DIGGING FOR GOLD - BOOGIE PHOTOS! Bytown Motorcycle Association
October 2009
NEWSLETTER Published by riders, for riders.
Boogie
RECAP
ISSUE
FREE
• remembering colin snider • GPS tips and tricks with jeff • learning with larry VOLUNTEER POWERED!
BYTOWN MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION
www.bytown-motorcycle-assoc.ca Dave “Woody” Percival Chief Rocka Mike Hillier Other Chief Rocka
IN THIS ISSUE: STOCK
dirt from the prez the view from here tekvest update falling down exhaust note
Mike O’Rielly Writin’ Minutes Dave Phifer Beggin’ for Help Andrew Jasiak Counting Heads Dallas Shannon Creative Genius
BLING
Kaveri Gupta Spin Doctor
photo: Carolin Lueders
Jeff Ackert Barry Isherwood Larry Murray Carolin Lueders Bruce Cole Doug Hunter Rick Currah Contributors
looking back - colin snider pick em right - boogie photos 2009 boogie - post-mortum get lost! - tips and tricks other people pick em - boogie stories BMA SNAPSHOT
If you have pictures of your riding buddies in compromising positions (dirtbikes only please) send them over and we can all have a look: offroad.newsletter@gmail.com
Carolin Lueders Peanut Counter
Nobody can accuse BMA member Christian Lacasse of not getting intimate with his bike. If he ever says, “Let me take a look” it’s best to politely decline, especially if you are not wearing pants.
Carolin Lueders Doug Hunter Kaveri Gupta Marc DesRosiers Bruce Cole Photographs
To contact anybody about anything please email us at: offroad.newsletter@gmail.com If you would like to receive the newsletter by email please contact: offroad.newsletter@gmail.com Written permission must be requested to reproduce, or reprint all or portions of the content contained herein.
© Bytown Motorcycle Association 2009
Dirt From the PREZ by Dave “Woody” Percival
I will remember 2009 as the year we really aced it…the Calabogie Boogie I mean.
Warren Thaxter and I chatted Saturday (he is my yardstick for the quality of event), and he was amazed by our continued commitment. He asked me how we have taken volunteerism to this level. I thought at first it was the great water-good beer theory, but after a bit it came to me: that it was our group’s instinct to not just “gitter done” but to do it better. Paul Rodden (that really old fast guy) and Ken Hoeverman have both commented to me that the average quality of riders in our group is something few clubs can match. Why? My opinion is that it’s the quality of the riding areas we have created. I think quality riding areas create better riders and racers. One sobering issue this year came (I think) as a result of near perfect conditions for the Boogie. Very fast conditions resulted in a number of injuries. This is a contact sport guys, you are going to crash, and your ability to get back up and ride away is generally, other than the luck factor, governed by the quality and amount of gear you wear. I remember being on a good ride with a friend and his off brand ran out of gas. I went to a neighbor to get a bit of fuel. As we stood around chatting, their little girl, maybe 4 years old, looked up at me and said “mister are you a transformer?” I looked at her and said “yes dear, underneath all this gear there is a person”. My point is: wear all the gear. On the upcoming events front, our biggest club competition, the annual Colin Snider memorial 4-hour team event, will be on October 25th. All proceeds go to charity. Get a team of 1 (ironman), 2, or 3, 4 person teams for this event. Come out and have fun with us. This event can be competitive or just a fun ride with a group of friends. Our next club meeting is October 13th at the Red Dot in Osgoode. It will likely be our last regular meeting before our AGM (don’t forget it’s in January this year). Carolin and I were at the unveiling of the 2010 KTMs and Husabergs in Indianapolis this year. It was held the Monday after the MotoGP races so we were in the main grandstands at 9:00 am to watch the greatest road racers in the world perform superhuman feats. All in all, it was a great show.
photo: Kaveri Gupta
This year we had the finest volunteer group we have ever had…what a great dedicated crew. From making the trails, making the maps, to the great lunches, preriders, sweeps, registration & sound check. Thank you everyone!
The maestro in his evening wear.
Monday and Tuesday were 2 days of serious business seminars and I realized we are in much better shape financially than the U.S. dealers who seem to have all grown too big for their britches during the 1990’s and now need to downsize dramatically. The real fun began Wednesday at the Red Bud AMA national MX course in South Bend, Michigan. This track had an all natural terrain, much like at world level FIM course, with some monster jumps tossed in. A huge triple, called Laroqoco’s leap, comes to mind. Riders were warned not to attempt this one as only a few top US pro’s can do it. Me? I just drove around and stayed out of the way. It was very intimidating for a pure woods rider like me, but fun for the MX crew for sure. A really fun part was a big beautiful grass track, not highly technical, but with enough tricky sections to really get a feel for all of the test models from KTM and Husaberg. I was impressed with the 2010 KTMs and was so impressed by the “Bergs” that I confirmed my new dealership with them. I still have my trusty trail mule 300 W and a 2009 250 XC for racing but now have a 4-stroke Berg. This is an amazing bike and the more time I get on it, the faster I’m getting. New life for an old dog. Finally, mark this date on your calendar: Monday, November 2. It is the first day of 2 weeks of deer hunting. Remember to stay off public property during this time frame.
Woody
See you on the trails,
THE VIEW FROM HERE by Dallas Shannon
the effort that goes into these big events but I, like many, used to take the events for granted. I’d register, ride, trailer my bike and then head home without a thought.
What a great year! It’s the last full-sized newsletter of the season and I’m going to use this space to preach about support and sacrifice. In regards to support, there were a lot of businesses and people that contributed to make this newsletter successful. Trail Tours immediately supported the idea of our (still green) newsletter by purchasing an ad promoting their rider training and trail tours - kudos to Steve.
Tech Sox, another Ontario company, sent us some product to test and offered BMA members an exceptional discount on a great pair of socks. This is your last chance to order before the coupon expires at the end of January. If you haven’t ordered socks for yourself or your riding buddy consider this a reminder. DirtyBikes.ca has been great. Not only do they offer great local content on their site, they also offer great shirts for only $20. Matt McAnanama, the owner, has also been contributing great content to OUR newsletter and keeping us up to date on the great new enduro series in Canada. Thanks Matt! Woody’s Cycles has been great, supporting the newsletter and graciously lending equipment, time and resources to help get it done. These pages have been rich in content for one reason. An overwhelming number of volunteers from across the province have been submitting content. We’ve had so much content in past issues we couldn’t run everything. Amazing. Here’s to all the people who have submitted content, photos, ideas and input in the last year. Thanks. Another very supportive group has been the Ontario Federation of Trail Riders (OFTR) and in particular, Ken Hoeverman. He’s been very good at promoting the newsletter and providing additional information on the state of offroad riding in Ontario. While we’re going about our lives Ken’s been doing big things for us. Thanks Ken. Now let’s talk about sacrifice. I’ve witnessed the BMA core group giving a lot of time, effort, energy and resources so we, the membership, can show up and enjoy the ride. I don’t want to harp about
photo: Kaveri Gupta
TekVest got involved by giving us vests to use and test throughout the season. We want BMA members to be safe and wearing good quality gear is important - especially when it’s made right here in Ontario.
This is me. I’m the “range and focus” dummy for getting good pictures on the White trail called “Ruths”. This is what I’m talking about when I preach about sacrifice. I’m doing this for you. Larry Murray had a sign that said he completed this trail in 1m 37s. This lap I did it in 1m15s - with no bike. Beat that Larry.
Now, I’m talking to you. Here’s what I think you can do to make sure there is a club next year and the year after that. Next time you see a mass email asking for help - trail clearing, setting up, pre-riding (FUN!), arrowing or sweeping - VOLUNTEER. We usually have fun working together to set these things up and it feels good. It’s important for the long term success of the club
AND it will make you feel good. I’ve learned a lot about the BMA and a lot about the people who make this club work. We took over this newsletter in the spring, a newsletter that’s been run by the same few BMA members - they know who they are. For years, without fanfare or much thanks they’ve recorded the clubs affairs. I’m a big believer in written and photographic history and without their efforts, this club would only have oral history. Based on the characters that I’ve met in the BMA, what a history it would have been! The next full issue will be sometime in the spring. If anyone has thoughts or ideas on how to improve what we’re doing please drop me an email. Now let’s turn off the John Denver and get to work! Enjoy!
LOOKING
BACK by Doug Hunter
Terrorizing the trails around Osgoode - The late Colin Snider and Mike Busby (right) with Chris Busby (still with us!) in the middle. Taken at Doug Hunter’s house in Osgoode, Sept 1987
Colin Snider, 1967-1996 The BMA’s Colin Snider memorial harescramble at Woody’s has been running since the late 1990’s. However, I suspect there are many members out there who know the name and the event, but perhaps nothing of the person being honoured. I was asked to share a few memories here. Colin was like many BMA riders in that he was accomplished in other aspects of the sport before discovering/rediscovering dirt/trail riding. He was a successful roadracer, with several regional titles won in the 125 and 250cc GP championships, and top finishes in the old Yamaha RZ350 cup series. He is also largely responsible for me not going roadracing! Back in the 1980’s, after borrowing his RZ cup bike for the RACE school on a Thursday, I had lined up Mike Busby’s Honda CBR600 for a road racing debut on the Canada Day long weekend at Shannonville. Accompanied by Jon Gee with his bike, the school went well on the RZ and I got a Friday practice in on the Honda. For some reason Colin then got out on the CBR, and of course completely trashed it into a ball of metal and plastic that never saw the track again. As always, he bounced right up and jumped on another bike, while I was suddenly bike-less. I took the incident as divine intervention though, and anytime the thought of road racing came up again, I laid down until the feeling went away. By the 1990’s, a number of us rediscovered dirt riding, putting behind the commitment, costs and injuries of roadracing and MX. Or in some cases increasing driver’s license demerit points from street riding! Colin proved to be a fast off-road rider, and became known for bouncing back from the most extreme crashes, seemingly right into the saddle and continuing on without missing a beat. Trail
rides in Calabogie, Larose and Marlborough forests were common, along with local pit riding and selected harescramble events at Woody’s and Bill Bak’s in the Perth area. This was a period where many trails in Calabogie such as Tantrum, Broken Toe and Clutch Cover got named (or renamed) due to various incidents and antics. The latter was named after Colin had a huge high side on a fast but (then) green and slick trail that saw him roll and bounce forever before typically jumping back up on his feet. However, a severely holed clutch cover was discovered. Tools and preparedness were not Colin’s forte (after all, everyone else had tools along) and my roll of duct tape allowed the ride to continue. Another time Colin fouled a plug on his CR250 on the very top of the Quinn’s trail…possibly the worst place one could chose. Of course, no spare plugs or even a correct wrench could be produced among our group. After again being scolded for lack of preparedness, his response was typical Colin: “with all those tools and spare parts you have (including a four-stroke plug) why couldn’t you pack a two-stroke plug!” The resulting whiteknuckle towing session down one of the knarliest trails in the region, out of the bush and up the #77 trail with my old XR500 was eventful to say the least. The only high point was pulling into the High Falls parking lot right on the tail of the rest of our group, to a few surprised looks. Colin was as fast coasting under tow as he was with a working throttle, and was constantly demanding more speed when the tow vehicle slowed down! Ironically, the only other time I ever had to tow a bike was from that very same Quinns location with Steve Garnsey about 15 years later. A regular visit to Colin’s garage was always a worthwhile trip, as there you could recover the borrowed torque wrench/tie-downs/handlebar/acu-mix can (or you name it) you hadn’t seen in months! Still, he never lacked enthusiasm and was always eager to head out for a ride when everyone else was complaining of being tired, sick, hun-
gover or broke. Once, after procuring a huge old cube van with jump seats in the back he decided that is was ridiculous for everyone to drive all their vehicles to Calabogie when we could all go in one, saving time and money. We all chipped in for gas and after taking hours to round everyone up, we got up there, had our ride and headed home. The problem with his strategy was that the truck burned more gas then all of our vehicles combined, and he had already spent our gas money on bike parts. After being rebuked for trying to collect more gas money, the sight of him rummaging through everyone’s gas cans and accumix’s trying to scrounge a few more drops of gas for his rig had everyone in stitches. We went back to driving ourselves to rides. Time and space preclude telling every Colin story but rest assured, there are many. There was never a dull moment.
WHAT THE HECK IS THIS CARD? WHAT DO I DO WITH IT? Step 1 - Volunteer. - believe me, the club could use your help and I bet you’ll enjoy yourself. Step 2 - Print this page and fill out the card. Step 3 - Give this to Dave Phifer or any one of your friendly neighbourhood club execs. Step 4 - Clap yourself on the back. Your donation of time just helped the club and gained you some respect among your fellow club members.
Colin left us far too soon as a result of a tragic accident. His energy and enthusiasm touched many of us that knew him, whether as a friend, fellow rider or competitor. In 1997 following Colin’s death, Woody named the first four-hour team harescramble to honour his memory. The event became one of the very first items on the “new” BMA’s calendar the following year. The format remains the same today: a fun, rider-friendly, social team competition where you can ride as much (or as little) as you want, race and chat with your club mates, kick tires and raise some money for charity. It’s a nice way to close the riding season for the year. This year’s Colin Snider memorial harescramble will be held at Woody’s on October 25th. ∆ The Colin Snider Memorial 4 hour Team Scramble. Woody’s • October 25 This is an annual favorite, with a low-impact racing format, an ironman class for the hardcore, a 2-man team competition and 3 to 4 man teams. It is set on a course meant to be fun but reasonably challenging. A fundraiser for local charities and an excellent event for a family to have… a really fun day! No bikes smaller than 65cc. Please call for more information. (Carolin or Woody 613 267 6861)
BMA MEMBERS!
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get your boogie photos!
This year we staked out the Calabogie Boogie with our cameras and caught you on film. Most of you looked great but we did catch the odd person with their pants down or letting their bikes beat them like they stole something. Let’s hope you’re not the guy we caught doing both. There were two photography teams shooting the Boogie. The first, Marc Desrosiers, a professional photographer who also rides off-road and the 2nd, Kaveri and Dallas - BMA members who “help-out” with the newsletter. Below is how you can access both sets of pictures. 1. Marc’s Photos - Marc is a pro so he charges for his work. He set up at various locations during the Boogie and if you saw someone with “big equipment” I hope you smiled. Click on this link to go to his shots (or try pasting it in the URL): http://finefocus.zoomphoto.ca/event/11494/ Any problems please email Marc at: mdesrosiers3980@rogers.com 2. Dallas & Kaveri - We were the two fools riding around on a dirtbike and an ATV trying desperately to stay ahead of the main group of riders. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. We had fun shooting the event and certainly learned a lot. Carolin was nice enough to lend us her “precious” - a very nice digital SLR with lots of toys. THANKS CAROLIN! Next year we hope to have our own SLR and go snap happy. Our pics are posted as LOW RES FILES. If you want the original, high res photo so you can make posters for your bedroom ceiling or workshop bathroom please email me @ offroad.newsletter@gmail.com with the photo Image Number (e.g. IMG3456.jpg) I’ll send you the original(s) by mail, no charge!
For our PASSWORD PROTECTED (password = bytown) pictures click here: http://bytownmotorcycle.smugmug.com/Boogie/Calabogie-Boogie-2009/9842105_3mPzW/1/669183141_HLQDb
SUCCESS! 2009 Boogie delivers! by Carolin Leuders
What a great Boogie we had this year! Things started off as usual with the registration in the Calabogie Highland Golf Club. We had 135 pre-registered riders and about 30 entries on the weekend of the ride.
again put on the lunch. Joan puts on a great lunch, but from what I understand, her butter tarts are what the guys always look forward to. One rider told me that they were the only reason he came!
Sound testing, run by Terry Young, was set up outside in the parking lot. Some people registered on Friday night,
but most waited until Saturday morning. Saturday morning started out as a beautiful day – which was a nice change from previous years – cool and wet weather. After registration, and the riders meeting (conducted by trail boss Steve Garnsey), the riders headed out for the day. My next stop was the lunch area, where Paul Leonard had already started setting up. Joan and Dave Lindop once
A few riders were injured by the time they reached the lunch stop; we had everything from a broken toenail, to a dislocated shoulder. We also had one or two bike casualties, which had to make their way back to the pits in the back of the trailer with Paul. Unfortunately, I wasn’t at the banquet this year, from what I heard, everybody had a good time. Warren Thaxter, “Mr Off-Road” was honoured that evening with a letter from Scott Harden, read by Larry Murray. A collection was gathered for Ken Hoeverman, from the OFTR, for all the great work he does for us off-road riders. Driving up to the event on Sunday, raindrops started to fall on my windshield, but we were lucky, and the rain held off for us. Sunday was at the gravel pits on the north lake, as it has been, for the past 2 years.
Lunch was a BBQ, with the usual burgers and salads. Paul Leonard was there again to help me through out the day, and I must say, he looks pretty good in an apron. Things went pretty smoothly, and we only had a few injuries on this day, poor Ironman Eastman being one of them. As I said at the beginning of this, it was a great Boogie! We had great weather for riding, a good turn out, and good trails. Best of all, I think, is the amount of volunteers we get for this event. The Boogie takes months of planning, and there were always people ready to work. This year, Kaveri and Dallas went riding around, taking pictures of the boogie at different locations. A nice new addition to the event. I don’t have a final number at this time, but I will say that things are looking good. ∆
This year’s Boogie success had a lot to do with our Boss, Steve Garnsey (right).
Upcoming Events Colin Snider Memorial - October 25th The Colin Snider Memorial 4 hour Team Scrambles. Woody’s • October 25, 2009 This is an annual favorite, with a low-impact racing format, an ironman class for the hardcore, a 2-man team competition and 3 to 4 man teams. It is set on a course meant to be fun but reasonably challenging. A fundraiser for local charities and an excellent event for a family to have… a really fun day! No bikes smaller than 65cc. For more information please call Carolin or Woody @ 613 267 6861
GET LOST! by Jeff Ackert
(with Jeff)
Jeff Ackert is our resident GPS guru. If you have read the last few issues you’ll trust him to get you home. In this issue Jeff gives us GPS users some tips and tricks. You’ve passed the GPS 101 level now and it’s time to get some helpful Tips and Tricks to make it easier to use the GPS.
Tip 1: Free Software Updates Get all the most recent software updates for your GPS and computer. Both of these are available on the Garmin website (www.garmin.com). Make sure you have the GPS connected to the computer with the supplied USB cable and then use the Garmin Webupdater software that is recommended on the site: (http://www8.garmin.com/products/webupdater/howtoinstall.jsp). It will communicate with the GPS unit you have and tell you if there are any software updates for your unit. Go ahead and get these updates by following the prompting on the screen. Update your Mapsource software for your PC at the same time. The update is free if you already have the Mapsource software loaded that came with the unit. The latest version contains all the latest points of interest and major road updates. http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209
Tip 2: Load Detailed Topographic Maps The detailed topo maps are really important for those of you who trail ride and dual sport on the lesser-travelled roads. There are two products I know of that are useful. The Garmin Topo Canada V.4 is the latest and can be purchased through Le Barons in Ottawa or online at www. GPScity.ca. The cost is about $130. This works through the Mapsource software loaded on your PC or loaded directly onto your data storage card (we will tackle that trick later on). There is a free topo download available through Ibycus, but you have to set up for a major download of around 3GB. If
you are so inclined, you can check out the instructions at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPVeyw0MyaE&feature=channel_page.
As an alternative, I will copy the zipped Ibycus file onto a CD and make it available for BMA club members.
Trick 1: Set up the Page Sequence This is a very good way to organize the pages or screens on the GPS unit. I find that I use the waypoints and tracks the most on a ride so I put those pages at the front and get rid of the others that I don’t normally use. In order to do this you go to the Main Menu, select the SETUP icon and within this screen choose PAGE SEQUENCE. It will then list the pages that are visible and the order in which they show up. If you want to add a page to the sequence select <add page> at the bottom of the list and then select the page you would like. If you want to remove a page from the sequence, scroll to and highlight that page in the list, hit the enter button, and then select the option from the pull down list. If you remove a page from this list, it will place the icon for that page within the Main Menu. You do not lose the page permanently.
Trick 2: Save your Maps and Tracks to the Data Storage Card The Map60CSx GPS and others have a Micro SD data slot inside the battery compartment of the unit. The standard capacity is around 64MB, although you can upgrade to 1GB or more (maximum 4GB). What this allows you to do is store more of the aftermarket topo maps on board and save your active tracks directly to the data card. In order to check and see how much storage you have available in your Data Card, go to the TRACKS menu, select Setup, click “Data Card Setup”, and then select the Menu button on the front of the GPS. A pulldown Menu is revealed and you can then select “Card Info”. It will show the percentage used, the amount used and the Free Space available. Once you have your Mapsource software loaded with the Canadian Topo maps, you can transfer the maps you need to your GPS. Even with the larger Micro SD card in the unit, don’t expect to get all the topo maps loaded. Only choose the ones that are in your area of interest (we’ll cover the basics of the Mapsource software in a future instalment). In order to save your active logs to the Micro SD card, you will need to go to the TRACKS page, select Setup, and then select Data Card Setup. At the top of this page check “Log Track to Data Card”. With the active log being saved to the data card, you will end up with a directory of files listed by date with a .GPX file format. Unfortunately,
these cannot be accessed as a saved track by the GPS. You will have to access the data card through the PC using the SETUP Menu, selecting Interface and then selecting “USB Mass Storage”. Your PC will then read the card as an external drive. The beauty of this is that you can save a huge number of active Tracks on the Data Card, whereas if you were to save them directly on the GPS unit you can only store 20 Tracks.
the Map Page, select the MENU button on the front of the GPS. Then scroll down and select “Measure Distance”. You can then use the rocker on the front of the GPS to move the pointer to the point you want to measure from, select ENTR and then move the arrow on the screen to the point you want to measure to. You will notice that as you move the pointer, in the top right corner of the map, the distance between the 2 points will be shown as well as the compass bearing.
Trick 3: Hit the Menu Button on any page to reveal Trick 7: Turn off the Electronic Compass to Save more options Battery Power This is useful if you are in Navigation mode and you want to turn it off, or if you need some more information or options on your map.
Trick 4: Hit the Menu Button Twice to get back to the Main Menu If you are confused with the pages or would just like a shortcut, this works quickly to get back to a familiar page.
Trick 5: Add a Custom Welcome Message to your GPS Go to the Main Menu and Select SETUP, scroll down through the icons to the Welcome Message icon and select it. You can then use the on screen keyboard to personalize your welcome message. I usually put my name and phone number in case I crash badly and need something to identify me or, if I lose the GPS unit, it may find its way home!
Trick 6: Measure the Distance between 2 Points This could come in handy, if say you are out bushcrashing with Woody and you want to know how far it is from where you are to the closest lake or trail. On
The electronic compass on the CSx can be turned off to conserve batteries if need be. While in any page or screen, hold down the PAGE button on the front of the unit until the message at the bottom of the screen shows up. You can turn the compass back on by doing the same. If anyone has any other tips or tricks that they have found to be useful, by all means please let us know here at the BMA newsletter. We will continue to publish these on a regular basis. ∆
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FALLING DOWN Confessions of a True Beginner
by Barry Isherwood
Barry and his sons just started riding this season and have been writing a monthly column on what’s it’s like to be green as the grass. I’ve been seeing them at BMA events all summer and they have really progressed. Nice job guys! This month Barry outlines some of the local riding areas - what a long way they have come!
So, let’s go for a ride! Always an inviting thought, but where should we go? We are lucky in that we aren’t too far from a number of places. Larose Forest We are about 15 minutes from the Larose Forest which, although closed to dirt bikes until just recently, is in the midst of a resurgence due to the hard work of club member Marlene Bleau and others who have dedicated a lot of time and effort to secure approval for dirt bikes. We have ridden there once and are looking forward to some more rides there later this year. Dirt bike designated area only though. Beware! Limerick Forest We have been almost living there most weekends this summer. For beginRippin’ @ Woody’s ners like us, it is hard to beat the variety of trails and riding experiences offered. From warming up in the gravel pit, to airing out on one of the wider trails, to testing our mettle on some single track, it’s all there to be had. We were there last weekend and are continuing to find new trails to explore. Woody’s in Perth Always an adventure. We watched the two-hour hare
scramble earlier this year. Yikes! Maybe next year. We have ridden the hare scramble track during the BMA Family Fun Day, and are alive to tell the tale. We’ll be back. It was definitely more challenging than Limerick. Calabogie Then there’s Calabogie, which is less than two hours away from us. Not a long drive for a Boogie. And we were there this year for the big event. What a great time! On Saturday, we did all of the orange loop and a few of the shorter pink loops. I couldn’t quite muster up the courage to do the extra 70 km pink loop this time, but maybe next year. As it was, we covered about 100 km on Saturday. On Sunday, we did the morning loop, about 35 km, and found that quite challenging. The big mud hole on the power line trail in particular took its toll. In the interest of sanity, we opted out of the afternoon loop. Dad, I REALLY wanted to ride the pink loop! It has been a pretty good first season of riding, particularly if you consider that neither my son or myself had ever been on a motorbike before five months ago. Hey, you’ve got to start sometime. See you on the trails! ∆
Friends of the Bytown Motorcycle AssociAtion will receive 25% off a day of riding at Trail Tours and Dirtbike School. Visit trailtour.com to book your loved ones ride today. While you’re there, book one for yourself. Limit one coupon per rider. pLease indicate your discount upon booking.
TEK VEST REVIEW reviewed by BMA Members
TekVest is letting the BMA take their Off-Road Rally vests for a long term product review. We’re going to see to it that the vests take a serious beating over the riding season. We will have updates as to how the vests are holding up, what we love, what we like and what we would want improved. Other riders with TekVests weigh in...
The TekVest’s are making the rounds, I gave the tester to BMA Member Bruce Cole.
Bruce Cole’s Thoughts His Ride: Potluck of Bimmers Ride on Sunday – Work on Monday While getting down and dirty off-road is good, for many of us the thought of getting out on the trails over a weekend becomes an objective (obsession) that makes surviving the Monday to Friday grind more bearable. With this noble “objective” in mind, getting through the weekend in one piece means that the rider needs to be well prepared. This is where Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) comes in to play. We don’t ‘ride naked’ and for most of us the essential pieces – helmets, goggles, boots, gloves and pads, are just that - essential. Some of us take it further by wearing padded one or two-piece suits with strategically placed armour for the shoulder, arm, hip and knee areas. As well, enthusiasts are adopting additional PPE components that include neck braces, body belts, safety vests/exo-skeleton components which (if utilized correctly) increase safety for the rider. This market segment is getting more attention from manufacturers and suppliers, and for good reason. Enter the TekVest by TekRider, just one outstanding
example of what is available. As introduced in the July BMA Newsletter, two Off-Road Rally Sport TekVests are in circulation within BMA members. I see this having two benefits: it facilitates long-term evaluation and in the process, promotes the use of this type of equipment. So, what follows is my two cents worth. The medium unit was a bit small so I borrowed This is not Bruce Cole but if it were he would be smiling in his helmet while riding this bike. the XXL model from Dallas. Once adjusted correctly, it fit just fine. Based on the sizing chart provided on the TekVest site, an XL should be just about perfect for me. I have been wearing the TekVest on a daily basis for two weeks now (on and off-road) and it has been easy. After the first use, it becomes just another part of the kit – unobtrusive and reassuring. I wear the vest as an exo-skeleton over my primary riding jacket although the vest can also be worn next to the body if that is the preferred placement. To say this thing is well-made is an understatement – it is one of the most well-designed, and well-assembled pieces of PPE that I have ever seen. And I have seen a few, including military kits specifically designed for the body. The CoolMax liner material is extremely sturdy but still
Side/chest buckle is a bit cumbersome and could use a finger hook.
provides essential cooling properties. Everything is double stitched and/or reinforced at all pressure or stress points. Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMV) Polyethylene is used for the plates and trust me when I say this stuff is tough. The body pads are of varying shapes and are stitched into the liner. With the side pads, chest plates and shoulder plates properly adjusted and secured, the upper body is well protected.
The only struggle I had was with the side/chest buckles – they are hard to manipulate, especially once the vest is on. Depending on how much of the strap is available to act as the pull-tab, the heavy-duty nature of the buckle adds to the friction and thus the effort required to snug them up. A wider pull-tab or finger hook would cure this issue. The front chest pockets with their vertical zippers are
great for carrying essentials like small tools while the top horizontal flat pockets are handy for stashing my license and registration (and perhaps a Route Card – remember those?). To keep the body hydrated and exercise the internal bladder, it is essential that fluids be carried. This is where the back storage or bladder pouch really demonstrates its versatility. A one-to-two litre bladder fits nicely into the back pouch with the tube being run through the top cut-out and then through the tube guide. The guide is a great idea: it reduces the chance of it getting snagged on something that is being passed at speed – been there, done that. But both my straight and 90-degree mouthpieces were too large to push through the guide so I had to remove them first and then guide the tube through. A slightly larger diameter guide would be great.
This is not Bruce Cole but if it were he would be wearing the TekVest over his jacket.
Even with a water bladder in place, the elastic web straps allow smaller softer items to be folded up and carried. I managed to fit my two-piece rain suit, small FA pouch and space blanket securely under the expandable webbing. This makes the vest a true self-contained piece of kit, especially if an unscheduled overnighter in the bush comes about, right Dallas?
FREE DEMO! - The BMA is doing a long-term test review of the TekVest. See page 14 for the first installment of our review. If you are are a BMA member and you are interested in being given a TekVest to demo, please email: offroad.newsletter@gmail.com
I like the TekVest. Two of them will definitely be added to our equipment budget in the near future. Now if only the reflective striping was in neon yellow like our current safety vests...∆
Boogie Stories I had a dialogue with “recently returned” rider Scott Ramsay. He contacted me by email after the September newsletter went out and I wanted to reprint the conversation. This illustrates how BMA members and the Calabogie Boogie are perceived by other riders. If you see Scott posting on the forum looking to ride, please take him up on it - he’s a super nice guy and has comical observations. On Sun, Aug 30, 2009 at 6:33 PM, Dallas Shannon wrote: Hi All, Here is the September newsletter. We tried our best to make it a Calabogie BOOGIE, preview issue. A lot of people contributed to this issue so thanks to everyone who helped out. Our October issue is going to be about the BOOGIE itself. We are looking for people to contribute one or two cool things that happened to them during the Boogie - mud pit, helping someone, getting helped, a great trail, cool crash, great climb, vista, etc... We’re going to try and assemble some fun stuff. Also, we are going to have the event photographed as much as possible. If you or anyone you know is snapping shots PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY! Thanks and enjoy! Dallas ********************************** On 2-Sep-09, at 4:59 PM, S R wrote: Thanks Dallas,
Scott. Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network ********************************* On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 8:43 PM, Dallas Shannon wrote: I’m not from this area and when I typed in Pakenham I realized that you live in DIRT BIKE HEAVEN. Wow. I wish I lived in that area!!! Dallas ********************************** It was at this point that Scott and I had a long conversation about Calabogie, the Boogie, what to expect and what to look for. I mentioned that if he wanted to start exploring he should get a GPS. On 3-Sep-09, at 12:01 PM, S R wrote: Hey Dallas! Thanks again. Ordered a Garmin 60Csx from GPS Central! (&powercable&RAM mount&topo maps...)
Can you tell me where/how to get onto any trails in the Calabogie area?? I’m a new member, actually just getting back into bikes after 12 years.
Scott. ********************************** On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 11:31 AM, Dallas Shannon wrote:
Oh yes, I am also looking for good trails to take my 8 & 12 yr old out to on weekends. They are just staring to ride and looking for more adventure than the yard now!
Scott,
Scott Ramsay. ********************************** From: Dallas Shannon Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 19:36:57 -0400 To: S R Subject: Re: BMA September Newsletter Hi Scott,
Did you ride the Boogie? If so, how’d it go? I’m guessing you had fun - the weather was spectacular! Talk to you, Dallas ********************************** On 14-Sep-09, at 2:02 PM, S R wrote:
We can talk on the phone about this if you want...
Hey Dallas! I did ‘survive’ the Boogie. I was totally out of energy Saturday afternoon but still survived the last leg through ‘Richter Scale’. It was a great time for sure! I have never ridden anything like that. I rode with a great bunch I met early on Saturday morning and kept up through the pink trails - until I turned into jello-man for the last part of the afternoon (fortunately a few of them were tired too.) Richter Scale was supposed to be a mellow run with nothing crazy, according to Mike O’Reilly who was part of the group I was with - LIES! But it all fun. I had a few get-offs but no real injuries. Unfortunately Jeff fractured a collar bone.
Dallas ********************************** On 2-Sep-09, at 7:43 PM,wrote:
Sunday I rode with two of the guys from Saturday and we stayed on the orange! (I was pretty sore - just like you said!) Spectacular day. Fun, beautiful, fun. I was hobbling but happy at the end of it - glad it was a short run.
Thanks for getting back to me Dallas.
Ya’ know, I was amazed how well organized, laid out, mapped, and arrowed. The sweeps, the considerate and helpful riders - all super. In fact a young fellow in our group got a flat and so many people stopped to help out. As it turns out we couldn’t get it fixed so he limped to the lunch stop where we would find someone to shuttle his bike back to the Highlands. Instead of just getting the bike shuttled someone (he didn’t even know) lent him a bike to finish the day with - wow.
First question: Are your bikes green plated and do they have insurance? If so than I can suggest the Limerick forest, a great place to “cut your teeth” riding trails. I can also make some suggestions for Calabogie, it’s such a huge place there is a nice mix of stuff for everyone? Without green plating and insurance you’d be taking some chances regarding the law, etc.
Sure, phone sounds good. When’s a good time? What number? (I’m just a little excited to get out - does it show?) All our bikes are green plated and insured. They’re all fairly quiet, my WR is the loudest but still not mx loud. I live in Pakenham so Calabogie is appealing. I am not averse to travelling though. Actually, as silly as it is, I work in Orleans. Ugh.
Today, well, I can barely walk. Getting out of bed took an hour. I almost called in sick - I was quite late as it was. Later I will go buy a brake lever and some bark busters. It’s all good! Scott.
********************************** On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 2:19 PM, Dallas Shannon wrote:
of the word WHITE) I am known to stop routinely and brush off the moss which grows on my north side.
Scott,
I was pounding up and down the trail with all the grace of a drunken rhino when before me appeared .....nothing. The trail ended on a rock ledge and looking down I saw a 6-8 ft. drop (yes, it did go down a slope but the slope was at about 75 degrees) which lead onto a small step littered with loose dirt and then plunged down another slope of equally treacherous distance, traction and terrain. “No f---ing way!” I said to myself and any forest nomes listening. Any way I looked at it, with my luck and abilities I and my ride would be a broken mess by the bottom. There was little time to ponder another route so I did the only thing resembling common sense ...... I jumped off and “bull dogged” the bike to the bottom of the slope. It was incredibly exhausting, and slow but I was still in one piece and my bike was unscathed.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Reading this made me laugh out loud. Great recap of the Boogie! Thanks for taking the time to write this!! I’ve been in your shoes plenty of times and I’ve felt the same way... From what we talked about on the phone, I suspected you would like riding with the club in Calabogie. It’s a great place to ride and the BMA members are really great! We have a few more rides before the end of the season you should try and participate in. If you rode and kept up with Mike and Jeff you will probably be good on most of the intermediate rides. Post on the BMA forum that you are looking to ride and I’m sure you’ll get some response. Just suggest a date and post your level/experience and you’re good. I cc’d one of my riding buddies who will get a kick out of your comments, I hope you don’t mind... Talk to you soon, Dallas ********************************** From: S R Date: September 14, 2009 3:26:36 PM GMT-04:00 To: Dallas Shannon Subject: Re: BMA September Newsletter No problem. It is somehow comforting to know someone else ‘can feel my pain’! I should clarify the ‘kept up with Mike & Jeff’. The overall level of the group determined the level & pace. Jeff & Shane scraped me up several times and I owe the completion of Saturday’s ride to Jeff, no doubt about it. He hung back with me through the energy depletion and even walking out leg cramps! Saturday was a stretch for me but a good thing & it was great. I’m sure it’s a big part of why I enjoyed Sunday so much - my riding & confidence went way up (a survival & self-preservation thing entirely!). I feel badly that Jeff was behind me when he fell and I wasn’t there for him. I hadn’t the energy to pick up my bike (again!) so I was concentrating on keeping the rubber down through the rocks. I guess I assumed by that point that if I was ok he’d be for sure - lesson learned.
Jerrett, fit, gifted and in his early twenties, said, “That would have taken more energy than riding it down!” I replied, “Yah but all i could think of was .... how the hell are the guys going to carry my bulk out of here, after I auger in? How much of a mess would my bike be and how hard would it be for you guys to get it out. We have another days riding ahead of us and it would be a shame to “pooch it” so early in the ride!” Jerrett said, “Man, that’s a lot of things to run through your mind when riding!” “Yah, well that’s what 54 years will do to you!” My thanks again to the entire Bytown Motorcycle Association crew. I wussed out a few times but had the ride of my year. Sincerely, Rick Currah, (you don’t have to be a great rider to be one) OFTR President 2009 Relic Rick ODSC/OFTR Member ∆
I’m trying the pics again - let me know if you get them this time. I signed up for the forum the night we’d chatted on the phone but it still hasn’t been ‘activated’ by whomever does that. I sent a message off asking where it stood just in case it fell into a Beat up but not beaten. Scott (right) at Sunday’s vista. crack somewhere. Scott. **********************************
Another post that was on the ODSC Forum. I had to post this as it’s a funny story and I wasn’t sure that everyone had a chance to see it. Woody, AKA Dave P. is, as I fully suspected, a twisted man. He and his merry band of BMA characters managed to best last years ride and therefore send this rider home gimping and sore but grinning from ear to ear and plotting next years return. Saturday morning, about 1/2 way through the route, we were on one of the infamous “WHITE” sections. For some charitible reason, the gang I rode with (Tim and Jerrett Bellamy and Keith Galbraith, my old high school buddy) had me riding point. I suppose, it was so they could keep an eye on my slow progress. When the trail gets as knarly as a Calabogie WHITE SECTION (capitalized because I now break out in tremors at the sound
Above is the new BMA business card. The club has printed 1000 double sided, full colour cards so it’s members (you!) can “recruit” potential new members while on the trail. We’re going to be spreading them around to as many people as we can. Club execs should have some so please don’t be shy on asking where you can get them. Also don’t be shy on spreading them around. The more members we have the more influence and power we wield. Northumberland Forest has fallen, don’t think it can’t happen here. “There is strength in numbers - go forth and spread thy message!” - unknown BMA Member
photos by Carolin Lueders
This issue, and in future issues, Larry is going to teach us how to teach someone else to ride. Those with aspirations of teaching your S.O., child or friend - PAY CLOSE ATTENTION!
Learning to ride – young or old this will help all of us! For the next few exhaust notes, I will be doing a series on ways to make you and me a better, faster, safer rider, using less energy thus making us a stronger rider at the same time. But I want to start at the beginning and that is with someone that is just learning to off-road bike.
The Rider on the Bike: • are the controls easy to operate? (Adjust bars, brakes, clutch and gearshift) • Can they reach all the controls and balance the bike sitting on it? (If not look for a different bike!)
Getting Started Take the time to show and explain features about the bike and how they work. Discuss issues like the on/off switch, kill switch, brake front and rear, clutch operation, gearshift, and throttle control. Their wrist position should be down.
I have noticed that there are a lot of people who think a good place to learn or teach someone to ride is Limerick Forest (parking area) or on the fire roads. But the truth is that Limerick Forest is a good place for someone to hone there skills or improve their riding, but maybe the worst place you can take them to learn to ride. Remember they are learning to ride! They need a controlled environment, not a place with a lot of distractions, nor a place that they could get hurt or hurt someone else. Lets get started! Here are my tips on what to look for in location, bike, safety equipment for the new rider.
Location: • open area with no distractions! • a slight grade or slope, a SLIGHT grade or slope!!! • size 50 meters by 30 meters • you will need to make an oval track! 30 meters x 15 meters • clear the track of any large rocks or hazards! • about 2/3 the way down the straights draw a STOP line!
Bike: • should fit the rider • must be safe to ride • the less horse power the better
Safety Equipment for the Rider: • helmet • goggles or glasses • gloves • boots (work boots will do) • chest protector
Do not let them wrap there wrist around the throttle – if the bike gets ahead of them, we don’t want them to turn more throttle on! Teach them how to start and stop the bike consistently. After, and only after, all of this has been covered can we move on. Now let’s get them going. You should start them off on the slight grade downward of the oval, this will help them with two things: the clutch will be easier to engage and let the bike move forward with little or no difficulty. And, they are less likely to flip the bike over if they drop the
clutch and rev the engine at the same time (wrist position down and head up!) They should be able to engage the clutch without revving the engine on the downhill grade. Make them stop every 20 meters using both the front and rear brakes. Repeat this exercise and they will learn fast. Keep the speed down and no shifting. If the bike goes into neutral with little effort it is always good practice to do so after each stop. Remember to use the downhill grade, stop every 20 meters (wrist position down and head up!) and if they get into trouble they should always pull everything in and step on every thing. Yes! Pull and step on everything! Pull clutch and front brake and step on rear brake and shifter.
photo: Carolin Lueders
After they have mastered pulling away and stopping on the down hill let then ride around the oval but make them stop on the down hill side each time. Then move them on to starting and stopping on the turn, leave the up hill starting and stopping till the end. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let them get too tired as this is a lot of work and they will need to have lots of breaks. Take your time and let them have fun. The only thing left to do is get them shifting up and down on the straights and this should come easy. They should STOP at least once every lap.
This should take about 3-4 hours. Maybe over 2 days, but try to Such skill! keep the days back to back. Give them as much time as they need, but keep them riding. Think about it, you have just helped someone learn the basic skills of riding a dirt bike! They now know how to use the clutch, throttle, brakes, shifter, they can start/stop and make turns. All under control (we hope). Now they can go riding where they will encounter other riders. They have the skills to be safe and enjoy the 2 track trails. Keep the speeds down until they are comfortable. Have Fun and be Safe Larry
SOMETHING TO SAY? Photos, product reviews, ride reports,are all welcome. Gwammer, spwelling and punatuation are all optional (we have a GREAT copy editor)!
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Spring! -the newsletter crew