Midwest Motorcyclist (TM), May 2016 issue

th th

10 Anniversary

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Time to ride!

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1765 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI One mile north of Square Lake Rd. on the east side of Telegraph Rd.

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ndian® and Indian Motorcycle® are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International LLC. Victory® and Victory Motorcycles® are registered trademarks of Polaris Industries Inc. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing and obey the speed limit. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

TM

Midwest Motorcyclist

3

IN THIS ISSUE…..

Columns 5 17 18 20

cc media publications

This Month’s Contributors: Contributing Editors Franz Hoffer plus

Vincent Cardinale, Gene Southard, Dondi Vesprini, Jason Waechter, Rick Wilder

Publisher/Managing Editor

Ray Peabody publisher@midwestmotorcyclist.com rpeabody@sbcglobal.net

Advertising Sales/ Web Master / Distribution Ray Peabody publisher@midwestmotorcyclist.com rpeabody@sbcglobal.net

Cover Design Julie Kirkendoll

How to contact us: 709 Fall Street Spring Lake, Michigan 49456 (810) 923-8738 www.midwestmotorcyclist.com Copyright 1998-2016 cc media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, photocopied, or electronically transmitted without the expressed written permission of the publisher. Advertisers, their agents, contributors of event information, free-lance contributors and/or editorial contributors will defend, indemnify and hold cc media and RTP Enterprises, Inc. harmless in any claims of libel, copyright or trademark infringement, plagiarism, violation of local, national, or international privacy laws and any other claim or suit that may arise subsequent to publication of said advertisement, stories, event information, and/or editorial. Submission of material for consideration for publication in Michigan Motorcyclist/Midwest Motorcyclist, American CycleRider either solicited or unsolicited, constitutes agreement to these terms. Except for the Publisher and Managing Editor, all writers are free-lance contributors. Any and all opinions expressed are those of the authors, and don’t necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

4

To Our Readers Recent Trial Victory Highlights the Need for Better Motorcycle Awareness

by Jason Waechter The Preacher Speaks About... Father and Son H-D Project by Franz Hoffer Motorcycling & Law: License Plate Placement and Lighting Laws on Bikes

by Dondi Vesprini

Features, News & Reviews 6 8 9 14 15

South America Dual-Sport Adventure Tour by Rick Wilder Big News for Wisconsin Dual-Sport and Off-Road Riders Adventures in Motorcycle Radar Detector Installation by Vincent Cardinale Thailand, Miles & Miles of Smiles, Part 2 by Gene Southard MSP Adds Seven BMWs to Motorcycle Patrol Fleet

Resources 5 16 21

Advertiser Index Event Schedule Michigan Harley-Davidson Dealer Event Schedule

Large cover photo: Touring Thailand. Photo by Gene Southard.

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May 2016

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Advertiser Index

you ride. Don’t lose it.

We have a terrific issue for you this month. Lots of stories, columns and the event schedule is busting out of the space we have available. There is news from around the industry and advice from our legal team. We hope you enjoy it all.

Please support our advertisers. You know the reasons. Thanks for reading. Ride safe out there and watch for distracted drivers. They’re already causing lots of damage to motorcyclists and it’s still early in the season. See you on the road or at an event in the near future,

“What are you smiling about?” Heidi asked after I returned from my first ride of the year. She knew I was happy to get in some saddle time but didn’t know exactly why. If she had asked for more details, the explanation would likely have been something similar to that old cliché: If you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand. The truth is something I’m not sure that I could have explained.

My first ride of the year was the best I’ve had in several. The Tiger was perfect; the weather, the same. I was comfortable and enjoying the flow, that state of awareness – mindfulness - when nothing else enters the consciousness. I felt healthier, both mentally and physically, than I have in a few years.

The ride wasn’t especially long, just a little more than 50 miles. There were no twisty roads or hilly sections. The Friday-afternoon traffic was heavy in some areas as commuters rushed home to enjoy what is forecasted to be Gear & Helmets Gear Helmets the first summer-like weekend of Suspension Set Up Seminar 2016. There was nothing truly special Enter to

by Suspension Expert, about the ride. The difference was me. win a Dave Bowman For several years, probably since The Great Recession, I haven’t OIL SALE TRI-R Distributing’s enjoyed riding as much as I once did.

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It seemed like work; which it was for MX32 someone publishing a monthly oil purchase of your motorcycle magazine. More often than Meet Keith Bowen, AMA Pro of $25 or choice not, I rode because I had to, because I Supercross & Motocross Racer! more felt that it was expected of me.

Admittedly, I was concerned that the joy of riding I once felt every time I was behind the handlebars might have Goggles deserted me for good.

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TM

Midwest Motorcyclist

5

Colombia, South America Adventure Tour

by Rick Wilder

(In our April 2016 issue, Rick reviewed the preparations for the Motolumbia adventure he and four others had planned.

This month, he describes tour through Colombia.)

After Aaron, Blane and I boarded the COPA (National Airline of Panama) flight that would take us from Chicago to Panama City, one of the first things I noticed was the monitors in the seat backs.

Not so much that they were there, but that they didn’t have a slot for swiping your credit card. Nice. On the 5 1/2 flight, I was able to watch a movie and listen to some relaxing music. COPA didn’t charge for the headphones. But wait ...there is more. When the meal was served, we all received real silverware.

I was able to cut and butter my roll without breaking a knife. There were no attempts at hijacking or the taking of hostages, either. It was like flying prior to TSA taking over the airline security.

In Panama, we linked up with Jerry and boarded our third flight of the day. On the approach to landing in Cali, Colombia, the sun was out, countryside was lush and green Everything was looking good. After exiting customs, we found our contact, Louis, holding a sign with Motolombia’s logo and our names on it.

The ride to the Marriott where we had reservations took about a 45-minutes. Once inside the Marriott, a security guard with a guard dog casually meandered over to our luggage. The dog sniffed our luggage presumably looking for drugs or explosives.

Once registered, we were on our own until the following afternoon when we were scheduled to meet

at Motolombia.

The next day at Motolombia, we met the staff, toured the facility, completed paperwork for the tour, paid a security deposit on the rental bikes and met Tommy, our fifth rider, from Norway. He spoke perfect English and good Spanish which was lucky for us since none of us spoke any Norwegian.

Our group was complete. 29-year-old tour leader, Rick, conducted a a pre-tour briefing that included traffic laws, how we would keep track of one another while riding and hazards such as the ubiquitous speed bumps we would be encountering.

Surprisingly, motorcycles aren’t strictly required to adhere to traffic laws as are cars and trucks. For example, lane splitting / filtering is acceptable as is passing on double yellow lines. Once the briefing was completed, we returned to the Marriott. The tour began the following morning.

The next morning, we headed north out of Cali toward the city of Salento. Traveling over a combination of paved and unpaved roads, we passed through the lush Cauca Valley and entered the foothills of the center range of the Andean Mountains. Stopping for a break in a small town, we learned that Saturdays are a busy shopping day. It seems that everyone was in the town plaza either selling or buying. We purchased bottled water, took a few pictures and were on our way.

Prior to our leaving for Colombia, I checked the weather forecasts for the cities we would be visiting. It looked like we would be riding in rain every single day. I was surprised when Rick explained that it had been a dry season up to that point.

As if demonstrating the lack of rain, a reservoir we passed was down a good 10 feet from the high water mark. At around 3 p.m., we rode into

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Salento and located our hotel. The proprietor opened the heavy gates and we rode our bikes to the secure parking area. Total mileage for the day was less than 200 miles.

After breakfast the next morning, we suited up and set a course for the city of Honda. The plan was to ride through the Valle de Cocora and see the “Wax Palms,” Colombia’s national tree which can live up to 100 years and reach heights of over 200 feet. Upon entering the tropical valley, we could observe the normal tree canopy and the Wax Palms which were easily twice as tall.

After a water crossing, we came to a military check point staffed by friendly soldiers who looked younger than the automatic rifles they were holding. After pictures with the soldiers, we turned around and headed out the way we came.

Rick had planned to take unpaved roads up to Nevado del Ruiz, a 13,000 foot volcano that had last erupted in 1985. Unfortunately, the dry period seemed to be ending and rain began falling. We rerouted to the paved road which was newly resurfaced and twisty but slick from the rain. The longer the rain fell, the wetter – and colder - we got.

We stopped to have some coffee or hot tea and warm up. It would have been nice to change out of our wet gear but the truck with our luggage was far behind us. A change of clothes would have to wait...

The rain intensified as we continued the climb up the twisty mountain road. Temperatures fell even further and fog drastically reduced visibility. For some unknown reason, drivers in Colombia refuse to use their headlights in such conditions. As the semis struggled to climb the steep grade, our options were to either slow to a crawl behind them or start passing on the double

Continued on page 10

2001 Triumph Bonneville... 23,000 miles, current on all services, well maintained, many extras... $4,000

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If interested, contact Henry at: sprintrider@hotmail.com, Toledo, Ohio

6

www.midwestmotorcyclist.com

May 2016

TM

Midwest Motorcyclist

7

Big News for Wisconsin Dual Sport & Off-Road Riders Random Lake, Wisconsin - Bryan Much, President of the Wisconsin OffHighway Motorcycle Association (WOHMA), recently announced that, after an effort that has lasted seven years, the Wisconsin State Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law the creation of a program that allows for the collection of fees to build and sustain off-highway motorcycle trails as well as providing for necessary regulation and safety education.

The program will take effect on October 1, 2016. After that date, the law requires that DOT-licensed dual-sport motorcycles used off highway on paths (or on ice-covered bodies of water) that are not open to licensed motor vehicles have an off-highway motorcycle (OHM) sticker. The OHM sticker requirement includes the hero sections that are on private property but are used as part of off-road events.

The law requires the DNR to develop, encourage, and supervise a system of trails and routes similar to the ATV program. An off-highway motorcycle trail involves a marked corridor on public property or private lands subject to a government easement or lease that is open to the public for operation of OHM for recreational purposes. However, there is an exemption for bikes used exclusively in racing on a raceway facility.

As Mr. Much explained, the intent of the program is to give priority of OHM sticker program funding to support off-highway motorcycle trails. The program will also allow contributions to other motorized trails where OHM are allowed. Being able to contribute to trail costs can lead to greater OHM access to existing ATV trails.

This program also allows unlicensed, limited-

8

use motorcycles (dirt bikes) with an OHM sticker to use a designated road route by the local governmental unit. This can help solve some problems like in Jackson County where only DOT-licensed dual sports can use the trail system because it includes some road connectors. With designated routes in place, dirt bikes could be allowed to use the system. In addition, the law allows the creation of motorcycle routes similar to ATV routes.

Public use registration runs for two years (April 1 through March 31). The sticker fee is $30. Private use registration does not expire and has a $15 fee. Non-resident passes have a $34.25 annual fee. A five-day non-resident pass is $19.25. The sticker must be properly affixed, clearly visible, and maintained in legible condition on the OHM. No specific location is designated due to the variety of bike configurations. There is a free ride weekend (no passes required) on the first full weekend in June.

Other relevant information includes: A driver’s license and liability insurance are not required for off-highway operation.

Helmets are required until age 18.

Riders under age 12 may not operate on a highway.

Age restrictions do not apply on private property if the property owner gives consent and does not hold out the property for public use.

Any rider born after January 1, 1998 will have to complete the OHM safety course. (Mr. Much is working

www.midwestmotorcyclist.com

with the DNR to have a single consolidated motorized safety education course that will apply to ATVs, OHM, 4WD, etc.). Safety education will be offered on-line.

If an operator is involved in an accident that occurs offhighway and results in death or an injury that requires treatment by a physician, he or she must report the accident to a warden or local law enforcement as soon as possible and file a written report on a DNR form within 10 days after the accident. If the injured person is not able to report, a witness can do so.

The law also establishes other necessary regulation to have a program on public land and the frozen waters of the state including riding on a roadway and speed limits when passing pedestrians, shanties, and dwellings. There is also a provision for drunk driving.

“We are happy and excited about this opportunity we created to fund and build off-road motorcycle trails throughout the State,” said Mr. Much.

“But there’s much more work to do. We now have to call on clubs, or find riders interested in forming new clubs, who are willing to get authorization and build trails on public, and, when possible, private lands. Local involvement is essential to the success of this program.

Now it’s up to riders who want these trails to get involved.”

WOHMA is a non-profit association that represents the interests of off highway motorcyclists in Wisconsin. Membership includes various motorcycle clubs and associations as well as individuals and businesses concerned with promoting and enjoying off road motorcycle recreation. For more information about WOHMA or the new OHM sticker program, visit the organization’s website at www.wohma.com or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wisohm.

May 2016

Adventures in Motorcycle Radar Detector Installation

By Vince Cardinale power plug next to the steering head. (BMWstyle, of course…) Powerlet’s 90-degree 12v plug to Coax Female PPC-028-06 makes quick removal a snap. I cut and spliced one lead of a heated gear male “Y” power cord to the Escort Direct Wire SmartCord, and the other “Y” power cord lead to the external auxiliary speaker power lines. The wires are secured between the unit and the windshield.

If your bike does not have a power plug within easy reach of the controls, consider installing one. They are really nice to have.

(Heated gear, smart phone / tablet / laptop, GPS, etc.)

I decided to equip my motorcycle with a radar detector after hearing numerous Performance Award tales of woe. Plus, if the government engages in wholesale electronic surveillance of motorists (two wheel and otherwise) without probable cause by means of traffic radar, I at least want to know when I am under said wholesale surveillance.

Motorcycle Radar Detector Selection: The Adaptiv TPX (v2.0 current) radar detector is perhaps the best known motorcycle-specific device. Many reviews may be found on the web. Decide for yourself.

I instead elected to share a single detector between my two and four wheel vehicles. High-end units can be pricy (generally speaking, you get what you pay for) and I am not talented enough to operate a car and bike simultaneously.

I chose the Escort Redline (sister unit Beltronics STi Magnum) due to excellent performance, mostly reasonable price, Escort Live radar detector social network app compatibility, and finally - unlike many other devices - no radio frequency energy emissions. That last point means you will not set off other radar detectors in your riding group, or radar detector detectors; at present radar detectors are illegal in Virginia, Washington DC and parts of Canada such as Ontario. Get the picture?

Mounting Location: Real estate is at a premium on my 2009 BMW R1200GS. A Garmin Zumo 390 (4.3" screen) already resides on the leftside handlebar.

Below and to the left of the GPS is the heated gear remote controller atop the clutch reservoir. On the rightside handlebar lives my smart phone holder.

The radar detector ideally needs an unobstructed forward-looking location. The upper windshield bracket, left side, directly behind the windshield was chosen as the mounting point. This location does not interfere with the left grip at full lock, does not obstruct the instrument cluster, the windshield protects the detector from the elements, and the unit is accessible to my non-throttle left hand while underway.

Mounting the Radar Detector: Because I selected a non-waterproof radar detector, and because these units can be attractive to thieves, I decided to mount the device in such a way that it could quickly and easily be dismounted and securely stored in my locking, waterproof hard side bag.

In addition to offering numerous mounting hardware options for just about any bike, RAM MOUNTS also offers a magnetic radar detector mount: Power Plate III (RAP-300-1x). This is a 2piece, rare earth magnetic quick-disconnect mount.

The magnetic base attaches to the ubiquitous 1-inch RAM ball mount (RAM-B-202U), while a selfadhesive metallic strip attaches to the bottom of the radar detector. (The latter requires a flat mounting surface on the unit.)

To clear my bike’s adjustable windshield in the lowermost position, the Redline needed to be affixed to the RAM magnetic mount metal strip at the very front of the detector. To accommodate an indent at that location, a flat polycarbonate mounting plate was used. The magnetic-mount TM

Midwest Motorcyclist

metal strip attaches to polycarbonate plate using the provided double-face tape strip; and the detector attaches to the polycarbonate plate using Scotch brand super strength Velcro.

For portability, one magnetic base was installed on my bike, another in my car.

Alerting: The Escort Redline’s tiny internal speaker was not up to the task of audio alerting with the bike at speed. Enter the Escort Radar Detector External Auxiliary Speaker 001SPK-E0; 2.25"W x 2.25"H x 2.25"D, 12-volt external power. Connects to Redline’s 3.5 mm external speaker jack. The detector’s built-in volume control limits external speaker sound output, which is loud enough to be heard at freeway speeds, even with the use of ear plugs. I used Scotch brand super strength Velcro to attach the bottom of the speaker to the top of the Escort Redline, allowing both to be easily removed from the bike as a single unit.

I decided against auxiliary visual alerting.

Several options are available, in helmet as well as external mount. My concern was being blinded at night. The Escort Redline visual display auto-dims at night. It was not clear that the auxiliary visual alerts would do so.

Power: The Escort Redline radar detector and external auxiliary speaker both require 12-volt DC to operate.

Powering the Redline is the Escort Direct Wire SmartCord 0010057-2; 1" x 1.5" x 1"; Blue power light - easier on the eyes at night. This power connector wires directly to a 12-volt source, and features a MUTE button to silence the detector audio alert. I used the same Scotch brand super strength Velcro to attach the Smartcord control head to the right side of the external auxiliary speaker.

Conveniently, my R1200GS has a switched The Great Lakes Dual Sporters is a like-minded group of offroad motorcyclists who enjoy riding Michigan’s vast two-track trails and back roads. All done using a street legal dirtbike also known as Dual Sport.

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Removal: Removing the detector, speaker, control head and all wiring from the bike as a single unit entails grab-and-twist of the detector assembly, followed by unplugging the Powerlet 90-degree power plug.

Waze: Do you Waze? Waze is a communitybased social media traffic and navigation app for your smart phone. Users are generally kind enough to report police location when they are spotted. Waze is why I mount my smart phone to the handlebar. The combination of Waze plus radar detector might be enough to keep you from running afoul of Johnny Law. Ride Safe, Ride Smart.

10th Anniversary Open House Celebration Saturday, May 21, 2016 This is the BIG one. The best food and refreshments you’ll find at any Open House. Demo rides and entertainment. Join us in celebrating our 10th anniversary in business & the 2016 riding season!

Track Day Monday, May 23, 2016 The Grattan Raceway track day costs $165, which includes track time, class room instruction and lunch.

All makes and models of bikes are welcome to attend our track events! To register, please call Audrey at (734) 453-0500 Buy a new BMW “S” motorcycle (i.e., S 1000 RR, S 1000 XR, or S 1000 R) and get a free track day with us this year! Visit or call our store for details.

BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan 14855 N. Sheldon Rd., Plymouth, MI 734.453.0500 www.bmwmcsem.com

9

Upcoming Seminar Saturday, April 30, 2016 S 1000 RR Seminar BMW Club of Battle Creek

44th Annual Mini Rally “

May 6-8, 2016 Green Valley Campground • 25499 Fawn River Road • Sturgis, MI

Demo Days in Harbor Springs May 15-16, 2016 • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Based out of Lorenso’s Resturant parking lot on the south end of the Tunnel of Trees on 119. Call Blane or Andrea at the shop to make reservations for a one hour test drive.

SPRING TRACK DAY @ Grattan Monday, May 23, 2016 The day costs $165, which includes track time, class room instruction and lunch. All makes and models of bikes are welcome to attend our track events! Call our store to reserve your space today.

BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids 5995 South Division, Grand Rapids, MI

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10

Continued from page 6 - Colombia Tour yellow line. Blane witnessed Aaron, riding a BMW F800GS, attempt such a pass only to have semi appear out of the fog heading toward him. Blane was convinced that there was no way Aaron could make it.

Fortunately, Aaron had managed to dive to the right in front of the semi in the nick of time, avoiding a collision. It was only the lack of motorcycle debris on the road that confirmed to Blane that Aaron had successfully completed the pass.

Later, Blane himself experienced a moment of panic when entering a hairpin curve too fast. He increased his lean angle beyond what he thought even possible on the wet pavement and remained in his lane. Save! His security deposit was still safe!

As we descended the mountain road, the fog thinned, the rain decreased, and the temperature rose. Definitely a good thing. Navigating the road became more enjoyable. Improved conditions led to other “exciting” moments. I made the error of entering a right-hand switchback too fast and found myself rapidly approaching the double yellow line. I touched my rear brake and the rear wheel instantly locked up, sliding on the double yellow line. I released the brake, straightened the bike, and rode across the oncoming lane to the opposite shoulder of the road. I’m sure glad that the other lane was empty.

Arriving at our hotel in Honda, Rick blew his horn and the proprietor of the Las Trampas Hotel opened a set of massive wooden gates. This hotel had a swimming pool and hot tub (perfect). The rooms were large enough to layout out our gear for drying.

Another motorcycle tour group from the United Kingdom was also staying the hotel. It was great sharing a couple of cervezas with them and comparing notes. Their tour guide would hand out maps with that day’s destination listed as well as possible routes to arrive there. They could either ride with the guide or follow one of the other suggested routes.

The destination for the next day was the Desierto de Tatacoa.

Located on the East side of the Magdalena River, this desert region occupies about 127 square miles and is full of geological formations that reminded us of the Badlands in South Dakota.

To get there from Honda, we followed the Magdalena River up and down hills, around an assortment of tight curves all presenting magnificent panoramic views. The highlight of this ride was a canoe crossing of the Magdalena River. Pedro (who had a perpetual smile on his face) would back your bike down an unpaved slope onto a 2x12 wooden ramp into his canoe. Each rider’s job was to steady the bike on its side stand while it was in the canoe. After the second bike was loaded, he would start the 20hp outboard and proceed 150 yards across the river. We’d assist in pushing the bike up the ramp in the canoe and down the ramp to dry land. Aaron was so impressed with the service, he gave Pedro his Leatherman.

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It was a short ride through the desert to Tatacoa, but we stopped several times for pictures and to observe the stark contrast between the giant cacti of the desert and the lush green forest we had just passed through as well as the mountain peaks of Nevado del Huilato to the west. Once in Tatacoa, we moved into our rooms and rode our bikes several blocks to secure parking.

The next day, the plan was to ride into a different region of the desert before the heat became too high. We ended stopping on several different bluffs that presented unique panoramic views of the rocky barren terrain; terrain one would never expect to find in Colombia. After that, it was on to San Agustin.

Again, we followed the Magdalena River. The country became a bit more rugged, the roads more twisted and the views more scenic. I think we were all looking forward to our arrival in San Agustin, a hilltop city at about 6,000 feet and home to a pre –Columbian archaeological park.

The next day was a scheduled rest day, with several possible activities. We five tourists spent the entire morning on a guided tour of the Archaeological Park. Our tour guide, Juan, spoke good English and was extremely knowledgeable about the park specifically and Colombia in general.

He even told us that Colombia had the highest mountains in the world. When questioned about that assertion, he merely stated that in Colombia, they measure the height of their mountains from the sea floor!

We returned to San Agustin for lunch and took some time for souvenir shopping. After several hours, it was time for the next adventure. The plan was to ride horses into the remote mountains. Blane passed on the horseback riding and Aaron’s horse came up lame. The rest of us rode an hour or so up and down hills on single track trails. We eventually came to a magnificent view with the white-watered Magdalena River dissecting the valley surrounded by steep mountain slopes with several waterfalls crashing down hundreds of feet. Gorgeous! Back on the horses, we returned to San Agustin by a different route.

Life is good!

Tour guide Rick planned the next day’s ride to Popayan, known as the white city (buildings are all white) to make up for some of the unpaved riding we missed earlier in the week. The ride took us up and over the middle Andean Mountain range again.

That route included a main road used by all vehicles, including semis. More than once, the six us were forced to come to a complete stop or even back up when a semi blocked the road in the attempt to navigate the tight corners. On the descent, we circled Volcano Purace before descending into Popayan.

Wow, what a ride! We had views of canyons with white water rushing hundreds of feet below the

Continued on next page

May 2016

Continued from previous page bridges we were crossing. As is typical in the U.S., there were several construction zones where the Colombian dust control methods turned unpaved roads into a muddy mess. We slipped and slid while trying to keep a safe distance from operating construction equipment. Talk about a challenging ride!

Flagmen are not always used and we were often required to use our best judgment whether to proceed or not. Just because the motorcycle in front of you had the right away, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean you could safely pass, too. At one point, I literally had to weave in between two moving compactors heading toward each other. Sure, there was two feet on either side of my handle bars; lots of room by Colombian standards. Once we arrived in Popayan, we checked into our hotel. After riding unpaved roads most of the day, the hot shower felt especially good and the cold cervezas

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Our final day of riding included the return trip to Cali. This would be our final test: a ride through Santiago de Cali at rush hour. As a group, we had successfully ridden through various terrains and road surfaces in all types of conditions.

Could we navigate through a thirdworld city with a population of three million people? Yes, we not only could but did. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always pretty but we were able to filter with the best of the local riders.

Once back at Motolombia, the bikes were turned in and luggage collected. Handshakes all around, congratulations to all on completing the tour, and then a taxi ride to the hotel. Our final lesson learned is how time can be distorted when traveling.

Yesterday morning seemed like a week ago and our arrival in Colombia seemed like months ago. It was bittersweet to be leaving.

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A Local, Non-Affiliated MotorcycleEnthusiast Club Seeking

New Members Sport Touring is Our Middle Name!

We Ride! ...All Makes of Bikes ...All Over the Country ...On Back Roads ...On Racetracks ...At Novice-Advanced Levels Our members come from all across Michigan and we ride many makes of street bikes - including: • Aprilia • BMW • Buell • Ducati

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• Suzuki • Triumph • Yamaha ....and brands in between

We travel to great riding destinations close by and far away. We learn to be better riders. We share camaraderie and a common passion: The Passion To Ride!

For information about membership, meetings, events, or rides, contact Augie Fernandes at Membership@MSTRiders.com or Info@MSTRiders.com www.MSTRiders.com • On

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Midwest Motorcyclist

Annual Spring Open House Saturday, May 14, 2016 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

13

Thailand, Miles and Miles of Smiles, Part 2

by Gene Southard When we left the first installment of our trip, we had just traveled up the Andaman Coast and made our way east to Khanom before heading south along the Gulf Coast to Tha Sala. There we found a fabulous resort on the beach and we were the only ones staying there. The only thing the two girls working there had to do all day was clean our rooms, cook for us — including bringing food to our room and packing a lunch for us on our daily rides. The cook was single and followed Tod (my nephew) around hoping for a little romance. The day rides took us into the moutain range of Khao Luang National Park where we visited the many Buddist Wats. We also visited several waterfalls in this area.

The people were some of the friendliest we have found on our trip. Every time we stopped to look at the map, someone would stop to help and try out their English. It became an enjoyable delay on our rides and made us feel welcome in their country.

Our next ride was one of the longest of our trip and took us to the town of Ranot. Not an especially colorful city but we had some of our best meals there. They included a Thai crepe filled with eggs and banana at a local night market and then a Korean-style buffet where we cooked our own food at the table using a heated grill and boiling water.

You should have seen the look on Tod’s face when they wanted him to try the octopus. This area sees very few tourists - European or Thai - and very few people spoke any English. My Thai phrasebook got a good work out. I also perfected my use of hand signals, like rubbing my stomach when I wanted to tell someone I was looking for a resturant or laying my head on my hands when I was looking for a place to spend the night. We also started to recognize the Thai words for Guest House and Hotel which made finding a place to stay much easier.

The rides out of Ranot took us north of Lake Phatthalung. Rice farming is the main sorce of income in this rural area.

The large, newly constructed dam supplies water to miles and miles of rice fields. Water buffalo could be seen standing in the water. We stopped to talk to a group of entertainers with colorful costumes who were setting up on a small stage at the side of the road. Unfortunately, our plans had us traveling to the town of Phatthalung the next day and we missed their next performance.

Phatthalung would put us even futher into the rural areas of Thailand. Fishing in this area is done by dropping nets into the lake with large wooden booms and raising them when they were full of fish. At one stop, we visited the Peninsular Botanical Ce leb Gardens but had to ou rati weave our way n r2 g t around a group of 4 h yea monkeys to enter. r!

We also found that almost every farmer had a prize FOR brahma bull often either grazing along RENT the side of the road or being led down the middle of the road. Bull droppings on the road were one Rentals of the main hazards starting we encountered. at $30 a Further south, we day! discovered why everybody owned a bull: bull fighting. It was not the type of bull fighting found in Spain and Mexico. In Thailand, they lead two bulls into the ring and the bulls place their heads together and start shoving each other FOR around. After 20 or 30 minutes, they lead them CLEARANCE! away. I could never tell which bull won. They SALE also have cock fighting on which money is bet on the outcome. While in Phatthalung, we skelley@kelleytrailers.com visited a Thai boxing ring. One fighter thought that wearing my EVS Ballistic jersey with armor would work well in the ring.

12620 N. Telegraph The next stop on our tour of Thailand was Carleton, MI the small town of Khao Chaison. There we found a new road hazard. The farmers and fisherman Mon thru Fri 9 to 6 • Sat 9 to 3 would place their daily harvest/catch on the We sell a complete line of open & enclosed pavement to dry. We would be accelerating out motorcycle trailers at affordable prices. of a curve only to find drying fish or wheat

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spread out in our lane. What brand of tire gives traction on fish?

A floating market was located just out of town. This market was nothing like the tourist floating market in Bangkok. This one had only food for the locals and it was great. Our next ride took us west bypassing the large city of Trang to Pak Meng back on the Andaman coast.

I discovered that the best way to find a good spot to stay was to look at the travel guide and avoid the most popular ones; too many tourists.

It was better to find less popular places usually only visited by the locals. Pak Meng was this kind of spot.

The resort was situated on the beach and the sunsets were breathtaking. On the second night of our stay, a bus load of teenage girls arrived with their own DJ and they played rock music into the night. We moved the next day. The day rides out of Pak Meng were on twisty roads with many hills to climb. One day was spent snorkeling at Ko Mook Island and spending several hours sitting on Charlie’s Beach watching the tour operators loading and unloading tourists. To avoid the heat and sunburn, we would depart on our rides and snorkeling trips at around 7 a.m. and be finished by noon.

That area is said to be one of the 10 best scuba diving areas in the world.

Next, we headed north up the coast to the Island of Ko Lanta Yai. Visitors must take two ferries to get onto this touristy island. We found the Island to be void of any development and most of our time was spent riding along its East coast with its curvy roads that are just hanging onto the side of the linestone cliffs.

There were breathtaking views below with limestone islands jutting out of the sea.

The best biker bar in Ko Lanta Yai was the Cheeky Monkey. The owner belongs to the local motorcycle club and enjoys talking about bikes. I enjoyed the ferry rides to and from the islands because the motorcycles and scooters went to the head of the line, sometimes saving us from an hour wait.

Tha Lane Bay was our last stop before heading back to Phuket to return our bikes. Again, there were very few people staying in our resort.

From a small pier, we took our last snorkel trip to Hong Island where we had some of the clearest water with the most colorful fish and coral of all our trips. In the evening, the monkeys would come out of the jungle and try to get into the boats

Continued on next page

May 2016

MSP Adds Seven BMWs to Motorcycle Patrol Fleet Plymouth, Michigan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Michigan State Police (MSP) recently added seven BMW R 1200 RT-Ps to their fleet. This acquisition brings to 23 the number of BMW motorcycles used by the MSP for their patrols. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The State Police initially selected the RT-Ps for a variety of reasons,â&#x20AC;? said John Horner, owner of BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan, the dealership that sold the BMWs to the State. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Performance, trooper safety, and anticipated quality were all factors. According to our contacts, the State Police expanded the number of RT-Ps in the fleet because they not only found the original reasoning to be correct but also realized substantial reduction in operating costs.â&#x20AC;?

Based on the R 1200 RT, the RTP is powered by a 1170cc, 125

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horsepower, water-cooled, fuel-injected flat twin (boxer) engine. It reaches 100 mph in 9.14 seconds with a top speed of 141 mph. ABS comes standard on the RT-P for quick controlled stops and enhanced safety. The RT-P fairing provides optimal wind protection for increased comfort and minimal fatigue even after long hours in the saddle or high speed pursuits.

For more information about the R 1200 RT-P performance or law enforcement purchase program, contact BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan at (734) 453-0500 or visit their dealership at 14855 N. Sheldon Rd. Plymouth, MI .

Continued from previous page docked at the pier so the fishermen would take sling shots and run the monkeys off.

It was a sad day when we had to return our bikes to Phuket and get on the plane for our long flight home.

If you wish to do a ride in Southern Thailand, it will be a very enjoyable adventure. The people are the friendliest in the world, the scenery is breathtaking and the roads are amazing. I would like to thank LS2 helmets, EVS for the Ballistic jersey, TXC for the boots, Moto-skiveez for the underwear and Nelson Rigg for the luggage. The people that helped us in Thailand were Tony at South Thailand Tours, Bee and Benard at Green Valley Resort for our bikes and a place to stay while in Phuket. If you go to Southern Thailand, watch out for the bulls walking down the middle of the road.

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Midwest Motorcyclist

15

Events Events do change.

Please call ahead.

Michigan April 29-30 Grand Opening Celebration Irish Hills Indian Motorcycle Demo rides, Door prizes & Giveaways, Free lunch Irish Hills Indian 4501 Page Avenue, Michigan Center, MI (517) 764-3600 April 30 ABATE Region 20 Motorcycle Awareness Ride Begins: Top End Cycle G-3360 South Dort Highway, Burton, MI Ends: Rocky’s Great Outdoors G-4104 South Saginaw Street, Burton, MI Free Ride. Donations accepted for Motorcycle Awareness Billboard (810) 423-8711 www.abatemichregion20.org April 30 ABATE of Michigan, Region 5 Spring Bash & Membership Drive 4 p.m. to 12 Midnight Auction, Food, Music Pat’s Roadhouse 157 Getty Street, Muskegon, MI (231) 726-5041 May 1 All Clubs Ride & Swap Meet Stockbridge, MI May 1 Muskegon Motorcycle Club Annual Spring Run Gates open at 8 a.m.; Ride starts at 11:30 a.m.

Mt. Garfield 5803 Lake Harbor Road, Muskegon, MI (231) 728- 4153; www.muskegonmotorcycleclub.com May 1 Sunday’s Eat & Ride Donuts & Coffee at 10 a.m.

Kickstands up at 11 a.m.

Pre-planned route Biker Bob’s Harley-Davidson® 14100 Telegraph Road, Taylor, MI 734.947.4647 May 6-8 BMW Club of Battle Creek 44th Annual Mini Rally non-stop coffee/tea/hot chocolate, donuts & popcorn, 2 nights camping (electric is an additional charge), Friday night chilli dogs & chips, Sunday pancake/sausage breakfast.

Field events Saturday afternoon with prizes, door prize drawings. Camping includes hot showers, indoor eating/meeting facilities Rally fee: $25 at the gate Green Valley Campground, 25499 Fawn River Road Sturgis Michigan.

269-317-9951; 269-349-1101 www.bcbmwclub.com May 6 - Pre-Party May 7 – Police Escorted Ride 16th Annual Bikin’ for Burns Trophy Girl & Guy Contests – 10 p.m. Friday & Saturday (810) 471-5588, mmcwminc@yahoo.com or www.abatemichregion20.com

16

May 7 International Female Ride Day The World’s Only Globally Synchronized Women’s Motorcycle Ride.

May 7 3rd Annual HIM Bike Blessing and Bob Wiles Memorial Ride Reg. 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; Blessing @ 12 noon Ride departs at 12:45 p.m.

Retail Warehouse 1640 S. Centerville Road, Sturgis, Michigan May 7 Axemen Motorcycle Club Detroit Blessing of Bikes Doors Open at 11 a.m.; Blessing at 1 p.m. sharp Food & entertainment provided 8480 South Street, Detroit, MI May 8 36th Annual Mothers Day Swap Meet and Bike Show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Admission $5 Midland County Fairgrounds 6905 Eastman Avenue, Midland, MI (989) 893-5187 May 13 Friday Bike Nights begin Every Friday rain-or-shine through September (5 pm-12pm) hundreds of riders this casual “showand-shine”. Full-service bar and grill menu along with live music (no cover).

Gibraltar Trade Center 237 North River Road (I-94 to Exit 237) Mt. Clemens, MI (586) 465-6440; www.GibraltarTrade.com May 14 Biker Blessing Donations: $10 for Bike Show, $10 for ride Al donations go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Custom Parts for Custom Cycles 918 East State Street (M-21), St. Johns, MI (517) 930-0338 May 14 HOG Road Skills Challenge Motorcycle Skills Competition All proceeds to benefit Penrickton Center for Blind Children Course & Judging by Gary Lewandowski, owner of Great Lakes Ride Like a Pro; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Biker Bob’s Harley-Davidson® 14100 Telegraph Road, Taylor, MI 734.947.4647 May 21 Metro Triumph Riders & Triumph Detroit Present Bar-BQ Party 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Free Barbecue lunch Modern & Vintage British Motorcycles on display Triumph Detroit, 50662 Van Dyke Avenue Shelby Charter Township, MI (586) 726-7400; www.metrotriumphriders.com

May 28 ABATE of Michigan, Region 7 13th Annual Dillinger Ride Reg. 11 a.m. to 12 noon; Fun starts at noon $15 / person; $25 / couple The Inn Between Saloon 4711 E. Kinde Road, Port Hope, MI (989) 428-3522 or (989) 670-9976 Must be 21 and have an I.D.

Indiana April 30 Blessing of the Bikes Kersting’s Cycle Center & Museum 8774 West 700 N., Winamac, IN 574-896-2974 April 30 Spring Demo Day Event 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Indianapolis Southside Harley-Davidson I-65 & Southport Rd. Exit 103 317.885.5180 April 30 – May 1 H-D Factory Demo Truck Come ride all of the new 2016 HarleyDavidson models!

Harley-Davidson of Indianapolis 4146 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 317.815.1800 May 3 ABATE Region 3 Early Bird Ride & Chili Cook Off Sign in: 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon $10 / person The Moose Lodge 169 E. Market Street, Wabash, IN (260) 571-0213 or (260) 578-1615

May 7 Cinco De Mayo Celebration Beer & Food by Ace’s Pub Live Music by Flatted Fifth Free Gift if you rock a sombrero Hunters Moon Harley-Davidson 225 Progress Drive; Lafayette, IN (765) 588-6721 May 7 ABATE Region 3 Wabash County Early Bird Ride & Chili Cook-Off Reg. 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon; $10/rider The Moose Lodge, 169 E. Market Street, Wabash, IN (260) 571-0213 or (260) 571-4255 May 14 ABATE Region 3 Safety & Awareness Ride May is National Motorcycle Safety & Awareness Month. Help us saturate our region with motorcycles to remind everyone that we are out here! Ride stops at all six county courthouses in Region 3 Info: (260) 403-2379 or (765) 631-7636

Wisconsin June 11-12 Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders Ride for Research Dual Sport Ride to benefit the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center Three rides: Dual Sport 101, Dual Sport Ride OffRoad, Adventure Bike $100 event fee includes Saturday lunch and dinner plus Sunday breakfast, paper roll chart and/or .gpx tracks, event t-shirt, and camping Wabeno, Wisconsin Fairgrounds (www.townofwabeno.org) 1 Fairview, Wabeno, WI For info: (920) 475-0710 Register at www.widualsportriders.org

21th Annual

VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE OW & SWAP SWA WA WAP SHOW MEET EET Bikes 25 years old lder and older

May 21 13th Annual Blessing of the Bikers Blessing starts at noon Tecumseh Harley-Davidson 8080 Matthews Hwy, Tecumseh, MI (517) 759-2001 May 22 7th Annual Antique Motorcycle Swap Meet and Vintage Motorcycle Show Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; $5 admission St. Joseph County Fairgrounds 316 East Charlotte, Centreville, MI (269) 254-3793 May 22 ABATE Region 11 10th Annual Horseshoe Tournament Adair Bar, 8033, St. Clair Highway, Cosco, MI For info, Cowboy at portapower@att.net or Tiny at tiny1600cc@wowway.com

Sunday

June 12, 2016 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Rain or Shine!

GILMORE CAR MUSEUM 6865 Hickory Rd, Hickory Corners, MI Midway between Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Lansing and Grand Rapids Registration info at:

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www.midwestmotorcyclist.com

May 2016

Recent Trial Victory Highlights the Need for Better Motorcycle Awareness

by Jason Waechter, Esq.

By May, for many Midwest riders, the motorcycling season is already well underway. This month we celebrate Motorcycle Awareness Month, one of the few times each year where motorcycling is all over the mainstream media and social networks. As motorcyclists, we need to take advantage of this extra exposure to really push home the message that Motorcycles are Everywhere, because I can tell you that motor vehicle drivers are still not getting it.

The fact that there is a lot of work left to do to ensure drivers are Motorcycle Aware really hit home for me when I was fighting in court recently for a rider who was badly injured when he was hit by a minivan. He’d been riding on a two-lane country road when he saw the minivan stopped on the road ahead. The van was over to the right side of the lane, but only the passenger wheels were over the fog line, and there was a double yellow line on that stretch of road.

My client slowed down from around 55mph to around 25mph, and started to go around the minivan when it suddenly swung around in a left turn, hitting my client in the process. His injuries were substantial: Head injury, broken clavicle that needed surgical repair, broken ribs, broken teeth, road rash (with scarring), and a back injury that required an operation two years after the accident.

Now, most motorcycle accident injury cases settle — probably 95% or more of our cases never see the inside of a courtroom. But in this case, the minivan driver and the defense team were betting on the 50% rule, which says that if the jury can be convinced that my client is more than 50% atfault (50% negligent) in the collision, the defense doesn’t have to pay for non-economic damages; these are the long-term effects of the crash like scarring and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering.

Why did the defense think they could win?

One of the main reasons they thought they could win based on the 50% rule was the fact that my client was riding without a helmet. Riding without a helmet in Michigan has been legal since 2012, provided the rider meets certain criteria. Since the helmet law was repealed, I’ve interviewed riders and non-riders (formally and informally), and held focus groups (mock trials), and what I’ve found is that non-riders in particular seem to believe that motorcyclists who ride without a helmet are negligent for doing so.

I filed a motion to prevent the defense from arguing this point, but my motion was denied.

So, I explained to the judge and the jury that my client met the legal requirements for riding without a helmet at the time of the crash: he was over 21 years old, he had a valid motorcycle endorsement (CY), his bike was registered and properly insured, and he had an additional $20K in medical coverage.

TM

Midwest Motorcyclist

How could the defense argue that 5- Teach your kids the “Count the he was negligent when he had obviously Motorcycles” game and play it with them when taken the time to ensure he was riding you’re in the car. legal? In addition, I pointed out that even if my client had been wearing a helmet, it Make a commitment to tell one driver wouldn’t have prevented the crash, or every day to Watch for Motorcycles… if we all did even the majority of his injuries. Had the that, imagine the impact we could have on minivan driver been Motorcycle Aware motorcycle safety! If you participate in a motorcycle and done a mirror, shoulder, and blind awareness campaign or have tips you’d like to share spot check, the crash may never have with our followers, contact happened in the first place. Ultimately, writer@lawyerforlife.com or share them on the jury agreed with me; while they did Facebook. assign my client some negligence in the Attorney Jason A. Waechter is a national attorney accident, it wasn’t more than 50%. specializing in the areas of motorcycle and motor vehicle This case made me realize just how injury litigation. Mr. Waechter has collected millions of dollars much work needs to be done to get in settlements, awards and verdicts for his motorcycle clients vehicle drivers to be Motorcycle Aware. It over the past 20 years. Jason feels a duty to give back to his community. A portion of each case settled goes to educational seems obvious to me they are not getting resources for bikers, funds to help bikers while their cases are the message by the number of injured being litigated and our motorcycle accident prevention riders I speak to every week who were campaign. Call Attorney Jason Waechter toll free at 1-877involved in vehicle-motorcycle collisions.

BIKER LAW. Or visit www.TheMotorcycleLawyer.com Legal Distracted driving is at an all-time high, disclaimer: The law is very fact dependent and there are many especially with the prevalence of smart nuances and exceptions depending on your particular phones, and drivers are simply not circumstances. Therefore, given the limited space, it is impossible to cover everything. Do not rely on the short article taking Motorcycle Awareness seriously to protect your rights. enough.

Personally, I don’t think motorcyclists are a “target”, and I don’t think drivers “don’t care” about hurting riders. But I think there is are a number of misconceptions about motorcycling, and drivers do not understand that their actions play the biggest role in protecting motorcyclists’ lives. With that in mind, we all need to take action and remind drivers —family, friends, colleagues, whoever— that they need to Watch for Motorcycles. By encouraging drivers to be Motorcycle Aware, we could potentially prevent motorcycle-vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths.

Here are five easy ways to spread the word about Motorcycle Awareness: 1- Get our Watch for Motorcycles bumper stickers at Michigan 2006 BMW motorcycle events or by emailing K1200R, reception@lawyerforlife.com White/Slate, 2- Follow me on 14,362 miles, Facebook (Facebook.com/ TheMotorcycleLawyer) and MV Bar Risers, share Motorcycle Awareness ONLY $6,500 information, posters, and photos (be sure to use #TheMotorcycleLawyer or #MotorcycleAware) 2015 Yamaha FJ-09, Red, 68 miles, $8,500 3- Contact your Black Storm, 2,660 miles, $14,000 local ABATE chapter, or find 2015 BMW R nine T, 2012 BMW K1600GTL, Blue Metallic, 805 miles $17,500 a motorcycle club in your 2012 BMW K1600GT, Vermillion Red, 28,968 miles, $16,200 area, and learn how you can 2011 H-D Electra Glide Ultra Ltd, Red/Merlot, 12,110 miles, $15,500 support their motorcycle 2003 Suzuki V-Strom 1000, Yellow, $3,000 awareness programs 4- Email BMW Motorcycles of Detroit writer@lawyerforlife.com to 34080 Van Dyke Avenue, Sterling Heights, MI get a free Motorcycle Awareness printable you can (586) 274-4000 • www.bmwdetroit.com post in your community.

Pre-Owned Motorcycles

17

The Preacher Speaks About...

Father and Son H-D Project

by Franz Hoffer Sometime ago, I met Frank Giglio at our church. We became friends and he showed a lot of interest in my motorcycle. To peak his enthusiasm, I would forward him a copy of Midwest MotorcyclistTM to keep fueling that interest.

One day, Frank showed up with a customized 1994 Wide Glide. Hmmm….guess all those magazines did the trick. Little did I know the width and breadth of his family’s interest in all

Bringing the project bike home

things Harley-Davidson.

One of the reasons Frank purchased the bike was to spend more time with his dad, Tom, a Harley enthusiast from way back. Tom’s blood runs H-D black and orange and his wardrobe is slanted towards H-D apparel. He is a 69-year-old Vietnam vet who retired from his job as a Millright at Chrysler some years ago. Tom’s bike resume reads as follows: first motorized bike was a Cushman

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scooter he bought for $35 when he was 12 years old.

That served to feed the hunger for a while but it got worse. The desire for speed had him wanting more.

Nest, he purchased a 1965 Triumph 650cc that he bought for $200. The lust for a H-D heavyweight could not be satisfied with anything but the real deal. He bought a 1951 H-D Duo-Glide from a “local resident” that was questionably customized.

It had plywood saddle bags that were painted black, an engine painted metallic silver, and the rest of the bike painted bright orange. He ended up wrecking that bike in an untimely meeting with a fire

Father & Son...

Tom & Frank

several years but a deep, debilitating, and crushing H-D depression set in.

In 1978, he moved to a more rural property that included a big pole barn, which he quickly turned into a machine shop/motorcycle maintenance facility to work on his latest

Vietnam Calendar Cooler Cover

hydrant. It was probably an act of mercy! After that, he purchased a 1949 Springer and then a 1948 Harley that was stolen the morning after the insurance expired. He was without a Harley for

Continued on page 21

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May 2016

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19

Motorcycling & Law

License Pla te Placement & Lighting La ws on Bik es Plate Laws Bikes

by Dondi Vesprini As we roll into May, I am hopeful that we have seen the last of the cold weather and unseasonable snowfall and are looking at clear skies and open roads ahead. Now is the time of year when riders roll out their new bikes purchased since last riding season or showing off any new modifications or accessories that were added to the bike in the off season. Along this line, I was recently asked to revisit a topic that I haven’t touched on in a few years, being the issue of the status of the law when it comes to accessorizing a bike, most notably regarding the placement of license plates and the lighting a bike may nor may not have.

I preface my discussion on the law by noting that I am only discussing what the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code has to say on these issues. Be advised that a city or township may have ordinances that prohibit certain types of things that may not be addressed by the State Code.

When it comes to placement of license plates, Michigan law mandates that it must be placed to the rear of the vehicle and must at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle in a horizontal position not less than 12 inches from the

ground. The plate must also be free from foreign materials that obscure the information on the plate.

Thus, any placement of your bike’s license plate outside of the traditional position is likely to get you a ticket under Michigan law.

As to lighting, Michigan laws essentially require that motorcycles have at least one but no more than two head lamps, and at least one rear lamp that mounted on the rear which must emit a red light. There must also be a white light in place to light the license plate. Clearance lamps, marker lamps and reflectors (as they may apply) mounted on the front or side near the front of a vehicle must display an amber color, and those mounted on the rear or side near the rear of a vehicle must display a red color.

Finally, a motorcycle may not have more than one spot lamp which may only emit a white or amber light. The law specifically disallows any flashing, oscillating or rotating lights of any color.

When it comes to lighting, while Michigan law clearly prohibits flashing lights of any kind and has strict rules on the coloring of lights and reflec-

tors on the front, back and sides of vehicles, it does not seem to address the “ground effect” lighting that some bikers have put on their bikes to illuminate the ground under their bikes as they ride. My suspicion would be that if a biker were to be ticketed for this type of lighting, it would either be based on a strained reading of the Michigan statutes or more likely based on a violation of a local statute or ordinance that may prohibit such lighting.

As always, if anyone has any questions or if I can be of legal assistance to you or anyone you know who has been injured in a motorcycle accident, please don’t hesitate to contact me as I deal with these types of claims on a daily basis on behalf of injured motorcyclists statewide.

Further, for those readers who are members of any motorcycle organizations, clubs or groups, if you would like to have me come out to your group to speak or give a presentation on the legal rights of an injured motorcyclist or on any specific topic that your group may be curious about, please don’t hesitate to give me a call at (248-569-4646) or shoot me an e-mail at Dondi@buckfirelaw.com. I give presentations state-wide and there is never a charge associated with having me out. I enjoy having the opportunity to come out and meet motorcycle enthusiasts from all parts of our State!

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www.midwestmotorcyclist.com

May 2016

Continued from page 18 - The Preacher acquisition, a 1975 Harley that he purchased for around $3K. He later sold that bike and purchased a 1968 H-D Electra Glide powered by a motor with a Panhead bottom end and Shovelhead cylinders. His current project is converting that bike into a trike utilizing a 1937 H-D ServiCar rear end that he found. Sounds like this guy should be on a reality TV show or something.

American Pickers has no edge on him.

Hey, someone call the History Channel!

And did I mention that he also has a 1998 Road King as a “back-up” bike? Who the heck has a “back-up bike” these days?

All told Tom estimates that he’s built or customized about 12 bikes.

Motor under repair

Frank with the project bike’s saddle

of the Viet-Nam wall on his gas tank. He also had the calendar he used to count down the number of days remaining in his service in Viet-Nam put on the cooler cover. Those items will be coming off the project bike and will remain with Tom as a remembrance of a very emotional and intense time in his life.

New wheels and tires were installed the project bike and they look sweet… spoked, chromed, shiny, and bright.

The bike actually started up and ran before they did any work on it. Frank kicked the starter lever about 18-20 times before he noticed the gas petcock was turned off. He opened it and kicked it another five to six times…nothing. Then he noticed the choke valve was closed. He opened it and kicked it

3 Annual

H.I.M. Bike Blessing Saturday, May 7, 2016

Retail Warehouse

Midwest Motorcyclist

Harley-Davidson

Dealer Events

For a complete list of Michigan Harley-Davidson Dealer Association Members, see the dealer locator on page 19.

Frank decided he wanted a project bike, and it wasn’t hard to find one. Frank tapped his Dad’s pole barn bike inventory for a project.

Gas tank The project bike features a H-D featuring 1952 rigid frame with a 1975 Shovelhead a section engine and a 1970’s era extended of the Springer front end. According to Frank, wall. before he turned the first wrench on this bike, he had to wash it about four times. three times and the bike thundered to life.

The project bike will not require a True to form, a small oil puddle quickly complete rebuild but will be more of disformed underneath it, something early H-D’s assemble, clean up, re-chrome, re-paint, were known for. update, powder coat, repair, realign and Frank and Tom anticipate having the re-assemble. bike complete by July 4th and I’ll update you So far the bike has been at that time on what the bike looks and runs completely taken apart and they ran into like. Of course, for that, they are going to the usual issues - rusted, immovable have to let me ride it! bolts, screws, axles, etc. - with rd an old bike.

Frank said he spends about three to four hours a day (he sold a company he owned and is now “retired”) on the bike Reg. 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. utilizing Tom as Blessing @ 12 noon his technical Ride departs at 12:45 p.m. advisor. Or, he runs the parts out Free event! Open to everyone! to Tom’s pole Coffee & Donuts in the a.m. barn to do the Info: (269) 689-9351 work.

Being a Viet-Nam Vet, Tom had a (269) 651-2464 Fax: (269) 651-8767 unique way of 1640 S. Centerville Road (M-66 South) , Sturgis, MI recalling his We accept all major credit cards service. He Call (269) 651-2464 now or visit our on-line store at www.ridewild.com painted a section TM

Michigan

April 28 Ladies’ Night Fashion Show The Fashion Show for People Who Love Fashion 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Great Lakes Harley-Davidson 3850 S Huron RD Bay City, MI (989) 686-0400 RSVP to https:// ladiesnight2016.eventzilla.net/ April 29-30 The Great Tent Event Demo rides, $1 tacos from Bone Ends Hot Rod Harley-Davidson 149 Shoreline Drive Muskegon, MI (231) 722-0000 April 30 Fest of Ale Beet Tasting Featuring Craft Beer from Horrock’s Farm Market Free lunch, fun, drinks, laughs, giveaways Battle Creek Harley-Davidson 5738 Beckley Road Battle Creek, MI (269) 979-2233 April 30 First Responder Appreciation Event Appreciation event for all active or retired Law Enforcement, Firefighters, EMT Personnel, and Military. Enjoy free food and special offers on Officially Licensed Merchandise and After Market Parts.

ABC Harley-Davidson, Inc. 4405 Highland Road (M-59) Waterford, MI 248.674.3175 May 5 Bike Night Summer Concert Series $2 beers, BBQ, vendors, prizes & more Grand Rapids Harley-Davidson 2977 Corporate Grove Drive Hudsonville, MI (877) 596-6387 May 7 Women’s Benefit Run to support groups fighting beast cancer Reg. 10 a.m.; Kickstands up @ 11 a.m.; 60 mile afternoon run; $15 / rider Town & Country Sports Center 18655 US-12, Cement City, MI 517-547-3333 May 7 Mother’s Day Event Gildner’s Harley-Davidson 2723 South M 76, West Branch, MI (989) 345-1330 May 7 Dust Off Perry Harley-Davidson 5331 S. Sprinkle Road, Kalamazoo, MI (269) 329-3450

May 7 Mother’s Day Celebration Battle Creek Harley-Davidson 5738 Beckley Road Battle Creek, MI (269) 979-2233 May 7-8 Demo Days Demo truck on site; Call to reserve your ride Grand Rapids Harley-Davidson 2977 Corporate Grove Drive Hudsonville, MI (877) 596-6387 May 7 Operation Guardian Angels Ride for Warriors Charity motorcycle ride to benefit veterans and active military in combat zones Hamilton Harley Davidson 68951 White School Rd Sturgis MI 269-651-3424 www.hamiltonharley-davidson.com May 14 – Baldwin Party May 15 – Ride to Baldwin Blessing with staff Battle Creek Harley-Davidson 5738 Beckley Road, Battle Creek, MI (269) 979-2233 May 14 T&C Season Opener Great in-store activities like information workshops, drawings and door prizes, games and lunch!

Town & Country Sports Center 18655 US-12, Cement City, MI 517-547-3333 May 14 Ice Cream Social 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Gildner’s Harley-Davidson 2723 South M 76, West Branch, MI (989) 345-1330 May 21 Kalamazoo Shooting Victims Memorial Ride Memorial ceremony, food, drinks, prizes Perry Harley-Davidson 5331 S. Sprinkle Road, Kalamazoo, MI (269) 329-3450 May 21 Pints for Pits Live DJ, Food, Dogs and Suds! Stop by between 2pm - 5pm and help us support Pet Tales Rescue. Pre-register @ pettalesrescue.com. Hope to see you there!

Grand Rapids Harley-Davidson 2977 Corporate Grove Drive, Hudsonville, MI (877) 596-6387

Continued on next page

21

Continued from previous page - MHDDA events May 21 Battle Buddy Benefit The Battle Buddy Foundation pairs service dogs with soldiers battling PTSD. The org will be onsite with puppies. A portion of the profit will go to TBBF. Battle Creek Harley-Davidson 5738 Beckley Road, Battle Creek, MI (269) 979-2233 May 21 13th Annual Blessing of the Bikers Blessing at noon plus coffee, cookies & fellowship Ride to Town & Country Sports Center after the Blessing Tecumseh Harley-Davidson 8080 Matthews Highway Tecumseh, MI 517-547-3333 May 22 Bikers for Boobies Ride ABC Harley-Davidson, Inc. 4405 Highland Road (M-59) Waterford, MI 248.674.3175 May 28 Harley Heroes Event in support of Military Veterans Ray C’s Harley-Davidson 1491 S. Lapeer Rd. (M-24 & I-69) Lapeer, MI (810) 664-9261 May 28 Memorial Day Cookout Battle Creek Harley-Davidson 5738 Beckley Road Battle Creek, MI (269) 979-2233

Michigan Harley-Davidson Dealer Association Members 1. Battle Creek

12. Muskegon

BATTLE CREEK HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 5738 BECKLEY RD, BATTLE CREEK (269) 979-2233, www.battlecreekharley.com

HOT ROD HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 149 SHORELINE DRIVE, MUSKEGON (231) 722-3653, www.hotrodhd.com

2. Bay City

13. Sturgis

GREAT LAKES HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 3850 S. HURON ROAD, BAY CITY (989) 686-0400, www.greatlakeshd.com

HAMILTON HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 68951 WHITE SCHOOL ROAD, STURGIS (616) 651-3424, www.hamiltonharley-davidson.com

3. Birch Run

14. Tecumseh

SHIAWASSEE HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 11901 N. BEYER ROAD, BIRCH RUN (989) 624-4400 www.shiawasseeharley-davidson.com

TECUMSEH HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 8080 MATTHEWS HIGHWAY, TECUMSEH (517) 423-3333

4. Cement City

15. Traverse City

TOWN & COUNTRY HARLEY-DAVIDSON® US 12 & US 127, CEMENT CITY (517) 547-3333, www.cementcity-harley.com

CLASSIC MOTOR SPORTS HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 3939 S BLUE STAR DRIVE, TRAVERSE CITY (231) 943-9344, www.classictc.com

5. Fremont

16. Waterford

SANDY’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® SPORT CENTER 11940 N. MAPLE ISLAND RD, FREMONT (231) 924-3020 www.sandysharley-davidson.com

A.B.C. HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 4405 HIGHLAND RD (M-59), WATERFORD (248) 674-3175 www.abc-harley-davidson.com

6. Gaylord

17. West Branch

ZIP’S 45TH PARALLEL HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 980 S WISCONSIN AVE., GAYLORD (989) 732-8000, www.zips45thhd.com

GILDNER’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® MOTORCYCLES 2723 S M-76, WEST BRANCH (989) 345-1330, www.gildnershd.com

7. Hudsonville GRAND RAPIDS HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 2977 CORPORATE GROVE DR., HUDSONVILLE (616) 896-0111, www.grandrapidsharley.com

6

8. Kalamazoo PERRY’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 5331 SPRINKLE ROAD, KALAMAZOO (269) 329-3450 www.perryharley-davidson.com

15 17

9. Lansing CAPITOL HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 9550 WOODLANE DRIVE, DIMONDALE (517) 646-2345, www.capitolhd.com

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10. Lapeer RAY C’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 1491 S. LAPEER ROAD, LAPEER (810) 664-9261, www.raycsh-d.com

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HOLESHOT HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 4741 E PICKARD, MT PLEASANT (989) 772-5513 www.candssportcenter.com

www.midwestmotorcyclist.com

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9

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11. Mt. Pleasant

22

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14

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May 2016

TM

Midwest Motorcyclist

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MOTORCYCLE WRECK? Call the MOTORCYCLE LAWYER!

1-877-BIKER-LAW

WE TAKE AUTO & TRUCK CASES TOO! Hurt in a crash?

Call Jason Waechter - The Motorcycle Lawyer

1-877-BIKER-LAW

www.TheMotorcycleLawyer.com

Pre-Owned Motorcycles

2010 Victory Hammer, Black, 9,610 miles, $8,999 OUT THE DOOR!!!

2015 Victory Gunner™, Titanium / Black, 1,826 miles, $11,999 OUT THE DOOR!!!

2010 Kawasaki Vulcan® 900 Custom, Black, 23,968 miles, $5,899

2004 Harley-Davidson® Screamin EagleSoftail Deuce, Yellow, 22,151 miles, $14,499 OUT THE DOOR

2009 Harley-Davidson® Sportster® Nightster™.

Black, 3,671 miles, $7,749 OUT THE DOOR!!!

2014 Triumph America Standard, Black, 4,9651 miles, $7,499 OUT THE DOOR!!!

Don’t miss our

ARMED FORCES DAY

CELEBRATION

2007 Yamaha V Star Classic, 11,973 miles, $3,799

on Saturday, May 21!

1765 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI One mile north of Square Lake Rd. on the east side of Telegraph Rd.

248.920.2000 • www.ridemotorcity.com

on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorCityMotorcycles