volume 7 | issue 01
FEBRUARY 2016
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MOTORCYCLE NEWS
Bosch to Focus More on Motorcycle Technologies German giant Bosch announces that a special division dedicated solely to motorcycles will be created inside the company, and it will focus on developing more and better safety technologies to be implemented in future machines. Motorcycle safety is becoming one of the leading concerns for both bike makers and the rest of those involved in the industry. Whereas in the past, horsepower or fuel efficiency trumped, the modern era is preoccupied with rider safety more than ever. Bosch is arguably the biggest name in anti-locking brakes these days, but their leading position is only commanding them to charge ahead. A recent announcement from Bosch informs us that a new division will be created inside the company, and it will be based in Japan. The new department will deal with developments in the two-wheeled industry, and will try to come up with new and refined versions of the existing technologies, to expand ABS brakes to as many motorcycles and scooters as possible. Add-on electric hub motors and new, smarter ABS systems are on the list The new division is said to also be working on some sort of add-on electric hub motor that can be installed in traditional scooters and transform them in electric vehicles. While we have no info or offically word, we are taking things with a grain of salt... but don’t dismiss them completely. Also, ranking high on the list of the main tasks for the new Bosch division is a new generation of motorcycle ABS, ABS 10. We might see the new technology revised and adapted for use in small motorcycles, working on both one and two channels, thus being available in one-wheel and twowheeled applications. There is a debate about whether cheap ABS versions that are installed on budget bikes or scooters represent a feature or a risk factor, but until more studies are carried out in this direction, we tend to believe that anti-locking brakes are a good thing.
Mix - 0/35/85/0
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Paul Jr., Still Going Strong brent ‘storm’ wakeford CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The North American International Motorcycle Show is the official kick-off to the new year when it comes to everything riding related. This year, amongst the many scheduled events taking place within the venue was the re-introduction of sorts of Paul Teutul Jr who brought along two of
his bikes. Many first met Paul when Discovery Channel introduced his family to us through Orange County Chopper’s television series American Chopper. A motorcycle master-Paul Teutul Jr. has been molding metal into shape since the age of 12, when he began his apprenticeship at his father’s steel business. He’s widely recognized as the chief designer and fabricator
of some of the world’s most famous motorcycles. Although he started his career as cofounder of Orange County Choppers, after branching off, he now shares his creativity and unique approach to design with the world through his work at Paul Jr. Designs. Founded in 2010, his new company pushes the limits on creativity beyond just motorCONTINUED ON P.03 cycles,
February 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 2
FINANCING AS LOW AS
HURRY IN NOW! OFFER AVAILABLE FROM JANUARY 8 – MARCH 7. VISIT HARLEY-DAVIDSON.COM FOR MORE DETAILS. *Financing Offer available only on New Harley-Davidson models financed through Harley-Davidson Financial Services Canada (HDFSC), and is subject to credit approval. Not all applicants wil qualify. The term “Rate” refers to APR in all provinces, except Quebec and Credit Rate in Quebec only. .99% Rate offer is available only to high credit tier customers at HDFSC who also purchase the Harley-Davidson ExtFINANCING ended Service Plan and only for up to a 60 month term. The Rate without purchase of the Harley-Davidson Extended Service Plan would be 1.99% for 60 months. The Rate wil vary based on the applicant’s past credit perfAS ormance andLOW the term of the loan.AS For example, a new 2016 Harley-Davidson® Softail Slim® S with an MSRP of $21,499 and optional Harley-Davidson Extended Service Plan cost of $1,124 for 60 months, 10% down payment and amount financed of $20,360.70, over 60 months with a .99% Rate resulting in monthly payments of $347.95 or a 1.99% Rate resulting in monthly payments of $356.79. In this example, customer is responsible for applicable taxes, title, licensing fees and any other fees or charges at the time of sale. Rate is calculated according to the simple interest method. Not HURRY valid in conjunction witIN h other ofNOW! fers. Customer mustOFFER take delivery by MarAVAILABLE ch 7, 2016. Other terms, conditions,FROM and limitations mayJANUARY apply. Dealer participation8may var–y.MARCH Financing offer is subject7.to change VISIT FOR MORE DETAILS. or cancellation at anytHARLEY-DAVIDSON.COM ime. See a Harley-Davidson® Dealer for details. *Financing Offer available only on New Harley-Davidson models financed through Harley-Davidson Financial Services Canada (HDFSC), and is subject to credit approval. Not all applicants will qualify. The term “Rate” refers to APR in all provinces, except Quebec and Credit Rate in Quebec only. .99% Rate offer is available only to high credit tier customers at HDFSC who also purchase the Harley-Davidson Extended Service Plan and only for up to a 60 month term. The Rate without purchase of the Harley-Davidson Extended Service Plan would be 1.99% for 60 months. The Rate will vary based on the applicant’s past credit performance and the term of the loan. For example, a new 2016 Harley-Davidson ® Softail Slim® S with an MSRP of $21,499 and optional Harley-Davidson Extended Service Plan cost of $1,124 for 60 months, 10% down payment and amount financed of $20,360.70, over 60 months with a .99% Rate resulting in monthly payments of $347.95 or a 1.99% Rate resulting in monthly payments of $356.79. In this example, customer is responsible for applicable taxes, title, licensing fees and any other fees or charges at the time of sale. Rate is calculated according to the simple interest method. Not valid in conjunction with other offers. Customer must take delivery by March 7, 2016. Other terms, conditions, and limitations may apply. Dealer participation may vary. Financing offer is subject to change or cancellation at anytime. See a Harley-Davidson ® Dealer for details.
**With the purchase of any new Harley-Davidson® motorcycle from an authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Dealer, you wil receive a free, ful one-year membership in HOG®. ©2016 H-D or its Affiliates. H-D, Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC. **With the purchase of any new Harley-Davidson ® motorcycle from an authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson ® Dealer, you will receive a free, full one-year membership in HOG ®. ©2016 H-D or its Affiliates. H-D, Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC.
Clare’s Harley-Davidson® of Niagara
590 York Rd, Niagara on the Lake HDC-0032-HDFS-DME-PrintAd-8.5x11-slim-en.indd 1 905-684-4647 OR 866-979-7403 www.claresharleydavidson.com
Kitchener Harley-Davidson® 2255 Kingsway Drive, Kitchener, 519-893-0493 OR 866-803-6837 www.kitchenerharley.com
Freedom Harley-Davidson® of Ottawa 1963 Merivale Road, Ottawa 613-736-8899 www.hdottawa.com
Davies Harley-Davidson®
8779 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill 905-709-1340 OR 866-977-1340 www.daviesharley.com
Mackie Harley-Davidson®
880 Champlain Avenue, Oshawa 905-434-6550 OR 800-668-5828 www.mackieharleydavidson.com
Rocky’s Harley-Davidson® 900 Wilton Grove Road, London 519-438-1450 OR 866-438-1450 www.rockys-harley.com
Barrie Harley-Davidson® 311 Bryne Drive, Barrie 728-5322 OR 888-743-1903 www.barriehd.com2015-12-30
4:40 PM
3 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
CONTINUED FROM COVER
Paul Jr., Still Going Strong
where Paul continues to pursue his passion for building the impossible. We had the opportunity to catch up with Paul Jr. backstage between his busy autograph sessions and sit down for a one-on-one. First and foremost for Paul-he has become a dad himself with the arrival of Hudson, earlier in the spring of 2015. He beamed at just the mention of his son and you could tell how happy and proud he is to be a father. really was. With future plans in the works for a new facility, Paul will continue cranking out the builds but is also looking forward to having his own showroom with talks of expanding into parts and accessories. He has established his roots in his home town and has slowed down a lot since the American Chopper series and although he is presently building the success of Paul Jr. Designs, he is looking forward to having more time for his family too. Paul Jr. recently had the opportunity to construct two custom builds for the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 movie, building a chopper and trike for BeBop and Rock Steady. Although he hasn’t seen the movie yet, he does know they were used heavily doing burnouts and stunt scenes with both the bikes. And for those with a keen eye, keep a look out for Paul’s cameo in one of the scenes. He says his passion for building pro street style bikes will continue as he feels “the craze for choppers is fading and it always goes back to pro streets”. Obviously baggers and bobbers are in style but from a custom builders perspective, people
can create their own from what they have. They are not usually ground up builds. Although he feels the days of “the really expensive customs bikes” are gone--there will always be businesses and clients who want that wild custom created by Paul Jr. Designs. When asked about an in house production bike, Paul is unsure at this point but is wide open to the idea as he’s at that stage in life and business of rethinking things, but he does believe his new facility will give him more opportunity to do the things he wants, that in the past--he was unable to do. Working with less overhead will also afford him to do smaller less expensive builds for riders not just geared to corpo-
rations. The facility ultimately could be set up with a showroom parts line where riders could come through the doors, and for example see an exhaust they like and have one of their techs install it on the spot for that customer. Paul Jr has built his reputation in this industry but the atmosphere for bike building for him has changed. At this moment, he brings in the people he needs as he needs them. Maintaining that lower overhead means utilizing his vast talent pool when required and not keeping an overwhelmingly large full time staff. Most of the talent Paul uses-have their own businesses and are spread out around the country so when he requires a top notch painter or mechanical or sheet metal guy,
they are just a phone call away. That also keeps Paul doing what he likes best--designing. He thrives on anything creative, innovated and one-of-a-kind. When asked about another TV series in his future, Paul believes that just might happen. “American Chopper was a world wind adventure but very time consuming and hard of his schedule of creating, building and wanting time with his family.” The Motorcycle Times wishes Paul Jr much success in his future endeavors and we look forward to his many new and innovative creative designs to follow. Follow Paul Jr on Facebook or visit his website at pauljrdesigns.com
Whether you’re new to the powersports industry or an old-timer, Klotz is one name you can trust. Driven to perform at the highest levels, we race-test every product to make sure it meets the most stringent demands. You can trust Klotz with your favorite bike or ATV and be confident that we’ll take better care of it than any other brand.
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February 2016 , The Motorcycle Times – 4
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The Motorcycle Times is published 11 times a year from Feb thru December.
scott macdonald EDITOR
Welcome Back Fellow Riders As I look out my window at the snow falling down and slowly accumulating, I find myself getting anxious once again to get back on two wheels with the warmth of the sun on my face and the wind through what’s left of my hair. Even though it’s only the first snow fall of winter, somehow, it still feels like forever since I was riding. In fact, it was just a over a month ago, Christmas eve to be exact that I took to the roads with the notion that this could be my last ride for many months to come. Can you believe it? Riding on Christmas eve? Many of you are probably saying to yourselves, I’ve ridden in much colder weather than what we had on Christmas eve, yes, but as I have mentioned before, I am a self-admitted fair weather rider. When the weatherman tells me the temperature is dropping and the mere mention of any kind of wind chill factor, not only do the boys begin to recede, but I tend to become more of a homebody. I’m sure to the despair of my wife, who I think quietly appreciates the time she gets to herself when I am out riding. This year though, we all have to be thankful to Senoir El Ninio for the extended warm weather we experienced as we let go of 2015. It seemd like every other week we were reaching double digits in late October and through November. It really makes one envious of those who have the opportunity to ride all year round. What I wouldn’t give to live in Florida or L.A. with warm ocean breezes all year long. I guess PMS (parked motorcycle
syndrome) is beginning to set in. Well with the cold weather setting in, I look towards my garage which has been recently insulated and is maintaining a moderate 20°C for things I can work on. I have a few minor projects in the works, the usual oil change and polishing. I will need to drain my fork oil and replace it with a little thicker viscosity to keep the front end of my bike from diving under braking and frequently bottoming out when I hit a rough spot on the road. I am thinking about swapping out my rubber for a nice set of gangster whitewalls to help add to that nostalgic look. I know it doesn’t sound like much but knowing my wife and her ‘honey do’ list she’ll expect me to accomplish over the winter with our home, I’ll be lucky to get the oil change done much before mid June. On a different note, a few weeks ago, the Motorcycle Supershow once again opened it doors at the International Centre. As you would expect there were the familiar motorcycle riding clubs, insurance companies, leather vendors and motorcycle retailers all present and looking to help you spend your money. There were a large number of racing and vintage displays as well as the expected customs all competing for top honours. Despite the nearly filled venue, this year I felt that there was something missing. I remember years ago, there were many more parts and accessories being showcased and available for purchase. It was a place where you could find a bargain on quality products; like
helmets, gear, parts & accessories or even a motorcycle you wanted. Don’t get me wrong there were still bargains to be had. Maybe it’s just me, but that’s one of the reasons the show would draw me in over the past dozen years or so. One of the shows highlights though was getting the opportunity to meet and interview Paul Teutle Jr. of American Chopper fame. I am sure you all remember the drama that went on during the hour long show and so when I was told that we had a confirmed time slot to interview Paul Jr., both the writer who did the interview and myself were a little skeptical about the overall success of the interview. As it turned out, Paul was welcoming, and easy to talk to. I felt as though despite the fame, he’s the kind of guy anyone would enjoy being around to chat up and have a few laughs with. He never came across as pretentious, just a regular guy. You can read all about his current plans and accomplishments as he now independently as Paul Jr. Designs. Well I guess that’s all for now, Be sure to mark on your calendars for the 2016 Toronto Motorcycle Show – February 19 – 21 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. All the new models from each of the manufactures will be showcased there and made available for riders to throw a leg over or to chat with manufacturers representatives about what new and innovative. Till we ride again, Scott
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5 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
SKID MARKS THE REAL WORLD
Email to: readers@themotorcycletimes.ca - Subject: SKID MARKS.
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February 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 6
MotorcycleNews Mix - 0/35/85/0
30%K
New 2016 Yamaha Models
Yamaha Motor Canada is not slowing down when it comes to releasing new and exciting models! All-new for 2016 the XSR900 blends Yamaha’s world-class engineering with standout neo-retro sport styling, creating a new type of machine for riders looking for an authentic and honest motorcycle that doesn’t sacrifice performance. The Yamaha XSR900 comes equipped with the same thrilling engine that’s found in the award winning FZ09 along with traction control, ABS, stepped seat and all-digital instrumentation. The XSR900 will be available in the Yamaha 60th anniversary paint scheme for $10,999 and $10,699 in Matte Gray.
Famous for outstanding reliability and performance, the Yamaha FJR1300 has a reputation that is second to none in the sport touring world. New for 2016 is a 6-speed transmission that has been modified to offer smoother, quieter running and a tall 6th gear for relaxed highway riding. The FJR1300ES features all-new LED lean angle cornering lights allowing the rider to see through corners along with electronically adjustable suspension. Both FJR’s will be available in Cobalt Blue and Dark Metallic Gray with MSRP for the ES version at $19,499 and $18.099 for the non-electronic suspension model. More info visit: www.yamaha-motor.ca
Harley unveils new motorcycles at X Games Aspen for 2016 lineup Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson used X Games Aspen today to unveil two new motorcycles as part of its 2016 model-year lineup. “The new 2016 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S combines Screamin’ Eagle performance and Dark Custom style in a powerful new cruiser,” according to Harley-Davidson” the company said in announcing the new model. “The new 2016 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S combines Screamin’ Eagle performance and Dark Custom style in a powerful new cruiser,” the company said in announcing the new model. “X Games Aspen is the ideal global stage to unveil our newest motorcycles that take cruiser performance, attitude and design to a whole new level,” vice president of marketing and brand Shelley Paxton said. The company described the Low Rider
S model as “raw, dark and trimmed to the essentials” and said it is the most powerful non-custom vehicle operations Dyna cruiser the company has offered. The Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110 engine, Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather performance intake and Fat Bob-style 2-into-2 exhaust deliver 115 foot pounds of peak torque at 3,500 rpm. It also comes with premium suspension and brakes. The limited-edition CVO Pro Street Breakout has “obsessive attention to styling detail,” the company said, describing it as a new, darker look with cutting-edge finishes and textures. The company is set to report earnings for the 4th quarter of 2015. In October, the company reported that retail sales were down 1.4 percent worldwide for the year and reduced guidance on the number it expected to ship to between 265,000 and 270,000.
Abe Askenazi, Tech Head at Zero
From Buell to Zero, the Mexico City native continues to cross new frontiers. Since I’d been into motorcycling for many years and spending time riding and working on motorcycles at UC. I decided to go for my Masters in Mechanical Engineering, focusing on “single track vehicle dynamics”. When I graduated, I was fortunate that Erik offered me my “dream job.” I was with Buell for a wild and wonderful 15-year ride, until its unfortunate demise. A short time later, Zero offered me a job heading their Engineering team, I knew how lucky I was to be able to continue with my passion and go back to my EE roots. I guess developing electric motorcycles was my destiny. There were a ton of lessons I learned at Buell relative to what makes a motorcycle handle well; things like mass centralization, low unsprung weight, optimized chassis geometry, stiffness, as well as other
more general design optimization techniques. So, I proudly say that I’ve applied at Zero what I learned at Buell. When I started at Zero, we were a small start-up, and we were developing new and unproven technology. Did I mention we were the first to introduce ABS? We’ll see a major tipping point with lighter, stronger and more affordable batteries allowing Zero riders to top 200 highway miles in a single charge within five years. Think of all the creative design possibilities that open up when the biggest component (the battery) on the motorcycle shrinks to half or a quarter of its size! I see a future motorcycle that’s light, sexy, efficient, stealthy and very much thrilling. ICE has had its 100-plus year run; we’ve been able to develop some truly great motorcycles in just a few years, and we’re just getting started.
Victory Motorcycles Teases the All-New Octane
Victory Motorcycles uploaded a new video teaser for their upcoming new bike. They call this machine Octane, and we have all the reasons in the world to believe that it is the production version powered by the new liquidcooled engine. First of all, obviously, the liquid-cooled engine is Victory’s newest addition to the range. It debuted in Project 156, a bike that was engineered for the 2015 edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. After Project 156, the engine was used in two custom bikes, one manufactured by Zach Ness of the famous Ness family of motorcycle builders, and the other by Urs Erbacher. Ness’ machine represented the American take on the new Victory platform, while Erbacher stood for what a new Victory machine could look like if built in Europe. Ignition, Combustion, Octane The first bike with the new liquidcooled engine was Erbacher’s and he named it Ignition. When Zach Ness tried his hand with the new power plant, he baptized his creation Combustion, in a most logical follow-up manner.
Seeing Victory announce a new machine bearing the name Octane makes our supposition consistent with the previous incarnations, albeit custom ones, of the new mill. Victory describes Octane as being “Modern American Muscle,” making us believe we’re in for a neat powercruiserish motorcycle. If anything, Octane could be Victory’s answer to the Harley-Davidson V-Rod, the first liquid-cooled beast to actually rival Milwaukee’s muscle bike. The short and enigmatic video teaser only lets us know that Octane will have a minimalist dash with a single gauge. It’s hard to tell how it looks but we can expect it to be a hybrid instrument, incorporating a large speedo and an LCD screen showing a lot of adjacent info. And we guess the burnout scene at the end of the teaser is meant to symbolize the brawny character of the Octane. Polaris, the company that owns both Victory and Indian, is making serious efforts to fight H-D’s supremacy in the North American markets, and the Octane looks like one more bike aimed at eroding Harley’s pedestal. Just as the Ducati XDiavel wants to.
Crack down on loud pipes in 2016
Police officers trained on motorcycle noise enforcement were too busy dealing with fatal and serious injury collisions to crack down on loud pipes in 2015. But they plan to come on strong with enforcement with no amnesty period when the rubber hits the road in 2016. Insp. Dennis Storey said after five years of the bylaw, bikers should know better. “If you put modified pipes on your motorbike, the likelihood is you’re going to exceed the noise,” Storey told the Edmonton Police Commission on Thursday. From 2010-14, noise violations, including motorcycle noise violations, were up. When commissioner Laurie Hawn asked if the drop in 2015 was due to less enforcement or people getting the message, Storey said without demerits, people treat the fines as a “fun tax.” The fine for the first offence is $250, for the second $500 and for the third, a compulsory court appearance. “People need to be held accountable,” Storey said. Storey said traffic services branch members were more involved in dealing with the city’s 35 traffic fatalities, but says with Chief Rod Knecht’s move to decentralize traffic members and put them back in
neighbourhoods, there will be more time for a crackdown. Coun. Scott Mckeen first campaigned on the issue as a columnist for the Edmonton Journal, helping to get the city’s noise limits for motorbikes passed in 2010. He’s now on council and says the issue still needs attention, both for motorbikes and noisy mufflers on other vehicles. “The city police are way ahead of other cities in that they have a unit that is trained on the specific technology that is credible in the courts,” said McKeen. But it’s not enough to stage noise checkstops or roving patrols, he said. If Edmonton really wants to crack down on the small segment of riders that are causing the most problems, any police officer needs to be able to take action when they hear a racket. “One person driving a noisy truck or car or on a noisy motorcycle can disrupt the lives of thousands and thousands of people on one ride through Oliver,” he said. “There are 19,000 people living in Oliver. They’re asleep. Their evening can be disrupted and meanwhile we’re trying to create this vibrant downtown with patio restaurants.”
Bill Melvin has raced and ridden since he was 4 years old. Now the 38-year-old CEO of Grand Rapids-based Liquid Asset Partners is in a position to build and sell one of the industry’s most iconic brands. Liquid Asset Partners is the new owner of Erik Buell Racing (EBR), a high performance motorcycle company operating in the shadow of industry leader HarleyDavidson Motorcycle Co. Melvin acquired EBR for $2 million last week in an auction at Walworth County Circuit Court after the company went into receivership in April 2015. While Liquid Asset Partners is best known for liquidating and selling off assets that fall into receivership or bankruptcy, Melvin said he wants to breathe new life into the company, which once employed 130 in the Milwaukee suburb of East Troy. Melvin said he hopes to find a new buyer “who has the proper experience, financial ability and desire to continue manufacturing EBR’s motorcycles for many years to come.” Part of the plan may include selling off assets to streamline company operations. “Maybe it will be crowd sourced, maybe a private investor, maybe we will provide financing for the right team to move forward, or maybe a large manufacturer will acquire the brand with additional due diligence,” Melvin said in a Jan. 15 press release announcing his acquisition. “I believe Erik Buell Racing (EBR) has established themselves as one of the premier motorcycle manufacturers in the world and has strong potential as a viable business,” said Melvin, who said his personal collection includes a Buell. “Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on research and design to arrive at the EBR RS, RX, and SX platforms, which have proven themselves on the racing circuit and in sales” said Melvin. “Their bikes, out of the box, can go head to head with the top Italian race bikes,” Melvin said. “Our sale process will enable the proper exposure of the company and price flexibility that may better fit a new owner to move forward with operations.” Melvin said he hopes to involve the employees of the company, which was founded by legendary racer Erik Buell after Harley-Davidson ceased operations of the Buell Motorcycle Co. in 2009. Melvin and his father, company chairman Bill Melvin Sr., are familiar with the motorcycle industry. Their 42-year-old company was involved in the sale process of the Cannondale Motorcycle factory in 2002, the Indian Motorcycle factory in 2004, the American Ironhorse Motorcycle factory in 2009, the Buell factory in 2010, and has assisted in the sale of major distributors, dealers, and suppliers.
7 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
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From One Small Seed…
One of my dad’s favourite pastimes was to just drive somewhere, anywhere; to whichever hick burg he had read about and felt needed investigating. Pretty sure there isn’t a McDonalds in the province my dad hasn’t seen. My dad truly had all the makings of a biker; wanderlust, spirit of adventure, a young man’s curiosity to see what was up around the next bend, not to mention a badass attitude when necessary, but maybe that was just with me. Years before I came along, a scare on a friend’s Harley killed any hope of that. As the youngest, I was often relegated to the back of the land barge Pontiac Laurentian station wagon my dad cruised in. The thing was a tank, in all its baby blue glory (baby blue, I shit you not). Sitting in what I referred to as the “very” back was more often than not, a nightmare for me; all the action happened in the seats. My brothers and their shenanigans seemed to me to be the stuff of legends. Looking back on it, it seems kind of lame now, but I digress. My dad’s little tours were never just an hour down the road, we’re talking all day stuck in a hot sweaty car where your cramped up legs would scream at you when the door finally opened and we all piled out like a clown car. And you never ever stopped at any of the sites or attractions along the way, after all, there was a McDonalds waiting to be explored. The very back did however offer a unique perspective of life, the road and all its travellers and the scenery. I often had to make my own entertainment on some dragged out boring adventure, I spy with the voices in my head, listening to the crap AM music belching forth from one dust covered speaker, watching for wild animals or any other interesting things that may appear. One such voyage in the baby blue Titanic is the exact moment when I think the very first seedlings of motorcycles were planted. As we were cruising along, a big grumbling motorcycle came up behind us; this thing was being driven by a beard with arms and sunglasses. I’ll never forget that throaty rumble, even the sounds of Neil Sedaka on the radio couldn’t drown it out. Of course my dad’s usual rant echoed out, “Look at this crazy ass! He’s crazier than Hell.” He would lament to my mother, “He wants to go like Hell he can go like Hell, we’re going to take our time.” I gave a small wave to the beard from my perch in the very back. A
small nod was all the response I got. However when the beard was finally able to pass I got a toothy grin and thumbs up from him. The sounds and movements as clutch hand grasped and a big black boot pressed and then wrist twisted, forcing a roar out of the machine was a fascinating and mechanical act of dancing to my young mind. Looking back on the whole incident, my oldest brother and I were the only ones who watched the bike cruise past us. Strangely enough he and I are also the only ones who ride in my family. I have often wondered if my brother Albert ever had the same thoughts as I did and his own motorcycle seeds began to grow as well. Further, I have wondered if my dad’s usual rant was his way of dealing with something he wished he could do, but feeding six hungry kids put the kibosh on him ever owning a bike. I’ll never know the answer to that question. Several years back I had the great fortune to ride to the east coast with the good folks at the Ride for Lily, a great cause that I am extremely proud to have been a part of. While getting ready to leave from Levis, Quebec to head further east, there was a father with his young son standing looking at my scoot, pointing and talking to each other in French. Though I could see the apprehension in their faces as I approached, a big smile from me and a good morning soon quelled any concerns. With broken English and my meagre attempt at French we managed to discuss the bike and motorcycling a bit. When I invited the little guy to climb aboard and try my motorcycle on for size, a huge grin crossed his face and he eagerly climbed on. I placed my helmet on him and turned the key, an invitation to push the start button was eagerly accepted. A few small twists of the throttle widened the smile. I think I can confidently say the kid was grinning for at least a week. Half an hour down the road after breakfast was had, we passed them in their family cruiser and the little guy gave me a big thumbs up and wave. A very simple act made a young kid happy and I will say even his dad probably took some pleasure in seeing his son smile. Like the saying goes, “You can be the biggest badass biker on the planet, but when a little kid hands you a toy phone, you always say hello,” and you damn well better accept the charges too. Seeds planted? I hope so.
9 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
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February 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 10
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Motorbiking the Mekong Exploring a Land of Contrasts
charlie ambrose
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“Give me your driver’s license!” the Cambodian policeman demanded. “You can go to court next month or we can settle this now!” My flight back to Canada was the very next day so I hesitantly opted to settle it now, not really knowing what that meant. “One hundred dollar fine!” he exclaimed. I didn’t have One Hundred dollars, which presented a problem. I had lost my friend Will in traffic earlier and my head was spinning. Three weeks of motor biking Cambodia had led to this. I don’t remember where the idea to travel around Cambodia by motorbike had originated, but it seemed like it had been rattling around in my head for a while. If I didn’t take steps to make it happen, it would forever remain there rattling away. First, I needed to recruit a travelling companion, and my friend Will came to mind as we had previously ventured on trips together. To my surprise he immediately agreed, despite the small matter of needing to obtain a motorcycle licence. Over the next few weeks we attempted to improve our riding skills by taking my Suzuki DRZ400 along the dirt trails of central Alberta, where I learned the hard way not to drop a running bike into a three-foot deep mud puddle. We weren’t nearly prepared enough, but the departure date was quickly approaching. The flights were booked with a purposeful layover in California, and the Baja 250 bikes were reserved online. We booked a hostel in the capital city of Phnom Pehn for the first night, and left the rest of the trip unplanned. As I received multiple vaccinations the nurse instructed me to “stay away from rural areas, soil, and standing water”. Now what kind of a bike trip would that be! After a few days of exploring the California coast, we were airborne towards
Taiwan and then Phnom Penh. We crossed the International Date Line and experienced the full effects of jet lag as we stumbled through the process of getting our passports stamped upon arrival. We eventually wandered out of the airport and were immediately ushered into a “tuk-tuk” (a scootertaxi pulling a passenger cart) and onto the bustling, honking, chaotic streets. I glanced at Will and could tell he was thinking the same thing as I; what had we gotten us into? The next morning we walked to the motorbike shop, and discovered the city streets and traffic to be relentless, and seemingly lawless. In order to cross the street we followed the locals’ lead and attempted to walk confidently and predictably into the mass of traffic, trusting that the drivers wouldn’t hit us. Amazingly this process worked as the tuk-tuks and vehicles flowed around us as though a stream around a boulder. At the bike shop I already felt exhausted from the heat, and it became abundantly clear that we had over-packed. The shop offered to store our bags for the next three weeks, and we haphazardly ditched everything but the bare essentials, carrying only backpacks. Although we declined to hire a guide, the shop was still very helpful in presenting maps and offering route suggestions. “Don’t take the main road to Siem Reap! You must follow the northern bank of the Mekong River where there is nothing marked on the map. But don’t go off the trail, there are still many mines!” The dark recent history of Cambodia is impossible to ignore. The late 1970s brought rise to a group called the Khmer Rouge and the ruthless dictator Pol Pot who attempted to revolutionize Cambodian society through genocide. Over 2 million Cambodian people died as a result of the Khmer Rouge policies. Although the country has mostly recovered from this history, it is still a deep scar for many families, and trials for
Khmer Rouge members have only recently begun. Landmines are still present throughout the country with an estimated 4 million unexploded. This was quite apparent by the disproportionate number of amputees we encountered on the trip. We toured the killing fields to learn about this dark chapter. Our guide, who had lost his entire family in the mass killings, told a sorrowful tale of living through the years of the regime. “Why does the world not care!?” he exclaimed. “Why does no one know this happened?” There is a simple rule of the road in Cambodia: the largest vehicle has the right of way. This put us near the bottom of the pecking order, along with the multitude of mopeds. We constantly veered towards the ditch to avoid oncoming trucks or buses, which had no intention of slowing down or moving over. We also quickly learned to accelerate out of danger as well as brake, and were advised to avoid stopping at police roadblocks if possible. I did heed this advice until the very last day of the trip… We took a break as we exited the bustling city along a relatively quieter road. We climbed the many stairs up to the monastery on a hill, and admired the decorative buildings and the peacefulness of the site. Buddhist monks performed their daily tasks and rituals and took no heed of us, and I felt we were starting to find the Cambodia I had long imagined. Eventually we reached the northern banks of the Mekong River and followed a dirt road which twisted and turned with the river and led through many small villages. This time our presence was noticed as the adults watched curiously and the children waved excitedly. We gave small waves in return, while simultaneously trying not to run over their chickens or dogs, and avoiding holes in the road. This was a special part of the journey, away from traffic and roads altogether, and experiencing the rural cul-
ture of the country. When we stopped for breaks, children would approach hoping for a chance to see the bikes, and the strange men wearing so much protective gear. We had heard of a town called Skuon where it was common to eat fried tarantulas. Upon reaching the town, I asked a gas station attendant where we could obtain some. This required my best version of charades, as the attendant spoke no English. I got the point across however, and he ran off into the market to find us our snack. Minutes later a tray was brought out covered in large hairy spiders, and they were all still alive! We quickly specified that we would much prefer fried and cooked spiders, and the tray was replaced with another. The moment of truth arrived, and Will and I managed to gulp down a tarantula each. The key is to close your eyes and pretend they’re merely stale chips, but nonetheless it was an experience I never wish to repeat. We rode onwards to the true gem of Cambodian history and culture, Angkor Wat. Located just outside the touristy town of Siem Reap, the grounds contain many ancient palaces and buildings covered in magnificent stone carvings. The scope of these ruins is truly humbling, and in many places the large tree roots have become intertwined with the ruins. We attempted to ride our bikes to Angkor Wat, but were stopped at the entrance and informed no motorbikes were allowed unless we had a local driver’s licence. So we parked the bikes and hired a local tuk-tuk driver for the day. We spent an entire day wandering the ruins and experiencing the grandeur of Cambodia’s past. Phnom Pehn is in the middle of the country and all roads lead through it, as though spokes through the centre of a wheel. To venture to the northeast we had to return to the city of 1.5 million. We swung by the bike shop where they did some routine mainte-
11 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
nance to the Bajas. Riding to the northeast brought us through scenic countryside, and we met fellow Canadians who were cycling through the country. “I’m from Winnipeg and he’s from Quebec. We met in Japan when we were on individual cycling trips, and we just kept travelling together.” We rode through rubber plantations and onwards through less developed jungle. We stayed at the Nature Lodge in Sen Monorom, near the Vietnam border, and enjoyed the laid back atmosphere so much we remained for three days. Run by an expat couple, the rural acreage contained many animals that would wander freely, and the outdoor restaurant was built around a large tree. The individual bungalows contained bug nets, hammocks, and outdoor showers built into private gardens. The couple invited us to hike up a nearby hill to watch the sunset, and both a calf and a dog joined us. We decided to take a break from the motorcycles in order to experience an even less comfortable form of transportation, a large elephant. Elephants are a very respected animal in Cambodia with regulated work-
ing hours and freedom to roam. In advance of our ride, a Mahout had to locate the elephant somewhere in the jungle and lead it back to us. The ride was bumpy and slow, but absolutely incredible. We arrived at a waterfall to swim and have lunch, while the Mahout washed the elephant in the stream. Our final destination led us back through Phnom Pehn and to the southern beaches of Sianoukville on the South China Sea. We were back in tourist territory, but this offered the opportunity to go scuba diving. Aboard a small wooden boat we headed out to open ocean with our guides. Storms had been occurring over the last few days so we stopped to pick up about eight people (also Canadians) from an island, who had become stranded by the weather the day before. They were eager to return to the mainland, so Will and I felt slightly guilty as we stopped to dive. Things soon took a turn for the worse as the weather rapidly deteriorated and the small boat got tossed around in enormous waves and fierce winds. After several harrowing hours the boat limped back to port, with many distraught pas-
sengers. We found out later it had been a full-scale typhoon and that we had been the only boat on the water. We would stick to the motorbikes for the rest of the trip. In three short weeks Cambodia had provided a lifetime’s worth of adventures, far too many to describe in their entirety. We had also stayed in a beachside bungalow on a tiny island, and hitched a ride back to the mainland with a local fisherman. We had been given a tour of the floating village of Kompong Khleang, where locals live in floating houses and move down the river according to the seasons. I had been stung by a jellyfish, had fallen off my motorbike, and had nearly run out of gas. Cambodia had thrown everything it had at me, in a way that would have been impossible on a catered bus tour. We had felt the full effects of the language barrier, had ridden around desperately trying to find accommodations at night, and had been the victims of multiple scams. We had also ridden on a homemade wooden platform on active train tracks, hiked through caverns with local kids, and had met friendly and engaging
travellers and locals. Cambodia is a land of contrasts, with a history both beautiful and ugly, a jungle both wild and exploited, and people both welcoming and corrupt. I offered the policeman whatever cash I was able to dig up. He shook his head and motioned for me to give the money behind my bike, out of sight of passing traffic. I gave a more discreet bribe and was given my driver’s licence back. I returned to the bike shop but Will was nowhere to be seen. The exhaustion must have been evident on my face, for I was seated on the shop floor and given a coke. “I will find your friend”, the shop assistant declared, and took off on his moped into crowded city streets. Less than an hour passed before he returned with Will in tow. “The police stopped me!” exclaimed Will. The shopkeeper only nodded. “They always do this,” he muttered. “They set up posts a few blocks away and stop my customers as they return to the shop.” The many contrasts of Cambodia have replaced the rattling idea of the country with concrete memories and experiences.
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* This is a limited time offer which is valid for the purchase of selected qualifying models and is subject to credit approval on qualified purchases financed during this program. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change and may be extended or terminated without further notice. Offer valid on new 2013 through 2015 Victory models. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. Minimum amount to finance is $5,000. Example: $10,000 financed at 3.99% over 36 months = 36 monthly payments of $295.20 with a cost of borrowing of $627.03 and a total obligation of $10,627.03. Monthly payment examples exclude tax, title & other fees. See participating retailers for complete details and conditions. Offer ends February 29th, 2016. **The 2 year limited warranty is available on new 2013 through 2015 Victory models. Offer is valid only in the U.S. and Canada and does not apply to prior purchases. Coverage consists of 12 months’ factory warranty, plus 12 months Victory Protection for a total term of 24 months. Subject to $50 deductible, no mileage limitation. See dealer for details. Offer must be redeemed by February 29th, 2016. Rebates vary by model and model year. Must purchase a 2013 through 2015 Victory model between January 1st and February 29th, 2016. Victory or Polaris® dealership employees are not eligible for this offer. Victory® and Victory Motorcycles® are registered trademarks of Polaris Industries Inc. Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing and obey the speed limit. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. ©2016 Polaris Industries Inc.
S RE
July 2012 17
the a Dover Thunder Apparel celebrates 13 years of business benoit A DVANCED R OAD C RAFT c files PR OG
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TRAIN ING
day 13th clothing. Using such Norfolk businesses as Truckin’ T-shirts for silk screenADVANCED ROAD CTake RAFTyour skills to the next level. ing and Quick Stitch Embroidery as well as various graphic designers, Margit’sCONTRIBUTING Dover Our European inspired course begins by evaluating your WRITER Thunder clothing line includes men’s and current skill level and tailoring our program to meet your needs. ladies’ t- shirts, hats, crests, kids apparel, Challenging you to take your riding to the next level. and both long and short sleeve choices. Using an advanced riding system as taught by the Margit, who has lived in Port Dover for the past 35 years, is the mother of two daughUK police to their riders. I won’t lie, I’m not a big fan of the wintery, done. It was awesome. Some final touches ters. white, fluffy stuff. Snow does not excite me. the next day and we’d be ready to go. Admitting the business is a bit nerve Don’t get me wrong, I love snowmobiling, Now this weekend was the first weekwracking because it is weather and we own a couple of so pretty quickdepenones end in December, just before Christmas, DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES... dentasand requires substantial financial in- so Christmas shopping still needed to be that, I write this, are waiting for our first vestment and physical work setting up tents, real snowfall. It doesn’t capture my atten- done. And wasOctober responsible take my Call or go online to book your course today! Margit at Ithe 2010toFriday the Margit loves 13th in Port Dover.does. teenage cousin out to shop for her parents. tion quite likeFriday a motorcycle or riding 13th. www.advancedroadcraft.ca But “I’ve this winter, it’s afrom little all different. met people over the world. The problem with that was, I knew that Now, you’ve about this home ange was withexcited a cowboy graphic is a modifipopular I’ve met ifpeople whobeen havefollowing flown theiralong, bikes Mike you’ll remember that I’m one to not only cation. So the next morning I headed out, choice of some men. in from the U.K. and people who have arstore my motorcycle indoors, but I’ve thinking he’ll rest up, recoup and recharge. Women will often go for butter yellow or rived by limo. A lot of people come back been known to store my motorcycle in the But no, he’s at it again! Later that day I get cactus green, if they are looking for someevery year and look for my clothing. They house. In some cases, I’ve removed the din- pictures. Not only has he finished with inthing different than black. Shoppers enjoy getroom to know you. It is aroom lot of for fun,” said. stalling ing table to make myshe motorthe door, doorframe and all, but the tidied quality andup, unique designs thatbikes MarMargit 20 people for the he’s cycle. This employs year is noabout exception. Although it all and he’s rode the git’s Dover Thunder Apparel offers. event. She setsto up Thursday and takes never gone the extent that Mike has, right into that room. Boards placed on the Margit Wamsley, right, and friend Connie Prime showcase some of Margit’s I’ve missthe seeing herfrom on the she in order to bring our motorcycles into the floorIftoyou protect carpet thestreet, jack and down Saturday. “Dover Thunder Apparel”. cancleaning be reached at wamsley@cablerocket. warmth is our main floor den. supplies and such. Shelves are Everythat year, Margit enjoys working with the After acquiring the Harley ‘gater,Texas as I call up for the helmets, with vintage motorcycle com different colours and designs. ora Special Events Coordinator for Norfolk it (my new Harley has a red alligator seat), pics in place. It was really unexpected but By Donna McMillan County in her regular work day, will once Mike and I discussed our plan to change was exciting at the same time. All I knew “Dover Thunder Apparel”, specializing again have staff manning two booths that our main rec room (most of our main floor now was, this gives me the opportunity to in Friday 13th biker wear is celebrating its feature “Dover Thunder Apparel”. They actually) into a bedroom for our babies. A sit on my bike in the dead of winter and 13th year of business this year, a year of can be found next to Dover Hairport, near place where we can clean, polish, do mi- start it up. And I still haven’t sold my old three Friday 13ths and expectations that the Dover Dairy Bar and in The Arbor nor upkeep, and add any modifications at baby (it’s like finding the right adoptive our leisure during the brrrr months. The parents.) So I can take extra care at prepthis July 13th could be the biggest event in parking lot. garage is always good, but in here, we can ping her for her new owner. Thirteen years ago, Margit started off Port Dover to date. just walk into the next room, no coats and So obviously, I couldn’t wait to get home. Owner Margit Wamsley, who works as designing hats and quickly moved to Fri- boots required, pull out the wax and shine I had to see this room! I’d be spending a lot advancedroadcraft@gmail.com PR OG
February 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 12
Friday the 13th in Port Dover
ININ G
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them up. of time in this room. First was, how to actually get them in the Finally, after my cousin finished spendhouse. Our sliding doors are up a flight of ing what money she had (and after she stairs, and I’m not sure how the hardwood finished eating the largest funnel cake I’ve floor would hold up to Mike’s big, beauti- ever seen!) I was heading home. Pulling ful 1700 Roadstar. Mike is pretty handy, I into the driveway, I noticed the door right mean, he can build just about anything and away. The door is wide open, the room in some cases, gets paid for it. So he knew is lit up, and Mike has a huge “I’m awehe’d have to create a spot for a new door. some” grin on his face. Walking in was I thought for a®minute, then realized. surreal. You don’t expect to see three moThe Can-Am Spyder® RTand and RS roadsters. With a unique, The Can-Am® Spyder® RT and RS roadsters. With a unique, three-wheeled andbringing intuitive, rider-focused features, He wasn’t talkingstance about the bikes torcycles monopolizing what used to be three-wheeled stance and intuitive, rider-focused features, it’s everything you need to become one with the road. it’s everything you need to become one with the road. of your home. But I wouldn’t in through our main door, he wanted to the rec-room It’s riding. Reinvented. Discover what thousands of riders It’s riding. Reinvented. Discover what thousands of riders remove partknow of the wall (where we had a have it any other way. And you could still already at can-am.brp.com. already know at can-am.brp.com. ® in a larger window)Theand put A door smell the bikes from when he moved them Can-Am Spyder® RT anddoor. RS roadsters. With a unique, three-wheeled and intuitive, just for our bikes tostance be brought in.rider-focused No, not features, around. I love that smell. If you ride, you everything you need to become one with the road. brought it’s in, he planned on riding right into know that bike smell I’m talking about. It’s It’s riding. Reinvented. Discover what thousands of riders that room! the smell of a motorcycle. already know at can-am.brp.com. So, the special order door was ordered, So as some would decorate the nursand waiting that week for the larger door ery for their new baby, we now have the to arrive was brutal. But finally, it arrived. nursery for our three. And I can’t tell you I expected the weekend to be when we’d how pleasing it is to wake up on a Sunday take the time it takes to transform that morning, wander through the house in room into our bike’s (baby) room. How- your housecoat with a hot cup of java in ever Mike had other plans. He wasn’t feel- your hands, and glancing over to the room ing well, and truly wasn’t having the best and seeing them. They’re right there, just of days, and when Mike has a crappy day, waiting for you to give them the love and VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM SEMI-AUTOMATIC DYNAMICSTEERING POWER STEERING VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM SEMI-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONTRANSMISSION DYNAMIC POWER he makes himself busier. So that night, after attention they deserve after they gave you a system No clutch or foot shifter here. required Adjusts required effort through An automotive-like systemAn automotive-like No clutch lever or foot shifterlever here. Adjusts effort through integrating stability, traction Yourup leftand thumb your acceleration, and steering integrating stability, traction Your left thumb shifts yourshifts up and acceleration, speed andspeed steering a full day of work, he went and toanti-lock cutting out great season of uninterrupted riding. Now and anti-lock braking for an forefinger shifts down. With reverse. angle data. More comfort and braking for an forefinger shifts down. With reverse. angle data. More comfort and improved control. incredibly and confidentsealride. incredibly confident (Manualride. available) (Manual available) improved control. the one wall, sizing up the door bring on the bitchin’ white stuff!!! I’m ready ing it in place. In a couple of hours, he was for ya!
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©2011 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Always ride responsibly and safely and observe applicable laws. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. ©2011 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. 610376 Always ride responsibly and safely and observe applicable laws. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.
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As I was putting together my Christmas list last year for family Secret Santa gift exchange, I came across an Indian Motorcycle sweatshirt and tee shirt in a catalog. I immediately added the sweatshirt to my list, and ordered the tee shirt as a Christmas present for my brother. My father was a teenager during the depression. He became a Golden Gloves champion, and rebuilt and raced Indian Motorcycles. I come from a family of storytellers, and grew up listening to his exploits; tales of motorcycle races,
BI-WEEKLY FROM
eluding the police, and other rather sketchy behavior common to unsupervised young men of that era. When my brother and I became teenagers, remembering all the stories, we began to desire a motorcycle. This horrified my mother, of course, and she probably influenced our father to say ‘no.’ However, he didn’t just say no. He said, “They don’t even know how to make a real motorcycle these days. Since they quit building Indian Motorcycles, there hasn’t been a decent one on the market.” He followed by promising, “But, if they ever start making Indian Motorcycles again, you can have one.” My father thought he was set, since they quit manufacturing the Indian motorcycle when the com-
63 % 1.9 $
pany went bankrupt in 1953. Little did he know, but the trap was set. Several years later, my brother and I became aware that Indian Motorcycles were once again being marketed in the United States. So, we went back to our father, and asked him once again for a motorcycle. He said ‘no’ again, using this exuse, “These aren’t real Indian Motorcyles, but some cheap import. That doesn’t count.” Nevertheless, our father broke his promise. We knew his response was more of an excuse than a promise. That didn’t stop us from pursuing it when Indian motorcycles came back on the market. We just reveled in watching how he squirmed when we asked him to live up to his promise.
We worked with our father in the family business for the next 15 years. Whenever we came up against a situation where our father would not say ‘no’, but would pose some outlandish scenario under which he would say ‘yes’, my brother and I would give each other a knowing glance as we shared the thought, “Another Indian Motorcycle.” My father just couldn’t see how these small language constructions undermined his image. I’m loving wearing my Indian motorcycle hoodie and I sent my brother the tee shirt to share and remember the family legend with his family. Don’t take the easy way out to avoid the histrionics of just saying ‘no.’ “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’.
Good things come to those who ride
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13 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
An Indian Motorcycle
February 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 14
TheOtherside Mix - 0/35/85/0
30%K
‘60s Tripping on a Honda Super Hawk A Wrench in the Works
david heron didn’t leak oil. It had electric start too.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Motorcycling has changed. Drastically. To head out on the highway was a major endeavour. It took fortitude, guts in other words. Bikers waved at each other then. It was a greeting among brothers. More or less you were saying, “greetings you equally mad lunatic. You have ventured out alone. I hope you make it.“ In those days, you never missed a wave and you never, never left another biker sitting on the side of the road. It didn’t matter if you were in a hurry or had to go to the bathroom badly, another biker was there and like the Marines, we never leave one of ours behind. It seems to me that things have changed in this respect but that is not what I am here to talk about today. My first real highway capable bike was a 1965 Honda 305 Super Hawk. It could cruise at an indicated 70 mph and could hit 100 if you laid down on the tank and were also dumb enough to risk it. I have to admit that I was. Dumb enough, that is. But only on occasion. Once again, my dumb butt antics are not what I’m here to discuss today. The Honda 305 burst onto the scene in the early sixties and until 1967, and the 450 Honda, was the biggest bike in the Honda stable. Unlike most of the British and American offerings at the time, it had dual carbs and
Wow, talk about modern! In 1969, at the ripe age of 17, I inherited The Hawk from my older brother. The freedom of movement that it offered was wonderful. I could travel long distances with impunity. Well, in theory anyway. It really did help my love life too. You see, at that time I had managed to snag a lovely girl friend who lived in Mississauga and cottaged near Penetang. My Family lived in North Bay and also had a cottage at the same beach. But, it was 185 miles away from North Bay. At the time I was burdened with the necessity of summer employment in North Bay. But, I had weekends off and I had the Honda. It seems a perfect solution. Finish work Friday, jump on the bike, do the 185 miles in 3 hours and then back to the sad reality of work for Monday morning. Simple. Again, reality rears its ugly head. Not so simple, not so simple at all. Unlike today the reality was that bikes were not the faultless dependable things that they have morphed into. They had weak electrics, points ignitions, and bias hard rubber tires. The first trick was to have it running correctly before leaving the house for the open road. As I have mentioned in the past, I was forced by the bitter truth of student poverty to do my own repairs. I had to
learn the mysterious secrets of points ignition. Find the high point on the points cam, set the gap, find top dead centre, back it up to the firing mark and set the points so they are just beginning to open. Sounds easy enough. Unfortunately, this procedure was achieved by lying on your side or stomach in the dirty dusty driveway and peering at these tiny surfaces and trying to figure out just when the darn things were just starting to open. A timing light was the realm of the rich and real mechanics. Not part of the toolbox of a guy like me. Penniless would be the best adjective here. After this you had to make sure the very skinny wires were all intact and when you put the seat back on that you didn’t bust the wire harness that sat right where the seat bracket attached. More on this to come. It all sounds easy. But, once again , reality rears up and bites you right there. Ok, everything is ready. What could happen? It has all been done and re-checked. Hmmmmm. First off, things go wrong. It is a simple fact of life. You had to be prepared for anything. I learned this the hard way. So, luggage racks were not cool so I didn’t have one. My single over night kind of bag was bungee corded to the back of the seat where the passenger normally rode. Passengers were not so cool either, unless it was a hot chick.
Needless to say, that didn’t happen too much. As mentioned, I had to be prepared for the worst so most of the little bag was taken up with tools. Phillips and straight screwdrivers, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 mm wrenches to fit any possible bolt, a large adjustable wrench to handle the rear axle nut to adjust the chain, chain lube, fuses, hunks of wire, you get the idea. What little room was left over was reserved for a bathing suit, another T shirt, clean underwear and because I now had a girlfriend, a tooth brush and even soap. The things you have to do to impress a girl. Firstly, I did not start motorcycling with a wide base of mechanical knowledge. My knowledge was actually limited to one semester of Grade 9 Auto Shop. Learning in the School of Hard Knocks came slowly and steadily. My first trip was to the cottage for the Victoria Day Weekend. I had bought a used chain for the Honda, once again due to a distinct lack of funds. How did I know that a bad chain will quickly ruin 2 good sprockets? The 185 miles there basically had the rear sprocket teeth bent like Georgian Bay pines in a Group of Seven painting. The logical solution to making the return 185 was to simply reverse the sprocket. Well. I did make it back to the outskirts of town before having to call my Dad for a rescue CONTINUED ON P.17
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MSRP listed is subject to change without notice. Dealer is not obligated to sell product at MSRP. Dealer may sell for less than the Manufacture Suggested Retail Price. For full details visit www.suzuki.ca or contact your local authorized Suzuki dealer. New GSX-S1000AL6 and GSX-S1000FAL6 includes 12 month factory limited warranty. Warranty and optional SPP warranty coverage has no dollar value and cannot be exchanged or resold for any monetary value. Model may not be exactly as shown. Quantity and colours are subject to availability. PDI charges from $110 to $528, freight charges from $165 to $250, taxes, license, insurance, applicable fees and registration are extra dependent on model and may change without notice. Specifications, product features and colours are subject to change without notice. Read your owner’s manual carefully and remember to observe all safety regulations. See your participating Authorized Suzuki dealer for availability and complete details. Way of Life!
15 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
THE
February 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 16
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Most motorcycles rumbling down the road catch your attention but it’s generally impossible to miss the passing of a Honda Gold Wing. Often there’s a trailer attached, a comfortably seated passenger, a cooler, side lighting, and lots of gadgets bolted to the handle bars. Now imagine a whole whack of Gold Wings travelling by and you get an idea what Gold Wing Road Riders Association life is like. “It’s the world’s largest single marquee social organization for owners of Gold Wings and Valkyries,” says Mark Fleury, who I bumped into at the 2016 Supershow. Fleury, along with his wife Teresa, are Chapter Directors for the Mississauga area of the group - known as chapter “Y” and located in Region K which comprises central Canada. They’re known as the Mississauga Road Riders and have been around for about a dozen years. He’s also pretty modest. I checked out the Region K newsletter from August 2015 and it turns out Mark and Teresa were also awarded couple of the year. The group is dedicated to the motto ‘Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge.’ The GWRRA was founded in 1977 and has grown to more than 72,000 members internationally, in 53 countries and they have a monthly newsletterb for members. “With all clubs and associations everybody wants to ride and that’s what the key is - how much riding you do,” Fleury says. At a minimum the chapter does two Saturday rides a month plus a Sunday breakfast ride. The breakfast ride tends to be shorter he laughs because breakfast doesn’t always end on time. From there they do two, three or four days rides along with a longer two week ride a few times a year. Last season the chapter went down to Huntsville, Alabama to attend the national rally (called ‘Wing Ding’ of course) and on the way down they spent a couple days in Nashville and on the way home they spent time in New Orleans and Panama City. Surprisingly, perhaps, you don’t have to own a Gold Wing to be a member - Fleury says there are Harley-Davidson owners, BMWs, Suzuki’s in his chapter. Fleury rides a 1998 midnight blue 1500 SE Gold Wing decked out with Sirius satellite, GPS, heated grips ‘and everything else’. “Every type of motorcycle is in our chapter,” he says, “we are not strictly Gold Wing. You can have any type of motorcycle you want.” At public events such as the Supershow Fleury says they explain the safety and educational aspects of the association and work towards improving the general perception of motorcyclists. There are competing Gold Wing associations out there but Fleury views them as friends. EDUCATION A PRIORITY You can see the emphasis they place on learning motorcycling techniques. “Education is what sets us apart from everybody else,” says Fleury. “It’s taken quite seriously.” If you look at the chapters doing well, he says, those are the chapters that push rider education.
They have courses including riding with new or inexperienced riders, night riding, motorcycling for the mature rider and dozens more. They also have co-rider courses where they learn skills that could make a difference if something incapacitates the main rider - for example a heart attack. They also have courses for trikes and sidecars - as you’d expect with a Gold Wing group. Fleury says his wife Teresa is also a trainer and that has helped draw in more women to the chapter - which is roughly half men and half women - many of the members are composed of couples. The chapter has about 140 members and about two-thirds are very active. Rides generally have from 10-20 bikes and are organized with the route planned, stops outlined and any restaurants along the way notified of the number of bikers to plan for. “Because of the cost of the motorcycles it’s usually a crowd that’s over 30,” he says. “But then there’s not many cheap motorcycles out there anyways!” He says the new Honda F6B motorcycles are making a big impact in Gold Wing circles. VISION FOR THE FUTURE Luckily he doesn’t do it alone - Fleury points to his leadership team starting with Teresa his co-chapter director, two assistant chapter directors, a secretary/treasurer, a committee chairman, a social committee chairperson and ways and means (to hand out the badges and related material). “All Teresa and I do is provide a vision,” he says, “of what we’d like to see, short and long-term. We tell them what we need and they do it and that’s what’s so great about it, we all work towrds a common goal.” Fleury has been with the chapter since 2006 and says for the first couple years he didn’t really participate in chapter life. That changed as he got involved in educating members. Now he has several people who are being shown the ropes for the future. Mark started out with a Honda 750 Nighthawk he bought with his dad and he later bought his dad’s Gold Wing - who had moved on to a bigger bike. His dad is also in the chapter and that’s one of the big draws for Mark, who is in his early 50s. He says the comfort of the Gold Wing is what makes it the bike for him. The chapter has one member 80-yearsold who did 30,000+ km last year and thinks nothing of popping over to the East Coast. The chapter gives back to the community as well - among the causes they support is Camp Bucko which is for children who are burn survivors and they also help with the Brampton Toy Ride. “Most of our social things go on in the winter time because we’re not riding,” he says, mentioning a Christmas party and a special events like a dinner and a movie. “You have to really believe in what you’re doing and once you believe in it it’s easy,” he says. He’s been doing the job for eight years and loves it. To get in touch with the GWRRA check out their website at www.gwrra.org and the Mississauga Road Riders chapter info is at mississaugaroadriders.ca.
‘60s Tripping on a Honda Super Hawk mission. There, lesson 1, don’t cheap out on chains. Well, I soon had a new chain and sprockets and had to wash my Dad’s car and mow the neighbour’s lawn, and wash the neighbour’s car, and his wife’s car and… you get the idea. Lesson 2 was to not under estimate the electrical system of a bike. I was having charging problems and the diagnosis was a fried rectifier. The guy at the Honda shop, knowing my poor financial situation, said not to worry, just charge the battery every few days and you’ll be good to go. We didn’t take into account that lights draw more power. I travelled the highway with no light on. Fine and dandy but some car drivers don’t look for motorcycles when they pull out to pass coming the opposite way. Remember that in the late 60’s cars were much bigger. I will never forget a big orange Mercury Cougar coming at me on a 2 lane highway at passing speed. I put my light on to let him in on the fact that I was coming. Since he had no way to get back in to his lane, he
I didn’t have to jettison any of the wide array of extra clothes yet. There were other trips where the battery wouldn’t make it all the way and service station people would throw it on charge for me. Usually on a gratis basis. You see, it took about $4 to make the trip one way in gas. I would wait until I had that amount left in my pocket then head out. Hmmm, again. It came to pass, that I broke down frequently right near a Sunoco station close to Huntsville. There was a guy there about my age who also had a bike and he would help me all the time. Once I had somehow lost the clip for my master link and the link got bent as it worked its way out of the chain. I stopped in time to save the link but the clip was gone. We were trying to straighten the link and couldn’t get it flat enough. He took out his torch and cut the metal edge off his workbench and hung the link over the edge and flattened it out. He then took the clip off his bike and gave it to me and off I went. We had a couple other such adventures too. The best was on Christmas Eve. I was driving my Grandmother to North Bay for Christmas with our family in my derelict 62 Austin. The battery went low and , as luck would have it, right in front of that Sunoco. I pulled in and he was still there working. I forgot to say that the car’s heater was next to non-existent. Anyway, he recognized me and we pulled the car into the garage and hooked up the battery
MOTORCYCLE CLEAROUT EVENT!
charger while my poor Grandma sat in it and he offered me a rye to pass the time. I enjoyed that stop. Grandma, not so much. You know, I never did know his name. I will always remember him. There were many other mishaps such as mufflers falling off, flat tires and minor wipe outs. Once my younger brother was a passenger to the cottage and we turned in to get gas and slipped on the gravel at the entrance to a gas station and went down. I got the bar end in the thigh and just couldn’t walk for a week. My brother was not hurt but his unapproved helmet fell off and was rolling down the road. Some wonderful humanitarian in a car behind us honked at us lying on the pavement and told us to get out of the way so he could pull in. A real prince among men that guy was. I would just kove to see him some time. I knew every turn in that route of Highway 11 to Highway 12. Every underpass and narrow tunnel and many, many great people operating service stations who offered help for free to a penniless kid on a motorcycle. By the way, that Super Hawk is still in the Family and this spring will be its 50th anniversary. Those were great times and great adventures for a young teenager on two wheels. Would I trade them for anything else? No, never. Would I like to re-live them today? Not so much. I think that I have gotten used to electronic ignition.
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17 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
pulled to the right as far as he could considering he was passing another car and I pulled as far to the right without hitting the shoulder and we made it past each other. There was not enough room for me to extend my arm and flip a bird. If I had worn a Depends then , it would have been loaded. So, more room was taken up in my travel bag by a battery charger.
CONTINUED FROM PG. 14
February February2016, 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 18
FinishLines M ii xx -- 00 // 33 55 // 88 55 // 00 M
%K K 33 00 %
Mopar CSBK Confirms 2016 Canadian National road racing Schedule The Mopar CSBK series returns to Atlantic Motorsport Park in 2016 with a double header round - the first at the venue since 2010. The 2016 Mopar CSBK National Championship motorcycle road racing series will comprise six rounds over four weekend events in 2016. As previously announced, the series will start at Shannonville Motorsport Park’s Pro Track at the end of May, with the traditional season-ending double header at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in mid-August.
Mopar CSBK Returns to Shannonville Motorsport Park for 2016 Opening Round The Mopar CSBK motorcycle roadracing tour will return to favourite venue Shannonville Motorsport Park for the opening National of 2016 on May 27, 28 and 29. SMP, located east of Belleville, Ontario, just south of Highway 401, offers several different track configurations, and the CSBK National will utilize the perimeter, 2.45 kilometer, nine turn “Pro” layout. 2016 is the 40th Anniversary season for SMP, originally Nelson International Raceway. Shannonville has hosted more Superbike races than any other venue on the Canadian tour, and the National on May 29 will be the 51st National at the track, a new record. In ten of the last 15 years, the winner at the opening round has gone on to win the National Championship. For much of the history of the CSBK tour, Shannonville has hosted the first race of the season. Key for the return of the CSBK tour to Shannonville is the arrival of event organizer Peter Derry of Toronto, ON. Derry, a racer and long-time track enthusiast, was instrumental in the return of motorcycle racing to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
in the late 1990s with the creation of ‘Bike Week at Mosport’. Peter Derry Productions Inc. hosts the 26th annual Motorcycle Spring Show at the International Centre in Toronto, April 9 and 10, 2016. Derry was looking for an opportunity to expand his business, and aims to get back onto the scene with the return of the National Series to the Shannonville facility. “Bringing CSBK back to Shannonville Motorsport Park is an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up,” explained Derry. “I think we have a great chance to build this event into something special, a unique stop on the tour. We’re aiming to exploit Shannonville’s prime location between Toronto and Montreal, the great history of this event and the fact that Shannonville offers a unique opportunity to see almost the entire lap from the spacious main straight grandstands.” “I’m really fortunate to have great support, specifically Sandy Noce and all his Pro 6 Cycle team, and working with strong partners will be crucial to building this event for the future. We aim to place Shan-
nonville back at the centre of the CSBK universe, as one of the crucial events on each year’s calendar.” In the upcoming months, Derry’s team will be building support for the event, and announcing some unique fan activities in association with the opening 2016 CSBK National event. The first ever spectator event held at Shannonville Motorsport Park was a motorcycle race on Thanksgiving 1976. The first Superbike National at SMP was held in September of 1980 and won by Rueben McMurter on a Kawasaki. The most recent CSBK round at Shannonville took place on June 8, 2014, and was won by BMW’s Jordan Szoke. Reigning and ten time Mopar CSBK Champ Szoke of Brantford, ON. will be the rider to beat at the 2016 Shannonville Motorsport Park opener, coming off a perfect, seven race winning season with his BMW S1000RR last year. 37-year-old Szoke has also won the last two Nationals held at Shannonville, and has won a total of five Pro Superbike Feature class races at the venue.
2016 Mopar CSBK Schedule Round 1 - May 27-29: Shannonville Motorsport Park, Pro layout, ON Round 2 - June 24-26: Autodrome St-Eustache, Montreal, QC Rounds 3 & 4 - July 15-17: Atlantic Motorsport Park, Shubenacadie, NS Rounds 5 & 6 - August 19-21: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, ON Series organizers Professional Motorsports Productions of Toronto have also indicated that it is possible an event may be added to the 2016 Mopar CSBK tour. The opener at Shannonville marks a return to the venue that has hosted more Superbike National rounds than any other track, and staged the second ever such event in 1980. The series last raced at S.M.P. in 2014. Autodrome St-Eustache, just north of Montreal, QC, is home to the ASM, the Quebec-based track rider group that is organizing a new Regional Series in Quebec in 2016. Always big supporters of the National tour, fans look to the rebirth of provincial competition to further increase the number of Quebec-based rides on the CSBK tour. As usual, the tour winds up at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s famed Grand Prix layout in August with two days of National racing in front of a typically large crowd. Further details of other support race and class activities will be announced shortly.
Road Racers on Autograph Duty at Toronto’s International Motorcycle SuperShow During a very busy Saturday at the 40th annual International Motorcycle SuperShow at the International Centre near Toronto’s major Airport, Mopar CSBK Pro racer Trevor Daley hosted a celebrity racer autograph session at his One Speed Shop booth. (Left to Right) Flat Track Canada Champ and inaugural Kawasaki Ninja 300 spec race series Champion (at C.T.M.P.) Doug “Fresh” Lawrence, representing the dirt oval community; Top ranked U.K. and MotoAmerica competitor Ben Young, who is rumoured to be considering a full time program on the Mopar CSBK tour in 2016;
Session host Trevor Daley, who competed on behalf of Parts Canada, Suzuki Canada and Rock Star on the CSBK tour last season; Kenny Riedmann, twice and reigning Hindle Pro Sport Bike Champ for Triumph and 2015’s best rookie Superbike racer aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R; Winningest CSBK racer in history Jordan Szoke, unbeaten in CSBK Feature class action in 2015. If you are wondering about the crutches, BMW Motorrad and Express Lane sponsored Szoke is recovering from a non-crash related dirt bike riding injury to his leg, suffered in the fall of 2015.
19 – The Motorcycle Times, February 2016
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP unveil 2016 machine
The factory Yamaha team gathered in Barcelona to show off what their 2016 bikes will look like as they aim to repeat their 2015 success. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP revealed their 2016 MotoGP™ World Championship machine on Monday in Barcelona. The factory Yamaha team were the first to show off their new bike as the build up to 2016 continues. It is a year of changes for MotoGP™ riders and teams as new technical regulations are introduced, including common software and a change to Michelin tyres. After an incredible 2015 season where the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team finished a near perfect first and second in the championship, Yamaha’s Lin Jarvis remained adamant that nothing will change and the focus will remain the same: “We always develop the bike to win races. Now, we work and develop the bike to make the tyre perform as well as possible. That means the biggest challenge will be the common software and the tyre, how we can setup both together to make the tyre perform as much as possible, that’s a new challenge for us.” MotoGP™ World Champion Jorge Lorenzo elected to retain his iconic number 99, ready to face the new season and defend his crown. Having completed only a handful of laps with the new tyres and electronics, Lorenzo is cautiously optimistic: Meanwhile, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi is still hunting for his tenth title after missing out in the final race of the year in 2015.
2016: A Quest for Records
After a dramatic end to 2015, the 2016 MotoGP™ World Championship is set to be a hard fought, and record breaking, season. The 2016 season will be the 68th edition of the MotoGP™ World Championship and will run over 18 Grands Prix in four continents and fifteen different countries. After preseason tests in Sepang, Philip Island and Losail the first race will be held in Qatar on the 20th of March, starting an eight-month battle for the title, concluding in Valencia on the 13th of November. A familiar calendar will see the historic Austrian GP return. Last hosting a round in 1997, MotoGP™ will return to Austria on August 14th at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Over 20 riders from 12 teams and five manufacturers (Yamaha, Honda, Ducati, Suzuki and Aprilia) will form the 2016 MotoGP™ grid. 2016 looks set to be another MotoGP™ season for the record books.
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February 2016, The Motorcycle Times – 20
RealWorld Mix - 0/35/85/0
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Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover ‘rotten apple’ rob
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
scott hopper
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Now you’ve done it. You have made the decision to upgrade your bikes tired, worm out or possibly non existent audio system. The seed is planted but where do you begin letting it grow? Over the next few articles we will discuss the wide variety of options available to you when it comes to upgrading your bikes audio system. We will cover the “needs” and “wants” of this little adventure in the hopes of helping you discover where you will ft into the mix. Sit back take a read and be prepared to be the envy of your riding group. Let’s start with the basics. Does your bike currently have an audio system on it, stock or otherwise? If not you will want to decide if you are looking for something that will be a quick detach style system or one that will be permanently installed on your bike. Both will have pro’s and con’s. To fairing or not to fairing. If you are looking at your bike wondering, “Where will I fit speakers and an amplifier?” Don’t worry there are some pretty cool options to explore. There are a few companies that offer quick detach style fairings that will allow your bike to be outfitted with options such as an audio system. This approach will give you flexibility with your ride and allow you to maintain the original design of the bike when the fairing is not in use and then the added protection and comfort of a fairing when it is. This approach can really extend the usefulness of your bike and have you falling in love with your scoot all over again! One draw back to this type of approach will be that when the fairing is removed so will your audio solutions. If the quick detach option is not for you and you really want to go bigger then there are permanent/semi-
Lets Talk Audio permanent options available that will allow you to install a fairing on your bike and have it outfitted with sound. In some cases multiple speakers, a proper radio and even an amplifier are all possible in these designs. This approach will often result in a louder system compared to the smaller quick detach styles however the flexibility of your bike will be reduced. The larger power demands of these types of systems should also be a consideration especially on bikes with smaller charging systems. (Watch for further info on this in a future article) Get the “F” outta here! If the “F” word scares you and the fairing route is not one that you would like to travel then there is still good news. There are other options for a bike with no factory installed audio. This will generally be in the form of handle bar mounted systems. This approach can be an easy way to get great audio onto the bike often with far less investment then the fairing route and will have the added benefit of being on the bike at all times. These units will generally use signal from your phone or other external music device to provide you with the music of your choice. The typically smaller nature of these speakers and amplifiers allow them to keep the clean, sleek look of your bike. The smaller size could result in less power and volume compared to a faring style system. If big power and big speakers is important to you this may not be your best option. I already have a stereo, what are my options? If you already have a factory radio and at least one pair of speakers on your bike then you will have a much larger pool to swim in when it comes to audio options. Upon initial exploration the options may seem endless! If we break them down it will be quite simple. To start you may
want to be realistic in what it is that you want out of an audio system upgrade. You already have speakers, you have sound what else do you want? Cleaner-crisper vocals? An increase in bass response? An overall volume increase? Being realistic here will make sure you get the right setup and will help you stay on budget… for now. Most people will want an increase in power from the stock system and will look to big power amplifiers to achieve this believing that the bigger the “wattage” equals bigger the volume, this is not always the case. Multiple speakers working in your system will give you more volume than simply pushing big power to a couple of speakers. To do this you may want to consider alternative mounting locations beyond just the stock offerings on the bike. Many companies offer some really cool alternatives to the stock speaker locations. Saddle bag lids, lower fairings, even tour pack/ trunk options will give you locations to install speakers and get more volume from your system without giving up storage space. In almost any case where additional speakers are going to be used you will need to look at adding in either additional factory wiring or amplifiers to help safely distribute the sound to your new speakers and prevent damage to your radio. No matter what you decide to you will want to ensure that your bike can safely handle the increased demand that you will be placing on it. Coming up in next months issue we will discuss the importance of speaker selection and how an amplifier can really make a difference for you without breaking the bank, or your bike! As always we welcome your questions. Please submit questions to: readers@themotorcycletimes.ca
My wife and I ride every day that we can and we have had some pretty interesting experiences. Last summer, we decided to go for a ride with no destination in mind— which is not unusual for us. What is usual though is that we always have to stop at the local coffee shop so my wife can get a drink for the road. As we were pulling up to the shop, we noticed there was an old gentleman looking distressed. We got off the bike, and walked up to him and asked if something was wrong. Here we are, all decked out in leathers, long hair and tattoos, a little scruffy and unsaven (well me anyway) and the old guy acts like we are his best friends. Well, it turned out that he had locked his keys in his car and had been trying for awhile to get them out. We walked around the car looking to see if there was a window a little bit down so we could get a coathanger down it, but it was a no go. He had locked it up tight. He had already called his daughter, but it would be some time before she could get to him. He looked at us, put his eyes to the ground, looked at us again and then very quietly, asked if we could go to his house and get his spare keys. “Well sure,” I said. “Is there anyone home?” “No,” he said. So I was thinking, “Damn, I don’t think this old guy will want to get on the back of my motorcycle, which I could have done with no problem.” He looked at us, held out his house keys, and said, “Could you ride to my house, go in, and get the keys that are hanging on the key hook in the kitchen beside the back door?” We said we would be glad to go and get his keys, his eyes got all watery, and he couldn’t thank us enough. Well, we went to his house, got his car keys, and as we handed them to him, he just couldn’t take the smile off his face. After a moment I said “You know, you shouldn’t ever give the keys to your castle with everything you own in it to strangers. You never know what could happen.” To that he replied, “You might be bikers with all your leathers and that hard knox exterior but it’s your eyes. I knew by looking at you that you were good people.” With a smile in his eyes he said, “You see, with all my years here on earth, I like to think that I’m a good judge of character, and I was right.” Well we carried on with our ride that day, with the wind in our hair, the freedom of the road and the love we share, we both also had a smile that wouldn’t fade. It was a good day!
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February 19-21, 2016 Motorcycle Show Toronto Enercare Centre - Exibition Place - As the riding season winds down, preparations are well underway to kick-start next year’s season with the 2016 Motorcycle Show-Toronto presented by Dalton Timmis Insurance, which is at the Enercare Centre - Exibition Place, February 19 – 21. All of the industry’s top manufacturers have confirmed their participation at Ontario’s only stop on the national seven-city Motorcycle Show tour, providing enthusiasts with their first look at the 2016 line-up of new motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides. In addition to new bikes, riders can check-out the latest in apparel, accessories and touring destinations, plus many exciting exhibits, all under one roof. Updates www.torontomotorcycleshow.ca
for your listening pleasure. Show goers can check out features such as fashion shows, various autograph sessions and more. Meet special guests: racers, celebrities, authors, builders and other motorcycle personalities. Sell your old bike, buy your new bike! Used bike for those who are looking to upgrade or shopping for their first bike. Interested in becoming a new rider? The Springshow offers attendees information on Rider Training programs, licensing and insurance. Wondering about the best bike for you and proper riding gear? Vendors will be offering great advice on getting started. Great Food Choices, Free Parking. Your entrance to the show includes a copy of Spring Motorcycle Magazine and Free Parking! Special VIP Motorcycle Parking at the front entrance. www. motorcyclespringshow.com
April 9-10, 2016 Spring Motorcycle Show International Centre - The Motorcycle Springshow is the place to be. Four huge halls of the International Centre are filled with all things ‘Motorcycle.’ Larger displays of the latest models, including touring and cruising bikes, street bikes, sportbikes, offroad bikes, scooters, customs and more. Shopping for all the great bargains on helmets, boots, gloves and riding apparel is easy with the huge selection. Entertainment Stages
May 7, 2016 Ride for Disabled Vets Starting at – Brown’s Independent Grocer, 1251 Main Street., Stittsville. Registration at 8:30-9:45am. Poker run “kickstands up” at 10am. Run ends by 2pm. BBQ from 2-3pm. There will 50/50 draws & prizes at 3pm. $30/rider and $10/ passenger. This ride is in support of the Wounded Warriors (www.woundedwarriors.ca) For more info visit http:// www.ridefordisabledvets.ca
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