Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly - June 2015 by Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly

#166 FREE

From Russia With Love

Inside: 2 015 Ural cT • Special Section: Off-Road Bikes

Ely and The Echo Trail • Gear and Movie Reviews

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly®

Table of Contents June 2015 3

From The Hip

PUBLISHER

Victor Wanchena

All The News That Fits

MANAGING EDITOR

Bruce Mike

Geezer With A Grudge Foot Out, Rider Down

EDITOR

Guido Ebert

Tales From The Road Cowboys and Pirates

COLUMNISTS Thomas Day

CONTRIBUTORS Paul Berglund David Harrington Stuart Shakespeare Jesse Walters Tammy Wanchena

Photo by Bruce Mike

From The Hip

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 2015 by Hartman Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Gear Review HJC FG-X Talon Off-Road Helmet Movie Review Revelation Road

8-9

By Bruce Mike

Bike Review 2015 Ural cT

very year, the first weekend of May, there is a 3 day event in Dubuque Iowa called Vintage Torque Fest. This was the third year in a row that I have attended and I’m pretty certain I’ll be back next year. It is my kind of event. A few hundred street rods that are DRIVEN to the event as well as a bunch of motorcycles, pit bikes and mini bikes. The first year of we went we brought my Honda Trail 70 and a friend brought his mid sixties Honda CT. We had a ton of fun riding them around the Dubuque County Fairgrounds and racing in an impromptu parking lot race. Last year we brought nothing and regretted it. We vowed to bring something we could ride on the track. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of stuff going on at Torque Fest and even without something to ride we had a good time. Vintage Torque Fest is a fund raiser for families with children with congenital heart defects. It is not a typical car show. It is a weekend long festival that brings people from all over the country that have a passion for old cars and bikes and the lifestyle that seems to go with it. There are bands and art and entire families that seem to long for life as it used to be. These are my kind of people. They drive old cars with big motors that shoot flames. They have the skills to do a proper burnout. Driving their old cars and bikes is far more important than washing and polishing them. There were four of us who went this year and we found out in January that the track at the fairgrounds would not just be open to cars and trucks, but mini bikes as well. Since none of us have an old car or truck we decided to get some mini bikes together. I’ve had my Trail 70 for about 20 years and had recently put a 110cc motor in it that my nephew had pulled out of a pocket bike he had found in a dumpster. I should clarify, my brother and nephew put the motor in it, I purchased parts and a 12 volt conversion kit and handed them tools. My skill set doesn’t go much beyond basic maintenance and diagnostics. I do have a pretty good eye for aesthetics. I know there are people out there who would think it sacrilege to destroy the integrity of a perfectly good Honda Trail 70, but I gotta say, with a 5-speed transmission and a top speed of around 50 mph, it’s ridiculously fun to ride. The other mini bikes we brought were the old-school, tube frame, centrifugal clutch, lawn mower engine type. Of course they all needed improvements and enhancements. We spent one night a week, in my brother’s shop, for a couple of months, working on these things. There was welding, fabricating, bigger motors and a whole lot of fun involved. In the end we still weren’t convinced any of them would complete a lap on the track. We left early Friday morning so we could make the mid-afternoon track time for mini bikes. We made it and all of the bikes completed at least one lap. They also all needed repairs afterwards. We discovered this to be half the fun. Just like all the cars and trucks at Torque Fest we did whatever we had to do to get them running. There was all kinds of back yard engineering and “what have we got that’ll work” repairs. Pretty much every time we rode, something would break on one of them. By the time we left on Sunday we had sold one and bought a brand new one that will require performance enhancements before next year. I know it’s the childhood memories of mini bikes that makes doing this so enjoyable but spending the prep time with friends and family makes it great. MMM

10-12

Special Section Off-Road Bikes

Special Section Off-Road Bikes Dual Sport Tutoring with BC Moto Adventures

Motorcycling In Minnesota Ely And The Echo Trail

Random Scootering Off-Roading on a Scooter… Seriously, a Scooter. Calendar

Feature Rider From The Record Books Donny Schmit Cover photo Julie S. Mike 2015 Ural Ct Provided By: St. Croix Harley-Davidson/Ural 2060 Highway 65 New Richmond, WI 54017 715.246.2959 • stcroixural.com

Je Suis Charlie

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

All The News That Fits Dungey, Supercross & the 2016 Tour

Of the 102,288 two-wheelers retailed in Q1, On-Highway model sales were up 8.6% to 70,948 units, Off-highway model sales were up an incredible 12.9% to 18,741 units, Dual model sales experienced a 1% increase to 7,718 units, and Scooter sales fell -2.2% to 4,881 units.

H-D Cuts Shipment Outlook Harley-Davidson says it expects to ship 276,000 to 281,000 motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide in 2015, an approximate 2% to 4% increase from 2014 but down from previous guidance of 282,000 to 287,000 units. In the second quarter, ending June 30, the company expects to ship 83,000 to 88,000 motorcycles, compared to 92,217 motorcycles shipped in the year-ago period.

H-D’s Operation Personal Freedom Bravo to Harley-Davidson for offering a free H-D Riding Academy New Rider Course for all current and former U.S. military personnel. The offer runs May 16 – Sep. 13, 2015. Visit www.Harley-Davidson.com for more information.

Ducati Dealerships Ranked #1 The 2015 AMA Supercross Championship wrapped up May 2 in Las Vegas, and Minnesota’s Ryan Dungey had such a good season, he had already locked up the 450SX title for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in early April! The 17-round 2016 AMA Supercross season kicks off Jan. 9 in Anaheim, Calif., and ends May 7 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. There won’t be a tour stop in Minnesota.

Victory to Rally in Colorado & Iowa The 2015 American Victory Rally (AVR) takes place June 25-28 in Colorado Springs, Colo. AVR previously was held in Spirit Lake, Iowa – the community where Victory motorcycles are produced. Instead, the newly announced ‘Boji Bike Rally is to be held there Aug. 14-16. Open to riders of all brands, the ‘Boji Bike Rally is to include vendor displays and concerts at Lake Okoboji’s Arnolds Park, Victory Demo Rides, scenic country rides, official event merchandise, plant tours at the Victory final assembly facility and more.

Cycle Soup Re-Launch The folks behind the CarSoup.com online marketplace are in the process of re-launching CycleSoup.com. CarSoup.com was founded by Minneapolis native Larry Cuneo 25 years ago, in the early days of the Internet, as a sort of “multiple listing service” for automobiles. Today, the company serves individuals and corporate clients in all 50 states.

10,000 Lakes Concours, June 7 The 10,000 Lakes Concours d’Elegance takes place 10am to 4pm, Sunday, June 7 in Excelsior, MN. The gathering of collectible motorcycles, cars and boats will be further joined by members of the MN Historical Society dressed in period clothes, the Westonka Historical Society showcasing its Tonka Toy Collection, live music, an art display, and foods and fine beverages. Tickets are $35 per adult. Kids 12 and under free, as are active military with I.D. Proceeds benefit the ICA Food Shelf. Visit www.10000LakesConcours.com for more information.

Feeling Congested?

The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s 2014 Metropolitan Freeway System Congestion Report shows traffic congestion (defined as traffic flowing at speeds 45 mph or less) continues to grow in the Twin Cities. The average Minnesotan spends 34 hours a year in congestion, according to MnDOT. Officials say if there is no new transportation investment, that time could grow to 45 hours a year by 2025. MnDOT says factors that impact congestion rates include the local economy, population growth, gas prices, transit ridership and vehicle miles traveled. To combat the issue, MnDOT says it plans to open additional MnPASS lanes, add overhead message boards to improve traffic flow and ramp meters to space out traffic.

“Get Women Riding” The American Motorcyclist Association recently launched the AMA “Get Women Riding” campaign in an effort to promote motorcycling to women and girls. “Women and girls face additional difficulties of finding bikes and gear that fit them, of getting certain salespeople to take them seriously and – the big one – overcoming the societal stereotype that motorcycling is something for men only,” said AMA Board of Directors Chair Maggie McNally-Bradshaw. The AMA Get Women Riding campaign includes four videos that promote riding to women by women (www.youtube.com/AmericanMotorcyclist/) as well as a redesigned website (www.womenandmotorcycling.com) featuring information for new riders and stories about women motorcyclists.

Ducati dealerships in the U.S. have for the second straight year come out on top in a study measuring treatment of motorcycle shoppers. Of the 18 manufacturers evaluated in the 2015 Pied Piper Satisfaction Index U.S. Motorcycle Industry Benchmarking Study between July 2014 and April 2015, Ducati dealerships were shown as the highest ranked brand in dealership treatment of motorcycle shoppers.

Ace Café … Orlando? Motorheads planning to bring the family to Disneyworld may want to ditch them for a day to visit the Ace Café Orlando – the first North American off-shoot of the famed Ace Café London. A full-service restaurant & bar, live music and special event venue with art gallery and retail shops, the property covers three acres at the corner of West Livingston St. and Garland Ave. Learn more at www.AceCafeUSA.com

AMA Opposes Ethanol The American Motorcyclist Association says it opposes the proliferation of E15 fuel in the marketplace. The rider group says the formulation is not approved for use in any of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles cur-

rently on U.S. roads and trails, and says use of E15 in motorcycles or ATVs can result in fuel system failure, cause engine damage and void manufacturers’ warranties.

Polaris Picks Up Timbersled Polaris recently acquired Timbersled Products, Inc. an Idaho-based supplier of kits that can adapt off-road motorcycles for on-snow use. Founded in 2002, the Timbersled began by designing and selling aftermarket accessories for snowmobiles. The motorcycle conversion kits are priced from $5,300 to $6,500 and currently sold through approx. 150 dealers.

Recalls, Recalls, Recalls Harley-Davidson is recalling 45,901 model year 2014-2015 motorcycles for a clutch master cylinder that may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch, especially if the motorcycle has been parked for an extended period of time. The Motor Company says it will notify owners, and dealers will flush the clutch system and rebuild the clutch master cylinder free of charge. Also, H-D is recalling certain 2015 XG500 and XG750 motorcycles that were shipped without a rear reflector assembly. Honda, Triumph and Yamaha are each recalling motorcycles because the nut on the damper rod of the Ohlins rear shock absorber may loosen. Honda is recalling 504 of its model year 2014 and 2015 Honda CBR1000S, Triumph is recalling 566 model year 2014-15 Daytona 675R and Speed Triple R motorcycles, and Yamaha is recalling 350 of its R1M supersports bikes. KTM is recalling 409 of its 2015 690 Enduro R because the rear brake line from the ABS pressure modulator to the foot brake cylinder may have been damaged during the assembly process and/or be subject to subsequent damage caused by contact with the spring clamp of the crank case ventilation hose. All OEMs say they will notify owners and that dealers will inspect and correct the issues as necessary, free of charge.

Recall Tool Remember, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a free online tool that’ll allow you to type in the Vehicle Identification Number of your motorcycle or automobile to check whether it has been repaired as part of a safety recall in the last 15 years. Visit www.Safercar.gov and click on the “Search For Recalls” tab. MMM

Cycle Sales Up in 2015 Motorcycle sales in the U.S. during the first three months of the year grew 8.2% compared to the first three months of 2014, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC).

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Foot Out, Rider Down

Geezer With A Grudge

By Thomas Day

friend sent me a note this week, complaining about the god-awful scooter and bike skills he witnessed near the U of M. “A few days ago I watched a young guy on a scooter (wearing a helmet, with shorts and flip-flops) stick his left foot out as he arced through the intersection,” my friend wrote. “This evening I watched a young hipster (flannel shirt, rolled up jeans with lace up boots) on a Sportster leave an intersection making a left turn with his boot out like he was at the Springfield Mile. Just a few blocks later, I watched an overweight middle age guy on some bloated metric cruiser wobbling away from a stop sign with his feet down as he tried to gain momentum and stability. Unfortunately, he too was wearing flip-flops. At that point I was ready to stick my head out and yell.” I’m not sure what to say about this. His comment was inspired by a rant on the GeezerwithAGrudge.com site, after one of my weekend classes. I had a young man in the class who was convinced he was an experienced off-road motorcyclist. Every turn was accompanied by him sticking out his foot like he was planning on sliding it around a quarter-mile dirt track. There was nothing special about his speed and his steering input was more bicyclist tactic than dirt biker. I repeatedly told him that if he hooked a heel on the asphalt he might be looking at tearing up body parts from an ankle to a knee to a hip. He kept saying, “It’s a dirt biker habit.” I kept saying, “It’s really just a bad habit.” So it went for the day. Apparently, so it is going for lots of riders everyday. When my wife sees someone flying through traffic, crawling up the ass of eve-

ry car slowing down the fruitcake’s progress, she says, “There goes another video game fool.” What she means is that kids who grew up playing dumb crap like Grand Theft Auto or Forza Motorsport have been conned into thinking their “competence” in that moronic game translates to their ability as a car driver. Trust me, punk. It doesn’t. Likewise, “success” with MXGP - The Official Motocross Video Game has no connection to actually riding a motorcycle off-road. Not one iota of a relationship. None. Nada. The difference is one is played by effortlessly twiddling your fingers while you stuff your face with Cheetos® and the other is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world.

The foot-out tripod method of turning depends on poor traction (so your foot will slide and the rear wheel will spin) and great footwear so your foot and ankle will provide that third leg of stability. Some of the fastest off-road riders reserved sticking a foot out for extreme situations where it was absolutely necessary because of the injury risk involved. Getting a picture of Roger DeCoster sticking a foot out took patience and DeCoster won a Gold Medal at the 1964 International Six Days Trial, was the 1964 Belgian Observed Trials National champ, collected five 500cc Motocross World Championships, and won 36 500cc record-setting Grand Prix races.

“Putting an unprotected foot out in a low speed, poorly executed city street turn is just a demonstration of sorry cornering skills”.

So, just because your virtual “rider” sticks his foot out for every slight change of direction does not mean real motorcyclists need their feet in the air to turn a motorcycle. That is what the handlebars are for.

Putting an unprotected foot out in a low speed, poorly executed city street turn is just a demonstration of sorry cornering skills.

deserves to be fitted for a peg leg. I am not exaggerating. That is one of the world’s dumbest moves, right along with wearing shorts and a t-shirt on a motorcycle. Why not ride naked? You might as well. It’s not like that t-shirt is going to be any sort of protection when you are sliding down the road. Remember, you’re the idiot who needs to poke a foot out to turn a perfectly competent motorcycle at walking speeds. It’s not like anyone smart is going to put money on your riding skills. The house odds are that you are going down, hard, sometime soon. When you do, there is going to be a lot of skin left on the road and you will be making some plastic surgeon very happy (and rich) for a very long time … if you live. This is when someone who loves you should be suggesting you get some training. Most likely, it might be a good time to get your motorcycle license, too. Since 20% of Minnesota’s motorcycle fatalities are unlicensed “riders.” It’s a safe assumption that lots of those foot-turners are unlicensed and uneducated riders. Even better, if you want to be the kind of rider who really needs to stick a foot out in corners, sell your scooter or street bike, buy a dirt bike, and go racing. Believe it or not, being on a racetrack is a hell of a lot safer than riding poorly in traffic.

Anyone dumb enough to stick a flip-flopshod foot out toward concrete or asphalt

The Geezer Gets A Response … In response to Thomas Day’s article from last month (MMM #165) I would like to offer the following rebuttal. Thomas has missed the point completely. While focusing on the point that only a small handful of riders can use a liter-class sportbike to its fullest potential, he misses the salient point. The beauty of freedom of choice is just that, you can choose. If I wish to buy an epically fast sportbike and wobble around corners like a noob that’s my prerogative. We are free to ride what we want. No one should dictate what to buy as long as you aren’t riding in such a way that endangers others or impinges on their freedom. There is an inherent beauty in the freedom to make choices (good or bad) on your own. We, as riders, don’t need to be saved from ourselves. Does anyone need a fast sport bike? No, but that’s not the point. I resist any attempt to tell me what I do or don’t need. If motorcycles were restricted to what someone else thinks we “need” then we’d all be trundling around on 49cc mopeds. I support Thomas’s decision to not own one as much as I support anyone who decides to buy one. Vive la difference. I now plan to go ride laps around Thomas’s house on my loud piped 950cc dirt bike. Concerned reader (and publisher) Victor Wanchena

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

MMM

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Tales From The Road

Cowboys and Pirates

By Paul Berglund

ave you ever pulled up to a restaurant and seen a trike parked out front? I don’t mean the kind of trike that started life as a motorcycle and then, to its chagrin, was turned into a trike. I’m talking about the kind that was made from scratch to be a trike. Especially the ones that use a car engine for power. Do yourself a favor and go into the restaurant and play the “who owns the trike game.” Quietly look around and guess who rode the trike there. I like this game because you can win every time. What I don’t understand is why? Did the trike or the life-style look come first? Granted, it’s child’s play to pick out the loan trike rider from the average restaurant diner. What if that trike is parked outside a bar and there are dozens of cruisers parked next to it? It becomes a real fashion game then. Go in and look around. You’ll see men and women in pirate garb and black leather cowboys and cowgirls. Keep scanning; over there, see the one guy who looks like an old-time sea captain. He’s your man. Why do we dress like we do? I have no idea. My neighbor was a Gold Wing guy. He and his wife dressed like a Gold Wing couple. Then he went to Sturgis. Something changed in him. By the next summer he had a Harley-Davidson. It must have come with a black leather vest because they appeared

Photo by Paul Berglund

concurrently. His ridding outfit went from practical, color coordinated protection to stylish black leather cowboy. He started to shave his head. His full-face helmet that was color-matched to his Gold Wing stayed on the shelf; it was replaced by a matte black

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open-face helmet, at first. Then he would often wear a pirate hanky on his shiny head. Then he hit a dear. Now he leaves the hanky in his pocket and puts a helmet on his head when he rides. We are all better off for this. He’s a great guy who rides motorcycles, and we always have a fun conversation about riding. His fashion is not my fashion, but we share a common passion.

in the garage, until I sold it all at the next swap meet came along. Maybe those of us who love to ride motorcycles need our own fashion so we can see each other when we’re off the bike. Not brand names of what we ride, but a sign of why we ride. My onbike fashion was mostly orange and my off-bike wardrobe was slowly turning orange too. If I was buying something, make that anything, I would ask the same thing, “Does it come in orange?” I don’t own many things with KTM printed on them. Off the bike, I have one hat, but I seldom wear that. Beyond clothing, I have a lot of things that are orange. Oh and I tend to paint things orange. If it needs to be painted, why not paint it orange? I can always find my trailer or my shed door now. They’re safer too. Isn’t orange wonderful? It’s not KTM orange necessarily, it’s just orange. Wonderful safe orange.

“Why do we dress like we do? I have no idea”.

I find my wardrobe has changed over the years. I realized I had an embarrassing amount of unused motorcycle gear in my garage. I went through it all and pulled out all the stuff I hadn’t worn for a year or more. A lot of the coats and gloves were green. Oh that’s right, I used to be a Kawasaki Guy. I stopped wearing the Green stuff when I bought a Yamaha. I look better in blue any way, so it only made sense to upgrade my gear to better and bluer new gear. I took all the unloved green gear to the big motorcycle swap meet at the Minnesota State Fair grounds and sold it. With one bike in my garage, I had just the right amount of gear to use when I went out for a ride. Then I got Orange Fever.

It all started innocently enough. I bought a much used 1999 KTM 620 RXC and started riding off road too. So naturally I need to buy off road gear. As long as I was buying new gear it might as well be KTM orange. No harm in that. In fact, orange is highly visible. It seamed like the logical thing to make my road gear oranger and, thereby, safer. I took the opportunity to coordinate my whole motorcycle-riding ensemble into cohesive attention grabbing orange. Now on or off road, I was both safer and more fashionable. With two bikes there was twice as much gear and it was twice as orange. Then I had three bikes. KTM makes street bikes too? Who knew? A KTM road bike joined my stable. My Yamaha and my blue gear mostly stayed

My long-suffering wife has accepted this. She doesn’t wear much orange, but when she replaces things they tend to be orange. Like the flashlight we keep on the phone table. Or our coffee maker and even the cushions for our patio furniture, all are orange. Granted she buys the toned down, non-safety version of orange, but in my heart I know what she’s saying. I have orange socks and orange underwear. Several of my shirts, sweatshirts, coats and hats are orange. I even have an orange jumpsuit that was so super cheap that I couldn’t not buy it. Sadly I can’t wear it because it looks exactly like the ones prison inmates wear when they are outside of the prison. So that was a fail on my part. It’s that orange jumpsuit that serves as a reminder to me that I shouldn’t judge the pirates or the cowboys, nor the sea captains that I meet. It’s our love of motorcycles and my wife’s tolerance of them that brings us together today. May the Orange be with you; and let there be cake.

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

MMM

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Gear Review

HJC FG-X Talon Off-Road Helmet By Victor Wanchena

he FG-X is HJC’s line of mid tier offroad helmets. There are several models (Legendary Lucha, Driven, Hammer,Talon, Grand Duke, and Solid), which simply denote the color patterns, but functionally they’re all the same helmet. Intended as an off-road helmet, I have used one now for a year in a variety of circumstances and find quite flexible. It is constructed using what HJC describes as “Advanced Fiberglass Composite Shell”. Translation: a strong lightweight shell. I prefer fiberglass shells as the material of choice in helmets with the highest safety ratings. The lining uses SilverCool™ Interior. It’s removable and does a good job of wicking moisture on hot sweaty days. It claims to stay odor-free interior with anti-bacterial fabric, which thankfully it has after some hot-weather,

high-energy rides. It’s easy enough to remove and replace, but I haven’t tried washing it yet. The eye port is full sized for good goggle fit. I tend to favor larger sized goggles and never had an issue with fitting them comfortably. The FG-X also has what HJC calls “Advanced Channeling Ventilation System” to keep air flowing through the helmet. It does a good job of keeping the air flowing on everything except super slow technical trails. It carries both DOT and Snell rating and retails for $199. It is available in a range of colors and patterns, from the usual black and white to a host of loud and proud designs. The fit runs true to size. I wear a XXL helmet normally and that size fits perfectly in the FG-X. I’ve used mine for daily commuting, dual sport trips, and trail rides. It makes for a perfect warm weather helmet for people who like air moving over their face. In colder weather the open design made it the wrong choice for me. The sun visor is an underappreciated feature for early morning commuting. The FG-X makes an excellent choice for some wanting a reasonably priced high quality off-road helmet that can do double duty on the road during the summer months. MMM

Movie Review

Revelation Road Directed by Gabriel Saboff Pure Flix Entertainment (2013) 88 Minutes (NR)

By Tammy Wanchena

just watched a ninety minute Public Service Announcement for Christianity under the guise of a “Mad Max like” movie. Revelation Road: The Beginning of the End (2013) is unlike any other outlaw biker movie I have ever seen. The entire movie centers on believing in Jesus in order to survive the apocalypse. And not a badass Mexican biker named Jesus, he is the son of God.

Will Josh face Hawg’s mighty hammer of vengeance? To be continued…. No, literally. To be continued. There are evidently more movies to follow, in case this one failed to convert the atheists and agnostics. This movie ends before any real post-apocalyptic action takes place, with the promise that it is to be continued. But it does manage to convey that the True Believers will be saved while those remaining on the fence will have some serious praying to do to survive. Stay tuned and perhaps we will review the sequel next month. Just in time for the new Mad Max movie to hit the theaters.

“And not a badass Mexican biker named Jesus, he is the son of God”.

The end came as it was prophesized: like a thief in the night. At least that is what the film claimed. But really we saw signs it was impending throughout. Radio and television reception was failing. Lightning struck at peculiar times. Cell phone reception seemingly improved.

Josh Mc Manus is a traveling salesman with a dark past. His Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is put to the test when some outlaw bikers interrupt his sales call and he is forced to kill them all forcing Hawg, their leader, and the rest of the gang to seek revenge.

A few key search words will always guarantee a motorcycle movie will pop up in your Netflix queue. Hell, Wheels, Angels, Biker…. I found this movie by typing in Mickey Rourke. While he does not show up anywhere in this film, this is definitely a film you could see him fit in. Depending on his religious beliefs, that is. David A.R. White, Brian Bosworth, Eric Roberts and Ray Wise are among the cast members you might recognize testing your faith. To be continued… MMM

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

T h e U ra l c T — A Tr I

By Bruce Mike

’ve been riding motorcycles on the street for 35 years and for whatever reason, I had never ridden a sidecar rig. Needless to say, when I got the chance to review the 2015 Ural cT, I was all in. I was fortunate that the other reviewer has a ton of sidecar experience and he was able to give me a lot of helpful tips and suggestions. After a brief run around the block with Victor, so I could get a feel for it, I was on my own.

I found out immediately that you have to drive these rigs. They have a tendency to pull in one direction or another depending on whether you’re braking or accelerating. I got comfortable with it’s handling eccentricities pretty quickly and after that it was nothing but fun. I figured out how to “fly the chair” but I wasn’t able to get it to drift. I thought I did once when it was snowing lightly but I can’t be sure. My biggest struggle was not hitting things with the sidecar. I hopped a couple of curbs and smacked a plastic garbage can. I really had to make a conscious effort to remember it was out there.

The Ural is not a “fast” bike in any sense of the word. It doesn’t look fast, go fast or stop fast. On the Interstate I plugged along at 65 mph fairly comfortably. I don’t know that it could have done much better than that. I did have a passenger and a fairly strong head-wind. Wind on the highway is not this bikes friend. It has a 5-speed transmission, 4 forward gears and 1 reverse. The reverse is pretty cool and you can go much faster than necessary. I played around in a parking lot in reverse and it was really fun. While this bike is not a technological marvel, it is mechanically sound. It’s got electric start, fuel injection, disc brakes and a 750 boxer motor which was originally reverse engineered from a BMW motor. The improvements made from it’s original design seem to be only what was necessary to make the bike better. It hasn’t been reinvented. It’s the same basic machine it has always been, it’s just more reliable. What this bike lacks in performance and tech, it more than makes up for in the way it looks. If your motorcycle is often an important acces-

Photo by Julie S. Mike

It’s kind of a street legal ATV. sory to your hipster look, this bike is definitely the ride for you. It is classic cool. It does “retro” better than any other bike on the market. It achieves this coolness not by design but by being just what it is, a utilitarian motorcycle. I don’t know that I have ever ridden or driven anything that drew a crowd like this bike. I had people asking me questions at traffic lights. Here is a basic history of the Ural. In 1939 a meeting was held at the USSR Defense Ministry to discuss what motorcycle would work best for the Red Army. In the official version of the story, it was decided, the BMW R71 was the right bike. Five units were bought through secret channels in Sweden

and smuggled to Russia. Engineers in Moscow copied every detail of the BMW design and made moulds and dies to produce their own engines and gearboxes. Everything about the bike was reverse engineered. Early in 1941, production of the M-72 began. Apparently changing the model number from R71 to M-72 made the bike an original Ural.

A more likely story is that the BMW factory supplied the Soviets with everything they needed as a result of the Molotov/Ribbentrop Pact. Which was an agreement between The Soviets and Germany to share technology. Also in 1941, BMW began production of the R75 and stopped producing the R71. I’m sure giving the Soviets the R71 model was not a cause for sleepless nights at the BMW factory. They didn’t start building Urals for non-military use until the late 1950s and then in the 1960s they went to full non-military production. They didn’t start exporting the bikes until the late 1960s. Ural is the only Russian motorcycle manufacturer of bikes this size and one of only a few motorcycle sidecar manufacturers. Since they started they have built over 3 million bikes.

gage rack, side car bumper and a high intensity spot light mounted on the sidecar. It has no chrome and flat and camo paint options. The Patrol is considered a touring bike. It comes with fancier paint and a little chrome but could certainly take you the same places the Gear-Up will go. I would love an opportunity to ride one of the models with the sidecar drive. I have a hunch it would make for some great dual-sport adventures and really extend the Minnesota riding season. The versatility of these rigs seems endless. While I have no interest in trikes, although I find the Can Am Spyder intriguing, I could see myself with a sidecar rig someday. I have no interest in building one but buying a bike like the Ural that is built specifically with a sidecar is a possibility. With the price of a brand new one starting at around $13,000, it would probably be cheaper than building one.

Thanks again to the fine folks at St. Croix Harley-Davidson and Ural for supplying us with the Ural. It was a lot of fun and completely changed my perspective on sidecar rigs. If you want more information check them out online at www.stcroixural.com.

When in doubt,

RIDE RIDE

We got our Ural test bike from St. Croix MMM Harley-Davidson and Ural in New Richmond, Wisconsin. The cT model we rode is the bare-bones Ural. The cT and the M70 come without sidecar drive. The M70 is also equipped with a telescopic front fork and 18” wheels which gives it better handling on the road but less ground clearance. The Gear-Up and Confidence-inspiring tools, equipment, Patrol both have sidecar drive. and gear for commuting and traveling. The Gear-Up is built for offroad. It has a spare tire, lug- ©2007 800.222.1994 FREE CATALOG www.aerostich.com

When in doubt,

Confidence-inspiring tools, equipment, and gear for commuting and traveling.

Photo by Julie S. Mike

Along with fuel-injection the latest Ural has warning lights and disc brakes.

800.222.1994 FREE CATALOG www.aerostich.com

aero when in doubt ride MMM 0415.indd 1

4/1/15 1:16 PM

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

rue Modern Classic M

By Victor Wanchena

any motorcycles claim to be modern classics, but few actually have the pedigree to have earned that title. The Ural can proudly wear that badge with 75 years of building essentially the same machine. The beauty of a modern classic is it captures the styling and tone of yesteryears, but doesn’t saddle you with the sketchy build quality and components of the good old days. The Ural lives up to that promise with a list of improvements that would have shocked diehard Ural fans only a decade ago. If you aren’t familiar with the Ural story here’s the short version. Prior to World War II the Russians either stole from Germany or were given (depends on who’s telling the story) the plans for a sidecar rig. They promptly started building them and never quit. Named for the mountain range the factory is located in, the Ural has seen minimal changes to the basic platform over the years.

I am certainly biased, having owned a Ural for 10 years, but during that time I paid my dues keeping my machine in good running form through daily commuting in our brutal winters. In those years, I developed a mental checklist of every improvement or change I would make to a new Ural. I am happy to report that Ural engineers are mind readers, because the new Urals check every one of those boxes. Our test ride this month, courtesy of St. Croix H-D and Ural, is a 2015 Ural cT. The cT model is Ural’s entry-level model. Entry level is usually code for old design and stripped down, but not so with the cT. Instead, the cT is everything you need in a good sidecar rig and nothing you don’t. The heart of the Ural cT is their venerable 750cc flat twin motor. This motor has been in use now for 12 years, practically brand new in Ural terms, but has seen a steady stream of improvements. The most noticeable and biggest leap forward is fuel injection. The old carbureted motors ran fine, but the motor was pretty anemic over 50 mph. The addition of fuel injection added heaps of torque and power through the mid-range. It now pulls smooth and cleanly through all gears and holds its speed and most hills.

Our demo unit had only a few miles on the clock when we picked it up, but on the road all those improvements were immediately noticeable. The motor was still tight and breaking in. So I took it easy as I wound along the back roads from the St. Croix’s New Richmond location toward the metro area. After I got a few miles on it the motor loosened up. The power increase over the old models was noticeable and made the motor much easier to use. The older machines required you to spin the motor up quite a bit before shifting. Not so any more. The extra torque means you can usually just roll on the throttle without changing gears. The Ural was never a fast machine and it still isn’t, but it now has the power to run comfortably at highway speeds without straining it.

The chassis design has remained the same, and that’s a good thing. The Ural is an excellent handling sidecar rig. The steering is light by sidecar standards thanks to the leading link front end. The light steering, for a sidecar, combined with the robust frame make the

Ural an excellent handling rig. The cT model sticks even nicer thanks to the 18” rims, which lower it slightly, and Heidenau sidecar profile tires. Other nice details include a much improved parking brake, a vastly brighter headlamp, and a full set of warning lights.

Slightly lowered stance, tires, and better shocks make the cT the best handling Ural I’ve ridden to date. It would be perfect for first time sidecar owners. The tendency of the sidecar to come up on right hand corners, as known as “flying the chair”, was greatly reduced and left-handers had me drifting all three wheels.

All was not perfect with the Ural. It had a couple of small hiccups during my time on it. I had to readjust the rear brake light switch a couple times, the final drive burped a little oil during the initial run (though never actually leaked), and the lean idle was at times annoying. These aren’t deal breakers in the least, but don’t expect to not have to tinker occasionally with it. That said, the Ural does come with a two-year factory warranty that can be extended to three-years, for people who prefer to not spin a wrench.

Being the Monkey – A Passenger’s Perspective of the Ural

By Tammy Wanchena

am always more than a little amused by people’s misperceptions of what it means to ride in a sidecar. Case in point: a guy in the parking lot at St Croix H-D told me he would love to get a Ural but his wife is worried about “hitting the posts.” As if each corner you take or street you drive down will magically shrink down smaller than a car’s width and you will start taking out posts with your wife. Huh? Exactly. Riding in a sidecar is fun. It is super relaxing and if you are prone to falling asleep as a passenger, you will love all the room provided for curling up into a ball and covering up with a blanket. I would compare it to riding in a boat over choppy waves. You will feel the bumps in the road and the potholes, but

you will not fly out of your boat. You remain seated and your butt is none the sorer.

While the Ural is slower on trips, the obscene amount of luggage you can take makes it all worthwhile. And, you can literally read a book or watch television while you ride, making it the perfect way to enjoy motorcycling with someone not as in to it as you.

No, you cannot pick things up off the side of the road without stopping and getting out of your sidecar. Yes, you can train many animals to ride passenger in your sidecar. Your closer to the motor so it’s a little louder than riding as a passenger on other bikes, but well worth it for the amount of space and security you are provided. MMM

I found the cT a real pleasure to ride. It is a simple machine that truly is a modern classic.

MMM

2015 Ural cT Specifications MSRP: $12,999 Warranty: Engine:

two-years parts and labor, unlimited mileage OHV air cooled 2 cylinder (749cc) 4 stroke “boxer” (flat twin)

Claimed output: 41 horsepower at 5,500 rpm Max torque:

42 pound-feet at 4,300 rpm

Fuel system:

Throttle body EFI

Starting:

Electric & Kickstart

Manual transmission:

four forward, one reverse

Primary drive (rear wheel):

Driveshaft

Overall length:

91.6 inches

Overall height:

53.8 inches

Overall width:

63.6 inches

Seat height, (unladen):

31.0 inches

Ground clearance (unladen): Dry weight:

6.5 inches 700 pounds

Front suspension:

IMZ leading link fork

Rear suspension: Double sided swing-arm with two Sachs hydraulic spring shock absorbers, 5x adjustable Sidecar suspension: Single sided swing-arm with Sachs hydraulic spring shock absorber, 5x adjustable

The mapping for the fuel injection isn’t perfect as there’s some EPA mandated leanness around idle; but beyond that, I was very impressed. Gone are the old cold start rituals of double chokes, priming kicks, and small offering of throttle. Now you just turn the key and press the button. Even on the kick-starter it lit right off with no fuss.

Wheels:

2.5 x 18 inch Aluminum rims with steel spokes

Tires:

The chassis has remained unchanged with the same robust, over-built frame and sidecar, but features many improvements. First, the addition of disc brakes on all wheels dramatically improved the stopping power. The old pulland-pray drum brakes are a thing of the past. The old friction steering damper was replaced with a hydraulic unit, and the parking brake was redesigned to be much more effective. The finish on the Ural has substantially improved as well. The frame is now powder coated and all chrome has been replaced with stainless steel or alloy components. This includes the wheels, which now have aluminum rims. Gone are the days of flaky chrome and rusty rims.

Ural offers a whole host of accessories for the cT and the rest of the range for riders looking for extra equipment. I recommend the bench seat for tall riders. Ural also offers a custom paint program. For an extra grand you can order your cT in puce, chartreuse, or avocado green.

Heidenau, 4.0 x 18 inches

Front brake: four-piston fixed Brembo caliper with 295 mm floating NG rotor Rear brake: HB big bore single piston integrated floating caliper with 256 mm fixed NG rotor Sidecar brake: two-piston fixed Brembo caliper with 245 mm floating NG rotor

This bike looks cool from any angle.

Photo by Julie S. Mike

Fuel tank capacity:

5.0 gallons

Estimated fuel economy:

31-37 mpg

Trunk volume: Available Colors:

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

2.9 cubic feet Terracotta, Gloss Grey

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Off-Road Bikes

Special Section

Motocross, Enduro & Dual Models for 2015 By Guido Ebert he Off-Road motorcycle market in the U.S. is once again realizing growth after five years of downturn and stagnation.

Here, the term “Off-Road” will include three types of motorcycle – Motocross, Enduro and Dual. Of the three types, Dual model sales were least impacted by the sales downturn experienced in the wake of The Great Recession while Motocross and Enduro model sales experienced the brunt of the economic fall-out. Lets take a look at the numbers, provided by Minneapolis-based research firm Power Products Marketing. Making up the largest portion of the overall Off-Road market, Enduro models include a wide breadth of bike, from 50cc youth models to 500cc desert travelers. Apparent in this market is the popularity of smaller displacement “play bikes” that can be used by youth and adults alike. Also, in many states, larger models can be utilized on-road with alterations. Major brands sold 45,620 Enduro models in 2014, up from 39,600 units in 2012 and 41,875 in 2010, but still down from 84,225 units in 2008. Best-selling Enduro models in 2014 were the CRF50F, CRF110F, TT-R50E, PW50, TT-R125LE, 500 EXC, TT-R230, 300 XC-W, 350 XC-FW and CRF230F. Sales of Motocross models – high-strung off-road-only bikes suited for competition – had been declining since reaching their zenith in 2004. It appears the troubling

economy made an impact on this relatively expensive sport, the investment in which may have swayed increasingly frugal families and individuals away. Nevertheless, the Big Four manufacturers from Japan continue to dominate the market with the 250s and 450s that are popularized in televised Supercross and Motocross races. Major brands sold 39,720 Motocross models in 2014, up from 32,050 units in 2012 and 39,550 units in 2010, but still down from 62,850 units in 2008. Best-selling Motocross models in 2014 were the YZ250F, YZ450F, KX250F/N, KX450F, CRF450R, CRF250R, RM-Z450, RM-Z250, KX85 and CRF125F. Sales of Dual model motorcycles were on a growth course up until a two-year downturn during the Great Recession, after which these do-all bikes bucked the overall sales trend and continued to grow in market share. Apparent is the market’s desire for both low-priced small models and fairly expensive large displacement “Adventure” models that can be taken on and off-road. Major brands sold 29,770 Dual models in 2014, up from 27,485 units in 2012 and 22,050 units in 2010, but still down from 44,225 units in 2008. Best-selling Dual models in 2014 were the CRF250L, KLR650, R1200GS Adventure, R1200GS, XT250, V-Strom 650, TW200, 1190 Adventure, Super Tenere and DR650SE. MMM

Photo Courtesy of Kawasaki

Now lets take a look at the Off-Road – or, Off-Road flavored – motorcycle models offered to us in 2015. By Guido Ebert

BMW BMW offers six Adventure-flavored bikes that, while capable of off-road travel, really are more street-worthy. The line-up includes the G 650 GS ($7,895), F 700 GS ($9,990), F 800 GS ($12,190), F 800 GS Adventure ($13,695), R 1200 GS ($16,175) and R 1200 GS Adventure ($18,340).

HONDA Honda’s 17 Off-Road models include two Dual Sport bikes, 11 Trail/Enduro models, three Motocross models and one Trials bike. The offerings include the CRF250L ($4,999) and XR650L ($6,690); CRF50F ($1,399), CRF70F ($1,960), CRF80F ($2,470) CRF100F ($2,880), CRF110F ($2,099), CRF125F ($2,799), CRF125F Big Wheel ($3,199), CRF150F ($3,699), CRF230F ($4,199), CRF250X ($7,410) and CRF450X ($8,440); the CRF150R ($4,990), CRF250R ($7,599) and CRF450R ($8,699); and the Montesa Cota 4RT260 ($7,799).

Photo Courtesy of Honda Photo Courtesy of BMW

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Off-Road Bikes

Special Section HUSQVARNA

SUZUKI

Husky’s 14-bike KTM-inspired line-up for 2015 features eight Enduro models and six Motocross models: the TE125 ($7,649), TE250 ($8,449), TE300 ($8,649), FE250 ($8,649), FE350/S ($9,649/$10,049), and FE501/S ($9,949/$10,249), and the TC85 ($5,499), TC125 ($6,649), TC250 ($7,349), FC250 ($8,149), FC350 ($8,849) and FC450 ($9,149).

Suzuki’s 12 models adept to the dirt include two Off-Road models, three Motocross, four Dual Sport and three Adventure models: the DR-Z70 ($1,799) and DR-Z125L ($3,199); RM85 ($4,099), RM-Z250 ($7,599) and RM-Z450 ($8,749); DR200S ($4,499), DR-Z400S ($6,599), DR-Z400SM ($7,189) and DR650S ($6,499); as well as the V-Strom 650 Adventure ($10,049), V-Strom 650XT ($10,399) and V-Strom 1000 Adventure ($13,999).

Photo Courtesy of Husqvarna

Photo Courtesy of Suzuki

KAWASAKI Kawasaki’s 11 Off-Road offerings include five Motocross models, four Off-Road models and two Dual Sports. Choose from the KX65 ($3,699), KX85 ($4,349), KX100 ($4,599), KX250F ($7,599) and KX450F ($8,699); the KLX110/L ($2,299/$2,499) and KLX140/L ($3,099/$3,399); and the KLX250S ($5,099) and KLR650 ($6,599).

TRIUMPH Triumph’s six Adventure offerings come as four versions of the Tiger 800 – the XR ($11,399), XRx ($12,499), XC ($12,399) and XCx ($13,499) – as well as the Tiger Explorer/XC ($15,899/$17,499).

Photo Courtesy of Kawasaki

Photo Courtesy of Triumph

KTM

YAMAHA

KTM’s 31 off-road worthy motorcycle models supplied this year include 10 Motocross models, 17 Enduro, one FreeRide and three Travel bikes. They are the 50 SX/Mini ($3,899/$3,349), 65 SX ($4,599), 85 SX ($5,499), 125 SX ($6,599), 150 SX ($6,699), 250 SX ($7,299), 250 SX-F ($8,099), 350 SX-F ($8,799) and 450 SX-F ($8,999); 200 XC-W ($7,699), 250 XC ($8,399), 250 XC-F ($8,599), 250 XCF-W ($8,599), 300 XC ($8,599), 300 XC-W/SixDays ($8,599), 350 EXC-F ($9,999), 350 XC-F ($9,599), 350 XCF-W/SixDays ($9,599), 450 XC-F ($9,699), 450 XC-W ($9,699), 500 EXC ($10,199), 500 XC-W ($9,899) and 690 Enduro R ($10,499); Freeride 250 R ($7,899); and 1190 Adventure/R ($16,499/$16,799) and 1290 Super Adventure ($20,499).

Yamaha’s 17-model stable for 2015 features five Motocross models, eight Off-Road/Enduro models and four Dual models. The line-up includes the YZ85 ($4,090), YZ125 ($6,390), YZ250 ($7,290), YZ250F ($7,590) and YZ450F ($8,590); the PW50 ($1,440), TT-R50E ($1,540), TT-R110E ($2,240), TT-R125LE ($3,290), TT-R230 ($3,990), YZ250FX ($7,890), WR250F ($7,990) and WR450F ($8,290); and the TW200 ($4,590), XT250 ($5,190), WR250R ($6,690) and Super Tenere/ES ($15,090/$16,190).

Photo Courtesy of KTM

Photo Courtesy of Yamaha

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Special Section

Off-Road Bikes

Dual Sport Tutoring with BC Moto Adventures

By Stuart Shakespeare

ual Sport bikes are not at all new, but over the last 10 years the type has become more and more popular, with ever-increasing lines of dedicated “adventure” gear and accessories to support both bikes and riders. Like me, you may have been swept up in the craze, and perhaps bought yourself a Triumph Tiger or a BMW GS, and even attempted some gravel road riding. It may not have been the experience you wanted though. Instead of gravel spitting from your tires while you sweep the back road curves, perhaps you found yourself perched atop the seat while the motorcycle skittered and jumped about like Coco the clown drunkenly skating over a bunch of marbles. Perhaps you received some advice along the lines of “stand on the pegs” and “in sand and loose gravel just give it more gas” – but chances are that this didn’t help you much. What to do? There are a lot of people out there enjoying off road riding, so how do you go about safely joining in? The answer is training. Modern Dual Sports are heavy and powerful machines. No one should assume they can take one of these beasts off pavement and expect to get the best performance or enjoyment out of it without some tutoring. This is where BC Moto Adventures, a small business owned and operated by Bill Conger, comes in. Bill graduated from the

Photo by Stuart Shakespeare

Group shot of all students and instructor Liz (on the far right) at the end of the course. BMW Instructor academy in 2006, and was an entrant in the 2012 Dakar rally. He still regularly competes in off-road racing, as does Liz Allen, Bills assistant instructor, also a graduate of the BMW academy and a lifelong accomplished rider. Bill recognized that there was a growing need for specific training for riders of Dual Sport machines, and so he created the two-day “Off Road Foundations” class providing instruction in piloting motorcycles over off road terrain and obstacles. This class is not about motocross or speedway, but safely taking control of a dual sport motorcycle in off-road situations, and navigating obstacles with skill, control and balance rather than muscle. Each day consists of six hours of riding and two hours of “class” – which actually takes place trailside. The days are broken up into a series of demonstrations and drills, focusing on different obstacles and challenges that gradually increase in difficulty and build on the lessons taught in previous segments. Each segment follows a format of discussion, demonstration and then practice. In this way, the unique difficulties of a given obstacle, and how the bike controls and rider’s body and balance are used to negotiate the obstacle, are made clear. During the demonstration one instructor rides, while the other again points out the techniques being used. This approach of “hear, see, do” really drives home lessons and gives confidence to even novice off road riders, and the gradual increase in complexity means that more basic and fundamental skills continue to improve over the two day period.

Photo provided by Stuart Shakespeare

has the student sweating in short order, you’ll soon learn that it is skill, not brute force, that makes a successful off-road motorcycle pilot. Bill and Liz are amazingly talented riders and instructors, with an easy going and friendly manner. If you do fall, they are there immediately to pick you up (literally and figuratively), and if your confidence falters along the way as mine did, they will quickly convince positively of your ability to continue, and have fun too. To prove it, after completing the course, I headed to the Flint Hills region of Kansas for a ride which featured 170 miles of gravel and dirt roads, some of which were slick and muddy. This was a ride that I would have abandoned very quickly previously, but which I was now able to thoroughly enjoy. Sweeping gravel curves became a joy, the slick mud pools challenging obstacles to overcome, rather than to be avoided. The value of good tuition cannot be overstated. Not only did my off-road motorcycling become a lot more enjoyable with training, but so did my on-road riding – the more precise control learned for off-road riding is a huge benefit to road riding. So, if you want to get out on the road less travelled and see the sights, get some good education. The BC Moto adventures foundations course is an excellent starting point, and will open the world of all-terrain riding to you. Bill Conger can be contacted at bill.conger@att.net. BC Moto Adventures can put together a custom foundations skills class for you, or set up an advanced class or exciting all-terrain tour. MMM

Classes are carefully limited in size – a maximum of 12 students for the two instructors – and in this way each student receives specific guidance and instruction based on their own individual needs and performance during the riding portion of each segment.

Stuart practicing in deep, loose gravel during the course.

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

The final part of the course is a 40 to 50-mile dual sport ride, taking in all the lessons learned and featuring deep ruts, washboards, deep water crossings, dirt roads, mud and gravel roads. This ride is very important – it is a demonstration of the ability of each student to take what they have learned and apply it to a real world scenario. The ability to navigate these successfully finally cements the skills and techniques in place. This ride is no Dakar or desert race, but for the new rider is an important step in becoming comfortable in riding gravel and dirt routinely. While the class is physically and mentally demanding, and

Photo provided by Stuart Shakespeare

Stuart on the final dual sport ride of the course.

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Ely And The Echo Trail

Motorcycling In Minnesota DISTANCE: 134 miles TIME: 4 hours DIRECTIONS Leave Ely from the west on MN-169S and follow 26 miles to Hwy77/Angus Rd. in Peyla. Turn right (north) and follow 5.8 miles to CR115. Continue on CR115 for 13.6 miles to Hwy24/Vermillion Dr. Turn right (north) and follow 9.6 miles. Continue on Hwy24/Crane Lake Rd. for 23.3 miles to Buyck. Turn right (north) to stay on Hwy24/ Crane Lake Rd. and follow 4 miles to CR116/Echo Trail/Ely-Buyck Rd. Turn right (south) and follow 45.7 miles to CR88/ Grant McMahan Blvd. Turn left (east) and follow 2.3 miles to MN-169S. Turn right (west) and follow 2.2 miles into Ely. By Guido Ebert

SCENERY Scenic attractions include views of the rolling Northwoods forest, lakes, wetlands, rivers, stands of wild berries and wildflowers, and granite outcroppings.

ROAD QUALITY Road quality varies along the route, changing from smooth to broken two-lane blacktop to gravel road with soft shoulders. Watch for slow-moving vacationers, fast-moving logging trucks and an abundance of wildlife.

NEED ASSISTANCE? The nearest motorcycle service shops include LaBarge’s Used Motorcycle Parts in Hibbing, Dave’s Sales & Service in Hibbing and Five Seasons Sports Center in Eveleth.

ATTRACTIONS Ely Ely is a popular entry point for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and its main street is lined with outfitters, outdoor clothing stores and restaurants. But it wasn’t always that way. The name “Ely” was chosen in honor of mining executive Samuel B. Ely. Although the Lake Vermillion Gold Rush of 1865 brought the first large numbers of pioneers to the area, the big treasure unearthed came in the form of large deposits of iron ore. The first frame building in Ely was built in 1887 and, when the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway laid tracks extending the rails from Tower to Ely in 1888, the first mining operations began with the opening of the Chandler Mine. Other mines soon opened, too: The Pioneer Mine (1889), the Zenith (1892), the Savoy (1899) and the Sibley (1899). The Pioneer, the most productive, closed in 1967 and now is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the host site for the Ely Arts & Heritage Center.

Photo by Jesse Walters

Speaking of art. In the early 1970s, in the decade following the 1964 establishment of the BWCAW and ending of multiple major mining operations, Ely became a community divided by lifestyle. On one side of the divide were long-time inhabitants who worked the mines over multiple generations. On the other side of the divide were newcomers to the community – the “back to nature” crowd – who sought out Ely’s remote location for outdoor or artistic pursuits. Be sure to visit the International Wolf Center (on the east side of town) and the North American Bear Center (on the west side of town). Both are open to guests.

Soudan The unincorporated community of Soudan was established in 1885, three years after mining first took place there in 1882 and soon after the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad had been built to the area. The Soudan is Minnesota’s oldest iron ore mine. By 1903, the town was reportedly completely on the property belonging to the mining company and had no stores or saloons for its 500 to 700 miners. Today, the Soudan Underground Mine State Park contains the University of Minnesota’s Soudan Underground High Energy Physics Laboratory, which has been taking cosmic ray and atmospheric neutrino data from 2,340 feet below the earth’s surface since becoming operational in 2003. Both the mine and the underground laboratory are open for tours ($12 Adult), allowing you to travel a half-mile underground to the deepest area that was mined.

Tower Tower was incorporated March 13, 1889, which makes it the oldest city in the Arrowhead region north of Duluth.

initially named Little Fork, for its location next to the river of the same name. Its name was changed in 1908 in honor of Worth Cook, an owner of the railroad that was constructed through the community four years prior. It would take another 18 years for Cook to become incorporated, in 1926. Today, the community is home to approx. 575 people and considered “The Gateway to Lake Vermillion”.

Buyck An unincorporated community, Buyck is at the junction of Hwy24/Crane Lake Rd. and CR23, on the edge of the Kabetogama State Forest. Stop at the Sportsman’s Last Chance restaurant for a burger and conversation.

Echo Trail The Echo Trail (CR116) is a 72-mile asphalt and gravel road that stretches from Orr to Ely, through the Superior National Forest and Kabetogama State Forest. Dozens of trailheads and canoe portages along this remote road provide access to the lakes of the western BWCAW. Watch for logging trucks, deer, moose, bear, wolf and a host of other creatures during this journey through the deep forest. Our path joins the Echo Trail 12.7 west of Lake Jeanette Campground.

Lake Jeanette Campground Located near the western end of the Echo Trail, within the Superior National Forest, this campground is situated on the southern shore of Lake Jeanette and provides scenic views of the lake. Sound inviting? Maybe that’s why the area is known for its Bigfoot sightings. Once the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp which operated in the 1930s, the terrain is covered with granite rock outcroppings and a mix of pine and spruce trees. There are 10 drive-in sites. Traveling with a group? There’s a maximum of 9 people allowed per site.

The 500-person community owes its establishment to the MMM Soudan Mine and was named after mining financier Charlemagne Tower. Those miners were a hardy bunch. Evidently, Tower and the Embarrass area to the south are the coldest inhabited locations in the Lower July 11th – 12th. Join us for the 48 states, based on average Motorcycle Event of the Summer! winter temperatures. In 1996, Tower set the Minnesota reTires – Best prices in town! cord for coldest temperature sed 100+ U es when the thermometer plumrcycl to o M Sales: Ask us about Special Pricing for ! meted to -60°F. In Stock

Summer Cycle Fest

Want to make a stop here? Check out the Tower Train Museum and nearby McKinley Monument – the first erected in honor of former U.S. President William McKinley shortly after his assassination in 1901.

Members of the Military Parts: 15% Off Frame Sliders, Engine Guards, Foot Pegs, Rear Sets Service: 15% Off Installation of Monthly Part’s Special

Cook

www.simplystreetbikes.com • 952-941-0774

Established in 1903, the community now known as Cook was

Simply Street Bikes • 7500 Washington Ave S, Eden Prairie Minnesota 55344

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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Off-Roading on a Scooter… Seriously, a Scooter. many forays on narrow nonpavement trails and even some real off-roading on the farm. A few years pass, and it’s the 1980s. “Scooter camping” was an activity of necessity. A Vespa P125 served as my method of transportation while other “campers” of this period had the superior-forthe-task Honda Passport aka Cub. Yeah, trail riding around Prairie Island on 10-inch wheels with very little suspension. The best use of a P125 it wasn’t, but at that age, camping meant beer, bonfires and girls, and though I didn’t realize it at the time, the scooter apparently made me cute. A couple of decades whisk by and it’s the cabin years. Of course fat old men drive four-wheeled conveyances up to the country retreat, but once we arrive…. Photo by MontoyaAtBikePics.com

By David Harrington

o, not seriously. Perhaps “non-pavement riding” would be a better term, or “off-roading on not quite really a scooter.” Trail riding? Yeah, I can see that, depending on the trail. When I first started riding, Red Owl was still selling wooly mammoth steaks. An early 1970s Honda CT70 isn’t a scooter, but it is what started me riding around on non-pavement. Next came the somewhat more scooteresque Honda CT90. Sort of a step-through design and an automatic clutch four-speed. During the 1970s growing up by the Mississippi river meant a great

Getting around at the cabin was my next trip down the nonpavement road on scooters. Now we’re talking “real” scooters. Machines like the Yamaha Zuma, Honda Ruckus and Genuine Rattler brought us 50cc, automatic, fat-tire scooters that could, with some modification, go from grass to sand to gravel to pavement and back again – often bringing groceries from town on the way back. These scooters had utilitarian looks and were (in the day) licensed as mopeds in Minnesota. They could be ridden by anyone with a driver’s license, were automatic, light-

weight, easy to operate and not very intimidating. They lacked suspension travel for “real” off-road use, but with fender modification/removal and some care when riding, they can handle a wide range of surfaces without difficulty. The 50cc power output (or lack thereof ) keeps one out of trouble as well. My own 2006 Genuine Rattler 50cc 2-stroke did just fine without a front fender and with the rear inner fender removed. The rider got a bit dirty, but that was part of the fun. The trails near the cabin were mostly narrow walking paths and, in some cases, old livestock paths. Crossing a (very shallow, slow moving) stream wasn’t an issue as long as one stayed off the throttle and avoided slipping on the rocks. The gravel washboard (I mean access road) was fine at reasonable speeds and the “improved” (oiled and graded) road that eventually found its way to a paved street was a breeze even at 30 mph. There were one or two times that I attempted a jaunt through the forest, but gave that up quickly when the suspension bottomed out on the first exposed tree root. So, what if you want an off-roadish scooter in 2015? You’re in luck, Honda has the Ruckus in its 2015 line up and Yamaha has the Zuma in 50FX form. Yes the new Zuma is a shadow of its former self as performance goes, but it would still make a good machine for cabin duty. Those with slightly less deep pockets will be glad to see that Genuine Scooter continues to offer the RoughHouse in extra-zippy 2-stroke form, Kymco is offering a Super 8 50X with more aggressive tires and a camo finish, and Lance/SYM offers the Cabo in 50cc, 125cc and 150cc versions. I did take a Cabo 150 off of the pavement and it was up to the task on some trails and a gravel road. True off-roading isn’t really in the cards on a scooter, but leaving the pavement behind is certainly an option on the right model. Twin Cities scooterist David Harrington owns and operates JustGottaScoot.com MMM

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.

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 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.

June

Jun 5 - 7 Yamaha FJ1100/1200 Rally in Black Hills SD www.fjowners.com

June 5 - 7 Rockerbox Motofest

Jun 6 Ride for Boobies 6th Annual

Road America, Wisconsin 67, Plymouth, WI rockerbox.us

Blue Moon Saloon, 130 8th Street NE, Milaca Sponsored by Blue Moon Saloon

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 7 Recovery Church Blessing of the Bikes

Recovery Church, 253 State St, St Paul, MN 55107 Bike run afterward - destination to be determined. Questions: Mavis, 651-291-1371

Jun 6 2015 2 Wheels 4 Heroes Ride www.2wheels4heroes.com

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; WE RIDE RAIN OR SHINE!

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) 390-0358

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. 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.

Jun 12 -14 MN 1000

www.teamstrange.com/

Jun 13 8:00 am MN AMBER Alert Fundraiser - 13th Annual Motorcycle Run The Point, 12378 Point Douglas Drive South, Hastings, MN 55033 www.mnamberrun.org Registration starts at 8 am, run leaves at 11 am - $20 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 or MMM Calendar, 7265 Balsam Lane N, Maple Grove, MN 55369.

Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #166 June 2015

Feature

Rider From The Record Books — Donny Schmit scored his first AMA Motocross National win in the 125cc division at Anderson, South Carolina. Schmit went on to win the 125 national at his home circuit in Millville and finished the year ranked fifth in the series.

Photo Courtesy of the AMA

nducted into the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame in 2002, Donny Schmit was a wiry and determined motocross rider who emerged from the unlikely environs of Minnesota to become one of the most successful American racers ever to compete in World Championship Motocross. Schmit was a two-time World Motocross Champion, winning the 125cc title in 1990 before moving up to win the 250cc series in 1992. When he retired, his 15 career victories in World Motocross Grand Prix were the most ever by an American rider. Schmit retired from full-time racing after the 1994 season and tragically died less than two years later – at age 29 – from complications of a rare disease called aplastic anemia. Schmit was born in Minneapolis on January 17, 1967. His older brother, Dave, was an avid motocross rider and Donny –10 years Dave’s junior – followed in his big brother’s footsteps when his dad bought him a Honda XR75. The Schmits had a lake cabin west of Minneapolis, and there with his brother and an older neighbor, young Schmit developed a toughness from having to put up with good-natured tomfoolery dished out by his older riding mates. He rode the little Honda for hours on end and intensely studied his older brother’s motocross tapes, closely watching the moves of American motocross stars such as Bob Hannah and trying to copy them on his little XR. Donny’s first race at Millville, Minnesota, did not give a hint of Schmit’s future greatness. He wore cowboy boots and Dave wrapped a kidney belt around his little brother about three times because he was so skinny. Donny couldn’t make the big hill and came back crying. Dave was right there, giving him encouragement and telling him how to take the hill. The encouragement from his big brother and his own determination helped young Schmit to quickly become a leading rider in the small-bike classes, even though he was always one of the smallest riders on the gate. “Everyone called Donny ‘Peanut’ because he was just a little guy,” said his wife, Carrie. “He was such a little kid he used a milk crate to hold himself up on his bike at the starting line.”

Reprinted with the permission of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

Suzuki dropped Schmit after 1988, and many felt it was because of his lack of success in AMA Supercross. Instead of sulking, Schmit bought a Honda and a van, and with his new wife, Carrie, hit the AMA outdoor nationals as a privateer. He finished 1989 ranked fourth in AMA 125 Motocross and was the top-ranked non-factory rider. At the end of that season, Team Bieffe Suzuki was looking for a rider to contest the 125cc world championships and they chose Schmit.    Schmit shocked the world, and perhaps even himself, with his immediate success on the world circuit. He won four Grands Prix en route to earning the 1990 125cc World Motocross Championship. The dashing blond American quickly became a favorite rider among the European fans. In 1991, he won three GPs and looked well on his way to defending his title. But an injury suffered at the Hungary GP forced him to miss a good portion of the season and kept him from repeating as world champ.    In 1992, Schmit looked for new challenges in the 250cc Motocross World Championship, and it was there that he struck gold again. That season, riding for Chesterfield Yamaha, he won his second world title, tallying five 250 GP wins along the way. He stayed with Chesterfield Yamaha for the next two seasons and even though he won three more 250cc Grand Prix races, he never regained the world title. He finished 1993 ranked third behind rivals Stefan Everts and Greg Albertyn, and in 1994 he finished the season ranked seventh.    Schmit retired from full-time racing at the end of the 1997 season.  Yet, in 1995, he made a very popular return to the AMA national at Millville, where he scored a respectable fourth with Honda of Troy after getting the holeshot in the first moto. He also won the Four-Stroke Motocross Championship for CCM at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, and took up a new hobby – road racing in a few AMA 600 Supersport Series events.

Photo Courtesy of the AMA

Donny Schmit on his 250cc Yamaha

WHERE RIDERS BELONG

Motorcyclists like you join the AMA to unite together for a common goal – to protect our freedom to ride. Become an AMA member now to receive: • Expert representation in Washington – protecting your freedom to ride! • No cost AMA Roadside Assistance on all your vehicles* • Participation in thousands of AMA clubs, tours, events – national & local • Exclusive AMA discounts worth hundreds of dollars on riding gear, lodging, touring maps and bike rentals. Most of all, you’ll stand with hundreds of thousands of AMA members fighting anti-motorcycling forces that threaten your right to ride.

#WhereRidersBelong

Schmit’s death came suddenly. JO

H IN T E AMA TO d Ay

Undoubtedly, his excellent physical fitness masked the extreme extent of his illness until it was too late. He had gone to a doctor on a Monday, worried by the color of his urine and the color of his eyes. After two days of tests his aplastic anemia was diagnosed and he was sent home to await a bone marrow transplant. He had planned to attend the AMA Supercross race in Minneapolis that weekend, but on Fri-

That’s why the AMA is where you belong.

AmericanMotorcyclist.com (800) AMA-JOIN *Restrictions apply.

He signed with Suzuki in 1987. That year he

Schmit died on January 19, 1996. The shock to American motocross fans hit home the next night in the Metrodome, when the crowd assembled for the supercross was told of their hometown hero’s passing. A silent tribute was

held in Schmit’s honor. Schmit will always be remembered for being one of the best, if not the best, American rider ever to compete in the World Motocross Championships. His tenacity on the track and his friendly demeanor in the pits earned him legions of faithful fans.

WHE

Once he got a better bike, it didn’t take long for Schmit to start winning. He caught the attention of Kawasaki’s Team Green, signed with them and had great success in the amateur ranks. In 1986, Schmit turned pro and won two AMA 125cc West Region Supercross races en route to earning the championship in his first season on the pro tour. He earned a reputation as a hardcharging rider who worked hard, never gave up and found ways to make it to the front.

By 1988, Schmit moved up to race in the main 250cc AMA Supercross division, but suffered injury, and even though he showed great promise early on in Supercross, never seemed to be able to come to terms with the bigger 250s on the tight stadium tracks. He eventually decided to stay away from Supercross so that he could concentrate on motocross. Initially, this decision hurt his career, but ultimately it would lead him to an opportunity to race in the world championships. That season, Schmit rode to seven podium finishes in AMA 125 motocross, including a victory at Millville, and finished runner-up to George Holland. He was named AMA Rookie of the Year.

day he had an extreme headache and Carrie rushed him to the hospital. He collapsed in the hospital elevator, never to regain consciousness.

Rs BElONg

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