volume 5 | issue 2
March 2014
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MOTORCYCLE NEWS
2015 Victory Gunner
The 2015 Victory Gunner will be on display and available for demo rides at Daytona Beach Bike Week at the Speedway.
Indian Motorcycle-Bike Week Schedule
Mix - 0/35/85/0
30%K
Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, announced schedule of events for Daytona Bike Week 2014, which takes place March 8-15. Celebrate the historic launch of the 2014 Indian Chiefs with parties, demo rides, giveaways, celebrity guests, special events. www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-ca/events/daytona TRENDING
Wolfe at Bike Week Mike Wolfe of American Picker fame is a huge fan of Indian Motorcycles. The TV personality will be making a couple of guest appearances for the company during Bike Week 2014. AROUND THE WORLD
Yamaha Recall Yamaha has recalled 24,000 of its 20092013 YZF-R1 sportbikes, 2012-2013 Super Tenere XTZ12 adventure-touring motorcycles due to overheating headlights. Yamaha says the possibly affected YZF-R1 sportbikes were manufactured October 2008 through August 2013, and the Super Tenere adventure tourers from October 2011 through August 2013. The recall is expected to begin in February 2014. Owners may contact Yamaha at 1-800-962-7926.
Quote of the Month “Keep your bike in good repair: Motorcycle boots are NOT comfortable for walking.”
Courtesy Kawasaki Motors Inc
Three Decades of Ninja Kawasaki’s Iconic Ninja Brand Celebrates 30 years
2014 marks the 30th anniversary of Kawasaki’s iconic Ninja brand. During those thirty years Ninja have set the standards for high performance motorcycles. The first Ninja, the GPz900R, debuted in 1984. This revolutionary machine was powered by a liquid-cooled, 4-valve, DOHC, in-line 4-cylinder engine mounted in a diamond
frame and featured a highly aerodynamic full fairing. Packed with advanced Kawasaki technology it heralded a new era in high-performance sportbikes. This breakthrough machine set new standards for power, handling and aerodynamics that made it a world-wide sensation. Since then the Ninja name has continued to represent
the ultimate in supersport motorcycles. Featuring unique, state-of-the-art technology, that first Ninja established a new paradigm of value. Now, thirty years later, the DNA from that epochal machine lives on in the Ninja of today: In the incredible Ninja ZX-14 our flagship model offering CONTINUED ON P.3
*With the purchase of the Breakfast Sandwich of the Day, Receive a medium coffee & hashborwn (at locations where the hashbrown is not available, a donut will be substituted) for an additional $1.39 +tax. Offer subject to end without notice. Promotion valid at participating locations during store hours.
March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 2
RIDE HARD. RUN COOL.
™
www.amsoil.com Quality is our reputation. Premium synthetic motorcycle oils, filters, fork oil, chain lube and performance products.
Kawasaki Ninja Brand Celebrates 30 Years
Original Kawasaki GPz900R Specifications Engine - liquid-cooled 4-cylinder 4-stroke DOHC Capacity - 908cc Bore/stroke - 72.5 x 55mm Power - 113bhp @ 9500rpm Torque - 68ft-lb @ 8500rpm Carburation - 4 x 34mm Keihin CVK34 Transmission - 6-speed wet clutch chain final drive Frame - steel diamond Suspension - 38mm telescopic forks, hydraulic anti dive. Uni-Track rear Brakes - 280 mm discs 2-piston floating-calipers. 270 mm disc 2-piston floating-caliper Wheels - 120/80 x 16 Front, 130/80 x 18 Rear Weight - 228kgs Top speed - 155mph Wheelbase - 1495mm Fuel capacity – 22 litres
unmatched performance, and in the brilliant Ninja ZX-10R, winner of the 2013 World Superbike Championship. It is also found in the Ninja 300/250 — machines on which beginners and veteran riders alike enjoy rider-friendly performance with Ninja attitude. 1984 GPz900R Following its release in Monterey, California at a press introduction and test riding session in December of the previous year, sales of the GPz900R, the first “Ninja” commence. Ninja named “Bike of the Year” The GPz900R rocks the world when it is released. The new model is equipped with Kawasaki’s first liquidcooled, DOHC, 16-valve 4-cylinder engine and a light, compact chassis. With its phenomenal top speed and quarter-mile times the GPz900R rewrites the motorcycle record books. When sales start in 1984, it is named “Bike of the Year” by magazines all over the world. Its side-drive cam, diamond frame, unique full fairing and other features that distinguish it from competing models earn it great popularity. Receiving various refinements over the years, the long-selling model retains its popularity in present day.
2013 yamaha V-Star 250cc Cruiser
www.readyyamaha.com• 430 Hensall Circle, Mississauga 905-896-1600 1-855-896-0430
$
4,945*
2014 yamaha bolt R-Spec
$
9,765*
2013 yamaha yamaha Stryker
2014 yamaha Fz09 900cc Sport bike
$
Transfer/water Pump Generator 3000PSi/2.8GPM EF3000iSEb yP20Gy
2014 yamaha Grizzly 550EPS - yF55GPEL EF2000iS
12,865*
9,865*
yamaha Pressure washer
$
$
1,299* $2,599*
$
9,599*
$
399*
$
2013 waveRunner VX deluxe
829*
10,165*
$
* Li*cLicence, ence,insurance,mai ntenancemaintenance and tax are all extra. e Priare ce onalltheextra. New Motorcycl es inclon udesthe freigNew ht and P.D.E.,ECRF,Li cenceAdmi nistratifreight on Fee and C Fee.ECRF, FreightLicence & PDE ($550/$75/$75/$50/$50/$850),al l extra on theFee. followiFreight ng on the other products:YF55GPEL/EF2000i S/EF3000iSEB/YP20GY/PW3028/VX1100BMB).Pri cing on of thethefolloother wing insurance, andSal tax Sale Price Motorcycles includes andOMVI P.D.E., Administration Fee and OMVIC & PDE ($550/$75/$75/$50/$50/$850), all extra on the following Pricing of the following include a limited time rebate$750.The and discount of: XV250D$200/XVS95CEB$300/FZ09$200/XVS13C$800/YF55GPEL$400/EF2000Is$200/EF3000iSEB$200/ inclproducts: uYP20GY$200/VX1100BMB$750. de a limited YF55GPEL/EF2000iS/EF3000iSEB/YP20GY/PW3028/VX1100BMB). time rebate and discount of:XV250D $200/XVS95CEB $300/FZ09 $200/XVS13C $800/YF55GPEL $400/EF2000I s $200/EF3000i S EB $200/YP20GY $200/VX1100BMB fol l o wi n g i s extra on theYF55GPEL:$299 Li c enceAdmi n i s trati o n Fee,$24.85 ECRF & $5 OMVI C Fee. Deal e r order/trade may be necessary. Vehi c l e (s) and The following is extra on the YF55GPEL: $299 Licence Administration Fee, $24.85 ECRF & $5 OMVIC Fee. Dealer order/trade maybe necessary. Vehicle(s) and accessories shown are for illustration purposes only. Offers are subject to change notice, for full details. accessori es shown are for il uwithout stration purposes onlysee . Offersusgood between January 7-31,2013 and are subject to change without notice,see us for full details.
www.readysuzuki.com 430 Hensall Circle,Mississauga 2012 $ * GSX-R750L2 14 , 265 $ Sales direct:905-896-9996 $ =
PLuS
GET 12 addiTionaL MonTHS oF SPP aT no CHaRGE!
2013 Suzuki kinG quad 4wdd dL650a 750 Automatic & $ * V-STRoM 10 ,015 $ Power Steering $ * ,465 650abS 2012 Less $1,000 Rebate = 9,015* 30th Anniversary 12 $ $
11,365 = PLuS 2012 1,700 Rebate VL800TL2-C50T Less $ * 9 ,665 *License, insurance, maintenance and tax are all extra. Sale price includes Freight, PDE, ECRF, License $
Edition
*
$
GET 12 addiTionaL MonTHS oF SPP aT no CHaRGE!
outboard Motor dF2.5S-2.5HP
1,100
$
*
winC (Installation ex H tra) or
9,999
outboard Motor dF9.9aS $
* no CHaRGE
*
3,120
*
GET addiTio
n a L $250
instead of the W
Inch
2012 ViCToRy CRoSS CounTRy TouR $
$
3,780
*
Administration and OMVIC Fee on all motorcycles. Freight & PDE ($600/$50/$50/$50), ECRF ($24.86/$0/$0/$0), Licence Administration ($299/$0/$0/$0) and OMVIC fee ($5/$0/$0/$0) are all extra on the ATV/DF2.5S/DF9.9AS/ DF15ES.RebateoffersaregoodfromJanuary6-31,2014.Dealerorder/trademaybenecessary.Vehicle(s)andaccessoriesshownareforil ustrationpurposesonly.Offersaresubjecttochangewithoutnotice. Seeusforfull details.
25,065*
Less $1,500 $ Rebate =
$
9,599*
Less $1,300 Rebate & discount =
9175* $8,925* $8,299* Less 250 Rebate = $
2013 ViCToRy HiGHbaLL * Less 1,500 $ *
23,565* $16,865
2014PoLaRiS SPoRTSMan570EPS 2012 PoLaRiS RanGER 400
outboard Motor dF15ES- 15HP $ ,
* Licence, insurance, maintenance and tax are all extra. Sale price includes Freight, PDE, ECRF, License Administration and OMVIC Fee on all motorcycles. Freight & PDE ($600/ $50/$50/$50),ECRF($24.86/$0/$0/$0), Licence Administration ($299/$0/$0/$0) and OMVIC fee ($5/$0/$0/$0) are all extra on the ATV/DF2.5S/DF9.9AS/DF15ES. Dealer order/ trade may be necessary. Vehicle(s) and accessories shown are for illustration purposes only. Offers are subject to change without notice. See us for full details.
www.readyktm.com 430 Hensall Circle, Mississauga 905-896-1600 Toll Free: 1-855-896-0430
PLus ge AdditionAL M t 24 on esC At no Ch ths of ARge!
Sales Direct: 905-896-9996
12,465
Less 1,800 Rebate
Less 900 Rebate =
www.readyvictory.com
Plus get 6 Additional Months of PPP at No Charge!
$
Rebate =
15,365
2013 PoLaRiS 600 switchback special Price
$
9,999*
www.readypolaris.com
430 hensall circle Mississauga • 905-896-1600 Toll Free: 1-855-896-0430
*License,insurance andTax are all extra.Dealer order/trade may be necessary.Vehicles and accessories are for illustration purposes only. Offers subject to change without notice. See us for full details. Motorcycle/Snowmobile Sale price includes freight, PDE, ECRF, License Administration and OMVIC fee. Freight & PDE ($510/$1,100/$0), ECRF ($24.86/$24.86/$0), License Administration ($299/$299/$299) and OMVIC fee ($5/$5/$0) are all extra on the ATV’s (Sportsman/Ranger/Snowmobile). Warning: The Polaris RANGER and RANGER RZR are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate.Passengers must be at least 12 years old and tall enough to grasp the hand holds and plant feet firmly on the floor.For your safety, drivers and passengers should always wear helmets, eye protection, protective clothing, and seat belts and be sure to take a safety training course.Always use cab nets. Be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Never drive on public roads or paved surfaces. 990 adVEnTuRE baja 250 SX 500 EXC 690 dukE RC8 Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Check local laws $ * $ * $ * $ * before riding on trails.ATVs can be hazardous to operate. Polaris adult models are for riders 16 and older.You may also contact us * $ , or call Polaris at (800) 342-3764. 2014 Polaris Industries Inc.Victory and Victory motorcycles are registered trademarks of Polaris , , , , Industries Inc.Always wear a helmet, Eye Protection, protective clothing and obey the speed limit. Never ride under the influence of *Tax, Licence, Maintenance and Insurance extra. Models featured are all 2013’s. $250 Factory Rebate included in the pricing of the 250SX. drugs or alcohol. Copyright Polaris Industries Inc.Offers Offerssubject good between January 3-31, 2014Seeandussubject to change without notice. to change without notice. for full details.
8 365
10 965 11 865 17915
19 865
3 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
CONTINUED FROM COVER
March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 4
TwoCents Mix - 0/35/85/0
30%K
The Motorcycle Times is published 11 times a year from Feb thru December. Motorcycle Times distributes 15,000 free copies for pickup throughout Ontario from our network of Dealerships, Motorcycle related retailers, Motorcycle friendly locations and Subscribers. For more information about becoming a retail associate of The Motorcycle Times email the circulation Department.
scott macdonald EDITOR
The Thin Black Line
Motorcycle enthusiasts are a one-of-a-kind breed. We’d all like to be recognized as individuals rather than be all lumped together as one group. It’s an idealistic dream of being the lone wolf, a life on the road that makes you tougher than nails, riding off into the sunset with the wind blowing through your hair. But it seems we are all cut from the same cloth in the eyes of those who don’t ride. The days of the late sixties and early seventies on the west coast of the United States depicted such stories on the big screen, freedom at any cost, no rules, living life by your own laws. Movies like Easy Rider were part of popular culture, a vision told by producers who likely had never been on two wheels in their lives. But they had a vision, a pocketful of money and a perception of what a ‘biker’ was all about. As I think about it, I don’t care much for the term ‘biker’, it’s a tarnished word. Tarnished from decades of media sensationalism – perceptions perpetuated by the uninformed mass media minions who say that all who ride are only out to rape and plunder. It degrades us as riders, as individuals and more importantly as enthusiasts who happen to have a passion for the experience
and joy to be experienced on two wheels. I have tried to educate the people I meet during breaks on my rides about what a rider is today, the average rider that is. Usually well educated and employed with enough discretionary funds to be able to afford all that is necessary to get into this sport in the first place. They nod their heads like they believe what I am telling them, but in the end, most never see past the black leather. They don’t hear that the reason for the black leather is to hide the road grime and oils kicked up from the road, and that those same black leathers are a form of protection from the elements and God forbid an accident caused by one of those blind drivers we seem to have in abundance on our Ontario roads these days. It’s doesn’t matter that motorcycle riders donate millions each year to help fund charitable causes like cancer research, diabetes, blindness and the like, through organized rides and events, That’s rarely reported in mainstream media, at least not with the same hype provided to a rider involved in a crime. Crime, not warm fuzzy, sells the news period.
Black leather seams to equate to criminal activities in their minds. It’s only fellow riders who really know the truths and lies associated with our sport and that’s a shame. Wouldn’t it be nicer to be respected rather than feared? Unfortunately, that’s the thin black line that the popular press defines us by. On another note, as we look forward with anticipation of better weather, which seems to be the subject of everyone’s conversations these days, I am reminded that although Wiarton Willie did predict a long winter, he is after all just a fat rodent. What does he know anyway. In this issue among other worthy tidbits, we give you the necessary knowledge to help find a saddle that’s right for you. No more endless kilometers with a numb rear end. Until next month, remember to give your ride a good once over before you get out on the roads. And with respect to the road, remember to take it easy in the corners, they’ll be slippery with sand and salty residue for some time to come. Cheers,
2O14
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Scott MacDonald Richard Ackroyd Amanda Primeau Michal Mellon Laura MacDonald
Editor Art Director Assistant Editor Circulation Manager Distribution Manager Advertising Manager
Contributing Writers Richard Ackroyd Brent Wakeford Paul Tomascik David Drouin Tony Peterson
Russell Wilson Marissa Baecker Shawn Rodie Steve Rock HardRider
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Mail to: 105 West 25th Street, Hamilton ON L9C 4X3
105 West 25th St., Hamilton ON. L9C 4X3 905.962.1890
Progressive Suspension 970 Series Piggyback Shocks for Baggers! Engineered for touring bikes, the 970 Series for Baggers has high pressure gas charged dampers, and incorporates deflective disc valving and package them in hard anodized aluminum bodies designed to reduce friction and increase performance. They also utilise progressive rate springs regulated via threaded pre-load adjusters for the perfect ride. Available in 12”, 13” and standard or heavy duty spring rates to suite your desired ride heightand weight. Fitment for 1993-2013 Harley Baggers. Check it out on their site for more information. http://www.progressivesuspension.com/
Victory Jackpot Flame Fender Strut
Fabricated from solid 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum billet. These works of art are more a sculpture than a motorcycle part. Completely carved and shaped by hand, to a flawless finish. Unlike any part you have ever seen! Dimensions: 24” Long x 3.9” High x 1.5” Thick. FITS ONLY JACKPOT AND HAMMER $1,299.00 http://cycleopsusa.com/store/index.html
The Wolo BAD BOY.
the latest in air horn technology.... a one-piece design that requires NO hoses. Installs in minutes. Compact in size to fit any car, truck, motorcycle and any 12-volt vehicle that wants a loud air horn sound. BIG BAD MAX CHROME has a sound chamber designed to create a deep big rig sound, three times (3X) louder than factory horns. 144 Decibels - 320 Hz, 12-volt www.wolo-mfg.com/air.htm
Go Cruise Throttle Control
Simple and brilliant solution to relieving stress on your wrist on long rides. Installs on your throttle grip in a few seconds. When you’re at your desired speed, push the Go Cruise down with your index finger until it rests on your brake lever. It’s that simple! Visit: www.thecycleguys.com /go-cruise-throttle-assist-1/
Scan & Watch
Whether you’re new to the powersports industry or an old-timer, Klotz is one name you can trust. Driven to perform at the highest levels, we race-test every product to make sure it meets the most stringent demands. You can trust Klotz with your favorite bike or ATV and be confident that we’ll take better care of it than any other brand.
Visit us at www.klotzcanada.com Ask for it at your local dealer, Find a local dealer or You can order right online.
5 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
NewProducts
March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 6
MotorcycleNews Mix - 0/35/85/0
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Harley-Davidson Shakes Up Events at 2014 Daytona Bike Week This year, Harley-Davidson will be consolidating their presence into one actionpacked display at the Speedway to make it easier for our fans to experience everything we have in one easy-to-access location. “And on Saturday, March 8, we’ll be electrifying our display with an exciting special announcement at 1 p.m. that our fans will not want to miss.”
2014 Harley-Davidson Events at Daytona Bike Week:
Lotus Designer Daniel Simon Raises the Bar in Motorcycle Styling Following two years of careful planning and intense development, Kodewa is delighted to announce that that the prototype of the world’s first motorcycle to bear the legendary Lotus marque is now road registered and ready for action. Kodewa has been granted a license to produce the motorcycle by Group Lotus plc the world renowned sportscar manufacturer and engineering consultancy. The C-01 combines ample power via a V-twin engine with a distinctive body designed by Daniel Simon integrating carbon fibre, titanium and aerospace quality steel. The C-01 motorcycle is not designed, engineered or produced by Group Lotus plc but is the result of a collaboration between motorsport veterans under the leadership of Kodewa, lead by Dr Colin Kolles. The development on the C-01 was carried out with the support of Holzer Group (coowners of Kalex) and design guru Daniel Simon. Drawing on their wealth of motorsport experience, the team of engineers has designed a unique high performance superbike. The C-01 will be available in a range of liveries some of which pay homage to Lotus’ sporting pedigree. A customisation service is also available, limited only by the imagination of the client. With an exclusive
production run of just 100 units, superbike collectors and fans of the Lotus brand will need to move fast to secure one. The original idea to create the C-01 came from Kodewa’s Dr Colin Kolles. Speaking about the project he said: “We set out to create a bike that isn’t just great to ride but also represents a piece of art in motion. Over the years I have seen my fair share of style over substance, what this bike brings to the market is a unique combination of both - state of the art technology with a truly jaw- dropping aesthetic.” Commenting on the C-01 Güther Holzer, CEO of Holzer Group said: “I was one of the first people to ride it and I have to say I was very impressed. Together we have found that delicate balance between raw, aggressive power and breath- taking handling. The team has created something very special, it looks incredible, it sounds fantastic but above all, the ride is sensational. I’m very happy.” Designer Daniel Simon said: “The design process of the C-01 was a labour of love - there were many challenges - ensuring that the bike not only touches your visual senses with its timeless blend of classic appeal and modern execution, but that is safe and ergonomically sound was critical to me.
Hero iON
HERO MotoCorp has launched a number of concept bikes at the recent Auto Expo in India, one of which is the iON. The iON uses advanced lithium-air (Li-air) batteries and a hydrogen fuel extender with super capacitors to power the two-wheeler. In English, that means the bike has a top speed of 99.4mph and a range of 180 miles on a single charge, going from 0-60mph in five seconds. The electric motor doubles up as a brake and delivers its power through a conventional tyre mounted to a less than conventional hubless magnetic wheel. The bike does away with a normal twistgrip throttle and is fitted with trigger-like buttons fitted onto the handlebars. The controls feature ride-by-wire technology allowing the iON to integrate multiple onboard traffic-sensors and the VSA system (Variable Situational Awareness) to keep track of surrounding flow of traffic and collision detection. Even steering the iON isn’t conventional, being fitted with ‘M-Link’ and ‘Flex Axis’ technology, the motorcycle is steered by rotating the front and rear wheel, and suspension system, for maximum road-holding and driver confidence. Pricing information hasn’t been released. Hero has not confirmed their longterm plans for the iON concept.
Harley-Davidson’s display at Daytona International Speedway will be rocking from Sat., March 8 to Sat., March 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with free motorcycle parking and a wide range of displays and activities. Harley-Davidson will offer 2014 model year motorcycle demo rides, including the new Project RUSHMORE touring models, at Daytona International Speedway near the Intersection of Midway Avenue and Richard Petty Boulevard from Sat., March 8 to Sat., March 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (demo registration closes at 4 p.m. daily). Harley Owners Group® (H.O.G.) events in Daytona include a pin stop at the Speedway and nightly Happy Hours exclusively for H.O.G. members (with one guest) from 4-6 p.m. Sat., March 8 through Fri., March 14 with limited refreshments provided. The 8th Annual MDA Women’s Ride takes place Tues., March 11 with registration at the Speedway starting at 7 a.m., a 10 a.m. departure, and arrival at Destination Daytona at approximately 10:45 a.m. The Harley-Davidson Ride-In Custom Bike Show will be held Wed., March 12 at the Speedway. Registration is 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a $15 MDA donation. Trophies will be awarded at 3 p.m. in eight classes. Harley-Davidson will also be at Bikers on the Boulevard on Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach March 13-15 from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. For a complete listing of events visit our website at harley-davidson.com/daytona.
Victory Unveils 2015 Gunner: A Bobber With Big Power Victory took the wraps off the 2015 Gunner today at the IMS show in Chicago. The Gunner is a stripped-down bobber — a popular category these days — featuring the big Freedom 106 cubic inch v-twin and sixspeed gearbox refined by Victory over the past several years. This is one of the premier cruiser engines in the heavyweight category that typically dynos in the ballpark of 80 rear wheel horsepower. The Gunner features “Suede Titanium” paint, attractive multi-spoke cast aluminum 16-inch wheels (that carry narrow rubber, including a 140 section rear tire) and a relatively light claimed dry weight for the heavyweight cruiser category of 649 pounds. With disc brakes front and rear, the Gun-
ner makes due with a single 300 mm floating rotor in front and four-piston caliper. The new Gunner, although 10 pounds or so lighter, seems to carry the same chassis geometry and narrow tires, so we would expect similar handling … solid, predictable, but not the most nimble. For a heavyweight cruiser with a top notch v-twin such as the Freedom 106, the Gunner is priced as a bit of a bargain at a U.S. MSRP of $12,999. Victory is supporting the Gunner with plenty of accessories, and you can see a Gunner below with a red seat and other modifications. Stay tuned for our next issue as we put the Victory Gunner through it’s paces and report back our findings.
7 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
2014 Daytona Bike Week Treasure Hunt locations announced
Daytona Bike Week is just weeks away, and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce has announced that AMSOIL will be the presenting sponsor for the 2014 Bike Week Treasure Hunt. The Treasure Hunt includes 12 locations in the greater Daytona Beach area. Thousands of bikers participate in the hunt by using the passport found in the Official Bike Week Pocket Guide that is distributed at the Official Bike Week Welcome Center in Riverfront Park, the Daytona Regional Chamber lobby, sponsor locations, hotels in the greater Daytona Beach area, and welcome centers throughout the state of Florida. Due to a high number of participants in years past, we now have a total of 1,000 coins that participants that complete the passport receive. Bikers will pick up their treasure from each location, get their passport stamped, and bring it back to the Official Bike Week Headquarters tent in Riverfront Park to receive their limited-edition commemorative coin. The 2014 AMSOIL Bike Week Treasure Hunt stops are: 1. AMSOIL Riverfront Park Beach Street, Daytona Beach Stamp location is at the AMSOIL Official Tent. 2. Harley-Davidson Corporation 1801 W International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL Stamp location is at the Official Harley Davidson Tent located within the Daytona International Speedway. 3. Budweiser 1637 N US Hwy 1, Ormond Beach, FL Stamp location is at the Customer Service Desk within the Daytona Harley Davidson Store. 4. GEICO Riverfront Park Beach Street, Daytona Beach Stamp location is at the GEICO Official Tent. 5. Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort 100 N Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach, FL Stamp location is within the South Tower Lobby. There will be a table set up just for the Treasure Hunt. 6. Ram Trucks Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram 1450 N Tomoka Farms Rd., Daytona Beach, FL Stamp location is within store. 7. Iron Horse Saloon 1068 N US Hwy 1, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 Stamp location inside. 8. Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum 4931 S Peninsula Dr., Ponce Inlet, FL Stamp location is within the gift shop. 9. Freedom Cycles of Daytona 841 Ridgewood Ave., Holly Hill, FL Stamp location within store. 10. Light Them Up Sunshine Park Mall 2400 S Ridgewood Ave., South Daytona, FL Stamp location within store. 11. Daytona Harley-Davidson 510 Main St., Daytona Beach, FL New Store location. Stamp location at customer service desk. 12. Wyotech 470 Destination Daytona Lane Ormond Beach, FL
The 2014 AMSOIL Bike Week Treasure Hunt stops are: 1. AMSOIL Riverfront Park Beach Street, Daytona Beach Stamp location is at the AMSOIL Official Tent. Giveaway provided. 2.Harley-Davidson Corporation 1801 W International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL Stamp location is at the Official Harley Davidson Tent located within the Daytona International Speedway.
START ThE YEAR OFF RIghT ON ThE SEAT OF 3. Budweiser 1637 N US Hwy 1, Ormond Beach, FL Stamp location is at the Customer Service Desk within the Daytona Harley Davidson Store. Giveaway provided.
A NEw VICTORY MOTORCYCLE 4. GEICO Riverfront Park Beach Street, Daytona Beach Stamp location is at the GEICO Official Tent.
REbATES UP TO
FINANCINg AS LOw AS %*
1500 3.99
$
5. Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort 100 N Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach, FL Stamp location is within the South Tower Lobby. There will be a table set up just for the Treasure Hunt. Giveaway provided.
&
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7. Iron Horse Saloon 1068 N US Hwy 1, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 Stamp location inside. Giveaway provided.
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11. Daytona Harley-Davidson 510 Main AND St., Daytona Beach, FL New Store location. YOU’LL Stamp location at customer service desk. Giveaway provided. This is a limited time offer which is valid for the purchase of selected qualifying models and is subject to credit approval from TD Auto Finance (TDAF) on qualified purchases financed during this program. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change and may be extended 12.retailers Wyotech 470 Destination Daytona or terminated without further notice. See participating for complete details and conditions. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. amount to finance is $5,000. Example: Lane Minimum Ormond Beach, FL Giveaway pro- $7,500 financed at 3.99% over 36 months = 36 monthly payments of $221.40 with a cost of borrowing of $471.12 and a total obligation of $7,971.12. See dealer for all details. *Offer good for up to $250 on purchases from the Pure Polaris online store. **The three-year coverage is available on new 2011 in Apparel. Not valid on non Pure Polaris® apparel orvided. through 2014 Victory models. Offer is valid only in the U.S. and Canada and does not apply to prior purchases. Three-year coverage consists of 12 months’ ® factory warranty, plus 24 months’ POLARISTAR Power Protection ESC. Subject to $50 deductible, no mileage limitation. See dealer for details. †$3,000 rebate on 2013 – 2011 Jackpot, $2,750 rebate on MY11 Ness Vegas, $3,000 rebate on MY11 Vision. Rebates vary by model and model year. Must purchase a 2011 through 2014 Victory model between January 1, 2014 and February 28, 2014. Victory or Polaris® dealership employees are not eligible for this offer. Must purchase a 2011 through 2014 Victory model between January 1, 2014 and February 28, 2014. Offer must be redeemed by February 28, 2014. Victory or Polaris® dealership employees are not eligible for this offer. Victory® and Victory Motorcycles® are registered trademarks of Polaris Industries Inc. Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing and obey the speed limit. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. ©2014 Polaris Industries Inc.
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March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 8
Why I Don’t Ride Motorcycles - as much - any more ted laturnus
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that, between 1997 and 2008, annual motorcycle fatalities in the United States increased by 150 per cent. And, according to a more recent study commissioned by the same organization, motorcycle deaths in 2011 in the United States were up 2 per cent over 2010 – 4,612 in total.
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Here are some other numbers I find troubling: Motorcycle riders in Canada are at least 15 times more likely to be involved in a crash than automobile drivers. And one in 10 traffic deaths on the road involves a motorcycle. Put another way, a motorcyclist is 14 times more likely to be killed in a collision. Considering that bikes make up a scant 2 per cent of all vehicles on the road, these numbers are mind-boggling. Incidentally, the numbers are highest for high-powered sport bikes. More than one-third – 36.3 per cent – of all Canadian drivers admit to using cellphones while driving. This number, obtained by the Traffic Research Injury Foundation of Canada (TIRF), means bad news for motorcyclists and, despite various nationwide safety campaigns, motorists are not getting the message when it comes to cellphone usage/texting while driving. In 2012, there were more than 26 million registered vehicles on the road in Canada. This is up 10 million over 2000, and probably 10 times the number that were on the road when I first started riding, in 1964. Simply put, Canadian roads are getting crowded, and more cars means more potential for an accident. Ten. Or thereabouts. This is the number of times I’ve come off my bike while riding – either because of an accident, or because I was not paying attention or playing the fool. Don’t remember them all, but the notable ones involve being hit head-on in my own lane by an inattentive teenage driver, colliding with a locomotive late at night, coming off the back of my bike while attempting to ride backward, dropping a fully loaded tourer in a major intersection downtown, and flying over a stone wall after falling asleep. Admittedly, youthful stupidity was a factor in at least a couple of these incidents, but the fact that I survived says to me that I may be pushing the envelope when it comes to second chances. Three. The number of riding training
courses I’ve taken. They probably made me a more capable rider, but, in terms of safety and making things better out there for riders, they haven’t changed things one iota. Riding a motorcycle these days has become a defensive proposition; you can’t relax when you’re always worried about being clobbered. Five. The number of bones I’ve broken or fractured due to motorcycle accidents. Heel-bone, knee, ankle, thumb and nose. Not to mention at least one concussion, and bruises beyond count. Two. And a half. Approximately. This is the number of years it took me to get over my last accident. It involved wheelchair time and months of physiotherapy and I still have the odd twinge of vertigo. As you get older, you don’t bounce back as quickly and injuries that would have been nothing but an inconvenience years ago are now major obstacles. Much as I love riding, my aversion to hospitals is greater. Four. This is the number of vehicles involved in a collision in Fredericton recently. They were trying to avoid a family of ducks that was crossing the road. One of the vehicles was a motorcycle, but luckily the rider wasn’t injured. I hasten to add that I don’t intend to completely stop riding. Asking me to do that is like asking me to stop walking. I bought my first bike in 1964 – a Suzuki 80 scrambler – and old habits die hard. I still love motorcycles and have a few more years left in me yet. However, I plan to modify my riding habits. Among other things, I won’t be riding downtown ever again. Anyone that takes their bike/scooter into the city is asking for trouble. It’s Death Race 2013 down there, with construction, crazy bicyclists, heavy truck traffic and bad drivers everywhere. Much as I’m loathe to admit it, I also think my days of dawn-til-dusk touring are over. Incomparably exhilarating as it is, riding a bike all day gets tiring, and fatigue leads to trouble. Day trips for me from here on in. And when I do ride, I will be more scrupulous when it comes to changing lanes, merging into traffic, following behind trucks, coming to a complete stop at stop signs, performing over-the-shoulder visual checks, and watching my speed. I don’t want my days to be numbered.
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9 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
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March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 10
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the end of a day’s ride. With a good aftermarket saddle, there is generally little to no extended “break-in” period before you are comfortable. The saddle should compress and mold itself to your body shape within the first 15 minutes and your first ride should be as comfortable as your 100th -the foam should retain its shape and support for years. Many riders ask about the use of gel seats in place of — or in addition to — foam. In theory, gel displaces rather than compresses like foam. If you push down firmly on gel, it doesn’t compress. It just changes its shape (imagine a tube of toothpaste), which, in certain instances, does little for your comfort. However, adding a gel pad, or seat, can help some riders if the pressure on their tailbones is aggravated by firm foam seats. There is another product on the market, called an “Air Hawk,” that is essentially an air bladder shaped like an egg carton. You control how firm or soft the seat is with a couple of puffs of air. The company that makes the Air Hawk, also makes seat cushions for those who use wheel chairs, so it knows about sitting for hours at a time.
COVERINGS
Choosing the Right Saddle SCOTT MACDONALD EDITOR
rials. Higher quality baseplates, used by aftermarket manufacturers, are constructed of either marine-grade fiberglass, finished with a high-gloss gel-coat, or black, epoxy powder-coated 16-gauge steel. One of the best ways to assess the quality of a motorcycle seat is to turn it over and examine the baseplate area or “underbelly.” When you pick up a premium seat, feel the weight and balance. That alone should give you an indication as to how substantial a custom seat is compared to most stock seats.
Choosing the right motorcycle saddle is one of the most important upgrades you can do to ensure comfort and endurance on the streets. Manufacturers have been slowly improving construction methods and utilizing more advanced materials in their stock saddles. There has never been a true way to tell if you’d be able to ride for an hour, or just ten minutes before your butt would feel numb. And no matter what position you tried, there would be no relief. The only way FOAM to regain feeling and blood flow to your glu- The most important component of seat comfort is the foam — and that includes teus maximus was to get off the bike. Although many manufacturers have be- both the shape and the quality of the foam gun to improve the comfort of their saddles, itself. This is truly a case of “it’s what’s inthere’s still much improvement yet to be side that counts.” Aftermarket saddle manurealized. facturers begin by creating the Demand to keep prices combaseplate. For most custom mopetitive in the marketplace is one torcycles, an experienced seat of the factors for the existence of designer will hand-sculpt the inferior stock saddles. The sadinitial shape of the foam to caredle’s foam under-layers are just fully contour the shape to suptoo soft to provide proper support your body and align your port. Although a stock saddle spine at the best angle possible may feel ok for the moment or Factory Tour to relieve back stress. two in the showroom, it’s really Most seats are built as a single piece of not enough time to to tell if a saddle will foam that makes up both the driver’s, and standup to your expectations. the passenger’s, seat. Sometimes, seats are STOCK CONSTRUCTION built as two distinct parts — the solo seat Most stock seats, and a number of less for the driver is separate from the passenger expensive aftermarket seats, are built on seat. A two-piece seat construction allows plastic baseplates which are inexpensive to for the removal of the passenger seat so that build, and far less sturdy than other mate- the driver can truly ride solo (depending on
manufacturer and saddle). Some one-piece seats (built on a single baseplate but able to carry both driver and passenger) are designed to look like two separate seats. Once the master foam shape is created, custom saddle manufacturers will make a mold of this shape and “cast” the foam for higher production numbers. A liquid foam solution is poured into the mold, which is then securely closed up. Within minutes, the chemicals react and the liquid is solidified within the mold in a process reminiscent of a giant waffle maker. The chemical compound of the liquid foam is as significant as the shape. The molecular structure of foam can be described as either open-cell or closed-cell. Think of the difference between types of foam, sponges or cushions on couches. Some foam is really soft and can be easily squeezed and almost flattened (open cell construction), while other foam is really firm and can barely be compressed (closed cell). For a motorcycle seat to be comfortable, the foam compound must be carefully formulated to be soft enough for comfort but resilient enough to stand up to those “thousand-mile” days. The best aftermarket manufacturers use their own formula of controlled-density, polyurethane foam — a highly proprietary recipe, like those 13 mystery herbs and spices in KFC’s secret recipe. A soft seat provides no support, and riding on one for any length of time can be as bad as riding on the bare baseplate. On the other hand, a really hard seat can make you feel like you’re sitting on a piece of plywood. Either way, your bottom will be in agony at
As you probably know, most stock seats are covered with molded vinyl. The good news is that this prevents water from seeping inside. The bad news is that stock covers don’t provide a glove like fit when it comes to the contours of the foam mold or cushion. That means any discrepancies will result in wrinkles or bulges. As with a custom suit, or the upholstered cover on your couch, well-designed covers on aftermarket seats are meticulously pieced together and sewn to fit tight contours so that they do not tend to bunch up while riding. The best aftermarket seat covers are individually hand-sewn animal hydes or high quality vinyls. Quality generally varies with price. Riders should choose the material that best meets their needs, preferences and budget. Whether made of leather or vinyl, look for the following features on the cover of a quality seat: All seams should be sewn twice for strength. The bottom edge under the seat that is attached to the baseplate should be hemmed. The edges of seats with skirts should be finished with braid. Pillow top seats should be tufted with covered buttons, which are double-tied with four cords, not two, so as to not lose their buttons. The cover and stitch pattern for each model and style should complement and enhance the shape of the seat and the flow of the motorcycle. Stitching should be evenly spaced, uniform and tight. Among the best aftermarket saddle manufacturers are Corbin, Mustang and Saddleman. Although they mass produce their saddles, they adhear to strict quality components and construction methods. Do your research before you purchase, find a friend or someone you know who has an aftermarket saddle and park your butt on it to get a sense of what to expect. Visit their websites for more detailed information pertaining to each manufacturer. Regardless of your final choice, your cheeks will thank you.
11 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
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Barrie Harley-Davidson® 311 Bryne Drive, Barrie 728-5322 OR 888-743-1903 www.barriehd.com
Clare’s Harley-Davidson® of Niagara
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March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 12
Friday the 13th in Port Dover
July 2012 17
the Dover Thunder Apparel celebrates 13 yearsbreeze ofwest business
day 13th clothing. Using such Norfolk businesses as Truckin’ T-shirts for silk screenhelMeTS FoR lIFe CONTRIBUTING WRITER ing and Quick Stitch Embroidery as well as various graphic designers, Margit’s Dover Thunder clothing line includes men’s and ladies’ t- shirts, hats, crests, kids apparel, and both long and short sleeve choices. Margit, who has lived in Port Dover for the past 35 years, is the mother of two daughters. Admitting the business is a bit nerve As Canadians, celebrate manydepenfes- of the AMA ProAm Superbike circuit, and wracking becausewe it is so weather tivities in requires true Canadian fashion. Hockey dent and substantial financial in- the Daytona 200 AMA Pro Road Race. Arizona Bike Week season. Tim Horton’s Roll Up the Rim, vestment and physical work setting up tents, Margit at the October- 2010 the www.azbikeweek.com From Friday April 2-6 and now we are wrapping up Bike Show Margit loves Friday 13th in Port Dover. Scottsdale. If you don’t get a chance to go season across the country just in time for in13th. metto people all over world. race“I’ve season kick from off. That willthe lead us to Daytona, soak up some desert sunshine angebiking with festivities a cowboyamong graphic is a popular I’ve met people who have flown their bikes with the cactus, ininto the long awaited and fan favourite... choice of some men. in fromSeason! the U.K. and people who have ar- stead of the beach. Riding Women Bike will often for butter yellow or rived limo.season A lot of peoplethe come Arizona weekgo offers FMX freestyle Bikebyshow is really kickback off cactus green, if they are looking for someeverygets yearusandmotivated. look for myThe clothing. They shows, stunt shows as well as big names in that unpredictthing different thansuch black. enjoy music industry, as Shoppers Big and Rich, able coast a pre-season get towet know you.threw It is ariders lot of fun,” she said. the the quality uniqueJoan designs MarLewisand (Staind), Jett, that Lynyrd weather teaser in January, sincefor then Margit employs about 20but people the Aaron ZZThunder Top wraps up the week of has tormented them with snow, rain, cold Skynyrd. git’s Dover Apparel offers. event. She sets up Thursday and takes Margit Wamsley, right, and friend Connie Prime showcase some of Margit’s and low temperatures, which has sent ev- headlining music. If you miss seeing her on the street, she down Saturday. “Dover Thunder Apparel”. OH, and did I mention that you can ride eryone running to their nearest travel agent at wamsley@cablerocket. Every year, Margit enjoys working with can be reached with SOA Chibs (Tommy O’Flannigan) and to chase the sun. colours and designs. Texas or- com a Special Events Coordinator for Norfolk different By Donna McMillan If you are one of those calling your travel Tig (Canada’s Kim Coates) as they lead the County in her regular work day, will once agent, and who can’t wait for riding season, 3rd Annual Crusaders for Children ‘Child “Dover Thunder Apparel”, specializing again have staff manning two booths that there are pre-season options waiting for Empowerment Ride’ on Sunday, April 6th? While you are there, get your hockey fix in Friday 13th biker wear is celebrating its feature “Dover Thunder Apparel”. They you south of the border while we wait for at a reasonable rate as the Edmonton Oilers the sun North of 40. 13th year of business this year, a year of can be found next to Dover Hairport, near play the Coyotes on Friday, April 4, 2014. RawHyde Adventures three Friday 13ths and expectations that the Dover Dairy Bar and in The Arbor California Superbike School www.rawhyde-offroad.com Located in this July 13th could be the biggest event in parking lot. www.superbikeschool.com - As a graduSouthern California in a place called CastaThirteen years ago, Margit started off Port Dover to date. ic, north of LA (or you can attend training ate of level 1 and 2 (so far), I highly recomOwner Margit Wamsley, who works as designing hats and quickly moved to Fri- in Colorado). Even though it is designed mend this school, and now that they’re
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for the adventure rider, riders of all styles back on North American soil, there are can benefit from a weekend of off-road skill ample weekends to have your socks development. You can bring your own bike knocked off learning what you can do with if you are an adventure rider, or if you are a motorcycle. Enjoy a weekend in Las Vegas Motor simply exploring the world of adventure riding, you can rent one of their BMW GS Speedway, the Streets of Willow Springs, Sonoma Raceway or the infamous Laguna models for the experience. Raw Hyde is lead by Jim Hyde, an en- Seca where the GP riders now haunt the duro expert who originally developed the track. I won’t go on too much about this ® ® The Can-Am Spyder RT and RS roadsters. With a unique, school I wrote about it in a previous colacademy after an initial dual® RTsport The 8-day Can-Am® Spyder and RS roadsters. With as a unique, three-wheeled stance and intuitive, rider-focused features, three-wheeled stanceVegas and intuitive, rider-focused features, TMT back issues. I will say – umn. Check adventure from Los Angeles to Las – it’s everything you need to become one with the road. it’s everything you need to become one with the road. It’s riding. Reinvented. whatdesert. thousands of riders it’s money 1000 miles through theDiscover Mojave Jim It’s riding. Reinvented. Discover what thousands of riderswell spent. already know at can-am.brp.com. already know at can-am.brp.com. MOTO GP and his crew operate a top-notch facility that ® Can-Am® Spyder RT development and RS roadsters. With www.circuitoftheamericas.com - North not onlyThe enhances the skill of a unique, three-wheeled stance and intuitive, rider-focused features, American kick off. Head for Austin, Texas, riders, but also offers weekend it’s everything you a need to becomegetaway. one with the road. It’s riding. Reinvented. Discover whatgourmet thousands of riders April 11–13th, where the GP riders touch It includes accommodation, and already know at can-am.brp.com. down for the first of only two North Americuisine, in a ranch-like atmosphere. Three training levels offered–Introduc- can stops. Moto GP riders operate 1000cc tion to Adventure; The Next Step–inter- bikes with 4 stroke engines. The kick-off mediate training; Expedition CV–Field stop also offers Moto2 (600cc,m 4-stroke) training; After you complete the weekend and Moto3 (250cc – 4-stroke) racing. This is the second year for the GP to of training, you have the option of taking an overnight expedition through the des- touchdown in Texas, and for the first time, ert for an evening under the stars at Base Ducati Island will rise at COTA. Ducati Island was an infamous part of Camp Alpha. VEHICLE the STABILITY SYSTEM SEMI-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DYNAMIC POWER VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM SEMI-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DYNAMIC landscape at Laguna Seca,POWER butSTEERING afterSTEERING the Daytona Bike Week 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 through integratingannouncement stability, traction Yourup leftand thumb up and your acceleration, and steering stability, traction Your left thumb shifts yourshiftsthe acceleration, speed andspeed steering that GP would no lonwww.officialbikeweek.comintegrating - From March and anti-lock braking for an forefinger shifts down. With reverse. angle data. More comfort and and anti-lock braking for an forefinger shifts down. With reverse. angle data. More comfort and confident ride. (Manual improved control. ride. incrediblyger (Manual available) improved control. take place atavailable) the California track, Ducati 7–16 and takes over the beachincredibly sideconfident community of Daytona Beach. There is an endless island was sunk. VEHICLE STABILITY SEMI-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DYNAMIC STEERING a signature part of the GPPOWER experience, number of things to do kicking off withSYSTEM As An automotive-like system No clutch lever or foot shifter here. Adjusts required effort through was toyourresurrect thespeed landmark stability, traction Ducati Your left thumb quick shifts up and acceleration, and steering AMA Supercross races at theintegrating speedway and anti-lock braking for an forefinger shifts down. With reverse. angle data. More comfort and incredibly confident ride. (Manual available) improved control. in Texas. Ducati Island offers free motoron March 8. You’ll be able to see some high flyers like Villopoto, Stewart, Reed etc. on cycle parking for Ducati models, a fashion a course designed by five-time champion show with international DJ’s, a complimentary espresso bar complete with leather Ricky Carmichael. Manufacturers will be offering test rides lounging furniture and, of course, a look at models. throughout the week. There is a ladies’ the new Dealer Imprint Dealer ImprintAs forHere me, after winter of superbikes, parade ride, plus several other scheduled 14 Regional Road 13,a Courtland, ON Goes Goes Here I have decided to spend some time with rides, show n’ shines, build offs, live mu519-688-3278 and booked bike week in Daysic, and other street events throughout the the bikers complete with rides on Triumph – the week. 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March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 14
RoadTales Mix - 0/35/85/0
The Insurance Conundrum Underwriters and actuaries are not known to actually ride motorcycles, or to even know much about them
RICHARD ACKROYD
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Live in Canada? Buying a bike? What’s the first thing that you should do before handing over your hard-earned money? If you said, “check with your insurance broker to see if you can get insurance on the bike,” you are correct. Now, before you skip ahead to the next article, know now that you could learn something from this one. This February, I asked my insurance company if I could get a quote on a new 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure. The answer from the call-centre broker was “no.” I was polite, and said, but you insure the 2014 BMW R1200 GS, and the KTM is a similar machine. “Sorry, we do not insure that model,” was her answer. Well then, that’s it. If I cannot get insurance, I cannot ride the bike. So, I asked the broker to escalate the request directly to the insurance company. Again, I received the “not available” answer. Not willing to accept this response, I then emailed the broker and asked that the request be “escalated” to the vice-president of insurance underwriting at the actual insurance company. In my email, I included pictures of the KTM and the BMW showing that both bikes were the same style, similar retail price and would be purchased by a similar demographic. Please reconsider. The answer came back this time as positive, saying that yes, we will insure the KTM, and with a price that was within a couple of hundred dollars of the BMW. But why did I have to go to all of this bother? Here are a few things that you should know about insurance companies. First of all, motorcycle insurance is a very small part of their overall business. They make far more money insuring your house and your car. Insurance companies are in business to make a profit, and it’s OK to make a profit. However, in comparison to the other products and services which they sell, bike insurance produces very small overall profits. That means that to make money on the bike business, insurers usually offer only standard products, and they have to keep administration down to a minimum. Most insurers would not be in the business except that they know that offering bike insurance is a method to promote the sale of their home and auto policies. Insurance brokers do not work for the insurance company; insurance agents do, but not brokers. Brokers are independent. Both agents and brokers can sell you insurance coverage; both agents and brokers usually work for commission. Those commissions are typically around 12% to 15% of the total premium in the first year of a policy, to between 7% and 15% each time that you renew for another year. Insurance companies
may also offer bonuses to the agents and brokers. Bonuses depend on the number of sales, and the amount of overall premiums “sold.” Neither agents, nor brokers have the ability to change policy wording, or to discuss claims. Agents generally only work for one insurance company; brokers can get you quotes from several. Check with both agents who work for just one company, and brokers who work for several, if you want quotes. Premium rates are set by insurance companies’ actuaries, as are many underwriting rules. Underwriters, the people who actually decide if you are a good risk, or not, look at factors that have been historically proven to influence the number and size of claims: (such as) age, sex, home location, occupation, previous claims history, your driving/riding history – i.e. number of “at fault” accidents and claims, type of bike, size of motor, cost to make repairs on particular models, cost of health care where you live, and the value of your bike new and to replace today. Bikes with lots of plastic on them are much more expensive to repair, so expensive that bikes with large fairings can be ‘written off” by insurers if the plastic extensively damaged, even if the bike is otherwise mechanically sound. How do insurance companies get information about the vehicle types that they insure? Well, for the most part, vehicle manufacturers submit the make, model and VIN numbers to the Insurance Bureau of Canada who then then supplies the insurers with that information. If you are purchasing a new vehicle, such as the KTM 1190 Adventure, which is new to Canada this year, the insurers have to wait until the information comes from the vehicle manufacturer via the Insurance Bureau. If the insurer can’t get that information, it cannot issue a quote. Also, there is potential to get the information mixed up. For example, KTM sells an 1190 superbike, and some insurers will not offer insurance on that bike because of all of the plastic on it. Both the
superbike and the Adventure carry a similar designation based on the 1190 cc engine. Underwriters and actuaries are not known to actually ride motorcycles, or to know much about them, so you can see that it would be easy for them to make a mistake. A good portion of your annual motorcycle premium is taken up by the “disability payments” portion of the policy. Never mind that the chances of the insurer actually paying out any monies to you to replace your income is extremely low should you get into an accident on the bike, the insurer must, by law, put large amounts of funds aside as a reserve for every reported, but yet unpaid claim, in case there is an actual claim for disability payments. These disability payments are very rarely ever paid out because the motorcycle insurance policy is rarely the “first payer.” If you have a disability plan at work, that pays first. As well, there may be CPP/QPP disability payments for serious disabilities, E.I sickness payments, retirement benefits, armed forces benefits, etc. – all of these are discounted from any disability/loss of income benefits that your auto or bike policy would have to pay. Yes, if you think that this is a bit on the “questionable” side, in my opinion, I would agree. But few, in any, politicians in the Province of Ontario are going to take on this cause, unless a huge number of motorists/motorcyclists start to holler loudly and keep hollering. We live in a jurisdiction that requires a motorist to have insurance before they can ride/ drive a vehicle on the streets and roadways. (Kiss goodbye to about $10 grand in fines and admin. costs, if you are caught without.) Yet, there are no rules and regulations that require insurers to actually offer insurance, or that it be affordable. There are also no rules and regulations as to whether or not insurers actually make a profit or a loss. Basically, the state of vehicle insurance in our province requires a complete makeover, one that favours the purchaser and not just the insurers. Is it time to consider having the province take over vehicle insurance? Other provinces, such as B.C. have done it, and those provinces are doing just fine. PS: Before you tell me that auto insurance rates have been ordered lowered by the present government, did you ask if that applied to motorcycle premiums? I just received my bike renewal, for my ten year old bike, and the rates went up significantly despite having no claims, no tickets, and no accidents over the last year. Are the insurance companies now trying to make up those lost profits on auto policies by raising up the premiums on bike policies? They’ll say “no,” but I have to wonder …
30%K
PMS & Vern
SYLVIA COLLINS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Well, here we are close to another riding season. For many this is a time of celebrations, breaking resolutions, and excitement. For me it is a time of sitting in my warm home looking longingly out at the garage. In that garage is my best friend: black, shiny, reliable, comfortable. His name is Vern. This time of year is very hard on my family. They like the normally adventurous, happy-go-lucky me that can come up with a reason to go for a ride on any given day. They like the me that comes home from a day of riding re-energized, and ready to cook dinner, listen to their stories, go to the park, or fill whatever their need is. They like the me that comes home caked in road dirt that is imbedded in my layers of sun screen. They like the me that will spend time in the driveway with a pail of water, a power-washer, and a basket of chemicals, and my best friend Vern. They don’t like the me that has that far-away look in my eyes as I pour over maps, and motorcycle travel web-sites, and stares longingly at Google maps. They do not like the me that has taken up knitting, and sitting under a quilt, and eating fruit cake, and drinking black coffee, and waiting for the dry strips of pavement to re-appear. They do not like the me that has taken to repeating adventure stories from the previous season spent with Vern. I call this time of year my PMS stage. Every Canadian rider knows it. It is the time between that last ride (that you refused to believe would be the last one), and the first ride of the new year. It is the time of all the bike shows that inspire dreams, and the acquisition of new gear that cannot be tried out just yet. It is the time of snow pants, and shovels, and insulated mittens, instead of chaps, shovel-heads, and black leather riding gloves. This is the time of year that sales of motorcycle magazines spike, chocked full of new releases, product comparisons, and next new technology. I find myself dreaming of the wind blowing through my hair and picking bugs out of my teeth. My thoughts drifting to a softer, gentler time of year, during which I can randomly book off one day a week with Vern according to the weather forecast. It is difficult to settle down at night and drift off to sleep with the sand man when I have not been force-fed fresh air all day. It is difficult to remember a time that I would gladly be up and out the door fully dressed by 8 am on my day off ... for a date with Vern! It is difficult to recall that feeling of a sunburn that shows itself only across my nose and part of my cheeks, and the raccoon eyes from my goggles that were a permanent, seasonal addition. I am determined to have at least one ride per month because I was put off by the fact that I had to pay insurance all year for something that was parked... sometimes in my living room, and sometimes in a garage. During those years I don’t remember having such a long, debilitating term of PMS. I will probably not ride in January, but you can bet that I will be out before the end of February. There has not been a year yet that I didn’t ride in February. Vern does not like to sit idle for too long, and I don’t like to keep him waiting!
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15 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
Bob Redinger
2009 CADA Dealer Innovator Laureate Award Winner
March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 16
the club life
s ime cle T y c r o Mot The
mark stanisz
The Motorcycle Times is looking for a few good writers.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Under the Weather Down Under
If you think you have what it takes to be a part of our team, send in a sample story to: editor@themotorcycletimes.ca Ya never know, maybe there’s a hidden Woodward or Bernstien in you somewhere. ExtraExtra.indd 1
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While Canadians were braving bonechilling cold, digging out from endless piles of snow, and battling through relentless ice storms, a development halfway across the world should grab your attention. It seems that the government of Queensland, Australia (the north-east corner), took steps to enact some pretty harsh laws regarding bikers, and some of their favourite past-times - like biking with fellow bikers. And the targeted clubs, along with their lawyers, are none too happy with the situation. It’s all in reaction to a perceived rise in biker violence in Australia, in particular a recent incident when around 60 alleged biker gang members got into a brawl at a public beach. To get information on this, look up bikie (what our fine cousins Down Under refer to themselves as) and Queensland. It ain’t pretty, and the collection of laws is being billed the toughest in the world. In an attempt to clamp down on illegal activity, such as drug dealing, the powers that be are branding certain clubs as gangs, and hanging each and every member of certain bike clubs out to dry using a variety of punitive measures that include charging members just for associating with each other in groups more than two. The full story - http://ab.co/1jzgNFG. Five guys of one particular targeted club decided to go out for food and then ice cream. Yes, ice cream. The five weren’t doing anything nefarious, but were all later arrested and charged with associating in a public place. They are unlikely to even have a trial for months. They broke no law other than hanging out together. Two of them deny any links to any gang. Imagine if this was you - consider the damage to your reputation and those around you. Talk about overkill. The situation reminds me of one of my favourite memes - those funny little cartoons - making the rounds on Facebook and Twitter: a sad-eyed dog is looking up at the camera saying - ‘there was a spider on the wall but don’t worry - I got it’. Behind the dog is a massive busted-out hole in the wall. Overkill. Meanwhile lawyers are preparing to fight the laws. Someone somewhere is making money from this, and I’ll come back to that later. As you might expect, Australian bikies are not putting their bikes in storage just yet. Thousands are protesting the Queensland law (See: http://bit.ly/1nv0gQn). Some bikies claim members are getting pulled over, and questioned, up to three times while on their way to work. Nobody supports harassment and likewise nobody wants to take their chances of getting beaten up while relaxing at the beach. Canadians are well-aware of the incidents that led to a crackdown of our own. But let’s get a few things straight. Not every biker is a crime lord just waiting for the chance to bust up their community, and destroy civilization as we know it. In fact, the vast majority of motorcyclists are everyday
hard-working individuals who take safety seriously, and do an incredible amount to support not only their friends and family, but their communities. Now, I’m the last person to tell you how to live your life, but laws like this are a reaction to a few who want to believe their actions have no consequences. And the reason why we should all care about laws like this here in Canada is because the tone and ‘solutions’ in one place of the world can start setting the pattern for other places. To many non-motorcycle riders, and even some motorcyclists who are non-club members, the typical biker can be an intimidating force, and we often forget that. Decked out in full leathers and roaring down the road, sporting matching patches with various sayings that have personal meaning, along with mementos of where you have been, and adorned with what you have done, and who you call your friends, we often forget what this looks like to the outsider. To the ‘civilian’ guy, or gal, one biker looks much the same as any other biker. On the inside we know you will find brothers and sisters of every belief and temperament. Make no mistake, laws like the one in Australia are made because some have pushed the system hard, and now it’s pushing back. Now, back to the money trail. The powers that be should consider how much business motorcyclists create. Anyone who attends one of the big motorcycle shows, that are happening across Canada this spring, knows that biking is big business. Shut down legitimate law-abiding bikers and you lose a considerable amount of revenue, jobs and taxes. While some might think that their club is on the up and up, and therefore has nothing to fear, that’s not necessarily so. Once the ball starts rolling in this direction - whether here, or in Australia - clubs could find that certain charities may not accept their donations, or want offers of help, as they had previously. Casual club members may decide to forego membership altogether and just ride lone wolf, which would hurt club morale and the ability of a club to put on events. Isolation does not breed community. It usually has the opposite effect. So at your next club meeting, or get-together, talk about your image. Think about how the outside world sees you, and whether it’s in a positive, or dim light. Many won’t give a crap, of course, and that’s entirely their prerogative, but as we can see from the experiences our friends Down Under, we do so at our peril. We bikies don’t live in a bubble. So brothers and sisters, as we gear up for another awesome season of riding and fun, pay attention to how your community is viewing all bike clubs not just your own club. Remember this summer, as we fire up our barbies, er... bikes, for better or worse, we are in this together.
17 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
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March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 18
FinishLines Mix - 0/35/85/0
30%K
motogp
450SX Class Arlington race winner, James Stewart Photo Credit: Hoppenworld
James Stewart First toWin Back to Back Supercross in 2014 AURORA, Ill. (February 21, 2014) – Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart became the first rider of the 2014 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season to capture backto-back wins following another triumphant effort in Arlington, Texas. Stewart joins Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and Discount Tire Racing/ TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed for the most wins this season at two, and will look to tie Ricky Carmichael’s all-time wins record of 48. Stewart took advantage of a strong start to assume the lead on Lap 2 from Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, and then consistently extend his advantage throughout the remainder of the 20-lap Main Event. After starting the season with a 17thplace finish, Stewart has finished no worse than seventh and has amassed a
total of four podiums, with two wins. As a result, he’s moved to within 14 points of Villopoto atop the 450SX Class standings. He is also the defending race winner in Atlanta. “It was a great race,” said Stewart. “I got a really good jump off the gate and I was keeping the pace nice and smooth because Arlington is a track you could easily override. I did have a few sketchy moments, but overall it was awesome. It was perfect. It was great to get a win last weekend and then to get another win this weekend. After our Heat Race we made some changes to the bike that just made the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450 all that much better. I know my team believes in me and that’s the best part. But I also believe in myself and when it was time to go racing, I was there. Now I’m looking forward to doing it again next weekend at Atlanta.”
Marquez to miss second Sepang test after breaking leg World Champion Marc Marquez will be unable to ride the second 2014 MotoGP™ test session at Sepang, having broken his right fibula during a dirt track training session in Spain on Wednesday afternoon. The accident occurred in Lleida, west of Barcelona and close to Marquez’s home town of Cervera. The rookie premier class title winner of 2013, who on Monday had celebrated his 21st birthday, was immediately taken to the Quiron Dexeus University Hospital in Barcelona where he was treated by Dr. Xavier Mir for a spiral fracture of the distal third of his right fibula (bone between knee and ankle). After carrying out a CT scan and x-ray, Dr. Mir explained: “The results showed
no ligament damage or dislocation and no need to proceed with surgery. I expect he will need three to four weeks to fully recover.” Marquez has already started rehabilitation with magnetic therapy. He will remain nonweight bearing for two weeks, meaning he will certainly miss next week’s Sepang test and possibly the following week in Phillip Island, Australia. Full recovery is expected for the season-opening Qatar MotoGP™ race on 23 March. “It was a really unfortunate accident that could happen to anyone at anytime,” Marquez commented. “I was rushed to hospital and Dr. Mir treated me; thankfully there was no ligament damage, just a clean break.”
motogp
motogp
Honda and Repsol move into 20th year
Leading representatives of Repsol and Honda gathered in Spanish capital Madrid to celebrate 20 year partnership. The Honda Factory team has raced under the Repsol banner since 1995, the year in which Australian Mick Doohan collected his second of five premier class world title. Over the past two decades, the alliance has achieved no less than ten world titles, 124 individual race wins and 338 podium finishes. Monday’s gathering took place in Madrid’s Campus Repsol. “It’s hard to explain what it feels like to see my bike here with other title-winning machines,” comments current World Champion Marc Marquez. “It is an honour to be part of the Repsol Honda Team and to be part of the team’s history with my World Championship. Joining this team was a dream come true. All my idols have come through the Repsol Honda Team. It was an opportunity that I had to make the most of
and that is what I am doing. I enjoy every day to the fullest.” Whereas Marquez joined last year, Dani Pedrosa has been part of the outfit since the start of 2006. “The alliance of Repsol and Honda is very significant - it’s something of which many people are aware,” Pedrosa says. “If you talk about this team, you know that it is one of the most successful outfits of recent years. The nicest thing is that this union of entities has lasted 20 years. This continuity is something that you don’t see too often and I, personally, really like this aspect.” Premier class World Champions with Repsol Honda Team: - Mick Doohan 1995-98 - Alex Criville 1999 - Valentino Rossi 2001-03 - Nicky Hayden 2006 - Casey Stoner 2011 - Marc Marquez 2013
Dunlop to evaluate new tyre options in Australia Moto2 Since being resurfaced in 2013, Phillip Island’s abrasive surface has warranted bespoke development for tyres for top level motorcycle classes. For Moto2, Dunlop is taking nine specifications of rear tyre to test at the Australian track with a goal of finding the best two race options for all riders, in terms of suitability for the surface while maintaining the improved pace of 2013. Testing will take place over three days from 3 March. During the winter period, Dunlop’s designers have created tyres with new low heat generation and heat resistant compounds as well as new tread constructions. New belt materials have been used, although the cord itself is already proven in Dunlop’s latest race products. The new solutions have already been extensively tested by Dunlop’s own test team at both the company’s Mireval Proving Grounds in France and also on high-speed durabil-
ity testing equipment. All the tyre specifications have shown a significant improvement in durability. Four bikes and riders will all test the nine options. Ambient temperatures are expected to reach around 35 degrees centigrade – some ten degrees higher than expected for the October race. Two race distance runs will then be carried out using a variety of specifications to determine the most appropriate options for 2014’s Phillip Island race. The tyres selected may also be used for the Sachsenring event, which has similar loads in the high-speed corners. The Phillip Island development is part of Dunlop’s programme of Moto2 tyre evolution. Midway through the 2013 season, low heat generation technology was introduced and all four Moto2 rear tyres will benefit from this for the 2014 season. There is also a new Extra Hard front option that many riders have asked for.
Ducati still pondering switch to Open One of the significant topics of discussion during MotoGP™ testing last week was whether or not Ducati will be switching all of its premier class bikes to Open specification for the upcoming 2014 campaign. The label ‘Open’ is new this year and is given to those bikes running the spec ECU software (as provided by Dorna Sports and Magneti Marelli) as well as the ECU hardware, which from this season onwards is compulsory for all bikes in the field. In exchange for running the spec software, Open teams are able to run up to 24 litres of fuel per bike (as opposed to the decreased amount of 20 for Factory Option bikes) as well as being able to use up to 12 engine units per bike per season (5 for Factory Options). Perhaps more significantly, Open runners are not subjected to the new engine freeze regulations which would allow Ducati to work on engine development during the year, as the Italian marque strives to return to the front of the grid. “We came here with a GP13 and a GP14,” Paolo Ciabatti, the MotoGP Project Director for Ducati Team, explained at Sepang. “Those bikes are obviously full Factory Option, while at the same time we have Yonny Hernandez on an Open GP13. This is what we announced and this is still the plan. “Obviously, the option of the Open class is an interesting one. We have seen that Aleix Espargaro has been extremely fast on the FTR-Yamaha (NGM Mobile Forward Racing), so obviously Open is something to consider. But for the moment we have not made any decision.” With the second Sepang test coming up at the end of the month, Ciabatti was quizzed over whether any decision on Open specification bikes will be made before then. “We will evaluate all of the information,” he continued. “It is not that I don’t want to answer, but these are the main purposes: the bike is a new bike. Obviously some concepts are carried over from last year, but it was the first time that our new riders could use the GP14. We collected some positive feedback. We still have some areas in which we must improve a lot, but with Dovi (Andrea Dovizioso) we are eight tenths of a second off the best lap times and I think this is positive. “We will evaluate it. Obviously, we are also collecting information from Yonny Hernandez. We will make up our mind and take our decisions in the next few weeks.”
19 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
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March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 20
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Riding Solo
JOHN BRADFORD
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Cabot Trail Kindness
We said our safe ride adieus and I roared off to meet another new adventure
Cabot Trail
NANCY AMBROGIO
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It is true; bikers are fun loving and generous with their care and regard for other bikers. The proof is in the consistently simple ‘bikers wave’. As we ride, we acknowledge another rider with a simple wave; a gesture of a hello to a fellow enthusiast. Accept this common denominator, and never be afraid to ask another biker for help. What is particularly special is that unanticipated help often appears out of nowhere. This has happened to me on more than one occasion, with the most memorable being on the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia. I had met two BMW gentlemen bikers, from Kansas, in Antigonish. We met in the parking lot of the Maritimers Inn. They were checking in and I was leaving. We chatted about the great biker adventure to ride the Cabot trail, their bikes, and mine, as well as their interest in my tea cup poodle, Sergio (my riding buddy aka guard dog). They could not believe a woman would want to do this ride alone. The plain and simple truth is that it is much less complicated and more serene being alone. (However, if I do find a gentleman biker ‘of interest’, I will let you know!) We said our safe ride adieus and I roared off to meet my great new adventure - the Cabot Trail. Soon, the cloudy day turned to drizzle, and then to hard rain. It was cold and felt like the rain would soon turn into sleet. I stopped in Inverness for some amazing fish soup to warm up, and a little look see in the nearby boutique. I bought my one and only ‘souvenir’, a beautiful Cape Breton tartan cape in dark green and navy. I knew I would cherish this gem, and for now, it would serve as a much needed blanket. In the long term, it would act as a beautiful cape over a simple jean attire or a power business suit. Without a doubt, it is always the conversation piece an easy launch into reminiscing about my extraordinary Cabot Trail ride. One more plus was it rolled up nicely and fit in my
saddle bag. Sergio, at this point, was not pleased with the cold, and he resisted going into his pet duffle bag. He had a cozy dog blanket inside and a doggie treat, but neither would bribe him to go any further. Too bad for Sergio, as the trail was waiting for me. My destination for the day was to get as far as Margaree Harbour, as I had heard that there was a nice hotel called The Duck Cove Inn. It was nestled on a hilltop at the Margaree River, a Canadian Heritage River, and the Gulf of the St Lawrence. The day’s ride covered 160 kms, and took me five hours due to the weather and the challenging riding conditions. Yes, it was a hard riding day, and I was cold to the bone. Sergio was toasty warm in his carrier, but peeved that I had kept on riding. The Inn was inviting and the view was spectacular. Talking to the people at the Inn following a dinner of warm comfort food is always the delight of this bike traveler. I went back to my room, took a hot shower then got into bed covered by my new cape. I knew the forecast for the next day was to be sunny and warm. Yeah! I was not disappointed upon awakening. I had my coffee on the balcony soaking up the Nova Scotia view. I could see the causeway to Cheticamp. My plan was to get to Pleasant Bay to do some whale watching. It wasn’t far from Cheticamp that I saw cars pulled off on the side of the road. I knew this could only be interesting, so I pulled over too. Yes, it was a cow moose with her calve feeding very near the roadside. After a few memorable photos, I was off on the way to Pleasant Bay. The ride was some of the best scenery I had ever experienced. The ocean blue, and the mountainous plateau of the ancient rock across the northern part of Cape Breton Island, exceeded my expectations. Arriving at Pleasant Bay, I stopped at a restaurant called The Rusty Anchor. They had a large seaside patio, Sergio and I basked in the sun while I ate my seafood
feast. Considering that this was a major hub of the Trail I had every belief that I would have no difficulty finding the biker basics. I had started to pack up for the next leg of my Cabot Trail adventure, when the two gentlemen from Kansas that I had met in Antognish approached me saying their hellos and asking how it was going. Their next question (at the time I didn’t realize was so critical) was, “Nancy, how much gas do you have in your tank?” I thought this a bit odd but I answered the question “just shy of a quarter tank”. I could see a serious look on both of their faces and one said “There are no gas stations in Pleasant Bay!” Really? How could this be true? While they were doing the Cabot Trail counter clockwise and I was doing it clockwise, they knew for sure the bleak gas situation I was headed for. Yes here it is, the kindness of bikers; one drained enough gas from his bike to take my indicator to half a tank. They insisted on this gas exchange to ensure that I would not be stranded on the challenging road ahead. I will never forget this. I truly had no idea gas stations would be few and far between along the trail. Please take this into account if you are planning this ride. I gave my sincere thanks, and headed on my way. It wasn’t until Dingwall that I was able to fill up. I finished that day’s ride in the very historic village of Baddeck, one of the world’s scenic jewels, and home to Alexander Graham Bell’s historic site. Well, at this point, I had completed my Cabot Trail ride. It was challenging, twisty, picturesque, and definitely the highlight of my east coast trip. To be sure, it is not for the faint of heart, as the road is not entirely smooth. The trail provided me with two days of amazing riding. Had I had the time, I would have turned around and ridden it again, counter-clockwise. What is for sure is that I will never recall my Cabot Trail ride without remembering the kindness of these two bikers, who provided me with some gas to ensure that I could complete this most beautiful ride.
Ok, so you have a lovely family…you still ride solo. A rewarding career…you still ride solo. You’re not angry with the world. You certainly can’t be accused of being anti-social. So why do you ride solo. Notice I didn’t add a question mark. That’s because the concept is rhetorical. Just consider the viewpoint, but be honest with yourself. You like to ride solo. No reason to be embarrassed. Somewhere in the deep recesses of our twisted little biker brains, there’s a synapse that sparks between a couple of our neurons. Some of it is obvious: the independence and self reliance; mankind flaunting the need for social connection; just getting the frig away from it all. But there’s more, isn’t there? You want to explore. Not just geographically, but emotionally too. Was that a pine stand I just sniffed through the poorly banked curves of this country road? Ha! No. It’s the deodorizer in my tank bag next to my wet leather gloves. No one is with me so why would I even worry about the smell of anything? Have to trash that little smelly sucker at the next stop. I can suffer if I want. I don’t fail in my personal judgments. I’m the biker. I’m the SOLO biker. Next is the role playing. Surly look to the middle aged driver that flipped a butt out the window and laughed as it whizzed by your helmet throwing sparks into the night air. I think if I pull up next to him at that stop sign, I should reach into my jacket and then flip him the bird. God, I couldn’t do that at work, you say in your mind! But there are days I’d like to. And the relentless rain. Thoroughly drenched, you slog into the diner with steam coming off your shoulders. Is that a glimmer of sympathy from the corner table? You may feel uncomfortable, but no one is going to see that. Let them make up their own story of your dismal appearance. You are a SOLO rider. Someone crosses your path. It might be a cashier, or gas attendant, a soccer Mom, or devoted Dad in the check-out line or lobby. You catch their eye and, for a moment, you feel connected. They wonder about your experiences, and you wonder about their’s. Interesting, but non-committal. Solo riders thrive on the journey, not the destination. It’s like a drug. You can’t avoid its compelling rush. It makes you the person others are curious about, and then you go home. But you are the solo rider and you will be again. It’s in your soul.
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March 15, 16 International Spring Motorcycle Show Toronto’s International Centre is the place to be on this weekend. With riding season right around the corner this is like the light at the end of the wintery tunnel! Get a head start on great bargains on all the apparel and check out the newest bikes for 2014. Including vintage bike displays, showbike competition, entertainmet, used bike market, food and free parking. $18 for adults and $5 for Youth (children under 6-FREE).
May 4 Fort Erie Motorcycle Swap Meet 10am – 4pm, Crystal Ridge Arena, 109 Ridge Rd. S , Crystal Beach. The biggest & most entertaining motorcycle swap meet and show in Ontario. Offering vintage, used and new parts as well as accessories and clothing. This year we are again expanding with more to see and do and a metric bike section as well !! Over 70 vendors and 2000+ riders attend annually. For more info forteriemotorcycleswapmeet.weebly.com
March 27 Rocky’s Harley-Davidson Garage Party Hello Ladies, It’s that time of year again! March 27th, 6-8pm. Would love to have you all out again to help Rocky’s support a great local charity, F.A.C.E. I.T., and experience a fun and informative girls night out. We have the newest fashions, food, drinks, photo booth, silent auction, fashion show and much more! Last year we were able to raise $4000 for breast cancer, which all the proceeds stay here and help our local community. And don’t forget to register for your chance to win a brand new SuperLow Sportster. Visit www.garageparty.ca
June 6, 7, 8 Central Ontario Ride for Sight New Location: Lindsay Exhibition (LEX). Demo Rides, Bike Games, Show ‘n’ Shine, Vendor Marketplace and Live Entertainment. We are also working on bringing some new highlights to 2014. Check our website for updates. Win a 2014 Triumph America AT RIDE FOR SIGHT. There are no tickets to be purchased. You can only win by fundraising. Raising $100 will earn you one ballot, $250 will earn you three ballots. The more you raise, the more ballots you will get. Draw will take place on stage at in Lindsay, on Saturday, June 7 right before the headliner hits the stage. Winner must be present to claim prize. Contest only open to participants of Central Ontario Ride for Sight. Each participant must be a registered SAFETY fundraiser. Absolutely no admittance on Thursday, June 5 - registration open at 9am Friday, June 6. All campers including RVs must be out of the park by 11am on Sunday - no exceptions. Only motorcycles will be permitted inside the park (two-wheeled trailers towed by motorcycles are
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April 12, 13, National Motorcycle and Tattoo Show We’re back. Meet at the Better Living Centre at Exhibition Place to start the new season. Includes a retail marketplace, swap meet, Canadian National Bike Builders Showcase, used bike lot & motorcycle auction. $15-adults & children under 12 FREE. www.nationalmotorcycleshow.com
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good too). There will be offsite vehicle parking available. Space is limited. There is a $50 RV Registration Fee OR this fee is waived if participant raises a minimum of $250. There is an outdoor cold water shower (bathing suit required). June 21 IOOF Ride n’ Shine, Poker Run The 1st in what will be an annual event with proceeds going to Camp Trillium. The ride starts at Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School, 100 Panabaker Drive in Ancaster. The ride will go approximately 200km around South Western Ontario on the north side of Lake Erie. One of the stops will be at Camp Trillium Rainbow Lake for a BBQ lunch. While the ride is taking place, the car show will set up and the motorcycles can join in at the end of the ride to shine and show off their bikes. There will be great food trucks, music and people all raising money for a great cause. Registration: 9:00am with ride departing at 10am. $30 per rider, $20 per passenger. www. ioofrideandshine.com July 5 11th R.O.C.K. – Ride for Our Cancer Kids Start-point – Motorsport Harley-Davidson, 1375 Confederation St. Sarnia. Registration at 9:30, Ride at 11. Thousands of $ in prizes. Every dollar raised to Childhood Cancer Canada earmarked for research CUZ KIDS SHOULDN’T NEED CHEMO!! Pre-register www.rockride.com. Free t-shirts for first 100 bikes, Club Cup, Top 10 fundraiser prize packages and more. Free midpoint bbq at Duke’s H-D. Poker run. Grand Prize for
30%K
best hand. New for 2014 - Alphabet Tour through the month of June. Visit our 26 participating shops and win donated prizes from each shop you visit. Minimum pledge -$50 per bike. Passengers are still free. All bikes welcome. Visit www.rockride. com for more info. July 12 6th Annual Georgian Bay Thunder Ride Your support as a rider in the 6th Annual Georgian Bay Thunder Motorcycle Ride fosters volunteerism, community involvement, and youth engagement. It ensures that individuals, families and seniors who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and those with no other means of transportation receive the services they need. Registration: 9:30am-11am at North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre 527 Len Self Blvd. Midland. Bikes Return 2pm, Awards: 2:30pm at Little Lake Park Stage. $30-Rider Poker Hand, $10-Passenger Poker Hand. A $25 charitable receipt is available. Fee includes: Ride Entry, Prizes, Coffee, Water, Snacks at start, Free Park Pass for Bike Week 2014 (includes all activities July 11-20, 2014 with the exception of camping, bike tours and bike games) Riders are also welcome to collect pledges. Any rider who collects $100 or more in pledges will ride for FREE! Georgian Bay Thunder is the charity fundraising ride during South Georgian Bay Bike Week 2014. www.communityreach.ca/ thunder/index.html or gbt@communityreach.ca or 705-528-6999
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March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 22
EventListings
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676 Dundas Street West , Belleville 613-966-8828 or 888-966-8828 www.WestCityHonda.ca
23 – The Motorcycle Times, March 2014
$2,750 SAVINGS UP TO
AND/OR
†
1 YEAR NO
‡
CHARGE
SUZUKI PROTECTION PLAN
ON SELECT SUZUKI MOTORCYCLES
NOW THROUGH MARCH 31ST
See Your Dealer for Complete Details. † Off MSRP. ‡ SPP (Suzuki Protection Plan) may not be combined with all rebates. 1 Year No Charge Protection Plan is a supplemental coverage plan underwritten by CornerStone United, Inc. and begins immediately after your Suzuki New Vehicle Warranty period expires. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. Limited time offers are subject to change without notice. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer. Up to $2,750.00 in retail incentives applies to eligible retail purchase agreements completed between January 3rd, 2014 and March 31st, 2014. Rebates up to $2,750 valid on 2011-2014 models and varies by model purchased. Non-Current Suzuki dollars should they apply can be used only towards the purchase of the particular model to which those Suzuki dollars apply and are available only at participating dealers. Amount of Suzuki dollars applicable depends on the model and is subject to availability. PDI charges from $132 to $528, freight charges from $110 to $208, taxes, license, insur¬ance, applicable fees and registration are extra dependent on model. Specifications, product features and colours are subject to change without notice. Read your owner’s manual carefully and remember to observe all safety regulations. See your participating Authorized Suzuki dealer for availability and complete details. Suzuki. Way of Life!
WWW.SUZUKI .CA
/SuzukiCanada
Ready Suzuki 430 Hensall Circle, Mississauga 905-896-1600 or 855-896-0430 www.readysuzuki.com
Sturgess Cycle 615 King Street West, Hamilton 905-522-0503 or 888-421-3333 www.sturgessonline.com
BRAMPTON POWERSPORTS 105 Van Kirk Drive, Brampton 1-888-224-6593 www.bramptonpowersports.com
Belleville Sport & Lawn Centre 128 Church Street, Belleville 613-968-4559 or 877-968-4559 www.bellevillesportandlawn.com
Suzuki Of Newmarket 80 Harry Walker Pkwy, Newmarket 905-898-1081 or 888-376-7779 www.suzukiofnewmarket.com
Snow city cycle & marine 1255 Kennedy Road, Scarborough 416-752-1560 or 877-766-9248 www.snowcity.com
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2014-01-14 10:58 AM
March 2014, The Motorcycle Times – 24
Visit your local Authorized Yamaha Dealer for more information Powersport Junction 5624 Highway # 6, Guelph 519-767-5800 www.powersportjunction.ca
MOTOSPORT OF TRENTON 114 McCauley Rd., Trenton 613-965-6626 www.motosportsoftrenton.com
BALDWIN CYCLE 1353 Highway #3 East Dunneville 905-774-8881 www.baldwinscycle.com
THE POWER GARAGE 68 Ingersoll Road, Woodstock 519-533-1300 www.thepowergarage.ca
OAKVILLE YAMAHA 615 Third Line, Oakville 905-465-9555 www.oakvilleyamaha.com
BRAMPTON POWERSPORTS 105 Van Kirk Dr. Brampton 905-459-0411 www.bramptonpowersports.com
bob’s motorsports ltd 615 St. Clair St., Chatham 519-354-6377 www.bobsmotorsport.com
BENNETT POWERSPORTS 801 Brock St., Whitby 905-430-6360 or 1-888-430-6360 www.bennettpowersports.com
Ready Yamaha Powersports 430 Hensall Cir. Mississauga 905-896-3500 or 855-896-0430 www.readyyamaha.com
NEW DEALER