Archive for the ‘Rally’ Category

9/11 Rattle the Runway Motorcycle Ride – Pre-party and Bike Show

Posted: September 6, 2015 in Motorcycle Rides, Rally
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The Rattle the Runway motorcycle ride indirectly follows the path of Flight 77.  That airliner was the one that that the terrorist flew into the Pentagon on 9/11. Proceeds from the event go to the Pentagon Memorial fund. More on that in the next post.

This year, Patriot Harley Davidson held a pre-ride party at their location in Fairfax, VA. The event had a band, food trucks, a bike show and all around good time. I was a bit disappointed in the turn out but it was a major holiday weekend and I don’t think it was well publicized. 

My Army Bike won 1st place in its category (Best Harley). The prize was a $100 gift certificate from the dealership. As I don’t get by this way very often I thought it best to spend the money while I was there. My wife got a nice new shirt and I now have a new pocket knife, the total came to $99.60. I guess that is about as close to $100 as I could get.

Motorcycle and Car Show

Posted: July 20, 2015 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Rally
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1st Place Custom, 3rd Place Dresser (yup dresser)

The wife and I went to a motorcycle and car show this past weekend.  The Tradesmen Motorcycle Club hosted the event to raise money for the Cystic Fibroses Foundation.  The show itself was in rural Maryland, you would never know we were 50 miles or so from downtown Washington, DC due to all the countryside we saw. We road through miles of farmland when “SHA’ZAM” a small strip mall appeared in the community of Monrovia, MD.

On the ride out the weather was great but that was hiding the fact that the temp was going to be in the upper 90s… and boy did it!  We drank a lot of water during the day and as much as we like the show we were looking forward to the ride home and cool showers!

As for the show itself there were about 25 cars and about 20 motorcycles on display. The one thing that surprised me the most was…what is up with Batman?  There were two Batman themed Camaro’s one of which had a matching motorcycle.

As you can tell from the pictures below there were some really nice cars and bikes in attendance.  The wife and I both favorite and voted for the same vehicles, in particular we loved the late 1960s Pontiac Grand Prix Convertible and the Chevy El Camino.

We also met a guy taking a leap into the motorcycle industry and starting his own shop.  He is creating his company, “Sick Sledz”, and is hoping to open it in this part of Maryland in the near future… we wish him luck!

We did quite well in the contest part of the bike show!  We won two trophies for the Army bike.  The first trophy kind of surprised us, 3rd place in the “Dresser” category!  That had to be people selecting the wrong spot on the voting form or not knowing what a dresser really looks like.. oh well.

Our bike did take 1st place in the custom motorcycle category.  We have done well in the few shows we have presented and we have not got around to finishing it yet.  There are a few more things we want to do to call it finished!

 

2015 Timonium Motorcycle Show

Posted: February 21, 2015 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Motorcycle news, motorcycle touring, Rally
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The number one thing that I noticed immediately was that attendance was up. I arrived about the same time as last year and was parked much further away. It was also easily noticeable that I was dodging more folks as I weaved around each of the displays.

The second noticeable thing was the number of vendors and the addition of venues (Motorcycling Touring and Toy Hauler RVs). The people running the show really stepped up their game and I really enjoyed the new additions.  Here is a “small” list of the bike vendors in attendance. (I did not remember seeing BSA and URAL though, hummm 🙂 )

ts

 

Ijustwant2ride.comAs usual Harley Davidson had the primary spot of the show… right there as you walk into the building. HD of Baltimore was showing of their bikes and riding gear. I was surprised to see “sold” tags on more than a few of the bikes. They had at least one of every bike they sell including the new Road Glide and FreeRider Trike.

 

 

Ijustwant2ride.com

The Indian display was not in a prime spot, which was surprising to me. They only had a few bikes on display including their new Scout and the flagship Roadmaster. The Scout was very nice but the color scheme on the Roadmaster was…. UGLY. The bike’s paint was Indian Red and Birch White, with tan saddles and a lot of black plastics. The color scheme did not work for me, but the bike itself was interesting, I would like to take it for a spin and compare it to my HD Ultra Limited.

 

All the major imports were represented. Honda had at least one their entire stable, it seemed, on hand including a REPSOL branded CBR1000. Ducati had one of the new Scramblers on display and based on the number of people looking at it is going to be a hit. Kawasaki had a limited edition Ninja on display but I was expected to see a new H2. Turns out that is not going to happen until the Chicago IMS: Motorcycle Shows ‏@MotorcycleShows 7m7 minutes ago The #Kawasaki H2R is under wraps until #ChicagoIMS opens at 1:00 today! http://instagram.com/p/zDBzuGkGLv/

Yamaha had the bike that intrigued me the most the SR200. The SR200 is kick start only, not something you see much of any more. I think that I might go by a Yamaha Piano Dealership and check out the SR200 (just kidding). Suzuki, Royal Enfield, Triumph, and others all had displays but nothing really new and exciting to show.

The two biggest additions to the event were the motorcycle hauling RVs and the motorcycling tours venues.

There were several toy haulers on display and the one in the photos below peaked my interest. The wife and I have kicked the idea around a time or to but it usually ends when I state “you will have to drive too you know” LOL.

The touring section was very nice with multiple vendors, most of which you will have seen advertising in all the major magazines Edelweiss Bike Travel for example. They also had some recent long distance riders’ talk about their adventures for example Allen Karl author of Forks, Lois Pryce author of Lois on the Loose (I bought her book) and Guinness World Record Holder Benka Pulko.  Each of these folks and the others, presented a 30-45 minute slide show and discussion of their travel.  It was a great addition. This is a venue I hope to see again next year.

As for the actual bike show, there were some really beautiful motorcycles on display in all the classes. I wish I had checked my battery before I left the house as I did not get as many pictures as I wanted. Oh well, there is next year.

 

5 Motorcycle “Things” I found interesting this week.

Posted: January 20, 2015 in Motorcycle news, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle safety, Rally
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Trying to do what Evil Knievel could not do…@ Sturgis’ Buffalo Chip 2015

Riding with a knife in your head???????!!!!!!

Another 200 MPH Club…or More Lessons from the Salt Flats

Motorcycle Taxis in Uganda

HD is the OFFICAL motorcycle of the Sturgis Rally… until 2090!

 

Motorcycle Charity Ride: 2014 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Washington DC follow up

Posted: November 3, 2014 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring, Rally
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ijustwant2ride.com

This past September I rode in the Washington DC DGR ride. I wrote about the event and ride in this post.

A few days ago I received a letter, Air Mailed from Australia; from the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride organization (a motorcycle inspired charity). It was a thank you letter for the donation I made to the organization. It also contained a patch and a couple stickers because of the amount of money I donated. While I was not expecting anything in return it was a nice surprise (I went back to their website and yes if donate more than $100 you do get tokens of appreciation).

I really like the patch and it will make a fine addition to my vest and the stickers will go on my tool chest with all the other motorcycle related stickers. Maybe this winter I will do a post on my tool chest LOL!!

 

Motorcycle Ride: 2014 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, Washington DC

Posted: October 2, 2014 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle Rides, Rally
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DGR, distiguished gentlemens ride

On the 28th of September I and hundreds of thousands of other around the world rode our motorcycles in support of and to raise money for prostate cancer.  WAIT that did not sound right let’s try it again… We rode in a “dapper and genteel” manner to raise awareness of and money in support of the fight against prostate cancer.  The ride was part of the world wide phenomenon known as the Distinguished Gentleman’s ride. 

The Washington DC DGR began in Georgetown at the Exxon gas station near the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the famous “Exorcist” stairs.  This was my first ride with the DGR, and I cannot state how different it is from any other event I have participated in to date.  Riding in from Leesburg to Georgetown in jacket and tie I received more than a few double takes… but that is part of the purpose of the ride right?

From my research on last year’s DGR in DC I assumed that there would be a similar number of riders and bikes in attendance about 50-60. Well, there was, in my estimation, double that, at one point I noticed a thoughtful gentleman counting the bikes at the first stop (Belle Haven Park on the George Washington Parkway) he was at 102 when I moved to take pictures.  

Due to the greater number of participates the organizers had to make a few “on the fly” changes as we progressed.  An example of the changes was the revamping of the route to loop around the front of Mount Vernon instead of riding through old town Alexandria.  That was a very wise decision as it would have caused a lot of traffic issues, which should not be gentlemen’s first choice.  The riders took it all in stride and things worked out well, kudos to the organizers.

For the record I had two items that I was disappointed with during the DGR, both were my issues not the ride itself.  First it was at Mount Vernon that I had to drop out from the ride.  I missed the stop at the US Capitol and the hoisting of pints.  Not something that I will miss next year!  Second I am only contributing $100 to the cause, I just did not have time to get out and look for sponsors.  I am making a calendar event now to start that process in early August for the next ride.

Please mark your calendars for next years ride!

 

Motorcycle Charity Ride: 9/11 Rattle the Runway 2014

Posted: September 11, 2014 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle racing, Motorcycle Rides, Rally
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ijustwant2ride.com

Debbie and I rode our “Army” motorcycle in the 2014 Rattle the Runway ride to support the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Fund.  This commemorative ride is an attempt to honor the memory of the people killed in the attack on the Pentagon.  The ride loosely follows the path of Flight #77 from Dulles International Airport to the Pentagon

The weather for the event was great; I rode in a t-shirt and leather vest (yea I know ATGATT…) while Debbie started in a light jacket and switched to her vest at the staging area.  We left the house a little late this year and missed the opening ceremonies but arrived in plenty of time to make the start.

As always the ride starts behind the National Air and Space Museum – Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.  In the past the museum had opened its doors for the riders to stroll through and view the exhibits before the ride starts, not sure if it happened this year as we arrived a bit late.  The staging for the event has riders park their bikes six abreast in an area about three to four hundred years long.  Almost every major and minor brand of motorcycle is represented in this ride, this year I saw:

 

Harley Davidson Honda Iron Horse
Yamaha Star (I know) Suzuki
BMW Motor Guzzi Cam-Am
Victory Triumph Ducati
Stallion MVAgusta

But I must say the turn out this year was about half of what it was last year.  More often than not the bikes fill the staging area, this year my guess would be that the bikes numbered at about 1000.  Maybe that this was the first day of the NFL season reduced the number in attendance.

To reduce the traffic congestion that a ride of 1000+ motorcycles would bring around Dulles airport the ride is broken in serials of about 100-150 bikes.  We were in one of the last serials to pull out and the ride to and past the main terminal of Dulles were smooth and quick.  The ride to the Pentagon was also uneventful with only 2 cars merging through the line of bikes to enter or exit the highway.

When we reached the Pentagon the mood of the group became more somber as we visited the Memorial site.  If you have never been to the Memorial site you should consider adding it to your list of places to visit, at a minimum look at it on line, it is quite well done.  After paying our respects we mounted up and headed for home.

PS…. On the way home we saw the BING version of a Google Street View car. It was pulling onto Route 267 near Reston, VA. I will be keeping a look out on Bing for the updated street view as it should show me flipping the driver the bird because he nearly ran us off the road!!!!

 

 

 

3 Terrific Charity Rides and 2 Rallies in the extended DC Metro Area

Posted: September 2, 2014 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, Rally
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rattle the runway

The 3 Motorcycle Charity Rides are:

The first ride is the annual Rattle the Runway Ride, this year’s ride is the 7th of September (rain or shine). Debbie and I have ridden in this ride multiple times and, with one exception, it has been a great, well organized, well run ride. All proceeds from the event goes to the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

The Rattle the Runway Ride follows a symbolic route from the Dulles Airport to the Pentagon. Staging for the ride is at the rear of the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum and ends at the Pentagon 9-11 Memorial.

 

battlefield runOn September the 12th the Battlefield Run supports the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF). The funds raised for the SOWF provide college scholarship grants, based on need, along with financial aid and educational counseling to the children of Special Operations personnel from the Army Special Forces, Rangers, Navy SEALs, and Air Force and Marine Corps Special Operations Command that have been killed in operational missions or training accidents.

Beginning in Leesburg, VA the ride passes through or near multiple Civil War Battlefield sites and culminates in a final, slow speed trip through the Gettysburg Battlefield.  The ride itself ends at Battlefield Harley Davidson in Gettysburg.

 

DGRNext is the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride on the 28th of September. Raising funds worldwide for prostate cancer research the DGR will be held on the same day in over 200 cities all over the world, check the website for the nearest ride to you. For the ride in the DC Metro area check out their Facebook page.

The Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride was founded in 2012. Inspired by a photo of Mad Men’s Don Draper astride a classic bike and wearing his finest suit. It was decided a themed ride would be a great way to combat the often-negative stereotype of men on motorcycles. That first ride brought together over 2,500 riders across 64 cities. The success of the event encouraged the organizers to consider how it could be used to support a worthy cause. And the rest, as they say, is stylishly-attired history

 

The 2 Rallies include:

September 11-14 is the Ocean City BikeFest at Ocean City, MD.ocean city bike rally harley davidson maryland

Vendors at two locations

Stunt teams

Wall o’Death

NASCAR Simulator

Lots of Bands including The Marshall Tucker Band

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Harley Davidson Vehicle Operations, York, PA Open House

 

 

The Harley Davidson Vehicle Operations York Open House in York, PA is going to occur 18-20 September.  The wife and I attended the 2013 Open House and had a good time. In addition to the free self-guided tour of the plant there will be the following activates:

Five dealer shopping area

Live entertainment (last year they had the “Globe o’Death”)

HOG Pin Stop

Test rides of new models (’15 Road Glide???, LiveWire???)

 

At the same time of the Open House the York “While Rose Thunder” rally will transpire. While the website has more details, the rally includes a hill climb event and a Parade of Chrome!

Some of the events for the rally include: ijustwant2ride.com

AMA Flat Track Race

Paul Yaffee

Antique racing bikes

Bike Show

Motorcycle Show: Putting the FUN in Funeral… A new motorcycle exhibit!

Posted: August 4, 2014 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle news, Rally
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Well this somewhat surprised me… Ken, during our last DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio show, gave us a report on how the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, CA is putting on a long term motorcycle exhibit.

 

Now before I dive into the show I need to tell you about Forest Lawn.  According to reports there are more major Hollywood stars buried at Forest Lawn memorial Park than anywhere else.  A few examples of some of the stars interred there are Jimmy Stewart, Nat King Cole, Walt Disney, Casey Stengel, Humphrey Bogart, Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor. This place is more than just a final resting place as it has works of art scattered about the grounds and a museum.  The museum is hosting the motorcycle Exhibit.

 

logo from forest lawn cemataryCalled “Vroom:  The Art of the Motorcycle” the show runs from June 27th until the 5th of January 2015.  According to the Forest Lawn website  the show “is a meticulously curated exhibition that will offer an in-depth look at the dynamic history of motorcycle culture, featuring some of the most beautiful, historic, rare and collectable vintage motorcycles; one-of-a-kind hand-painted motorcycle helmets, previously worn by world and national racing champions; painted motorcycle gas tanks and fenders; as well as paintings, sculpture and photographs by a dozen of today’s most celebrated motorcycle artists—many of whom are Southern California natives and/or residents”

 

A few of the bikes on display include a 1910 Flying Merkel, a 1938 Indian Flat Track Racer, a 1938 Crocker and Steve McQueen’s 1939 custom Indian Chief.  Other items for your viewing pleasure include sculptures and paintings by official Harley Davidson artists.  In the gift shop you can purchase hats and sweaters featuring the North Los Angeles Motorcycle Club logo along with coffee mugs depicting the Last Supper. 

I, for one, have no problem with this show.  In fact, I think it would be cool to be displayed with those bikes before being put in the ground!

 

 

 

Motorcycle Radio: Newest Podcast, #267, ready for download

Posted: July 10, 2014 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle racing, Motorcycle radio, motorcycle touring, Rally
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Motorcycle Radio…The #1 Motorcycle Show in the US

The latest episode of the DawgHouse Motorcycle radio is ready for your listening pleasure (well we hope you like it).

On this show:

– Ken’s News –

Indian couple executed for having an affair.

Hollister rally resumes with three shootings.

AMA backs East Coast Enduro Association.

Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge.

Iconic designer Sergio Robbiano dies in motorcycle accident in Italy.

– Warren’s news –

New HD Trike spotted… The Freewheeler

Watch out for Drop Bears “Down Under”

If you ride more than anyone else Victory might pay for your bike.

Harley GPS…. Not right in the head!

Don’t worry about the dingos.

Things you didn’t do before owning a motorcycle….

2015 Harley-Davidson Road Glide

Government to Pay $5.4M to Recording Artist in Career-Ending Motorcycle Crash.

– Motorcycle Racing –

Motocross from Redbud.

World Superbike from Portimao.

Picks for WSBK & AMA at Laguna Seca.

Moto2/MotoGP picks for the Sachsenring, Germany.

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