Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

Volume 21 No. 12

DECEMBER 2015

Westward Ho!Touring Western Canadawith Edelweiss Bike Travel

FIRST RIDE • KAWASAKI VERSYS 1000 LT

GPS TECH TIPS • HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

http://www.naturesmountainplayground.com/ride2

We’ve taken the Powered by Gerbing Microwire™ technology a step further by adding wireless heat control.We have developed the Bluetooth Thermogauge™ adapter and a user friendly app for your iOS or Android devise. Now you canpair multiple 7 volt or 12 volt garments and seamlessly manage your heat at any time and any place right on your smart phone.

GO FURTHER. GO LONGER. GO GYDE.WWW.GYDESUPPLY.COM

JACKETS GLOVES PANTS LINERS ACCESSORIES

WIRELESS HEAT CONTROLSMARTPHONE APPLICATION

MONTHLY COLUMNSFREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................4

WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................6

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................7

ON THE MARK ....................................................8

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD ..........................9

BACKLASH........................................................10

INDUSTRY INFOBITES .....................................11

BIG CITY GETAWAY .........................................14

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN ..............16

WE’RE OUTTA HERE........................................18

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA..................................20

SHIRA’S ICE CREAM RUN ...............................22

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE............................50

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ...................55

FEATURESWESTWARD HO...............................................24

TECHNICAL TIPS ..............................................43

BACKROADS’ LAME AWARD .........................54

MOTORCYCLE REVIEWSKAWASAI VERSYS 1000 LT.............................40

FIRST SEEN......................................................47

PRODUCT REVIEWSPRODUCT REVIEWS/GIFT IDEAS ...................36

Publishers Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

Contributors Mark Byers, Victor Cruz,Bill Heald, Keith Ingram,Dr. Seymour O’Life

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 317Branchville NJ 07826

phone 973.948.4176

fax 973.948.0823

email editor@backroadsusa.com

online www.backroadsusa.com

Advertising 973-948-4176

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACK-ROADS™, Inc. 2015. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may notbe reproduced in any manner without specific written consent fromthe publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submis-sions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number withsubmissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosedsufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACK-ROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should notbe considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are rid-den on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not re-sponsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Pleaserespect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear properprotective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

W H A T ’ S I N S I D E24

40

http://www.motorcycleshows.com

The Guy

My friend David Hough wrote a book once

called The Good Rider. In it he penned his

thoughts on what makes a “Good Rider,” and ad-

vice on how to become one.

On a recent tour, with a group of riders brought

together from different points on the globe, I

thought of this book often.

One of the most difficult issues that motorcycle

tour companies have to deal with when bringing

riders along for a few weeks on the road is vetting

the customers. Knowing that someone can actu-

ally ride a motorcycle is a very reassuring thing to any tour operator.

But, what if one of the group members coming in can ride, but chooses to

ride in a bad, aggressive and less than courteous manner? What if this rider

shows, from the very first day, that he or she will be trouble, dangerous and

a rider of which to be wary?

I have had this conversation with some friends who have been on a number

of tours and we have come to the conclusion that most times, on any given

ride, there with be ‘The Guy!’

Don’t be ‘The Guy.’

Let me be clear here – The Guy can be The Girl too – but for the sake of

this missive I’ll stick with The Guy.

The Guy is usually an older bloke. He has a decent job (which he’ll tell

you he excels at), usually professional upper management or business owner.

He inevitably was once a winning racer, back in the day that Daytona was

still a beach track.

These riders like to hear themselves talk and will tell you all about it and

happily set you straight on any and every subject during lunch stops or at

dinner, in between poorly timed and usually misogynistic jokes.

On this tour it took Shira and me only one day to know who The Guy was

and to stay as far away from him as possible whenever, on or off the bike.

Lunch and dinner were under our control but, on the road, it was a bit more

difficult.

Almost always The Guy’s mind works differently than the rest of us. His

hubris and self-importance can be legendary, in his own mind.

On the first day of this tour we were asked for a volunteer to ride Tail. Like

you would think it was the Tail Rider’s, or Sir Lastinline’s, task to hang back

and help make sure our group, as a whole, got to where we needed to get to

that evening.

I’m easy - so I took the high-viz vest that

would be easily seen by the lead rider and

stayed way back in the group (Space Cush-

ioning always).

This also gave me a great view of the dy-

namics of the other riders. All seemed com-

petent, excellent riders and then it got weird and The Guy showed up.

We had come into a mountain section and the road began to snake a bit,

offering a nice easy ‘left-right-left’ sort of flow.

This was followed by a short straight section. It was towards the end of

the twisties that The Guy first reared his petulant helmet and charged past

Shira in the turns, then past the rest of the group as the road straightened out.

Shira and I were using Sena Bluetooth communicators and I clearly heard

her say “What the frack!” as The Guy skimmed past her at speed.

At the next group stop he came over and apologized to Shira, stating he

just got ‘carried away’ with the great roads.

Right.

Shira rolled her eyes at me and told me over the intercom that we were

going to have a problem with The Guy.

The red flags were raised in my head and stayed flying an hour later when

he made an inside pass on a rider in a hairpin forcing the rider to go wide

with oncoming traffic approaching in a blind turn.

Continued on Page 13

F R E E W H E E L I N ’BRIAN RATHJEN

Page 4 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

We were not the only ones aware ofThe Guy’s idiotic, discourteous ridingmanner and general assholiness ashe continued to dog others in our

group at the most inappropriate times.

http://www.progressive.com

Six DeGreeS of SeparaTion

Don’t ride so, don’t ride soDon’t ride so close to me.

The Police (sort of)

We’ve preached on this topic many

times in these pages; the need for distance

between riders, whether there are two or

twelve in a group. There are figures and

graphs and charts that illustrate the con-

sequences, but this time I’m being selfish.

During our Fall Rally in West Virginia,

Brian and I decided to go our separate ways on the free day in Elkins. When

some folks heard, they asked, several times, if I would join them in their

day’s ride. I had it in my mind that I would go solo, exploring and riding at

my own pace. During our Spring Rally in Lake Placid, I had taken lead on a

ride with some of these folks behind me and, in all honesty, I was not com-

fortable with them behind me. I felt that, although I thought I was keeping a

good and spirited pace, they were riding much too close to me and to each

other. So, when asked to ride with them, I kindly declined.

That’s the beauty of motorcycling; it’s really a solo adventure. Even though

you may have other riders with you, your ride is your very own. You decide

what pace fits your mood and the road you’re on and the line you’ll take.

That’s why I like to take tail position when put in a group-riding situation. If

you let other riders with you influence or alter your idea of safety or com-

fortability, your adventure is compromised. I have fallen prey to this a couple

of times and, after the last one, I hope to not let it happen to me again. As the

saying goes, ‘Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.’

Finding others with whom you can share a riding experience can be diffi-

cult. Over the years, I have been fortunate to find a few who have the same

time schedule, pace and riding needs as I do. Getting up and out early, stop-

ping for those out-of-the-ordinary oddities or beautiful vistas, finding the off-

the-beaten-track eateries and, mostly, riding at a good pace with a more-than-

adequate space cushion. Brian and I have a good riding simpatico, although

I know that every once in a while I’ll ride up a bit too close to his rear. In the

rare instances that he rides behind me, I sometimes think I’ve lost him, as he

can hang back a good quarter-mile.

Recently, we were out for a ride with some folks, heading

back in the later afternoon after a great day’s ride. When we

set out at the beginning of the day, we had more riders than

we had anticipated, so we broke into two groups. I reluc-

tantly took lead on the second group, and kept an eye on

whoever was directly behind me to make sure they were

keeping their distance. We had a wonderful ride without any

incidents.

On the return ride, there were just four of us, with Brian

and I swapping lead, depending on how our GPS’ were act-

ing, and our two companions filling in behind. At one particular stop sign

where we were to make a right, with Brian at the helm, he stopped momen-

tarily, dabbing his left foot down and looked to his left (as one should) before

continuing on. I, being behind him, followed his motions but was startled to

see the rider who was behind me come up abruptly on my left. Feeling that

I would knock into him if I put my left foot down, I went to use my right

only to find that there was nothing there and over I went. There was no real

harm done (that’s what hand and engine guards are for, right?) but I wondered

why he had stopped so suddenly and closely.

Separation is the key word here. While he had been riding at a decent dis-

tance, he either hadn’t paid attention to my stopping or anticipated that I’d

roll through the stop sign with just a head-check. If he had given himself,

and me, a bigger space cushion, even if I did something that he hadn’t antic-

ipated, he would have had enough room, and time, to alter his path and not

come up on me so closely.

The next time we meet, and you ask if I’d like to ride with you, please

don’t be offended if I politely turn you down or accept with the caveat that I

ride behind. It’s not that I don’t want to share your riding adventure, it’s just

that I like my six degrees of separation.

I will buy you an ice cream at our destination.

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N ’SHIRA KAMIL

Page 6 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue, Metuchen, NJ

Serving Central and North NJ,

Staten Island, NY and Philadelphia, PA

732-635-0094 • www.CCBMW.com

VISIT US DECEMBER 11-13 @ IMS - JAVITS CTR

©2015 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

While BMW has spent 90 years

producing some of the best motorcycles

in the world, Cross Country has spent

15 years providing you with the latest

and best in BMW products. like the

all-new S 1000 XR, R 1200 R

and R 1200 RS.

CROSS COUNTRY DUCATIFactory Authorized Sales and Service911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ 08840

732.635.0094 • www.crosscountrycycle.net

Full line of 2015 Ducati models • Apparel and Accessories

VISIT US DECEMBER 11-13

@ IMS - JAVITS CTR - NYC

rock on

A nearby resident of these parts did a bit of im-

promptu landscaping, and managed to balance a

rock on another rock in a very vexing and inter-

esting manner. It was quite striking, and

launched me down a very strange memory

wormhole mixing the past and present and

touching the very heart of the term “open road.”

Roads are living things, or so I believe. The

more remote the blacktop in question the more

it seems like a creature that breathes, thinks, and

has a soul, or at least that’s the feeling I’ve ex-

perienced on many isolated highways. It’s a

funny thing: I think it’s safe to say we all love a

wildly curving sample of road that winds

through rugged landscapes with lots of elevation

changes that help us wear the tires out more

evenly. But I am also a big fan of the straight

ribbon of road on flat, desolate terrain that

stretches to the horizon, where you really get a sense of the scope of your

journey and literally see the weather coming ages before it actually arrives.

Some of my fondest experiences tied to life on the road feature stretches of

tarmac like this, and there’s something about these wide-open spaces that

helps put my mind at ease.

Why do these open ranges have such a positive effect on me? Hard to say

but I do have a few theories. Growing up in Texas no doubt had something

to do with it, and once I started riding longer distances I naturally headed

west and that meant a lot of West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada

riding as I wandered to what turned out to be a three year stint in California.

Somewhere during all this time I got really into weather, specifically big

storms, for as I mentioned earlier on these wide flat stretches you could see

them coming and get a real sense of how big they were and how small a guy

on a motorcycle is. Whenever I think about such things, it reminds me of

how much I enjoyed riding out in the great wastelands of Nevada (I use the

term wasteland in an endearing manner) and how much things have changed

since the 80s and 90s when I did most of my more extensive roaming. When-

ever I was about to explore in an area where humans and their support serv-

ices were rare, careful planning was in order.

At the time when I embarked on a trip

through the heart of Nevada on what was

then (and probably still is) called the Loneli-

est Road in America, there were few serv-

ices, no real internet, and cell phones (if you

had one) were useless outside of most major

metropolises (metropolli?). It was a pretty

quiet stretch of road, even though I never re-

ally felt lonely when the Yamaha Royal Star

and I were on it.

This was Highway 50 and in fact still is.

And while I seriously doubt it is now strip

malls, fast food joints and Dunkin’ Star-

bucks from Fallon to Ely, I somehow feel it

has changed since my quiet adventure,

chronicled for a magazine whose name escapes me. The whole concept of

being alone has changed dramatically, thanks to our Brave New World of in-

terconnectivity. We’re always reachable now, and by the same token (or mi-

crochip, actually) we can always contact somebody. GPS tells us where we

are, and the weather can now be observed by radar on our smart phones and

not just monitored by the movement of the clouds over the horizon. These

truly brilliant resources somehow change things in the mind of the solo trav-

eler, for you know that if you have a problem out there on the desert, help is

(theoretically) just a phone call away. Is this a good thing? No,

Continued on Page 13

P O S T C A R D SF R O M T H E H E D G E

BILL HEALD

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 7

The ShepherD

Fall wiped summer’s haze from the sky and the leaves stood in stark or-

anges, reds, and yellows against the neon blue of it. Nature was kind, with

temperatures in the 70’s, a delicious treat for November. The conditions were

fecund for motorcycling, so a ride burst forth from a text message and four

men met to ply the rural roads on a collection of sporty bikes.

There were two Ninja 650s and two CBR-600s – certainly not a herd of

turtles when it comes to riding iron. As men go, three were what you expect

from a group of sportbike enthusiasts: twentysomething techies with various

stages of minimal riding gear, including Timberland work boots. The fourth

guy was the joker. The fourth was a 52-year-old, managerial type with an

amalgam of worn, but effective riding gear. I was the fourth guy.

I was the shepherd.

I didn’t campaign for the job – I backed into it. My part-time job as a re-

cruiter for younglings led me to a meeting with a group of them and I showed

up with a helmet. One of them had a helmet too and the ensuing conversation

revealed him to be a new rider of only three months experience. Intelligent

and inquisitive, he pumped me for information in a polite, but relentless way.

He invited me to a ride and that is how I came to meet at a Chipotle parking

lot for a ride with three twentysomething sportbikers on a gorgeous fall day.

I approached the affair with an enormous amount of caution, as I’ve had

moto mentoring efforts go down in Hindenburgian conflagrations. A lot of

people don’t have the temperament to listen to mentoring and a group of

driven, intelligent, and hormonal young male engineers on sportbikes had

the potential to be a frustration-fest. On the way to the rally point, I kept

telling myself to keep it low-key.

When the guy who organized the ride arrived, he was another new-hire.

The leader had the forethought to check to see with whom he was dealing.

The conversation went: “How long have you been riding?” The first, my in-

quisitor, whom I’ll call “Sochi” because he grew up in Japan, said, “Three

months.” Fittingly, he was on a Ninja. The second, on a mid-2000’s CBR-

600, whom I’ll call “Tim” because of his boots, said, “I got my license five

years ago, but I never used it until I got this bike less than a month ago.” The

leader, whom I’ll call “Ricky” because he looked like Ricky Schroeder, then

looked at me. I hesitated. “Forty years,” I finally offered, eliciting a wide-

eyed look.

I don’t know how much experience the leader had, but I have socks older

than he. Nevertheless, heeding my original self-talk, I played it cool. Asking

for the experience level of his charges was a good sign, and he also knew

enough to talk about taking it easy and not riding above anyone’s pace. Full

marks. Because he didn’t mention it, I casually mentioned lane position and

spacing and waiting should we get split by a light. He knew enough to put

the newbs in the middle and I offered to ride last. As we left the lot, a guy

on a crotch rocket who was not part of our cabal ripped by with an open pipe,

hoisting a wheelie in the middle of traffic. I happily observed three helmets

shaking in a negative way from our group.

True to his word, our leader – a local guy by birth – took us on a beautifully

scenic ride that was not too challenging. We stopped for lunch and the talk

was that of enthusiastic, knowledge-hungry young men who understood their

inexperience and were approaching it a mature way. They even acknowl-

edged the minimal state of their riding gear and asked for advice on what to

get. The two total newbs turned out to be private pilots who are working on

their instrument ratings. If they continue to approach motorcycling like they

approach aviation, they’ll be fine.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. I was heartened to see the mature, in-

telligent approach these young men are taking to riding. We spoke of getting

together over lunches at work to talk riding and survival strategies, meeting

after work to talk bikes and wrenching, and to continue to ride together to

build experience for the new guys. I talked to them about Pridmore’s school

at VIR and they were excited about the prospect. I promised to take them

on a ride through our Amish country and they seemed excited. We ride again

on Veteran’s Day.

I hope to be a good shepherd.

O N T H E M A R KMARK ByERS

Page 8 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

MoTorcycle in The claSSrooM

A motorcycle embodies a myriad of purposes with which we hopefully al-

ways continue to achieve the limits of our skill, courage, talent and nerve. If

we really ride one “on the edge,” it’s quite possible for the bike to give us a

high no drug could ever offer. If your riding is of the touring variety, you

miss all the thrills an adventure bike offers. Atop a great off-road bike, it’s

easy to introduce yourself to the feel (and taste) of mud, dirt, rocks and tree

branches, as well as test your bench pressing abilities, while you attempt to

return your bike from the “sleeping” position to the vertical “awake” one.

While the adventure bike offers many versions of the typical get-off, the

touring variety hopefully never introduces you to the

above distractions. If while atop a GTL, RT or GT you

experience these “distractions” on a regular basis, per-

haps an auto might be your ride of choice. Sometimes

(and we hate to admit this) a few riders should be drivers

instead (which is scary as well).

Now consider this: use your bike for a very different

purpose. Let it be a serious “teaching tool.” As a former classroom teacher,

I’ve used a variety of motorcycles as teaching tools. With the school’s bless-

ing I’ve brought my bikes into my classroom. The bikes have come in spot-

less and mud covered. I don’t start the bikes or ride them, but they are there

for perhaps the most important life lesson I can offer school age kids. With

the bike sitting quietly in the center of the classroom, I explain I can afford

it because I never spend a cent on tobacco, alcohol or drugs.

That sermon is preached daily to kids, and like them, when their age, I

blew off the sermon. However, with an impressive motorcycle sitting right

in front of the kids, the sermon takes on a new meaning. The motorcycle now

becomes a reality of owning, not just an idea or dream. A real, live, cool mo-

torcycle which is surprisingly easy to own if the drug/tobacco/alcohol bucks

are redirected to its ownership.

While I could relate many positive reactions to my “motorcycle as a

teacher” idea, here’s one story of the effect of this teaching method. A 15-

year-old boy in my class was a double-tough gang member. He was never a

problem for me, but typically did poorly in class, because he had zero interest

in the science presented to him. Picture this guy: small in size, knife scars

on his face and tattoos covering his arms. With the discussion of the bike and

Newton’s Laws, for the first time he became interested and offered thoughts

of the “what, where and why” of the lesson presented.

Because of the “bike in the classroom,” this guy began working harder in

class. When given ten essay questions of the subject, his answers were the

most thoughtful of all the students in the class. Later I give a short test and

he scored the highest in the class.

Armed with this excellent work, I hand wrote a

“To Whom it may Concern” note about his excel-

lent work, thoughts and knowledge and told of his

class leading work. I walked over to his desk and

quietly slipped him the note (I learned this skill

years ago with the girls), and whispered that he

might want to read it.

I walked away, but carefully watched as he read my words. This tough

kid’s eyes filled with tears, and as the class ended he carefully folded the

note. While leaving the class, he walked up to me and said, “Mr. Ingram, no

one has ever written anything nice about me before!” He broke into a wide

grin and enthusiastically said, “I have to see my probation officer, and wait

‘till he sees this!”

He finished the semester with one of the highest grades in the class. Today,

in his early 30s, he’s gainfully employed, married with two kids and anytime

I see him, the greeting always comes with a big hug. Some of life’s smallest

victories are the biggest ones of all.

A motorcycle’s purpose? Perhaps to re-direct the life of a school age boy

(or girl). You could invite yourself and your bike to a school near you to de-

liver your own “life story.” What are you waiting for?

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 9

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Keith Ingram

With the bike sitting quietlyin the center of the class-room, I explain I can affordit because I never spend a

cent on tobacco, alcohol or drugs.

Istanbul….

Hi Shira and Brian,

I don’t know if Pete has emailed you, but THE magazine arrived yesterday

and we dove stray into! I now consider myself famous as everybody asks

“who is that woman standing under the Lone Pine?” (I have a very vivid

imagination) Thank you very much for bringing our holiday back to life, with

the added bonus of a photo of pretty much everybody - great job, great mag-

azine and will be a great resource when we do come over.

Cheers,

Kris from Down Under

Great story & wonderful images. We did something similar a few years

ago and were dazzled by the friendliness of the ‘natives’. We seem to have

visited a lot of the same places, which I assume you enjoyed as much as we

did. I would love to send your story to my daughters, one of whom just spent

a month in the former Yugoslavian countries along the Dalmatian Coast. Do

you have the story in PDF form as I do not want to cut up my Backroads

copy.

What is your next adventure? Hope all is well at Backroads Central!

Burt Richmond

Hello Brian and Shira,

We enjoyed your Tri State 200 ride and also the ride to the ballgame even

though we didn’t get any cake (our fault). Would love to join you on the

Spring Break, Fall Fiesta or both. Would you happen to have dates picked as

we have to put in my vacation for next season.

Joe & Kathy Burke

Joe & Kathy,

We do have the Spring Break all set but are still working on the Fall Rally.

Look for the Spring Rally details in this magazine on page 44. And thanks

for joining us – see you in the Spring.

Hi Brian,

If I were to describe your magazine in one word, it would easily be “Eclec-

tic.” It is a very interesting read without the ol’ “more of the same on the next

page!” I also enjoy the larger format.

I’m sitting solo at a local pizza joint, which always provides the perfect

reading atmosphere. So far, I’m most impressed.

All the best,

Keith Igram

Backroads’ Mystery Run

Hi Brian,

Thanks for setting up that impromptu ride yesterday and taking advantage

of one of the last great weather days remaining. I’m wondering if you have

that beautiful route in any form you can send me so I can load it into my new,

high tech, sophisticated, top end (not quite) TomTom. If I should be able to

get out for a few hours I can enjoy the route at my somewhat less spirited

pace. Anyway, it was a very enjoyable morning. I, along with everyone else,

appreciate what you guys do.

John P.

Brian & Shira,

Always a pleasure riding with you. Crayola Factory was quite a surprise.

Missed you when we left so I wanted to say thanks and ride safe.

Till next time.

Rick Mickles

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

Got something to say? We’d love to hear it.

Letters may be edited, never censored, to fit.

Contact us via email: editor@backroadsusa.com

Page 10 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

RAMAPO MOTORCYCLE CLUB SPREADING THE SUNSHINE“Striving to Enhance the Sport of Motorcycling” since 1938, the Sunshine

Committee of the Ramapo Motorcycle Club of Rockland County traveled

the 380 miles (R/T) to the small town of Oxford, New York, where its oldest

surviving member, George Ortiz, now resides at the State Veterans Home.

George joined the Club immediately after being discharged from the Army

following his service during World War II. The 96 year-old life-long motor-

cycle enthusiast is now wheelchair-bound and battling cancer, but back in

1949 he was one of the Club’s most active riders, being awarded an “Activity

Recognition Trophy” for that year – a memento that he has prominently dis-

played ever since. It was that trophy that inspired a friend and neighbor, re-

tired Marine Corps Captain Roger Brown, to contact the Club and inform it

of George’s condition and whereabouts.

WALKING DEAD STAR TO HOST NEW MOTORCYCLE DOCUDRAMAAMC is extending its relationship with Norman Reedus. The cable network

is teaming with “The Walking Dead” star for a six-episode docuseries ex-

ploring motorcycle culture.

Set to debut in 2016, each hour-long episode “Ride With Norman Reedus”

(working title) will see the actor behind “The Walking Dead’s” Daryl Dixon

explore local motorcycle culture and its history by taking rides through dif-

ferent cities with a riding companion. The motorcycle enthusiast each week

will ride with a fellow actor, musician, friend or local who shares his passion

journey to a new destination. Along the way, they’ll stop at locations includ-

ing custom bike shops, tattoo parlors, collector warehouses and more, in ad-

dition to showcasing various types of motorcycles, including vintage, minis

and cruisers.

RIDER PROFILING – A NATIONAL ISSUEThe National Motorcycle Profiling Survey that began October 1st is al-

ready beginning to show some strong early trends confirming that motorcy-

clist profiling is a prevalent and widespread problem, and is expected to yield

some very interesting and telling statistics which can assist motorcyclists in

recapturing our rights base across the country.

The questionnaire posted on Survey Monkey is intended to provide a

clearer picture of motorcycle profiling from a national perspective through

a thorough and comprehensive series of specific and detailed questions.

“The initial results are very informative and are starting to paint the picture

we have been seeing in our community for a long time,” said David “Double

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 11

655 Washington AvenueBelleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

www.MotorcycleMall.com

655 Washington AvenueBelleville NJ 07109973-751-4545

Come See Why Motorcycle Mall is the #1 Dealer in the CountryCome See Why Motorcycle Mall is the #1 Dealer in the Country

www.MotorcycleMall.com

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

D” Devereaux of the Motorcycle Profiling Project (www.motorcycleprofil-

ingproject.com), “but this time our legislative representatives, who aren’t fa-

miliar with the motorcycle community will be able to see it too.”

SMART BIKES?The motorcycle industry recently took a major step toward the “connected

bike” when three major OEMs announced the launch of a Connected Mo-

torcycle Consortium with Yamaha, BMW and Honda entering into a joint

agreement to accelerate the development of intelligent bikes, whose technol-

ogy development and inclusion in the greater mobility picture have lagged

behind the connected-car movement.

“In order to speed up more motorcycle-specific safety

developments, we intend to cooperate to promote a suc-

cessful implementation of C-ITS in motorcycles and

scooters,” said Honda’s Tetsuo Suzuki. “The next log-

ical step is to enter into a cooperation dedicated solely

to the challenges relating to powered two-wheelers,”

added Takaaki Kimura, of Yamaha.

“Our aim is to promote a timely and comprehensive

use of cooperative ITS systems in powered-two wheel-

ers offering the potential to improve safety. We therefore

encourage other companies to join us,” said Prof. Dr.

Karl Viktor Schaller, of BMW Motorrad.

ITS technologies offer the potential to further increase safety, security and

efficiency in all transport systems, in particular for motorcycles. Future sys-

tems development will further integrate V2V features, in particular interop-

erable networked wireless communication between vehicles to enable road

users to make coordinated and informed decisions about their route as well

as allowing safer maneuvering in busy urban environments.

YAMAHA UNVEILS MOTOBOT

Not long after we received the previous Infobite, Yamaha unveiled Moto-

bot at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Motobot is an autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot built around

a fusion of Yamaha’s motorcycle and robotics

technology. Yamaha’s R&D is currently under-

way with the goal of developing the robot to

ride an unmodified motorcycle on a racetrack

at more than 200 km/h. The task of controlling

the complex motions of a motorcycle at high

speeds requires a variety of control systems that

must function with a high degree of accuracy.

Yamaha looks to apply the fundamental tech-

nology and know-how gained in the process of

this challenge to the creation of advanced rider

safety and rider-support systems. Looks like the

Highway Patrol of the future.

NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FUNDLAUNCHES INITIATIVE FOR DEAF RIDERS

The National Motorcycle Safety Fund created in 1980

to augment the work of the Motorcycle Safety Founda-

tion, has created a new grant program to help rider train-

ing sites cover the costs of hiring sign-language

interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing students.

MSF-recognized Rider Training Sites regularly re-

ceive requests to accommodate students with physical

disabilities.

MSF expects MSF-recognized Rider Training Sites

across the nation to make reasonable accommodations

for people with physical disabilities, in compliance with

the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state

laws. A common accommodation is for a training site

to hire, often at its own expense, sign-language inter-

preters.

There are many deaf and hard of hearing car drivers

and motorcyclists on the road today. To compensate,

drivers and motorcyclists typically employ risk-reduc-

tion strategies such as Search/Evaluate/Execute (SEE),

maintain longer following distances, make better use of

peripheral vision, and check their mirrors more fre-

quently.

More Industry Infobites on Page 49

Page 12 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

In the heart of some of the best roads inthe U.S including the Blue Ridge Parkway.Plan your Fall adventure with us as a pitstop.

1003 Electric Rd • Salem, VA 24153855-444-BMW6 (2692)www.frontlineeurosports.com

FRONTLINEEUROSPORTS

Frontline Eurosports now carriesthe full line of Ducati motorcyclesin addition to BMW and Triumph.

free Wheelin’ Continued from Page 4

Holy crap! Seriously?

We were not the only ones aware of The Guy’s idiotic, discourteous riding

manner and general assholiness as he continued to dog others in our group at

the most inappropriate times.

Parking for the night in one tiny town, one of the other riders explained to

him in a very “I grew up outside Philly manner” that he was riding very badly

and it would be in the group’s best interest for him, and his desire to continue

the rest of the tour in a physically healthy and pain free manner, to reconsider

his ways.

Well, there were a lot of colorful metaphors in these statements, but, you

get the idea.

In true The Guy fashion he simply could not understand why anyone would

be angry with him.

As the trip went on he continued to be The Guy on and off the motorcycle.

What can you do – he paid his money too.

On the last day he began to follow Shira through some sweepers. Up until

then she was having a grand time this last day on the road until The Guy

came riding on her butt just a wheel-length away. I could her Shira cursing

in her helmet urging him to go by and ride off to hell.

Although never happy with The Guy’s antics I did my best to stay away

from him, but he was now messing with the wrong person – my honey.

Shira slowed and let him go by then he went to pass me. In my current

state of concern, that wasn’t going to happen till I wanted it to. I stymied him

for a few miles through the turns and along a short straight before listening

to my wife order me to stop playing with him.

“Okay… you’re just no fun, I tell ya.”

It was that moment that I once again thought of Hough’s book The Good

Rider. I told Shira I wish I had a copy with me so I could present it to The

Guy at lunch. Shira asked if I really would give him the book. No, I planned

to shove it up his….

Well, don’t be The Guy!

poSTcarDS froM The heDGe Continued from Page 7

it’s a fantastic thing. It helps reduce the anxiety that’s present on such jour-

neys and leaves you freer to undertake trips that might have made you think

twice before.

But I can’t help thinking that, for people like me who remember what it

was like to attack such trips armed with considerably less technology, the ex-

perience of isolated travel has changed. There was a sense of really being on

your own, having to improvise if anything went amiss and really not having

a clue what was around the next bend. On the trip through Nevada I men-

tioned earlier, there were a few roads I was on that seemed far more desolate

than ol’ Route 50, and it was on these remote tracks where I observed some-

thing that I’ve never seen again (and was reminded of by my rock-balancing

neighbor mentioned earlier). The desert and the road were pretty much on

the same plane, and as I motored along I noticed I was clearly not the first

person to visit these parts. People had taken stones, and created all kinds of

messages just off the road in a geological version of dot-matrix printing (re-

member that?). Naturally after noticing that there where quite an assortment

of these things I stopped to examine them further. It was amazing, for there

were statements of romance, of graduation, of ultimate destinations and some

were just signatures from passing vagabonds. But what was really interesting

was many had considerately dated their missives, and some of these creations

had been sitting there in the desert for decades apparently untouched. I’ve

never forgotten that experience, and how even though I was really in the mid-

dle of nowhere I felt a connection to these rock sculptors and could feel a

weird presence. With so many going back so many years, I was thinking

about what these people must have looked like, what they were riding or driv-

ing, what music was popular, what was going on in the world, etc.

Suffice it to say I have never looked at roads, especially ones in places

where people seem scarce, the same way since the technology revolution.

That strange sense of connection with those who somehow found themselves

on what is literally the road less travelled was very welcome, and quite un-

expected at the time. Now of course, we’re all about the connectivity. It’s all

good, and yet there’s still a part of me that longs for the days when the con-

nection were more ethereal, and less electronic.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 13

JohnSon VicTrola MuSeuM

375 S NEW ST., DOVER, DE 19901

302-739-3262 • HISTORY.DELAWARE.GOV/MUSEUMS/JVM/JVM_MAIN.SHTML

Just off New Street in historic Dover, Delaware you will find a two story

brick building with a large lot and a very familiar, almost iconic, image of a

dog along the side wall.

The dog’s name is Nipper and he has been linked with a device that fun-

damentally changed the way humans allow themselves to be entertained.

Nipper was a real dog who lived in England and enjoyed chasing rats (who

doesn’t?), “nipping” at the backs of people’s ankles, and listening to music.

Nipper was doing just that when artist Francis Barraud thought the scene

would make a great painting and created Nipper listening to “His Master’s

Voice” in 1899. The painting and copyright were purchased by Emile

Berliner for use as the trademark for The Gramophone Company in London.

The original painting fea-

tured Nipper listening to a

cylinder phonograph, but

that was changed to a

Berliner Disc Gramo-

phone as a condition of

the purchase.

Now enter into this

story one Eldridge Reeves

Johnson.

Johnson had been born

in Dover, Delaware, but

after learning a trade as a

machinist went to work in

Camden, New Jersey.

Back in these days you

needed to crank Berliner’s

Gramophone to make it work,

but it had to be done at the cor-

rect speed lest your music be

too slow or too fast or wobbly.

There was a “Goldilocks”

zone and it was hard to perfect.

Berliner approached the

young Johnson to create a way

to make listening to disc records

easier and more enjoyable. E.R.

Johnson went about this task and eventually came up with a spring motor

that needed to be cranked tightly only once to play a disc.

Johnson’s spring motor invention was a huge success and a new industry

was born.

By 1901, Johnson had

bought Berliner’s

patents, combined them

with his own, and

founded the Victor Talk-

ing Machine Company.

The company grew to

encompass ten city

blocks in Camden,

grossed millions annu-

ally (back in the early

1900s), and produced

some of the most famous

recording artists in the

world. Johnson’s international sales offices were located worldwide in coun-

tries such as Australia, Buenos Aires, Japan, and Milan.

Page 14 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GETAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

Johnson’s innovation led to the sale of thousands of Victrolas with interior

horns, to ornate and electrified credenza units, and brought recorded music

to people around the globe as well as catapulting a small dog, Nipper, into

world history.

E.R. Johnson became one of the most successful and richest men in the

United States and Nipper one of the most famous and recognizable dogs.

After nearly 30 years in the industry, Johnson retired in 1927. The Victor

Talking Machine Company was later sold to RCA in 1929. And all this is

now part of the mega-company Sony.

When we arrived at the

museum we were delighted

(maybe) to see a large group

of 4th graders piling out of a

bus and heading to the door.

We made our way in there

first but quickly became part

of the kid’s group and tour.

That worked out just fine for

we understand things better

when it is explained to us

like a 4th grader.

In truth the look on the

kids faces when they were asked how many liked music (they

all did) and what they listened to their music on (mp3 players

and phones were the high call here). And, it was worth the price

of admission (which is free by the way) for all the smiles when

introduced to how people listened to their music back in 1901.

Our guide wound up the first year Victrola and placed the sty-

lus on the disc.

The squawky and scratchy sounds of the disc had some gig-

gling and others dancing. The second disc, Irving Berlin’s ‘How

I Hate to Get Up in the Morning’, had them laughing out loud.

It seems this is a universally loved and very related to song - es-

pecially for 9 year olds.

For the hardest blow of all

Is to hear the bugler call

Ya gotta get up

Ya gotta get up

Ya gotta get up this morning

The museum is extremely well done and offers a great look at how music,

entertainment and technology made a huge stride forward with E.R. John-

son’s innovations.

A few other things were learned this day as well. In particular two phrases

that we use all the time, usually for the same thing, came from the Victrola.

You see these “Talking Machines” had no volume control and they played

one way – LOUD!

But, if you wanted to turn it down a bit you would simply “stick a sock in

it”. The next generation of Victrolas had doors and lids to muffle the volume

and if your mother were to complain of that wild music the kids of the 1920’s

were listening to they would yell… “put a lid on it!”

Now you know.

In 1985, Johnson received a Grammy Award presented posthumously, now

proudly on display at the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover, Delaware.

We stayed around for the 4th grade presentation both on the first floor and

then the second, where Nipper was the star.

If you think about it this little dog was the first real logo. Nike’s ‘Swoosh”

and McDonalds Arches came way after

Nipper and we were reminded of this

and this pup’s popularity with the

amount of Nippers found at the John-

son Victrola Museum in Dover,

Delaware.

If you are a lover of music, trade-

marks and history, the Johnson Victrola

Museum will entertain all aspects.

You’ll walk away with some knowl-

edge and have a great time learning it.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 15

words by Brian Rathjen

phoenicia Diner

5681 NY-28, PHOENICIA, NY 12464

845-688-957 • WWW.PHOENICIADINER.COM

I grew up in New York City and have been to the Empire

State Building only once; when cousins had come to visit

from the ancestral home Scotland. (everyone else comes from

a town or region – we Scots all come from an ancestral home)

When I did get to the 86th floor’s observation deck I had to

wonder why I had waited so long? Maybe it is that I grew up

in our ancestral apartment building in Queens and it was just

part of the background fabric.

I kinda feel the same way about this month’s stop on the

Great All American Diner Run - the Phoenicia Diner.

Why did it take us so long?

We have passed this place countless times, usually on our

way somewhere else. When we did stop in the town of

Phoenicia it was usually to one of the restaurants on Main

Street. The oldish-looking diner, sadly, was ridden by.

But some good old things can become new and

greater things.

But first a little background. Like all real diners the

Phoenicia has a history. This particular diner was built

back in 1962 and moved to the Catskills in the early

80s where it did business for nearly 30 years.

It was then purchased in 2012 by current owner

Mike Cioffi, who set about making it what it is today;

a Mecca of sorts, and maybe new standard for the cool

diner experience.

When Mike took it over the old Phoenicia Diner was

stripped down, rethought and renovated and the new

Phoenicia Diner took its place.

The doors opened, people came and the word began

to spread about just how good the new Phoenicia Diner

is.

Shira heard this as well and a number of times had

stated we had to drop by and check it out. Well, maybe

a bit more than a number of times.

That being the case, while we were on a meandering

romp around the Catskills this past summer, I men-

tioned maybe lunch at the Phoenicia Diner would be an

good idea. She was all for it.

My only question, still, is why did we take so long to

come back here?

We had been to this diner many years back and it was

a decent, run of the mill, sort of diner. Not a GAADR,

by any means.

Well, it is not run of the mill any more.

From its cool “Road Trip” packed station wagon logo,

to sourcing most of their ingredients locally, the Phoeni-

cia Diner cries ‘We’re on a Catskill Adventure! Come

for the mountains, Stay for the food!’

On occasion we have been impressed with a menu.

Although we all know the menu is here to tell you what

is available and the price, in some places it can be so

much more. In the case of the Phoenicia Diner the menu

handles a number of jobs.

cycle insurance agency inc.recreational Vehicle Specialists

agents who ride and understandyour Motorcycle insurance needs

ask about our Tour cycle program – the ultimate in coverage

passenger coverage • accessories coverage

Medical payments coverage

448 lincoln ave • hawthorne nJ 07506 • 973-427-2246

www.cycleinsuranceagency.com

Serving new Jersey, new york and pennsylvania • aTV • Jet Ski • Snowmobile

MeMBer

MeMBer

Page 16 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Rollin’ Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN tasty places to take your bike

First off this carte du jour has a wide

array of offerings (some of which we

will get right into) and decent prices to

go with them; but it also serves as the

place mat too. And, across the place mat you will find all that is Catskills -

the diner’s history, local happenings, and things to do in the area.

The password for the diner’s wifi is there (it’s the phone number, duh) and

a number of other curious tidbits and local information. It is both place mat

and local chamber.

Best of all is the breakfast and lunch items that are so neatly listed in its

center. To make things easier we’ll just tell you the basics and then a few of

the more interesting offerings.

Yup, pancakes, eggs and omelets can be found as well as The Benedicts

which can be served with crab cakes, Canadian bacon and smoked salmon.

The Skillets are where things get real interesting, with seven to choose

from including duck and grits, Wild Hive polenta and a most excellent dish

called the Arnold Bennett – which is a locally smoked trout (and lots of it)

with parmesan cheese, crème fraîch scrambled eggs - that Shira ordered im-

mediately and I immediately attacked.

The dish has its own story, as it is said the original trout and eggs dish was

created for the novelist by the chefs at the Savoy Hotel in

London and Bennett then asked that it be recreated every-

where he went.

Deeelicious…. and, aromatic too.

You will also find breakfast tacos, burritos and smoked

trout or salmon with herbed cream cheese, red onion, ca-

pers on a Brooklyn bagel.

Moving onto lunch you might like to try their CBLT –

crab, bacon, lettuce & tomato on a brioche roll. Maybe a

Cubano is more to your liking.

Their fried chicken & waffle sandwich looked appetiz-

ing, but this day I stayed reasonable with the classic turkey

club that came on a wonderful local bread and was created

thick, juicy and faultless.

For you salad lovers (yes, I am slowly joining your ranks) the watermelon

and feta cheese with arugula, red onion, almonds and a balsamic vinaigrette

sounded enticing – but, you can put feta cheese on road kill and I’d eat it.

When we stopped by the diner, on a summer Sunday afternoon, the place

was fairly well packed, but the wait was not long and the staff was as friendly

and helpful as can be and seemed to really mean it, unlike the snappy re-

hearsed BS you can sometimes be fed at some typical diners.

It seems that breakfast is served all day and lunch from noon till closing at

5 pm. They also have a bar, which was neither here nor there, but they did

offer something that we might have to investigate at another less motorcy-

cle’ish day.

A bourbon milkshake.

Shira loves milkshakes and she enjoys a good bourbon.

Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

So we let you in on the secret that everyone knew – the Phoenicia Diner

rocks and is the place to stop in for breakfast or lunch while scooting around

the Route 28 area in the Catskills of New York.

But now we have to give you a ride that is equal to the food. Moving, in-

teresting and a bit different - and with an excellent finish.

Easy – follow me. Rip & Ride on Page 54.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 17

STAY TUNED FOR GRAND OPENINGat new location on Route 22 • Just minutes awayFull line of Indian motorcycles

Large selection of parts, apparel + accessories

Indian Motorcycle® is a registered trademark of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing, and obey the speet limit.Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. ©Indian Motorcycle International, LLC.

Rollin’ Fast Indian Motorcycle of Lebanon104 Main St • Lebanon, NJ • 908-236-9000 • www.rollinfast.com

2016 Indian ChiefDark Horse

canDleBay inn

8 MAPLE AVE, FREEPORT, ME 04032

888-217-2477 • WWW.CANDLEBAYMAINE.COM

L.L. Bean, Freeport, Maine. Did you know that this mega-outdoor mecca

is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year? No matter when you

have the sudden urge for a new kayak, larger outdoor domicile, waterproof

socks or long johns, you can make your way through their unlocked doors to

fulfill your happiness.

This, however, was not the driving force behind our sojourn to the ‘lower

fingers’ of Maine. This past December, while attending the Travel Show at

NYC’s Javits Center and scoffing up tons of brochures and information for

research, we came across a lovely B&B in this area. Come summertime rid-

ing season, we made a plan to head north and pay the Candlebay Inn a visit.

The CandleBay has a long history in the area, dating back to 1853. Built

in a typical New England-style tradition, with the main

house connected to the barn by a shed, it was con-

structed mainly to store merchandise and not as a

‘farm’ house. The first owners, Henry A. Bailey,

Hezekiah B. Means and Philip and John Briggs, were

in the shipping business, with John being a master car-

penter for many of the ships that launched from the

South Freeport shipyard. In fact, he constructed the

largest vessel to ever launch from any shipyard along

the Harraseeket River – the John A. Briggs – with three

decks and three masts.

This carpentry can be witnessed in the barn portion

of the Candlebay Inn, with the joints between the barn’s columns and floor

beams reinforced by large, bolted-on wooden brackets. While this portion of

the Inn is part of the private residence, you can see the same example at the

First Parish Congregational Church on Main St in Freeport.

Moving along to modern times, Connie Lay and

her family are now the proud owners of what was

once called the Captain Briggs Bed and Breakfast.

Connie had always wanted to own and operate her

own business and, after an eight-year search, found

the right spot in Freeport. She made the transition in

2014 and with her daughter and her partner,

Stephanie and Van, have transformed this inn into a

very cozy and home-like experience.

The Candlebay Inn offers 6 individual rooms, all with private baths. The

Forget-Me-Not room can be expanded into a suite to accommodate five peo-

ple with two queen beds and a twin. Each room is impeccably decorated,

with very comfortable beds and plenty of amenities such as WiFi and TV

with satellite. Our two-night stay was in the Bayberry Room, which was quite

Page 18 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Bergen County Harley-Davidson PresentsWE’RE OUTTA HERE a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

290 Route 100, West Dover, VT800-745-3615 • www.grayghostinn.com

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast, cooked to order. BYOB bar, firepit, hot tub, game room and WiFi.

Free Maps and Suggested Rides. Group Special Packages.5 restaurants/bars within walking distance • On-site Group Dinners available.

MemberWhen you can’t ride because of snow, ride the snow.

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest.

spacious, with a bay window streaming in morning and afternoon sunlight.

On the mantle over the fireplace we found two wine glasses and ice bucket,

as well as a complimentary sample of olive oil from Fiore’s, a local artisan

olive oil and vinegar shop. Our travelling companions, the Fords from New

Hamphshire, occupied the Clover Room and were just as happy with their

overnight accommodations.

Along with the more-than-comfy rooms, your stay includes a hearty and

home cooked breakfast prepared by Van, a culinary graduate, and Stephanie,

a phenomenal pastry chef. Some of the tasty delights you may find in the

morning include Blueberry Crumble French Toast, Taste of Heaven Casserole

or Van’s delectable Hash Brown Quiche. Throughout the day you can graze

on Stephanie’s sugary offerings of cakes and cookies, which can be found in

the common room where breakfast is served. You can enjoy these with a cup

of coffee, as the Keurig machine is always up and running. The shared small

fridge holds complimentary bottles of water, some soft drinks and is a place

to stash your perishables if necessary.

While there, it being a beautiful afternoon to be outside, we enjoyed the

seating around the firepit with a bottle of wine and conversation with our

friends and the other guests at the Inn. That’s the beauty of staying at a bed

and breakfast – the chance to meet fellow travelers and find out where

they’ve been and what they’ve seen. Come dusk, we took the short stroll to

the Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro, which coincidentally featured Fiore’s olive

oils with their delicious bread.

Connie has made the Candlebay Inn a very comfortable choice in the oth-

erwise haughty inns or bland chain hotels of Freeport. Within walking dis-

tance of everything on the main street, yet far enough from the hustle of the

outlets, the Candlebay makes a perfect option when planning your trip to this

part of Maine. If you happen to be travelling with your four-legged compan-

ion, no worries here. Connie, having run a veterinary clinic in her previous

life, made sure that Fido would be more than welcome at the Candlebay.

Imagine that, a place that feels like home-away-from-home and welcomes

both motorcyclists and puppies. With its six rooms, it makes a great home

base for a small group wanting to explore the beauty of Maine, or perhaps

just a romantic couple’s getaway for some lobster rolls and Whoopie pies.

The Candlebay Inn is open year-round, has free off-street parking, accom-

modations for 10-16 people and is quite flexible with most every aspect of

your stay. Take a look at their website for more details. Remember, no matter

what they say, you CAN get there from here and you’ll have a great time

when you do.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 19

John Gorrie MuSeuM STaTe park

46 SIxTH STREET, APALACHICOLA, FLORIDA 32320 • 850- 653-9347

Wait, warm lemonade? Who wants that? When we think of summer re-

freshment, the clatter of ice cubes in a glass is one of the first things to come

to mind, right? Just imagine how disappointing that lemonade – or ice tea,

or soda pop, or even your summer wine cooler – would be without a little bit

of ice to keep it cool and satisfying. In fact, ice cubes are so integral in our

picture of summertime activities, it’s hard to imagine a time when iced drinks

in the summer where anything but ordinary.

But let’s take a ride back into Mysterious

America’s past to a time when things were

far different and far more deadly.

The year was 1833 and a young doctor by

the name of John Gorrie arrived in the new

and booming gulf coastal town of

Apalachicola, Florida.

Not more than 20 years old the town had

quickly become the third largest port along

the coast. Cotton was king and Apalachicola

was the major port for plantations and farms

in the vast drainage area of the Apalachicola,

Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers in Florida,

Georgia and Alabama.

John Gorrie quickly became a figure in

and around the town and at various times

carried the title of postmaster, councilman

and mayor of the small city.

But, first and foremost Gorrie was a doc-

tor and in those days, especially in places

like Florida, the ravages of Yellow Fever

were crushing the local population.

These days we almost ignore this dis-

ease but here are the facts - Yellow Fever

is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease

transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The

“yellow” in the name refers to the jaun-

dice that affects some patients. Up to 50% of severely affected persons with-

out treatment will die from yellow fever. The worst is many times symptoms

will clear up for a day or so and then the toxic phase comes back with a

vengeance and death soon follows.

It is difficult today to imagine just how deadly these outbreaks were, but

virtually every southern city was devastated

by them at one point or another. Not only did

Apalachicola suffer enormously, but its neigh-

boring city of St. Joseph was virtually de-

stroyed by the fever.

With Yellow Fever killing his friends and

neighbors John Gorrie once again took up his

calling of medicine.

Doctors of the time believed that malaria

and yellow fever were caused by “bad air.” It

was a reasonable if incorrect assumption, as

fevers seemed most destructive in cities and

towns that bordered marshes and swamps.

These days we immediately think mosqui-

toes as they still transmit death in so many

places in the world and diseases like West Nile

Virus here in the northeast.

Although Gorrie and his fellow doctors did

not know where the fever came from, Gorrie

urged draining the swamps, clearing weeds,

and maintaining clean food markets in the city.

Page 20 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2900Find Us on Facebook • CrossCountryPowersports.com

Visit our showroom to see the full line ofKawasaki motorcycles and accessories.

VISIT US DECEMBER 11-13 @ IMS JAVITS CTR NYC

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles PresentsDr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook • SportHonda.net

powersports.honda.com ALWAyS WEAR A HELMET, EyEPROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THEINFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREETAS A RACETRACK. OBEy THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUALTHOROUGHLy. For rider training information or to locate a rider trainingcourse near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227. CRF® and CBR® are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co.,Ltd. ©2014 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (9/15)

2016 CRF® 1000L Africa TwinExplore Your World.

2016 CBR® 500RMIDDLEWEIGHT.

NEVER MIDDLE OF THE PACK.

VISIT US DEC. 11-13IMS • JAVITS CTR NYC

Built for people who knowadventure isn’t

someplace you go,it’s what you do getting there.

He recommended sleeping under mosquito netting to prevent the disease.

Then an odd turn in the weather gave John Gorrie something else to think

about.

For weeks it had been hot and humid in northern Florida and along the

panhandle until a hurricane passed through bringing with it dramatically

cooler and drier air.

Patients that were greatly suffering seemed to fair far better in the cooler

temperatures.

Wanting to keep his patients cooler he came up with the idea of using ice

in a basin suspended from the ceiling. Cool air, being heavier, flowed down

across the patient and through an opening near the floor.

The new technique worked brilliantly and many who would have died from

Yellow Fever miraculously survived.

The main problem Gorrie had was that ice was a rare commodity in the

southern states, as it had to be shipped from more northerly latitudes.

He turned his talents toward finding a way to create ice artificially, giving

up medicine to pursue this in 1845. His new ice machine was about twice

the size of a modern household refrigerator, but the principles at work were

pretty much the same. Like today’s air conditioners and refrigerators and

freezers, the production of ice relies upon what’s called “vapor compression

refrigeration.” In May of 1851 Gorrie was granted a patent for his artificial

ice-making machine - the first for mechanical refrigeration. Gorrie sought to

raise money to manufacture his machine, but the venture failed

when his partner died. Northern investors had no interest in see-

ing their ice monopoly destroyed and southern investors had

difficulty believing that he really could do what he promised.

Humiliated by criticism, financially ruined, and his health

broken, Gorrie died in seclusion on June 29, 1855.

This demise reminded me of the great Nikola Tesla’s end.

Why does this happen to great men and women?

Gorrie is buried in the square named after him in

Apalachicola and his original machine is in the Smithsonian

Museum. A replica resides in the Gorrie Museum in

Apalachicola.

But, there is more to this story and the reason John Gorrie is

part of Mysterious America. When President Garfield lay dying,

Navy doctors remembered Gorrie and his cooling machine and

used the same principles to keep the President comfortable.

After decades people began to look at artificial cooling and ice

making once again.

One such person was a Cornell graduate named Willis Car-

rier. Yes, that Carrier.

He looked at John Gorrie’s work and his machine and began

his own quest and that is another story on the roads of Myste-

rious America. O’Life out!

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 21

DaS’ creaMery

100 US HWY 46 SUITE 7

BUDD LAKE, NJ 07828

862-258-3593

WWW.DASCREAMERY.COM

As the calendar pages disappear

and the temperatures begin to dwin-

dle, it’s only right to think, ‘where’s

my next ice cream coming from?’

You all know that weather does not

interfere with the consumption of ice

cream, so let’s head out to a most ex-

cellent source for this creamy good-

ness.

Nestled in the village of Budd

Lake, a section of Mount Olive, in

the pretty part of New Jersey, you’ll

find Das’ Creamery. Father and

daughter team Pankaj and Komal

Das have lovingly created a welcom-

ing atmosphere filled with some of

the best ice cream I’ve tasted. Not only is the ice cream of high quality, pro-

duced in small batches to ensure its freshness, Pankaj and Komal have come

up with some very creative and unusual flavor combinations, and continue

to experiment and tweak these delicious offerings.

But more on that in a minute.

Pankaj, after retiring as the director of social services for a hospital, de-

cided that there were more challenges to be met. He decided to attend the ice

cream course given at a university in Canada. Komal, who had studied at the

French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and worked in the food industry, de-

cided that taking the ice cream course at Penn State University would be her

direction. From there, the path to opening their own shop was laid. They

agreed that an ice cream shop would be the happiest and most fun type of

shop to open, bringing joy to so many others while enjoying their creativity.

And creative they are, thinking up new ice cream flavors together then

making them happen. I asked

Pankaj if they ever came up with

ideas, only to make them and

find they just didn’t work. He

said you can’t have a winner

every time, but some exceed their

expectations. My first visit

brought me to their clean, color-

ful and fun-filled shop to sample

their Dark Knight Rises, black

licorice ice cream. I happen to

like black licorice and had never

heard of an ice cream in that fla-

vor. True to its name, it was as

black as squid ink and perfectly

flavored, with a creaminess that

was like silk in my mouth, which

turned black with each spoonful.

Hmm, not what you’d choose

on your first date, I’d think.

The Das’ have over 30 creative

and delicious flavors to tickle

your tastebuds. On my return visit I was torn between the Village Fig and

For the Sage of Maple so Pankaj was kind enough to serve me a kiddie scoop

of each. For the Sage of Maple has a wonderful earthiness combined with a

sweet undertone and the crunch of candied walnuts but, for me, the Village

Fig made my mouth explode with flavor, with crunchy bits of fig embedded

in the smoothest of ice creams. Brian opted for a combination of two of his

favorites in one flavor – Colombian Cookies and Cream. For coffee lovers,

this is the bomb, giving a jolt of caffeine with the crunch of the cookies.

Some of their other enticements include Ginger, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Ba-

nana Oreo and Espresso Cheesecake. For the season, they’ve developed Cin-

derella’s Ride, a warm spiced full-flavored pumpkin that has a kick and It’s

Cranberry Thyme, a sweet and tart vanilla-based twist. There’s a chocolate

and English toffee for you lovers of British TV called Downton Abbey and

for those with dietary concerns, a no-sugar added Chocolate PB Cup Fudge

Page 22 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Wheel Sport Center Inc.399 HUGUENOT ST • NEW ROCHELLE, Ny

914.636.7235 • WheelSportCenter.net

JOIN THE STORY…RIDE URAL

With a sidecar and trunk you’ll have enough room for all your favorite gear(or best friend) during your next ride, all year long.

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web: www.circlecycle.net

201-945-2200

For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports

products is second to none.

Whether you’re riding offroad,

backroads, or on

the track, we’re here to get you

where you need to go.

In northern New Jersey there isn’t a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours. We’re happy to

help you find the parts you’ve been looking for.

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you don’t see what you want,

give us a call or stop in - we’re always ready to help!

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider.

and vegan sorbet. Of course you can have your ordinary vanilla

or chocolate, which at Das’ Creamery may seem extraordinary,

but you’ll be eating the two most popular ice cream flavors in

America.

Having trouble making a decision? You’re not the first;

Pankaj and Komal will be happy to let you sample until you

can make a decision, knowing that you will be satisfied with

your final choice. In addition to their cups and cones, you can

opt for milkshakes, sundaes or a twist on an ice cream sandwich, made with Pop-tarts.

Have a special occasion coming up? How about an ice cream cake made with your favorite fanciful flavor?

Just give them a couple of days and the Das’ will fill your needs.

The Das’ Creamery is open seven days a week from

11am to 10pm. They will be closed from Christmas

through the third week of January. The shop has some

tables to sit and enjoy your treats and plenty of parking.

You can follow them on Facebook or visit their website

for more information.

Enjoy the colder months with some wonderful ice

cream at Das’ Creamery and we’ll see you next time on

Shira’s Ice Cream Run.

Rip & Ride on Page 53.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 23

Page 24 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Westward Ho!Exploring Western Canada with Edelweiss Bike Travel

words: Brian Rathjenimages: Brian Rathjen + Shira Kamil

When the name Edelweiss Bike Travel surfaces in any adventurous motorcyclists’conversation, the talk will inevitably be guided towards the mountains of Eu-rope – the Alps, the Dolomites – and the great riding to be found in and aroundGermany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Rightly so, as this tour company haslong been known for its high-end touring through this part of the continent.

But, what if we talked Edelweiss Bike Travel and looked to the mountains, not of Europe, but of North America’s west? In-stead of crossing the Atlantic to search out some serious mountain passes we simply crossed our own continent to findthem. This is what we did last summer when we joined Edelweiss’ Canada West Tour and set out to explore the fantasticRockies with our neighbors in Canada.

Our tour would have its start

and finish in the city of Seattle,

and Shira and I flew in a few days

early to take in the sites of the

“Emerald City.”

Pike Place Market seemed a

great place to start, with a bit of

browsing and breakfast on the

waterfront, followed with a visit to the Space Needle and the EMP Museum

that, with its wide and varied exhibits, will appeal to almost everybody, be-

fore we headed underground to learn about the city’s interesting and slightly

bizarre past.

That night we notched another Major League Ball Field off our ‘to-do’ list

with a couple of seats at the stadium with the Mariners (Mariners over Angels

5 to 0) and the next day we spent hours seeking out some of the greatest air-

craft at the Museum of Flight.

All in all we really enjoyed Seattle and would like it even more if you

could get a decent cup of coffee in this town. That’s a joke, as there seems to

be a Starbucks on every corner. Wearing Dunkin Donut hat here might be as

dangerous as wearing Mets’ colors in Philly!

We find that tours like Edelweiss’ Canada West will, many times, offer an

excellent opportunity to explore a city that we might normally avoid or ride

around, as urbanized city fans we are not, and Seattle didn’t disappoint.

As I said, Edelweiss is so well known for the Alps, but we felt they would

do an excellent job here in the Pacific Northwest. Couple this with the fact

that neither Shira nor I had ever ridden this far north in this region and we

knew this would make an excellent touring piece for our readers and so we

eagerly signed on.

After a few days touring around the city we met up with the rest of our

group - made up from of a number of riders from Europe, Australia, Mexico

and the United States, along with our guides, Marco and Franz, who hailed

from Germany and Italy; we represented a nice cross section of Terran riders.

Seattle to Chelan, WashingtonThe next morning we shuttled over to pick up the machines, all modern

and sound motorcycles, from Seattle’s Eagle Rider shop. Like our group, the

machines were diversified as well - with a spattering of British, Japanese,

American and the ubiquitous German BMW machines.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 25

For this trip we would be two-up on the new 2015 BMW R1200 RT.

I had wanted to ride this bike since its faltering introduction last year and

this journey around the “Specific Northwest” would be the perfect opportu-

nity to put the RT through its paces.

Picking up the bikes was a breeze and I was more than impressed with

Eagle Rider and their Seattle shop; a four-helmet rating for sure.

We were warned about Monday morning Seattle traffic but growing up in

New York made this commute to the suburbs a cake walk.

Soon we were heading east along the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

Our first stop was to Snoqualmie Falls. At 268 feet high, 101 feet higher than

Niagara Falls, they draw a mil-

lion plus visitors each year, but

the odd truth is that these falls

were made truly famous in the

opening shots of David Lynch’s

television show Twin Peaks – an

odd show all by itself.

Where’s the Log Lady?

Our route choices over the

peaks from here were limited but

we found our way east doing our

best to avoid the Interstate and

riding up along Route 2. We

crossed Stevens Pass and found a

small hotel lunch stop in the train

town of Skykomish.

Route 2 offered some great vistas and even-

tually the road wound down into the Bavarian–

style town of Leavenworth. Like most of the

old Washington towns along these peaks it was

prospecting and the trains that gave them life

for years and when both went away so did

much of the livelihood in these parts. In Leav-

enworth during the 1960s some bright fellows

came up with the idea of using the mountains

that surrounded the town

to their advantage and

convinced a few of the

shop owners to redo their

buildings in a more

Bavarian Alpen-style.

Today this town is more

German than Munich.

Yes, it is touristy but still

has its charms, ice cream

and a museum with the

largest collection of Nutcrackers on the planet. You

knew we’d find something like that, didn’t you?

Fully fueled and sugared we continued east along 2

with the topography quickly morphing from the green

and damp mountains of the western Cascades to the

drier high desert that you’ll find along most of this part

of the state.

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters,snowmobiles, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris,yamaha and Can-Am. With a large parts department, qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories,we're here to meet all your power sport needs.

For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing itin the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads,

we have their weapon of choice.

1269 DOLSONTOWN RDMIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM

Page 26 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Heavily irrigated, fruit trees lined the roads for miles with pears, cherries

and other fruit just coming into season this time in July.

We made a note to find a fruit stand or two, over the next few days.

We found Route 97 and rode it north into the town of Chelan, named for

the lengthy, narrow lake on which it sits.

This remnant of the last ice age is the largest lake in Washington, some 50

miles long, and the deepest with a depth of nearly 1,500 feet in places.

The name Chelan is the native Salish word for “deep waters.”

Our first day’s ride ended here and with the lake calling we went for a late

afternoon swim in the remarkably warm northern lake waters.

Chelan to Nelson, British Columbia, Canada The morning’s ride found us winding our way north along the eastern

edges of the Cascades and through the Okanogan National Forest. From there

we’d see the first of two passes for the day at Wauconda, just over 4,000 feet

and then further east along Route 20 and across Sherman Pass over the Kettle

Mountain Range, which is the highest pass in Washington that is maintained

all year round.

Here the land changes quickly once again with high desert giving way to

miles of ancient pines and hardwood forests.

Coming off the pass,

the temperatures jumped

from the low 60s to low

80s in what seemed like

a few miles, and one of

the most important rivers

in North America rolled

into view as we crossed

the mighty Columbia,

which would be with us,

in one way or the other,

for the rest of the day.

Many consider this re-

gion both the beginning

and end – as, at one

time, the ocean bound

Salmon culture of the

northwestern tribes

would be meeting the

High Plains people

hereabouts. After

Sherman Pass the re-

gion took on a distinct

flavor and we had that feeling that two-wheel travel will often give you… of

leaving one environment or habitat to enter an entirely different one.

It is something that today’s air travel has all but eliminated.

Our Canadian border crossing was quick and uneventful (all border cross-

ings should be so civilized) and we took some time at a small museum in the

town of Rossland.

Our route would wind

along some picturesque

and sweeping roads that

showed how this part of

British Columbia has

found a way to combine

big industry and power

with nature and beauty.

Late that afternoon

we rolled into the small

city of Nelson, known

as “The Queen City.”

We had read that there

was an impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory

days of the Silver Rush, but this week it looked like most of it was in recon-

struction.

Still our room had a great view of Lake Kootenay, and grabbing a table at

a shore-side restaurant while scanning “The Kootenay” seemed to be in order

and a most excellent idea.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 27

Nelson to Vernon, BCI never wanted to do this job in the first place!I... I wanted to be...A LUMBERJACK!Leaping from tree to tree! As they float down the mighty rivers ofBritish Columbia! With my best girl by my side!

Michael Palin – President of the Royal Geographical Society

Here in British Columbia there is a whole lot of beautiful nothing - miles

and miles of it. Of course, some of the more popular stops will be swarming

with Bus People (damn them), but for the most part it will be you, the mo-

torcycle and nature, just the way we like to travel.

Continuing deeper into British Columbia we

crossed the Kootenay and followed the road

that closely mimicked the shoreline, weaving

in and out along a perpetual ribbon of asphalt

with two stupendous views – the lake to the

right and Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park to the left.

We stopped for coffee in the town of Kaslo, which is also the home of the

S.S. Moyie, the oldest existing stern wheel paddleboat on the planet.

Built in 1898 she steamed on Kootenay Lake until 1957. She was the last

passenger carrying sternwheeler operating in Canada and is now a National

Historic Site and BC Landmark.

While chatting with a local she commented on the fake mountains that sur-

rounded us. Fake?

“Yes,” she said, “The real mountains are to the east – you’ll see.”

I guess we would.

This region has a true silver lining, as ore was found in 1891 and a rush

was on. The town of Sandon grew to monumental size in wealth and wild-

ness; a boomtown ripe with cash, brothels and a reputation.

When the boom went

bust so did the town and

Sandon faded away to

become one of the best

known and real-life

ghost towns in western

Canada. A short gravel

road brought us to what

is left of Sandon and we

spent some time inves-

tigating the old genera-

tor, that is still running and

creating power for what is left

of the town, as it has since 1897,

making this ghost town one of

the only self-supporting pow-

ered towns in the BC.

Admission to the Silver Smith

Generating Station, located just

above the town and remarkably

small as power plants go, is free

and the machinery and turbines

that still run here are a true modern day marvel. There is also an old train

and a fleet of ancient and semi-restored buses to grab your attention.

We eventually followed Highway 6 to

Nakusp for lunch and then continued onto

the short cable ferry at Fauquier across

Arrow Lake (actually a widening of the Co-

lumbia River) to Needles.

Here the road got all excited again and

after passing some slower ferry traffic we

had a splendid time making our way to the

town of Vernon, with its neat downtown cof-

fee shops, drive-thru corn kiosks and 27 wall

size murals, where we would park the bikes

for the night.

Vernon to Golden BCAlthough you might think with a tour such

as this you are locked into riding with the

group, the Edelweiss mindset has never been

about this. Their paradigm has always been

about your own individual ride and adven-

ture. Each night there would be a gathering

to go over the next day’s ride and highlights

and then again a second meeting after break-

fast. Since we had routed everything on our

GPS, we decided to head out before the rest

of the group

It is not that we don’t play well with oth-

ers, and the group ride can be fun, but Shira

and I have our own agenda and we, or more

I, tend to stop at many historic sites and odd

places and things we may come upon on the

road; usually quickly and with little notice.

This day it didn’t take us

long before we pulled into the

Log Barn, tourist ensnarer in-

deed, but with a fun twist - di-

nosaurs, dragons, mountain

goats and some of the best

cherries this side of Romania.

The goats were especially

entertaining, as they would

climb up a terraced goat walk

and then “hoof” up food folks

were piling on the goat-waiter.

The goats actually brought

the food up to themselves.

Was it schlocky? You know it… but fun.

As I have mentioned the rail-

road was fundamental in the

growth of the Pacific North-

west and British Columbia.

Not too far to the east we made

a stop at the site of the driving

of the ‘Last Spike,’ at Craigel-

lachie. It was here that the

completion of the Canadian

Pacific Railway took place in

1885 with a large ceremony

and the final railroad spike

driven in - welding the east and

the west forever. As you would think there was a monument to be

found here and, as if on schedule, a train came rolling by right on

time for emphasis!

Our big stop for the day would be the town of Revelstoke, British

Columbia. Situated at a strategic crossing of the Columbia River,

and bordered by both Mount Revelstoke National Park and Revel-

stoke Mountain Resort, this Kootenay Mountains’ city is surrounded

by the impressive and towering Selkirk and Monashee mountains.

It would be our gateway east to the Canadian Rockies.

Right outside the city you will find ‘Meadows in the Sky’ and the twisting

and steep 26 kilometer road that heads up Revelstoke Mountain through

Page 28 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

http://www.nolan-usa.com

forests of cedar and hemlock, spruce and fir to one

of the most amazingly beautiful places I have ever

visited. In late July through mid-August the summit

of the mountain is awash with wild flowers - red

paintbrush, pink mountain heather, arnica, arctic

lupine and pink willowherb.

With the rugged mountains and glaciers, along

with the mighty Columbia River rushing far below

for a backdrop, both Shira and I agreed, it truly was

one of the most beautiful and humbling places we

have ever seen.

We could have spent the rest of the day here, but

we still had another 100 miles to travel this day and

we’d lose an hour as we rode east into ‘mountain

time.’

The only road going our way was the Trans-Cana-

dian Highway, but we’d sacrifice some of the back-

roads for the vista to be seen on Canada 1 any day.

The day before we were told that we would see

real mountains and that statement was true. The Co-

lumbia Mountains of British Columbia were awe-in-

spiring and had us in sensory overload.

Just east of Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park,

we just gave in and stopped below one god-like

mountain to drink it all in.

Spectacular.

Golden to Lake Louise, AlbertaToday might almost have been called a rest

day as our next stop was just one range to the east

in Lake Louise, but what a range – The Great Di-

vide, crossing from British Columbia into Al-

berta. In the United States it is better known as

the Continental Divide with rain and snow

falling to the west meandering to the Pacific and

to the east, the Atlantic. Up here it also will flow

to a third ocean – the Arctic - far to the north.

Our first stop was the little whistle stop called

Field and then over the Great Divide into Alberta

and Yoho National Park.

Here you will find Kicking Horse Pass that

was chosen as the place for the railroad to cross

east to west and vice-a-versa. The one problem

was the steep grade, which engineers sur-

mounted by constructing a series of spiral tun-

nels that would allow the trains to pass safely.

Riding around Lake Louise we headed onto

the Bow Valley Parkway and through Banff Na-

tional Park.

This scenic road offers spectacular views and

the best chance of running into wildlife – some-

times literally – so we rode appropriately and did

our best to save the Grizzly and Elk population.

Banff Park was everything we thought it would

be and the town fun to visit as well. Yes, it was a

tad crowded, but nothing outrageous and a visit to

Bow Falls, beneath the splendid Fairmount Hotel,

was well worth the effort.

We ran into the rest of our group as they were

riding in and we out of Banff and we doubled back

along the Bow Parkway, which looked completely

different heading in the other direction.

Here we found a bit of unusual and unfortunate

Canadian history when we ran across the Castle

Mountain Internment Camps.

During World War One Canada felt it a neces-

sary step to confine hundreds of immigrants, and

some Canadian citizens as well, who hailed from

the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Most of us know

that the US did the same thing to thousands of

Japanese during the Second World War.

I’m not here to judge what happens at these

times, but I was surprised to find this piece of his-

tory here amongst this beatific local.

With plenty of time left in the day (sun set

around 10 pm at this time of July) we rode back

over Kicking Horse Pass and the Great Divide and

returned to British Columbia to see the Takakkaw

waterfall.

The 10 miles to the falls is packed with superb

views and deep colors

this time of the year, the

confluence of the Yoho

and Kicking Horse

Rivers; distinct in their

two different colors –

the Yoho being bright

green, almost like glycol

and the Kicking Horse

far more clear. On this

road you will also run

into a set of double hair-

pins that were designed

by a drunken Satan.

Page 30 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Fun stuff to ride if you are ready for it.

Takakkaw meant “it is magnificent” in the native Cree; and this was an

understatement. One of the highest waterfalls in Canada - this 800 foot,

glacially fed, waterfall runs heavy and hard until each winter sets in and it

then slows to a trickle only to become magnificent once again with the spring

sun. This day it was a torrent and the walk to its base was brisk in many ways.

Our afternoon coffee was had at the Great Divide Lodge, overlooking

O’Hara Lake and the snowcap peaks and glaciers.

We decided right then it would be difficult to return to riding our usual

haunts with any great enthusiasm; as we had come down with a bad case of

Canadian Rocky Riding Fever, and it might be a systemic and life long af-

fliction.

Well, we all gotta have something.

Lake Louise to Jasper ABI have a friend, Mike, who likes to say “It just keeps getting better.” That

about sums up this day’s ride from Lake Louise to Jasper.

There was just one choice for this morning ride, and that was Highway 93,

which heads north along the Great Divide, through the heart of the Canadian

Rockies.

This road is more popularly called the Icefields Parkway for obvious rea-

sons that I will soon get into.

But first this day we took a ride to the town’s

namesake of Lake Louise. This pristine glacial

fed lake was once called the Lake of Little Fishes

by the First People but the British, in their great

name giving way, called it after Queen Victoria’s

fourth daughter Louise, who was feeling a bit left

out as far as the namesaking was going.

While in the area we also headed up the road

to Lake Morain, another great vista beneath the

mighty peaks of the Rockies.

With the two lakes visited and checked off our

list, we vectored to the Icefields Parkway and the

140 miles north to Jasper.

I have ridden many highways that claim to be

the most scenic, the most picturesque, the most stunning. I am not writing

this to say that Alberta’s Highway 93 is the best on the planet, as that is far

too subjective. I will say it is surely one of them.

The peaks and the rivers. The bear and the elk. The wide open roadway

and stupendous never-ending views.

Each mile brought something else into view,

just a tad more spectacular than the last few miles

we had just passed.

More than a drive, the Icefields Parkway is a

journey through natural history and captivating

landscapes. The scenery is simply jaw-dropping.

Any ride to the Canadian Rockies would be in-

complete without experiencing the sights of the

Icefields Parkway. Along the way we spied

dozens of ancient glaciers, cascading waterfalls,

dramatic rock spires, and emerald lakes which

kept my head turning to the left and right as the

R1200RT went sweeping through valleys thick

with pine and larch forests.

Simply put – this part of Canada should be –

must be - on your bucket list!

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 31

As is Edelweiss’ way they had

the first of two picnics we’d have

along the Saskatchewan River. It

could hardly seem to get much

better as we had a leisurely lunch

on picnic tables with visiting

ground squirrels who knew, in-

stinctively, that Shira was an easy

target for a free lunch.

We made a stop at the Columbia

Icefields, the headwaters of the mighty

Columbia River. Just as the name im-

plies these glaciers or fields of ice

straddle Banff National Park and

Jasper National Park and are the

largest south of the Arctic Circle. They

are over 200 square miles in size and

nearly 1.200 feet thick and get nearly

300 inches of snowfall per year.

Like the mountains that gave them

birth these icefields, and the many gla-

ciers that they form, make you feel

small and a bit inconsequential.

It is okay to feel small and a bit inconsequential from time to time - it’s

good for the soul.

We made another stop at Sunwaptu Falls, a powerful cataract that plum-

mets with incredible power (Class 6). These falls are fed by the Athabasca

Glacier and are just another reason the Canadian Rockies impress.

We arrived in Jasper by early evening and took our room that we would

call home for the next two nights, as we had a free day coming up tomorrow.

Free Day in Jasper ABAlthough we caught a glimpse of

grizzly and mule deer the previous

day, today would be ‘animal day’ as

we ran into wapita, or elk, along the

river; the male standing mighty and

extraordinary, well within camera shot

of the BMW.

Impressive animal.

We rode east to Miette Hot Springs.

These waters were discovered about a

hundred years back by miners in the

area who made makeshift log pools to

catch the natural flowing hot water for

a quick soak after work.

Today there are four pools –two that

are fed hot water from the springs and

sit at about 105 degrees and two that

are fed by a brook and are a chill 60.

Going back and forth was just a bit

refreshing!

When we arrived, Shira was

stowing her gear on the RT

when she felt something come

up behind her. She turned to

see that a big horn sheep had

come up to check her out.

Looking behind her there

were a dozen others. These

male beasts can weigh up to

300 pounds and their horns

can weigh as much as 30

pounds each.

I thumbed the starter button

and looked for our escape

Page 32 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

route. Shira began to

feed them grass and

flowers. Ground squir-

rels one day, big horn

sheep the next. Some-

body let the grizzly bears

and cougars know we’re in town, we wouldn’t want

them to miss out on a meal.

We spent some time at the hot springs, which were

very relaxing, and departed once the pools got too

crowded. Good to get up and out early for both the an-

imals and the solitude. We rode back to Jasper for

lunch, marveling at a small group of people who

seemed to be standing Christ-like in the middle of the

azure river.

It seems the sand is very high here and the water, not

so much, so standing around in the middle of a river,

surrounded by nature’s exquisiteness, is the thing to do

on a sunny and warmish Sunday.

Jasper to Kamloops BCToday was a “small miles” sort of day and the nearly

300 miles to Kamloops were done in good time with

our entry into the indus-

trialized university city

of Kamloops made even

earlier with the time

zone change heading

west back into British

Columbia.

Along the way we passed in the shadow of Mount

Robson, the most prominent mountain in North Amer-

ica’s Rocky Mountain range and, at nearly 13,000 it is

also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies.

We found a bit of shade along a well-childed lake for

our second Edelweiss picnic and then Shira and I made

quick time towards Kamloops, with the fantastic Rockies

getting smaller in the RT’s mirrors with each mile. The

temperatures this day did run amok, from a brisk low

50s in Jasper that morning to near 100 along the Thomp-

son River as we rode into the town of Kamloops.

As rugged a town as it is, its name still reminded me

of some sort of Canadian breakfast cereal. Instead of

Toucan Sam on the box, it would have a beaver with a

toque on!

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 33

Plan now for yourIreland Adventure.

Visit our websitefor full details

Multi Award-Winning CompanyOfficially Approved by

Tourism Ireland and Failte Ireland.

www.celticrider.com

Visit one of the most beautiful islands on earth.Haunting landscapes, rugged coastlines,

extraordinary roads and renowned Irish hospitality.

NEW for 201621 Day Wild Ireland & Highlands of Scotland Tour

Now Open - The ‘Wild Atlantic Way’The longest defined coastal route in the World.

2500km along Ireland’s Western seaboard.

Our award winning, self-guided tours leave theexploring to you while taking care of all the details.

Kamloops to Vancouver BCThe heat of the previous day broke with

a good windstorm that evening and the

morning found us in high 60s and sunshine

as we rode on the south side of Kamloops

Lake.

We followed along on the large road

from the city and then took a left on the far

more motorcycle-friendly Route 99, which

carried us for most of the rest of this day.

Along the way a large male big horn sheep,

with massive sweptback horns, eyed us

from the roadside.

He needn’t have worried that we’d come

anywhere close to him.

Near the town of Lillooet we

crossed the Bridge of 23 Camels.

There was no way we would pass up

this marker and the huge piece of Jade

standing next to it, nor the curious

Kilowatt sculpture next to that.

Shira and I, with our friend Jim in

tow, made a quick u-turn.

It was all very nice, but it was the

camel story that grabbed Shira and my attention. Way back when, in 1862,

it seems that a local portage company had the bright idea that camels would

be ideal pack animals, and so 23 two humped Bactrian camels were imported

from Asia to BC. But the brilliant idea soon turned into a nightmare as the

high-strung beasts ate miners clothing, kicked at anything or anyone who

came close, frightened other animals with their unique odor, and had their

soft feet cut to ribbons on the rocky mountainous roads. So, they were aban-

doned by their owners and left to roam in the wilds of British Columbia.

The last of them reported to have passed away at the turn of the last cen-

tury. Yet, another ‘camels come to the Americas’ story gone bad.

Route 99 rode into the coastal mountains and the Stein Valley Nlaka’pa-

mux (Squamish) Heritage Park with its peaks and streams easily rivaling

Jasper in many ways. Route 99 was, by far, one of the best and most funnest

road of the entire trip. It’s a word – trust me.

We did have a bit of rain at the summit, but the combination of clouds and

light just added to the magic that was the Coastal Mountains.

The Sky to Sea Highway, as Route 99 is called, brought us closer to the

coast and through Whistler, home to the 2010 Winter Olympics as we headed

into Vancouver by way of the Gulf of Georgia.

Before we did, we did stop at a Tim Horton’s for dessert. How could we

not while in Canada?

We had a free day in Vancouver coming up and I was looking forward to

exploring this Pacific Canadian city.

Free Day in Vancouver, BCWe all know Vancouver, even if you haven’t been there.

For a number of reasons, mostly economical, many U.S.

television shows are filmed here. MacGyver, Supernatural

and Arrow among others. But for me there were three shows

that really stood out that were Vancouver-made and all three

had used our first main stop – the Bloedel Conservatory –

for filming. The x-Files, Battlestar Galactica and (the most

important) Stargate SG-1

were all created here.

“Come for the tax breaks /

stay for the marijuana,”

said one tee shirt.

Atop the highest point

and the very geographical

center of Vancouver, in

Queen Elizabeth Park, you

with find the Bloedel Con-

servatory.

This lush, triodetic-

domed aviary (second

largest in the world when

built) has over 200 exotic

birds and 500 unique

plants in its huge alu-

minum and glass structure.

Yes, they have filmed many sci-

fi shows here, but beyond that the

conservatory is one of the neatest

places and the amount of diverse

birds and fauna make it a must

when visiting the city.

We bussed over to Granville Is-

land, with its large public market

and shops and met George and

Cheryl, friends who we met during

our first Edelweiss tour of the Alps

back in 1997.

Lunch right on False Creek was

excellent as was the Aqua Bus we

hopped, taking us back to the BC

Center and our hotel.

That night we headed to Gas-

town, the city’s oldest section and

the original name of Vancouver, for

dinner behind the statue of Gassy

Jack (I swear), not far from one of

the world’s only steam-powered clocks.

Tomorrow we’d head south across the U.S. border (if they let us) and back

to Seattle on our last day of what was a memorable two weeks.

Vancouver to Seattle, WA USALooking to avoid the morning rush we took mostly surface streets out of

Vancouver which was like riding to Long Island on Northern Boulevard in

Queens, New York; it moved, but was slow.

We did finally pick up a bigger road and crossed back into the United States

easily at Aldergrove.

Our first thought was to take a coastal route, but weekday traffic changed

Page 34 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

our minds and we headed back into the foothills of the Northern Cascades

and south for a good way, along Route 9, through some serious agriculture

and delightful smaller towns.

After lunch we began to encounter Seattle traffic but, other than a bit of

confusing signage, we all got our machines and ourselves back safely to the

Seattle Eagle Rider where the motorcycles were looked over and signed off

on. Ten spectacular and, at times overwhelming, days on the road were now

over.

Summing it all up….There’s a feeling I get when I look to the westand my spirit is crying for leaving -

Seriously, I have to source this one?

The few weeks on the road really enlightened, and sometimes startled me,

as it had become one of our most memorable trips ever.

We expected to be impressed, but both Shira and I were blown away with

this journey.

Yes, the Alps are phenomenal, the Pyrenees impressive and the Andes are

so striking, but the shear stunning vistas, topography and raw Earthy beauty

of the Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies could very well top them all.

And, for those of you who have told me so many times that you will not

leave the United States, then surely you must be willing to consider riding

the northwest of the US and our neighbor above the 45th parallel?

Edelweiss offers tours all around the planet, but for right now it will be

difficult for us to ride anywhere less than the Canadian Rockies….eh?

With the cold and snow coming to the northeast, it’s a great time to start

planning where you’ll be riding in 2016. The date for the Canada West Tour

is July 24 through August 5. For more information on the Canada West Tour,

or any of Edelweiss’ fine global travels, point your browser to:

www.edelweissbike.com.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 35

STREET SKILLS RIDING ACADEMY GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLEGive a gift that lasts every mile…motorcycling skills!

Know somebody who would benefit from more rider training? The truth is we all can. Street Skills Academy is here to

help in 2016.

The 2016 on-road course schedule will focus on offering a select number of weekend dates in the Rochester, NY area.

Gift certificate holders will get special attention for scheduling and registering for courses. Gift certificates in the

amounts of $25, $50, and $99 are available for purchase.

Log onto streetskills.net/product-category/on-road-training/ to order yours.

Remember that private scheduling for groups is available with a 30-day notice and a

min 8/max 16 participants.

HEAD CHECK

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO RIDE MOTORCYCLES BY JACK LEWISPenned by one of the most prominent motorcycle journalists of the 21st century, Head Check invites readers to take in the

color and detail of a rider’s life vividly realized, richly observed, and transcendently described. During his tenure at Motor-

cyclist magazine, Jack Lewis has touched readers around the world not only through his incandescent prose riffs and self-ef-

facing humor, but also through a consistent and deeply felt humanity.

This collection of magazine features and columns alongside personally published web pieces and new material may be pop-

ulated by motorcycles, but it centers around the varied experiences of riders (and their tolerant keepers) in a world where risk

is a bet you make with yourself for purposes that must always reach beyond simple recreation. Head Check is—beneath the

ironic wit, wide-eyed fear, profound humility, and occasional descents into scatology — a collection of

love stories. Not necessarily intended just for motorcyclists, or the spouses or children of motor-

cyclists, but for all who love life and the joy of discovery and adventure.

Recommended for riders, readers, passengers, and humans.

Available through litsam.com or amazon.com, as well as select motorcycle stores and book stores, for around $15.

BUFF MAGIC RESTORES DULL METAL SURFACESTo restore the brilliance of oxidized metal surfaces, owners can rely on Shurhold’s Buff Magic. An all-in-one polish, it transforms

metal and chrome from lackluster to radiant.

Scientifically formulated with jeweler’s rouge, Buff Magic is great for removing oxidation, clear coat staining, surface rust, tarnish,

Plexi-glas scratches, and P800 and finer DA scratches. It is also an ideal metal cleaner and polisher for steel, aluminum, brass, bronze,

copper, gold and other precious metals. Buff Magic is designed to be user-friendly whether buffing by machine or hand. This unique

formula changes as it’s used. With each pass of a buffer or hand polishing, the proprietary abrasives break down smaller and smaller,

Page 36 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

444 State Route 23, Pompton Plains, NJ973-839-1117 • www.pomptonsportcenter.com

P R O D U C T S P O T L I G H T S • R E V I E W S • H O L I D A Y G I F T I D E A S

creating a compound that can work a finish from very dull to ultra-glossy. Additionally, since users do not have to switch

products, they will save time and money. Shurhold’s Buff Magic costs $28.98 for 22 oz.

Find it on the web at www.shurhold.com/auto.

GIVI HP SERIES HAND PROTECTORSThe new HP Series Hand Protectors from GIVI are designed to offer a quick and easy to install solution to protect the

rider’s hands from the weather elements and minor impacts.

They become really useful when temperature drops or during heavy rain storms (let alone hail!). Ideally, the best option is

to stop and wait it out, but that’s not always viable.

Their lightweight, preformed ABS construction also make them suitable to protect from minor impacts, coming from hitting brushes

or small branches when riding off road, or even gravel and dirt lifted by the bike in front of you.

They are available starting at $149.00 (msrp) for a good number of Adventure Touring motorcycles,

just check www.giviusa.com for the complete, and ever growing, list of applications.

WEEGO JUMP STARTER BATTERY +It amazes us how far battery technology has come in the recent years. It wasn’t too

long ago that we were pushing bikes and riders down the road in hopes of “bump

starting” the machine. Not any more.

These days you would almost be foolish not to have something like the Weego Jump

Starter Battery + in your riding arsenal.

Today, if there is a battery failure, we can simply take out the Weego Jump Starter, attach it to the battery and

start the bike – over and over and over again.

Portable jump start packs have been around for a couple of years and if we were impressed the first time around,

we were ‘shocked’ at the diminutive size of the Weego Jump Starter Battery +. It is the same size as an iPhone 6!

Not only will it start your machine if your battery is dead, it will start the rest of your riding friends’ motorcycles as well. If you ride with the same friends on

a constant basis – have at least one of these with your group at all times – someday you will need it.

It also has the ability to charge your peripherals and comes with a variety of plugs for most USB devices including phones, tablets and speakers, and it has a

built in LED flashlight.

Although the unit itself is phone-size you must remember that you need to bring along the jumper cables, but they are small as well, and the entire package fits

in a small carry pouch for easy stowage.

The Weego Jump Starter Battery + has easy to follow instructions on its side and was manufactured with built-in safety circuitry protections along with fuse &

diode in the jumper cables so it is nearly impossible to mess this up.

It takes about an hour and half to charge and, once fully loaded, it will lose only about 2% of its power each month. So if it sits in the bottom of your saddlebag

for a full year and is needed for a dead battery, side of the road situation, then the Weego will still have more than enough juice to get the job done. It is rated

from -4°F to 140°F, will last more than 1,000 charge cycles and comes with an 18 month warranty.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 37

Each Jump Starter Battery+ includes everything you need for jumping and charging – the Standard box contains a pre-charged battery pack, jumper cables, wall

& car chargers, 3-in-1 USB charging cord, carrying case and instruction manual. The Weego Jump Starter Battery + Standard is available from www.weego.com

for $99 – about what a roadside tow would cost. Don’t miss the ride because your battery has died.

MALCOLM SMITH’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY IS HERE! After two years of work, Malcolm Smith’s long-awaited autobiography, titled Malcolm! The Autobiography is in Malcolm’s

store.

“I’m really excited about the book and our official launch at Barber!” Malcolm says. “It took us a while to finish the book,

but it’s really good. There was a lot to tell, and I think it captures each chapter of my life in an honest way.”

Saturated with personal storytelling, rich in detail, and containing many never-before-seen photographs from Malcolm’s per-

sonal archive, Malcolm! The Autobiography is a must-read for any motorcyclist or off-road enthusiast. From his early days

along Canada’s Pacific coast, to his childhood in San Bernardino, California, his first bikes, his racing efforts in the U.S.,

Baja, Europe and Asia, his business life, the iconic movie On Any Sunday and his family life, it’s all here, and all told by one

of the world’s legendary motorcycle and off-road racers.

“There’s a lot here,” says Malcolm. “Ten chapters, over 100,000 words worth of stories, and hundreds of photographs, many

of them never seen before. It’s an amazing book if I do say so myself. I have to give credit to Todd Westover, who handled

the graphics and design for us, and my wife Joyce, who helped organize the project and scanned many of the photos.”

“I’d done a lot of stuff in my 74 years,” Malcolm says, “so there was a lot to tell. I even managed to remember a lot of it de-

spite falling on my head a few times!”

Malcolm teamed with longtime motojournalist Mitch Boehm, for the 400-page, 11 x 11-inch hardbound book. Boehm, a 30-

year industry insider who edited Motorcyclist magazine for 15 years, also worked at Cycle World and American Honda.

“It was a fascinating two years,” says Boehm. “I’d drive out to Malcolm’s home, and we’d sit and talk about a period of his

life, my recorder going all the while. Later, I’d transcribe what Malcolm had said, and weave it all together. Then we’d go

over it together, making sure it was just right.”

Retail price is $49.95 and are available through www.malcolmsmith.com or www.themalcolmbook.com.

A TALE OF TWO BOOTS • TOUR MASTER SOLUTION Review: Shira Kamil

Well, actually, I guess it would be a tale of four boots or two pair of boots. You get the idea.

Before the summer started, I was in the market to replace my current riding boots, a pair of Tour Master Solution 2.0 WP. They

had given me many years of riding happiness but were a bit long in the tooth. My research returned me to the same company and

their updated Solution WP Air Boot. Seeing as I was going to be testing them out, Tour Master was nice enough to send a pair

of each to compare.

The first pair, the Solution 2.0, arrived in time for a two week trip to Eastern Europe. While one always hopes for

blue skies and perfect riding weather, it’s best to be prepared. Knowing that these boots kept me dry previously, I had

no doubt they would continue to do so. The fit, out of the box, was true to size, with just a bit of snugness in the ankle.

Their relative light weight and preformed orthopedic insole combined with stretch panels made for comfort on and off the bike, while

Page 38 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

trekking around historic villages and Dracula’s castles. The fourth day on the road we encountered rain of biblical proportions, and at the end of the day I dis-

covered my feet to be dry, thanks to the HiPora® waterproof, breathable membrane and water-repellant leather. The auto lock zipper covered with adjustable

hook-and-loop closure flap helped in keeping the rain from coming in from the top of the boot and the 3M ScotchLite™ on the rear aided in visibility.

Unfortunately, I did get to crash test the boots and the molded nylon shin and ankle guards, along with the thermoplastic

heel cups and toe caps, kept all skin and bones where they were supposed to be, with nary a bruise or bump. As a matter of

fact, you wouldn’t even know that they slid down the road.

The sole is a VR single density compound which offers a reliable grip for climbing less-than-perfect pavement if a short

hike occurs during your riding day.

The Tour Master Solution WP Air Road Boot, my other two boots, were there for my next two week road tour in Western

Canada. While very similar to the 2.0, they do have subtle differences that make them a great boot for warmer weather. As we

know, those hot summer days can result in the biggest storms, but which would you opt for – sweaty feet before the storm or

soaking wet after. Now you don’t have to choose. The WP Air takes the best of the Solution 2.0 boot and combines it with

a HiPora® air membrane and mesh panels to let the warm air escape and keep the rain out. I also found the WP Air to

have a bit wider foot, ankle and calf, which was a bit more comfortable for my foot. The rest of the components are

pretty much the same as the 2.0, making them for another great option for those with a bit wider foot and calf.

Both of these Tour Master boots are offered for women and men, coming in women’s sizes 6.5-10 and men’s sizes

7-8, 8.5, 9-12, 12.5, 13-15; Wide 9W-12W, 12.5W, 13W-14W. They come in any color as long as it’s black and retail for

$129.99, a great price for a long-lasting and well-made road boot. You can get yours at your local Tour Master dealer or online at www.tourmaster.com

AND SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE IN YOUR CHRISTMAS FUTURE • BMW CONCEPT 101On a recent visit to BMW headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, we found a most unusual

Beemer front and center in their lobby.

Originally introduced in Europe, at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, on the shores

of Lake Como, Italy, the BMW Concept 101 has now found a home (for a while) in New

Jersey. BMW Concept 101 is a one off ‘bagger’ created in California through a collab-

oration between BMW and custom builder extraordinaire Roland Sands. Based on

BMW’s K1600, with its inline-six, (about 101 cubic inches) which, along with Califor-

nia’s Highway 101 (found not far from Sand’s shop), gives the concept bike its name.

Infused with materials like brushed aluminum, carbon fiber, and specially milled wood

trim, the 101 is a sleek machine, from its fairing and 21–inch wheel up front to it low

slung saddle and tapered saddlebags in the rear. The mix of fine leathers, oil-treated

woods, light and dark upper and lower halves, and its sleek intergraded bags makes this

BMW a standout in the Custom Bagger world.

Who knows, like the R Nine T before it, perhaps a Beemer Bagger is in the future.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 39

F.W. SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave • Passaic, NJ 07055973-778-6256 • www.SpeerYamaha.com

Tri-State Metro Area’sOldest Yamaha Dealer

THE MALLTERNATIVE

In the Fall of 2014, at the AIMExpo in Orlando, Kawasaki rolled out a few new of-ferings to a gathering of media and motorcycle industry insiders.

While most of the press fawned over the H2R, a beautiful example of styling andhorsepower, we waited patiently for the crowds to clear and a chance to sit on oneof the ‘other bikes’ that were on the stage – the new Versys 1000 LT.

Sure the H2R garnered looks, approvals and gushiness from the powersportsmedia in the way mainstream media handles Kim Kardashian or Donald Trump, butwe thought the Versys 1000 LT (and its sibling the 650) to be more in line with whatBackroads is about - Travel & Adventure.

Last season we road-tested the Ninja 1000 and, though its sportbike ergonomicswere a bit tight for me personally, I found it to be a marvelous sport-touring machineand fell in love with the engine that powered it.

That same engine is found in the Versys 1000 LT.How excellent, and our test machine was orange.

As an old 1973 Z-1 guy, what is not to like about abig orange, four cylinder Kawasaki?

TOWN & COUNTRYC y C L E C E N T E R115 Route 23N • Hamburg NJ • 973-875-2111www.townandcountrycyclecenter.com

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles, side by sides, sales and service we have to offer.

FIRST RIDE

Kawasaki Versys 1000 LTReview: Brian Rathjen

Page 40 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Cradling all this is a five-piece, cast-aluminum frame traveling on 43mm Kayaba fork with adjustable

rebound and spring preload. The rear shock comes with adjusters for rebound damping and spring preload,

in addition to a remote preload adjuster. Travel for the fork and shock is a decent 5.9 inches and this gives

the Versys a 33.1-inch seat height and weighs in at just about 550 pounds with the 5.5 gallon tank fully

fueled.

Anti-Lock brakes utilize dual 310mm petal rotors with four-piston calipers in the front and single 250mm

petal rotor, with a single-piston caliper in the rear to provide braking force. ABS and the three-mode

Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC) system come standard for more adverse conditions and real-world

riding.

The Versys rolls on a 120/70 ZR 17 tire up front and a 180/55 ZR 17 in the rear shod with Battlax T30

Sport Touring tires, that seemed an excellent choice for stock tires.

Although ruggedly styled the Versys 1000 LT’s look is vaguely reminiscent of similar offerings from

any number of manufacturers. I believe it is called Euro-Adventure-Tourer, or some-

thing close to that. That being said we liked the upright sitting position and

high wide handlebars from the moment we sat on the Versys on the

stage at AimExpo. The adjustable windshield has nearly 3 inches

of adjustment, which is fairly easy to do, but a larger after-

market shield might be a good thing here in the long term.

The machine also comes standard with something all

machines in this class should have – hard luggage. The

color-matched, hard saddlebags go on and off easily with

Kawasaki’s Quick Release (KQR) system, and give a

stated 6 gallons of stowage space. Luggage size for me fol-

lows the mantra – bigger is better – and as nice as these

bags are, I would give up the stylish chevron shape in the

back for a bit more bag room. That being said there is an

optional top case that I have been told can swallow two

full-face helmets. Kawasaki uses a convenient one-key

system for all the bags.

The Digital Fuel Injected 1,043cc inline-four-cylinder

engine has revised ECU settings (from the Ninja 1000),

which allow for some serious mid-range clout.

Assist and Slipper Clutch, similar to those on Kawaski

track machines, reduces shift-lever effort, give you better

shift control and reduces rear-wheel hop found in sloppy

downshifting. The six-speed transmission is flawless,

sharp and virtually trouble free.

The fly-by-wire engine has two power modes - Low or

Full with the Low dropping power by about 25% while

also providing an easier throttle response.

Combine the power modes with

Kawasaki’s KTRC three-mode traction and

the Versys is a very rideable bike in a variety

of weather conditions and road surfaces.

The gauges are handled by a bright LCD

panel that has tons of information available

except Gear Selection – that is a $200+ op-

tion. Go figure.

The saddle for both rider and passenger

seem wide and the rest of the machine’s er-

gonomics seem to work well for long days

on the road.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 41

ON THE ROAD…We were offered the Kawasaki Ver-

sys 1000 LT just a week before our an-

nual Fall Fiesta Rally which would be

bouncing our group from Virginia into

a few days in the Mountain State of

West Virginia, before looping back

north to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

and then back towards home.

Nothing like a road trip to find out

what’s what on a motorcycle and with

the addition of a Garmin 665 GPS unit

and Sena Bluetooth we headed south.

From the very first second I got on

the new Kawasaki it fit me. I was very

comfortable with the upright and wider

bar ergonomics of the machine, which

are very similar to my own BMW GS in this fashion. The saddle, although

not perfect, was still far better than most stock saddles we have ridden in the

last few seasons. You’d certainly get ¾ through a long day’s ride before you

are standing on the pegs for a stretch.

Other than just a few tweaks this is the same powerplant that we loved in

the Ninja 1000 last season. We loved it in the Versys as well.

Smooth and crisp it seemed to have power on tap for whatever the situa-

tion. With the ability to drop it into a

lower mode, which came in handy in

more technical sections, I found the

Versys 1000 LT to be very tractable and

responsive whether in the twists and

turns of the hills and mountains or the

long sweepers of the valleys in be-

tween.

For a stock machine I also thought

the suspension, which is adjustable,

worked very well. In normal day-to-day

riding is was excellent and only got a bit

loose when pushed and ridden very ag-

gressively. I am sure some more tweak-

ing of the forks and rear shock would

help this tendency.

The dash was easy to read and bounc-

ing through Power Modes and the KTRAC system was fairly easy to do.

The fairing is not awful for a stock unit, but if it was our machine the af-

termarket would be called upon. It also throws up a lot of heat on warm days,

especially in traffic or stopped at a light. A lot of heat.

Although it looks like it might be an “adventure” machine, the Kawasaki

Versys 1000 LT is not and is best kept in its element. That element is, with

its 17 sport-touring rubber, any number of twisty sweepers and nicely paved

roads. Unpaved roads, although manageable, are not its

forte. The bike did not sound or act happy when brought

up a few dozen miles of rip and gravel in the jungles of

West Virginia, but it does romp along the fun fast stuff!

My final thoughts are this: The Kawasaki Versys

1000 LT is a lot like Mary Poppins – practically perfect

in every way, which can be a blessing and a curse.

For the price, $12,799, I cannot think of a more per-

fect big upright explora-touring machine on the market

today. It has one of the most competent engines to be

found, it comes with luggage, it is very sexy looking, it

has all month comfort and does just about anything it is

asked to do – especially on a well paved road.

But, as faultless as she is would you live with Mary

Poppins?

This is the machine’s only real problem; if the ma-

chine has any faults it’s that it hardly has any, other than

the heat.

But…

I love quiet machines, but on a roll on comparison

with BMW’s new R1200 RS, the RS not only easily

kept up, it did so with a low and sexy snarl, while the

Versys poppin’d away merrily.

Chim chim cheree.

Although I loathe to say it, the tone and feel of the

Versys lacks a bit of personality. It is smooth and quiet

to a fault. I looked at the large exhaust on this machine

and wondered if that was the issue here. Maybe if it had

a bit more snarl to it. Just a tad more bad girl to it,

maybe I could really love it and not just like it a lot.

Perhaps a little less Mary Poppins and a dash more

Tina Turner.

That aside, if you are looking for a serious explora-

tourer you will be hard pressed to find a better deal for

the buck on the market today. Think of it this way – for

the price of some of the European competition (BMW

S1000 xR or Ducati Multi-Strada) you could buy the

Versys and then walk across the Kawasaki showroom

and drop the money saved on a KLR 650R, covering all

your riding needs for the same price.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT is at your local

Kawaski dealer now, and is available in Candy Burnt

Orange/ Metallic Spark Black or Flat Ebony/Metallic

Spark Black.

Page 42 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

PALM DOCTOR/ SHORT TRONICSDON’T PUT YOUR OLD GPS IN THE GRAVEYARD YET!

Words and images: Brian Rathjen

In a perfect world we all have the latest technology, the newest gadgets

and all that is cutting edge on the planet.

The fact is that as soon as we buy one toy

another bigger, better, faster and more ad-

vanced gizmo comes along.

I have found I can scientifically make

BMW come out with a new GS, simply by

buying one off the floor.

I am the epitome of Planned Obsolescence.

This phenomenon never seems more appar-

ent than with our electronics – especially GPS

units and Garmin GPS units in particular.

None of these motorcycle GPS gadgets are

cheap. They are a significant investment and

with that investment made you would hope

that you would get many years of service from

them, but we all know things break and when

something like that happens to your older

Garmin GPS – say a Zumo 550 model, then

what will you do?

Maybe Garmin will handle it, but most likely they will say they’ll replace

it for about the same cost of a new unit or give you a discount on a new pur-

chase. What good is that?

It is not just older units either, as I remember our buddy Tom updating his

software, as Garmin requested, and basically turning his year old Zumo 660,

as he said, “into a brick.” Garmin said they would send him a new “refur-

bished” GPS - for a heady price.

These Zumos and others are pretty tough but still touch screens go, buttons

go missing, internal electrics fail and other gremlins play havoc with the best

electronic toys; usually the day before a big ride.

But, we’d like to tell you of a company that can and will fix your GPS for

a reasonable price and in a timely manner.

Chris Short, owner of Short Tronics located in Mankato, Minnesota, has

been repairing hand held elec-

tronic devices for years and has

earned the reputation as the “go

to” shop to help give your older

(or new) GPS renewed life.

Our friend Dee Dee had issues

with her Zumo 550 - the classic

lost button (a recurring problem

with this series) and that her Zumo

would turn off for no apparent rea-

son while on the road.

Well, she discovered Chris and

Short Tronic (she turned us onto

him as well) and told him her

problems with the 550. Chris said

he could easily sort it out and did

just that, replacing the CPU and

button, for a fraction of the cost of

a new Zumo. He also did this in a matter of days.

We have read dozens of letters sent to this company by happy customers

and have concluded that Short Tronics can and will fix your GPS issues in a

solid, economical and timely manner.

If you have GPS woes then give Chris a call, or find him on the web.

Short Tronics51612 US Highway 169, Mankato, MN 56001-6584

www.PalmDr.com • 612-326-4364

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 43

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2900

www.CrossCountryPowersports.com

GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN

3.99% for 36 months*

– OR –

6.99% for 72 months*

*Offer subject to credit approval. Offer may not be combined with any other offers, is subject to change and may be extended or terminated withoutfurther notice. Offer valid on new 2015 Polaris Slingshot models only. Terms up to 72 months available for purchases based on credit approval criteria.Fixed APR of 3.99% or 6.99% will apply depending on terms and credit. An example of monthly payments required on a 36-month term at 3.99% APRis $29.52 per $1,000 financed. An example of monthly payments required on a 72-month term at 6.99% APR is $17.04 per $1,000 financed. See par-ticipating retailers for complete offer details and conditions. Offer ends December 31st, 2015.

Slingshot® is a three-wheeled motorcycle. It is not an automobile, it does not have airbags, and it does not meet automotive safety standards. Three wheel vehicles mayhandle differently than other vehicles, especially in wet conditions. Always wear helmets and fasten seat belts. Driver may need a valid motorcycle endorsement. Don'tdrink and drive. ©2014 Polaris Industries Inc.

EXHILIRATIONHAS ARRIVED.

Call the Law Office of Paul G. Gargiulofor a free consult and evaluation of your case.

(914) 421-0905www.whiteplainsaccidentlawyer.com

If you’ve been involvedin a motorcycle accident,get the knowledgeable,sympathetic and forcefullegal representationyou are entitled to.

No fee unless a recovery is made.Testimonials available.

The One to Call in New York State

199 Main St. • Ste. 901 •White Plains, NY 10601

Be represented by

someone who has

been riding for over

25 years.

NEW YORKMOTORCYCLEACCIDENTVICTIMSThe Law Office ofPaul G. Gargiulo

Technical Tips for Those Who Aren’t

How to grab Backroads’ routes from the web and load them toyour Garmin GPS made easy… easier…umm, almost doable?

Words Dr. Knowitall

So you’re going out for a ride or to one of our Backroads’ Rallies and you

have found a number of pre-planned routes on the Backroads website

www.backroadsusa.com. You go to download them, and think maybe you got

it, but then you try to get it onto your GPS and have less than stellar results.

What you hoped would be a simple process has turned into a couple hours

of frustration. Angered and flummoxed you snap and pull a Glock 17, un-

loading it into your now shattered computer.

Sad, but understandable.

Well Doctor Knowitall is here to help. One step at a time.

First let us separate the wheat from the chaff.

In this article I am talking to Garmin GPS owners – specifically Zumo

owners, although other Garmin GPSs might work too.

This article will also be specifically aimed at Apple owners.

If you use a PC then I need you to take a long look at yourself in the mirror

and ask yourself…why?

If you own a Tom Tom or Rage GPS this article, most likely, will not help

you, although it never hurts to become more edumicated.

So here we are - you have a Garmin Zumo, but, to get it all going, you

need to have some other things as well.

Step 1 –Garmin’s BaseCamp. You can download this for Mac or PC from their web-

site for free. www.garmin.com/en-uS/shop/downloads/basecamp

Once you have that, please continue. If you already have BaseCamp make

sure it is the current version. Do the same with your maps, as Garmin updates

them a few times a year.

Step 2 – Images 2 & 2.2Find the route you wish to ride

on the Backroads website. For

purposes of this step-by-step

guide we will use our West Vir-

ginia Fantasies Route from our

Fall Fiesta Rally in Elkins, WV.

On our Rally Update Page you

would find the West Virginia

Fantasies Ride.

Click on that and it will down-

load to your computer. Some

computers will go right to the

desktop, others to another file in

the machine. You can put it to

your liking via Preferences.

On your computer, find the file,

which is called West Virginia

Page 44 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

2

2.2

More Technical Tips for Those Who Aren’t

Fantasies.GPx. All these downloaded files should be called .GPx, okay?

Step 3 – Image 3 & 3.2Open up BaseCamp and make a

“New List” from the drop down menu

called “File.” To make it easy name

this new list - West Virginia Fantasies.

It should make a home on the left side

under “On My Computer”

Step 4 – Image 4Once again under “File” use

drop down menu and click on

“Import.”

You should see what is on your

desktop and click on West Vir-

ginia Fantasies.GPx and click on “Import.”

Step 5 –West Virginia Fantasies should

now be found on the left side of

your BaseCamp screen. Drag

that file into the new list that you

just made called West Virginia

Fantasies.

This keeps it separated from the

others and lets you know exactly

where it is.

Step 6 – Image 6Plug in your Garmin GPS, via the USB

Plug, and wait for the computer to rec-

ognize the unit. Give it a minute or two

for them both to make friendly with each

other.

“Hey, Zumo - how are ya?”

“Good iMac, how are you? How are the

peripherals?”

Step 7 – Image 7 & 7.2On the upper left under “My

Garmin Devices” your GPS should

have come up and started that con-

versation with your computer.

Above that information you will see

two arrows, one going up and the

other down called “Device Trans-

fer.” Click on the “Up Arrow” and

a window will pop up in the center

of your screen that asks you to se-

lect your GPS device. If you have

an SD card in your GPS it will see

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 45

3

3.2

4

5

6

7

this too. Normally you just have to upload the route to the GPS and

not the SD Card.

Where it says “Select What You Want to Send” click only for Route,

nothing else. After operation is done it will say “Transfer Complete.”

Step 8 – Image 8Unmount your GPS by dragging both the hard drive and SD card

icons to the trash or via the drop down menu. After the icons disap-

pear, disconnect the USB cable. The new 590s need do nothing else

but be restarted. Older Zumos like the 660 must have the battery

cover (with its little magnet) reinstalled for the GPS to fire back up.

Step 9 –Your GPS unit may or may not ask to recalculate the route.

If it does, say yes, as it probably won’t be all that different

from what you just uploaded to your GPS.

Step 10 –Find “Custom Routes” on your Garmin and you are ready

to go on this particular Backroads Adventure.

Obviously there is a bit more about creating routes,

BaseCamp and other GPS- related stuff, but this month we

simply wanted to make it a bit easier for readers to down-

load our routes and have a great time exploring the back-

roads of America.

Now go out riding!

ZACK’S V-TWIN CYCLES

Serving the Hudson Valley for over 30 years

799 Violet Ave/Route 9G • Hyde Park, NY845-229-1177 • www.ZacksVTwin.com

2016 Models are Here.Year-End Discounts

on select leftover models.Trade-ins accepted.

Ro

ute

73

9 •

Din

gm

an

s F

err

y, P

A •

57

0.8

28

.19

20 7.2

Page 46 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

8

You can find many great GPS routes fordownloading on the Backroads website.

www.backroadsusa.com/gpsdownloads.html

Kawasaki introduces a new mid-level streetfighterwith aggressive styling, smooth acceleration

and sporty, stable handling for backroad fun

The aggressive styling and powerful punch of the

Kawasaki Z1000 now gets a sibling in the form of

the new-to-North America 2016 Kawasaki Z800

ABS. This mid-level streetfighter brings the same

attitude as its bigger brother, with similarly

aggressive styling, sportbike heritage and a

powerful 806cc four-cylinder engine.

The 806cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 16-

valve engine boasts strong performance in

the mid-range where most street bikes

spend their time. Its fuel injection system

combines ultra-fine injectors with 34mm

Keihin throttle bodies and sub-throttles that

offer smooth response across the rev-range.

In the smooth-shifting six-speed

transmission, short overall gear-

ing complements the responsive

engine to deliver impressive

thrust on command. When the

road opens up, the stylish

streetfighter can stretch its

legs thanks to a tall sixth

gear that maintains a

more comfortable

cruising RPM for

highway riding.

The 2016 Kawasaki

Z800 suspension has

been set up so that

whether you’re ham-

mering along deserted back roads or prowling pothole-infested city streets,

the motorcycle will remain poised, predictable and entertaining.

The brakes on the Z800 include dual opposed

four-piston front brake calipers offering

progressive stopping power and feel. The

system uses 277mm petal-type front ro-

tors and a lightweight Nissin ABS unit.

A 216mm petal-type rotor and single-

piston caliper provide good rear brake

feel for maximum finesse. The Z800’s

standard anti-lock brake system (ABS)

promotes additional confidence when

riding in slippery conditions.

The wheels are six-spoke supersport-

style units manufactured using the latest

lightweight production technology andalso

carry the latest Dunlop Sportmax D214 radial tires.

The sculpted styling of the Z800 is one of its most stunning aspects. The

thin, compact headlight cowl was positioned as low as possible, extending

the line that starts from the top of the tank and drops down to create a men-

acing “face” with its angular lines.

Although not strictly a styling element, the Z800 incorporates useful lug-

gage hooks. These can be found on the neat design of the rear footpegs, as

well as behind the license plate holder. Both sets of hooks allow luggage to

be secured using tiedowns or bungee straps.

The Kawasaki designers went to great lengths to create elements that

would reinforce the streetfighter theme of the 2016 Kawasaki Z800 ABS.

These include the characteristic naked engine, which has black engine covers

that are a key visual element. Furthermore, the attractive bends in the exhaust

header pipes add to the appeal of a “naked” motorcycle, especially with their

“buffed” finish that bring added visual interest.

Look for theZ800 ABS at a Kawasaki dealer soon.

179 North Highland Ave, Ossining, NY

914-762-2722 • HVMOTORCYCLES.COM

See the full line of2016 Kawasakimotorcycles at

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 47

FIRST SEEN2016 KAWASAKI Z800 ABS

Get BACKROADSdelivered to your homeEVERY MONTH!Just fill out the form and mail it along with check to: Backroads, PO Box 317, Branchville, NJ 07826First Class Postage $40/12 issues • shipped in white envelopeWe accept checks via mail and all credit cards on our websitethrough PayPal • www.backroadsusa.com/subscription.htm

NAME ________________________________________________________

ADDRESS ______________________________________________________

CITY/STATE/ZIP __________________________________________________

Don’t Miss An Issue! Mail Your Subscription TODAY!If you have moved, please use this form to inform us of your change of address

o New Subscription o New Address

MAGAZINESUBSCRIPTION

Tues. thru Sat. 11am-10pmSunday: Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

Travel along the scenicbackroads of the Delaware river.

Meet the Markopoulos family and tastechef George’s Greek American cooking.

Best bar menu, lunch or dinner.Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clams and

crispy wings with 8 different sauces.

John, Christina, chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends.

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA

610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com

Member of

The Riverton

‘50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300

www.chatterboxdrivein.com

Take an autumn ride to the country - join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING

Hudson Valley’s

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery, NY

845-446-0912

www.barnstormerbbq.com

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque!

If you go home hungryit’s your own fault

320 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-2274 • www.thisilldous.com

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond • 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere!

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible • AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983

Member of

Page 48 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Now the largest-displacement Honda adventure-touring model, the pow-

erful, smooth VFR1200x is coming to the U.S. market. Well suited to cus-

tomers who don’t want to sacrifice comfort during long days of two-wheel

exploration, often riding two-up, the VFR1200x is powered by a 1,237cc V4

engine and is available with a standard gearbox or Honda’s revolutionary six-

speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT); both versions feature Honda Selec-

table Torque Control (HSTC), combined ABS brakes

and shaft drive. The 19- and 17-inch wheels

offer capable road-going performance, while

the inverted 43mm fork and single-sided

swingarm incorporate modern suspension

technologies.

Other features include a one-

hand-adjustable windscreen, handguards

and an accessory socket to charge smart phones

or power heated vests. An extensive line of Honda Genuine Accessories is

offered, including products for storage, rider comfort and customization.

So far it will be in a variety of colors, as long as it is Pearl Black, and will

be available May of 2016.

FIRST SEEN2016 HONDA VFR1200X

THEN: 2 WOMEN ON A CROSS-COUNTRY MOTORCYCLE MISSION

NOW: 100 WOMEN RIDING CROSS-COUNTRY IN THEIR HONORAlisa Clickenger of Motorcycle Adventure Group, LLC announced the

Sisters’ Centennial Motorcycle Ride, July 4-24, 2016. A cross-country mo-

torcycle ride for women, the event commemorates the centennial of Adeline

and Augusta Van Buren’s historic ride across the United States from New

York to San Francisco.

With World War I looming, the sisters set out in 1916 to prove that women

could ride as well as anyone and were capable of serving as Army dispatch

riders. “Their transcontinental journey on motorcycles was a phenomenal ac-

complishment by two courageous women at a time when few roads were

paved, Victorian attitudes were in full flare and women did not have the right

to vote,” says Clickenger. “This ride honors their achievement and promotes

the growth of modern-day women motorcyclists and the motorcycling com-

munity.”

The family of the Van Buren sisters has joined forces with Clickenger to

promote the event, which will launch with at least 100 women riders, fol-

lowing the 1916 route as closely as possible. Combining scenic routes and

important stops along the sisters’ journey, the ride will allow for great mo-

torcycle riding and promote women as motorcycling role models.

Community events are planned across the country to entice not-yet-riding

women to learn about the joys of motorcycling. “I want folks from all walks

of life to come out and hear our stories, hear about the history of women and

motorcycling, and be enchanted by the possibilities in their own lives.”

The event concludes with a group ride into San Francisco, where festivities

will celebrate the ride’s completion. There are several options for participa-

tion, including fully supported and self-guided tours. Registration is open at

www.SistersMotorcycleRide.com.

About the Organizer: Our team is led by Alisa Clickenger (MotoAdven-

tureGal), a veteran moto traveler and experienced motorcycle tour leader.

She is a powersports journalist and marketer with a decade-long dream of

re-creating the Van Buren sisters’ historic ride

FIRST EVER POWERLILY GASTANK MENTORSHIP PROGRAMCREATED TO FOSTER POWERSPORTS ENTREPRENEURS

PowerLily entrepreneurs with great ideas for new products and services

will get help from the new Gas Tank mentorship program that will teach them

how to create winning business plans that they will pitch, in-person, to in-

fluential leaders in the powersports industry. PowerLily members will gain

valuable insight, visibility, feedback and industry connections through this

unique new 2016 program.

“Having a great new idea or innovation can only lead to a new product or

service when you’ve got the funding and distribution to make it a reality,”

said Sarah Schilke, chair of PowerLily and national marketing manager of

BMW Motorrad. “To get that kind of backing, and realize any profit at the

end, you first need to know how to create a solid business plan. Then you

need to be able to sell it to the right people. That’s what Gas Tank is all

about.”

Only PowerLily members may apply, and must do so by Jan. 31, 2016.

Participants will be matched with an industry mentor to hone and prepare a

detailed business plan due on June 30, 2016. Top submissions will have an

opportunity to present a 10-minute pitch to a panel of mentor-judges at AIM-

Expo 2016, followed by a question and answer session. The business pitches

will be evaluated based on elements ranging from monetary growth potential

to overall strategic thinking.

Gas Tank Mentors are established powersports industry leaders who have

a long and notable track-record of success. “We’ve already secured four in-

dustry legends who have signed on as mentors,” said Cam Arnold of the Mo-

torcycle Industry Council. “We’re looking forward to getting more great

insiders to launch Gas Tank with us and provide PowerLily members with

invaluable insight, wisdom and decades of experience.”

PowerLily is a network of professional women in the powersports industry.

PowerLily is committed to workplace equity, diversity and inclusion by help-

ing companies in the powersports industry find capable, talented women, by

expanding opportunities for women in the powersports industry and by pro-

viding programs for professional growth, education and leadership opportu-

nities. PowerLily is an MIC Aftermarket subcommittee. To find out more

about PowerLily and the Gas Tank Mentorship progream visit www.pow-

erlily.org or contact Cam Arnold at carnold@mic.org.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 49

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY

www.LIKawasaki.com • 516-935-6969

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT is a full-utility player – partadventure bike, part sport-tourer, the best of bothworlds. One ride and it will win your heart, and a placein your garage.

Get yours today at

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY

www.LIYamaha.com • 516-935-6969

TIPS FOR PLANNING A 7-DAY GROUP TOURWords + images: Victor Cruz

How do you plan a week-long group tour to someplace you’ve never been

before? Say a state like Colorado with its 104,000 square miles and snow-

capped mountains in July.

It can begin with the right tools. You grab a copy of Steve Farson’s book,

“The Complete Guide to Motorcycling Colorado” and make it your bible.

Whitehorse Press publishes a library of biker travel books for every segment

of the US. You can also grab a high-quality Butler motorcycle map (but-

lermaps.com), which highlights 3 tiers of road excellence. There’s mapping

software and online maps. What kind of road warrior are you? Is your tour

about eating dirt or cruising pavement? Like many states, there is probably

more dirt than asphalt to explore. Luckily if you can snag a bike like a

Yamaha V-Strom, a Triumph Tiger, a Ducati Multistrada or your garden va-

riety BMW GS, their long travel suspension, dual sport upright position and

hybrid tires will let you sample the best of both worlds. Serpentine roads that

hiss back and forth are superb for sport bikes, but you ought to know if your

body can survive a week in that monkey-humping-a-football position.

ORGANIZING MOTORCYCLE TOURSGood or bad, I’ve had the fortune to find enough fools willing to follow

me all over the place. I’ve led group tours in Arizona, California, New York,

New Mexico and all over New England. Google, digital maps, and consumer

review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor make the job easier than ever before.

Expect to burn 40 hours planning a week-long ride through Colorado with a

group of six friends. We flew in and rented bikes in Denver. There are several

rental options. Eagle Rider (Harley rentals) and Tour Bikes (everything else).

Expect to pay $1,000 for a 7-day rental. Other factors to consider in your

planning include accommodations, location, daily mileage, the itinerary,

chemistry and eats.

A CENTRALIZED HUBAuthor Clement Salvadori

serves as your best reference

if you’re planning a trip in

California. Clever Clement

talks about the “cloverleaf”

tour. That’s where you de-

cide on a location from

which your daily loops

branch out and in. A single

hub has advantages over

linking several one-night

stands together. The nicer

hotels often require two-

night minimums. Not only is

the comfort level of where

you make your bed at night important, but it’s also a strategic choice. Pick a

place that allows you to walk to dinner and drinks. A walk is a welcome

respite after sitting all day in the saddle. Tourist towns and college towns are

great for that. There’s much to see, easy access to services, plenty of restau-

rant options, and things to do at night like shopping for souvenirs or the

spouse back home. To save a few bucks, my group likes to share rooms, so

finding two beds per room can limit your options. In Colorado we split the

tour between two hubs: a six-bedroom ski house in Breckenridge and a down-

town hotel in Durango. Several in our party of men actually know how to

cook, so we saved big bucks buying provisions locally and cooking our own

meals. What’s true at home is also true on the road: you eat better in-house.

DAILY DOSE OF MILEAGEColorado is so big that the itinerary called for doing a 350-mile day. It may

not seem like a lot, but you have to consider when traveling with mates every-

thing takes more time to accomplish than traveling solo. Gas stops, lunches,

potty breaks and photo shoots, consume time. You’ve got to start your day

early to get home by dark. Every night is a party. So the toll this takes on

your body day after day can wreak havoc. For this reason, the last day of any

trip is the most vulnerable. Helmets hit the ground, keys get lost, bikes tip

over, someone rams your side case with their front tire. Pacing is everything.

JDS CYCLE PARTSEST. 1988

247 W. Westfield Ave, Rosell Park, NJ908-245-2445

• Parts & Accessories• Award-winning Service• Performance Work• Dyno Tuning• S&S Pro Tuning Center• Power CommanderTuning Center

American • Metric • Sport

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 50 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Top of Guenalla Pass

Breckenridge Chalet

Sure, you can attempt 400-mile days but I’m not

talking about highway miles here. Planning on 250

miles per day on backroads is a safe bet for a group

tour. Knowing this limit allows you to plan your

ride for the day. That allows plenty of time for stops

but not too much R&R. You don’t want to pull into

your hotel parking lot at 2:00 p.m. with nothing else

left to do. Weather can change everything. Scorch-

ing heat may force you to cut your ride short for a

swim. What about unexpected road closures, con-

struction zones and detours? They happen all too

often and they bog you down by sapping energy and

time. With six guys it takes the better part of a day

to ride 200+. It helps to stop hourly and monitor for

group’s fatigue. Are people getting cranky? If you

do a 300+ mile day, then the next day should be a

stroll in the park.

THE ITINERARYFiguring out the perfect day ride is a challenge. It

can’t be too long or too short. Long stretches can be

absent of gas stations. Know the range of the small-

est gas tank. Know the weather forecast. Unex-

pected situations can raise safety issues. GPS and a

back-up GPS is a desirable redundancy but memo-

rization trumps both. Essentials include a camel-

back to stay hydrated especially at 10,000-foot

altitudes. I like to mix up road types and shun high-

ways but interstates are often unavoidable. Use

highways to make time and as a bridge between

loops. Sometimes the elegance of a loop is not pos-

sible. A roundtrip on a single road can be fine. Break

up the ride with a tourist attraction. One day we

broke our 200-mile habit by spending it on foot vis-

iting the Mesa Verde pueblo ruins. Another day we

soaked in the Ouray hot springs. Doing a hike in the

middle of the ride day is great for blood circulation

and preventing cramps. Stop and smell the water-

fall. In CO, you can visit a marijuana dispensary

without going to jail. Stopping at classic roadside

attractions may seem cheesy but that’s where you

take your group photos that will last for a lifetime

of memories. Spending an hour in a taxidermy mu-

seum broadens the mind and everyone will appre-

ciate the break. We hit some stretches of dirt (as

planned) to keep it interesting. In short, adding spice

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 51

Mesa Verde National Park

Ouray Hot Springs

to the ride, taking frequent breaks, throwing in a picnic lunch, will all com-

plement your key route selections. Tools like maps, books and online search

will point out the best designated scenic roads, the oldest ghost town, the

largest mine pit, the bizarre things not to be missed. You want to exploit the

finest things every place has to offer.

CHEMISTRY AND GOOD EATSThere’s good reason why food and friendship are toasted every night.

Chemistry, how you get along with your fellow rider, is as important as your

choice of nourishment. A heavy, deep-fried lunch can make you drowsy. Too

many carbs and sugars can bring you down. By late afternoon, a good stiff

Red Bull can ward off mental fatigue. Traveling with a large group can be

taxing and a problem at restaurants. Book dinner reservations early and

nightly. Here’s where TripAdvisor.com, where you can search for the top-

rated eateries in every city or watering hole, is very helpful. Some places are

not ideal for a bunch of hungry guys. Some places are too fancy. Some places

are good for lunch but closed for dinner or vice-versa. Some places are good

for coffee only. You’ve got to do your research to avoid going on a wild goose

chase. As the tour master, everyone looks to you for that perfect farm-to-

table restaurant choice, the spot with the right kind of ambiance, 100 beers

on tap, an eclectic menu, superior service, but not too expensive. Good luck!

It’s hard work finding a place that satisfies everybody. That’s where chem-

istry also enters the picture. Some people are natural born complainers, fussy

eaters, moody, non-givers, cheap, self-centered, big talkers, buzz killers, dis-

respectful to wait staff… these types never get invited on tour.

Where are you making plans for your next group tour? If you have any

questions please drop me at line at vcruz@mediapr.net.

Page 52 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

The Boat House RestaurantPerfect in Any Season

Brunch, Lunch or Dinner on Swartswood Lake

1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood NJ973-300-0016

Tues-Sun 11A-9PBrunch 10A-2P

Closed Monday

Call forSeasonal Hours

Excellent Ride Destination

San Juan Skyway

email info@motoaventura.clweb www.motoaventura.cl

Independent touring or guided tourswith multilingual guide, mechanic andsupport vehicle. 14 Years organizing

tours and BMW rentals.80 motorcycles in fleet.

World’s 2nd Largest BMW TravelPartner and Official BMW Dealer

Ride through Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.

Visit the full range of our beautiful and enchanting places

and see our lakes, other-worldly deserts,

the dramatic Andes, snow-covered volcanoes and,

of course, the magic world of Patagonia.

Join Us in 2016Patagonia, Peru or Bolivia

in Latin America

Largest

Visit our website for all2016 tour dates

www.beemerboneyard.comUSED OILHEAD & K-BIKE PARTS

Hundreds of used parts at 50% off new cost or lessOrder online 24/7 ~ M/C, Visa, Discover or PayPal

100% money-back guarantee ~ parts ship in 24 hours

NEW MAINTENANCE PART ~ BELOW RETAIL

No Backorders ~ We Stock What We SellWe now carry German Liqui-Moly Engine & Gear Oil for BMWs

973-775-3495 • M-F 12pm~5pm • inquires@beemerboneyard.com

718 Main St, Boonton, NJ973.335.0255 • www.PCPS.com

Who do you thinkkeeps Backroads’computers running?

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 53

WEST ON ROUTE 10RIGHT ON NEW MURRAY RDLEFT ON MT PLEASANT AVERIGHT ON HANOVER RDRIGHT ON BROOKLAKE RDLEFT ON RIDGEDALE AVELEFT ON PARK AVERIGHT ON GREENVILLAGE RDRIGHT ONWOODLAND RDLEFT ON LOANTAKAWAY

STRAIGHT ONTO BLUE MILL RDRIGHT ON GLEN ALPIN RDSTRAIGHT ONTOTEMPEWICK RDLEFT ON LEDELL RD INTO JOCKEY HOLLOW RDRIGHT ON HARDSCRABBLE RDLEFT ON LLOYD RDRIGHT ON MENDHAM RD TO BERNARDSVILLE RDLEFT ON PLEASANT VALLEY RDRIGHT ON UNION SCHOOLHOUSE RD

LEFT ON ROXITICUS RD TO MENDHAM RDRIGHT ON JACKSON AVELEFT ON MAIN STRIGHT ON RIVER VIEW AVERIGHT ON POTTERSVILLE RDRIGHT ON BLACK RIVER RDLEFT ON FAIRMOUNT RD ERIGHT ON PICKLE RDLEFT ON BLACK RIVER RDRIGHT ON PARKER RDLEFT ON OLD FARMERS RDRIGHT ON LONGVALLEY BLVDLEFT ONWASHINGTONVALLEY RDRIGHT ON ROUTE 24LEFT ON BARTLEY RDLEFT ON RIVER RDRIGHT ON FLANDERS DRAKE RDLEFT ON MT OLIVE RDRIGHT ON RTE 46 EAST T DAS CREAMERY

Rip & Ride® • DAS’ CREAMERY100 US HWY 46 SUITE 7, BUDD LAKE, NJ 07828 • 862-258-3593 • WWW.DASCREAMERY.COM

GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/0IXF6G45-MILE ONE-WAY START: HANOVER POWERSPORTS, 210 RTE. 10 WEST, EAST HANOVER, NJ

Page 54 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

RISING WOLF GARAGE NYC

EXCLUSIVE MOTORCyCLE PARKING FACILITy

Monthly Parking

Long & Short Term

24 Hour Access

Video Surveillance

Service Area

Personal Storage

Air Compressor

Battery Charging

We p rov ide a f r i end l y, c l ean and secu re env i r onment f o r t he mo to rcyc l e en thus i as t

By Appointment OnlyEast Village NYC

Ph: 212 475 5858 • Fx: 212 505 5205risingwolfgarage@aol.com

www.risingwolfgarage.com

Rip & Ride® • PHOENICIA DINER5681 NY-28, PHOENICIA, NY 12464

845-688-957 • WWW.PHOENICIADINER.COM95-MILE ONE-WAY ROUTE

GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/L5ROPI

OUT OF NEW JERSEY ON ROUTE 17 NORTH

ROUTE 17 NORTH PAST TUXEDO, NY

BEAR LEFT ONTO SR 19 (RIGHT PAST RED APPLE REST)

LEFT AT 17M

FOLLOW SIGNS TO ROUTE 208 NORTH

LEFT AT ROUTE 52

RIGHT AT NEW PROSPECT RD.

RIGHT AT BRUNYNSWICK RD.

LEFT AT US 44 OVER SHAWANGUNKS – GREAT VIEWS

HARD RIGHT – AT GRANITE RD.

RIGHT ON ROUTE 209 NORTH

LEFT AT CR 213 (CR 4)

RIGHT ON ROUTE 28A

FOLLOW ROAD OVER DAM

LEFT ON ROUTE 28

FOLLOW SIGNS FOR PHOENICIA (ON RIGHT)

GREEK MOTO ADVENTURES

6 and 10 day tours of the Peloponnese

8 day Exploratory tours

Custom Tours Available

Incredible riding, eating and people

Book your tour today!

Contact:Vasilios Rallis718-730-5220

www.greekmotoadventures.com

The Polar Bear Grand Tour consists of 550 motorcyclists from all over the NJ, NY,PA, DE, and CT area who individually ride to a designated destination each Sunday.Points are awarded for each ride. When the destination is reached, sign-in andwrite down how many round-trip miles were traveled to get there. Then there isusually a restaurant at the site or nearby where small groups will congregate. Thereare no planned routes or group rides to get to the destination. The sign-in is usuallybetween 11:30 am & 1:30 pm unless otherwise posted. There are no planned ridesafter the sign-in. The Polar Bears represent many individual groups who all cometogether to ride during the winter under the Polar Bear banner.

The Polar Bear Grand Tour membership is divided into two groups, Flight "A" leadby John Bachota and Pat Bachota and Flight "B" led by Joan Roselli and Jim Gui-teras. These are your FLIGHT LEADERS and are available to answer any questionsyou may have. 25

Pre-registration for each Polar Bear Grand Tour season is conducted online in thesummer. You may register at any destination event, although the first Cape Mayride is usually preferred.

For full details, visit their website: www.polarbeargrandtour.com

2015November 29 • APPALACHIAN BREWING CO., 50 West 3rd Ave., Collegeville, PA19426 Ph 484-973-6064 • www.abcbrew.com/brewpubs/collegeville

December 6 • MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE, 2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield, PA

19440 Ph 215-712-7433 • www.montgomeryvillecc.com

December 13 • THE CABIN, 984 Route #33 Howell, NJ 07731 Ph 732-462-3090.CHRISTMAS PARTY. BRING A TOY FOR THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL (do NOT wrappresent). www.thecabinrestaurant.net

December 20 • THE TILTED KILT, 4095 US Hwy 1 South, Monmouth Junction, NJ

Ph 732-783-7138 • www.tiltedkilt.com/locations/southbrunswick

December 27 • RHODES NORTH TAVERN, 40 Orange Turnpike, Sloatsburg, NY

10974 Ph 845 753-6438 • www.rhodesnorth.com

2016January 3 • De THOMASI’s EAST 5 POINTS INN, 580 Tuckahoe Rd & Landis Ave.,Vineland, NJ 08360 Ph 856-691-6080 • www.fivepointsinn.com

January 10 • UPSTREAM GRILLE, 161 Rte. 181, Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 Ph 973-

663-2222 • www.upstreamgrille.com

January 17 • LAGO, 230 Washington Place, North Brunswick TWP, NJ. 08902 Ph 732

297-3803 • www.LagoNJ.com

January 24 • THE EXCHANGE, 160 E. Main St., Rockaway, NJ 07866 Ph 973-627-

8488 • www.exchangefood.com

January 31 • THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN, 101 North Market Street, Schaeffer-

stown, PA 17088 Ph. # 717 949-2122.

February 7 • TBD

February 14 • HOOTERS, 25 Rte 23 South, Wayne, NJ 07470 Ph 973-837-1876 •

www.hootersnj.com

February 21 • BAHRS LANDING, 2 Bay Ave., Highlands, NJ 07732 PH 732-872-1245

• www.bahrs.com

February 28 • LIGHTHOUSE TAVERN, 397 Route 9 Waretown, NJ 08758 Ph 609-693-

3150 • lighthousetavern.com

March 6 • LONG VALLEY PUB & BREWERY, 1 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, NJ 07853

Ph 908-876-1122 • www.restaurantvillageatlongvalley.com

March 13 • THE CHATTERBOX, #1 Rte 15 South, Augusta, NJ 07822 Ph 973-300-

2300 • www.chatterboxdrivein.com

March 20 • BRIAN’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Langhorne PA

19047 Ph 215 752-9400 • www.brianshd.com

April 3 • THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE, 743 Route 28, Kingston, NY 12401 Ph845-338-2424 • www.hickoryrestaurant.com

April 10 • CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18042 Ph

610-438-1311

April 17 • CAPE MAY V.F.W. Post #386, N.J. 419 Congress St., Cape May, N.J. 08204

Ph 609-884-7961

April 23 • END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn, starting @11:30 AM. The rain date would be April 30, 2016; same time. Cost to Members:$6.00 per person. There will be salad, Wings, Beef, rolls, and lemonade, plus a cashbar. You must get an arm band from your flight leader.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Page 55

WASHINGTON CYCLE WORKS

Junction of Rtes. 57/31 • Washington, NJ 07882908-835-0043

We cater to road racers and supportall Track Day organizations

One-piece Road Race suits in stock

Washington Cycle Works

Open: Tues-Thurs 9:30AM-7PM • Fri 9:30AM-6PMSat 9AM-3PM • Closed Sun-Mon

www.washingtoncycleworks.com

PRIDE. PASSION. PODIUMS.

Offering Service + Setupfor Ohlins Shockswith our Shock Dyno

O’TOOLE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON®

Serving New York’s Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service • New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidson® Parts and AccessoriesConveniently located near the areas of Monticello, Middletown, Ellenville, Montgomery, and Walden

4 Sullivan St • Wurtsboro, NY845-888-2426 • www.OToolesHD.com

2015/16 POLAR BEAR RUN

NOVEMBER27-28 • Black Friday and Orange Saturday at Liberty Harley-Davidson. Great savingswithout the hassle of the malls. For full info visit www.libertyharley.com. 12 W.Milton, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2400

27-28 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Black Friday + Orange Saturday. Beat thecrowds and get what you want and need. 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com

28 • Cross Country Powersports Fall Open House, 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen,NJ • 732-635-0094 • www.crosscountrypowersports.com

DECEMBER5 • Free photos with Santa on a 1951 antique Servicar Noon - 4pm. Liberty Harley-Davidson, 12 W. Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2100 • www.libertyharley.com

11-13 • Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® returns to the Javits Centerin NYC. View hundreds of the latest motorcycles, gear, parts, accessories andmore. Visit www.motorcycleshows.com for details and tickets.

12 • Ride the Bus to the IMS with Bergen County Harley-Davidson. $35 gets you aseat to NYC with complimentary Bloody Mary or Mimosia, continental breakfast(7:45am) and ticket to the show. No hassle with driving or parking. Tickets firstcome basis so stop by the dealership today to get yours. 124 Essex St, RochellePark, NJ ª 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com

12 • Free photos with Santa on a 1951 antique Servicar Noon - 4pm. Liberty Harley-Davidson, 12 W. Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2100 • www.libertyharley.com

12 • Free photos with Santa. from 11am-3pm at Bergen County Harley-Davidson.124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com

19 • Free photos with Santa. from 11am-3pm at Bergen County Harley-Davidson.124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com

19 • Morton’s BMW Holiday Party and customer appreciation day. Take a break fromyour holiday shopping and celebrate the holdays with us. Good food and greatsales all day. 5099A Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844 •www.mortonsbmw.com

JANUARY 201616-17 • 98th Anniversary Crotona Midnight Run sponsored by Ramapo MotorcycleClub. Sign in: RMC Clubhouse/Veterans Memorial, 66 Lake Rd, Congers, NY. Sign-in: 10:30pm - Midnight key time. $20/rider $10/passenger. Longest running motor-cycle road rally in the USA. Timed run following a designated route overnight witha mid-point respite for warmth, refreshments and comradery. ramapomc.org

FEBRUARY 201612-14 • Timonium Motorcycle Show, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD.For full details please visit www.cycleshow.net or call 410-561-7323

MARCH 20164-5 • The 6th edition of the widely acclaimed Modern Classics Motorcycle Showreturns at Martin Motorsports in Boyertown, PA. The Modern Classics features astunning selection of great motorcycles from the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and the early 90sin a once-a-year indoor show,Boyertown, PA. For 2016 Modern Classics will high-light motocross, trials, and enduro bikes blended with the usual wide variety ofspecial motorcycles from that era. The event consists of the Friday evening “KickStart” party and Saturday’s impressive “museum for a day.” For more informationor to learn how to nominate your classic bike for inclusion go to www.modern-classicsbikeshow.com

MAY 201615 • Ramapo Motorcycle Club Spring Fun Run. Sign in/Endsite: Shodes North Tav-ern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte 17) Sloatsburg, NY • 9am til mid-afternoon. To benefitHelen Hayes Rehabilitation Hospital. A designated route along some of the HudsonValley’s most interesting roads, with stops for poker/dice/scrabble or other games,with a chance to win prizes, while supporting a worthy cause. ramapomc.org

20-22 •Morton’s BMW Motorcycle Spring Fling Rally. For full details check theirwebsite: www.mortonsbmw.com

20-22 • 2nd Annual Red Knights Motorcycle Club Yankee Rally. Open to any RedKnight members. Bolero Resort, Wildwood, NJ. More information available:www.facebook.com/events/802996773124582 or visit www.redknightsmc.com

26-30 • BACKROADS SPRING BREAK. Four days of incredible riding and fun, withovernights in historic hotels in Pennsylvania and New York state. For complete in-formation please see page 44.

JUNE 20167-11 • Americade Motorcycle Rally. The Best Roads. The Most Motorcycle Compa-nies. The Most Welcoming Rally. Lake George, NY. Special Pre-Registrant eventsMonday, June 6. www.americade.com • 518-798-7888

11-19 • Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, NH. America’s Original Riding Rally. Oneof the Big 3 • www.laconiamcweek.com • 603-366-2000

JULY 20169-10 • 40th Annual Running of the Ramapo 500™. Sign in/Endsite: Rhodes northTavern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte. 17) Sloatsburg, NY @ 7am. $35 advanced reistra-tion/$50 day of event. Two-day 500-mile gorgeous ride with free camping withpool, Sat. dinner, Sun. breakfast, awards and prizes, starter pins and finisherpatches. GPS route upload service for add’l fee. ramapomc.org

Page 56 DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

973-875-2048946 Rte. 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair, Parts & Sup-

plies • Cycle TiresMounted & Balanced •Batteries & Hard Parts •Dynojet 250 Dyno avail-

able for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all

Sussex Hills Ltd.

DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST,STURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 • www.barntruckrental.com

57-05 BROADWAY • WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE & LIE)

SALESRENTALS

Touring North Central Virginia?Then ride on over to the NEW

Comfort Inn & Suites in Orange

Motorcyclist Owned & OperatedLarge indoor heated pool and spa • Free deluxe hot breakfast buffet

Microwaves + fridges in every room • Large rooms + suites available

Comfort Inn & Suites334 Caroline St (James Madison Hwy), Orange, VA 22960

540-672-3121 • www.comfortinn.com/hotel-orange-virginia-VA657

Moto-Inn ApprovedTell ‘em Backroads

sent you!

15% Discountto all

Motorcyclists

The newest motorcycle-friendlyhotel closest to Skyline Drive…

just 30 miles away!

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR

http://www.jmcorp.com

210 Route 10 West, East Hanover, NJ • 973-428-1735

www.HanoverPowersports.com

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

www.HanoverPowersports.com

1190 Adventure RJack-Of-All-Trades

amongTravel Enduro Bikes

210 Route 10 WestEast Hanover, NJ973-428-1735

210 Route 10 West • East Hanover, NJ • 973-428-1735www.Powersports.Honda.comMon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am-6pm • Thur: 9am-8pmSat: 9am-5pm • SUNDAY: CLOSED

1190 ADVENTURE1290 SUPER ADVENTURE

ONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

Keep the Adventure in your Travel

honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY.For rider training information or to locate a rider training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227. NC700X, CB500X, VFR1200X and CRF1000L Africa Twin are registered trademarsk of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (08/15)

Take the road less travelled with any of Honda’s Adventure motorcycles

NC700X

CB500X

dealer DRESS FOR THE ADVENTURE

THE ALL-NEW 2016CRF1000L Africa Twin

THE ALL-NEW2016 VFR1200X