The Motorcycle Times - September 2017 by The Motorcycle Times

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volume 8 | issue 9

SEPTEMBER 2017

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INDUSTRY NEWS

OPP Seeking Public Help with Motorcycle Mob

The Ontario Provincial Police is seeking help from the public after a large group of riders ran amok on the province’s highways on the weekend. The motorcycle mob hit major routes in southern Ontario, including the Gardiner Expressway, Don Valley Parkway, the 409, 401 and 403, and Queen Elizabeth Way on Sunday afternoon. Reports say there was plenty of illegal stunting down the roadways, with traffic blocked as riders did wheelies, burnouts and general hoonery. Needless to say, the straight-laced populace of the GTA is not impressed, with police receiving multiple complaints. The OPP didn’t shut the ride down, but supposedly followed along with a helicopter and took down plate numbers. There are reports that participating riders have been receiving police visits in the past few days, but we haven’t seen anything that we can confirm. The OPP issued a public call for assistance in resolving the incident, with their Twitter feed saying “The actions of these riders jeopardized the safety of all road users by increasing the risk of collisions, as well as frustrating drivers which may lead to road rage incidents.” The OPP’s official Twitter feed has video of one of the incidents, if you care to see it. They’re asking for help identifying the riders. It’s taking a while for motorcycle mobs to become a thing in Canada, but it’s happening. There were some very highprofile incidents in the GTA last year that ended with serious police charges and motorcycles in flaming wreckage. The summer is almost over, but unless there’s an immediate, heavy police crackdown, we’re guessing this won’t be the last of it here. Labour Day weekend is just around the corner …

A Quiet Demise

Harley-Davidson Has Quietly Killed the V-Rod The unique muscle bike co-developed with Porsche has been put out to pasture. While many are mourning the loss of the Dyna Big Twin lineup, the most unHarley motorcycle in the Harley-Davidson family has been quietly discontinued during the heavy-duty revamp of the Milwaukee bike brand’s 2018 lineup: the V-Rod. The 2017 V-Rod Muscle and Night Rod Special were the final iterations of the VRSC (V-Twin Racing Street Custom) line.

At this point, there have been no official announcements that it’s been killed off… but it’s absence from the website’s 2018 models is a whispering hint. It isn’t a surprise (unlike the news about the Dynas). For a long time, the V-Rod platform was the only option if you wanted a liquid-cooled HarleyDavidson, but the H-D faithful never really took to the design. Now, Harley-Davidson has other liquid-cooled designs that are more pleasing to traditionalists (the Milwaukee Eight) or more afford-

able (Revolution X). For months, people have been whispering the V-Rod was soon headed for cancellation, and now it seems those predictions were true. Introduced in 2001, the V-Rod was intended to compete with Japanese motorcycles that many riders were flocking to as reliable, low-cost Harley alternatives. Everything from the engine to the overall design of the V-Rod was a pretty radical departure from the retro bikes that dominated Harley’s lineup. As its name implied, continued on PG. 03

September 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 2

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A Quiet Demise

the V-Rod still had a V-Twin engine, but this Revolution engine—co-developed with Porsche, and it was based on the engine in the VR-1000 Superbike Harley used in competitive drag racing—was the first overhead cam, liquid-cooled HarleyDavidson engine to see mass-market production. The cylinders were placed at a 60-degree angle, rather than the 45 degrees that’s key to creating the signature Harley-Davidson sound. To meet Porsche’s standards, the Revolution passed the famous Düsseldorf Test at the Porsche Engineering Group’s Weissach Development Center in Germany. (see ready PowersPorts.com For details) The Düsseldorf Test is a rigorous endurance test that requires an engine to run all 2016-2018 all 2016-2018 for 500 hours without failure. *Vehicle This License proved fee (where applicable) Motorcyc Motorpossible cycles les to see the bike go with no retically we’ll see the V-Rod back, that it was both powerful andand reliable. HST are extra. Vehicle(s)It’sanda bitcomsad com e e wit witbet h h on it. Instead, we’d $ * $ guess the * but don’t though, as the V-Rod was a bold As for the rest of the bike, itaccessories lookedshown likeare forfanfare, illustration 60 month 60 month sPP sPfor P Harley-Davidson, even if Sportster lineup, which is Harley-Davidstep forward no other Harley ever built. It had a hydropurposes only. Pricing includes factory it was formed tubular frame, an athletic incentives stance, as follows: (DRZ70 $200/ a little unpopular. The factory drag son’s longest-running engine design now, TU250Xa $0/SV650SA bike built around the V-Rod platform, the is probably not far off the chopping block. a gas tank under the seat with round- $1000/GSX250R all 2016-2018 All was 2015 one of the coolest ideas Emissions $1,200/GSX-R750 $1400). All standards are making it harder topped airbox cover up front$0/VZ800 posing as a Destroyer, Motorcycles Mo tor cyc les www.readysuzuki.com 2015/2016-2018 MotorcyclesHarley-Davidson come with had brought to market and harder gas tank, and easy on the chrome and othcome with for big-piston$air-cooled en- * e with $ * 48/60 months included. See for full com inusyears. However, that bike has already gines, and Sportster’s history won’t be 430 Hensall dressings Circle, Mississauga er frivolous common on SPP Har60 month sPthe 48 month SPP P details. Offers goodyet until Augustbeen 31, 2017.off the market for some time. enough to keep it in the lineup once govleys. It was big, tough, and powerful, sales direct: 866-819-4114 With no official announcement, it’s theo- ernment regulations catch up to it. The subdued, not unlike a classic muscle car.

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*Vehicle Licence fee (if applicable) and HST extra on all offers. Sale Price on the New Motorcycles includes freight and P.D.E., ECRF, Licence Administration Fee and OMVIC Fee. Pricing of the following include a limited time rebate of: EX300AGF $750/EX300BHFB $500/ Versys X300 $0/Z800 $1,000/ZX6SE ABS $1,500. Motorcycle(s) and accessories shown are for il ustration purposes only. Actual colours 2016 ZX6seaBs may vary depending on availability. Dealer trade or Factory Order may $ * be necessary. Offers subject to change without notice, see us for full details. Offers cannot be combined with any other offers, programs or discounts and are good until August 31, 2017.

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incentives as follows: (DRZ70 $200/ TU250X $0/SV650SA $1000/GSX250R $0/VZ800 $1,200/GSX-R750 $1400). All All 20152015 Yamaha R3 * www.readysuzuki.com 2015/2016-2018 Motorcycles2015comev-star with 250MotorcyclesBlack $ co me $ * wi th Coloured $ * www.readyyamaha.com• 430 Hensall Circle, Mississauga 48/60 months SPP included. See us for full 48 monthBody SPP add 100 details. Offers good until August 31, 2017. 430 hensall circle, Mississauga

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*Vehicle Licence (where applicable) and HST extra.Sale Price on the New Motorcycles includes freight and P.D.E.,ECRF,LicenceAdministration Fee and OMVIC Fee.Freight & PDE ($65/$75/$100/$65),all extra on the following on the other products:(EF2000iS/EF3000iSEB/F15SMHA/F4CMHA).Pricing of the following include a limited time rebate and discount of: (V-Star 250 $320/R3 $640/FZ7 $160/FJ-09 $0/EF2000iS $225/EF3000iSEB $150/F4SMHA $50/F15SMHA $100). Dealer order/trade may be necessary, if we sell out of our inventory.Vehicle(s) and accessories shown are for il ustration purposes only. Offers good until August 31, 2017 and are subject to change without notice, see us for full details.

*Vehicle Licence fee (if applicable) and HST extra on all offers. Sale 866-812-5582 ready to race SaleS event! www.readyktm.com 430 Hensall Circle, Mississauga Price on the New Motorcycles includes freight and P.D.E., ECRF,

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8,269 $ * * $ * 5,969 4,779 4,749 1 ,289 1,799 $ $ * Only FactOry authOrized retailer in OntariO tO OFFer hOnda, KawaSaKi, KtM, SuzuKi and yaMaha all under One One StOp ShOpping: rOOF!* 9,966 EU7000iSC EU2000iT1 ParallEl EG5000 429the Reduce this rate 1% 0.9% for 24mths WB20XK2C under the Honda loyalty Purchase Financing 2017 africa-twin Outboard Motors 2015 CBR1000S 2016 Program: If you currently own Available on All $ * $ * $ * Summer SaleS event! gl1800Bg www.readyhondapowersports.com crF1000larg rePsol 389 499 869 2014-2017 new a Honda Product with an mto $ * $ * $ * Ownership (Honda/Acura 430 Hensall Circle, Mississauga HHrS2165PKCC HHrr2169PKCC HHrX2174HYC Honda Motorcycles 16,219 21,769 16,169 auto, motorcycle or atv). 4HP in-stock! 15HP $

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September 2017 , The Motorcycle Times – 4

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The Motorcycle Times is published 11 times a year from Feb thru December.

scott macdonald EDITOR

It always comes back to bite you

We are once again coming to the final stages of riding season here in Ontario. The leaves will soon be falling, our riding time will become less and less as the temperature drops and daylight fades away earlier each evening. For me, fall puts me into a quiet reflective mood, it’s when I analyze the events of the past year and begin a countdown of time remaining till our annual southern vacation the middle of September. As I reflect back, this year has been particularly frustrating when it comes to riding. I had expected to be able to get on my bike at some point each weekend and ride to work a day or two, here and there. Early on, I was able to find time for a few decent rides with friends in between rain drops, but then it all came to a screeching halt one evening back in June. Sitting on my porch realxing enjoying a beautiful sunset and a great cup of Joe, you know how sometimes you just have a feeling something is about to ruin the moment. Well that’s when my wife and son approached me with unusual looks on their faces – kind of a cross between giddy expectation and absolute fear. At first I wasn’t sure what was going on with them until my wife said, “Go ahead, ask him”. What would you think about me moving back home? Ah Ha! I knew it. Normally I don’t get the consideration of being asked, usually I simply get told about things that happen and decisions that are made – after the fact. So where is this going you ask? Well, it’s all about why I virtually stopped riding in late June. About eight years ago, my wife wanted a dishwasher installed so we looked into the possibilities of retrofitting one into our existing kitchen cabinets, as luck would have it, turned out to be next to impossible. So, we took measurements, ordered new cabinets and until recently they

have been stored (waiting for the right moment) in a semi-finished storage room (deal with it later room) in our basement. That room is the only possible space left in our home that will accommodate him along with some of his stuff. The trouble with all of this is that in order for him to move in, everything in that room needs to find a new place, then it needs to be updated with new drywall, insulation and so on, but in order to do that, I need to now install those d%#n kitchen cabinets. And the nightmare begins. My wife is very hands on when it comes to this kinda stuff, so we gutted the room and oh, since the kitchen is now down to the framing, might as well rearrange the layout too. It has now been rewired, insulated, drywalled, cupboards and diswasher installed and working by the way. It’s now the end of August, we are finally at the final stages, countertop and sink will be installed in the next two weeks and then she can do all the pretty stuff. For me, it’s onto the room in the basement, which should take no time at all. And at the same time a powder room needs to be done too. So there goes my riding season. …damn! I really need to go for a ride. Now on another note; I have been eager to get to this editors letter ever since the news stations reported that a mob of bikers were riding recklessly on the highways near Toronto. In addition to their reckless behavior, they were alleged to have slowed down multiple lanes of traffic and in some instances stopping the flow of traffic altogether. It’s bad enough that during pretty much any hour of the day our highways are basically parking lots, with short periods of movement. We now have to deal with a bunch of morons who for sh&%s and giggles think they can do what-

ever they want (if there are enough of them) without facing any consequences. To make it perfectly clear to any non-riders reading this and to anyone who was involved that day, that behavior is not only unacceptable to those of us who ride, but it’s the kind of ridiculous spectacle that continues to colour all of us with the same brush. The media and movies have portrayed bikers as unlawful, disrecpectful and reckless since the first leg was thrown over a motorcycle. You just reinforced those negative images all because you have no self control and think you are above the law. You know who you are and you should have your license revoked, it ‘s a privilege to ride a motorcycle not a right. The majority of riders have been trying to remove the negative image we inherited for years now, only to have it once again tarnished by a minority of self-righteous, dangerous thrill seeking followers. But that isn’t the majority of motorcycle riders. So here are some of the things that you won’t hear about in mainstream media. The majority of riders are thrill seekers, we seek the thrill of the twistiest roads, the fastest tracks to test our machines and the freedom and solitude that riding affords us. Our riding clubs are designed to mentor and encourage new riders, spend time with friends, ride safely, support other organizations and even sometimes get out those lousy ‘honey do lists’ of chores just for a few hours. There is also the many charity organizations that benefit from the majority of motorcycle riders. Motorcyclists in Canada in 2014 raised over 4.2 million, 2015 almost 5.7 million, 2016 we raised over 7 million dollars for numerous charity organizations. Many of those within our own communities. And thats all because we just want to ride.

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5 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

What Moves Your Soul?

September 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 6

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Harley-Davidson reveals eight revamped cruiser motorcycles MILWAUKEE - Harley-Davidson has unveiled eight redesigned cruiser motorcycles for 2018, its largest product development project ever. The eight include bikes that have been a mainstay of the Milwaukee based company for decades, include big improvements. Harley says, for instance, the new Softail models will come with the most powerful engine ever offered on its cruisers. The new bikes, aimed at Harley’s 115th anniversary year, are being rolled out as manufacturers of cruiser and touring motorcycles have seen a decline in sales. Harley has a 10-year goal of attracting several million more customers, which is important as Baby Boomers age. The company says a massive amount of research and testing went into the makeover of some of its best-known motorcycles, including the Heritage Classic. “The new Softails are the result of the most extensive research and development program in the company’s history,” said Paul James, product portfolio manager. Harley’s Softail and Dyna product lines, as riders have known them, are gone. “It’s now one platform for them all,” James said. There’s a “new frame, new chassis, new suspension, new metal. New everything, really,” he said. As part of the research, Harley-Davidson says it interviewed more than 3,000 riders for their views on cruisers - a versatile style of bike with a relaxed riding position, suitable for long-distance riding but more nimble than a big touring motorcycle. “We were literally in people’s homes and garages, talking with them about their motorcycles,” James said. The eight new bikes - Fat Boy, Heritage Classic, Low Rider, Softail Slim, Deluxe, Breakout, Fat Bob and Street Bob - have an all-new chassis and suspension system that Harley says delivers a better ride. The bikes are powered by a specially configured version of the Milwaukee Eight engine Harley introduced a year ago for its touring motorcycles. The company says the 107-cubic-inch version of that engine provides 10% quicker acceleration from 0 to 60 miles per hour than the High Output Twin Cam 103 engine on previous models. Four of the new Softails — Fat Bob, Fat Boy, Breakout and Heritage Classic — are available with a more powerful 114-cubicinch Milwaukee Eight. Up to 35 pounds lighter than 2017 models, Harley says all eight bikes have an improved power-to-weight ratio for quicker acceleration, better braking and handling. “Every component of the bikes had a weight-reduction target, and we rigidly monitored it through the program,” said Ben Wright, chief engineer for the Softail redesign program. “Every little bit of weight savings counted.” The company gave the bikes a healthy dose of classic cruiser looks - some of it vintage 1950s - while incorporating mod-

ern features such as anti-lock brakes, LED lighting, a digital instrument screen, keyless ignition, a USB port, mono-shock rear suspension and lockable saddlebags. Some of the new Softails have a dark, muted finish, while the Deluxe and Low Rider models glisten with chrome. The new Heritage Classic has a darker, more sinister appearance. The last time Harley-Davidson did a makeover of the Softail lineup was in 1999 for model-year 2000. Harley says its largest product development project until this announcement was the Rushmore line of touring motorcycles unveiled in August 2013. Eight models were retooled under Rushmore, including the venerable Electra Glide Ultra Classic. Harley says the Softail redesign was even bigger and more complex, including roughly 300 parts and accessories created specifically for the new bikes. “It was a massive undertaking, a complete redesign from the ground up of our cruiser portfolio,” James said. The 2018 Softails will be available, in limited quantities, at dealerships as early as this week. The Willie G. Davidson Product Development Center, in Wauwatosa, is where Harley has designed motorcycles for the last 20 years. The center’s tall glass windows have motorized shades to keep prying eyes from getting even a glimpse of bikes that might not be released to the public for several years, if ever. The styling department has a 1950svintage Harley FL, one of the company’s most famous bikes, that designers turn to for inspiration. “We want to make sure that our motorcycles speak to some of our key DNA,” said Brad Richards, vice president of styling and design. “That motorcycle (the 1950 FL) in particular really does show some of the bones that we were trying to capture with the new Softail platform,” Richards said. The product development center has “mood boards” in to communicate the emotional side of the designers’ work. There’s a sound chamber, approximately 60 ft by 60 ft, with wedges on the walls to simulate outdoors acoustic environment. The wedges are filled with 50,000 lbs of fiberglass. The entire room, weighing nearly 3 million pounds, rests on 61 pneumatic mounts that isolate the room from any vibrations from adjacent laboratories. There’s also a “structures lab” that can simulate a lifetime of real-world customer road damage in only a few weeks. New models are still put through hundreds of thousands of road-test miles, but lab testing speeds up the process. Not that riding a motorcycle all day long on a test track wouldn’t be a lot of fun. But “we can get results more repeatedly without beating riders up on the track in the Arizona heat,” said Ev Paddock, test lab manager.

30%K

BMW Recall #2017399

Affected Models: 2014-2017 BMW R NineT Number of Vehicles: 464 Problem: On certain motorcycles, one or more of the bolts that connect the right-side pivot pin to the frame may not have been

tightened to specification due to a manufacturing issue. This could result in the pivot pin loosening. Correction: Dealers will remove and clean the pivot pin bolts, and apply an adhesive and ensure proper torque of the bolts.

Controversy Emerges in Dead Pool Stunt Death Incident

Controversial allegations have emerged in the aftermath of last week’s fatality on a Vancouver movie set. Last week, Joi Harris, an American roadracer, was killed after a motorcycle stunt went wrong on the set of the second Deadpool movie, which was filming in British Columbia. Reports indicate Harris was not wearing a helmet. That’s not surprising. Even if it’s not smart, many stunt performers will work without a helmet, if they’re directed to. However, the Hollywood Reporter is making several more severe allegations, which are not all backed up by named sources. According to the Reporter, its sources claim Harris got the job not due to experience – it was her first stunt job – but because, as a black female, she was similar to the actress she was standing in for.

“The producers put pressure to have somebody of the same sex and ethnicity in a position she wasn’t qualified to be in,” the Reporter quotes stunt coordinator Conrad Palmisano as saying. “The stunt coordinators caved to the pressure. All the stunt people could do was take it to their higher-ups. They’re going to follow their chain of command.” The Reporter says its sources claimed Harris was the second rider hired for the stunt, after the first hire’s skills weren’t up to the job. The article also says Harris’s riding scared the crew; she crashed the bike even before her fatal accident, and one of the Reporter’s sources actually left the movie set after warning management about the danger. The Reporter says Fox and director David Leitch did not comment on the allegations. WorksafeBC’s investigation is ongoing.

Royal Enfield adds Factory in Quest for World Domination

Royal Enfield has opened its third motorcycle factory in its ongoing quest for world domination of the mid-sized motorcycle market. Royal Enfield has seen massive expansion in the past few years, at a time when many manufacturers are crying doom and gloom. The made-in-India marque has invested in an R&D centre in the UK, introduced EFI to its lineup, along with a couple all-new models, and most importantly, has expanded its production capacity. It wasn’t that long ago that there was a months-long waiting list to buy a Royal

Enfield; now, it’ll sell as many as people will take. And it seems there are plenty of takers, at least in other markets. Royal Enfield sold over 650,000 motorcycles in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, and in the 20172018 year, the manufacturer is aiming for 825,000 units. Not that any of this is obvious in the European and North American markets. We still haven’t seen a very strong sales push over here from Royal Enfield, although we’ve been waiting for a couple years now. Maybe that will change when the new Continental 750 parallel twin comes to market? We’ll see …

7 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

CMG Set to End Publication This is the note I never wanted to write. Over the last 15 months I’ve done my utmost, under the circumstances, as Publisher in Rob’s place, for Canada Moto Guide to continue to deliver motorcycle content that is current, original, timely and relevant to Canadian riders and enthusiasts. We’ve been able to achieve this in the last year thanks to our excellent editorial team, which includes Mark, Zac, Costa, Michael, Larry, and the many freelancers who have contributed for over 20 years, and the tech and sales background team with Kelly, Olivier, and, always, Patrick. There have also been many friends and family who have acted as advisors and helped in myriad ways through this transitional period. It is so evident that CMG holds a very, very special place in the hearts of its devoted readership, and an integral place in motojournalism in Canada. Because of that, and given the current state of online news in the world, it’s been paramount to continue Rob’s legacy of honest and objective (and entertaining) reporting at CMG from real motojournalists, contributors and writers who are paid for their work. But across the board in Canada, digital and print publishing companies are struggling to keep afloat in the ever-murkier space between content and advertising. The business model that Rob had for many years, and that Rob and I together had in recent years — the excellent relationships with Canadian OEMs who placed direct advertising at CMG without ever demanding or even suggesting any editorial control — is, most regretfully, at its tail end. Digital publications now need to have many revenue sources beyond direct advertising and must be on the front edge of technology and current marketing strategies to survive, let alone thrive. Staying on top of the constantly changing business model was part of my job when Rob was the Publisher and Editor — we were building a great business and it was fun, exciting, and very fulfilling. But this transition year has proved to be enough of a personal difficulty that it will take a new Publisher and/or owner who has the resources (mostly time and passion) to live and breathe this wonderful Canadian magazine in the way it needs to get back to its full potential. If you think you are that Publisher, please send me a letter, to Courtney@ Canadamotoguide.com, by September 1, 2017. I know it’s a short timeline, and I know we will very possibly have to say goodbye to CMG if that date comes and goes with no new Publisher. Sometimes we have to say goodbye even when we don’t want to. Until then ride safely and have tonnes of fun, Courtney Hay Publisher, Canada Moto Guide

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READY KTM 430 Hensall Cir., Mississauga 905-896-1600 or 855-896-0430 www.readyktm.com

September 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 8

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“But do you ride it ? You know, like it was made for. “ I remained silent for a few moments as we stood at bike night, we had just met. “That’s a lot of bike, can you handle it?” He pressed. Still withholding my reply I watched him closer now. Late twenties and too eager to talk bikes. Anxious to impress his knowledge on me but carefully or maybe respectful which kept my opinion positive as I wondered how he rode. I check his kit, a brand new 750 gixxer and the worthy gear kept him out of squid territory but was he an impersonator? He seemed loaded, locked, cocked and ready to impress but careful not to mistake an inability to communicate properly for traits I don’t like, I gave him a clean slate. Sadly, in the end my initial vibe is usually accurate but this young man was still a mystery. The scrub marks at the very edge of my rear tire answered his question but how did I support the evidence, how do I tell him I have asked for more then my aging superbike can offer. How do I present my case of being a mature sport bike rider. Making eye contact I tried my best thousand yard stare and let my smile answer. Yes, I do ride it like it was made for but before I could speak my new acquaintance moved on unaware that the subject at hand was the keystone to everything. I felt angst knowing he failed to grasp the importance. Yes I hear some of you, take it to the track, you bicker. I have and it was a revelation and I advocate the same thing to every rider I meet. There is a time and place for the pointy end of our passion and ultimately it is a closed course but a (much) lesser version can be had on the street and now it’s time to be honest and admit it. I demand restriction and discipline on myself, as every rider should because we dial life or death with the twist grip in our right hand. Whether It’s a liter sport bike, a bagger or entry level machine, all are capable of feats far beyond the law. Your Harley surges ahead on a wave of torque to be deemed dangerous and that new 250 places enough power and agility in the hands of a novice to be deadly or a dream. The ride I choose was designed to beat Ducati in World Superbike and succeeded but I know I’m not Colin Edwards or Nicky Hayden even if my 15 year old rocket makes me feel like I am. Virtually everyone who sees me riding sees a fast bike and a rider wearing proper gear, usually 1 piece leathers on the open road and travelling SLOW. What’s left of my grey hair and fifty year old eyes back me up on this when my helmet comes off.

Before we continue let me self incriminate and keep your view in balance. Wheelies? Check. Stoppies? I giggle every time. High speeds and the sublime feeling of traction at the tires edge? I lust for and experience it. This column space is named what it is for a reason. I am a full on addict but it’s not just the speed its everything, the mastery. As the groove flows I control it all but I know in a tick everything can control me, ending it all. The horrific consequences of a mistake or foolishness wait for us all around the corner from life. See me in town or a busy highway and you would never think I’m a hooligan, but I am. In light of recent events I’ll prefix that with “old school”. As most often is the case I begin these columns with a single idea and somewhere midway through it awakens and tries to veer off to another destination. The happenings on Toronto’s busiest highways lately beg to be discussed and tie in perfectly but such a huge issue demands more space and investigation. Until then, turning to the many moto vloggers on Youtube has told me this. The participants were all young and indignant to law and the public. Most rode sport bikes and were worried enough to conceal their faces. One Vlogger shouted so loud and excitedly that through the garbled distortion “ The adrenalin is unreal ! No one can stop me !” can be barely heard and whoever he pointed his helmet cam at displayed the same level of dangerous intensity. Prancing around on foot as reckless riders wove through the crowd doing rolling burnouts and wheelies as group dynamics amped them into a frenzy. Did they not grasp the energies and mass that teetered all around them on the edge of control? A clutch lever released too fast or a burn out turned missile launch by an overzealous kid loosening the brake instead of the clutch and releasing 500 lbs of spinning, limb ripping, burning hot motorcycle to slice through the crowd. Now imagine an overworked trucker that fails to notice stopped bikes and cars where there shouldn’t be any and plows 100,000 pounds of death into the “protesters” at 100 kph. As my words leaned into this path I worried of hypocrisy until I watched these disturbing videos. I brand myself a hooligan and I am, sometimes but not like these frothing maniacs. My hooliganism is curtailed with intelligence, precision, stealth and when in a group, trust. This new generation is full of entitlement. It thrives on selfishness and intimidation and that paints us all as anarchic threats.

9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

Ready Kawasaki 430 Hensall Circle, Mississauga 905-896-1600 or 1-855-896-0430 www.readykawasaki.com

FasT Track Performance 3418 Catherine Street. Dorchester 519-268-8429 www.fasttrackperformance.ca

BELLEVILLE SPORT & LAWN 128 Church St. S. Belleville 613-968-4559 or 877-968-4559 www.bellevillesportandlawn. com

Sturgess Cycle 615 King Street West, Hamilton 905-522-0503 or 888-421-3333 www.sturgessonline.com

Cycle One 127 Ingersoll Road, Woodstock 519-421-3333 www.cycleone.ca

GRAND RIVER POWERSPORTS 1264 Colborne St. E. Brantford 519-759-8140 www.grandriverpowersports.ca

See your dealer for complete details. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and proper riding apparel. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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September 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 10

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Is it still ‘The Longest Street in the World’ today. scott jackson of disrepair, but it was too late for our attention and get us wonder- a great idea. The ride itself wasn’t

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At one time, Yonge Street in Ontario was the longest street in the world according to the Guinness Book of World records. It seems that it may no longer hold that title, but it occurred to me that it would still make a great motorcycle adventure. Yonge Street starts, or ends, right at the shore of Lake Ontario and splits the City of Toronto and that’s where we began our mission; an end to end ride of Yonge Street . It was very early on a Friday morning that we reached the sidewalk inscription that acknowledged the length of our undertaking. My partner, Phoenix and I started early, with the intention of avoiding some of the rush hour traffic, but it was evident we were not nearly early enough. Bouncing GG, (my bike) over the curb and onto the sidewalk, it was easy to find the caption etched into the cement right next to the water; “The Longest Street in the World”. As well, the “kilometerage” to various points along the way were indicated. Rainy River was the furthest point at 1896 kilometers, and was the target we started heading for. The condition of the inscription concerned me that the street might be in a similar state

second thoughts. Abusing the clutch, and having no luck getting past third gear for over an hour, we eventually got out of Toronto. This got us to joking, that maybe it was the “Longest Street” if measured in the time it took to traverse it. We didn’t fare much better through Thornhill and Richmond Hill. But eventually we were feeling the wind for ever longer moments. Yonge Street took a couple of turns near Bradford that almost threw me off, but it was at Barrie where the reason for Yonge losing its title occurs. There is a break at Barrie when Yonge Street suddenly ends and you have to make your way over to Highway 11 – aka, Yonge Street. The 400 and 11 run together until just north of Barrie, where 11 takes off on its own once again. From this point to Rainy River, there are no further interruptions. Our path was for the moment a fairly hum drum ride, in straight lines with little to hold our interest until we motored past North Bay. Now the pavement began to bend a bit, crossing scenic rivers was recurrent, and the “moose danger” signs were more frequent. The oversized characters that pop up at most towns and villages also kept

ing, what’s next. We passed by and/ or had our pictures taken with giant fish, a polar bear, a lumberjack, a fishing snowman, a dairy cow and Winnie the Pooh, to name a few. Managing to stay ahead of the threatening rain for the entire ride on the first day, we stopped at Haileybury. We stayed at a decent little motel right on the water, with the towns’ sand beach just off to the side. Sometimes after a long ride, (almost 7 hours), a cool swim in the lake is a good way to reset things. There wasn’t much choice in places to eat, but I defy you to find a town that doesn’t have a Chinese restaurant. This became a running gag and it proved to be close to a fact. The next day we weren’t so lucky and the rain made my face feel like a pin cushion for hours. There were times I was almost feeling envious of all those riders with wind screens. Almost. We finally stopped at Cochrane, where we had arranged for a two night stay. The Ontario Northland railroad runs a passenger train from there on a daily basis up to Moosenee on James Bay. After arriving, it parks for 3 hours and makes the return trip. Neither of us had ever been to Moosenee and a comfortable, dry, train ride seemed like

bad, but in most places, the trees came right out to the tracks, so there wasn’t much scenery. And the 3 hours in Moosenee? Too long. Anyway, like they say; it was an experience and now we been there and done that. The following day we were well rested up for the next 450 kilometers of the journey to Longlac. On the route we passed over some places where the pavement was being redone. You know, the wavy lines left when the blacktop is scraped off. Going over them I could sense a wobble in GG’s front tire. After being with her for 15 years and 150K, I immediately knew it was time for some new front rubber. A couple of calls and I was assured that a new tire was waiting for me tomorrow in Thunder Bay. Thumping along for miles of forest and a few towns like Hearst and Beardmore the pavement seemed straight as an arrow. Blackened trees from old forest fires, and masses of purple and yellow flowers along the ditches were the only distractions. Until standing straight up on its back legs, like it was looking both ways before crossing the street – a black bear. For sure the rumbling of the pipes scared it as we got close, as it

had the chance to wave at many oncoming bikes – because there weren’t very many. Now, they seemed everywhere. At the hotel that night we met up with a group of 6 couples out of Duluth, Minnesota who were out together for a weekend ride. They had a couple of tables with cold beer right next to the pool, making it easy to get refreshed both inside and out. The next morning, the folks at Excalibur Motorcycle Works were just as friendly, and had a fresh Avon installed on GG in no time. They even put a dab of Loctite on a loose foot peg. From Thunder Bay to Rainy River is about a 5 hour ride. About half way the rain started coming down

so hard and didn’t let up for so long, that we called it a day at Fort Frances. We made use of the hotel’s hot tub, and got things dried out somewhat in the room. The Rainy River region was certainly living up to its name. We were however, now warmed, dry and filled with elk burgers and beers “with a clam”. It felt as if Fort Frances was the culinary and comfort capital of Yonge Street at that time. Yonge Street/Highway 11 ends at the USA border crossing, where we took the obligatory pics before looking around. A beautiful old locomotive is located next to the town’s statue of an animated beaver. Apparently Rainy River was named

Beaver Mills for many years before it changed its name. The river was my first chance to get my fishing pole wet, but without luck. The only place to get my beak wet was the Rainy River Legion. No problem; I don’t have an issue with reasonably priced cold beer and a couple pickled eggs. Legions are often the most welcoming places in smaller towns and this one was no different. We are now both near authorities on the history and geography of the Rainy River region. We ended up only spending one night in Rainy River due to the previous days wet weather. Next morning, with our mission accomplished, we began the adventure towards home.

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11 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

turned and ran into the woods when we got right beside it. Or maybe my yelling “a bear, a bear, a bear”, while waving my hand toward it, possibly influenced its reaction as well. The landscape totally changes for the better when coming near Nipigon. The rock cliffs are towering over the road, and the lakes and rivers hug the curves of 11. A beautiful new bridge is being constructed coming into the village of Nipigon. Further on, just like the name, stunning scarlet red rocks dangle over the water at Red Rock. Getting close to Thunder Bay we had to stop a pay our respects to a real Canadian hero at the Terry Fox memorial. Prior to Thunder Bay we hadn’t

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Victory Motorcycles’ demise puts Dealer protections to the test NOTE: Dealernews cautions that the survey sample results are small and thus are not scientifically valid; however, the findings illuminate some of the challenges at least some Victory Dealers face as they work to wind down their franchises. Dealernews reached out to Polaris to understand its methodology for the Victory franchise exit and provide the company with ample opportunity to comment on the Dealer concerns. A spokesperson for Polaris Industries said the company would “not participate” in the article. DEALERNEWS - When Polaris Industries announced that it would discontinue Victory Motorcycles, Dealers were surprised, but not necessarily because the line was ending. What caught some of them off-guard, was the low value Polaris placed on their Victory franchises. In the seven months since Polaris announced the Victory shut-down, Dealers tell Dealernews that: Polaris is offering less than 25 percent of what they believe is the full estimated value of their franchises; Polaris in some cases is offering only to buy back excess vehicles, not parts, gear or general merchandise; They are not being offered Indian in place of Victory; Some are being offered pennies on the dollar, or nothing at all, for fixtures and trade dress; And that some are feeling pressure to accept the OEM’s offer, especially if they carry other Polaris vehicle lines or want to preserve a service contract for Victory. Brand cancellations and resulting franchise wind-downs are difficult processes at best. And even though 44 percent of Dealers who participated in a Dealernews survey indicated that Polaris was prompt in its communications with them, three out of four Victory Dealers who had already concluded their negotiations said they were ultimately dissatisfied with Polaris’s conduct. To understand the progress Victory Dealers were making in winding down their franchise agreements, Dealernews from May through August contacted a number of Victory Dealers across the country and spoke to several of them, agreeing to maintain their anonymity due to their pending franchise negotiations. Victory Dealer were then invited to participate in a private survey to help gauge their perceptions of how the negotiation process was proceeding. STICKING POINT - Ending a linemake creates a number of obligations for Polaris, depending on state/province specific franchise regulations. For example, many states require OEMs to recompense its Dealers for some combination of parts, tools, signs and fixtures, and lost rent, in addition to the value of their franchise. “The biggest sticking point is determining the fair market value of the franchise,” one Dealer said. The majority of respondents to the survey – more than 70 percent – said they believed Polaris offered them less than 25 percent of the full estimated value of their franchise. Twenty-nine percent of respondents, however, fared better, indicating that they were offered 50 percent or more of their estimated value. When it came to the initial offer re-

ceived from Polaris, a third said they received no offer of monetary compensation but that Polaris had offered to buy back their unsold vehicle inventory. Twenty-two percent said they were offered a flat $10,000, and another 22 percent said they were offered more than $10K. None of the respondents said they received initial offers of $100,000 or higher. “They want to give me $10K because they say that is what a Victory franchise would sell for,” one Dealer told Dealernews. Another Dealer said, “I have provided them with documentation showing a number north of $300,000; they have countered with an offer of $10,000, which they seem pretty stuck on. I know they have paid other Dealers significantly more than this, but I really don’t know due to confidentiality agreements.” Responding to the survey, another Dealer said it was left in the cold: “Polaris has not offered one cent. We are on the hook for everything,” it commented. Many state laws address the exit of a line make from the market; however, there’s a broad range of how much they protect Dealers. Most states require a manufacturer to pay its Dealers the value of their franchises before the end-of-line announcement. In some cases, the law specifies the day before the announcement; in other states, it may be pegged to a date months before the announcement is made. Record-keeping is critical, especially for multi-lines that need to separate the profit and loss from one franchise among many. “The biggest challenge a lot of Dealers have is they don’t show their earnings ‘cause they don’t show a lot of profit,” one Dealer said. “Victory will request tax and other documents that might be hard for them to show.” PG&A BUYBACKS - State laws vary when it comes to what the manufacturer must buy back. Many states require the OEM to support the line with parts and service for five or more years after the line ends. Polaris said it would support parts and service for 10 years. One Dealer said it’s already a challenge to obtain Victory parts. Few states/provinces have powersports/motorcycle-specific franchise laws, which adds a wrinkle, especially when it comes to the value of PG&A. Most motor vehicle franchise statutes are based on auto dealership business conditions, and auto dealers seldom have the PG&A retail offerings that can constitute an entire compensation category for, say, a motorcycle retailer. For Dealers responding to the Dealernews survey, inventory buyback offers for non-vehicle products were better for parts, and not so for other items: PARTS – 33 percent said they received an offer for current one year, and another 11 percent received an offer for current and older than one year; 56 percent said they received no parts buyback offer. APPAREL – Less than a quarter of respondents said they received a buyback offer for current one year, while 78 percent said they received no offer for apparel. GENERAL MERCHANDISE – Nearly 70 percent of respondents said they

survey said they either already had a service contract for Victory or planned to secure one in the future. Of these respondents, all said their quest to secure a service contract was to provide ongoing customer service. “I feel an obligation to my customers,” one respondent noted. Some Dealers who want to continue as service shops said they believe retaining that business depends on capitulating to whatever offer Polaris makes. Others who are across-the-line Polaris Dealers said they are reluctant to challenge their Victory buyout offers because they want to main a positive relationship with the manufacturer that sustains their Indian, Slingshot and/or off-road vehicle businesses. “I talked to one Dealer in another state; he is carrying the other lines. I told him to jump up and down so they will make you an offer,” one Dealer said. “He was afraid of how it would affect his other business. He fought back and they issued him a credit.” This tactic doesn’t always work: “I have seen where OEM has gone in and made offers to guys; the guys have not accepted and then OEM comes back

with a lower bid. The second offer was actually lower than the first offer,” a Dealer said. VEHICLE DISCOUNTS - Some Dealers said that Polaris’s refusal to extend the Victory Motorcycle rebates compounded their financial problem. For about six weeks after the January announcement, some Dealers said their Victory vehicles were selling, albeit at steep discounts. That sales bump appears to have convinced Polaris management that an extension of the discount was not necessary. “The first few months of the Victory wind-down… pushed Victory retail up over 60 percent in the,” Polaris Chairman and CEO Scott Wine told financial analysts on April 29. “We were encouraged, obviously, helping the Dealers work through that inventory.” In July, he told analysts that “the Victory wind-down is on plan and we are continuing to persuade loyal Victory customers to take advantage of the remaining Victory inventory.” “In the first six weeks, I sold 10 to people who wanted second bikes or wanted to upgrade to the newest model,” a Dealer said. But customers

wanted to pay rock-bottom prices. Since getting Polaris to take back the bikes was a challenge, “I sold quite a few to dump them.” Michael Speetzen, chief financial officer and executive vice president of Polaris, told analysts in April that the OEM hopes to work through the Victory inventory by the end of 2017. “Steve [Menneto] and the team are working hard with our Dealers to create a winwin situation, and we’re pretty confident we’ll get the majority of it behind us this year.” But some Dealers aren’t feeling that “win-win” camaraderie. Regarding Polaris, “They are not willing to sit down and negotiate things face to face,” one Dealer said in the survey. “I feel like we’ve been disowned,” said another. Under the terms of the Victory exit, franchise agreements are valid through June 2018, Dealers say. Of course, Polaris wants to move forward quickly with its other lines. For local Victory Dealers, whose livelihoods have been at least partly tied to the brand, when they can get their negotiations settled and move forward with remaining or other business is still anyone’s guess.

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Offers apply to eligible retail purchase agreements that meet the minimum amount applicable for Honda Financing of $3,000, for a limited time, while supplies last. Valid on select new (not previously registered) Honda motorcycle models obtained from a participating authorized Honda dealer in Canada between July 1 and August 31, 2017. *Limited time purchase financing offer provided through Honda Canada Finance Inc., on approved credit. Representative finance example based on a 2017 Gold Wing with a selling price of $30,382 (includes MSRP of $30,999, $860 freight and PDI, up to $523 dealer fee and a $2,000 discount deducted from the MSRP before taxes, but does not include lien registration fee [up to $79.75 in certain regions] and lien registering agent fee [$5.75], which are due at time of delivery), with $0 down payment or equivalent trade-in required, financed at 0.9% APR equals $295 weekly for 24 months. 104 weekly payments required. Cost of borrowing is $277, for a total obligation of $30,659. Taxes, license, insurance and registration fees [all of which may vary by region] are extra. Dealers may sell for less. Applicable fees may vary by region and dealer. Dealer order/trade may be necessary–but, may not be available in all cases. See a participating authorized Honda dealer for full details, eligible models and other offers. Offers are subject to change, extension or cancellation without notice. Models, colours, features and specifications may not be exactly as shown. Errors and omissions excepted.

13 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

received no buyback offer for General Merchandise, 11 percent said they received an offer for current one year, and another 11 percent received an offer for current and older than one year. When asked whether Polaris provided an offer of compensation for fixtures and/or trade dress, 56 percent said they received no offer, 22 percent said they received “less than 10 cents on the dollar” and another 22 percent fared slightly better, saying they received anywhere from 25-49¢ on the dollar. “They are haggling on the value of the parts. No clothing. They didn’t want to take back oil, but they will now,” one Dealer said. Others talking to Dealernews agreed. “They are telling people they will buy back parts at 50 percent, and no tools or accessories,” another Dealer said. When asked on the survey if they received an offer of compensation for facility rent or real estate, 67 percent said they had not, 22 percent said yes, and one added that it was offered a certain amount per month for 12 months. THE TIES THAT BIND - Nearly three out of four Dealers responding to the

September 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 14

ShopTalk Mix - 0/35/85/0

30%K

The Dream That Is My Nightmare A Wrench in the Works

david heron

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

So here we are, back again. The Holy Grail, the 69 Kawasaki H1 has its engine complete and U have the absolutely beautiful paint work back. The painter tried something a little different this time and, it didn’t work. The tank is supposed to be white with blue Kawasaki lettering and a blue stripe. A very simple paint scheme. Now, I usually don’t question someone who is an expert in his field but, this time I really did wonder. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to see this but I was growing somewhat impatient considering that I had dropped off the tank and side covers last September when he said he wasn’t busy and it was now May so I went by the paint shop to see what was going on. I came in just in time to see the tank painted entirely blue and the painter taping off what would be the stripes. He said that he wanted to have a thicker layer of paint so he would put the white, which is the majority of the tank, over the blue. Again, who am I to question Picasso so I said fine, when will it be ready? He apologized for the delay and said that he had been busy

but my work would be done soon. By soon, I thought about a week. Ha ha, the joke’s on me. The white ran under the tape and he had to sand the whole tank down and redo it. More delay but finally it was done. I got a text from him saying it was ready and when I asked how much, the price was double what I am usually charged. Granted, he had been doing my painting over the last ten or twelve years at a greatly reduced price so I bit the bullet and handed over the cash. It really was a stellar job though. This is the Holy Grail you know. I keep telling myself that anyway and, it will be worth it. I guess that this time I have to pay for someone else’s mistake. With the paint ready, I installed the new, rebuilt, better than new stator and began the laborious task of following a wiring diagram and trying to make out faded colours in a 48 year old wiring loom. It was working and I got most things working but there were a few problems. Finally, I tore the whole thing out and ordered a brand new wiring harness. There goes another day reading wiring, following colours and looking with a magnifying glass at a diagram that I printed years ago. Fun,

fun, fun. Just in case I had forgotten to tell you, I hate electrical work not to mention that I hate spending money on stuff that I already have but in crappy condition. Yes, I admit it, I’m a whiner too. I carefully followed the wiring diagram and the wiring routing diagram that they supply on the Kawasaki info site and all seemed good. I had the telltale beep from the electronic ignition on the early Kawasakis. I patted myself on the back and then hooked up some spark plugs to test for spark. I got a beautiful spark on the left cylinder and, much to my chagrin, you can substitute some curse words here, it was only on the left cylinder. Darkness on the right and centre. I did the obvious trials like tightening the plug caps on the wires and checking the distributor but to no avail. I have a number of electronic ignition boxes and tried a few substitutions. Once again, nothing. Since I was beginning to lose patience with trying to get results from rusty parts that I am not sure work, I came up with the brilliant idea of taking the parts from my running bike and installing them here. That way, I knew that I had good parts. The down side of this is that I have now

taken my good running bike and made it another non- running useless hulk in the garage. Needless to say, summer is for riding so I bit the bullet, again, and bought a nice new aftermarket ignition that is made by a Kawasaki board member in the US. It works perfectly and I am just a little poorer and that much further away from having the money to retire. Oh well, what would I do with all that time anyway? The ignition on my rider is far more attractive when I know it is good and contains modern , up to date electronics and the Dream bike has genuine original electronics which make it more desirable to the wallet guys who pay big bucks for originality. I did find out, and it was a valuable lesson too, that you need the little rubber transistor covers on the B ignition box. When I was checking the ignition, I put my hand on the B box and nearly welded my hand to the bike. A good amount of electronically boosted current was running through my arm and right down to ground at my feet. Very exciting but something I will try to avoid in the future. At any rate, with the good ignition, I now had spark on all three cylinders. So, let’s get to the next

of juice off but nothing when mounted. Same with the armature rotor, then the regulator which had bench tested well and even the rectifier. The stator seemed tight on its mounts so I got out the Dremel and trimmed the mounts ever so slightly. Again no change. I have spent a lot of time going over everything and asking Kawasaki forum members for their input and have not as yet come up with a solution. This will have to wait until the Fall when riding season is over. I hate to abandon this when I haven’t solved it but even I can only take so much. I don’t want to put myself through the old red charging light blues again with that damn light taunting me from within the tach body. I don’t think I could stand that again after the last years’ project that nearly drove me right round the bend. Of course, my Wife, the famous LSW, long suffering wife, already thinks I am there. The coward’s way out is to go on to something else which just so happens to be what I have decided to do. There are lights to do, chains, extra parts to find too. Let’s move on. How about the headlight? The 1969 model had a different light. It had a bulb and reflector system. Of course, since this was the only year model that used this, the ebay vultures are circling. While looking for a genuine one, again knowing that original and true to model year parts are most attractive, I thought that I might have to get a mortgage to get a light . I finally got one for a decent price and it fit into the headlight bucket. I was also short the bulb socket. This ended up costing al most the same as the light for

a little socket and four 4 inch wires connected to it. The supplier for the light had advertised that he had the correct bulb for the socket so I added that to my order. Guess what? Of course, the bulb does not fit the socket. At least it was only $2.00 so I guess I can absorb that. The part that gets my goat more is that it was advertised as being the correct part and now I have to find the right one to continue with this part of the project too. Hopefully someone has a bulb for it. That remains to be seen. At this point, I think that it may be better to dwell on the good points. I managed to actually get a deal on an ebay auction. I got a nice set of original mufflers with the baffles intact for a bar-

gain basement price. The seller admitted that he didn’t get what he paid for them from me. Too bad, welcome to my world. The engine is together and looks good. I have an original air box which is as rare as the proverbial hens’ teeth. I just have to hope that I can get an air filter to fill it for a decent price. The rare, first year only window carbs are all cleaned with new jets and ready to go. I got a new seat with the bike and the wheels are good. I guess I’m happy. I will tackle that charging system in the fall. The weather is warm and it’s time for riding. The rider Kawasaki runs great and the new Triumph is a joy and always starts. Hey, life’s good.

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Price on the New Motorcycles includes freight and P.D.E., ECRF, 4Y Licence Administration Fee and OMVIC Fee. Pricing of theINRfol. KloPwiPng C.! include a limited time rebate of: EX300AGF $750/EX300BHFB $500/ www.readykawasaki.com • 430 Hensall circle, mississauga • 877-297-7446 Versys X300 $0/Z800 $1,000/ZX6SEABS $1,500.Motorcycle(s) and 2015 NINJA 2015 NINJA 2015 2015 2017 ninja 20 3000 2015 2016 2015 VULCAN 900 NINJA 2016 vulcan 900 VERSYS VAQUERO ULTRA 310 300 650 accessories shown are for il uJETSKI stration purposesLXonly. Actual colours 2017 20116 ninja 300 2016 aaBs – winter CUSTOM ZX6SE ABS 1000LT 1700 (NON-ABS) (ABS) classic non-aBs versys X300 * 2016 $ * $ edition * $ $ Z800 * ttest $ * $ ZX6seaBs may * vary depending on $availability.Dealer trade or Factory * Order may (EEX300AGF) vn900dgF be necessary. Offers subj e ct to change wi t hout noti c e, see us for full ((EX300BHFB) $ * $ * $ * *VEHICLE LICENCE FEE (IF APPLICABLE) AND HST EXTRA ON ALL OFFERS. OFFERS CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFERS, PROGRAMS OR DISCOUNTS AND ARE GOOD UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2016. SALE PRICE ON THE NEW MOTORCYCLES INCLUDES FREIGHT AND P.D.E., ECRF, $ * $ * details.Offers cannot be combined with any$1,000/ZX636FFFA other offers,programs or $ & PDE *($650) AND LICENCE ADMINISTRATION ($299) ARE ALL EXTRA ON THE ULTRA 310LX PRICING OF THE FOLLOWING INCLUDE A LIMITED TIME REBATE OF: EX300AFF $1,100/EX650EFF LICENCE ADMINISTRATION FEE AND OMVIC FEE. FREIGHT $1,100/VN900CFF $1,400/KLZ1000BFF $900/VN1700KGF $0/JT1500MFF $1,000. 48 MONTHS KAWASAKI PROTECTION PLAN IS INCLUDED AT NO CHARGE ON THE 2015 ULTRA 310LX JETSKI. MOTORCYCLE(S) AND ACCESSORIES SHOWN ARE FOR ILLUSTRATION ACTUAL COLOURS MAY discounts andPURPOSES are good until ONLY. August 31,2017.

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15 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

hurdle in the never-ending saga. Along with ignition, you need charging. There is no sense in running with no way to re-charge the system. I know this because I have sat for hours on the side of the road waiting for rescue. There is something about having to call the LSW and telling her to hitch up the trailer and come and get me in some God forsaken back road miles from home. She can get a little vocal about this kind of rescue. It is something that I have learned to avoid at all costs. Anyway, when you turn on the key and juice starts flowing through your electrical system, it is necessary to initially have some voltage going to the charging system to spark it. When the bike starts running, it reverses and runs charge back through the system to re-charge the battery. I won’t bore you with all the techno junk with regulators and rectifiers but suffice to say that through these things recharging takes place. The stator was connected but not mounted so I used a little test light on the brushes on it and the light lit up. Thinking proudly that I was in business, I installed the stator over the armature rotor and re-tested. This is called being thorough. Actually, it is knowing that you know what happens. With the stator installed in the right place, there is no longer juice at the brushes. A few, not many curses later and I am stripping know good parts off the shelf and replacing each part in the charging system. I have another stator that was rewound by another friend and I know it works because I had it on my running bike. Same thing happens, lots

September 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 16

FEEL A FEEL DEEPA CONNECTION s DEEPnoob’ CONNECTION WITH THE THREE OF OF WITHROAD. THE ROAD.THREE corner THEM BE TO EXACT. FEEL ATO DEEP CONNECTION THEM BE EXACT. emin smajic OF WITH THE ROAD. THREE THEM TO BE EXACT.

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If you just decided to swing your Mistake Number 2 leg over a motorcycle you are not Purchasing a Helmet - Deciding to alone. There are many new riders out buy a new helmet was a good idea there from all different walks of life but what I didn’t realize was there and age groups. Whether you’re 40 are many styles, brands and qualiand just want that feeling of freedom ties to contend with. So first figure or 20 and want the thrill of the open out what kind of helmet you want, road. That is the beauty of motor- and make sure it is D.O.T. approved. VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM SEMI-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DYNAMICSTEERING POWER STEERING VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM SEMI-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DYNAMICand POWER cycling! There are no bounderies on So, do your homework pick the system No clutch or foot shifter here. required Adjusts required effort through An automotive-like systemAn automotive-like No clutch lever or foot shifterlever here. Adjusts effort integratingright stability, traction Yourup leftand thumb and your acceleration, speed and steering who can join. helmet that going tothrough serve integrating stability, traction Your left thumb shifts yourshifts up is acceleration, speed and steering braking forshifts an down. forefinger shifts down. Withangle reverse. angle comfort data. Moreand comfort and and anti-lock braking for and an anti-lockforefinger With reverse. data. More (Manual available) improved control. incredibly confident ride. incredibly confident (Manualride. available) improved control. So where do you start? Obviously you well for more than two training from your licence. First step the M1, days. I thought they were basically all VEHICLE STABILITY TRANSMISSION DYNAMIC POWER STEERING when writing the initial license test,SYSTEMtheSEMI-AUTOMATIC same, boy was I wrong. An automotive-like system No clutch lever or foot shifter here. Adjusts required effort through stability, traction Your left thumb shifts upmany and your acceleration, speed and steering remember it also includesintegrating your writThere are online resources and anti-lock braking for an forefinger shifts down. With reverse. angle data. More comfort and incredibly confident ride. (Manual available) control.fitting a ten car license that you took when where you can read improved up on you were 16. So brush up on all things helmet properly. Then you can visit related to driving/riding. The next stores, try them on and find the best step, your M2, I would recommend fit for your grey matter. Remeber that signing up for an authorized motor- if you think your head is worth $5 Dealer Imprinta $5 helmet. You will soon cycle safety training course before then buy Dealer Imprint 14 Regional Road ONequal, Goes Here you do the written test, if you pass learn that not13, allCourtland, things are Goes Here that then you only have 90 days that’s how I got myself a ‘spare’ hel519-688-3278 before you must pass your M2 oth- www.lockhartsodyssey.ca met and that’s NOT what you want. erwise you need to rewrite the test. Mistake Number 3 Dealer Imprint Goes HereField of view - I was mainly focused The safety course will answer several questions you have when it comes on the right size. The staff were quite to riding. Most importantly, ‘Can I do helpful, that was probably the only this?’. Wanting to do something and thing that I nailed. However, that is having the skills are very different. only one of the important compoMy motivation for taking the safe- nents and you want them all. It’s ty course was two-fold, I wanted as also important how wide your field much professional training as pos- of view is, especially if you are a besible but I wanted to feel how it is ginner. Your world gets suddenly reriding and do I really want this. With duced to a small window of plastic. that type of training you get to learn You want as much viewing area as about motorcycles and ride for two possible. Your head will be on a swivdays without purchasing a motorcy- el 100% of the time so you need to cle, thats a bonus for me. make sure that you can see clearly in Now having the proper gear is im- all directions. portant for the safety course but you Mistake Number 4 don’t have to layout any cash until you Does it fit your glasses - This should are sure that this is something you re- have been so obvious but some how ally want. So you need a helmet, eye I missed it. Even if you don’t wear corprotection, gloves, sturdy boots past rective lenses you may want the opthe ankle, a jacket and long pants. I’m tion of wearing sunglasses instead of sure you have some of this anyway. swapping visors. What you don’t have, borrow from a When the helmet is on your head, friend (fit is important). You can use a check to see how easy is it to get helmet that is supplied by the course, your glasses on and off, do they sit if you don’t want to use it bring your properly on your face, do they shift own. Most important part is the hel- around when you turn your head, is it met... and I learned that after the fact. comfortable. These are all important I am going to share with you some things to remember. of my misktakes as a noobie. I wasn’t even aware that the helmet Mistake Number 1 I purchased was actually not workLeaving it to the last moment - ing for me at all. I thought that was Make sure you have all the things you a trade off if you are a rider and wear need for the course in advance. If you glasses-tunnel vision and discomfort. don’t have it or can’t borrow it, your All these mistakes are with only options are limited if you need to buy one thing so far, the helmet. And its new. Not all stores carry all brands, the most important peice of safety models, styles and sizes. So, give gear for riding. yourself some time. I would say miniThere are so many things that you mum one month before your course. I need to take into consideration even wanted to be bold and made my pur- before your first introduced to the chase the night before. Five minutes motorcycle. So stay tuned and I will before the store was closing, need- let you know all the mistakes that I less to say there were many things made as a noobie and hopefully help wrong with the helmet I purchased. you avoid them. ©2011 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Always ride responsibly and safely and observe applicable laws. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. ©2011 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. 610376 Always ride responsibly and safely and observe applicable laws. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

610376

©2011 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Always ride responsibly and safely and observe applicable laws. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

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17 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

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September2017, 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 18 September

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Viñales: “I didn’t feel any pressure from the Championship” Movistar Yamaha rider says he pushed to the max – and it was only a tenth short

Photo Courtesy of CSBK

Szoke makes it a dozen at CTMP The Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship returned once again to the pristine location of Canadian Tire Motorsports Park to wrap up the season in thrilling double header action. Szoke opened up the weekend with a new lap record during the Dalton Timmons Superpole session on the Dunlop “Q” tires. Circulating a ying lap at one minute, 20.520 seconds (174.367km/h) around the circuit. “I didn’t think it was there, on the rst lap I didn’t get a good drive onto the front straight and on the second lap I think I could have done a little better.” Starting from pole position for the rst of the two nal races of the season, Szoke had the opportunity to cinch up his 12th Superbike Title. Szoke took the lead from the pacesetter two laps from the end of the 20-lap race and held on to win by 0.251 sec and bring back home the Canada Cup. “I’m glad to be able to win the cham-

pionship here at CTMP. It’s just a great crowd and riding around on the cool off lap is really something. I’ve been racing 20 years now and I’d love to keep going 40 more.” A day after clinching his 12th Canadian Superbike crown, Szoke survived a last lap move to score his 65th career Superbike win and a clean sweep on the weekend points. A red-ag midway through the scheduled 20-lap race turned the Pro Superbike nale into an eight-lap shootout. “What a battle that was. It feels good to win that way, battles like that can go either way and I’ve been on the other end too.” Szoke’s self managed Mopar Express Lane BMW Motorrad Superbike Team also took home the coveted Inside Motorcycles Team of the Year award. “The success of one comes from the efforts of many. We all work hard to make this work and it is apparent with our results we have an excellent package.”

Hayden takes emotional win at Pittsburgh Int’l Race Complex

Until today, Roger Hayden didn’t have fond memories of Pittsburgh International Race Complex. It was here, during the test on May 17-18, that the Hayden family learned of Nicky Hayden’s tragic bicycle accident in Italy, an accident that took his life a few days later on May 22. Today, Roger Hayden put that behind him, taking his second Motul Superbike win of the season and the most emotional of his long career - a victory he dedicated to his late brother and his grieving family. Hayden had to win not once, but twice as the race was red-agged while he was leading by over two seconds on the 11th lap. But there was no stopping him on this day as he went out and won the second part of the race as well, a six-lap sprint for his second win of the season and rst since race one at VIRginia International Raceway on May 12.

Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) won the race at Silverstone last season, and the rider from Roses was only a tenth of a second off repeating the feat in 2017. Moving through from a second row start to slot into the front group in the game of high octane chess, the 2013 Moto3™ World Champion was just behind Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) when the reigning Champion’s engine blew – leaving him some work to do to catch back onto the rear of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Valentino

Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). But Viñales reeled them in and pounced past his teammate, then pushing to the limit to try and give himself chance for a last lap pass on ‘DesmoDovi’ – just not quite close enough. Over the line, he was a tantalising tenth off the win. That said, the Championship is now closer than ever, with Viñales having made a 20 point gain on Marquez and now only four points adrift of his second-placed compatriot.

Pedrosa: “The whole weekend has been quite difficult”

…but the gap to the top of the standings remains the same, with some positives to take from Silverstone Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) is taking the positives following a tough British GP, with the number 26 enduring a difcult Friday and going through Q1 before qualifying in seventh and eventually crossing the line in P7 on Sunday, too. But the improvement in pace was almost a second on race day, and the progress made was one big positive. Another is that the gap to the top of the standings didn’t take a hit, with teammate and previous leader Marc Marquez suffering a mechanical issue and unable to nish.

Pedrosa had been on a run of seven podiums in the last nine races before Silverstone and will now look to continue that trend at Misano – where he destroyed the eld in 2016 for a historic win, entering the record books as having taken at least one win a year for 16 consecutive seasons. Dani Pedrosa, P7: “The whole weekend has been quite difcult for us at this track, but the team tried to give me the best bike possible and I tried to do my best in the race.”

19 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

2017 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals – Round 10 A huge crowd was on hand Sunday

at RJ Motosport Park in Barrie, Ontario as it hosted the last round of the CMRC sanctioned 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan. RJ Motosport Park is an hour north of Toronto and proved to be a great test for the riders, and provided spectacular viewing for the spectators. The track itself is a combination of sand and loam, which becomes nasty rough for the riders as the day progresses. Champions were decided in both the MX1 and MX2 classes this weekend as both series went down to the last moto in 2017. It was a great day for Yamaha as they won both classes this year like KTM did in 2016. In the MX1 class, Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Matt Goerke captured his third National Title. He did what he had to do in Moto 2 after having problems in the rst moto, entering the nal moto of the season only 8 points ahead of Rockstar Husqvarna’s Christophe Pourcel in the championship. In the MX2 class, MX101 FXR Yamaha Team’s Shawn Maffenbeier picked up his sixth win of the season on route to his rst National Title after coming into the nal round leading Nut Up Industries Kawasaki’s Ryan Surratt by 11 points in the Championship, and going into the second moto with a 20-point cushion. MX1 - After coming into the nal round with a 15-point series lead, things didn’t look good for Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha’s Matt Goerke when he went launching over the bars on the opening lap, stalled the bike on Lap 3, and couldn’t restart it. Goerke nally got it going but found himself back in twenty-fth position as he came around to complete his fourth lap while his biggest rival in the series was battling for the lead. Matt charged back to nish sixth in the rst moto and do some damage control, while Christophe Pourcel nished second and gained 7 points on Goerke, bringing the gap down to 8 points as the two of them lined up for the nal moto of the year. In the second moto, Matt got a great start and led for the rst three laps before giving up the position to Pourcel knowing that he didn’t have to beat him to win the Championship, and only had to nish in the top 4 to take the title in 2017. Matt rode a smart race to nish third and win his third National Title by only 3 points. On the podium Goerke said, “That second moto was the longest moto of my life. The rst moto was so stressful, and after crashing then stalling it I made it difcult for myself today.”

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September 2017, The Motorcycle Times – 20

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marissa baecker

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The price of oil in the past few years has driven commuters to finding alternate ways to get about town while still maintaining some type of independence from public transit. The method of transportation chosen gives us a sneak peak into the personality of the commuter. The ride of choice often says more about the rider similar to personal expression with wardrobe. Don’t like the look of a scooter but still want an economical way to get about town and peddling your way through traffic wearing spandex is not an option? Take a look at the compact yet stylish, Yamaha R3 (320cc) entry-level sport bike. I learned to ride when 300’s weren’t an option. As such, I have snubbed my nose at them for many years as I didn’t think they had a purpose for me personally. They were introduced into the market by motorcycle manufacturers to offer new riders a low-powered option to develop not only their skill but to get them hooked on riding and expand their love of motorcycling. The introduction of this class also solved transportation issues by offering a consistent, reliable, economical and stylish way to get about town with climbing fuel costs.

When a friend, a strong dirt bike rider, bought a 2015 Yamaha R3 as her first street bike I told her it was too small, below her skill and maybe a waste of money. Despite my recommendation, she bought it and then by the end of the season, she bought a Yamaha R6 (600cc) supersport race bike. However, she never sold the R3, and I didn’t understand why, until I put a few hundred km on it one sunny afternoon. The Yamaha R3 is the perfect entry-level, lightweight, ride not only for the new rider joining the world of two wheels but its agility makes it a whole lot of fun for the more seasoned two-wheeled junkie not to mention that its stylish good looks certainly takes care of any vanity issues of not wanting to be seen riding a scooter. Although the R3 is classified as a supersport (race) bike, the seating position is somewhat relaxed to give it more of a standard sport or upright riding position for that added confidence a newer rider needs. Throw a leg over and surprisingly, the low 780mm (30.7”) seat height is still comfortable for the longer-legged. A generous rider triangle with feet planted on the aluminum pegs equates not only to comfortable daily commuting but also to attempting to get lost travelling the back roads away from the city on a Sunday.

Cockpit is basic and easy to navigate. Turn the key, and the necessary information is available. The digital speedo and gear indicator pose no visibility issues. The analogue tach is easily read even in the brightest of sunlight. When you are pushing the RPM toward the red-line, a quick glance is all you need to know where your at and if that doesn’t suffice, a top of the dash shift light will remind you. Open throttle and power is delivered consistently and evenly across the sixspeed transmission but fifth and six gears are more for overdrive to lower the rpm on the highway. Low-mid range torque in first and second gear but high-end torque becomes prevalent in third gear and beyond. Yamaha not only introduced a new chassis with the R3 but also a new twin cylinder, liquid cooled, 4-stroke tuned to offer no surprises to catch a rider off-guard. This performance reliability makes this bike appealing to all riders. I, for one, had a little fun reving higher into the RPM to find that extra power while effortlessly throwing it over into a corner. A heavier bike requires stronger handling but the R3 flips around side to side like pancakes in the morning. The 2015 Yamaha R3 weighs a mere

366 lb (166 kg). The lightweight steel frame holds the weight evenly allowing for agile handling while maintaining stability. Move up a class to a Yamaha R6 and you experience not only a 56 lb weight increase (419 lbs (190kg)) but a whole new ride experience. Fifty pounds doesn’t seem like much, but flipping side to side through a series of twisties, it makes a difference. Of note though, is that the lighter weight R3 would need a bit more muscle to handle in a strong wind, where that extra fifty pounds on the R6 would be a welcomed accessory. Aside from the charm and good looks of the R3, is economics. With a 14-litre fuel tank and 3-litre reserve upon illumination of the low fuel light, at a fuel price of 1.15/ltr, you can fill up for $20. How far does that go? Based on my experience, roughly 24km per litre or 336 km a full tank. That’s some economical commuting, not to mention that if you have to sit in traffic, at least you feel like you are outside. As for my friend, she may be riding an R6 now but the last time I was in her garage, the R3 was getting frame sliders as well as mirror and signal removal. Garage talk went from discussion of track schools to skill development and on to development of a 300 class race circuit.

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21 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

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September 9, 2017 Toys for Kids Ride Templar Knights sponsored event. Registration 9-10:30 at Rocky Mountain House Restaurant 409 Stewart St, Renfrew. Fee: Minimum 1 toy per bike, donations to the Phoenix Centre, all to make a Child’s Christmas Brighter. Includes ride, coffee break (compliments of Tim Horton’s) lunch at Renfrew Golden Age Activity Centre and door prizes. http://www.renfrewtkmc.org/toy-ride-2017.html September 10, 2017 Ride for Kids Sake Registration starts at 9:30am. Ride leaves 10:30am. Peameal bacon on bun will be served from 9am-10am. Ride leaves and finishes at Cycle Salvage 6860 Highway 7. $25/riders, $20/passengers. Includes Choice of Hamburger or Hot dog and a drink. Extra food will be available for purchase. Door prizes and a 50/50 draw. Ride to support Big Brothers/Big Sisters Peterborough. https://www.facebook.com/ cruisenight4kidssake September 10, 2017 Motorcycle Awareness Ride by Drivers Against Distraction Sponsored by Drivers Against Distraction The ride starts at the Gananoque Arena, 600 King Street East in Gananoque. Registration is from 8:30 am until 9:30 am and the motorcycles go out at 10am. The ride ends with lunch, vendors, a garage sale, silent auction, and bake table. Proceeds will go to promoting motorcycle awareness to motorists in the 2018 season. For more information call 613-888-9678, http://www. dadontario.org. September 10, 2017 Dave Rocks Ride to End MS Sponsored by KPMG, Wendell Motors, and Pluto Day Care. The poker run starts at Bingemans, 425 Bingemans Centre Drive in Kitchener at 8:00 am. Registration is available online. There is no registration fee but each bike must raise at least $50 to participate in the ride. There will be a pancake breakfast, a barbeque lunch, and prizes. The proceeds will benefit the Grand River Chapter of the MS Society. For more information call 519-569-8789, http://daverocksridetoendms.ca.

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in support of Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. In addition to using the online system and social networking, we have hard-copy pledge forms which you may receive by emailing events@guidedogs.ca or phone 613-692-7777. Should you prefer to not register online, show up on day of event and pay the on-site registration $30/per person. Visit https://www.facebook.com/GuideDogRide/ September 17, 2017 Ruff Ride Sponsored by Burlington Humane Society The ride starts at 740 Griffith Court in Burlington at 9am. The poker run will go through north Burlington and surrounding areas and will last from 2 to 3 hours. Riders can go by themselves or can join one of the groups led by road captains. The ride ends with live music, a barbeque, tours and more. For more information call 905-637-7325, http://www.burlingtonhumane.ca. September 24, 2017 The Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride So dawn your best Sunday duds and come ride with us from 11:30 to 3:30pm in Downtown Sarnia. Fess are by donations online and fundraising and registration for the ride. This ride is to raise awareness and help fund prostate cancer research and men’s metal health. A event for Vintage & Classic motorcycles to raise funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer Research. Visit http://www.gentlemansride.com. Jerry; jbaljeu@teksavvy.com; 519-336-8756

Get One Step Ahead If you have your charity event or ride planned for 2018, why not get a head start and let our readers know about it now. It’s FREE. It will also be posted on our website and our facebook page as well as the Community Events page in The Motorcycle Times (space permitting), please email the following information in text format to: circulation@themotorcycletimes.ca. Date: Name of Ride: Times: Location: Costs/Fees: Description of what is going on: Supporting: (Charity) Contact Name: Email, Website & Phone Number: If you have another type of event that is motorcycle related and wish to advertise here in the Community Events section but are not sure if it qualifies, send it anyway and a representative will email you back as to the status of your event in this free section.

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23 – The Motorcycle Times, September 2017

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