Reasons to Ride January 2023

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FROM THE EDITOR

For us as Midwestern riders, the New Year often forces many of us to start considering plans and goals for the upcoming year while we are stuck inside. We look out the window at a snow covered landscape and consider rallies and rides for the upcoming riding season. We look back at the past year and might wonder where the time went. Looking backwards or forwards, we are left contemplating how we spend our time and the roads taken.. or to be taken.

Our magazines and websites compile motorcycle events and ride destinations from across the country and serve them up for your consideration. By design, we intentionally include places a bit further and maybe outside the consideration of many riders – even if they happen to be just around the corner. We intentionally include a wide variety of events and destinations. We include veterans events, motorcycle ministries, club events, a wide variety of racing events, and a seemingly endless listing of charity rides. We cover such a diverse range of events and topics, because it’s our goal to encourage riders to discover new Ride Stops, events, and roads. We believe that by expanding our focus we can experience new things, discover new interests and enrich our lives.

We are blessed to live in a world where we have some of the most beautiful riding in the world, essentially in our backyard. We can head North and explore the Upper Peninsula. We can head South and discover new routes and destinations within the Appalachian mountains. Right here in the midst of America, we have frontiers that we can ride to and leave the routines of civilization and our daily lives behind.

Our rides of discovery also don’t have to go beyond our own counties and communities. There are new stops and events to discover – and new riders to meet, right here. It just takes expanding our focus and taking the turn, the road, or even the trail not previously taken!

Chances are that you’ve never seen motorcycles racing across a pond in the middle of winter or taken a sled down snow covered trails – but some of you have. Despite the snow and colder temperatures, there are still a lot of options for those looking to get out riding. You may just have to change up your ride a little…

For 2023, we’d like to encourage everyone to get out and explore some new roads. Maybe change up your ride or even just the routes you’re taking. As always, we’ve packed this mag with countless “Reasons To Ride”… events, races, rides, and rallies. Many are months away, but some are great excuses to bust out of the cabin right now!

Don’t hibernate the winter away and miss out on everything going on now!

Make sure that you’re following our Facebook pages to stay current on things we have going on. As always, we appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you out on the road… or trail!

Sincerely,

T. Roberts Sr. Editor Reasons To Ride

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On the Cover: National ice racing champion Tyler Livingston, #18 from Escanaba, MI breaks away from the pack on one wheel. Photo by Stephen Tripp, stephentripp.com

HOW TO ENTER YOUR EVENTS ONLINE

The cornerstone of everything we do is our motorcycle event listings. While we spend a lot of time on the pretty pictures and the articles, it’s really all the events that bring people to ReasonsToRide! When you boil it all down, motorcycles are a mode of transportation – and we are always looking for places to go… reasons to ride! Even when there’s a foot of snow outside and we can’t bring ourselves to ride the bikes – we still want to hang out with other riders.

And if you’re hosting an event – you want to get it listed here and connect with the more than 300,000 riders we reach every month! It’s a pretty easy process, and gets even easier once you’ve gone through it. However, it may seem intimidating at first – so, we’ve decided to take it step by step here. All these steps may seem like a lot listed here, but it’s really just “clicking here, clicking there”…. And once you’ve done it, you’ll fly through it the next time!

• Get your information and materials together. This would be all of the details on your event, including where, what and when. If you have graphics, photos, or, most importantly a flyer – you’ll want to have those available on your computer to upload as well when asked.

• Go to ReasonsToRide.com or your state’s specific page, ie. ReasonsToRideOhio.com or ReasonsToRideMichigan.com for example. From this page you’ll want to select “Add Your Event”. It’s located several different places on the page, including at the very top right or in the center of the main page.

This will then take you to a page that includes various options for listing your event(s) online. These are primarily Basic Event Listings, Featured Event Listings, and Featured Event w/ Ride Registration. Each of these options is listed with what they include underneath and the costs associated with each.

If you’re with a CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION (501c3) or hosting a NON-PROFIT EVENT, we have special discounted rates for Events. You can scroll down the page for these. These discounts are subject to approval.

Once you select which option you want to go with, you want to click “List Your Event Now”. This will take you to the form for your event.

If you have an account as an Event Organizer, you’ll want to sign in at the top of the page. If you haven’t done this already – you’ll have a chance to register as an Organizer later in the form.

• Now, just go through the form and enter the information for your event. A few notes –

o Event Type – go with the primary classification. Most events will qualify for multiple, and you’ll have a chance to add more later.

o Event Icon – this is your event flyer, if you have one. If you do not, you can upload a photo from past event or a logo for your organization here.

o Event Banner – this is for the space at the top of your event listing. It’s a horizontal space, and you can use the “Event Header” image from your facebook event if you’d like. Or you can use a photo of the event from past years or a logo here as well, if you’d like. (This is reserved for Feature Events)

o Event Description - Include the basic detail on your event here. Don’t repeat details such as date or times, that are listed elsewhere. However, you can include KSU and Bike in times, if you’d like. Basic Event Listings allow approx. 150 characters. Feature listings allow approx. 300 in the magazine listings and unlimited online.

o Event Dates / Times – you must fill in all of these. Even if you don’t have an “end time” in mind, just give an approximation. If it goes “all night” – or no end time in mind, just select 11:30PM. This will keep the event on the one day and not show it on two.

• Add Tickets / Rider Registration to your Event. This will allow online registration or ticket sales for your event. There is information on this and all it has to offer on the website. You can also email us for more information. It’s really a great system, and we often have sponsors that will cover

events to be grouped together and for you to sign back in to make changes,

Once you’ve entered all of your event information, you can preview the event listing and select other options for it. Once you’ve reviewed what you’ve entered, completed you’ll be directed to PayPal to pay for your event listing. We use PayPal to provide safe and secure, third party CC processing.

Your event is then reviewed and approved by the system, it will be shown on the ReasonsToRide.com websites and come up in searches. If you are in a region or state that has a partner publication, it may also be printed within the magazine – space allowing. These Print placements are done as space allows and are subject to secondary approval by the magazine editors. If you have a paid or feature placement, your event should appear in the magazine as long as it has been entered by the 15th of the month prior to it being held. If you have a paid / feature placement, you can confirm this by emailing Events@ReasonsToRide.

Again, it sounds complicated – but it’s really just a common sense process once

Please note – that the earlier you get your listing up, the more people will see it! So as soon as you get your date set and details worked out – post it up!

YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THIS WORLD

at our Feature Ride n Win Ride Stops in 2023

Stay tuned for more information here in the pages of Reasons To Ride, or you can always visit the RtR blogs at www.ReasonsToRide.com for updates and a full overview of the program. For information on how you can become a 2023 Ride n’ Win Ride Stop –email us at Info@ReasonsToRide.com

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MOTORCYCLE MINISTRIES

MARY GILBERT, CMA STATE COORDINATOR

New Beginnings and Dead Ends…

Have you ever started out with no particular place in mind to go, you just wanted to get out of the house, get on the pony and go? Maybe discover something new you had never seen before, or a place you had never been before, you just wanted to get out and move and so you did.

Cruising along you make a turn that leads you down roads you hadn’t been on before and they aren’t exactly the best roads, a little bumpy, somewhat curvy, but you can navigate pretty well through most of the rough stuff. But wait…what’s this ahead? It’s getting narrow…like almost less than two lane narrow, it’s one lane and now it’s down to a near bicycle path! Where in the world??? DEAD END???!!! No warning signs. No directions. No cell reception for the GPS. So, what are you going to do?

It's the beginning of a New Year and life is a lot like the little story here, isn’t it? We want a change, we want something new and exciting to happen in our lives and, like most of us who have corralled the bikes for the winter, we are ready for an adventure! But every adventure starts with an idea and every idea needs to have a little bit of planning along with it just in case something unexpected pops up along the way to spoil the adventure. And there’s always that little bit of something that shows up regardless of how carefully one plans anything! Murphy’s Law…it’s a real thing. Let’s get back to the adventure…I love a good adventure! So, you’re cruisin’ and you hit a dead end. Does that end the adventure? No! All you must do is figure out how to turn around and get back on the right path again. That’s how it is with the God life too. Some see living the ‘straight and narrow’ like a prison sentence. A pack of ‘Do’s and Don’t’s’ that stifle the imagination and make Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm look like a …. Well, I won’t say, but you get it and living life as a born-again believer is far from that depiction of it. I still get to ride, enjoy life, go on adventures and laugh….a lot! And the best part is that I don’t have to map out my course all the time because Jesus is my planner, and the Holy Spirit is my GPS and all I have to do is be ready and available to go! If I try to take control and do it my way guess what happens…yep… dead end. And so I just don’t sit there and spin my wheels, I let Him keep me on course and we roll on steadily. Oh, there still may be a few bumps in the road, but nothing that can’t be handled with care as long as I keep my focus on His Plan and not try to take control.

Here's the bottom line: It’s a brand New Year…it’s a brand new start and it’s definitely time for a new adventure in your life! So why not let it be a Jesus adventure? He definitely won’t lead you down any paths that He wouldn’t or hasn’t already been himself!

Just giving you a little challenge for thought…

Happy New Year!

Mary G.

COME RIDE WITH US!

CMA is a servant minded interdenominational motorcycle ministry with a non-denominational message of hope and love through Jesus Christ. Enjoy the family atmosphere, make life-long friends, and join an army of people dedicated to changing the world, one heart at a time in the highways and byways.

Visit us at www.cmausa.org for more information.

Have a message you’d like to share?

If you have a message that you’d like to share with riders across Ohio and the Midwest, let us know. Reasons To Ride welcomes the opportunity to work with established motorcycle ministries. Feel free to share upcoming events with us as well, by emailing information to Events@ReasonsToRide.com

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We’ve always believed that the best thing about our bike show series is the people that both exhibit and attend. This isn’t just about the bikes – but about the people building and riding them as well. After doing these shows for more than 12 years, its great seeing how many connections and friendships that have developed over the years between folks coming to the shows. There’s a common bond that exists between riders – and there’s even more of a connection between the folks that take the time to restore, customize, or even create their own bikes. People start talking about what they’ve built, what they have at home, and what they rode up to the show. And this year – we are doing even more to help facilitate those discussions and really ensure that everyone has a great time at the show!

It's important to recognize that these are INFORMAL, RIDE-IN SHOWS! While we do use Judges at most shows, the majority of the votes come from the crowd. These are fun shows with the emphasis on camaraderie more than competition. If you’ve ever stormed out of a show after not winning the big trophy – these shows aren’t for you.

All makes, models, and years are truly welcome at the RTR Bike Shows. We have over 15 distinct classes for bikes, and we are constantly adding more as the shows evolve. We group bikes by style and origin, and try to balance things out as much as possible. Categories include designations for Imported and Domestic, Touring, Trikes, Vintage, Racing, and even Radical. Specialty classes include Custom Paint, Patriotic and Military themed bikes, and even a Ladies Class.

Even if you’ve never participated in a Bike Show before, these shows are for you if you have a passion for your bike. Go ahead and bring her out – and PUT HER IN THE SHOW!

Make sure that you check out our events listing on Facebook and follow the ones that are of interest to you. We will be posting updates and more details about the new programs as things are finalized. www.Facebook.com/ReasonsToRide

SHOW PICTURES

With over 10 years of shows, we’ve accumulated well over 30,000 Bike Show and event pictures on our Facebook page, with most sorted in Albums by the particular shows. If you’re home and feel like reminiscing about warmer days out on the bike, take a few minutes and check them out. You’re welcome to tag and share these as you’d like. We are working with some new partners to offer the ability to easily get these printed and sent to you – with just a few clicks. Hope to have an announcement on that shortly. Currently, however, we do have the means to get you posters – even big vinyl banners for your garage – of any images we have. Our partner, NEO PRO IMAGING ( www.neoproimaging.com ) is able to do some amazing

things with pictures – such as metal or acrylic prints suitable for mounting on the wall or professionally displaying. Email us for more information BikeShowInfo@gmail.com

We’re able to produce full color vinyl banners of photos or your design – for less than $2.50 a square foot!*

Thunder Zone Vendor Areas

For the larger weekend shows, we often host THUNDER ZONE Vendor areas as part of our layout. These vendor areas offer a tremendous opportunity to reach not only thousands of riders – but far more, as many of the events embrace the entire community, drawing attendees from throughout their regions. Many of our shows are part of rallies and events with more than 10,000 in attendance, several more than 50k, and even a few 100k plus! And for all of our Tour Stops – we work with vendors to ensure a seamless, successful experience. However, at most – space is limited! So, email us ASAP to get on the list and reserve your spots! For a complete schedule and more information on vending at these events, email BikeShowInfo@gmail.com

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UPCOMING 2023 SHOWS

Looking forward, we’ve made a commitment to further developing the Bike Show Series – with the addition of more larger, regional shows. We will still have smaller community shows, but we are adding more shows connected with FAIRS, FESTIVALS, and of course MAJOR MOTORCYCLE RALLIES and EVENTS.

that have pre-registered online. As previously, registration will be discounted in advance AND you get a FREE RTR Exhibitor Bike Show Shirt! We will be accepting bikes the day of the show – but only as space allows and priority will be given to the pre-registered ones.

WILD TURKEY BIKE SHOW

Reasons To Ride will once again be kicking off the BIKE SHOW SERIES in the rolling hills of Southern Ohio – with the 38th Annual Vinton County Wild Turkey Festival. This is some of the best riding in the Midwest – essentially an asphalt roller coaster – and in the midst of it all is McArthur, Ohio.

Last year’s show featured some amazing bikes; including 80 year old European bikes, custom choppers with intricate metalwork, and In our second year, we will be expanding to include more bikes, options for camping and official hotels, and a BIGGER THUNDER ALLEY!

ARSENAL BIKE SHOW

Arsenal Harley-Davidson, Waterford Michigan - Saturday, August 26th

Last year’s show had to be rescheduled due to the weather and challenging forecasts, so we are getting a jump on this one in ’23. This show, presented by Michigan Biker Law, welcomes all makes and models and features over 40 trophies – including the chance for a BEST IN SHOW Championship Series Belt!

These are just a few that we’ve already locked down, but we have A LOT more in the works! Make sure that you’re following us on Facebook ( www.Facebook.com/ReasonsToRide) for updates as they are announced.

OHIO BIKE WEEK BIKE SHOW

Reasons To Ride is pleased to announce that we will once again be hosting the OFFICIAL OHIO BIKE WEEK BIKE SHOW in downtown Sandusky on Saturday, June 3rd – right on the WATER! This will be an informal, Ride-In, Bike Show following the RTR Championship Bike Show Series Rules and Procedures.

While always subject to change, our plan is to be right back at the same location we had last year in the midst of the WORLD FAMOUS BLOCK PARTY! If you joined us in 2022 – you know how amazing the location is. We’re literally surrounded by water on 3 sides – with the main stage in the background!

So go ahead and mark it on the calendar – OHIO BIKE WEEK, the LARGEST MOTORCYCLE EVENT IN THE MIDWEST, May 26 –June 4th. And the OHIO BIKE WEEK BIKE SHOW – June 3rd!

We are anticipating that feature bike space will be limited, so we are encouraging everyone to REGISTER as soon as possible for this show. We will be reserving space and assigned spots for bikes

For

INTERESTED IN HOSTING A TRO BIKE SHOW AT YOUR LOCATION IN 2023?

We are currently reviewing locations and locking down dates for our 2023 Bike Show Series. We have a LIMITED NUMBER of dates available still. Email us TODAY for more information at BikeShowInfo@gmail.com

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POKER RUN 101: PART 1: How to Get Started

“A poker run is an organized event where participants, usually using motorcycles, must visit five to seven checkpoints, drawing a playing card at each one. The object is to have the best poker hand at the end of the run. The event has a time limit however, the participants are not timed -winning is purely a matter of chance.”

- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“A poker run is basically a chance for folks to get together and ride, hang out and have a good time for the day – and then end up at a party! And a lot of times, it’s for a good cause which makes it that much cooler!”

Bikers celebrate a lifestyle that is built around riding and enjoying the camaraderie of other bikers. With our increasingly hectic lifestyle, few of us have the opportunity to take off on an easy rider style ride. More often we look for local organized rides as a chance to meet other riders and simply get out on the bike. Some of the most popular events are the local poker runs that fill our event listings all summer long.

Over the last few years, more and more organizations have taken to hosting motorcycle poker runs as a means to raise funds and spread awareness. In many cases, the poker runs are hosted by local biker bars, but often times the host organizations have nothing to do with riding at all! Despite any stereotypes or media attention otherwise, our society has certainly recognized the generosity of bikers and our willingness to help others.

"Years ago, there were four or five biker poker runs that everyone attended. Now there are a dozen every weekend. Some of us joke that one of these days we’re going to find ourselves riding on the Wounded Butterfly Run,” one local ride organizer lamented. “It’s not a bad thing, but certainly some runs are better than others. And I’m not just talking about the cause, but the ride itself.”

There are many important considerations when it comes to planning any charity event – and there are many unique ones when it comes to planning a motorcycle ride. Even if you’re an experienced rider, that doesn’t necessarily make you competent to host an event. Planning a ride for 1,000, 200, or even 100 riders is a lot different than planning a run for you and a few friends.

“One of the most common mistakes I’ve seen made is planning a route with cross-traffic stops. For instance, if you’re routing everyone west bound, your stops should be on the north side of the road – allowing your riders to make an easy right turn into the stop. If your stop is on the other side of the road, the riders are forced to stop and wait for oncoming traffic. This can hold up traffic and cause problems, especially if you have a lot of riders. And these problems can lead to someone getting hurt or worse.”

If this is your first motorcycle event or ride, we would certainly recommend that you find someone with experience in organizing such events and better yet, an entire organization that has the knowledge on such things.

There are countless riding organizations out there. From Harley Owners Groups ™ and traditional AMA motorcycle clubs to civil service and military riding groups, there are plenty of experienced groups that can help with your event. ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education) is a grass roots, non-profit organization focused on motorcyclist's rights and promoting safe riding practices. They have chapters throughout the state and have great resources when it comes to organizing a riding event.

There are also professional organizations and promoters that handle such events as well. As always, it’s a question of cost and return on investment. A grass roots riding organization may be able to bring a lot of volunteers (and consequently riders) to your event – all for a portion of the proceeds or maybe even just for the exposure. A marketing professional or event organizer may do it all for a flat fee – working with your own volunteers or his staff and temps. It all depends upon your situation and the dynamics of it. A 50% split with a local riding organization may end up costing a lot more than a $3,000 consulting fee charged by a professional promoter. But if you find a partner charity with a large volunteer base – they may work a deal that is much more beneficial for you. It all comes back to depending on your specific resources and needs. Most importantly, you need to determine how many people you have available to help plan, promote, and finally host the event.

The first step in planning a Poker Run “is making sure that you have enough people to work the event,” according to another local ride organizer. “There’s a lot of work to be done beforehand, which a few hard-working people can knock out, but you’re going to need people to work the actual event.”

“From the folks handing out the cards to people flagging the bikes in the lot, it takes a lot of people to host a well- organized run.”

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Regardless of where they come from, you will need bodies to pull the event off. You need to be confident that you have either the volunteers or resources to pay staff to work your event. If you don’t, there’s no point in going any further.

The first group that you need to identify is your key organizers and leadership. If you have a large enough pool – you can set up committees to tackle specific tasks. For large rides with enough key personnel to pull it off, the following are standard committees or areas of responsibility.

• Ride

Logistics

• On-Site Logistics

• Registration

• Volunteers

• Marketing

• Sponsorship

• Awards

• Social

HOW TO

If you have enough people, you can set up committees to address each of these areas. If you don’t, a few hard working and dedicated individuals can cover these responsibilities. Either way, they need to be considered and eventually covered.

PLANNING AND SCHEDULING YOUR RIDE

“Start your planning early, so that you have plenty of time to work things out. Everything has to be manageable and the key to that is to keep things simple.”

“By the first of the year, we are pretty much booked out with all of our rides for the upcoming season. Many of these are year-round projects for the organizations that host them, some though are smaller efforts put on by a few volunteers or organizers. Many of those take at least 4-6 months of advance planning.”

Indeed, after you have determined that you have the people needed to pull off your event – the next step is to determine a date for the event. A date that allows enough time for you to effectively plan, doesn’t conflict with other events in the area, and makes sense in terms of weather.

Being in the Midwest, there are some fundamental restrictions in terms of our riding season. Traditionally, our season starts in May and ends in October. May and October are both dicey though,

POKER RUN vs. MEMORIAL or ESCORTED RIDE

There are two basic charitable rides out there – with countless variations of each. There is the Poker Run (or Dice Run, Raffle Ride, Passport Run, etc..) where riders hit various stops and get checked in. On most of these, riders are able to set their own pace and travel with their own groups, others, or on their own between the various stops.

The riders have a “First Rider Out” and “Last Rider In” time frame that they can operate within.

The alternative is the Escorted or Memorial Ride. This is one big group of bikes – all leaving at once, all riding together. For most this is both a logistical nightmare and a huge safety concern. You need to coordinate escorts – blockers, you need to work with public safety organizations, and you are locked into a more restrictive schedule as far as riders participating. For the most part, if they miss “Kickstands Up” they miss the ride.

While Memorial and Escorted rides are impressive, they also represent major safety concerns for those participating. A lot of experienced riders won’t participate in major escorted rides because of the risk presented. Riding closely with unknown riders, risking cars and trucks trying to “cut through” and being locked into a tighter schedule are all concerns for some riders.

Memorial and Escorted rides can provide a stirring tribute to a cause, however we strongly recommend sticking to Poker Runs for organizations undertaking their first motorcycle ride event or those with limited volunteers or resources.

ReasonsToRide can help promote your event for as little as $100 and has basic Ride Promotional Packages starting at $500 that can include online pre-registration, digital + print advertising, and even assistance with sponsors and on-site coordination. For more information, email Info@ ReasonsToRide.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: A few years back we ran a series of articles focusing on how to effectively plan, organize, promote, and execute various motorcycle events – starting with the Poker Run. After countless requests for reprints and updates we decided to revisit the topic this spring and update the series. For immediate assistance with your next event, please send an inquiry to Info@ReasonsToRide.com

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as inclement weather can hit us on either end of the season. It’s not uncommon for us to get hit with snow in October and the last few May’s have been amongst the wettest on record. Fall runs get complicated with end of summer commitments, last minute vacations, football, and school being in session - so September and even late August events are more difficult to promote. That leaves us with June through early August as our primary season. This equates to approximately 11 weekends for you and everyone else planning motorcycle events to choose from.

So, your next consideration is what else is already going on in your area? For this you need to consult with the various dealerships and venues in your area. You can call them up, check their websites, or just ask around. Eventually, you’ll be able to find them all on ReasonsToRide.com – but if you’re starting in your planning, you’ll need to look back at past calendars and listings for where the “big annuals” land.

If you’re planning a first-year event, I’ve also found that it’s helpful to follow a major event that might allow you the opportunity to promote your run. For instance, if you are hosting a poker run or charity run anywhere close to Sandusky, Ohio or even Northern Ohio - I’d recommend you getting a booth at Ohio Bike Week. It’s the “Largest Motorcycle Event in the Midwest” and just about any rider within 200 miles is going to be there. It’s a great chance to promote your ride to thousands of dedicated riders. Booths set up at regional rallies, local bike nights, or even swap meets allow you to directly connect with riders to talk about your event.

When bikers have a great time at an event, they often get primed for “the next ride” so I suggest striking while the iron’s hot. These established events often present a great opportunity for you to promote your ride to a group of riders together, when it’s easy to get everyone to commit at ounce. You might also consider offering early registration packages – maybe discounted or including a free t-shirt – for those that sign up at the earlier event. Not only does it lock in riders, It might also encourage them to get the whole gang to sign up. If you have online registration, you can even have tablets or QR codes on banners and cards to allow folks to easily sign up with you.

When launching a new ride, it’s especially worth considering opportunities such as this. Every little thing helps and it’s worth considering not only events that might conflict with your date, but also events that might contribute to your numbers as well. I refer to these as “spring boards”. With these in mind, it’s worth considering that the earlier your ride falls in the season, the less time you have to promote it in such a manner.

Lastly, you need to feel comfortable that you’ve allowed yourself enough time to effectively plan and market your ride. If you are an experienced organizer with a solid pool of riders to draw from, (IE. from a riding club, customer base, or larger organization) you may be able to throw together a ride in just a few weeks. If you or your organization are new to the motorcycle community or inexperienced in planning a ride – you need to allow yourself more time to effectively plan the run. If this is a first-year event and you are looking to reach out to unknown riders in the community – you will need to allow yourself at least 6 to 8 weeks. If you are looking to secure sponsorships and outside contributions, you should allow

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yourself at least 3 to 4 months of advance work. Of course, a lot of this depends on how many people you have working on the Poker Run. If you have a larger organization to draw on for support and contributions, you can organize things much more quickly. If it’s a smaller team project – such as your local bar or local riding club, you will need to allow yourself more time to knock off everything that’s on the list.

NEXT UP: POKER RUN 101: PART 2 RUN STOPS and HOST SPONSORS

Find it in next month’s edition of Reasons To Ride or check out our Blogs at ReasonsToRide.com

The Reasons To Ride Crew has been helping promote and organize rides for more than 20 years – and hosting online registration for the past 4 years. Along the way, we’d like to think we’ve picked up a few ideas and pointers from people far smarter than us – and maybe figured out a few things ourselves as well. For more information on marketing or planning your event - email: Info@ReasonsToRide.com

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RTR Featured Race Event: FLINT INDOOR ICE RACING

On December 3rd, the Flint Motorcycle Club hosted the 62nd Annual Indoor Motorcycle Race at Dort Financial Center in Flint. Reasons To Ride: Michigan came out and set up along with Michigan Biker Law to help promote the event which raises funds for Big Brothers / Big Sisters of Genesee County.

If you’ve never been to the event – or seen indoor motorcycle ice racing – you’re missing out!

As we arrived, the Zamboni was just taking to the ice as if the Flint Firebirds were scheduled to play that evening. Instead, though, the lower level of the arena was packed with racers and their crews preparing to take their bikes out. In fact, every class was filled out with racers wanting to compete in this once a year event. Racers of all ages, competed at virtually all levels. There were seasoned veterans – including top D14 Ice Racers from across the state – as well as younger kids hitting the ice for the first time indoors. All were excited and the energy flowed throughout the arena.

Despite the undeniable sense of competition amongst the racers, this is clearly a tight knit group as most everyone knew each other and helped prepare the bikes. It was great touring the pit area to see the bikes up close – noting the different strategies taken.

“Horsepower is simultaneously your best friend and worst enemy in both studded and non-studded, although you aren’t going to have much luck with a stock motor outside of the stock classes. It’s like any form of racing—a balancing act. You can only put so much power to the tires before they lose traction. Finding that sweet spot is the key.” – “ICE RACING BASICS”, Stephen Tripp (RTR Contributor / www.StephenTripp.com) from DirtWheelsMag.com

Once the racers were introduced and the first bikes started taking laps around the ice, the night just flew by with one race after another It wasn’t just the racing that made the event so great – it was the

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turnout as well. It wasn’t just racers and their families that filled the arena. MC’s and riding organizations from across central Michigan were well represented. Other ice racing organizations, such as Port Huron Motorcycle Club and Lucky Thumb were both making the rounds – talking about their upcoming races. And there were plenty of both MX fans and just plain old street riders there as well, enjoying the opportunity to hear the roar of motorcycles inside the arena as the temperatures were dropping outside. We’d like to thank the Flint Motorcycle Club for their hospitality and all the effort they put into the event. Nord-Ride Motorsports (www NordRide.com) for both helping to sponsor the event and hanging with the RTR Crew. The One of Many Veterans Motorcycle Club brought Santa out for the kids and hosted a photo booth on the upper level, which was much appreciate by the kids – both big and small.

For more photos of the event, you can visit our Facebook page (www facebook.com/RTRMichigan) or that of the Flint Motorcycle Club.

62nd Annual Flint Indoor Ice Race presented by the Flint Motorcycle Club

2022 RACE RESULTS

50cc PW TOP FINISHERS FINISH NUMBER MAKE RACER 1 726 YAM Levi Teeter 2 2 YAM Cain Horton, Burton 3 5 YAM Oakley Inches, Fairgrove 50cc MULTI SPEED TOP FINISHERS FINISH NUMBER MAKE RACER

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Sport Touring Corner

By Norm Kern, MSTA Editor / ReasonsToRide.com Contributor

Let's kick off the new year at Reasons to Ride!

I'm Norm Kern, long time Dayton Ohio Motorcycle Club member and friend of Derek Smith, who invited me to submit some articles in Thunder Roads Ohio about five years ago and this column was the result. This column is about sport touring- the riders, the bikes, places to go and a lot more.

practicing and developing their riding skill. It's not just riding a beautiful road- it's riding it in complete control, often at a brisk pace.

2. "Touring" distinguishes this riding style from regular sport bike riding. A pure sport bike is not comfortable for most people to ride all day or a long distance. Sport touring typically includes day rides of hundreds of miles and multi-day rides and trips.

What makes a sport touring bike?

Any bike you have or like to ride will work for you, but some bike characteristics make sport touring more fun. Here are my top priorities:

1. Comfort- If I'm going to ride 100-600+ miles in a day, I want a comfortable seat and riding position.

I've ridden a variety of styles and bike over the past 60 years, including British bikes of the '60s, pure touring bikes such as the classic Moto Guzzis of the '70s, plus off-road enduros and dual sport rides on a variety of dirt bikes.

Most of my miles have been on the road. I've always enjoyed day rides and long trips, but found the twisty back roads of the Appalachian mountains to be my favorite. I grew to like a brisk pace and lost interest in large pure touring bikes in the 1980s.

In 1986, I had a opportunity to trade a friend for a Kawasaki Concours. With over 100 horsepower, decent adjustable suspension, cornering clearance, good brakes, shaft drive, large tank and fairing, it turned me into a sport touring rider for good.

2. Light weight- Riding twisty and technical roads is a lot more fun if you can flick the bike from side to side and change direction quickly.

3. Power- Enough power to go as quickly as I wish, including hours at 70-80mph on an interstate to get somewhere that's fun to ride.

4. Capable tires and suspension- Tires that work in the wet, corner well, yet wear long enough that I don't have to change them on a trip.

5. Effective brakes- Not only need to stop the bike but enable fine control in corners.

6. Cornering clearance- A bike that drags stuff every time you lean it is a big liability and possible safety hazard

7. Fuel capacity- I like a minimum range of 200 miles. My idea of sport touring does not include constantly searching for fuel in the remote areas I like to ride.

8. Luggage- When doing multi day travel, I want a top case and saddlebags. A tank bag is also very handy.

9. Electrical capacity- Ability to run additional lighting and heated gear in cold weather is a big plus.

What is Sport Touring?

First, it's a riding style. There are many individual opinions on exactly what defines it, but here are mine:

1. "Sport" in this context is best seen in the definition of sport as "A usually challenging activity undertaken for amusement." The sport touring rider views motorcycling as a skill-based sport. That doesn't necessarily mean they are focused on racing or competition, but rather look forward to a challenge and enjoy

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Are adventure Bikes

part

of sport touring?

Sport touring started in the 1980s with faired sport bikes with slightly taller handlebars and luggage such as the BMW R90S and Honda ST1100. They were purely pavement focused. Forty

Connect with local Ohio Motorcycle Sport Touring Association riders at these monthly breakfasts:

Southwest Ohio Breakfast, 9AM, January 20 Village Family Restaurant

144 S. Main St. Waynesville, OH 45068

Central Ohio Breakfast Meet - February 5 Portside Cafe 6515 S High St Lockbourne, OH 43137

years later we have advances in tires, suspension, power and lighter weight. Bigger adventure bikes have the fuel capacity, comfort, upright riding position and excellent suspension that all appeal to sport touring riders, even those who would never venture down a gravel road.

Sport touring riders are drawn to challenges, so adventure bikes and riding are a natural extension of that interest. Riding adventure bikes on paved sections need be no different than sport touring.

Where can I find good sport touring routes and people to ride them with?

I have been a member of Motorcycle Sport Touring Association (MSTA) for over 20 years. It's a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who enjoy twisty roads, meeting with other riders, and talking about bikes. The group is not based on any brand so you will see many different bikes in the parking lot. We ride street routes, ADV, or both. Check out the routes at https://flybyweek.com to see what I mean.

For 2023 MSTA has seventeen rallies, mostly in the Appalachian mountain region. For the complete rally calendar visit https://ridemsta.com/events/ If you're on Facebook join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/RideMSTA

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RIDING w BRENDAN

I hope everyone had a fantastic Holiday Season! Here I sit less than a dozen days to Christmas realizing this will be in the January 2023 edition! I am sitting in my office planning a few things for next year and I got to thinking about the Bikers Food Drive I was fortunate to be a part of. This drive collected donations from after Thanksgiving until December 13th.

I got the heads up about this from my friends Groot and Radio. They had the Thanksgiving collection and wanted to know if I wanted to help get the word out on the Christmas collection. Absolutely I did. Not only did the clubs from the first one come through again but several more joined on and several businesses as well! I figured the perfect opportunity to spread the word was to start up the ‘Riding with Brendan Podcast’ that had been discussed for awhile. With the plan rolling we set up and recorded the first episode featuring the Bikers Food Drive. It seemed like everyday another club or business was jumping on board as drop off location.

It was truly amazing to see so many in the bike community coming together for such a great cause. With Groot and Radio leading, all the brothers from all the different clubs worked together to collect food and help load the truck. The biker community came through in a big, big way for the Greater Lansing area food pantries. It goes to show not only are the negative stereo types

Farren, RTR Contributor

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Brendan

that are sometimes associated with bikers incorrect but it seems we are always leading the charge to help the less fortunate whenever we can. Just another one of the many reasons I am proud to call this community my friends. Well done. Until next time

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1/07/23 12:00 PM

Lucky Thumb Winter Races 7394 E. Bevens Rd, Deford, MI

LuckyThumbMotorcycleClub.com

1/07/23 08:00 AM

Upper Michigan Ice Racing Forsyth Township Park Gwinn, MI 49841

UpperMichiganRacing.com

1/08/23 08:00 AM

1/13/23 12:00 PM

ABATE of Michigan State Seminar 2023

Ramada by Wyndham Lansing Hotel & Conference Center 7501 W Saginaw Hwy, Lansing, MI 48917 abatemichsecretary@frontier.com

1/14/23 02:00 PM

E.K.M.R.A Presents Chili Cook Off To Benefit Our Homeless Veterans American Legion Post 426 2423 West Jefferson Ave. Trenton 734-675-4744 commadertrenton426@gmail.com

1/14/23 08:00 AM

1/08/23 07:00 AM Ice Racing at Owosso Motorsports Park 2504 W M21, Owosso, MI 48867 810-691-5781 OwossoMotorsportsPark.com

Upper Michigan Ice Racing Forsyth Township Park Gwinn, MI 49841 UpperMichiganRacing.com

2/11/23

2/11/23 08:00 AM

2/18/23 12:00 AM

Hearts and Throttles

American Legion Post 83 3615 Hayes Ave. Sandusky Trauma 740-360-8626

2/18/23 08:00 AM

Upper Michigan Ice Racing Forsyth Township Park Gwinn, MI 49841

UpperMichiganRacing.com

2/19/23 09:00 AM

Great Lakes Ice Racing Event

Great Lakes Ice Racing Co Rd 420 at West Gladstone Bridge, Gladstone, MI 49837

GreatLakesIceRacing.com

2/25/23 12:00 PM

Lucky Thumb Winter Races 7394 E. Bevens Rd, Deford, MI 48729

Homer1061@icloud.com

2/12/23 07:00 AM

Ice Racing at Owosso Motorsports Park Owosso Motorsports Park 2504 W M21, Owosso, MI 48867 810-691-5781

OwossoMotorsportsPark.com

2/12/23 09:00 AM

Great Lakes Ice Racing Event

Great Lakes Ice Racing Co Rd 420 at West Gladstone Bridge, Gladstone, MI 49837

GreatLakesIceRacing.com

LuckyThumbMotorcycleClub.com

2/25/23 02:00 PM

Upper Michigan Ice Racing Forsyth Township Park Gwinn, MI 49841

UpperMichiganRacing.com

2/26/23 09:00 AM

Great Lakes Ice Racing Event

Great Lakes Ice Racing Co Rd 420 at West Gladstone Bridge, Gladstone, MI 49837

GreatLakesIceRacing.com

RECIPES

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 pounds sirloin beef tips

2 (8-ounce) packages fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 medium sweet onions, diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups beef broth

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 (16-ounce) package egg noodles

1/2 cup sherry

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

Garnish: chopped, fresh parsley

Directions

Sprinkle beef tips evenly with salt and pepper and brown in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and onions and saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.

Stir tomato paste, broth, and mustard into beef mixture. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 1 hour or until beef is tender.

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.

Combine sherry and flour; stir into beef mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in sour cream. Serve over hot egg noodles; sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Have a recipe that you’d like to share? Write it all down and send with a picture – to ReasonsToRide@gmail.com Put RECIPE in the subject line. If we use it, we’ll send you copies of the magazines and a RTR T-Shirt – so include your address and t-shirt size as well! Thanks!

French Onion Soup Casserole

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter

5 medium Vidalia onions, thinly sliced (about 3 lb.)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

3 thyme sprigs

2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves

1 (16-oz.) baguette, thinly sliced ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

½ cup sherry

8 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low; add onions, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley sprigs, and bay leaves; cook, stirring often, until onions are golden brown, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until lightly toasted, 12 minutes. Set aside.

Remove and discard thyme and parsley sprigs and bay leaves from onion mixture. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add broth and sherry; bring to a boil over high. Boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Layer half of the toasted baguette slices in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon onion mixture evenly over bread. Top evenly with remaining baguette slices. Sprinkle with cheese; cover with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Increase heat to broil. Remove foil; broil until cheese is bubbly, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with thyme leaves.

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