harmless box turtle so you pick it up and move it along – in the direction it was moving in the first place and, with it safe and sound and heading to where ever it is they go, you guys ride on. Mitzvah completed.

This situation happens all the time, but way too often the result is another strike and death of a turtle, not to mention the damage that can possibly happen to vehicles and people too.

According to US insurance companies, between one and two million animals are killed each year from vehicular strikes.

That works out to an animal hit every 26 seconds.

But, we’re talking specifically about turtles here.

In one study documenting the annual mortality of nesting diamondback terrapins on the Cape May Peninsula of southern New Jersey from 1989 through 1995, a total of 4,020 road kills were recorded on roads crossing or adjacent to the study area. Remarkably the scientists doing the study were able to save 32% of the eggs from the dead female turtles and bring them to hatching weeks later.

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS So what should you do if you run across a turtle crossing the road?

Well, if it is moving at a good pace and there is no traffic you can just wait till it makes it across, stopping or slowing down cars as they approach.

What if you need to move it?

Well, the Turtle Rescue League has some suggestions.

When picking up a small turtle, grasp it on either side of its shell behind the front legs. The turtle will still be able to kick at you, but many will choose to stay safely tucked in, during the short time you are moving them.

Keep the turtle low to the ground when moving them. Even small turtles have surprising strength. If a turtle pushes free of your grip, you do not want it to fall and injure itself.

If the turtle is large (with a long tail), it may be a snapping turtle, they can be a bit aggressive and you might not want to attempt picking it up, but you can still help it across the road.

If you are helping a large snapper, simply push it from behind with a blunt object, don’t use anything sharp or pokey, you don’t want to hurt the turtle.

Although snappers can seem dangerous, most times they are just protecting the babies they are carrying, like any wild animal, you’ll need to exercise caution.

Always make sure to put the turtle in the direction it was heading, and never turn them around! If you do - it will simply go back across the road when you drive away.

Once you have the turtle across the road, you can sit and watch to make sure it is heading off and not turning back around.

Although you may be tempted to relocate a turtle, don’t. Many turtles have “Home Ranges”, a territory they call home, and when relocated, they will search out ways back. Besides risking many additional road crossings, some turtles, if they cannot find their way back will stop eating and just wander listlessly.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

Page 39

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Never pick up a turtle by the tail! It can severely injure them.

With all this in mind we thought it was time for us like-minded motorcycle riding turtle rescuers and would be rescuers to band together, thus Backroads would like to introduce IMPACT International Motorcycle Protection And Caretaking of Turtles.

Membership is free and easy to do.

Just be aware of these little amphibians crossing the road and help out when you can and it is safe.

Who knows maybe we’ll even get some t-shirts and patches made up for IMPACT members.

As you watch that turtle safely walking off, you should feel good.

You have just helped one of Earth’s oldest creatures....

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SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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

Who’s your Group’s safety officer?

Robert Laford Each time your local emergency services departments roll out the door they initiate the Incident Command System. “ICS” helps emergency responders to safely manage their personnel and resources. The “Incident Commander” develops the goals, strategies, and an action plan to handle the situation that they are faced with in their response.

One very important function within the “ICS” structure is the Safety Officer. A safety officer acts as the Incident Commander’s eyes and ears looking for potential and probable hazards that could adversely effect the operations and personnel. As riders we can take lessons learned in emergencies to heart and better lead and manage our riding time and our riding safety.

The formal roles and responsibilities of an emergency service’s Safety Officer include: • Responsibility for monitoring and assessing hazardous and unsafe situations and developing measures to assure personnel safety.

• Correcting unsafe acts or conditions.

• Maintaining awareness of active and developing situations.

• Ensuring that a Site Safety and Health Plan is prepared and implemented.

• Including safety messages in each Incident Action Plan.

Those basic bullets for an emergency scene Safety Officer are easily transferable to help promote the safety of us as riders. These concepts are valuable to us before, during and after our ride.

• The Ride Safety Officer will monitor, assess, and advise on unsafe situations and promote personal safety.

Safety should always be a shared responsibility between all riders. The tasks and duties that come out of a Safety Officer role can be instituted in an informal atmosphere of riding just as easily and just as effectively as within an organized group ride.

• The Ride Safety Officer will correct unsafe acts or conditions. The safety of the group and its riders are paramount.

Although a Safety Officer should not be the “Safety Police,” ensuring that everyone is prepared properly for a safe ride is important to all the riders, not just the individual that is the focus of the attention. The concept of rider safety and promoting ride safety is a priority but the improved level of safety may be best achieved through coaching and education rather than an aggressive approach to what is perceived as right or wrong.

• The Ride Safety Officer maintains awareness of active and developing situations.

We know that conditions and our response to what we encounter on a ride can change in a heartbeat. All riders should be keenly aware of their surroundings and the situation at hand. The Ride Safety Officer becomes someone who helps us all achieve that additional perception of situational awareness in our ride.

• The Ride Safety Officer ensures the safety plan is implemented and includes information in the ride briefing.

Before the Ride. Safe rides begin well before the ride, and a safety role within us as individuals or as part of a group ride begins with planning. Before the bike is even rolled outside; am I prepared to ride? Am I prepared physically, mentally, and emotionally? Are my thoughts and my mind focused on the ride ahead, or is my mental focus elsewhere with other aspects of life. Those concerns and stressors with family, work, or other life challenges may melt away once the ride has begun, but they may also take attention away from the concentration and focus needed for a safe ride. What weather, road condition, or traffic issues are probabilities on the ride? How can I prepare myself and my fellow riders for the potential issues of the day’s ride?

Am I prepared physically? Am I overtired, hungry, or fighting a cold?

Have I taken over-the-counter or prescription medicine that may reduce my reaction and riding abilities? Will my condition, whether my mental focus or my physical ability, take away from the ride for me or others?

What about my bike? When was the last time the air pressure was checked?

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Page 41

Is the bike in good physical shape to provide a safe and enjoyable ride? Have individual, or is it information that would be valuable to share with others as I taken the time recently for a thorough T-Clock exam? How about my riding well? This type of debriefing may not necessarily be a formalized meeting, partners? What kind of condition are their bikes in for the ride? A quick surbut it could be a discussion among a few riders – or it may be a discussion vey around the parking lot prior to the riders’ briefing may find a hidden danwith the voice in your own head after the ride. And post-ride follow-up ger that has gone unnoticed. It may be that someone notices a nail in a tire, should also include your bike. Are there any maintenance or service issues or that the tread depth is dangerously worn on a that need to be addressed before the next ride? bike. If you noticed that someone planning to ride Do you have a “club” newsletter? Use resources with you had a potential problem with their ride – like books and magazines, reputable on-line inforthat could turn into a hazard for them and for you mation, and “lessons learned” from past experi– would you make mention of it? ences to share information with others.

That conversation between riders may end the It does not matter if you are on that solo ride ride for the day, but it could also keep you on the around town by yourself, a pick-up ride with a few road for another day by avoiding a serious mishap. buddies, or that organized planned ride with a club; Whether you are riding with two bikes or let the Safety Officer in you come out. It may be twenty bikes, hold a riders’ meeting. Where are that little voice in your head that is double checking we headed? What are the day’s plans for stops, for your T-Clock inspection, or it may be that formal gas, for personal comfort? What sized gas tanks ride briefing before the group leaves. Having a are on the ride and how many miles does each sense of safety for yourself and the group is imporrider feel comfortable with between stops? Who tant to share. That collective knowledge available has communication? What hand signals will be in from all those riding offers the opportunity to reuse? What if we get divided up? view with ourselves and others the points that improve the “safety factor” Any preplanning done helps increase the comfort level of the ride because each and every time we set out on the motorcycle. Take the time to develop it reduces the uncertainties. And what if you are riding solo today? Preplanyour “inner safety officer” and improve the safety of your rides by sharing ning is also important for you before the trip. Pilots file a flight plan and ridthat information with others. ers should do the same. Leave information behind about what your plans are, where you are headed, and your expected return. This helps those sitting back at Our New Hosts home waiting in case you are delayed. They will have Dan & Fawn an idea what to expect and may be able to lend a hand if your planning goes awry.

Schneider During the Ride. During the ride the safety role conInvite you to sample our tinues. Each of us must always be cognizant of how the home cookin’ 7 days a week situation changes, and how changes in the riders, their at the World Famous motorcycles, the road and traffic conditions, and the Cedar Rapids weather all contribute to changes in the safety of the ride. The Ride Safety Officer helps in reviewing and Don’t forget to check out sharing insight to what may be changing for the ride and our website for weekly how that may affect the plans for the day. The plan that specials & events Take a ride on one of the Northeast’s was originally discussed at the ride briefing may have to be altered as conditions change to keep the ride as Scenic Byways - Route 97 - 20 miles north www.cedarrapidsny.com safe as possible. of Port Jervis. Dine with your fellow riders on the Delaware River After the Ride. After the ride is through the safety component of the ride is not completely over. Were there Enjoy our Expanded Canopied Decks events that arose that were unexpected? Did a situation Open 7 Days for Lunch and Dinner emerge that was dealt with effectively or could have been handled better? What lessons learned from the SEE YOU THERE! day’s events can be used to improve your skills as an

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Page 42

T

he rider on the GS, leading a trio of bikes up the trail, raised his hand and made the universal signal for a u-turn. His group quickly bunched up behind him and I slowed down to creep past them, pausing for a minute while the lead guy muscled the heavy BMW back and forth to turn it around on the ever-tightening road that was quickly becoming a trail. I wondered where he thought he was going.

Using years of global traveling experience, and the fact that I was pure of heart, I had unerringly guided myself along the “Main Course” of this 92-mile loop through the peaks and forests of the Alleghenies.

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BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014 All this had started the previous day…

Shira and I had ridden out to Woodward Cave Campgrounds, deep in the Allegheny mountains of PA. I was there to ride along the trails. She was there to explore the paved backroads of this part of the state.

We had two different agendas and two very different machines. I brought along my KLR, Shira was astride her Honda 919. Both bikes more than a decade old at this point and reluctantly getting older - much like us.

My adventure was a bit more pure – running on gravel, dirt and mud.

Shira’s was a bit more paved.

My weekend of dual sport adventure had been put together by the Seattle-based company AltRider, working with the riders from the Seven Mountain Conservation Corp, a group deeply involved in the promotion and preservation of outdoor activities in the Seven Mountains area of Central Pennsylvania. AltRider is one of the leading providers of aftermarket protective gear, parts

Page 43 and accessories for your adventure machine and they have held events like this around the nation.

This event was limited to just 100 riders and was a full house, selling out quickly. Along with a great day’s route, your entry fee brought you two nights camping at Woodward Cave and some of the best food I have ever tasted, specially created by fellow rider and chef Michael Marx, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

At 92 miles the ride might seem short to some, but when we’re talking most of it being up and over the mountains of Pennsylvania on unmaintained fire roads and trails and not around them on paved roads, a little less than a hundred miles can take all day – and it did.

The “Main Course” was said to be fairly easy, and was navigable with the right bikes equipped with streetish “Tourance/Distanzia- style tires.”

Think BMW GS, Triumph Tiger, Suzuki V-Strom here.

For those who wanted or needed more there were a number of “options” along the main course.

These had a bit more happening as far as difficulty and skill and tires needed. Level 2 called for a bit of dirt talent and more knobbish rubber. Level 3 stated that the trail would be very difficult and best suited for more serious off-roaders with more aggressive tires.

Looking to have fun and perhaps have the oldest machine in attendance I brought along my turn of the century 2002 KLR 650 that was running a set of Avon Gripster tires. Later this day they would turn out to be just a tad better than an old pair of Valentino Rossi’s racing slicks.

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SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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I was ready. Ehh, maybe not.

But, I was hoping spunkiness and my pure heartedness would make for a great day with no incidents to write home to mom about.

Being a low-salaried member of the twelfth estate (that’s where moto-journalist are rated - compared to the NY Times and such - 12th seriously) I took off on my own looking to get a bit ahead of most of the groups and to find incredible angles, vantage points and scenery to get some somewhat snazzy and hopefully in focus photographs with my new Nikon Cool Pix imported from the Wal-Mart on Water Street in Newton, New Jersey.

The previous night AltRider’s crew had put out three lists for sign-up – Scenic (think riding the small bus), Intermediate (think Jimmy Lewis wannabees) and Advanced (think real Jimmy Lewis here… fairly ironic as Jimmy Lewis was actually in this group!)

With thousands of miles behind me, and a few third world countries in the mirrors as well, I quickly signed up for the scenic group. In fact I was #1 here. Yeah me. Cutting edge.

The previous day Jimmy Lewis held a school for those looking to up their

riding skill and off-road talent.

Lewis, a podium finisher at the Dakar Rally (back when the Dakar Rally was actually held in Dakar) and numerous other famous off-road events is a phenomenal instructor and has an informative and easy articulated style that gets his point across.

If you are really serious about getting a bit more dirty with your motorcycle riding then Lewis is the man.

On Saturday morning, after a supplied breakfast and mandatory riders meeting I headed off. I had gotten a number of miles down the route, stopping here and there to catch riders as they passed by, when I came up on a fork in the road; a fork with two distinct markers.

The “Main Course” and the dreaded, by me at least, “Option 1.”

Option 1 was 6.7 miles long and was said to be “very rocky and very washed out.” Not to mention downhill both ways and infested with angry Iroquois.

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It seemed that somebody monkeyed with the signs (most likely the pesky and cross Iroquois) and as I passed the other riders using my incredible sense of direction, navigation skills and pure heartedness I made my way down the “Main Course.” What would eventually turn out to be “Option 1.”

Some thirty miles into this 6.7 mile trail I spotted riders returning the way I had just come. They were all on larger adventure machines and also riding on some of Rossi’s old and discarded tires.

I was then told that I had successfully ridden almost all of “Option 1” but, just around the bend was a gaggle of angry Iroquois and they had a dragon with rabies.

I thought about it and decided to turn around and quickly follow my new BFFs back to the actual “Main Course.”

Now with my bearings set and my Garmin following the provided tracks for the correct route I took off, once again, on my own.

I have ridden a few of these roads in the past, but AltRider and the SMCC really strung an excellent series of roads, trails and paths together making for a superb day in the mountains.

By late morning I pulled into the Bear Gap Picnic Area and soon after that the truck with lunch rolled over the hill.

Did I mention they had delicious food? This guy Marx rules. Next year we’re taking the Backroads’ Durango (V8 HEMI 500+ horsepower – perfect for small trails) and just going for the food.

Less stressful.

I made it a point to finish lunch quickly and get going before the bulk of the group took off for the second part of the day and this allowed me to ride at my own pace and style; being more like Jerry Lewis than Jimmy Lewis.

I considered taking a half dozen of the smoked salmon wraps with me in case of emergency, but I didn’t want the bears to be attracted to me if I ended sprawled under a boulder off the trail somewhere.

I took in the impressive lookout atop Paddy Mountain, with its 50+ mile view and did a few of the easier “Options” doing my best to avoid the petulant Iroquois, but eventually losing a small battle with mud, ferns and gravity along a single track “option” to which they had pointed me.

Unfortunately, there were no snazzy Nikon Coolpix of this alleged incident taken.

With no such proof it is obviously just a rumor.

By mid-afternoon I rolled into the town of Millheim, Pennsylvania.

Unlike our fellow brave and rugged companions, Shira and I had begged off the Bedouin aspect of camping and had been staying in this town at a nice little inn, above a cozy little coffee house with iced cappuccino, scones, a queen size bed, hot shower and even a guitar. Thus we avoided the dengue fever infested mosquitoes, the wet grass flooring and communal showers of the campground. The bed was loft-style and

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SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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This is the real Pennsylvania.

It is the best way to see the real planet Earth.

I really want to thank everyone from AltRider and the guys from the SMCC for putting on such a superb event.

If you are an ADV rider, or are looking to get into this side of our sport I encourage you to log onto AltRiders website and see just what they have to offer both event and gear-wise. These people truly live and love this side of motorcycling and riding with them and all the extraordinary riders that weekend was a real treat.

climbing in and out was as adventurous as we wanted to get that day.

A short time later Shira, who had been on a great and adventurous ride of her own (purely street, but at speed and with skill) rolled up and a short while later we rode back to the Woodward Cave Campgrounds for a final Michael Marx’s dinner (three whole smoked suckling pigs) with some new friends and the closing festivities which included a talk with Jimmy Lewis about his Dakar experience.

You may have ridden through the Keystone State many times, but what you see when you head off into the dirt high into the mountains and deep into the forests on an adventure or pure dirt machine is far beyond anything you might glimpse while traveling across the state on the US or Interstate roadways.

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BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

GIVI HPS TOURER & EXPLORER HELMETS GIVI has been designing and manufacturing helmets in their Italian factory for the last 8 years. The HPS (Head Protection System) line of GIVI helmets has been hugely successful in Europe.

GIVI USA offers two DOT approved helmets in its range, based on the HPS X.01 modular concept: the Tourer and the Explorer. Both helmets are fully vented and feature a detachable chin guard that can transform them into open face lids, very useful when riding locally or in the summer heat. The Tourer is easily recognizable by its off-road and Adventure Touring style peak that can be removed to change the helmet into a regular, full face street helmet. The Explorer has more of a traditional, full-face street helmet look.

But it comes standard with two different chin guards that can be swapped according to the riding conditions. The winter chin guard has been developed for colder and rainy climates and the summer chin guard, with its large ventilation intakes, is perfect for warmer and dry weather. Both helmets are available now at the promotional price of $249, a price good until the end of 2014. Visit your local GIVI dealer or log onto www.giviusa.com for more information.

TOO MANY TOOLS - NOT ENOUGH SPACE? HELD CAN HELP If you are anything like us you have good capacity for stowage on your bike.

But, a lot of this space, especially my left bag, tends to end up carrying more than its share of tools, straps and gizmos including must have things like my Stop & Go tire repair kit and a Best Rest Pump. All this adds up and limits other things I can carry on tour like clean socks, underwear and my tuxedo.

Enter the Held GS Toolbag.

The Held GS Toolbag is designed to conveniently carry tools or accessories in the space between the rear rack and the taillight assembly on BMW R1200GS motorcycles, or any bike with a similar available space. Two variations of the bag are available, one for 2013 models and older, and one for 2014 models and newer. Created with water-resistant nylon construction the Held GS Toolbag has a full 3-liter capacity with waterproof zippers to protect the bag’s contents from the elements.

It easily attaches via durable Velcro straps for secure fit and effortlessly swallows up a good deal of the odd items I don’t need…. until I “really” need them.

The Held GS Toolbag lists for just $55.00 – a no brainer price-wise for an excellent way to carry around your occasionally needed and must have tools, items and gadgets. The Held GS Toolbag will only work with stock rear rack.

Log onto www.HeldUSA.com or give them a call at 949-215-0893 for more information on this and other great Held products.

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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UPCOM IN G EVENTS CAL ENDAR EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTING Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do some benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish Every Tuesday • Bike Night @ Texas Smoke Barbecue, 400 Route 15 South, Jefferson, NJ. Dine indoors or out with dinner specials. Meet and kick some tires while enjoying some terrific barbeque • www.TexasSmokeBBQ.com • 862-209-4078 3rd Tuesday • Two Wheels Tuesdays Harley Davidson Long Branch @ MJ’s Restaurant • 3205 Route 66, Neptune, NJ • 6-9:30pm • Start May 20 through Sept. 16 4th Tuesday • Ladies Only Rides • Harley Davidson Long Branch, 671, Broadway, Long Branch, NJ • Meet at 6pm • Runs through Sept. 732-229-8518 2nd Wednesday • Restore the Shore Dinner Ride • Harley Davidson Long Branch, 671, Broadway, Long Branch, NJ • Meet at 6pm • Runs through Sept. 732-229-8518 4th Wednesday • Jersey Shore Ice Cream Run • Harley Davidson Long Branch, 671, Broadway, Long Branch, NJ • Meet at 6pm • Runs through Sept. 732-229-8518 Every Wednesday • Chelseas Restaurant/Pub, 1051 Rte. 22 East, Lebanon, NJ 6-9pm, weather permitting all summer • www.chelseasrestaurantpub.com Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com Every Saturday • Stop by the dealership at 9am for coffee and bagels. Ride departs at 10am. Return to the dealership for FREE food and music. Proper attire MUST be worn!

No shorts or sneakers. • Bergen Harley-Davidson, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com

AUGUST 2014 28-31 • Killington Classic, Killington, VT. Great roads, good food and fun times • www.KillingtonClassic.com • 518-798-0858 31 • Dawn patrol MC Labor Day Weekend Fun Run. Signin: Bradley Gardens Firehouse, 24 Old York Rd, Bridgewater, NJ 9am-Noon. Coffee & Donuts. Endsite: Dawn Patrol MC Clubhouse, 106 Robert St, Bradley Gardens section of Bridgewater, NJ. $20/ pp incl great homemade food and beverages, scenic route (lime dot & route sheets) music, door prizes, trophies and more • 908-722-4357 • 732-356-5838 • www.dawnpatrolmc.com

SEPTEMBER 2014 5-7 • Women’s Sportbike Rally VIII - Deals Gap, NC • www.WomensSportbikeRally.com 7 • Lost Wheels MC Poker Run to benefit Montrose VA Hospital, Castle Point Food for Vets, Vassar Hospital Children's Ward, Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. NEW SIGN IN: McDonald's, Route 9, Fishkill, NY (Dutchess Mall) 9-10:30am Registration • Run ends @ 3pm. $25/riders; $15/Passenger; $10 under 15. Endsite: Canopus Lake Beach, Fahestock

What’s Happening St Park, 1498 Rte. 301, Carmel, NY. Ride the route and join us for great food, live music, games, vendors, door prizes and %0/50. Cash prize for best poker hand. Trophies for best rep club and bike show People's Choice and Best of Show • www.lostwheels.com • Pat: 845-800-0041 10-13 • Westchester Beemers NY Trio Tour 2014. Sport-touring ‘scavenger hunt’ event.

3 consecutive daily rides begin and end at Hampton Inn, Elkins, WV base location. Daily rides average 8.5 hours covering 350 miles. Limited to 33 riders. $50 incl. Sat. evening closing dinner, rider card and prizes for top three finishers. Discounted lodging arrangements in place at base location (304-630-7500). For full details call or visit 914-328-7909 • www.triotour.org 13 • Liberty Harley-Davidson Dog Day Afternoon with adoptable & foster friends from Best Friend Dog & Animal Adoptions. Donations of dog & cat food and blankets gratefully accepted. $2 donation with each hot dog sale. Canine microchipping, psychic readings and live music. 12 W Milton Ave, Rahway NJ • www.LibertyHarley-com • 732-381-2400 • www.petfinder.com/shelters/bestfriend.html 11-14 • Concours Owners Group NH Twistin through the Notch NE Fall Rally. Rally Central at Woodwards Resort, Lincoln, NH at the base of Franconia Notch. Come join us for a wonderful fall weekend. Reserve your room early, limited number of rooms held. More details online: www.cog-online.org 14 • Motorcyclepedia Museum Fall Swap Meet. Clean out your garage and closets and make some gas money. 250 Lake St, Newburgh, NY • 845-569-9065 • www.motorcyclepediamuseum.org 14 • Italian Motorcycle Owners Club 31st Annual Italian Motorcycle Meet - America’s Longest Running All Italian Bike Meet. Hamilton Rod & Gun Club, 24 Hamilton Rd, Sturbridge, MA. 10am-3pm. $10pp/$15 two-up. Incl. rally pin and door prize ticket. Refreshments and food available, Italian-only swap meet, vendors. Info: www.imocusa.com 14 • Ride for Kids/Baltimore-Washington DC. Join Bob’s in reaching our goal and benefiting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Turf Valley Resort, Ellicott City, MD. For more info visit www.RideForKids.org 18 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson FREE MOVIE RIDE-IN NIGHT 7pm-ish. Free popcorn and movie treats • 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • www.bergenharleydavidson.com 19-21 • Rollin’ Fast Cycle Sports hosts Victory Demo Truck. Demo ride all models and inhouse specials • 104 main St, Lebanon, NJ • 908-236-9000 • www.rollinfast.com 19-21 • Edelweiss Feschtl (Party, Reunion, Gathering) Lake Placid, NY. Enjoy a couple of days with friends old and new, some great riding and cameraderie. For more information please visit www.edelweissbike.com/feschtl • LIMITED AVAILABILITY. 20 • Bob’s BMW Oktoberfest Fall Open House and Swap Meet. Food, vendors, prizes, specials and Annual Swap Meet. Seel, trade and buy used aprts, apparel, accessories and more. 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.BobsBMW.com

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014 21 • UNICO Charity Motorcycle Run for the Kidsto benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Signin: Peterson Field, Fleetwood Dr, Rockaway Twp, NJ. 8:30-10am. $25/rider;$10/passenger. 60mile police-escorted run thru Northwestern NJ incl. lunch voucher, live music and many raffle prizes • www.rtunico.org

Sept. 26-28 • Backroads Fall Fiesta Shippensburg, PA 16th Backroads Fall Fiesta. Shippen Place Hotel, Shippensburg, PA. Surrounded by some of the most scenic and twistalicious roads in Pennsylvania. We’ll have a group dinner Saturday night (pre-registration IS required for dinner) at the University Grille, at the hotel - $34/pp. Rooms start at $87/night. Call today and get yours. Please ask for Backroads Group when booking. www.shippenplace.com • 717-532-4141

OCTOBER 2014 4 • Cross Country Powersports Open House. Watch our webpage and Facebook for more details. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-906-9292 • www.crosscountrypowersports.com 18 • Morton’s BMW Oktoberfest Open House. 9am-4pm. Demo rides, door prizes, food, vendors, great deals music and much more • Morton’s BMW Motorcycles, 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844 • www.mortonsbmw.com

NOVEMBER 2014

29 • Cross Country Powersports Fall Open House. Watch our webpage and Facebook for more details. 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-906-9292 • www.crosscountrypowersports.com

DECEMBER 2014

12-14 • Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Jacob Javits Center in New York City. Advance tickets now available online @ www.motorcycleshows.com. Visit the Backroads booth for the latest issue and surprise guests.

PLEASE SEND UPCOMING EVENT INFORMATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM EXPOSURE. Use form on website for correct format www.backroadsusa.com/events.html email: editor@backroadsusa.com • fax: 973-948-0823

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SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Rip & Ride® • GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE

18 FAIRGROUNDS ROAD , HAMILTON, NJ 08619 • 609-586-0616 • WWW.GROUNDSFORSCULPTURE.ORG APPROx. 96 MILES ONE WAY • GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/v4A82B

START: CHATTERBOx DRIvE-IN, AUGUSTA, NJ ExIT CHATTERBOx FROM REAR ExIT LEFT AT RTE. 206 SOUTH RIGHT AT PRICE RD (STATE TROOPER BARRACKS) LEFT AT AUGUSTA HILL RD. RIGHT AT CR 519 LEFT AT CR 627 STRAIGHT AT CR 626 LEFT AT CR 521 SOUTH LEFT AT FRANK CHANDLER RD. RIGHT AT CR 622 LEFT AT CR 619 LEFT AT DOvE ISLAND RD. RIGHT AT DUCK POND RD. LEFT AT WEST END RD. CR 614 RIGHT AT RTE. 94 SOUTH LEFT AT PHIL HARDIN RD. RIGHT AT CR 519 SOUTH LEFT AT CR 608 RIGHT AT CR 611 RIGHT AT QUAKER RD. CR 669 LEFT AT CR 621

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

IMMEDIATE RIGHT AT QUAKER CHURCH RD. STRAIGHT ON CR 615 RIGHT AT CR 613 BEAR RIGHT AT ALPHANO RD. LEFT AT RTE. 46 RIGHT AT BARKERS MILL RD. RIGHT AT MT. BETHEL RD. CROSS CR 628 BEAR RIGHT TO CR 629 CROSS US 57 STRAIGHT TO POINT MOUNTAIN / MT. LEBANON RD. RIGHT AT ANTHONY RD. LEFT AT WOOD GLEN RD. AT STOP CROSS AND STRAIGHT AT CR 628 LEFT AT CR 513 RIGHT AT HOFFMAN CROSSING RD. LEFT AT MT. GROvE RD. RIGHT AT CALIFON-COKESBURY RD. BEA LEFT AT CR 639 LEFT AT MAIN ST. RIGHT AT CHERRY ST. BECOMES CR 629 AT ROUND vALLEY RESERvOIR BEAR LEFT CR 269

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RIGHT AT BARLEY SHEAF RD. LEFT AT ROCKAFELLOW MI RIGHT AT RIvER RD. LEFT AT CASE BLvD. CROSS RTE. 202 LEFT AT CR 650 RIGHT AT BARLEY SHEAF RD. LEFT AT CR 514 IMMEDIATE RIGHT AT CR 609 LEFT AT CR 602 FIRST RIGHT AT LINDBERGH RD. RIGHT AT HOLLOW RD. RIGHT AT CR 518 LEFT AT HOPEWELL PRINCETON RD. STRAIGHT AT CARTER RD. BEAR LEFT AT LAWRENCEvILLE RD. BEAR IMMEDIATE RIGHT AT FACKLER RD. RIGHT AT PRINCETON PIKE LEFT AT FRANKLIN CORNER RD. RIGHT AT US 1 ExIT AT WHITEHEAD RD STAY TO RIGHT BEAR TO EAST STATE ST. FOLLOW SIGNS TO GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE

All New Ducati 821

Essentially Monster Put an Italian in your garage today HVMOTORCYCLES.COM OSSINING, NY • 914-762-2772

Just 8 miles north of the Tappan Zee Bridge

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

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RISING WOLF GARAGE NYC EXCLUSIVE MOTORCYCLE PARKING FACILITY

BACKROADS TURNS 20

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 Service Area Personal Storage

Join us as we celebrate 20 years of Backroads magic.

We’ll be heading out with Adriatic MotoTours on their Romania to Istanbul Adventure.

Air Compressor Battery Charging

From bustling Bucharest to picturesque rural villages seemingly lost in time, all the way Monthly Parking Long & Short Term 24 Hour Access

down to oriental Istanbul and the scenic Black Sea Coast, there is something for the sightseer in everyone. Riding two of Europe’s best roads - the majestic Carpathian Mountains’ Transfagarasan Road and the equally challenging Transalpina - and then snaking through the astonishing Rodophe Mountains and Greece all the way to Turkey.

June 13-28, 2015

Tour starts/ends: Bucharest, Romania www.adriaticmototours.com

video Surveillance

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

risingwolfgarage@aol.com

www.risingwolfgarage.com

FALL FIESTA 2014 September 25-28

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

A SHAMOKIN’ TIME IN SOUTHCENTRAL PA Join us for our 16th Backroads Fall Fiesta We’ll have our base camp at the historic Shippen Place Hotel in Shippensburg, PA Surrounded by some of the most scenic and twistalicious roads in Pennsylvania You can explore the beautiful Michaux State Forest, take a spin to Mr. Ed’s Elephant Museum or check out Centralia, the town on fire.

Group dinner Saturday night at the hotel’s University Grille - $37/per person.

MUST MAKE RESERVATION WITH HOTEL Rooms start at $87.20/night Call today and get yours. Please ask for Backroads Group when booking.

www.shippenplace.com • 717-532-4141

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

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MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

Riverside Cafe & Lodge, nestled on the Beaverskill River in Roscoe, NY CIA-trained chef • Motel rooms and cabins • Free wi-fi Excellent base location to explore the lower Catskills

Riverside Cafe & Lodge • 16624 Cty Hwy 17 • Roscoe, NY • 607-498-5305 www.riversidecafeandlodge.com • GPS: 41°58’09”N • 75°01’32.6”W

Fire Pit • Free WiFi Cooked-to-order Breakfast Heated Pool • BYOB

We welcome everyone from a lone rider to a full chapter Competing at the Rock, Ribs and Ridges Music/BBQ Festival 344 Route 100, West Dover, VT www.BigBearsLodge.com 802-464-5591

June 28-29 • Sussex County Fairgrounds • Augusta, NJ

www.beemerboneyard.com USED OILHEAD & K-BIKE PARTS Hundreds of used parts at 50% off new cost or less Order online 24/7 ~ M/C, Visa, Discover or PayPal 100% money-back guarantee ~ parts ship in 24 hours

N EW MAINTENANCE PART ~ BELOW RETAIL No Backorders ~ We Stock What We Sell We now carry German Liqui-Moly Engine & Gear Oil for BMWs

973-775-3495 • M-F 12pm~5pm • inquires@beemerboneyard.com

Touring North Central virginia?

Then ride on over to the NEW Comfort Inn & Suites in Orange

Moto-Inn Approved Tell ‘em Backroads sent you!

Motorcyclist Owned & Operated The newest motorcycle-friendly hotel closest to Skyline Drive… Large indoor heated pool and spa • Free deluxe hot breakfast buffet just 30 miles away!

Microwaves + fridges in every room • Large rooms + suites available 15% Discount to all Motorcyclists

Comfort Inn & Suites 334 Caroline St (James Madison Hwy), Orange, VA 22960 540-672-3121 • www.comfortinn.com/hotel-orange-virginia-VA657

O’TOOLE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON

®

Serving New York’s Hudson Valley for 40 years Factory Trained Service • New Model Sales Genuine Harley-Davidson® Parts and Accessories Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello, Middletown, Ellenville, Montgomery, and Walden

4 Sullivan St • Wurtsboro, NY 845-888-2426 •

SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 54

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

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

Member of

At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA

610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com If you didn’t like cool stuff, you wouldn’t be reading this magazine.

Worth the ride from anywhere!

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983 Member of

Here’s something you’re going to love.

NOW AVAILABLE

TORQ-IT

Barbeque Catering Flexible • Affordable Ready When You Are

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

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

lley’s Hudson Va ne Riding Number O t Restauran e u q e b r a B 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 historic W f o th u so st ju

845-446-0912 rmerbbq.com www.barnsto

Celebrate the Season with some awesome barbeque!

If you go home hungry it’s your own fault

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2014

Page 55

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

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

THURSDAY BIKE NIGHT IS BACK • join us at

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

www.chatterboxdrivein.com

The Boat House Restaurant Join us for Brunch, Lunch or Dinner overlooking Swartswood Lake

Member

Excellent Ride Destination Tuesday ~ Sunday 11am-9pm Brunch 10am-2pm • Closed Mondays Call for Seasonal Hours 1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood, NJ 973-300-0016

www.theboathouserestaurantonline.com

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

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Backroads, PO Box 317, Branchville, NJ 07826 Ye Olde Landmark Tavern 5 Spacious Rooms starting at $90.00 Tavern and Dining Room Menu Serving Hours: Mon-Thurs: 5-9pm Fri-Sat: 5-9:30pm Sunday: 1-8pm Seasonal April ~ December Member of

Featured in ‘We’re Outta Here’ Sept. 2011

First Class Postage $40/12 issues • shipped in white envelope We accept checks via mail and all credit cards on our website through PayPal NAME __________________________________________________________ ADDRESS__________________________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP ______________________________________________________ CREDIT CARD # ________________________________EXP. DATE ____SECURITY # ______

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Cooperstown • Finger Lakes • State Forests

If you have moved, please use this form to inform us of your change of address

Route 20, Bouckville, NY • 315-893-1810 • www.yeoldelandmark.com

o New Subscription

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SEPTEMBER 2014 • BACKROADS

Page 56

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

Come Ride the Dragon Deals Gap

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST, STURGIS AND BEYOND

318 Curves in 11 Miles

17548 Tapoco Road, Robbinsville, NC 28771

Deals Gap Store Motel Bar and Grill

Sussex Hills Ltd. Now stocking a full line of heated gear Make your riding season last all year.

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

BARN TRAILERS

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

THE BIKE SHOP Motorcycle Service Repair + Parts

@ Automotive Revelations Custom welding service and PA inspections available on site

Specializing in resurrecting old bikes and Vintage Custom work 111 Mountain Spring Rd, Milford, PA • 570-228-6101 • fisherfabrications@gmail.com

Route 739 • Dingmans Ferry, PA • 570.828.1920

www.dealsgap.com 800.889.5550

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

Honda Grom Big Attitude. Ride One and See.

Honda CBR300R Light. Nimble. Affordable.

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

honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training information or to locate a rider training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227. Grom® and CBR® are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (07/13)

Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am-6pm • Thur: 9am-8pm • Sat: 9am-5pm SUNDAY: CLOSED - GONE RIDING

2015 BOLT™

JUMP FOR JOY! 2015 MOTORCROSS BIKES HAVE ARRIVED!

OLD SCHOOL JUST GOT SCHOOLED. Stripped down, minimalist design meets modern, urban bobber performance.

We build it. You make it your own.™

2015 FZ-07™ LIMITED SUPPLY OF DEMO ADVENTURES AVAILABLE

ONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area HUGE inventory of KTM Parts, Accessories and Apparel Follow Us on Twitter Watch Us on YouTube Like Us on Facebook

210 Route 10 West, East Hanover, NJ • 973-428-1735

www.HanoverPowersports.com

IT ALL STARTS HERE. At $6990 MSRP and an estimated 58 MPG* it only makes sense to have one in your garage.

Follow Us on Twitter Watch Us on YouTube Like Us on Facebook

210 Route 10 West, East Hanover, NJ • 973-428-1735

www.HanoverPowersports.com

*Fuel economy estimates are based on US EPA exhaust emission certification data obtained by Yamaha. Your actual mileage will vary depending on road conditions, how you ride and maintain your vehicle, accessories, cargo, and operator/passenger weight. Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and boots.

Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. Professional rider depicted on a closed course. ©2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com