Motorcycles Travel amp Adventure

Volume 21 No 10

OCTOBER 2015

FIRST RIDE ON BMW R1200 RTYAMAHA FJ-09 AND FZ-07

BACKROADSrsquo 200 ANDTAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME RIDES

GREAT AUTUMN DAY AND WEEKEND TRIP IDEAS

New England Loop

MONTHLY COLUMNSFREE WHEELINrsquo 4

WHATCHATHINKINrsquo 6

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE8

ON THE MARK 9

BACKLASH10

INDUSTRY INFOBITES13

BIG CITY GETAWAY 16

WErsquoRE OUTTA HERE 19

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA22

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 25

SHIRArsquoS ICE CREAM RUN 47

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE48

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR 53

FEATURESNEW ENGLAND LOOP 30

BACKROADSrsquo 200 AND BASEBALL RIDE 44

MOTORCYCLE REVIEWS2015 BMW R1200 RT 37

2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 AND FZ-07 40

HARLEY-DAVIDSON PROJECT LIVEWIRE43

PRODUCT REVIEWSPRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS amp REVIEWS 49-52

2015-16 PROGRESSIVE IMS TOUR50

Motorcycles Travel amp Adventure

Publishers Brian Rathjen bull Shira Kamil

Contributors Mark Byers Bill HealdDr Seymour OrsquoLife

Editorial Office BACKROADS POB 317Branchville NJ 07826

phone 9739484176

fax 9739480823

email editorbackroadsusacom

online wwwbackroadsusacom

Advertising 973-948-4176

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

30

44

37

W H A T rsquo S I N S I D E

The Curse of The PaCe

Years back a very talented rider and

writer named Nick Ienatsch penned a

piece that was published in Motorcyclist

magazine that is considered by many as one of

the single most influential editorials done on rid-

ing motorcycles safely I agree

I remember reading The Pace along with so

many other riders at the time and thinking ldquoYep

this guy has this pegged What he just saidrdquo

They were literally words to live by

You can find it on-line here

wwwmotorcyclistoninecompace

Please read it - but this is my column so back

to my drivel

Although I strive consistently to become a

more confident alert and skilled rider I am con-

fident I will always be a work in progress

Striving to be a better motorcyclist is part of

the riding experience is it not

This article yoursquore reading now has nothing at all to do with the famed and

more meaningful lsquoThe Pacersquo and more to do with a phenomenon that Shira

and I seem to run into all the time

Although wersquod like to think we are moving along stirringly and doing

things correctly and at the right time ala Mr Ienatschrsquos lsquoThe Pacersquo we seem

to constantly find ourselves stymied by one thing - again and again and again

The pacehellipcar

Like some yellow flagged NASCAR race from hell we persistently end

up riding directly behind some sedan piloted by what sometimes looks to be

just the top of a hat peeking over the driverrsquos seat ndash Stetson Homburg or

Pillbox

These drivers all have the single-minded goal of slowing the entire world

down to a crawl

I used to believe this would happen just on Sunday mornings when the

faithful get into their cars (that have sat quietly in a garage for the week while

they took the train to work) and head off to their house of worship There is

a reason we call them Sunday Drivers

Saturday is usually full of errand-doers doinghellip well errands Donrsquot blame

the Jews this day lsquocause they be walking

It seems nowadays itrsquos infrequent that we are rid-

ing with a clear road in front of us

Nope there is usually more often without fail

some car driver doing some 10+ mph under the

posted speed limit These people will snail-pace

along and look in their mirrors about as much as a

group of Harleys up at Americade

If the road is really magnificent there will surely

be more than one driver in this parade ndash a caravan

of cluelessness

But my pace car problem seems to have gotten

bigger than just the Sunday driver and now encom-

passes all the days of the week

We have also become equal opportunity abusees

seemingly tasked to be ill-treated by any and all drivers regardless of age

sex or ethnicity

It is impossible to bring this issue up without hitting on the texters

Once the secure domicile of the post-pubescent girl it has now been

opened up to all sizes and shapes of oblivious idiots

Worse (and I can not believe I am saying this) at least kids know lsquohowrsquo to

text and do it fairly quickly OMG anyone over 50 that is texting might as

well attach a 30mm gun to their car and start firing at the oncoming traffic

After a recent ride we were discussing how we believe the CIA or NSA is

(Continued on page 15)

F R E E W H E E L I N rsquoBRIAN RATHJEN

Page 4 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

IndIan summer

For those of us who have chosen the northeast portion of this

beautiful country to call our home and have devoted a major

portion of our lives to riding these invigorating and enticing

two-wheeled machines of joy we are on the cusp of the most

horrific time of the year Those who can escape the dreaded dol-

drums of hibernation or at least find some other equally as

stimulating activity to pass the white and wintery time can

count themselves blessed Perhaps you have a project bike upon

which to lavish your now-free time usually spent on exploring

mystery roads country lanes and empty byways Lucky you

But fear not fellow riders that most despicable of times is

not here yet We can still bask in the warmth of the waning sum-

mer days and remember all the wonderful miles that have

passed under our tires during the previous six months

Personally autumn is my second best time to ride with spring coming in

at the top of the list They would be equal were it not for the soggy fallen

leaves littering the otherwise pristine paths I prefer to travel Gone are the

stifling temperatures and fetid humidity sapping the moisture from my body

replaced by cool if not chilly mornings and pleasant though shorter riding

days Out comes the heated gear (although it always accompanies me) and

extra layers to cure those late afternoon rides when the sun has set

Yoursquoll find a number of great ideas for fall adventures in these pages If

you can get away mid-week you can avoid the annoying weekend leaf peep-

ers with their constant stopping for country stores and antique shops More

likely than not these urban hipsters will stick to the main roads such as Route

7 and 100 so take advantage and explore those alternative tracks

According to Wikipedia Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm

dry weather that sometimes occurs during late-September to mid-November

after a killing frost Irsquod prefer the latter as October is such a wonderful month

to take some long rides With the lack of rainfall wersquove had in August Irsquom

not sure what the color show will be among the changing leaves but I do

know that heading north after Labor Day will offer you better choices and

rates in lodging no waiting for tables at restaurants and no

crowds in the usually summer-packed waterfront villages

Where planning a ride north along the coast would bring a

cringe in July come October itrsquos a breeze Itrsquos also a great time

to head to the mountains be it Catskills Adirondacks White

or Green before the ski and snowboard crowd take over the

lodges While itrsquos always exciting to be in Lake George during

Americade with thousands of other riders enjoying the village

lake and fairly empty roads on a quiet October weekend can

be an entirely different experience as is the case further north

in New Hampshire How about spending the day meandering

along the fingers of Maine and ending it with a delicious lob-

ster dinner on the water after the sun sets

Then therersquos all the great riding to the south where late sum-

mer temperatures are still lingering and the amazing roads of

West Virginia and Virginia are just begging you to run your

rubber over them If you happen to pick a path along the coast remember

that October in northern Virginia is Oyster Festival time One of my favorite

spots to park the bike is Chincoteague VA during Columbus Day weekend

to partake in their Oyster Festival While the riding is not the greatest along

that part of the coast it could serve as a good starting point to head inland

perhaps toward the quaint town of Wytheville VA exploring the waterways

and farmlands as you go Should you choose this path make sure you stop

at Sting-Rays in Cape Charles as seen in this monthrsquos Great All American

Diner Run From Wytheville you can retreat north back through the chang-

ing seasons and along some of the finest asphalt yoursquoll find on the East coast

So donrsquot fret for even as the Winter Witch is pointing her broom in our

direction some of the best riding is still to come Look past that first blast of

chill in the air and embrace the warmth of Indian summer whichever direc-

tion you choose to take

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N rsquoSHIRA KAMIL

Page 6 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

The RighT PlacemenT

There I was staring into my computer (the way

you do) and wasting time without realizing it A

conversation was taking place on the web and there

were a variety of fascinating opinions flashing back

and forth (the way they do) and the conversation was

especially heated as this was a special interest forum

where opinions shoot around like meteors The sub-

ject was product placement in motion pictures which

of course is that practice where a manufacturer of

something pays the film company to have their prod-

uct on screen so people will see it and somehow as-

sociate it with George Clooney (noted actor and

motorcyclist) This is a fascinating subject disturbing

in many ways but interesting in the way what we see

on screen may help determine the products we ulti-

mately select even on a subconscious level

I mention this because I know the successful summer film Mission Impos-

sible the Budget Explodes (or what ever the current issue of the franchise is

called) had action scenes contained within and some of these thrilling bits

of live and computer generated stunts involve late-model motorcycles I have

not seen this cinema but the bike stuff in the trailer I viewed told me a tale

of high excitement and cool stuntery the kind that can make the viewer long

to possess and control such a devilishly awesome machine I have no idea if

any motorcycle product placement was done in this film but the trailer re-

minded me of a previous Mission movie that did have help from Triumph

because I did an article on the company that arranged it at the time As a re-

sult some Triumphs were seen doing some wild stunts and this was definitely

noticed by many members of the audience

Seeing as how popular culture is all-powerful I canrsquot help but think about

how the images on the screen play on the non-riding publicrsquos view of motor-

cycles and the people that ride them regardless of the context of the filmrsquos

story The basic long distance touring rider is not usually tossed in with hired

killers on sport bikes from an image standpoint but Irsquom always curious as to

how people are treated by the people in cars we are forced forced mind you

to share the road with Has anything changed for better or worse recently or

are things basically the way they have always been and the various images

in popular culture have had little or no real

effect And are motorcycles doing incred-

ible things on public roads even if itrsquos only

a movie good or bad for the perception

thing In addition to the dramatic render-

ings therersquos been almost at strangely regu-

lar intervals some news stories putting

motorcyclists in a bad light here in the

Northeast True they often counter this

stuff with the ubiquitous ldquobikers with a

causerdquo pieces that give some time to charity

rides but which kind of story do casual

viewers pay more attention to

In my personal experience this summer I have seen little to no change

lately in terms of how Irsquom regarded when I show up at a dining establishment

dressed for the road I should point out that I usually donrsquot frequent places

these days that are popular two-wheeled hangouts for my cuisine choices

are often off the beaten track and I like to put a motorcycle in a parking lot

where you donrsquot typically see them to help balance out the universe I know

weird right Itrsquos just another in a serious of bizarre quirks Typically these

days I am reacted to in the same way itrsquos always been some people initially

notice my mode of transportation and attire and then go about their business

Am I regarded differently than perhaps a Harley rider sans helmet and cov-

ered with the beloved manufacturerrsquos logo and such Hard to say I honestly

donrsquot think so But motorcyclists of every stripe arenrsquot exactly uncommon

(Continued on page 15)

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

BILL HEALD

Page 8 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

sIghTs

ldquoChew if only you could see what Irsquove seen with your eyesrdquoRoy Batty in Blade Runner

You never know what yoursquoll see when you ride a moto A ride is a film of

vast scope and constant action The plot twists in concert with the road and

with no roof pillars to obstruct onersquos view the world is a stage on which your

ride is acted A motorcycle ride devoid of the panoply of visual experiences

would be mere transportation Allow me to let you see through my eyes for

a moment

At a bicycle race in Pennsylvania on a hot summer day with the clearest

of blue skies three women broke from the field while I watched from the

moto Suddenly two small birds came down and flew in a tight circle around

them for perhaps ten seconds and then they were gone It was extraordinary

I felt as if theyrsquod blessed those women in some way ndash as if those birds laid

garlands around their heads If I hadnrsquot been on a motorcycle at exactly the

right time I wouldnrsquot have seen it and would not have been blessed with the

vision

Within five miles of Backroads Central Betsy and I saw a black bear It

waddled out of a field and came into the middle of the

road to stand and look at us out of mild curiosity Ap-

parently satisfied we were neither threat nor meal the

bear disappeared into the woods again The irony of the

matter is that wersquod just returned from a two-week trip

to New England and hadnrsquot seen a moose or bear but

we saw the latter in New Jersey The bear holds a spe-

cial place in Native American mythology as a direc-

tional guardian and symbol of strength and healing

Black bears certainly seem to be our guardian animal

for theyrsquove figured in our rides on two other occasions

The first was when we saw a bear while on our way

across the Highland Scenic Highway in West Virginia

on a chilly rainy day en route to the BMW rally in

Charleston We arrived in town in rain and darkness

after successfully negotiating a dangerous railroad

crossing that downed a few other riders in the daylight

We saw a bear again the first time we ever rode with

Brian and Shira on winding Route 12 along the Lochsa

River near Orafino Idaho That trip was the genesis of

my writing career with Backroads I doubt those bears

would have figured in our lives at all had we not be-

come motorcyclists

Because of motorcycling Irsquove seen the moon rise

over the fast current of the Salz River in Austria and the

snow fly over the Eaglersquos Nest in the Bavarian Alps

Irsquove looked down on the winding road from atop the

Grossglockner Glacier and up at the Jungfernsprung

Waterfall in the valley below Irsquove seen the sun rise on

the nationrsquos capitol and set on Madison Wisconsin all

in the same day Irsquove seen perfect colorful wooden

fishing vessels plying the blue Atlantic from atop the

heights of the Cabot Trail in northern Nova Scotia

Most importantly fellow riders Irsquove seen you With-

out the people Irsquove encountered along the way the

sights would just be part of an inhumane dystopian re-

ality ndash a motorcycling Cormac McCarthy novel With-

out the conversations with the Micmac Indians at the

overlook that Nova Scotian view would have been less

rewarding Without fellow Backroads rally attendees

Vermontrsquos Mount Ascutney would have been just an-

other vista It took me a while to discover the need for

people I used to try to shoot landscapes unadulterated

by humans and besides being frustrated as hell I came

to realize that I was losing one of the most important

parts of the picture the actors

Were it not for those three

cyclists the presence of the

birds would have been mean-

ingless and without context

Without my fellow riders my

life and my destinations would

be similarly bereft Sure

therersquos a big world out there

full of mystery and wonder and

beauty but if therersquos no one

with whom to share it to whom

we can describe it then it

might as well be a cave paint-

ing no one ever sees I might

have never seen C-beams glit-

ter in the dark near the

Tannhauser Gate like Roy in

Blade Runner but Irsquove seen

amazing things from my moto

And when I talk to you at a

rally dear reader I see things

through your eyes as well

And if only you could see the things Irsquove seen through your eyes

Ride on

O N T H E M A R KMARK ByERS

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 9

Brian and Shira

So far these past 20 years have been a sensational ride Where the hell does

the time go Thank you both so much for the many (many) friends made

places seen and great times had solely because of you two Looking forward

to the next 20

Love you guys - The Bellantones

How much fun was our Backroads 200

Backroads Crew

The Backroads 200 route al-

lowed us to stop at Bethel

Woods on the 46th Anniver-

sary weekend of Woodstock

We then continued on our

route and stopped at the Cafe

Devine in Callicoon where we

met many fellow touring

friends and were entertained

by a duo singing original

songs

Graham Sampson

Hi BrianShira

Thank you for the fantastic route you put together for the Backroads Tri-

State Road Tour today I was the guy on the black Concours with a blue jack

I enjoyed every mile of it including the bumps in a couple of sections

Looking forward to the next event

Ben Otunu

Dear Backroads

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone involved with the planning of

that amazing ride I enjoy riding aimlessly and finding new places to ride but

I would never have found half those roads Whoever did the pre-run has a

gift for finding some beautiful views

Now I need to seriously consider a touring bike because I ran my Ninja

250 like a race bike to keep up but still couldnrsquot have ended the day with a

bigger smile on my face

Best wishes to all on your next ride Stay safe and thanks again

Sincerely

David Mooney

Hi Ya Shira - Hi Ya Brian

Yoursquove heard the old sayingrdquoGreat Day in the Morningrdquo maybe Well

I gotta tell ya the ride today turned out to be a great day in the morning af-

ternoon and evening Left you all had a nice ride back to Roscoe had a bite

at the diner and proceeded on into Rockland Got to the house lacked a few

miles of having 400 Up the road we went back down the road around the

door yard twice and hit an even 402 Yes So-A Great Big Good on You

Guys for getting us involved in such good shenanigans Yoursquoll have to come

up with another reason for a ride like this one and the one a few years ago

I must say people in general need to get their collective heads out of their

collective butts when they besmirch the State of NJ You live in a truly beau-

tiful area reminds us of the central part of Ohio where itrsquos all rolling hills

and farm land with some good twisties in the mix

Again Good on You

From Upstate - Sindee Lou

Hey Backroads

Great route and it loaded perfectly into the Garmin 590 and the Sena was

working to the end 6 hours and 15 minutes with a brief fuel stop PA really

let their roads go to hell You need an MRAP to ride some of those roads It

was good to see the paparazzi coming off the Dingman Bridge Thanks for a

great day

Tom Deming

Page 10 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

Great ride today Including the ride down amp back- 300+ miles Thanks for

doing this for us

Tony Lisanti

What a great day for a great route Had a blast

Jeff Palmer

Great ride today Great Friends Great Weather Thank you

Lisa Mutchler

Shira and Brian

As always - just a great ride and great day Thanks

Rick Mickles

Hey Brian amp Shira

Great to see you guys yesterday Sorry we had to run but we had to get

back We headed over to the Bear Mountain Bridge and then to the Taconic

Parkway home to Long Island No traffic to speak of not even at the Throgs

Neck Bridge We got home about 830pm with 460 miles on the clock Great

day and ride but sorry we didnrsquot get to spend some time together

We wanted to thank you guys for another great day of roads scenery and

friends The route was great and kept us in the shade most of the day We

have missed several events in the last year or so but it was such a pleasure to

take part in this event And of course hanging out with the great group of

people who come to these events is just an added bonus

Thanks again

Mike amp Lisa Hoffman

Hi Backroads

I just wanted to say thanks for one of the best riding days Irsquove had in a

long time Started off with a nice ride to get off Long Island meeting every-

one at Yetters for breakfast then doing the 200 Tri-State miler finally heading

home We went the long way just to keep the day going finished with a total

of 450 miles great day thanks again

Ed MCaughey (retired)

Folks

Itrsquos been a while since we have seen our good friends George and Mary

Berry so I called them and asked if they wanted to go for a ride George al-

ready had a ride in mind he saw in Backroads magazine years ago After con-

tacting the good folks at Backroads trying to come up with the ride George

found it in a box of old issues of Backroads magazines It is called The Lost

Roads of Northern New Jersey I plugged it in to my GPS and went on the

ride today very nice roads Spent some time at Milbrook Village in the shade

as it was really hot Saw a friend there taking shelter from the sun with some

of her riding mates

As we were headed back to the Chatterbox where we started we ended

up behind another motorcyclist at a red light It was Shira Kamil feorm Back-

roads Thanks George and Mary for the nice afternoon and to Backroads for

the ride idea

James Scabet Jr

I saw in this monthrsquos Backroads Magazine

there was a bit on Tesla Science Center at

Wardenclyffe I donrsquot know if the writer is

aware but re-

cently a group

has purchased

the site and is

working to turn

it into a museum

Since the picture

in the magazine

the site has been

cleared land-

scaping installed

and a statue of

Nikola Tesla is

prominently displayed at the entrance

Melanie Theisen

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 11

In the heart of some of the best roads in

the US including the Blue Ridge Parkway

Plan your Fall adventure with us as a pitstop

1003 Electric Rd bull Salem VA 24153855-444-BMW6 (2692)wwwfrontlineeurosportscom

FRONTLINEEUROSPORTS

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

Feldercarb

Dear Editor

From memory not GoogleFeldercarb was used in the original Battlestar

Galactica series as a mild swear word usually used when expressing frus-

tration at a difficult situation PS really enjoyed the 200 the other weekend

Regards

Susan Mason

Backroads

First I want to say Shira glad to hear yoursquore OK Second Feldercarb If

my brain serves me correctly - Battlestar Galactica (Starbuck)

Gina Dedrick

Shira

You will live longer if you uses a little less throttle Horizontal motorcy-

cling is not a good thing

Tom Deming

Well Tom we give her credit for being honest with her readers She logs

more miles than some riding groups She is a rider not a putter Her mistake

was not reading the environment as quickly as she could have and she said

as much hopefully passing on a very painful lesson

Brian

First off so sorry to hear about Shirarsquos spill That stinks I certainly hope

she recovers quickly and fully I know shersquos a lot younger than me and in

much better condition but I know 1st hand the effects of a get off can last a

while Please give her a ldquoget wellrdquo hug

I enjoyed your Free Wheelinrsquo piece on big and small miles I know exactly

what yoursquore talking about Maybe we should measure smileshour vs

milesride (Iron butt heresy I suspect)

Irsquom a little confused because you ended the piece while I was still looking

for more I actually turned the pages all the way to the back thinking ldquohe for-

got to put lsquocontinued on page xxrsquo at the bottom I suppose thatrsquos the sign of

an engaged reader Hope you have a terrific fall Stay safe ~ Larry

Dear Backroads

Thank you so much for sending me a copy of the magazine ldquoRiding out of

Summerrdquo It was a great article You will be receiving an invitation to some

upcoming press events to take the next step in celebrating our progress on

this exciting site Thanks again for visiting the site and for supporting our

project efforts in your September 2015 edition

Michelle Bruner

Mantua Township Economic Development Coordinator

Page 12 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

Got something to say

Wersquod love to hear it

Letters may be edited

never censored to fit

Mail BACKROADS bull PO Box 317 Branchville NJ 07826

Fax (973) 948-0823 bull Email editorbackroadsusacom

718 Main St Boonton NJ9733350255 bull wwwPCPScom

Who do you thinkkeeps Backroadsrsquo

computers running

TRAMONTIN HARLEY-DAVIDSON CELEBRATES 100 YEARSJoin Tramontin Harley-Davidson on Saturday October 10 as they celebrate

a full century of serving the riding community

How many dealerships in this industry have

reached such a milestone

Not many we can tell you

If you have never been to Tramontin Harley-

Davidson you will find them in prime riding country

in western New Jersey just off exit 12 on Interstate-

80 and County Road 521 (our fair road as well)

Please take this as an invitation to come celebrate

100 years of Tramontin at the dealership for a true once in a lifetime event

wwwTramontinhdcom

THE PASSING OF RON AYRES bull 1943-2015Ron Ayres Chairman Emeritus of Ayres

Adventures died of cancer at his Galveston

Texas home August 26 2015 He was 72

Ron worked for many years as a manager

in an information technology firm in Plano

Texas then as a senior manager for the tech-

nology firm EDS He spent much of his

management career on assignments in for-

eign countries including Spain Republic of

South Africa and Brazil Those foreign as-

signments gave Ron and his wife Barbara

the opportunity to explore many different

countries

Ayres took up motorcycling and discov-

ered a passion for long distance rides In 1991 he was introduced to en-

durance competition through a chance encounter with a famed ldquoIron Buttrdquo

guru but his work schedule delayed his participation until 1995 Ronrsquos pas-

sion for endurance riding resulted in several books including Against the

Wind Against the Clock and Going the Extra Mile

Ayresrsquo motorcycling interests gradually evolved from endurance competi-

tions to adventure travel After retiring from technology management he

founded the international motorcycle touring company Ayres Adventures

One of Ronrsquos favorites was the trip south through Patagonia and Tierra del

Fuego to the end of the road at Ushuaia But he was equally enthralled with

other parts of the world including Southern Africa where tours allowed mo-

torcycling travelers to experience African wildlife culture and geography

firsthand

Ayres gradually added organized tours to Asia Eu-

rope North America and Oceana with the assis-

tance of business partners and local tour guides

Additional journeys known as ldquoEpic Adventuresrdquo

were added to the schedule including Prudhoe Bay

to Ushuaia and Antarctica Moscow to Hong Kong

and Capetown to Gibralter

I have covered several of Ayrersquos Adventure tours

as a journalist over the years so I can attest to the

enthusiasm Ron had for bringing fellow motorcy-

clists along on his journeys He was typically grin-

ning from ear to ear during animal encounters or

when sharing the excitement of a spectacular scenic

view or historical monument Ron was so enthused with getting people out

to see the world that in his last years he set up Ayres Adventures so that it

could continue without him

Ron is survived by his wife Barbara Robinson sons Brad Chris and

David sister Carolyn and his mother Marian Anne Ayres Condolences can

be sent to Ayres Adventures 2808 Princeton Place Plano TX 75075

~ David Hough

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 13

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

HARLEY-DAVIDSON AGREES TO SELL MICHELIN TIRESMichelin and Harley-Davidson announced an agreement to sell the Miche-

lin Scorcher a co-branded motorcycle tire through all authorized Michelin

and Harley-Davidson dealers

The Michelin Scorcher 11 the Michelin Scorcher 31 and the Michelin

Scorcher 32 tires original equipment tires on Harley-Davidson Sportster

Dyna V-Rod and Harley-Davidson Street motorcycles are now available

more widely on the replacement market These tire ranges previously were

sold only through Harley-Davidson dealerships

The wider availability of these tires as a replacement option allows Harley-

Davidson owners to benefit from the outstanding grip enhanced tread life

exceptional comfort and precise handling of the Michelin Scorcher tires

Michelin Scorcher tires are currently being shipped to Michelin distributors

and should be available shortly to all authorized Michelin motorcycle tire

dealers

TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES PENALIZED $29 MILLION BY NHTSADue to failing to report safety data to the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA) Triumph Motorcycles Ltd (and Triumph Motor-

cycle USA) were served with a hefty penalty

How hefty How about $29 million civil penalty for failing to submit early

warning reports and other related documents to the NHTSA

ldquoManufacturers must comply with their reporting obligations The law re-

quires it and public safety demands itrdquo said US Transportation Secretary

Anthony Foxx ldquoWhen companies fail to meet those obligations we will hold

them accountablerdquo

Triumph Motorcycles now must pay a $14 million cash penalty and spend

at least $500000 to improve its safety practices An additional $1 million in

penalties could become due if the company violates the consent order or if

additional Safety Act violations emerge

The NHSTA reports that the consent order requires Triumph to hire an in-

dependent consultant to audit the companyrsquos safety practices establish a

compliance officer position with direct access to the companyrsquos board and

senior executives and submit written plans for compliance practices and em-

ployee training for NHTSArsquos approval

ldquoTodayrsquos enforcement action penalizes past violations and it promotes the

proactive safety culture manufacturers must adopt if they are to reduce safety

defects and identify them more quickly than they occurrdquo said NHTSA Ad-

ministrator Mark Rosekind

DUCATI NORTH AMERICA ANNOUNCESINAUGURAL LOS ANGELES DUCATIWEEK

Ducati will be painting Los Angeles red this summer as hundreds of Ducati

owners and fans known as Ducatisti gather for the first Los Angeles Ducati

Week Taking place from September 17-20 in Westlake Village enthusiasts

will come together to show off their bikes and view historic Ducati models

while enjoying entertainment food and fashion In addition attendees will

be able to experience the Ducati line up for themselves with an exclusive test

ride opportunity including rides throughout the legendary Malibu Hills

Designed to combine the best elements of Ducati Island the largest Ducati

fan activation at any MotoGP or World SBK race around the world with the

culmination of the summer-long Ducati Experience Tour and Ducati Demo

Days Los Angeles Ducati Week is poised to become the most highly antic-

ipated Ducati event in Southern California

MAJOR RETAIL FINANCER EXITING POWERSPORTS INDUSTRYPowersports Business has reported that Capital One recently informed its

OEM partners that it will no longer be renewing contracts with them it will

be reducing investments in powersports and eventually exit the business

Capital Onersquos lineup of OEM partners for its factory credit card business

includes Can-Am Indian Kawasaki Polaris Sea-Doo Ski-Doo Star Mo-

torcycles and Yamaha In fact Kawasaki was the first powersports OEM to

offer retail financing to its customers beginning as a Capital One partner in

1988 Yamaha became a Capital One partner in 1994 Polaris in 2005 and

BRP in 2013

Each OEM will experience a different status as a result of the announce-

ment For example Kawasakirsquos agreement with Capital One was recently re-

newed and does not expire in the near term therefore there will be no

interruption in normal business The Capital One termination with Yamaha

will not occur prior to February 2016

Page 14 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

Wheel Sport Center Inc399 HUGUENOT ST bull NEW ROCHELLE Ny

9146367235 bull WheelSportCenternet

JOIN THE STORYhellipRIDE URAL

With a sidecar and trunk yoursquoll have enough room for all your favorite gear(or best friend) during your next ride all year long

WHEEL SPORT CENTER399 Huguenot St bull New Rochelle Ny914-636-7235WheelSportCenternet

PosTCards from The hedge (Continued from page 8)

in these parts and thatrsquos a good thing So why do I engage in speculation

about the whole image thing I have concerns with how the Brave New World

unfolding around us will affect our little minority of brothers and sisters also

known as the American Motorcyclist We are hopelessly outnumbered when

it comes to all the decisions that will soon be made as more and more tech-

nology expands onto our roadways and the vehicles that use them

As a crude example take a hypothetical parking garage thatrsquos always pretty

full and that needs to optimize space to include as many patrons as possible

They are planning to either set aside a few spaces for motorcycle parking or

install a couple of charging stations for electric cars Who will carry more

weight in this decision What special interest group will be louder and more

likely to be represented in the final decision If you have an electric motor-

cycle you might have a greater chance at a place at the table but I think the

point is clear The thing is ever since I started writing about motorcycles in

non-moto publications (ie general interest magazines) Irsquove always been

keenly aware that the best possible thing for motorcycles and the people who

ride them is a non-riding public that looks on us in a positive (or at the least

not negative) light Weird as it may seem there are humans out there whose

only exposure to our world is what they see in mass media In the next couple

of decades itrsquos entirely possible wersquore going to see all kinds of extensive

reengineering in roads traffic control and vehicles themselves There will

be factions that would be perfectly happy with writing the motorcycle out of

the picture entirely for all kinds of reasons We have a formidable task ahead

of us and while the changes are taking place at a pretty remarkable pace

therersquos certainly time to make sure we donrsquot get lost in the shuffle

Motorcycles are great ways to get around and enjoy life in the process and

the more people realize that the better In fact this may be an opportunity to

integrate motorcycles into the new scheme of things and perhaps make them

more desirable for more people than ever before Positive imagery is a critical

part of this as it can do wonders when it comes to changing peoplersquos con-

ventional wisdom (which is all too often painfully conventional and not all

that wise)

The challenge is considerable but this is definitely not Mission Impossible

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 15

free WheelInrsquo (Continued from page 4)

watching us following our path closely and system-

atically putting slow drivers in front of us as we ride

just to piss us off

Multi-million dollar tracking satellites are surely in

orbit high above us keeping watchful eye on where

we are riding and then sending that information to

Langley or Fort Meade

As one fake soccer mom in the Tahoe makes a right

turn into a shopping mall immediately a young girl

(fake too) pulls out in front of us in a Dodge Neon She

rides at a slugrsquos pace holding us back until she drives

by and the beat up old white panel truck (fake and full

of spy crap) moves in front of us and keeps us in check

until the Buick (there is always a Buick) driven by an

OMWAH - old man with a hat - adds to our frustra-

tion

A couple of hours later we have ridden all of 25

miles

Even though we encourage you to read Ienatschrsquos

The Pace donrsquot try to ride with us We are cursed with

a pace of another kind

NOW ACCEPTED FORSUBSCRIPTIONS

NEW bull GIFT bull RENEWALSAFE bull SECURE bull CONVENIENT

WWWBACKROADSUSACOMSUBSCRIPTIONHTML

sunday In The Parks

words and images Brian Rathjen

After a few frosty mornings a day tip-

ping into the low 70s would feel good

even if the morning started out at a chilly

36 degrees

A pleasant mid-October riding day es-

pecially on a Sunday always feels right

and with an afternoon free of home and

family obligations we decided to fill the af-

ternoon along the roads of New Jersey and

New York

It being Sunday what better way to

spend it than in the park

Or parks in this case

We had no real plan to this meander and

Shira was happy simply to follow my lead

A quick stop in Branchville to top off the

wallet and we began to wander around the

region we call home

A few years back Backroads did a story

on Three Peaks We thought that would be

a great idea so I plotted a quick route to-

wards Stokes State Forest and up along the

Kittatinny Ridge to Sunrise Mountain The

vista as you ride higher up the sloping road

that runs along the western ridge is amaz-

ing

Being Sunday there was a full lot on the

top but we were able to squeeze the mo-

torcycles in easy enough

The mountaintop provides a breathtaking

view at an elevation of 1653 feet above sea

level - the second highest in New Jersey

The thin soil and harsh climate charac-

teristic of Sunrise Mountain is a difficult

environment in which few plants can sur-

vive Mountain laurel wild blueberry pitch

pine and scrub oak are among the natural

vegetation found throughout the area The

view up here encompasses the pastoral

farmland of New Jersey to the east and un-

developed forests and mountain ridges to

the west It is here where towns that are

sprinkled through the state give way to a

more natural New Jersey

The Appalachian Trail works its way

through here as well and the path along

this peak is a bit rocky and slightly difficult

footing-wise

There is pavilion along this trail built in

the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation

Corps and we took the short hike to it Here

we found a dozen or so others that were en-

joying the day and a number who had come

to the summit to do some birding and rap-

tor watching

The clear blue sky added to the dazzling

display of colors that you find in the north-

east each October

We spent some time atop the peak lis-

tening to the birders group leader talk about

Page 16 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

Hanover Powersports Presents

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

the eagle population and how decimating even the smallest

amount of lead can be to these majestic birds

We soon returned down the trail to the machines and fol-

lowed the winding road down and then east towards

County Road 650 and then onto Sawmill Road which leads

into High Point State Park from the far side

This is really the wild side of the Garden State

The combination of upland woods open fields wetlands

bogs vernal pools and lakes provides habitats for a variety

of creatures and it is said that this is the home of the mys-

terious Big Red Eye of Jersey legend

We popped out on Route 23 where we headed south to-

ward the main entrance to the park and the one-way scenic

road to the top and the monument

The original High Point State Park land was donated by

Colonel Anthony R and Susie Dryden Kuser and was ded-

icated as a park in 1923 High Point State Park is home of

the High Point Monument standing at 1803 feet above sea

level making it the highest point in the Garden State (thus

the name - duh) and was built through the generosity of the

Kusers in honor of all New Jersey wartime heroes Today

with more than 16000 acres High Point offers superb

respite from the busy world buthellip not the Sunday of

Columbus Day Weekend Busy is not a strong enough ad-

jective

We rode up to the War Monument ndash called simply

Obelisk by many - did an immediate loop around the park-

ing lot and rode back down to Route 23 where we contin-

ued south and bore left onto County Road 519

This brought us into New York state under I-84 and

along the hilly mountains where the small Kittatinny range

morphs into the Shawangunk Mountains that run north

A quick vector left and up Shale Road into Guymard

Turnpike This road which quickly heads across the moun-

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 17

tain is a fairly tight piece of asphalt that has seen

better days The turns are sweet but require attention

and remembering it is a two-way road whilst running

along it is always a good idea

We read on one riding website that if you panic

easily you might want to pass on this We agree but

if you are competent and donrsquot startle easily then

have at it

Guymard brought us down over the rail lines that

head north and the Neversink River that heads south

and to Route 209

Here we once again made a left and then right

onto Peenpack Trail at Huguenot Settled by Protes-

tant French immigrants seeking religious freedom

the town took the peoplesrsquo name and remains so to this day

Peenpack Trail is a pleasant road that ends at a T on Route 42 which we

once again made a left on (I felt like Jeff Gordon)

A few miles later we were at

another T ndash this one for Route

97

Going right would bring us

along the Hawks Nest and the

Scenic Delaware region but

we made a left and then an-

other up to Elks-Brox Memo-

rial Park

The road to the top of this

peak was the most technical of

the day Roughly paved and

with some very tight sections it

was well worth it as the mag-

nificent view of the Neversink

Valley the Delaware River and

the town of Port Jervis below ndash

especially in the autumn colors

ndash looked almost radiant this

Sunday afternoon

Parking was at a premium here too this

holiday weekend but as always we made

do All these high and colorful vistas made

for a perfect Sunday in the Parks

By this time it was getting later in the day

and we wound our way back down the

mountain and through the burg of PJ past

the cemetery with the Tri-State Marker and

then down the road that eventually becomes

County Road 521 over the Jersey State line

Our ride from there to home was short and

enjoyable and it was not too much later that

the two machines were ticking softly in the barn cooling off from a good af-

ternoonrsquos ride and we were in jeans and sweaters with cups of coffee in hand

sitting on the patio covered with fallen leaves

Sundays in the parks ndash we should do the like every day

Page 18 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

The Inn aT WoodsToCk hIll92 PLAINE HILL ROAD WOODSTOCK CT 06281

860-928-0528 bull WWWWOODSTOCKHILLCOM

It has come to be called the Quiet Corner of

Connecticut this part of the Nutmeg State in its

very northeast corner Some call it the ldquoLast

Green Valleyrdquo

With over 1000 square miles sprinkled

through its backroads walking trails and nature

preserves it has been Congressionally designated

as National Heritage Corridor With such natural

charm elegance and beauty it is almost hard to

believe it is situated between two of the most fre-

netic cities in the nation ndash New York and Boston

Today you will find miles of open areas with

dozens of tiny roads and cut throughs that have

been here since the Europeans first settled

They have perfected the art of the sturdy

stonewall here and some say master wordsmith

Bill Heald hails from these parts But he is just

a legend

Small restaurants and tiny squares that always seem to be more triangles

will be found and many visitors ride up there just to explore the many antique

shops

There are a number of fine inns to be found in this region and this month

wersquod like to highlight one at which we overnighted on a recent tour through

the region on our way north to Maine

The Inn at Woodstock Hill

This stately clapboard house built in 1816 was originally constructed by

John Truesdell for William Bowen

Bowen was a descendant of Henry Bowen one of the thirteen

ldquoGoersrdquo who settled Woodstock in 1686

The town of Woodstock has its celebrities of American history

as well - born here were Henry C Bowen founder of the INDE-

PENDENT a pre-civil war anti-slavery newspaper and Jeddah

Morse the ldquofather of American geographyrdquo who was the father

of Samuel Morse of Morse Code fame

As famous as the two would become it was Jeddah Morse that

first seriously began mapping our nation Morse was also known

for the New England Illuminati Conspiracy ndash but that is a story

for OrsquoLife

We were just having a great night on the hill

Back to the Innhellip

For the most part the home that has been continually expanded

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 19

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WErsquoRE OUTTA HERE a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

has stayed in the Bowen family until it was bequeathed

to the University of Connecticut in 1981 as a memorial

to Richardsonrsquos son Lt Peter Bowen Richardson

USAF who was killed in the Korean War The farm

was returned to the family in 1985 and the buildings

and adjacent land were subsequently sold to a consor-

tium of investors who converted the main house and

barn to use as an inn and restaurant known as ldquoThe Inn at Woodstock Hillrdquo

Most of the farmland remains in the Bowen family as it has for three cen-

turies Plaine Hill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Today it sits atop the hill with a warm and inviting look almost beckoning

travelers to stop in and overnight which we did

The Inn at Woodstock Hill Bed and Breakfast lodging

offers 21 comfortable guest rooms each individually

decorated having a variety of amenities including pri-

vate bath television telephone radio and wireless In-

ternet access and air conditioning Six rooms are

furnished with four-poster beds and eight rooms have

working gas fireplaces

We brought our gear up to our room parked the motorcycles in their large

adjacent parking lot and went to explore the Inn at Woodstock Hill

There were a couple of comfortable sitting rooms well stocked with books

and reading materials with something that will appeal to just about every-

body

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook bull SportHondanet

powersportshondacom 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 OWNERrsquoS MANUALTHOROUGHLy For rider training information or to locate a rider trainingcourse near you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227 CBreg and CBRreg are registered trademarks of Honda Motor CoLtd copy2014 American Honda Motor Co Inc (915)

2015 CBreg 300FSTREETBIKE STYLE WITH PLENTY OF ATTITUDE

2015 CBRreg 500RMIDDLEWEIGHT

NEVER MIDDLE OF THE PACKWhether yoursquore new to riding

or have miles under your tiresprefer naked or faired

Honda has the ride for you

SAVE THE DATENOVEMBER 28

FALL OPEN HOUSE

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook bull CrossCountryPowersportscom

Visit our showroom to see the full line of

Kawasaki motorcycles and accessories

START BEAR MOUNTAIN BRIDGE EAST

LEFT AT RTE 9DRIGHT AT RTE 301

LEFT AT RTE 52RIGHT AT RTE 311LEFT AT RTE 22

RIGHT AT RTE 55LEFT AT US 7RIGHT AT RTE 4

STRAIGHT AT US 202LEFT SR 179 CHERRY BROOK RDBEAR RIGHT AT CASE RD

RIGHT AT BARKAMSTEAD RDSTRAIGHT AT RTE 20LEFT AT SR187

RIGHT AT SR 526LEFT AT RTE 159RIGHT AT RTE 190

RIGHT AT ROCKWELL RDLEFT RTE 320 WESTFORD RDSTRAIGHT AT PERIN RD

RIGHT AT ROCKY HILL RDRIGHT AT RTE 171LEFT AT PLAINE HILL RD TO INN ON LEFT

Rip amp Ridereg bull THE INN AT WOODSTOCK HILL

92 PLAINE HILL ROAD WOODSTOCK CT 06281 bull 860-928-0528 bull WWWWOODSTOCKHILLCOM bull GPS wwwsendspacecomprodlrndh6h (160 miles)

Page 20 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

The large patio looked inviting enough but that just led us

out onto the grounds where we found birdhouses the largest

garden of dahlias we have ever seen and some serious beehives

so watch where you stroll

You will find the innrsquos dahlias throughout the house and it

makes them seem even more beautiful knowing they were

grown on the property

Back on the patio we found some comfortable and well-positioned table and chairs and took in that nightrsquos spectacular sunset as the day said goodbye to

Connecticutrsquos quiet corner

It was time for dinner but there was no need to get back on the bikes for in addition to the wonderful

old home comfortable rooms and spacious grounds this unique bed and breakfast inn is home to one of

the top fine dining restaurants in the area

Chef Laurel Bellavance was born and raised here in Northeastern Connecticut and has worked at The

Inn at Woodstock Hill for fifteen wonderful years Her dishes were simply exquisite and a bit different

The nightrsquos sleep was comfortable and resting as we had a long day ahead of us Breakfast was a very

nice continental affair taken al fresco in the warm summer sun and we got to have it with a nice couple

who once lived not too far from us in New Jersey ndash even knowing some of the same people Small world

The Inn at Woodstock Hill is a special place and is really excellent for those important occasions or

when you want to get away with someone special

Rates for our rooms vary seasonally and range from $16000 to $26000 per night

When things seem to be getting loud in your life plan an escape to the quiet corner and the Inn at

Woodstock Hill ndash lsquocause yoursquore outta here

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington AvenueBelleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

wwwMotorcycleMallcom

655 Washington AvenueBelleville NJ 07109

973-751-4545

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

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 21

muumlTTer museum19 S 22ND STREET PHILADELPHIA PA 19103

215-560-8564 bull MUTTERMUSEUMORG

This month I would like to take you to what I be-

lieve is ground zero for the odd unusual and some-

time disturbing facts that ultimately rule our lives

Locate in a stately brick and stone building in the

center of the City of Brotherly Love you will find

the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the

famed Muumltter Museum

The story of this museum begins in 1856 when

Professor of Surgery Thomas Dent Muumltter donated

his collection of some 1300 unique pathological

and anatomical artifacts and displays to the College

of Physicians

Muumltter began this collection to further his and his

studentrsquos knowledge of the ailments conditions and

circumstances that those in the medical profession

run into and what and why things happen to human

beings

These day the Muumltter Museum (pronounced moo-

ter ndash like a cow calling) holds over 25000 items and

is one of the most fascinating museums in America

Some you might expect and some that will leave

you speechless

I traveled down to the College of Physicians re-

cently and spent a few hours wandering around the

two stories and many rooms taking the Muumltter in

There is a lot to take in

In addition to the permanent displays which I

will get to in a minute there was also some extraor-

dinary special exhibits this day

The museum was celebrating

the 500th birthday of Andreas

Vesalius who is considered the

ldquoFather of Modern Anatomyrdquo

His dissecting and cataloging

of humans was groundbreaking

and his book De humani corporis

fabrica (On the fabric of the

human body) changed the way

the medical profession and we

looked at the human body

The exhibit centered on the

man and his works with images

from Fabrica a recreation of his

dissecting table along with ac-

tual skeletons and a dissected

body

Behind the Vesalius exhibit

things become far more grim

Called Broken Bodies amp Suf-

fering Spirits ndash Injury Death amp

Healing in the Civil War - it

brought you to the hard truth of

the War between the States Here

at the Muumltter Museum you will

learn just how horrific this and

Page 22 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

Northwest NJrsquosfavorite barbecue

Texas Smoke Barbecue400 Route 15 South bull Jefferson NJ

862-209-4078 bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom

texas smoke BBQIndoor and outdoor dining

Smokinrsquo Sandwiches amp PlattersLip Smackinrsquo Ribs amp ChickenSavory Sides amp Sweet TreatsBiker and Barbecue EnthusiastsEnjoy our Chalkboard Specials

Saturday Oct 10 bull West Milford Autumn Lights FestivalUnion Valley Road bull West Milford NJ

Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles PresentsDr Seymour OrsquoLifersquos MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

war in general can be The brutal painful and

dirty facts are clearly presented

Surgeon tools photographs and observa-

tions from people like poet Walt Whitman S

Weir Mitchell and Cornelia Hancock ndash who

nursed the wounded at Gettysburg are promi-

nently featured The more time I spent in this

exhibit the sadder I became

Whitman said it best ldquoFuture years will

never know the seething hell and black infer-

nal background of the Secession war and it

is best they should not ndash the real war will

never get in the booksrdquo

Depending upon your outlook the rest of

the Muumltter Museum can be both fascinating

and disturbing at the same time

They had a display on the Brothers Grimm

and their fairy tales ndash of which they wrote more than 200 Many of the tales

had scientific and medical fact behind them and the Muumltter Museum does an

excellent job bringing these stories to life

Moving along the permanent collection things got ndash well they got strange

First there was the Soap Woman

She was found in Philadelphia in 1875 and her body had turned to a fatty

substance called adipocere It is believed that this condition may form in al-

kaline warm airless environments such as the one in which the Soap Lady

was buried but who she was what she died from and how this all happened

to this young woman remains a medical and historical mystery

Here at the museum you will also find a piece of one of the most famous

humans that have ever lived - the brain of Albert Einstein

The Muumltter Museum is one of only two places on the planet where you

can see the geniusrsquo brain and the story of how it finally ended up here is re-

markable by itself

After Einsteinrsquos death in New Jersey pathologist Thomas Harvey MD

autopsied the body and removed Einsteinrsquos brain without the familyrsquos per-

mission For decades Harvey kept the brain of one of the worldrsquos greatest

minds in a glass jar sometimes in a cider box under a beer cooler Harvey

dissected the brain into 240 blocks and made 1000 microscopic slides of the

brain tissue

Thankfully Einstein has made his way to the College of Physicians and

you can see some of him for yourself

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 23

One collection I found incredibly captivating was of the Hyrtl Skulls The

museum has on display 139 skulls from Viennese anatomist Joseph Hyrtl

The object of the original collection was to attempt to counter the claims of

phrenologists who held that cranial features were evidence of intelligence

and personality and that racial differences caused anatomical differences

I ended up studying each one and found them and the small facts about

each of them to be mesmerizing Two of them seemed to be other-worldly

but I have been warned not to go there

There was a display comparing giant dwarf and average skeletons as well

as the bones of Harry Eastlack who suffered from Fibrodysplasia Ossificans

Progressiva a disorder in which muscle tis-

sue and connective tissue such as tendons

and ligaments are gradually replaced by

bone Eastlack who died at 40 years old donated his skeleton in the hopes

that doctors scientists and researchers could help those with the same afflic-

tion At the time of his death his body had completely ossified even his jaw

locked up leaving him able to move only his lips

I said the museum was fascinating I didnrsquot say it was a happy place

There were some other ldquowowrdquo sights such as a giant colon the death cast

of ldquoSiamese Twinsrdquo Chang and Eng Bunker There were a large number of

other oddities deformities and mysterious artifacts and

remains and they all were curious but some need not

be mentioned or shown here in the pages of Backroads

You go and find them yourself

In the gift shop (yes there is always a gift shop) I

found a book 1000 Ways to Die I wasnrsquot shocked at

this but the conjoined ginger cookie cutter did raise an

eyebrow

The Muumltter Museum is truly part of Mysterious

America but I warn you it is not for the weak of heart

the squeamish or the delicate

But if you look to know and see the truth of the

human condition and what we are really made up of

then a visit to the College of Physicians and the Muumltter

Museum is a must for you

I would normally give you a great ride down into

Philly but like most cities it is a heavily urban area and

your best to ride in pay for secure parking (plenty there)

and enjoy your time at the museum

OrsquoLife out

Cycle Insurance agency Increcreational Vehicle specialists

agents who ride and understandyour motorcycle Insurance needs

ask about our Tour Cycle Program ndash the ultimate in Coverage

Passenger Coverage bull accessories Coveragemedical Payments Coverage

448 lincoln ave bull hawthorne nJ 07506 bull 973-427-2246wwwCycleInsuranceagencycom

serving new Jersey new york and Pennsylvania bull aTV bull Jet ski bull snowmobile

memBermemBer

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles ATVs scooterssnowmobiles and utility vehicles by Kawasaki Suzuki Polarisyamaha and Can-Am With a large parts department qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessorieswere 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 bull WWWCYCLEMOTIONINCCOM

Page 24 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

sTIng-rayrsquos resTauranT26507 LANKFORD HIGH WAY

CAPE CHARLES VA 23310-5603

757-331-1541 bull WWWCAPE-CENTERCOM

When traversing this great country or any

great country for that matter one good rule to

keep to is ldquoFollow the Localsrdquo when it comes

to delicious cuisine

Sure you can always hit one of the chains

that litter this nation but it is the place with the

local cars truckers and police that will surely

tickle your taste buds and give you a memo-

rable meal

Still some of these places can be deceiving

at first

When we first heard of this monthrsquos stop on

the Great All American Diner Run - Sting-

Rayrsquos - we almost rode right past it as it is one

of the most iffy things on the planet when it

comes to dining hellip a fuel station restaurant

We have said it beforehellip the fuel station

restaurant is either hit or miss Either truly ex-

cellent or absolutely terrible There is rarely an

in between

Sting-Rayrsquos is a cut above just about any-

thing we have had gas stop or otherwise

This place has been around for decades and

has the prime location of being on the Lankford

Highway also known as US 13 just a few

miles north of the famed Chesapeake Bay

Bridge amp Tunnel ndash one of the top engi-

neering marvels of the world

The food is a marvel too

Sting-Rayrsquos serves a delicious selection

of fresh seafood world class crab cakes

Certified Angus Beef steaks in-house

smoked ribs and hand pulled pork barbe-

cue with an assortment of desserts featur-

ing their Sweet Potato Pie Their food

selections are freshly homemade and pre-

pared to order

For breakfast they are famous for their

sweet potato biscuit with country ham

This is Sting-Rayrsquos signature breakfast

choice Locally grown sweet potatoes are

combined with their secret recipe to pro-

duce a slightly sweet biscuit Topped with

salty shaved country ham amp served warm

it is the perfect marriage of flavors This

item is available all day

Another favorite is the chipped beef

over toast a generous portion of chipped

beef in homemade creamy gravy Served

over 3 slices of toast your choice of

wheat white or rye bread

If you get to Sting-Rayrsquos around lunch

be prepared for some serious chow How

can you pass through this region and not

eat something crabby

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 25

Rollinrsquo Fast Cycle Sports Presents

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN tasty places to take your bike

Their Crab Cake Sandwich Special is Sting-Rayrsquos most popular sandwich

Prepared fresh daily using fresh lump crabmeat blended with their secret

spices and seasonings deep fried to a golden brown and served on a bun with

your choice of either cocktail or tartar sauce accompanied by crispy French

fries

The pork barbeque sandwich is another true southern delight Whole pork

butts are seasoned and smoked 24 hours on premises then hand pulled and

seasoned with Sting-Rayrsquos signature barbeque sauce and served with

coleslaw and French fries In the soup column we found the clam chowder

and chili looked good as did the Navy bean soup

We grabbed a seat here one evening

for dinner I started with the cream of

crab soup A house specialty created with

lump crabmeat in a delicate cream sauce

with a hint of sherry and Old Bay sea-

soning I waited a bit for freshly fried

chicken which was worth the wait as

were sides of green beans and mac amp

cheese

Shira took the fish of the day broiled

Drum Fish - that was swimming just

hours before

The rider next to me was splitting a

rack of pork ribs with his girlfriend

This looked to be a finger licking good

entree Coated with Sting-Rayrsquos signa-

ture barbeque dry rub and slow smoked

until tender then slathered with Sting-

Rayrsquos rib sauce

When it was all done we both dug into a slice of

southern pecan pie a dense confection made with local

pecans and topped with whipped cream The sweet po-

tato pie is legendary too Sting-Rayrsquos has been serving

up this southern favorite for more than 40 years It be-

gins with the finest local sweet potatoes they then add

magic and bake it until golden brown Topped with

warm Damson plum sauce it is an excellent way to fin-

ish off the meal and your diet

Yep fuel station restaurants - love emrsquo or leave emrsquo

Sting-Rayrsquos you will be leavinghellip one very full and

happy rider

US 13 is a boring crowded mess during the season

so let us help you down the road from Chesapeake City

Maryland to Sting-Rayrsquos ndash backroads style This makes

for an excellent Autumn jaunt to lengthen the riding sea-

son once the madness of the Summer crowds have dis-

appeared Have a slice of pie for us

Page 26 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 27

START CHESAPEAKE CITY

RTE 213 SOUTH

RTE 50 SOUTH

RIGHT AT CR 662RIGHT AT RTE 50 SOUTH

CROSS CHOPTANK RIVER

RIGHT AT BUCKTOWN RDLEFT AT BEST PITCH FERRY RDCROSS TRANSQUAKING RIVER

STRAIGHT AT GRIFFITH NECK RDRIGHT AT HENRYS CROSSROAD RDLEFT AT ELLIOTS ISLAND RDLEFT AT CR 331RIGHT AT US 50RIGHT AT RIGGIN RD

RIGHT AT PORTER MILL RDLEFT AT ATHOL RDRIGHT AT OLD ATHOL RDQUANTICO ndash CUTE LITTLE TOWN WITH GREAT SIDEWALKS

BEAR RIGHT CR 347RIGHTLEFT TO NEBO RDRIGHT AT CR 352STRAIGHT AT WHITEHAVEN RDCROSS ON FERRY - WICOMICO RIVER

BEAR LEFT AT FITZBOUND RD CR 362

RIGHT ON US 13BEAR RIGHT AT CR 413BEAR LEFT AT OLD WESTOVER MARION RDLEFT AT CHARLES BARNES RDLEFT AT CR 667

RIGHT AT US 13 SOUTH

RIGHT AT CR 705RIGHT AT TUNNELS MILL RDLEFT AT NEAL PARKER RDRIGHT AT MEARS STATION RD

RIGHT AT CR 187LEFT AT WINTERVILLE RDRIGHT AT ANN COVE RDLEFT AT ST THOMAS RDRIGHT AT BIG RD

LEFT AT LEE MONT RDRIGHT AT BAYSIDE RDRIGHT AT TOWN RDLEFT AT HERR RD

RIGHT AT CASHVILLE RDLEFT AT SAVAGEVILLE RDSTRAIGHT AT BOB TOWN RD CR 178RIGHT AT US 13 SOUTH TO STING RAYrsquoS ON RIGHT

EXXON STATION bull SOUTH OF PORT CHARLES

Rip amp Ridereg bull STING-RAYrsquoS RESTAURANT26507 LANKFORD HIGH WAY CAPE CHARLES VA 23310-5603 bull 757-331-1541 bull WWWCAPE-CENTERCOM

Page 30 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

NEW ENGLAND LOOPYou canrsquot get there from herehellip

words Brian Rathjen

images Brian Rathjen and Shira Kamil

his story has a number of small beginnings most do

The first being a visit to the Travel Show at the Javits Center this past winter Although we know there are hundredsof inns along the backroads of New England we were enticed once again by the Maine coast and the regionaround Freeport There are a number of inns and motels in and around these parts but we were looking for some-thing less pretentious and with a bit of home-time feel to it and our search would lead us to the Candlebay Inn

The second part of this menu was an over the table talk with our friend Bob Rand with whom we traveled throughEcuador also this past winter

Bob who hails from these parts said we should get together back in Estados Unidos when we get a chance andwe promised to do just that sometime in the coming summer

The last bit of the puzzle came together when we looked to set up some lsquoride timersquo with our friends the Fordsalso New Englanders

This mix all congealed in mid August the day after the now famous Backroads 200 when Shira and I packed upthe BMWs and headed north and east across the Shawangunks and Hudson and into the Nutmeg State of Con-necticut for our first night on the road

BACKROADS CENTRAL TO WOODSTOCK CONNECTICUT

Shira had ad-libbed pieces of her route to the little town of Woodstock and

the splendid Inn at Woodstock Hill using part Garmin BaseCamp and part

of our Spring Break routes from earlier in the year

The combination became a

mix of crafty backroads and

the occasional boring Ameri-

canized state roads Strip

malls and Wendyrsquos mixed

with forest and farmland To-

bacco is huge here I tell ya

There are also some of the

most interesting signs to be

seen here in Connecticut ndash

such as the wild life petting

zoo that was advertising its

lsquoGame Dinnerrsquo that next Friday and

the small cobbler whose sign said

lsquoDrive-In Shoe Repairrsquo How does

that work Probably as well as

Sheeraz Gas (amp oriental rugs)

We took lunch at a small general

store I know near Cornwall and fin-

ished it with a Whoopie pie a little

New England Amish treat

I am sure you have devoured a few

yourselves Little did I know where

this was heading later this trip

With just four miles to go on this

dayrsquos ride we passed an interesting

gravel road down and to our right I

commented to Shira that she missed

it in her routing as ndash for once ndash she

had not gravelized her route I was

proud that she could be so restrained

The next turn we got hellipa mile or two of

gravel You can lead a camel to water but

you canrsquot force it off the sand

The Inn at Woodstock Hill was as charm-

ing as they come Wonderful spread dahlia

path a number of bee hives comfortable

rooms and an on-property restaurant made it

a great overnight stop as we motored toward

Bean Town Dinner was four-star and the

company of other travelers was pleasant as

well

The Inn at Woodstock Hill is a great

choice when overnighting in the Quiet Cor-

ner of Connecticut

WOODSTOCK CONNECTICUT TO BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS

Irsquom shipping up to Boston whoahellip Dropkick Murphys

Yes Backroads was going to Boston And even betterhellip a Sox game at

Fenway Park

Working some mapping mojo I plotted the 80 miles or so into the Back

Bay section of Boston and to the Oasis Guesthouse on Edgerly Place just a

few minutes walk from Fenway Park The plan was to avoid Bostonian grid-

lock and at that we were suc-

cessful

We arrived at noon stashed

the bikes in the rear alleyway

and our gear at the inn and

went off on two separate mis-

sions one being an afternoon

tour of Fenway Park but the

first being easily as interesting

ndash the Mapparium at the Mary

Baker Eddy Library

Here where the Christian

Science Monitor is published

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 31

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN

399 for 36 months

ndash OR ndash

699 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 criteriaFixed APR of 399 or 699 will apply depending on terms and credit An example of monthly payments required on a 36-month term at 399 APRis $2952 per $1000 financed An example of monthly payments required on a 72-month term at 699 APR is $1704 per $1000 financed See par-ticipating retailers for complete offer details and conditions Offer ends December 31st 2015

Slingshotreg 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 Dontdrink and drive copy2014 Polaris Industries Inc

EXHILIRATIONHAS ARRIVED

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains NJ

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

Introducing the most performance power versatilityand value ever packed into one motorcycle From com-muting and exploring backroads to touring the openroad and enjoying long sport tour adventures the all-new FJ-09 does it all in comfort and style withYamaharsquos unmistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

BACKROADS CENTRAL TO WOODSTOCK CONNECTICUT

Shira had ad-libbed pieces of her route to the little town of Woodstock and

the splendid Inn at Woodstock Hill using part Garmin BaseCamp and part

of our Spring Break routes from earlier in the year

The combination became a

mix of crafty backroads and

the occasional boring Ameri-

canized state roads Strip

malls and Wendyrsquos mixed

with forest and farmland To-

bacco is huge here I tell ya

There are also some of the

most interesting signs to be

seen here in Connecticut ndash

such as the wild life petting

zoo that was advertising its

lsquoGame Dinnerrsquo that next Friday and

the small cobbler whose sign said

lsquoDrive-In Shoe Repairrsquo How does

that work Probably as well as

Sheeraz Gas (amp oriental rugs)

We took lunch at a small general

store I know near Cornwall and fin-

ished it with a Whoopie pie a little

New England Amish treat

I am sure you have devoured a few

yourselves Little did I know where

this was heading later this trip

With just four miles to go on this

dayrsquos ride we passed an interesting

gravel road down and to our right I

commented to Shira that she missed

it in her routing as ndash for once ndash she

had not gravelized her route I was

proud that she could be so restrained

The next turn we got hellipa mile or two of

gravel You can lead a camel to water but

you canrsquot force it off the sand

The Inn at Woodstock Hill was as charm-

ing as they come Wonderful spread dahlia

path a number of bee hives comfortable

rooms and an on-property restaurant made it

a great overnight stop as we motored toward

Bean Town Dinner was four-star and the

company of other travelers was pleasant as

well

The Inn at Woodstock Hill is a great

choice when overnighting in the Quiet Cor-

ner of Connecticut

WOODSTOCK CONNECTICUT TO BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS

Irsquom shipping up to Boston whoahellip Dropkick Murphys

Yes Backroads was going to Boston And even betterhellip a Sox game at

Fenway Park

Working some mapping mojo I plotted the 80 miles or so into the Back

Bay section of Boston and to the Oasis Guesthouse on Edgerly Place just a

few minutes walk from Fenway Park The plan was to avoid Bostonian grid-

lock and at that we were suc-

cessful

We arrived at noon stashed

the bikes in the rear alleyway

and our gear at the inn and

went off on two separate mis-

sions one being an afternoon

tour of Fenway Park but the

first being easily as interesting

ndash the Mapparium at the Mary

Baker Eddy Library

Here where the Christian

Science Monitor is published

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 31

Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ (732) 491-2900

wwwCrossCountryPowersportscom

GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN

399 for 36 months

ndash OR ndash

699 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 criteriaFixed APR of 399 or 699 will apply depending on terms and credit An example of monthly payments required on a 36-month term at 399 APRis $2952 per $1000 financed An example of monthly payments required on a 72-month term at 699 APR is $1704 per $1000 financed See par-ticipating retailers for complete offer details and conditions Offer ends December 31st 2015

Slingshotreg 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 Dontdrink and drive copy2014 Polaris Industries Inc

EXHILIRATIONHAS ARRIVED

444 State Route 23 Pompton Plains NJ

973-839-1117 bull wwwpomptonsportcentercom

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE SPORT TOURER

Introducing the most performance power versatilityand value ever packed into one motorcycle From com-muting and exploring backroads to touring the openroad and enjoying long sport tour adventures the all-new FJ-09 does it all in comfort and style withYamaharsquos unmistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

you will find one of the

most fascinating and in-

credibly wonderful things

on the planet

In fact it is the planet as

the Mapparium is a three-

story globe that you can

actually walk through

which we did taking in

the light and narrative pro-

gram explaining what the

globe and the library were

exactly about

The Mapparium built in

1935 is frozen in time

geopolitically and is stun-

ning to experience

I have dragged Shira to

a lot of places but she said

without a doubt the Map-

parium is one of the most

interesting insightful and

profound or as she said ldquothis place is very freakinrsquo coolrdquo

We found lunch on the stroll over to Fenway Park and then did the hour

tour of the oldest Major League ballpark in the United States that first

opened its door in 1912 (For the record the newest is the Miami Marlins

Park opened 100 years later and who really cares for that gaudy park)

Regardless of how you feel about the Red Sox Fenway is true Americana

and the tour was well worth the time and was one more notch on our quest

to visit each and every MLB ballpark in North America

Being on my best behavior I didnrsquot talk about 1986 or Billy Buckner the

entire time I was there Boston would be visiting Citi Field the following

week and I didnrsquot want any Bambino Curse coming my Mets way especially

at the time of this writing

Sitting atop the Green Monster

the Fisk Pole and seeing the Ted

Williamrsquos seat where his long ball

landed were great highlights and

not to be missed

Old baseball stadiums like Fen-

way and Wrigley in Chicago are

precious bits of times gone by and

it is a shame both New York team

owners gave up on their own his-

tory with new parkshellip especially in

the Bronx

Page 32 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

SUSSEX MOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 bull Sussex NJ bull Located across from the AampP Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 bull wwwsussexmotorsportsnjcom

bull Wide selection of onoff road apparel jackets helmets gloves and bootsbull Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experience

We checked back in at the Oasis to get our room that was now ready and

made plans for a Boston dinner and a ballgame - The Red Sox against the

Cleveland Indians Whatrsquos this DH thing

The Red Sox clobbered the Indians this night - root root root ndash and leave

it to Shira to find a tasty ice cream parlor on the walk back to the inn

BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS TO FREEPORT MAINE

Heading up to Maine we wanted to stay as close to the coast as we could

which can be problematic during the crowded summer months but this was

a Wednesday and our

ride north brought us

out of Boston

through some neat lit-

tle towns some with

homes and a tax

bracket for which

very few qualify

Hell I was sur-

prised we were al-

lowed to ride by these

places at all and that

the servants were not

sent out with torch

and pitchfork

We passed through

the infamous town of

Salem which today is

quite nice although it

does seem to grasp

tightly to the witch

trials of the past

The only witch we

ran into was a bronze

statue of everybodyrsquos

favorite sorceress ndash

Samantha Stevens as

portrayed by the actress Elizabeth Mont-

gomery Shira did her best nose twinkle

I am not really sure when we crossed into

New Hampshire but crossing the bridge over

the Piscataqua River and into Maine at Kittery

was right at lunch time and we stopped at War-

renrsquos Lobster House for some chowda and lob-

starsquo rolls With a window on the water it

worked just fine for us

Our travels north along the coast

continued with mixes of US 1 and var-

ious three number state roads (some

of which were very entertaining)

Kennebunkport was a bit crowded

over the bridge as to be expected even

before a couple of Presidents made it

their summer home and they had an

interesting sign on a number of roads

around town It simply said ldquoPlease

Ride Quietlyrdquo and had an image of a

Harley-Davidson on it

Well the town asked a reasonable question and to be honest (and what

are we if not honest) portrayed it in a telling way

It wasnrsquot a Honda Gold Wing on the sign

Staying with our Captain Planet theme from the previous day we made

time to stop by DeLorme and to visit Eartha the giant globe that the map

company has at their headquarters At some 5600 pounds and 41 feet across

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 33

Member

wwwgrayghostinncom

Hot breakfast cooked to order

BYOB bar firepit pool hot tubgame room and WiFi

Free Maps and Suggested Rides

Group Special Packages

On-site Group Dinners available

5 restaurantsbars within walking distance

Book for Autumn 2015 Now

290 Route 100 West Dover VT800-745-3615

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic

Route 100in Southern Vermont

it is the largest revolving globe on

the planet it so boldly shows

It is free for the viewing and it is

hard not to buy at least something

at their fantastic map store Geogra-

phy wonks be warned

From this point it

was a short ride to

Freeport and our

base for the next

two nights the very

motorcycle friendly

Candlebay Inn

Riding into town

we passed our

friends the Fords

heading the other

way and soon the

bikes were parked

and it was time for

adult beverages and a great dinner for the night There is a good chance that

with yourselves motorcycling has brought a number of interesting friends

from all parts and points of life and it is always a good thing to reacquaint

and catch up

At the Inn our host

Connie showed us to

our room and unlike

many New England

BampBs where you tiptoe

around for fear of

breaking something the

Candlebay felt very re-

laxed and more like a

family or friendrsquos home

Very comfortable and

stress-free

Freeport is known for

its outlets and if you de-

sire to stock up on traveling clothes their famed LL Bean store is open 247

Seriously

If I wanted to go shopping athellip like 3am I could

It let me sleep soundly in the very

comfortable bed that night my soul at

peace knowing that LL Bean had me

covered and could provide socks shirts

and gear at anytime

Just as important was the fact that

Freeport has a number of excellent

restaurants and one Wicked Whoopie

pie company

Whoopie Pies was a Shira thing

Dinner and company were great that

night and the next day we went in search

of something a little different - the best

New England Whoopie pies

Shira and DeeDee called it ldquoThe Mak-

ing Whoopie Tourrdquo and who is going to

argue with this blonde and red head

ON A MISSION IN MAINE

Itrsquos really killinrsquo this cat so willinrsquo to make whoopeeGus Kahn

Richard had a route all done up and for once I got to ride tail

leaving the routing logistic up to the very capable Mr Ford

We scooted west towards the small industrial town of Lewiston

Maine and after craftily navigating the roads that were thought

up way in the time of horse and buggy we pulled into our first

Whoopie stop of the day at Grantrsquos Bakery They had a good and

sugary selection for our starting point

For those who do

not know what a Whoopie pie

is - it is part pie part filling ndash

usually two chocolate cakes

with a creamy frosting be-

tween them

It is the official state treat of

Maine although Lancaster

Pennsylvania tries to say they

were the original creators But

I know Mayor Gray and I donrsquot

put anything past him We can

all agree that the Amish first

brought these delicious cre-

ations to the table ndash wherever

they were

We had your basic chocolate

pie a peanut butter and a

pumpkin that was truly stupen-

dous in my humble opinion

With miles to go we fol-

lowed the Fordsrsquo lead to an-

other bakery far smaller

homey and rustic outside of

Kent Hill called the Apple

Shed Bakery Oatmeal amp cider

Whoopie pie Oh yeah baby

And this time with some

Carrabasett coffee to help

wash them down we dove into

another trio of Whoopie pies

Now fully sugared and caffeinated we carried on eastward along small

secondary roads and to actual real food for lunch ndash a winner of the Best of

Backroads a few years back - the now famous Five Islands Lobster Company

Lobsta Rolls rule here but their steamers rivaled any in New England With

the wispy fog lying across the water it was about as coastal New England as

one could get

Looping back south we passed over the Kennebec River and through Bath

and the Iron Works (Mainersquos largest employer) where the USS Zumwalt the

largest and most technologically advanced destroyer in Navy history was

just christened

We could see the Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) under construction from

our height on the bridge ndash Go Navy

Page 34 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

Back in Freeport we had

one last Whoopie stop at

Wicked Whoopie where

just about whoopiersquod out

we grabbed a few bites for

late night snacks and

slipped back to the Candle-

bay Inn

Our friend Bob Rand and

his wife Sherry joined us

for dinner and a promise

made thousands of miles

and months back was kept

After dinner it was back for dessert and coffee at the Candlebay Inn for a

blind tasting of the various Whoopie pies we had bought earlier that day

Who needs the Food Network Judges have you reached your decision

FREEPORT MAINE TO WEST DOVER VERMONT

The previous nightrsquos light mist would be turning into the next morningrsquos

heavy rain as a cold front was quickly crossing the northeast

A long green and yellow swath ran along the NOAA radar screen from

Canada to northern Delaware Satellite showed cleared skies to the west of

it Bottom line was wersquod be a bit wet for a good part of the day before the

sun would return

Such is riding (This would be a good time to remind our readers to zip up

all your vents ndash just saying)

As we predicted the mist morphed into rain as we made our way a bit north

and west from the rocky coast of Maine into its more forested interior and

across the Saco River Along the way the Fords vectored off towards their

home and Shira and I carried on west

Heading south along a road that parallels the New Hampshire border we

crossed into North Conway and made a short visit with our friends Judy and

Dan Kennedy at Whitehorse Gear

If you have never been to their warehouse not far from the Kancamagus

Highway then you must make time to do so If you are a rider especially

one who likes gizmos gadgets motorcycle toys books and gear ndash then

Whitehorse will thrill you to no end

It is hard to visit and not find something we need

We chatted with Dan and Judy for a bit but had to keep going if we were

to reach our semi-planned stop for the evening in West Dover Vermont

By this time it looked like the rain had fled east but that was just a feint

for as we made our way east along Route 112 the Kancamagus Highway

the bell was sounded for Round 2

The thirty something miles along the Kanc have been far more fun in better

weather

We found a small cafeacute in Lincoln and had lunch as we waited out the heavy

wetness

Back on the road and riding into lighter and brighter skies we cut through

the western part of New Hampshire along Route 118 the Sawyer Highway

just so I could pass one of the few towns with its own rocket

Warren New Hampshire

Yes right along the roadway through town you will find a Redstone

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 35

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Back in Freeport we had

one last Whoopie stop at

Wicked Whoopie where

just about whoopiersquod out

we grabbed a few bites for

late night snacks and

slipped back to the Candle-

bay Inn

Our friend Bob Rand and

his wife Sherry joined us

for dinner and a promise

made thousands of miles

and months back was kept

After dinner it was back for dessert and coffee at the Candlebay Inn for a

blind tasting of the various Whoopie pies we had bought earlier that day

Who needs the Food Network Judges have you reached your decision

FREEPORT MAINE TO WEST DOVER VERMONT

The previous nightrsquos light mist would be turning into the next morningrsquos

heavy rain as a cold front was quickly crossing the northeast

A long green and yellow swath ran along the NOAA radar screen from

Canada to northern Delaware Satellite showed cleared skies to the west of

it Bottom line was wersquod be a bit wet for a good part of the day before the

sun would return

Such is riding (This would be a good time to remind our readers to zip up

all your vents ndash just saying)

As we predicted the mist morphed into rain as we made our way a bit north

and west from the rocky coast of Maine into its more forested interior and

across the Saco River Along the way the Fords vectored off towards their

home and Shira and I carried on west

Heading south along a road that parallels the New Hampshire border we

crossed into North Conway and made a short visit with our friends Judy and

Dan Kennedy at Whitehorse Gear

If you have never been to their warehouse not far from the Kancamagus

Highway then you must make time to do so If you are a rider especially

one who likes gizmos gadgets motorcycle toys books and gear ndash then

Whitehorse will thrill you to no end

It is hard to visit and not find something we need

We chatted with Dan and Judy for a bit but had to keep going if we were

to reach our semi-planned stop for the evening in West Dover Vermont

By this time it looked like the rain had fled east but that was just a feint

for as we made our way east along Route 112 the Kancamagus Highway

the bell was sounded for Round 2

The thirty something miles along the Kanc have been far more fun in better

weather

We found a small cafeacute in Lincoln and had lunch as we waited out the heavy

wetness

Back on the road and riding into lighter and brighter skies we cut through

the western part of New Hampshire along Route 118 the Sawyer Highway

just so I could pass one of the few towns with its own rocket

Warren New Hampshire

Yes right along the roadway through town you will find a Redstone

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 35

TOWN amp COUNTRYC Y C L E C E N T E R

115 Route 23N bull Hamburg NJ bull 973-875-2111wwwtownandcountrycyclecentercom

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles sales and service we have to offer

Rocket Brought here in 1971 this rocket was a direct descendant of the Ger-

man V-2 and was created as part of Operation Paper Clip that brought Nazi

scientists over to the United States after World War II

The United States was very proud of this missile originally designed to

toss nukes at the Russians and they even had one on display at Grand Central

Station in the late 1950s

This is the same kind of rocket that hurled New Hampshire native Alan

Shepard into space and one of the reasons you will find it in Warren today

(although Shepard was from Derry on the other side of the state) There is

more to this story (there always is) but I will let Doctor OrsquoLife dive into that

deep part of the Mysterious America pool

We picked up a number of other

smaller roads as we headed towards the

Green Mountains of Vermont as I was

quickly becoming convinced that many

of these New Hampshire backroads had

seen far better and smoother days

When we crossed the Connecticut

River and into Vermont I did not need a

sign to tell me that we did

Route 5 along the western edge of the

river is always a pleasure but the real

treat were the tiny roads we used to cross

over to Route 100 and West Dover

Sublime and moving this part of Ver-

mont is wonderful to ride

Stopping for fuel we called Simon and

Allison at the Kitzhof Inn to make sure

they had a room which they did and not

long after we were rolling into the drive

at the very rider-friendly Vermont inn Once you stay there you will be quot-

ing General MacArthur about coming back

Small surprises always make a trip more memorable and we found that

riders we knew from Empire HOG were also there and they were kind

enough to invite us to join them for dinner which we did at the Roadhouse

on Route 100 not too far down the road near Wilmington

Excellent evening with a great bunch of riders

WEST DOVER VERMONT TO BACKROADS CENTRAL

Breakfast was delicious and filling and after saying our goodbyes to Em-

pire HOG and the Kitzhof crew we started back towards the Garden State

on our route created on Garminrsquos BaseCamp to bring us from Maine to our

doorstep mixing up some roads that were familiar and a bunch that were

not we would make pleasant time and miles towards home

Along the way we ran across the worldrsquos

largest beaver statue somewhere in Vermont

There is some dispute from the Canadians on

the veracity of that statement and the truth is

the Vermont roadside statue looks more rodenty

and squirrel than beaver We liked it

Not too surprisingly our route passed right by

the Culinary Institute of America - which can

be most excellent for a lunch choice ifrsquon a bit

dear and haughty ndash but wersquod be fools not too

We crossed the Hudson River just below the

CIA at Poughkeepsie and then followed south

the pavement mimicking the Shawangunk

Mountains that ranged to our right and not too

long afterward crossed into New Jersey just

east of Port Jervis New York

The last 25 or so miles of this ride

could have almost been the best

County Road 519 is simply won-

derful the roads were totally clear

this Saturday afternoon and in truth

we have been on ldquoThe Wayrdquo a lot of

this season and riding home seemed

like a most excellent thought even

after a phenomenal weeklong loop of

New England

As they say in those partshellip

ldquoYou canrsquot get there from hererdquo

But it was sure fun trying

Page 36 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

FIVE-DAY ONLY POP-UP EVENT652 W Cuthbert Blvd

Westmont Plaza bull Westmont NJComplete line of their Made in Duluth MN gear for riders

to stop in to see feel touch and try on Factory reps will

be on hand to provide expert fitting advice and answer

any questions Dont miss this unique opportunity to try

on Roadcrafter Suits and Darien Falstaff and Transit

Jackets and Pants as well as check out a great selection

of other Aerostich gear

For more information visit wwwaerostichcom

OCTOBER 7-11th

In 2014 BMW released its

much-anticipated new version of

their RT powered by the new liq-

uid-cooled engine

But the best-laid plans even of

BMW can go array and suspen-

sion issues (stemming from a sup-

plier error) caused the new RT to

remain on the showroom floors

warehouses and garages for a good

part of its first season

Now with all the issues re-

solved and the faithful finally get-

ting the new RT out on the road

things are looking much better for

the sport-touring machine from

Berlin

I got a chance to spend signifi-

cant time on the 2015 BMW

R1200 RT this past summer on a 10-day journey two-up through the

provinces of British Columbia and Alberta Canada in the Canadian Rock-

ies

After spending some time on the GS version of the new wasser-cooled

Boxer powerplant I was keen on seeing how this new engine performed

powering the more touring-oriented RT version interested in how it would

handle and what my thoughts would be after living with the RT for a few

weeks on the road

I am here to say that the new BMW R1200 RT could very well be the most

competent and all around best tourer currently available on the market

Sure there are other more powerful machines available but do you really

need to have Kryptonian-like power when touring

I think not

Even with the lesser-powered Boxer-engine the R1200 RT (1170cc twin)

is just a tad slower than its big-brother

the K1600 GT or GTL (1649cc six)

thanks in part to weighing nearly 140

pounds lighter

As I have gotten older I have found

lighter = better

To really get a feel for the R1200

RT Shira and I went two-up rather

than riding separate machines The ad-

dition of a passenger light luggage and

the rugged Rockies terrain would give

us an excellent start on this tour test

Let me start by giving you the quick

rundown on what is different on the

new RT compared to the previous

model - just about everything

As with previous RTs the bike has

an ample fairing that first looked a bit

petite to me but a few thousand miles

on the road showed it to be a great size and add the electronically adjustable

windscreen and you will find a variable pocket of semi-quiet air for both

rider and passenger Adjusting the screen made a real difference that could

be felt at various heights by both of us

The down position allows for a fully unobstructed view and all the way

up quiets the air as well as any other full-sized tourer in the market Strate-

gically placed lowers located behind the cylinders add to the protection

The new RT has a boodle of electronics gadgetry to add to the riding pleas-

ure Being a ldquofly-by-wirerdquo machine it also has three different power-modes

This option called BMWrsquos Pro Dynamic Riding mode offers Road and

Rain settings as well as Dyna which provides slightly more aggressive en-

gine power and reaction each coming with their own distinctive suspension

settings I used Road the most often

The bike also was fitted with Shift Assistant Pro which allows clutchless

FIRST RIDE 2015 BMW R1200 RT

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 37

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex Avenue Metuchen NJ

Serving Central and North NJ

Staten Island NY and Philadelphia PA

732-635-0094 bull wwwCCBMWcom

SAVE THE DATE bull NOV 28 bull OPEN HOUSE

copy2015 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 Service

911 Middlesex Ave Metuchen NJ 08840

7326350094 bull wwwcrosscountrycyclenet

Full line of 2015 Ducati models bull Apparel and Accessories

SAVE THE DATE bull NOVEMBER 28FALL OPEN HOUSE

shifting both up and down some-

thing that even though I was aware

of it I never really used

The RT uses Automatic Stability

Control which is standard and has

the sweetest way of pulling away

from lights and up hills I was

halfway through our trip when I re-

alized just how easy this machine

pulled away from stops This is be-

cause it uses BMWrsquos Hill Start

Control which works brilliantly

Clutch problems will probably

not be an issue with the new wet-

clutch as they have been in the pre-

vious R-series engines I was

surprised it took the Germans so

long to do this

17-inch cast aluminum wheels

are used on the bike and braking is handled by a dual disc brake with four-

piston fixed calipers on the front and a single disc bake with a double-piston

floating caliper in the rear

The RT weighs in at around 590 pounds but the way itrsquos designed and its

center of gravity make it feel lighter

The Electronically Suspension Adjustment or ESA allows for a number

of different settings and it is possible to adjust from soft normal hard (they

used to be called comfort normal amp sport) on the fly and I made use of this

adjustment often as well with hard (sport) really tightening up the RT in

twists and turns

The RT sports a big 66-gallon gas tank and mid-40s average fuel mileage

(we averaged 448 according to the bikersquos computer) and 250+ between stops

for fuel are easily doable but up here in the Rockies and after years of mo-

torcycle touring I never pass up a fuel or bathroom stop

If not for fuel and washroom stops we might have just stayed on the

Beemer all day long as it seems that Germany got it right when it came to

making a saddle that is actually

worthy of the rest of this machine

No issues great comfort and out-

standing

This new bike also has the very

carlike LED Corona Ring headlight

that gives an even more appealing

appearance that is distinctively

BMW

The gauges are well laid out

with its large 57-inch TFT color

display but the multi-controller

ring and corresponding alerts

have a bit of a learning curve It be-

came second nature by the time we

returned the R1200 RT

Our bike had a Sirius iPod

MP3 USB (what no LPs) audio

system that can be Bluetoothed as

well as using the fairly powerful speaker system

The only thing I detest more than loud pipeshellip are loud pipes supple-

mented by vociferous blaring and intrusive music systems

No matter how many times Lynyrd Skynyrd asks I do not want to hear

ldquoFree Birdrdquo blared out of a motorcycles sound system Thatrsquos what headsets

are for

But for the record I did turn on the radio loud enough to make sure it

worked and to get a few nasty looks from all around me and the RT

I then turned it off never to turn it back on again In my opinion the speaker

system is wasted space and weight

The RT also came with a cradle for a Garmin Zumo 660-series GPS

Mine easily popped in and I Bluetoothed it through a Sena system on my

helmet Yes the BMW version of the Garmin is more native and has more

features but my 660 worked as good as I needed

Page 38 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

On the road I found the BMW R1200 RT to easily be one of the best all

around two-up machines available today

The engine offers as much power as I will ever use and the only real com-

plaint is that in 2015 the six-speed transmission should be more like butter

than cottage cheese

Still it was some of the small things that really began to grow on me Key-

less operation something I have avoided works incredibly well as does the

button that allows you to lock and unlock the panniers

I have been converted

Our machine did not have a top case but I have seen one on another RT

and it would be the first accessory to be added to this bike

The R1200 RT had the optional Tire Pressure Monitor that works well and

was referred to each morning and afternoon Like GPSs we quickly get use

to having this extra info easily at your fingertips

The bike also came with an alarm that once I figured out how to disable

I did swiftlyndash see a pattern here

Compared to the outgoing R1200 RT the rear-view mirrors are now

smaller in size Nevertheless I was informed that their lower wider posi-

tioning has actually enlarged the field of vision

They worked well always showing me what I needed to see to the rear

without having to crane around for every maneuver

The Dynamic Suspension Package is nothing less than amazing

On rough or frost heaved roads in the mountains the lighter selection

smoothed out the bumps along normal highway use the regular setting

seemed fine and the harder (re sport ndash is this a lawyer thing) setting really

locked in the RT when we got going in the twisties and tighter mountain

roads Yep pretty amazing

In the heavy mountain wet the ldquoRainrdquo setting really shined and between

that and Road I was a happy camper ldquoDynardquo was nice but unnecessary for

me

I was touring the Canadian Rockies not doing laps at VIR

I rode over two thousand miles from Seattle to Jasper Alberta Canada and

back in ten days in all sorts of weather conditions with passenger and lug-

gage and found the 2015 BMW R1200 RT to be the perfect machine for this

task

The new RT combines all-day riding comfort superb handling character-

istics excellent styling and ergonomics and BMW legendary dependability

Okay that is questionable these days

Still it had me thinking a major revision in at least some of my personal

machine-owning paradigms

In other words this British Columbian expedition might cost me cash down

the road if we ever need a tworsquofer bike

If yoursquore a rider that sports a passenger with you most of the time then the

BMW R1200 RT might just be your best choice on the planet

The RTs can be found for around $20000 plus various options that most

machines come to the US with and are available in three color schemes -

San Marino BlueGranite Grey Metallic Matte Callisto Grey Metallic Matte

Ebony Metallic

See your local BMW dealer for a test ride

~ Brian Rathjen

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 39

CIRCLE

CYCLE

570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ

web wwwcirclecyclenet

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 yoursquore riding offroad

backroads or on

the track wersquore here to get you

where you need to go

In northern New Jersey there isnrsquot a friendlier or more

knowledgeable staff than ours Wersquore happy to

help you find the parts yoursquove been looking for

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you donrsquot see what you want

give us a call or stop in - wersquore always ready to help

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider

179 North Highland Ave Ossining NY

914-762-2722HVMOTORCYCLESCOM

Whether navigating the urban jungle connecting corners along your favoritecanyon road traversing the globe or taking the road less traveled the newMultistrada 1200 S is fully equipped and ready for your next adventure Withfour riding modes to choose from its exceptional engineering and advancedtechnology adapt at will delivering extreme versatility exceptional performanceand refined comfort at the push of a button

The new Multistrada 1200 SHave everything Will travel

It seems that even before the first ink was dry on the plans for Yamaharsquos FZ-09

sport machine that the tuning fork company was busy at work creating a more

tourable version of what has become Yamaharsquos most popular machine

This yearrsquos offering of the FJ-09 ups the ante and introduces a lightweight flick-

able sport machine with the option for luggage superb styling and great riding po-

sition

The FJ-09rsquos DNA is very apparent as the bike uses the same liquid-cooled DOHC

12 valve engine inline 847cc cross-plane triple as the FZ-09 with changes being

the mapping of the D-Mode throttle-response characteristics to make it a touch less

hooligan and a tad more civilized On the FJ-09 Yamaha offers the Standard mode

A Mode (FZ-07-style or yikes) and B Mode (which you can look at as Rain Mode)

The machine comes with standard traction control along with ABS

The ABS system is always active but you can turn off the TCS if you like which

enlivens the beast within and releases the bad boy in the FJ-09

We were asked not to do this by our friendly Yamaha rep

But if you did do thishellip it gets a bit more unpredictable in turns and on abrupt throttle changes We

heard it likes to get a bit light in the front end

At least that is what we heard

We preferred the standard of three power-modes where the engine is super smooth almost electric with

gobs of quick lsquoon callrsquo power yet docile and controllable enough to do traffic and day-to-day commuting

The small tucked-in pipe offers a nice throaty whine without being too conspicuous in town Wersquore al-

ways appreciative of that

The six-speed transmission is sharp and exact as

most Yamahas are

In one word ndash the FJ-09rsquos engine is brilliant

To stop all this brilliance the machine uses radially

mounted four-piston Advics calipers in the front with

298mm rotors and a Nissin caliper with a 245mm rotor

found in the rear These brakes offer superb and linear

power Not overly grabby yet with plenty of grunt

The FJ-09 employs the same KYB suspension com-

ponents as the FZ-09 and we have been told that the

compression and rebound damping of the fork and

shock have been increased for heavier loads The uni-

versal complaint for the FZ-09 was that the suspension

was lacking real damping and gave an overall harsh

ride Although Yamaha says they have addressed this

issue for the FJ-09 we still felt that further suspension

upgrades would be desirable to make this a long-dis-

tance sport-tourer The saddle is an improvement over

the FZ which was just a few steps up from the old seats

at Fenway Park but could be even better

We loved the FJ-09s seating position and with the

proper perch it would be an easy all day mount

Their multifunction LCD display offer lots of infor-

mation sometimes we think too much and you can eas-

ily scroll through the displays with a left switchgear and

thumb buttons Still TMI when the screen tells me

ldquoItrsquoll see me next timerdquo

Enjoy the Fallon the River

sample our home cookinrsquo

at the World Famous

Cedar Rapids

Thursday thru Sunday(Monday on Holiday Weekends)

Donrsquot forget to check out

our website for weekly

specials amp events

Let us host your group

motorcycle event any day

Member of

Take a ride on one of the Northeastrsquos

Scenic Byways - Route 97 - 20 miles north

of Port Jervis Dine with your fellow

riders on the Delaware River

Enjoy our Expanded Canopied Decks

wwwcedarrapidsnycom

FIRST RIDE 2015 YAMAHA FJ-09 bull SVELTE amp SEXY

Page 40 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

The 48 gallon fuel tank allows for a good bit of dis-

tance between fill up (180 miles) and the hefty 415-watt

charging system should work for any serious sport-

tourer and their gaggle of gadgets

The adjustable windscreen does a

fair job of wind protection but

Yamaha offers a larger option

Yamaha claims a weight of just

462 pounds and the ease at which

the bike is rolled around and its

flickability on the road lets us think

this number is fairly accurate

The Bottom lineWe liked this machine from the very

first press release image and have been

looking forward to riding it since the last motorcycle

show in Manhattan

That being said we like to offer our thoughts on this machine offered as a sport

tourer as a few days on the roads brings out any machinersquos true personality and

with the Yamaha FJ-09 we find some big pluses and a few fixable nitpicks

The power of the 847cc cross-plane triple is on the awesome side of good amp

plenty although the machine can get buzzy on longer rides and at higher revs The

brakes are more than adequate smooth and easy to the touch

For me personally the bike felt under-damped a bit harsh and lacked that

planted feel ndash especially on less than pristine pavement As we said the seat while

not the worst stock unit would need to be addressed if this was a personal ride

Styling-wise the machine is a hands-down beauty and its lightweight and ease

of riding are all good things When non-riders congregate around a machine to

ask what it is you know you have a looker

One thing that I could not help returning to after I first spotted it were the

coolant hoses on the left side of the engine that are just begging to be damaged

the way they are situated The machine needs some engine guards rolling out of

the showroom

Yamaha has a taller and wider windscreen available for the FJ-09 and it would

be on my small wish list as well

The machine rolls off the showroom on Dunlop Sportmax D222 Roadsmart II

tires that we would swap out sooner rather than later for more advanced and su-

perior rubber - which would instantly improve the ride and handling for the

Yamaha

Our machine did not have the side bags that are available but from what we

have seen of them they will do the job for week-long junkets and do it with style

Although Yamaha would like to compare the FJ-09 to Kawasakirsquos nuclear-pow-

ered Concours-14 the BMW K1600GT or even its own FJR 1300 we think it fits

better head to head with machines like the Kawi Versys 1000 or perhaps Suzukirsquos

V-Strom 1000

In truth in a field like this that by looks kinda seems the same the Yamaha

FJ-09 has a distinct advantage coming in with a superb price point an MSRP of

$10490 plus a grand for luggage and brackets

Still $1300 less than the Kawasaki Versys

That is plenty of moola to make changes and upgrades to the suspension saddle

and other little nitpicks that will morph the Yamaha FJ-09 from yet another very

nice motorcycle into a superb sport-touring machine ~ Brian Rathjen

Unlike its big sport-touring brother we have no delusions on Yamaharsquos FZ-07

When we were making arrangements to get hold of the FJ-09 the FZ-07 was of-

fered as well

Shira a lover of tinier and sportier machines said ldquoHell yesrdquo - and so it was

Spending a number of days piloting this Yamaha around the mountains and

farmlands of New Jersey New York and Pennsylvania we knew that this machine

is made for one thing

Riding fun

The diminutive machine reminded us of our older Ducati Monster in its riding

position and although it fit Shira perfectly it was a tad small for the slightly larger

Rathjen Still when Brian took the FZ-07 out for a few hundred miles he came

back all smiles

When a manufacturer goes to create a new machine there are a lot of ingredients

that can go into the mix Yamaha got this one so right

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 41

Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway bull Route 107 bull Hicksville NY

wwwLIYamahacom bull 516-935-6969

Dress properly for your ride with a helmet eye protection long-sleeved shirt long pants gloves and boots Do not drink and ride It is illegal and dan-gerous Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment For further information regarding theMSF course please call 1-800-446-9227 copy2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation USA All rights reserved bull YamahaMotorsportscom

THE MOST VERSATILE

SPORT TOURERIntroducing the most performancepower versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle From commutingand exploring backroads to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaharsquos un-mistakable reliability and performance

2015 FJ-09

FIRST RIDE2015 YAMAHA FZ-07

The FZ-07 is powered by a 689cc Parallel Twin Crossplane Concept

engine with its 270-degree crank a claimed 502 pound-feet of peak

torque and 75 horsepower It weighs just 397 lbs almost 50 lbs less than

the Suzuki SFV650 12 less than the Ducati 696 Monster and a whopping

60 lighter than the Kawasaki Ninja 650 This lightweight really shines on

the road

In the real life world (where we ride) that lightness can add up to a great

thing in a small package making the Yamaha FZ-07 a superb mid-size

machine in a very small package

If you want soup to nuts comparo virtual road test PhD discussion of

the FZ-07 look elsewhere wersquoll be giving you the Readerrsquos Digest version

and will deal more with actual real road riding

The slim FZ-07

fuel cell holds 37

gallons and Yamaha

is claiming the

bikersquos capable of 58

mpg and a range of

approximately 200

miles

Back in the real

world the fuel light

came on after 130

miles and some 25

miles down the road

we were sweating

looking for a fuel station where we put in a little less than 3 gallons That gets the

FZ-07rsquos range in Yamaharsquos ball park but one bar left and the flashing fuel symbol

on the dash will always get your attention

The FZ-07 has a 41mm KYB conventional fork (non-adjustable) up front with

a preload-adjustable-only shock in the rear This shock is mounted horizontally to

the engine cases and the swingarm ndash saving weight and space The engine is stressed

member and brings this entire unit together in a sharp and weight saving manner

Surprisingly we all felt the FZ-07 was a more planted machine on the smoother

and twistier roads All agreeing with the thought that we could pilot this machine

with more seriousness than the larger FJ-09 which we felt needed better suspension

for day to day touring

Braking is tackled by dual 282mm wave-type discs with four-piston monoblock

calipers that do excellent work

We know the FZ-07 will never be a long-distance mount but day trips and the

occasional short overnight is not out of the question here

Although the rear seat is a terrible joke the riderrsquos pad was fairly comfortable

for a bike such as this The low 317-inch seat height modern LCD instruments

10-spoke aluminum wheels and large 18055-size rear tire simply add to the bikersquos

allure

Our tester came in the Liquid Graphite color with snazzy bluepurple frame and

wheels It is a very hot looking machine and we were told so just about everywhere

we rode it

Now here is the funny thing We try to ride test machines in an equal way espe-

cially when trying to gather miles beneath them in the real world But when given

the chance to run errands or even simply go for a ride the FZ-07 got rolled out of

barn far more than the FJ-09

Considering the machines we ride day to day this was a bit enlightening and we

think we know why The Yamaha FZ-07 is just a pleasure to ride

If you are a novice rider looking for your first real sportbike and have the slim

wallet to prove it then it is hard to beat the FZ-07

If you are an experienced rider just looking for something in the way of a lighter

second machine to spend your Sunday afternoons on then take a look at this ma-

chine as well as it comes with a hard to beat price of $6990

As we write this it is the height of baseball season and there is no question that

with the FZ-07 that Yamaha has hit a long home run ~ Brian Rathjen

shirarsquos thoughtsAs was stated earlier I do opt for the lighter smaller testers and this one was

right on the money With my height (5rsquo3rdquo) and inseam (30rdquo on a really good day)

the ergonomics of the FZ-07 were quite comfortable I could assume a fairly upright

position while skooching my butt to the rear of the seat The flickability factor was

very high the transmission smooth and the brakes spot on If this bike were to take

up permanent residence in my garage it would be fitted with a Givi windscreen

SW-Motech saddlebags and possibly an aftermarket saddle making it a very af-

fordable and fun daily and overnight travel companion

Page 42 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

In late spring we got an email from our friend Rich Croland at Bergen Harley-Davidson in

New Jersey with an invitation to come by their shop in mid-August when the Harley-Davidson

Project LiveWire Tour that has been traveling around the country would be spending the week-

end offering demo rides on the new H-D electric motorcycle ndash Project LiveWire

This was open to all with a legal motorcycle license and was the Motor Companyrsquos way of

getting real feedback and opinions from their customer base and riders of other brands as well

Absolutely We were there we said

We arrived on a warmish August

morning and Bergen already had a

good-size crowd gathered for the

first day of the demonstration

We filled out the required paper-

work and watched a short video on

Project LiveWire - a must before

each ride

In addition to a small fleet of

LiveWire machines there was also

one mounted on a stationary runway

called the ldquoJumpstart Experiencerdquo

that allowed you to get a feel for the

bike with its power and sound repre-

sented on a large video screen

Although it looked far larger when Scarlett Johansson rode it in the last Avenger movie in

person it is very tiny I had a momentrsquos regret for not wearing my black leather cat suit What

was I not thinking

Look-wise it is an attractive machine but still seemed very lsquoprojectyrsquo in the details For ex-

ample the mirrors were just there for the DOT absolutely useless (thatrsquos okay as many riders

are unaware they have mirrors anyway ndash that was a joke kinda) The suspension uses an up-

side-down Showa Big Piston fork and cantilever shock Both are fully adjustable and look very

modern although wersquod never get to tweek them to our liking on this short ride The single disc

twin-piston front brake offers decent power and feedback There was no ABS on these units

There are two modes one offering significant more zip but at the cost of eating up the battery

which takes a full 3 12 hours to charge with its Level 2 220-volt input port

On the road I was really impressed with Project LiveWirersquos acceleration and

performance The bike is very quick and with its set-up does feel very much

like a traditional fossil fueled machine Letting off the throttle allows for the re-

generative braking to build back energy for the battery

How green is my Harley

According to the factory reps the machinersquos longitudinally-mounted three-

phase AC induction motor has some 74 horsepower 52 foot-pounds of torque

and a (governed) top speed of 92 mph It goes from 0 to 60 mph in under four

seconds (wow) and has a top range of about 60 miles

Good but not great mileage Watch those numbers jump over the next decade

Our thoughts immediately jumped to the need to really ride this machine for a

longer period of time Even with its short range it had the potential for a fun

weekend getaway ride

But that is not going to happen at least right now as it is a project and not a

production machine yethellip Unless you are an Avenger in which case they will

give you one now for free Product placement is everywhere (see Postcards from

the Hedge this month)

After the short loop around the semi-crowded mean streets of Rochelle Park

each rider was asked to fill out a short survey on a tablet You even got a Project

LiveWire key fob for your participation

On the survey after the ride one question seemed to stick out more than the

others and that was about how the LiveWire sounded As you would think this

would be a big issue with some riders especially Harley enthusiasts

Well as we said in the beginning ldquothis ainrsquot your dadrsquos Harley-Davidsonrdquo All

electric motors since Nikola Tesla invented them sound the same the Project

LiveWire is really no different Think really big really tough dentist drill But

that isnrsquot a bad thing Although a tad whiny it is still fairly quiet And for me

quiet is good

Thus the big question to the faithful

I have ridden other electric motorcycles before and was impressed then and

still am The Project Livewire shows that these machines are in our future and

with backing like a company so grounded in motorcycling history as Harley-

Davidson is it looks like the future is almost here

Now if we could get a hop on that jet from Agents of SHIELD

~ Brian Rathjen

FW SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave bull Passaic NJ 07055

973-778-6256 bull wwwSpeerYamahacom

Tri-State Metro Arearsquos Oldest Yamaha DealerTHE MALLTERNATIVE

PROJECT LIVEWIRE bull THIS AINrsquoT YOUR DADrsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSON

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 43

The trees overhanging the Pennsylvanian backroads reminded

me of a towering green cathedral with its green walls ever arch-

ing upward and inward to touch at the spire

Well it was Sunday and I think that if God really cares it

wants motorcyclists to ride on the Sabbath

It was a great day to be riding

A few years back after a few too many disparaging remarks

leveled at my adopted Garden State we put together the Back-

roads 250 Road Tour ndash a Jersey Thing 250 miles all in New Jer-

sey along the best roads the state had to offer In actuality this

250 ran 265 plus miles but it was a romp to remember

The following year our plate was full but as this season rolled

around we thought wersquod offer up another lsquoRoad Tourrsquo

We learned a little bit from the first 250 and kept this lsquoReturn of the Road

Tourrsquo down to a more manageable 200 miles even

We penciled in a mid-August Sunday and hoped for the best

Sunday August 16th rolled around and with it blue skies if slightly

warmish temperatures

As our dayrsquos ride would be scooting along the Pocoskills or Catanos that

magical deep regions running from the northern Poconos to the southern

reaches of the Catskills mostly along the Upper Delaware River we knew it

would be cooler once everybody was moving along

It turned out our route kept everyone more or less in the shady parts of

the road Yep we planned that It is a gift and you are welcome

The BR200 began and ended at the Chatterbox Drive-In in Augusta New

Jersey and we had about 80 riders coming out a number riding in from Long

Island New York State and south Jersey

God bless you kids

The route snaked north along Sunrise Mountain and then through the back

way into High Point State Park before

crossing into New York and meander-

ing up past the Woodstock Festival site

- on the day of the 46th anniversary ndash

stay away from the brown acid and

Jody get off the stage

The 200 then skeedoodled along the

Scenic Upper Delaware River and the tips of the Catskills before dropping

south and crossing the river into PA along the carnival ride called River Road

Peggyrsquos Runway Masthope and the rough shod Lackawaxen Road

Hey PA pavement please - there is actually a sign warning that lsquothere

might be pavement between the potholesrsquo

Irsquoll take lsquojust gravelrsquo any day

We rode along the Pocono Ridge and then back down to the river and a

crossing at Dingmans Bridge before a quick cut through the Walpack Valley

and Tillman Ravine and the final charge down County Road 521 and Old

Stage Coach Road for a late lunchdinner at the Chatterbox

EVENT RECAP BACKROADS 200 - RETURN OF THE ROAD TOUR

Page 44 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

200 miles on the nose ndash letrsquos not quibble on this

okay

One million fifty six thousand feet (1056000) I

counted them

As always the ride was free but this time we had

a suggested donation (and it was just a sign saying

what we were up too) for our Backroads Little Free

Library Fund - which netted us enough moola for two

new wooden libraries where literate folk can take a

book or leave a book

Free Just like our rideshellipbut at a buck a foot

hmmm

Still the Little Free Libraries seemed a good thing

to have very fundamental and easy enough to do

Thanks for your donation - We hope we came through on our part of the deal

Shira Hap amp Pepe and I stuck around from 8ish till 11am handing out route sheets and chatting with friends

new and old and then we took off ourselves along a Plan C (for compressed) route to get a few photographs

of the fun Basically reversing the route and getting about 75 miles into it before I started seeing our people

riding past me on their way back to New Jersey

Wersquore happy to say it seemed that all had a most excellent day with some serious miles done and done

And like a solid baseball inninghellip no hits no runs amp no errors We like it that way

We were also very pleased to see we had so many newcomers to this ride that we did wonder why more

motorcyclists donrsquot come along on events like this

By late afternoon we could see that the Backroads 200 had been as successful as we could hope for and a

fun day for all who had come along for the ride with a number of tables at the Chatterbox filled with riders

There have been many friendships made over the years with our various Backroads events and we are pretty

sure there is a whole bunch of room available for more riding buddies to join in the fun

We hope to see you on our next event

Here is the link for the GPS download wwwsendspacecomprodl7e80tf

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 45

Ro

ute

73

9 bull

Din

gm

an

s F

err

y P

A bull

57

08

28

19

20

This past Labor Day weekend a couple dozen baseball fans joined us for a short ride through the countryside

on our way to Skylands Stadium in Augusta New Jersey to see the Sussex County Miners battle the Rockland

Boulders

The day was spectacular as the holiday weekend weather could not be more motorcycle friendly and we

meandered through the rural parts of Passaic County along Clinton Road (Weird NJrsquos scariest road) and through

the Pine Island region of New York State before dropping back into Sussex County New Jersey and along the

Mother Road ndash County Road 519 - with a few twists and turns thrown in to get us to Skylands Stadium

At the stadium we were joined by a few families that came up with kids to enjoy a day of baseball It was a

really nice day for ball

The first place Boulders trounced the Back-

roadsrsquo local team favorites the Miners five to zip

But we were entertained regardless as I got to

throw out the first pitch ndash a slow curving fastball

slider away knuckleball on the inside ndash that

brushed an imaginary Mike Schmidt away from

the plate

This probably would have been

sufficient until the kid

throwing out a second

game ball (who had

the unfair advantage of

being about 10

years old and

four feet tall)

threw good

heat a mar-

velous sinking

fastball strike that popped into the catcherrsquos glove

No respect kid no respect Well at least I didnrsquot 50

Cent it

The day was made more special as we were served a

magnificent cake celebrating Backroadsrsquo 20 years of

motorcycles travel amp adventure

So many riders and readers over the years have be-

come almost like family and definitely friends and for

that we are very very grateful

The cake was delicious and also a monster that ended

up feeding a good deal of the unsuspecting fans at the

game Thank you all especially Mike and Andrea for

the great and very appreciated surprise

Play ball

~ Brian Rathjen

EVENT RECAP

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME RIDE

Page 46 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

soCo Creamery5 RAILROAD ST GREAT BARRINGTON MA 01230

413-644-9866 bull WWWSOCOCREAMERYCOM

What would a ride be without an ice cream stop

Thatrsquos what I thought while planning my version of

the ride to our first stop on our 2015 Spring Break

After stopping at Bear Mountain to pick up the rest

of the folks riding to Lenox Massachusetts the group

became a bit disjointed While everyone made it there

eventually and I assume had a great ride the folks

who chose to stick it out with me had a bonus stop

After Brian did a brilliant job of routing folks from

Branchville NJ to Lenox MA I perused the possible

ice cream stops along the way Popping out immedi-

ately was the hip town of Great Barrington MA We have

ridden through this little burg many times with its many

quaint shops and restaurants including a pretty awesome

brewery

Just a tad off the main drag sat the SoCo Creamery short

for South County While it was fairly close to our end point

I decided it would make a great inclusion for my Ice Cream

Run column I was not disappointed

Finding parking right outside with a nice little pub restau-

rant across the street for those not partaking in ice cream

for lunch we entered the red-brick building As their

brochure states their vision was to have a hip ice cream

company with a classic vibe and thatrsquos just what

we found Starting with the deacutecor of chalkboards

with colorful artwork to the clean and bright sig-

nage SoCo Creamery has a very homey feel 25

years ago Danny Mazursky decided to start a

local scoop shop in the Berkshires With its

tremendous summer traffic (even folks who fre-

quent Tanglewood like ice cream) they were an

immediate hit I suppose their use of all natural

ingredients and the exclusion of the nasty car-

rageenan and corn syrup appeals to the greenies

but itrsquos the super premium rating (butterfat con-

tent average of 15) and creative flavors that

won me over

Their chalkboard of flavors was completely

overwhelming Thankfully the hip young lady behind the

counter was generous with her tasting spoons and after

at least half a dozen I opted for two scoops (always in a

cup as I savor my ice cream and it will definitely melt

before I ever hit the cone portion) One was Mission Fig

beautiful Black Mission figs and super fine vanillas

churned into a sweet cream base and the other Mexicali

Chocolate a hint of mint a few shots of espresso sprin-

kled with cinnamon and a dash of cayenne on the finish

blended into a milk chocolate base Smooth and creamy

with intense flavor this ice cream is some of the finest I

have tasted Just to be even more decadent I had them

drizzle ndash abundantly ndash their homemade

salted caramel sauce over the top As

you can see one of my other taste-

testers Tim was all smiles as well

I could go on about their wonderful

flavors but I suggest you tease yourself

and visit their website Or better yet

just hop on the bike and head over there

right now If you canrsquot get to them

check their web for other locations car-

rying SoCo Creamery ice cream They

pride themselves on being lsquoas local as

local can getrsquo making ice cream in their

Great Barrington factory just a mile

away from the scoop shop And they

believe 2 scoops are always better than

1 and that life is SWEET

I canrsquot agree more

Open 7 days a week - YUM

JDS CYCLE PARTSEST 1988

247 W Westfield Ave Rosell Park NJ

908-245-2445

bull Parts amp Accessories

bull Award-winning Service

bull Performance Work

bull Dyno Tuning

bull SampS Pro Tuning Center

bull Power CommanderTuning Center

American bull Metric bull Sport

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 47

Worn ouTIf you are thinking about it ndash itrsquos time

Have you ever spent a long day on the road and somewhere in the mid-af-

ternoon you begin to get a bit drowsy and your concentration begins to wane

Sure we have all been there a few times But this is the time when you

believe you are in need of a break that you need to take one

If you think you are getting worn out then you most likely are

The same goes for your motorcycle and equipment ndash especially your tires

Last spring we took off for a few weeks in the south with the mid-Atlantic

Virginia West Virginia and Kentucky coming into play

As is my way I gave the machines a good going over and washing I have

found giving a bike even a GS a decent bath is an excellent way of finding

something amiss or that needs tending to

Looking at the rear tire I could tell that it was running close to its lifersquos

end

I made a judgment call that I would do the trip and swap to fresh rubber

when I returned and right before CLASS Riding School

Bad call on my part

Not a thousand miles into this ride I was out of rear tire

We had to alter our plans and route but it all worked out as I was able to

purchase and have mounted new rubber back in northern Virginia

Thank you Frontline Eurosports

I was disappointed that I had let the tires go when I could have handled it

before we left

The thought had crossed my mind and I chose to go around it ndash trying to

stretch one more trip out of tires that had dozens under their belts already

Your tires need adequate tread for them to perform the way they were de-

signed

In the past we have talked about some riders who run their tires down to

the steel belt cord that lay beneath the actual rubber

This is real problematic and a sure sign of a rider who really is not paying

attention

Hey I am guilty of this error too

Most tires today have an early warning system built into them - lsquoWear

Barsrsquo

They make it easy for you to know if your tires need to be replaced just by

looking at the tread If you are having a hard time looking for the wear bar

on some tires you can look for a small triangle on the sidewall ndash this will lo-

cate the wear bar for you

If your tire is flush with the bar or the tire and bar is wore down together

it is time for the tire to be replaced

Still we can somehow see what we lsquothinkrsquo is plenty of tread only to find

out later we were sorely mistaken

This can sometimes be more apparent when you park your bike next to a

new machine or one with brand-new tires

The difference then can be startling and significant

If you are looking at someone elsersquos tires and then back to your own only

to think ndash ldquoGee maybe it is time for some new tiresrdquo

Then it is time for new tires

Period

Donrsquot get caught miles from home with a few thousand miles to go and a

storm front coming in

Trust your gut instinct on this ndash yoursquoll be happier down the road

Remember all your power and traction come from your tires and there is

only the smallest patch between your motorcycle and the road and you and

your machine deserve to have the very best of rubber you can afford at this

meeting point of street steel and skin

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Page 48 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

KUumlRYAKYNTOP DASH ACCENT FORVICTORY NOW AVAILABLEThe new Top Dash Accent from Kuumlryakyn provides an instant inner fairing upgrade for Victory Cross

Country and Magnum models Designed to coordinate with the contours of the OEM gauge bezels

the classic chrome-plated trim transforms the cockpit and also serves as a visor to reduce glare off the

gauges Measuring 16rdquo long x 2-12rdquo tall x 1-12rdquo deep the Top Dash Accent features angular styling

to match the lines that run from above the stock headlamp housing up through the center of the fairing

The chrome-plated injection-molded ABS is lightweight durable and complements the OEM chrome

trim around the gauges

Available in chrome complete the inner fairing transformation in minutes with everything included

for installation on all rsquo10-later Cross Country and Cross Country Tour as well as rsquo15 Magnum and

Magnum X-1 models $5499 from Kuumlryakyn

CEE BAILEYS HEADLIGHT GUARDSEASY PROTECTION FOR A PRICEY PART OF YOUR MACHINE

It was a dark and stormy night ndash isnrsquot it always

The rider and machine were heading down a tight country lane when an approaching

truck kicked up a good-size cloud of gravel and debris peppering the motorcycle as it

passed There was a loud crack and a few seconds later the bikersquos headlight wenthellipoff

The riderrsquos eyes got wide and the adrenaline shot through his body as he did his best to

track where he last saw the road and come to a safe stop Pulling out his flashlight he

quickly saw that a lsquovery small rockrsquo (insert Monty Python voice) had shattered his head-

light glass and the halogen bulb quickly failed Luckily he wasnrsquot far from home and a

cell phone call dragged his girlfriend out for a quick rescue her car doing pilot duty as

she led the rider and lightless bike the few miles back home

Things happen when riding and getting your headlight shattered by a stone in the dark

is nearly as surprising as getting the news that the headlight assembly costs $400 plus

from your local dealer ndash before installation

Was there an easier way to avoid this

There is Cee Baileys Headlight Guards

Yes there are a number of headlight guards out there but many look like they were de-

signed by an orthodontist or bridge engineer Cee Baileys offer simple and clean protec-

tion for your expensive headlight assembly

Theyrsquore designed to take the impact of every day road hazards that often crack or break a lens without warning With the cost of a new headlight being hundreds

of dollars and more wersquove always considered it pretty inexpensive insurance All guards are secured by 3M Dual Lockrsquos that separate the headlight from the

guard allowing for easy removal when cleaning is needed

We recently put a set of these 150 Aircraft Grade Acrylic shields onto our F650GS matching the guard already in place on our KLR650 We have since ordered

a set for the R1200GS as well

Installation was almost too simple Clean the headlight well to remove any grease or dirt apply the 3M Dual Lock strips and attach the guard

We did this at night to allow a number of hours for it to set

Being clear they will not affect your headlightrsquos performance and they allow for 100 light transmissibility

Basically the Cee Baileys Headlight Guards are perfect

Clean looking tough - everything yoursquod want to protect the headlight

They have applications for most modern machines and prices start from $3999

Log onto wwwceebaileyscom for more information or to order your own headlight insurance

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 49

P R O D U C T S P O T L I G H T S

First Class Postage $40 bull One Year - 12 issuesSecurely mailed in an envelope bull Credit Cards gladly accepted

Please visit our website for credit card subscriptionswwwbackroadsusacomsubscriptionhtmlSafely and securely handled through PayPal

NAME ____________________________________________________

ADDRESS ________________________________________________

CITYSTATEZIP ____________________________________________

NEWLAPSED RENEWED

SUBSCRIPTION FORMGet BACKROADS delivered to your home EVERY MONTHJust fill out the simple form and mail it along with your check

BACKROADS bull POB 317 bull BRANCHVILLE NJ 07826

Donrsquot Miss an Issue Get your Subscription TODAY

PROGRESSIVEreg INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SHOWSreg ANNOUNCE US 35TH ANNIVERSARY CALENDARTOUR DATES ANNOUNCED THAT INCLUDE TWO NEW CITIES PLUS BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS

The Progressivereg International Motorcycle Showsreg (IMS) the most influential touring

consumer motorcycle show in the US announced show dates for its 35th anniversary

countrywide Tour IMS will roar into 10 major markets with 15 vehicle manufacturers

October 2015 through February 2016 with engaging activations and hundreds of mo-

torcycles for enthusiasts to check out and even demo (in select cities)

Key sponsors of the 20152016 Tour include the title sponsor Progressivereg Insurance

a supporter of the Shows since 2004 and now title sponsor of the Tour through 2020

Allstate Insurance and JampP Cycles

ldquoConnecting with passionate motorcyclists across the country is our favorite part of

our title sponsorship of the Progressivereg International Motorcycle Showsreg From the

Welcome Center to greet consumers when they arrive to the Garage that features the in-

teractive Slot Race Track and the Premium Bar stocked with custom motorcycle tee-

shirts to the music and energy the young School of Rock musicians bring to the stage

itrsquos a family-friendly experience you donrsquot want to missrdquo said Scott Hall Motorcycle

Product Manager Progressive Insurance

The upcoming Tour will have an increased focus on motorcycle manufacturers and an

engaging show experience for the widest audience of enthusiasts across the country Mo-

torcycle riders and powersports fans from coast to coast will have the opportunity to ex-

perience hundreds of new street bikes adventuredual sports dirt bikes cruisers scooters ATVs and more Major manufacturers and key partners on Tour include

brands that have partnered with IMS since it launched in 1982 Charter partners on Tour include BMW Harley-Davidson Honda Kawasaki Suzuki and Yamaha

who are joined by BRPCan-Am Ducati Indian KTM STAR Triumph and Victory among others

IMS the nationrsquos largest touring motorcycle event connects riders with products and services that support their motorcycling lifestyle This nationwide series

is designed for fun and entertainment as well as commerce Compelling show activations include new features and educational experiences designed for riders

of all levels Activations for the 20152016 Tour include the longest running custom bike show in the US JampP Cycle Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show The

Progressivereg School of Rock A-list celebrity appearances motorcycle stunt shows Super Moto Racing and vintage bike displays

The star attraction at each stop on the IMS Tour is always the motorcycles with each city showcasing 500-700 units for enthusiasts to see touch and try (in

select cities) along with the latest gear and accessories

The 20152016 Tour cities represent the most motorcycle-dense populations in the US reaching many of the nationrsquos motorcycle enthusiasts The tour schedule

offers attendees the unique opportunity to be the first to see the newest models speak with knowledgeable product experts and be well-prepared and enthusiastic

for the upcoming riding season

In addition to the consumer facing aspect of IMS the Shows will add a business-to-business platform in all markets Designed specifically for motorcycle

dealers the initiative is geared toward education information and training

2015-2016 PROGRESSIVEreg INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SHOWSreg 10-CITY TOUR

NEW CITY Oct 30-Nov 1 2015 | Oregon Convention Center Portland OR

NEW CITY November 6-8 2015 | Cal Expo Center Sacramento CA

November 20-22 2015 | Long Beach Convention Center Long Beach CA

December 11-13 2015 Jacob Javits Convention Center New York NY

January 8-10 2016 Miami Beach Convention Center Miami Beach FL

January 22-24 2016 Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas TX

January 29-31 2016 I-X Center Cleveland OH

February 5-7 2016 Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis MN

February 12-14 2016 Donald E Stephens Convention Center Chicago IL

NEW DATE Feb 19-21 2016 | University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale AZ

Page 50 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

KINDERRIDER GEARATGATT FOR THEYOUTH OF AMERICA

Being surrounded by motorcycles all their lives my two kids Jack 11 and Nora

9 are no strangers to two wheeled vehicles They also have their own little

Honda XR50 that is head and shoulders better than the ragtag ldquomini-bikerdquo of

my youth My ride back then was nothing more than a Briggs and Stratton lawn

mower engine strapped perilously to a crudely welded frame What we called

brakes back then was a foot actuated steel plate that scrubbed the rear tire to

coax this rolling death trap to a stop What my mother let us get away with in

my youth is truly spectacularly mindboggling As crude as my first bike was

my ldquoriding gearrdquo wasnrsquot much to be admired either Blasting through the streets

of western Long Island if you found me with a shirt on THAT was my ldquogearrdquo

Helmet Are you kidding

Coming a long way from those heady days of youth and idiocy my choice of

bike as well as my gear has progressed just a bit If yoursquove read Backroads for

any amount of time you know that riding with ATGATT is just second nature

So when the time came that my kids wanted to ride along with me we all knew

that it wasnrsquot going to happen without proper attire It was a daunting challenge to find suitable protective gear that did not leave them vulnerable or made them

look like an extra from ldquoThe Wild Onerdquo

Yes there are plenty of offerings out there for the many kids who are off-roading and dirt tracking but the apparel for those folks arenrsquot too effective against the

trouble we can find ourselves in on unforgiving tarmac Road rash and blunt force are not best dealt with motocross gear Yes I could have called the good

folks in Duluth to have them make up a mini-me version of my Aerostich but in the hopes they have my wifersquos height gene we all know that these kids will be

growing out of this gear by the time we pull back into the garage Yes we all want the best for our kids but Irsquom not spending that kind of do-re-me on something

that will potentially used less than 20 times in two years Come to think of it after 12 or more years in my current getup Irsquom due for a new lsquoStitch

As luck would have it while on the phone with a tallish good looking bald fellow he mentioned a company called KinderRider Michael Kaiser and his business

specialize in purpose built ldquoChildrenrsquos Technical Motorcycle Gearrdquo They offer textile Jackets and Pants ranging in sizes from XS (4-5) up to XXL (14-16)

While this gear is not the ultimate in motorcycle protection they get as close to it as one possibly can when searching for padded textile sport touring clothing

for children

A little about the products The Explorer Pant has 600D Cordura construction CE armor in the knees and hips and non-slip material in the bum so the kid stays

put The Explorer jacket is made of the same 600D Cordura along with CE armor in elbows back and shoulders For those warmer days the jacket has venting

zips to keep the cool air flowing over your charge Both the pants and the jacket come with a waterproof liner for the chilly bones and a water proof inner liner

for moister days Most importantly both have reflective piping and panels for being seen

Luckily for me my daughter is almost the same size as my son so our one purchase was a two-fer The kids claim that they fit really well and there was no

bitching and moaning from the aft end of the bike After each went for a maiden two hour ride each way to Grandmarsquos (one kid up to the place of spoils and the

other on the way home) I had to remind them both to take the gear off Like Dad they were keen on the idea of wearing shorts and a tee under their gear

The jacket has four colors to choose from SilverRed SilverBlue SilverBlack and SilverPurple To head off any arguments on Haute Couture we opted for

the gender neutral SilverPurple Pants come in black only Just like the high quality full size riding gear the pants and jacket can be zipped together for added

security

While shopping we also picked up a pair of KinderRider gloves also offered in kid friendly sizes These gloves are summerfall weight only and are $2999

Bargain

As the pants and the jacket both come with expansion zips to allow room for growing Irsquom expecting these to last them until theyrsquore both married and out of the

house For $11000 for the Jacket and $9900 for the pants itrsquos a very reasonable price to pay for peace of mind for me and the protection they deserve At their

age I canrsquot count on the angels that were on my shoulder during my early days of carefree naked brainless riding

My thanks to Mr Kaiser and the folks at KinderRider for providing a source for attractive and most importantly effective moto gear for kids You can find your

young riderrsquos gear on their website kinderriderinccom ~ Michael Bellantone

P R O D U C T R E V I E W

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 51

MOTORCYCLING THE RIGHT WAY

DO THIS NOT THAT LESSONS FROM BEHIND THE HANDLEBAR BY KEN CONDONIf you are like us you live and breath motorcycles and the ride does not end when you roll into the garage and turn

off the bike

No like us you actively seek out new knowledge old knowledge and needed knowledge when it comes to becoming

a better more skillful rider

So we were excited to hear of the release of Motorcycling the Right Way a new book by popular and one of our fa-

vorite motorcycle authors - Ken Condon

Most of you have seen Kenrsquos writing in various motorcycle publications over the years but for those who are not fa-

miliar with him Ken has written more than 250 skills and safety articles for Motorcycle Consumer News including

the Proficient Motorcycling and Street Strategies monthly columns and he currently writes the Street Savvy column

for Motorcyclist Magazine

He has been our go-to-guy when we have a technical riding skills question and on various things motorcycle

In other words ndash he is the man

Motorcycling the Right Way is an essential reference for riders of all experience levels This book offers proven prin-

ciples for accident-free riding In Motorcycling the Right Way Condon illustrates a specialized teaching method to

help motorcyclists develop the physical and mental skills to ride safely skillfully and with confidence

ldquoRiding the right way means using known and proven principles for effectively controlling your motorcycle and man-

aging riskrdquo says Condon ldquoRiding a motorcycle the right way involves more than simply acquiring a collection of in-

formation and skills It takes a commitment to developing and nurturing the relationship between you your bike and the roadrdquo

Motorcycling the Right Way is a complete motorcycle riding manual with each chapter featuring riding situations and teaching lessons Sections include How

to manage risks and prevent crashes Mastering necessary skills in everyday situations How to conquer shifting braking and cornering Dissecting real-life sit-

uations and concluding what went wrong and what to do right Dirt riding group rides highway riding night riding passengers and Motorcycle maintenance

We were impressed by the quality of the book and especially the plethora of illustrations pictures and straight-forward imagery used in Motorcycling the Right

Way

ldquoBeing a thinking motorcyclist means making conscious decisions about risk management ndash this is one of the biggest reasons why Irsquove survived all these years

on two wheelsrdquo adds Condon ldquoThis book will bring audiences a clear insight to right actions and critical choices as well as the rewards of safety confidence

and enjoyment of the roadrdquo

Motorcycling the Right Way by Ken Condon is now available at online booksellers

and bookstores everywhere for $2495

B O O K S P O T L I G H T

Page 52 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

email infomotoaventuraclweb wwwmotoaventuracl

Independent touring or guided tourswith multilingual guide mechanic andsupport vehicle 14 Years organizing

tours and BMW rentals80 motorcycles in fleet

Worldrsquos 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

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

ContactVasilios Rallis718-730-5220

wwwgreekmotoadventurescom

EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTINGEvery Tuesday bull The Ear - Spring St NYC Come meet some fellow riders and dosome benchracing or whatever 8pm-ish

Every Tuesday bull Bike Night Texas Smoke Barbecue 400 Route 15 South Jeffer-son NJ Dine indoors or out with dinner specials Meet and kick some tires whileenjoying some terrific barbeque bull wwwTexasSmokeBBQcom bull 862-209-4078

Every Thursday bull Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In Rtes 15206 Augusta NJTire kicking good food and friends bull wwwchatterboxdriveincom

Every Saturday bull Stop by the dealership at 9am for coffee and bagels Ride departsat 10am Return to the dealership for FREE food and music Proper attire MUST beworn No shorts or sneakers bull Bergen Harley-DavidsonBMW Motorcycle 124Essex St Rochelle Park NJ bull 201-843-6930 bull wwwbergenbmwmotorcyclescom

SEPTEMBER23-27 bull 3rd Annual Motorcycle Film Festival Nihil Gallery 251 Douglas StreetBrooklyn NY Full schedule and chosen film list wwwmotorcyclefilmfestivalcom

24-27 bull Rolling Thru America - Pennsylvania Brought to you by the folks who pro-duce Americade an intimate tour through beautiful Pennsylvania VisitwwwRollingThruAmericacom for full details and to register Limited space

26 bull Forever Friends Motorcycle Awareness Charity Bike Run amp Event in lovingmemory of Mark Khoury amp Jeremy Ramirez Skylands Stadium 94 ChampionshipDr (Rte 565) Augusta NJ Sign in 9-11am Ride 1130-130pm Event doors opennoon-5pm $20pp incl food vendors tricky tray 5050 live music and rideforeverfriends4923gmailcom for more info

OCTOBER3 bull Bergen County Harley-Davidson 1st Ever Scavenger Hunt to benefit Liberty RunFoundation Sign in 9-1015am bull $15rider bull $10passenger 124 Essex St RochellePark NJ bull 201-843-6930 bull BergenHarleycom bull FULL DETAILS PAGE 19

3 bull Liberty Harley-Davidson Fall Open House Food beverages live music andmore 12 W Milton Ave Rahway NJ bull 732-381-2400 bull wwwLibertyHarleycom

3 bull Woodstock Harley-Davidson Open House bull 11am-5pm 2016 models have ar-rived HOG-FAB ride BBQ vendors games prizes live music and more 949 StateRoute 28 Kingston NY bull 855-RIDE-WHD WoodstockHarleycom

4 bull 8th Anual Veterans Memorial Car Truck amp Bike Show Woodbourne VeteransMemorial park 145 Sherman Ridge Rd Wantage Township NJ bull 11am-4pm Ben-efits Operation Comfort Warrior For more information 973-352-9203 bull wan-tagereccomveterans_memorialcar_showcar_showhtm

10 bull Tramontin Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Celebration YOU DONrsquoT WANTTO MISS THIS Exit 12 Route 80 Hope NJ bull 908-459-4101 bull TramontinHDcom

11 bull Ramapo Motorcycle Club Fall Foliage Tour Sign inEndsite Rhodes North Tav-ern 40 Orange Tpke (Rte 17) Sloatsburg NY 9am-mid-afternoon Benefits ValerieFund for Childhood Cancer Research A guided or self-guided tour featuring thebest autumn pallet Mother Nature can provide along some of the Hudson Valleyrsquosmost interesting roads For more info ramapomcorg bull RMCramapomcorg

13 bull Rollinrsquo Fast Indian Motorcycle of Lebanon lsquoIndian Summerrsquo Demo Day bull 9am-6pm with attractive discounts on apparel and accessories Find which Indian willbe your next ride bull 104 Main St Lebanon NJ bull 908-236-9000 bull wwwRollinFastcom

17 bull Mortonrsquos BMW Motorcycles Oktoberfest Open House featuring British worldtraveler and auther Sam Manicomrsquos lsquoInto Africarsquo presentation and book signingalong with demo rides door prizes great food fantastic sales and much more5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA bull 540-891-9844 bull wwwmortons-bmwcom

18 bull 27th Annual Harvey C Irons Make-A-Wish Ride hosted by the Blue KnightsNJIX Sign in with coffeedonuts Chatterbox Drive-In Rte 15206 Augusta NJ 9-11am KSU 11am $20pp benefits Make-A-Wish Foundation of NJ Endsite Sky-lands Stadium Rte 565 Augusta NJ with entertainment vendors lunch andmore email mlittle_2msncom bull bknjixorg bull 973-729-4072

18 bull Ridgewood 10th Annual Fall Motorcycle Classic Bike Show and Run to benefitTomorrowrsquos Children Fund sponsored by Bergen County Harley-Davidson bull 201-843-6930 bull For complete details please see page 29

25 bull Motorcyclepedia Museum hosting the Chocolate Expo bull 11am-7pm One ofthe largest chocolate events in the US and offers tastings and sales of chocolatesbaked goods specialty foods gelato cheeses wines and more trhom 35-80 ven-dors Tickets and vendor listings available at wwwthechocolateexpocom 250 LakeSt Newburgh NY bull 845-569-9065

31 bull Liberty Harley-Davidson Halloween Spooktacular featured world-famousVoodoo Chili candy for the kids and so much more 12 W Milton Ave Rahway NJbull 732-381-2400 bull wwwLibertyHarleycom

NOVEMBER28 bull Cross Country Powersports Fall Open House 911 Middlesex Ave MetuchenNJ bull 732-635-0094 bull wwwcrosscountrypowersportscom

DECEMBER11-13 bull Progressivereg International Motorcycle Showsreg returns to the Javits Centerin NYC View hundreds of the latest motorcycles gear parts accessories andmore Visit wwwmotorcycleshowscom for details and tickets The folks from Back-roads Magazine will have a booth handing out magazines and shaking hands

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 53

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR

Page 54 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

route 20 Bouckville ny bull 315-893-1810 bull wwwyeoldelandmarkcom

ye olde landmark Tavern

5 Spacious Roomsstarting at $9500

Tavern andDining Room Menu

Serving HoursMon-Sat 5-9pm

Sunday 230-8pm

Seasonal April ~ December

Member ofFeatured in lsquoWersquore Outta Herersquo Sept 2011In the heart of great riding bull Between Syracuse and Utica

Cooperstown bull Finger Lakes bull State Forests

Touring North Central VirginiaThen ride on over to the NEW

Comfort Inn amp Suites in Orange

Motorcyclist Owned amp OperatedLarge indoor heated pool and spa bull Free deluxe hot breakfast buffet

Microwaves + fridges in every room bull Large rooms + suites available

Comfort Inn amp Suites334 Caroline St (James Madison Hwy) Orange VA 22960

540-672-3121 bull wwwcomfortinncomhotel-orange-virginia-VA657

Moto-Inn ApprovedTell lsquoem Backroads

sent you

15 Discountto all

Motorcyclists

The newest motorcycle-friendlyhotel closest to Skyline Drivehellip

just 30 miles away

The Charlesworth Hotelis New Jerseyrsquos REAL backroadsrsquo hideaway

Romantic Dining

Comfortable Rooms

Home of the BEST sunset on the Jersey Shore

New Jersey Avenue bull Fortescue NJ bull 856-447-4928

BACKAND BETTERTHAN EVER

Fire Pit bull Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool bull BYOB

We welcome everyone froma lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100 West Dover VTwwwBigBearsLodgecom

802-464-5591

wwwbeemerboneyardcomUSED OILHEAD amp K-BIKE PARTS

Hundreds of used parts at 50 off new cost or lessOrder online 247 ~ MC 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 amp Gear Oil for BMWs

973-775-3495 bull M-F 12pm~5pm bull inquiresbeemerboneyardcom

JOIN TODAY

Membership $25 bull Includes Member BenefitswwwMotorcycleSafetyProgramorg

Promoting MotorcycleAwareness amp the Benefits

of Rider Education

BACKROADS bull OCTOBER 2015 Page 55

M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

320 Front Street Belvidere NJ bull 908-475-2274 bull wwwthisilldouscom

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond bull 7am to 4pm bull Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering

Flexible bull AffordableReady When You Are

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983

Member of

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 Georgersquos Greek American cooking

Best bar menu lunch or dinnerFresh 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 bull wwwrivertonhotelcom

Member of

The Riverton The Boat House RestaurantPerfect in Any Season

Brunch Lunch or Dinner on Swartswood Lake

1040 Cty Rd 521 bull Swartswood NJ973-300-0016

Tues-Sun 11A-9PBrunch 10A-2P

Closed Monday

Call forSeasonal Hours

Excellent Ride Destination

Hudson Valleyrsquos

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

wwwbarnstormerbbqcom

Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque

If you go home hungryitrsquos your own fault

lsquo50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Rossrsquo Corners bull 1 Route 15 bull Augusta NJ bull 973-300-2300

wwwchatterboxdriveincom

THURSDAY BIKE NIGHT IS BACK bull join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD bull GOOD TIMES bull EXCELLENT RIDING

Riverside Cafe amp Lodge bull 16624 Cty Hwy 17 bull Roscoe NY bull 607-498-5305

wwwriversidecafeandlodgecom bull GPS 41deg58rsquo09rdquoN bull 75deg01rsquo326rdquoW

Riverside Cafe amp Lodge nestled on the Beaverskill River in Roscoe NYCIA-trained chef bull Motel rooms and cabins bull Free wi-fiExcellent base location to explore the lower Catskills

Page 56 OCTOBER 2015 bull BACKROADS

M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

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 amp Sup-

plies bull Cycle TiresMounted amp Balanced bullBatteries amp Hard Parts bullDynojet 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 BIKETOBERFESTSTURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 bull wwwbarntruckrentalcom

57-05 BROADWAY bull WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE amp LIE)

SALESRENTALS

OrsquoTOOLErsquoS HARLEY-DAVIDSONreg

Serving New Yorkrsquos Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service bull New Model Sales

Genuine Harley-Davidsonreg Parts and Accessories

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello Middletown Ellenville Montgomery and Walden

4 Sullivan St bull Wurtsboro NY

845-888-2426 bull wwwOToolesHDcom

Come Ride the Dragonwwwdealsgapcom

800889555017548 Tapoco Road Robbinsville NC 28771

Deals Gap318 Curves in 11 Miles

Deals Gap StoreMotel

Bar and Grill

210 Route 10 West East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Instagram

Watch Us on YouTube

Like Us on Facebook

wwwHanoverPowersportscom

1190 Adventure RJack-Of-All-Trades

amongTravel Enduro Bikes

210 Route 10 WestEast Hanover NJ973-428-1735

210 Route 10 West bull East Hanover NJ bull 973-428-1735wwwPowersportsHondacomMon Tue Wed Fri 9am-6pm bull Thur 9am-8pmSat 9am-5pm bull SUNDAY CLOSED

1190 ADVENTURE1290 SUPER ADVENTURE

ONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

Keep the Adventure in your Travel

hondacom 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 OWNERrsquoS MANUALTHOROUGHLY For rider training information or to locate a rider training course near you call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227 NC700X CB500X and CRF1000L Africa Twin are registered trademarsk of Honda Motor Co Ltd (0815)

Out of the shadows and into adventure2016 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin

Take the road less travelled with either the NC700X or the CB500X

dealer DRESS FOR THE ADVENTURE