#178 FREE
Honda Brings It’s Big Adventure Bike To America
Inside: T he Honda Africa Twin • Thunder Punkin More Flat Track Racing • Lane Splittin’
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
All The News That Fits Bonneville Triumph Record On August 8th, 2016 the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner became the world’s fastest Triumph by hitting 274 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Piloted (you don’t really “ride” a streamliner) by TT racing legend Guy Martin, the streamliner broke the previous official record for a Triumph of 245 mph as well as the unofficial record for a Triumph at 264mph, both set by Bob Leppan, in the Gyronaut X-1. The Triumph Infor Rocket has a carbon Kevlar monocoque construction with two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines and is fueled by methanol. The motors produce a combined 1,000 bhp (!!!) at 9,000 rpm. It’s 25.5 feet long, 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall and is competing in the Division C (streamlined motorcycle) category. Triumph has returned to the salt with their eyes on the overall motorcycle land speed record held by Rocky Robinson since 2010 with the Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner at 376 mph.
When asked about becoming the fastest ever Triumph record holder Martin commented: “It’s good and we are moving in the right direction, but it is just one step on the way to what me and the team are here to do.” Triumph has a long history with Bonneville. Their Bonneville model name was conceived following Johnny Allen’s land-speed record runs at the Salt Flats in September 1956, when he reached the record-breaking speed of 193 mph. The first T120 Bonneville model was unveiled at the Earls Court Bike Show and went on sale in 1959.
The Bonneville Motorcycle Speed trials officially runs August 28th through September 1st. You can follow the progress of the Triumph world land speed record attempt at www.triumphmotorcycles.com.
CA Lane Splitting The California senate has passed a bill that finally makes lane splitting legal in the state. They have sent the bill on to the governor for signature in to law. The practice of lane splitting, riding between lanes of traffic, has been common practice by motorcyclists in
Photo Courtesy of Triumph Infor
California for years. While not specifically called out as a legal practice in law, it wasn’t banned either. The California Highway Patrol has not actively tried to stop the practice and so it lived in an odd gray area.
The bill, which passed the senate 69-0, makes it legal for motorcycles to lane split with the following restrictions. They are limited to traveling no more the 15 mph faster than the flow of traffic and are limited to no more than 50 mph while lane splitting.
Border-to-Border Off-Road Vehicle Trail An ambitious new trail is being planned by the DNR. Called the Border-to-Border Off-Road Vehicle Trail (B2B), the route will link existing state and national forest roads with minimum-maintenance and township roads to form 400 miles of new off-roadvehicle trails between the shores of Lake Superior and the North Dakota border. The
trail would be open to any vehicle with an off-road vehicle sticker. The state Department of Natural Resources has joined with the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council and the Minnesota Four Wheel Drive Association on the project.
The project is in the early planning phases and no official timelines for opening have been set as of yet. More information is available at www.dnr.state.mn.us/input/mgmtplans/ohv/ plans/border_to_border_trail.html.
2017 Model Announcements The next model year buzz is in full swing with several manufacturers announcing part or all of their 2017 line already. KTM seems to lead the charge with their 2017 models already in production and several models on showroom floors already. The big news for KTM this year was their revised two-stroke models. Despite the prognostications of the death of two stroke bikes
KTM has introduced an all-new counterbalanced motor for 2017. Early reports claim it is ridiculously smooth and powerful. Yamaha has revealed a couple new machines including the SCR950. Based the Bolt platform, the SCR is a mix of retro, cruiser, with a little sport throw in for fun. They also introduced the FZ-10, a self-described “Hyper-Naked”. It’s essentially a retuned R1 motor in a more everyday friendly chassis. BMW has a couple revised machines and has introduced the hipster retro R nine T Scrambler. It’s sort of a modern classic scrambler using the air/oil cooler R12 motor, conventional front forks, and artful dual exhaust. Open faced helmet and flannel shirt not included.
Most manufacturers will have their full 2017 line announced in the coming month. Stay tuned. MMM
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly®
Table of Contents September 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 Creating A Baseline
Thomas Day Paul Berglund
CONTRIBUTORS
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Photo Courtesy of the LA Times
Dave Bork Harry Martin Sev Pearman Steve Tiedman Tammy Wanchena
From The Hip
By Bruce Mike
Last month’s Hip column was incorrectly credited to Victor Wanchena. It was written by me and then poorly proof-read by me. I apologize for any confusion.
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.
W
ith lane splitting recently becoming legal in California, I think it’s time to look at it in Minnesota. Here is part of the press release regarding the new bill:
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Quirk (D-Hayward) and Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R- Palmdale) have successfully granted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) authority to develop educational guidelines on lane splitting.
Lane splitting, which occurs when a motorcycle drives between rows of stopped or moving traffic, is a gray area in California law. This is because statute is silent – California does not explicitly allow it, but also doesn’t explicitly prohibit this behavior. Recognizing the need to develop guidelines as an education tool for drivers, the CHP convened a committee of traffic safety stakeholders and motorcycle safety experts in 2012. However, an individual filed a complaint that the guidelines were underground regulations. At the suggestion of counsel, CHP removed the guidelines from its website and the Department of Motor Vehicles removed them from the Motorcycle Handbook.
Tales From The Road The Dawn Of Thunder Punkin
6-7
Bike Review 2016 Honda Africa Twin
8-9
Feature High Plains Drifter Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Slide the Bike Part II
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Gear Review Corazzo Jacket And Motoport Pants
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“Removal of the guidelines left a huge gap with regards to traffic safety. CHP had to curtail all education and outreach efforts on lane splitting,” Assemblymember Quirk explained. Last year he partnered with Assemblymember Lackey, a retired California Highway Patrolman, to introduce Assembly Bill (AB) 51.
Movie Review I Ride Calendar
AB 51 clarifies that the CHP does have authority to develop educational guidelines on lane splitting. It further asks that they convene a group of stakeholders to provide their expert opinion in the drafting of the guidelines. “There are motorcyclists that lane split safely and others that disregard all safety considerations – those are the drivers this bill will help the most,” Assemblymember Quirk stated.
Entire press release can be found here — http://lanesplittingislegal.com/lane-splitting-news/ab-51-signedby-governor-brown-lane-splitting-is-officially-on-the-books-in-california Now that a bill has been passed to allow lane splitting, it will give other states leverage to make it legal. While normally I’m not in favor of more motorcycle regulations, this one I can get behind. Lane splitting is safer for motorcyclists in heavy traffic situations and allows for much smoother and quicker commuting. For many years I had a long commute and riding a motorcycle made it much more tolerable. If I would have been able to legally lane split, it would have been even better.
Cover photo by Dave Bork Review Bike Provided By Adam Cerny Empire Cycle 200 Medina St. Loretto, MN 55357 763.479.7700 www.empirecyclemn.com
Far more important than my own personal happiness, is the idea of legislation that makes motorcycle riding better for everyone. What a great world it would be if more people rode motorcycles. Safer, quicker commuting may encourage more folks to start riding. More riders would mean less car drivers using their phones. I think we can all agree, that would be better for everyone MMM
Je Suis Charlie
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
Geezer With A Grudge
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By Thomas Day
n my Geezerdom, I’m always trying to find baselines for measuring my decline. My daughter is fully on-board with my concerns and she’s recommended putting black throw rugs around the house because, apparently, old farts will mistake black carpets for bottomless pits and that is a tactic used to keep dementia patients in their rooms. Sooner or later, I’ll end up trapped in the bathroom and that will be the winter my wife escorts me to the front door during a sub-zero blizzard and sends me on some sort of grocery store errand. Like the Minnesota drivers’ license “exam,” the nation’s motorcycle competency test is a low-bar baseline evaluation. While it is true that you don’t need to be “perfect” to pass the license exam, you will need to be able to perform every one of those simple skills perfectly to stay alive on the highway and in traffic. Living in tourist town Red Wing provides me with plenty of evidence as to why motorcyclists are thousands of times more likely to die per mile travelled than cagers: most motorcyclists barely contribute more to the direction and speed of their vehicle than do handlebar streamers. It’s a Village People clown show out there, folks! Nothing about being able to take a low speed left-hand turn and stop with the front tire in a box is demanding in any way to a competent motorcyclist, regardless of the bike. Nothing about weaving through some widely spaced cones and making a right hand turn should confuse or confound a half-decent motorcyclist. Making a moderately quick stop from 12mph in first gear is not complicated. A 12 mph “swerve” around a huge fake obstacle ought to be second nature. If anything on that test baffles you, either your motorcycle or your skills are totally out-of-whack. This season was my “decompression and reevaluate” year for my career as a motorcycle safety instructor. Since 2000, I’ve taught twelve to thirty basic and intermediate riding classes a year, but this year I signed up for only four and two cancelled. Other than a trip to the Rockies in July, I didn’t do much riding this year, either. My usual 12,000 to 20,000 miles a year has withered down to about 3,000 so far this year. I’m retired, so commuting to work is no longer a habit. That accounts for about 6,000 miles a year gone from my Cities’ routine. Leaving the 88dBSPL noise level of my old Little Canada/I35E home took away substantial motivation to “get away from the bullshit,” too. Most summer mornings, I can sit on the back porch with a cup of cof-
Creating A Baseline fee watching the hummingbirds and listening to mostly nature. There isn’t much that I feel the need to get away from here. If the second half of this summer is much like the last couple of weeks, I might get in more bicycle than motorcycle miles in 2016.
ever hoarded have been tools and microphones. The microphones are mostly gone with the retirement move and downsizing and I re-evaluate my tool ownership with every declining aging phase. If I haven’t used something in the last year, the next
I started this season out like I have every year for the last 15, with a couple hours of practice time on the class range at Southeast Tech. My spring habit since I started teaching safety classes has been to do the usual beginning of the season maintenance stuff, then ride to the range and go through the entire sequence of course exercises until I can do it all comfortably. In Red Wing, after that bit of practice I head south and drop off of the pavement for 100 miles or so of gravel roads and lightweight dirt bike practice and go home. This year, I went through that routine three times before my first Red Wing Basic Rider Class (BRC), which cancelled due to a lack of students, and once more before my first Intermediate Rider Class (IRC) in the Cities. We talked about that a bit in the discussion portion of the IRC and a couple of students said they’d consider adopting my springtime season-tune-up routine and at least one thought it was “way unnecessary.”
“I’d bet most of the riders I see in Red Wing couldn’t pass the Minnesota license test in a dozen tries”.
On the way back home, I thought about the ambivalence or resistance many riders have toward any sort of competence evaluation (something that should be, but isn’t, a part of the Intermediate Rider Course). About the time I got to Hastings and into some motorcycle traffic, it became fairly obvious why many motorcyclists would resist a serious competency test and regular skills evaluation. After watching my father’s driving skills deteriorate from barely-competent in his prime to life-threatening by his eighties, I have become a firm believer in regular (every 3-5 years) re-licensing skills tests for over-60 drivers who want to cling to their driving privileges. I’d drop that number to 50 and up the testing interval to every two years for motorcyclists. Since motorcycle, car, and truck licensing is mostly about putting butts on seats (selling vehicles) and has little to do with actual highway safety, we all know that won’t happen. That resistance to reality and health cost-containment has nothing to do with my life, though.
The first day of the BRC is mostly about introducing a motorcycle to newbies, but exercises 6 (a small 2nd gear oval), 8 (offset weaves), & 9 (quick stop from 2nd gear) demonstrate actual riding skills. Likewise, all but the lane-change and obstacles exercise from the second day’s BRC exercises 10-16 are useful evaluations. A more practical obstacle is a reasonably tall curb that I have to navigate from a 45-degree angle, so I added that to my spring warm-up. So, every March from here out I’m going to go through the old routine but after an hour or so of practice, I’m going to run through every one of the nine BRC exercises and the day I can’t do all of them “perfectly” (no cones hit, no lines crossed, fast enough, and clean enough) the bike goes up for sale and I’ll fill the space in the garage with a small convertible. I might buy a trials bike, but that will be the end of my street riding days. Of course, your mileage will probably vary. In fact, I’d bet most of the riders I see in Red Wing couldn’t pass the Minnesota license test in a dozen tries. If you think that has no correlation to your riding skill or survivability, you are statistically very likely to join the ranks of the “dead wrong.” MMM
step is Craig’s List or eBay or the garbage can. Ideally, when I die the only thing my kids will have to worry about in an estate sale is getting rid of a bed, a few dishes, towels, and an empty house. So, like that dementia-test black throwrug, I needed a go/no-go evaluation tool for when it’s time to hang up the Aerostich. Lucky for me, I had one already laid out and it was totally familiar: the MSF’s BRC course. I’ve already said that I consider the BRC to be a lowest-bar standard for the skills needed for riding on the street. However, for my own self-evaluation I need it to be a little more demanding. Likewise, I already had a self-test routine established. I just need to write a scorecard for the test.
I have never considered my motorcycles to be an important part of my self-image. I don’t name my bikes and I don’t identify with any brand’s lifestyle bullshit. My motorcycles are transportation first and last. If I’m not using my bikes to go places, I’m not keeping them. The only things I’ve
“Like the Minnesota drivers’ license “exam,” the nation’s motorcycle competency test is a low-bar baseline evaluation”. Every issue 1996 thru 2016 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
Tales From The Road
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The Dawn Of Thunder Punkin Don’t tell anyone, but you can buy one hell of a fun motorcycle for not much money. Look around at all the poor bastards that bought a joyful happy Jack Russell Terrier of a bike when all their friends had bought mastiffs bikes. Those bikes are sitting in garages all around Minnesota, Wisconsin and lesser states, unridden because the owner got shunned and shamed for buying a light weight, happy fun time bike. Buy one of those bikes. Sure you may have to make new friends, but you’re going to save some cash. Then, save more cash by not buying any farkles and just riding the damn thing. Spend your money on maintenance and gas. When it comes time to buy some tires, don’t buy the hardest longest lasting ones and worry about wearing out the center of the tread. Buy the soft sticky ones and try to wear out the edges first.
By Paul Berglund
drove for hours. When I got there, I was north of Alexandria. What I beheld when the seller opened his garage door was resplendent, a 2008 Triumph (Orange!) Speed Triple. In my head, monks and vikings and angels started singing softly. None of them wore hats, out of respect. We went for a short ride, the seller on his Harley and me on his glorious orange triple. There were some, issues. It shifted like a hot butter knife through a bag of marbles. The turning radius was the same as my pickup truck. The horn was much too quiet and the pipe was much too loud. One of the vikings had to shout to the monk standing right next to him “Odin! It’s so orange!” The monk shouted back that his name was Lester. No matter, the brief ride told me this bike would do. Back at the seller’s garage I saw the stock exhaust gently wrapped in towels in a box with some extra parts. “You could make it quiet again” offered Lester the singing monk. The seller and I quickly agreed on a price that was fair for both of us. Next came loading it into the back of my truck. I deployed my two folding ramps. One for the bike and one for me to walk up on. I rolled the Speed Triple out to the street and took aim at the back of the truck. The now former owner looked at the height of the tail gate and then at my gray hair and middle age paunch and a look of skeptical horror began to form on his face. But I’m a dirt biker. I know that the difference between making it and life threatening failure isn’t so much about skill, or youth or being able to walk without limping and wheezing. It’s all about confidence. If you know you’re going to make it, you’re going to make it. I jogged towards the ramp. The seller stumbled after trying to help, certain that his beloved bike was now in the hands of a madman. We sailed up the ramp and the front tire lodged firmly into the chock. The Speed Triple stood triumphantly on it’s own, anxiously waiting to go to it’s new home. With loving hands, I tenderly strapped it down. On the drive home I had my iPhone jacked into the stereo and we all sang along. Not the bike, as it wasn’t running at the time. I mean the Vikings
Photo by Paul Berglund
and Angels and me. I had a fun street bike again, and it was orange! I was quite happy, but I knew I had some explaining to do. I’m surrounded by riders who can be, somewhat hardcore. So the idea of owning a motorcycle for shear fun can ruffle their feathers. They don’t want to trivialize motorcycles or refer to them as toys. However, when I broke the news about the orange bundle of joy in the back of my truck, I had to remain composed. Serious and dignified, no jumping about or saying “Braaaaaaap”. In my heart I would know, the days of droning long distances on heavy “practical” motorcycles were behind me. Sunny days of whizzing down twisty river valley roads were ahead. The prophecy foretold in all the happy singing came to pass. I’ve ridden those winding river valley roads. I’ve stopped in Nelson Wisconsin and eaten a brisket sandwich. I’ve even done a track day with my new to me, shiny orange Triumph. There are other bikes out there. Similar in purpose, nimble, fleet and fun. You can have one too.
buy for the bike to address it’s many short comings. How could you ride a bike in public that didn’t have the best farkles from the best catalogs? You had to find the online forum for your new bike and take the holy gospel from War Pony or Wrench Foot or who ever was the guru for your new bike. You HAVE to buy the side stand relocation bracket and upgrade the stator and the clutch slave cylinder, and so on and so on. I got so sick of buying thousands of dollars of parts because that was the prudent thing to do. Me, prudent.
If you spend your time and money on improving your riding skills and actually riding, you will get more fun per dollar than your motorcycle owning friends. Yes, it’s blasphemy to ride the wrong brand of bike or with a motor that’s too small. Your cruiser must have the best chrome and your sport bike the most carbon fiber to fit in with the in crowd. What has been forgotten is the riding. Is it better to ride grumpy in a pack or happy on your own? Part of being a motorcyclist is being a rebel. Being the best motorcyclist may mean being the best rebel you can be. Don’t look to me or some online guru or even your friends for permission. Take the bike of your choice down the road of your choice and have some fun. MMM
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Photo by Paul Berglund
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
2016 Honda Africa Twin — W
By Steve Tiedman
hat a generous offer! Adam Cerny, co-owner with Eric Riley of Empire Cycle in Loretto, MN, (an independent repair shop) offered his own brand-spankin’new 2016 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin to us for a thorough breaking-in, err, review. He handed it over to Sev with only 40-something miles on the clock. By the time I returned it to Adam a few days later, well, um, it was broken in. (It was still in showroom condition, except the odometer.) What a great guy, though; he took it all in stride. I asked what inspired him to offer his new bike for our review and he said he thought a lot of people would be very interested in this new Honda model. I think he’s right, and I know I am. Honda has provided versions of the Africa Twin to other parts of the globe since the 1980s. Finally arriving in the USA, the 2016 Africa Twin joins a large, competitive field of adventure bikes, including versions from BMW, Yamaha, Triumph, KTM, Suzuki, and others. Most offer adventure bikes in various engine sizes and in livery to serve everyone from weekday commuters to weekend explorers to off-the-grid adventurers. And why not? These motorcycles can be fairly affordable (or not), there are tons of useful accessories, they’re at home on jeep trails and twisty pavement and interstates, and generally they are just damn comfortable to ride. As a group, adventure bikes are probably the most natural fitting bikes on the road. With a little fine tuning for fit and accessorizing, these machines make all-day rides a breeze, whether on pavement or off. So you are able to compare to yourself, I am 6 ft. tall, 215 tubby pounds, with a 30 in. pant leg. Out of the crate and full of gas, the Africa Twin weighs about 510 pounds, the seat is about 34 in. above the ground, and the rear seat/luggage rack just over 41 in. high. She’s a tall drink of water and requires a high kick to swing a leg over the seat, not surprising since the fork provides 9 in. of travel with the rear shock providing 8.7 in., all of which is fully adjustable. Some internet searching showed there are already methods of dealing with this height if you need to bring the bike down a bit, especially if you outfit it with luggage. There is also an OEM short saddle, but this won’t bring the kick-over height down, it
just gives your feet more purchase on the pavement. Bone stock with factory suspension settings, I was solidly planted on the balls of my feet, heels up an inch or two. Owner Adam has a 34 in. leg and was flat-footed on the ground. The bike is pleasantly slender between the legs and for its height it is well balanced. The Africa Twin hauls 5 gallons of fuel, and combined with the compact engine design the bike did not feel top heavy. The engine is a 998cc, 8-valve parallel twin, moving power to the rear wheel through a manual 6-speed gear box fitted with a slipper clutch and chain final drive. (Honda also offers their 6-speed DCT dual-clutch transmission on a second version of the Africa Twin.) With a little ‘net digging I found a claimed 93 horsepower and 72 ft. lb. of torque. More on that later. My fuel usage reported an actual 47.8mpg over a wide mix of riding conditions. And the powerful Nissin ABS brakes did their job: no complaints there. Fit and finish are excellent, typical for Honda. The red/white/black color scheme utilizes the most vivid, brilliant, almost seductive shade of red I’ve ever seen, especially in bright sunlight. Shades of gold, gray, silver and bronze also tastefully adorn the bike. Other than the hot red paint, about the only statement of “look at me!” is the Africa Twin name on the fairing. Otherwise, the appearance of the bike is clean and simple: classy for an adventure bike. The appearance of the engine is substantial, but neat and compact. Upside-down fork sliders are well protected by full length fender extensions. An afternoon tootle around Bald Eagle Lake, northeast of St. Paul, allowed the Africa Twin to show off its dancing skills. It handles effortlessly, at posted speeds leaning way down into the beginning of an S-curve, and with an easy flick it follows into the opposite curve without losing its composure. (Thank you, Sir, may I have another?) The steering felt neutral; I didn’t have to work to get the bike to go where I wanted. I hate clichés, but the motorcycle simply felt planted and confidence-inspiring. Darn good for factory tires and suspension settings. A short stint on a gravel road showed that the wheel and tire sizes, the geometry, and suspension all come together as a good match. 50mph on crushed gravel and the Africa Twin didn’t
Photo by Sev Pearman
0mph on crushed gravel and the Africa Twin didn’t flinch or shimmy.
As comfortable on gravel as it is on asphalt. flinch or shimmy. I was imagining myself up near the Boundary Waters, or in the Chequamegen National Forest, running mile after mile of forest roads… As a nod to its long off-road heritage, the wheels of the bike are spoked 21 in. front and 18 in. rear (shod with Dunlop Trailmax dual-sport tires) helping with bump compliance, and when mixed with the wide and tallish handlebar, steering the big bike was easy and controllable. But the spoked rims require inner tubes. Still? Okay, then I learned a bit more. Other than the obvious air retention problem with spoke nipples penetrating the rim, there are any number of off-road tire pressure philosophies out there that may show the usefulness of inner tubes. And, tubeless spoked rims are likely an up-cost. Freeway time demonstrated that this 500-pounder with 93 peak ponies pulling on the harnesses easily gallops along however fast you want it to go. Coming into Minneapolis on I-394 I was clipping along with the flow of traffic just fine, thinking I was traveling in the 60mph range somewhere. Then I looked down at the dashboard. Whoa, Nellie! Yep, the Africa Twin will run all day long. This bike is powerful enough, and the engine is smooth across the power band. Speaking of gauges, I came across a roadside speed indicator sign stating I was traveling 49mph in a 50 zone. The big digital speedo confirmed 49mph. The busy dashboard display provides no shortage of information, but I felt that a lot of the data was small to read, and the lighton-dark LCD screen made viewing in bright sunlight a challenge if wearing sunglasses or using a dark helmet visor. The tach is a small bar graph set at 2000rpm increments: it’s not very useful. The dashboard information functions are controlled by easy to use buttons and triggers on the left grip, including the various traction control settings. The rear wheel ABS brake on/off button is on the dashboard. Being able to set the traction control and ABS functions to your liking are good for off-pavement use.
Photo by Steve Tiedman
Other observations: • The footpegs were fine when seated, but when standing I felt they could be larger/wider. • Very good factory saddle lets you move around, but it could be flatter under the butt rather than the slight rearward uphill slope following the lines of the bike. Nothing minor surgery couldn’t resolve. • On/off throttle response seemed a little snatchy, but was a non-issue as I learned to ride the bike. It may prove a minor nuisance if you spend a lot of time standing on the pegs in technical surface conditions. • The engine does not like to be lugged. If the engine starts to buck, just drop it a gear and you’ll be fine. • The throttle return spring has a good amount of pull. A throttle paddle device, like my beloved Kuryakyn Universal Throttle Boss, takes care of that little issue. • Shifting gears is precise and smooth, with a nice click into each gear. Neutral is easy to find. • Hey, Honda, you couldn’t include a factory center stand? Sure, it’s optional, but the chain needs maintenance… • Luggage is optional. • Stock hand guards offer some wind protection, and the stock skid plate is a nice touch. • The small windshield tames the hard headwind pressure but still flows a lot of air fairly cleanly. • You’ll notice the heat of the twin radiators when their fans kick on. Relax your legs outward and the heat mostly passes between your leg and the bike. • A great all-purpose bike. • Watch out, adventure market, Honda is here to play.
Every issue 1996 thru 2016 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
MMM
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
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Finally Available In The US A
Downs
By Sev Pearman
fter listening politely, I said into the receiver, “Thank you for the offer, but I’m no longer with MMM®”. Road Test Editor Dave Soderholm re-phrased his request, mentioning a certain old file folder with my name on it, full of questionable receipts and sketchily-filled expense account forms. After re-checking my calendar, I said I would be delighted to return to the pages of MMM® until this minor bookkeeping kerfuffle was straightened out.
Gauges are hard to read in bright sun. 511-lb curb weight. Don’t drop it off road unless you can pick it up. Stock tires are for street only. Wife’s First Reaction® “I like it; it’s a cool bike. It looks athletic…and sporty!” Fuel Economy: high 40s (tested) Selected Competition: Aprilia Caponord Rally, BMW 1200GS; Kawasaki Versys 1000; KTM 1190R; Moto Guzzi Stelvio, Suzuki V-Strom 1000 Adventure; Triumph Tiger Explorer; Yamaha Super Ténéré
My old, shoddy paperwork aside, I was excited to ride the Africa Twin, Honda’s entry into the big-bore ADV segment. MMM® reader Adam C. is a bike nut and co-owner and co-founder of Empire Cycle in Loretto, MN. He made his BRAND NEW bike available to MMM® and Editor Soderholm leapt at the opportunity. A couple days later, I met Adam at Empire Cycle. The gleaming red/black/white beauty was parked off to the side, on its own private slab. Adam explained why he thought it a good idea to give his BRAND NEW bike to two clowns he didn’t know, gave me a brief tour of the electronics and threw me the keys. I fired her up and headed north and east toward the Delta Diner and a slice of pie. This route gave me 200 miles on a mix of freeway, highway and B roads to get a sense of the Africa Twin. Honda has done their homework. The bike is powered by a 998cc parallel twin with a 270º crankpin. This compact architecture provides more of a V-twin power delivery. Redline is 8,000rpm. Out of respect to the new motor, I kept engine speeds in the midrange. The torque is deceptive. When the throttle is cracked open, there is no grunty kick of a V-twin. But do not be deceived: throttle roll-ons quickly propel you over 90mph. We’ll file this stealthy power delivery under “Honda refinement.” The stock model is well-appointed. You get a frame-mounted fairing and windscreen, decent hand guards on a tapered, aluminum handlebar, fully-adjustable suspension and bash plate.
MMM
Specifications: 2016 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin MSRP:
$12,999
Warranty: 1-year, unlimited miles; transferable This bike is narrow; more Dual-Sport single than big-bore twin. Also included is Honda Selectable Torque Control. You can choose between three levels of interference or can turn the system off completely. Settings can be adjusted on the fly via a trigger located on the left hand control. Out of respect for the paint, I kept the Africa Twin on pavement and this feature was untested. Other available options include panniers, center-stand, heated grips, light bar and 12-volt power socket. For the coffee shop set, Honda has teamed with KLIM to offer Africa Twin-branded Gore-Tex® gear. Stout spokes are laced into robust black rims. Braking is ABS via dual discs up front and a single disc in the rear. If you have the chops to power slide off-road, the ABS system is switchable on the rear (untested). A discussion of her
Photo by Steve Tiedman
off-road abilities will have to wait for another day. The stock Dunlop Trailmax tires are great on pavement; they roll in nicely in corners, accept mid-corner line changes, and are smooth and quiet. But be advised: they are a fool’s choice beyond a gravel road. I’d ride the Africa Twin until I melted off the stock rubber, then mount up more dedicated off-road tires. I liked the seat. You can set it at either 34.3” or 33.5”. With my 32” inseam and the seat in the high position, I could stop with the balls of both feet on the ground, or keep one foot on a peg and flat-foot the other. Both techniques work for me. Additionally, Honda offers a lower seat option (33.1” hi/ 32.3” lo). On highways, she is a delight. Mass-centralization makes for light handling. Foot pegs are just behind your knees, to facilitate standing. The Africa Twin is flickable without being twitchy. While the foot pegs were fine in street boots, I would swap them for larger units for off-road work. During my all-too-brief time with the Africa Twin, I saw fuel mileage in the high 40s. This gives you about 200 miles before you have to start pushing. Some say that Honda is late to the big ADV bike party. My take on it is that Honda waited until they got it right. At $12,999 she is priced between the competition, with a nice blend of on-road ability, off road potential and Honda refinement. Big thanks again to Adam C. of Empire Cycle for loaning us his BRAND NEW motorcycle. Empire Cycle is a full-service shop that services a wide variety of machines; American, European and Japanese. Check ‘em out at www.empirecyclemn.com
Ups Compact, parallel twin makes torque across the rev range. This bike is narrow; more Dual-Sport single than big-bore twin. Honda integration and finish. This is a nice machine.
ENGINE Type: Parallel twin w/ 270º crank Bore x Stroke: 92mm x 75.1mm Displacement: 998cc Compression Ratio: 10.0:1 Valve Train: Unicam, 4-valve/cyl Fueling: PGM-FI w/ twin spark plugs/cyl. Cooling: Liquid-cooled PERFORMANCE (rear wheel) Horsepower: 85.7 hp @ 7,600 rpm Torque: 67.0 lb.-ft. @ 5,900 rpm DRIVE TRAIN Transmission: Final Drive:
6-speed O-ring Chain
CHASSIS Front Suspension: 45mm inverted Showa fork, adj for preload, rebound and compression; 9.0” travel Rear Suspension: Showa monoshock, adj. for rebound and comp, remote preload; 8.7” travel Front Brake: Dual 310mm floating wave discs w/ radial-mount 4-piston calipers and ABS Rear Brake: 256mm wave disc w/ 2-piston caliper and switchable ABS Front Tire: 90/90R-21, tube type Rear Tire: 150/70R-18, tube type DIMENSIONS Seat Height: 34.3” (standard pos.) 33.5” (low position) Wheelbase: 62.0” Rake: 27.5º Trail: 113mm Curb Weight: 511-lbs Fuel Capacity: 4.97-gals inc. 1.0-gal reserve Colors: Red/Black/White (tested), Silver
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8
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
Feature
I
High Plains Drifter...Or How I Learned
By Victor Wanchena
n part one I took my first steps into flat track racing. I tried a couple races, got hooked, and bought a vintage bike. I was settling in for a summer of flat tracking. Following the last race I needed to do some normal bike maintenance on my new to me flat tracker Yamaha TT500 (mild foreshadowing). When I removed the bottom oil screen for cleaning I found a large chunk of metal. Crap. It was obviously a guide or stop for something. The break was clean and there wasn’t anything else in there other than 40-year old sludge. I scurried off to the parts book and identified the part as a guide for the kickstart lever. The kicker worked fine so I chalked it up to luck that I found it and it hadn’t wrecked anything (more mild foreshadowing). The next race was the Norsemen MC TT held at their club grounds west of Cambridge. I vaguely knew what a TT was. Essentially a TT or Tourist Trophy is a flat track race that adds a right hand corner or two and a usually a small jump. It sounded like fun and I was antsy for another race. I arrived early not knowing what to expect. I immediately went to survey the track. It looked interesting. There was way more elevation change than I expected. From the lowest point to the highest spot on the track was a difference of 10+ feet. Not exactly a roller coaster, but certainly not flat. The start finish line was also a jump. It wasn’t much of a jump really just a sharp crest of a hill that would let you catch air at speed. The track also looked really lumpy, but the set up crew was out working it over. A friend arrives and after getting his bike out, he comes over to inspect the TT 500. He asks if I’d investigated the motor internals any further and I explain I’d only welded up the exhaust and done a oil change with a cleaning of the oil screens. He laughs and asks if I found a half moon piece of metal. Dumbfounded I say yes thinking I have to check the garage for hidden cameras. He just smiles and explains it is some sort guide/stop for the kickstarter. They all break and it was probably down there for years. At 10 AM the track officials make a call out for anyone with a truck to head out on the track to help pack it. Huh? That isn’t a good sign as practice was only 30 minutes away. At 1030 they call a riders meeting. The briefing was fairly short and the news was track prep wasn’t going well, but they hoped to get practice going shortly and planned to start racing by noon. Noon came and went as the track work continued. Finally around 1 they let us out for practice. Yikes! The track was a lot of work to get around. The surface was pretty rough and rutted making it really tough in the corners. The back corner coming out of the righthander had a wicked loose sandy spot that was especially treacherous. I compare notes with a couple veteran riders. Both unanimously agree it is the roughest track they’d ever seen. Really I ask? Yes, they both think the track is so beat up that the best parts are like the worst parts of a normal track. This makes me nervous. What did I get myself into? My heats are race numbers 15 and 23. So I settle in for the long wait. The Vintage Single is my first heat. Only four of us racing and I’m the only one without the last name Schmidt. We get off the line and I have a fairly poor
Photo by Victor Wanchena
NorsemenTT Vintage – Onboard as I go for the pass into turn one. start. All three other bikes get by me. I watch the 3rd place rider stretch his lead out for the first two laps, but I start reeling him in by the end of the second lap. On lap three I go wide over the jump and brake a little later and slide past him. Now I start riding like my life depends on it. I know he’s close, but hold him off for the remaining laps. I finish third happy to not have crashed, I return to the pits and guys parked near me start waving at me. I kill the bike, coast to a stop and start to dismount. Looking down I see an Exxon Valdez amount of oil on the bike’s left side. Crap, crap, and crap! I throw it on the stand quickly and try to determine the cause. It initially looks like it’s coming from the top of the motor. Two of the guys from the vintage class come over and help with the tear down. We start checking bolts, covers lines. Everything seems good. I start degreasing the rear brake (the only brake on the bike) while the others continue probing. My next race comes up quick and we shut down repair operations while I run my Open B Heat. I hop on my KTM 520 and get to the line just in time. Two guys had dropped from the class so we were down to three riders. I actually get a decent start and am in second going into the first turn. I follow the lead guy for a bit, but the young man is quick and doesn’t make mistakes. I do make mistakes and he steadily pulls away. Back to the pits I immediately tear back into the TT. The gathered vintage bike council decides we should replenish the oil supply and start it up to watch for the leak. We put a quart
of oil in and I start the bike up and everything is fine for a few moments. I keep the revs up and watch in the oil tank. I soon see oil spraying back in. All is good. Suddenly I get the shut it down sign as oil begins pouring out the bottom of the motor. No drain plug! The drain plug, which I had been careful to not over-tighten, had jettisoned during the race. The motor being a dry sump had not instantly dumped all its oil. The scavenge pump had been returning enough oil to keep some oil in it. A spare drain plug is located in another rider’s parts stash. Wow, crisis mostly averted. I fill up the bike now with whatever oil I could find including some off brand diesel oil putting 2.3 quarts into a 2.5-quart bike. So now I set about hosing the brake disc down with brake cleaner in hopes of salvaging some stopping power. While doing this and generally wiping down the bike I discover oh crap number two. The rough course and the heavy landings off the jump have bent the shock collars. I remove the shocks and find the issue isn’t really the shock collars, but the springs. The shocks were the trackside repair from the last race. I didn’t inspect them very carefully as beggars can’t be choosers. The springs are not the OEM ones for the shocks. They are a bit bigger than they should be. This allowed the springs to move around on the collar, which let the spring bend them. Crap. The suggestion is to reinstall the collar correctly and tape them to the spring to prevent them from moving much. We proceed to duct tape both shocks. Maybe it will work?
I get the TT pretty much buttoned up in time to get to the Open B race. This one doesn’t go as well as the first. Same two riders, but this time they both get me off the line. I follow, but never get close enough for a pass. A couple good bobbles put me in a distant third. It was still a decent ride and I’m getting faster on the KTM. I also find that the right hand corner is so rough it needs to be ridden MX style. I instantly find more speed through it. The sketchy sand spot is now much worse and it gets dubbed the Viper Pit. The last race of the day finally comes around. Will the TT hold together? Will an oily rear brake burst into flames? The three Schmidt’s and I line up. My start isn’t very good with two guys way out-accelerating me into the first corner. The third guy does a nice dive in front of me and cuts me off into the first corner. Almost the identical move to what I did in the heat race. I follow for a couple laps staying fairly close. I make a couple mistakes and he opens up his lead. I do notice he’s struggling in the right-hander. On the fourth lap I catch him going in the right-hander running wide in full MX mode. I get lucky and out drive him to the next corner (the Viper Pit) and hang on to third. The bike and I hold together for the rest of the race and snag a podium finish. I fully de-greased and inspected the TT that evening. It’s none the worse for wear, even with the minimal oil and the taped up shocks. I am starting to understand why the TT500 got such a legendary reputation. The next races were held at the St. Croix Speedway near Centuria, WI. It’s a 1/4 mile
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
9
To Stop Worrying And Slide The Bike — Part II oval with big banking. It’s normally a car track, but the promoter, Shadow Valley Drifters, had worked out a deal to try a few races here. The Saturday race was scheduled for early evening. It was also that nice hot afternoon with temperatures in the low 90’s at the track. As my speed had increased I decided to try wearing race leathers instead of MX gear. I found a decent set on Craigslist and learned the joys of race leathers and 90-degree days. Learning to walk around with your leathers half on is an art form I have not yet mastered. The track was decent, but a little rough. The track staff were learning what the bikes like for a surface vs. cars so there was some back and forth and adjustment on water, grading, and such. I am fascinated by the work of track prep. It seems more an art than a science. The Vintage heat was the first up. I had one of my average starts. I really need to spend some time practicing starts. Most everyone beat me off the line and then I run wide on a couple corners. I was back of the main pack a hundred yards or so for the first couple laps. Then I started to get my head screwed on better and found my grove on the track. I caught the main pack and was in the hunt right up to the checkered. I took last but was happy I made up some ground. The Open B race was up next, but I had a single race break to get back to the pits and changes bikes. The B race went okay. I got an okay start and hung with the main pack for a while. I was able to keep a guy on an 883 Sporty at bay. I think the Sporty was a real handful and he was struggling to keep it hooked up. My KTM was feeling pretty good, but I was losing focus a bit in the corners by focusing too much on the guy ahead instead of looking through the corner. I ran wide in the loose a couple times and lost some ground on the lead pack. I took 5th at the checkered and like the Vintage Heat I was gaining on the pack enough that a couple more laps would have been good for me. The Vintage Single Main was a bit of a crap show. I rolled up to the line ready to give it hell. The bike was in good shape and I was feeling good. I raise my RPMs a bit and sat with the clutch feathered ready to launch. The light goes green, everybody takes off. Everybody except me. Somehow I had bumped the bike in neutral at the line. I find a gear, any gear, and set off with a ¼ lap handicap. I was running like hell trying to make up a little ground, but it felt pretty hopeless. As I blast down the back straight I see a rider go down. I swing wide and avoid him and the bike. I do the cool down lap and as I approach turn three I see the rider still down. The ambulance staged at the track is now rolling out to the rider. I stop on the top of the track and head down to the rider. The EMT’s and a couple other riders are now there. The rider is Mike Schmidt, the gentlemen who helped me with repairs at the last race. He’s out cold and only slowly regains consciousness. The EMT’s struggle removing his gear, so I help them with his chest protector and neck brace. They assess and want to transport him, but he doesn’t want it. We get him back to the pits to get his wits about him before he decides to get checked out in the ER. I rush back to switch bikes for Open B race. The B race goes well enough, but I’m a little off my game. I stay ahead of Sportster guy, but that’s about it.
Photo by Victor Wanchena
St Croix Open B – The line of riders ahead of Victor equals 5th place I head home and try to get some sleep. The following morning is a TT at the same track. The practice is scheduled for 9 and racing for 11. Morning comes fast enough and was dramatically cooler. When I arrive it is still spitting rain from the night before and the track looks really muddy. We settle in waiting for the track to drain enough for assessment. After a couple hours, they call a riders meeting. Do we want to ride? Everyone says yes. Track has dried out for the most part, but isn’t perfect. We are getting a late enough start that we need to shorten practice and cut the lap counts to finish before the car race that evening. I draw the lucky card again and only get a onerace gap between the Vintage and B races. This time the B race is up first. The combination of the heat the day before, the rain that morning, and the late start have the entry numbers way down. So much so, that my races are combined with other classes. The B race has me racing with the 250/450 A class guys. They’re quick, but this TT course is pretty technical.
first corner all that horsepower gets them into trouble. Both guys run hot into the loose 180˚ turn and I make up a lot of ground. The TT actually handled well in that corner. It stuck to the ground and cornered beautifully. They blast away from me on the straights and I about gave myself a spinal fracture on the jump, but am happy with the TT. I hang within a 1/4 lap of A Class guys for the 3-lap heat. By the time the B Main comes around the track has gotten pretty good. Turns 1 and 2 are smooth. The infield section is loose, but very rideable. I get a better start and am actually in position for a pass when I run hot into the first 180˚ and have a slow low side. Crap. I pick the bike up and get going again, but I’m 1/4 lap down. I chase as best I can for the next 3 laps and actually catch the back of the pack, but still finish 3rd (out of 3, AKA last) in the B class. I rush back and grab the TT for the Vintage Single Main. Fresh off my low side I’m de-
termined to make a better showing this time, but am realistic that my chances are not good against Open A riders. The start is the same, but I stay with them in the tight sections. They pull away every time on the straights and turns 1 and 2 but I regain ground in the infield. On the 3rd lap one of the Open A guys runs real wide on the first 180˚ and is in the rhubarb. I get past him and never see him again for the remainder. I take 2nd over all, but technically a 1st in my solo class. The riding is coming more natural and I’m feeling more confident, but I have so much to learn. I’m still not comfortable drifting. I can start the drifts now pretty consistently, but as soon as I get sliding my sundress billows up in my face and I shutoff the throttle. A month further into the season and the hook is set even deeper. Next up, I go to school…
The course is really a big U shape. You take off normal, go through turns 1 and 2, down the back straight, then turn 180˚ and head back through the infield section of the back straight. A couple small jumps are throw in, a bit of a chicane, and then another 180˚ back onto the front straight. The B heat is interesting. Most everyone is faster off the start but I hang at the back of the pack for the first few turns. The first jump really throws the bike in the air and the hard right hand corner is slippery and tight. I finish last, but don’t get spanked. I hustle back and grab the TT for the Vintage Single Heat. This one is really funny. Just two Open A riders and one lonely Vintage Single, me. Since I’m a really a race of one I don’t try to kill myself and use it more as practice session. The A class guys walk away from me off the line and I just follow as best I can. But, at the
Every issue 1996 thru 2016 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
MMM
10
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
Gear Review
L
Corazzo Jacket And Motoport Pants By Steve Tiedman
ast summer I bought a new Moto Guzzi V7II Stone from Mill City Motorcycles/Scooterville in Minneapolis. This was at the same time that the shop brought in their first inventory of Corazzo motorcycle jackets. Along with current model stock were some discontinued styles (which have been tweaked and brought in as new models). “Hey,” me thinks, “That Corazzo men’s model 5.0 jacket would look great with my new Guzzi!” Olive green, red and reflective silver striping, Italian styling... yeah! It looks a lot better and more stylish than my 10-year old, faded/filthy yellow 3/4 length adventure touring coat. The Corazzo 5.0 (replaced in the lineup with the new 6.0) serves as a 3-season waist-length jacket. The 5.0/6.0 models feature 1000 Denier Cordura fabric throughout, the good stuff, along with beefy YKK zippers, and 3M reflective on the front, back, and arms for outstanding nighttime conspicuity.
Whenever I buy new motorcycling outerwear, I always bring along a few cold weather layers that I’d want to wear under the jacket, to make sure I buy the right size and that it serves the multi-season intent. In the cold, layered up and vent zippers closed, the Corazzo jacket performed very well. The sleeves offer a long zip closure and Velcro strap that works perfectly with standard gloves tucked into the jacket cuffs, or gauntlet style gloves over the sleeve cuffs. In the warm months, the combination of open collar and sleeve cuff zips, the 12-inch long armpit zipper vents, and the 6-inch long vertical shoulder blade zipper vents allow copious amount of air to flow through the jacket- nice! And the 1000 Denier Cordura is water resistant so there are no worries about summer showers, but it’s not a rain suit. From the safety perspective, their use of high denier Cordura (denier- a unit of measure for the linear mass density of fibers; the higher the number, the greater the mass of the fiber) and removable CE-rated Knox® Armor in the shoulders, elbows and back make for a quite protective jacket for your vulnerable torso parts.
Corazzo produces men’s and women’s jackets and coats, along with other accessories. Mill City Motorcycles/ Scooterville in Minneapolis, and Starr Motorcycle in North Mankato, are the Minnesota dealers of Corazzo products. See their website at www.corazzo.net. Along with the aforementioned 10-year old coat, I have
its matching pair of all-weather pants. Both of which still perform like new after about 60,000 miles, and other than rough cosmetics, they are still in great shape, functionally and structurally. But in hot, humid weather, those touring pants create sauna conditions inside of them. So, this summer I decided to up the comfort ante and invest in Kevlar mesh motorcycle pants from Motoport.
Motoport, this is top shelf stuff. If you want a garment, be it pants, jacket, or even a full suit, it is quite likely that it is going to be made to fit for you. You can order just about anything they sell from materials such as mesh Kevlar, stretch Kevlar, and Cordura.
I built a hybrid pair of pants. I specified the “Ultra II Air Mesh” Kevlar mesh for the front of the pants, and the “Ultra II Stretch” Kevlar material for the back. This was an upcharge over the standard Ultra II Air Mesh pants, but I wanted the more forgiving fit stretch Kevlar on the back of the pants with the ultimate in air flow across the front. Motoport’s website, motoport.com, has information comparing their different materials and construction methods, and options for water protection and insulation.
Motoport builds their garments with loads of padding, in two different pad types. I opted for the standard armor padding, the “World’s top rated, lightweight, perforated Tri-Armor that fully covers: Knee/shin and full wrap around thigh armor.” These are large pads; they cover more body surface than any other motorcycle garment pads I’ve seen. I also ordered the optional hip pads and the sacrum (tailbone) pad of the same Tri-Armor material. (Their “Quad-Armor” is an even more protective armor, available for an upcharge.) The Motoport pants are beefy and tough, but once I had them on and went for a ride, the padding conformed to my body and the fit and weight seemed to disappear. Cooling from the mesh? Sweet! With jeans underneath, I don’t feel wind blowing through them like with cheap mesh (owned that, too), rather when I was off the bike working up a bit of sweat, after I started rolling down the road I immediately felt the cooling effect of evaporation all along my legs. Ah, finally, summer comfort! Yep, the cooling takes place even with the armor lining the pants. The perforated padding lets the air move right through. With my Corazzo jacket and Motoport pants, I’ll be doing more mid-summer riding instead of sitting in the air conditioned house. My old gear will take care of the nasty stuff. MMM
Photo by Steve Tiedman
The 5.0/6.0 models feature 1000 Denier Cordura fabric throughout.
Photo by Steve Tiedman
Photo by Steve Tiedman
World’s top rated, lightweight, perforated Tri-Armor that fully covers: Knee/shin and full wrap around thigh armor.
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #178 September 2016
11
I Ride
Movie Review
I Ride Directed by Daron Ker Water Buffalo Pictures (2013) By Tammy Wanchena I Ride is an eighty-minute tribute to the Fryed Brothers Band, a country band that rocks the motorcycle circuit. With songs like “The Sturgis Tango”, “The Cunnilingus Yodel”, “Roar of Dirty Thunder” and “I Ride”, the Fryed Brothers Band play events sponsored by Easy Riders and a number of other biker events that bring out some of the toughest gangs in the United States. Their fans include Willie Nelson and Sonny Barger. Big, burly, unkempt looking bikers from gangs like the Hessians, Ghost Mountain Riders, Circle of Pride, and Chubb’s Bros talk about their love of this band and their love of riding. There’s tons of nudity so this one’s more for the lonely than the family. The music is mostly country, but there was some rhythm and blues. And the band members have some colorful stories. Willie Nelson tells a bad joke. Sonny Barger exhausts his voice box batteries.
been a fan of country music. And yet, I found myself entertained. I am so far removed from the biker culture this film covers but, I ride. I understand their love of riding and the open road. Everyone in the movie is having a good time, dancing, drinking, smoking, riding and hanging with friends. In younger years I could relate to every one of those things. But, I cannot relate to the fact that I did not see a single helmet in the entire movie. Not even on Rhett Rotten riding the Wall of Death. Honestly people… MMM
I expected to hate this film. I am not a fan of crowds. I am jealous of young girls uninhibited by nudity. My butt is too big to ride a Harley. I am not remotely impressed by violence. And I have never
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.
September September 8-11 — 2016 Minnesota North Shore Shindig Wildhurst Campground, Finland, MN northshoreshindig.wordpress.com A Dual Sport and Adventure Bike rally in the heart of the Minnesota Arrowhead and Superior National Forest.
September 10-11 — Black River Falls Shifty < 350cc UP Coffee Roasters, 1901 Traffic St NE Minneapolis, MN 55413 Look us up on facebook
A motorcycle, scooter, and moped ride from Minneapolis to Black River Falls, WI and back, for manual-shift bikes with displacement of 350cc or less. It takes place over the course of two days and 300+ miles, traversing country highways and winding roads. See our Facebook event for more details.
September 10, 10:00 am Team Collin Annual Motorcycle Ride Hooligans Bar, Mankato, MN
September 17, 3:00 - 6:00 pm 2nd Annual Wheels Beneath our Wings Motorcycle/Car Show
Sept 11 ARMCA District 23 Flat Track Race Norsemen M/C – TT – Cambridge, MN
Sept 17 & 18 ARMCA District 23 Flat Track Race Flying Dutchmen M/C – ST New Ulm, MN
facebook.com/events/1099379786789149/?ti=cl Registration 10am, kickstands up 11am. 4 stop poker run prizes for top 3 hands. Meal provided after the ride. All money raised will go to a local pediatric heart patient family.
http://www.armca.org/schedules/dirt-track/
Sept 15 - 17 Bob’s Cycle Supply’s Fall Clearance Sale End of the season Sale on Street Gear.
September 17, 3:00 - 6:00 pm Konawerks/Grumpy’s 6th Annual Bike Show Grumpy’s Bar & Grill, 1111 South Washington Avenue, Minneapolis
facebook.com/events/1064709836922212/ This is a FUNDRAISER! All proceeds go to the Minnesota Prostate Cancer Coalition. Bring your motorbike(s) and enter to win fabulous prizes! Raffle prizes, games and great music will be present to entertain you! Don’t ride? Come and gawk at all the cool motorbikes, scooters and mopeds!
Holman Field, St. Paul Downtown Airport, 644 Bayfield Proceeds go to help support The Learning Jet. Get more details at www.mnawa.org
http://www.armca.org/schedules/dirt-track/
September 23 - 25 CRA September Race Weekend Donnybrooke Course
Brainerd International Raceway, 5523 Birchdale Rd, Brainerd, MN www.cra-mn.com/wordpress/
September 24 Croixland Leather Works 20th Anniversary Party
Osceola WI. 11:00 – 5:00 Live music – Corey Stevens and Tuck Pence. Rain date is September 25th More info: 715-294-4640
September 30 - October 2 Lace, Grace and Gears Rally Beaumont, TX
lacegracegears.com World record attempt for the largest number of women riders in one location.
Rocktober October 2Slimey Crud Run Pine Bluff to Leland WI
http://www.slimeycrudrun.com/ Despite the name, the event is not limited to the sheathed-in-plastic sportbike set. In fact, while there’s something for everybody in every class of bike, the event seems much more like a rolling vintage and classic bike show.
Oct 8, 12:00 pm ARMCA D23 ATV/Motorcycle Flat Track Race
Cedar Lake Arena New Richmond, WI http://www.armca.org/schedules/dirt-track/ 651-253-1050 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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GOING TO DAYTONA?
Scooters Motorcycle Transport
9521 Garfield Ave S Bloomington, MN 55420 952.405.8269 www.crosstowncycle.com info@crosstowncycle.com
Daytona Bike Week • Biketober Fest
aerostich.com/mmm
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
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Every issue 1996 thru 2016 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
3/1/16 9:45 AM