#177 FREE
A Brand New Indian Classic
Inside: T he Indian Springfield • Flat Track Racing Kymco K-Pipe Review • Do You Suck?
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
All The News That Fits Flat Rivalry Reignited The flames of an old and long standing rivalry are about to be fanned in the AMA Pro Flat Track series. In June came the news that Indian Motorcycles was reentering the world of flat track racing. This represents the first factory backed race team from Indian in this arena since the 1950’s.
Indian has a long history in flat track racing. Perhaps best known was the Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew, consisting of Bill Tuman, Bobby Hill and Ernie Beckman, who won race after race in the late 40’s and early 50’s. This also means the long-standing rivalry between Harley-Davidson and Indian on the racetrack will be revived.
series as the cornerstones of our production line-up, and now is the time for us to return to racing in a big way. We know that fans of Indian Motorcycle have been anticipating this announcement and can’t wait to see Indian Racing back in action.”
The XG750R has shown great potential in testing and the first few races this season,” said Kris Schoonover, H-D racing manager. “But as with any new racing motorcycle, there will be work to do. We’re excited to continue testing the XG750R in real world competition, and as we make our way through the season, we will evaluate the performance of the bike and our factory riders to see if Baker might switch to the new bike.”
Multi-time AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees has agreed to join the Indian Team as a test rider this year. Mees, 30, won the AMA Grand National Championship (GNC1) title in 2012, 2014 and 2015. The Indian will race the new motorcycle at a track to be determined sometime in September of this year in preparation for a full season of competition in 2017.
More Flat Track News If the renewed rivalry between Harley-Davidson and Indian wasn’t enough H-D announced in May the release of the XG750R, its first allnew flat track race bike in 44 years. The XG features the liquid cooled and fuel injected motor based on the H-D 750 Street power plant. The frame and running gear appear to be adapted from the current XR750 platform.
The XG750R made its official competition debut May 29, at the AMA Pro Flat Track Springfield Mile. Davis Fisher piloted it to a respectable 8th place finish. Fisher is in his first
Photo Courtesy of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles
season racing with the H-D factory team and is a rookie in the GNC1 series. The 18-year-old racer from Warren, Ore., won the 2015 AMA Pro GNC2 championship. Brad Baker, 2013 AMA Pro Grand National Champion, will continue to race aboard the XR while Fisher races the XG750R through its developmental stage. The XG will eventually replace the venerable XR750, but during this racing season both machines will be campaigned, as the XG is refined through experience in competition.
Sadly H-D has no plans to offer the XG for sale to the public at this time.
It’s A Car, It’s A Bike, It’s A… Autocycle. In June Governor Dayton signed into law a definition of an autocycle. The new law defines the autocycles as motorcycles that have three wheels in contact with the ground, seating that does not require operators or occupants to straddle or sit astride, has a steering wheel, is equipped with anti-lock brakes and was originally manufactured to meet the federal safety standards for a motorcycle. This law allows drivers with a standard drivers license to operate an autocycle without needing a motorcycle endorsement. This was good news for the Polaris Slingshot, Campagna T-Rex, and other autocycle makers, which have lived in a weird state of appealing to non-motorcyclists, but requiring a motorcycle endorsement to operate.
An Evel Place An Evel Knievel museum is scheduled to open later this year in Topeka, KS. Historic HarleyDavidson of Topeka is building the museum as a 16,000 sq.ft. addition to the dealership. The attraction will include bikes and memorabilia as well as exhibits on the science, technology, engineering, and math tied to the feats of the motorcycling daredevil. One attraction will be a bike that visitors can climb aboard to experience a virtual reality jump. Mike Patterson, the dealership owner, claims it will be the largest collection of Evel memorabilia if the world.
Photo Courtesy of Indian Motorcycles
The Indian factory team will enter the fray with an all-new proprietary liquid-cooled 750cc four-valve V-Twin engine specifically designed for flat track racing and engineered into a specially built chassis. The details as reported thus far are the engine produces an impressive 109 horsepower and weighs in at 105 pounds. The AMA has approved it for racing use.
“We are very excited to return to the AMA Circuit,” said Steve Menneto, President of Motorcycles for Polaris Industries. “We have established the new Indian Chief and Scout
Photo Courtesy of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles
15 Years Of Road Rash! Thank You Harry
MMM
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly®
Table of Contents August 2016 2
PUBLISHER
All The News That Fits Road Rash
Victor Wanchena
MANAGING EDITOR Bruce Mike
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From The Hip
REVIEW WRANGLER David Soderholm
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COLUMNISTS
Geezer With A Grudge Do You Suck?
Thomas Day Paul Berglund
CONTRIBUTORS
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Photo by a friend in Colorado
Catten Ely David Harrington Harry Martin Steve Tiedman
From The Hip
C
Tales From The Road Manifesto
By Victor Wanchena
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elebrating 20 years of MMM last month has made me kind of nostalgic. I was thinking about all the bikes I’ve owned and ridden over the years and thought I would tell you about my favorites. I discovered that some of the bikes that made this list made it because of experiences I had on them and not necessarily because they were great bikes.
WEBMASTER Julie S. Mike Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® is published nine times a year by: Hartman Press, Inc. 7265 Balsam Lane North Maple Grove, MN 55369 Phone: 763.315.5396 email: bruce@mnmotorcycle.com www.mnmotorcycle.com Subscriptions are available for $14.00 a year (U.S. funds). See subscription form below. Advertising inquiries: sales@mnmotorcycle.com 763.315.5396 Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly encourages your submissions. M.M.M. will edit all accepted submissions and retains nonexclusive, multiple use rights to work published in M.M.M. Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly will return submissions only if accompanied by an SASE. “Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly” is a registered trademark. Copyright 2016 by Hartman Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
My first road bike was a 1978 Yamaha SR500. It was a fun little bike that I put a bunch of miles on in a short amount of time. It did amazing wheelies and was pretty quick up to about 50 mph. I sold it because I needed money to move to Colorado. This was in the early ‘80s. I then spent about a year without a motorcycle. I haven’t been without one since then. While living in Colorado I bought a 1972 Triumph 650 Tiger. This was the first bike I ever rode in mountains and the first bike I ever rode in the snow. The mountain riding was on purpose, the snow riding was due to inexperience with Colorado weather. I ended up owning this bike longer than almost all my others. It moved back from Colorado with me. It was with me for my first wedding, the purchase of my first house and the birth of two of my three kids. My life when my kids were young allowed for limited riding opportunities. Another young dad and I would go out riding on Sunday nights around 9 pm and get home around 2 am Monday. I have no doubt this helped me keep my sanity at this point in my life.
I was rear-ended on the Triumph and received, what I thought was a very generous insurance check, and purchased my first Moto Guzzi. It was a 1971 700 Ambassador. I rode this bike on the first Minnesota 1000 in 1995. I won a “special” award for running a long distance rally with no odometer. This was the first of five consecutive Minnesota 1000 rallies I rode. It was my Father’s Day tradition. That and the Blind Lizard Rally. My other four Minnesota 1000 bikes were a Moto Guzzi SP1000, a Yamaha 600 FZR and a Kawasaki Concours that I rode twice.
Bike Review 2016 Indian Springfield
8-9
Feature High Plains Drifter Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Slide the Bike
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Random Scootering Kymco K-Pipe 125 Scooter (???) Review
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Movie Review Motonomad II – Riders of the Steppe Calendar
My marriage ended in 2001 which happened to be the same year Harley fuel-injected their bikes. No longer having a wife to share decisions with, I bought my first Harley. It was a Softail Deuce. It was a great bike that took me to Sturgis twice. It got traded in on my first, and so far, my only touring/bagger. A 2006 Road Glide. After ten years and 85k miles, on Harley road bikes, I got my first BMW. A 2007 R1200R that I’m still riding today. In 2004 I married a woman who shares my love of motorcycles. I don’t know that she is quite as obsessed as I am but we have always had a garage full of bikes and they have not all been ridden by just me. I have owned 20 motorcycles and three scooters since I started riding. I didn’t hate any of them. I didn’t much care for the 1964 Sears Allstate scooter but I got a great MMM cover out of it.
Over the past 30+ years that I’ve been riding I’ve been rear-ended, mildly side-swiped, had a couple of low speed tip-overs, hit a deer and crashed countless times off-road. I’ve never been seriously injured. I’ve ridden with full gear and I’ve ridden in shorts and a t-shirt. I’ve had loud bikes and I’ve had quiet bikes. Today I wear full gear and I have two quiet bikes and one loud bike and I enjoy riding all of them. I figured out a long time ago it’s not what I’m riding that makes it fun, riding anything is fun.
Cover photo by Alan Amesbury alan@anarchycorp.com Review Bike Provided By Indian Motorcycles indianmotorcycle.com
MMM
Je Suis Charlie
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
Geezer With A Grudge
I
By Thomas Day
n his HBO special (“Fully Functional”) one of my favorite comedians, Australian Jim Jefferies, asked his audience to raise their hands if their kids were “stoopid.” Obviously no one raised their hands and admitted to having spawned one of the many half-pint-half-wits who are overrepresented in our school systems. So, Jefferies reminded them that, statistically-speaking, it was impossible for a crowd as big as the one he was performing for not to have at least one stupid offspring. He went on to rant about Americans being a nation intent on breeding “stupid confident people . . . the worst employees in the fucking world.” When I hear motorcyclist revolt against the obvious truth that there are two kinds of motorcyclists--those who have crashed and those who haven’t yet crashed--I can’t help but think motorcyclists might be among the stupidest human categories on the planet. It’s even worse when the revolutionist admits he’s already crashed a number of times and still believes motorcycles “can be safe.”
Do You Suck? for doctors, a profession that prides itself in its selectivity, high performance standards, and rigorous education and training regime, why wouldn’t it be true for the rest of us who just become who and what we are out of attrition, general indifference to how we do our jobs, poor management, and luck? And if career statistics are this dismal, how could it be possible that driving, an activity that has such low standards of performance, could be lucky enough to have half-decent expectations? Motorcycle licensing is no different, with a variety of routes available to obtaining a license with minimal skill, no serious safety equipment requirements, and lifetime licensing that allows riders who have merely maintained the “M” on their license for decades to swing a leg over a motorcycle without the merest hint of riding abilities.
Due to the constant downsizing of the motorcycling public over the last 30 years (peaking in 1980 and in decline since) and, especially in the last decade, the Motorcycle Industry Council (through its “training” lobby, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, MSF) has campaigned to keep licensing as simple and accessible as possible. Fighting progressive ideas such as graduated (or “stepped) licensing--an idea that has had substantial success in Japan, Assuming the “average” rider’s skills are average, the usual bell curve parts of Canada, indicates that about 70% of riders are on either side of “average” and about England, and 95% fall into the 2-sigma area. some parts of the EU (likely soon to be all of the EU)--is a double-edged In his New Yorker Magazine essay, “The sword. On one hand, the MIC is ensuring Bell Curve: What happens when patients itself the maximum number of customers find out how good their doctors really are?” by putting a motorcycle in every possible Dr. Atul Gawande reminds us that doctors rider’s hands. Likewise, the MIC has been are no different than any other category of barely on the fence about helmet laws with human activity, “What you tend to find is a wishy-washy “freedom” arguments that bell curve: a handful of teams with disturbhold exactly no water with the strappedingly poor outcomes for their patients, a handful with remarkably good results, and a down-by-law cager public. There is some great undistinguished middle.” If that is true validity to the claim that if helmets are universally required, fewer people will ride
if you aren’t where you want to be, find a way to upgrade your skills or admit that riding a motorcycle is either not for you or a highpriced suicide attempt. I know that it’s hard to be realistic about this. Studies have found that 80% of drivers think they are above average. More statistically impossible crap. It’s one thing to be protected by crumple-zones, air Using something more like a minimum acceptable “average” rider skill bags, seat harnesses, as the centerpoint, a left-skewed distribution curve would result with and auto-piloting cars. dramatically more riders in the “below average” category and a wide It’s another to be sitrange of abilities in the “above average” group. ting on 200hp of twowheeled instability in your wife-beater, flip motorcycles. On the other, our incredibly flops, and pirate bandana. If you are one of dismal mortality statistics are edging regu- the 70-90% of motorcyclists who suck, you lators closer to removing motorcycles from should trade in your bike for a fancy lawn public roads, which will close the door on tractor and take the muffler off of that vemotorcycle sales forever. Damned if you do, hicle: just in case the lack of a loud pipe double-damned if you don’t. Something has might cause one of your neighbors to run to change soon, or something will change. over you with his even fancier and larger In pure population terms, it’s pretty obvi- lawn tractor. ous that the “average” point in motorcycle On the other hand, if you suck and know skills is skewed data. If you plant yourself it but have the patience, interest, capacity, on any popular corner in most cities, you and time to get better, work on it. Get some will observe cornering techniques that training. Spend a few days on a race track range from out-of-control to “not too bad,” (on track days, not racing unless you really with a tiny portion of riders executing turns are one of the cool kids and decide to be a with decent technique and control. If we racer). Buy or borrow a few books on riding. were to score lifesaving skills such as stop- Practice your riding skills at every stop light ping quickly, swerving to avoid a hazard, or sign, on every curve, and any other opturning precisely at a variety of street-le- portunity you may have where the results are gal speeds, quick combination maneuvers not critical. And practice where if you screw requiring these skills, and one or two low up you can just go back to the start point speed control skills on a scale of 1-to-10, I and do it again until you get it right. Do not think it would be safe to say that more than be afraid to suck, but you should be damned 70% of us would be substandard riders. nervous about being proud of sucking. That’s probably being optimistic. In terms of your own survival, you need to be able to MMM identify where you fall on this curve and,
Every issue 1996 thru 2016 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
Tales From The Road
I
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Manifesto!
By Paul Berglund
sold my Moto Guzzi V11 Le Mans. I really liked that bike, but I wanted a bike with a more upright riding posture. I took a deep breath and let my brain wander for a week. My next bike could be anything. Perhaps it was time to go out and buy that dream bike I had been lusting over for nearly ten years, the KTM 950/990 Adventure. It would be more money than I wanted to spend. But gosh darn it we’re talking a dream bike here. I started looking in ernest. I had to because there were none for sale in Minnesota. A feeling of desperation fanned the flames of desire. The closest bike I found was a 2013 990 Adventure in Illinois and the seller wanted over $12000 for it. I was looking at a serious commitment. I started to haunt ADVrider and other web sights where a used KTM would surface. I put the word out on the street and got a nibble. I set up a date to go look at the bike on Saturday. My friend Gus, who was lucky enough to own an almost identical bike, very kindly offered me his bike to ride for a day. I cleared my calendar and picked up his bike on thursday night. Friday found me riding my favorite roads in Wisconsin. Out of respect, I kept the off pavement riding to dirt roads. One tank of gas later I was dumbfounded. I didn’t love my dream bike. I had ridden the new Honda African Twin and I liked that better. Sure the 990 is a nice bike, but it didn’t move me to my happy place. Certainly not $12,000 worth of happiness. Now what? The KTM Adventure had ben my dream bike for so long. I had to go back to the basics of what I wanted to do on a motorcycle. Off road was my number one priority, and I had that covered. What did I want want from a street bike? I heard a loud groan of exasperation from that manly part of my brain. Much like anyone reading this right now is groaning. Do we have to talk about feelings now? Nobody wants that. Luckily, Man Brain suggested I write a rambling incoherent manifesto about what my next bike should be. Thats what you are reading now. My list of demands for my future bike. If I got an Adventure bike the plan would be to ride to Colorado, ride around in the mountains and then ride back. The big problem with that is the ride there and ride back parts. With the dirt bike I haul it there, ride the good stuff and then haul it back. Sure my Man Brain calls me all kinds of unflattering names, but I’ve learned to ignore him. It’s a dirt bike for cryin’ out loud. It fits so nice in the back of my pickup. Any bike that would be comfortable for the soul draining slog across Nebraska wouldn’t be as fun to ride off road as the bike I already own. How often would I ride to Colorado? Once a year? Every two years? Do I invest a lot of money in a compromised bike that only gets used properly once a year? Man Brain was silent now, pouting in the corner with a five day growth of beard. Where did I do most all of my street riding, I asked? “The twisting roads of south western Wisconsin”, was the belligerently mumbled answer. What bike would be the most fun on the roads I ride most often? I took it one step further, of all the fantastic roads I’ve ridden in the past,
Lolo Pass, Bear Tooth Pass, The Dragon, etc, what bike would I want to ride if I rode them again? Not the 680 pound sport touring bike I road them on the first time. What bike would give the most happiness on these roads? It would be a light and frisky bike. I spun around to face Man Brain, remember I just bought a pick up truck to haul my dirt bike in. It smelled of old spice and ozone as Man Brain did the math. “You could buy a bike” he began slowly “that is fun to ride locally…” Yes Man Brain! Go on!“…and if you did want to ride it in Colorado… you could put it in your truck and drive it there.” Well done my friend. How about a 400 pound standard or “naked” bike? I offered. (Man Brain likes the word naked.) Sit up ergonomics, light weight and a silly amount of power, comfort, nimble handling, does any of that sound interesting? How about riding highway 12 through Lolo Pass on a bike like that? Man Brain nodded sheepishly. This seamed like a great plan. Buy a bike that’s great fun day to day and should the mood hit me, put that bike in my truck and drive it to the roads that fill me with joy. When next I met up with my riding friends I was very excited. I had narrowed my search down to two bikes, both of them by a fantastic stroke of luck where orange. My favorite color. The color by witch I was known. A 2008 Triumph Speed Triple and a 2009 Aprilia Tuono. Both a glorious shade of orange. I was going to talk about the merits of each bike and my good friends would help me decide which bike was the right bike for me. My good, fellow, rider friends. Sadly, I led with a brief summery of why I was buying a naked bike. Pickup truck, hate Nebraska, light weight etc. but before I could mention the best part about two orange bikes, I saw frowning faces
and heads wagging side to side. No. Man Brain blurted out, “told you so”! Apparently, I had sold out. I had taken my He-man Motorcycle Club of Minnesota card out of my wallet, and tore it up right in front of them. That’s where it stands as I write this. The look of disappointment in those eyes haunts me still, but I know what I want now. I’m certain of it. Must the joy of riding twisty roads in lush hilly places be forever linked with 500 miles of droning corn penance? Must I grovel across
North Dakota before I can enter the temple of Montana? This manifesto says no! I will buy an orange bike and I will ride south western Wisconsin as much as I damn well please. Then, if I want to ride that bike up a twisty mountain road in Colorado…? I’m not sure if anyone will be riding beside me. First, comes the bike. Then Wisconsin and then, a world of possibilities. I’ll let you know what bike I pick next month. MMM
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
2016 Indian Springfield R
By Steve Tiedman
ecently, Dave Soderholm asked if I’d be interested in reviewing the 2016 Indian Springfield, Indian’s newest bagger. Being the new guy I told him I’m game. I took possession of the 852 pound (wet) “Indian Motorcycle Red” Springfield, gingerly negotiating the neighborhood streets, getting to know the clutch, throttle, and brake operations. Yep, it works as a motorcycle should, and it does not feel that heavy. I got to the interstate and aimed toward home. This is a machine you sit in, not on. With the seat height of 26 inches, a mild reach to the handlebars and modest feet-out-front position, you are about as encapsulated in a motorcycle as one could be. For comparison, I’m six-feet tall, with a 30-inch inseam and somewhere around 215 pounds of middle-aged American male heft. Reach to the ground was no problem, and the positioning of the large footboards was good. I’m neither an engineer nor artist. (Well, I am a hobby photographer and woodworker, so…) That said, when good mechanical and aesthetic design come together in harmony, I find myself nearly hypnotized just staring at the total package, whether it’s an old, fully mechanical camera, a cast iron woodworking machine, or a steel truss arch bridge. The Springfield evokes that same response; I just sat on a garden bench in my driveway staring at it. The designers created a machine that does so much to capture my eye. The mechanicals, bodywork, upholstery… everything about the Springfield makes me want to stare. And given the comments from acquaintances and strangers, I am not alone in my impressions. “Nice bike!” was commonly heard during my time with the Springfield. So many aspects of the Springfield come across as massive. The valanced fenders and fat fork legs. The beefy steering head gusset. The broad engine valve covers and deep cylinder head cooling fins. The engine block, primary drive, and transmission… think blacksmith’s anvil. Massive and solid. Over 800 pounds of solid. The handling of the Springfield bagger belies its weight. With the low seat height, low center of gravity, and tightened steering angle (compared to the Indian Chief Classic cruiser), this mo-
torcycle shows itself to be light-footed, and it can dance. What came to mind was a TV commercial jingle from my childhood- “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down!” It responds very quickly to input from the handlebar but without overshooting the action. Tell it where to go, and it goes exactly there without any effort. This was especially nice while negotiating freeway lanes and while exploring the “alphabet” roads of western Wisconsin. The Springfield is no wallowing pig. Torque is the name of the game with these big bore, pushrod V-twin engines, and there is plenty of it, peaking at 119 ft. lb. at about 3,000rpm. Accidently pull away from a stop sign while still in third gear? No sweat. With all that torque available, and the nicely spaced gear ratios of the six-speed transmission, simply twisting the throttle was about all that was needed to get the bike to do what I wanted it to do. I found the bottom four gears really provide all the necessary shifting action up into the low-mid 60mph range. The Springfield is not without a few quirks. Objectively speaking, I experienced light to moderate helmet buffeting with the windshield installed, but I’ve learned over time buffeting can result from a combination of things. Torso height, helmet profile, lower front body panels/ fairings, and yes, windshield design, all contribute to the level of buffeting. I didn’t feel the buffeting was problematic up to interstate speeds, but after that my head was starting to jostle around more than I’d like. And with this windshield, I found I was looking through it about 1+” below its top edge. Shorter and taller windshields (3” in each direction) are available, too, as are lower fairing panels. The rider’s seat, although visually it is wellbuilt, I felt I was sinking into the padding a bit too much. I didn’t bottom out to the seat pan, but the padding is soft. If the Springfield saddle could have firmer, more supportive padding, it would go far to making the feet-forward leg position better. In the feet-forward orientation, my body weight is supported by the rear of my hips and into my lower back, and after an hour in the saddle I was looking forward to a break. But that’s me. (Subjectively speaking, this is a common issue I find; motorcycle seats that are designed for the lines
Big, bold and bright. of the bike and not for the ergonomics of the rider. Seats are an individual matter, which is why there is a strong aftermarket for motorcycle seating.) This Springfield sports a 111 cubic inch (1,811cc) air-cooled engine. That means heat. There’s a lot of fire going on between your knees. At highway speeds with low-80 degree air temps, the engine heat wasn’t bad, but at 40mph pleasure speeds, my legs would get quite warm. How do you get around that? You can’t, it’s a giant engine! You could ride at freeway speeds all the time, but sometimes a fella just wants to slow down and take in nature, maybe say hello to the cows. When that happens, you’ll feel the heat. But there are good points, too. Along with all the eye candy, the Springfield comes stock with the windshield, passenger backrest (an accessory rider’s backrest is available), and spacious electric locking hard saddlebags, all of which are quick-release, and when removed you have a completely different looking bike. Also, the Springfield comes stock with electronic cruise control, front and rear tip over bars, fog lights, and a fob-operated keyless ignition system. Want more? Visit the Indian website for a wide array of mechanical, architectural, and functional accessories. A left index finger trigger switch operates the LCD display function, featuring a host of information tidbits. Your choice remains displayed until changed, even after shutting down the bike. The tachometer function is found here; there is no dedicated tach gauge. But there is a real dial indicator fuel gauge, and a constant LCD clock.
Photo by Steve Tiedman
A classic look that includes cruise control and remote control saddle bag locks.
Sometimes the little things seem to make a big difference. For example, the wide, rock solid mirrors. No matter the speed, there was not an ounce of vibration in those mirrors. Another nice feature are the passenger footrests. They are stout, and adjustable for height and angle,
Photo by Steve Tiedman
assuring just the right position for leg length and style of footwear. The rear suspension features an easy to use single air shock. We adjusted the air pressure for my weight, and it worked very well. It absorbed bumps in a rather automobile-like fashion. No bouncing, no bottoming-out, it just worked. The front suspension is not adjustable. An adjustable fork working together with the adjustable rear shock could make for a very comfy ride. Other major mechanical systems- the ABS braking system was… not on my mind at all. Strong, smooth, and capable, ‘nuf said. The cable actuated clutch worked nicely with a modest pull, but the gears would never grind. Lifting the toe shifter required just a little bit of effort but every time you were rewarded with probably the most solid ‘thunk’ I’ve ever experienced with a motorcycle gear shift. A clean, precise shift, which had a gear engagement like a 2-pound dead blow hammer on that blacksmith’s anvil. Man, those must be some massive mechanicals inside that system. As for fuel mileage, I found a 39mpg average. Most of my riding was on the highway, I didn’t have much stop-n-go time with the bike outside of commuting to work. With a GVWR of 1,385 pounds, the bike should be able to haul a maximum of 533 pounds of humans, accessories, and stuff. That’s darn good. With a little effort to make the Springfield meet your needs, it will be much more than a weekend bar-hopper. It’s really a spirited light touring bike that should be worthy of your consideration. Thank you to Guido Ebert and Indian Motorcycles for the opportunity to review the Springfield.
Every issue 1996 thru 2016 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
MMM
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
7
d — A Beautiful Bagger F
By Catten Ely
irst, a little history. Indians started out as racing bicycles. In 1901, the Hendee Manufacturing Company in Springfield, Massachusetts, headed by a pair of bicycle enthusiasts, built a handful of gas-powered bicycles to pace bicycle races. It didn’t take them long to see the potential of their single-cylinder motorcycles, and demand grew quickly. The easily recognizable “indian Red” paint became the brand’s signature in 1904. Fueled by international racing victories and solid engineering, Indian became the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. During WWI, the company built nearly 50,000 motorcycles for the US military and earned the brand a solid reputation for reliability and durability. Hendee changed its name in 1923 to the Indian Motocycle (no r) Company. A focus on innovation and speed, along with close attention to styling (like the addition of the well-known Indian-head ornament on the skirted front fender) kept the brand afloat through the Depression. Things looked promising for Indian — for a while. New management, unsuccessfully branching out into shock absorbers and outboard motors, competition from Harley-Davidson, and a failed vision of modular manufacturing that introduced serious quality issues brought the company to its knees. In 1953, the doors were quietly closed due to bankruptcy. Several companies continued to sell Indianbranded bikes, which were rebadged bikes from other manufacturers. Despite its ugly demise, the iconic brand’s reputation remained valuable. Fast-forward to 2011, when Polaris succeeded in purchasing Indian Motorcycles and finally reviving the marquee. Named for the birthplace of the original Indian, the Springfield is part of Indian’s bagger line, a direct competitor to H-D’s Road King. I confess that I wasn’t sure what “bagger” meant. A little research turned up a working definition: It’s a touring-capable bike with
Photo by Alan Amesbury
Old-school styling with great paint and a whole lot of chrome. saddlebags. American Iron put it in terms I understand: People with these bikes are “… riders who appreciate comfort and function in their motorcycles – stock or modified – over simply making a fashion statement.” This bike initially looks like a behemoth to me. It weighs in at 852 pounds — 360 more than my daily commuter. It’s wide and shiny and has this fantastic-looking motor, which is also very shiny. More about that motor in a bit. I walk around it, noting the cool, old-school fender skirts, Indian branding on everything, and the generous amount of chrome, which makes me uncomfortable. What if I get it dirty? Did I mention how shiny it is? And there is the Indian-head ornament on the front fender that I mentioned earlier. This bike is Indian Red; it’s also available in Thunder Black.
Photo by Steve Tiedman
Plenty of motor with a 119 ft. lb. of torque
I expect the seat to be too wide and uncomfortable. It isn’t. It’s low, for sure, at 26 inches, but it isn’t squatty. The handlebars are bit too far forward for my T-rex arms, but that’s easy to change. I check out the controls. In addition to the usual meters and gauges, I discover the fancier stuff: ambient air temp, fuel economy, gear indicator, and what’s this? Cruise control? On a stock bike?
Actually, this bike comes standard with split leather seats, ABS, steel-braided lines, tire pressure monitoring, keyless start, highway bars, dual driving lights, a quick-release windshield, adjustable passenger floorboards, and quick-release hard saddlebags with remotecontrolled locks and a power port inside. I think about all the extras I’ve bought for my bikes and congratulate the people behind this model for being awesome. It’s also built with low maintenance in mind. Example: The semi-dry sump oiling system goes 5,000 miles between oil changes. Bang, meet buck. I push the start button (the magic fob is safely in my pocket). The Thunder Stroke 111 engine doesn’t roar or growl when it’s started. It rumbles and sounds finely tuned, with no weird missing or modulation. Motorcycle engineering has reached a point where an engine speed-balancer can deliver a perfectly smooth feel, but riders want feedback, so the Springfield softens but doesn’t completely eliminate engine vibration. It’s a bit loud for my taste, but I appreciate the solidness of it and put my earplugs in. The 111-cubic inch (1811 cc) motor is a 49-degree, air-cooled, V-twin that produces 119 pound-feet of oomph delivered to the rear wheel through a six-speed transmission and belt drive. The outward-angled cooling fins are functional and the heat rises from this big engine from under your legs. On the road, the bike is amazingly well balanced. It swoops through corners, and the 5.6 inches of ground clearance let me lean pretty far into a tight turn without sparks. Shifting is easy and smooth, with a satisfying thunk. There’s plenty of throttle response in every gear. The cruise control is easy to use and handy on the highway.
The ride is just okay. Maybe it’s my build or the seating position, but I found the forced Cshape (arms and feet far forward) hard on my mid back. The suspension is great, though. The bike is beefy — and made to carry beefy loads. A single, air-adjustable rear shock makes it easy to adjust for weight and conditions. Front suspension travel is 4.7 inches and the rear is 4.5, and the bike doesn’t dive much when braking hard. Speaking of braking, dual 300-mm floating rotors with four calipers in the front and a similar single 300-mm setup in the back means the stopping distance on this is surprisingly short for its weight. When the ABS kicks in, you can feel it, but it’s not startling. A review isn’t complete without including the cons, and there aren’t many. Improvements that the design team might consider in the next go-round are traction control and a tunable front suspension. Also, reconsider the chrome highlights on the dash and tank — they’re intensely blinding on a sunny day. Make the windshield adjustable. Make putting air in the tires easier. Give us a bidirectional turn-signal indicator. My impression overall is that the Springfield does a fine job of accelerating, stopping, cornering, handling, and turning heads. I got a lot of attention and was approached many times with questions about where I take it. If a classically-styled motorcycle is on your wishlist, it’s definitely worth a look. There are plenty of accessories available to make it your own (including heated grips), and Polaris did a fantastic job paying tribute to the Indian history without simply building a modern reproduction.
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
Feature
F
High Plains Drifter...Or How
By Victor Wanchena
lat track racing fascinates me. There is something elemental about it that appeals to me, from the first time I saw On Any Sunday, to watching pros race on the big mile tracks. My fascination has always included a desire to try it, but wasn’t sure how to start, what I should ride, and a dozen other excuses. That all changed when a couple flat tracker friends began working me over. “It’s easy”, “You’ll love it”, “Your bike is fine”, “Just go ride”, their cajoling had no end. So, I relented. Step one was little bike prep. I poured over the rulebook and got the basics. I made a couple phones calls to my drifter friends and I was ready to dive in. My bike of choice was 2001 KTM 520 EXC. It had been my do everything bike. Dual sport, trail riding, and commuting so I figured why not race it? The first big job was to get it prepped for the first race. I actually didn’t do much. I pulled the lights, lowered the forks in the triple clamps, pulled the front brake off, made electrical tape numbers, and threw on a set of dual sport tires (dual sport take off ’s traded for a couple packs of smokes). My metal artist sister-in-law welded up a steel shoe for me. I wanted to spend time getting comfortable on the bike, but really had no idea what I was doing. There isn’t a good way to practice without a track. I was apprehensive as race approached, but MX and trials has taught me to be comfortable with last place. The first race was in mid-April at the Cedar Lake Arena. The day of the race I arrived and settled into the pits getting geared-up. I took note of a lot well-prepped machines and riders. There was brief rider meeting then practice, which was a bit chaotic as riders were supposed to practice with similar skill level. I had no idea what my skill level was so I just looked for other riders that seemed as sketchy as me and lined up with them. And with that, I was out on the track. The track was short, it was around 1/8 mile with mild banking (just a few degrees). I was instantly amazed at the amount of traction.
Photo by Jim Weatherhead
This is what a strong lead looks like. The clay in the track was well packed and had the grip of pavement most places. I chugged around a few laps and pulled in. I felt pretty good, had no idea if I was fast or slow, but couldn’t wait to go out again. Second practice session went as well as the first. I tried to push a little harder into the corners and run a different line. I had noticed I was staying pretty far outside around most of the track, too far outside compared to other riders I had watched. The race order had me in the 18th race of the night. It was about 8:30 when I lined up for the first heat. The heat race is six laps and your finish determines your starting line choice for the main. I got staged and lined up. There were 6 in my class. Two kids on screaming little 2-strokes and three other guys on big bikes, but they where all fully prepped flat track bikes
Photo by Jim Weatherhead
Taking an outside line and staying out front.
with proper tires and lowered suspension. The green flag dropped and most everyone got off the line faster than me. I was in fifth as I battled for last with another guy. On the third lap I finally pulled away from him and then dove under one kid in the next corner. The next lap I went around the outside of another rider. Crap, I was in third. I tried to stay smooth and just finish. When the checkered flag dropped I had held on to third and was closing on second.
pretty small, just three of us. One was a girl on nicely prepped XR200 and the other was a guy my age on a fully prepped RMZ 450. My KTM looked cartoonishly tall next to them. The first heat for Beginner C went well. The RMZ guy got the hole shot and I followed him for a couple laps. I finally closed the gap and was right on him and was able to out drive him into a corner and get by. He chased hard the rest of the heat, but I held on to first. The XR trailed by a good amount.
Wow, that was incredibly fun and felt way smoother than expected, but now the long wait for the main. The conditions on the track got slower as the surface dried over the evening. I wasn’t sure what to expect and was nervous, only because it had gone so well thus far.
The Mad Dog class was packed with 10 bikes so they split the heats up. I was in the first heat. Another lackluster heat had me in last place for most of the race, until after flogging the poor TTR like a rented mule I got around another big guy on a TTR.
I finally got lined up for the main. Based on what I learned thus far I lined up right next to the fastest guy in my class figuring I could just follow him as much as possible. The race started and I was third off the line. On the back straight I out-drove the guy ahead of me. He followed me for a half lap and then ran wide and crashed in the 1st corner. The 4th place rider went down somewhere as well, and the caution was out. The leader and I pretty much just rolled the last couple laps under caution. So by attrition I had finished 2nd. I was frankly amazed how much fun a short race on a small track could be. The riding was a weird combo of road riding lines with offroadriding looseness.
The Beginner C main went great. The RMZ guy got the hole shot again, but I had him by the second corner and he didn’t put much pressure on me. My first win in a main! The new wheels and tires made the bike corner way harder. The grip difference was noticeable even to a novice like me.
After the first race I wanted to race more than a single class so I looked around the garage and spotted my wife’s Yamaha TTR 125, which qualifies for the Mad Dog class (under 200cc air cooled 4-strokes). So I dropped the forks an inch, cranked up the preload, and electrical taped up some numbers on it. It felt cramped and was pitifully slow with me on it, but what could go wrong? I also built a set of 19” wheels for the KTM and spooned on some for-real flat track tires. The second race was at the same indoor track at Cedar Lake Arena. The beginner class was
The Mad Dog was another story. It was a big mass start of ten bikes. I sucked off the line again, but was making up a little ground when I got over ambitious in a corner and slid out. The race was red flagged and we had to restart. Now I’m back at the naughty line on the start (if you crash you restart behind everyone else), already in last place except for a pro kid that always starts behind the last rider just to test himself. We start again and the pro guy slides past me like I was bolted down to the track. We get a couple more laps in until someone else goes down. Another restart, pro guy passes me on the outside again like a man possessed. Race ends with me comfortably in last place. So the damage report was KTM in great shape, TTR was too small, and my steel shoe needed a lot of repair. I was amazed how fast it was wearing. I spent an hour with the torch reinforcing it and filling some holes, but found it was strangely satisfying.
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
9
I Learned to Stop Worrying and Slide the Bike My desire to race two classes wasn’t gone, but I knew the TTR wasn’t the right bike. My friends (known vintage hooligans) suggested I look for a vintage single. The Vintage Single A class is for twin shock, 600cc or less bikes made before 1981. The hot rides for this are Yamaha TT500’s and Honda XR500’s. A casual conversation with some other vintage guys churned up TT500 that needed a new home.
torque, but wheelies don’t help my start. The rest of the pack pulls away pretty quickly and I do what I can to catch up. I also realize how bad the shocks are. They are essentially bottomed and don’t seem to have any damping. I finish last in the heat, but was thrilled the TT held together for the heat and noted the motor wasn’t smoking as the previous owner reported.
I call the TT500’s owner on a Tuesday morning. Yup, he’s got one he’ll sell cheap. It’s a big unknown, it’s been sitting in his shed for some time, and he remembers it smoking a lot. I head over and pretty much say yeah I’ll take it before I’ve even seen it. The addiction is starting to pull harder. I load the bike and head home to take stock in my new acquisition.
The Open B Main was next. There were 7 riders and all on serious machines. I hadn’t got to see the 2nd Open B heat so wasn’t sure who my competition was. Since I won one of the heats I got second choice on starting position. We got lined up and like that the race was on. I started poorly, but made up some ground on the first lap settling into the 5th place. The lead group was way faster than me, and I watched them pull away each lap. I stayed on the 4th place guy and was closing in by the last lap, but I didn’t have enough to make a run at him. Still I was happy to actually finish above last place in an actual B Class race.
The motor is free and seems to have good compression. The frame has been de-raked with a new head tube welded in. It’s got a decent set of K&N flat track bend bars. It has a big carb on it, a 19” mag on the back with a disk brake conversion, and a cool sprocket adapter. The front is the stock 21”, but the guy threw in a matching 19’’ mag for the front. The triple clamps are beefy homemade aluminum things, very stout. It also had a homemade low pipe. It seemed in pretty good shape all the way around. I drained tank, made sure the float bowl was clean and checked the plug. All good. I threw in some gas and tried kicking it to life. And then I remember how horrendously hard they are to kick. 25 kicks later I pull the flooded plug and dry it off. I try again and it actually lights up and runs. Holy crap! The pipe is loud and the motor has very big lope. I suspect it has been built with a big cam and high compression piston. The motor tune might be higher than expected as the spark plug is two heat ranges colder than stock and the front wheel bounces like a big twin HD at idle. I ride it around the block a little. It moves under it’s own power and all the gears seem to work. The next three nights I tear into actually getting it ready. I get the front mag fitted and throw on flat track tires I change all the fluids, cleaned up some sketchy wiring, and added some more electrical tape numbers. Ready or not I head for New Ulm for the Flying Dutchmen’s two-day event. I also made the decision to move up a class on the KTM. I sign up for Open B. Having won in Beginner C it was the gentlemen thing to do, and Open B is the next logical step. The track is way bigger than Cedar Lake. It’s a full 1/3 of mile with much higher speeds. The Open B race was split into two divisions, and I was in the first heat with three other riders. I actually get a good start and never got much pressure. The track feels good and I get the win. The bike handled well and I start to get an idea about the correct line. Line choice is not as intuitive as I thought. I learn it’s better to enter wide and apex when you can start to drive to the next straight. I also start trusting the bike more and pick my foot up sooner each lap. The Vintage 600 heat was another two-division class with me in the first heat again. I line up in a nice starting point (I somehow was given first choice). The light turns green and the TT leaps forward in a big wheelie. I grab the clutch and bang 2nd gear into another big wheelie. Apparently built TT500’s have some
The Vintage 600 was a bit more dramatic. I lined up with all ten riders on the line. My starting spot was fine, and I was instructed by a wise racer to start in 2nd gear to reduce the wheelies. I launched much better, but all but one guy was around me by the 2nd lap. I was giving the TT hell when a realized that something is wrong with my steel shoe. It had come off and was dragging behind my foot. I figured I’d get black flagged so I try to keep my foot up and out of the way. It’s tough dragging a foot without the steel shoe and even harder when the steel shoe is clanging around behind you. I try, but the guy behind me makes the best of my problems and is around me. The shocks actually seem worse this race and I fight a bit of headshake along with the stupid shoe. I finish 10th, but don’t crash or get black-flagged. Post mortem on the shoe is the front strap cracked at the weld. Crap. That night I ply one of Dutchmen with beer for repair of my steel shoe (thanks Charlie), and ponder about the shocks on the TT. The following morning another Dutchmen (thanks Ryan) comes through with a set of Red Wing Hammer Head shocks that were off a TT500. We try them and they fit like a glove. Seem to work fine and actually are period correct shocks. The old shocks were toast. The left one was actually broken inside so that when I took it off it literally feel apart in my hands. The Open B race was only one division on Sunday with only 4 riders, me and the three fastest guys from yesterday. The heat was no easy cruise. They all pulled away early and it was all I could do to keep them within sight. I was trying to use this as practice and enter the corners faster or at least hang closer to the leaders. I was starting to feel more comfortable, but over drove a couple corners, ran wide and lost ground on the lead pack. The Vintage 600 class was different Sunday. The heat was split into two divisions again. I was in the first heat and right from the start I feel the tremendous difference the shocks made. I finished last out of 4 guys, but felt very comfortable on the bike. No wallow or headshake and it stayed planted. On returning to the pits, my wife even commented that it looked like a whole new bike today. The Open B main was pretty much a carbon copy of the heat. The other guys were much faster than me, but more importantly I had my
Photo by Jim Weatherhead
All alone. Could be first or last. first true corner drift. I came down the back straight, sat up and did jab a little rear brake as I was leaning in and the bike did a nice little slide and scrubbing some speed. It felt really good, like narcotic drug good. The lead pack was well ahead of me, but I pulled in feeling very happy with my progress. The Vintage race was very interesting. I got an okay start, but lost track of the other riders and I wasn’t sure if there was anyone behind me. I thought I could hear another bike, but the megaphone of the TT is robust in the sound department. I didn’t dare look behind. If I did I was sure if someone were there they’d pass me. So I rode for the next 6 laps like the devil was on my ass. I held the inside line, stayed on the grove, and made myself hard to pass. As the laps ticked off I still was not sure if I was actually racing someone or just was turning laps in vain. The checker final drops and as I exit the 2nd corner on the cool down lap I sneak a peek behind me and there is another TT! He was there the whole time. I take 6th out of 8 (one
guy dropped out after a couple laps). I return to the pits and my wife tells me it was the closest race she’d seen all day. The guy behind was on my butt the whole time, but I never gave him an opening. He would catch me going into the corners but my line allowed me to pull away on the exit. I saw him later and he commented that he tried his best to get around me, but I protected the inside line too well. It’s official. I’m hooked. This type of racing is seriously a lot of fun. It combines the right aspects of both dirt riding and road riding into a one package. I don’t have a ton invested in the hardware and am enjoying the build process. I’m actually starting to get the “why” of it. I get the attraction, the passion, and the desire. It’s really a test of riders on ill handling machines with poor brakes on a sketchy riding surface. I shouldn’t like it so much, but I do. Next up is part two where I learn what a TT race is. Is that a jump?.... MMM
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10
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
Kymco K-Pipe 125 Scooter (???) Review By David Harrington OK, you got me. Only the owner’s manual says this is a “scooter”. The Kymco K-Pipe 125 is a motorcycle, though one with operation that is both different and easier than most other motorcycles. So why the “scooter” reference? The K-Pipe is a small, light motorcycle being offered by a company better known for scooters in the US market. I believe it would also make an excellent transition for scooter riders seeking an urban motorcycle alternative.
I picked up the K-Pipe from Scooterville in Minneapolis and immediately began testing. Fuel tank topped off and GPS mounted, the first thing I noticed was that both the digital speedometer and odometer read about 10% optimistic. That is to say when the speedometer displayed 40 MPH, the actual speed was more like 36 MPH. The three most common questions I am asked about scooters (and small motorcycles) are: What does it cost? How fast does it go? What’s the fuel economy? $1,999, 50 MPH, and 84 MPG. Two of those are astounding – the price (at least $1,000 less than the nearest competition) and the mileage. This bike was new and carrying 220 lbs of rider and STILL managed to produce excellent fuel economy. The K-Pipe weighs in at 224 pounds and is powered by an air-cooled, carburetor fed, 123.7cc
SOHC 2-valve 4-stroke engine putting out about 8HP and 6FtLbs of torque. Not exactly a barn burner of acceleration or top end, but more than adequate to get around in city traffic. That power is transferred to the rear wheel through a manualish (more on that in a minute) four-speed transmission via chain drive. Telescopic forks, a 2.75 – 17 tire and a single disc brake make up the front end while a mono-shock, 3.5 – 17 tire and drum brakes take care of the rear. Wheelbase is 50.8 inches and the seat height is 31 inches though it’s a pretty skinny bike so “leg spread” doesn’t contribute much to how tall the bike feels. Luckily the fuel economy is good because that little tank only holds 1.2 gallons. Controls are conventional (except for shifting) and include both electric start and a kick starter. Now, about that shifting… If you’ve ridden a Honda Cub, Super Cub, Passport, SYM Symba or Fly Scout you’ll already be a step ahead on this. Those machines featured some form of centrifugal automatic clutch with a heel/toe rotary shifter. They had no left-hand clutch lever. The K-Pipe DOES have a left-hand clutch lever though it’s not absolutely mandatory that you utilize it for lower gears and short-shifting. The heel/toe shifter on the K-Pipe isn’t completely rotary (I’m pretty sure DOT has banned true rotary shifting), but it is easy to operate. Press down with your toe to upshift, press down with your heel to downshift or go into the neutral or “0” position. Not used to dealing with a clutch, especially on starts and stops? No problem, just don’t use it. That’s right, with the engine running and the geartrain in neutral, just press down with your toe. First gear will engage with a mild click and nothing more will happen. No lurching or stalling. With the bike in first, gently twist the throttle and off you’ll go. Step down again with your toe
Photo by David Harrington
and second gear will engage. I was able to upshift and downshift without utilizing the manual clutch for 1st, 2nd and 3rd as long as I shifted at fairly low RPMs. I needed the manual clutch for 3rd to 4th shifting. I think this system would work quite well for those new to a conventional manual motorcycle. You know, like people who had only ridden CVT automatic scooters and such. Personally, I skipped the manual clutch when starting out from stops and utilized the clutch for everything else. The K-Pipe was cold-blooded in an almost vintage Hondaesque way. First start of the day may involve some stalling and choke fiddling, but after a couple of minutes of warming up it ran like a champ. Power was just adequate (remember, I’m 220 lbs) but fine in urban traffic. The seat was tallish for me (5’ 8”) but not bad. The riding position is a touch forward and there’s not a great deal of leg room. Taller riders may feel a little folded. Handling was quite good, better than a Honda Grom by rather a lot. Groms feel like
mush to me and the front end bottoms out all too easily. Braking was more than adequate and easy to modulate with only slight fading apparent in the rear.
I liked the K-Pipe, more than I expected to. The last Kymco motorcycle that I rode was a Quannon 150 and that machine was disappointing. The Honda Grom is a fun machine, but one needs to invest in a fair amount of aftermarket to make it a good ride and it’s expensive. My personal favorite small displacement new motorcycle is the SYM Wolf 150 but it’s $1,000 more expensive than the KPipe. Yeah, a grand. The Kymco K-Pipe represents an exceptional value and I believe it would be a good choice for someone starting out, transitioning, or simply wanting a small light bike to run around town. Again, a big thank you to Scooterville in Minneapolis for facilitating this review. Twin Cities scooterist David Harrington owns and operates JustGottaScoot.com
Photo by David Harrington
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #177 August 2016
Movie Review
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Motonomad II – Riders of the Steppe Motonomad II – Riders of the Steppe Directed by Adam Riemann Motology Films, 2016 126 minutes By Victor Wanchena Being a mildly cynical moto-journalist it is rare that I see a movie that gets me diving for maps or trolling Craigslist for another bike. Motonomad II was one of those movies. Sequels are almost always bad: Cannonball Run II, Blue Brothers 2000, Breakin’ 2 Electric Boogaloo the list is endless. Motonomad II on the other hand shows the refinement of a filmmaker’s craft and truly out does the first. Motonomad (MMM #175) was a film on an unsupported adventure ride through Europe and the Mid-East by Adam Riemann the Aussie motojournalist who’s personal mantra seems to be go big or go home. Motonomad II finds Adam even more ambitious, planning to fly three KTM 500 EXCs into Almaty, Kazakhstan. From there he and his companions plan to ride through Kazakhstan to the Altai region of Russia, then cross into Mongolia. Once across Mongolia they plan to ride across the Gobi Desert circling back to their final destination in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
were on much bigger bikes. Where Riemann and crew set themselves apart is how they plunge into the unknown, riding cross-country in extremely remote areas. No trails, no tracks, just sketchy maps and a few waypoints in a GPS. The result is fascinating footage of riding in remote regions. Riemann raises the bar for adventure movies. No support crew, no chase truck, minimal gear for weeks on the road, plus a fair amount of camera gear including a drone. The daring and audacity of their ride was as stunning as the scenery. It was not without drama though. Drowned bikes, flat tires, and scarce fuel are just some of the obstacles they face. Maybe for the next movie, Riemann and crew will keep going all the way around. One can only hope. I thoroughly enjoyed Motonomad II and was again impressed by the quality of the production. This is a well-produced movie and worth the purchase price. Motonomad II is available as a digital download from Motology Films (www.motologyfilms.com) for $20 or $39.99 on DVD. MMM
Sounds familiar right? The Long Way Round boys did some of this and it wasn’t too tough. Hell, they
Calendar Ongoing
2nd Monday of the month, 7:00pm Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Gathering Diamonds Coffee Shoppe, 1618 Central Avenue Northeast, Minneapolis, MN. Not Necessary To Be a Member to Attend Gathering.
Every Tuesday, 5:45-9:00pm Ride To Sir Bendicts Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake, 805 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55802 Have dinner, talk bikes.
1st Thursday of the month, 5:00 pm Dulano’s Pizza Parking Lot Party 607 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN Hang out, eat pizza, show off your bike, watch the variety of humanity.
3rd Thursday of the month, 6:00 pm Blue Cat Motorcycle Third Thursday 460 Prior Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN, bluecatmotorcycle.com Two wheel block party. The action starts at 6:00 PM.
July
July 9, 9:00 am — 5th Annual Ride for the Future
Detroit Lakes Pavilion www.bgcofdl.org. Join the Boys and Girls Clubs of Detroit Lakes & Perham to raise awareness and support for afterschool and summer programs. This will be an approximately 100-mile led ride through Minnesota’s beautiful lakes country. The Details, $20 per bike & $10 per 2-up, first 50 bikes receive a gift bag, 75th bike wins a special prize courtesy of Schultz Garage! Lunch will be served & provided by Pit 611 in Audubon, MN.
July 9 & 10 — 27th Annual Hawgs for Dogs Motorcycle Ride
Twin Cities Harley Davidson South, Lakeville, MN to The Hotel Marshfield, Marshfield, WI hawgsfordogs.org Saturday Dinner, Refreshments, Sunday Breakfast, Run swag, Trophies, Prizes, and more! $35 per person. ALL BIKES Benefit Run proceeds benefit Guide Dogs of America. We will depart from Twin Cities Harley Davidson-Lakeville, MN. We will ride to Hotel Marshfield, 2700 S. Central Avenue, Marshfield, Wisconsin.
July 14 - 17 — 2016 LCUSA Lambretta Jamboree
mnlambrettajamboree.weebly.com Duluth, MN. Over 100 vintage Lambrettas from all over the country are expected for the long weekend. Rides up the north shore, a traditional time trial, fish fry, meat raffle, show and shine and swap meet are planned
along with a closing gala. The famed Wintermaster series 2 Lambretta is being raffled off to only those attending.
July 15 - 17 — British Biker Cooperative 36th Anniversary Motorcycle Rally & Show Year of the Chopper. Eagle Cave Natural Park 16320 Cavern Lane, Blue River, Wisconsin 53518 britishbiker.net The event offers a weekend of activities including group rides and bike games, a Motorcycle Show, Friday night movie, band Saturday night, comfortable shaded camping with dedicated quiet areas, and refreshments. This event offers a great opportunity to see both rare vintage and late model British motorcycles in action on some of the best riding roads in the Midwest. All motorcycle enthusiasts are welcome.
July 16 — 2016 Patriot Ride
Key Air – Anoka County Airport (North Entrance) thepatriotride.org Support Minnesota Military members and their families. Ride, Vendors, Raffle, Vintage Planes, Emerson Ave Band
July 23, 1 - 10pm — Dirty Side Down Motorcycle Show-Off
dors. Hosted by Bob’s Java Hut
July 30 — Bring Out Yer Dead
Sir Benedicts Tavern on the Lake, 805 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802 Vintage motorcycle rally and run. Food and drink.
July 30 - 31 — ARMCA D23 ATV/Motorcycle Flat Track Race
St. Croix Valley Raceway, St. Croix Falls, WI 5pm 651-253-1050 www.armca.org/schedules/dirt-track
August
August 13, 6:30 am — Team Lyle Minnesota 8 Hour Rally teamstrange.com This Team Strange event is a perfect first rally for the rally curious, yet will offer plenty of challenge for grizzled rally veterans. This motorcycle riding, timed scavenger hunt, is a low key, casual and fun event. See the most current event listings on our website mnmotorcycle.com. Hosting an event? MMM will list your motorcycle event for free as a service to our readers. Email bruce@mnmotorcycle.com
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We’ll get your bike there • no hassle • safe • easy • on time! Now taking reservations for Biketober Fest 2016 and Bike Week 2017
40 Years of Experience • Licensed, Bonded and Fully Insured Delivered to central location in Florida the first day of Biketober Fest or Bike Week and return to St Cloud
Contact Scooter for details • 320.260.4065 scootersmctransport@gmail.com ©2016
aero_mmm_5x3_5_0516.indd 1
3/1/16 9:45 AM
minneapolis cedar & franklin
The NEW V9 Bobber (beard optional)
sales service parts accessories
612-331-7266
scootervilleMN.com
millcitymoto.com
Every issue 1996 thru 2016 — www.mnmotorcycle.com