Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly - May 2015 by Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly

#165 FREE

The Bolt, Yamaha’s Star

Inside: 2 015 Yamaha Bolt • Special Section: Scooters The TriState River Ride • Calendar Of Events

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly®

Table of Contents May 2015

PUBLISHER

From The Hip

Victor Wanchena

All The News That Fits

MANAGING EDITOR Bruce Mike

Geezer With A Grudge When You Need A Faster Bike

EDITOR Guido Ebert

COLUMNISTS

Tales From The Road Free Shipping

Thomas Day

CONTRIBUTORS

Photo by Bruce Mike

Paul Berglund David Harrington Jesse Walters

From The Hip

WEBMASTER

At the beginning of March of this year, I went to Moab Utah for a week of off-road riding. I had never spent a week of vacation this way and I was really looking forward to it. There were eight of us and seven bikes. My friends wife was planning to rent her vehicles when she got there. We set out early on a Saturday morning and immediately slipped into Smokey and The Bandit mode. We had two trucks with trailers and a pilot car leading the way. Travelling with this large of a group always makes me nervous especially having never travelled with some of them. As it turned out, my worries were unwarranted. They are all really good, like-minded people, and travelling with them was a ton of fun.

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 2015 by Hartman Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Review Adventures in Motorcycling Dispatching through 80’s London

By Bruce Mike

8-9

Bike Review 2015 Yamaha Bolt

10-12

Special Section Scooters

In our last issue, Paul Berglund shared his experience in Tales From The Road. I thought I would share my take on the adventure. Out of the eight of us who went, four of us had never done a trip like this before. We were not only newbies to Moab but fairly inexperienced off-road riders. I started doing little off-road trips about four years ago. Just around the different Off Highway Motorcycle areas in Minnesota. I really enjoy this type of riding so a trip to Moab sounded perfect. I recently purchased a CRF250L. I really picked the right bike for me. It’s fuel-injected, electric start, low seat height and not over-powered. The perfect old guy trail bike. My only off-road riding with it was at the OHV park in Gilbert, Minnesota. I basically had about six hours of trail riding with it. I was ready to go. Thanks to the internet and GoPro cameras, the only thing surprising about Utah was how it felt to see it in person. The scenery was breathtaking. I’ve lived in Colorado so mountains were nothing new but the rock formations and canyons were amazing. Seeing and experiencing things that can only happen on a motorcycle is one of the reasons I love riding. There was a lot of that in Utah. We got there mid-afternoon on Sunday and after weeks of bitter Minnesota cold 50 degrees felt great. We off-loaded all the bikes and did some prep for the next day of riding. Our first day was going to be “easy” so we could get comfortabe with riding. It wasn’t all that easy but it was great fun. Day two was a 100+ mile loop that was a pretty complete off-road riding experience with all types of terrain and amazing scenery. We ended that day in the dark with some pretty heavy rain but huge smiles on our faces. Day three was slick rock trails that was like riding on a different planet. Day four was a trail with a lot of rocks and ledges where I proceeded to crash twice. The first time was painful, the second time I bent my handlebars. I returned to the garage and replaced my handlebars. My day was done. My last day of riding was more slick rock which was probably my favorite terrain. It was just nothing I had ever experienced before. I learned a lot on this trip. I’m way out of shape and need to change that. I don’t heal as fast as I used to and being in better shape would help in not crashing. I need to keep riding with people who are better than me and patient enough to help me get better. Our lead rider, aka Big Elvis, aka Bandit, aka The Yeti, made this trip great for me. He took me places I never would have gone on my own and was extremely patient. Everyone on this trip helped me with something at some point. One of the great joys in my life is getting better at something I love to do and when that includes spending time with folks like these, that’s a bonus.

Feature Are Classic Tags For You?

Motorcycling In Minnesota TriState River Ride

Calendar Cover photo Guido Ebert 2015 Yamaha Bolt Provided By: Motoprimo Motorsports 16640 Kenrick Ave Lakeville, MN 55044 www.motoprimo.net

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

All The News That Fits Suzuki Celebrates 30th Anniversary of GSX-R

When to Run a Red Light Minnesota State Trp. Jesse Grabow, in his reoccurring column for the Alexandria Echo Press, reminds motorcyclists that it’s legal for them to proceed through a intersection if a signal change does not occur in a reasonable amount of time. These five conditions must be met to proceed: • The two-wheeler has been brought to a complete stop. • The traffic-control signal continues to show a red light for an unreasonable time. • The traffic-control signal has apparently failed to detect the two-wheeler. • No vehicle or person is approaching on the roadway to be crossed or entered. • Approaching vehicles or persons are so far away that they do not constitute an immediate hazard.

Helmet Use Up in 2014

Suzuki this year celebrates the 30th anniversary of the GSX-R sport bike family. The first GSX-R was a 750cc model introduced in 1985 and offered until 1987. A true plastic-draped race replica, it weighed a mere 390 lbs. thanks to its aluminum frame and was powered by an air-cooled and carbed 749cc inline four producing 53.8 ft. lbs. at 10,000 rpm and 106hp @ 10,500rpm.

Aerostich Open House, May 16 Ride to Duluth on May 16 for Aerostich’s Spring Open House. The event takes place 8am to 4pm at 8 South 18th Ave. West. Mingle with Aerostich staff and fellow motorcyclists, see more than 70 new products, sit-in on free on-site seminars and product demos, take a factory tour, shop and save with in-store only specials in the newly expanded retail showroom, sign up for prize drawings, get some free swag, and refuel with local food vendors. Check the Aerostich website for more information.

Erik Buell Closes Shop Erik Buell Racing (EBR), headquartered in East Troy, Wis., has ceased operations and is filing for court protection from creditors. EBR had backing from Hero MotoCorp., the largest motorcycle manufacturer in India, but nevertheless struggled financially and was unable to secure additional funding. Bids will be solicited for the company as part of the Chapter 128 process, with the winning bid to be determined by the court.

with KTM, he has been the first to win a 450 Supercross race, a 450 Motocross title, and a 450 Supercross title on the KTM brand. “I have never had a manufacturer work so closely with the racing team to make sure we have the best bike each year,” Dungey said. “I couldn’t ask for a better team and manufacturer to work for.”

Wisconsin Mulls Colored Lights The Wisconsin State Senate is set to debate a bill that would legalize colored lights on motorcycles. The Assembly passed the bill on a voice vote in April. Current Wisconsin law prohibits operating a motor vehicle that displays lights other than white or amber in front and red in the rear. The bill’s chief Assembly sponsor, John Jagler of Watertown (R), says he introduced the bill at the request of a constituent who got a ticket for violating current light prohibitions. Under the bill, riders could equip their motorcycles with any color lights aside from red, blue or amber as long as they shine down and don’t flash or rotate.

Use of DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets reached 64% in 2014, statistically unchanged from 60% in 2013, says the U.S. Department of Transportation. The National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) also found: - Helmet use among motorcyclists on expressways increased significantly to 81% from 64% in 2013. - Helmet use among motorcyclists in southern states increased to 78%, up from 65% in 2013. - Use of non-compliant motorcycle helmets decreased to 5%, down from 7% in 2013.

Lehman Closes Shop in Spearfish Lehman Trikes intends to close shop in Spearfish, S.D., and relocate operations to Garden Grove, Calif., in an effort to improve shipping logistics. Lehman Trikes formed in Alberta in 1993 and moved manufacturing to Spearfish in 2004. Harley-Davidson in 2008 tapped Lehman to manufacturer the Tri-Glide. However, in 2010, H-D announced it would end its relationship with the trike specialist and move Tri-Glide production in-house. Lehman founder John K. Lehman, who had been inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2009, died in January of 2012 at the age of 60. Champion Investments, Inc., purchased the trike company six months later. - Rapid City Journal

MN-Made McQueen Bike Fetches $775,000 In case you missed it, a 1915 Cyclone board racer built in Minnesota and owned by Steve

McQueen recently sold for $775,000. Designed by engineer Andrew Strand and sold by the Joerns Motor Co. of St. Paul for an introductory price of $350, the Cyclone was produced from 1913 to 1915. The bike is powered by a unique 61 cu. in. (996cc) SOHC V-twin developing 45hp. The ex-McQueen Cyclone – auctioned by Mecum – is one of just six known to survive. A similar bike sold for $551,000 in 2008.

KTM to End Street-Legal RC8 It appears KTM intends to stop offering a roadlegal superbike. “We’ll stick to making a Superbike, but only for closed course usage,” KTM CEO Stefan Pierer said in April, according to CycleNews. “So that’s the concept for development. We’ll call it the RC16 and it will also be available for the normal customer for track days or private use on track, but it won’t any more be homologated for the street.” Regarding the RC8, Pierer reportedly said: “It’s a classic Superbike. But with the increase in safety concerns, I’m afraid bikes like this don’t belong on the street, only on a closed course.” Well, what else would Pierer say? It’s not like he’s going to come out and admit, “Yeah, we’re disappointed that we’ve sold so few RC8 during the course of its production.”

BMW, Ducati and Yamaha Recalls BMW is recalling 43,426 motorcycles of various models for a rear wheel mounting flange that may crack if the related bolts are over tightened. BMW says it will notify owners, and dealers will replace the existing aluminum rear wheel flange with a steel one, free of charge. The recall was expected to begin April 21. Ducati is recalling 5,962 of its Multistrada 1200 built between 2010-2014 because the inner sleeve of the opening throttle cable may move and prevent the full closing of the throttle. Ducati says it will notify owners, and dealers will replace the upper throttle cover with one that prevents the inner throttle sleeve from moving, free of charge. Yamaha is recalling approx. 4,900 motorcycles for an incorrectly manufactured shift cam segment stopper. The recall impacts the 2015 FJ09, FZ-09, FZ6R, R6 and Super Tenere/ES. Yamaha says it will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shift shaft assembly with a new one, free of charge. MMM

Dungey Continues with KTM Minnesota’s Ryan Dungey has extended his contract with the Red Bull KTM Factory Team through 2017. The newly crowned 2015 450cc Supercross Champion, Dungey inked the two-year contract prior to him clinching the firstever 450 Supercross Championship for the Austrian manufacturer. In Dungey’s 4-years

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Geezer With A Grudge

By Thomas Day

or a bit of self-entertainment, I created a spreadsheet to collect data about how many miles a typical motorcyclist rides in a year. A few other riders and I grabbed sale ads from Craigslist all over the country and the spreadsheet takes that data and turns it into a look at who rides what how far in the good old US of A. The numbers are enlightening and a little depressing. The gross overwhelming majority of motorcycles get ridden less than 2500 miles a year. My observations and suspicions were confirmed, Americans are not really motorcyclists (Except, possibly, in Mexico; which is, after all Central America). One point I was trying to make with gathering this data is that justifying a bike larger than 250cc is a pretty specious argument. Even those cheap Chinese bikes sold off of trailers at swap meets can survive a decade of 1000-2500 miles/year use and abuse. However, I know a lot of you can’t maintain your self-image on a small motorcycle. So, In the interest of providing a public service for those of you who desperately want to imagine that you’re different than the average biker, I’ve decided to come up with a short list of reasons why you might need a faster motorcycle. 1. It’s the end of the world as we know it. The best reason I know for buying a liter bike (and I don’t mean one of those girlyman bigtwin dingleberrys, but a real liter bike, like an R1 or a GSX-R or a CBRR) is that your doc has given you a couple of months to live. There is no better way to splatter yourself all over a wall or launch yourself from a cliff than from a 200mph motorcycle. 2. An alternative to the above scenario would be that NASA has confirmed that QE2 is going to collide with Momma Earth and we’re all gonna die in a couple of weeks. Or that big Antarctic ice shelf is sliding into the ocean and life as we know it is about to get messy. Might was well grab that bull by the handlebars and let ‘er rip for one great, last high-speed chase. You can do a lot of damage with a 200HP, 200MPH motorcycle while the rest of human-

When You Need A Faster Bike ity is trying to tuck it’s head between its legs. 3. Everybody hates you, nobody loves you. It’s either eat worms or buy a fast bike, put on a wife-beater, some flip-flops, baggy shorts, a snazzy biker mask, and go out and collect some serious road-rash scars. 4. You’ve been evicted from Mom’s basement and, with no place to go and no possible future, you’ve decided that prison is the only place to spend your “productive years.” Rev up that R1 and take if for a ride down Highway 61. Hope they still do Spanish Rice on Thursdays.

bike will haul or support all of that pork. A big twin with a pair of chaise lounges perched on top of a low-slung, noisy, underpowered motor will be barely enough to put you and your honey into motion. Stopping is a whole ‘nother problem, but why worry when you’re looking so cool? (Yeah, I realize this “reason” is justifying a “girlyman big-twin dingleberry,” but some of you are going to buy them and not ride them. I might as well concede to reality.)

“You and the wife push the industrial meat scale’s needle toward 650 pounds and no small bike will haul or support all of that pork”.

5. Your girlfriend dumped you, your dog died, your pickup blew a piston, and you lost your job. Like #1 and #2, you have nothing to live for and need a fast, guaranteed way to end it all. Drop the hammer. They’ll be picking up the pieces for years. That ought to teach that old girlfriend a lesson. You’ll notice #3, #4, & #5 are suspiciously similar, but so are the usual justifications for buying more bike than you can ride competently. 6. You have a beautiful new house with an impeccable 4-car garage and nothing to put in two of the stalls. Like Jay Leno, money is pouring out of your orifices and you need someplace stupid to spend it. Buy a liter-sized crotch rocket. I recommend that you drain the fluids from however many bikes you choose to buy and treat them like artwork. Put them on stands and make the highlight of the garage portion of your house tour, “And this is my race bike collection. I’m waiting for the fuel systems to be remapped and new hand-wrapped race tires.”

8. You are a banker and you need something really heavy to hold down all of that fraudulent paper you’ve been generating since 1981. If the paperweight is big enough, you hope the IRS will never ask to look at it. I recommend a HumVee for this application. They are heavier, harder to move, and cheap as dirt. Next best thing, Kawasaki Voyager XIII, tipping in at 960 pounds wet. 9. You want to build the world’s fastest ski lift. You don’t really care about the motorcycle for this application, just the power plant and gearbox. With 200hp and the capability of rev’ing

to 12k, you can launch skiers into the sky like down-encrusted cannon balls. I say, “Go for it.” 10. You are a real racer, not a poser. You have graduated from a couple of years on a 250, moved up to a 650 twin or 600 four, and you are ready to race with the big boys. Pull the lights, safety-wire the fasteners, pick a number, and get ready to spend all of that trust fund because you’re going racing! (In case you’re not paying attention, this is the only good reason to own a race-replica motorcycle.)  Of course, buying a smaller, easier-and-morefun-to-ride, more fuel-efficient motorcycle would make a lot more sense under most conditions and for the majority of U.S. riders, but when has recommending practicality been an American marketing tactic? I realize that most of my ten “reasons” are suicidal. With a firm grasp on 14% of total road fatalities, for a good number of us riding a motorcycle of any sort appears to be self-destructive. At the core, I’m serious about this. If you are one of the majority of riders, you have no need, business, or fashion justification for a race bike wannabe. It doesn’t make you look cool, younger, skinnier, smarter, or richer. The riding and general public just assumes you’re on the monthly installment plan and will probably turn the bike back to the loan company the first time you drop in your driveway and skin up your unprotected knees. The best you can hope for is to be ignored until you go away. MMM

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7. You and the wife push the industrial meat scale’s needle toward 650 pounds and no small

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Tales From The Road

Free Shipping Boy Action Shooting. The powers that be were having rally that was taking place in New Mexico at the beginning of April. I’m not a cow boy nor do I action shoot, but I thought that it looked interesting. The cost to fly or drive that far for something I had no part in and was only curious about would be foolish. Then March turned into one of the warmest in many years. April looked to be the same way. Just days before the rally I realized, I could ride my bike there. That’s like it’s free. I have to eat where ever I am so I don’t figure that in. Lodging would be an extra expense, but that’s about it. I put out some bear bait and jumped on the bike. I had a wonderful time. My only mistake was forgetting that in Colorado, rain plus altitude = snow. Turns out a Yamaha FJR can be ridden in the snow. Now I know.

By Paul Berglund

like things. I have to balance “wanting things” with “having money”. My lovely wife set up an alert on our credit card. When ever it gets used, she gets a text. When she get’s a text, I get a phone call. “Did you just spend $807 dollars on Moto Guzzi Parts?” You can’t show the grizzly fear, so I look her right in the eye (over the phone) and tell her “Yes I did”. I tend to pay less attention to the verbal pummeling that comes after that. I pet the cat or think about how cute she was when I met her and eventually she calms down. My wife I mean, we have boy cats. If she’s still upset at the end of the tirade, I try to end on a positive note. I tell her that since I spent more than $400 I get free shipping. She likes free shipping. In addition to the rat fink squealers that she employs at our credit card provider, she’s bought into a thing called Amazon Prime. It costs $100 per year to have “Prime”. With Prime, anything you buy from Amazon is shipped free. She loves free shipping. Hopefully you already know that freedom isn’t free. Now you know that “free shipping” costs $100. I do not fear the grizzly, but I respect her. I try to buy my motorcycle parts locally. The price is about the same as on line. I pay taxes at both places, but I don’t have to pay for shipping when I buy stuff from my local shop. Another advantage is I can pay cash. If the NSA has tracking devices in our money, they aren’t sharing that information with my wife. If no one pokes the bear, we will all be the happier for it. Buying Moto Guzzi parts isn’t easy. You can’t just go on Craig’s List and pick up a used Hepco Becker luggage rack for your Le Mans. If you join one of the on line Moto Guzzi owners clubs, you might be able to buy one after a few years. But would you really hang out in a Moto Guzzi chat room for three years to save a few bucks? No, I couldn’t do it ether. Plus you’d still have to pay for shipping. So I had to buy a new rack from a company on line and I got free shipping. Now that I have a rack and hard cases on my bike, I can ride my bike to pick up what ever parts I find on Craig’s List. Buying bags for your bike costs more than Amazon Prime, but works the same way. If you have a bike with

Photo by Paul Berglund

saddle bags, you can pick up your stuff for free. Here’s how I figure that. The most expensive part of ridding a bike is owning a bike. You’re paying for the bike and insurance and license tabs wether you ride the bike or not. Having a bike costs money, riding it just costs gas.

because when you are trail riding there aren’t any gas stations out there. You have to know your range. It’s nice to get 50 MPG, but that’s not why I ride a dual sport bike. I ride it because I love riding it. My street bike, I’m not sure what the MPG is. I keep track, but I don’t care.

I have to pay for gas for my bike just like you. I even have to pay extra to buy gas that’s uncontaminated with corn. I’m not happy with that part. We need to eliminate the Corn Maffia and take back our country, but that’s another article for another time. This article isn’t about some small, powerful, greedy special interests group putting tank melting ethanol in our gas just so they can line their pockets with our money. No this is about free shipping. So, chances are you know how many miles per gallon your car or truck gets. I drive a station wagon (you read that right) with a 5.7 liter V8. I’m well aware of every corn tainted gallon that I have to pay for. My dirt bike gets over 50 MPG of unpolluted premium. I know that

Stay with me here, it’s all related to free shipping. For example, if I were going to buy something from Aerostich in Duluth, I would have to factor in the shipping cost or the cost of driving my car to Duluth from Saint Paul and back again. Driving could be much more expensive. However, if I were to ride my bike up and back I can forget about the cost of gas because ridding my bike is so damn much fun that it cancels out the cost. If I want something and it’s far away that’s no longer a problem or an expense it’s an opportunity. An opportunity for fun. Riding my bike is like free shipping. The same thing goes for travel expenses.

The summer of that same year my nephew was getting married in Seattle. Buy coincidence he had bought two framed prints from a collection of four. I had bought the other two. I decided to give him my pictures so he would have the full set. I went out to my garage and (over) built a wooden crate to ship the prints, frames, glass and all. When I stood back to admire my work, I saw the FJR just sitting there. Unused. Slowly, my brain began to formulate a plan. The crate would be expensive to ship. My sister lives in Missoula Montana. My brother lives in Seattle. So maybe one motel between Saint Paul and Seattle. The bike was paid for yet it was sitting idle. Gas is like it’s free. I placed the crate on the passenger seat of the bike. I added some eye bolts to secure it with bungie straps. It would cut a ragged hole in the air all the way across the western half of America, but the mighty 1300cc FJR could plow threw it. I ain’t afraid of no vortices, but I would need to inform the Grizz. My second solo trip of the year turned out to be epic. I had a ride that would stand out as one of the highlights of my life. I saw people, places and things that still inspire me today. Half of my nephew’s art collection has ridden further on a motorcycle than most people have. Including going over Bear Tooth pass twice. Even my wife was happy when I eventually came home. All that and free shipping.

A few winters ago I was reading about Cow

Photo by Paul Berglund

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Photo by Paul Berglund

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Book Review

Adventures in Motorcycling Adventures in Motorcycling Dispatching through 80’s London Chris Scott 281 pages 2015, Published by Chris Scott

By Victor Wanchena

t was an era before email, GPS, or reliable motorcycles, and ironically it wasn’t that long ago. It was the early eighties and Chris Scott was a Londoner diving into the world of motorcycle couriers. This book chronicles his adventures, his series of bikes, and the fascinating squatter culture of 80’s London. The motorcycle couriers of this era served an interesting role. Back then there was the need to transport documents, film, photos, and you-name-it across town quickly. London, like many large cities, was a tangled mess of roads and traffic. But, the motorcycle courier had the advantage of being able to slip through this mess to get whatever you needed from A to B quickly.

He also shares his experiences squatting in various homes around London. Prior to this book I was unaware of how common squatting was and how it worked. Squatting is the occupying of an abandoned or unoccupied space without lawful permission. Squatting in England has a long history and wasn’t a crime at the time. This element along with some of the social and political commentary offers interesting perspective on that era. I really enjoyed this book. Chris tells some fascinating stories, and gives a glimpse into a world few of us have seen and fewer have experienced. This isn’t a how to manual of bad-boy rocker lifestyle. Instead, Chris gives an insightful view of earning a living on motorcycle as a restless youth. Adventures in Motorcycling is available directly from Chris at http://adventuresinmotorcycling.com/ or as an eBook from Amazon.

They rode fast, navigated the intricate web of streets without the aid of GPS, and had an esprit de corps that comes with a group that lives a little dangerously. Chris gives a candid glimpse into this world and all it idiosyncrasies. He details his string of bad, better, and obscure bikes. The list includes everything from a MZ TS250 to a Ducati 900SS. He describes his list of courier jobs, the ever-varied companies he worked for, and the realities of surviving a dangerous job in a complicated city.

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Ya m a h a ’s B o l t S t r W

By Guido Ebert

hen Yamaha … or, Star … introduced the Bolt model for the 2014 model year, the manufacturer promoted the bike by having various independent builders utilize the 942cc cruiser to create their own interpretations. Those Bolt-based bikes then went on a national tour in an attempt to show potential customers that the relatively low-priced model could be highly personalized.

The strategy appears to have worked, as sales of the Bolt last year proved a bright spot in what has become a bit of a sluggish Metric Cruiser market. Visually, to me, a quick glance at the standard Bolt ($7,990) suggests a foot-forward cruiser with a retro flavor – unabashed Sportster styling with .30-cal. Browning M1919A4 visual flare. Yamaha calls it an “urban performance Bobber look.”

The Bolt’s 3.2-gallon teardrop-shaped fuel tank offers the only opportunity for color on the bike. A brushed stainless steel air-cleaner cover defines the air-cooled 60-degree Vtwin engine, and the blacked-out two-in-one exhaust headers are set off by two stainless “heat shields”. I like the look, although conversations with others revealed a love-it-orhate-it affair. A chromed fork and dual rear shocks sandwich black steel fenders atop 19-inch front and 16-inch rear black cast wheels. Single wave discs front and back help add a touch of modernity, as do LEDs on all four corners and in the fender-mounted rear light.

A visual trait that most definitely impacts the bike positively – branding is at a minimum, particularly on this black ‘14 model MMM had the opportunity to ride. A small Yamaha logo on the upper clamp, a “ghosted” Yamaha sticker on the rear fender, a Yamaha insignia on the engine cover and a Star stamp on the

Photo by Guido Ebert

Yamaha calls it an “urban performance Bobber look”. air cleaner cover. All very subdued, leaving gawkers to wonder who makes your slicklooking ride.

I was given the key and shown the location of the ignition by the good folks at Motoprimo and commented that it looks to be in the same position as a classic steering lock. Wait. What? Nope. That steering lock is located just a couple of inches away.

Swinging a leg over the Bolt, I was surprised to find the solo saddle so low. Really low. Placing feet on pegs had my knees up higher than

I’m used to on cruisers. Whoa. While the seat/ peg/bar relationship would probably work well for a shorter rider, I imagine anyone taller than my 5’9” frame may feel a bit “pretzeled” by the standard configuration. While reach to the grips felt comfortable, I’d have preferred my feet placed another five inches forward, forming a sort of an open < for my personalized rider triangle. Right away upon fire-up, I noticed Yamaha paid attention to the aural tone of the Bolt, because the sound emanating from this bike’s exhaust will make you want to twist the “Go” grip. A light clutch pull and easy slip into 1st gear happens as smoothly as you’d expect from a top-flight manufacturer. Once underway, despite its 540-lb. heft and medium-length 61.8-inch wheelbase, the Bolt felt very easy to maneuver at pedestrian speeds thanks to its low-slung weight and gentle on-

clutch-off power delivery.

In the past few years, as Metric Cruisers have grown to more than 2L in engine size, sub1000cc “small-displacement” models became the lowliest of the brand offerings. Many of these bikes promoted comfort over all else. There wasn’t a lot of get-up-and-go and not a lot of agility. The fuel-injected Bolt – a stripped down version of Yamaha’s V Star 950 cruiser – is the opposite of that. It feels light, agile and, for a cruiser, seemingly high-strung. That’s a good thing. Accelerate briskly from a standstill and the belt drive transitioning power from the engine to the rear wheel proves linear in its purpose. You’ll be shifting on the fly through the first three gears to 55mph, tip it into 4th and accelerate to 70mph, then 5th gear will stretch like a Hussein Bolt stride, easily propelling you from 72mph to 92mph. It’s at

While-You-Wait Tire Mounting and Balancing KLIM Gear and BELL Helmets now in stock,

Rebates Available on select 2015 Husqvarnas Photo by Guido Ebert

The sound emanating from this bike’s exhaust will make you want to twist the “Go” grip.

9521 Garfield Ave S Bloomington, MN 55420 952.405.8269 www.crosstowncycle.com info@crosstowncycle.com

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

r i ke s M a n y Po s e s that point you’ll find noticeably less chuff. I saw 96mph before having to let off.

Speed tests aside, in top gear, there’s no reason to shift down for passing at highway momentum; the engine is spinning so fast, you’re sure to be in a sweet spot.

When traveling in a straight line, like on the highway, the bike feels extremely firm at the rear and light at the front. It didn’t so much “soak up” bumps, but more like “encountered” them. Somehow, though, that rather harsh straight-line experience translated into nicely controlled cornering on smooth surfaces as the bike’s low center of gravity, steering angle, and rake all worked rather nicely together to accomplish the proposed task. Bringing the bike back down from speed proved unceremonious. Whatever speed wasn’t scrubbed by the wind hitting you full force in the sternum will be further reeled in by the wave discs fore and aft. At a glance, that little twin-piston front and single piston rear caliper don’t look to be up to the task. In practice, they work quite well in unison, requiring only moderate lever effort.

One drawback I found with the Bolt was its lack of a tachometer. It’s the same issue I had with the Triumph Thunderbird LT last year. The bike comes with a digital menu … why not make a tach read-out an option? We live in a strange world where automatic scooters – like Yamaha’s own TMAX – have tachometers while liter-sized, multi-gear motorcycles do not. Selah. Despite that small engine speed diagnostic niggle, the Bolt has a lot going for it. Ultimately: Its sub-$8,000 price-tag is welcome in a market filled with five-figure bikes, its simple design al-

Photo by Burley Brand

Let the customizing and fabricating begin. lows for a high level of personalization, its lowslung weight and rather compact rider triangle make it a nice option for height-challenged riders, and its adequate but not overwhelming

power delivery makes it a good candidate for Cruiser riders who feel they may not need 1300 or 1600 or 1800 or 2000cc of mass to enjoy the two-wheeled experience.

Check out the 2015 Kawasaki Vulcan S ($6,999) or H-D Superlow ($8,249) for a somewhat similar experience.

MMM

Specifications 2015 Yamaha Bolt

R-Spec & C-Spec Bolt Offer Choice

MSRP:

$7,990

Yamaha has, since our ride on the standard Bolt, come out with two more versions of the model: the Bolt R-Spec ($8,390) and Bolt CSpec ($8,690).

Engine:

58 cu in. (942cc) air- cooled, fuel injected SOHC V-Twin

The R-Spec differs from the standard Bolt via its twin rear shocks utilizing piggyback style gas chambers, color-matched fuel tank and fenders, and color-matched wheel trim.

Brakes, Front:

Single 298mm wave disc w/ two-piston caliper

Brakes, Rear:

Single 298mm wave disc w/ single-piston caliper

Claimed Output: Transmission: Final Drive:

The C-Spec is the standard Bolt’s “Café” racer brother, and comes with clip-on handlebars, rearswept footpegs, repositioned front turn signals, traditional fork boots, a removable passenger seat cowl and alternate paint and graphics.

Photos courtesy of Yamaha

5-speed Belt

Suspension, Front:

41mm telescopic, 4.7-in travel

Suspension, Rear:

Dual Shock, 2.8-in travel

Wheels:

Not sure which Bolt model you like more? Go check out all three.

52.7 ft. lb. @ 3,020 rpm

Black, 12-spoke Cast Aluminum

Tire, Front:

100/90-19M/C 57H

Tire, Rear:

150/80-16M/C 71H

Seat Height:

27.2 in.

Wheelbase:

61.8 in.

Wet Weight:

540 lbs.

Fuel Capacity:

3.2 gal.

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Scooters

Special Section

Scooters For Everyone

he Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) says sales of new scooters in the U.S. last year represented 33,528 units, down 3.5% compared to 34,742 units retailed in 2013 likely due to a long-lasting winter and falling fuel prices. Those statistics, however, only include sales figures from brands that are members of the MIC (Aprilia, BMW, Honda, KYMCO, Piaggio, Suzuki, Vespa and Yamaha). Missing from the tally are model sales from Genuine Scooter Company, SYM, and a host of other brands – all of which likely experienced sales trends that mirrored those of the MIC member companies. Despite last year’s sales downturn, the scooter market has remained relatively stable over the past decade, with sales generally hovering between 30,000 and 40,000 units annually. A recent outlier appeared with sales of 41,000 units in 2012, when the final throes of The Great Recession and high fuel prices had folks flocking to dealerships in search of low-priced, efficient transportation. The scooter market can be divided into three groups by vehicle size: Small, Medium and Maxi. “Small” scooters feature engines smaller than 50cc in size, “Medium” scooters are represented by models badged up to 250cc in size, and “Maxi” scooters include models labeled from 300cc to what is currently the largest, 700cc model. Power Products Marketing (PPM), a research firm based in Eden Prairie, follows the scooter market. According to PPM, of the 113 scooter models sold in the U.S. by major manufacturers in 2014, the top 10 best-selling were the Honda Ruckus 50, Yamaha Zuma 50 F/FX, Honda Metropolitan 50, Honda PCX150, Yamaha Zuma 125, KYMCO Agility 50, Piaggio

GTS 300 Super, Honda Forza 300, Piaggio LX 150 and Yamaha Vino 50 Classic. As you can see, Honda in 2014 had four of the top 10 best-selling scooter models, compared to three from Yamaha, two from Piaggio and one from KYMCO. Further, five of the top 10 bestselling scooters were 50cc models, three were medium-displacement models, and two were light maxi scooters.

APRILIA - Aprilia’s top-selling

scooters in the U.S. last year were the SR 50, Sportcity 125 and Scarabeo 100.

Photo Courtesy of Yamaha

BMW - BMW in 2014 retailed

nearly three times more C 650 GT than C 600 Sport.

SUZUKI - Suzuki’s best-selling scooters in the U.S. are the

cess with its Buddy 125, Buddy 50 and RoughHouse 50.

SYM – SYM’s most popular models include the Fiddle II 125, Mio 50 and SYMBA 100.

GENUINE SCOOTER COMPANY – Genuine continues to see sucHONDA - Honda’s three best-selling scooters in the U.S. are

Burgman 650, Burgman 400 and Burgman 200.

the Ruckus 50, Metropolitan 50 and PCX150.

VESPA - Vespa’s best-selling scooters in the U.S. are the GTS

Agility 50, Like 200i and Agility 125.

YAMAHA - Yamaha’s three best-selling scooters in the U.S. are

KYMCO - KYMCO’s best-selling scooters in the U.S. are the PIAGGIO - Piaggio’s best-selling scooters in the U.S. are the

300 Super, LX 150 and Primavera 150.

the Zuma 50 F/FX, Zuma 125 and Vino 50 Classic.

MMM

BV350, FLY 150 and Typhoon 50.

Which Scooter Should I Buy? Make Sure the Scooter is a Good Fit

By David Harrington

Even the best quality scooter from a great dealer won’t be a good choice if it doesn’t fit YOU. Sit on the scooter. If you will be riding with a passenger, take that person to the scooter dealership with you. Make sure that the ergonomics of the scooter fit you. There are a lot of very fine scooters that just don’t fit different body types. If allowed by your dealer, testride the scooter prior to purchase.

his is the question I get asked more than any other. I wish I could say that there is an easy answer.... there isn’t. Many factors come into play, but I hope this information will help to narrow your field of choices. I’ve included some my opinions on specific models as well.

The “Coolness” Factor - Vintage vs. New Nothing, I mean nothing, is as cool as a vintage scooter (my opinion). That being said, most vintage scooters are nothing like as practical as modern scooters. Dealing with manual shifting, two-stroke engines, tube-tires, and just plain age can add up to more work than a lot of people are willing to put into their scooter. If you are not prepared to either “do” or “have done” frequent mechanical work, a vintage scooter is probably not the best choice for you.

Some of My Favorites

Photo Courtesy of Genuine

Do you have or are you willing to get a motorcycle endorsement? In order to legally operate a scooter that has an engine larger than 50cc, or more than two horsepower, or can go faster than 30 mph, you will need to get a motorcycle endorsement added to your driver’s license (in many states including Minnesota). Before we leap ahead to your plans for how you will use your scooter, this needs to be addressed. Here in good ol’ Minnesota, one can get a motorcycle permit with a written test that is good for one year, which should give amble opportunity for training and practice before taking the road test for a full endorsement.

How are you planning to use the scooter? Are you going to ride alone or with a passenger? Will you be on city streets in an urban area or will you need to have highway capabilities? Will you need to be able to ride on unpaved surfaces? How much storage/hauling capacity will you need? I know MANY people who started out thinking that they would only ride in town and after a year or two ended up with touring maxi-scooters.

These are some of my favorite scooters. Remember, these are my opinions and what I like may not be what you like. Prices shown are based on MSRP and Minnesota taxes, freight, dealer prep, license and so forth. These are meant to give you an indication of the out-the-door price and may well be different from the total cost in your area.

How much are you willing to spend? Your “scooter budget” should include not only the cost of acquiring a scooter, but things like accessories, riding gear, insurance and maintenance. As a general rule, scooters are VERY cost-effective modes of transportation (the idea of 50 to 100 miles-per-gallon can be quite appealing).

Find a Good Local Dealer All other elements being equal - go with a scooter model that is supported by a good dealer. This is probably the single most important factor in selecting the best scooter for you. The ongoing support of a good dealer can go a long way to making scooter ownership a pleasant experience.

Photo Courtesy of Piaggio

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Scooters

Special Section About $3200 - 125cc

Nothing else in the 125cc class provides the combination of performance, value, quality, accessories and just plain fun that the Genuine Buddy 125 does. Since its introduction in 2006, the Buddy has grown to become a true scootering phenomenon.

$3,600 - $3,900 - 150cc - 200cc

Photo Courtesy of KYMCO

There are two “winners” and a close 2nd place here. The Piaggio Fly 150 3-valve is fuel injected, has bigger wheels and roomier ergonomics than the Genuine Buddy and its reasonably priced. The Fly 150 still retains some traditional scooter looks. If you’re more into the modern look, the Honda PCX 150 is an excellent choice. For 2015, Honda has changed the OEM seat to get rid of the bothersome hump at the base of the pilot’s section. The

close 2nd would be the Genuine Buddy 170i. It’s fuel injected and about $700 more than the 125cc version.

Maxi-Scooters - Up to 400cc - $6,200 - $8,500 This category belongs to the 300cc - 400cc highway capable machines. In 3nd place, we have the Kymco Downtown 300i that has excellent quality, value and performance but limiting ergonomics. Then there’s the Suzuki Burgman 400 ABS, which is VERY expensive, and my favorite in this class: the Yamaha Majesty 400.

Maxi-Scooters - More than 400cc - About $11,500 Here we have a group of one with a potential up-and-comer. BMW’s C650GT is supposed to be a wonderful machine, but I don’t have any firsthand experience with it. Right now, the reigning champ appears to be the Suzuki Burgman 650. It works incredibly well and is a wonderful touring mount.

My Favourite Do-Everything Scooter 300cc - $6,000

About $2,500 - 50cc - No Motorcycle Endorsement Required 2-Stroke

Want ONE scooter to do it ALL? Run around town or take you away for the weekend? The Piaggio BV350 rules this classification. It’s got the power to see 90 mph, the big-wheel stability to ride the highway all day, yet it’s light and nimble enough to be a great around-town scooter. The seat has been changed for 2015 to get rid of the oftannoying hump at the front of the pilot’s seat.

The Genuine Buddy 50 and the RoughHouse 50 continue to be excellent machines and a great value. The number of accessories available to customize a Buddy remains truly astounding.

About $2,500 - 50cc - No Motorcycle Endorsement Required 4-Stroke The SYM Mio looks similar to the Honda Metropolitan, but I consider the Mio a better machine. It’s not easy to find a moped-legal 4-stroke scooter that will haul my 220 lbs. around, but the Mio is one that can.

Inexpensive 125cc - About $2,000 The Kymco Agility 125 is my choice for an inexpensive new 125cc scooter. It’s not cute, it doesn’t have a lot of extra features, there aren’t many accessories available for it, but it works well and is a great value – often less expensive than a used scooter.

Photo Courtesy of BMW

There you have it - my “answer” to the whichscooter-should-I-buy question. I hope this information has been helpful, and remember - buy a well-supported scooter and BUY WHAT YOU LIKE! MMM

Yes, it’s a Vespa. Yes, it’s $5,000

By David Harrington

f $5,000 seems like a lot of money for a scooter, don’t look at the Vespa large-frame GTS 300 series. It’s not hard to get in the $7,000 - $8,000 price range there. The $5,000 Vespa is a 150cc. La dolce vita (the sweet life) doesn’t come cheap. In my experience, this can apply to any number of powered Italian conveyances, to say nothing of some Italian clothes, leather accessories & luggage, and so forth. For those who enjoy Vespa, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Maserati, Armani, Gucci and others, there is something more than the sum of the total of the parts involved that drives the value of these products and brands. For me, as it concerns Vespa, it’s history, design and desire. The time is just after the Second World War. Italy was a shattered country. The Piaggio factory in Pontedera had been bombed (they built fighter planes among other things) and Enrico Piaggio (his father, Rinaldo Piaggio had founded the company) knew that the key to the survival of his family’s company was switching from wartime to civil production. But what to make? Italy was a country deeply damaged and had no viable public transportation system. Enrico saw that economic private transport would be key to the revival of his country. A bicycle just wouldn’t cut it for any distance and cars were an impossible dream for most. Enrico would rebuild his factories and he would make scooters. Piaggio still had invaluable resources in the form of people like Corradino D’Ascanio, a skilled engineer and designer who had done much to bring about the modern helicopter. D’Ascanio didn’t know anything about motorcycles or scooters and yet Enrico Piaggio thought he was the perfect person to create a new product. “Only you can tackle the problem with a wholly new outlook,” he reportedly told D’Ascanio. The new scooter had to be easy to mount and drive, as maneuverable as possible, ridden without taking one’s hands off the control bars, easy to maintain, clean (not dirty grease on one’s clothes), and built utilizing as much existing tooling as possible. Whew! Not asking for much, are we?

D’Ascanio gave us a monocoque chassis (think uni-body car, no sub-frame) hand shifter, a chain-free inline gearbox and other innovations. In late 1946/early 1947 the Vespa scooter was born. Vespa means wasp in Italian and it is said to derive from the look of the chassis. Through the late 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, Piaggio’s Vespas came to symbolize the revival of Italy and the growing youth movement throughout the world. Though the model lines evolved and technology improved, much of the original 1940s design remains to this day. Yes, Vespa popularity waned as European economic conditions improved and more people could afford cars, but by that time the Vespa mystique was well established. We forgave them their flaws because of what they represented to us. Even after they left us without so much as a “Dear John” letter upon their exit from the U.S. market. In 1981, a combination of product liability lawsuits, competition from technically superior Japanese products and laws restricting two-stroke scooters caused Piaggio to pull an Eric Cartman on the USA (screw you guys, I’m going home). Twenty years later, they came back with the new ET line of scooters and boutiques that sold Vespa scooters along with everything from wristwatches to personal care products. The boutique idea faded away, and now Vespa scooters are available from powersports dealerships. The evolution of the products has continued just as the design has stayed true to its origins. Sure, today’s Vespa have fuelinjected liquid-cooled powerplants with automatic transmissions and offer such enhancements as anti-lock brakes, but the overlaying design, and ergonomics, of a modern Vespa are as wonderful today as they were astounding in 1947. It’s so beautiful that we forgive and forget that nastiness from 1981. The hard starting of the old ET2? Water under the bridge. The paint sparkles, the leather seat beckons, the controls feel just

Photo Courtesy of Vespa

The Vespa Sprint 150 ABS carries a MSRP of $5,199. right. When you ride a Vespa, you’re part of an un-broken line that started in Italy nearly 70 years ago. If you’re near a Vespa dealership, go ahead and take a look at all those new time-machines with Vespa logos. Tell me they’re not worth whatever they cost.

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MMM

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Scooters

Special Section

A 150cc Scoot … Is it Enough? By David Harrington

nxiety, we (North Americans) seem to suffer from many forms. Is my house big enough? Is my car/truck/SUV big enough? Is my flat-screen TV big enough? Is my paycheck big enough? My scooter …? The very word, “scooter” seems to connote inadequate size. Yes, there are many choices in Scooterdom. There are small scooters, medium-sized scooters, and even size-anxiety crushing maxi scooters in today’s marketplace. But lets take a quick look at the often-overlooked 150cc class of scooters. Can they really get the job done? If that job is getting around the Twin Cities, the answer is “Absolutely.” There. Finished. Why this has got to be my shortest rambling yet for Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly. They should be thrilled, usually they have to try and trim my 3,000+ words down to something that will fit the space in the paper. Seriously, though, if your riding needs include mostly surface roads with occasional short jaunts on a highway, a 200ish pound machine that gets 70 – 90 MPG and can see nearly 65 mph could be just the thing. I was riding a BMW R1200 when my wife took to scooters and wanted to ride parkways and Grand Rounds frequently. Hauling almost 600 lbs. of motorcycle around for hours at a time on 25 mph parkways just wasn’t all that much fun. I ended up purchasing a scooter from Bob Hedstrom at Scooterville in 2004 and haven’t looked back. For how my wife and I actually ride the majority of the time, 150cc models are just fine. I’d like to take a glance at four scooters that are shining examples of how capable 150cc machines can be. The Paiggio Fly 150 (the new fuel-injected version) costs about $3,000 and I saw an honest (GPS verified) 58 mph on it. I should probably mention that I weigh on at 220 lbs. – frequently heavier than the machine I’m riding. The Piaggio has broad ergonomics that can easily accommodate larger riders, great

The Honda PCX 150 brings us modern form and function including fuel injection and liquid cooling for around $3,500. I saw 63 mph on the PCX and was very impressed with the handling, comfort, and utilitarianism of the as-far-from-retro as one can get design. I liked it so much that I bought one. Then there’s the Genuine Buddy. Introduced to the USA marketplace in 2006, the Buddy has become a scooter phenomenon. It’s bullet-proof reliable, has a great many available accessories and is cute. I’ve owned several versions over the years and can attest to the quality and performance of this line of scooters. They don’t offer a 150cc version right now (50cc, 125cc & 170cc choices), but the current 125cc will out-perform a lot of 150cc competitor machines (I have seen 62 MPH on a Buddy 125) and it’s priced at about $2,700. Our Italian friends at Piaggio who bring us the excellent Fly 150 also give us several Vespa choices in the 150cc class. OK, they don’t “give” them to us. It fact, they’ll want about $5,000 in exchange for one of their Vespa scooters. The Vespa LX line is on the way out, being replaced by the Primavera, while the Vespa “S” gives way to the Sprint. I have GPS verified 58 mph on an LX 150 and suspect there may be a bit more on tap in the newer models. They are all fuel-injected now, still make use of a metal monocoque chassis and they are gorgeous. So there you have it – four 150cc class scooters that are all light, nimble, responsive, quick and capable of limited highway runs. They all are incredibly fun at surface road speeds and will give you excellent fuel economy, low maintenance costs, low insurance costs and impressive commuting performance. No need to be anxious, 150cc is enough in a lot of cases. Just relax, turn the key, press the starter, and roll out into fun.

Photo Courtesy of Honda

MMM

Are Classic Tags For You?

Feature

Italian looks, and is vastly more reliable than many Italian motor products of just a few years back.

By Jesse Walters

hat precious spring day arrives, the calendar is free, sun is shining, and birds are chirping. You head out to the garage to fire up your vintage motorcycle for a cruise to your local bike night, but realize your plates have expired and the tires are flat. The tires are an easy fix, but the expired plates are cause to scratch that day’s ride. You wonder back inside the house and do dishes.

Don’t let this happen again. A solution to your frustration could be Minnesota’s classic motorcycle license plates. Classic plates offer a one-time fee for the motorcycle license plate, which require no annual tag renewal. This article doesn’t aim to provide authoritive legal guidance for classic plate usage, instead the author hopes to convey enough information for you to consult with your local MN DVS and see if classic plates are right for your vintage bike.

Tim’s Custom Exhaust Exhaust for any machine. Old bikes warmly welcomed. 763.422.6720 • www.timscustomexhaust.com

Let’s dive right in to the gory details! The State of Minnesota considers a classic motorcycle to be at least 20 years old. The age of the bike is typically determined by the model year on the title, not manufactured date on the VIN. A classic plated bike is not to be used “for general transportation purposes” 2014 Minnesota Statute Section 168.105 Classic Motorcycle Registration. In fact, a prerequisite to a classic plate registration is owner’s proof of a primary vehicle registered with the State of Minnesota. While classic plates may slightly limit the bike’s usage, classic plated motorcycles can be used

“in a classic motorcycle club activity, exhibition, tour, parade, or similar use.” Of course, the usage as defined by the Statute leaves room for interpretation. Usage to your local bike nights and mechanical shake-down rides are within the spirit of the law. Right? This is for you to research and decide. This author has never been pulled over on his classic plated motorcycles, but keeps copies of his AMCA and AMA membership cards in his wallet just in case he has to show proof of club membership and participation. Unlike some states, there is no annual mileage limitation. Some insurance agencies provide discounted rates for motorcycles with classic plates, since you are voluntarily limiting the vehicle’s usage. If you’ve owned the vintage bike for less than a year, other taxes may be collected by the State, so be sure to ask questions! Bottom line, if your vintage bike is used as your daily commuter, classic tags are probably not for you. On the other hand, if you have a vintage bike that sees occasional use at club events and weekend cruises, look into classic license plates and avoid doing the dishes.

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

MMM

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

TriState River Ride

Motorcycling In Minnesota DISTANCE: 98.8 miles TIME: 2 hours 37 minutes DIRECTIONS Exit La Crosse, Wis., utilizing WI-16W/ US-14W. Travel 2.8 miles to MN-16W. Turn left (south) travel 2.5 miles to MN-26S. Turn left (south) travel 7.2 miles into Brownsville. Exit Brownsville utilizing CR3/ Main St and travel 13.1 miles to CR249/ South Winnebago St. in Caledonia. Turn left (south) travel 0.5 miles to CR249/East Adams St. Turn left (east) travel 13.5 miles to MN-26S. Turn right (south) travel 6.2 miles into Iowa. Continue on IA-26S/Great River Rd. 11.4 miles into Lansing, Iowa. Turn left (east) on Ballou St./Old Rd No 29. Cross the Mississippi River’s Black Hawk Bridge utilizing Ballou St./WI-82 and travel 2.7 miles to WI-35N/Great River Rd. Turn left (north) travel 13.1 miles to Main St. in Genoa, Wis. Turn right (northeast) travel 0.5 miles to WI-56W. Turn right (northeast) travel 0.5 miles to CR K. Turn left (north) travel 5.1 miles to CR O. Turn left (west) travel 5.5 miles to WI-162S/Division St. Turn left (west) travel 0.6 miles into Stoddard, Wis. Exit Stoddard to the north utilizing WI-35N/Great River Rd. and travel 10.5 miles to West Ave. in La Crosse. SCENERY This ride within the Mississippi River’s Bluff Country is marked by the river and its many tributaries and associated wetlands, scenic valleys of temperate deciduous forest, pronounced limestone and dolomite peaks, bluff-top dairy farms and horse ranches, and riverside communities.

ROAD QUALITY Road quality is excellent on either side of the river, with the Great River Road (MN-26 & WI-35) often receiving attention. Roadways near Brownsville and Caledonia are two-lane cracked asphalt, as are the “Alphabet Roads” in Wisconsin. Watch for tar snakes, loose gravel, slow-moving tourists and quick-moving wildlife.

Photo by Guido Ebert

NEED ASSISTANCE? Closest motorcycle dealerships include Rod’s Ride On Powersports in La Crosse, 2Brothers Powersports in Onalaska, La Crosse Area Harley-Davidson and Root River Powersports in La Crescent.

for the ancient Roman word for Scotland.

New Albin

ATTRACTIONS

New Albin (pop. 522) is the farthest northeast town in Iowa, located on the Mississippi River and the Minnesota border. History notes the community was platted in 1872, shortly after the Chicago, Dubuque and Minnesota Railroad had been built through the area, and was named for the son of a railroad official.

LaCrosse

Lansing

The largest city on Wisconsin’s western border, La Crosse (pop. 51,645) is serviced to the northwest by the I-90 bridge, but also by the Cass St. bridge and newer Cameron St. bridge that both connect the community with La Crescent, Minn.

Lansing (pop. 1,000) is a river town with a seasonal influx of boaters. The community was platted about 1851 – evidently obtaining its name from its first settler, who was a native of Lansing, Mich. Find Mount Hosmer, a 450-foot-tall bluff that offers a panoramic view of the city, the Mississippi and the Black Hawk Bridge.

La Crosse first enters the history books in 1805, when soldier/ explorer Lt. Zebulon Pike mounted an expedition up the Mississippi River and recorded the location’s name as Prairie La Crosse. The first white settlement sprung in 1841 when New York native Nathan Myrick established a trading post near the junction of the Black, La Crosse and Mississippi Rivers. The Black empties into the Mississippi north of the city, and the La Crosse flows into the Mississippi just north of the downtown area. La Crosse had grown to nearly 2,000 residents by the time it was incorporated in 1856, but grew even more rapidly after 1858 with the completion of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad. Lumber served as an initial industry, followed by brewing brought by newly immigrated settlers. By the second half of the 19th century, La Crosse’s location between Milwaukee and St. Paul helped it become one of the largest cities in Wisconsin, even attracting the establishment of three colleges and universities between 1890 and 1912. Look up and you’ll see towering bluffs, the most prominent of which is the 590-ft. Grandad Bluff, which has an overlook of the three states region. Bliss Road provides access to the bluff.

Brownsville Pass through Brownsville (pop. 466) to get to Caledonia. Looking for more twisties? Travel 3.5 miles west out of Brownsville on CR3 to CR24. Turn left (south) travel 4.6 miles to Crazy Corners Rd. Veer right (north) travel 3.9 miles back to CR3.

Caledonia Located 17 miles southwest of LaCrosse, Wis., Caledonia (pop. 2,868) was incorporated in 1870, then reincorporated in 1889. Evidently, the town was named by founder Col. Samuel McPhail

De Soto Located on the Great River Road, the village of De Soto (pop. 287) was known as the Winneshiek Landing from 1820 to 1854, but the first settlers did not like the Native name and renamed the community after Hernando De Soto, who discovered the Mississippi River. The community boomed via grain and lumber shipping on the river, but by the 1880s had slowed with the establishment of the railroad.

Genoa Also on The Great River Road, the village of Genoa (pop. 253) was established in 1854, originally platted as Bad Axe City. The oldest known white settler on the site is said to have been David Hastings, who erected his house in 1853 and manned a steamboat landing. Steamboats continued to be key to the community until 1884 and the establishment of the Chicago, Burlington & Northern Railroad. In fact, more than 30 steamboats remain buried in silt and sand after sinking on the Mississippi River between Trempealeau, Wis. (just north of La Crosse) and Victory, Wis. (just north of De Soto).

Stoddard Stoddard (pop. 774) was founded as a farming community and is notable as one of the few communities along the Mississippi River that was never a trading post or a riverboat stop. The river was originally one mile west of Stoddard, but when Lock and Dam No. 8 was built in 1937, the ensuing lake flooded the lowlands and made Stoddard into a river town. MMM

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #165 May 2015

Calendar Ongoing

welcome. Motorcycle Fun Run after

2nd Monday of the month, 7:00pm Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Gathering

May 2 & 3 — Prometheus MC Bike Show

Diamonds Coffee Shoppe, 1618 Central Avenue Northeast, Minneapolis, MN. Not Necessary To Be a Member to Attend Gathering.

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, United States http://bluecatmotorcycle.com/ Two wheel block party. The action starts at 6:00 PM and goes as late as it goes. Usually we’re able to line up a food truck (yay tacos!) or other grub goodness, so show up hungry. We mean it when we say everybody is welcome. If it’s got two wheels and a motor, we want you to bring it out and show it off. Nowhere else will you see a vintage ’50s BMW parked grip-to-grip with a Honda cafe racer on one side and a race-modified Benelli moped on the other.

May

May 1 - 2 — Vintage Torque Fest 14569 Old Highway Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 vintagetorquefest.com/ The Only Traditional Hot Rod, Custom, Vintage Cycle Show in Iowa. Pre ’75 Choppers, Bobbers, & Kustoms. Foreign bikes welcome – no crotch rockets…… All Stock bikes that are pre ’65 – WELCOME. Independent bikes welcome. Featuring Flat Track MN Motorcycle Exhibition, Vintage Flat Track Motorcycles.

May 2, 12:00 pm — 26th Annual ABATE Motorcycle Awareness Parade Mankato Public Works Parking Lot, 501 S Victory Dr, Mankato, MN www.abatemn.org/events/river-valley-chapters26th-annual-motorcycle-awareness-parade Join ABATE in getting the word out to the motoring public that motorcycles are back on the road. Rain or Shine. All bikes and riders

Best Western Bigwood Event Center, Fergus Falls, MN media.wix.com/ugd/1d5799_3632b5fdfa364 9abb02d58c670549262.pdf Bike Show with Awards, Silent Auction and More. After Party at Z103 Bar with Live Music

May 17, 11:00 am — 5th Annual Bike Blessing

May 2, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm — 2nd Annual Ride in and Show motorcycle show

11 miles north of Rochester, MN on Hwy 63 and 6 miles south of Zumbro Falls. www.southtroywesleyan.org/event-details/319611/1431878400 Come on out for a spring ride to South Troy Wesleyan church for the 4th annual Bike blessing. All riders are welcome!

Winona American Legion Post # 9, 302 East Sarnia St, Winona, MN Winona American legion Riders will be hosting the 2nd annual Motorcycle show. Motorcycle Registration $ 5.00/ Bike. Registration Start at 9:00. Public votes $1 .00 per vote - No limit. Trophies Awarded at 2:30 PM. Many Vendors on site. Food and Beverages for purchase on site. New Categories each year with proceeds going to veterans and local charities. Call (507) 313-1183 for details.

May 24 — The GLMC Bonzai Road Rally Hudson House in Hudson, WI http://www.glmc.org/bonzai.php The Bonzai Road Rally is a 12 hour event which is best described to those who have never tried a road rally as an oversized treasure hunt. At the end of the rally day, riders return to rally HQ with stories and memories. If you like motorcycle riding and would like to try a motorcycle road rally, the Bonzai would be a excellent rally to start with.

May 9 — Winona Purple Heart Monument Ride

May 30, 1:00 - 6:00pm — Rockers Spring Social Motorcycle Show

Winona Harley-Davidson, 1845 Mobile Drive, Winona, MN Sponsored by Winona Area Combat Wounded Veterans. Registration starts at 9:30, motorcycles go out at 11:00 am for 100 mile ride with five stops. The ride ends with a barbeque and chips, door prizes, card game prizes and more. For more information call (507) 689-4175

May 29–31 — 39th Annual Hiawatha Rally Money Creek Haven Campground in Money Creek, MN. www.bmwmocm.com/Rally.htm Demo Rides, field events, dinner Saturday, prizes, ride for PIE!, self guided tours, live music, quiet and loud camping

May 16, 9:00 am — 4th annual EMS Honor Guard Ride Route 65 Grub & Pub,18407 HWY 65 NE., East Bethel, MN http://mnemshonorguard. org/2015-mn-ems-honor-guard-bike-ride/ Come join us for the 4th annual EMS Honor Guard Ride. Registration starts at 9am with opening ceremonies at 10:30 with kickstands up at 11. There will be three stops along the route again this year with a poker run for door prizes along the way returning at 5pm.

Summer Cycle Fest

July 11th – 12th. Join us for the Motorcycle Event of the Summer! Tires – Best prices in town!

Sales:

Non-Rider activities starting at 3pm with silent auction. Band “Stealing the Covers” at 8:30pm. Everyone welcome.

$250 Off ANY bike for Military members May 23rd – 30th Parts: 15% Off Frame Sliders, Engine Guards, Foot Pegs, Rear Sets Service: 15% Off Installation of Monthly Part’s Special

sed 100+ U es ycl rc to o M ! In Stock

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Clubhouse Jäger, 923 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55401 Motoshow, DJ’s, Bands, Raffles, Midway style motorbike themed games, the hospitality of Club Jager and all the follies of friends, strangers, freaks and geeks.

May 30, 8:00 am — 11th Annual Motorcycle Run, Street Dance & BBQ - in Memory of Chuck Worden Fury Motorcycle - 740 N. Concord, South St. Paul www.chucksride.com/ Run starts at Fury Motorcycle. Street Dance at 3:00 pm at South St. Paul VFW GallagherHansen Post 295, 111 Concord Exchange, S South Saint Paul, MN 55075.Music, Food, Silent Auction, Raffles and More. Rain or Shine. Motorcycle not needed to enjoy street dance, silent auction and other activities. Entry fee: $10.00, 6 years old and under free. Bike run participants free. To Benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of MN

May 30, 9:00 am — 2nd Annual Joe Gillis Special Heart’s Ride and Benefit Bennett’s Chop and Railhouse, 1305 W. 7th St. Neighborhood St. Paul. After Party and Benefit at Tavern on the Avenue, 825 Jefferson Ave. St. Paul www.facebook.com events/451066791717086/ Riders - Breakfast at Bennett’s Chop and Railhouse: 9am - 10:45am. Kickstands up at 11:00am. Everybody - please join us for a Post Ride Party at Tavern on the Avenue at 5:00pm. Beer, live music featuring Blue Spot Lobotomy and Stricken and door prizes.

May 31, 10:30 am — Faribault Bike Blessing Rice County Fairgrounds Beer Gardens, 1814 2nd Ave NW, Faribault, MN Bike Blessing, Live Rock n Roll, Free food

June

Jun 5 - 7 — Yamaha FJ1100/1200 Rally in Black Hills SD

June 5 - 7 — Rockerbox Motofest Road America, Wisconsin 67, Plymouth, WI www.rockerbox.us/ Take a nice ride across Wisconsin to check out Rockerbox, the premier Wisconsin motorcycle show. Features ride-in bike show and competition, AHRMA vintage racing, local and national vendors, live music, food, beer, stunt shows, kart racing, and of course a slow speed evening sunset cruise of the road course.

Jun 6 — 2015 2 Wheels 4 Heroes Ride http://www.2wheels4heroes.com/events.html Lino Lakes American Legion, 7731 Lake Drive, Lino Lakes Kickstands up @ 10am, Registration starts at 9am. Free Ride! Food and Live auction immediately following the ride at Route 65 Pub and Grub. 100% of donations are given to the Poly Trauma Center at the Minneapolis VA Home. As always; remember WE RIDE RAIN OR SHINE!

Jun 6 — Ride for Boobies 6th Annual Blue Moon Saloon, 130 8th Street NE, Milaca Sponsored by Blue Moon Saloon The ride is approximately 150 miles with 3 stops. The ride fee is $20.00 per person and includes an evening meal, entertainment, door prizes, a live auction. Proceeds will be donated to Pink Ribbon Riders, a non-profit organization assisting men and women with breast cancer. For more information call (612) 3900358

Jun 6, 9:30 am — Rivers of Hope Charity Bike Run Moon Motors-3613 Chelsea Rd Monticello info@riversofhope.org Light breakfast at start and meal at last stop will be provided. Ride will be approximately 145 miles w/3 stops. All proceeds benefit men, women, and children impacted by domestic violence

Jun 6, 10:00 am — 18th Annual Carver Fun Run Ride starts and ends at the VFW in Chaska, MN. http://redknightsmn.com/minnesota-motorcycle-club-carver-fun-run/ Registration starts at 10:00 am, Kickstands up at 12:00 Noon, Rain or Shine… we WILL ride! Cost: $20 – Single Rider - $30 – Rider & Passenger. Everyone pays including Corps and Red Knights. Food, Door Prizes, 50/50 raffles etc. after the run. All Ride proceeds benefit: The Minneapolis Shriners Hospitals for Children and Red Knights MN 7 Firefighter Assistance Fund

Jun 12–13 — Antique swap meet and show Viking Chapter AMCA, MN State Fair Grounds.

June 12–14 — MN 1000 http://www.teamstrange.com/ Hosting an event? MMM will list your motorcycle event for free as a service to our readers. Email bruce@mnmotorcycle.com or MMM Calendar, 7265 Balsam Lane N, Maple Grove, MN 55369.

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APPLY

to be part of the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Advisory Task Force

Apply online or download an application

Applications are due by May 26, 2015. New members will be appointed starting June 5, 2015. For questions call 651-297-5845 / 651-556-0643 or email open.appointments@state.mn.us

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Ride Better. Ride Smarter. Ride Longer. Courses for New and Experienced Riders Register online now at www.motorcyclesafety.org

Training is available at 28 Minnesota locations April through October. Basic Rider Course ($180)

Basic Rider Course 2 ($55)

Teaches the basics and is the best way to earn a motorcycle license.

Newly licensed, returning and experienced riders find this course valuable as it builds on existing skills and knowledge.

Civilian Police Motorcycle Course ($75)

Civilian Police Motorcycle Course â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Level 2 ($50)

Advanced course for experienced riders that uses same techniques designed to train and keep police motor officers safe in any riding or traffic situration. (Brooklyn Park and Willmar)

This course is for graduates of the CPMC and adds new high challenge drills to hone control skills and confidence. (Brooklyn Park and Willmar)

Courses include: Moped, $35 n 3-Wheel Basic Rider Course (3WBRC), $150 n 3-Wheel Experienced Rider, $125 n

Individual Training, $60 per hour n Basic Motorcycle Maintenance, $65 (Rosemount) n

www.motorcyclesafety.org â&#x20AC;˘ (800) 407-6677 Paid for by Minnesota motorcyclists

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