Quiz on “what the heck” is that motorcycle. I got 9 out of 12 right!
NEAR MISS for motorcycle cop I hope he gave them a ticket!
Worldwide Ride 27/28 June 2015
Posts Tagged ‘motorcycle blog’
Motorcycle Ride: I took the wife to Paris
Posted: June 22, 2015 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touringTags: Harley Davidson, Motorcycle, motorcycle blog, Motorcycle Ride, motorcycle touring, paris, Sportbike, VA, Virginia
Paris, Virginia!
The city of lights!
Motorcycle Book Review: Red Tape & White Knuckles
Posted: June 14, 2015 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Product ReviewsTags: africa, Harley Davidson, lois pryce, Motorcycle, motorcycle africa, motorcycle blog, motorcycle book, motorcycle touring, red tape and white knuckles, yamaha motorcycle
I bought this book from Ms.Pryce directly at the 2015 Timonium Motorcycle Show. She has written several motorcycle adventure books but I choose this book over her others because I have been to Africa (for work) and this interested me more than the others. Lois most assuredly fails into the category of adventurer and “long rider” now having ridden from London to Cape Town and from Alaska to the tip of South America .
I am happy to say I completely enjoyed every chapter of her story. She is a writer who just happens to be a motorcycle adventurer! Lois mixed a near perfect blend of riding, tourism, motorcycle, glee and fear in to something that I think other adventure writers should aspire.
What makes this book a great read and sets it apart from many in this genre, is her brilliant sense of humor. Throughout the book she is poking good fun at herself and some of the others she sees during the trek (VPLs anyone). Her moments of fear and doubt are well balanced by the stories of success and luck. For the record….Ms. Pryce I do think you must have had a guardian angel following along for the ride.
You can check out her website here.
I am giving this book 5 stars and I will be purchasing more of her books in the future.
Hancock Visitor Center: C and O Canal Motorcycle Ride
Posted: June 11, 2015 in C&O Canal, motorcycle touringTags: C&O Canal, Hancock, Harley Davidson, Maryland, MD, Motorcycle, motorcycle blog, Motorcycle Ride, motorcycle touring, sport bike
Location – Hancock Visitor Center
Mile Marker –123
Historical Comments – The Hancock Visitors Center is located in the Bowles House. Construction of the home began in the mid 1700s and thus pre-dates construction of the canal. The house sits near Lock 52 and after this part of the canal was opened the residents would sell/trade with the canal boats as they transited through the lock. Passing through several hands over the next century it remained private property until the 1980s.
Hancock is one of the oldest settlements in western Maryland. George Washington stayed here several times while he was surveying the area as a young man. During the Civil War Hancock was held for ransom by the Confederate Army, but no one paid ransom.
Ride to Site – The Hancock Visitors Center is not easy to find and is poorly signed. If you are approaching from the east you are riding on I70, the visitor’s center is almost immediately on the left side of road (Main Street/MD 144) as you reach the bottom of the exit. It is hidden between guardrails and trees as you ride down the interstate exit. I rode past the entrance, the fact it was there never registered.
Coming from the west you might see the sign for the visitor’s center if it is not hidden by tree branches. It is located between the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) building and the ramp to I70.
Amenities – Visitors Center, public restrooms, parking, all normal amenities in the town of Hancock.
Road Conditions (from main road) – rough pavement with loose gravel. The entrance/exit is on a somewhat sharp incline please pay attention to your line of travel for the gravel that has been kicked onto the pavement.
Railway Situation – none
Parking Lot Conditions –Pea gravel and dirt with a bit of pavement.
Main Attraction – The first floor of the Bowles house has been converted in to the visitor’s center. There are several artifacts of the construction period of the canal as well as photographs of the area during the period the canal was open. Lock #52 is also on the grounds of the visitor’s center and is in good shape.
My Thoughts – This visitor center does not have amount of information on the canal as does the nearby Williamsport visitor’s center. It is difficult to find and is only open Memorial Day thorough Labor Day.
Map
Difficult to find!
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- Top of the hill is Main Street.
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- The actual canal with the connection to trail.
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- Lock #52
Out and About on our Motorcycle
Posted: June 9, 2015 in C&O Canal, Motorcycle, Motorcycle RidesTags: Electra Glide Ultra Limited, Harley Davidson, Maryland, Motorcycle, motorcycle blog, Motorcycle Ride, motorcycle touring, Sportbike, Virginia, West Virginia
Last Sunday morning Debbie and I jumped on the Ultra Limited (I think I am going to call it Big Blue) for a day ride. With no real destination in mind we thought about hitting a couple spots on the C&O Canal. If you have been following this blog you know I am slowly documenting those spots along the canal assessable by motorcycle.
Old school McDonalds.
We left the house about 9AM heading west. We stopped for a bit of breakfast at a McDonalds along Route 9 near Charles Town, WV. As you can see in the photo it is one of those restaurants designed to look like an old school McDonalds, pretty cool.
After filling out tanks (including Big Blue’s) we continued west on WV Route 9 then north on Interstate 81 then west on Interstate 70. Normally we like the back roads much more than the Interstate but today we thought it would be better on the highway. Pulling off into Hancock, Md we begin looking for the stops on the Canal but also found some other cool things as well, like the huge anti-aircraft missile in front of a Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) building.
We found both stops along the C&O, the Tonoloway stop and the Hancock Visitors Center. The visitor’s center was very hard to find as it is not well signed and the road into the park was practically invisible unless you are looking for it as we were.
Heading back east we wanted to stop at one additional canal stop (4 Locks) and we did but not the one we were looking for. Again the signage was bad and we happened upon C&O Canal Dam #5 only because I noticed a street called Dam #5 Road (quite imaginative) and the fact that I knew there was a C&O dam in the general area. But the fact we did not find the area we were looking for was no big deal as the area was great riding, rolling hills, great farmland views all made up for not finding the site.
After looking about Dam #5 we mounted up and headed for home. On the way home we started seeing hundreds of motorcycles heading north and west along our route. When we stopped for lunch we asked a couple who were riding if they know what was occurring. Turns out it was the aftermath of “Operation God Bless America” a ride from New Castle, PA to the Veterans Hospital in Martinsburg, WV. We have never heard of this particular ride before but with, according to the couple to which we spoke, over 2000 bikes it is one we will check out in the future.
Unfortunately we had to head home to some yard work. But, as you can tell by the pictures, we had a good time on our 200+ mile day trip.
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- I would rather ride the bike!
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- Just outside Hancock MD
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- Me in front of Dam #5
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- Crossing the Shenandoah River
Unboxing my new motorcycle Helmet
Posted: May 31, 2015 in Motorcycle, motorcycle safety, motorcycle touring, Product ReviewsTags: Harley Davidson, Motorcycle, motorcycle blog, motorcycle helmet, motorcycle safety, motorcycle touring, nolan n104 evo, nolan n104 helmet, Sportbike
The Nolan N104 Evo.
Motorcycle Book Review: Breaking the Code
Posted: May 29, 2015 in Motorcycle, Product ReviewsTags: chris omodt, cops and robbers, Harley Davidson, hells angels, minnesota hells angles, motorcycle blog, motorcycle book review, pat matter
I found this book an…interesting modern day cops and robbers tale, made more timely by the event in Waco.
It is the story of the Minnesota Hells Angel president (for 21 years) Pat Matter and the law enforcement officer that put him away (Chris Omodt), told from their own perspectives.
Book Cover
The chapters of the book alternate between the two authors telling the story of the sameevents from their different sides of the law. An interesting approach to storytelling I have not seen very often.
Matter’s story is of his rise as an outlaw biker and how he became a, kind of, legit businessman was very interesting. In particular his struggle, when he was at the peak of outlaw and businessman, of wanting to let go of the outlaw was enthralling.
Omodt’s tale was a bit drearier, but it has be hard to punch up the slog of gathering and documenting intel to make the case against the Hells Angles. I did find it interesting that so little was known about biker gangs in that era and that law enforcement in Minnesota had no real structure for working long term, grind it out slowly cases.
Now with that said you have to take everything with a grain of salt. You could tell that both authors left a lot unsaid in this story. Maybe it is because Matters did not want to become a bigger “rat” then he is already perceived and that Omodt wanted to polish his image or protect the blue line but I had a feeling throughout the story that things were missing.
I am only giving it 4 out of 5 stars due to the fact that I “felt” there are parts missing from the story that could better explain what occurred. Also I think the book could have used tighter editing. Maybe a better editor could have enticed more from the authors. But, with that said it is an entertaining read.
Very Cool Video…. Motorcycle Surfing
Posted: May 24, 2015 in Motorcycle, motorcycle safetyTags: Café Racer, harley davdison, indian larry, Motorcycle, motorcycle blog, motorcycle safety, motorcycle surfing, scott winn, Sportbike
I am not sure what to I think of this video.
A VERY well done short film by Scott Winn captures some very expressive moments of these guys “surfing”. The score and editing make this look like something that all riders should do…but we all understand how dangerous this type of stunting can become.
It is the way Indian Larry died!
Dawghouse Motorcycle News Rants and Racing Show #309
Posted: May 13, 2015 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle racing, Motorcycle radio, motorcycle safetyTags: Ducati, electric motorcycle, Harley Davidson, motoamerica, motorcycle blog, Motorcycle racing, motorcycle recall, triumph recall, WBSK, Yamaha recall
Ken and Phil RANT about Virginia International Raceway before heading to MotoAmerica races at VIR.
Victory Motorcycles to race an electric bike at Isle of Mann.
Lost motorcycle rider found in Guatemala.
Yamaha and Triumph motorcycles recalled for the same bad part.
Ducati customers are the most satisfied?
World Superbike in Imola.
Dani Pedrosa returns.
Motorcycle Product Review: ProGuards Crashbar Protectors
Posted: May 12, 2015 in Motorcycle, Product ReviewsTags: crashbar, Electra Glide Ultra Limited, engine guard, Harley Davidson, Heritage softail classic, motorcycle blog, motorcycle product review, motorcycle riding, motorcycle safety, proguards
I was asked by “Rude Biker Chick” if I would be willing to review a motorcycle product for an associate of hers. Being the gadget guy I am, of course I could.
A few weeks later a package from Pensacola, FL arrived. ProGuards had sent me a set of their “Original Crashbar Protectors” to check out. 
According to the packaging and their website ProGuards are:
“sleeves made of black polypropylene that fit over motorcycle crash bars, engine guards, and highway bars. They’re designed to protect against scratches and scrapes during a fall. ProGuards are easily removable and inexpensive. They’re perfect for beginning riders and recommended for motorcycle instruction classes.”
Designed for the standard 1 to 1 ¼ inch crashbars (or engine guard as Harley prefers), I had no issues getting them on the crash bars of my 2008 Heritage Softail Classic, they went on with a gentle rap from my fist. Now as soon as they were one I had a concern, as you can see in the picture the guards have a little “pointy” top to them and I thought that, at speed, they might whistle. A quick ride with the wife to dinner ameliorated that concern, no noise at any speed (well at least to 75MPH)!
I did have a mounting issue on my 2014 Ultra Limited BUT it was not due to the product. The fitment issue is due to my height and length of legs. The distance between the lower fairing mount and where I have my highway pegs mounted prevented the ProGuard covers from fitting onto the crash bars. Now this would be of no big consequence as I would only need to trim about an inch from the bottom.
I was perplexed by the little set of covers designed for the rear saddlebag protection. Both covers had a little circular “tab” attached that I could not readily deduce the purpose. After much thought I decided to get the answer and call Priscilla at ProGuards. Turns out those little tabs are part of the manufacturing process and they left it attached to the guards as an aid to separate the small guard from the large guard. The little tabs can be cut off with no impact to the product. I did feel a little less smart at the end of the call. LOL 🙂
So what do I think about the ProGuards Crashbar Protectors? I think that they will do exactly what they are designed to do. They will protect your crashbars from scuffs and scrapes for those inadvertent occasions you forget to put the kickstand down before you get off the bike. J Because they do what they state they will do, are reasonably priced ($25 or $30) and do not really detract from the appearance of the bike I give them 5 out of 5 starts. Also, the fact that Priscilla answered the phone on the second ring and did not laugh to hard was a big plus.
Now I need to decide whether to trim the covers to fit the Ultra Limited or put them on the Heritage. I think I will go with the Heritage to cover up some… hummm… scuffs.
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- Unwrapped
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- Great fit on the 08 Softail
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- I will have to trim this, see why above.
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- It does not whistle!
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 