#171 FREE
A Little Italian Urban Enduro
Inside: Ducati Scrambler • Movie and Book Reviews Special Section: 2016 Model Preview • Sand People
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly®
Table of Contents Winter 2015
PUBLISHER
From The Hip
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Victor Wanchena
4
All The News That Fits
MANAGING EDITOR Bruce Mike
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Geezer With A Grudge Dumb Laws for Stupid Products
EDITOR Guido Ebert
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COLUMNISTS
Tales From The Road Sand People Feature We Got Choices
Thomas Day
CONTRIBUTORS Paul Berglund Benjamin Goebel David Harrington Harry Martin Steve Tiedman Mike Vaughan 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.
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Minnesota Rider Meeting Beth Miller Road Rash
By Bruce Mike
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find getting out of my house in the winter makes living here much easier. So between walking my dog and having to go 20 miles to my brother’s shop to work on a winter project, I’ve got some guaranteed out-of-home time. This year’s project is a 2004 Harley Davidson 883C. This bike was a birthday gift from my lovely bride, which makes her the best wife ever. It also raises the bar a bit in regards to what I get her for her next birthday.
My plan was to purchase a rubber-mounted Sportster after I sold my Ironhead chopper. Unfortunately, selling my chopper has not been easy. The 883 I ended up with was originally offered as a trade but before we could make the deal, the owner was told by his doctor he could no longer ride motorcycles. He then offered to sell me the bike at a price I couldn’t pass up. He said he was giving me a deal because he knew it was going to a good home. It’s been my experience that by being honest and upfront with people on Craig’s List, transactions go smoothly and the people I end up dealing with are great. When I picked the bike up in Iowa it had ape hangers, forward controls, a cushy touring seat and a back rest. All things I have no interest in. It also had an “overdrive” front pulley that pretty much took away all of the low end power. Fortunately, the previous owner kept the original pulley so I was able to switch it back. Something I learned with my chopper is you don’t get all the money back that you put into a project bike. So with this one I’m trying to be smarter. I got discounted drag bars and a solo seat from an online retailer as well as used mid controls on ebay. Wanting to keep this cheap has changed my grand plans for this bike.
In the beginning I had visions of a super cool street tracker or maybe an uber-hipster cafe bike. What I’ve decided upon is a hot-rodded, semi-ratty, 883 Sportster. Since my nephew will be doing most of the work on this bike I deferred to him for prioritization. “It’s tiny”. “Let’s make it stupid fast”. Those may not be his exact words, but that’s what I heard. As it turns out doubling it’s horsepower is not nearly as expensive as buying all the bolt-on parts that would make it a street tracker, and I have to admit, Harley-fast is fun. What I mean by “Harley-fast” has nothing to do with ¼ mile times or 0-60 times, it’s about the feeling you have at 100 mph on a Harley compared to 100 mph on a sport bike. It’s the difference between drag racing a ‘69 Chevelle and a Maserati. Both are fun to drive, they’re just a different kind of fun.
I still hope to someday make it into a street tracker. I reviewed a Grand National Replica for the paper a few years ago and I loved it. One of the reasons I chose this bike was because it’s kind of a blank canvas. It could quite possibly be a winter project every year and after this winter it will be a much faster blank canvas. Harley-fast anyway. If you’ve got a bike story you want to share, send it to us. Email it to bruce@mnmotorcycle.com.Keep it clean, around 1,000 words and include one or two photos. I can’t guarantee we’ll publish it but it will def initely be read and considered.
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Bike Review Ducati Scrambler Urban Enduro
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Special Section 2016 Model Preview
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Motorcycling In Minnesota White Earth Wheeling
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Movie Review Point and Shoot Book Review Motorcycling the Right Way
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Random Scootering The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same Cover photo Guido Ebert Ducati Scrambler Urban Enduro Provided By: Moon Motorsports 3613 Chelsea RD W. Monticello, MN 55362 763.295.2920 moonmotorsports.com
MMM
Je Suis Charlie
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
All The News That Fits IMS in Minneapolis February 5-7 The 2015-16 Progressive International Motorcycle Shows tour is scheduled to make its stop in Minneapolis Feb. 5-7, 2016.
Once again to be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the IMS tour features product from 14 motorcycle brands and dozens of purveyors of parts, garments and accessories.
The 10-stop IMS tour kicked off Oct. 3 in Portland, Ore., and ends Feb. 19 in Phoenix, Ariz. Visit MotorcycleShows.com for more information.
Cycle Parking at Airport The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) recently introduced parking spaces specifically for motorcycles. MSP added 18 motorcycle spaces at its Quick Ride Ramp late last month after receiving a handful or requests, Melissa Scovronski, manager of Public Affairs and Marketing for the airport, told the StarTribune.
The Quick Ride Ramp opened earlier this year and offers 1,400 spaces in total. The two-story ramp off Post Road and Hwy. 5 near a Super America station was formerly used by Delta Air Lines employees but recently converted to public parking. Parking costs $14 per day. Shuttles run between the ramp and the main terminal.
MnDOT Tests New Rumble Strip MnDOT in September and October assembled groups of volunteer motorcyclists to test seven new rumble strip designs at its MnROAD facility near Monticello. Four different test sessions each ran approximately two hours, with participants receiving a $50 gas card for their time. Rumble strips appear to be an important issue for MnDOT, which says it has received a “significant number” of noise complaints from landowners living near roads with centerline rumble strips. Approx. 800 miles of Minnesota roads are outfitted with the traditional rectangular rumble strips. According to KSTP, MnDOT figures show centerline rumble strips have reduced the number of incidents where vehicles cross the centerline by 39%, and reduced crashes on two-lane rural roads by 9%.
MN’s Arctic Cat Confirms Snow Bike Arctic Cat teased a prototype ski & track motorcycle, named the Arctic Cat SVX 450, at the 2015 Haydays Grass Drags in September.
Arctic Cat President & CEO Chris Metz recently revealed that prototype would indeed enter production as, what he called, “the industry’s first-ever, purpose-built OEM snow bike.” It’s based on a Sherco 450, btw. “Snow biking is a growing sport across western North America,” Metz said. “Our patented SVX 450 snow bike is designed to provide an exciting new riding experience for a category of riders who want the lightest, most affordable vehicle for mountain riding.”
MN’s Martin 2nd in FIM Motocross of Nations The U.S. team of Jeremy Martin from Millville, Minn., Justin Barcia from Greenville, Fla., and Cooper Webb from Newport, N.C., finished second at the 2015 FIM Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France, on Sept. 27.
The Motocross of Nations features national teams competing for a combined score to determine the overall championship-winning country. The U.S. team finished just two points shy of France.
Sturgis Org Wins $912,000 in Trademark Row A federal jury has awarded Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Inc. (SMRI) $912,500 in a trademark dispute with Rushmore Photo & Gifts and Wal-Mart.
The jury found the two companies liable for infringing trademarks by selling products with the terms “Sturgis” and/or “Black Hills” as it relates to any motorcycle product. SMRI had sought as much as $7 million combined from the companies. Instead, they won $235,000 from Walmart and $677,500 from Rushmore Photo & Gifts and the family that owns it. Rushmore co-owner Paul Niemann told the Rapid City Journal he plans to appeal the decision.
Cycle Thefts Down in 2014 The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) says 42,856 motorcycles were reported stolen in the U.S. in 2014, down -6% compared with 45,367 reported stolen in 2013.
The top 10 states with the most reported motorcycle thefts in 2014 were California (6,355), Florida (3,981) and Texas (3,274). Minnesota ranked 32nd with 328 reported thefts and Wisconsin ranked 36th with 252 thefts. While North Dakota was ranked 46th with 52 thefts, South Dakota came in 50th with 27 thefts – which seems odd, given that it serves as an annual destination for motorcyclists from throughout the country.
respondents report themselves or someone they know personally almost getting into an accident as a result of being on a cell phone, compared to 50% of Millennials.
Motorcycle Club, which turned it over to the Travelers Motorcycle Club in the mid1960s. Team Strange Airheads has organized the event since 2012.
Dealers Lauded
The first riders will leave the starting line at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan.1, 2016, for the morning portion of the ride. The afternoon portion of the ride runs from 1:30-3 p.m., after which judges will tabulate scores and announce winners.
Forty-six states have laws in place banning texting and driving, and 14 states ban the use of talking on a cell phone while driving. Powersports Business, the powersports industry’s trade publication, named three Minnesota retailers as part of its annual Power 50 dealer awards. Simply Street Bikes, St. Paul Harley-Davidson and Wild Prairie Harley-Davidson made the cut alongside 47 other dealers across the U.S.
Powersports Business says Power 50 dealers were selected by the magazine’s editorial staff upon completion of an extensive application process that focused on a variety of business segments, including new and pre-owned sales, events, marketing, service and F&I department operations, employee training and social media usage.
The start and finish are at Roy’s Repair, a motorcycle repair shop at 3232 Snelling Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55406.
Entry is $20. Proceeds go to Eddie’s Road, a program of The Eddie James Foundation for Children. Eddie won the I-Cycle Derby three times and the foundation created in his memory is dedicated to ending child abuse. MMM
I-Cycle Derby is January 1 The 68th annual I-Cycle Derby is planned to take place New Year’s Day on about 50 miles of Twin Cities area roads. The I-Cycle Derby is one of the longest running, consecutively held motorcycle events in the United States. The derby was launched in 1949 by the Gopher State
The top 10 most stolen motorcycles in 2014 by brand were Honda (8,045), Yamaha (6,728), Suzuki (5,987), Kawasaki (4,497) and Harley Davidson (4,146).
Cycle Related Deaths Up 32% Minnesota counted 61 motorcycle-related fatalities as of Nov. 8. While that’s 15 more than all of 2014, it’s far less than the 121 motorcyclists killed in 1980. Minnesota transportation officials report more than 236,000 registered motorcycles and more than 414,000 licensed motorcycle operators in the state. Pro tip for the 178,000 of you who are licensed but don’t currently own a motorcycle: Renew your skills via training before you swing your leg over a new purchase.
Watch for Distracted Millennials Ninety-seven percent of 1,281 consumers recently surveyed by Kelley Blue Book say that drivers who text or talk and drive are one of the biggest safety concerns impacting today’s motorists. Other findings: Twenty percent of total respondents indicate texting while driving, while 55% of Millennials (respondents between the ages of 18-34) report texting while driving. Fifty-nine percent of total respondents admit that their ability to drive is compromised when texting while driving, compared to 45% of Millennials; 75% of total respondents feel guilty and/or worried when they text and drive whereas only 60% of Millennials feel the same; and 29% of total
Bundle Up and Come on Down 68th Annual I-Cycle Derby January 1, 2016 • Roy’s Repair, 3232 Snelling Ave. South, Minneapolis • Gory details at www.teamstrange.com Snow or Shine. Food. Auction. Spectators Welcome.
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Geezer With A Grudge By Thomas Day
I
got stopped by a Ramsey County Sheriff ’s Deputy on my mid-week trip to the library. As usual, he asked, “Do you know why I stopped you?” I did not. “You crossed the white line to pass that van on the right.” Fortunately for me, the deputy was a good guy (and a motorcyclist) and he let me go with a warning. All the way to the library and through the rest of my day’s errands, I thought about what kind of goofy state has a dumbass law like that. Keeping in mind that I believe every state in the nation, except California, is barely sophisticated enough to bang the rocks together in a primitive attempt to communicate — because of the national ban on filtering and lane sharing — holding a motorcycle behind a stopped vehicle seems outrageously and unusually primitive. I can just imagine our hillbilly state representatives creating this idiotic law and including all vehicles in it because one of their inbred offspring blasted by a stopped vehicle that suddenly turned right and tagged the passing vehicle. The obvious “solution” is to create another dumb law to regulate all of the stupid products (cages) and every other vehicle on the road because you never know when the next “special” child will take himself out of the gene pool. It makes sense to hold cages to the nopassing-on-the-right rule because the damn
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Dumb Laws for Stupid Products things are too fat to fit in that small space, even on the freeway. But motorcycles and scooters? That’s just stupid. If I’d have been on a bicycle, that would have been the lane I’m supposed to riding in. Does the law insist a bicycle stop in the same situation? The
Like the ban on filtering and splitting, the fact that a rider can get a citation for saving his own life when one braindead cager slams into another on the freeway or any other place designed to stack up traffic irregularly, this is a dumb law. Aerostich’s Mr. Subjective optimistically would like to believe that laws only reflect what the majority of the public is already doing, but anyone who observes traffic in neighborhoods where the “no left turn on red” or various misplaced stop signs have been randomly distributed without rhyme or reason knows that laws are self-perpetuating and lawmakers are a species unto themselves.
“I can just imagine our hillbilly state representatives creating this idiotic law”. last place I want to be is stuck between a cage sandwich because some hillbilly lawmaker can’t tell the difference between a motorcycle and a cage.
Don’t you think your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer should actually RIDE a motorcycle?
In case you’re confused about this rant’s title, the “stupid products” I’m referring to are cages, cars, single-passenger fourwheeled fuel-and-spacewasters. I have always believed the passenger car is one of the dumbest, most wasteful, most harmful inventions in human history. Anyone with rudimentary mathematics skills has to despair at seeing miles and miles of single-occupant, gas-guzzling cages stacked in congested parallel lines, draining our children’s futures and destroying this version of the earth and current life forms for no good reason other than we all dislike each other and can’t be bothered to use mass transit. Cars are for people who aren’t competent on two wheels. Likewise, the existence of handicapped parking is irrational. Everyone who drives a car is, obviously, handicapped. Those flags we hang from our windshield mirrors are just identifying those who are incredibly handicapped as opposed to those mostly handicapped. I know that from experience:
for three months post-hip-surgery, I used one of those special parking permits because I couldn’t get from the bedroom to the bathroom without a walker, crutch, or cane (in that order as my healing progressed). I was trapped in my cage, with my wife driving for most of two months, because I was incapable of riding a motorcycle. Now, I’m better and I don’t need the damn car. If we had a civilized public transportation system, I wouldn’t own one of the damn things. For those rare moments when I need to carry stuff larger than my side-cases, I’d rent a car or take a taxi. I hate being required to own a cage and about 90% convinced to move somewhere I won’t need a car. Making the rules the same for all means of transportation is as stupid as punishing everyone for the sins of a few. It would be really nice to be a member of a society that makes laws to reflect what the public does, but I don’t see that happening here or many places. A couple of years ago, a kid who was gunning to be a cop asked me to list laws that I thought were irrational. I named about a dozen. A day later, I emailed him another couple-hundred irrational laws that came to me after we’d talked. A few weeks later, my list had grown so large that I had to give up the whole project because it was taking over my life. Our legal system is downright depressing, when you take time to think about it. It long since has given up pretending to be a justice system and, now, just masquerades as a police state employment-bureau-for-thementally-handicapped while exercising its primary function as a tax collection system. When I move into my cave in Montana, you’re going to hear the verse from one of my favorite Bobby Dylan songs coming from dim light that will be my gas lantern. “You ask why I don’t live here? Man, I don’t believe you don’t leave.” There will be only one law enforced from the entrance to my cave: “Get the hell out of my yard unless you want to be picking rock salt out of your lame ass!”
Hire attorneys who have a passion for riding! rick@schroederandmandel.com TheMinnesotaMotorcycleAccidentLawyer.com Selected Super Lawyer® (MN) 2008-2015 Member: Million Dollar Advocates Roundtable & Street Legal© Motorcycle Club Serving clients throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Tales From The Road
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Sand People Who rides into a beautiful park like Nemadji and tosses their trash on the ground? How do we teach someone that is so self obsessed and oblivious to common courtesy about trail edict when they set fire to buildings? Can’t they see that some of the trails are closed due to the damage that they’ve caused? How many Sand People will it take to close down all the trails?
By Paul Berglund
got the chance to ride off road for a day. My friend and I went up to Nemadji state park. We park near the Duquette general store. They have good food made to order in the deli. They have good gas at the pumps (premium with no ethanol) that’s price at or below what you pay in the twin cities. But best of all, the people who work there are very nice and friendly. On this trip we went in for some BBQ sandwiches before we rode into the park. While we were paying for our delicious breakfast, the woman behind the counter asked if we would like a map of the Nemadji trails. I love maps, so I said yes.
Before I go off the deep end and tell you what I’d like to do to the Sand People, I’m going to calm down and share with you one courteous thing you can do next time you go trail riding. Many of the trails are two way. That is, even though the trail may only be four feet wide, people maybe coming at you full speed from the other direction. Forget that it may be a drunken shelter burning mud flinger for the moment. For this tip, we will assume that you are riding in a group of three people on dirt bikes and the person you meet on the trail is the first of a group of four ATV riders. If you are paying attention and are aware of your surroundings (unlike the Sand People), you should catch a glimpse of the oncoming traffic through the trees. If you don’t, you most likely will be startled by the sudden appearance of the ATV coming right at you. Ether way, slow down and indicate how many are in your group, so the other rider will be aware of how many people are behind you. If you don’t want to fill your pants with ammo for the monkey versus human poop throwing fight at the zoo, be AWARE and use your hand signals.
The map’s a bit crude, but we used it to find lots of single track trails that are so much fun to ride on a dirt bike. Some of them we had stumbled onto on past expeditions. Others were new to us. It was a great day of riding. We had cool, but sunny weather. The leaves on the trees were just changing over to their fall colors and our bikes were running great. Both of us had taken the Dirt Bike Tech class a month ago and we were working on implementing what we had learned. Even my rudimentary brain was starting to understand the teachings of Troy and Doug. I was feeling pretty good. We started to notice that damage to the trails was, sadly, quite common. Most likely caused by Sand People. If you’ve ever seen the movie Star Wars, there are some people, the Tusken Raiders, who wear hooded robes and goggles. In the movie, they are called Sand People. They are generally up to no good. I first ran into (almost literally) the trail riding version in Colorado. They typically ride ATVs. They don’t wear protective gear, but most of them do wear a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up and goggles with the strap on the outside of the hood to hold it in place. So I named them, Sand People. They aren’t avid ATV riders or outdoor, camping kind of people. They ride their ATVs into beautiful places to drink beer and light camp fires. They make a terrible mess where ever they stop. Over and over again we would round a corner of the trail and see beer and soda cans heaped beside a dead camp fire. I presumed they burnt the rest of the garbage in the fire. Im not sure
Feature
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By Mike Vaughan
f you’ve been shopping for a motorcycle lately, you know there are an amazing number of models and color combinations available. But what you see in dealerships is just a fraction of the total number of brands, models, and color combinations currently available. Some time ago I had a chat with Kawasaki’s EVP, of Marketing and Sales. I was astounded by what he told me about the total number of products, considering category, models, paint schemes and options that a dealer would have to inventory if he were to represent the entire line. A number somewhere north of 150 separate units. It got me thinking, that if it were that many for Kawasaki, then there’s got to be a similar number for virtually every full-line manufacturer. Obviously I don’t have access
try to destroy the trails? If there is a low spot that’s damp, they churn away with their ATVs till it’s a bottomless bog. Mud seams to over excite them. The are compelled to fling it about like monkeys in a zoo throwing poop at their evil oppressors. Is it the trails they hate? Or is it the other people who have to follow behind them or the caretakers that have to clean up after them?
To signal the oncoming rider, hold up your hand and indicate how many riders are behind you. You being the first of three riders, would hold up two fingers to show that there are two more riders behind you. The ATV rider coming from the other direction, would hold up three fingers to signal that there are three more ATVs behind him. You don’t have to give a head count, just show how many bikes or ATVs are behind you. Each subsequent rider would indicate how many are behind them. The last rider in the group should hold up their fist, indicating that there are zero riders behind them.
Just who are these Sand People that have no regard for others? Why do they put obnoxiously loud exhaust pipes on their bikes and ATVs?
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Photo by Sev Pearman
why they set fire to the log home style shelters that are built at major trail junctions in Nemadji. Perhaps they didn’t know what they were built for? In their ignorance they lashed out in fear at the mysterious beings who put them there? Without the protection of helmets or riding gear, they must make sacrifices to the twin gods of Cooler and Ice that they carry around with them. It might be fire that appeases them, so the beer keeps flowing and the blood does not. What I don’t understand is why the Sand People
May the gods of beer and fire protect us from the Sand People.
We Got Choices to all the information that manufacturers have, so I decided to narrow it down to just motorcycles; on-road, off-road, competition, and scooters whose sales stats are reported to the Motorcycle Industry Council, about 15 brands in all. As a consequence there are a number of brands out there like Hyosung, Royal Enfield, Electric and Chinese models that didn’t get counted, albeit these are probably not very big by themselves, but the sheer number of them would add a significant number of units and color options to the pot.
other fashion of which I’m not aware. So what did I learn from all this fiddling about? If your dealer is multi-line carrying Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Triumph, and he’s carrying the complete line-up of all brand’s products, as a customer, theoretically you’re faced with 158 individual motorcycle and scooter models, with 222 color options. Fortunately for you, off-road and competition bikes are usually offered in only a single color, and that doesn’t account for carryover models he might have on his floor.
I counted paint schemes and carry-over models if listed on their most current web page. Some manufacturers have a tab for non-currents, and some just list them on their current page. Those that did the latter got counted, those that used a tab, didn’t.
You kind of expect a dealer for a Japanese brand is going to have a lot of options visà-vis motorcycles and colors, but for some of the Euro brands the choices and color options are also plentiful, as an example Triumph, with 26 models has 58 color options, but that’s simple compared to Harley-Davidson’s 29 models and 144 color
I’m sure I’ve missed some models and some colors, and probably screwed up in some
options, but then again, they are half the market. Assuming you’re a consumer who hasn’t made a brand, model or color choice, you are confronted with a total of 346 different models, and 651 color choices. Now I know this is really simplifying it, but if you divide the color options into the 475,000 units retailed last year, you come up with an average of 730 of each color imported or built. Some color options will forever remain orphans, and be severely discounted in order to move them off the floor. The lesson here is, wait until the end of the season and buy the most ridiculous color scheme bike on the dealer’s floor. He’ll undoubtedly be happy to get rid of it.
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
7
Meeting Beth Miller
Minnesota Rider By B.P. Goebel
MMM: What’s your job?
Miller: Chief Pit Grid Steward for MotoAmerica (the series previously run as AMA Road Racing). I’m responsible for the pit lane area during practice and qualifying, as well as coordinating the starts of the race.
MMM: How old were you when you got your first bike? Miller: I was 21.
MMM: What’s life like in the great big extended family that is the MotoAmerica paddock?
Miller: This is like a second family. We are together in the
best of times and the worst of times. When we say goodbye to each other in the Fall and we see each other again at the first race of the next season, its big hugs and “Sure missed you” and “It’s great to see you again” and “We’re really glad you’re here.”
MMM: Favorite Minnesota motorcycle event?
MMM: What was it?
Miller: I learned to ride on a Bridgestone 350 and my first bike was a V-50 Moto Guzzi.
MMM: When did you know that you were hooked on motorcycles?
Miller: Well, my mom was an orthopedic nurse and whenever
she saw a motorcycle, she would say “There go two broken legs”. When I met my husband, I rode behind him. My goal was that before I turned 21 and had to get my drivers license changed, it was going to have a motorcycle endorsement. So I took a MSF class and the next year became an instructor.
Miller: The Blind Lizard
MMM: Favorite Minnesota road?
Miller: HWY 60 from Zumbro Falls into Wabasha. MMM: Favorite motorcycle rider alive or deceased?
Miller: Vincent Haskovec. For me, nobody represented the sport like Vincent.
MMM: If you were starting out riding again what would you do differently?
Miller: Started earlier.
MMM: How many motorcycles do you have?
MMM: Why are motorcycles so important in your life?
count anymore.
differently (than everyone else). I want to be part of what it is that’s out there. When I get back on that bike, its like – this is why I do this. I sooo enjoy that part of it.
Miller: You would have to ask my children that. I don’t even MMM: Of any bike, what is your favorite and why?
Miller: I love my Moto Guzzi. I have a V-11 Sport
Miller: It’s something... I like to go places. I like to go
MMM
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Scrambling Around on M
By Dave Soderholm
otorcycles have become amazingly complex and spendy. They have electronic gizmos to “help” just about every area of rider control. With things like electronic suspension, traction control, switchable ABS, multi-map engine control, automatic gearboxes, multi adjustable airflow, tablet like dash boards, and heated everything, these new motorcycles just about ride themselves. Many riders say the aids have taken away from the guttural soulful connection they have with their bikes and replaced it with the fuzzy warm feeling of Hal from 2001 A Space Odyssey. Along with that, motorcycles have become REALLY expensive. So what’s the rider longing for the romantic, affordable, and simple good ol’ days of motorcycling to do? Ducati would like you to take a look at their middleweight retro marvel – the Scrambler. In the Scrambler, Ducati harkens back to those simpler and less expensive days of motorcycling that have almost been forgotten. It’s a beautifully done retro bike, yet still totally modern, that comes in four different flavors – Classic, Icon, Urban Enduro and Full Throttle. They all share the same basic running gear, but have a different finish baked in to give each a unique character distinct from the others. MMM had saddle time on the Urban Enduro. Ducati says the Urban Enduro is built to “get around urban obstacles with agility, but also to reach new places, riding on the less travelled roads.” To accomplish that, Ducati added the following: high mounted front mudguard, off road handlebar with cross bar, fork protectors, engine sump and headlight guard and spoked wheels. They finished it off with a fabulous olive green paint job and a retro brown leather-look ribbed seat. Hit it smack bang out of the park they did! The aesthetics on this thing are just so “right” and “cool”. There really isn’t ANY angle or part on the bike that looks anything other than a well-crafted and unified from front to back. It’s a retro stunner.
Photo by Guido Ebert
From city streets to gravel roads, this bike is comfortable in any environment. What really strikes you when you walk up to the Scrambler (besides the “retroness”) is the size and simplicity of it. It’s a small, light and simple looking motorcycle. There are forks, a shock, a front brake, a wide handlebar, a frame, an air-cooled engine, a swingarm and wheels, all out in the open and easy to see. Simple, honest and uncomplicated. It’s exactly what was missing from the market and especially Ducati’s lineup. The proof is in the sales; Ducati has had a
hard time keeping these bikes in stock. The Scrambler represents the “entry level” of Ducati’s lineup. Apparently, being an entrylevel bike in Ducati speak seems to mean something very different than other manufacturers. Think of entry-level bikes and usually low quality components and running gear pop into your mental motorcycle picture, but not on the Scrambler. Everything on this bike works in harmony and better than it has a right to, given the entry level “status” of its components. Lets start with the basic 803cc air-cooled and fuel-injected V-twin sitting between the steel trellis frame tubes. It “only” makes 75hp and 50 lb.ft. of torque. But guess what? It’s another over achiever that works harmoniously with the chassis. It’s only got 400 lbs. of motorcycle to move and does it in an ultra-responsive torquey and thoroughly soul stirring way. Listening to this thing run and how well it responds and connects to you as a rider while you are working the throttle makes it a true antiHal engine!
Photo by Dave Soderholm
The aesthetics on this thing are just so “right” and “cool”.
They don’t blow through the travel and let the chassis flop about like a crappie tossed into the boat. They control the chassis and let the fun, engaging and thoroughly competent handling bubble right to the top of your ride. As for brakes, the single 330mm disc, radial 4-piston caliper equipped with ABS definitely do not appear entry level or retro. Good thing, too, because old brakes suck. These are excellent and don’t blight the look. Sitting on the Scrambler brings back memories of yesteryear. Ergonomics are nice in a standard sort of way. The bar appears big and wide and you don’t have much else to look at. You sit bolt upright and in a commanding confident stance. The scrambler just disappears beneath you. It’s simple and uncluttered from the cockpit. The switchgear is simple as well. No electronic this-andthat or multiple menus to scroll through for engine control or suspension adjustment. “Here is your speed and if you need to know
Next, the suspension. The upside down non-adjustable fork appears to be very entry level, as does the shock on the back, which only features preload adjustment. But guess what? Out on the road, they really deliver! Damping is somewhat firm, athletic and very well controlled in compression and rebound.
Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
9
Ducati’s Urban Enduro anything else, I’ll warn you with a light.” I will say though, the turn signal switch has to go. It’s pointy and hard, uncomfortable to use and has next to zero travel left and right. Fire the guy who did that and make a new one. Mirrors are great though and vibe free.
stints and you have a fatiguing time ahead of you. Despite that minor complaint, this is an amazingly cool and versatile motorcycle by Ducati. To be honest, it’s the best value and street platform that Ducati has. At a price of $8,495 for the entry ICON and $9,995 for the other variations (including the Urban Enduro you see here) it’s affordable and a bargain for what you get.
One other thing to mention here. Our Urban Enduro came with a fabulous sounding Termignoni scrambler exhaust. It looks the part, is well crafted and really adds to the experience. Unfortunately, due to the authentic scrambler straight design, it cuts right across where your right shin wants to be while sitting on the bike. It’s pretty annoying, and your right foot ends up having half a footpeg to use – so buyer beware or try before you buy, as they say. No ergonomic issues exist with the standard exhaust, which is nicely crafted and finished, but also pretty quiet. Riding the Urban Enduro is a refreshing experience. Hands on the grips, smooth and turbulent free wind in your face, and eyes on the road. Nothing distracts you from the experience you have with the motorcycle. You are connected and your inputs transmit directly to machine outputs without any electronic intermediary. It gives you a great, pure feeling of control and involvement with your Scrambler. You travel with the bike instead of just being along for the ride. It tugs at your heart and soul in a way that is lacking in many motorcycles these days. After you park it, you want to linger and run your hand over it’s tank, have a conversation with it as you slowly walk away - glancing at it a third time over your shoulder before walking into your destination. Yes, it really is the anti-Hal bike……...in spades. Another thing the Scrambler has going for it is versatility. Back in the day, you rode a motorcycle, not a category. You didn’t ride a sport tourer, sportbike, cruiser, adv bike or
The Scrambler is a pure, honest motorcycle that speaks to your soul and would be great fit for a wide variety of riders. This rider would like to thank Kyle and Joel Erickson, the enthusiastic owners from Moon Motorsports who provided our bike. MMM
Ducati Scrambler Urban Enduro Specifications MSRP $9,995 Photo by Dave Soderholm
It’s simple and uncluttered from the cockpit. anything else. You rode a “standard style” motorcycle that did a lot of things well, but never perfected any one thing. You specialized your bike by accessorizing it to your desired outcome. Throw the Urban Enduro into that category - the jack-of-all-trades bike with a soul. Ducati just helped you out by selling four variants as your starting point. Riding in the urban environment is awesome. Short quick and torquey with a commanding field of view makes life easy. Shooting a gap, jumping a curb, avoiding a pothole or a zombified Cager is second nature. It’s just easy with that big handlebar and responsive engine to use. You always
seem to be a center of attention though, especially with the Termignoni that makes happy sounds. People really like this Ducati and wave and shout to you to wave back while you’re motoring through the city or sitting at a light. If you’re shy, it may not be a good match. Out of the city and on a two-lane back road will bring a perma-grin to your face. This thing rails corners with stability and maneuverability. Powering out of a turn with your head looking past the inside mirror and pouring on the throttle is thrilling. You may even yank a little wheelie depending upon the corner and speed.
Photo by Dave Soderholm
The 803cc air-cooled and fuel-injected V-twin has only 400 lbs. of motorcycle to move and does it in an ultra-responsive torquey and thoroughly soul stirring way.
While the Urban Enduro excels at street speed stuff right where Ducati intended it to be, don’t pass up those dirt roads either, as the bike is as comfortable on dirt roads and two-track trails as many ADV bikes. The Urban Enduro’s lightweight, communicative chassis and torquey v-twin engine make it easy on you by taking on the character of a low-slung, torque and fast dirt bike. Ducati even equipped it with Pirelli MT60RS tires with a blocky tread pattern that work really well off pavement. The only place where I found a bit of fault with the Scrambler was during extended stretches of freeway riding. The engine and chassis just aren’t very happy in that environment. Will it do it for you? Absolutely. Will you enjoy it? Probably not. The engine revs higher than you’d like, it gets a little darty, and you do a great imitation of a sail. Add in a seat that looks the biz but soon gets tiresome in freeway
Engine Type L-Twin, Desmodromic distribution, 2 valves per cylinder Engine Displacement Bore Stroke
803cc 88 mm x 66 mm
Cooling
Air-Cooled
Compression Ratio Fuel System
11:0.1
Electronic fuel injection, 50 mm throttle body
Ignition
Electronic
Starting System Transmission
Electric Six-Speed
Final Drive
Chain; Front sprocket 15; Rear sprocket 46
Rake Trail
24° / 4.4 in.
Seat Height
31.1 in.
Wheelbase
56.9 in.
Front Suspension
Upside down Kayaba 41 mm fork
Rear Suspension
Kayaba rear shock, pre-load adjustable
Front Brake 330 mm disc, radial 4-piston calliper with ABS as standard equipment Rear Brake 245 mm disc, 1-piston floating calliper with ABS as standard equipment Front Tire Pirelli MT 60 RS 110/80 ZR18 Rear Tire
Pirelli MT 60 RS 180/55 ZR17
Fuel Capacity Dry Weight
3.57 gal. 423 lbs. (Wet)
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Special Section
2016 Model Preview
Motorcycle & Scooters, The State of the Market
I
t appears the U.S. motorcycle market could in 2015 achieve its 5th straight year of growth as manufacturers continue to spin out a wider assortment of models in their ongoing effort to offer products that appeal to a broader spectrum of consumers. Two-wheeler sales in the U.S. during the first nine months of the year totaled 413,128 units, up 4.7% compared to 394,640 units during the same ninemonth period in 2014 and the most nine-month sales since 435,497 units moved in 2009, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). On-Highway model sales during the recent JanuarySeptember period totaled 298,773 units, up 4.7%; Off-Highway model sales totaled 58,523 units, up 2.7%; Dual model sales totaled 30,465 units, up 6.9%;
and Scooter sales totaled 25,367 units, down -10.9%. For more specific market information, lets look to Minneapolis-based research firm Power Products Marketing (PPM). Last year, according to PPM, the negatively impacted segments of the motorcycle market proved to be the two largest: Cruiser and Sport. Segments that experienced most growth included Naked Sport, Standard models, Motocross models, Enduro models, Touring models and Adventure models. Dual model sales remained relatively flat. Seventeen major brands are set to offer riders more than 400 models of motorized two-wheeler in 2016. Here, we take a look at the product line-up those brands have planned for the new model year. MMM Photo Courtesy of BMW
APRILIA
DUCATI
Aprilia is set to offer nine models in 2016, including two Sport models, four Naked Sport, two Adventure and a Scooter. Prices range from $2,099 for the SR Motard 50 scooter to $21,999 for the supersport RSV4 RF.
Ducati is set to offer more than 25 models in 2016, including Scrambler, Diavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada and Superbike models. Prices range from $7,995 for the Scrambler Sixty2 to $33,995 for the Panigale R.
Look for the new Tuono V4 1100 Factory ($16,299) at dealerships in May and the RSV4 RF at dealerships in June.
Highlights include the 400cc Scrambler Sixty2, the hard adventure Multistrada 1200 Enduro, 157hp Panigale 959, Monster 1200R, XDiavel performance cruiser, and three versions of the versatile Hypermotard/Hyperstrada 939.
Aprilia’s bestsellers have included the Tuono V4R, RSV4 R APRC ABS and SL 750 Shiver.
The BIG news is in Ducati’s small displacement offerings. Priced nearly $1,000 less than the 803cc Scrambler Icon, the Sixty2 utilizes the same chassis as its larger brethren, but with some cost-savings in the parts department and a 41hp output vs. 75hp.
BMW
GENUINE SCOOTERS
BMW likely will offer more than 20 models in 2016, including at least three Sport models, five Touring, four Roadster, seven Adventure and one Scooter model. Confirmed prices so far range from $7,895 for the G 650 GS to $29,995 for the K 1600 GTL Exclusive tourer.
Genuine Scooters continues into 2016 with seven confirmed scooter models and a … motorcycle. Prices range from $1,999 for the Buddy 50 to $3,399 for the Stella Auto on the confirmed models, of which the Buddy 50 and Buddy 170i continue to be the most popular models with scooterists.
Making headlines recently is BMW’s G 310 R, a 313cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder naked bike built in cooperation with TVS of India. Another all-new model: The R nineT Scrambler, an 1170cc Boxer with 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels. The R1200GS/Adventure and R1200RT continue to be BMW’s two bestsellers, but that could change in the coming year given the brand’s recent product expansion.
Photo Courtesy of Ducati
The motorcycle? A single-cylinder classic-look standard model called with G400C ($4,599) that Genuine would like you to cross-shop against the Yamaha SR400 ($5,990). Photo Courtesy of BMW
Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
Photo Courtesy of Genuine
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Special Section
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2016 Model Preview
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
KAWASAKI
H-D is set to offer 38 models in 2016, including two Street models, six Sportster, five Dyna, six Softail, two V-Rod, 10 Touring, two “S” series, three CVO and two Trike models. Prices range from $6,849 for the Street 500 to $40,299 for the CVO Road Glide Ultra.
Kawasaki enters 2016 with at least 35 models, including six Supersport models, six Touring, eight Sport, five Cruiser, one Dual, four OffRoad and five Motocross models. Not including the $50,000 limited edition H2R, prices range from $2,299 for the KLX 110 play bike to $25,000 for the H2 hypersport.
Harley-Davidson’s latest model family is heralded with the “S” moniker and joins the Street, Sportster, Dyna, Softail V-Rod, Touring, CVO and Trike families. For 2016, the S series features the blacked-out Softail Slim S ($18,499 compared to the Softail Slim’s $14,899) and Fat Boy S ($19,699 compared to the Fat Boy’s $16,699).
Photo Courtesy of Harley-Davidson
Most of H-D’ sales in North America are for big Touring models. As a result, The Motor Company’s most popular models still include the Street Glide and Electra Glide variations.
Like your rides smaller? You’ll be pleased to know Kawasaki’s best-selling Ninja 300 is scheduled to get a Grom-fighting stable-mate, the Z125/Pro powered by an air-cooled single cylinder and styled to resemble the Z800/1000. The Z125 is outfitted with a four-speed automatic transmission while the Pro model gets a manual.
HONDA Honda is set to offer 50-some models in 2016, including seven Touring models, four Adventure, 11 Trail, three Motocross, two Trials, 10 Cruiser, three Supersport, 11 Sport, two Dual and five Scooter models. Not counting the $184,000 limited edition RC213V-S, prices range from $1,399 for the CRF50F to $23,999 for the Gold Wing.
Photo Courtesy of Kawasaki
KTM KTM enters 2016 with at least 37 models, including 10 MX models, 17 Enduro, one Freeride, four Travel, three Naked and two Supersport models. Prices range from $3,899 for the 50 SX to $20,499 for the 1290 Super Adventure.
Look for the new-to-the-U.S. VFR1200X to join the CRF1000L Africa Twin ($12,699) in the Adventure line-up, revisions to the popular CB500F and CBR500R and the massively updated CRF250R ($7,599).
While Honda’s expanded line of small to mid displacement road models has made an impact on the sales floor, the dirt-oriented CRF50F and CRF250L remain among the brand’s most popular models.
Firing its latest salvo in the Battle of the Supersports, Kawasaki’s 2016 ZX-10R ($15,999) has been radically updated to include a revised chassis, engine and exhaust; redesigned fairing; and new electronics suite with all the latest tech. That all comes together in a 450-lb. package offering around 200 hp.
Photo Courtesy of Honda
Also expected to join the KTM stable in 2016 is the 1290 Super Duke GT, a more travel-worthy example of the Super Duke R that gets an electronically controlled semi-active WP forks and rear shock, an eight-way adjustable windscreen, a four-mode engine map, heated grips, cruise control and a larger 6.5-gal. fuel tank.Like your Duke on the smaller side? Check out the refined-for-2016 Duke 690/R. KTM buyers are all over the map with their desires, preferring big EXC, Adventure and XC-W models.
Photo Courtesy of KTM
INDIAN Indian plans to enter 2016 with seven models, including one Small-size model, one Mid-size model, one Touring model, two Cruiser and two Bagger.
KYMCO
While Indian customers appear to still prefer models with some long-haul capabilities, like the Chief Vintage and Chieftain, the introductory year of the water-cooled Scout proved a success for the brand and heralded in a newfor-2016 model, the Scout Sixty.
As the name suggests, the new Scout Sixty ($8,999) features the chassis, suspension and braking components from the standard Scout ($10,999) but is outfitted with an engine of 60 cu. inches (999cc/78hp) rather than the standard Scout’s 69 cu. in. (1130cc/100hp) lump. Indian prices range from $8,999 for the Scout Sixty to $27,999 for the Roadmaster.
KYMCO returns in 2016 with 13 scooter models. Prices range from $1,699 for the Agility 50 to $9,699 for the MyRoad 700i. KYMCO has made inroads with its Agility 50, Like 200i and Agility 125.
Photo Courtesy of Indian
Photo Courtesy of KYMCO
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Special Section
2016 Model Preview
MOTO GUZZI
VESPA
Moto Guzzi enters 2016 with 10 confirmed models, including at least four Standards, three Cruiser and three Touring models. Prices range from $8,990 for the V7 II Stone ABS to $18,490 for the California 1400 Touring.
Vespa has seven models of scooter for 2016. Prices range from $3,599 for the Primavera 50 to $6,799 for the GTS 300 Super Sport. Top selling models have included the GTS 300, Sprint 150 and Primavera 150.
While the V7 Stone, V7 Scrambler and V7 Racer still represent Guzzi’s top sellers,
most notable for 2016 are the Eldorado ($15,990) and Audace ($15,990) – both of which share their 1380cc air-cooled V-twin and underpinnings with the California 1400 Custom ($15,490). The Eldorado comes with gobs of chrome and white-wall tires while the Audace gives the look of a blacked out power cruiser.
Photo Courtesy of Vespa Photo Courtesy of Moto-Guzzi
Later in the year, look for two new bikes powered by a newly developed 850cc 90° V-twin, the V9 Roamer and V9 Bobber.
VICTORY Victory enters 2016 offering 11 models, including one Electric model, five Cruiser, three Bagger and two Touring models. Prices range from $12,499 for the Vegas 8-Ball cruiser to $21,999 for the Magnum bagger and Cross Country Tour.
PIAGGIO Piaggio’s plan for 2016 includes six models. Prices range from $1,999 for the Typhoon 50 to $8,999 for the three-wheeled MP3 500 Sport ABS. Piaggio’s success has come via the BV 350, Fly 150 and Typhoon 50.
SUZUKI
Photo Courtesy of Piaggio
Suzuki approaches 2016 with at least 35 models, including six Sportbike models, six Cruiser, two Touring, four Standard, four Adventure, three Dual, one Supermoto, three Motocross, two Off-Road models and three Scooter. Prices range from $1,799 for the DR-Z70 to $14,999 for the Boulevard M109R BOSS. Suzuki’s plans for 2016 include a return of the SV650, an ode to the original mid-size marvel that amassed a cult-like following upon its introduction in 1999. Price and color are currently TBA, but the bike is targeted to be available by late spring/early summer. The similarly equipped 2015 SFV650 retails for $7,699 while the 4-cylinder 2016 GX-S750 retails for $7,999.
Also worth a look are the naked GSX-S1000 ($9,999) and faired 1000F ($10,999) siblings, two liter bikes featuring engines from the older GSX-R1000 that are set into a chassis that proves less sporty than a track-oriented supersport but far more comfortable for street riding. Off-road enthusiasts may want to check out the RM-Z250 ($7,699) revised for 2016 with more than 80 new parts.
The electric Empulse garnered Victory headlines in 2015, but the brand could easily equal that press coverage in 2016 with an upcoming bike that’ll be powered by a recently revealed 1200cc liquid-cooled fourvalve DOHC V-twin engine.
Victory’s Cross Country bagger models and lower cost Vegas 8-Ball have been among the brand’s top sellers.
YAMAHA Yamaha rolls into 2016 with more than 50 models, including at least five Supersport models, 12 Cruiser, three Sport Tourers, two Adventure Tourers, six Sport, three Dual, five Motocross, 10 Off-Road and seven Scooter models. Prices range from $1,440 for the PW50 youth bike to $21,990 for the YZFR1M supersport. Photo Courtesy of Suzuki
Yamaha’s 950cc Star models, FZ and YZF-R models are among its most popular.
Supersport riders should look for the new YZF-R1S ($14,990), a more “streetable” version of the track-oriented R1 ($16,490) and competition-oriented R1M, to go on sale in February, small displacement fans shouldn’t be surprised to see a naked version of the R3 introduced stateside as it already exists in other markets, riders who praised the FZ-09 may be interested in the naked XSR900 clad in polished aluminum bits, and off-road enthusiasts will want to check out the new-for-2016 YZ250F and YZ450F.
TRIUMPH It looks as if Triumph plans to greet 2016 with at least 25 models, including six Adventure models, five Classic, five Cruiser, four Roadster, two Supersport and four Touring models. Prices range from $8,099 for the classic Bonneville to $19,499 for the Trophy SE ABS tourer.
MMM
Headlining Triumph’s 2016 range are new Bonneville and Thruxton models, each now packing a 1200cc parallel twin. Also, Triumph’s good-selling Speed Triple/R gets revisions for the new year, including new styling and technical enhancements to the 1050cc three-cylinder engine. Triumph’s 865cc Classic Bonneville T100/ Black and Thruxton have been among its bestsellers alongside the Street Triple/R.
Photo Courtesy of Victory
Photo Courtesy of Triumph
Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
Photo Courtesy of Yamaha
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Motorcycling In Minnesota
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White Earth Wheeling By Guido Ebert
DISTANCE: 83 miles or 95 miles SCENERY White Earth Reservation, located about 225 miles from the DIRECTIONS Twin Cities and 65 east of Fargo/Moorhead area, is the largest Native American reservation in the state by land area – span- From Itasca State Park, travel south ning 1,093 square miles and including all of Mahnomen County plus parts of Becker and Clearwater counties. on US-71 for 3.3 miles to right on The Reservation is situated in an area of the state where the MN-113 W. prairie meets the forest. The western part of the Reservation is prime prairie land while the southern and eastern areas feature - Travel MN-113 W for 20.7 miles to dense forest – including the 160,000-acre White Earth State Forest – and numerous lakes. Co Hwy 35 S in Elbow Lake. Lakes dotting the Reservation’s land include Bass Lake; Big - Travel Co Hwy 35 S for 10.4 miles to Rat Lake; Lower Rice Lake; Many Point Lake; North Twin Lake-South Twin Lake; Roy Lake; Round Lake; Snider Lake; Co Hwy 143 W near Round Lake. Strawberry Lake; Tulaby Lake; and White Earth Lake. Roy Lake and Strawberry Lake both serve as popular tourist and - Travel CO Hwy 143 for 9.8 miles to vacation destinations. Co Hwy 34 N. HISTORY & ATTRACTIONS Here, you can make a choice. The 9,100 Native community members of White Earth Reservation identify as Anishinaabe or Ojibwe. Choice 1: Travel Co Hwy 34 N/Co Rd 158 N/ The Reservation was created on March 19, 1867, during treaty signing in Washington, D.C. Ten Chiefs met with Co Rd 144 N for 9.8 miles to MN-113 E, then aPresident Andrew Johnson at the White House to negotiate the treaty. A year later, the chiefs Wabanquot (White Cloud), travel MN-113 E for 29 miles to US-71. a Gull Lake Mi Chippewa, and Fine Day, of the Removable Mille Lacs Indians, were among the first to move with their Choice 2: Travel Co Hwy 34 N for 4 miles followers to White Earth. to Co Hwy 34 W; travel Co Hwy 34 W for 6.4 Today, the White Earth Reservation has many settlements located within its borders. While you’d think the White Earth miles to Co Hwy 21 N; travel Co Hwy 21 N Tribe has the run of the property, it doesn’t. The Tribe owns for 6.3 miles to MN-113 E; and travel MN- only around 10% of the land within the reservation, Federal government owns 15%, State owns 7%, Counties own 17% 113 E for 34 miles back to US-71. and Private ownership makes up about 51%.
The largest community is Mahnomen, which is predominately non-Native in population, while Elbow Lake, Waubun, Ogema, Pine Point, Rice Lake, Twin Lakes and Callaway are considered to have predominately Native populations. Naytahwaush and White Earth each feature approx. 580 inhabitants and are the largest Native communities on the Reservation. Need food or fuel? The communities of White Earth and Naytahwaush are rather sparse, so your best bet is to ride into Waubun or Mahnomen.
Waubun is located at the junction of MN-113 and U.S.-59. When the Soo Line built through the county in 1903-4, stations had to have Indian names. Thus Waubun was incorporated as a village on December 18, 1907. Today the community of approx. 400 features about a dozen businesses, including multiple places to stop for a drink or a burger and an EZ 1 Stop gas station and convenience store. Mahnomen is located just south of the junction of U.S.-59 and MN-200, on the banks of the Wild Rice River. The city – incorporated as a village in 1905 and now home to a population of approx. 1,200 – serves not only as the seat of Mahnomen County, but also as a trade, health, education, recreation and tourism center for those living within a 40-mile radius.
The community of Elbow Lake in Becker County has approx. 100 residents and is situated on the shores of the 985-acre lake. There’s no ramp for boat access, but you can park your bike and catch Bluegill, Bass, Pike and Walleye if you have your two-piece rod along. You’ll also be skirting the White Earth State Forest, which offers primitive camping, a fishing pier, boat launch, historic site, rest area and trails for motorized and non-excursions – including 65 miles of dual-purpose forest roads. If camping at Itasca State Park or White Earth State Forest isn’t your thing, White Earth Nation owns and operates the Shooting Star Casino & Hotel in Mahnomen, or you can book a cabin at the Pinehurst Resort & Campground located between North and South Twin Lakes near Naytahwaush. MMM
Photo By Guido Ebert
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
Movie Review
Point and Shoot Directed by Marshall Curry The Orchard, 2014 83 minutes
H
I wanted to like Matthew, because of the adventures and beautiful trip footage, but I simply did not. I found him terribly selfish, reckless and irresponsible with no regard for the people who loved him. By Tammy Wanchena
ow does a man go from living in his grandparents’ basement in Baltimore to becoming a Libyan rebel fighter? This month’s movie pick, Point and Shoot, will show you how it happened for Matthew Van Dyke. And it all started with a KLR motorcycle. Matthew Van Dyke is a spoiled mama’s boy with selfdescribed mental health issues, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He has few friends, and even fewer ambitions. “Inspired” by an adventure filmmaker, he decides to buy a motorcycle and travel through Africa filming his experiences. I say “inspired”, but truthfully, he seems to lack much passion whatsoever. He buys a KLR and wanders through North Africa and the Mid-East in search of something. At one point Matthew is so far out of his comfort level with his OCD that he decides to change his name to Max Hunter and takes on a new personality. Sadly, even Max lacked personality in my opinion.
In spite of my dislike of Matthew Van Dyke, I actually did like this documentary. It was an extremely interesting story and had some beautiful scenery. I learned a lot about Libya and Muammar Gaddafi. I saw pictures of parts of the world I will likely never have the pleasure of seeing, like Iraq, Iran, Egypt and Morocco. I especially liked discussing the movie with my husband afterwards, as he shares that adrenalin junkie adventure seeking way, but agreed that Matthew was crazy to stay and fight after spending five and a half months as a prisoner of war rather than return home to his worried girlfriend and mother. We watched it on Netflix on a rainy Saturday morning while enjoying our coffee, which made it worth the price of admission. I am glad I saw Point and Shoot, but will likely channel some Matthew Van Dyke lack of enthusiasm if I am ever asked to sit through it again.
Things take a strange turn when Matthew/Max ditches the bike and decides to join his new Libyan friends in the fight to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi. He quickly finds himself in combat and eventually captured by proGaddafi forces.
Book Review Do This, Not That: Lessons From Behind the Handlebars By Ken Condon A Motorcycle Consumer New Book, i-5 Press, Publisher
F
By Steve Tiedman
or subscribers to Motorcycle Consumer News and Motorcyclist magazines, you’ll surely recognize Ken Condon. He is a long-time motorcycle safety author of hundreds of articles. He has also served as an instructor/coach for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and currently operates his own motorcycle training school. I’d guess there must be little that Ken hasn’t seen or done in his 40+ years Behind the Handlebars. Condon’s new book, Motorcycling the Right Way, is visually appealing. In over 230 pages, Condon uses a mix of high quality photos and clear, concise drawings to supplement his writing. He writes in a way that provides the technical details of the subject in an in-depth, yet easy to understand manner, and then follows with a real-life “Lesson Learned” situation based on that particular subject. This gives the reader the opportunity to reinforce the lesson by discovering how a mistake could be avoided in real life, and how following his tips and advice can help you keep the shiny side up.
Motorcycling the Right Way Although the book could be read from beginning to end, each topic stands on its own so you could move through the book in your own way. But the book does follow a logical pattern: first, information for newer riders, then specific skills, and then several sections of advanced information. The book really does cater to riders of all ages and skill levels. Early topics include determining what kind of rider you are, managing risk, and preventing crashes. The meat of the book covers such topics as motorcycle maintenance, managing traction, and mastering essential skills such as shifting, braking, and cornering. In-depth topics that Condon covers include everyday situations, group riding, returning riders and aging, off-road riding, and track day riding. I’ve read Condon’s articles for years in MCN and his passion for safety on two wheels always shines through, and for this I can easily recommend Motorcycling the Right Way. New, returning, and long-time motorcyclists can all benefit from Condon’s lessons, advice, and storytelling. Anyone with an interest to start motorcycling, and those who have many years behind the handlebars, would do well by reading this book. MMM
Every issue 1996 thru 2015 — www.mnmotorcycle.com
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Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly® #171 Winter 2015
15
The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same By David Harrington “La dolce vita” (Italian for “the sweet life” or perhaps “the good life”) was the marketing cry of Piaggio’s Vespa scooters back in their heyday. Here we are, about 60 years beyond that time, and a new Vespa model has reaffirmed that good basic transportation can still transcend into the sweet life. Scooterville generously made a 2015 Vespa Primavera 150 available to me. I mounted a GPS unit and, heading for the gas station to top off the fuel tank, immediately found the bike to be 14% optimistic. An indicated 30 mph was actually 26 mph and an indicated 50 mph was actually 43 mph. The odometer was fairly accurate, 11 miles on the GPS was 11 miles on the odometer.
From the start, though, I’ll say the Vespa Primavera operated flawlessly during my review. Just turn the key, wait for the fuel pump to charge, grab a brake lever, and press the starter button on the right-hand control and the scooter is ready to go. A smooth idle was just a minute or two away after a cold start and immediate on warm starts. The fuel-injected, three-valve 155cc is mated to a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) that seems perfectly set up to take advantage of engine output. Acceleration from a stop is brisk and there are no flat spots up to about 50 mph, when the forward surge slows until top speed is attained. The top speed I saw on a level road was 60 mph Fuel economy was 90mpg in about 100 miles of mixed use. After break in and assuming mostly city speeds I THINK that 100mpg would be a possibility. Frankly, I consider the 90mpg to be quite good considering the performance capabilities of the Primavera.
Vespa scooters have been around since just after the Second World War, and several features of their design like the monocoque chassis and the swingarm front end have continued since the beginning of the Vespa line. Unlike every other scooter in current production, the Vespa has a sort of uni-body chassis of steel. Every other scooter has a metal sub-frame and attached
plastic body panels. The Vespa steel body also serves as the frame, and as such offers a more rigid platform. The front suspension is a single sided trailing link. New for 2015, the lower shock mount on the Primavera is now hinged. This allows the front suspension to maintain correct geometry with no lateral flexing. In combination with the monocoque steel chassis the enhanced front suspension contributes to a smooth and stable ride and cures the wandering feeling older Vespa were known for. While the Primavera’s handling is markedly improved from previous Vespa, braking is adequate. The front disc rear drum combination is easy to modulate and only a tiny bit of fade is noticeable after a lot of repeated hard stops. The Primavera is an easy scooter to ride briskly. The eleven inch tires, front and rear, contribute to quick response to steering inputs while being a bit more stable than the more common ten inchers found on other scooters. The Primavera continues Vespa’s tradition of excellent ergonomics. The seat, floorboards and hand controls are spaced and positioned to allow comfortable riding for a wide range of rider sizes.
Piaggio has stepped away from the round speedometer instrument cluster and reverted back to the “fan” or “clamshell” shape. The dash is clean, simple and easy to read at a glance … in kilometers-per-hour. Miles are indicated in smaller numerals below the kilometers. Directly below the speedo is a multi-function display with pods of indicator lights on either side. The hand controls are standard with the exception of a “mode” button on the right-hand side for the aforementioned multi-function display. Also, the previous Vespa “rocker” turn signal switch is gone in favor of a standard push-tocancel style that is easier to operate than the old rocker.
There are three positions on the ignition switch: the “off ” position, the “run” position and a “lock” position. In the “lock” position, the key can be removed, the front wheel is locked to the left and the seat switch is disabled. In addition to
Photo By David Harrington
the electronic seat latch release to the left of the switch, there is a manual release inside the glove box. To open the glove box, one pushes in on the switch. The glove box has a couple of small compartments on either side of the steering shaft. The bucket under the seat is roomy and managed to swallow my XXL 3/4 helmet … just. Yet there are a myriad of other storage and hauling options for the Primavera. In stock form, it
is equipped with a chrome grab rail for passengers, but that can easily be swapped out for a luggage rack. With a rack mounted, a topcase, basket or milk crate will provide more room to haul your stuff. There is also an optional front folding rack available. Twin Cities scooterist David Harrington owns and operates JustGottaScoot.com
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