Now in our showroom...
2015 Indian Roadmaster A Storied Soul in a Brand New Bike.
Stop by our store today to experience this modern icon.
The 2015 Indian® Roadmaster™ reflects pure American Luxury. Building upon the iconic Roadmaster name used by Indian in the 1940s, the new Roadmaster reimagines Indian Motorcycle comfort, styling and performance out on the open road, for the long haul.
BLACK FRIDAY SALE 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
Friday, November 28, 2014
Sale Pricing on Everything in the Store All Indian Apparel & Accessories All Victory Apparel & Accessories
EVERYTHING!
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorCityMotorcycles
Two exciting things to consider: 1. The riding season is not over. 2. This is an excellent time to buy a BMW. No time for second best. Presenting the very latest in racing power, the 2014 S 1000 RR. The RR includes four riding modes that adjust power delivery, throttle response, Race ABS action and even Dynamic Traction Control (optional equipment).
2014S 1000 RR Base MSRP: $15,150 including ABS
Buy a new S 1000RR and join us for one of our two annual track days plus get a new Schuberth S2 helmet - both for no additional cost!
Never-ending riding fun. A motorcycle that defined the classic touring bike segment has now reached the next stage of evolution: the new BMW R 1200 RT. Whether on your own or with a passenger: the new R 1200 RT is all about comfortable, relaxed riding on every tour.
2014 R 1200 RT Base MSRP: $17,650 including ABS
Now with significant factory incentives. There has never been a better time to buy the R 1200 RT! Stop by our dealership today!
BLACK FRIDAY EVENT Friday, November 28, 2014 Join us on the day after Thanksgiving for storewide savings on apparel and accessories. It’s the perfect opportunity to wrap up your Holiday shopping for the motorcyclist in your life.
BMW Motorrad Dealer of Excellence BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan 14855 N. Sheldon Rd., Plymouth, MI 734.453.0500 www.bmwmcsem.com
“Redefining your motorcycling lifestyle” SM * For qualified buyers. Visit BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan for details. Always ride safely and wear proper protective gear. TM
Midwest Motorcyclist
3
Columns 5 7 8 11 12 cc media publications
This Month’s Contributors: Contributing Editors Patrick Armitage Franz Hoffer Mike Mekinda plus
Emily Flinkstrom, Pat Francis, Dondi Vesprini, Jason Waechter, Jay Wilgus
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 2012-2014 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, freelance 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.
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IN THIS ISSUE…..
To Our Readers Motorcycling and Law: WL Claims for Self Employed Persons by Dondi Vesprini The Preacher Speaks About... Electrics by Franz Hoffer Random Ramblings of a Rare Bird: What Have I Done This Time? by Michael Mekinda Live It Right Dream Ride: Our Top 5 From the U.S. by Emily Flinkstrom and Jay Wilgus Dr. Cycholl by Patrick Armitage Not the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Putting Your Bike Away for Winter by Jason Waechter Open Terrain - Exploring the World and Soul by Motorcycle: Single to Double Track by Nicole Espinosa
Features, News & Reviews 6 13
Test Ride: 2015 Indian Roadmaster by Pat Francis Test Ride: 2014 BMW R 1200 RT by Ray Peabody
Resources 5
Advertiser Index
Large cover photo: Jay and Emily’s (The Live It Right Dream Ride) Suzuki DR 650s at park in Yosemite. Photo by Jay or Emily. Small cover photo: The 2014 BMW R 1200 RT at rest near some colorful trees during our recent test. Photo by Ray Peabody. CORRECTION: On the cover of our October 2014 issue and in several other locations in the profile of Seth Elkins, owner of Disorder Studio, we inadvertently left off the “s” on Seth’s last name. The correct spelling of his last name is Elkins. Also, we mentioned that Seth’s Grandfather purchased the farm Seth now owns when Seth was 7 years old. His Grandfather actually purchased the farm in 1977. We apologize to Seth and our readers for the errors and any inconvenience they may have caused.
WINTER STORAGE PROGRAM Space for up to 10 motorcycles. A variety of options and pricing. Standard Program Includes:
Bring your bike in for • Storage from November 15 thru March 15 storage today and save & Made Ready For Summer on services. Don’t wait! • Battery Removed, Inspected, and Charged The spaces fill up fast. • Carburetor Drained • Bike Covered with Padded Cycle Cover • Oil, Filter Change with Spectro 10W40, OEM Oil Filter • Install New NGK Brand Spark Plugs • Tires and Brakes Inspected
6971 Highland Road 248-666-4651 Waterford, MI 48327 www.tech-care.com
www.midwestmotorcyclist.com
November 2014
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Harley-Davidson ...........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Battle Creek Harley-Davidson ....8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Bent Wheels Competition Club.................5 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 BMW MC of Detroit.................11, 14 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 BMW of Grand Rapids..........5, 23 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 BMW, SE Michigan..............3, 10, 16 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Brighton Harley-Davidson .......8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 C & S Harley-Davidson ...........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Capitol Harley-Davidson ..........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Classic MotorSports........,..........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Cycle Conservation Club ...........................7 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Diamond Gusset Jeans ...........................15 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Gildner’s Harley-Davidson ........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Grand Rapids H-D................. ...8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Great Lakes Dual Sporters ....................7 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Great Lakes Harley-Davidson ..8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Hamilton’s Harley-Davidson ......8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Harley-Davidson dealers ..........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Harrison Motorcycle Service ................10 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Hot Rod Harley-Davidson ........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Jason Waechter, The Motorcycle Lawyer..20 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Jerry B’s Cycle Works .......................10 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Kelley & Sons Trailers ............................6 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Live It Right Dream Ride........................12 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Michigan Chrome Shop.......................5 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Motor City Harley-Davidson ...8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Motor City Underwriters ......................10 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Motorcity Motorcycles.................2, 11, 15 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Motorcycle Solutions, LLC......................10 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 MC Sport Touring Association..........7 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Perry’s Harley-Davidson ..........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Ray C’s Harley-Davidson..........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Retail Warehouse ................................13, 14 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Sandy’s Harley-Davidson ...........8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Shiawassee Harley-Davidson ....8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Sport Bike Track Gear ............................ 18 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Sweet Trikes ...........................................10 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Tecumseh Harley-Davidson .....8, 9, 13 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901 Town & Country H-D................8, 9, 13 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Advertiser Index
Event Listings are FREE
The Bent Wheels Chapter of the CCC is looking for new members. BWCC has a long history of promoting events of all kinds and in preserving our ORV trail system. We are a family orientated, working club and ride the trails almost every weekend. If you’re looking for good times with great people - check us out. Contact Billy Vanderhoff by email at bentwheelsbilly@gmail.com.
Best wishes to you, your family and friends for an excellent Thanksgiving. May you feast, watch football, maybe even get out for a ride and, most importantly, enjoy time with your family. Thank you for reading. See you on the road,
Pre-Owned Motorcycles 2004 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide Black, 12,450 miles, Excellent Condition,
ONLY $9,950 2014 BMW K1600GT Sport 2014 BMW F800GS Adventure 2014 BMW C650GT 2013 BMW K1600GT 2012 BMW R1200GSA 2012 Ducati Hyper Motard SVO 2012 BMW K1600GTL 2009 BMW R1200GS 2009 BMW K1200LT 2007 BMW K1200R Sport 2007 BMW F800ST 2007 BMW K1200GT 2007 BMW F800S 2006 BMW F650GS 2006 BMW K1200LT 2005 BMW R1200RT 2005 BMW K1200LT 2005 BMW R1200RT 2005 BMW K1200LT 2004 BMW R1200CLC 2004 BMW R1150GS 1999 BMW R1100S 1998 BMW R1200C
$22,950 $12,950 $9,450 $22,840 $14,950 $9,450 $17,450 $10,950 $13,950 $6,950 $6,450 $9,950 $5,450 $4,750 $9,950 $7,950 $9,450 $7,950 $9,450 $5,950 $4,750 $2,750 $5,850
BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids 5995 South Division, Grand Rapids, MI
(616) 530-6900
www.bmwmcgr.com
Latitude 41.855022 Longitude -85.66382 TM
Midwest Motorcyclist
5
Test Ride
2015 Indian Roadmaster by Pat Francis What is wrong with people? That is what I would like to know. I was perfectly happy having downsized my motorcycle choice. Then the Indian people bring their demonstration fleet to Indian Motorcycles of Madison on a day I can attend. When I was waiting in line for a batch of demo riders to return, a guy in front of me was wearing a T-shirt that read: Life is short; eat dessert first. To me the Scout, Chief Vintage, Chief Classic and Chieftain models in the Indian range would constitute appetizers and dinner. The Roadmaster is dessert. To say it exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. A light clutch with the exact amount of bite. Smooth and responsive throttle. Low seat height allowing even me, with my itty-bitty inseam, to place both feet firmly on the ground. It is amazing how many motorcycles and scooters are tippy-toe for me. Underway, the large motorcycle proved to be extremely manageable. The suspension? Ahhhh, those shocks just soaked up the bumps and irregularities in the road. Plush would be a good
way to describe the comfortable ride. The large Vtwin engine is perfectly smooth. The adjustable windshield effectively wards off the wind-blast. I did have two complaints. Number One: The exhaust was noisier than I liked. On a long journey, it would become annoying. The noise bounced off the fairing at Ce certain engine revolutions. “Are these the le standard pipes?” I asked an Indian ou brat r 2 ing representative on my return to the ye 2nd parking lot. “Those are the Stage 1 pipes,” ar! he informed me. Stage One translates as noisier than standard. I assume there are Stage Two pipes that are extremely noisy and illegal. I then tried a Roadmaster fitted with standard pipes. Ahhh, much better. The engine was actually silent at idle. On the overrun, there was a beautiful sound that defies description (Well, how do you describe The Blue Danube? Words are inadequate.) Complaint Number Two: Excessive heat from the engine. Another Indian rep sorted that out. “It’s on winter Rentals setting,” he exclaimed opening some flaps starting that allowed air to dissipate the heat. The at $30 a extra heat would be welcome on colder day! rides. I have a third complaint but there is nothing any of the Indian guys can do about it. Well, perhaps the head bean counter could reduce the $27,000 base price for the Roadmaster. I don’t think that is likely to happen. The Roadmaster makes my Suzuki Burgman 400 feel inadequate in skelley@kelleytrailers.com many ways. Yes, the Burgman has a top speed of 95 MPH and has reasonable acceleration. The Roadmaster can accelerate well in any gear. Shifting down 12620 N. Telegraph for more go is easy with such responsive Carleton, MI clutch, gear-change and throttle. (At one point during my second test-ride, some Mon thru Fri 9 to 6 • Sat 9 to 3 idiot car driver insisted in overtaking part We sell a complete line of open & enclosed of the group and squeezing into the middle. I dropped down a gear and motorcycle trailers at affordable prices.
accelerated safely away from the numbskull. My Burgman would not have been able to do that and the guy would have hung around to harass me.) The Roadmaster’s Thunder Stroke 111 engine is four and a half times larger than that of my Burgman. It has two cylinders as opposed to the Burgman’s single. At 470 pounds (approximately), the Burgman is almost exactly half the weight of the Roadmaster. While that would be apparent if the Indian fell over, the weight isn’t noticeable once under way. Moving that much motorcycle around the garage or a tight parking space would be noticeable. The Roadmaster is rock steady on the road. It felt more planted than any motorcycle I have ever owned. There were four roundabouts on the test-ride route and they did make the 930 pound bike feel a little cumbersome. Would familiarity increase confidence? Apparently so, judging from the riding style of one of the other demo riders. He is a road racer and leaned over so far I worried about his tires maintaining adhesion. Being a much more proficient (and braver) rider than I, he demonstrated the Roadmaster has adequate ground clearance for a large machine.
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For the price of an Indian Roadmaster, I could fly to Ireland about 27 times. I could travel the length and breadth of the United States on the Burgman. I could purchase at least 15 Honda CX500s in excellent condition and possibly have the world’s largest collection of that model which was made from 1978 to 1983. I could restore a Model T to concourse condition. Enjoy attending hundreds of county fairs, steam shows, classic car/motorcycle events. I could tour Scotland again. (It has been 23 years.) I could buy and sell the many used bikes I admire. I once knew a guy who had a limited edition Honda Gold Wing on display in his living room. I could be the guy with the zero mileage Indian Roadmaster on display in his living room. I just had an earth-shattering idea. (That does not happen very often.) The Indian demo fleet is moved around the country to different dealers. I could travel (on my Burgman) to as many as possible and have a regular Roadmaster fix.
November 2014
Motorcycling & Law
WL Claims for Self-Employed Persons
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 ...In Our Sleep!
by Dondi Vesprini One of the most important no-fault benefits to a motorcyclist who is injured in a motor vehicle accident are wage loss benefits. Under the Michigan No Fault Act, the insurance company is required to pay the injured motorcyclist 85% of his/her gross income that he/she is losing out while off work due to injuries sustained in the accident. The injured motorcyclist must provide proof to the insurance company that he/she was in fact employed at the time of the accident and proof of the wages he/she was earning prior to the accident that they are no longer earning. In cases where the injured motorcyclist works for an employer who issues regular paychecks, providing proof to the insurance company of the wages the person was making at the time of the accident can be as simple as providing copies of his/her most recent paystubs in the months leading up to the accident. However, the situation is not as simple as when the injured motorcyclist is selfemployed. In such situations, the motorcyclist must be able to provide proof regarding the money he/she was making prior to the accident and regarding the money they are losing out on making since the accident. For this reason, it pays for the selfemployed motorcyclist to keep detailed records including but not limited to those regarding work performed, invoices, payments received, cancelled checks regarding payments received, W-2’s and other related tax documents, and bank records showing deposits made for payment on work that was performed. It is also recommended to keep records of work to be done in the future as part of the proof that goes towards income being lost going forward. In calculating a proper wage loss amount to be paid a self-employed person, the
formula is income minus operating expenses. Thus, the self-employed motorcyclist would be wise to likewise keep track of any documentation including but not limited to those regarding any expenses that are incurred as part of the self-employed business, including those regarding supplies, equipment, inventory and payments made to any persons working for the business. Some of the common pitfalls to a self-employed person’s wage loss claim include the fact that no records as mentioned above were kept, the person was always paid in cash, and/ or the person failed to file income tax returns to document their income. Another hang-up can be the fact that many times, income tax returns show that the business operated at a loss for any given year. (This is a double edged sword as that is a good thing for income tax purposes, but not such a good thing for No Fault wage loss claims) The bottom line is that the more organized and record based one’s self employment is, the better chance the person gives him or herself to put his/her best case forward in support of a No Fault wage loss claim. 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. Give me a call at (248-569-4646) or shoot me an e-mail at Dondi@buckfirelaw.com.
Our members come from all across the Midwest (and beyond) and we ride many makes of street bikes - including: • Aprilia • BMW • Buell • Ducati
• Harley-Davidson • Honda • Kawasaki
• 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 the MSTA group in your state: In Indiana, contact: Donald “Moose� Parish mooseparish@sbcglobal.net
In Kentucky, contact: Gary Dehner g.dehner@insightbb.com
In Michigan, contact: Gregg Mitchell mi_hsta@voyager.net In Ohio, contact: Doug McPeak coach-mac@columbus.rr.com
• MAINTAINED TRAILS
In Wisconsin, contact: Alan Tesch al_lynn_t@yahoo.com
N O N - C O M P E T I T I O N
• ORGANIZED EVENTS • FAMILY FUN • ALL LEGAL
Let’s Go Trail Riding!
No place to ride? Michigan is home to the largest organized network of off-road trails in the world - more than 3500 miles of marked, maintained ORV trails for the entire family to enjoy! Since 1968, The Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan has led the charge to assure continued access to public lands for motorized recreation by working closely with state and federal government. Membership in the CCC offers organized trail rides, a map CD of the entire trail system, a subscription to the Great Lakes TrailRider Magazine and a host of other member benefits! Call us today at 517-781-4805. The Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan PO Box 486 t $PMEXBUFS .* t XXX DZDMFDPOTFSWBUJPODMVC PSH
TM
Midwest Motorcyclist
Event Listings
7
The Preacher Speaks About...
Electrics by Franz “The Preacher” Hoffer OK, so Harley-Davidson is really pushing the envelope (or tearing it up completely and stomping on it!) with its development of Project Live Wire, the first all-electric prototype motorcycle from the Motor Company in its 111 year history. Unfortunately, a great number of its stanch, lifelong Harleyites are crying “foul, mutiny, traitor. We want our Milwaukee Iron with massive, high-octane fuel-sucking V-Twins and not some sissy electric plug-in made with low weight, high strength carbon fiber that looks like a kid’s toy motorcycle.” What is the Motor Company to do? I’ll tell you what they need to do: move forward as fast as that little ole electric motorcycle will take them. For the first time in my riding lifetime, HarleyDavidson is actually in the forefront of something new instead of chasing everyone else. I like it! In case you’re unconcious or a hermit in Alaska and have not heard about Project Live Wire, the all-electric motorcycle from Harley-Davidson, here is some information about the new prototype. It’s powered by a longitudinally-mounted electric motor rated at 74hp and 52 ft-lbs of torque - almost the same as an 833cc internal combustion engine. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds. Speed is restricted to a max of 92mph. The transmission is automatic and delivers power to the rear wheel with a belt. The battery, co-developed with H-D partner, Mission Motors, has a range of about 53 miles on a full charge. The instrument panel includes a built-in touch panel display with GPS. It generates a sound that is futuristic and sounds more like a jet airplane than a traditional HD motorcycle. The company has not yet priced the motorcycle and is waiting to announce the official launch of the Live Wire pending the feedback it gets from it’s nationwide “Live Wire Tour.” The Motor Company will likely go back to the drawing board for a few tweaks before moving from prototype to production. The Company hopes to attract new and younger riders. No beard or tattoos are required for purchase, but bring your own extension cord. So what do you know about the history of electric motorcycles? If you’re like me, not much. I’d never really heard or cared much about them. The first recorded patent for an electric motorcycle can actually be found under the heading of “Electric Bike” but the description in the patent - filed in Boston on October 8th, 1895 - is clearly a motorcycle. Despite the patents, these early models never saw commercial production or sales. The first real commercial mention of an electric motorcycle was published in the October 11th, 1911 issue of Popular Mechanics. Almost 40 years later in 1941, a Belgian company called Socovel got into the act. While it looked promising at first, they manufactured and sold only 400 bikes due mostly to WWII fuel rationing. The occupying Germans even supported the development efforts and helped push it forward. Unfortunately, the popularity of electric
8
motorcycles went downhill fast when gasoline became readily available after the war. Further development was nonexistent until the late 60s and early 70s when an individual by the name of Karl Kordesch created the alkaline battery. An avid motorcycle enthusiast, he converted his conventional motorcycle to battery power. The industry has had slow growth in North America. We like our power and we’re married to our big monster motorcycles that can go 200+ miles between fill ups. But ongoing development of both electric bikes and electric motorcycles is taking place in Asia, especially in countries where sales are brisk such as China. Most experts think the time is right for a large, well-known company to get behind electric motorcycles and make them readily available in North America. Current manufacturers in various phases of development include Brammo, Zero Motorcycles, Lightning, Energica, Quantya, Electric Motorsport, Hollywood Electrics, Yo and Lito, and Honda (more of a scooter than a motorcycle). Yamaha plans a 2015 introduction of an electric motorcycle as does Bultaco and, of course, Harley-Davidson. with its 2014 introduction of Project Live Wire. Can Polaris (Victory, Indian) be far behind? All electric motorcycles are currently powered by rechargeable lithium ion batteries. You recharge them by plugging them into an ordinary wall socket. To achieve a full 100% charge takes around eight hours. You can purchase a high capacity charging unit that will charge the batteries up to 95% in a little less than an hour. For apartment dwellers, some manufacturers have designed batteries that are easy to install and remove. Owners can bring the battery inside at night, charge it, and reinstall it in the morning. Honda is in the development stages of an electric hybrid as is Yamaha. Hybrids seem the best route to take; the auto industry, for example, has had greater sales success with hybrids than full electrics. Both Honda and Yamaha prototypes use a 600cc engine hooked up to an electric motor. There is even some development on fuel cell-powered motorcycles but production seems to be years away. The biggest challenge to electric motorcycles is the limited range and lack of high speed charging stations along the road. That written, as more people buy electric automobiles, the lack of charging stations is a challenge that may disappear Of course, I can’t imagine main street in Sturgis, South Dakota being filled with extension cords and charging stations with battery stores replacing all of the tattoo and specialty shops. Some other facts about electric motorcycles:
The 2015 Models Are Coming! There are exciting things happening at your local HarleyDavidson® dealership. New models will be arriving soon including the return of the Road Glide® and the new FreewheelerTM Trike, both part of Project Rushmore. Stop by your local Harley-Davidson® dealer to see the 2015 models. 2015 Road Glide®
2015 Road Glide® Back with a vengeance... The choice of the high-mileage road warrior is back, loaded with attitude, modern style and Project RUSHMORE features for the long haul. The all-new Road Glide® motorcycle. Starting at $20,899
2015 FreewheelerTM
- On June 30th, 2013, a Lightning Electric Motorcycle beat all conventional motorcycles at the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. It was clocked at 10 minutes .0064 seconds for the 12.42 mile course. Second place was captured by a Ducati rider finishing in 10 minutes, 21 seconds. - In 2012, Paul Ernst Thede set a record run of 218.8 mph on an electric at the Bonneville Salt Flats. It was not a sanctioned run so no “official record” was actually set.
2015 FreewheelerTM Hot rod-inspired style and a smaller, easyhandling size make the new Freewheeler™ model unlike any other trike on the road. Confidence comes instantly in this saddle. Starting at $24,999
- On August 30th, 2011, Chip Yates, riding his prototype Continued on page 17
www.midwestmotorcyclist.com
November 2014
FREE GIFT! HARLEY-DAVIDSON® TANKS DISPLAY A $75 value with qualifying $300 purchase. While supplies last. Offer valid between November 1, 2014 and December 24, 2014 at your local Harley-Davidson® dealer.
Only 8 Saturdays for Gift Shopping ‘til Christmas! Don’t wait! Stop by your local Harley-Davidson® dealer today.
Final design subject to change.
1. Battle Creek
4. Brighton
12. Lapeer
BATTLE CREEK HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 5738 BECKLEY RD, BATTLE CREEK (269) 979-2233, www.battlecreekharley.com
BRIGHTON HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 5942 WHITMORE LAKE RD., BRIGHTON (810) 225-2915, www.brightonhd.com
RAY C’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 1422 IMLAY CITY ROAD, LAPEER (810) 664-9261, www.raycsh-d.com
2. Bay City
5. Cement City
13. Mt. Pleasant
GREAT LAKES HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 3850 S. HURON ROAD, BAY CITY (989) 686-0400, www.greatlakeshd.com
TOWN & COUNTRY HARLEY-DAVIDSON® US 12 & US 127, CEMENT CITY (517) 547-3333, www.cementcity-harley.com
C & S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 4741 E PICKARD, MT PLEASANT (989) 772-5513, www.candssportcenter.com
3. Birch Run
6. Farmington Hills
14. Muskegon
SHIAWASSEE HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 11901 N. BEYER ROAD, BIRCH RUN (989) 624-4400, www.shiawasseeharley-davidson.com
MOTOR CITY HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 34900 GRAND RIVER AVE., FARMINGTON HILLS (248) 473-7433, www.motorcityharley.com
HOT ROD HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 149 SHORELINE DRIVE, MUSKEGON (231) 722-3653, www.hotrodhd.com
8 17 19 13
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14 3 9
12
11
18
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7. Fremont
15. Sturgis
SANDY’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® SPORT CENTER 11940 N. MAPLE ISLAND RD, FREMONT (231) 924-3020, www.sandysharleydavidson.com
HAMILTON HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 68951 WHITE SCHOOL ROAD, STURGIS (616) 651-3424, www.hamiltonharley-davidson.com
8. Gaylord
16. Tecumseh
ZIP’S 45TH PARALLEL HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 980 S WISCONSIN AVE., GAYLORD (989) 732-8000, www.zips45thhd.com
TECUMSEH HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 8080 MATTHEWS HIGHWAY, TECUMSEH (517) 423-3333
9. Hudsonville
17. Traverse City
GRAND RAPIDS HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 2977 CORPORATE GROVE DR., HUDSONVILLE (616) 896-0111, www.grandrapidsharley.com
CLASSIC MOTOR SPORTS HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 3939 S BLUE STAR DRIVE, TRAVERSE CITY (231) 943-9344, www.classictc.com
10. Kalamazoo
18. Waterford
PERRY’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 5331 SPRINKLE ROAD, KALAMAZOO (269) 329-3450 www.perryharley-davidson.com
A.B.C. HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 4405 HIGHLAND RD (M-59), WATERFORD (248) 674-3175, www.abc-harley-davidson.com
11. Lansing
19. West Branch
CAPITOL HARLEY-DAVIDSON® 9550 WOODLANE DRIVE, DIMONDALE (517) 646-2345, www.capitolhd.com
GILDNER’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON® MOTORCYCLES 2723 S M-76, WEST BRANCH (989) 345-1330
For more information, visit www.mhdda.com TM
Midwest Motorcyclist
9
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Random Ramblings of a Rare Bird
What Have I Done This Time? by Michael Mekinda Nearly every time I walk down the steps to the garage and see “The Rig” taking up a big chunk of garage space, I can’t help thinking “what have I done this time?” The short story? My dad called about another friend with a bike “in need of a good home”, and, once again being the nice guy that I am (!), I offered to take a look at it. Again, it’s now parked in my garage. What the heck was I thinking? Well… Several months ago, Dad told me about an “old motorcycle with a sidecar” that’s been sitting for many years. His buddy still rides often, but he puts all his miles on several late BMWs and a track Ducati. The sidecar rig has been all but forgotten in a lower garage for over a decade, knocked from fullon travel, to occasional use, and finally to “out of sight…” I had no idea the brand, mileage or year, but the sidecar definitely intrigued me. I have always thought a bike with a sidecar rig is incredibly cool. I have even tried (unsuccessfully) through the years to talk my way onto a racing sidecar as a novice “monkey.” My only experience piloting a rig was many years ago, and only about threeminutes on a borrowed bike in a parking lot. My love of sidecars is based entirely on the uniqueness and mystique of a rarely seen road beast. Though I have no desire or time for a new project, the sidecar kept calling, and I knew I should at least
check it out. As usual, summer was over-booked with family plans, work and more activities than hours in the day (for all parties involved), so actually seeing the bike kept falling by the wayside. Somewhere along the way, I learned it was an old (how old, exactly?) Harley, which piqued my interest even more, but the slow trickle of information prevented much excitement. A few weeks before actually managing to set up a time to see the bike, I finally found out it was a 1973 Harley-Davidson FLH with a
BMW Motorcycles of Detroit 34080 Van Dyke Ave Sterling Heights, MI, 48312 (586) 274-4000 www.bmwdetroit.com
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factory sidecar and 32k plus on the odometer. The current owner was only the 2nd, having bought the bike 1975. He and his wife used the rig to tour and camp for several years before slowly retiring it to the 2nd garage. I was getting much more excited about seeing the bike, but I had no idea what something like this would go for. Time to do some research and figure out what to offer. Also, not being the slightest bit Harley literate, I needed to find out just what the heck an “FLH” is? For the legions of Harley folks out there, I beg some latitude as I stumble my way through the alphabet soup learning curve. Seems a FLH is a big twin touring bike, better known to newbies like myself as an Electra Glide. This was getting cooler by the second! This ‘73 Harley was powered by a 74ci (around 1200cc) “Shovelhead” with a 4-speed and still running a chain instead of the modern belt to the back wheel. Some nice improvements for ’73 included upgraded brakes to a single disc front and rear replacing drums of previous years, and kickstart delete (though I think the kick would have been a cool talking point). ’73 is also the final year of the strange (to me, at least) spiral (“deadman”) throttle before a throttle return spring was added in ’74. Oldschool cool with a few nods to the modern (for 1973) Continued on page 17
The Live It Right Dream Ride
Our Top Five List from the U.S. by Emily Flinkstrom and Jay Wilgus Over the last four months, we took our sweet time crossing the United States, as we visited family, friends, and as many beautiful places as possible in this incredible country. In the process, we’ve said “wow” more times than we can count and found ourselves searching for superlatives suitable for the surroundings. Along the way, we’ve been repeatedly asked what our favorite parts of the trip have been. That question is hard to answer though because favorites come in various forms. We could tell you about the cast of characters we met at a Shell station in Idaho or the quads we rode across the Oregon Dunes. For now though, we’ll focus our attention on specific places, knowing that the Midwest riding season is coming to a close and that you’re likely already thinking about where you can ride next summer. What follows is our shortlist of the top 5 places we visited along the U.S. portion of The Live It Right Dream Ride. We hope it provides inspiration through the winter and ideas for the 2015 riding season. #5 The Black Hills of South Dakota As a classic motorcycle destination, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the Black Hills. Home of Sturgis, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and some wonderfully windy roads (e.g. Route 16A with its game-like corkscrews and tunnels), this area
beneath both El Capitan and Half Dome. It’ll also bring you close to Ansel’s gallery in the village, so drop in for a look. Plan ahead though; Yosemite is busy! If you want to hike Half Dome, you’ll need to enter a lottery before the season begins or show up two days early to apply for one of the coveted day slots.
certainly captured our attention and a place in our hearts. We rode in from the east along some dirt roads out of Badlands National Park and left through the southwestern gate in Hot Springs, South Dakota. If you haven’t been, you must. While you’re there, consider extending your trip into Wyoming along Poison Spyder Road (dual sports only) and over to South Pass City. That little mining town is worth a visit and close enough to the national parks of northwestern Wyoming that you could easily pick it up in a loop from one place to another.
#4 Yosemite National Park There’s a reason this place is known as a climber’s paradise. With granite walls taller than thirteen We have departed on our 15-month journey Mackinac bridges stacked to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. You can help support the atop each other, the sights adventure by buying a stylish t-shirt or sticker. Stop by our online and recreational store today. Follow our journey at www.liveitrightdreamride.com/. opportunities are Thank you for your support! astounding. It’s beautiful in ways that only Ansel Live It Right Unisex T-Shirt Adams pictures can With a 50/50 cotton/poly blend this convey, so drive in from comfortable, yet durable shirt is great for the northeast corner both men and women. Spread the through Lee Vining and message to Live It Right while supporting exit through the our Dream Ride and looking stylish! $20 + s&h southwest corner toward El Portal to maximize the experience. That’ll bring you down through Yosemite Valley and
#3 Lake Pend Oreille The best thing about motorcycle travel, in our opinion, is coming across places that you never would have visited otherwise. Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho is one of those places. If not for the call of a Huckleberry sundae in Clark Fork, we would have missed forest road 278 leading along the south side of Lake Pend Oreille toward Athol, ID. We also would have missed the most marvelous campsite we’ve ever had that came complete with our own private swimming hole and a breathtaking view of the Lake. Again, dual sports only on this route.
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#2 The Lost Coast It’s called The Lost Coast for a reason: very few people visit. Most bypass this virtually undeveloped section of California coastline entirely because it leads them away from the Avenue of the Continued on page 15
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November 2014
Test Ride
2014 BMW R 1200 RT High Tech Sport Tourer by Ray Peabody The BMW R 1200 RT is an excellent example of the impact technology is having on motorcycle performance, safety and comfort. In the early years of the 21st century, I owned an earlier iteration of the R 1200 RT, the R 1100 RT. No where near as sophisticated as the new RT, the 1100 was still a great motorcycle and remains one of my favorites. Powered by an air / oil cooled, fuel-injected boxer (opposed twin) engine, the bike could cruise all day long at 80 miles per hour. Whether being ridden as tourer or sport bike, it handled well, provided adequate wind protection and offered a mostly comfortable ride. Despite the many awesome rides, tours and adventures that 1100 provided, the 2014 R 1200 RT is far superior in most ways. In addition to the larger 1170 cc displacement, the newest boxer is liquid cooled and pumps out 125 horsepower at 7,750 rpms with a top speed of 125 mph. The 6-speed transmission changes gears effortlessly with a snick-snick-snick rather than the heavy duty clunk-clunk-clunk of the earlier models. An optional Shift Assistant allows the rider to shift
without engaging the clutch or rolling off the throttle. Out on the road, the more powerful engine, slick shifting transmission and other technological enhancements demonstrate their real value. Heading south from BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids (www.bmwmcgr.com), the Yankee Springs area with its smooth roads, hills and curves was the destination area to stretch the RT and test all of the onboard, whiz-bang technology. Prior to departure, Andrea (Kamp) Chappell set the electronic pre-load, part of the ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment) system, for a single rider with no luggage. Other settings include a rider and passenger or a rider with luggage and a rider and passenger with luggage. The ride down to Yankee Springs included mostly straight roads with few curves. The highlight for that part of the ride was the bright red, orange and yellow leaves on the trees along the route. I took the opportunity to test various functions on the onboard menu and the BLACK WEDNESDAY, Dynamic Traction November Control modes. First, I
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adjusted the ESA to the three settings – soft, normal and hard. “Soft” offers a more comfortable ride by better absorbing the imperfections in Michigan roads. Handling might suffer slightly in this setting but the plush ride makes it worthwhile. “Normal” absorbs most of the bumps and cracks but is also firm enough for confident handling. “Hard” is for those riders who don’t care about the bumps and cracks and want precision handling. After trying the different settings, I kept the ESA in normal for the remainder of the ride because it offered the best combination of comfort and handling. I also played with the three Dynamic Traction Control (ASC) modes – Rain, Road and Dynamic. The Rain mode delivers less power to the rear tire to prevent spinouts when the road surface is wet. The Road mode is useful to most other kinds of road riding situations. The Dynamic mode, which is an option, is most useful for aggressive sport Continued on page 15
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Midwest Motorcyclist
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13
ASK Dr. Cycholl Q&A Column For Your Questions Relating to Motorcycle Safety, Riding Techniques and Touring By Maurice “Moe” D. Cycholl
Dr. Maurice D. Cycholl is a worldrenowned expert in Motorcycle Safety, Riding Techniques and Touring. In addition, while he is not a recognized expert in motorcycle mechanics, he does possess a fair degree of knowledge in the area of mechanical, and electrical systems found on many motorcycles. He welcomes your questions on these subjects. While you may submit questions on any subject, his advice on other subjects may, or may not be, as reliable. Please submit your questions via email to: askDrCycholl@ hotmail.com or via snail mail to: Dr. “Moe” D. Cycholl, c/o CC media, 709 Fall Street, Spring Lake, MI 49456
Dear Dr. Cycholl, This past February I lost my left lower leg to a shark attack while diving in the Keys. I have been a rider since 1965, both dirt and street. I don’t plan on stopping just because of this minor hiccup. I’m still in therapy but any ideas you can pass on, anything about bike prep, etc. would be welcomed. Thank you for your consideration. Bill Williams, Kalamazoo, Michigan Dear Bill, Sorry to hear of the Shark attack. You are one tough, determined guy. I admire your spirit. Ironically, I know a lot about amputees, my Wife is a right leg, below the knee amputee and is the founder of an Amputee Support Group out of William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. You don’t say which leg was involved so I will talk about both. If you lost the right leg, the effected control would be the rear brake pedal. The primary brake for stopping purposes is the front brake. It could be possible to use the rear brake with a prosthetic leg. You would need to try it and judge for yourself. If you find it is not possible, the bike could be modified to move the brake pedal to the left side. I would suggest putting a second peg, like a highway peg on the left side and locating the brake pedal there like a forward control. If the leg involved is the left, the effected control is the shifter. If you ride a bike like a tourer, cruiser or a standard, I have seen riders with prosthetic legs using a heel toe shifter. If this won’t work for you, a push button electric shifter can be installed. A company I know that makes a device like that is Klicktronic. You probably don’t need it but a company called Rekluse makes replacement automatic clutches for many models. If you are considering new, Honda has several motorcycle models with push button shifting, automatic clutches or full automatic transmissions. If you find that you are not comfortable or capable of holding the bike up at stops any longer you could consider a trike. It could be possible to convert your existing motorcycle to a trike depending on the model. There are others made by trike converters that you can buy off the floor. The Can Am Spyder Trike is available with push button shifting. If you need to talk with someone about the amputation, my wife is a peer counselor with the Amputee Coalition and my be able to find someone closer to you. Thank you, Dr Cycholl
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14
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November 2014
Continued from page 13 - BMW R 1200 RT Test
riding. I’ve ridden several motorcycles with traction control and never – as far as I know – engaged the system. That’s probably a good thing. Once in the Yankee Springs area, I began to consider the overall operation of the RT. Despite weighing in at 604.1 pounds wet, the RT is well balanced and handles effortlessly. I would accelerate hard on the straights, downshift and brake for the curves, and then roll on the throttle while exiting. Never did the weight feel too much for the speeds I was carrying into the curves. The seating position is comfortable. The footpegs are high enough to provide the RT with sufficient ground clearance so as not to drag in the curves and not so high as to force the rider into a road racer crouch. The handlebars are close enough that my arms were bent at not much more than 90 degrees when holding the grips. My back was nearly vertical with only a slight forward lean while riding. The saddle was firm enough for comfort but not so firm as to feel like a board. Gone is the slope of the seat that uncomfortably forces the rider up against the fuel tank. Later, when the temperature began to fall into the low 50s, I used the menu to adjust both the heated grips and saddle. If you’ve never used either while riding in cold weather, you’re missing out. The heated grips and saddle (five levels of adjustment each) ensures that the rider stays warm and focused on the ride rather than the cold. While heated grips and saddles have been around for years, the value of these two features in a cold weather climate can’t be overstated. I also raised the electric wind screen to its full height and tucked my legs into the cutouts on
either side of the tank. The wind protection is awesome! A pocket of still air is created behind the raised screen and wind noise is dramatically reduced. I tend to prefer the lowered screen and being out in the wind but when the temperatures drop, the wind protection is important. I did notice that the tank and fairing cutouts, which go all the way down to keep the feet out of the wind, hindered taking my feet off the pegs to put down when I came to a stop. Once I became aware of the situation, I adjusted my feet slightly and no longer had an issue. The ABS-standard brakes are excellent. With twin disks out front and a single disk in the rear, the brakes bring the RT to a smooth, controlled stop in any situation including emergency braking. Other features that I found to be especially useful include self-canceling turn signals and electronic cruise control. Neither of these features is essential but are nice to have. As I have written many times previously, I frequently forget to turn off my turn signals (definitely a safety hazard). The cruise control is especially useful when spending long hours in the saddle and the wrist begins to ache from holding the throttle in place. I never thought I would use a cruise
control but find it a nice feature to have. Motorcycle-riding purists will likely resist all of the technology being incorporated into the new machines. They might prefer a simpler time of carburetors, non-ABS brakes, the throttle as traction control and the old style shocks that rode more like a hard tail than an automobile. I admit to having had those thoughts in the past. I still reflect fondly on my 1996 RT. However, as the technology improves and I get older, the more sophisticated machines with their high tech features are increasingly appealing. I appreciate the comfort and safety features more than I ever did. That’s why I enjoyed riding the 2014 R 1200 RT so much. I still get that lifelong thrill of riding but, with this RT, I can do so in comfort in all types of riding situations. Thanks to Blane Kamp, Andrea Chappell, and the rest of the team at BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids for making the RT available for this test. To learn more about this or any of the BMW motorcycles, visit BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids at 5995 South Division in Grand Rapids, call them at (616) 5306900 or visit their web site at www.bmwmcgr.com. MSRP for the 2014 BMW R 1200 RT including ABS is $17,650.
Continued from page 12 - Live It Right Giants. Don’t be fooled though, you can do both! Take the road to Petrolia out of Ferndale, CA and you’ll be treated to a section of coastline that will take your breath away. Home to some of the luckiest cattle on the planet, the ranch land abutting the Pacific Ocean on this route is remarkably pretty. If time and ability permit, bring your backpacking gear to hike The Lost Coast Trail and your surfboard to enjoy some lonely breaks. Both are on our list for the next time we pass that way. #1 Glacier National Park Captivating, magnificent, powerful, and otherworldly. We entered from the east near St. Mary, Montana and were immediately reminded that we are not in charge. Nature is. We heard the eastern side of the park could be windy, but we weren’t really expecting the amount or intensity of what we received. From the safety and comfort of the Many Glacier Lodge, we were treated to a wonderful and humbling display. It was remarkable, even if mildly disappointing at the time because we had hoped to be out hiking. The western side of the park was even more incredible. After traversing the Going to the Sun road, we meandered up the north fork of the Flathead River to Polebridge, MT and Bowman Lake. Both were magical. Neither of us had ever seen a lake as picturesque as Bowman, nor had we encountered a two-building town as charming or TM
Midwest Motorcyclist
as delicious Polebridge. Those aspects, combined with the powerful experience we had on the eastern side of the park, puts Glacier at the top of our list of places visited so far. We have a long road ahead of us and much more to report from roads south. We’ll be crossing the border into Baja on November 3rd. From there, we’ll make our way down to Cabo San Lucas and over to mainland Mexico on a ferry from La Paz. We look forward to telling you more as the adventure unfolds. In the meantime, feel free to keep up with our travels online at www.liveitrightdreamride.com.
15
Not the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Putting Your Bike Away for Winter The Midwest riding season is just about over. I know for many riders, it’s already finished for another year. Personally, I never enjoy putting my bikes away for winter, but I have to admit we were lucky to have a nice riding season this year and I’m already optimistic for next year. If you’re still able to get out and ride where you live, keep in mind that October and November are the most dangerous months of the year for deer and vehicle collisions. Most of these types of collisions happen between dusk and dawn, so check your lights before you leave if you’ll be riding in low light or in the dark. Watch your speed and don’t over-drive your headlights, to give yourself more opportunity to brake in time and avoid a collision. Watch for reflectors that blink, move, or vanish; these could be animal eyes or indicate an animal walking in front of roadside reflectors. If you’re riding in a group, choose a safe formation that will reduce the chances of multiple riders being injured if a collision with an animal occurs. When in doubt, trust your gut, slow down and just enjoy the ride. If it’s time to put your bike away for winter, there are still a few things you can do today to help protect it during the winter months. It’s worth taking the time to properly prep your bike for storage, as this can help make getting it ready for spring riding quicker and easier. First off, don’t cancel your insurance. It’s important to know that your Homeowner’s Insurance policy does not cover your bike. Your motorcycle’s Comprehensive Coverage will cover damages if you end up having a flood, fire, or storm, or other damage that can occur while your motorcycle is in storage. Comprehensive will also pay for loss if your bike is stolen. I also recommend keeping Bodily Injury Coverage active. You need it to be legal on the road, and you know you’re going to want to get on your bike as soon as the weather cooperates next spring. Why wait to reinstate? Again, at the very least, keep your Comprehensive active while your bike is in storage in case of damages.
by Jason Waechter, Esq.
Next, store your motorcycle in a secure, dry space to help avoid rust and water damage. Make sure your bike isn’t exposed to too much light; even sunlight can damage leather and paint. Wash, wax, and polish your bike before covering it with a highquality motorcycle cover. Avoid using a sheet or tarp, which can scratch; proper motorcycle covers are breathable and help prevent moisture build-up. In my opinion, it’s worth getting a Smart Charger for your battery while your motorcycle’s in storage. Smart Chargers condition your battery and ensure it’s not over- or under-charged, which can prolong the battery life and save you money in the long run. If you don’t use a Smart Charger, there’s still no reason to leave the battery in your bike over the winter. Even switched off, the battery will still discharge over time, and batteries left sitting in that state can corrode and leak, putting your engine at risk for serious damage. Speaking of damage, a cold, dry winter can do a number on your tires. Place cardboard, wood,
or foam under both tires so they aren’t in direct contact with a concrete floor. Fill them to the maximum recommended pressure, and check in now and then to make sure they’re still properly inflated; I recommend keeping a small air pump in your garage for tire maintenance. Avoid tire cleaning or shining products immediately before winter storage, as they can dry tires out which could lead to freezing or cracks. Change your oil, even if it’s not due yet; running the bike creates acids in the oil that could damage your engine. Fill your tank with fresh gas and add a stabilizer, but leave a little room at the top for expansion in the spring. Drain the carburetors and fuel lines as well. Spray WD40 or another light oil into your muffler ends and drain holes before gently stuffing the muffler with light plastic (grocery bags will do) to keep moisture out. Wrap the mufflers in more light plastic before you cover your bike to ensure no moisture will get in. Prepping your bike for winter storage is a good start, but it’s not a “set it and forget it” system. You’ll want to check your bike and the storage space periodically for water, signs of rodents, and to check the tire pressure. As always, I’m hopeful that we’ll have a short winter and early spring, so we can all get back on our bikes as soon as possible. Attorney Jason A. Waechter is a national attorney specializing in the areas of motorcycle and motor vehicle injury litigation. Mr. Waechter has collected millions of dollars in settlements, awards and verdicts for his motorcycle clients over the past 20 years. Jason feels a duty to give back to his community. A portion of each case settled goes to educational resources for bikers, funds to help bikers while their cases are being litigated and our motorcycle accident prevention campaign. Call Attorney Jason Waechter toll free at 1-877-BIKER LAW. Or visit www.TheMotorcycleLawyer.com Legal disclaimer: The law is very fact dependent and there are many nuances and exceptions depending on your particular circumstances. Therefore, given the limited space, it is impossible to cover everything. Do not rely on the short article to protect your rights.
Pre-Owned Motorcycles
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2010 BMW F650GS, SILVER / BLACK, 8,900 miles, Excellent condition, $5,990
2006 BMW R1200RT, RED / SILVER, 40,000 miles, Excellent condition, $8,490
2006 BMW K1200GT, METALLIC BLUE / SILVER, 19,600 miles, Excellent condition, $10,750
2009 BMW R1200GS, SILVER / SILVER, 10,900 miles, Excellent condition, $11,990
2014 BMW HP4 Competition BLUE/WHITE/BLACK / BLACK $24,000 2014 BMW R1200GSA *DEMO* Racing Blue Matt / Black Sale Price: $20,545 2013 Ducati 1199 PANIGALE R ABS RED / SILVER $20,490 2012 BMW R1200R *LOW SUSPENSION* RED / GRAPHITE $11,990 2012 BMW F650GS SILVER / BLACK Sale Price: $7,990 2012 BMW K1600GTL SMINERAL SILVER / SILVER $19,990 2012 BMW K1600GTL ROYAL BLUE METALLIC / SILVER $18,990 2011 BMW R1200GSA GRAPHITE / BLACK $16,490 2010 BMW R1200GS Graphite $13,490 2010 BMW F650GS SILVER / BLACK $5,990 2009 BMW R1200GS SILVER / SILVER $11,990 2008 BMW K1200GT BLUE METALLIC / SILVER $12,990 2008 BMW K1200S BLACK / SILVER $9,990 2008 BMW R1200RT BLUE METALLIC / SILVER $9,990 2006 BMW K1200GT METALLIC BLUE / SILVER $10,750 2006 BMW R1200RT GRAPHITE / SILVER $9,990 2006 BMW R1200RT RED / SILVER $8,490 2005 BMW F650GS *LOW SUSPENSION* BLACK / SILVER $5,490 2000 BMW R1200C BLACK / SILVER $5,990
We take motorcycles of all brands and models as trade-ins. Bring us your bike when you’re ready to buy! www.midwestmotorcyclist.com
BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan 14855 N. Sheldon Rd. Plymouth, MI 734.453.0500 www.bmwmcsem.com
November 2014
Continued from page 11 - Rare Bird
world. It was also created in the midst of the dreaded “AMF years.” That was well before my time and meant little to me other than AMF helped Harley survive to be what it is today. No worries. Decided I had to see this bike! After a bunch of back and forth between the owner and my dad, we finally scored a day we could all get together to see the Harley. Only problem was, it was supposed to rain all day, and the motorbike was tightly packed in the 2nd garage. We took a chance and planned anyway. Fortunately, the rain stopped early, the sun shone and we found the bike in the driveway, a fresh battery, air in the tires and running!!! The Harley was filthy, smelled of moisture, mice and neglect, and was covered in various forms of corrosion. But it sounded great and pushed around easily. No seized calipers or bearings, and all seemed to be working. I looked it over pretty well, and determined the worst of it was cosmetic; I was smitten. Now for the haggling… I told the owner what I had found, asking prices ranging from about $1500 all the way to $15000, typically going pretty cheap due to the AMF connection. I didn’t want to insult him, so he’d have to give me an idea what he wanted for it. When he did, my poker face was gone - he wanted what he paid for it used in 1975! The bike was good to his wife and him, and did well by them as they motocamped throughout the Eastern U.S. With no small degree of sentimental attachment, they wanted it to go to a good home, be cared for and appreciated, and be ridden. I could certainly promise that! Off to collect the cash and get paperwork stamped and passed. It took a few days to get back to the ‘Glide, but we finally made it happen on a beautiful Saturday morning. Lovely Wife/ Accountant drove me back to the house, cash in hand and riding gear in the trunk. Money changed hands, as well as a tremendous amount of invaluable advice, tips and insight to the quirks and character of this particular bike, and sidecar piloting in general. An hour later, I hopped aboard and cautiously roared down the road, Concerned Wife following and watching for anything out of the ordinary - which was nothing. Lights worked, brakes worked, no smoke, no flames, no drama. Sure, the tires would need replacement pretty much immediately, as would
the fluids. The shocks lacked damping, and the fork was bashing around like a rigid bike, but all was remarkably sound and solid, and it made the 20mile ride home without incident. As for the rider, however, riding a hack down the road the first time is an electrifying experience. The first thing one notices is, the bike is always following road undulations, and leaning the wrong way! On two wheels, we adjust to road conditions without thinking about it, always keeping the bike upright until we choose to lean in to turn. With a sidecar, the bike is constantly changing lean angle due to input from the outer third wheel following the terrain, NOT rider inputs. I constantly felt like the bike was trying to fall over. Turning added an entirely new dimension, as a sidecar requires the rider to lean in, while turning the handlebars into the turn (forget all you’ve learned about pressing to lean!) - while the bike is trying to lean OUT of the turn! It feels weird and it’s tough on the upper body (no gliding around on a hack) turning left - the bike leans in to the outer wheel - but things get seriously freaky the first time one turns right with any sort of vigor. The bike leans OUT to the left and the side car lifts with the bike! I always thought “flying the chair” would be great fun, and it is - once you live through the completely unnatural, eye-popping, puckerinducing shock of being surprised by it a few times! Other than seating position and open-air, piloting a sidecar is NOTHING like riding a motorcycle. I am completely hooked! Completely energized by the ride home, I pulled in front of the garage and grabbed tools and cleaning products. A few hours later, the Harley had fresh gas, oil and brake fluids. A couple more hours and several Brillo pads beyond that, the bike had
electric motorcycles at 9.450 seconds or 152.07mph on a track in Oregon.
Continued from page 8 - The Preacher
SWIGZ.COM electric superbike, established the official Guinness record of fastest electric; the motorcycle was clocked at 196.12mph at Bonneville.
- In 1988, the first electric drag bike made its debut in Bonneville, completing the quarter mile in 11 seconds. The bike (I love this name) was named KawaSHOCKI by its owner and builder, Ed Rannburg.
- On June 14th 2009, the first allElectric Time Trial Xtreme Grand Prix motorcycle race took place on the Isle of Man in which 13 machines took part. The winner completed the 37.3 mile course in 25 minutes, 53 seconds at an average speed of 87.434mph.
So, is there an electric in your future? Any possibility? I’d like to hear from you on that…shoot me an e-mail and let me know your feelings at fhoffer999@comcast.net. I’ll let you all know the results in the next issue. Now where did I put that volt meter?
- On August 26th, 2000, the current drag racing quartermile record was established for TM
Midwest Motorcyclist
undergone a stunning transformation. It’s not a pristine show winner, but beneath all the rust and grime is a beautiful unrestored Harley-Davidson FLH Electra Glide with factory sidecar. I spent the rest of the day giving rides to anyone who would join me, and Pretty Wife made the bike look even better as we stopped by a local car/ bike show. I managed to go through a full tank of gas the first day the bike was home, and I’ve put nearly 1500 miles on it in the five weeks since, all with just minor hiccoughs. I recently rebuilt the front fork and discovered this old bike actually has quite a nice ride; the banging and bashing all went away. I can’t wait to change out the rear shocks and see how nice the ride is when the rear matches the front, but in the meantime I’m just riding and repairing/ replacing/ adjusting as I go - though much of it I could probably ignore and just keep riding! I’ve discovered riding a bike with a sidecar is NOT something to do if you’re a loner or just want to blend in. Every gas stop includes a conversation, and we’ve even had people pull up next to us and roll down the windows just to ask passengers what it’s like to ride in the ‘car. Fun stuff, really. I’m still deciding what direction I want to take with the Glide, but I intend to keep riding it. Might be fun to do a bit of “vintage travelling” with it. A trip to the Harley Museum in Wisconsin sounds like a perfect destination at some point. I plan to spend this winter making sure all the mechanicals are taken care of. New oil lines to help eliminate some of the drips, new shocks, breakerless ignition, maybe a 32 amp electrical upgrade and addressing any hidden issues while the side cover’s off. And I’d love to find a nice used original 2-up seat (anyone?), so I can take Wife and Daughter to our local Friday night cruise-in. Mostly, though, I imagine a whole bunch of riding, with miscellaneous repairs to anything that might crop up. I may consider restoring the paint next winter, but then again, there’s something special about a bike that has earned its imperfections. Might just fix a few rusting areas, and leave the rest in all its beautiful, well-ridden glory. I have a feeling this bike is going to keep me busy and entertained for a long time to come. So, what have I done this time? I think I’ve ridden home on the Find of a Lifetime, and I intend to enjoy it for all its worth! Be seen, ride smart, stay safe and I’ll see you on the road! -mike
USED MOTORCYCLES & ATVs 1984 GL1200 GOLDWING, All stock, 39,000 Miles, Runs great, NOW $1,995
1983 CB 1000 CUSTOM, All Stock, 52,800 Miles, Well Maintained, Very Clean, $1,495
2009 V-STAR 1300, 7,500 Miles, Saddle Bags, Windshield, Sissy bar, ONLY $6,795
2012 R6, 4,000 Miles, LED integrated tail light, HID headlights, NOW $7,295
We have many more pre-owned motorcycles in stock and ready to move. Stop by our store or visit our website to see our complete inventory.
Your complete motor sports service center Tech-Care Suspension Small Displacement Motorsports
6971 Highland Rd. (M-59), Waterford, MI (248) 666-4651 • www.tech-care.com 17
Open Terrain: Exploring the World and Soul by Motorcycle Single to Double Track by Nicole Espinosa If one thing stands out in longer adventure ride experiences, it’s Helmet Time—the thought process that intensifies as more time is spent away from home and the familiar. It typically begins with an endless looping of anxietyridden mental noise before it miraculously transforms into demon-slaying epiphanies. Helmet Time can provide more answers to questions as it shifts from the boring, like bills, to the deepest of personal heartaches or exhilarations. As our two-wheeled steeds often help us to explore the external landscape, Helmet Time references the landscape within. And it usually represents growth for the long distance solo traveler. That’s exactly what I experienced as I eased into my solo up the west coast recently to join my boyfriend, Paul, on the last leg of his North America journey. With the first
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couple of days, the cadence within my helmet began to match the buzz of my tires on the road, whirling around thoughts about purpose and relationships.
The adventure began with a fiery episode that left me feeling empowered with the knowledge that I could tackle anything head on. And day by day, it continued to reveal that my purpose was connected to nature and people, motivating one to inspire the other. In all of my long rides, I
receive the utmost joy from reaching out to people with a smile, a story, or a helping hand—and it’s nature that rejuvenates in-between. Reaching the Oregon border was like coming home. It had been four years, and a few more grey hairs, since I last rolled into one of my favorite stopovers, Summer Lake Hot Springs. Duane, the owner, asked if I knew the girl who rode a motorcycle, had a blog, and wrote an article that included this place. “That was me,” I replied. He then said, “You won’t believe what happened from your article in RoadRunner. A big dual-sport group showed up with one of the guys waving the issue with your article, and said he was here because of Nicole Espinosa.” Duane then offered me an upgrade to an Airstream for the evening, but I much preferred my Nemo Losi 2P tent in the meadow. This year, I chose to soak in the outdoor pool with no one in sight, just the “man” in the full moon. It was unusual to have the place to myself, but I welcomed it to continue my introspection. After this quiet time, I moved onto beautifully rich visits with friends and family in the northwest. And along the way I squeezed in another night of camping along the gorgeous Olympic Peninsula coast of Washington—an area that holds our country’s inner most beauty secret, our rain forests. It was there that I happened upon a kindred soul, Cheryl. We both happened to be photographing the same magical sunset on the beach that led us into a lovely 45 minute conversation about life and children. An hour later, as I was sitting in my camp chair yearning for something sweet after a so-so camp dinner, I heard a soft voice call out my name. It was Cheryl who came to share their family’s peach and wild blackberry cobbler, straight out of their campfire Dutch oven. Ah, serendipity. It was time for me to head on to the most anticipated part of my journey… Paul. Four months of Helmet Time and healing communication had brought us back together again, and this passionate reunion, at my Mom’s home just north of Seattle, sent us reeling. And from this beautiful reunion, my Helmet Time was then shaped from single (me) to double track (us). After a wonderful time with the family, Paul and I loaded our bikes before zooming off into the sunset for our first time in at a B&B—
www.midwestmotorcyclist.com
the Boreas Inn, in Long Beach, Washington. It was so perfect… complete with a romantic dinner in the cute town, a dip in the private Jacuzzi under the stars, and a multi-course homemade breakfast the next morning prepared from scratch by Susie and Bill, the B&B’s gourmet owners. This is a must-stop along Washington’s hidden coast. The next day, we resumed our ride. It was joyous to be linked by intercom along the scenic byways of the Pacific Northwest, exchanging views on discoveries. And in between the words of our shared communications, I felt my thought process further shift into dual dreams and goals. Thoughts that encouraged deeper conversation between the two of us as we rolled down the new road of hope towards home. A family connection Paul had been wanting to share was his close relationship with his cousin, RoseMarie, in Sisters, Oregon. This turned out to be a coup de grace for me, because it represented two of my biggest dreams—worldly travel and living away from the city. You see, RoseMarie used to be an ambassador to Zimbabwe. She had collected an extraordinary array of beautiful African artifacts to fill their log cabin estate. And their home was perched on the brink of an expansive canyon where neighbors couldn’t be seen, nor felt. It was just us reveling in a snapshot of African time, amidst Earth’s beauty showing us the potential lying in wait down the road. I felt a surge of exciting anticipation as I whispered into the intercom on our way home the next morning, “Let’s touch these distant lands soon… together.” Nicole Espinosa is Mom to two great kids, founder / owner of www.ruggedrider.com, Managing Editor of Adventure Motorcycle magazine and soon-to-be RTW motorcycle adventurer. Communication welcome for Nicole: nicole@ruggedrider.com
November 2014
BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids 5995 S Division Grand Rapids, MI 49548-5730 616-530-6900 www.bmwmcgr.com TM
Midwest Motorcyclist
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Pre-Owned Motorcycles
2013 Harley-Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic, 22 miles, $15,999 plus tax & title
More Pre-Owned Motorcycles
2008 Harley-Davidson FLSTSB Cross Bones, Black, 13,459 miles, $13,499 plus tax & title
2009 Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy 9,142 miles, Loaded, $10,999 plus tax & title
2012 Honda CBR 250R, Red, 1,163 miles, ONLY $2,999 plus tax, title
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
2007 Yamaha Royal Star Venture 11,122 miles $7,999 plus tax & title 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX -14R Blue, 6,739 miles, NOW $9,999 plus tax & title
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$9,999 plus tax & title 2006 Suzuki Boulevard C50, Black, 16,300 miles, ONLY $3,799 plus tax & title
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2007 Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy 23,745 miles,