Born To Ride Delmarva Magazine #10 April 2011

CONTENTS ___

FEATURES

Bikes To The Beach Event Map 2011 Star Stryker by Yamaha

24 27

___

Columns Motorman’s Test Ride Motorman’s Mean Streets CMA

18 41 46

__________

DEPARTMENTS News Hottest Bike Nights BTR Kids Rides,Runs and Destinations

4 15 46 44

REPORTS

____________

Full Moon Bike Night Extended Book Review Hunter Lyons-Stratchko Two Wheeled Trip

ON THE COVER

8 36 47 48

_______________________

Bikes To The Beach Ocean City, MD April 29th - May 1st 2011

Advertise With Born to Ride

Call Now 410-497-Ride

Start Born To Ride TV and Magazine in your city! Call 888-795-5779

The information contained herein is provided by Born To Ride Magazine or by its advertisers. BTR makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information in the issue. Born To Ride Magazine does not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness or correct sequencing of such information throughout this magazine. Use of such information is voluntary on your part, and reliance on it should only be undertaken after your independent review. Reference herein to any specific manufacturer, company, commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement of or recommendation of said by Born To Ride Magazine.” “Born To Ride Magazine (including its employees, contributors and agents) assumes no responsibility for consequences that may result from the use of the information herein, including the use of the information oabtained at www.borntoride.com and it’s linked sites, or in any respect for the content of such information, including (but not limited to) errors or omissions, the accuracy or reasonableness of factual or scientific assumptions, studies or conclusions, ownership of copyright or other intellectual property rights, and the violation of property, privacy, or personal rights of others. BTR Magazine is not responsible for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on such information. No guarantees or warranties, including (but not limited to) any express or implied warranties are made by BTR Magazine with respect to such information contained throughout the site.” No part may be copied without written permission of the publisher, Born To Ride, Inc. P.O. Box 3021, Brandon, FL 33509. 888-795-5779, Fax 813-689-2996.­­

btr 2 | borntoride.com

Issue #10 April 2011

A dvertiser I n de x

131 Motorports Action Cycles Bikes to the Beach Bill Bateman’s Bistro Cancun Cantina Charm City Choppers Chesepeake Cycles Chesepeake Custom Leather Cycos Motorcyle Apparel Deville Ink Tattoo Diamond Motor Sports Eagle Rider of Crofton East Side Chop Shop Fish Tales Full Moon Pub & Grill Harborside Bar & Grill HD Baltimore HD Seaford Insane Leather Insurance Incorporated Mark Epstein Law McAvoys McCullough Ocean Terrace Apt. Outlaw Jam PA on the River Pete’s Cycle Pickle’s Pub PJ’s Pub Renegade Classic Ride Across MD Ride Like A Pro Rider’s Insuance Sandbaggers Sports Bar Severe Cycle Shockers Smoke House Speed FX Trader Lees Whispers Restaurant Wild Bill’s Atlantic Hotel Zoeller’s

34 1 FC,22-25 26 38,39 43 20 43 12 6 28 6 20 11 9 40 IBC 40 43 20 IFC 13 10 45 42 34 7,12,32 32 34 BC 45 41 14 21 33 40 17 16 3 35 16

Letter from the publishers

born to

Patricia Cleary Aka “Trish or Silver” Sept. 18, 1957- Dec. 19, 2010

Well, spring is finally here!

For a while it seemed like it would never come. Now with spring come all the rides, runs, and events. Keep watching Born To Ride magazine for the most up-to-date event listings around. We have a busy season ahead with more things for bikers to do than ever before. So, make sure your bike and riding gear are ready to go by checking with our advertisers for the best deals around in motorcycles, repairs, accessories, and more.

Always remember to tell them you heard about them in Born To Ride!

This year the newest addition to the event schedule is Bikes To The Beach, Spring Ocean City Bike Week, April 29 to May 1 in Ocean City, Maryland. If you haven’t reserved your room yet do it now. Many of the hotels in OC are offering discounts, so ask them when you call about the Bikes To the Beach discounted rates.

Next month will be the oneyear anniversary of Born To Ride Delmarva magazine and we want you all to celebrate with us. In June, we are holding our 1st Annual Born To Ride Delmarva Anniversary Party.

We want to thank everyone for your overwhelming support, and to show our appreciation we are throwing a party for you! Details of the event will be in next month’s issue, but watch us on Facebook and at www.BornToRide. com for current updates.

The Born To Ride Bike Nights are going strong so check our Hottest Bike Nights page for a Bike Night near you. If you or someone you know would like to have a BTR Bike Night at your place please contact Steve at (410) 497-RIDE. Our goal is to have something for the biker community to do every day this season.

Finally, special thanks to all our business owners who continue to support us every month. We will continue to work hard to help you grow your business. We want to urge all of our readers to please reach out and support all the businesses that support us. It is because of them that we can bring you this great publication.

Thanks, Steve Baldwin & Mitch Jordan

btr 4| borntoride.com

Trish was a very well liked lady who we all came to know and love from near and far.

She is survived by Ronald Roda (Dbl R-her soul mate); daughters, Selena and Angelia; granddaughter, Jazell; stepsons, Eric and Tyler; her parents and siblings.

She owned and operated the “Believe In Magic” store that we all have been to… whether it was on the boardwalk or where it presently resides in Trader Lee’s Bar. She sewed many a patches for 30 yrs and has sold us some great items anywhere from motorcycle parts to silver jewelry to clothes.

What a lot of us didn’t know is that Trish worked for AC/DC, The Rolling Stones and Lynnard Skynnard as a merchandiser! But the list doesn’t end there; in her early years Trish attended college in Florida for fashion, went to flight school and earned her pilots license, worked on Jewelers Row in New York City and owned a bar in Acapulco!

However most of us did know that Trish loved motorcycles, rock & roll, animals, her family and RR! She loved to travel and has been to all kinds of places including China, Indonesia, Mexico and many more.

Trish always gave to her fellow bikers without question. She helped a great many bikers get back on the road and loved to aid all kinds of different organizations.

Over the years Trish owned a 1961 Sportster , a 1979 Sportster and a 1968 Triumph which she loved to ride.

She is loved and missed dearly but she would want us to celebrate her life and not be sad. So remember her fondly, ride like the wind and think of her as you do! We love ya Trish!

Cathy Gootee

Tommy Lee and Bret Michaels Headline Frederick’s Outlaw Jam 2

Frederick, MD – Outlaw Jam 2 roars back into the Frederick County Fairgrounds for a two-day concert, motorcycle and tattoo festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 30 & 31. Headlining this year’s star studded event are Motley Crüe, Poison, Edgar Winter Band, New York Dolls, Black Stone Cherry, Night Hawks, comedian Andrew Dice Clay and professional billiard star, Jeanette Lee, ‘The Black Widow’, to name a few. Concert goers can peruse 100’s of motorcycle and tattoo vendors, check out custom & antique bikes, bikini contests and billiard shoot outs, enjoy great festival food, cold beer and hot babes and much more!! Ride to the event from eight different locations in Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania with celebrities like, Arlen Ness, Charlie Hunnan (Jax) and other ‘Sons of Anarchy’ stars. For ticket information go to www.outlawjam.com and for exhibitor vendor information email rich@aldadvertising.com or call, American Recreational Promotions 410-561-7323.

Check Out The All New Events Page at BornToRide.com

ride news

Former Wisconsin Senator Loses lower leg in Motorcycle accident

For those who are hearing snips of what happened to former Wisconsin Sen. Dave Zien, let me set the record straight. He was involved in a motorcycle crash on Sunday, March 13 last

month, around 6:15 am. He was near Mariana, Florida, when an SUV or van overturned in front of him and he was unable to avoid hitting it.

His left leg was badly injured and he ended up losing it above the knee. He also received a hip injury which turned out to be fracture of the acetabulum, which is serious. Instead of open reduction and plates, they decided to do a total hip replacement. This is his right side, so with the left leg gone and the right pelvic fracture and hip replacement, he will not be able to put weight on that for some time. He has a long road to recovery so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Pan Rogue - Sturgis Freedom Fighters Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005 www.bikerrogue.com

surviiving the mean streets 2 dvd

This NEW Surviving the Means Streets 2 DVD will show you exactly how to use the Police Motor Officer techniques you learned in the Ride Like a Pro V DVD, in real world situations on the road. In addition, I’ll give you all the tips and tricks I’ve used through the years to ride safely out on the mean streets. You’ll also get tips on group riding, riding in traffic, riding in the rain, and off pavement in sand and gravel. This DVD contains all the information from the first Surviving the Mean Streets video plus much more.

MSRP is $19.95 For more information on how to order, go to www.ridelikeapro.com or call toll free, 1-866-868-7433 -Ride Safe... Ride Like a Pro Team www.ridelikeapro.com

Advertise with Born To Ride

Call 410-497-RIDE

BORN TO RIDE Delmarva Magazine 209 Eastern Blvd. Essex, MD 21221

National PUBLISHER Born To Ride Inc. Ron Galletti rgalletti@borntoride.com

Delmarva PUBLISHERs Steven Baldwin steve@borntoridedelmarva.com Mitch Jordan mitch@borntoridedelmarva.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Susan Hurst

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jesse Williams content@borntoride.com jwilliams@borntoride.com

EDITOR AT LARGE Scott Odell

ART DIRECTOR

Nick Betlow nbetlow@borntoride.com

ART DEPARTMENT

Nick Betlow, Palmer Holmes, Josh Pope art@borntoride.com

Director Of Photography Jesse Williams

CREATIVE CONSULTANT Jim Miller

WEB MASTER

Nick Betlow info@borntoride.com

BTR KIDS DEPARTMENT Tyler Baldwin

Contributors

Neale Bayly, Paul Garson, Rouge, Cathy Gootee, Craven Moorehead, Jim Miller, GearBox Greg, Sunnie Murphy, Christy Michaud & Drivetrain Jane

Photographers

Steven Baldwin, Mitch Jordan, James Bender, Tim Sinnott, Neale Bayly, Scott Odell and Kristen Elsasser, Leo E Chaillou Jr., “Flash Point”, Glenn Pearson, Phil Foulkes, Jiro Preston

Event Crew

Karla Baldwin, Tim Baldwin, Phil Faulkes, Steve Paca, Will Paca, Greg Kruse, Gene Craft, Liz Zimmer

Sales Department

Cara Bien, Cathy Gootee, Debra Kinnear, Eileen L. Katrick, Sunnie Murphy, Bob Naecker, Billie Jo Parlett, Maggie Ball Wendy Wayne, Dominique Scardina

Main Sales Office:

CALL: (410) 497-RIDE FAX: (410) 686-2427

Born To Ride Inc. Corporate Office

CALL: (888) 795-5779 FAX: (813) 689-2996

www .borntoride. com

Send in your News to content@BornToRide.com

borntoride.com | BTR 5

btr 8 |borntoride.com

Hottest BIKE NIGHTS

M O N DAY

Call Now to Get Your Bike Night Listed!

Featured bike night pj’s pub

T U E S DAY Bill Bateman’s Bistro Golden Ring

Rosedale, MD • 8620 Pulaski Hwy. • 410-574-9464 Johnny’s Pizza Pub

Ocean City, MD • 56th Street • 410-524-7499 Trader Lees

West Ocean City, MD • Rt. 50 & Rt. 611 • 410-213-2000

W E D N E S DAY Full Moon Pub & Grill

Registerstown, MD • 1100 Westminister Rd. • 410-526-5565 Monkey La La

Frederick, MD • 9009 Baltimore Rd. • Monkey La La@Facebook.com

T H U R S DAY Cycle Creations

New Church, VA – 4230 Lankford Hwy, Rt. 13 – 757-824-5002 McAvoy’s of Parkville (April 7 & 21, May 5 &19) Parkville, MD – 2531 Putty Hill Ave. – 410-882-0500 Oscar’s Americana Grille & Sports Bar

Princess Anne, MD – 12123 somerset Ave. – 410-651-1152 Whispers Restaurant

Glen Burnie, MD – 7954 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd – 410-768-3900

F R I DAY

Call Now to Get Your Bike Night Listed!

S AT U R DAY PJ’s Pub

Pocomoke, MD • 2350 Old Snow Hill Rd. • 410-957-0888

S unday Buck’s Store

Princess Anne, MD • 33594 Dublin Rd. • 410-957-6518 JC’s Northside Pub

Ocean City, MD • 127th St. Coastal Hwy. • 410-250-BEER Oasis Bar & Grill

Whaleyville, MD • 7539 Old Ocean City Blvd. • 410-641-2100 Sandbaggers Sports Bar

Glen Burnie, MD - 105 Chesapeake Center Court - 410-760-2448

Get your bike night listed!

ADVERTISE WITH B O R N T O R I D E

Call 410-497-RIDE

If your ever in Pocomoke, Maryland on a Saturday you have to check out PJ’s Pub, located at 2350 Old Snow Hill Rd. The Music is hot and the beer is cold. Stop by and join in the fun.

Check out the bikes and meet some great people. borntoride.com | btr 15

MOTORMAN’S TEST RIDE Recently, I had a chance to put a 2011 Victory Cross Country (Police Version) through the Police Course and a Road Test. If you’re not familiar with the new Cross Country, it is a full on touring motorcycle. It has to have the largest saddlebags in the business. But, just in case that’s not enough for you, a colormatched tour pack is an option. It also has a very handsome aerodynamically designed fairing.

The dish houses an analog fuel, speed, tack and voltmeter. There’s also more information on an LCD screen along with a panel of warning lights. Cruise control is standard as is an amfm, mp3 compatible radio with two speakers. All the controls are mounted where they can easily be reached including the cruise control switches.

The handlebars have just the right amount of pullback so the rider doesn’t have to lean forward to reach them. The clutch has a nice progressive range and an easy pull. The rider’s seat at a low 25.5 inches from the tarmac is very comfortable and offers excellent back support. The seat also forms itself up to and slightly around the tank for a beautiful custom look.

Speaking of custom look, that pretty much describes the entire Cross Country. From the beautifully sculpted fairing and tank to the fenders and the wonderfully integrated huge saddlebags, this bike is a show stopper. What’s more, it doesn’t look like anything else in its class. Fit and finish is also show quality.

The heart of the beast is Victory’s 106 Freedom air oil cooled 50 degree v-twin. It has single overhead cam shafts 4 valves per

btr 18 |borntoride.com

cylinder self-adjusting cam chain and hydraulic lifters. The motor of course is fuel injected with dual 45mm throttle bodies. The 1731 cc put about 80 Hp and 100 ft pounds of torque to the rear wheel via a carbon fiber reinforced belt.

a true overdrive, has wide ratios and shifts very smoothly. Dual 300 mm floating rotors with 4 piston calipers out back handle the stopping ability of the Cross Country.

The bike I rode was converted for police use by Mike Schultz, owner of Arizona Victory,

“The heart of the beast is Victory’s 106 Freedom air oil cooled 50 degree v-twin . It has single overhead cam shafts 4 valves per cylinder selfadjusting cam chain and hydraulic lifters.”

The motor is solidly mounted but equipped with balance shaft and is in fact very smooth.

The 6-Speed transmission with 6th being

Tucson and Phoenix. Other than the police lights, light box and switches for them, the Cross Country is the same as the civilian version. Mike told me to ride the hell out of it and that’s exactly what I did along with all my crew members. I took the bike through the Ride Like a Pro course and the narrower police

Contact Chesapeake Cycles and they will get you riding today! 410-266-0015 or www.Chesapeakecycles.com

2011 victory cross country

course. Though that course is designed around Harley Davidson’s touring motorcycles 63.5” wheelbase, the Victory’s larger 65.7” wheelbase had no problem making it through all the exercises despite the longer wheelbase. The reason the Victory handled the course so well is the fact that its lean angle is much greater than any other cruisers. That feature comes in very handy when backing the bike out of the garage or into a parking space.

Having a great lean angle also means you can have a great time on your favorite winding road

without worrying about the floorboards hitting the ground and levering a tire. When the floorboards do touch it’s not a problem since there are no brackets jutting out from the frame. In fact, on this bike you can lay it down on the floorboards and spin it in a circle with no damage to the bike.

Out on the interstate cruising at 80 mph or even higher, the big 106 motor just loafs along in 6th gear. There’s plenty of roll on power available even in 6th gear, for passing slower vehicles.

Vibrations from the big v-twin don’t

make it to the rider’s handgrips, floorboards or seat. That means 1,000 mile days would be a breeze on this bike.

The stereo sounds great even at highway speeds. The cruise control works flawlessly and with this bikes’ plush ride, you’ll arrive at your destination as fresh as when you started off. The Cross Country is available in Black, Two-Tone Pearl White/Silver, Blue Metallic and Sunset Red. MSRP starts at $17,999. For a closer look, head down Head right over Chesapeake Cycles of Annapolis at 2037 Industrial Dr. Annapolis, MD 21404 (Across from the Annapolis Mall, just off Bestgate Rd) or call them at (410) 266-0015 and tell them Motorman sent ya’!

Ride Safe... Ride Like a Pro Team Jerry Motorman Palladino

www.ridelikeapro.com • Copyright 2011

Did you know: The Victory Cross Country® Motorcycle, had the most horsepower and cargo capacity in its class.

borntoride.com| btr 19

S

itting in the press meeting at the historic Driskol Hotel in Austin, Texas, preceding the first ride of the new Stryker 1300, there are familiar faces wearing Star shirts. Long-term employees and lifelong motorcyclists, I’m among designers, product planners, accessory specialists, road testers, media staff and more. A closely-knit team of highly qualified and dedicated people, all directly responsible for the way the new Stryker’s styling, character and how you can customize it to your own personal preference.

This is a machine built for the American riding public. Yamaha spent much time and effort interviewing current riders, cruiser and non-cruiser. After long periods of time riding, evaluating and improving the motorcycle you see here is ready for sale. And just in case you think Yamaha slipped a bottle of Scotch in a goody bag before the introduction, take a quick look at Star’s sales figures. As the motorcycle company that sits second in number of units sold, and the company that is nipping away at Harley’s heels, it’s clearly this cohesive mix of home-based knowledge and talent, blended with Yamaha’s pursuit of excellence that is making the Star brand excel.

Just looking at the Stryker outside the Driskol on the morning of our ride confirmed all these feel good thoughts from the previous evening’s launch. The bike sits low, with a lean,

“This is a machine built for the American riding public ... it’s clearly a cohesive mix of home-based knowledge and talent.” muscular stance and has plenty of chrome and deep luster custom-look paintwork. It has the chopper style with the wide bars, raked out front end and big rear tire, but swinging it up off the side stand, it thankfully doesn’t have the chopper feel. Bikes with extended front ends have the heaviest and least precise steering of any motorcycle produced, but not so with the Stryker. The somewhat lazy rake and trail of 34 degrees and 109mm extend the wheelbase more than two inches longer than the V Star 1300 at 68.9 inches. Like its bigger brother, the Star Raider, it deals with it extremely well. Sure it’s not quite as sharp at

speed on very twisty roads, but for the majority of riding situations it’s barely noticeable. The 21-inch front wheel allows the front end to become skittish on very rough pavement.

And the somewhat basic suspension will send big bumps directly through to your vertebrae, but when ridden on smoother roads and at sensible speeds, the Stryker performs just fine.

Built on the V Star 1300 platform, a bike that’s been with us since it replaced the venerable V Star 1100 in 2007, there are a few changes to the over square 1304cc, 60 degree, V-twin engine for 2011.

The Stryker engine gets a slightly higher lift camshaft and roller rocker arms for a little more power, and the ignition and fuel injection have been changed to work with a larger three-liter air box to complement these changes. The 100mm pistons use a conservative 9.5:1 compression ratio and run in 83mm ceramic composite cylinder sleeves.

The engineers have worked hard to give the engine character, but not at the expense of unnecessary vibration. A bike we think of as mid size, the Stryker has plenty of power from idle up to the 6600 rpm red line. It’s not going to rip your arms out of your sockets when you crank the throttle and put the 40mm Mikuni

Did You Know: Star Motorcycles was released to the American market by Yamaha in 1994.

borntoride.com| btr 27

2011 Star Stryker by Yamaha

throttle bodies to work, but it certainly has some good, healthy grunt. I liked not having to downshift to overtake on the highway. The bike’s ability to rumble along at low rpm and accelerate without any fuss if needed, can be credited to the excellent fuel injection.

With a weight net of 646 pounds, the Stryker is no lightweight on paper, but it’s cleverly disguised the by the low 26.4 inch seat height and wide bars. Yamaha fully expects a third of it’s Stryker sales to come from female riders, so this is a good thing, as it will certainly be a confidence booster. The ability to put your feet flat on the floor, not needing to wrestle the bars to turn the wheel

like a conventional chopper, will make life a lot more pleasant. This accommodates not only for the ladies, but newer riders stepping up to their first full sized bike.

The chopper theme is certainly evident with the wide 210/40R 18-inch rear tire and 120/70 21-inch front, but the Yamaha team has done their homework with their tire choice. Where conventional choppers use a very skinny front tire, the wider one used on the Stryker calms things down and makes the bike steer a lot better while improving stability.

The Stryker comes with regular forward positioned foot pegs. The six-speed gearbox makes light work of shifting gears, and

Did You Know: Star Motorcycles are designed by Yamaha in the United States.

power is taken to the back wheel by a clean, quiet maintenance free belt drive system. A single disc brake is used up front, and this is a generic looking two-piston caliper lightly massaging a 320mm single disc. There is a one-piston caliper in the rear with a 310mm disc, and to stop in a hurry, you will need both of them in tandem, as they are somewhat modest in their performance.

With a bike of this nature though, I would hope you wouldn’t be doing too much sport riding as the Stryker is about good looks, great feel and the custom cruiser lifestyle.

The paint quality on the four-gallon gas tank is first class and is carried over on the fenders borntoride.com| btr 29

and side panels. Fenders are deliberately made of steel so they can easily be modified or repainted to your own choice once you start accessorizing. The stock pipes have a very custom look as delivered and certainly compliment the bike’s looks. Star is always quick on the draw with their tag line, “We build it, you make it your own,” but this really btr 30 |borntoride.com

is the perfect way to describe the accessory options available for the Stryker. Chatting with the man in charge of these accessories, Dave Pooler, I learned there are a plethora of items already available, sixty to be precise. You can choose from billet covers, performance air filter kits, custom seats and back rests. There are mounts for saddlebags and a choice of

windshields for traveling, so whatever your taste, Yamaha dealers have you covered.

Riding the stock bike, there’s no windshield, so the view over the chrome handlebars is very clean. There is however a small, centrally mounted consol with a conventional analogue speedometer that sits in the center of the bars. All the usual warning

l a i a y T t a

If Ifyou, someone you know you has awould custom bike submit storyride, to us!Call Call888-795-5779 888-795-5779 youorhave a motorcycle like us-to coveryour or test

D

r

o e r a s g

2011 Star Stryker by Yamaha

lights, neutral light, trip counter fuel gage etc are located in the panel, and all work as intended. Switchgear is plain and functional, and a pair of conventional chrome mirrors let you get a fairly good view of what’s behind.

The relationship of the bars to the seat and the foot pegs make the riding position relaxed, and during our day in the Texas hill country it

was certainly very comfortable.

At the time of purchase, you can choose from a chrome trim or a more mean looking blacked out package. The base price of the new Stryker is $10,990 for the Raven and $11,240 for the Impact Blue or Reddish Copper version. It comes with Yamaha’s normal one-year factory warranty. Parking

back at the Driskol at the end of the day, I had a chance to spend some time with the Yamaha guys and see their passion and enthusiasm for the tight, competent, and fun middleweight custom Star Stryker. They have done it again.

Did You Know: The brand is its own company, Yamaha still handles production and distribution.

by Neale Bayly

Photos by Riles and Nelson borntoride.com| btr 31

Book Review: Living the life

Living the Life

Photographs by Doug Barber, aka Q-Ball Poems by Eddie(Sorez)Pliska, aka Sorez the Scribe Published and Printed in the United States of America.

Published by Lowside Syndicate.

This edition is limited to 3,000 copies.

ISBN 978-0-615-34271-9 Library of Congress Control Number: 2010920255 Copyright 2009 Doug Barber Preview and Signed Copies available at www.VtwinBiker.com www. vtwinbiker.com/Living_The_Life/living_the_life.html

A first of its kind.

A unique first person view from inside the old school biker world. No other book has come close to encompassing the grit, and soul of a hard core biker’s life. Those who find inspiration, and solace living outside society’s conventions will take this book to heart.

“Living The Life” smells of gasoline, oil, and leather seasoned with sweat and beer.

It echoes the rumble of V-Twin motorcycles, and voices shouting four letter words in a chorus against the confines of civility. It is a gathering of free souls finding their own place. It is what we were, what we are, and what we will always be. Freedom demands

btr 36 |borntoride.com

a high price on body and soul, leaving us crippled yet strong. It’s a collection of personal statements not meant to explain, or justify the biker existence. Reality holds no reverence for romance, and no remorse for the weak. Those who enter hell need know why they are there.

“Q-Ball’s master lens and Sorez the Scribe’s road sharpened pen ignites the page with the lure of the steel pony, the rolling thunder, the chink, chink, chink of the gravel, and a brotherhood that rides forever towards the horizon. While there are many photo books that spread bikers and their motorcycles flat out across a coffee table, and certainly Biker Poetry is beginning to stand on its own in the poetry community, Living the Life is the, ‘IMAX of Biker Nation.’

Sorez’s poetic cadence draws you into QBall’s lens where you are not just looking at some pictures, you are on the bike, riding with the pack, or just taking a solo run into the wind. From Basket Case to Road to Redemption Q-Ball and Sorez bring the Code of Ethics into, ‘True 3D Soul’ with photoword-graphics. Living the Life is more than a photo-documentary, or a poetry book, and it is deeper than a historical perspective, Living the Life is history in the making - a history that can open the pipes and blast down highways at the speed of light.”

MarySusan Williams-Migneault RoadHousePress

Check out more Book reviews online at www.BornToRide.com!

If you would like Born To Ride to review your book contact us at 1-888-795-5779

borntoride.com| btr37

Motorman’s MEAN STREETS

Lowering Bikes?

A few weeks ago a young lady attended one of my classes on a Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe. The Softail Deluxe was designed by the Motor Company’s engineers to have as low a seat height as possible. Obviously, they had women and shorter riders in mind with this bike. In addition to lower fork springs and a lowered rear shock, the frame under the seat was lowered as well. Thus, they were able to obtain a seat height of only 24.5 inches. I’m sure the engineers spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours making sure they had reached the lowest seat height possible while still maintaining a ride-able, functional, and safe motorcycle.

Apparently, all the work the engineers did on the Deluxe wasn’t enough. The reason I say this, just about every woman who has ever come to my rider class on a Deluxe, including the young lady who attended a few weeks ago, have had their Harley Deluxe lowered even further.

The problem with lowering a bike, especially an extremely low bike like the Deluxe is you severely limit the lean angle. Since a motorcycle must lean in order to turn at any speed above 15mph, floor board brackets and even the frame will now scrape the ground even at moderate speeds. When hard parts hit the ground they tend to lever a tire off the pavement. When a tire leaves the pavement, you’re going down hard and fast.

I know you may be thinking, “Well I’ll just go real slowly around the turns.” You can do that but it’s going to cause problems for people riding or driving behind you. Plus, if you have to make a quick swerve to avoid another vehicle or even a pothole, you may very well hit the frame at the worst possible time. Even if you

don’t lever the tire, the loud crunching of hard parts on the pavement will cause you to panic, straighten up the bike and you’ll hit whatever you were attempting to avoid.

If that’s not enough to give you second thoughts about lowering your bike, keep in mind that a lower suspension will give you a much stiffer ride and will frequently bottom out. I know the reason most women and shorter riders lower their bikes, they want both feet absolutely flat footed on the ground. They want their legs bent a bit for stability when stopped, or when duck walking the bike around at low speeds. They feel they need this because their bikes are big, heavy and clumsy anytime they drop below 20mph.

So, what can you do instead of lowering the bike? The answer is, learn the proper techniques for low speed handling. Concentrate your efforts on learning to use the friction zone, i.e., clutch and throttle, and at the same time, a little pressure on the rear brake. If you think you know how to use the clutch and throttle just because you can start off from a stop without stalling most of the time, you’re dead wrong.

Here’s how you can test your clutch/throttle coordination. From a dead stop, turn the bars half way to the left and take off as normal, without first straightening the bars and without duck walking the bike. If you can’t do that, you need to practice until you can. Believe it or not, once you master that maneuver, your bike will suddenly feel like it lost 200 pounds. It will become as nimble as a bicycle and you’ll no longer have to plant your feet on the ground and or duck walk your bike.

Thus, you won’t have to lower it and ruin its ride and handling. Your confidence will go way up and you’ll enjoy riding much more.

-Ride Safe... Ride Like a Pro Team

Jerry Motorman Palladino

www.ridelikeapro.com • Copyright 2011

Check out Born To Ride.com for more Mean Street articles from the Jerry Motorman Palladino

borntoride.com| btr 41

Rides, Runs, and destinations

Delaware

saturday, april 9 • Bridgeville - Lifeway Church of God’s Community Day – 12:00pm - (302) 3988530 • Seaford - H-D of Seaford Annual Open House – 9:00am – (302) 629-6161 saturday, april 16 • Dover - Diamond Motor Sports 50th Anniversary Ride – 10:00am – (302) 6973222 • Townsend - Desert Knights MC Wounded Warrior Event – 11:00am – www.desertknights.com Sunday, may 1 • Wilmington - 35th Annual May Day Run – Registration 10:00am – (302) 530-8746 friday, may 27 • Seaford - H-D of Seaford Motorcycle Cruise-in – 6:00pm – (302) 629-6161 saturday, jul 9 • Dover - VVA Poker Run to Nam Jam – Registration 9:00am – (302) 242-2232

maryland saturday, apr 9 • Salisbury - Wounded Warrior Weekend Fundraiser Bike Show – call for info – (410) 749-9814 • Joppa - Titan’s MC Breakout Party, Stone House Tattoo– 12:00pm – (443) 625-8118 sunday, apr 10 • Baltimore - Fat-Boys Spring Bull & Oyster Roast – 1:00pm – (443) 8453899 • Baltimore - Police & Fire Ride for Leukemia – Registration 9:00am – (410) 238-2003 saturday, apr 16 • Powellville - 2nd Annual Sarah Foxwell Memorial Ride/Benefit – check future issues for more details.

• Baltimore - Devils Bargain MC Bull & Oyster Roast – 8:00pm – (443) 791-5958 saturday, apr 23 • Dundalk - 5th Anniversary Charm City Choppers Open House & Bike Show – 10:00am – (410) 285-4777 • Pasadena - CSMC 2nd Annual Shrimp Feast – 5:00pm – (410) 982-4711

sunday, apr 24 • Landover - Fuzion Motorsports Fest – call for info – (305) 735-1442

saturday, may 21 • Laurel - Armed Forces Day Freedom Ride 2011 – call for info – (410) 340-5349 • Baltimore - American Legion Riders Post 130 Poker Run – 10:00am – (443) 2205009 • Damascus - Four County Express Motorcycle Dice Run – 8:00am - (240) 676-6406

sunday, apr 10 • Baltimore - Fat-Boys Spring Bull & Oyster Roast – 1:00pm – (443) 8453899 • Baltimore - Police & Fire Ride for Leukemia – Registration 9:00am – (410) 238-2003 saturday, apr 16 • Powellville - 2nd Annual Sarah Foxwell Memorial Ride/Benefit – check future issues for more details.

• Baltimore - Devils Bargain MC Bull & Oyster Roast – 8:00pm – (443) 791-5958

friday, may 22 • Middle River - ABATE Spring Bike Show – 11:00am – (443) 996-3262 or (410) 627-4731 • Carroll County- A Ride for the Kids 2011 – 11”00am – (410) 967-2428 or (443) 983-1173

saturday, apr 23 • Dundalk - 5th Anniversary Charm City Choppers Open House & Bike Show – 10:00am – (410) 285-4777 • Pasadena - CSMC 2nd Annual Shrimp Feast – 5:00pm – (410) 982-4711

friday, may 27 - May 29 • Washington, DC- Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally - www. rollingthundermotorcyclerally.com • Williamsport - Maryland SCRC Fun Run 2011 – call for info – (443) 857-2791

sunday, apr 24 • Landover - Fuzion Motorsports Fest – call for info – (305) 735-1442

friday, may 27 - May 30 • Washington, DC- Stars & Stripes & Spokes – www.stars-stripes-spokes.com

tuesday, apr 26 • Reisterstown - MCV Guest Bartender Benefit for Breast Cancer, Full Moon Pub – 6:00pm – (410) 526-5565

friday, may 28 - May 29 • Fort Washington- Rolling Thunder XXIV Reunion Party Ride – call for info – (301) 248-1200

friday, apr 29 - May 1 • Ocean City - 1st Annual Bikes to the Beach OC Spring Bike Week– www. bikestothebeach.com

virgina

saturday, Apr 30 • Prince Frederick - 7th Annual Juvenile Diabetes Poker Run – Registration 10:00am – (301) 855-1999 • Cambridge - 2nd Annual Poker Run & Pig Roast – Registration 9:00am - (410) 397-8154 • Hunt Valley - MCV Spring Fling Ride & Bar-B-Q – 10:00am – MCVriders@yahoo. com sunday, may 1 • Westminister - VFW Bike Show, Swap Meet & Treasure Hunt – 10:00am – (410) 848-4232 or (410) 848-9888 sunday, may 15 • Baltimore - CSMC Shrimp & Bull Roast – 7:00pm - www.chosensons.com • Salisbury - Jimmy Gimes Benefit, Cactus Club – 1:00pm – (410) 546-3599

friday, apr 15- apr 17 • Roanoke - Blue Ridge Bike Fest - www. blueridgebikefest.com – (540) 206-2414 saturday, apr 16 • Hillsville - Hillsville VABA Swap Meet – 10:00am – (276) 755-5145 • Fredericksburg - Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity Ride VA 11 – 9:00am - (540) 891-5009 saturday, may 7 • Yorktown - 2nd Annual Ride for Microcephaly Charity Poker Run – 11:00am - (757) 570-7555 saturday, may 26 - May 30 • Eden - 2 Rivers Bike Rally – call for info – (336) 558-4241

Make Sure To Visit BornToRide.com

to submit your events. Let us know what you have going on so that we can let others know.

This is a FREE listing!

Visit Born To Ride.com To Submit and View More Events!

btr 44| borntoride.com

CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLists ASSOCIATION

I trust that many of you who are reading this have enjoyed Daytona Bikeweek. We in CMA had a great time. Several of us were there for the entire week riding from place to place seeing the newest and greatest of everything being offered. Maybe we even had a chance to speak with some of y’all and encourage you.

Many who attended Bikeweek spent time taking advantage of the demo rides. It’s always great to get a free ride on the bike of our choice.

Sometime they are very disappointing and at other times we dream of being able to have a

btr 46| borntoride.com

particular motorcycle.

There are many who buy motorcycles during Bikeweek because they just have to have that bike. Often however, not much time passes and they are no longer satisfied with their purchase, because it becomes old rather quickly. Much of life is like that – a strong desire – fulfillment of the desire – and then emptiness once again.

The Bible tells us that man was created in the image of God. God placed into man’s heart a desire for fellowship with himself. Whenever we try to replace this emptiness with some pleasure apart from God it never really satisfies.

The only real and lasting satisfaction in life is a true relationship with our God. Many things in this world are appealing and are really nothing more than idols that we bring into our lives to appease the emptiness we feel.

God tells us that we can have a relationship with him through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus promises to forgive our sins and come into our hearts and live in us. If we come to him, confess our sins, and ask him into our hearts, a relationship is begun.

There are many ways to build on that

relationship. One may participate in a Bible Study – check out your local CMA chapter they probably have such a study available that you can join. Another way to build that relationship is through prayer – simply talking with God on a regular basis. Many CMA chapters have prayer meetings as well.

Why not think about joining together with other Christian bikers as a great way to help build your relationship with the Lord. Check out your local CMA Chapter. They are always on the go and work hard to help their fellowman.

Every chapter I know will welcome you to ride with them as a friend. Why not give it a try?

Next Month (the first Saturday of May) is CMA’s annual ‘Run for the Son.’ This is an excellent opportunity to get to know your local chapter and to ride with them for a good cause. You can locate your local chapter at www.cmausa.org Until next month, God Bless you. Keep those tires on the road and the wind in your face. Listen for His voice. Ride Safe! Look up whenever you have the opportunity.

Dave ‘PK’ VanderKlay

Check out Born To Ride.com for more articles from CMA.

Hunter Lyons-Stratchko Uses His Last Wish to Help Others

Hunter Lyons-Stratchko, of Essex, could have wished for the one luxury he’s always wanted: a cruise.

No one would blame him for treating himself. But Hunter wanted to use his dying wish to help others.

So he wished for a science lab.

Hunter, 15, has been diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, a progressive energy metabolism disorder that is disabling, and in most cases, fatal. There is no cure for the disease, which makes it impossible for Hunter to regulate his body temperature, leading to seizures and a host of other complications.

Hunter has been ill for his entire life, but it wasn’t until recently that doctors were able to find a diagnosis that fit all his symptoms.

After seeing a variety of specialists, Hunter was finally moved to a hospice program, and doctors told his family he had between six months and a year to live. When the Make-A-Wish Foundation reached out to his family, Hunter knew what he wanted to do.

“Rather than do something for himself, he decided he wanted to donate a science lab to his school,” said his mother, Diana Lyons-Stratchko. “The Make-A-Wish people aren’t sure what to do, because of the size of the wish, and the amount of time they have to fulfill it.”

Rosedale Baptist Church School, located at 9202 Philadelphia Road, is the beneficiary of Hunter’s generosity. The school, with 270 students from kindergarten to 12th grade, is constructing a $1.5 million educational wing that they expect to finish in nine months.

That wing has a space dedicated for Hunter’s science lab.

Steven Stratchko, Hunter’s stepfather, said, “[Hunter’s] always wanted to go on a cruise, he could have asked for that. But he said the cruise would be temporary, and a building will last forever.”

Unfortunately, the school and the family fear that Hunter may not live long enough to see his wish come true, so in the mean time Wilmot Modular Structures Inc. in White Marsh, has donated a storage space for any science materials that are donated in the near future.

“We were going to put a science lab in the wing as soon as we could afford it,” said the church’s senior pastor Scott Tewell.

“Hunter’s testimony really sparked us to do something about it sooner.

“Hunter loves science,” Tewell added. “One of the things that he said was that he wants other kids to be able to look under a microscope and see the condition he’s living with.”

The family and school are waiting to hear official word from the Make-a-Wish Foundation about whether or not the request, which the organization has classified as a “rush wish” because of Hunter’s condition, will be fulfilled.

Pastor Tewell estimates the cost of furnishing a science lab to be between $35,000 and $40,000.

“We think Make-A-Wish will be able to come in with less than $10,000 — maybe they’ll be able to come up with more — we’re just waiting to hear, it’s taking them some time because he didn’t ask for a jet ski, or a trip to Hawaii,” Tewell said.

Hunter, for his part, has told the people at Make-A-Wish that “whatever [they] can give will be fine—anything they contribute is something [the school] didn’t have yesterday.”

The family had still not heard back from the Make-A-Wish Foundation about whether they would make Hunter’s dream of adding a science lab to his school a reality.

In the meantime, family friends are organizing a fundraiser to help cover Hunter’s medical expenses and raise money to help cover the cost of constructing the addition to Rosedale Baptist Church School. Just the cost of medicine can be backbreaking— the family pays some $1,500 out-of-pocket to cover blood pressure, seizure, and other medications. Donations can be sent to: Hunter Lyons-Stratchko Fund-Bank of America Middle River Banking Center- Att: Zachary Hedderman MD4 - 632 - 01 - 01 PO Box 987 Baltimore, MD 21298 - 8983

Nick Gestido

borntoride.com |btr 47

Two Wheel Trip?

“The key is like a boy scout be prepared”

Spring is here and so is the increased desire to hit the open road on your bike.

I dream of long trips, traveling roads I’ve never seen leading to interesting little towns hidden out of the way from the interstate.

There is nothing better than planning a trip.

I like seeking out the winding roads, finding and enjoying local flavor cuisine and nestling in for the evening in a Bed and Breakfast, quaint hotel or a cabin next to a babbling brook. America is out there hiding in those little asphalt nooks and it’s your job to find it. A motorcycle trek of 500 to 600 miles per day is an easy ride if you are prepared for it. Maybe your first trip out won’t be that long, but just like a runner you build up to the long haul days and still enjoy them. The biggest part of the training is the preparing and that is what I am going to walk you through. I have traveled many miles, taken many trips and seen many places. You can even learn to associate smells with different parts of the country; and that folks makes for some amazing memories in your road trip book.

Prepare your bike:

Prior to riding for the spring season you should have already checked these items, but check them again before you hit the trail. Please visit your local dealership for a complete OEM check of your tire tread as well as pressure. If you have a windshield, inspect it for wear and tear as well as clear sight (If necessary, replace the shield and/ or brackets). Be sure to have the service department look at your battery, terminals and wire connections. You can do a walk around to check for any loose fittings, wiring, cables or evidence of any unusual fluid leaks. Every time you mount up you should inspect your bike for safety.

• Mini cover • Locks and security • Quart of oil • Tire pressure gauge • Several bungee cords (you never know~ I held my saddle bag on for 1,000 miles from Milwaukee to here with a pink bungee cord after the grommets broke) • Spare fuses • Duct tape • Wire ties • Small shop rag • Small first aid kit • List of authorized service centers nation wide for OEM brand

if it’s on the right saddle bag, it belongs on the bike, not on you. SIMPLE AS THAT! Riding gear in LEFT side of your saddle bag, Bike stuff on the RIGHT.

Gear for You: (LEFT SIDE) • Camera • Rain suit • Add on face shield • Waterproof gloves • Summer gloves • Medium gloves • Chaps or riding pants • Jacket leather or textile appropriate for time or trip and altitude of destination (*its -20 degrees top of Bear Tooth Pass Montana in mid August) (* its 105 degrees in the dessert before you get there) • Perforated and armored riding gear of choice for summer rides • Eyewear for both day and night riding • Sunscreen and Chap Stick • Ear plugs • Electric gear; Even in the summer, driving all day in cold, hard rain can be unpleasant but having electrics under your rain suit will help you endure the elements.

Pack down Systems:

How will you load this basic stuff?

Prepare the Load:

Christy’s easy to remember and proven system~ “The Right side belongs to my bike, what’s Left is mine”

For the Bike: These items are stowed on your bike at all times. (RIGHT SIDE) • Toolkit

Picture being pulled over on the side of the road, either by yourself or with a group and you want to make a quick gear change; maybe the weather changed and you are now frantically pulling stuff out of your bikes left and right baggage compartments searching for what you need while your buddies are shaking their heads, waiting on you. You now have the road covered in clothes and still haven’t found your change of gloves!

Sound familiar? Not if you remember that

Depending on the model of your bike, options for luggage and storage will define how much space you have to work with. If you are going on either a long weekend or a 3 week trek across the USA, you practically need the exact same STUFF! Your pack list will just have a few more pairs of undies and socks.

btr 48| borntoride.com

Making it fit

Here’s some simple tricks that may help you keep order in these areas. Save the fat rubber bands from broccoli and celery; You can use them. Learn to tightly roll all your gear, squeeze the air out and put the fat rubber bands around it. Also roll your rain suit and band all gloves together. Rolled items will conform to the space they are in and not expand into a loose mess.

Depending on the model of bike you ride, especially touring models, you might have the option of hard luggage which is great; you have stationary space and it locks. For other bikes you can purchase and install saddle bags. Be sure to check what hardware you need to keep your bag from tilting inward and rubbing or interfering with the operation of you wheels. There are several different options to chose from when it comes to soft luggage add-ons such as T-Bags and similar set ups. If you ride solo you can flip the T-Bag towards the back seat providing you have at least a short sissy bar back rest. This works nicely for a solo rider because it doubles as a nice back rest and lower lumbar support. If you are using a T-Bag with a passenger, you need the tail luggage rack for it to rest on, not your fender.

Whatever luggage system you decide on please make sure it is secure and positioned so that the weight is LOW and CENTER. If the load shifts this could cause you to have an accident. The soft luggage area will be for the gear of the passenger (if there is one) and the rest is for your daily clothes and toiletries.

Practice Pack

“No kidding…nothing’s worse than on the morning you’re leaving, you find out your wife’s stuff does not fit!”Practice pack!

“It’s your Country out there- Go explore it ~ Happy 2 Wheel adventures to you!”

Christy Michaud