Motorcycles have been a part of the military from the start of the motorcycle era. Used to scout, carry dispatches and even as machine gun platforms, motorcycles have been a tool of war. There are a lot of veterans that have ridden those motorcycles. Here is a quick short look of those veterans and their motorcycles.
So, did we do something cool or crazy? Let us know in the comments.
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Down Shift – BMW Motorrad Stop All Sales
BMW has issued a “Stop All Sales” request to North America dealers for both new and used motorcycles. There are not a lot of details yet on the reason, but it looks like it has something to do with the emissions control function of the machine.
While the order is “temporary and voluntary” and does not impact the safety of the rider it is something that is unique. We will have to wait for more information from BMW Motorrad.
My Take – This is very unusual. I cannot recall any other time that a manufacturer had told its dealers not to sale vehicles. Telling dealers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico not to sale motorcycles is a very big deal.
Is BMW going to provide funds to dealers that cannot sale motorcycles if this is something goes on for more than a little while?
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Ride On, Ride Safe
Howard’s Twisted Tongue is also known as Howard’s Lick, Lost River State Park Road, and West Virginia Route 12 this is a technically difficult road to ride your motorcycle. It is an unmarked 1 to 2 lane road with multiple 180 switchbacks and hairpins.
I had never heard of Howard’s Twisted Tongue until a few days before we made the ride. My riding buddy, Mark, discovered this ride on a map, it was close by and looked like it might be fun, so it was time to mount up and ride.
The weather on the day we took off for Howard’s Twisted Tongue was perfect for riding motorcycles. It was partly sunny and early morning cool.
It did not take long to get to the road, and we knew from the start that it was going to be a bit of a challenge as it became a steep incline immediately. I don’t know how high we climbed but my best guess would be between 800 and 1000 feet.
Did I mention multiple switchbacks and hairpins? There are a bunch of tight turns, many are a little off camber, and most are ascending or descending steeply. You need to watch yourself as many of these turns have gouges in the road from heavy vehicles or vehicles towing trailers. The road itself is, as I noted, unmarked, in mostly good condition but with some rough and potholed areas as well.
The climb up is well worth the ride, as you will ride along the ridge top for several miles. The views from the top of the ridge are great and there are a surprising number of very expensive homes along the road.
After a few miles you will start the descent which will take you into Lost River State Park. I have been to Lost River State Park in the past and I like to make the park a day ride destination.
Howard’s twisted tongue ends, for us, at the intersection of 12 and 259 at the town of Mathias. If you are going to ride this road, be ready for some technical riding. You will be in low gear for a lot of time. Make sure you get your head turned and remember to “look where you want to go”.
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Ride on, Ride safe
We woke up early to an overcast and foggy morning, but you could tell that it would burn off quickly. Plus, the weather channel stated it was not going to rain anywhere on our entire route! It did not take long to start up the motorcycle and get us back on US Route 16, the Back of the Dragon.
Riding down Gauley Mountain is like riding The Tail of the Dragon and the trickiest parts of the Back of the Dragon…in fact it is some of the trickiest parts of the Back of the Dragon. It is also part of the “Talon” one to the name riding roads in West Virginia.
At the bottom of the mountain is Cathedral Falls. It is, after a rain, a spectacular 80-foot waterfall. Many weddings and other events are held here, and it is worth your time for a quick stop and photo opportunity.
Back on the motorcycle we are riding through the old town Gauley Bridge. As you cross the bridge into town look north and you will see old bridge pilings looking forlorn in the river. Those are the remains of the bridge burned down during the American Civil War.
Heading north out of Gauley Bridge it was quite clear that there had been a lot of rain, large sections of the road had dry mud that now trailed as dust behind the motorcycle. The Gauley River to our right was light brown and swollen to its banks. It was a great view for the ride.
The road was in good condition overall with only a few places showing excess wear and tear. Long riverside valley rides gave way to mountain passes with sweepers and tight turns back to valley riding. It was not long before we were passing through the towns of Clay, Grantsville, and Harrisville. Which reminded me that the Back of the Dragon could also be called the county seat road. Many of the towns along Route 16 are county seats all the way back to Tazwell, VA.
All too soon we were descending into the Ohio River valley and the town of Saint Mary’s, also a county seat, and the end of this Dragon.
I highly recommend that you add the complete Back of the Dragon to your bucket list of rides. The tight mountain twisties, the smooth valley riding and the totally awesome vista make this a ride like few others.
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RIDE ON, RIDE SAFE
We wake up early to get ready for the day’s ride, we are still an hour from Marion and the start of the Virginia side of the Back of the Dragon. Now mind you, it was not our choice to wake up this early. Our hotel “neighbors” kids were fully awake and running around and slamming their room door.
Happily, we now had dry clothes, the storm the day before soaked everything we were wearing. The standard hotel “continental” breakfast filled our stomachs enough to get us on the motorcycle and down the road.
Getting to the start of US Route 16, which is the Back of the Dragon was easy enough and quickly we were riding the Dragon. Passing Hungry Mother State Park, we begin to climb into the mountain and start the twisties.
What a great ride! It was a cool morning, blue sunny skies with puff clouds, and the Harley Davidson motorcycle was running well. I was using our Go Pro and I thought my limited Go Pro skills had the camera working properly (turns out it kinda was and kinda not, I REALLY, need to read directions). It will be a while before I can edit and publish the video, not my strong suit.
We made a stop at what is called the “Back of the Dragon Lookout”. With the clear skies we could see 3 distant ridges along with some valley farmlands. A very nice view and you should stop to check it out if you ride the dragon.
The road was a great treat for those that love twists and turns. As we were riding in the early-ish morning there was little traffic. The only hazard was a dead deer that straddled both lanes. Riding through sections of the road titled “Cliff Hanger”, “Zero Gravity”, “Knee Dragger”, and the “Roller coaster” got us to what is called “Million Dollar View and Kudzu Corner.
Kudzu Corner is about two thirds of the way through the Back of the Dragon and that last third is just as exciting as the rest. I can highly recommend that you try out the 32 miles, 438 curves and the 3500 feet of elevation as it is just as fun as the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee.
At the north end of the route, in Tazwell, VA, there is a Back of the Dragon shop catering to both motorcycle and car enthusiasts who come to make the ride. A very nice setup with shirts/pins/patches and all the other things that we like to collect. The building also has a brewery, coffee shop and food trucks (the food was good). There is also a photo op with a very big dragon!
After the visit to Tazwell, we set off north on US16 to explore the rest of the Back of Dragon. This part of the Dragon was just as much fun to ride as the part we just left. Passing the Virginia, West Virginia boarder we were shortly not only on the Back of the Dragon we were also on the Coal Heritage Trail which is an American Byway.
The Coal Heritage Trail was also on my bucket list, so I was able to knock out both! We passed through the coal towns of War, Welch, Pineville, Sofia, and many others. Sadly, many of these towns have seen better days now that coal is being phased out.
When you reach Beckley, WV Route 16 will be a mix of 2 lane and 4 lanes for about 20 miles, you will need to pay attention to the intersections to make sure you stay on route as much as possible. When you reach the town of Fayetteville you will be back on a 2-lane road, and you will drop down into the New River Gorge.
When you reach Beckley, WV Route 16 will be a mix of 2 lane and 4 lanes for about 20 miles, you will need to pay attention to the intersections to make sure you stay on route as much as possible. When you reach the town of Fayetteville you will be back on a 2-lane road, and you will drop down into the New River Gorge.
Climbing out of the Gorge you will face some of the best twists and turns of West Virgina side of the dragon. Part of this road is also called the Talon, an 8-mile ride from the town of Ansted and Gauley Bridge. This should be a great side trip for anyone riding the Back of the Dragon that will not cost you much time.
Ansted is where we stopped for the night.
Next up – Day 3 Taming the Dragon
May is motorcycle safety awareness month…here is an idea to help spread awareness to the children.
As we all know, all the safety gear we wear and all the safety tech on our motorcycles are just not enough at times. Awareness of motorcycles by drivers of cars and trucks is as important as everything we do.
To help improve the awareness in others (and therefore ourselves) we need to start teaching children to watch for motorcycles. That is why the idea of teaching kids to count motorcycles instead of “punch bugs” is so important. If they are watching for motorcycles as kids they will have an easier time seeing them when they start to drive. Thus our safety as motorcyclist is improved. The payoff is in the future but let’s invest now.
Make a game that has a small reward when they spot “X” number of motorcycles. Ask your non-riding friends to do this with their children. Mention it at events and gatherings, just get the word out. You know when a 6-year-old yells “motorcycle” that their parent is going to see it to!!
RIDE ON, RIDE SAFE
Be aware that this motorcycle recall list is for the United States for the last 30 days, there is no way I could cover the entire world. But in the world of global manufacturing, if a motorcycle is being recalled in one country there is a good chance it is under recall in others.
Also, this should not be considered a definitive list, check for yourself if you have any questions.
If you are US based use the NHTSA website http://www.safercar.gov. Enter your VIN number to see if your motorcycle is affected by the recall.
If you are based outside the USA, use the appropriate website to locate recalls that may impact you.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V293000
Manufacturer Indian Motorcycle Company
Components VISIBILITY, EQUIPMENT
Summary Indian Motorcycle Company (Indian) is recalling certain 2022 Indian Chief Bobber, Indian Chief Dark Horse, and Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse motorcycles. These motorcycles may be missing a belt guard reflector. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”
Remedy Dealers will install a belt guard reflector, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact Indian customer service at 1-877-204-3697. Indian’s number for this recall is I-23-05.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V261000
Manufacturer Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Components ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Rebel 300 (CMX300) motorcycles. The right engine crank house cover was incorrectly painted, allowing the press-fit plug to fall out.
Remedy Dealers will replace the right crank case cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 5, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-784-1870. Honda’s number for this recall is KP2.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V257000
Manufacturer Buell Motorcycles
Components ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Summary Buell Motorcycles (Buell) is recalling certain 2021-2022 1190 RX and SX motorcycles. The index spring may be installed improperly.
Remedy Dealers will install the index spring in the correct position, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed in April 2023. Owners may contact Buell customer service at 1-616-719-5917.
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NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V250000
Manufacturer Ducati North America
Components STRUCTURE
Summary Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain 2023 Diavel V4 motorcycles. The right and/or left side passenger foot pegs may break while mounting or riding the motorcycle.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the right and/or left side passenger foot pegs, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 3, 2023. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati’s number for this recall is SRV-RCL-23-002.
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Ride On Ride Safe
I think these motorcycle helmets qualify as weird or strange for 2022!
This year I started with 13 candidate helmets but as always, I strike them down to 9. Why 9? Because everyone does 10 and 11 is too much work!
So, which one is your fav-o-rite? Do you have any suggestions for 2023 put them in the comments below.
We have not been getting out on the motorcycle a lot, nowhere near what I want. Between work (new job) and life (covid, weddings, etc.) I am way behind on this year’s riding. I hope to change that with less than half the year remaining.
But we did get the motorcycle out for good ride a few weekends ago.
That morning we set out with new helmets (Harley Davidson/Sena Outrush), new jackets and I had a new pair of Kevlar lined riding pants. Each of those products will get a separate post. For this motorcycle ride there was no real destination, I had only a road to start on, “Fort Valley Road” or State Road 678.
Fort Valley Road is, at the start, a quite twisty road with stone cliffs on one side and a drop into Passage Creek on the other. After a while the valley widens to allow for farmland and the road goes from twisty to rolling hills with a few tight turns thrown in for fun.
We rode Fort Valley Road to the end and then made our way into Luray, VA. Riding through downtown Luray it is evident that we need to come back and spend some time here.
Taking State Route 211 out of Luray, we crossed through Shenandoah National Park, and under Skyline Drive. The ride up and down the mountain is normally spectacular, this day not so much. There has been a lot of thunderstorms recently and there were several places where gravel had washed onto the road requiring slower speeds and more attention. In one spot there was several inches of water running across the road.
After coming off the mountain we decided to ride over to Culpepper, VA for lunch. Culpepper is another of those small towns in which we need to spend some time. That day we did not get to lunch in town as every spot we checked had a line and many were closed (it was a Sunday).
By now the day was getting quite warm, it was over 90F. Luckily our route back to home was via a scenic mostly tree covered route. We did not take a direct route but wandered through a dozen back roads until we ended back in Front Royal.
It was an awesome day to be out on a motorcycle ride!
Ride On, Ride Safe
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 