January 2015 Backroads

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2015 January

2014

1 No. 1 Volume 2

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E

MO NT HLY C O L U M NS FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................3 WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................4 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................5 ON THE MARK ....................................................6 THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD ..........................7 BACKLASH..........................................................9 INDUSTRY INFOBITES .....................................10 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN ..............13 BIG CITY GETAWAY .........................................15 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA..................................17 WE’RE OUTTA HERE ........................................19 SHIRA’S ICE CREAM RUN ...............................26 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE ............................40 UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ...................44

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

22 33

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

Contributors

Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Matt Lewis, Tony Lisanti, John Newman Dr. Seymour O’Life

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 317 Branchville NJ 07826 phone

FE AT U RE S BEST OF BACKROADS 2014 ...........................22 DAY AT THE MUSEUM ....................................27 EDELWEISS FESCHTL 2014.............................29 PAY THE FERRYMAN .......................................33 AIMEXPO 2014 .................................................42

Publishers

29

PR O DU C T R E V IE W S

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2015. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJeN

The Goldilocks PrinciPle Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears?

Of course you do – but did you know the fairy tale has a principle named after it?

The Goldilocks Principle states that something must fall within certain margins, as opposed to reaching extremes. When the effects of the principle are observed, it is known as the Goldilocks Effect.

What does this have to do with motorcycles?

Good question.

Here you are reading this magazine, our annual Best of Backroads issue, which is a good thing but - who are we really?

Backroads, I mean.

Backroads is now into our 20th year and still going strong.

The last two decades have been awesome in so many ways and like many things the years have changed us and, we hope, mostly for the better.

From our first black & white newsprint issue to the slicker fourcolor issue you have in your hands – we have been constantly evolving, but never lost sight of who and what we are.

But, who are we, and what is this magazine really about?

Over the past few years we have had a number of people and businesses tell us who we are.

Did we need to be told?

I guess we needed to know or seemed a bit confused.

A big city-based American cruiser dealership complained to us that we were not American cruiser enough and that we were just about dual-sport riding, knobby tires and European adventure machines.

“All they have are big German dirt bikes on their covers,” came the cry.

Another supplier of touring gear and adventure riding apparel felt we were not adventure-based enough and that we did a bit too much cruiser and standard coverage.

Some dealers felt we weren’t worth their time - as we wouldn’t do monthly features on them.

Although we provide Backroads free to any motorcycle shop or dealership that would like to carry us, regardless if they spend an advertising budget with us or not, over the years we have been shut out of more than a few - simply because they didn’t wish to advertise and didn’t like that other shops did.

We are too much one-way for some and too much the other way for others.

It is almost hard to win.

But, we’re still here doing what we do.

Recently there have been two films released about motorcycles and the people who ride them - Why We Ride and On Any Sunday - The Next Chapter.

We thought both films were excellent, but immediately heard from some road riders that there was too much racing, not enough touring. Too much dirt and not enough street. Dirt lovers, on the other hand, thought there were too many cruiser rallies and destination segments and never enough motorcycle competitions.

The truth is that the world of motorcycles is diverse and there are so many things you can do with a motorcycle.

We understand the differences in riders and machines but we think that every rider and every machine can do a little traveling time.

This is who we are.

Backroads - Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure.

This is what Backroads is all about. Always has been

Page 3 and always will.

Why do we have so many BMW GS machines on the covers and in travel articles inside?

We decided a long time back that we would stick with real riding shots taken along our journeys. Most of the motorcycles that you see on the covers are what we own and what we ride day-to-day. When we have the opportunity to ride other bikes for testing or on a trip we do so happily. We’re not a national publication – we never said we were. You see, unlike the major glossy magazines you find on the newsstand that are almost all California-based, many times we have to head out to California just to get our hands on different rides.

When we have an article from other sources than in-house and there is a great cover shot we feature it.

We’re about going places, seeing things and experiencing the best of motorcycling. And, for us, that is travel & adventure.

I have often said that so many riders buy a motorcycle and then wonder, “Where should we go?”

It is easy to go to the same places, same restaurants, same bars on the same roads. But, there is something magical about striking out in the morning and returning home in the late afternoon with a few hundred new miles ridden and something new and exciting or just plain odd to talk about.

That’s where we come in.

Welcome to our annual Best of Backroads issue – we think it is just right.

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

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

AnTiciPATion For such a long time now, every time you go Googling or Facebooking, there is some new rage in video, hoping to ‘go viral.’ They range in subject, from the ever-present cute animal, adorable child or wacky antic to the more disturbing stunt gone horribly wrong, animal attack or flash mob or protest. While I try my best to stay away from clicking on these moments of ‘entertainment’, Brian will lovingly interrupt my day to share them with me. From across the office, I am able to selectively watch the parts that interest me and turn away from those that bother me.

Not only does it baffle me to see some of the awful and feckless use of one’s time, but the utter insanity that anyone would choose to video some of these situations rather than help right them. Of

course, the most recent submission to these selfish bits of celluloid, or more accurately, CloudSpace is the footage from the ‘protests’ of late. Not only are these people destroying people’s businesses and, in some cases, maiming human beings, they are seeing it through a 3-inch screen as if it were happening in another dimension, without a thought of lending a hand to stop the madness.

What I’d love to see ‘go viral’ are the selfless acts that take place on a constant basis; the brave man who entered the burning building to carry out a stranger, the people who band together to lift the crashed vehicle off the trapped driver, the scenes of veterans homecomings.

One viral video that I did watch, which brought a tear to my eye, was entitled ‘Let’s Ride Motorcycles!’

It’s been making the rounds for quite some time, and may have even been mentioned before in these pages. It is the story of several Taiwanese men, friends for life, who have gotten to the age when inactivity and loss of dreams may take away any will to go on. Instead, they get fed up with playing cards all day, catering to their individual illnesses and missing out on life and decide to take one last ride on their ancient motorcycles. They do it for their youth, for the missing friends who cannot join them and, probably, just for the joy of riding again. If you haven’t seen it, you can find it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ15mbuE_pw There is so much emphasis on social media these days, it’s hard to say when the folks taking part in this phenom actually get out on their motorcycles. The addition of video and special mounts for electronic devices for the motorcycle have made it so easy to capture the daily ride, the amazing new twisty road discovered, the cross-country trek or off-road adventure and share it, almost instantaneously with not only your immediate friends but the rest of the world. I’m not immune – no doubt those of you who check the Backroads Facebook or Instagram pages have seen posting from our road trips, ice cream runs and Backroads Rallies. In today’s publishing world, the push towards digital media is overwhelming. I wish I had a nickel for everyone who has said ‘print is dead’, I’d be able to buy that new Kawasaki H2R. Being able to get instant news, see the newest motorcycle releases before they even hit the dealers and get weather at the touch of a button (well, that one IS pretty great) has made anticipation a thing of the past. I know I’ve heard from many of our readers who say the day they open the mailbox and see the latest issue of Backroads there is always a great one (thank you). I have to admit, although I don’t consider myself a luddite, I do miss reading about a new book coming out and then actually going to a book store to purchase it, rather than one-clicking on Amazon and having it the next day. I miss anticipation.

Right now, with the winter settling in, I am starting to pull out the maps and travel books to plan the amazing rides we’ll be taking this year. I’ll double check the pages that I’ve dog-earred before to see that the lodgings, eateries and such are still in business. I’ll read the latest travel magazines for inspiration and talk to fellow riders for suggestions. Most of all, I’ll anticipate pulling out my motorcycle from its winter seclusion, throwing my leg over the saddle and setting off on a brand new adventure.

We are building our 2015 Upcoming Events Calendar.

Please send your event information as early as possible for maximum exposure. See our website for form and

email to editor@backroadsusa.com

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE BILL HeALD

A TArdis in TArrAnT counTy Time, in case you haven’t noticed, is a very big deal. As a concept it can give you a headache, and as a unit we measure it insures a uniform chronology of events (and helps insure group rides and lunch start at some kind of agreed upon moment). Therefore, I think it’s safe to say it is pretty indispensable. But man, it does take its toll on you as it passes. It can also really make you dig deep into your psyche when you examine that odd thing called the past. It manages to do this all while telling where you are in the present, and make you plan for the future. But it’s the past and its powerful ponderables that can disrupt our concept of reality the most, so allow me to share a recent time-related journey to illustrate the wild ride life often takes us on.

This is an adventure that goes down roads that are fresh, yet have in fact been travelled before.

The occasion was my niece’s wedding in Ft. Worth, Texas, shortly after Thanksgiving. This trip was one of those non-bike, car-based adventures, for neither the Triumph or the Honda would fit in the handsome twin-engined Embraer’s overhead bins and time was very short. The wedding party decided to have the ceremony in Cowtown as the bride and groom met at Texas Christian University, and it just so happens yours truly spent his formative years in this same city, long ago when liquid cooling on motorcycles was quite exotic and some phones not only had cords but rotary dials as well. Most of the places I’ve lived have changed much over the years, so I found it rather incredible that Ft. Worth seemed like much of the city was frozen in time. Either that, or I had somehow re-

Page 5 turned to a past life where superficial things had changed yet the basics were exactly in the same state I left them when I departed the territory. This timeshift really got rolling as I was driving back to my old neighborhood and I noticed the weather, for having left a New England winter I found myself surrounded by a Texas one. This seasonal variation in the South usually means an extension of summer, with more overcast and fewer A/C water puddles at intersections (and the odd temporary blast of cold air). Shortly after arriving in the West Side of Ft. Worth I saw a chap riding an ‘80s Honda Nighthawk S that looked identical to the one my college roommate had, and still one of the best-sounding Inline Fours I’ve ever ridden. Many of the roads that I knew so well were still around and relatively well-preserved, but it was sad to realize a few had grown unfriendlier to motorcycles. A serpentine stretch I used to blast down with abandon now is maimed by speed bumps, and not only are these big enough to cause Chassis Upset (CU) they were damn hard to see, even in broad daylight. My co-driver was often spurred to sing out a warning, to prevent our heads from hitting the headliner.

Unlike so many towns and cities I used to live in, when I returned to Ft. Worth a surprising number of businesses were still around in their original locations. This means one way or the other they has survived for decades, which I thought was astounding given the turnover in other places I’ve lived.

The memories seeing these places stirred up was amazing, and I went in to true Time Machine mode as I got flashbacks from roads I hadn’t been on in 30 years, and started remembering, in great detail, the machines I was riding at the time. A set of railroad tracks in a lonely section of road out by Benbrook used to make the rear tire of my V45 Magna dance, and I could damn near feel the sensation even though this time I was driving a 2015 Prius.

The old Weatherford Traffic circle (which was and is an enormous round (Continued on page 12)

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

ON THE MARK MARK BYeRS

new Girl in Town I never meant it to happen – but it did. She stood out amidst the others, smaller and dressed differently: a waif, a trifle goth with prominent, attractive tattoos, looking fresh, but a little worldly. She was definitely out of place among the tiffany-clad society girls, like Courtney Love at a PTA meeting, and she was, therefore, interesting. She sulked like she’d rather be anyplace but sitting under the awning of a bike shop. So I did what any pudgy, grayhaired, over-fifty guy would do: I went over. In a short time, a price was mentioned, and she came home with me. And that is how I ended up with a Stardust Pearl White 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 650.

I love middleweights and my naked SV650 is a stone blast, especially at VIR. I had so much fun there in June that I’ve been looking for a fullyfaired sportbike ever since. Enter the Ninja!

When I first saw the bike and sat on it, the look and feel were so cuddly that I thought it was an excellent starter and commuter. Though the bodywork says “sport,” the high, tubular handlebar and realistically ergonomic pegs say “street.” Seeing it at the shop, a female friend walked up, sat down on it and said, “It’s cute: it needs a ‘Hello Kitty’ sticker.” But, hello, THIS kitty is a cheetah!

Thanks to my friends at Morton’s BMW, I left their Oktoberfest for a long, sunny Saturday afternoon test ride through historic Virginia country roads and came back enchanted. The riding position is more aggressive than a standard, but the high, rubber-mounted bars keep the chiropractor (and vibrations) away. The fuel injection is spot-on, producing flat torque at any RPM. The brakes are very good, although more exploration of their potential is required in a less public environment. The transmission is clarified butter.

Even the OEM-spec Dunlop Roadsmart tires are just that – smart and confidence-inspiring. Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable, a nice touch

on a price-point bike. The display is a combination of digital speed and analog tach, which is good, but I’d rather have a gear position display than the silly “ECO” indicator that comes on at low RPMs – it’s my mission to keep that thing off!

Aesthetically, the bike is a winner. I normally look up comparison articles and reliability numbers, especially on a used bike; but I bought this bike on looks and ride alone and did my research post-hoc. Turns out, the seat of my pants and my eye were right on the money: the magazines and blogs gush about it. It has just the right amount of plastic to be faired without looking Fischer Price, and the asymmetric, horizontal shock and underslung pipe complete the sporty visage. One change to aesthetics will be an R&G Racing “tail tidy” to get rid of all the crap governments make them hang off the back.

The suspension adjustments amount to rear preload only and it’s too firm on a bumpy road, but considering what I paid for this bike used, I can get Klaus at EPM to sell me a “Street Box” complete suspension upgrade for both the forks and rear shock that will improve not only the ride, but the control (which already isn’t bad).

If I really feel the need, an aftermarket exhaust system will shave 20 lb off the weight and add a couple HP and my total investment in suspension and tuning is only $1,500. A set of Dunlop Q3’s will be installed after I wear out the Roadsmarts and this bike will be on the trailer next to the SV when I head to VIR next June.

The great thing is, in the meantime, the Kawasaki tail pack and SW Motech tank bag will let me fling this beauty down my secret back roads to work and arrive with my cookies unbroken.

Plus, like my SV, I don’t ever see outgrowing it. The lady who made the “Hello Kitty” comment is already lobbying to ride it and I will honor that request: unlike the inline-four ZX-6R Ninja, the vertical-twin Ninja 650 is flexible, comfortable, and user-friendly enough that I have no doubt she can handle it. I also have no doubt that it’ll do 120 MPH down the front straight at VIR and handle well enough to make me laugh after just a bit of suspension work. And her name? “Kunoichi,” of course, or “Kuno” for short.

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

THOUG HTS FROM THE ROAD choPsTicks And BAr-risers The first time I saw a Touratech Bar Riser for the BMW R1200GS I thought, “What a great idea! A cool way to put chopsticks down while your eating Asian food and don’t want to lay them down. Awesome! Finally!”

So there I was, enjoying my Chicken Pad Thai, when one of my co-workers approached me and said, “Hey man, you’re not using that thing right.”

“What do you do with it?” I asked.

“I’m pretty sure it’s for hanging really heavy art,” he said.

“It holds better than one of those hanging kits. You could probably hang a sculpture on the wall if you wanted.”

“No, not art,” interjected another co-worker. “Think about it. We work at a place that makes accessories for motorcycles. Why would we make something that holds art or chopsticks. Chopsticks? Come on guys, it’s obvious what that thing’s for.”

“What?” We said.

“Well, it’s for hanging your gear. You can bolt it to the wall and it’ll hold a hanger with all of your riding gear on it. If you bolt one on top of the other it’ll hold your helmet too,” he replied and held the thing up to the wall.

That sounded right. It had to be something to do with motorcycles. Chopsticks… Well, that was just silly but hey, I’m just the marketing guy. I don’t know as much about the intricacies of motorcycle parts as our customer service people.

As I was walking to my car there were a few guys outside the office and they were tying down a VStrom 1000. They had the straps just about tight-

Page 7

Words by Matt Lewis • Photos by Morgan Goldbloom ened and I noticed that they were fastening the straps to cleats in the bed of the truck. The cleats looked a little flimsy and I suggested they switch them out with the bar risers in my hand (I didn’t know they were bar risers at the time). I truly thought I’d figured out the mystery of those brushed aluminum pieces of German Technology.

Tie down loops. Yes! The guys in the truck laughed at me. (I’m used to that, being the novice rider at the office.)

“Don’t you know what these are?” one of them asked and I handed them over.

“I guess not.” I said.

“You bolt them to the front of your footpegs,” he said.

“It gives you more surface and stability and they make it easy to scrape mud off your boots.”

He showed me on the V-Strom in the truck what he was talking about. I didn’t see any bolt holes.

“I don’t think so,” I said. “We already have our ‘Works’ footpegs. They’re really wide.”

“I think I know what I’m talking about,” the Suzuki riding stranger said. “I’ve owned bikes my whole life. I’ve seen those things used. They’re called footpeg enhancers.”

I didn’t feel like having a debate. It was starting to rain so I put my precision-crafted motorcycle essentials in my briefcase and went home. It was Friday, I had dinner plans and I had a lot to do over the weekend. When I got home, I left the bar risers sitting on my kitchen table.

Saturday came and I was doing a bunch of yard work and cleaning out the barbecue. Summer was

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

ebbing, but it was still pleasantly warm in Seattle and I was warm so I headed in for something to drink. I could hear my wife and son playing in the living room as I opened the cabinet to grab a glass. Something physically felt different I my hand.

I closed the cabinet and there it was: The handle of my kitchen cabinet had been replaced with 15mm of rock-solid engineering genius. My wife had used the bar risers (I still didn’t know they were bar risers) to replace my kitchen fixtures. All of them.

They looked awesome and I didn’t have the heart to tell her to take them down, so when I went back to work on the following Monday I had to buy them. A lot more experimentation went into finally discovering the actual use of the bar risers. I suppose I could have asked someone else at work, but I wanted to figure it out myself.

Here is what I know you can do, but shouldn’t do, with Touratech Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA: • Put them in the microwave • Bolt them together and wear as a ring • Make wind chimes (they don’t have good pitch) • Wear as earrings (my wife couldn’t get the bolt through the hole in ear) • Use as a baby teething device (don’t ask) • Throw at an attacker (long story, but trust me. They won’t slow him down) • Open a bottle of beer

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

So what have I learned? Well, obviously the Touratech Bar Risers for the Water-Cooled R1200GS and GSA come in three sizes (15mm, 25mm and 40mm). They are designed to create optimum comfort with minimal labor and raising the bar height results in a more upright position which can relieve neck and back strain.

Riders around the world swear by bar-risers and they can make your bike a better fit easily and economically. ….and you can bolt them to your bathroom wall to hold your toothbrushes.

Matt Lewis is Marketing Manager at Touratech-USA / CycoActive, Inc. You can see all their products and some they don’t even know they have at www.touratech-usa.com.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

BACKLASH Backroads, Just wanted you to know that Joe Fencz, from Charlie’s Pool Room, past away October 15th. John, the brother and cook, called me to tell me when the funeral services were. I didn’t have any idea Joe was even sick. He had pancreatic cancer and has been battling it for a year.

The Pool Room has been closed for about a year now because the grill has to be updated to new codes and was shut down. A lot of people have been helping them out to get them up and running again. I attended the service a few weeks ago….when Joe was alive, I did not know much about him other than we was a very nice kind outgoing person. At his funeral many people told stores about him and you got to know him, after it was too late. The funeral parlor was packed.

I talked with brother John to encourage him to open the store again. I offered him financial assistance as well as business advice. There were a lot of other people there that wanted John to open the store again…we will see. He did not seem to want to do it.

I snapped this picture I saw at the wake. It looks like a 1930’s-40’s motorcycle with a homemade side car. I know the father was a frontline soldier in WW II, he may have bought it surplus.

Thought I would share this with riders who have been there and hopefully will go again.

Gary Rena Gary, thanks for passing that along to us. Charlie’s Pool Room was the most interesting and oddest hot dog stop in the Garden State and will be missed.

Page 9

Letters to the Editor Miracles as they are, I got to reading the November Backroads issue before the end of November; which is pretty good for me. May have had something to do with not picking up my mail until the end of the month.

So I am feeling accomplished. None-the-less - having left town the first week in October I finally got to reading Backroads.

Brian... your editorial piece on BMW-style events and this weird thing about camping had me in stitches! Camping. Really ... what’s with that? Ride all day long and stop at a motel where you can walk to a restaurant for dinner after a nice shower. That works for me and is the only way I fly. The best of all worlds that’s what I say.

The article on Americade and Shira’s editorial about the passenger seat also had me in stitches. Thanks to both of you for making me look forward to the next issue, each and every time.

Until we meet again... we will always admire your endless summer lifestyle. Carry on - I say!

Your two-wheeled friends, Graham and Gail This Town is the Pits…

As to the above column, please tell Brian to call a spade a spade. The rider was following to close, and/or not paying attention, when he rear-ended the truck. If the truck hit the girls, girl’s fault. However, the bike hitting the truck was the rider’s own fault.

Happy holidays to you both.

Greg Bagen Greg, I agree... I was being semi-polite. You were able to read between the lines. You should be a lawyer or something.

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

I ND US T RY I NF O BIT E S BERgEN COUNTY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DUAL PHOTO PROjECT This is Larry. No, he doesn’t have a twin.

The first picture was shot of him in his everyday clothes. A few days later he stopped by on his bike. Learn more about Larry and other bikers soon. If you ride and are interested in being shot (with a camera), stop by Bergen County Harley-Davidson in Rochelle Park, NJ Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12Noon - 1pm or Wednesday night 56pm. It takes 5 minutes and you just might be part of the project. 2 portraits are shot, one of you in your riding gear... the other of you in your work or everyday clothes.

Spread the word.

Bergen County Harley-Davidson, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com

HARLEY DEALERSHIP DROPS 10K FROM SKY While shoppers may have been rushing for merchandise on Black Friday, a couple of thousand people were grabbing for cash, at least for a brief moment.

Black Diamond Harley-Davidson, of Marion, Illinois has hosted turkey drops in the past, but Black Friday’s cash drop was the first for the dealership’s innovative marketing company, co-owner Shad Zimbro said.

“It’s just something different. Everybody can use a little extra cash,” he said of the company’s Green Friday as hopefuls took position along the perimeter of a large field where cash totaling $10,000 would be dropped from a helicopter.

Illinois Lottery donated some of the money for the event. Black Diamond announced it would match up to $100 for those who spent their winnings at the store.

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THE MALLTERNATIVE

News from the Inside Participants had to be 18 and had to sign a waiver that they would not hold Black Diamond responsible for injuries. It appeared most were unscathed during the dash for cash, though muddied from the wet field, either falling on their own or pushed.

VALERIE THOMPSON RACINg SIgNS WITH NPMOTOWEAR PRODUCTS FOR 2015 Scottsdale motorcycle racer, 7-time land speed record holder and team owner, Valerie Thompson, recently signed NPmotowear Products as a new sponsor for the 2015 racing season. NPmoto products was founded in 2005 by Nick Plenzick to provide motorcyclists and racers with a variety of apparel and accessories that provide maximum comfort and convenience to riders worldwide.

“We have sold many fine products from a variety of excellent manufactures over the years. When we began production of our own products, I decided I wanted them tested in extreme conditions. In addition to our long distance riders, I’m a big believer that racing improves the breed,” said NPmotowear owner/founder Nick Plenzick. “When I was thinking of someone who could push the limits, Valerie Thomp-

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015 son was at the top of my list. Valerie recently tested our base layer at the Texas Mile with a 217.7 mph run with great results,” added Plenzick.

“I’ve been wearing and testing NPmotowear apparel while riding and working around the shop. I can’t tell you how impressed I am. They offer products that enhance riding comfort in both cold and hot weather, while offering a real sense of style,” said Thompson.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have someone of Valerie’s experience and racing accomplishments to promote NPmotowear layer clothing and accessories. After all, we have to keep ‘America’s Queen of Speed’ comfortable underneath her race suit at over 210 mph, and we have proven we can accomplish that goal,” said Plenzick.

In addition to seven land speed records, Thompson is an official member of the BUB Speed Trials 201 MPH Club, Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club, Texas Mile 200 MPH Club, ECTA 200 MPH Club and a lifetime member of the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club.

HONDA MARKS UNPRECEDENTED MILESTONE: gLOBAL PRODUCTION OF 300 MILLION MOTORCYCLES Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle. The milestone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the company’s Kumamoto Factory in Japan. Honda will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic Gold Wing in 2015.

Honda began mass production of motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when it built the Honda 98cc Dream TypeD. Today, Honda produces motorcycles, ATV’s and side-by-sides at 32 plants in 22 countries, including two plants in North America.

“This incredible milestone is the result of the millions of customers who have placed their trust in Honda

Page 11 and we would like to thank all of our customers, associates, dealers and community partners in North America for helping make it possible,” said Bob Gurga, Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American Honda. “Now, we are focused on the future and the ways that we can harness the challenging spirit of Honda associates to create new joy for Honda customers.”

In 1958, Honda introduced the Honda 50, known globally as the Super Cub, which would go on to revolutionize the industry. This iconic bike paved the way for Honda’s expansion into the U.S. in 1959 and Canada in 1969. The Super Cub, which has sold nearly 90 million units globally since its inception, was the focus of a mid1960s advertising campaign, ‘You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda,’ that played a major role in the transformation and growth of the U.S. motorcycle market.

ZERO RAMPS UP PRODUCTION Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in the electric motorcycle industry, announced that it has entered full production of its 2015 model line. The new motorcycles are being manufactured at its expanded Scotts Valley, California facility by an increased number of technicians using state-of-the-art tools. The first shipments of motorcycles are now in transit, with all North American dealerships receiving the new models by the end of January. European delivery is scheduled for February 2015.

Page 12

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS The 2015 motorcycles rolling out of the California factory feature numerous advancements from their predecessors. Showa suspension improves comfort and control. Zero’s class-leading range—now up to 185 miles—is extended on most models. And, Zero becomes the first production electric motorcycle to feature anti-lock brakes (ABS).

“Our 2015 lineup continues to lead the industry in overall range, performance and technology,” said Abe Askenazi, Chief Technology Officer at Zero Motorcycles. “For 2015, we focused our efforts on refining virtually every element of the vehicle—from the tires up—to give riders the most pure, seamless experience available.”

Initial production will be dedicated to motorcycles that will be used for test rides via Zero Motorcycles dealers. Interested riders can schedule a demo online at www.zeromotorcycles.com/demo-rides/.

Following record sales in 2014, the company has made substantial investments in technology and people, placing additional resources to expand its “Crafted in California” vision. “We’ve taken everything learned from building thousands of electric motorcycles and applied it to new manufacturing processes. To meet the increased demand from customers, we’ve added new jobs here at our California factory,” said Kai Hypko, VP of Operations for Zero Motorcycles. “Highly advanced tools, improved systems and more skilled workers will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity and ensure premium quality.”

PosTcArds from The hedGe

about that still confounds even locals) took me back to when I had borrowed my friend’s Hawk 650 and, while in this circular traffic maze, the engine started to cut out. Now, it’s unsettling enough when such things happen in traffic and you’re on your own machine, but when you’ve borrowed a friend’s pride and joy and it starts getting funky it adds to the already present drama immeasurably. The V-Twin never actually quit, though, and what happened was a little snafu peculiar to this particular model of motorcycle. It seems that when the incoming air around the tank is juuuuuust right, a poorly routed hose does something to the air supply to the carburetors and it skips, like its running out of gas. When I told my friend about it he confirmed it had happened to him, and through the use of this brand new thing called the Internet he found a very simple solution and fixed it. I hadn’t thought about this incident since it happened back in the last Century, and the Weatherford Traffic circle bought it all back with surprising clarity.

Of course, there were some businesses and landmarks (often one in the same) that had vanished, but the odd thing was the general feel of the place was exactly as it had seemed, and as a result I found myself, for lack of a better expression, having a Twilight Zone moment.

This was a town that I not only grew up in, but a place where I experienced so many formative moments that ultimately steered my path in life. A simple trip like this managed to take much that was locked away and shake it loose, as if I really did borrow Dr. Who’s time-transiting Tardis. And, as has been the case in my entire adult life, a motorcycle managed to be a part of it even TAKE A TEST RIDE AND though this time I was wasn’t riding one. Oh, and my CHARGE EVERY CORNER. niece’s wedding? It was superb. I now have a fine new 104 Main Street, Lebanon, NJ nephew, too, with a family that originally hails from 908-236-9000 • www.RollinFast.com China and they are delightful people. All in all, the trip was quite a Trip.

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Page 13

Rollin’ Fast Cycle Sports Presents

G Re AT ALL AMeR IC AN D INe R R UN Ardy’s counTry kiTchen 279 mAin sT., worcesTer, ny 121197 • 607-397-4070 Many times suggestions for a Great All American Diner Run are sent to us and, when we can, we search them out on your expert recommendations.

Other times we come across hidden jewels a bit more serendipitously.

That’s how we came across this month’s stop on GAADR – Ardy’s Country Kitchen, in the small upstate New York town of Worcester.

There were four of us heading to our last Summer Squeeze Rally in Vermont and we were making a few days riding adventure of it by heading to the Adirondacks for the first evening on the road.

Come lunch time all our bellies were rumbling and, lucky for me, right before I became a raging and petulant starving child, I spotted a small, brightly painted diner to my right on an upcoming corner.

We had found Ardy’s Country Kitchen.

With its ice cream shop front we hoped they served more than just dessert and, entering the small dining room, we were instantly hit with the heady aromas of good eats!

Thank you Road Gods.

The place has been owned and operated by the Sanna clan since 2005 and the family atmosphere is evident,with the smattering of toys and one or two young ones running around their moms, our waitresses, legs.

Non-crying, non-exasperating and happy little ones annoy me not – so we took a small table and looked to see what the Sanna family had to offer this day.

tasty places to take your bike First off you can’t get a sandwich here at Ardy’s – but you can get a sammich.

We all know that it is a scientific fact that a sammich is far more fun and much more delicious and filling both from a nutritionist’s point of view and the additional smile factor thrown in.

Ardy’s Country Kitchen has a goodly number of different sammiches for your eating pleasure – but we’ll get to them in a minute.

If it’s early when you get there they serve a Bagel Breakfast with eggs, sausage and cheese on a real fresh bagel.

Soup & Sammich can always be had – with daily specials to be found. Of course they have burgers, just about any way you’d like ‘em and the homemade chili was tangy and delicious, as was the soup of the day.

Heading over to their “Signature Sammiches” you will find just about anything you might be craving. Or, maybe a perusal of the menu will get the belly rolling? For a smallish diner along a rural road in upstate New York you will have plenty from which to choose.

How about a BLT or a Cuban, with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles. Their Pork & Slaw, with cheddar cheese looked tasty, as did the BBQ

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Page 14 Chicken Hero, also topped with their local cheddar cheese.

For you Vegans (he said with a smirk) you will find a Veggie Panini (now hush and eat your greens). If you are really hungry try Ardy’s Big Roast Beef – a heaping of oven roasted beef topped with Swiss cheese and served on a Kaiser roll and topped with Ardy’s famed horseradish sauce.

That’ll fill you up!

When we arrived it was an unusually cool day for the Leatherstocking Region and a hot sammich seemed more on order. Ardy’s Country Kitchen serves up hot pork and hot roast beef sammiches, but I went with their hot meatloaf – brought out on a toasted Kaiser roll, with homemade mashed potatoes and some super tasty gravy – enough to float a boat.

Just about everything here at Ardy’s is a homemade creation. Real potatoes, fresh vegetables and freshly roasted meats are always used. Not much processed or pre-packaged quasi food will be found here.

My Hot Meatloaf Sammich served with Ardy’s super potatoes and drowned in their excellent brown gravy was one of the best I have ever had

RIP & RIDE® • ARDY’S COUNTRY KITCHEN 279 MAIN ST., WORCESTER, NY 121197 • 607-397-4070

START: INTERSECTIONS OF RTES. 209/28, KINGSTON, NY

RTE. 28 WEST RIGHT AT RTE. 375 LEFT AT RTE. 212 RIGHT AT RTE. 28 LEFT AT RTE. 214 LEFT AT RTE. 23A RIGHT AT SCRIBNER HOLLOW RD. LEFT AT RTE. 23C RIGHT AT CR 40 STRAIGHT AT CR 296

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS on the road. And, it was not just a thinly sliced bit of meatloaf but an honestto-goodness slab o’meatloaf.

I wouldn’t even serve myself that big a piece at home.

Okay, maybe I would.

The rest of our crew all had the Tomato & Basil Soup (delicious!) and grilled cheese sammiches, which was a special of the day.

If you can squeeze it in after all this great chow Ardy’s is an ice cream parlor as well and they offer enough flavors that even resident ice cream maven Shira was tempted.

Ardy’s Country Kitchen is the perfect example of a small and family run restaurant that really serves up the goods. All their offering are real and tasty and just like your mom would cook – if’n your mom was a trained chef.

When in the region it is well worth searching Ardy’s out and with that in mind we’ll give you a short ride from the Kingston area to this month’s stop on the Great All American Diner Run! Find them on FaceBook at Ardy’s Country Kitchen.

LEFT AT RTE. 23 BEAR RIGHT AT CR 7 LEFT AT CR 990V RIGHT AT RTE. 30 LEFT AT SHREW HOLLOW ROAD LEFT AT CR 29 RIGHT AT CR 10 LEFT AT MEADE ROAD LEFT AT CHARLOTTEVILLE ROAD RIGHT AT CR 39 RIGHT AT RTE. 7 / MAIN ST. ARDY’S COUNTRY KITCHEN ON LEFT

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 15

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CI T Y G eTAWAY moTe AquArium And mArine lABorATory 600 ken ThomPson Pkwy, sArAsoTA, fl 34236 941-388-4441 • www.moTe.orG Each March and October the Daytona faithful head south to the beginning and end of the season rallies on the Sunshine state’s eastern coast.

But, we have always found Daytona and vicinities to get a bit too crowded, loud and…umm – boring.

Well, for us.

The SUYT thing kinda got old when the girls could be your daughter-in-law.

We prefer checking out the scene and then doing a little Floridian travel, exploring some of the sights and scenes that draw so may south each year.

On Florida’s Gulf Coast you will find the city of Sarasota.

This city has a thriving cultural scene and boasts a number of interesting places to visit, explore and generally spend some time.

A few years back we told you of the Circus Museum, this time we dropped in on the Mote Aquarium and Marine Laboratory.

The Aquarium has its beginnings back in 1955, when it was founded by Dr. Eugenie Clark, in Placida, Florida. Back then it was known as Cape Haze Marine Laboratory until its 1967 renaming in honor of a major benefactor, William R. Mote and the contributions he and his family made to helping the aquarium grow — both in size and reputation. Since 1960, Mote has been based in Sarasota, Florida, and

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind since 1978 it has been located on City Island and that is where we got to spend a number of hours.

The Mote Aquarium consists of three buildings; the aquarium, an interactive theatre and a separate building that houses their sea turtles, dolphin (singular, but we’ll get into that) and manatee collection; all of whom have been rescued or rehabbed at Mote.

All the exhibits are laid out with informative placards and each tank brings different environments and different fish and marine wildlife all with a story to tell.

Moray eels, tanks full of floating jelly fish of all types, exotic fish we had never dreamed of and some we simply had never seen in person were there.

In addition to the first building exhibits you can learn about the giant squid, and then move to the shark area and ray; along the way you will find a few tanks where you can reach in and get to touch a few of the locals.

Mote also had a nice display on the Megalodon

Page 16

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

– the prehistoric shark that was well over 50 feet long with teeth as large as your fist.

A quick walk across the parking lot brought us to the building holding their other, large exhibits.

A few different sea turtles were swimming about as well as Hugh and Buffett – two large and impressive manatees.

A large outdoor pool held ‘Moonshine,’ Mote’s resident dolphin, who was rescued after it beached and was found drying out and sunburned.

He seems happy enough, but personally we think he needs a friend. We were told that Mote is next on the list for such a companion.

While we visited Mote had a special attraction called ‘Survivors,’ which featured some of the oddest marine and fresh water animals and the very unique way they survive in the wild – from deadly poison to killer punches to simply looking like a rock and hoping for the best – it was a fascinating display, as was the entire aquarium.

If you get hungry you can drop by their Deep Sea Diner where you can enjoy dining al-fresco or inside the casual, retro ’50s-style diner, complete with an old-fashioned soda fountain. The lively café offers a fun, affordable,

family-style menu including chili and chowder, burgers and dogs, veggie burgers and fresh salads, chicken fingers and fries. And don’t forget dessert: hand-dipped ice cream, shakes & sundaes.

We thought we’d spend a quick hour there, but ended up happily spending the afternoon.

Mote might not be the biggest, but it surely made up for its size with quality and interesting and informative displays.

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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s M YSTe RIOUS AMe RICA The BridGewATer TriAnGle is This The sTrAnGesT sPoT in The norTheAsT? Located just 30 miles south of Boston, this 200-mile square area has the Massachusetts towns of Abington, Freetown and Rehoboth at its angles. The town of Bridgewater is located nearly dead center within the triangle and the area also encompasses six other Massachusetts towns: Raynham, Taunton, Brockton, Mansfield, Norton and Easton including the Hockomock Swamp.

It is known as the Bridgewater Triangle.

It seems if it is paranormal, weird or mysterious it has happened in the Triangle of the years.

Let us start with one of the first odd things found in the region.

It was in this area that the first officially documented petroglyph in the United States was found - Dighton Rock. This 40 ton boulder was discovered by original settlers and has always caused questions and wonder of who made these mysterious markings and why.

In fact, in 1690 Rev. Cotton Mather described the rock in his book, The Wonderful Works of God Commemorated: “Among the other Curiosities of New-England, one is that of a mighty Rock, on a perpendicular side whereof by a River, which at High Tide covers part of it, there are very deeply Engraved, no man alive knows How or When about half a score Lines, near Ten Foot Long, and a foot and half broad, filled

with strange Characters: which would suggest as odd Thoughts about them that were here before us, as there are odd Shapes in that Elaborate Monument.”

The boulder was moved in 1980 to the museum in a nearby park, Dighton Rock State Park in order to protect and preserve this part of America’s strange history.

Strangely marked boulders were not the beginning of the mystery of the Bridgewater Triangle.

Years back a group of archeologists discovered a native burial mound on Grassy Island, in the swamp. These graves were dated to 6,000 BC. Strange lights have been reported on this island and across the triangle and one of the first documented UFO sighting came from here when, on May 10, 1760, villagers in two towns 50 miles away stared in wonder at a “Sphere of Fire” that slowly made its way across the sky.

The next day, both towns’ newspapers reported the phenomena in their editions. According to historical records, the UFO emitted light bright enough to cast a shadow in bright sunlight. The sound made by the object “oddly enough was heard sooner at the middle of the course it took than at the beginning”.

You can’t really have such an eclectic gathering of odd in a place like this in Mysterious America without a few good Yeti sightings.

Over the years all sorts of “Swamp Monsters” have been sighted and, in

Page 18

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS found in the swamp along with other creatures that are totally out of place.

In the late 1800’s bones of a giant were unearthed.

Every which way you look or travel in the area you will find something strange. In fact I have a quick list of odd things found in the Bridgewater Triangle for you.

Next time you’re looking to spend a few days exploring Mysterious America take a ride around the Bridgewater Triangle You just might end up sending me an email telling me you spotted a…

O’Life Out! Ten odd ThinGs found in The BridGewATer TriAnGle

April 1970, it was reported that a “Bigfoot” picked up a rear of a police car, in which sat two surprised police officers.

Police dogs have been used time and again, but Bigfoot is an elusive fellow.

I have always believed the Jersey Devil is a Pterosaurs of some kind and here around the Bridgewater Triangle huge black prehistoric-looking birds with a wingspan of between eight and twelve feet have been reported time and again; including a report by Norton Police Sergeant Thomas Downy.

Indian Curses abound as well and along Route 44 in Rehoboth lies the boulder known as Anawan Rock. It is said that it was here that the Wampanoag chief Anawan surrendered to the colonists, thus ending King Philip’s War. According to local beliefs, the angry spirits of the warriors captured that day continue to haunt the spot.

Extremely large snakes and alligators have been

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1. The longest epitaph in the United States is located in a Rehoboth cemetery. A full 405 words!

2. Three P.T. Barnum circus “freaks” hailed from here, including Middleboro’s Tom Thumb and East Bridgewater’s “The Human Skeleton” 3. The first boundary line in the United States is located in Abington at the Bridgewater Triangle’s furthest most delineated northern map point.

4. A historic 40-foot tall Hood milk bottle in Raynham (now a restaurant) is the (triplet) sister to famous the “Milk Bottle” at the Boston Children’s museum 5. In 1906, bones of “a giant” were discovered in Middleboro 6. Alligators, seals, emu, peacocks, cow moose, bears, Africal Sevral, panthers and mountain lions have all been found in the Bridgewater Triangle 7. There are both handprints and footprints imbedded into several Bridgewater Triangle boulders; handprints in Middleboro, footprints in Norton 8. Dighton Rock is the first documented petroglyph in the United States 9. The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the happiest of accidents in the northern apex of the Bridgewater Triangle 10. The Bridgewater Triangle is host to the world’s only shovel museum, located in Easton

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

We ’Re OUT TA He Re mounTAineer hoTel 31 eAsT second Avenue , williAmson, wv 304-235-2222 • www.mounTAineerhoTel.com Laying right on the Tug Fork River across from the Blue Grass state of Kentucky one will find the tiny town of Williamson, West Virginia. Williamson has a long history, mostly revolving around the coal industry.

Here you will find a rather large rail yard, now part of the Norfolk Southern built to service the many mines found in and around this part of West Virginia and Kentucky.

In 1974, a United States Army Corps of Engineer planner described the region as having the most severe flooding problem in America.

In 1977, after many days of steady hard rain the Tug Fork and adjoining streams began a constant and quick rise. As had happened in the past the town experienced incredible flooding.

Today a floodwall protects Williamson from future wet havoc.

A huge part of this region’s local lore and history is the famed home of the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys, probably the most famous family fight in US history.

The first event, in the decadeslong feud, was the 1865 murder of Randolph’s brother, Asa Harmon

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads McCoy, by the Logan Wildcats, a local militia group that counted Devil Anse and other Hatfields among its members. Many people—even members of his own family—regarded Asa Harmon, who had served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, as a traitor. While some have surmised that his murder set the stage for the feud, most historians now see this incident as a standalone event.

Relations between the two families continued to sour over the next decade before flaring again over a seemingly small matter: a dispute over a single hog.

In 1878 Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield, a cousin of Devil Anse, of stealing one of his pigs, a valuable commodity in the poor region. Floyd Hatfields’s trial took place in McCoy territory but was presided over by a cousin of Devil Anse. It hinged on the testimony of star witness Bill Staton, a McCoy relative married to a Hatfield. Staton testified in Floyd Hatfield’s favor, and the McCoys were infuriated when Floyd was cleared of the charges against him. Two years later, Staton was violently killed in a fracas with Sam and Paris McCoy, nephews of Randolph. Sam stood trial for the murder but was acquitted for self-defense reasons.

Things went south from there and an American legacy was born.

In and around the town you will find much on this feud.

In the center of town you will find The Coal House, now the home of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Weighing in at 65 tons with 2 ft. thick walls, it’s the only coal house made entirely of coal. Built in 1933, it was designed by architect H.T. Hicks from an idea by O. W. Evans. It was constructed from blocks

Page 20

of local seam coal donated by coal companies in the region.

Right next door to The Coal House you will find the historic Mountaineer Hotel. The large classic-revival 5-story yellowglazed brick building dominates the center of town and offers a look and reason to step back into the past.

Built in 1925 the Mountaineer hotel has had its share of famous guests with JFK, Paul Newman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Henry Ford and others- including the great Soupy Sales - staying here overnight.

In fact, all the rooms are named after famous and infamous guests that have walked through its doors.

Later in the evening we walked all five flights to see just who did stay there.

The main entrance leads to a large lobby and the front desk with pigeonhole boxes for room keys and a teller window.

French doors lead to the ballroom. The hotel has 116 rooms for guests, a formal ballroom, a lobby restaurant and sports bar (which were not open this day) and the lower level has a num-

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

ber of games – including Fooz ball, pool and a large regulation-sized shuffle board game that kept us occupied for about an hour.

Sometimes we find places from this era a bit run down, but the Mountaineer hotel is a gem.

Just one look at the grand lobby and you will know this is true, and with rooms less than $75 for the night quite the deal too.

We took Paul Newman’s room and it couldn’t have been nicer.

Unpacking and strolling around town, which was quiet on a Monday night, was a pleasant distraction after a day’s worth of hard miles through the mountains of West Virginia and Kentucky.

When traveling around the United States you can almost always find a chain hotel at any exit or bigger town, but why would you want to when wonderful old beauties like the Mountaineer Hotel in Williamson, West Virginia are around.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 21

PRODUCT REVIEW

ZOWA OPTICS VISOR GOGGLES

Tony Lisanti Eye protection for off road use consists of the tried and true goggle. The goggle wraps around the helmet and seals to your face in the helmet opening.

Traditional goggles consist of a urethane based flexible frame with various types of foam material that seal directly against the forehead and cheeks and nose keeping out wind and dirt. Being the helmet has a limited opening goggles have had to fit inside this space limiting the field of vision.

This type of goggle has been the norm for last half century with all kinds of innovations in frame, lens and foam materials.

Enter ZOWA Optics Visor Goggles. ZOWA Optics was founded in 2013. Their goal is to offer unique goggles to off-road, dirt bike, ATV and snowmobile riders. The Vermont based company has come up with a goggle that eliminates many of the drawbacks of a traditional off road goggle. The Visor Goggles are designed so the upper half seals against the helmet rather than the forehead.

The lower half of the goggle rests against the face. By developing the goggle in this way the field of view is dramatically increased and the issue of having foam in contact with the skin on the forehead is eliminated.

I had the opportunity to try out the Visor Goggles at a local practice track recently. The first thing I noticed was the size of the Visor Goggles. They are about twice the size of a traditional goggle. They install on a helmet the same way as traditional goggles except instead of resting against the forehead they

seal against the helmet under the visor. Most noticeable was the lack of “nose pinch” and the vastly improved vision. The Visor Goggle drastically reduces the claustrophobic feel of traditional goggles as there is more distance between the inside of the goggle and your face.

The feel is more like an adventure helmet.

After riding with them for an hour or two on an MX track, I found the improved field of vision to be a welcome change. Riding with the Visor Goggles allowed better vision up, down and sideways. I did notice a bit more air coming in from the flow through design and from underneath the seal against my check bones at speed. During warm weather this would be welcome, in cold weather not so much. Adjusting the strap tension has an affect on goggle to face contact. Skin contact with the typical sweat/mud/grunge/funk mix that gets encrusted on the foam is minimized since the foam is resting against the helmet rather than the forehead.

They cleaned up well and showed no signs of scratching on the lenses, staining of the frames or discoloration despite a liberal dosage of mud and water.

The ZOWA Visor Goggle features include being rated for OTG (Over The Glasses) by virtue of the greater clearance between goggle and face, a Helmet conformed design, improved field of view, Lexan lens with anti-fog coating, comfort foam and flow through ventilation. The strap features a silicon strip to help it stay put on the helmet.

Accessory lenses and tear-off lenses are available. All goggles come with a micro fiber storage bag as well. The off road goggles retail for $58.00. and are available in black, red of cyan frame colors. www.zowaoptics.com

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Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Adhere to the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual. © 2014 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM NYC

www.MotorcycleMall.com Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment.

For furher information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. Specifications subject to change without notice. Professional rider depicted on a closed course. ©2014 yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. yamaha-motor.com

Page 22

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

Best of Backroads 2014 Once again this planet we ride has completed another lap around our sun and it is time for us to look back on the season and the very Best of Backroads.

If we said 2013 was “interesting,” we would be hard pressed to describe this past year of 2014.

For sure last year brought us thousands of great miles and lots of smiles, interesting destinations and a few great Backroads Rallies; but some darkness and loss along the journey for our Backroads family as well.

Still, looking back, we had some phenomenal places we found, stories we told and friends with which we have ridden.

The Italian poet Cesare Pavese said, “We do not remember days, we remember moments.”

This year – 2014 – we had our share of moments. Let’s look back at some in the Best of Backroads 2014!

Great All American Diner Run As always we’ll start with our most popular column the Great All American Diner Run. Wait, is it really? We just might have a new fan favorite, but we’ll save that till later. First let’s take a look at the top three for GAADR 2014…

SECOND RUNNER UP • RIVER RUNNER ’S ROOST 2378 ROUTE 97, POND EDDY, NY 12770 • 845-557-0097 • RIVERUNNERSROOST.COM Route 97 along the scenic Delaware River has long been a favorite of motorcyclists for years, and over the years the road has seen a number of restaurants open their doors along its picturesque miles.

The latest is the River Runner’s Roost.

Opened by Rich and Mary Codichini back in 2013, this place quickly became a favorite of ours, and many others. They bill themselves as a barbeque, steakhouse with a touch of Cajun and Italian.

We call it phenomenal, with one of the best barbeques in the region and gumbo to go to war over.

If you haven’t tried the “Roost” then make plans for riding their way in the spring.

FIRST RUNNER UP • FOUR ACES DINER 23 BRIDGE ST, LEBANON, NH 03784 • 603- 298-5515 • 4ACESDINER.COM Located just up the hill from the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River, in the town of Lebanon, the Four Aces is the real deal. A true Great All-American Diner! Their menu is huge, interesting and delicious. The ambience is pure Americana and the roads leading to and from the Four Aces, straddling Vermont and New Hampshire, are hard to top. They have pro smokers going outside right along their picnic tables, but we found a seat at the counter worked just fine for us.

Our only problem with Four Aces is that they are almost exactly 301 miles from where we type this. They should consider northern New Jersey.

The Four Aces is a must see, do and eat while in the Dartmouth region and just missed out on our top honor for this year’s vote.

And, so without further ado…

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2014 • FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER COMPANY 1447 5 ISLANDS RD, GEORGETOWN, ME 04548 • 207-371-2990 • FIVEISLANDSLOBSTER.COM Location, location, location. Besides have a superb down to Earth feel, a great staff, scrumptious food and a wonderful coastal Maine flavor – The Five Islands Lobster Company has a serious location.

Did we mention where it is?

Located on a working fishing wharf it is surrounded by the “coldest and deepest waters on the coast.”

There be some serious lobsta’ lurking here abouts, and it is best when they find their final way to Five Islands. You can have these big bugs anyway you like, but we took a bullet for all of you and went and ordered The Big Boy! Stuffed with twice the amount of lobster meat than your average lobster roll, it was our pleasure to tackle this monster as best we could.

Wait – just thinking of it all on this cold November day has us in a state….

They do serve a good number of other seafood favorites as well as more land-based standards; but who wants that when you can have the quintessential Maine treat on a wooden bench and table alongside one of the prettiest bays in New England?

This is why the Five Islands Lobster Company slid into the #1 spot in this year’s Best of Backroads!

Big City Getaway Big City Getaway has always been about a great destination. So many of us roll the bikes out of the garage and then say “Where to?” That is where this monthly favorite comes in and here are our best of Big City Getaway 2015.

2ND RUNNER UP • MUSTANG FACTORY TOUR 4 SPRINGFIELD STREET, SUITE 1, THREE RIVERS, MA 01080 • 800-243-1392 • MUSTANGSEATS.COM They are one of the largest motorcycle seat manufacturers on the planet and they would be happy to show you around.

We did a tour this last summer and found just how much talent, vision and workmanship goes into creating some of the most distinctive and comfortable motorcycle seats you can find.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 23

The tour is open to riding groups and takes a little over an hour and a half. We recommend that you make an appointment and guarantee you will have an informative and fun day with our friends at Mustang seats.

1ST RUNNER UP • COASTAL BOTANICAL GARDENS 32 BOTANICAL GARDENS DR, BOOTHBAY, ME 04537 • 207-633-4333 • MAINEGARDENS.ORG This project took nearly 17 years planning, planting, and building before its opening in June of 2007 and today the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 270 acres of tidal shore land, thousands of flowers, plants and botanical oddities. Interspersed amongst the natural beauty you will find dozens of sculptures that only add to an already stunning venue. Rarely has a visitor spent some time at the Coastal Botanical Gardens and not wanted to return as soon as possible.

It is simple to see why this easily took our First Runner Up spot.

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2014 FIVE STAR GENERAL STORES • NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY This article from our October issue embodied a little bit of everything we might look for in a Big City Getaway. It had local history, interesting stops (5 of them), food, ice cream and it was all woven together with some of the neatest roads in northern New Jersey – a riding jewel for those who have never been so lucky. Running along, to five different and historic General Stores, this day trip just kept getting better. Know that we just scratched the surface and that these General Stores from the past can be found all around the nation. But, for this time around it was this adventure that was called #1 for Big City Getaway 2014.

(Note: as of this printing, the Stillwater General Store has closed, but is still worth the ride-by for the roads and historic value)

We’re Outta Here The great thing that we riders have over the more boring people out there is that our trips and adventures happen the moment we roll out of our driveways and onto the road.

Overnight trips are like mini-vacations for the soul and are most likely the reason they say you never see a motorcycle outside a psychiatrist office, unless it belongs to the shrink.

We’re Outta Here is all about that – places to go and enjoy, whether it be a group, couple or on your own.

Let’s see what we think were our top three for 2014.

2ND RUNNER UP • TRIPLE CREEK LODGE 106 E MAIN ST, MILLHEIM, PA 16854 • 814-303-9393 • TRIPLECREEKLODGEPA.COM Shira found this hide-away full of coffee awesomeness when we were to attend the ALTRider adventure ride early this summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. The lodge is part of the coffee house and although the room we had was a tad small, it was well thought out and just added to the coolness of the entire place. We had the Penns Creek Room with its ‘loft-style’ bed and rock wall shower. Each morning the aroma from the coffee shop downstairs was like a Siren’s call and had us highly motivated to carefully spring out of bed (well, it was a loft and there was a drop). There were also great muffins and cakes to go along with the coffee.

Millheim is well located with a great combination of fantastic riding, both paved and not, and has a few eateries within strolling distance (compared to walking or marching distance). We liked everything about the Triple Creek Lodge – the smell, the flavor and the quirkiness.

1ST RUNNER UP • INDIAN ROCK INN 2206 RIVER RD, UPPER BLACK EDDY, PA 18972 • 610-982-9600 • INDIANROCKINN.COM GPS Download: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/en7u7k Along the PA-side of the Delaware River just north of Jersey’s Milford, in a place where the river crooks dramatically and heads north for a bit, you will find a great local treasure - the Indian Rock Inn. Tucked underneath what are called the Pennsylvania Palisades, and along both river and old canal, the Indian Rock is the complete package.

After a day of fun riding to and around the region you can park the bikes, grab your room and shower and make your way to the very friendly bar, The Barking Dog. Grab a cocktail and meander to the very comfortable large porch, take a seat and watch the world go by. After the sun sets a delicious gourmet meal is just steps away. Perhaps a night cap and then upstairs to end a prefect day. With all that it is easy to see how the Indian Rock grabbed first runner up in this year’s Best of Backroads.

1ST PLACE WE’RE OUTTA HERE 2014 • QUODDY HEAD STATION 823 SOUTH LUBEC RD. LUBEC, ME 04652 • 877-535-4714 • QUODDYVACATION.COM Most times we are all for suggesting you sleep in a bit longer at any of our We’re Outta Here destinations, but here at Quoddy Head Station we urge - no, insist – that you get up before the dawn so you can be the first in the United States to see the sun rise over the Atlantic from the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse - just a 2 minute ride to the east.

Here in the most north and east point of the United States life does not get much better.

The rooms and views cannot be beat and the surrounding area, with its little coves, Reversing Falls State Park, Roosevelt’s Campobello cottage (actually in Canada) and the very coastal Maine town of Lebec with its large number of seafood restaurants, nautical shops and vistas are hard to beat anywhere else in the world. When we travelled in the area we rode under a giant orange full moon that rose over the bay at low tide.

It was eerie and stunning all at the same time.

One of those moments we talked about earlier. Quoddy Head Station has to be one of the most interesting and geographically perfect places we have traveled to in many years and easily made its way to the 1st place spot for We’re Outta Here 2014.

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

Moments It was April 10 of this past year when the phone here at Backroads rang. Answering it I could hear the voice of a friend, Dave, on the far end. “What’s up,” I asked, “how are you?”

Dave’s voice trembled and broke. “Jeff Bahr was killed today on his bike.”

In that moment everything stopped. It remained stopped for a long time. Sometimes it still does.

A month or so later, well after Jeff’s service and cremation, Shira and I found ourselves at the spot where this happened. We talked to the young man who was tending his barbecue pit, which he was stoking for the day’s lunch. He was there when the driver pulled out of his general store’s parking lot without even a glance. He sadly, but kindly, told us of that moment.

Jeff had simply been riding down a wide country road when an 86-year old man pulled out in front of him. Although rubber on the road showed Jeff tried to avoid the car it was too little too late and he was killed on impact.

I have no idea what happened to the old man after this event. But, regardless he has to live with his inattentiveness and actions for the rest of his life. So do many of us.

We do not remember days, we remember moments.

That day was made up of a moment we will never forget.

The weekend I wrote this Jeff, if he’d survived, would have been 57. He would have had dozens more stories, made us laugh a dozen more times, would have made this magazine a dozen times better.

Jeff, I hope you know that so many of us miss you so much.

To you all, enjoy and savor all your moments. Life is made up of them and, eventually, one of those moments will hurt.

Mysterious America Always one of the perennial favorites for our readers is the odd, wacky and off-beat destinations that our own Dr. Seymour O’Life brings to us each month. This year was no different and the choices to be made for the Top Three were very tight for the good doctor, but undaunted our hero carried on and came up with the short list. So let’s get to it.

2ND RUNNER UP • ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY MUSEUM 103 MAIN ST, SMITHFIELD, VA 23430 • 757-356-1223 • HISTORICISLEOFWIGHT.COM You remember this place – home of the World’s Oldest Ham. It belonged to P.D. Gwaltney Jr. It had its beginnings in 1902, when a cured ham was accidentally hung from rafters in one Gwaltney’s houses until it was discovered by workers. By 1924, the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was opened daily for guests to view. Advertised as the world’s oldest Smithfield ham, Gwaltney fashioned a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expos to exhibit the preservative powers of his smoking method. The ham was featured in Ripley’s “Believe It Or Not” in 1929, 1932 and 2003 and, more importantly in Backroads in May of 2014. For sure the museum holds so much more, but Seymour could never get past the ham. Neither could we.

1ST RUNNER UP • THE CULPER SPY RING This was the first multi-month piece by the minions of mystery and we spent three full months searching for the real story on George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring.

From its beginning with the hanging of Nathan Hale in what is now mid-town Manhattan, to the desolation of being held on a prison ship in an East River Bay in Brooklyn - where we had the largest battle of our Revolutionary War. Then on to the Culper Spies themselves and the web they wove from Setauket, Long Island across the Sound to Connecticut and into New York and Philadelphia. These men and woman (nobody really knows who this lady was) changed the course of history. It was then onto treachery, traitors and sex –with the story of Benedict Arnold, his wife Peggy Shippen and her lover Major John Andre,’ and our own West Point. Escape, capture and the gallows all played a part in this true story of our local American history.

Mysterious America’s history has never been so much fun.

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2014 • THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM 71 ASYLUM DR, WESTON, WV 26452 • 304-269-5070 • TRANS-ALLEGHENYLUNATICASYLUM.COM When we first rode up to this massive 27-acre facility Shira, who had no idea where or why we were there, shook her head and simply asked why.

The asylum stands like a monstrous stone beast dominating the ground. It is the second largest hand-hewn bluestone building on the planet, with only Russia’s Kremlin surpassing it. But, it is the feel and aura that surround and linger around this building that will tell you the real story of the place.

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, also known as the Weston State Hospital, was a Kirkbride psychiatric hospital that operated from 1864 until 1994. Like many Kirkbridge hospitals it started out with a noble idea, but soon became overrun with patients, lack of proper care and some of the saddest and scariest tales were heard here on the tour. The place is massive and to walk the halls would literally take miles.

The place is reportedly full of ghosts and very bad things from the other side. One look at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum and you will have a hard time denying that claim. Shira will never go back and it was one of the few times that she was seriously “creeped out.” Her words – not ours.

With that being said you surely must agree that a visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum easily ranks as our 1st place for our Mysterious America 2014.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 25

Shira’s Ice Cream Run Last year we introduce a semi-monthly, some of the time, if she felt like it column – Shira’s Ice Cream Run. It seems to everybody, but the red head, that this column has become a huge hit and we have had more comments and suggestions for the Ice Cream Runs than anything else within memory. So think sweet, creamy and cold and let’s see what Shira thought were on the top three stops of 2014’s Ice Cream Runs.

2ND RUNNER UP • HOLSTEN’S CONFECTIONARY 1603 BROAD ST, BLOOMFIELD, NJ 07003 • 973-338-7091 • WWW.HOLSTENS.COM Immortalized on celluloid in the Sopranos’ final episode, Holsten’s Confectionary has so much more to offer than their souvenir t-shirts from said show. A true old-time ice cream parlor, Holsten’s homemade ice cream and confections will win the hearts of any true lover of sweets. Taking a seat at the counter should bring back memories of visits to Woolworth’s and once the delicious dairyness is placed in front of you, complete with homemade whipped cream, you will think you are in a dream. Holsten’s has the whole package – premium product, comfortable setting and take-home delights. With its 2nd Runner Up status, truly one of my favorites of this year’s ice cream stops.

1ST RUNNER UP • CAYUGA LAKE CREAMERY 8421 NY 89, INTERLAKEN, NY 14847 • 607-532-9492 • WWW.CAYUGALAKECREAMERY.COM Nestled in the idyllic Finger Lakes, the Cayuga Lake Creamery offers up some of the most inventive flavors I’ve seen, including wine ice cream and sorbet (best of both worlds, I’d say).

Sitting on their outdoor deck, savoring your Maple Bacon or Lavender cone on a warm summer day – what could be better than that?

While the Finger Lakes may not offer the most challenging of rides, the scenery is beautiful and the gorges are, well, gorgeous. I can’t think of a much better day than meandering around the Fingers with a late afternoon stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery. Their 14% butterfat mixture and only the best of locally sourced ingredients produce some of the finest, creamiest ice creams around. Do yourself a favor and spin your wheels to this part of NY state for a weekend of indulgence, as their terrific flavors will keep you coming back day after day.

1ST PLACE SHIRA’S ICE CREAM RUN • HALL’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM 861 RACCOON VALLEY RD, MILLERSTOWN, PA 17062 717-589-3290 • WWW.HALLSICECREAM.COM I found this gem in the middle of the Alleghenies while Brian was off riding in the forest with the ALTRider group. Having grabbed the 1st Place spot in this year’s Ice Cream Run, you know Hall’s Homemade Ice Cream and Dairy has to be something pretty special.

While their flavor offerings may not be as exotic as Cayuga Lake, the quality is heavenly. Their signature flavor, and one I had not tasted before, is their honey ice cream, coming in a variety of mixtures such as chocolate, butter pecan and, my personal favorite, cinnamon. Hall’s has a couple of outdoor tables where you can take in the full dairy effect while licking your cone. If that is too overwhelming, they have a very nice indoor seating area complete with air conditioning.

The riding in this part of Pennsylvania is quite exciting, with elevation changes, sweepers and twisties and, for those desiring an off-road adventure, plenty of woodlands to test your knobbies.

What do all three of these winners have in common, other than fantastic ice cream? They are all open all year long so, if you happen to be out and about in Bloomfield NJ, Interlaken NY or Millerstown PA, make sure you plan a stop at one of the top three spots on Shira’s 2014 Ice Cream Run.

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2378 RTE. 97 , POND EDDY, NY 12770 845-557-0097 • WWW.RIVERRUNNERSROOST.COM SEASONAL HOURS - CALL BEFORE HEADING OUT

23 BRIDGE ST , LEBANON, NH 03784 603- 298-5515 • WWW.4ACESDINER.COM GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/XXTWXB 90-MILE ONE WAY ROUTE FROM THE WEST DOVER, VERMONT REGION BIG BEARS LODGE, GRAY GHOST AND KITZHOF INN

CR 560 IN SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ CROSS DINGMANS BRIDGE • $1 TOLL STRAIGHT ON RTE. 739 RIGHT AT MILFORD RD. LEFT AT RAYMONDSKILL RD. CROSS OVER I-84 HARD LEFT ON US 6 QUICK RIGHT ONTO TWIN LAKES RD. RIGHT AT RTE. 434 CROSS RIVER TO NEW YORK RIGHT AT RTE. 97 SOUTH RIVER RUNNER’S ROOST DOWN ROAD ON LEFT HAND SIDE

RTE. 100 NORTH RIGHT AT RTE. 30 LEFT AT RTE. 35 RIGHT AT RTE. 121 LEFT AT RTE. 5 CROSS INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE – ARCH BRIDGE LEFT AT RTE. 12 NORTH RIGHT AT RTE. 120 LEFT AT RTE. 4 WEST LEBANON FOUR ACES DOWN ON THE LEFT

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

TAylor’s ice creAm PArlor 18 e mAin sT, chesTer, nJ • 908-879-5363 What to do on the first sub-freezing day in November? Go for ice cream, of course. I was hanging out with the good doctor O’Life and best friend Brian, when O’Life told us of this place that grows telephone poles. Having my doubts about most of what O’Life tells me, I asked him to prove it. So off we went to the quaint little town of Chester, New Jersey.

After a pleasant lunch at the Publick House, complete with real wood burning fireplace, we trekked down the road a piece, found said telephone pole farm (for another column, of course) and started our return to Backroads Central. Lo and behold, right before the turn onto Route 206, there sat Taylor’s Ice Cream Parlor, in the nicest old building on the block. We got our spot and headed in to find, well, no one but Justin in a very toasty old fashioned ice cream parlor. I do think that he was surprised to see us, or anyone, on such a cold day.

Taylor’s has apparently been an ice cream institution in Chester for the last 50 years or so, founded by Mr. Earle G. Taylor, Sr. who just passed this August. Taylor’s was the victim of fire some time in 2013 and was closed for a good 8 months before reopening, in the same spot, with applause from their long-time fans and customers. Their ice cream is all home made, and always has been. On a hot summer day you will no doubt be lined up out the door and down the block to get this tasty treat, but I’m certain you will find it worth the wait. I think their pricing is quite reasonable for the size scoop they dip and if you are like me and want a sampling of several flavors, they offer Kiddie Scoops at $1.95 each – a flight of ice cream sounds like the perfect end-ofride relaxation.

We perused the two very full ice cream boards, and poured over the cabinets before making our decisions. With close to 50 listed flavors, what was a girl to do without minions to help her taste test? We finally settled on chocolate hazelnut, toasted coconut, salted caramel and vanilla fudge brownie. I pretty much always opt for a cup, as I savor my ice cream and it would run down my arm before I was even close to finishing, but I was almost tempted by their pretzel cone. What is so great about Taylor’s cones is the plastic drip cup in which they reside; both sanitary and mess-preventing.

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www.LIYamaha.com • 516-935-6969 Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation. U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 27

While enjoying our treats, we savored the décor of this very pleasant parlor. Several tables to enjoy your ice cream, clippings of newspaper articles, school paraphernalia and, something that has no place in an ice cream parlor, an old-fashioned fortune telling scale. This couldn’t possibly still be functioning, could it? According to Justin, yes it was. How could we resist? In went our pennies, and up popped our fortunes (we conveniently overlooked the weight numbers). Brian’s read, ‘You are not overbearing but generally have things your way.’ Wow, I couldn’t wait to see if mine was as accurate. “You look to the future rather than the past.’ So true.

Back to the ice cream – it was heavenly. We all agreed that the salted caramel was the overall winner, having the perfect balance of salt and caramel with the best creamy texture. The toasted coconut was very flavorful, with lots of coconut bits, the chocolate hazelnut was very dark and creamy and, mixed with the coconut, made the perfect almond-free almond joy. The vanilla fudge brownie was low ice cream on the totem pole, but certainly still far above most ice creams you would find at a chain store.

I believe Taylor’s Ice Cream Parlor is open year-round, but if you’re heading over during the winter months, give them a call to make sure. Enjoy the winter and remember, it’s never too cold to eat ice cream.

A DAY AT THE MUSEUM ‘SPEAKER SERIES’ RIDES INTO MOTORCYCLEPEDIA Motorcyclepedia, the northeast’s premier motorcycle museum, will be holding its Speaker Series again this winter with various riders and orators covering topics ranging from world touring, to tips on avoiding tickets, and an in depth look at GPS technology and today’s motorcycling.

Backroads’ own Brian & Shira will start the series off with a talk on January 17 on ‘The Big Five’ motorcycle destinations around the planet along with planning and touring around the United States and the world.

March 21 Motorcyclopedia welcomes GPS-maven Paul Donoghue who will help clear the fog about Garmin GPS’s and how their BaseCamp program works along with how to create and export your own personal routes.

Other speakers will include Peter Miller on “Everything you need to know on Motorcycles and the Law” - a look at how to avoid tickets and proper police procedure when it comes to motorcycles and motorcyclists.

Seth Simpson, of Motorcycle training Solutions, will be giving a seminar on Rider Training.

Motorcyclist/moto-tech extraordinaire Armen Amirian will speak about Basic Maintenance - Hows and Whys.

Look for a Women’s Riding Panel with some well-known female motorcyclist professionals discussing the aspects and issues facing today’s women riders. This promises to be an evening aimed towards both experienced and beginning women riders.

Motorcyclepedia will be adding more speakers over the next few months and is actively looking to bring in people with interesting stories to tell or to enlighten.

We’ll have more dates scheduled in Backroads and on our FaceBook page, as soon as they are etched in stone.

Motorcyclepedia is located at 250 Lake St in Newburgh, New York in the riding heart of the Hudson Valley.

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The new R 1200 RS is perfectly balanced, combining optimal wind and weather protection with powerful performance and control.

Putting you in an unparalleled position to explore the road - and your own limits.

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The S 1000 RR has been completely revised.

The results: in its origins a genuine Double RR, on the road a new supersports machine that will once again set the benchmark in its class.

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We have everything you’ll need to make 2015 the best riding season ever.

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER 2901 Bethlehem Pike, Hatfield, PA

215-712-7433 • www.BMWMotorcycles.com ©2014 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

Rip & Ride® • TRIPLE CREEK LODGE 106 EAST MAIN ST., MILLHEIM, PA 16854 814-303-9393 • TRIPLECREEKLODGE.COM ONE-WAY: 204 MILES

START: ROUTE 94, COLUMBIA, NJ RTE. 94 OVER PORTLAND BRIDGE INTO PA TAKE RTE. 611 NORTH LEFT ONTO RTE. 191 RIGHT ONTO PA 2002 RIGHT ONTO OLD PA 115 LEFT ONTO KUNKLETON RD BECOMES LITTLE GAP RD RIGHT ONTO HAHNS DAIRY RD RIGHT ONTO SPRUCE HOLLOW RD RIGHT ONTO RTE. 209 LEFT ONTO CR 534 BL-STRAIGHT ONTO RIVER RD LEFT ONTO CR 940 LEFT ONTO JEDDO MOUNTAIN RD RIGHT ONTO EAST DIAMOND RD STRAIGHT ONTO CR 924 HARD RIGHT ONTO SCHOOLHOUSE RD LEFT ONTO NUREMBERG RD LEFT ONTO MAHANOY ST LEFT ONTO MAIN ST BECOMES RED RIDGE RD LEFT ONTO RINGTOWN RD BECOMES ZION GROVE RD RIGHT ONTO ARISTES RD BECOMES PA 2006 LEFT ONTO CR 42 STRAIGHT ONTO CR 61 RIGHT ONTO CR 54 LEFT ONTO LAVELLE RD RIGHT ONTO HIGH RD LEFT ONTO MOUNTAIN RD BECOMES HELFENSTEIN RD RIGHT ONTO MAIN RD RIGHT ONTO CR 125 LEFT ONTO CR 61 LEFT ONTO CR 225 RIGHT ONTO CR 890 LEFT ONTO CR 61 EXIT TO RTE. 15 NORTH LEFT ONTO CR 304 LEFT ONTO RED RIDGE RD LEFT ONTO CR 104 RIGHT ONTO TROXELVILLLE RD RIGHT ONTO CR 235 LEFT ONTO CR 45 TRIPLE CREEK LODGE ON RIGHT ABOVE INGLEBEAN COFFEE

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Edelweiss Feschtl

Biggest Edelweiss Party of the Year

Page 29

The woman was young, as were her friends - maybe 15 years old, if that. They walked by us laughing and then began the hundred+ steps, climbing to the top of the 90-meter tower.

We watched from the bottom as the girl began her roll down, the sound of skis moving along wet plastic getting louder and louder in a strong, smooth roll and then she was airborne, cutting a decisive arc across the Adirondack sky to softly and skillfully land on the artificial snow below and then sliding to a sure stop on the meadow’s grass.

Magnificent.

Although it hadn’t snowed yet in the Adirondacks and the leaves were just hinting at change, the temperatures were crisp and cool when we rode up for this last weekend of summer and to Edelweiss Bike Travel’s 2014 Feschtl.

Pronounced Fetz –el, the German word means gathering, and that is what our European friends had created this weekend in Lake Placid, New York.

For years Edelweiss has brought riders to some of the greatest destinations on the globe; first conquering all things Alpen and now reaching the far corners of the planet.

Each year they hold a gathering, or Feschtl, in a different region of the United States and for 2014 they would finish off the summer and say hello to autumn in New York’s stunning Adirondacks, making the comfortable Crowne Plaza their home base for the weekend.

Shira and I left the previous day, and wanting to get into the German spirit of things, we overnighted in the Catskills at the Bavarian Manor – which could be lifted from Germany itself – and then a slightly different, and way too much fun, route north to the oldest mountains in the world.

Heading up Route 73, deep into the heart of the Adirondacks we got to play cat and mouse with a new Porsche Carrera. Although far faster and more powerful that us, we held our own along the sweepers and got a flash of the lights and thumbs up later as the driver continued on.

No animals were hurt or laws terribly broken during this game.

This was just the first of many exotic machines we would see during this trip.

Just outside of town we saw there was some ac-

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Page 30

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

tion going at the Olympic Ski Jump Training Facility.

It was here in 1980 that the Winter Olympics were held and this day we took the chairlift up the mountain and then the elevator to the top of the jump tower.

It is very, very high and the view stupendous. But, what was truly impressive were

the young people training hard for future gold and championships. We planned to be in and out of the facility but, as you have read, we stayed for hours, eventually parked in Adirondack chairs at the bottom of the jump watching these kids fly!

We rolled into Lake Placid around 5ish, took our room and wandered down to the party with about sixty other riders from around the nation and Canada that had been on or wished to go on one of Edelweiss’ fantastic riding adventures.

There were some riders there with dozens of trips under their belts and the conversation ran the gamut and the globe.

We walked down to town (uphill both ways) to an Italian restaurant for dinner and during this I got to speak with both Rainer Buck and Werner Wachter – the founder of Edelweiss. Both men are very passionate about motorcycle touring and, as Werner commented, the volume of the assembled group told the story of how important motorcycle touring was to this group as well.

We all made it an early night, as tour-guide extraordinaire Markus had put together a ride for the next day. And everybody wanted to be fresh the next morning.

I have to say, since this is our backyard, we were interested in where we’d all be going and how it would be put together.

The next morning after breakfast Edelweiss had a small riders’ meeting to pass out regional maps and route sheets and to go over the particulars of the day’s ride.

The thing with the Adirondacks is that in the center of the park, despite the fabulous scenery and massive size (the park takes up 1/3 of New York State), there are a limited amount of paved roads.

So, we were not surprised to see a good sized, casual 200-mile loop put together by Markus.

We’d happily followed along, letting the main group led by Markus take off a few minutes ahead of us and then Shira and I following along, sidetracking on some more curious and twisty side roads that would bring us, eventually, back into the main route.

Not too far into the ride we passed a dozen or so classic Bugattis sprinkled out on the lawn in front of a small roadside ice cream shop.

The Bugatti Club of America was also having a rally in Lake Placid and

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

throughout the day we would see these classic speedsters running around the region.

Shira and I pulled over immediately and soon after Werner and Coral, the fairer half, did as well.

These were really special machines and well worth taking the time to see them up close and to talk to the owners.

I was sorry I left my Veyron at home.

We followed along the route enjoying the views of the mountains and the scenic Raquette River (the third longest in New York) and then rode around Long Lake, home of a long ago Spring Break rally, and then east along Route 28 to North Creek and lunch at the Cooperfield Inn. This gave us a chance to meet more of the riders who made the trip to the mountains for this Feschtl.

The Cooperfield did a great job with the lunch but we were soon back on the road.

Page 31

I had said that there are not many choices when it comes to roads in the middle of the Adirondacks, but that is not true of the eastern edge, especially the miles leading down to and around Lake Champlain.

We followed the Edelweiss Route most of the way, but as we approached the big lake we went into Backroads-mode and followed along a few other routes, some of which we knew well and a few we had not enjoyed before.

One road came up and around the foothills and the run down towards the lake was only overtaken by the beauty of Champlain spread out in front of us. To the south, a few miles down we could see the new bridge spanning the narrow part at Crown Point to the Vermont side.

In Port Henry we looked a bit for Champ, the lake’s monster, but he didn’t make an appearance even though Port Henry is ‘ground zero’ for such cryptozoological events.

We did find something else in Port Henry.

This too was old, rare and, lucky for us, still open enough to brew us a cup of coffee – the Miss Port Henry Diner. Built back in 1927 she is a true classic and well worth a stop when exploring the region or as a GAADR during Americade.

It was starting to get late in the day so we vectored off the route once again along Route 7 and 4 heading west. These two roads have become favorites of mine since GPS Jedi Paul Donoghue turned us onto them years back.

This brought us back towards Route 73 and Lake Placid. We did make one or two sidetracks… one onto CR 69 which simply detoured along a sharply

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Page 32

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

cut gorge, complete with running waterfalls – even at this time of year – and then back to Route 73 where we ran into one of our friends and occasional scribe for Backroads, Dan Bisbee.

Dan and his friend Mark were out for a long day trip from Vermont and just happened to be in front of the ADK Café – home of all pies delicious.

Some dessert seemed in order.

By evening I was showered and writing these words as Shira perused the shops of Lake Placid’s Main Street returning with a number of bottles of infused olive oil.

That evening Edelweiss had a small presentation before dinner and, like most things Edelweiss, after a day’s good ride the group gelled and it was quite the evening.

The presentation from Edelweiss was about their new tours, their partnership with Harley-Davidson and particularly the 2015 tour of Corsica and Sardinia. If you like exotic twisties, mountains and the sea then this might be just the tour for you.

I know we’re interested.

For some the evening lasted a good long time and for others early to bed meant early to rise. We had breakfast shy of 8am and said our goodbyes to friends old and new and soon were making time south through the mountains; doing our best to escape the torrent that looked to be floating in from the west.

Our plan was to do as many miles as quickly, and as interestingly, as we could - with my guarantee to Shira we’d miss the rain by hours and be in the Catskills by early afternoon and home by the evening.

Mission successful.

Edelweiss Bike Travel has most of this world covered and their Feschtl in Lake Placid gave tour veterans, and those just interested in guided motorcycle tours, a first hand look at why so many return to the far flung corners of this planet with Edelweiss again and again. If you fancy joining in 2015, it will be in Lake Tahoe the weekend of Sept. 18-20. To find out which of their trips will tickle your fancy, take a look at www.edelweissbiketour.com.

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Page 33 way to the port of Holyhead on the island of Anglesey in North Wales. My first island, but crossed by road bridge. At Holyhead large comfortable ferries sail to Dublin. There was a cluster of other motorcyclists on board heading for the North West200 road races. They were surprised I wasn’t heading that way too.

It’s always tempting to spend time in Dublin; bar hopping, Guinness, music and the Craic. But I put that out of my thoughts and headed northwest to Navan, once I’d been helped to find the right road by two or three friendly Dubliners who admired the shiny bike on a day when I could ride with only a tee shirt under my jacket...that situation wouldn’t last long.

I was eventually heading to Letterkenny in County Donegal, and some of the wilder hill and coast country Ireland offers. Leaving Navan I tracked along the southern shore of Lough Erne a straggling forested length of water with myriad inlets over the border in Northern Ireland. The road crisscrossed the border with the Republic in this area: kilometers turn to miles, and Euros turn to Sterling and back again.

It’s a fortunate motorcyclist who travels through Ireland without getting a soaking from the weather systems that hang out in the Atlantic waiting to sweep in.

I was not that fortunate one.

Malin Head Road In the northwest corner of the Republic, peninsulas, headlands Alfie on Lough with huge vertical cliffs and isFoyle Ferry lands poke out into the sea towards Iceland, the next landfall.

It’s a landscape of mountains and Loughs, where the sea pounds against solid rock shorelines. Underneath racing grey clouds I made for Fanad Head on a series of narrow roads. Plan A was to catch ferry number two across

Pay the Ferryman

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Malin, Hebrides...what a fascinating tour that could be. Ireland and the West of Scotland combined. A myriad of ferries taking me and my Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 across the Irish Sea (twice) and over to islands and the long finger peninsulas that hang off the West of Scotland.

From my home in Yorkshire (UK) it’s a four-hour ride the slow

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Page 34

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

Towards Glenelg from this peninsula to Inishowen, but looking for information online before I set out, the web page told me that the ferry had ceased running because the operating subsidy had been withdrawn.

Tomorrow is another day, and rather than continue plodding the Guzzi through the wet I retreated to my hotel in Letterkenny, dried out and found shelter in the Cottage Bar on Main Street, where a warming fire and Guinness provided some solace.

Malin Head day began in waterproofs. Cheerless but undaunted with visor wiping becoming more frequent I stuck to my route. What else is a touring rider to do...sit in the hotel all day? Entering Malin village more optimistic skies came into view from out at sea, and by the time I reached Malin Head large blue gaps had parted the grey, and myself and the smattering of other visitors were able to gaze seaward with a more friendly breeze on our faces.

Time to head for my next ferry, which was definitely operating. The Lough Foyle boat crosses from Inishowen in the Republic to Magilligan Strand in the North; with the border marked as running through the middle. On board I met Alfie on his Honda Pan European. He’d been to watch the (wet) NW200 races and was now engaged on a ‘treasure hunt’...I’ll explain. Each year motorcyclists in Ireland can obtain map references and clues, and between March and November they have to tour the country, identify the clues and take a photo as proof they have been there. No prizes, just a good excuse to get out on the bike. Alfie was targeting a couple before heading back to Dublin.

Magillican Strand is close to the city of Derry and sits in the Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It consists of splendid beaches and

Belgium riders on the Corran ferry dunes at the confluence of several river estuaries and is dominated by a huge basalt headland. Birds, rare plants and land and marine wildlife are abundant and preserved. So I was surprised to see they had built the grim Magilligan Prison on part of the land. Not that this could interfere much with the wildlife as all the humans are locked in.

With Malin behind, Hebrides beckoned. The Antrim coast road of Northern Ireland is one of those ‘must do’ rides. I had planned to take that route to Larne, where a fast ferry would whisk me across the Irish Sea again to the Scottish town of Troon. Thwarted! Another dank and drizzly low cloud day that would make the coast route miserable. So I picked up the main road to Belfast through the Glenshan Pass in the Sperrin Mountains. A day only notable for a brunch stop where the young waitress, spotting my crash helmet and attire, engaged me in a conversation about the NW200 and the contrasting personalities of William and Michael Dunlop: the successful racing sons of Robert Dunlop, and nephews of the peerless Joey (both killed racing).

Now that was a first.

On board the ferry at Larne my Guzzi and dozens of other bikes were strapped side on to a line of hitching rails reminiscent of those for horses outside saloons in the old west. It was effective but the sea was smooth and under brightening skies I watched as the silhouettes of the Kintyre Peninsula

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Page 35 Pass of the Cattle

Fort Williams

Isle of Skye Cullin Hills - Isle of Skye

and the Isle of Arran came out of the horizon. The captain directed our eyes to the mammoth bird sanctuary rock of Ailsa Craig looming out of the water, the halfway point of the crossing.

The Anchorage is a gloomy looking hotel cum pub located close to the ferry terminal in Troon. I found myself booking a room there as it was the nearest shelter when thunder laden skies dumped more wet stuff just as us riders came off the ferry exit ramp. Not a first choice for accommodation, but at least I

wasn’t facing more wet (and dark) miles.

Just as those at sea will have a constant ear to the shipping forecast, motorcyclists give close attention to the weather across the land. Having laid out wet gloves and boots for drying, that evening’s forecast cheered the prospects for the following day’s ride north along the coast to a small town called Wemyss Bay, where ferries departed for the Isle of Bute. Sun, blue sky and warmer temperatures would accompany me.

The southern part of western Scotland is a ‘playground’ for the urban population of Glasgow, centered largely on the sailing town of Largs. At Wemyss Bay the railway station and ferry terminus surprised me; a wonderful creation of Victorian industrial craft with a sixty foot Queen Anne style clock tower predominating. It had been constructed as a terminus for the rail line to Glasgow twenty-six miles away, but over the years the various railway organizations had neglected its upkeep. In 2009 a group of ‘friends’ began to revive and renovate the building, recreating the hanging baskets it was famous for and opening a book shop and cafe in one of the many waiting rooms.

A forty-five minute ferry ride took me to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, and, after a few road miles to the north end of the island at Rubodach, I drove down a concrete slope for the brief crossing of the Kyles of Bute narrows where the road north towards that day’s destination, Fort William, is picked up.

Sunshine, forests, hills, mountains, Lochs and the lazy vee twin engine of the Guzzi pushing me along well surfaced roads with enough swervery to keep the reactions sharp. A good part of the road runs along the Loch Fyne shoreline, famous for its oysters, before looping back round the Loch to Inverary, an attractive tourist honey pot and a very popular stop off for motorcyclists – a cracking day’s ride out if you live in the Glasgow conglomerate – and the location of Inverary Castle, a Gothic pile, home to the Dukes of Argyll, but now open to any ‘commoner’ who hands over the admission fee.

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JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015 Loch nan Uamh - Bonnie Prince Charlie’s exile exit

Kyerlea Turntable ferry

The road to Sound o Sleat

Page 37 Another day, another ferry. I’d overnighted in Fort William, the tourist centre for the Highlands and islands of the west coast, then backtracked south for a few miles to board the Corran ferry across the narrow section of Loch Linhe. Myself and three Belgium riders on BMW R1200’s with seemingly every conceivable accessory and copious luggage, were jammed together on deck for the few minutes it took to swing from one jetty to the other side. The bikes were all on side stands and one of the Belgians had to get his mate to help shove him upright. I slung my leg over the Guzzi and was determined to left leg myself vertical, as it’s essential to retain ‘dignity control’ when there are onlookers. Success, despite the wet deck.

I was now on the Sunart and Ardnamuchan peninsula, a slab of Scotland well off the ‘normal’ tourist route and itinerary, and for me the long way to Mallaig where another boat would take me across to the Isle of Skye.

Another day, another weather system. On the road through Glen Tarbert towards the peninsula’s main village, Strontian, monstrous clouds hung over looming moutains. They hadn’t yet begun to deposit more rain into the cascading rivers and streams; and more importantly onto me. But it could only be a matter of time.

By the stark and rocky shoreline of Loch nan Uamh a cairn has been placed in memory of Bonnie Prince Charlie; marking the spot where he sailed into exile in France following the unsuccessful Jacobite uprising in 1745. Despite the ‘fifty shades of grey’ clouds and drizzly periods there is no wind, and the surface of the Loch resembles a darkened mirror. A mysterious and entrancing panorama.

At Mallaig harbour a ferry is waiting to depart, but I’m cold with damp and decide to wait for the next one and warm myself in the ticket office. The dismal weather has not detracted from the spirit of a motorcycle journey through one of Scotland’s less explored areas; and so warmed through I wander into the small town for a beer and a ‘gawp’ at the tourists who have arrived on the magnificent steam train from Fort William.

Up to this point there’s been a sprinkling of motorcycle travellers, but on the Isle of Skye where I’m staying for a while, more come and go, and a good proportion are from mainland Europe which is good to see. Despite the weather, Scotland must rank among one of the all round best places in the world to take a bike. It had been many years since I’d travelled this way, and I made a promise to myself to return again soon. Such was the ‘pleasure level’ of riding here. friend emailed me before I left to tell me to be sure to take the Kyerlea to Glenelg ferry, from Skye to another part of the mainland. It’s an old turntable ferry and now run as a Community Interest Company – any profits are used to keep the boat in good shape or used for the progress of the community rather than an individual or shareholders.

A seven-mile narrow and gravelly road leads from the main road across Skye into a hinterland of rocky hillsides and forests before coming to an end at the ferry. The road, no more than a car

Page 38 Road to Applecross twisties

width track at times, climbed gradually before giving out to breathtaking views over the Sound of Sleat, and then running steep through tight bends towards the shoreline.

The old ferry is a sight to behold. A wonderful throwback. An antidote to often pointless modernity. It’s supposed to take six cars but that would be a squeeze. I’m on board with three other cars and one of the drivers got out to admire the bike. He has two sports bikes that he often uses for touring, and has been coming to this ‘remote’ area on family holidays for years. So I extolled the virtues of a big vee twin with a riding position suitable for folk of ‘our age’ and a good turn of touring speed, and advised him to get one. On the short crossing I leaned against the bike obeying a large sign saying: ‘Hold motorcycles steady’.

On the west coast there’s one of those ‘initiation’ rides that every motorcyclist must do. It’s across a high remote peninsula to a lochside village called Applecross; through the eleven mile narrow ‘Pass of the Cattle’. It is as grand and challenging as other riders tell it, and on reaching the highest point in the road the wind was pushing horizontal rain across the fell, and pushing the bike where I didn’t want it to go. There’s a Michelin rated pub in the vil-

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS lage, and on this day packed out with car-borne lunchers who usually drive the low road (see picture). So I returned over the pass and found a quieter cafe for a break on the shores of Loch Carron.

At this stage of the game, comfortably into the touring lifestyle, and at one with the bike over all terrain and in all conditions, I could easily have ridden off further north to Ullapool, Lochinver, Scourie and the wilder Highlands. Or even ferried to the Outer Hebrides. Travelling can get you that way. But having sampled all the back roads of Skye, and gazed on the rugged grandeur of the Cuilin mountains under brighter skies, and supped Guinness at the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Festival, I had to head south and my final ferry ride from Dunoon to Gourock. Which would deposit me close to my Scottish start point at Wemyss Bay. ...Irish Sea, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Fair Isle, Cromarty...for the next time.

Motorcycle rentals are available in Ireland through Celtic Riders. You can find their offerings at www.motorental.ie. A simple Google search came up with several motorcycle rental agencies in Scotland as well.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 39

ALL-NEW 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 • DIVING INTO THE SPORT-TOURING POOL The Yamaha FZ-09 has been a huge success, garnering enthusastic praise from riders and the media alike. And now, Yamaha takes the popular FZ-09 sportbike formula and adds even more versatility with the all-new 2015 FJ-09.

The FJ-09 utilizes the FZ-09’s crossplane-concept, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, inline-three-cylinder, 847cc, fuel-injected engine in a versatile package that provides a sporty, agile, and comfortable ride for everything from daily commuting, to spirited canyon-carving, to full-on touring.

With excellent acceleration, response, and handling characteristics, the FJ-09 offers an upright riding position for a stress-free, comfortable experience, whether riding solo or with a passenger. The FJ-09 sports a whole host of position-adjustable components — including wind-

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screen, handlebars, and seat — designed to further accommodate a wide range of riders and riding preferences. And the large, 4.8-gallon fuel tank enables you to log a lot of miles between fuel stops.

In addition, the FJ-09 comes equipped with electronic control technologies that include YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle), ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), and TCS (Traction Control System) to ensure smooth-running performance. And, as if that weren’t enough versatility and adjustability, the bike also features the Yamaha D-MODE (Drive Mode) variable-throttle-control system, which allows the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation.

Yamaha will offer a complete range of custom accessories for the FJ-09, including a top case, side cases, taller windscreen, heated handgrips, and a comfort saddle seat.

The 2015 FJ-09 will be available in two color options — Matte Gray and Candy Red — and will retail for $10,490, with bikes now available in.

• GRAB-IT-PACK ULTRA

Our friend Ed was wearing one of these during our Summer Squeeze Rally and we were impressed on how it held all the items he needed and had them readily available while on the road.

Don’t think this is just a cool fanny-pack. It isn’t.

The Grap-It-Pack Ultra is much more as it conforms around your waist and leg, being more holster than anything else.

It easily swallows up your wallet, phone, tablet and other items you like to have access to.

Wearing it also gives you that suave Han Solo look that is always desirable.

With that in mind we also found it is excellent for holding a Glock 17 and four fully loaded magazines.

Don’t do this on the road - it is frowned upon.

The Grab-It-Pack is made with 600D Twill Polyester and uses a heavy-duty zipper on the top pocket and buckles on the large pocket and Velcro on both large and cell pocket. It is available for both right and left side use and can fit up to a 43-inch waist.

The Grab-It-Pack is a unique solution for those who must take their stuff with them – all the time.

The Grab-It-Pack Ultra sells for $39.95 and can be found at www.grabitpack.com.

Page 40

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

Welcome to the jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival CAMELBAK WINTERIZATION Nope, not talking camels here or even Shira; what I am talking about is your all-important CamelBak hydration system. You do have and use one when you ride, don’t you.

Okay let us say you do have a CamelBak or something along its lines for supplying you much needed water while riding to the next Great All American Diner Run. Without proper care things can happen. In truth, by its very nature, your CamelBak is a hotbed for thing to…umm grow and develop. If you want a better idea watch a couple of episodes of “Monsters Inside Me” on Animal Planet.

That’ll get your attention.

A number of years back we had one CamelBak go rogue on us. Actually it was something else that reared its head - Mold.

It made its appearance in the drinking tube and, I am sure, in the bladder.

Worse it was a friend who went to use it that spotted it. Yuck, our bad.

Thus, our introduction into CamelBak maintenance.

What are molds?

Molds are fungi that can be found both indoors and outdoors. No one knows how many species of fungi exist but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thousand or more. Molds grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions, and spread and reproduce by making spores. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions.

Although they can grow anywhere they particularly like moist, warm and sometimes dark environments; like a CamelBak half full of water baking in the sun.

This is especially true if you use something other than just water – like sports drinks or some other sugary concoction. We have found that while on the road and refilling the bladder each day with fresh water we really don’t have an issue with this. But, if the CamelBak is just

hanging there in the closet it is best to take 5 minutes to clean and store it properly.

So get into the habit of keeping your hydration system clean and fresh when not in daily use or while it is being stored for the winter.

Here are some tips: The best way to care for your reservoir is to clean and dry it after every use, especially if you fill the reservoir with anything other than water.

However, theoretically, if someone didn’t clean it after every single use, and mold or discoloration happens to develop…

Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda or bleach. Mix the solution inside your reservoir and hold it up above your head while you pinch the bite valve, allowing the bleached water to run through the tube.

You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs. We find these are very easy and the best way to go.

Let the bladder with the cleaning solution sit for about 10 minutes – 20 if it had been a long time between cleanings.

Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap. Be sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning solution before using again. You can also use CamelBak brushes from CamelBak’s Cleaning Kit to scrub your reservoir and tube. Brushes are the best way to ensure you are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean.

Once the reservoir is clean, be sure to air dry the reservoir so no moisture is trapped inside, which can cause mold to grow.

There are special plastic hangers that allow air to circulate and makes drying easier.

If you have spots left from the mold, they will never come all the way out because the reservoir is permanently stained, but still safe and usable.

Over the winter the ‘coolest’ tip we have heard and now use was from our friends Glen and Janet.

Talking about putting your CamelBak away for the season they said they have found the easiest way is to simply clean it out thoroughly, rubber

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

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015 band it or plastic bag it and toss it in the freezer.

Done.

Like the microscopic creatures from the Andromeda Strain anything that has survived the cleaning will stay in stasis and reproducing will be stopped by simple hibernation.

When Spring comes take it out, let it thaw and give it another quick cleaning and you are good to go.

A fresh and clean hydration system is a happy hydration system.

So get into the habit when your CamelBak is not in daily use or while it is being stored for the winter.

You’ll thank us in the Spring.

Page 41 PRODUCT REVIEW

AEROSTICH PROTEKT KHAKIS

I have gotten lazy in the past few months.

The old adage “Do as I say, not as I do,” was starting to haunt me as my ATGATT philosophy was, on occasion, sliding to the wayside.

On those few days when I wasn’t traveling, but running local errands and meetings, my usual full riding suit was replaced by easier to deal with gear – riding jacket, helmet, boots and gloves were all there, but it was quicker and more comfortable to go to these things in civilian jeans, than the heavier full-on riding pants.

It didn’t sit well with me and when I think something is not quite right, it usually isn’t.

I needed a Plan B and Andy Goldfine had the answer – the Aerostich Protekt Khakis.

Stylish and functionally protective these pants were specifically created for urban motorcycle commuters and local rides.

The stylish 100% cotton twill look great and these pants are equally at home in the office, out on the town or riding down the road, thanks to the hidden knee pad pockets and durable, triple layer construction. The Khakis have concealed outseam knee zippers that open to reveal knee pad pockets, allowing easy fitting or removal of TF3 impact armor, while wearing the pants.

Ride with the comfort of knowing you have some serious protection on the bike and then quickly and easily remove them and have some serious comfort during the rest of the day.

This takes just a matter of seconds and the simplicity of the design is its beauty. In fact you can watch a video on the Aerostich website to see for yourself.

When it is time to get back on the bike, just slide in the pads and get going.

Easy, fashionable and functional.

In case of a “gravity storm” these optional TF armor knee pads are soft and flexible until impact when they instantly stiffen to absorb energy. Low Profile TF5 armor is also available, and is smaller than TF3 armor as well as slightly more comfortable. A triple layer knee and seat area include a 200D Cordura middle layer combined with an additional inner cotton liner for enhanced abrasion resistance, with double and triple stitched areas for increased durability.

On the road these pants are very comfortable and ridden with my Roadcrafter jacket they makes for a smart look and one that is easily comfortable whether at work, a business meeting or just hanging around Bike Night at the Chatterbox.

The Aerostich Protekt Khakis are machine washable, made in USA and you can find them at aerostich.com #2869 for $127.00. ~ Brian Rathjen

For over 35 years Circle Cycle has helped riders get and stay on the road Our variety of powersports products is second to none.

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

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

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

Circle Cycle For the discriminating rider.

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad Avenue Ridgefield NJ web: www.circlecycle.net

201-945-2200

Page 42

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

AIMEXPO 2014 • The Future of American Motorcycle Shows is here…

The American International Motorcycle Expo, or AIMExpo – is held in the massive Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida mid-October each year.

Brought together by people who live in the motorcycle industry and universe, AIMExpo was created by riders and lifelong motorcycle business people and enthusiasts.

The first AIMExpo was a great success and word quickly spread throughout the motorcycle industry.

One of the key advantages that AIMExpo had was very simple – location, location, location…

Orlando in mid-October Other things come into play as well.

In Europe the famed INTERMOT has both industry insiders and the general public in attendance.

AIMExpo would have two days for the powersports industry, the media and the like - but then two days where the entire show was open to the public – much like its European counterpart.

By the time 2014 rolled around the industry had really paid attention to this new show and by the time the doors opened up this past October more than 500 vendors and suppliers had signed up for AIMExpo.

Kawasaki, Yamaha, Ducati and Suzuki all had new model releases at the show – with Kawasaki and Yamaha / Star having big presentations at the Chapin Theatre inside the convention center.

We missed the inaugural AIMExpo, but made it a point to fly down to Orlando to see for ourselves what the “Orlando Show” was all about.

We were not disappointed.

As we said over 500 companies were involved in AIMExpo and we found dozens of aisles full of the latest gadgets, the newest technology, innovative companies offering brilliant new product ideas and opportunities.

Seminars and product talks abounded.

We spent two days exploring the AIMExpo itself and the demo riding area just a short shuttle bus ride away.

Unlike the metropolitan areas of the Big Apple and Windy City, hotels were more than plentiful and, oh my god! – reasonable.

The first day at AIMExpo was heavily trafficked with mostly dealers and media-types that had flown in to see what this was all about and what was new from the market and after-market. The second day was a bit quieter. We were not there for the days open to the riding public, but we heard they were very well attended.

Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki had their entire line-ups here, Ducati just

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

bringing their new Scrambler, but they were there.

Some of the new entries were superb looking machines and the phenomenal hyperbike from Kawasaki, the supercharged H2R, was surely a crowd pleaser.

Conspicuously absent were the other big name OEMs. We hope they reconsider next year, as this was an excellent place to intro-

Page 43 duce to the press, riders and the world new machines and product, as well as the newest technological advances and programs available.

We also encourage dealers and shop owners who are looking for a new and fresh trade show, driven by people who have been around the motorcycle industry exclusively, to give AIMExpo a shot.

Others certainly have - such as the AMA who held their national convention at this event as well as their Hall of Fame Ceremonies.

Even folks that enjoy the IMS in Manhattan each year could enjoy this more industry intense event – we flew in and out of Orlando in just hours with ease.

Heck, bring the family and do AIMExpo and Disney.

Booths and representatives from the major helmet, apparel, tires, electronics and riding gear suppliers were all on hand to not only show their products and services, but to answer any questions you, as a dealer or customer, might have.

We know we found dozens of great new products that you will be seeing in these pages over the next few months.

Most of the vendors were there just with displays and the occasional free doodad or swag – but not much as far as buying new gear or product.

This was simply a reconnaissance mission to see what is new and exciting out there in Motorcycleland.

Most folks attending AIMExpo looked to see what they needed to have and then ordered product later from their local shop or dealer.

The Expo also highlighted the new Motorcycle Film Festival and guests John and Jack Penton along with filmmaker Todd Huffman, who answered question about the new Penton film. This also featured a number of other short films as well, which ran throughout the event. This was a great place to cool your heels after walking the immense venue.

For those who were in attendance that Saturday there was a free concert at the end of the day by “Stray Cats” bassist Lee Rocker, who did a great job of rockin’ the big center.

It seemed our first AMExerience was a good one. We love the venue and the city and the surrounding area has so much to offer as well.

If you have the time it is well worth heading down to Orlando October 15-18 for the 2015 AIMExpo. www.aimexpousa.com

Page 44

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

U P C O MIN G e Ve NTS C A LeNDAR JANUARY 2015 9-11 • Progressive International Motorcycle Show comes to Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Advance tickets now available online @ www.motorcycleshows.com. Get discounted tickets with promo code backroads15.

What’s Happening 18 • Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Spring Open House. 9a-4p. Demo rides on new models, door prizes, food, music, vendors, great deals. More info at www.mortonsbmw.com • 540-891-9844 • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA

MAY 2015

22 • Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Seminar: BaseCamp BootCamp. Introductory course in Garmin’s BaseCamp softward to plan motorcycle trips on your computer and transfer those routes to your GPS. This demonstration for beginners will provide you with the fundamentals. Major BaseCamp principles, GPS vernacular, file management and multiple ways to create tracks and routes discussed. Registration: http://tinyurl.com/basecamp-bootcamp • 540-891-9844 • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA

16-17 • New Sweden 450 brought to you by New Sweden BMW Riders. The premise is simple. They provide 450 miles of amazing roads, throw in a night of camping, a hearty dinner and breakfast, then invite 199 of your fellow riders, all for under $60. Finishing patches available. Sign in: Cycle Gear, 2070 Rte. 70 East, Cherry Hill, NJ 8:3010am • Endsite: Pic-a-Lilli Inn, 866 Rte. 206, Shamong, NJ. $50 pre-reg • $60 day of event. For more info please visit www.nsbmwr.com

24 • Harley-Davidson Long Branch 1st Annual Bacon Bowl. Bring your best killer recipe containing bacon and win fabulous prizes. $25 gift certificate just for entering. Don’t cook? Come taste and judge. Space limited - call for details and registration. 671 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ • 732-229-8518 • www.HDLongBranch.com

15-17 • Morton’s BMW Spring Fling Rally, Natural Bridge, VA. Find your way to the Shenandoah Valley for the 5th annual Spring Fling, courtesy of Morton’s BMW. Centered at the newly renovated Natural Bridge Hotel, we’ll enjoy great riding, informative seminars and presentations, good food, a catered Saturday dinner buffet, an optional Friday evening Brats & Brews dinner and more. Registration is $50 until May 1, $60 after that date. More information @ www.mortonsbmw.com • 540-891-9844

FEBRUARY 2015 6-8 • Timonium Motorcycle Show, Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd, Timonium, MD. Adults $17; 10-15: $5; under 10 free. Featuring a NEW travel, touring and adventure area - prepare to spend some time and meet world travelers like Benka Pulko, Rene Cormier, Allan Karl, Lisa & Simon Thomas and Lois onthe Loose Price.

Hear their travel stories. Plus see all the new bikes, antique & custom bike competition, shop hundreds of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling, seminars, fashion show, etc • www.cycleshow.net 14 • Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Chili Cook-Off & Gerbing Day. 9a-4p. Bringing two ways to ward off the chill - hot food and hot riding gear. More info at www.mortonsbmw.com • 540-891-9844 • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA

28-31 • Backroads Spring Break 2015. Three (or four) day road trip heading north (or south if you live in Canada). 1st night: Yankee Inn, Lenox, MA • nights 2 + 3: Golden Arrow Resort, Lake Placid, NY • night 4: somewhere in the Catskills (call/email Backroads for details). See full information on pages 42 + 43. As always, gathering is free, just pay your own way and have a great time. Questions? editor@backroadsusa.com • 973-948-4176

JUNE 2015

APRIL 2015

1-6 • Americade, world's largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally, attracting over 100,000 annually. Come for the day or for the week to the "Best Riding Event in the U.S." with the most factory demos, a massive motorcycle expo, lots of incredible motorcycle events and more amazing rides than any other event in the country. Events include guided and unguided rides, poker runs, scavenger hunt, trade show, bike shows, vendors, entertainment, and more • 518-798-7888 • www.americade.com

9-12 • Horizons Unlimited Travellers meeting, Appomattox, VA. Have you ever wondered about riding your motorcycle to far-away lands? How about around the world?

If you dream those kinds of dreams, this is the event for you! Overland travelers and those who aspire to do so will gather for a weekend of fun, information and friendship at the Holiday Lake 4-H Camp near Appomattox, VA. Along with seminars and presentations, the weekend also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War at nearby Appomattox Courthouse. Registration $45 until Dec. 31, fee increases after that date. Complete information @ www.horizonsunlimited.com/events/virginia-2015

15-16 • CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for a two-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US. Sign up by March and receive $100 off the weekend fee. For more information please visit www.classrides.com or call 805-933-9936.

MARCH 2015 6-15 • Daytona Bike Week, FL • www.daytonachamber.com/bikeweek/ce/

13-21 • Laconia Motorcycle Week – the original riding rally. All of the attractions that you can imagine, attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations. Events and attractions are going on everywhere, but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach • 603-366-2000 • www.laconiamcweek.com

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 45

U P C O MIN G e Ve NTS C A LeNDAR 25-28 • Johnstown Thunder in the Valley, Johnstown, PA • 800-237-8590 • www.visitjohnstownpa.com/thunderinthevalley

What’s Happening 8 • PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 • 609 268-2066 • picalilli.com

JULY 2015

15 • HOOTERS, 25 Rte 23 South, Wayne, NJ 07470 • 973-837-1876 • www.hootersnj.com

23-25 • 43rd BMW MOA International Rally, MetraPark, Billings Montana • www.bmwmoa.org

22 • BAHRS LANDING, 2 Bay Ave., Highlands, NJ 07732 • 732-872-1245 • www.bahrs.com

SEPTEMBER 2015

MARCH 2015

17-21 • Backroads Fall Foliage 2015. 4-night road trip to Virginia/West Virginia riding heaven. 1st night: George Washington Hotel, Winchester, VA • nights 2 + 3: Isaac Jackson Hotel, Elkins, WV • 4th night: Shippen Place Hotel, Shippensburg, PA. We’ll visit some old and new stops, and bring you on some great twisties. See full information on pages 42 + 43. As always, gathering is free, just pay your own way and have a great time. Questions? editor@backroadsusa.com • 973-948-4176

1 • FIREHOUSE EATERY, 455 Saint Georges Ave. Rahway, NJ 07065 • 732 382-9500 • www.firehouseeatery.com

Watch calendar and website for new events.

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information: www.facebook.com/pages/Backroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

22 • BRIAN’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Langhorne PA 19047 • 215 752-9400 • www.brianshd.com

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2015 It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these rides.

There is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride and join other folks feel free to attend. To check on Polar Bear cancellations & updates call A.M.A. Dis. #2 @ 908-722-0128. Sign-in is from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm unless otherwise posted. General information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour and general directions to the locations: polarbeargrandtour.com

JANUARY 2015 4 • De THOMASI’s EAST 5 POINTS INN, 580 Tuckahoe Rd & Landis Ave., Vineland, NJ 08360 • 856-691-6080 • www.fivepointsinn.com 11 • UPSTREAM GRILLE, 161 Rte. 181, Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 • 973-663-2222 • www.upstreamgrille.com 18 • LAGO, 230 Washington Place, North Brunswick TWP, NJ. 08902 • 732 297-3803 • www.LagoNJ.com 25 • THE EXCHANGE, 160 E. Main St., Rockaway, NJ 07866 • 973-627-8488 • www.exchangefood.com

FEBRUARY 2015 1 • THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN, 101 North Market Street, Schaefferstown, PA 17088 • 717 949-2122 • franklinhousetavern.com

8 • LONG VALLEY PUB & BREWERY, 1 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, NJ 07853 • 908876-1122 • www.restaurantvillageatlongvalley.com 15 • THE CHATTERBOX, #1 Rte 15 South, Augusta, NJ 07822 • 973-300-2300 • www.chatterboxdrivein.com

29 • THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE, 743 Route 28, Kingston, NY 12401 • 845338-2424 • www.hickoryrestaurant.com

APRIL 2015 12 • CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18042 • 610438-1311 • www.cheeburger.com/pennsylvania 19 • CAPE MAY V.F.W. post #386, N.J. 419 Congress St., Cape May, N.J. 08204 • 609884-7961 25 • END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn, starting @ 11:30 AM. The rain date would be April 26, 2015; same time. Cost to Members: $6.00 per person. There will be salad, Wings, Beef, rolls, and lemonade, plus a cash bar. You must get an arm band from your flight leader.

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

Page 46

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

MOtORCyCLE MARKEtPLACE

ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

O’TOOLE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON

®

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

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

Ride or Drive in for some great BBQ all year round.

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

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

Cool Nights, Hot Bikes • Two-Wheels or Four, join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-IN GREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING

We welcome everyone from a lone rider to a full chapter

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

www.chatterboxdrivein.com 344 Route 100, West Dover, VT www.BigBearsLodge.com 802-464-5591

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2015

Page 47

MOtORCyCLE MARKEtPLACE

ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST, STURGIS AND BEYOND

BARN TRAILERS

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

THE BIKE SHOP Motorcycle Service Repair + Parts

@ Automotive Revelations

Custom welding service and PA inspections available on site

Let us help you with your winter project 111 Mountain Spring Rd, Milford, PA • 570-228-6101 • fisherfabrications@gmail.com

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

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

Here’s something you’re going to love.

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

BASIC SeT: $19.95 • DeLUXe SeT: $29.95 • ACCeSORY SeT: $9.95

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

Norman Gross Since 1976 Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

3 miles north of Sussex Borough

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

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

lley’s Hudson Va ne Riding Number O t Restauran e u q e b r a B W North 1076 Route 9 mery, NY Fort Montgo

oute 9W icturesque R Located on P rive D s n Perki minutes from k ar P te Sta and Harriman oint P t es historic W just south of

845-446-0912 rmerbbq.com www.barnsto

Celebrate the Season with some awesome barbeque!

If you go home hungry it’s your own fault

Page 48

JANUARY 2015 • BACKROADS

MOtORCyCLE MARKEtPLACE Worth the ride from anywhere!

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983 Member of

NOW AVAILABLE Barbeque Catering Flexible • Affordable Ready When You Are

ALL tHAt GOOD StuFF

The Riverton

Travel along the scenic backroads of the Delaware river.

Meet the Markopoulos family and taste chef George’s Greek American cooking.

Best bar menu, lunch or dinner.

Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clams and crispy wings with 8 different sauces.

Tues. thru Sat. 11am-10pm Sunday: Breakfast 9am-Noon Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

John, Christina, chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends.

320 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-2274 • www.thisilldous.com

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond • 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

www.EuropeanCycleServices.com

The Riverton Hotel and Restaurant At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA

610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com

Member of

2015 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE Perfect Ride for Any Journey

2015 FJ-09 THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER.

2015 1290 SUPER DUKE

2015 YZF-R1

Unleash the Beast

COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE TRACK UP. Whether it’s enjoying long sport tour adventures or ripping up the track, Yamaha has the bike for you. Come get yours at Hanover Powersports.

ONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area HUGE inventory of KTM Parts, Accessories and Apparel Follow Us on Instagram

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

Watch Us on YouTube

www.HanoverPowersports.com

Like Us on Facebook

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

www.HanoverPowersports.com

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation. U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com

YOUR RIDE STARTS HERE 9 NEW BIKES UNDER $8,500* CHECK THEM OUT AT

HANOVER POWERSPORTS

www.Powersports.Honda.com

Get the year off to a great start with a new Honda from Hanover Powersports

210 Route 10 West • East Hanover, NJ • 973-428-1735 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am-6pm • Thur: 9am-8pm • Sat: 9am-5pm SUNDAY: CLOSED - GONE RIDING

honda.com MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, destination charge and dealer-installed options. Dealer prices may vary. European model CB500X, CB500F and CBR500R shown. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training information or to locate a rider training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227. CBR, CB, CTX700N, CRF and NC700X are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (12/14)