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Whats Shakin’
Pg. 5
Cruisin’ With Critter
Pg. 8
Lil Red
Pg. 18
I Am an Addict - David Rusk
Pg. 20
Jokes
Pg. 24
Twisted Spokes Astrology
Pg. 28
Gone But Not Forgotten
Pg. 29
Donny Petersen
Pg. 38
Riding with Momma
Pg. 40
Jessie Lee’s Open Road
Pg. 44
Motorcyco Beau
Pg. 46
Bikers Friendly Guide
Pg. 52
Our Advertisers
Pg. 54
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FEBRUARY Feb 3rd Greely Swap Meet The Greely Swap meet is back in action! Come on out to the Greely Legion @ 8021 Mitch Owens Road, Ottawa. Admission is 5.00$, and to have a table is $20. Food and beverages available! For more information please contact; (613) 446-0027 OR (613) 295-6934.
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February 9th, 2019 HIP’S CYCLE OPEN HOUSE Hips Cycle would like to invite all past, present, and future customers to join them for their OPEN HOUSE! This event begins @ 10am and will start wrapping things up around 3pm. There has been promise of delectable food, enjoyable entertainment, and of course sales, sales, and more sales! Find us @ 900 Colborne St. E. Brantford On. For more info give the guys a call at the shop, (519) 756-2618. Feb 24th Big Al’s Swap Meet Big Al is back again! Come on out to one of the most sought-after swap meets around! Sunday Feb 24th @ the Dundas Community center, 10 Market St. South, Dundas. Doors open at 9am and they shut down around 2pm. Admission is $8.00, and of course kids under 12 are free! For more info or booth space please call; 905746-7077
MARCH March 10th London Swap Meet Off to London we go for the next swap meet at IBEW, 6688 Tempo Road. You won’t want to miss out on all the great people, and bikes. Look forward to seeing you there! For more info or Vendor spaces Call 705-321-0334 or check out www.motorcycleswapmeet.ca March 24th Classy Chassis and Cycle Road Captain Seminar Come join the fantastic crew from Classy Chassis and Cycle, March 24th to become the best road captain you can be. These knowledgeable folks will teach you all in the ins and out that you need to know. The classes start at noon, and run for an hour long. For more information, please feel free to call; (705) 292-8300. Located @ 1399, 8th Line of Smith, Lakefield, ON.
APRIL April 6 - 7 Toronto International Spring Motorcycle Show This will be the 30th Annual Spring Motorcycle Show! Over 300 motorcycles are purchased at the Spring Motorcycle Show each year. There will be 50 motorcycle clubs and associations exhibiting at the
Spring Motorcycle Show this year! You can purchase your new bike right at the Spring Motorcycle Show direct from the dealer. There are many, many events going on, even more than usual! You will find The Riders Mag there, as well as, your favorite vendors! Toronto International Centre 6900 Airport Road, Toronto, Ontario. www.internationalcentre.com Saturday – April 6th, 9am – 9pm & Sunday – April 7th, 10am – 5pm FREE PARKING! To reserve booth space, discuss sponsorship opportunities, or book ad space in the Spring Motorcycle Show Program please contact us at; 905-771-0132 or peter@motorcyclespringshow.com.
MAY May 4th Bondslaves MC Mega Swap Be sure to take a ride out on May 4th to show these brothers some support. Bondslaves MC Ottawa Chapter Mega Swap Live Bands (MOTHERSHIP - LED ZEPPELIN & GREAT SCOTT - AC/DC), 50/50, Quality Vendors, Motorcycle Parts, Show ‘n’ Shine, Prizes, Licensed, Food Admission $5.00 Tables $20 each or 2 for $30 Call Scott for more info: (613) 240-3509, bondslavechurch@gmail. com. May 5th Fort Erie Swap Meet Be sure to come out to the Fort Erie Swap Meet this year! There is bound to be loads of fun, prizes and all the parts and accessories you have been looking for! Admission is $10 and kids are always free. There are vendor spots available for only $40! They will be located at the usual spot located at; 99 Ridge rd. South Ridgeway ON. For more information give Pyper call 905-347-2001 or 905-324-0793. May 7th Riders, Bike Night Starts In the Blackstock area, or just looking to go for ride on a Tuesday night? Come join the great people from, Riders. The host a Ride night, where all proceeds and donations go PTSD, First responders, and local shelter and support programs. They have prizes, Riders swag, great food and live entertainment. The fun starts @6pm! For more info; ridersmotorcyclegroup@gmail.com
JUNE June 1st Desiree’s Ride Join us for Desiree’s Ride, in support of Victims of Crime. We ride in memory of Desiree Gallagher, along with raising funds for Chatham-Kent Victim Services and Chatham Kent Women’s Centre. Located @ The Royal Canadian Legion, 34 Catherine Street, Blenheim, ON. Registration begins at 11:00AM, kickstands up at 1:00PM, arrival at 4:00PM . For more info visit http:// desireesride.com. The Rider’s Mag - Page 5
June 1st Highway of Heroes Ride Join us for a fantastic, family friendly, fun filled day chocked with many special events and participants to mark our 10th anniversary! The 10th edition of the HHR goes on June 02, 2018 from Trenton, ON along the Highway of Heroes (401) to Memorial Park in Port Hope, ON. Website: heroeshighwayride.ca June 2nd Veterans Memorial Ride With the success in 2016 of the Birth of a Nation Ride the HHR organizers are proud to introduce the inaugural edition of our new annual event on the day following the HHR. The Veterans Memorial Ride will travel from Kingston, ON to Ottawa, ON. Be sure to watch the website and join us on Facebook to stay up to date with all the details as the date becomes closer. Website; HeroesHighwayRide.ca. June 23rd, Bobcaygeon Bikefest Our fantastic friends from Bobcaygeon are hosting Bikefest once again this year! With live bands, great fresh food, 100+ vendors, all weekend camping and lodging, FREE ADMISION!! This is always a great time to be had by everyone. Be sure to keep your eye out for a TRM booth! For Vendor infor please contact Krazzy; 705-793-1751 or krazzy@bobcaygeonbikefest.com. For corporate opportunities please contact Lenny; 416-5248321 or Lenny@bobcaygeonbikefest.com. Sponsored by; Hochberg Trial Lawyers.
JULY July 13th Lucan Baconfest Oink Oink, the smell of bacon is in the air! Baconfest is an event, you will feel foolish missing. Located in Lucan Ontario, you will find anything and everything to do with Bacon, and Bikes. Vendors of all types, show ‘n’ shines, prizes, live entertainment, and so much more! For more info give Teresa a call; (519) 227-1331. July 27th Desiree’s Ride Be sure to register for the Peterbourogh Chapters 1st Annual for Desiree’s Ride, in support of Victims of Crime. We ride in memory of Desiree Gallagher. Located @Classy Chassis and Cycles, 1399 8th Line Smith, Lakesfield, ON. Registration begins at 8:30AM, kickstands up at 10:30AM, arrival at TBA . For more info visit http://desireesride.com.
AUGUST August 17th Desiree’s Ride Join us for Desiree’s Ride, in support of Victims of Crime. We ride in memory of Desiree Gallagher. Located @ The Knights, 12 Catherine Ave, Brantford, ON. Registration begins at 11:00AM, kickstands up at 1:00PM, arrival at 3:00PM . For more info visit http:// desireesride.com. Aug 25th- The Riders Mag Annual Show ‘N’ Shine Get your maps out, The Riders Mag is traveling to a new location this year. We have deciced to venture out into the wilds of Loretto on August 26th for our annual Show The Rider’s Mag - Page 6
‘N’ Shine. There is going to be great food, live music, great vendors, and of course the show n shine. We are looking to expand this year with the fun by MAYBE including some sort of biker games. Vendor booths will be available, and if you are interested in being a part of this years Show ‘n’ Shine please give either Critter or Chantel a call. 1-855-873-6680 or 289-763-4454
SEPTEMBER September 7th Desiree’s Ride Be sure to register for Desiree’s Ride, in support of Victims of Crime. We ride in memory of Desiree Gallagher. Located @ The Knights of Columbus 6101 North Street, Niagara Falls, ON. Registration begins at 9:00AM, kickstands up at 11:30AM, arrival at 4:00PM. For more info visit http://desireesride.com. September 7th Riders 3rd Annual Poker Run Saddle up on that Iron horse and come out for a ride in support of PTSD! This will be Riders 3rd annual poker run, and it is promised to the best one yet! All the proceeds go to the support of PTSD treatment and care. Looking for a donation of $30 a rider and $15 per passenger, which inclds; live music,door prizes, great food and loads more! Registration @8:30 and kickstands up @ 11am. Registration forms are available, as well are, donations and sponsors. For more information please email; ridersmotorcyclegroup@gmail.com September 13th Port Dover Friday the 13th Get your babies polished and cleaned for this years Friday the 13th! There are sure to be your favorite vendors, delicious food and so much more! Look forward to seeing you!! September 19th-22nd Biketoberfest Pack up those bags, and book off your holidays for this weekend! Biketoberfest is one of the best events of the year. Sept 20th is the ride for flags, which leads you to the W.C.M.C Flat track. Then the festival starts on Saturday the 21st. For vendor information, or more general information please call; Bruce Bissle, 905-7146885.
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An open letter to our readers and advertisers. Hey! We are back, and I just want to say thank you for your continued interest and support of The Riders Mag! The past year has held many surprizes and there has been more than a few challenges for us here at The Riders Mag and we fully appreciate your understanding and patience during this period, while we worked through our problems! During the four Months that we did not publish a printed copy of The Riders Mag your ads did run in all of the online versions of The Riders Mag on ISSUU. Going forward, we will be publishing and printing 12 issues during a calendar year as well as the online version. We are happily back in print after a necessary hiatus of four months which was due to our computers being hacked! This malicious, intrusion into our system that had been painstakingly created by our former Managing Editor, who, as well as doing an excellent job with graphics and layout, was a computer expert and a genius! Everything had been working very well up until his unexpected and unfortunate departure in Aug. 2017! Suddenly none of these systems would work properly anymore, files went missing or were compromised and corrupted, equipment failed and without the vast computer knowledge of this former Managing Editor it was difficult, to say the least! Many headaches, heartaches and other problems ensued that caused much turmoil and doubt as to our ability to even survive! Severe financial and administrative issues ensued and they seemed on many occasions to be almost insurmountable! According to my long-suffering wife of over 50 years, whom I have lovingly and respectfully referred to as “Godzilla” for most of those years, I am a stubborn old coot who refuses to go down without a fight! Happily, I lived up to her high expectations once again! I may have been put to the mat but have managed to survive thanks largely, to the help of a young Lady by the name of Chantel! Together, we were able to recruit the services of another Lady, Brenda, who we have lovingly nicknamed “The Beast” to take over the graphics and layout, and together, we have managed to keep it going and as a team, are still up for the fight and will meet all challenges and obstacles head-on! We have also recently acquired the services and talents of another gentleman, by the name of Kristofer Klement who writes the Horoscopes feature and now does advertising sales from our office here in Newmarket and is a welcome addition to our crew and a fine presence at our booth. Our team of writers has remained loyal throughout and we have now added a few more contributors and the caliber of their writing should add greatly to our reader’s enjoyment of The Mag! However, it wasn’t all bad, as our online presence exploded, as we continued to publish full issues of The The Rider’s Mag - Page 8
Riders Mag on ISSUU and we were able to keep The Riders Mag alive! These digital services allowed us to run far more pictures online than the confines of the print and being totally interactive, our readers were able to link out from ads in our publication for even more information! With the advent of better smart phones and other electronic devices, they discovered that there was more and better information right at their fingertips. It also allowed us to track and monitor things like ad and page performance that can be invaluable to our advertisers and readers! Many of our readers told us that they now preferred the digital edition! Other feedback told us that many of our readers are “Old School”, refusing to give way to the fancy Smart phones and computers, clinging to their trusty old flip phones (That only make phone calls!) and still prefer the print version! Quite frankly, I still like the look and feel of an actual printed Mag although I find myself using and benefiting from my smartphone more and more everyday! We have also increased our Social Media presence with our Facebook Page and other facets continuing to enhance and support The Riders Mag! Our Website is currently being redesigned and improved and should be up and running shortly! We had to face the reality that we had to change many other things if we were to survive! One of those realities is that we can no longer offer a free to the public publication and have had to put a $2.00 per issue price on The Riders Mag! It will be available at many of our previously established outlets as well as at Shows and events that we attend! This commenced with the Dec./Jan. issue and will continue with each and every subsequent issue! Yes, we will be publishing 12 issues year! This decision, would certainly be a factor into how and where we distribute The Riders Mag! We had to tear apart many of our existing distribution routes, subscription lists and other things that we had up until now, been taking for granted, as everything was done by computer and working well right up until it wasn’t! We are now rebuilding all of these delivery routes and distribution points, placing magazine specially designed, well marked racks in strategic locations. These racks have collection boxes attached. The process is slow and tedious as it involves travelling many miles and a lot of explanation! Also, I have had to reorder racks, so please be patient! We introduced the new (To us.) format, at the recent Motorcycle Supershow in Mississauga and it was very well received by our readers, many of whom suggested that we should have been charging all along and didn’t think that $2.00 was too much to pay! The response from our readers was phenomenal and very reassuring as well as reaffirming, that we had made the right decision and the future looks bright for The Riders Mag. We will also be a bigger presence and Swap Meets,
Shows and events throughout the year with our girl “Stitch” representing The Riders Mag with the latest copies and a full line of swag and support items for sale at the booth along with her many other products and interesting items! You will also see myself and other members of our Crew out at more events as well! Thank you for you continued interest and Support of The Riders Mag. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me by phone, text or e mail and many of you have also used Facebook. Whatever works for you at whatever level of electronic achievement you find yourself! Sincerely yours, Richard G. Davis (Critter) Publisher/Editor The Riders Mag Inc. Well that pretty much sums up some the stuff that has been happening and what we have survived! None of us here have too many kind words to say about 2018 other than, we are glad to see it I our rear-view mirrors! They say, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. We hope that all the experience gained from those trials and tribulations, puts us in good stead to deal with all that is going to happen and whatever adventures lay in store for us, as we venture further into 2019! It is shaping up to be a very busy year, Ride calendars for the 2019 Riding season are taking shape as there are lots of great events being planned! I know for a fact that we will be challenged to get out to all the stuff that we will have on our agenda! We have all the various Swap meets and Shows that will take us from one side of the Province to the other and everything in between several times over! That is before we even get to ride unless you count taking them in and out of the trailer at the Shows as riding! As I said earlier, we will be a bigger presence at most of the events this year with the Mags and Swag! We are working on increasing our line of support gear and should have a good selection of it when you see us at an event near you! Watch the “What’s Shak’n” section in The Riders Mag for a comprehensive list of what’s shak’n and baking! When I first met with some of the fine folks at Policaro Harley-Davidson they claimed that they didn’t just want to just sell motorcycles but to be a real, relevant and genuine part of the motorcycle community and make a real difference! Apparently, they meant it and have been proving it, not with words, superficial gestures and weak commitments but with solid, meaningful, action! I met with Policaro Harley-Davidson’s Liaison, Jessica along with our very own “Stitch” who has become The Riders Mag representative at various events all over the Province and members of The Guardians of the Children organization! It was my first real insight into what was planned as I was unable to attend precious meetings! I was very impressed with what I heard and jumped on board! In the kind and generous fashion that they are becoming known for in the Motorcycle Community, Policaro HarleyDavidson has agreed to host and sponsor a huge Swap Meet/Show and Shine on a portion of their property to be used as the location in support of The Guardians of the Children on May 4, 2019. It will also serve as a starting point for a National Women Riders Day Ride that will culminate in Fergus, Ont. The Riders Mag has agreed to look after the Show and Shine portion of the event! It promises to be an exciting event and we hope to see you all out there! May the Forth be with you! (Sorry but I had to say it! I honestly tried not to, I really did! The Devil made me do it!) The next day on Sunday, May the 5th we will be heading to the always much anticipated and very well attended World Famous Fort Erie Swap Meet will once again take place in it’s usual spot in beautiful Ridgeway, Ontario! All the usual Annual must-attend events like the Bobcaygeon Bikefest, Hogs for Hospice, Biketoberfest, Desire’s Ride and all the rest will be happening once again and looking for support! Just keep an eye on the “What’s Shakin” pages and we will do our best to keep you informed! If you are looking to advertise your event call us here at The Riders Mag, toll free 1 855 873 6680. We do not do free listings or ads, but we offer excellent charity discounts! The Riders Mag will also be going back to Loretto for our Annual Show and Shine to be held the last Sunday in August, which this year falls on Aug. 25, 2019! Last year was a blast but being the first one at this particular venue and we were flying largely by the seat of our pants and figuring out what works best and changing what needs to be changed or improved! This next one will be even better! I hope to see you all out there!
The Black Diamond Riders Christmas Party Invitations were sent out to a selection of us in the Northern reaches of the GTA and all the “Great White” regions Ontario and we decided to graciously accept and partake in some good old BDR hospitality! Our particular invitations were personally hand delivered by “BDR Doug” AKA “Panhead Doug” “Dangerous Doug” “Deadly Doug” and several other handles, aliases, nom de plumes and other names and terms some we can’t put in print and not for the squeamish or easily offended but most all achieved, deserved or well earned by surviving a life well lived! This made us all feel special! So, a hearty crew of us individuals gathered over some beverages and an assortment of snacks, put our collective heads together and planned the details of this little excursion and adventure! We came to the conclusion that we could The Rider’s Mag - Page 9
all party heartier if we had a designated driver! We then put the task out there for volunteers, but there were no takers, (Several in our midst have gained full on, over the top, hearty partier status were immediately eliminated and disqualified from any consideration and most of the rest of us are seeking to reach that lofty performance plateau and were also disqualified!) We the decided to book Shirley Jeans Limo Service! Shirley Jean, aside from being sexy, sultry and scintillating runs a very successful Limo service, which serves the GTA and beyond if you talk nice and tip generously! She is also a trusted, much valued and long-time friend who also rides and fits right in with people like us, like ringing a bell! Shirley Jean herself, showed up in a large white limo and conveyed us to the party! She always looks and behaves in an entirely professional fashion but always allows for a subtle personal touch or statement, and in this case the tiny Santa hat that was clipped stylishly to her golden tresses that cascade down to her shoulders, lent a festive, Merry Christmas touch to the occasion! She was invited to come in and join us for the festivities and celebration of the Christmas season and share in the food and could drink all the coffee and nonalcoholic beverages she could handle! It was a great venue; the food was fantastic and the wide variety of music supplied by the excellent DJ had people up dancing long into the night! The Black Diamond Riders have always been excellent hosts and once again, they did not disappoint! This was a great night with lots of great people, not just the BDRs who all show up with all their supporters, families and friends but other individuals and Clubs from all over the Province who come out to support their events! The turnout was fantastic! There was a huge array of door prizes and it seemed that everybody won something! It was asked occasionally as to why I wasn’t drinking my usual 50 or a shot of dark rum and cola as a substitute. The simple answer is that they didn’t have either of those choices but I can live with that! I drank vodka coolers and didn’t die or have fits of withdrawal! It was a great night out with tons of fun for all and we enjoyed ourselves to the utmost with a room full of great people! I did figure out something that I’ve long suspected. It turns out that Tiny Tina may not be as demure as her small stature and tiny voice may The Rider’s Mag - Page 10
visits by several muscular lads all with different tactics to try and control the situation and for a tiny lady she can put up one Hell of a fight! I thought Big George might step in to control his better half, but apparently, he was off looking after other official Club matters and not cringing in the back as was rumoured! It was now no longer a simple ejection procedure as there were actual members, who in their pasts, served as bouncers in some pretty tough places and I’m sure, dealt with many unruly drunks but the catch here is that had to go home with these
suggest! She may also be a strong influence on others in persuading them to share in her shenanigans as there was only one table that steadfastly resisted vacating the premises at the end of the night and she was there! It may merely have been a coincidence that trays of shooters would suddenly and magically appear and then rapidly disappear with great abandon! it required several The Rider’s Mag - Page 11
actually jumped behind the bar at some point, to show the bartenders how a proper shooter should be made! Another tiny but feisty lady by the name of Karen should shoulder some of the blame as well and If memory serves me correctly there also may or may not have been a few other ladies that should step up and share the blame for the delay in these fine folks being able to close up and go home! I didn’t actually see any cattle prods, tear gas or stun guns or other motivational equipment brought into play, but people suddenly dispersed from the troublesome table! We made it back to our Limo and Sensational Shirley got us all home safe and sound! Thanks to all! We had a blast! See you next Christmas! ladies at the end of the night and feel safe and secure when they closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep! But none of these guys wanted to tangle with Tina! Now, in all fairness, Tina the Terror cannot be entirely held responsible as there were others who should be held equally accountable! I do believe that Flo, who
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Supershow 2019 We had been looking forward to this show as it would mark our coming back into print and it would serve to gage if we should continue as just an online publication or just fold altogether! It has been a tumultuous time for us and while we were able to get things sorted out and fix problems there remained some uncertainty! We weren’t sure whether or not there was enough support for The Mag to sustain it and be able to grow! We affixed a $2.00 per copy price tag on it but were unsure as to how that would be received by our readers! We readied ourselves the best we could, put our best efforts into producing and printing the Mag but with Christmas and New Years celebration affecting our delivery schedules I found myself floundering a bit and with the show just around the corner it made things even more hectic than they should have been! We had a good-sized crew of very capable people for this show so that in itself was comforting! Chantel, The Beast, Kris, and Barbie were all traveling with me! L’il Red and Mike would meet us there and be on deck for Friday and Saturday although L’il Red was not fully recovered from a bout of pneumonia and went MIA on Saturday, as she just couldn’t hold up any longer! She will tell you all about it in her column. Beau and his crew from the Ottawa Valley came in Saturday afternoon as did Our cartoonist Mr. Mike and an old friend Bryan Davis also came in to help! So, help we had in spades! I had run into the Twins, Ernie and Charley Sundal and they offered to let me take “The Rat Fink” an amazing Rat Bike that they built and ran for years! I have loved that bike since the first time I saw it and I jumped at the opportunity! It has so much great stuff on it and
it needed to be properly displayed for people to truly appreciate its distinctive character and true beauty! It is a one of a kind work of art! I didn’t think things through properly and in hindsight I should have held off taking it to that show as our booth was way too crowded and I didn’t have it displayed properly and didn’t do it justice even though I had taken additional space! We had way too much stuff going on and the end result was a cluttered mess where nothing got displayed properly and it was even more obvious whenever I looked across the aisle from us where Fred Hale and family had it all together, neat and tidy and running efficiently! They also had one of the Twins bikes on display! The “Gizmo” was given a spot of distinction and it shone like a new penny! It even won a trophy and it was great to see the boys once again, standing on a stage
Thursday we just did the essentials getting the Rat Fink (Which decided to puke oil all over the floor!) unloaded and somewhat situated I would bring the Trike in on Friday morning and we would readjust everything at that time and make it work as best we could! Our girl Stitch, who handles our merchandise and Mags at events such as these for us all over the Province and her man George were there early and had their end of the booth up and running while the rest us struggled to find our rhythm! Stitch also had her two delightful daughters in the booth with her from time to time! Our new writer David Rusk and his lovely wife Lisa had come down to the Show as well and he had brought his bike with him and it was also displayed in the booth but being as crowded as we were, with bikes, trikes, merchandise and magazines nothing got displayed properly and I feel that I let everybody down with the lack of foresight and planning! I also had another of our contributors in the booth, our lady gypsy was there with her fine line of custom made/hand made bandanas and bling and I crammed her into a corner! Donny Petersen was there signing and selling his books while glad-handing and posing for countless selfies with his many fans! To say that The Riders Mag booth was a hub of activity most of
being rewarded for all the hard work, imagination and mechanical skill that they have put into the motorcycle lifestyle over the years! It was great to see Fred Hale make such a respectful gesture! To add just a little more excitement to the mix, I hurt my right shoulder while we were moving in on Thursday and now had a matching set! Sometimes I think someone should just take me out behind the barn and put me down once and for all! We plugged on through and I did the best I could! I had also brought my trike, having ridden it once again through a snow storm to my favourite Detailing Shop, Fine Details in Newmarket and dropped it off for a spa day to prepare it for the Show! They did a fine job once again and it won an award! The Rider’s Mag - Page 13
the time would be an understatement! Add to this a whole whack of people stopping in to talk and see how things were going with us and telling us how happy they were to see it back in print or just shoot the shit and it was at times, absolute pandemonium! Everybody did their jobs just fine and they all put a giant effort into making it all work but I was getting stressed out and I finally just take a break! I wandered over to the bar were my favourite bartender saw me coming and already had my drink mixed and ready by the time I got there! I felt much better after that and by the time I got back things had taken on a better tone or perhaps I just needed to step away! Maybe I’m getting too old for all of this! There are new, capable, people coming on so maybe relief is on the way! Our new man Kris, did an absolutely wonderful job looking after the Mags as people have gotten used to just grabbing one or more as they pass by over the years and he had to make sure that they realized that The Mag now costs $2.00. Many were surprized at first, very few refused to pay, and there were a couple of jerks who seemed to take a great deal of pride in being jerks and I think were striving to be the best jerk they could be! The majority, said stuff like “Its about time you stated charging.” and “You should be charging more!” many stuffed far more that a Twoony in there! Support merchandise also sold well! We were in good company in Hall five as usual! The Hale Family were directly across from us, Josh, Maggie and company from TombStones
Cycle were our neighbours on the right and our buddy Alain the jewelry guy from Montreal was to our left once again! I wandered around to visit with John Cosentini from Motorcycle Enhancements and check out some of his incredible builds! His Steampunk Rat Bike still garners a lot of attention and you can see people down on there hands and knees checking out some of the minute details and fine workmanship that went into it’s construction! It was definitely a labour of love and the detail, imagination along with the machining and engineering is a testament to his abilities and the attention to the smallest details that speaks volumes of what to expect from Motorcycle Enhancements where just OK, just doesn’t cut it! By the end of the day I had gone from worrying whether The Mag would sell to a more relaxed state and the drive home was far more relaxed! Saturday is always a madhouse and the whole place is just packed from the moment the doors opened until around 6:00 when you can actually hear the whole place take on an entirely different tone and the crowds get sparse and I start to think about heading home! The Rider’s Mag - Page 14
It was a very busy throughout the day and we were kept busy all day fielding question and just enjoying the day! I got to wander a bit and visit here and there and see what was happening! I ventured off to investigate the other Halls and it was like another World! It was certainly noisier and lot more crowded and the further you got it intensified! There are always lots of great looking bikes to see! Stock bikes, big bikes, small bikes, very small bikes, antique bikes, vintage bikes, racing bikes, custom built bikes, electric bikes, bikes for sale, model bikes and bikes of every shape size, make and model and for any purpose imaginable! What else would you expect to find at a motorcycle show but bikes? Lots, evidently! There are vendors selling literally, everything from soup to nuts! And as you get out into the other halls the theme and the crowds seem to change as you go! As I made my way from one Hal into the next I found Classy Chassis’ booth with a great selection of used Motorcycles,
then I ran into Len from Len’s Auto in Jarvis and he and his crew had their fine selection of Rewaco Trikes! Then there was another transition and we ventured into new bikes and manufacturers displays with dealers from HarleyDavidson, Indian, Honda and everything in between with all kinds of gleaming chrome and fancy paintjobs on display and swarms of people anxious to take it all in some with eyes glazed over in wonderment! Then you find all the different rides for various charities fighting every affliction known to man and some that they haven’t discovered yet but they are already organizing a ride for it! Insurance companies and Law firms are everywhere!
Then you get to Hall one where there is a blend of everything from leather goods and boots t shirts and clothing items and interspersed between them are every Club and organization imaginable! Clubs for women, clubs for guys, clubs for Sikhs, Religious Clubs, Firefighters Clubs, EMS Clubs, Law Enforcement and Prison Guards Clubs, Clubs for reformed drinkers and just about anything you can think of and you will probably find a Club for it and they have a booth somewhere in Hall 1, you just have to look for it! There is so much merchandise and so much going on that you could wander around all day and still not see everything! I marvel at the magnitude and the enormity of these shows and have a real genuine respect for those who put it on! I can’t imagine the work and the personnel that goes into doing one of these shows especially when I feel overwhelmed just manning our booth! I am going to do a special article on just what it takes to do these shows and I’ll bet when we see all that goes into them, to keep them fresh and current, getting new and exciting features and presentations, celebrity guests, getting all the vendors in and in the right spots to making sure all is safe and secure and no laws are being broken and all the intricate details that will give many others a new respect for the work that goes into giving the people a show worth attending and being part of! Hall five is my main focus and I was almost euphoric as I staggered down the hallway and was finally back in familiar territory with familiar smells and sounds and not being shoved around or aside by the glassy eyed masses that dwell in the other Halls! You have to be a special breed to venture there! Tough and agile, trained in the art of surviving in those conditions by special Black Friday and Boxing day training camps! I was back among 1%ers and real people! I saw our booth but the lure of the beer garden and my favourite bartender and my special motorcycle show drink beckoned me! I sat alone and allowed the drink to quench my thirst and calm my frazzled nerves and I swore a solemn oath that I would not go beyond Hall 5 for the rest of the Show! Another reason to stay in Hall 5 is that this is where the main stage is and they have entertainment! The Supershow brought in some new stuff this year and other than the everpopular Leather Fashion show that Terez Leather has been doing for years, they had three or four excellent live bands that played some great music throughout the show. New this year was an amazing ensemble with some extraordinary dancers that they brought up from California for this Show! The Rider’s Mag - Page 15
They were absolutely incredible and definitely captured the attention of the crowds, both male and female! At first, I thought it was kind of tacky and another example of blatant sexism, plain and simple (Not that I’m totally opposed to any of those things) but it seemed like it was just throwing some fluff out there to distract you from just more of the same old, same old! There is no disputing the fact that these were all extremely attractive ladies but they were far more than mere eye candy or
fluff and they were far from tacky! Their dance routines were well choreographed and professional but they were far more than just dancers! They were performers and damned good ones! They combined a lot of different facets and ingredients, like acrobatics and flaming torches into very slick and extremely entertaining routines and each performance was entirely different than the previous ones! They mesmerized young and old and drew applause from the large crowds that gathered for each performance! It was very refreshing and a nice touch and proof that the organizers are really The Rider’s Mag - Page 16
looking to keep things fresh and it isn’t always the same old, same old! We got through Saturday and headed for home, we were all tired but the feeling that we were indeed on the right track with the Mag and were indeed, on the road to recovery after a very discouraging year and a half where it looked like we were going to shut down! The comments and words of encouragement that we received throughout the day, not to mention the financial support was like a refreshing balm for my soul! It was extremely satisfying and reaffirmed that our efforts were not in vain and that The Riders Mag is relevant, respected and still needed! Thank you all so much! Sunday was quieter and we breezed through the day. I had left my camera behind today as I had taken it into the Shop and downloaded all the pictures on the memory cards recharged the battery and put it right where I couldn’t possibly not see it and I would be ready for the day! Fortunately, David Rusk did not leave his camera behind and filled in quite nicely and was kind enough to cover the awards portion for me! This was his first venture out doing one of these shows and I and you will get to read his comments and opinions in his space! Most of our writers were out for this show and I’m sure all will have their own viewpoints! As for me, I was extremely satisfied and to me was well worth the time and effort! It afforded me the opportunity to meet with a whole lot of truly great people! I can get down on life and the way things play out from time to time as I’m sure we all have to deal with the Black Dog on occasion and I get down on myself! I’m my own worst critic and expect a lot more from myself than I do from others and I disappoint my self on a regular basis! This show and the contact I had with you all lifted my spirits and I was 100% Living the Dream and for me in this case it isn’t just an expression! Thank you all for making it happen! Thanks to all of my crew of friends who helped out so well and so much! I know at times I’m not the easiest person to be around so thanks for putting up with my shit! Thanks to the organizers and all of the staff and volunteers and volunteer organizations who deserve the awards that they are presented each year and then some! See you all next year! Helmets and equal treatment for all citizens I was approached at the Supershow by a gentleman who, along with a large contingent of others in the motorcycle community were upset with the fact that members of the Sikh religion were exempt from helmet laws in this and other Provinces while the rest of the citizens are not! I personally, think that this exemption is prejudicial and unconstitutional! I don’t begrudge the Sikhs the right to ride without a helmet but firmly believe that I and all other citizens in this country deserve the same right to choose! The law should be applied equally across the board without exception of creed colour, race or religion! That is what the constitution states and that is what should happen. I half expected to find a bunch of yahoos ranting and raving about this that and the other thing and suggesting
things like riding helmetless in a pack of several thousand bikes and converging on Queens Park circling it for a week or two until Doug Ford came out telling them that the Government said it was OK for them to ride without a helmet! I found instead, an assembly of reasonable solution to this situation where the Law isn’t being applied fairly or equally! We all should be given the choice to wear a helmet or not! The helmet laws were brought in originally as a safety issue and to save riders lives but now apparently safety is not the issue for some citizens but not for others! Is this the case that Sikh riders are considered by the Government to better riders than any of the rest of us! If it is still being applied to us as a safety issue, can we assume that the Government considers a Sikh’s riders life isn’t worth protecting over that of a non-Sikh rider? There was much discussion as to how to proceed from here and what course of action we should adopt! We were all encouraged to engage in a letter writing campaign and try to sway the Government into making a decision that all Citizens be treated equally under the law. And that all laws apply to all Citizens with no exceptions! I will keep you posted!
Jon Burman 1949 – 2019 - L& R - RIP I was shocked and saddened to hear that Jon was ill and that the prognosis wasn’t good but I was thunderstruck and sickened when I heard he had actually passed on! I honestly thought that he would get through it all and just pass it off as another adventure, one of life’s many trials and tribulations or a bump in the road, shrug it off jump on his motorcycle and go for a ride! Jon and I were not life long best friends, we never rode together or shared adventures or had any real major experiences together. We hadn’t even known each other that long! But whenever I met Jon and sat and talked a while he always made me feel that we were lifelong buddies and shared all those things that I just told you we didn’t! He had a way about him that put me at ease much the way that you feel when you are with a close friend! It is rare to meet such a man and I’m glad that I did! I couldn’t help but like him and appreciate him! I envied his inner peace and tranquility that shone through all that exuberance and over the top enthusiasm that he exhibited seemingly all the time! I will miss him as he was inspirational and I wish now that I had known him better and got to talk to him longer and had ridden together and shared some tales of the road! I read the obituary and then the tribute to a brother that was so well written and heartfelt and the words were a true expression of love that could only be inspired by someone truly inspirational! I had considered re printing it here but I thought that it might be construed as disrespectful as those were personal memories and personal thoughts! I saw the way Jon looked at his family, his dogs and his friends and could sense the sincerity, love and devotion! I picked up on his passion for motorcycles that went far beyond mere ownership and being just an enthusiast and it was as obvious as the infectious, ever-present, enormous smile on his face! I heard him talk about his
business and knew that it was more than just a business! Jon lived his life on his terms and by his rules! He was a true Patriot who loved and respected this country and paid tribute to those who defend it and those who died to defend it! I have great respect for Jon Burman and the Legacy that he left! GBNF!
George Winney March 5, 1949 – December 22, 2018 L&R – RIP George was a good man, a good father, brother and friend! He was also a true humanitarian and will be missed by all who had the pleasure to have known him! George was a Canadian Air Forces Veteran, retired Ford employee and proud owner of Forever Free Motorcycle Hearse. He was dedicated to helping others and was loved by so many in the biker community. Motorcycles were his passion. He belonged to the North Wall Riders Association and he was a strong supporter of the Downtown Mission. George and his wife Valerie took his Forever Free Motorcycle Hearse on Dragon’s Den and made a pitch for some investment capital! They didn’t get the cash but got to lock Kevin (Mr. Wonderful) O Leary in a coffin! The other Dragon’s were trying to talk him into leaving him there! GBNF
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(He did bring me my new HD-Roc sweater that I bought). I was pumped about that. Well, Christmas came and went, and I was eagerly awaiting New Years in the hopes of spending it with our buddies, having a few giggly pops, playing a game called “Disturbed Friends”, and just relaxing. Between work, my college studies and life itself, it was a break to be had. This was not to be! I’ve gotta admit, I’m getting pretty tired of spending my New Years in bed, and not for the reasons I want to be! I got pneumonia. Again, you say?? Same time as last year? Oh yes, you bet! And I was none too pleased by it. I know this, no more visiting family when there’s a sickness going around and no more family coming to our house if anyone is sick. I just can’t do it! Nope, not no more. It hurts too much. They can stay home!
I did venture out to visit Linda at the Windsisters booth. As well as the gang at Desiree’s Ride. Now they had a new bike for Desiree’s ride this year, a beautiful purple one. I really can’t wait to participate in this year’s event in the
Christmas was good to me though. A lot of chocolate, and Mike gave me accessories for my bike, which he says for me, is equivalent to a woman getting jewellery. He got spoiled too though. Now, I won’t delve too much into the pneumonia episode, but I will say it does linger. I was fortunate enough to still be recovering from it come the bike show in January. Now, I did try to help at the booth on the Friday, felt about as useful as tits on a bull, and had full intentions of going back on the Saturday, but after staying at an utterly shitty hotel, getting no sleep, little if any hot water for showers, and coughing like a mo-fo, I was not prepared for a day of smoozing with folks. As a matter of fact, Sunday was a day spent in bed, again for reasons I’d rather not be! I’m a suck ass when I’m sick. On the Friday, Mike dropped me off while he went to work, (cause he’s more importanter than me lol) and I made my way to the Rider’s Mag booth. I found the main man Critter, our office girls Chantel and Brenda, as well as our newest contributor Dave and his lovely wife Lisa. I will say this, Dave makes the most of being a writer. I could learn a lot from the man. He was everywhere at the show! Gypsy Hugs was there selling her blinged out hairbands (which I gotta order one btw) and Critter added a rat bike to the booth this year, (one that opted to pee on the floor!) Dave also brought his baby to show off. (His bike, not his wife, She’s off limits boys!) Throughout the day, I got to catch up with folks that I usually only get the opportunity to see at the show. My buddy Glenn (the beer nut guy!) showed up. Wait!!!! What?? No beer nuts?? Have you no shame man?? I need to seriously re-evaluate our friendship! The Rider’s Mag - Page 18
Peterborough area. Please check out FB for details, and I’ll include the info on my L’il Red page as well. I chased down Wayne at BikeLife Inc. and bought a dirty t-shirt. It says, “I came on my bike today” and has a woman winking. Come on! That’s funny! This year, I did manage to catch some of the guys performing on their bikes (they did tricks and such that surely would put me in the ER for a very long time). Now I must admit, I did enjoy their show, more so than I thought. What I don’t get though, is people’s fascination with burn outs. I know some of you will say, “WTF L’il Red!” I know, I know. I just don’t get the why of them. There’s so much to look at when you’re at this show. I had to find Classy Chassis so I could get a copy of this year’s calendar. Oh!! I made the Classy Chassis calendar! A few times actually! Woo-hoo! Not exactly a calendar girl but hell, I’ll take it! It’s a great calendar for bike events through the year (just as our own Rider’s Mag calendar is!) Autographs available at your request lol. (Now if you come up to me, jokingly asking me for my autograph, I’m gonna draw a smiley face on your forehead!) I headed back to the booth and damn it! If Glenn didn’t show up when I was gone with my nuts! Lol I scanned the place, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he left my nuts hiding for me but to know avail. I was left without my nuts! You could say I was left nutless! (Oh, I could go on with this nut business, but I honestly think the only one entertained here is me!) Wondering around the show allotted me the opportunity to gush over a few bikes on display. I found my Toronto Maple Leaf bike. They’re taking good care of it for me. It’s so pretty. I wonder what
it would cost to do. Like always, there were a few beauties there, and nice bikes too! Ha! Get it?? (k, sorry, moving on!) Large events such as this do not disappoint in the area of people-watching. It’s one of my favourite pastimes. As per usual, some folks that showed were prepping for months for this day. I’ve seen 80’s hair at this show. Hell, I’ve seen lots at these shows, which I will not describe as apparently, it’s the season of the snowflake and being offensive is the new fad. It’s not hard to spend an afternoon there though, propped up in a chair with beverage in hand, and just watch what walks by. Marie from the group “Riders” showed up to the booth and gave me my Riders swag. I was happy about it (and btw, Mike wants a sweater like mine, so we gotta get on that order Marie). You’ll see a lot from these guys in the Mag. They have a ride in the summer, and bike nights on Tuesdays. Mike and I have both agreed that we will be heading to a few of their events this riding season. The group admins asked folks to take a picture of themselves with someone else in swag, and I’m certain I frightened a guy when I ran up to him yelling, “We need a pic!” He didn’t tell me to f%@k off per say, but his face said it all! I got my pic though! (When I checked later, it was blurry damn it. Not surprising since I took it!) That’s why Mike takes the pictures. I’m like an orangutan with a camera.
Now, I’ll leave you with this. If you follow me, you already know that we live on a river. With this cold and snow, it allows Mike to make us an ice rink (which you’re welcome to bring your skates!) This year, he took a great pic of the frozen river and I wanted to share it with you. It’s not bike related, but being close to a frozen lake, being able to hop on the rink with Mike’s grandbaby, does help the winter blahs and gets us through till we can get back on the open roads.
I must apologize as I have not followed through with my goal in having a feature in my article on Women Who Ride. I will though, have it submitted come next press time. If you know of a woman who rides, or are one, fire off an email to me and let’s get you in the Mag! I will also begin a feature on A Salute to our Vets. I will feature a Vet as often as I can, cause I believe we must do whatever we can to show these fine men and women how much we honour appreciate them.
All in all, it was a great bike show. There are two others coming. One in February, and one in April. I’d like to make it out to the one that’s in Montreal. Hopefully we don’t depend on my GPS capabilities to get us there.
There’s lots of rides coming up this season, and I’ll try to help keep you informed by posting them on my FB page at L’il Red “The Riders Mag” Central and Eastern Ontario. You can catch me by email at lilred@theridersmag.com. Got an event coming, hook me up with the details. It’s that easy. Cheers!
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By David Rusk
overrun.popandcrackle@gmail.com I had been to the Toronto International Motorcycle Supershow many times but as my wife and I stood in a mostly empty Hall 5 at the International Center, I felt special this time. Thanks to The Riders Mag, we were on the other side of the ropes and watching the vender booths go up and the mega expensive custom machines being rode and pushed in through the loading door my heart skipped a beat. I squeezed Lisa’s hand “Lets go get my bike.” The next morning the doors opened and they came into the wonderland that held their dreams. As the first of the paying public found our booth, I understood that it’s so much more then the machines and that fuzzy, grey area between the saddle and handlebars is what interest’s me, possibly more then the hardware. The people. Vest’s festooned with every patch imaginable, including those very serious ones, mixed with peacock proud sport bikers wearing armoured leather like they had just got off their hyper-bikes. There were no bad vibes between them as Italian leather that shouted Japanese brushed against the proud Bald Eagle of Harley branded cow hide. Motorcycle Momma’s, all sterling silver and bandanas alongside their old men, seemingly out of time and lost in the era of rigid framed Panheads. The thousand-yard stare of reserved experts in step with the neophyte. All welcomed and at least in this moment, all equal. As they passed by, I looked in their eyes and saw the flash of life and knew that despite our differences, we all have it. The need for freedom and experience. The craving for abandon and control that somehow gets mixed together by two wheels. The lust for it all, the love, the passion. Lisa and I braved the throng and I found myself at the KTM section watching an oldster sat upon a 1290 Super Duke as his cronies eyed him up suspiciously. A healthy seventy or more was my guess and as I watched he spoke. “I wonder how fast she goes..” His three sidekicks snickered behind him like teenagers and I knew they were the fast guys from a previous era. What was it gramps, I thought. A Triumph Bonneville (?) or maybe a BSA, it was something special and something fast, for sure. Youth flared in that old man’s eyes and he was gone, back to roaring down a country road with his air-cooled twin screaming as gravel spits and his hair flies in the wind. Like I said, it is much more then the machines. The Show really is a wonderland for us addicts, with every craving on display. Handsome men and sultry vixens of sales purr accolades for their chosen brands, with contracts at the ready. They tease with subtle movements that promise more then motorcycles, these experts of The Rider’s Mag - Page 20
human wants sing the sirens song. Further along another member of our flock stands beside the Panigale V4R like it was his, Ducati shirt and emblazoned hat in full plumage and full on, look at me mode. Loaded, locked, cocked and ready to impress, meet the rare but always obtuse, pro impersonator. Interesting and worthy of mention, their natural habitat is your local bike night and turned loose here well, he spewed facts and figures in a desperate attempt to impress the steely eyed expert, who politely and yet warily listened from a safe distance. I find myself atop a new Honda CBR1000RR and during an almost comical attempt to crouch behind the wind screen I see him watching me, a young man. A boy, really. Sitting up I catch a snippet of my grey hair in a mirror and glancing at him I see it, the same look I gave that senior on the Super Duke. Was I this kids’ old man who remembers a youth of faster reflex’s and bigger um, bigger balls? Screw it, this old man hasn’t slowed down that much, I think and my belly presses against the Hondas tank. Move along kid, nothing to see here but an almost old man and his dreams. It was time to get back to Hall 5 and The Riders Mag booth. For me, pure sport bikes reign but the custom’s in our hall were impressive, there were no impersonators there. These builders and painters tended to stare at their own creations instead of the onlookers, perhaps seeing the flaws no one else could. They silently let welds, design and gleaming, mile deep paint garner the acclaim. It was almost time for the award ceremony and Critter had asked me to take the Mag’s traditional photos of the winners. Meeting him in front of the stage I let my normal “in the spotlight” public nervousness melt away because hey, I’m a writer now! It was the end of four wonderful days and I watched Lisa as she rapped the hotdog bun on the table. It shattered like old cement and I answered the question posed by her furrowed brow. “Twenty bucks.” Laughing, she replied “Seems about right.” My original intent was to publish just the following column but the Bike Show demands my words too (!) and like always, a simple and short tale takes on its own life and runs amok, spitting out way more words then I thought I had. Next is my tale of winter time angst and the different ways to deal with these terrible days of cold and snow. The Rider’s Mag - Page 21
By David Rusk wordsmithrusk@gmail.com overrun.popandcrackle@gmail.com What is it for you, what helps get you through the cold Canadian dark, the promise of spring? Or do you need more then just watching the feeble sun strain to reach our northern latitudes. For the first of my years owning a motorcycle the poor thing was shunned away in a cold garage or abused even more, under covers outside as I waited for spring. At age 15 my parents bought my first ride and I’m pretty sure they immediately regretted it. They saw the gleam of addiction in my eyes and received more then one call to the ER for a broken or road rashed son. Yes, they definitely regretted that purchase so Mom, I apologize for the constant worry and trust me, you do not want to know what I was really up to. As the bare trees of late Autumn gave way to winter, my young self realized that a whole new mindset had taken grip. I had once loved the snow but now I cursed it as I impatiently waited for that spring day when I hurriedly installed the battery and pressed the magic button, start. The teasing of gravity weakened as internal combustion left the ski slopes behind and thrust me into what would become a life long passion, my addiction. To ease my winter two wheeled cravings I would haunt the local dealerships and pester the staff by sitting on bikes for hours, lost in imagination. My favorite was a used RG 500 at the long defunct Jakes Cycle Ranch, located north of Peterborough. That small shop was at the jumping off point into the wilderness, where the roads are forced into curves by glacier scratched lakes and billion-year-old Shield rock. Day after day I sat on that Gamma as the owner Jake, watched inquisitively and I suspect, rather amused. He was a kind man, choosing to allow a youngster his dreams. I chased Kenny Roberts on his yellow and black Yamaha OW as the snow swirled outside the shop windows and from the foot of the podium the champagne girls smiled up at me as the PA system boomed. “Replacing the injured Barry Sheene for team Suzuki, the 500 grand prix winner is David Rusk” and the crowd went wild. If people knew the craziness spinning inside my head there would be studies undertaken and restraints tightened and locked down. And thorazine, lots of thorazine. You’ll understand as we go along. I bought that Gamma the following spring and it did indeed show me glimpses of my Grand Prix daydreams. The smell of two stroke and those power wheelies got rolled up by the snowball effect. In between trips to the shops I would play VHS tapes until they were stretched and blurry. Names like Haslam, Sharron and Lawson and watching through the mashed bugs on Joey Dunlop’s camera lens in the famous movie V Four Victory, barely kept the cravings at bay. Decades later and the passion burns just as strong as when I was that starry-eyed kid. Everyone has an escape craft but there is something unique to riding that defines our passion into a rare group. Ask a wing suit proximity flyer why they offer their life to the wind and death to gravity and I bet you get our answer. The exhilaration of controlling seemingly uncontrollable forces when a mistake could cost the ultimate price. If you’ve been following my words here you know I finally bought another The Rider’s Mag - Page 22
motorcycle after several years in “the program”, trying to deny my two wheeled cravings. It’s special to me because it’s a special bike and one I’ve owned before. Now its sibling sits disassembled in my basement as the snowball once again plummets downhill, gathering speed. Nudged into motion, it started as a thorough cleaning but as the parts came off I realized that 16 years of grim hid behind the plastic and frame rails. Short of dropping the engine I checked and cleaned what I could and as I began assembly, everywhere I looked I saw loosening bolts as vibration played its tricks. A visit to Probolt’s website saved hours of frustration and snapped drill bits and before I could stop myself, my mechanical mavin was held together with predrilled titanium goodness from across the pond and wired tight. Roll on you cursed and wonderful snowball, roll on. With such a familiar machine on the stand again the snow was especially packy that year. The consistency was just right to grow into an unstoppable monstrosity, gobbling up parts like a crack head snowman desperate to feed his corn cob pipe. Be careful with that lighter Frosty but Frosty doesn’t care anymore as a finger melts away. Next to be rolled up is the OEM plastic and tank because a stock red RC51 just won’t do, so off to the painter and the snowball effect has now entered the dreaded full slide mode. Do you hear them? Voices inside your head that start out well within the zone of sensibility, calmly discussing things like household budgets and one’s life priorities. But as the snow starts to fall, signaling the end of the riding season, a leather clad figure waves from the fringe and a few of the less mature hallucinations wander over through the gathering snow to listen, just for fun “You could have so much more” the enticing entity coo’s. “Look at you all, over there tight and square on your iceberg of sanity. Don’t you want better handling and brakes (?), maybe sexy new paint or how about some carbon fiber heel guards or a fender.” Faceless behind it’s gold iridium visor the siren sings and now a crowd has gathered. “Step over here with me, off your patch of reality.” It whispers and deftly tosses a snowball downhill to begin the slide. “I promise, together we will halt this avalanche before it buries us in debt, so go ahead with that online purchase, its ok.” Dissent grows among the denizens of my mind. “Its not real money you know David” whispers one of them, “it’s just ones and zeros.” Another fracture of my mind shouts “Just harmless plastic pretend money man, nothing to worry about !” Maybe they’re right, I mean clicky-clik the credit adds up quick. Yoshimura and Dyno-jet, its no bother because I’ll pay with a cheque. Oh, let it snow, let it snow, let it… “David?” from a million miles away. “Mr. Rusk? Wake up.” A new voice but this one was from the outside. “It’s time for your meds.” “No! I want the titanium (!) and the carbon fiber! Please, just for fun.” Ranting now as delirium takes hold. “Were those nasty voices bothering you again?” soothing tones from the hint of scrubs in the haze. “Just a small prick now and all those voices will be gone.” It’s in between Christmas and New Years as I write this bit and I am at work, 2500 miles away from home. Its been 7 years in a row now that I have been away from my wife and family for the holidays and yet they stand strong and accept the shitty deal that the oil fields can lay on the table. I hope your Christmas was all that it should have been and for all the families that were separated, know that you are not alone and the reason’s why are not thankless. Things need to get done and it takes the strong to manage it. And for you that are lost and feeling disenfranchised, there are hand holds at the precipice, so grasp firm friends because the world needs you.
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...A rebel without a Claus. IRISH GHOST STORY This story happened a while ago in Dublin, and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it’s true. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitch-hiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a big storm. The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him. Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped. John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door ...only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn’t running. The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window, and turned the wheel. John, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched or harmed him. Shortly thereafter, John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength, he jumped out of the car and ran to it... Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had. A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was crying ..and wasn’t drunk. Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John, were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other: ‘Look Paddy ... there’s that fooking idiot that got in the car while we were pushing it!’ ************ The professor was telling his early morning class,”I’ve found that the best way to start the day is to exercise for five minutes, take a deep breath of fresh air, and then have a bowl of delicious cereal with raisins and almonds and a cup of green tea and finish with a cold shower. Then I feel rosy all over.” A sleepy voice from the back of the room said,”Tell us more about Rosy.” *********************************** Four old retired guys are walking down a street in Yuma, Arizona . They turn a corner and see a sign that says, “Old Timers Bar - ALL drinks 10 cents.” They look at each other, and then go in, thinking, This is too good to be true. The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the Room, “Come on in and let me pour one for you! What’ll It be, gentlemen?” There’s a fully stocked bar, so each of the men orders a Martini. In no time the bartender serves up four iced Martinis shaken, not stirred - and says, “That’ll be 10 Cents each, please.” The four guys stare at the bartender for a moment, then at Each other. They can’t believe their good luck. They pay the 40 cents, finish their martinis, and order another round. Again, four excellent martinis are produced, with the Bartender again saying, “That’s 40 cents, please.” They pay The 40 cents, but their curiosity gets the better of them. They’ve each had two martinis and haven’t even spent a Dollar yet. Finally one of them says, “How can you afford to serve Martinis as good as these for a dime apiece?” “I’m a retired tailor from Phoenix ,” the bartender says, “and I always wanted to own a bar. Last year I hit the Lottery jackpot for $125 million and decided to open this Place. Every drink costs a dime. Wine, liquor, beer - it’s All the same” “Wow! That’s some story!” one of the men says. The Rider’s Mag - Page 24
As the four of them sip at their martinis, they can’t help noticing seven other people at the end of the bar who don’t Have any drinks in front of them and haven’t ordered anything the whole time they’ve been there. Nodding at the seven at the end of the bar, one of the Men asks the bartender, “What’s with them?” The bartender says, “They’re retirees from Scotland. They’re waiting for Happy Hour when drinks are half-price.” *************************** One dark night outside Mundare, a small town East of Edmonton, Alberta, a fire started inside the local sausage plant and in a blink it exploded into massive flames. The alarm went out to all the fire departments from miles around. When the local volunteer fire fighters appeared on the scene, the sausage company president rushed to the fire chief and said, “All of our secret formulas are in the vault in the center of the plant. They must be saved and I will give $50,000 to the fire department that brings them out intact.” But the roaring flames held the firefighters off. Soon more fire departments from surrounding towns had to be called in as the situation became desperate. As the firemen arrived, the president shouted out that the offer was now $100,000 to the fire department who could bring out the company’s secret files. Then, from a distance, a lone siren was heard as one more fire truck came into sight. It was the nearby Smoky Lake rural township volunteer fire department composed mainly of men of Ukrainian decent over the age of 65. To everyone’s amazement, the little run-down fire engine, operated by these men passed all the newer sleek engines parked outside the plant and drove straight into the middle of the inferno. Outside, the other firemen watched as the old timers jumped off and began to fight the fire from the inside with a performance and effort never seen before. Within a short time, the Smoky Lake old-timers had extinguished the fire and saved the secret formulas. The grateful sausage company president joyfully announced that for such a superhuman feat he was upping the reward to $200,000, and walked over to personally thank each of the brave, though elderly, firefighters. The Edmonton TV news reporters rushed in after capturing the event on film, asking, “What are you going to do with all that money?” “ Vell,” said Nick Sputski, the 70-year-old fire chief, “da furst thing vee gonna do is fix da brakes on dat focking trock.” ************************************************ A fifth generation farmer has determined that his son will be the first in their family to go to college. So he and the wife save every penny for years and when the big day comes for junior to leave for school, the old man is the proudest he’s ever been. After the first semester junior comes home for Christmas break and the old man sits him down for a talk. “Well, boy, you been at school for three months now, I want you to tell me some of that fancy book learnin’.” So junior says, “My favorite class is math, pa. Just last week we learned a new formula... Pi r squared.” At hearing this the old man screws up his eyes and smacks his forehead, “Dog gone-it! I spent all that money on schooling and all you can tell me is Pi r squared? Why everybody knows pie are round... CORNBREAD are squared!” ************ I was viciously attacked by a woman in an elevator. I was in the elevator when she got in. I was casually staring at her big, jiggly boobs when she said, “Would you press ‘1’ please?” So I did... and I don’t remember much afterwards, but I guess I pressed the wrong one! ************ Two elderly Irish drinking buddies are sitting at the pub pondering on the future. One says to the other, “You know Mr. O’Shea, we’ve had great sport together for many years. It just came to mind that should it be I who should happen to go first, it would mean a great deal to me if you would say a few kind words at me grave.” The other friend responds, “That I’ll do, Mr.O’Donnel, that I’ll do. But should it be I who should happen to go first, for old times sake I’d be forever grateful if you would pour a bottle of fine Irish whiskey over me grave.” The friend responds, “That I’ll do. That I’ll do. But would you mind it so much if it should happen to pass through me kidneys first?” ************ An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, ‘Last week we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great.. I would recommend it.’ The other man said, ‘What is the name of the restaurant?’ The first man thought and thought and finally said, ‘What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know.... The one that’s red and has thorns.’ ‘Do you mean a rose?’... The Rider’s Mag - Page 25
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February This astrology has been written in “Quin-trains” meaning there are five lines to the divination. The fifth line will reveal the answer to the other 4 lines. There are 13 twisted spokes in creation of my wheel I use instead of the common 12. Since this wheel is created this way, this allows the reader to approach the wheel in 2 ways. As each sign represents a spoke in the wheel, you can read either what your own spoke has to say or read what all the spokes have to say to share a visual to the whole picture. See how all the spokes complete your wheel. The 13th spoke is what I call the “Dath Spoke” It is the spoke that binds all other spokes together, so you can see exactly what wheel(s) you’re using for your ride. Consider it having extra rubber for extra mileage.
Aries: Suckling from that which nurtures you Gives you strength, growth and fortify one new Hold tight and protected you’ll feel It’s part of this cycles wheel Love is in your roots and that which is true Taurus: You’re battle worn, take a chill, take a rest The new scares you’ve earned are not the best Still look for those calm blue waters to settle you down That will fill your cup with wonderous things, not a frown Choose to be the warrior or the gardener for your next quest Gemini: The forest before you is wonderous and thick You are not alone a friend will guide you quick There is a path once your through At this point, clarity will be true Have faith, have belief, otherwise you’ll stick Cancer: Your eyes and your hands empower your action What you move creates a fraction Make your prize stable at hand That you may weld it above the land Only you shall bring your satisfaction Leo: You are the warrior, always remember that What you protect, has been where its at If one behind you speaks one’s words It most likely is not from a flock of birds Make a stance, but do not kick the cat
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Virgo: A quiet gathering of kings and lords Sharing wisdom, stories, extending cords A thought brought by many to be one For a story needs an ending to be done In secrecy, can you avoid the hordes. Libra: What you hold so close to you Has no further use, it’s out dated by the new. Your stubbornness is only because you’re used to it Get yourself a new look, just a bit You will feel better, to fit a new you. Scorpio: Your armor only covers your true self Within you is all your stealth When a king serves the people of the land The lance arises to one’s hand Now service and self become wealth Sagittarius: Do not sit and pout if the hunt is not right Be patient, it will come, the perfect night You may feel like stone, even inside Stagnation shouldn’t be an enemy of your pride Remember, where you came from and its sight. Capricorn: Many will speak, but one will not listen If one speaks only, then there will glisten A full team is needed right now As above, so below and all will bow There must be balance, or all will miss in. Aquarius: Sharp words can be loud and clear It’s whether or not they’ve caught an ear A fire unattended can blaze or die Needless to say, the inevitable is why Past, present and future, do not create fear Pisces: An image of yourself catches your eye Have you finally become your own best friend? Sigh. Hold your head high, you must be proud You’ve accomplished something, you’re wowed Now what to do so you no longer cry. Dath Spoke: It’s hard to get by when someone is in the way Because it doesn’t even matter what you say. Truth be told, go forward, they’ll fold This is an old story told and re-told Live and learn, for this is a good day
Jon Burman 1949 – 2019
Love and respected by all who had the pleasure to have known him! A true gentleman who brought real meaning to the word Classy! GBNF – RIP – L&R
Mark “Bad Dawg” Frenette May 30, 1959 – Jan. 10, 2019 BACA
George Winney
March 5, 1949 – December 22, 2018 Wall Riders Association
To honour Mark’s wishes for a Thunder Ride, memorial visitation will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019 from 5-8 p.m. and again on Saturday, June 1, 2019 from 10:30 a.m. until a Celebration of Mark’s Life begins at 1:00 p.m., followed by a Thunder Ride to Heavenly Rest Cemetery.
George was a Canadian Air Forces Veteran, retired Ford employee and proud owner of Forever Free. He was dedicated to helping others and was loved by so many in the biker community. Motorcycles were his passion. He belonged to the North Wall Riders Association and he was a strong supporter of the Downtown Mission
GBNF – RIP – L&R
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Big Twin 1984 to 1989 Wet Clutch A huge advance, one of many early-Evolution changes was the move from the archaic, bulky, and inefficient Shovelhead dry clutch to a lighter, more efficient, and powerful wet clutch. Actually, the change was made on late-1984 Shovelheads but many of the improvements occurred this way as a bit of a test ground. Shovelheads did not end in 1983 as many think but overlapped with the introduction of the Evolution engine in 1984. Some 1985 Big Twins had Shovelhead engines. However, as always, there were a few glitches. Some clutch steel plates (37975-84, 37975-84A) and mating inner clutch hubs (37550-84, 37550-84A) were not machined correctly. The seven late-1984 to 1989 clutch steel plates are flat, very thin and more numerous relative to their predecessor 1941-1980 (37975-41), and 1981 to early-1984 clutch steel plates (37975-81). The inner diameter of the late-1984 to 1989 steel plates is slotted (serrated). The outer diameter of the inner clutch hub (37550-84, 37550-84A) has mating slots for the steel plates to engage and slide along. The outer diameter of the steel plates has no slots and is smooth around its circumference. The earliest version of these steel clutch plates (37975-84) are okay to use. The mal-machined steel clutch plates (37975-84A) have a package date code of 6-91 (June 1991) or earlier. These plates may not slot in freely with their mating clutch hub. The good steel clutch plates (37975-84, 37975-84A) have a package date code of 7-91 (July 1991) or later. These plates will slot in freely with their mating clutch hub. Those that do not will cause clutch drag and sometimes difficult transmission shifting. Any mechanic will realize that a clutch cannot operate properly unless there is free movement of plates on the inner clutch hub and outer clutch shell and will take corrective action without a service advisory. However, if using the correct good steel plates with the H-D 37550-84A inner clutch hub and free movement does not always occur, the clutch hub itself may be suspect as mis-manufactured. Note that the steel clutch plates must run square (900 perpendicular) to the inner clutch hub. Perfect steel plates will still bind on a perfect inner clutch hub if the steel plates are angled onto the inner hub. The improper binding occurs because of mis-machining of the mating parts when correctly fitted at 900 . Replace the inner clutch hub in this instance. Some very late-1989 and very early-1990 Evolution Big Twins were fitted with a defective clutch adjusting screw (37357-84) that has use from 1984 to 1990. The end that butts against the end of the left-side clutch pushrod (37090-84, 37090-84A) is supposed to have a flat surface. Some were cupped on this end. The defective cupped end screw as well as the proper flat end adjusting screw has the same part number. The pushrod bearing (37312-75) is a delicate part that cannot take pressure, which in this case is from excess friction caused by the cupped end. The Rider’s Mag - Page 38
Now for the big one. The 1984 to 1989 inner clutch hub (35550-84, 37550-84A) has a nasty habit of cracking at the keyway channel. The consequences are that the clutch hub may sit too far on the transmission mainshaft. It may also skew off center, throwing the whole clutch hub pack off balance creating much vibration. The H-D clutch hub is weak in this area but the problem compounds with torquing the clutch hub nut (3749684) beyond the specified tolerance of 50 ft-lbs to 60 ft-lbs. If not replacing the clutch hub as H-D obviously recommends, the aftermarket has developed an effective fix. A Clutch reinforcement washer press fits onto the back of the clutch hub adding needed support to prevent cracking or to repair a cracked hub. Now that we have the glitches covered, clutch adjustment must be performed during new bike PDI (Pre-delivery Inspection), 500 mile (800 km) inspection, and at every service interval thereafter. On late-1984 to 1986 motorcycles, disconnect the clutch cable from the clutch lever on top of the transmission. On 1987 to 1989 models, thread the clutch cable adjuster all the way into the transmission end cover to provide clutch cable slack. Stand the bike upright or primary fluid will spill out of the outer primary chaincase clutch derby hole when removing the clutch derby (25414-84) for clutch adjustment. On the motorcycle’s clutch side, loosen the clutch adjuster screw locknut (HD-7848W). Turn the adjuster screw (3735784) with an Allen wrench counterclockwise to give the clutch pushrods free play. Place a straightedge across the clutch pressure plate (37902-84) between the bolt heads (HD-2881W x 4). Use a feeler gauge to measure between the diaphragm spring and the pressure plate. The correct compression is flat (0”) to .010”. If this measurement exceeds .010”, the compression of the diaphragm spring will require adjustment. The diaphragm spring compression is adjusted by the different bolt hole position choices available in the pressure plate. If the diaphragm spring is bowed outward (convex) by more than .010” in the center, move the plate to the next hole position of greater compression to achieve a correct compression of flat (0”) to .010”. If the diaphragm spring is bowed inward (concave) by more than .010” in the center, move the plate to the next hole position of lesser compression to achieve a correct compression of flat (0”) to .010”. The three compression settings are A - midcompression; B - greatest compression and C - least compression. If required, spring compression is done by alternately backing out each pressure plate bolt (HD-2881W) ½-turn at a time until all pressure is off the diaphragm spring. Remove the 4-bolts and reposition
the clutch pressure plate to the holes that will give the correct spring compression. If correct compression cannot be obtained, a steel plate should be added to the clutch pack. Incorrect diaphragm spring compression (adjustment) will result in premature clutch failure. After clutch pressure plate/diaphragm spring adjustment is within the 0” to .010” specification, turn the pushrod adjusting screw in clockwise until all free play is removed. Back out the pushrod adjuster screw counterclockwise ¾-turn. Tighten locknut to 6 ft-lbs to 10 ft-lbs torque ensuring that the adjuster screw does not change position. Do this by simultaneously holding the adjuster screw with an Allen wrench while tightening the locknut. On late-1984 to 1986 models, reattach the clutch cable into the clutch lever arm. Turn the cable adjusting sleeve to provide at least ⅛” play at the clutch lever. Yeah, I know, this specification jumps all over the place depending on manual or Service Bulletin. The important thing is to have free play to prevent constant pressure on the throwout bearing and clutch. On 1987 to 1989 models, extend the clutch cable length until there is clutch lever play. Squeeze the clutch lever at least three times to set the ball-and-ramp clutch actuator release mechanism. Adjust cable length to provide at least ⅛” play at the clutch lever. Beginning in 1990, H-D harmonizes the Big Twin and Sportster clutches. The same clutch pack has fitment in both bikes. Next month, I will examine the succeeding Big Twin and Sportster 1990 to1997 wet clutch. Donny Petersen www.donnypetersen.com
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Holy Crap I’m Back!!! It’s been a while since I’ve written for The Riders Mag, I truly apologize for that. 2018 was not the greatest year for this old broad but now that it’s in my rear-view mirror. I’m looking forward to 2019 and all the adventures it brings. For those of you who may be new to The Riders Mag, let me introduce myself. They call me Momma and I’m from Redcliff, Alberta, just down the road from Medicine Hat, AB “The Sunshine Capital of Alberta. I absolutely love the “biker life”, and have been a part of this world pretty much my whole life. I started riding my own bike in 2005 and have never looked back. Once you’ve ridden your own, you never want to be on the back again…Well that’s how “I” feel, but every lady is different. I started out with a 2005 Dyna Lowrider that I absolutely loved, but have since graduated to a 2016 Street Glide Special, I call her Bella. Her and I have had many great adventures out on the open roads of Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Lots of events have taken place since I last contributed to The Riders Mag, so I will get you all caught up. Sit back and I’ll take you Riding With Momma.
Following are the functions contributing to the final presentation to The Redcliff Youth Centre. REDCLIFF DAYS
Every year in June, Redcliff has it’s annual Redcliff Days. The town closes of the streets, vendors set up, there’s things for kids to do and there is a car show in one of the parks. The local Pub, “Who’s On Third” have live music and a yearly pool tournament all held outside in the beer gardens (Closed off street). Across the street from Who’s is the (BWC) Dawghouse.
Redcliff Youth Centre
If you were anywhere near the Redcliff Youth Centre Wednesday August 15 you would have heard the rumble of Motorcycles. Members of S.E.A.R. (South Eastern Alberta Riders) and BWC (Brother’s Without Colors) were meeting at the Youth Centre to present them with the moneys they had raised throughout the year. Janae Ulrich – Youth Wellness & Program Co-ordinator and some of the kids from the centre greeted the bikers and were excited to show the group their new “Teaching Area” that had been renovated and fully furnished with the money S.E.A.R. and the BWC had presented to them earlier in the year. As some of you might remember from my previous Articles, “The Birdies for Kids Grant” provided through the Shaw Charity Event in Calgary was matching 150% of all donations made to The Youth Center. Both S.E.A.R. and BWC had made it their mission to donate as much as they could to the kids before the deadline of September 1, 2018. In order to do this, they would have to step up their game a little. The Rider’s Mag - Page 40
Every year on Redcliff Days the BWC host a Bikini Bike Wash, Motorcycle Show N Shine, as well as a Children’s Bike give away. Members of S.E.A.R. are on hand cooking up their famous Ham Buns for donations to add to their pot for The Redcliff Youth Centre. Through the years the BWC have hosted this event at the Dawghouse for the kids and kids at heart. The kids get free pop and bubbles to entertain them while the adults visit and enjoy the day. The Show N Shine is voted on by only the kids, so they can vote for their favorite bike. They each get their name put in the draw for the BMX bike. This Year the draw was made by April Johnson, with Dani Penner winning the bike. The BWC give away a bike every year so the kids all try to make their way to the Dawghouse. Unfortunately, Dani wasn’t there for the draw so I couldn’t get a picture of her on it, but her grandma relayed how excited Dani was to win the bike.
The girls washing the bikes for the Bikini Bike Wash were awesome this year. Every year the dancers from BB’s Doll House in Redcliff volunteer to come and help out the Brothers. The day started off a little chilly but these ladies were troopers (who doesn’t like cold girls in bikini’s). All of the money that they made was donated back to the BWC to add to the pot being donated to the Redcliff Youth Centre. The girls even took time to pose for pictures with the guys. One little man stole their hearts. Corlan who is 3 was amazed by the girls and kept telling everyone that he was there for the “titties and beer”. Something tells me that this little guy has things figured out! His Grandpa “Crash” might have been responsible for showing him the way. Needless to say, he was a very happy camper. After all the votes were in from the kids, and the ballets were counted the Show N Shine winner was announced. Much to the kids delight the winning bike was a 2011 Dyna Wide Glide. Seems that Momma isn’t the only dyna lover around, turns out the kids liked it too. “Early” President of BWC presented Cory Place with a very sought after Dawghouse mug for his win. The day was very successful with both BWC and S.E.A.R. able to add to their pots for The Redcliff Youth Centre. Everyone is already looking forward to “Redcliff Days” this year on June the 16th. BWC Poker Run BWC hosted there first ever poker run June 30th, with the money going to The Youth Centre. BWC have tried to host a poker run for a few years but it always seemed that the dates they chose always coincided with other runs. Not wanting to ruin an event for another group it never happened. That is until 2018, that was the year. They managed to put it together in less than 2 weeks. Not thinking that many bikes would show up, because of the short notice, they were pleasantly surprised when over 50 bikes were parked outside the Dawghouse, Momma included. Everyone had come out to support both the BWC and the Youth Centre. Did I mention that I love the biking community around Redcliff and Area? It was a nice day for a ride through the back roads of Southern Alberta. Heading 83 kms up the #1 Highway from Redcliff we stopped at the Tilley Hotel. Tilley is a small country town just off the Highway between Redcliff and Brooks, AB. A lot of the bike groups include Tilley as one of their stops because of their wonderful patio. Vauxhall was the next stop in our travels, so off we went on a scenic tour through 73 kms of farm land with checkerboard fields as far as the eyes could see. Vauxhall being a tad bit larger than Tilley actually had a gas station for all those who had small tanks. The owners of the Vauxhall Bar love when the poker runs come through. The little Chinese man and his wife do a pretty damn good job making sure all of us hungry bikers are fed and watered. Their food is good and their beer is cold, what more could you ask for. As we made our way back to Redcliff our next stop would be the Hays Campground. Now, there are two routes you can take to get to the campgrounds, both are about the same distance and both roads are great. So, what’s the difference? You can take the #36 back to the Hays road and turn (we just came that way), or you can do the Hays Maze. Riders from all over southern Alberta love to take the “Hays Maze”. This road is famous for it’s sharp turns, curviness and marshy fields. Personally, I love the Hays Maze, my Husband and I take that route when we are heading to B.C., just to warm us up for the ride ahead, but because there has been a lot of bike accidents on that stretch of road, there’s some that don’t like to take it. Each to their own I say. Normally, when a poker run goes through Hays it would stop at the Campgrounds, not this year. This year there was a bible camp there, so the BWC set up at the card lock station across the way. We had a few visitors come over to talk to us about our bikes, and ask why so many, shit a couple of them even had a beer. When we told them, it was a poker run, it sure tweaked their interest. That’s the thing about small lazy towns in Alberta, everyone is pretty friendly, and curious. Not withholding the fact that I’m pretty sure there was probably more than one prayer said that day on our behalf. After a full day of riding the riders headed back to the Dawghouse for the last card. It had been a great day and everyone was anxious to see who won the best hand and have a few drinks. The Rider’s Mag - Page 41
Momma didn’t have a chance in hell, couldn’t even get the worst hand. Good thing I like to support the cause. Devon Deis, who had ridden about an hour from Brooks that morning for the poker run was the winner with a full house. Devon walked away with “The Coveted Dawghouse Mug” full of cash and the BWC had a little more money to add to their pot for the Youth Centre. This Year the BWC plan to have their Poker Run June 29th, starting at the Dawghouse in Redcliff. If your out and about and want to join in, everyone is welcome. S.E.A.R Dead Hog Boogie June 21st marked the 12th year that S.E.A.R. has put on the Dead Hog Boogie out in Manyberries, AB. In years past the Dead Hog Boogie was held in May, but found that the weather was a little too unpredictable. A couple years in a row there was flooding in Medicine Hat so the number of people attending was greatly affected. S.E.A.R. was hoping the change of dates would help alleviate the chances of bad weather. The date change for the Boogie worked out better than they could have imagined. With temperatures in the upper 30’s S.E.A.R. anticipated a great turn out for the week-end. The weekend started early for Momma. As some of you are aware, I’m the Treasurer for S.E.A.R. so I headed out with most of the members of SEAR and BWC Wednesday, to get a head start on getting things set up. Many local Bikers look forward to this event every year and head out Thursday to get their favorite spots and set up camp for the weekend. Besides being the Treasurer, Momma likes to make sure that everyone who comes out to the Boogie is welcomed. Every morning and every evening I make my rounds to see that everyone is having a great time and have everything they need. I find this is the best time to hear feedback from everyone attending, as well as get to meet any new people coming to the Boogie. You may all be wondering why S.E.A.R. & BWC work together so much, well that’s what’s so great about the riding community in Redcliff, we help each other achieve the goals that are important to us. Actually, a couple of the BWC are also members of SEAR, so it’s just natural for us to help each other out. Friday brings out a shitload of trailer, tents and bikes trying to find a leftover spot for the weekend. The Band sets up and gets ready to play in the evening. The band was Blind Monday out of Medicine Hat. They played quite the variety of old and new rock. With a gorgeous lead singer belting out the classics, you can well imagine a great time was had by all. Usually Friday night is great, everyone is all set up and ready to party. Early Saturday morning, and I mean early, we start getting things ready for the Bike Games that start at Noon. The Ham’s are put on a spit to cook all day to be ready for Dinner, the beer is put into ice cold tubs, (oops, maybe a body too) tents are getting set up for shade and day riders are showing up to watch the games. The sun was shining, and it was hot! By noon “Crash” (President of S.E.A.R.) was on the blow horn trying to get everyone over to the games area so the games could get started. Crash lives for the Boogie, he’s been in charge of MC ing the games for as long as I can remember. People were showing up with coolers, comfy lawn chairs and umbrellas. Oh, and did I mention the scantly clad ladies showing off their assets. Like I said it was hot! 10 bike games were on the agenda for the afternoon. The stands were filling up and the bikes were lining up for their turn to compete. S.E.A.R. has quite a number of games that are crowd pleasers and usually involve a lot of shenanigans to say the least. The games are run pretty smoothly, with S.E.A.R.’s Secretary Alix and Crash at the helm, your certain to have some fun. One of the Crowd favorites at the Boogie is the “Honey I’m Home” game. The premise behind the game is that a person The Rider’s Mag - Page 42
(male or female) gets caught with their pants down while in bed playing “hide the weenie” with someone else’s old lady or old man. Whoever has the bike parked on the other side of the window is the one that has to take their boots off and pull their pants down. The partner lays down on the mattress and the rider has to get on top. The rider has to stay on top of their partner until Crash yells “Honey I’m Home” as which time the rider has to pull up their pants, put their boots on and jump out the window to your waiting bike, get on your bike, start it and cross the finish line in the least amount of time as possible. When I tell you that this gets a little crazy, it would be an understatement. There’s just some thing in this world that can’t be unseen, but it’s great for a laugh. After the games were done the ham was ready and people were hungry. Supper was served and the winners of the games were announced and presented with their trophies. Without going into detail about the winners of each Game, it would suffice to say the boys from Calgary took a large part of the trophies home. Looks like there might be a little friendly competition this year when they come, they seemed to have ruffled some feathers. Nothing better than a little rivalry between friends. S.E.A.R. has a progressive 50/50 that they sell tickets for throughout the year at all their events. The Dead Hog Boogie is the last chance to get your tickets. After the winners of the games were announced Momma had one of the people in the Beer Gardens to make the draw. With this 50/50 you did not have to be there to win, but there were sure a big crowd hoping that they would win. Unfortunately, the ticket I drew for $1,740.00, was Cody Miner who wasn’t in attendance. Cody had just bought a new bike and was on holidays in the States. BAM! holiday paid for. As usual Saturday night was even more fun. It had finally cooled down enough that people were ready to party. The band was ready to rock, the dunk tank was filled and momma had a list of ladies for the wet t-shirt contest. What can I say, I love my job!! Sunday Morning was a little rough, people started to show up to the bar to get some hair of the dog. There was a lot of moaning and groaning, and Momma is not talking about the good kind. By 4pm pretty much everyone had cleared out and on their way home. The members of S.E.A.R. would like to thank the BWC and everyone who came out to support their event and are looking forward to seeing you all next year. This Years Dead Hog Boogie is Scheduled for July 5th to 7th. If you are down this way come and check it out. It’s a great time and we are starting to see riders from all over Alberta and even some from the good old USA. Here’s to a successful 13th Annual Dead Hog Boogie!! Like I had mentioned earlier these were the events that S.E.A.R. and the BWC hosted in order to raise the money they would donate to the Redcliff Youth Centre. S.E.A.R. President “Crash”, presented a cheque in the amount of $7,000.00 to a very overwhelmed Janae. The BWC added their donation of $1,000.00 bringing the total donation of $8,000.00. Like I had said before the two groups knew that the Redcliff Youth Centre would have access to $22,500.00 through the Birdies Grant to help in all the areas of the Centre needing improvement. These are just a couple of the events that Momma was able to attend. Stay tuned for more event coverage as I get you caught up on what we do here in Alberta during our riding season. I have also been working on a story that I started covering back in July of 2018, which is becoming quite the heated topic. It’s about the new helmet exemption for members of the Sikh religion. I have been following Troy Fandrick from Medicine Hat, AB who has made it his mission to fight this exemption, Sighting that “The current legislation in regards to wearing motorcycle helmets is being unfairly applied to the riders in this Country”. Troy is currently campaigning to have the helmet exemption that has been granted to the Sikh community to be applied to all riders in the province as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights. Troy has a Facebook Page dedicated to his fight called “Biker Freedom and Fairness”. Everyone should check it out. Troy is making headway with the courts and has set up a go fund me page to raise money for the proceedings. He has already placed a $10,000.00 retainer with a Constitutional Lawyer out of Vancouver, so you know he is serious. I’ll keep you all posted. Well that’s it for me this month. Take care of each other and stay safe. Momma The Rider’s Mag - Page 43
Well folks we are officially one month closer to spring than last I wrote to you. I’ve been fortunate enough to sneak a few winter rides in down here! If my memory serves me, I believe I was in Jasper B.C. when I left off last month. Let’s dive into part 3 of my B.C. travel trilogy and discover Vancouver Island. We rolled out of Jasper down HWY 5 then onto HWY 24 and could not have been happier with our route choice. The smoke from the fires was extra thick but the temperature was ideal and the scenery we could see was splendid. As the day went on we realized a town with fuel would be a necessity sooner rather than later. Funny how you get caught up in the rolling of your wheels and forget the details of what’s fueling your fire. A few dots on the map came and went with no sign of a gas station. Eventually, with one fuel light on and the other bike on reserve, we discovered the Bridge Lake General Store. Talk about a fantastic find. Of course, we spotted the fuel pump out front first. As we were opening gas tanks, a friendly fella opened up the door to the store and informed us he had Premium fuel tanks around back. Excellent. We did a U-turn and found the high octane fuel on the hillside just off the gravel shoulder of the road. Interesting place to park two wheels, or gas up for that matter, but hey beggars can’t be choosers. And, as it turned out this little store had everything we could need for the rest of our day. After about fifteen minutes of shopping around inside, we had lunch, dinner, a few camp supplies, and a bottle of wine. As we were checking out the couple running the store were more than helpful with directions and routes best fitted for two wheels in the area. Next thing we knew we were packed up and in the wind again with full bellies and fuel tanks. Due to the lack of civilization in this neck of the woods, we decided to find some place to stay for the night. It was midafternoon and we had put on a few kilometers for the day when we just happened to roll by Watch Lake Lodge. Rustic looking cabin surrounded by trees and some smaller cabins scattered about. This would be our home today. What a wonderful home it turned out to be. Super friendly host, perfectly clean cabin, a fancy little outhouse out back, and all the amenities two campers could ask for. Electricity, refrigerator, wood stove/oven, sink (no plumbing), The Rider’s Mag - Page 44
water jugs, an electric hot plate, and dishes. Definitely, a place I’d love to return to. Up with the sun as always, however, we couldn’t see it through the smoke. But, we headed out for Vancouver Island just the same. What a hell of a ride. Seriously, if you are a motorcycle rider you love curves, period. The route we found on this day had 500 KM of them! Uphill, down, hill, round and round. Riding through canyons, over bridges, on top of ridges, and through the forests, we flew. I won’t mention any speeds or the number of passing lanes we found, but I will say it was a rally race day. This was no secret route to locals, there must have been a hundred other bikes along the way. So, all that being said, if you happen to find HWY 97 and HWY 99 in B.C., TAKE THE RIDE! And then, we arrived on the island. Before I go into any details I’ll let you know we had planned to stay for two nights. Four nights later we managed to drag ourselves away. From 5-star resorts to twenty dollar campsites we could not get enough of Vancouver Island. Our first two nights were at The Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet. The wow factor here
was huge. The coast is lined with large black rock formations full of tide pools which are full of ocean creatures. The food in the lounge and the restaurant is beyond delicious. Our room was the size of my first apartment with every feature you could ask for. We made our way through giant ancient redwood forests, botanical beaches, and mountain roads. We strolled along a driftwood beach, jumped into waterfall pools, and swam in hidden mountain lakes. Need I say more… If you make your way to Vancouver Island, do not miss Cathedral Grove, Avatar Forest, and Botanical Beach. I dare you to find your way to Doran lake, that’s a little secret place that I’ll never forget and we rode there on the 1978 BMW r100. Two-up and off-roading all the way! Ah yes, what a magnificent adventure. Thanks for following along, if you enjoy reading my ramblings I have started a new website, MotoRambling.com, if you wish to adventure with me further. Until next time my friends, ride on!
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While we have reached the hump part of the year where the days are getting longer we still have some time to go before we can get out and ride. So, until then we have to make do with things like swap meets and motorcycle shows which at least allows us to meet up with the rest of the motorcycle community and plan for the season ahead. The first show of the year was the North American International Motorcycle Supershow that always takes place the first weekend in January and while I spend most of my time in The Riders Mag booth catching up with old friends from other parts of Ontario and chatting with Critter, Brenda and Chantal, it also allows me the opportunity to talk to some of the people who kindly read my column. I went down with my brothers Chucky and Hark from The Celtic Brotherhood to spend the day and enjoy breaking up the winter blues and if by some chance we found something that any of us wanted to pick up so much the better. The one thing that I was really curious about was the reception from the people in the motorcycle and biker community about how after over 20 yrs of us being a free publication we now find ourselves having to charge our readers $2.00 for hard copies of the Mag, while we remain online in our entirety for free. I was blown away by the positive reception by our loyal readers about the fact that we had to finally charge for our publication and it only affirmed our belief that the motorcycle/biker communities of Ontario like having a window into what is going on in other areas as well as their own! They like getting first hand information about what many of the events and rides are like. Actually talking about roads brings me to a subject that is very important to all of us because as I was preparing to write my article, I heard on the news that for 2018 the number of road deaths compared to the same time last year was up by 271 per cent! While it would be easy and convenient to just blame the weather conditions, the reality is that it is all about the drivers out there not paying attention! I am saddened by the number of people that I still see driving and holding a cell phone to their ear or seeing some looking downward and I know the bastards are texting. If they are doing this and hitting things that are really hard to miss like a car or truck can you imagine how easy it would be for them to miss seeing a motorcycle on the road. I am personally tired of going to Celebrations of Life that should not be taking place until many years in the future because of the number of distracted drivers killing or seriously injuring bikers! It is up to us to see to it that the police are doing more to protect motorcycle riders than just pulling us over for the heights of handle bars or loud pipe infractions. While dropping off last month’s issue of the Mag at B.A. The Rider’s Mag - Page 46
Machine, Performance Cycle we had the opportunity to hear a bit about the motorcycle adventure that Peri and Tim had down in Ecuador during their Xmas holidays! I look forward to hearing more in detail when we all go out for one of our bi-monthly dinners together and hopefully I will be able to get some pictures from them and post a little about their adventure in upcoming issues. This years Annual Spring Motorcycle Swap Meet that is traditionally held at the Greely Legion was cancelled this year! That was a big disappointment to many of the area riders because the swap meet has become a tradition and the perfect opportunity for local riders to get together and socialize! Jim Poulin informed me back in late December that he had to cancel the meet but let’s keep our finger crossed that the Fall Swap Meet will still take place. This past winter has been a tough one so far with record freezing cold temperatures accompanied by record breaking snowfalls! The members of The Celtic Brotherhood and myself had to deal with several personal tragedies one of which included the untimely passing of the lovely Sandra Gauthier, wife of our brother Chucky. While we knew she was ill, we were shocked when she took a turn for the worse and went on to Valhalla just two days before Xmas. If you have ever attended an event over the years where TCB has provided one of their complimentary breakfasts to promote brain injury awareness and also show support for the club putting on the event, there is
a very good possibility that you met Sandra! She had an incredible smile because she was a real people person! She just loved to engage people in conversation and learn all about them. We decided not to release the news to the public until after Christmas, so everyone could enjoy their holidays! The funeral wasn’t held until the second weekend in January over in Hull Quebec. While the sun
was out, the temperatures were near minus -30 degrees! We thought that many people might not attend, but we were honored that along with Sandra’s blood family there were many members of the motorcycle community including Blair Gardiner, President of A.R.M MC ( Association of Recovering Motorcyclists) eastern Ontario chapter and singer of the well known and popular Indelible Shameless Blues Band. Wayne Leblanc the national president of the Eyes of Odin MC, Michel Gauthier from the Legion Riders and last but far from least our good friend and brother Duane Chevalier from the Simple Men MC. I want to thank my brothers in TCB especially Thumper aka Johnny Racine who teamed up with me to scan and put together a video filled with great pictures of Sandra at all sorts of events and parties. We also did a separate one for her family with pictures of her from childhood to being a grandmother! I know it must have been good because all through the luncheon we put on there was always a crowd of bikers and her friends and family watching it and I know Sandra was looking down on us and smiling over our tribute to her and Chucky. It has become a yearly ritual for some of us to head down to attend the Montreal Motorcycle Show held at the Palais Des Congres de Montreal and as in the past we have had a great time at this show. While this is mostly dealers showing new models, you can be guaranteed there will be colors and models you don’t often see in the local dealerships! The real prize is when there are some custom The Rider’s Mag - Page 47
motorcycles on display whether Harley or metric rest-assured you will be blown away by the paint and the imagination used to build them. Quebec has some amazing and awesome bike builders and painters but sadly not many of them bother to travel outside their home province to show off their talents and many people from eastern Ontario attend this show. Another interesting component of the Montreal show is the very large presence of three wheeled motorcycles, where instead of the traditional one wheel up front and two wheels back they have situated the two wheels in the front but forward or backward these recreational vehicles have overtaken the province of Quebec and there are touring clubs with hundreds of members on the roads in the summertime heading to one festival or another! More and more of these clubs are starting up in eastern Ontario as well. There are a number of companies getting into this market and some of them are powering theirs with Harley motors and while I still prefer my trikes with two wheels in the back I still have to admit that some of these machines are amazing to look at. Something else you see a lot of at the Montreal show are booths promoting tours to exotic and faraway places such as Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. They fly you to the location and outfit you with a motorcycle and guides and you get to take the adventure of a lifetime! While we have similar organizations in Ontario they are much more prevalent and sophisticated in Quebec. In next month’s Mag I will post more information on some of these companies and the tour packages they offer. Talking about the shows in Toronto and in Montreal sadly reminds us that for another year there is no motorcycle show in the City of Ottawa! That is just plain wrong because we have the numbers and the desire to have our own motorcycle show is something that annoys Ottawa and area motorcycle riders but Ottawa is short on suitable venues! The few that exist are very expensive but none the less let’s hope that between now and the year 2020 there may be some potential promoters out there who might step up to the plate. I know it is hard to put on a bike show but this city has one hell of a lot of riders and with the right promoters I am sure a new show in 2020 would be a successful venture. I am slowly getting my calendar together for the upcoming season over the next few months both here in my column and for those who follow me on Facebook! I will be letting you know what shows there will be a Motorcyco Beau/The Riders Mag booth at so that you can drop by and say hello as well as keep you informed of any new shows that will be taking place this season. One of those annual events that I hope even more Ottawa and area riders will participate in is the 2804 Dice Run The Rider’s Mag - Page 48
held in the town of Casselman, which is just about 40 minutes from Ottawa. I know that our good friend and co-founder of the Dice Run are making some tweaks to the layout of their event to better accommodate the growing numbers of riders that come out. I mention this ride often because it was the brain child of a good friend and rider, Denis Renaud who wanted to see young people who joined the army cadets with the consideration of perhaps one day becoming part of Canada’s Armed Forces. Denis was a big supporter of The Riders Mag and I have always attended every Dice Run! Sadly, three years ago, Denis passed away but The Celtic Brotherhood and I started our own annual tradition of providing a memorial breakfast to all the riders. This year will be our third one, so please come out and support them because there are so few towns in Ontario that are willing to stand behind and support young people who are considering a career in the military. As Always, I urge you to support the events and rides that are created by bikers and clubs in your area because unlike slick organizations that run events the local riders and clubs will be the same people that come to support your event. Also please remember to spend your money with businesses such as those that advertise in our Mag or who have proven they are truly Biker-Friendly and have shown their support for our lifestyle and in turn deserve our support and business back. If you have any issue that you think might be of interest to your fellow riders please reach out to me and let me know either by email or on Facebook. If you have an event or ride or you are a business that deals with either motorcycles or the people who ride them you might like to advertize or even perhaps become a distributor of “The Riders Mag” and if so please contact me by email or by phone. As always, I want you to please remember that we make our Motorcycle Communities stronger by making them better! email: theridersmag.beau@gmail.com Twitter Riders Mag East @ motorcyco_beau You can also read us online : www.theridersmag.com/online The Rider’s Mag - Page 49
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Well it seems like this year is just starting to fly by 2 months till Spring till then lots of swap-meet and Motorcycle Show going on and lots to talk about December the 48th Annual Motor City Car and Parts Market was at the International Centre. It’s always been one of my favorite shows. Not just for motorcycles, but to see all the old classic cars as well. In January we headed to the North America International Motorcycle Show which seems to always attract so many people it’s quite an exciting show for me because I really don’t have family for Christmas North America International Motorcycle Show coming home for me seeing all my friends that’ll become like family. This show was very special for me my friend Trez and her sister in-law Jen came to help me at my booth. Lots of friends stopped including Deb from Bling Your Thing and meeting Peter Jay, what made the show even more special was having my Daughter Tamara with me for the first time in 15 years. I truly got to see my child it truly was special for me. Guardians of the Children have their Meet & Greet every second Wednesday of each month at the Rock Pile, they are on a recruiting drive if you feel like this could be the group for you they’re a wonderful group that has a lot to offer. Come out to one of the meet and greets look for your area online. They are always looking for new areas to start new chapters. Saturday May 4th brand new Swap-Meet Show and Shine to tell you about Saturday May 4th Policaro Harley-Davidson Oakville. We’re looking for 50 vendors. It will be hosted with a show and shine courtesy of the Riders Mag. More details in the Riders Mag under “Whats Shakin” or Guardians of the Children Facebook page or more details on the Canadian Biker Community on Facebook. If you’re interested in being a swap meet vendor, let them know. All parts welcome but parts only. If you see me at a show stop by and always say hi “Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose. Wind therapy will always help. A bike is safe at home but that is not what it was built for .” Take care till next time! Stitch
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