September 2018 Backroads

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E 27

MO NT HLY C O L U M NS FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................3 WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................4 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................5 ON THE MARK ....................................................6 BACKLASH..........................................................8 INDUSTRY INFOBITES.......................................9 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN...............11 BIG CITY GETAWAY .........................................14 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA..................................17 WE’RE OUTTA HERE ........................................19 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE ............................22 INSIDE SCOOP .................................................25 UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ...................48

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

30

SUMMER SQUEEZE 2018 RECAP...................30 2018 FALL FIESTA UPDATE.............................46

MOTO R C YCL E R E V I E WS

PR O DU C T R E V IE W S NIKWAX VISOR PROOF...................................21 RIGG GEAR HURRICAN PACKS......................21 MACHINEARTMOTO MUDSLING...................29 MOSKO NOMAD TANK BAG...........................40 NOLAN N100-5 MODULAR HELMET .............44 H-D WOMEN’S BEECHWOOD BOOTS ...........45

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

Contributors

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

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 620 Augusta, NJ 07822

FE AT U RE S

HUSQVARNA STREET RIDES .........................27 ZERO SR - SILENT AND QUICK ......................37 SUZUKI V-STROM 650 XT ...............................42

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN

Late Night tV It’s 2:30 am and I sit staring at the TV. Nestled on the plush couch, Spenser T. Cat sleeping on my chest, I have the remote in hand.

“What did we do back in the day?” I think.

Well, we actually had to get up and change the channel manually. Why do I picture my grandpa’s rear end clad in beige pants pulled up to his chest with suspenders as he bent over to turn the channel?

Thank God they finally invented the ‘clicker.’

Scanning into the deep dark reaches of the higher number channels my eyes catch a glimpse of something unexpected. I smile and hit the button.

You know what else they did back in the late 50s and 60s? They did what I was about to do… watch Sea Hunt. Some of you might be thinking…

“I remember that show,” right about now.

Sea Hunt ran from 1958 to 1962 and for a while was the #1 show on television. For 155 episodes, filmed in glorious black & white, Mike Nelson, portrayed by screen legend Lloyd Bridges, SCUBA’d his way into various adventures.

Many of the plots ran along the same line with the soon familiar ‘less skilled’ diver getting trapped, wedged, buried,

Page 3 stuck or stranded… and Mike Nelson eventually getting them out. (My favorite is when he used a Coast Guard helicopter to pull a roll of steel cable off some mope who seemed to be trapped for hours with one tank of air.)

Now that I have discovered this show - that had me enthralled when I was a tike - I tape (Do we still call it that in this digital age?) and make Shira watch them after Jeopardy.

Happy wife, happy life.

Just as I watch MotoGP with my full leathers on, I sometimes watch Sea Hunt with mask, snorkel and fins.

It hit me one night that Sea Hunt brought thousands of people into the underwater sport and without this show recreational diving might not have caught on as quickly as it did. In my mind the entire SCUBA industry should be thanking Lloyd Bridges and Ivan Tors, the producer.

We here in Motorcycleland have our own television show to thank.

How many riders do you think got into motorcycles and travel from watching Then Came Bronson? Like a gazzilion!

And the similarities of both shows hit me like a case of the bends.

Bronson’s ride was a short one compared to Mike Nelson’s – the pilot almost didn’t make it onto NBC’s schedule, but was extended into a feature film in Europe. Americans rode with Michael Parks for just one short season of 26 episodes airing between September 17, 1969 and April 1, 1970.

For the few Backroads’ readers who might not have been ‘Bronsonized’ the show was about a guy named Jim Bronson, a newspaperman who becomes disillusioned after the suicide of his best friend Nick; remarkably played by a then unknown young actor named Martin Sheen.

Continued on Page 7

Page 4

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

WHATCHATHINKIN’ SHIRA KAMIL

the StruggLe to SurViVe Starting in early spring and continuing through the summer, we are always on the lookout for those hard shelled creatures making their way from home to their nesting spots and back. Being a huge proponent for turtle safety, I will, when it is safe and prudent for the turtle and me, stop and move them out of harm’s way and along their intended path.

Sea turtles have an even more difficult path. They are plopped in a big hole in the sand with hundreds of other soon-to-be hatchlings and have to make their way – if they survive the struggle of getting out of the shell and not being eaten by a myriad of creatures – across the vast empty space from nest to water. Everything from a simple footstep to driftwood to crabs and birds are their enemy and, according to statistics, only one in a thousand actually survive to adulthood under natural conditions.

On a particular turtle rescue, I began to think about the similarities of beginning riders and the turtle’s struggle to advance along their path. Much like the hatchling, new riders are thrust into this world relatively unprotected and with little knowledge of the dangers facing them. If they are smart, they will begin their journey with a foundation from an accredited school, hopefully giving them the basics of operating this potentially dangerous machine and information on how best to prepare themselves for the big world that awaits.

From there they are faced with the huge palette of choice regarding the motorcycle on which they will begin their travels. Should they have a level head and practical sights, they will choose one that, as Goldilocks once put it, is not too big, not too small but just right. This choice often makes or breaks the continuance of their motorcycling lives. If they are influenced by others into a bike that is too large for their small shell, the effort and difficulties they face to learn to ride properly will be made more so and, ultimately, the hatchling may give up its struggle. If, however, they start smartly and, like the turtle, grow into their shell, the progression will be enjoyable, seamless and fruitful and they will move on to many more motorcycles and happy miles and adventures.

While the turtle has no options as far as their protection, the new rider is open to a countless amount. Good riding gear, after good riding experience, may be the best form of protection. On a warm summer day, with the sun brightly shining, the unknowing and unprotected new rider traveling along in t-shirt, shorts and sneakers is akin to the hatchling that stupidly begins its escape from the nest to the water under the noontime sun. Dehydration will stop the turtle literally dead in its tracks. Similarly, the underdressed rider, though thinking he/she is comfortable, will be both burning and dehydrating, which will lead to exhaustion and ‘brain fuzz’, making them more susceptible to bad judgment and bad riding. Choosing good and protective riding gear from the start gives the rider an added advantage should things go awry, thus making their struggle to survive on the roads and trails a little easier.

If the rider can make it past the learning stages, continues in their riding skills knowledge and accepts that wearing proper gear will enable them to continue on safely, they have made it into the open waters and will be faced with the challenges just as the adult turtle faces. In the water shark and whale will hound a turtle, while on land the enemy moves on wheels. It truly amazes me that a large snapping turtle, making its way across a road, can go unseen by a motorist. It’s not like they are moving at light speed. These days, the dangers for riders are astounding: elderly drivers, teenage drivers, distracted drivers, drunk drivers, unaware leftturning drivers, etc. And that’s not even taking into account the four-legged wildlife. The dangers that face a new rider may seem overwhelming, but are not insurmountable. The best defense against them is continued education and ever-vigilant awareness. Whether you choose to stick to the paved roads or include the unpaved roads less travelled, taking all manner of skills classes and practicing those newly learned skills will give you such a great advantage over the idiots and critters that will always be out to get you.

Don’t give up in the struggle to survive in this wonderful world of motorcycling; it’s all worth it and the adventures keep getting better.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD

the

it Came from heLmet CompaNy

“Oh, yeah, man, like I’m stoned, you know, man. But, like, you know, I saw a satellite, man. And it was going across the sky and it flashed three times at me and zigzagged and whizzed off! Man, and I saw it!”

Billy in Easy Rider In my possession at this time (but not on my head at the moment) is a stunning new state-of-the-art full-face helmet from a premium manufacturer. I will disclose all in an upcoming review, but suffice it to say it’s the best lid I’ve ever worn and a true testament to how far the breed has come in terms of safety, comfort, and features. As often happens when you deal with the latest and greatest of a piece of kit, this marvel got me thinking about all the motorcycle helmets I’ve been exposed to in my tenure on this blue ball. And the more I thought about it, the more I realize how much has changed, while other aspects have thankfully remained the same. While thinking back about the helmets of old it also brought back memories of how they showed up in movies and such, and how in their own way were part of the fashion of the times. Like motorcycles themselves, the helmet has been the beneficiary of the latest advances in material, design, and production technologies that have dramatically improved the breed. But looking back, helmets seemed to me much more a part of the style of the times more than they are now, but that could just be my perception of the way things were when I was a kid. Allow me to share what I’m talking about.

My first introduction to the motorcycle helmet was in the mid 60’s through my oldest brother, when his best friend (who happened to live next door) purchased a Honda 305 Scrambler. I was but a wee lad, and my brother started putting magazine pictures of every bike imaginable up in his room.

One day he showed up with a helmet, for I guess my dad told him no riding with his friend without the proper headgear. My brother was on the football

Page 5 team so helmets were no big deal to him, and he had zero trouble with my dad’s decree. The lid was made by Bell, a company that in the 60’s (in Texas at least) was the Chevy of two-wheeled headgear and I will never forget its characteristics. It was an open face unit, coated in a very thick candy blue finish that was, of course, metalflake in composition that did wild stuff in the light and mesmerized my young eyes. I also thought it weighed a ton (compared to today’s helmets it did, too), and I think had provision for a snap-on upper visor. I also remember the interior was lined with the 60s version of EPS (expanded polystyrene) that is still used today, because they’ve not found anything better in terms of cushioning the head in an impact and/or the deceleration of sudden movement during shocks (which are the real culprit in head injuries). The style and shape of the helmet was quite iconic, and ultimately ushered me into the wide universe of motorcycle headwear.

During this period, a popular variation was this helmet with a huge bubble visor that found its way onto the silver screen and TV nearly as much as it did on the heads of riders.

I’m exaggerating a bit, but as I was a devoted fan of science fiction and shows like Lost in Space, I observed how they would make an instant Alien Robot Death Servant of Evil by combining a wet suit with a bubble-visor Bell and HaZaa! You die, Earthman! Over the years, such an outfit (or variation thereof) would find its way into all kinds of ultra low-budget, postapocalypse Sci-Fi movies shot all over the world, and the gang at Mystery Science Theater 3000 visited these golden atrocities quite a few years later.

If you want a more conventional cinematic wardrobe study of the helmets of the 60s, please visit Easy Rider. In this classic road movie you see a broad Continued on Page 7

Page 6

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

ON THE MARK MARK ByERS

rightSiziNg Have you ever seen a little elderly person driving a gigantic car? You know of whom I speak: all you can see is two hands with a death grip on the wheel and a hat. It’s not really an age thing: what about the little person in the Yukon SUV who practically needs a stepladder to get in? I know a guy whose wife just LOVED their Suburban because it sat up high, she could see, and it made her feel “powerful.” There appears to be an inverse relationship between vehicle size and the size of the person operating them.

Some motorcyclists share that issue – they ride bikes that are way too big, powerful, and heavy for their stature or physical ability.

Some are new riders who make questionable choices in physical size and engine power because of poor training, ego, or peer pressure; however, a lot of riders of mismatched bikes are older, more experienced folks who

have been seduced by the size monster. Very large machines, like the 1,833 cc Gold Wing, come with lots of amenities that older riders enjoy; consequently, they purchase those 835 lb, two-wheeled Escalades irrespective of their ability to handle them.

I’m pretty cautious about what I ride, especially when I will be hauling Betsy. Back in 2003, the only bike Edelweiss had for their Montana tour was a BMW K1200LT, the so-called “light truck.” I didn’t want to ride off the side of Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, so I immediately made a point of going to a dealer to make sure I could handle one. I could – barely - with my biggest trepidations being the high center of gravity and handling at low speeds. The K1200LT had rubber bumpers on the body and bags for a reason. Fortunately, I didn’t have to use them. On our recent trip to Ecuador, before we left I “tried on” a V-Strom 1000 like I knew we’d have down there.

In “Magnum Force,” Inspector Callahan tells Lieutenant Briggs, “A man’s got to know his limitations” and motorcycles are no different. If you buy a K-TwoMillion-GTL because you want to have everything from shift assist to a Bluetooth radio and you have to lower the suspension, then perhaps you’re not making a wise choice. I seriously doubt there is anyplace you are going to go on 1,600 to 1,800 cc’s that you could not go on far, far less.

In fact, thanks to our speed limit structure, there’s a LOT of power in those bikes that you’re never going to use. And, in the unfortunate event of a tipover, be prepared to pick up all 800-plus pounds by yourself, if you aren’t injured in the fall.

It’s not a sign of weakness to downsize, or “rightsize:” plenty of folks have chosen smaller, more appropriate bikes on which to ride. I’ve gone from Maryland to Madison, Wisconsin and Louisville, Kentucky on a 650 and never felt at a loss for power, even at 75-85 MPH on the slabs. If you are an older rider, perhaps it’s time to choose a bike that is more suited to your ability to ride. I observed a person earlier this year on a BMW R1200RT who could scarcely walk, much less handle that large bike. As for modifications, the consequences of lowering a bike can result in poor handling due to geometry changes and early dragging of parts, potentially leading to a crash. I saw that happen recently.

Unlike cars, whose adjustments for operator size amount to moving a seat, motorcycles offer a unique ability to choose a model whose size (both physical and horsepower) are commensurate with the age, ability, and strength of the rider. A friend of mine just downsized from a 1,200 cc bike to a 750 cc because he realized that he was getting older and that there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do on the 750, including long-distance miles with full luggage. My general-purpose mount these days is a V-Strom 650 and I only bring the R1200RT out for long-distance journeys with the wife and certain bicycle race jobs. Based on riding the big V-Strom in Ecuador, I could see us doing two-up trips on the 650.

Self-discovery is hard. Admitting that the big Stratocruiser or skyscraper-tall ADV bike is more than you can handle takes some serious, honest introspection that a lot of people just don’t want to do. If we want to maintain and continue our riding careers well into our “golden years” however, that self-examination must be done.

Don’t think of it as “downsizing,” think of it as “rightsizing.”

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018 free WheeLiN’ Continued from Page 3 After his death Bronson ends up with Nick’s Harley and, after a heated argument with his editor, has “enough with the man!” and takes off on the bike for parts unknown.

I was eleven about this time and watched mesmerized as Bronson pulls up to a stoplight and has the conversation with a middle-age driver of a station wagon.

It is obvious the driver was everybody in the world trudging through the day-to-day and living a life of quiet desperation.

Driver: Taking a trip?

Bronson: What’s that?

Driver: Taking a trip?

Bronson: yeah.

Driver: Where to?

Bronson: Oh, I don’t know. Wherever I end up, I guess.

Driver: Man, I wish I was you.

Bronson: Really?

Driver: yeah.

Bronson: Well, hang in there.

The light then changes and Bronson rides away and they cut to him heading along the Pacific Coast Highway – an unknown and exotic place to an 11 year old in an apartment in Woodside, Queens.

This scene changed my life – maybe yours too, What Sea Hunt was to diving, Then Came Bronson was for riding and the motorcycle industry should be forever grateful to this show.

When you think about it both activities - riding and diving - are solitary in nature yet many times we do them in with others. Many riders dive and many divers ride and I think we have two television shows to thank for this.

Page 7 poStCardS from the hedge

Continued from Page 5 take on many styles of the period, worn by the likes of Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson. The latter’s lid is a football-style creation that suited the young, soon-to-be-legendary Nicholson like a glove (or a helmet that fits well). This movie really shows how the styles of the 60s were incorporated into everything man-made, and even the humble crash helmet was a canvas for expression. It’s really a full spectrum design ethos, too, as it wasn’t just the metalflake paintwork and other adornments but the shape of the helmet itself, too. Room for individual artistry is always found on personal attire of any type, but this off-the-shelf starting point was pretty rad back in the day.

A question arises here: did we lose something on the styling front with the passage of time? Not entirely. Amazingly, Bell Helmet still makes an assortment of classic designs including the legendary bubble visor that, delightfully, lives on. I haven’t worn a contemporary version, but I’m sure it’s a trip, man.

As for my new lid, I will go into great detail in my review on why I think it’s the greatest thing ever. It’s certainly the best one I’ve ever worn, and I’ve always had premium lids that I didn’t think could be improved upon much. But improve it they have, and yet all the newness made me a bit nostalgic. To sum up: the helmet has always been not only a critical component of riding apparel for over half a century, but a damn cool one, too. It has also adorned many the noggin of alien stormtroopers and dudes and mamas of the road.

These days the movies are influencing the design of some helmets (especially of the dual-sport variety), so the circle is complete. Even more fun is the fact that it’s not just helmets in cinema anymore because more and more postapocalyptic and ultra tech Sci-Fi costume designers are using all manner of moto-garments in their wardrobe creations. Billy saw it happening, man! The space travelers dress like us! I’ve seen it!

Page 8

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

BACKLASH

Letters to the Editor

To All My Backroads Friends…

Let me thank you for all the words of wisdom and support. I received so much support from our small community it was overwhelming. I wish I knew how to reach out and thank all the people who sent words of caring and offers of help.

I’m truly blessed to have friends like you and the Backroads community.

Thanks, Steve Sacher

First Issue…

Waaahooooo!! I finally got my first Backroads. The postman managed to lose the July edition - so if you have an extra, could you send one along?

PS: Statue is from my days in Brooklyn (NYC); feline on his stone runway is Alonzo, from the streets of Berlin (NH); millstone is from right here where a grist/saw/shingle mill worked from 1770’s to 1850’s.

Kate hartnett

The Backroads Report • The truth is out there!

Hi Brian and Shira, I have come to the conclusion you two are aliens from another world. How in the Hell do you do all the “stuff” you do? I am sure readers do not understand all of the hats you two wear.

Where do all the stories come from? Your Free Wheelin’ and Whatchathinkin’ are always great and sure, you got help from a few great writers like Bill Heald, Mark Byer, Dr. Seymour O’Life. But they can only cover so many pages.

Where do those stories come from every month? My head bursts just thinking about it. Where do all the ads come from? They do not just appear by themselves, and I am sure they are not standing in line on the phone to signup.

Once you get that all figured out how do you get the pages together and get it printed in a timely manner?

Then you travel and have rides with your readers. Sure, everybody thinks you are all just about riding your motorbikes and having fun, you know “Money for nothing and your chicks/guys for free!”

This is just the tip of the iceberg I could go on and on with all the things riders/ readers do not understand are going on in the background.

Why am I on this hoot? Because of your dang ‘The Backroads Report!’

You guys are not slowing down - you are hurtling up to lightspeed!

Because I am setting here trying to figure out what to do for the RKA August Newsletter! RKA just signed up to sponsor SIX forums and I am trying to figure out how to interact with ALL of these riders!!

And 60? You are just a kid. You two are “out of this world” aliens for sure! rich & Kathy • www.rka-luggage.com

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Backroads, These Backroads Reports are great. Now I really have to learn how to download these rides. Thank you. We are just leaving for a two-week ride down south. Hope you are having a good summer. ivan Sobel

Smellin’ Butts Backroads, I could not put the August edition down last night. I think it’s a top ten issue - well done. The whole Free Wheeling sniffing the butt thing with respect to checking out others bikes. Perfect analogy sir! tony Lisanti Hey Backroads, How did you happen to come across the Jacobson Effect? I never met Bill Heald and I’m not big on political articles in specialty Pubs like Backroads but he is right about one thing; why are motorcycles the first product to rear its head when you hear about tariffs?

And what’s “FOMO”? It’s in the blue banner in the middle of page 7. I tried Googling it but all I get are pizzerias. mikey B Brian, As far as your editorial in the August issue…

The magazine is just great the way it is! It’s not too BMW or other brand. It’s not too ADV or cruiser or dirt centric. It’s a nice mix of your neighborhood – New England to Virginia. Keep up the great work!

Best, michael Nemlich So Brian, You thought maybe I don’t read your musings each month? I suppose I should be flattered that you used my writings as the ultimate example of “venting,” as in

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

IN DU ST RY INFO BITE S HAWAII APPROVES SHOULDER SURFING Some places allow lane splitting, riding between lanes of slow moving traffic, and others allow lane filtering where riders can filter through traffic at stop lights and proceed ahead of other vehicles when it turns green, but as an alternative Hawaii will now allow motorcycles to ride on the shoulder of the roadway.

Authorities have been debating allowing riders to practice lane filtering, as opposed to lane splitting, but after much deliberation Hawaiian riders will get neither, and instead will be the first state to get shoulder surfing: House Bill 2589 will allow two-wheel motorcycles to travel on the shoulder in designated areas of state roads, when there is congestion.

In Hawaii, the lanes are narrow, which makes lane splitting and filtering a truth I have to admit it is part of a persona I have carefully built this past 30 years or so.

However, as erudite as your scribblings might have been, I feel I must point out that on the very next page, your “better half” actually trumped your column with her own.

Hey Shira...LOVED your take of the Women’s Coffee Club! And it took real cajones for you to call them out.

Still love the rag. Full speed ahead, don’t let the bastards get you down. fred rau

Page 9

News from the Inside greater concern. The motion was approved, however, Governor David Ige (D) was initially against the idea, stating that the shoulder lane was reserved for stopped vehicles and emergency services. He considered that allowing motorcyclists to surf the shoulder would equate to higher risks of accidents.

Despite the Governor’s initial intention to veto the motion, on July 12th, 2018, it was passed by default, without the Governor’s signature. In Hawaii, any bill left unsigned and un-vetoed automatically becomes a law. Effective January 1, 2019 riders will be allowed on the shoulder on roads of at least two lanes in each direction and with a shoulder lane wide enough for a vehicle to circulate safely.

This experiment will also serve as an indication of whether this kind of measure concretely helps the flow of traffic or not.

MORE LANE SPLITTING NEWS… LANE SPLITTING MAY BE ALLOWABLE IN MORE PLACES Although practiced by motorcyclists around the globe, lane splitting is legal in only one American state, California, though theoretically the practice could be permissible in 12 other states and Washington, D.C., reports RideApart.com; “California is the only state where lane splitting has any sort of official legal status, but that has only been the case since January of 2017.

Continued on Next Page Hey Brian & Shira!

Just finishing the great turtle rescue article in the July Backroads. You’ve got a lot of wonderful pics & stories of your latest adventures & trips you sponsored. That article about the Catskill Aqueduct was of special interest. I had a small camp way back in the mountains for 15 years, near Halcott Ctr. We planted 1,000 pine seedlings in 1968. Skied, hiked & rode wood roads on a ‘68 YL2C Yamaha 100cc trail bike. Great times, they were. But, we sold in the ‘80s to buy the farm we now own. See you both soon.

Les & debbie • Walnut grove farm, augusta, NJ

Page 10 Before then, the commonly practiced riding technique was something of a gray area - not specifically legal, but equally not specifically illegal. According to attorney Michael Padway, lane splitting exists in the same legal gray space in the following states: Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia.”

So, perhaps the only reason people think it’s against the rules in the states mentioned is precedent, but since lane splitting is not necessarily protected it would be up to an officer’s discretion to decide whether the practice is safe.

HELMET LAWS MAKE MOTORCYCLISTS SAFER – BUT DRIVERS PLAY A ROLE TOO Pennsylvania personal injury attorney Cliff Rieders said that the state’s repeal of its helmet law in 2003 is one of many factors posing a threat to motorcyclists.

Since Pennsylvania decided in 2003 not to mandate helmets for all motorcyclists, the number of deaths among bikers has increased. Of the nearly 2,600 motorcyclist fatalities that occurred between 2004 to 2016, about half were not wearing helmets at the time of their crash.

Cliff Rieders of Rieders, Travis, Humphrey, Waters & Dohrmann said that regardless of how you feel about the validity of laws that require helmet use, the fact that these laws save lives is difficult to dispute.

“You might believe that these laws, despite their effectiveness, impede personal freedom,” Rieders said. “But the statistics speak volumes about the

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS consequences of Pennsylvania’s legislation.”

Rieders said that the impact of the state’s legislation has been known for years. He cites research from the University of Pittsburgh, which compared death rates between the two years before and the two years after Pennsylvania repealed the helmet law. Researchers found that helmet use decreased significantly, and head injury deaths increased by 66 percent.

Rieders said that while the impact of Pennsylvania’s repeal is clear, the issue is more complex than legislation.

“Since the repeal, there have been other factors that increase the dangers to motorcyclists,” he said. “Smartphones and the distraction they cause are a serious threat to bikers. The rate of motorcyclists registered in Pennsylvania has also increased, which obviously plays a role in the rise of motorcyclist fatalities.”

Aside from urging lawmakers to change state law, Pennsylvanians may feel that there is little to be done to improve road safety for motorcyclists.

However, Rieders said that sharing the road with bikers and being aware of how driving habits impact those around us can help.

“Helmets can save lives, but the story doesn’t end there,” he said. “Even if a motorcyclist practices defensive driving and follows all the rules of the road, they can still be in great danger if the rest of us don’t observe safe driving practices.”

WORLD’S FIRST MOTORCYCLE THEME PARK BREAKS GROUND What could be more exciting than a theme park dedicated to motorcycleriding, including a high-speed head-to-head roller coaster race?

To be identified as “Ducati World”, Ducati laid the first stone to the world’s first theme park dedicated to all the motorcyclists, young or old, that will include a showroom, children’s attractions, virtual reality and many more indulging experiences fully showcasing the Ducati brand in a larger than life format.

Located at Mirabilandia, the “Ducati World” will be the world’s first entertainment arena themed after a motorcycle brand. It will become a part of the Mirabilandia leisure park which is in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, the birthplace of Ducati.

It will be spread across 35,000 square-meters and feature a unique new-gen roller coaster that will “turn each visitor into a Ducati rider” as a major attraction. It will also be home to motorcycle simulators allowing visitors to have the feel of the road on superbikes and track machines going at full throttle.

The highlight of the amusement park would be a racing-inspired interactive roller coaster, which simulates a ride on a Panigale V4 with the power to control the acceleration and braking; “An authentic head-to-head between bikes roaring along parallel rails.”

Gates to the “most engaging and innovative experience for motorcycling fans” will open to the public in 2019.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

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G REAT A LL AMERICA N DINE R RUN piggy’S reStauraNt 16 N LAKE DR, LAKE HARMONY, PA 18624 • 570-722-8493 HOURS: MON-FRI 8AM-3PM • SAT-SUN 7AM-3PM • SERVING BREAKFAST ALL DAY In our ever-expanding search to bring you fun rides and tasty food, we pointed our wheels towards Pennsylvania - the Lake Harmony area, to be specific. Seymour had sent us out this way to explore one of his cockamamie sites and being as we had to fill our bellies first, we landed at Piggy’s Restaurant.

In all honesty, I had Piggy’s on my ice cream run list, but seeing as it was pre-Memorial Day, their Hog Heaven Ice Cream Shop had not opened for the season. No worries here, as Piggy’s

tasty places to take your bike

menu, whether breakfast or lunch, would be more than satisfying.

Piggy’s sits on the shore of Lake Harmony, a summer community that can become a bit hectic once that season arrives.

On this mid-spring day the roads were clear and the sun was shining and all was right with the world. We sat right down and started checking out the menu. From everything that I had heard and read, their breakfasts cannot be beat and, no matter what you order, you will not walk away hungry. Since I was pretty hungry to begin with, I put them to the challenge. Sorting through the breakfast menu, you’ll find everything from a simple plate of eggs as you like them served with your choice of toast and Piggy’s home fries, homemade buttermilk waffles or pancakes with or without blueberry or chocolate chips or the opulent creation of Crunchy Batter Toast – cinnamon glazed granola on Piggy’s original batter toast (they use pancake batter to coat the toast). You can augment this already large order with bacon, ham, scrapple, sausage or Taylor Pork Roll (come on, pick one – it’s either Taylor Ham or Pork Roll!) Should you be the sensible and boring one in the group, there’s also oatmeal and fresh fruit to soothe your conscience.

We were in between breakfast and lunch but, as Piggy’s serves breakfast all day with a smile, we decided to split our ordering. Brian chose from the lunch menu (served 12-3), which is also pretty tasty. There are Angus beef burgers with

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS whimsically-decorated restaurant. As you enter, you’ll find an assortment of swine-related items for sale, from kid’s games to little statues and stuffed animals and pretty little purses. As you’d imagine, the entire place is pig-themes and there are some very creative and cute images. Should you find your Michelangelo emerging, pick up some crayons and take to creating your own swell swine sketch.

Brian’s Philly cheese steak was as advertised, topped with fried onions and sweet and hot pep-

assorted toppings, sandwich wraps, hot and cold sandwiches from BLT to grilled chicken breast Lake Harmony (grilled chicken with cheddar cheese and spinach), and a Philly cheese steak which they taut as the BEST in the Poconos. So, what do YOU think Brian was served? I went with the also highly-acclaimed Crunchy Batter Toast with a side of extra crisp bacon.

While we were waiting with our most excellent cups of coffee and a complimentary basket of homemade blueberry muffins, we wandered the

Rip N Ride® • PIGGY’S RESTAURANT 16 N LAKE DR, LAKE HARMONy, PA 18624 • 570-722-8493 HOURS: MON-FRI 8AM-3PM • SAT-SUN 7AM-3PM • SERVING BREAKFAST ALL DAY, LUNCH NOON-3PM • CASH ONLY • ICE CREAM MEMORIAL TO LABOR DAY @ HOG HEAVEN

Start at \corner of Rtes 206 and 519 Get on Newton Ave/Rte. 519 West Turn left onto CR-521 Turn left onto Stillwater Rd Turn right onto Maple Ave Turn left onto Bridge St Turn left onto Hwy 94 Turn right onto Cedar Lake Rd Turn left onto Edgehill Rd Turn right onto Heller Hill Rd Turn right onto Union Brick Rd Turn right onto Mt Hermon Rd Turn left onto Dean Rd Turn right onto Knowlton Rd Turn left onto Lime Kiln Rd

LEG

TOTAL

3.9 mi 5.9 mi 1.6 mi 5.8 mi 73 ft 0.1 mi 0.2 mi 0.5 mi 1.7 mi 2.4 mi 0.2 mi 1.9 mi 0.2 mi

3.9 mi 9.9 mi 11.5 mi 17.3 mi 17.3 mi 17.5 mi 17.6 mi 18.1 mi 19.8 mi 22.2 mi 22.5 mi 24.4 mi 24.6 mi

Turn right onto Delaware Rd Turn left onto Walnut Rd Turn right onto US 46 Take ramp to I-80 W/PA-611/Portland PA Take ramp to PA-611-Toll/Portland PA Get on PA-611 North Turn left onto Cherry Valley Rd Turn left onto Bangor Mountain Rd Keep right onto Cherry Valley Rd Turn right onto Route 115 Turn left onto US 209 Turn right onto Burger Hollow Rd Turn left onto Jonas Rd Turn right onto Scenic Dr/CR 534 Turn right onto Hwy 903 Turn left onto Lake Harmony Rd Turn right onto N Lake Dr Arrive at Piggy’s Restaurant

LEG 1.9 mi 1.3 mi 1.0 mi 0.5 mi 282 ft 0.8 mi 5.6 mi 3.0 mi 0.2 mi 8.5 mi 3.1 mi 5.9 mi 4.2 mi 2.5 mi 6.1 mi 2.1 mi 1.4 mi 329 ft

TOTAL 26.5 mi 27.7 mi 28.8 mi 29.3 mi 29.4 mi 30.2 mi 35.9 mi 38.9 mi 39.1 mi 47.5 mi 50.7 mi 56.5 mi 60.8 mi 63.3 mi 69.4 mi 71.6 mi 73.0 mi 73.1 mi

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018 pers (quite hot, he said) and a side of chips. My French toast was simply amazing. Yes, a bit on the sweet side, but with a lovely granola crunch and much more than I could finish (made for a great side to the scrambled eggs the next morning). We saw some omelets served while we where there and, indeed, they were the size of a small child’s head.

All in all, with the homey atmosphere, the large portions and reasonable prices, Piggy’s in Lake Harmony makes for an excellent stop on Backroads’ Great AllAmerican Diner Run. Should you visit between Memorial and Labor days, you have the added bonus of ice cream once you’ve walked a lap around the lake to digest your delicious meal. One more thing, Piggy’s is CaSh oNLy, but they do have an ATM. Here’s a 75-mile one-way ride from Branchville, NJ to Lake Harmony, PA. Enjoy and remember to leave room in your top case for your piggy bag.

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GETAWAY ridiNg diStiLLed • part 2 a tWo-day JauNt to Some LoCaL diStiLLerieS of fLaVor Last month we started on a two-day romp in search of strong spirits and powerful flavors in what we called Riding Distilled.

In this litigious society our lawyers, the attorneys at Happy, Pepe & Danger, insist we add this… so let’s read and agree with the following: Weunderstandthatitisabadideatodrinkalcoholandridemotorcyclesandweagreethatt astingisnotdrinkingandwewillbeadultsaboutthissohelpmegod!

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind and go for a nice Saturday ride. We then swung around the reservoirs and some of the smaller roads that are hidden in the region.

This had us kill some time and allowed our first stop of the day, the Union Grove Distillery in Arkville.

day tWo….

The Starlight Motel is really a superb place to overnight. Clean and comfortable rooms, a great outdoor seating area and all the little amenities that make a good night’s stay, including a hearty breakfast basket, in room real coffee and ridiculously plush towels.

(Make note to buy new ridiculously plush towels for home!)

Although the day had a chilly start it would reach into the middle 60s later along the mountains and valleys of The Cats and that was perfect for us.

We did a little bit of what I call photo recon, adding to our base of on-hand photography, and then we made a stop by Woodstock Harley-Davidson and sat in with their HOG Chapter as they prepared to take advantage of the day

union grove distillery • arkville, Ny Union Grove Distillery is fairly new and has been in operation since February 2016, run by Brian Mulder and Todd Pascarella.

The distillery, located in a century old roller-rink where the Cha Cha Hut BBQ once was, currently produces their award winning Vly Creek Vodka, which is made from local New York State apples and wheat.

They also produce a smooth vodka from pure “Tree Juice” maple syrup, which is made about 6 miles from the distillery.

Union Grove Distillery produces another very wonderful spirit called Catskill Mountain Maple Spirit, made with the same local syrup, that has become wildly popular. Oddly a bottle was the first thing in the top case this day.

Catskill Mountain Maple Spirit is made in a rum style “but don’t call it rum” and is aged 6 months in a barrel that was used once for bourbon and once for bourbon barrel maple syrup. Huh?

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018 Well, is not fine distilling just a crazy form of alchemy? As they say here, “Distilling the flavor of the Catskills one bottle at a time!”

With the day already half over we began our ride east seeking out some roads we found while perusing Garmin’s BaseCamp. It still amazes us how many neat little backroads and hidden gems remain for us to find, even after all these years.

Our ride brought us through the eastern edge of the Catskills and moved along a bit south and then east up and over the Shawangunk Ridge, which runs north and south along the Catskill’s eastern edge.

The main road through here, Route 44/55, is so beautiful and, if you are so minded, parking and taking a hike along this part of New York is well worth it – during the week.

On the weekend the parking lots and pulloffs can be packed with billions of work week refugees seeking asylum in the wide open outdoors and, as much as we enjoy New Paltz, New York, on Fridays at noon the town should remove the regular signs and change the name of the town from New Paltz to Zoo Paltz.

Just don’t go there. Better to follow our lead and head to Highland and The Gunk Haus for lunch. The view and the food do not get much better than right here.

Keeping to the sleepy little town feel… in the quiet and just moderately crowded town called Gardiner we would find our last stop on this Riding Distilled Tour.

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tuthilltown Spirits • gardiner, Ny Tuthilltown Spirits Farm Distillery is New York’s first whiskey distillery since prohibition.

Back in the day there were more than 1,000 farm distillers producing alcohol from New York grains and fruits.

It was not until 2005 that Tuthilltown Spirits brought the tradition of small batch spirits production back to the Hudson Valley.

The distillery itself is even found in a most historic place, as the Tuthilltown Gristmill, a landmark which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is over 220 years old.

In 2003, Ralph Erenzo and Brian Lee created Tuthilltown Spirits, converting one of the mill granaries to a micro-distillery. Two and a half years later, Tuthilltown Spirits produced their first batches of vodka from scraps they collected at a local apple slicing plant. They like to keep everything local and Hudson Valley-centric.

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

Today, Tuthilltown Spirits distills Indigenous Vodka from apples grown at orchards less than five miles away and the highly awarded Hudson Whiskey line, using grain harvested by farmers less than ten miles away. The Visitor Center offers guests the opportunity to taste the collection of whiskeys, vodkas, gins, liqueurs, and other unique, handmade spirits.

We particularly enjoyed their Hudson Baby Bourbon – that too found its way to MWAG. Go figure.

There is also something else to be seen here at Tuthilltown Spirits… and that is Bourbon. Not the bottle kind – the feline kind.

Bourbon weighs a hefty 28 pounds and is one of the biggest cats I have ever seen. I went to pet him and he began licking my hand. I feared I was next on his menu.

The tour here is well worth taking as the guides and the staff are very knowledgeable and motorcycle-friendly too.

With our top cases now fairly full we began to make our way home in what was the best riding day of the year so far and wanted to make good time before sunset as a nasty cold front was coming in that night and bringing back the winter. With an hour to spare we pulled the GS right up to our favorite local watering hole, Monkey With A Gun, and immediately the staff came out to unload the weekend’s boozy bounty.

We hope you enjoyed both the ride and the different offerings and that you stayed true to your promise that tasting is not drinking. That is why you buy a few bottles and enjoy them at home or in your garage while you sit next to your cooling bike and pull out the maps to plan the next ride.

Sources: Starlight Motel 8722 Rte. 28, Big Indian, Ny 12410 845-254-4449 • starlite-motel.com Union Grove Distillery 43311 State Hwy 28, Arkville, Ny 12406 845-586-6300 • uniongrovedistillery.com The Gunk Haus 387 South St, Highland, Ny 845-883-0866 • GunkHaus.com (closed Tuesdays) Tuthilltown Spirits 14 Grist Mill Lane, Gardiner, Ny 12525 845-255-1527 • tuthilltown.com

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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTER IOU S A MERICA SaBiN’S StoNy aCreS Wacky, Weird and Wonderful in Pennsylvania A lot of times readers ask, “O’Life, how do you find some of these places, stories and tales?”

Truth is I am constantly on the lookout for the juicy bits and pieces that make up Mysterious America.

Ever vigilant is key.

A few of us were heading up to the Backroads Fall Fiesta last September and running along a dirt road called High Bridge, just west of the Skinner’s Falls part of the Delaware River.

We were at a quick and steady pace when something caught my eye. Actually a bunch of “somethings” caught my eye. I held up my fisted glove hand, like they do in action movies, to get our small cadre to stop.

They all quickly ignored me and rode past. C’mon, guys!

A few minutes later they rode back and saw what I was seeing.

For a good bit of distance, along the north side of the road, were some of the oddest pieces of roadside art and sculpture I have seen in a long time. In the middle of the exhibit was a large circular sign with bold red and yellow words…I SHOOT BACK. Okay then – perhaps we would not linger too long and we did not.

Still, the artwork intrigued me and I reached out to local historian Betty McAuley. She has been up this way for a long while and knows a little bit of everything. I asked her if she knew anything about the odd art works tucked along the side of High Bridge Road.

She knew immediately who and what I was talking about. “That’s Paul’s.

He’s a sweetheart. Don’t let the sign put you off. Knock on his door – very friendly guy, Paul is.”

So I took a spin back on a stunning spring day. I parked the bike and walk up and down the road, capturing images as I went. Wisdomy words splayed over some signs, crazy cars and vehicles abounded. Mythical beasts and a man made of brake rotors stood guard. ‘Caged Freedom’ stuck out, with its Honda XR-75 minibike imprisoned in a shipping crate. A tree adorned with bicycles rose up from the forest called ‘Cycle Mayham’ and what is heralded as the

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

‘Largest Weed Wacker Sculpture in All of Pennsylvania’, made up of dozens of weed whackers so I am pretty sure it is the largest – if not the only.

Following Betty’s suggestion I walked past the ‘I Shoot Back’ sign and approached the house. Tapping on the door brought a smiling face to the window and artist Paul Sabin stepped outside and asked if he could help me.

He could.

Paul then spent some time telling me how this all came together. It started back in 1996. Paul had some extra scrap metal and decided to make an airplane out of it, which he hung off a tree. His neighbors and friends thought it was great and began to pester him about “what was next?”

And, that is how it started.

Today you would spend a good amount of time trying to count or catalog Paul Sabin’s wonderful menagerie.

Oh, and the warning sign? It seems that back about 30 years some jerky kids in a pick-up truck thought it was funny to shoot at a tree above Paul’s daughter’s head. These idiots were never caught but Paul, being a bit frustrated with the police, took matters in his own hands and put up the sign to let everyone know not to come at his family again.

The sign is still there, but don’t let it put you off.

All good people and riders are welcome to stop and take in Sabin’s Stony Acres as it truly is a great piece of Mysterious America. ~ O’Life out!

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

WE’RE OUTTA HER E 5 LaKeS Lodge Bed & BreaKfaSt 46 MARINA DRIVE, MILLINOCKET, ME 04462 207-723-5045 • 45°36.174’ North 68°49.295’ West • www.5lakeslodge.com RATES START AT $175 TO $290 DEPENDING ON ROOM AND SEASON Each month this column endeavors to bring you places to which you may escape; a destination where you can get away from the daily grind and to experience something refreshing, different and unique.

This month’s hideaway has just about everything we want - so tell work you won’t be around for a week, pack up the bike and aim it north – ‘cause this month we are truly outta here!

In northern Maine there is a vast wilderness – so vast that it seems to go on forever. It is, in fact, the largest stretch of undeveloped land east of the Mississippi River.

Deep in this part of New England a giant mountain rises up. The Penobscot Indians called it Katahdin, which means ‘The Great Mountain.’

At nearly 5,300 feet it dominates the land for miles.

Not far from Mount Katahdin you will find the ‘biggest small city in Maine’ – Millinoket - and just south of that you will find one of the prettiest and well done B &Bs we have seen in a very long time – The 5 Lakes Lodge.

The owners and hosts of the 5 Lakes Lodge, Rick and Deb LeVasseur, have long been in the hospitality business and have brought all their experience home to the lodge found on the stunning South Twin Lake.

Rolling down the short gravel road past the small marina to the lodge, we were stunned by the clear and unobstructed view of Katahdin in the not too far distance.

We were immediately greeted by Samantha, a large Copper Husky who keeps a happy watch on all that happens at 5 Lakes, and found the owner Debbie planting flowers along the lakeside of the lodge.

Debbie looked up from her flowers and offered us a sincere warm greeting. We have always though that innkeepers like this are a special type of human.

Debbie brought us around the lodge to show us our room and the various offerings that were available.

The lodge has five big rooms and there is another guesthouse, the Eagle’s Nest Loft, that will sleep six adults as well.

Entering the lodge the first thing that we saw was a real jaw dropper - the view from the Great Room was

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a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads incredible, as was the identical vista from our large and very comfortable room. Two comfy chairs sat facing the mountain – the prefect place for a cup of coffee at dawn’s first light - which was 5 am this time of year.

The king-size log bed was really neat, comfortable… and really high too. We thought we would need a rope ladder to climb into it.

The shower was hot and strong and the soaps and towels top notch - the Jacuzzi tub very inviting as well.

When they built 5 Lakes they incorporated some really great features, including ambient heat from the flooring, large and open windows to drink in the stunning views and plenty of modern and high-end fixtures.

5 Lakes Lodge is a stunner and, in truth, sitting along the shore in a com-

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

Photo: Bob Miller

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fortable Adirondack chair, with the mighty Katahdin looming across the lake, is simply good for your soul.

We were not there very long before Rick showed up, coming over to say hello and inviting Shira and me for a little pontoon boat cruise with some other house guests.

With Samantha the Huskie taking point on the boat – ever watchful - we cruised the South Twin Lake searching for bald eagle and moose. If you are in search of these creatures this is the place to be.

These lakes – the Pemadumcook, Ambajejus, Elbow, North Twin and South Twin - are fed by the Penobscot River and cover over 18,000 acres with more than 120 miles of shoreline.

At one time they would have been full of lumber as local paper mills ruled the region – but that is in the past. Today the

lakes themselves were empty and pristine and we saw only two other boats the entire time we were on the water.

All too soon we were back at the dock and making time to Millinoket for dinner and then quickly back for sunset and before the moose began to gather along the road. We love seeing moose, but not from the saddle of the bike.

We returned just in time to see the final rays of the sun paint the dusk skies behind the mountains with a broad palette. Simply fantastic.

A nice part of staying in a place like the 5 Lakes Lodge is the opportunity to meet other travelers and this was the case here as well. Breakfast was shared with some retired college professors and Debbie really impressed us with her morning offerings of cinnamon French toast, eggs and sausage, as well as her homemade granola with raisins, chocolate chips and other goodness.

Superb way to start the day.

We loved everything about the 5 Lakes lodge. Rick and Debbie have created a truly remarkable escape and the universe and nature have given it the most regal backdrop.

While exploring the northern ends of the Appalachian Trail and the mighty Katahdin you will find no better place to rest your head, drink in nature’s beauty and refresh your soul.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS AND REVIEWS NIKWAX VISOR PROOF A SMALL CALIBER WEAPON IN THE WAR AGAINST WET It’s simply annoying.

I have a shirt that says “Rain Happens” – and it does.

Most good touring gloves have a little rubber squeegee attached to help wipe away the drops, but NikWax Visor Proof takes it another step forward and helps the water shed off your face shield.

Nothing is perfect and, unlike some similar products, Visor Proof will not damage your shield or compromise it in any way. Is it perfect… nope, but we did find it improved rain-shrouded visibility a great deal.

The water-based Visor Proof is environmentally friendly, biodegradable, non-flammable, non-hazardous and does not contain any fluorocarbons. It is easy to apply and makes a big difference when riding in the wet. It costs around $12 bucks from various sources • nikwax-usa.com.

RIGG GEAR HURRICANE 20L & 40L WATERPROOF BACKPACK/TAIL PACK Nelson Rigg continues to expand their Rigg Gear brand of 100% waterproof dry bags with the new Hurricane Waterproof Backpacks. These dry backpacks offer functionality, durability and mounting at an affordable price.

Made from a waterproof, UV coated Tarpaulin PVC featuring electronically heat-welded seams, these bags keep your contents dry and free from dust no matter what weather or terrain you encounter. These dry backpacks have a watertight roll closure with quick release buckles and an air purge valve to simplify rolling it closed. They feature an internal sleeve to hold a laptop, two outer side mesh pockets that can securely hold a 30oz. fuel bottle, a pocket that can hold an optional one liter hydration bladder, and a removable Molle panel with a waterproof pocket on one side and a waterproof clear map/document pocket on the other. The molded back padding allows for airflow while the 3-way adjustable thick shoulder strap make carrying the bag comfortable. They include quick release strap for mounting the bags as a waterproof tail pack thru the reflective side webbing.

They can easily mount to most motorcycles, PWC, and snowmobile. All Rigg Gear products come with a LIFETIME warranty. Available in two sizes: 20-Liter SE-3020 for $119.95 and the 40-Liter SE-3040 for $139.95.

Log onto www.rigggear.com for more information.

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

The Law Office of Paul G. Gargiulo Presents

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

WHY WE CRASH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF MOTORCYCLE CRASHES IN VERMONT Dan Bisbee In the late 1970s, Professor Harry Hurt of the University of Southern California conducted a comprehensive study of motorcycle crashes. The results were published in 1981 and have become the standard for motorcycle crash studies. Even though the data is 35 years old, it is still sited as if the results are just as valid as when they were published. Being an avid motorcyclist, I wondered if that was the case. With a few email exchanges, I was able to obtain data of motorcycle crashes for the years 2010-2012 as registration data for 2012 in my home state of Vermont. With a few cold beers, a long snowy winter, and Microsoft Excel, I looked at the data to determine what the contributing factors were to crashes. While my results are in no way as thorough as those gathered by Professor Hurt, they do present some thought-provoking differences.

riders average just a tick over 50 years old and are biased toward the older side of the standard distribution curve. This trend may be a bad thing, meaning that fewer young folks are taking up motorcycling. However, it could be a good trend; it could be indicating a large number of riders who rode when they were younger and have rediscovered motorcycling.

THE HURT REPORT The Hurt Report (Officially Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures) analyzed data from over 3600 crashes. This included police reports, in-person interviews and crash site investigation.

While it is over 30 years old, the findings are still being used today.

It should be noted that this study was conducted in California, about as far away from Vermont as you can get. The data was much more thorough and the sample size was greater. The demographics are different, the Vermont riding season is shorter, and Vermont is decidedly more rural than Southern California.

The Vermont data drew some different conclusions than those drawn by The Hurt Report, as shown in Chart 3. The sample size for the Vermont crashes was 384. The other 214 listed the Circumstance as “No Data” or “Unknown.” The increase in animal crashes is indicative of Vermont’s rural nature. The “Non Collision/Overturned” data seems to indicate a result rather than a cause of the crash.

WHY DO WE CRASH? It’s not a question we like to ask. Motorcycles are inherently more dangerous than cars. Some automotive safety devices, such as anti-lock brakes and traction control, have made their way to bikes but others, such as airbags, are not practical on a large majority of motorcycles. The trend of crash avoidance technology that is appearing on new cars will widen the gap making motorcycles appear even more dangerous than cars. The issue is not that motorcycles are becoming more dangerous but that cars have become much safer. So why do we crash? It’s a seemingly simple question with a rather complicated answer. The data shows three main reasons: We crash because we’re young Chart 2 shows the age distribution of motorcycle registrations for 2012 overlaid with an age distribution of crashes. Ideally, the two plots should follow each other. Sadly, they do not. Young riders are crashing at an extraordinary rate compared to registrations. Without being able to speak with the crash victims, it’s difficult to determine if this is due to inexperience or over exuberance or, more likely, a combination of both.

SEVERAL WORDS OF CAUTION “Figures don’t lie but liars figure” goes the saying. If I were of the creative type, I could have manipulated the data to show what I wanted, but I tried not to do that. I am not a statistician, and I do not claim to have all the answers. I do not even claim to have all the questions. You may notice that different sets of data are different sizes. Many of the data points were listed as “No Data” or “Unknown.” When I encountered this, I discarded the entire crash. For example, there were 598 crashes total, but for “Restraint Used,” 69 were listed as “Unknown,” or “No Data.” An additional 25 were listed as “Shoulder Belt Used.” Crashes with no meaningful restraints listed were discarded which resulted in a Helmet Use sample size of 504. Unlike the Hurt Report, I did not have access to more in depth information nor was I able to interview crash victims or analyze the crash scene. This is my interpretation of the data based on what I had available.

REGISTRATIONS There were 30,109 motorcycles registered in Vermont in 2012. Chart 1 shows the breakdown of registrations by age, in 5-year increments. Vermont

WE CRASH BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TOO FAST Speeding is just one aspect of going too fast: aggressive riding is a better description. There were 305 crashes for which some sort of aggressive action

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018 was listed as the primary cause. After eliminating 91 that were listed as” Unknown” or “No Data,” these 305 aggressive acts account for 60% of the crashes. Chart 3 is a breakdown of crashes caused by aggressive riding.

WE CRASH BECAUSE OTHER DRIVERS DON’T SEE US 26%, a total of 157 crashes, involved other vehicles and the rider circumstance was “No Improper Driving.” I assume this means that the crash was the fault of the other driver. The Hurt Report focused on crashes involving another driver turning left in front of an oncoming motorcycle. The Vermont data in Chart 4 shows nearly the same number of crashes where another vehicle ran into the back of a motorcyclist (XXX) versus the Left Turn crash (XXX). Left Turn and Rear End crashes account for half of these crashes.

WE DIE BECAUSE WE’RE DRUNK OR STONED This set of data relates specifically to rider fatalities.

Fewer than 10% of crash victims were administered either an alcohol test or a drug test. However, drug and alcohol tests were conducted on 63% of fatalities. Of the 22 fatalities, tests were conducted on 14. Chart 5 shows that of those 14, nine were above the legal limit of 0.08% blood alcohol content. Additionally, 5 tested positive for cannabis. One person was both legally drunk and tested positive for cannabis.

A word of caution about the cannabis testing: all these tests were blood serum tests which can indicate positive up to 2 days after use. They don’t necessarily indicate a level of impairment the way alcohol tests do. But, the data does show a correlation between cannabis use and dying in a motorcycle crash. With relaxing views toward marijuana, this data shouldn’t be dismissed.

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HELMETS Without knowing what percentage of motorcyclists wears helmets, I was unable to make any clear-cut analysis that helmets prevent injuries. 81% of crash victims were wearing a helmet. I believe the compliance rate of helmet use in Vermont is much greater than this. If that is the case then riders not wearing helmets are over represented across all types of injuries.

It should be noted that simply wearing a helmet does not prevent a crash.

However, conventional thinking is that helmet use would reduce the severity of an injury resulting from a crash. That is not what the data in Chart 6 shows.

Helmet use did not significantly reduce the severity of injury.

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

This chart shows the type of injury incurred by the victim for DOT Helmet (254 total), Helmet Used (153 total) and Non DOT or None (97 total) expressed as a percentage. For example, of the 254 DOT helmeted riders, there were 16 fatalities or 6%. For the 97 Non DOT or None riders there were 5 fatalities or 5%. I was expecting to see a higher percentage of Fatalities and incapacitating injuries for non-helmeted riders but that does not seem to be the case.

DISAPPOINTMENTS WITH THE DATA There was some important data that was missing from the spreadsheet that would have made the data much more valuable.

Did the victim have a valid motorcycle endorsement? This seems like a fairly simple piece of data that should be available to law enforcement.

Did the victim pass an MSF course, or was he self-taught? This would measure the effectiveness of rider training.

How much experience did the rider have? Is a new rider in his 40s less likely to crash than an experienced rider in his 20s?

How many people have more than one bike registered to them? How many miles a year do they ride? Are they true motorcycle enthusiasts or merely sunny day riders?

What model was the motorcycle? In many instances the motorcycle model was listed by its engine size. Is a mid-90s Honda 750 a Shadow or a VFR? A few crashes listed the make as Harley and the model as Davidson. More uniform reporting of the vehicle model would be helpful.

Each crash has 46 points of data entry available. 29% of the total cells had “No Data” or “Unknown” listed. Many other cells had blatantly incorrect information – in 25 crashes the restraint used was listed as “Shoulder and Lap Belt” or “Shoulder Belt Only.” This raises questions about the integrity of the rest of the data.

CONCLUSION Like I said earlier, I don’t have all the answers, nor do I have all the questions but there are things we can do to improve our odds.

Learn to ride and take refresher courses. If you can’t get to a formal class, find an empty parking lot and practice. One shortcoming of our current training program is that once you earn a motorcycle endorsement, you can legally ride the biggest, baddest bike out there. Even if it’s been 30 years since you

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last threw a leg over that Seca 650, you can ride out of the showroom with a Road King or Hayabusa.

Slow down. I don’t agree that speed alone is the cause for many accidents but riding fast can turn small mistakes into lethal ones. Last year I rounded a corner to find a moose ambling across the road. Had I been going a bit faster, I would not have had the space or time to react and to avoid a crash.

Ride like you’re invisible. Other drivers may not actually be out to get you but newer cars are equipped with an increasing number of gadgets that take attention away from the roadway. They also have more sound proofing and better stereos that drown out the noise of traffic. New safety gear in cars can provide car drivers with a false sense of security. Rather than looking for a turn, they drive on obliviously until the GPS blares out “Turn Left Now,” and then dutifully obey before checking for you.

Save the drinking or other mind-altering substances for after the ride. A slight loss of coordination while driving a car can result in a fender bender.

The same loss of coordination on a motorcycle can be catastrophic. After the bike is parked for the day is the only time to have a cold one. Once you’ve traded your keys for a bottle opener, there’s no switching back.

ATGATT stands for All the Gear, All the Time. That includes a DOT approved helmet, gloves, jacket, long pants and boots. But it’s more than what you wear. It’s how you act. You can’t control the other drivers but you can control your own attitude.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

Page 25

ChiLL 32 STATE STREET, MONTPELIER, VT 05602 802-223-CHILL FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK @ CHILL VERMONT GELATO TUESDAY-SUNDAY NOON – 10PM (SUNDAY ‘TIL 8PM) The history of gelato is long and somewhat varied, depending on whose story you believe. Some have the icy delight dating back to the ancient Roman empire who used shaved ice and flavorings to make their summer lives more enjoyable (but only the Emperors – all others suffered the heat), some have Marco Polo bringing the Chinese recipes, using milk instead of ice, back to his homeland. The most prevalent idea is that 15th century Italians began enjoying gelato on a more frequent basis after Florentine architect Bernardo Buontalenti created advanced refrigeration techniques, thus allowing the Italian masses to enjoy the milkbased creations after its popularity was solidified at the wedding of Catherine de’ Medici and King Henry II of France. Another major advancement was the perfection of the first ice cream making machine in 1686 by fisherman Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, making the availability even easier for the common man and woman. After this, the secret was out and Italian gelato spread to the four corners of the world. By the 1920 it was being sold by street vendors.

Ice cream and gelato start with the same basic ingredients: milk, cream, sugar and (typically) egg yolks.

Both are formed from a custard base, but ice cream is churned at a fairly high speed to incorporate air and increase its volume (the cheaper the ice cream, the more air is whipped in). Gelato’s custard base has a higher

proportion of milk to cream and probably no eggs at all.

It’s churned slowly to give it a denser and less airy consistency. Ice cream is served very chilled to be scoopable, while gelato is served slightly warmer so its texture stays silkier and softer. Because of its lower percentage of fat than ice cream, the main flavors take a step up from ice cream and it’s also just a little lower in calories.

I was pointed to Chill in Montpelier, Vermont from many sites touting it as the best gelato, or ice cream in general, in Vermont. We happened to be passing this way after Americade on our way north, so I had Brian vector off our route a bit to make a stop. We got there a little before they opened, but luckily the Farmer’s Market was in full swing and Montpelier, Vermont’s capitol, is a funky, hopping town. We found a parking spot right outside and headed across the street to grab a cup of Joe and people-watch for a while. We spent the rest of the wait time in Woodbury Mountain Toys, a shop to revive your childhood memories and bring out your inner child. After filling a shopping bag (note to self: always

Page 26

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

leave room in the saddlebags for times like this), I stored the purchase and, while locking up the bike I heard my name being called. Up walked John Conte from Whitehorse Gear. After the shop closed, he and family moved to Montpelier and it was nice to catch up briefly.

By now, I was pretty much past due for some frozen treats so when the

young lady opened the door precisely at noon, we entered with smiles on our faces and longing in our eyes. The cases were filled with such colorful enticements it was very difficult to select one, or two for that matter. Luckily there are tasting spoons and I sampled some of the more unusual flavors before settling. Here are a few and flavors rotate regularly: Rose, Mayan Hot Chocolate, Fig & Goat Cheese, Lemon Poppyseed, Lavender, Beetiful and Finocchio (fennel). Of course there are more familiar flavors like Stracciatella, Tiramisu, Nocciola, Ginger, Sweet Milk and Marzipan as well as Chocolate, Vanilla and, of course, Maple. I opted for a double scoop of Rose and Finocchio, both of which were super silky, subtle yet flavorful and very delicious.

Nora and Theo Kennedy, the proprietors of Chill, opened their doors in 2012 and have been making people happy with their creations since. As you can see from the photo, there are a couple of seats outside, but if you stop in during fine summer weather take your gelato to go and wander the town – just make sure you have some room in your saddlebags.

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BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

Page 27

VITPILEN 701 & SVARTPILEN 401 Words: Tony Lisanti Earlier this season, Husqvarna Motorcycles launched their highly anticipated and exciting new range of “real street” motorcycles to the North American market. Two of the models, VITPILEN 701, and SVARTPILEN 401 were in NYC this past May and I had an opportunity to sample both. VITPILEN (Swedish for “White Arrow”) and SVARTPILEN (Swedish for “Black Arrow”) were originally introduced as concepts in 2014. These unique models, inspired by the simplicity of classic Swedish design, are the beginning of a concept that they hope will grow further.

The SVARPILEN is a more rugged and “tough” looking machine with protective parts incorporated into the design such as an exhaust protector, skid plate and tank rack, which are the basis for a modern-day scrambler.

Powered by a single-cylinder 4-stroke engine with roots in the off road world, SVARTPILEN is lightweight, functional and nimble. The riding position on the SVARTPILEN 401 is more upright because of its higher and straighter bars. It is fullyequipped with premium components including LED front and rear lights, WP suspension and a modern fuel-injected motor, throttle by wire among other features.

A short ride on familiar roads just north of NYC let me get a sense of how the package works. The 375cc thumper starts with enthusiasm and revs freely.

The mid-size thumper mill is counter balanced so it’s very smooth with only a light amount of vibration at the grips to let you know its there. The riding position is upright but forward. The view from the seat gives the illusion you’re over the front wheel. Once underway the bike performs very well.

The light weight and superb WP suspension make for a sporty and aggressive ride. ByBre brakes front and rear provide great stopping power with ABS. The 330 lb claimed dry weight makes this machine very nimble in the turns. It’s not afraid to rev either.

Keep the RPM’s up and shift at will. One can make great time on the twisty country roads or tight congested city streets.

Keep the revs up, point and shoot.

The VITPILEN 701 is also a single-cylinder street motorcycle designed to deliver a pure, thrilling, honest riding experience. The engine is a bigger bore single-cylinder 4-stroke housed in chrome-moly trellis frame. The VIT-

Page 28 PILEN 701 was created to reflect the styling of a more modern progressive street roadster. Its minimalistic design is a simple, functional and practical approach to the original concept bike debuted in 2014.

The frame is constructed of hydroformed, high-grade chromium molybdenum tube steel featuring laser cut tubes robotically welded ensuring precision and rigidity. It’s lightweight results in precise handling, superior torsional rigidity and longitudinal flex, providing detailed feedback for the rider.

The 692.7 cc liquid-cooled, single cylinder engine like its smaller sibling features the latest design and electronics technology such as cam driven counter balancer, throttle by wire, EFI, but adds selectable ABS and traction control which can be switched off. With a peak horsepower of 75hp and 53 lb-ft. of torque at 6750 rpm, there is no doubting this bike’s performance potential. WP suspension and the supreme Brembo brakes, round out the list of premium components.

A second ride on the roads in Harriman was fun to say the least. The riding position is much sportier with more of a lean into the handlebars.

Like the SVARTPILEN, the seat places you forward over the gas tank locating your head over the bars. It gives the illusion of an aggressive riding position without being uncomfortably leaned forward. The 75 HP

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018 single is very torquey and likes to rev to redline. With a claimed dry weight of only 346 lbs, this bike is a blast.

Open the throttle and the forward motion is instant without being jerky or twitchy. Once under way shifts are smooth and effortless. The torque allows for either short shifting or blasting through the gears at redline. If you have an affinity for single cylinder machines, this bike will leave you wanting one.

Husqvarna is introducing this line of machines as entry level. The SVARTPILEN 401 is cool enough and docile enough to attract new and dare I say younger riders to the road. It should appeal to urbanites, commuters and weekend warriors alike. MSRP is $6,299. The VITPILEN 701 is a bit more upscale and MSRP is 11,999.

The VITPILEN is also available as a 401 model which should be more attractively priced.

Husqvarna Motorcycles also offers a line of accessories and lifestyle apparel to fit out and customize each machine to the owner’s liking.

To see for yourself point your browser to www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

MACHINEARTMOTO MUDSLING™ R NINET REAR SUSPENSION GUARD MachineartMoto, designers of specialized products for BMW motorcycles, announce the MudSling™ R nineT rear suspension and splash guard for all models of the BMW R nineT. MudSling™ R nineT is designed to protect these bikes’ wide-open rear suspension area from stone chip damage and mud accumulation, and reduces rain splash-out to the sides. MudSling™ fits with OEM and aftermarket shocks such as Ohlins, Wilbers and more. Many riders choose to mount premium suspension soon after purchase of their R nineT and MudSling™ helps protect the bike from the start.

MudSling’s shape looks slender from the side and well-integrated with the minimal styling of the R nineT. Whether mounted to the original R nineT or Racer for the street, or to the Scrambler or Urban GS for on and off-road riding, effective coverage area is 8”

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Page 29

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

Summer Squeeze 2018 The Return Home

I

t was probably about a decade back when we strolled into the lobby of the Gray Ghost and received a big hug from Magnus and was told, “ Welcome home.” It is hard to get such a greeting and not feel wanted and comfortable. We still get that feeling each time we ride up to the southern reaches of Vermont.

It does feel a bit like coming home.

Coming off the high, albeit a bit soggy, Spring Break, we quickly began to get messages asking if the fun would continue in Vermont during the summer.

Calls to Carina at the Gray Ghost and both the Kitzhof and Big Bear Lodges were made, dates bandied about and we settled on the first weekend of July –assured that we’d have enough rooms for this rally, now a tradition of sorts held from Sunday through Wednesday during a week in the summer.

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That is why it had become known as the Squeeze. Vermont is a great place to ride, but can get crowded on the weekends during the warmer months. Arriving on a Sunday afternoon, when most are retreating back home, assured us that most of the roads are clear and empty for us on Monday and Tuesday.

Although many riders came from all points on the map we began our journey with the arrival of Mark and Betsy Byers to Backroads Central on Saturday afternoon. We met our friend Mike at the Elias Cole Restaurant near High Point State Park in New Jersey early Sunday morning for breakfast before setting off on an intricate and (we hoped) well planned jaunt up to the Green Mountain State.

After all the years we have been traveling this way you might think we have exhausted all possible routes, but that could not be further from the truth. Here in the northeast, natives have been walking paths through the forest, and settlers made those paths into trails, and time has morphed the trails into roads. Like the Allman Brothers sang, it seems that sometimes the roads go on forever.

We had a most excellent romp north, stopping for lunch in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, before continuing towards West Dover.

Page 31

Some detours put us on even lesser known roads – but sometimes, like in life, a good detour is needed and well worth the effort.

We arrived by early evening in time to make a few beer and soda runs, take a dip in the pool and make friend with Odin, the Gray Ghost’s new Black Lab puppy.

This Sunday evening we stayed in, ordering a half dozen pizzas and salads and keeping a watchful eye on the large television and stunter-extraordinaire Travis Pastrana, who completing three of Evel Kneivel’s more iconic jumps – making them almost look easy.

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Page 32

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS After the rainy cards we were dealt in May a bright and happy sun was a welcome sight early this Vermont morn.

We had a number of routes planned – knowing full well, despite our best intentions, there would be a few miles of Vermont gravel involved. Yet, folks made their choices and after breakfast we got going along the mountain backroads.

Shira had put together, not one, but two ice cream runs - local Vermonteer and all around nice guy Dan Bisbee had a ride into Massachusetts and his family’s old mill and Dr. Seymour O’Life had a long loop involving all the good stuff you would expect from the master of Mysterious America – aliens, shocking medical oddities and a wild and unexpected museum.

For some of this day we’d make a long mountain loop and find lunch at a great restaurant called The Marina that has its own Lake Monster. Whatcha expect?

Monday in Vermont

Most were up and out early leading rides, following along or just exploring the Green Mountain haunts both old and new.

Shira and I led a ride that seemed to, immediately, begin a daylong search of gravel roads – not so hard to do in Vermont.

All the bikes were of adventure-style with skilled riders so we had fun along the tiny woodsy roads that run in and around these mountains. We made a stop at Townshend Dam. This earthen dam was constructed in 1961 by the Army Corp of Engineers and is fairly massive with a height of 126 feet and a length of 1700 feet at its crest. It holds back the West River and offers some great views from the top.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

We made a stop in Grafton, running into some other riders, and taking in the local historical society’s museum, which had offered a lot more than we thought, both of local history and regional tale.

With new riders coming along we vectored off the dirt and along paved roads down to Bellows Falls where we took a look at O’Life’s Alien Petroglyphs, which were or were not of off-worldly origin. Perhaps some native kids were having some fun a few centuries back?

Our lunch was at The Marina in Brattleboro, which is a superb place to dine along the same West River that we had just viewed from the Townshend

Page 33

Dam. The food here was really excellent, as was the entire ambience, and we quickly remembered why this place has been featured so many times in Backroads over the years.

Our ride back to the Gray Ghost was a hunt and peck along gravel that went up and over the mountain and eventually found us running into Route 100 about 20 miles north of where we thought we’d be.

All in all - a great day’s ride.

The pool at the Gray Ghost was the place to be this warm summer afternoon and as the day rolled by riders rolled back in – while still others showed up just to spend a night at the Summer Squeeze.

This night most riders headed down to the Valley View Saloon, a few miles south on Route 100. This is another very rider-friendly place and part of our advertising family - a little bit of nepotism never hurts.

Tuesday in Vermont

This day it seemed that everyone had a ride and a plan. Shira and I had a date ride this day and headed east along the tiny byways – some paved, some gravel, as it goes in Vermont, and even came across some roads that had GPS warning signs.

As one local told us, “ A lot of folks ride up there but then come walking down a few hours later…” Okay then.

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We paid homage to Phineas Gage, a Vermont railroad construction foreman remembered for his survival of an 1838 dynamite accident in which a large iron rod was driven completely through his head.

We know it sounds like fun – but it wasn’t.

Gage’s story is a remarkable one and a true American oddity and you will find a memorial to the Gage Accident in the center of the town of Cavendish – right opposite the Fire House.

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

Down the road we crossed one of the most photogenic covered bridges in a state full of photogenic covered bridges – the Downers Covered Bridge spanning the Black River near Weathersfield. With its lattice woodwork and Greek revival gables on either end – it is small but beautiful.

I had said earlier ‘the roads are clear and empty for us’ - “Ha”, the Road Gods said, as we remarkably had the most misplaced vehicles get in front of us this day. Running along one tiny and narrow gravel road over a mountain top we came around the bend to see the way being blocked by a large and slowly lumbering (these are key words, my friends) cement truck.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

A cement truck? What is this… Staten Island or something? Shira and I swear this is a CIA / Russian collusion plot against us.

Undaunted, our heroes carried on.

Following Shira’s lead we rode across the Connecticut River to New Hampshire for one of her ice cream stops. Here we met up with other riders

Page 35 for some well-deserved dessert before heading back to West Dover and the Gray Ghost.

By later in the day riders began to return from various points on the map; some visiting the Precision Museum in Windsor, others the Battle Monument in Bennington and a bunch following Dan Bisbee to his family’s mill. As we knew Dan’s ride always rocks and today was no different.

Thank you Mr. Bisbee.

We had a planned barbeque dinner at the Gray Ghost and were joined by motorcycle safety scribe Ken Condon who gave an after dinner chat on motorcycles, safety and improving one’s skill set – always a great idea.

The talk, which ran more than an hour, covered a wide range of riding and skills topic, as well as Ken’s classes – both private and track.

We think it was well received and appreciated and hope that many more join Ken and learn to be even better riders (‘cause we are all so great, right?)

Thank you Mr. Condon.

Throughout the Squeeze it seems that each day was getting a bit warmer as Summer seemed to return, but a cool front brought an hour or so of heavy rain that evening and with it a return to much more pleasant temperatures – it was all good on our boat.

That night, after Ken’s talk, the porches were filled with Summer Squeezers drinking in that last night on the road…among other things.

Page 36

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS Much betterer as the food was spot on and quick and the artwork…well, ‘interestingly splendid’ are the words that come to mind.

With some of the bigger roads close at hand our group split up, with Shira and I heading west over the Hudson at Kingston, then down through the ‘Gunks” and eventually into North New Jersey at High Point. Soon after we rolled up the drive at Backroads Central – another Squeeze in the books.

Wednesday The return to the real world

This day found most riders packing up their steeds and getting ready for the ride back to reality and the ‘real world.’

Some were making a mini-vacation of their time up here and were going to stick around for the remainder of the week, while others left at the crack of dawn looking to get back home fast.

Our small group meandered along the general route we took up – looking completely different heading south. We tried for a French / Italian lunch at the Stissing House in Pine Plains, New York but ended up next door at a small Mexican place that was so good it might have well been in Juarez.

Final Thoughts

We think the 2018 Summer Squeeze worked out well. We had some old friends join us, some new friends made and were dealt a fairly good hand by the Weather Gods.

This southern part of Vermont makes for an excellent launching pad for Green Mountain exploration and we think everyone took great advantage of this.

We’d like to thank Carina, Simon and Allison of the Gray Ghost and Kitzhof Inn for, once again, being the perfect hosts. They make these rallies that much more fun and enjoyable and are great supporters of our motorcycling community.

Our Fall Fiesta Rally – The Endless Mountain Excursion - is coming up this September 20th through 24th and we will do a bit of exploratory riding through Pennsylvania. We hope you can join us.

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BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

Page 37

SR The future is silent and quick words: Brian Rathjen This just might be the first ‘motor’ cycle I have ever had a chance to really test. Long ago, my Uncle Tommy explained to me, “Engines run on fuels.

Motors on electricity.”

Stepping back into my childhood I remembered how my HO slot cars would go from standstill to flying off the track (a lot) in an instant.

Enter the Zero SR. The SR is the hot rod of the Zero line-up. Petite in size, huge on torque and kinda quick. It has a sharp, yet unassuming, look to it.

We rode it to a local Bike Night and it instantly gathered a crowd unlike any other ‘exotic’ or different machine we had brought there before.

The SR was like a young Bruce Lee walking into a crowded and tough bar. He might look small, but he could kick the snot out of just about everyone there. We felt that way about the Zero.

Looking around at the gathering of a 100 or so bikes, we knew the SR could out accelerate just about any of them… and the Corvettes at the dealership down the road. If I owned an SR I would call her Jessica Jones.

It is powered by Zero’s Z-Force motor that was developed from the ground up by Zero Motorcycles to be optimized for efficiency, power and size.

It has around the same weight and volume as competitive brushless motors used in similar applications, but the new Z-Force motor produces up to 130% more power and 150% more torque, which equals incredible on-street performance. Despite its compact proportions, the motor produces up to 116 ftlb of torque, more than most large displacement sportbikes.

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SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS This motor produces 100% torque from a standstill. Like an HO slot car, it’s here… then gone! There are no gears – just twist and go, with the belt-drive bringing turning power to the rear wheel instantaneously.

The Z-Force motor features an interior permanent magnet (IPM) design that significantly improves performance during hard riding and allows higher sustained top speeds. Even more impressive, the compact brushless motor contains only one moving part, requires no liquid or forced-air cooling and requires no routine maintenance.

When combined with a ZF14.4 battery, the remarkably compact and light motor delivers amazing horsepower and breathtaking acceleration. This battery achieves the highest power and energy density in the EV industry and is backed by a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

The SR is pre-programmed with Eco or Sport modes, but there is also a Custom mode that you can program yourself via your smartphone, where you can also get stats on your ride and other information. The phone app on my iPhone was seamless and easy to use – even for me. It shows a customizable display reporting precise state of charge and real-time power usage while riding.

Our 2018 Zero SR, with the optional Charge Tank, can be charged in one of two ways – a 110-volt cord from any standard household electrical outlet will fully charge it overnight or a quicker J1772 EV standard plug, which can be found at various dealerships, hotels and green-minded businesses, that can charge the bike up to 6x faster.

Don’t think you can find one of these chargers on the road? There is an app for that too.

The #1 question we got with the Zero SR was…how far can it go.

Well, Zero claims over 200 miles in certain conditions. With the performance this

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BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018 machine is capable of, nobody will be riding it in a manner that might allow for such range. If they do the SR should be taken from them and handed to someone who can really appreciate the chutzpa this bike brings to the table!

We will safely say you can blow around the backroads and towns for about 100 miles before you will be pushing the Zero to the next outlet.

The SR uses a fully adjustable Showa suspension that worked well over all but the worst pavement and it rolls on Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tires on alloy wheels that worked well in all conditions and offered great feedback and performance.

The brakes work with a Bosch ABS system that can be turned off if you like. We thought, although the front worked fine, a second front disc might have been a good thing. Also, traction control is an absolute must on this bike and non-existent at this point.

But, it is not all quick and wonderful in Zero world.

The bike is small, but at 458 lbs. it is heavier than it looks. Although the riding position was fine, it is still a bit strange to be moving so quickly and so silently.

This is how Superman must feel when he flies.

Although you can kit the bike out with luggage, on the model we had there were no mounting points even to attach a small tail bag. I hate riding with a backpack and, although it might seem a trivial thing, it made me think Zero was focused on performance and range and not on real world application.

Still, with these few bugaboos aside, the Zero SR is a very, very impressive ride!

We know that hundreds of Zero machines have been sold to law enforcement and I can really see how a Zero would make a perfect motorcycle for the police. Stealthy, maneuverable and quicker than just about anything they

Page 39

will run into – it would be a formidable tool for them.

If you live in a small community or have a job that has a short and pleasant commute, the Zero could be better than perfect. Yep - a commuter ride that is quicker than the Porsche 911 parked next to it. What’s not to love?

Also, factor in that the Zero is almost maintenance free - no oil to change, no coolants and no routine maintenance needed as service items like valve adjustments, spark plug replacement and filters are all history; and, the most important thing to note? No emissions or noise pollution.

But, this enviable combination of eco-powered friendliness and ass-kicking performance comes with a steep price: The base model Zero SR sells for $16,495 and add the optional Charge Tank for an additional $2,395 and you have a roll out the door price of $18,790 - even with the US Federal Government, and many state jurisdictions offering incentives on electric motorcycles and charging accessories, it takes lot of green to be green.

You can see the Zero SR and the full line of Zeros at your local dealer or online at www.zeromotorcycles.com

Page 40

PRODUCT REVIEW

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

MOSKO NOMAD TANK BAG

Some women live for jewelry, many collect shoes, others handbags. Given my choice of shopping venues, I’ll take a motorcycle dealership chock full of gear, accessories and parts to peruse. I have been known to hoard gloves and, recently, have had a penchant for tank bags. Searching for the perfect fit on my V-Strom 650, I took a look at Mosko’s Nomad and liked what I found.

Let’s start with the nuts and bolts. The Nomad measures 15” long and 8.5” wide, with a height of 5.5” sans beavertail, a capacity of 7 liters and an empty weight of 3.3 lbs. Length and width will pretty much remain constant, but the height and weight will be determined by the amount of gear you’ll need to stow in that 7 liter space. To make stowage manageable and organized, Mosko has taken away the big, black hole that tank bags use to swallow your stuff. In its place there are six vertical layers, each designed with a specific purpose. Within most of these layers are many zippered or velcroed compartments to hold the smallest of

items. The Mosko folk have done their research and found that most riders’ tank bags are full of smaller items that tend to get lost in that cavernous ‘toaster’ shape.

So let’s examine, top to bottom. top layer: three columns of MOLLE webbing to hold a variety of compatible items. The included map pocket slips in easily, or perhaps a fixed blade knife, protective cell phone holder, etc.

2nd: Expandable beavertail for those most-needed items such as small DSLR camera, sunglasses or maps. There’s webbing and zippered pockets, a carabiner clip to snap your SPOT or such, pen pockets, space for a notebook to jot down those insightful thoughts and all this is held down with clips to secure.

3rd: Zippered layer with six mesh pockets for pens, change, batteries, earplugs, chapstick or any smaller item. There’s a fleece-lined pocket for your glasses (no more scratches) and this keeps all those things in some sort of order instead of a jumbled mess at the bottom of blackness.

4th: Larger compartment with two large mesh pockets that can compress out of the way if not needed. This

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BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

space is great for your wallet, extra maps or snacks. For those contact lens wearers there’s a removable lens case holder – these folks think of everything.

5th: Under the main compartment, running along the bottom of the bag, is a long, flat pocket that can holds a 1.8L hydration bladder (included).

6th: Straps which convert the tank bag to a back pack, complete with hydration should you be toting the bladder.

There is a neat tiny zippered pocket at the bottom of the bag that is great for toll money.

Also included is a waterproof rain cover, very well constructed with welded-seam top panel and sealed seams on the sides. It has a clear top so, should you be using the map pouch, you can see that, fits nicely into a zippered pocket at the top of the bag and has a clip lanyard to keep it attached.

The fastening system is set up for easy removal for gassing up, with long velcro straps that tuck under the saddle and are very adjustable. The bag itself is designed to sit far forward on the tank, and may not fit smaller bikes or bikes without a front gas tank. On the V-Strom 650, I have it positioned back a bit so as not to have it interfere with turning of the bars.

Page 41 Now that you are familiar with the layers, let’s see how they all work in real life riding. After I figured out and remembered where I had stashed all my stuff, I was quick to access any of it at any moment. Since I don’t like to have too many keys dangling in the bike’s ignition, I clipped my topcase and saddlebag keys to the carabiner. My cell and camera fit nicely in the larger 4th compartment, along with my charger (the Nomad is very easily electrified). Since my glasses sit on my nose while riding, I use the fleece pocket to hold my zumo cover and garage door opener. I’ve found that having the hydration system in the tank rather than on my back lets air flow more easily through my ‘stich and gets that annoying weight off my shoulders. With the bladder being at the bottom of the bag, it also keeps it out of the sun, thus the water stays cooler longer. The rain cover stays absolutely put even at highway speed and, so far, has kept everything inside dry and safe when used, even in Backroads’ Spring Break deluges.

If you have suffered the loss of objects in the darkness of conventional tank bags, the Mosko Nomad may be just what you have been looking for.

MSRP is $199 and can be found on moskomoto.com. ~ Shira Kamil

Page 42

MOTORCYCLE REVIEW

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

SUZUKI V-STROM 650 XT

Just a few months back I penned a column on what it ‘is’ that draws a rider to one bike or another.

As I am not immune to this I can now give a fairly long-term test on the last motorcycle that floated my boat - the new Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT. Now in its third generation, the machine first rolled into showrooms in 2004. Sharing basically the same peppy liquid cooled 645cc v-twin engine with the SV 650, the V-Strom became very popular with the ‘go anywhere’ crowd and the then burgeoning ADV cult.

As the years have rolled by, the Suzuki V-Strom 650 has been heralded by many journalists and publications as one of the great all-around mid-size machines on the planet.

I have ridden various versions of the bike on different occasions and was always amazed how some of these bikes could take some serious abuse, yet still get the job done.

But, even knowing that, the V-Strom was never on my radar until that magic moment. To be honest, I felt the bike was a bit of an ugly duckling.

Other than my height coming into play I have never given much thought to being a woman rider – but I often get asked by other females what I recommend and what is out there for today’s female riders. The truth is that no motorcycle is perfect and all machines need a little tweaking here and there to make them right for you.

At that point I had two solid machines on my side of the barn – my venerable 2006 Honda 919 and my BMW F650GS – that was my ‘go to’ weapon of choice when journeying around the United States.

I had occasionally talked about replacing the GS with a new steed – but nothing ever floated that balloon for me.

Brian had mentioned the new XT version of the smaller of the two Suzuki V-Stroms, both with updated styling, but that talk fell on deaf ears until last year at DirtDaze Rally at the Painted Pony Ranch in Lake Luzerne, New York.

Suzuki rolled in the demo fleet, I spotted the new V-Strom 650 XT and the balloon went up.

Now with just over 8,000 miles on the bike I think it is time I shared my opinion on this machine and the little things we have done to make it my new day-to-day ride.

The 650 is offered in two versions – the standard and the XT. Both share an updated exhaust system, improved fuel injection, a sharp multi-function instrument panel, and subframe and rear rack.

The dash has a big analog-style tach, plus large digital readouts for speed and gear position.

There is a smaller screen in the bottom right for fuel level, coolant temperature, air temperature, traction control setting, a clock, odometer / tripometer and fuel consumption. There are also a few warning lights, including a freeze warning –coming on around 37 degrees.

This bike sips fuel, much like Robert B. Parker’s Susan Silverman nibbles her food, and I find I only really need to stop every other time Brian needs to get fuel for his BMW R1200GS – or so he can pee (the price of riding with middle-age guys). I easily go way past 225 miles on a full tank of 5.3 gallons.

The base model runs with cast wheels, while the XT gets spoke anodized rims mounted with Bridgestone Battlax tires.

The yellow version of the XT comes with gold-brushed aluminum wheels – and it seems that shoes can make the man, or machine in this case. The XT also has a plastic lower engine cowl and hand-guards – nice, but rather flimsy, so both were quickly replaced with more serious aftermarket items.

If I thought the older version of the V-Strom was a stodgy ‘ugly duckling’ – well, the new bike has become the swan. Up front the fairing now gracefully wraps around the vertically stacked headlamps.

It has a narrower and sleeker look. This narrower styling handles airflow more cleanly, reducing noise and buffeting compared to the previous 650. That is helped by the new three-way heightadjustable windscreen – which worked okay, but has since been replaced by a far more versatile Givi unit.

Although we went to SHAD for luggage on this machine, Suzuki does have luggage available for it and I under-

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stand that the new version’s bags are a full 8-inches narrower than before, but still carries the same amount of gear. Significant and I am not sure how they accomplished this.

Both the SV and V-Strom’s engines offer 5 more horsepower - using Nikasil-style coating low-friction pistons and improved camshaft timing. Suzuki claims for low and mid-range power. Works for me.

The machine is incredibly smooth and manageable in every situation, with the possible exception of the long straight at VIR where I found myself bashing into the revlimiter more than a few times and longing for the far superior ponies of the 919.

The Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT runs a standard new traction-control system, with three different modes: OFF, 1 is standard, and 2 referees even more.

Off course the bike has ABS – but I was surprised that it cannot be turned off for more serious off-pavement riding. But the dual discs in the front and rear make for confident and sure-footed stopping.

The V-Strom also has two other features that work well – the Low RPM Assist System. This system will automatically raise the idle speed when engaging the clutch or when riding at low rpms. It also has the Suzuki Easy Start System enabling the engine to start with one quick push of the button. A

Page 43 computerized ECM checks the status and disengages the starter motor immediately after start, making the engine start easier for the rider.

Although the Suzuki came nicely packaged from the factory we had to immediately add and replace stuff.

As we said the plastic bash plate (good for road use only) was replaced and the engine guards ordered. One odd thing that came up after we put them on was a quick buzz around 5,000 rpm. The windscreen was swapped out as well – all three aftermarket pieces coming from Givi. I changed the clutch and brake levers as well, as my size XS hands needed a little closer and adjustable fit.

Although the weight, at 476 lbs., is manageable - the seat height, at 33.8 inches, was a tad on the high side for my liking. We worked on this by swapping to Suzuki’s lower seat and made it even lower with some light surgery to the rubber pads on the seat pan. I now sit perched on semi tiptoes a number of inches lower and the suspension was not altered in any way.

After putting some long and short trip miles on the VStrom, my assessment of its capability as a touring machine is thumbs-up. While I would love to have the extra legroom of riding with the stock seat, as well as the leeway of putting some extra padding in the saddle to soften the long hauls, I have become accustomed to single leg stops. The well-balanced weight translates into my being able to handle the bike much more smoothly at slow speeds. Its tractability on dirt and semi-paved surfaces is planted and sure-footed; honestly I could ride standing on the pegs for many miles without a hitch. With the added/changed accessories, the V-Strom has surpassed my expectations and I look forward to many more adventures on it.

The 2018 Suzuki V-Strom is available in Pearl Glacier White (650XT Only), Glass Sparkle Black (650 only) and Champion Yellow No. 2 (650XT Only) and has an MSRP of $8,799 (650) and $9,299 (650XT).

Find yours at your nearest Suzuki dealer. ~ Shira Kamil

Page 44

PRODUCT REVIEW

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

NOLAN N100-5 CONSISTENCY MODULAR HELMET

I have been sporting a Nolan modular helmet for many years.

When the N104 first came out, I was excited that a) it fit beautifully and b) the opening was so very large, offering added visibility. So, when the N100-5 was released, I was eager to give it a go.

Starting from outside in, the outer shell is constructed of Lexan polycarbonate, a highly impact resistant material, and comes in two shell sizes for a better fit to each size. The clear shield is even larger than the N104, giving more peripheral vision and a less constricted feel. It is easily removable without tools and has an anti-scratch treatment. The helmet comes with an anti-fog Pinlock lens, which can be adjusted from the outside of the visor by turning the pins. The N100-5 still sports the integrated internal sun visor (VPS), what we like to call the Blast Shield, which has been updated so that it can be set to 4 different levels for rising and setting sun and annoying light bounce. It also has UV 400 sunscreen protection should you forget to slather up before heading out. The automatic retraction button on the lower left side of the helmet is there for quick low light situations such as tunnels.

The ventilation system has been updated to include an Air Booster in the upper area, which channels the air into the helmet. There is an air inlet in the chin bar as well as an exhaust vent at the top rear. The vents are easily operated with gloves and in wet conditions.

Opening the chin bar is quickly done with thumb and index finger, with a locking mechanism on the left side should you choose to ride with it up. With its dual homologation (P/J) certification, it is approved as an open and fullface helmet, so you can safely ride this way. The elliptical rotation of the chin bar optimizes the profile of the helmet while opened, thus adding to its comfort and aerodynamics.

Moving to the interior, the Clima Comfort padding is made of micro-perforated double density fabric with mesh at the top to allow the air to flow better thus offering better cooling. There is an elastic synch at the bottom to adjust fit around the neck and reflective inserts to allow for better visibility at night. The interior padding is fully removable for washing. The neck roll can have the N-com communication system pre-installed (must be purchased separately), has a removable chin guard to allow for more air flow on those steamy days and a padded strap in the chin area for added comfort. The closure buckle is fitted with a Microlock system, a double lever retention requiring you to fully lift the clasp to release it, which adds extra security. The N100-5 is DOT approved, even with the communication system installed.

After riding with the N100-5 for a few hundred backroads and highway miles, I find it to be a very com-

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018 fortable fit (may take a short bit to get it formed to your head) with good airflow when the visor is fully lowered. As I always use ear protection, I find absolutely no discomfort or pressure with my PlugUps inserted or from the stereo/communication wires. The neck roll and helmet construction makes the helmet extremely quiet while riding with the visor down. I did find that, while riding with the visor up, which I do most frequently, if any flying critters make their way in, they do have a difficult time getting out because of the good seal around the neck. Because of its added safety measures, on very hot days at lower speeds I can ride with the chin bar up and locked for added comfort. During rainy day rides I can ride with the visor cracked a smidge and not have any moisture dripping inside. With the vents open, there is excellent airflow keeping fog and condensation to a minimum.

The N100-5 is available in two shell sizes: Small from XXS – L and Large from XL-XXXL in a variety of colors and graphics (XXXL has limited color availability). MSRP ranges from $409.95 for solid to $439.95 for Consistency Graphics. Visit Nolanusa.com to find yours or visit your local Nolan dealer. ~ Shira Kamil

Page 45

PRODUCT REVIEW

HARLEY-DAVIDSON BEECHWOOD BOOTS The Beechwood is a tall boot (15”), sitting just below the knee, fully laced with eyelets and grommets with a YKK® locking inside zipper entrance. They have a full grain leather upper, mesh lining and Goodyear® welt construction for added strength and durability. The outsole is rubber and is abrasion, slip and oil resistant.

There is a gusset at the top for a little extra room in the calf. An ornamental Bar & Shield graces the top and sole. They are available in brown, black and stone in women’s sizes 5 to 11 and medium and wide widths.

I got these last fall and found them to be a great colder weather boot as they kept my feet toasty warm as well as non-skid in the snow (when not riding). The 1.5” heel let me be a bit more flat-footed on the bike. While they were a bit tall for my like on the bike, they certainly are eye-catching and afford a good deal of extra protection because of their height. I also found them quite comfortable for walking.

They run pretty true to size and allow for skinny leg pants or leggings to be worn inside.

The Beechwood can be found at your local Harley-Davidson dealer and retail for around $200. www.harley-davidsonfootwear.com

Page 46

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

20th Annual Fall Fiesta 2018 • Updates and Route Downloads DAy ONE • ScRANTON PA – ThE ELEcTRIc cITy www.sendspace.com/filegroup/2pOA8uB4HdRngNJ0OtZV9A We have had a few eyebrows raised on us for starting our Fall Rally in downtown Scranton – but fear not; we have a plan - and that is to get to Scranton early and take in a few of the sights for which the city is known.

The Everhart Museum, Steamtown National Historic Site and The Electric City Trolley Station Museum are all worth a visit.

Our hotel was once one of the grandest railroad stations in the nation and its history shows. If you just want to chill with nature take a walk though Nay Aug Park – one of Scranton’s best-kept secrets.

We’ll be meeting at the Forklift Café in Dingmans, PA at 10:30am for breakfast and a 100-mile ride to Scranton.

DAy TwO • ALTOONA, PA • 230 MILES www.sendspace.com/filegroup/JAKfRY0iDuSDTTbE7WRx2oQd25LMnYfH We have a longish day today, with our route spinning through the Keystone State for some 230 miles.

Along the way, if you are fast or early, we suggest stopping at Bill’s Bike Barn – this place is amazing and well worth even a quick run through but can take an hour or so – you can always come back at another time.

The Altoona Grand Hotel has an indoor pool and there are a wide variety of restaurants nearby. We’re planning a group dinner for Saturday night at the hotel, with pricing and menu to be determined. Please check our Rally website and Backroads Facebook page for complete details. We’ll need a head count, so if you think you’re in, just let us know at editor@backroadsusa.com ASAP.

FREE DAy

IN

PA

wITh

ThREE OFFERED ROUTES

We will toss out a few route ideas for you – but please note, you may explore wherever you wish.

GREAT FLOODS, ALIENS

AND

NAzIS • 170 MILE LOOP

www.sendspace.com/filegroup/jzS4sr0w%2Fo7ltsEbzkajjw Did you really think we would not have aliens?

Let us tell you about the Kecksburg Incident.

On a late fall night in December 1965 a fireball was reported by citizens of six U.S. states and Canada over Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Canada.

A sonic boom rocked Pittsburgh and the people of the small town of Kecksburg reported a “controlled” crash of…something in the woods outside town.

Locals went to investigate the area where the object landed, seeing a Volkswagen-size object like a giant acorn with strange symbols across it.

Some say it was a meteorite, others an alien craft – a seriously good theory has it as part of a top-secret Nazi experiment called the Die Glocke - a purported scientific technological device, secret weapon that involved …

Okay, here we go – time travel. We love this stuff!

Within a few hours the crash site was sealed off on the order of U.S. Army, The next morning a large transport carried an object covered and hidden by a tarp heading west – maybe to Wright-Pat Air Force Base – just sayin’.

Thus the Kecksburg UFO Incident becomes a huge part of UFO-lore. The town has embraced its brush with Mysterious America and has a replica of the craft and a gift shop as well - right in town.

We’ll have a surprise Mysterious America (be prepared to say Holy Crap!) and lunch in Ligonier before continuing on to the Johnstown Flood Memorial Site.

The South Fork dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889 and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together to aid the “Johnstown sufferers.” There is also a museum in the town, but this was where the dam actually burst and, even though we have been here before, it is well worth visiting if you have never been.

Note that this ride will pass the Allegheny Portage Museum as well.

Route 739 • Dingmans Ferry, PA • 570.828.1920

If you are joining us this September for the annual Fall Fiesta gathering (and we hope you are) we have a few suggested routes and destinations for you to think about as you make your plans.

BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2018

RAILROADS/PRESIDENTIAL PyRAMIDS • 230 MILE LOOP www.sendspace.com/filegroup/%2FgwojXssKrtEJLdL9Vs5YQNkX90wj0Y9 Like the previous day, this part of Pennsylvania was ruled by the Iron Horse for years and there are two very important parts of railroad history right in Altoona’s backyard.

The Horseshoe Curve is a three-track railroad curve on Norfolk Southern Railway’s Pittsburgh Line and was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966, and became a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 2004.

It is amazing and there is a train schedule at the Curve, as seeing a couple of trains go through this is very impressive. There is the Railroaders Memorial Museum should you like more information. It’s located at 1300 Ninth Ave, Altoona, open 9am-6pm Saturday with an $11 admission fee. There is a funicular every half hour should you like to park at the museum and take the ride.

Just a short ride from here you will find the Allegheny Portage Museum – another historic train destination. Along this route we’ll also point out one of the most unusual monuments to an American president - the 30-foot tall, 300-ton, stone pyramid marking the site of President Buchanan’s birth.

Page 47

Lunch will be at The Foot of the Mountain - footofthemountain-pa.com - just past Buchanan’s Birth Place on Buchanan Trail West, in Mercersburg.

ShIRA’S INSIDE ScOOP • 170 MILE LOOP www.sendspace.com/filegroup/%2FgwojXssKrtEJLdL9Vs5YQNkX90wj0Y9 We had a visit to Penn State Creamery on a previous rally, but it was a long and arduous ride and not many folks took advantage of the tasty tarmac (or dastardly dirt, as it probably was). So from Altoona we’ve given you a 170-mile loop on some sweet Pennsylvania roads to the Creamery. At the start you will pass the oldest working gas station in the US. If you didn’t fill up the previous night, here’s your chance – and they’ll clean your windscreen too. There is lunch available at the college, but more variety in downtown State College. Remember, only Bill Clinton was able to have two different flavors in one cup, so choose wisely Grasshopper.

DAy FOUR • JIM ThORPE, PA • 230 MILES www.sendspace.com/filegroup/p3yKxCtsEBkaEp1%2F%2FCf8VMRcOBlLsBM2 Time to head back east to the small, but trendy, town of Jim Thorpe and the Jim Thorpe Inn. Here you will find a number of restaurants, one crazy card shop (well worth the visit) as well as some of the historic sites in and around the town. It’s worth trying to get in on the early side to take advantage and stroll the area.

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Page 48

SEPTEMBER 2018 • BACKROADS

UP C OM I N G E VE NT S CAL END AR EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTING

What’s Happening

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST, STURGIS AND BEYOND

Every Tuesday • Two Wheeled Tuesday at Spiegel Restaurant • 26 1st Avenue, NyC. An eclectic gathering of motorcycles served with multi-cuisine meals. Kick some tires, have some couscous, enjoy the crowd • www.spiegelnyc.com • 212-228-2894 Every Tuesday • Bike Night @ The Ear Inn, 326 Spring St, NyC Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • wwwchatterboxdrivein.com Every Saturday thru October • Bergen County H-D Saddle Up Saturday. 9am for coffee and bagels. Ride departs 10am. Returns to dealership for FREE music and food.

Proper attire MUST be worn! BCHD, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930

BARN TRAILERS

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

First Sunday of the Month thru Sept. • Hudson Valley Motorcycles Caffeine and Gasoline. Meet friends and like-minded riders over coffee, tea and a bite before heading out for a great Sunday ride. HVMC provides a nice location for various rides to Upstate Ny, Connecticut or Bear Mountain. Showroom will be open. • 179 N Highland Ave/Rte. 9, Ossining, Ny • 914-762-2722 • HVMotorcycles.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 6-9 • Concours Owners Group Northeast Fall Rally - Lincoln, NH. Self-guided ride routes and GPS files available. Event fee includes Saturday evening buffet dinner. For full details: https://tinyurl.com/necogfallrally2018 8 • Frontline Eurosports Fall Open House. 9am-3pm. Join us for food, fun, savings, discounted items and FREE demo rides on our amazing European selection of motorcycles (select models). Find out more about Frontline Eurosports and what we have to offer • 1003 Electric Rd, Salem, VA • 540-387-9780 • www.frontlineeurosports.com 13 • Frontline Eurosports Thursday Rider’s Night with Late Until Eight hours and complimentary food (bustin’ out the smoker) to enjoy while taking advantage of Flash Sales.

540-387-9780 • www.frontlineeurosports.com • 1003 Electric Rd, Salem, VA. 23 • Forever Friends Motorcycle Awareness Charity Bike Run & Event. In loving memory of Mark Khoury & Jeremy Ramirez. Skylands Stadium, 94 Championship Dr/Rte. 565, Augusta, NJ. Full day event for all riders & non-riders: 10am-6pm. Scenic ride through Sussex county: Registration 10am-12pm; Scenic ride 12:30-2pm. $25 donation per person/$10 under 12. Includes breakfast, lunch & desset. Food, vendors, tricky tray, 50/50, live music and more. www.ForeverFriendsMotorcycleAwareness.org 20-24 • 20TH ANNIVERSARY BACKROADS FALL FIESTA. The Endless Mountain Excursion. Scranton, PA, Altoona, PA and Jim Thorpe, PA will be our homes for four days of Pennsylvania's twisties, histories and mysteries. For full details and routes visit our rally web page: www.backroadsusa.com/rallies.html

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