NRR August 2012 - Northern Rockies Rider

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Northern Rockies Rider
Volume 1, Number 5 • August, 2012 • A Continental Communications Publication • [email protected] • 406-498-3250
New H-D ownership takes helm at
Missoula, Kalispell
By Cole Boehler
A pure love of motorcycles leads
people down surprising roads.
Bob and Peg Russell, and son Kurt,
spent much of their lifetimes in the
wood products industry in Idaho and
Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, running
sawmills.
Unfortunately, for a variety of
reasons but perhaps especially due to
government policy, the timber business
has been in a decline for three decades
and only remnants survive in the
Northern Rockies.
In 2008 the bottom dropped out of
home building and the dozen log home
yards in Montana’s Bitterroot are idle.
The Russells were ready to focus their
energies and business acumen in a new
direction.
Coincidentally, the owners of
Montana Harley-Davidson put their
Missoula and Kalispell outlets on the
market about the time the Russells were
looking for a new opportunity. A deal
was struck and the business changed
hands April 1, 2012. It was rechristened
Grizzly Harley-Davidson in Missoula
and Glacier H-D in Kalispell.
The Russells celebrated a Grand
Opening for the Missoula store Friday
and Saturday, June 30-July 1. HarleyDavidson is about fine style so the event
was designed to reflect that.
Saturday featured live music 1-3
p.m. by Mike Bader Bearjam, and
more music by Hollow Grind 4:306:30. Meanwhile Kind Swine provided
delicious barbecue and drinks were
catered by Missoula’s Rhino.
There was a tattoo contest and
the usual assortment of fun bike
See Dealership, Page 2
Interior of the spacious, bright and modern Grizzly Harley Davidson showroom in
Missoula, Mont. New ownership celebrated a Grand Opening June 30-July 1.
Revisiting the Victory line after 13 years
By Cole Boehler
It was in 1999. I was in Seeley Lake, Mont.,
visiting my buddy and hunting partner of 25 years,
Ted Lockwood.
He told me the local Kurt’s Polaris snowmobile
shop had gotten in some new kind of motorcycle
called a “Victory,” built by Polaris Industries.
There were 14 different Victory motorcycles to test ride at Kurt’s Polaris in Missoula June 26-27. Rides took
place on the hour both days.
Change service requested: 914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701
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Ted introduced me to the shop owner, Kurt
Phillips, who quickly acquiesced to my request for a
test ride of the V92C.
Just five miles down Hwy. 83 and back, I recall
being impressed with the 92-inch motor’s monster
torque, but I was far less enamored with the bike’s
excessively sloppy transmission.
Cruising with virtually no load on the drive train,
the gears and shafts clattered and rattled alarmingly
as lash in the gearbox alternated with every rotation
of the crankshaft. I later confessed to Ted that I
wouldn’t buy one, considering the apparent lack of
precise machining tolerances in the transmission.
It wasn’t long and Victory stepped up to
acknowledge the problem, offering customers rebates
and transmission “upgrade” kits. The bikes suffered
from a series of other, perhaps to be expected, firstyear production niggles but ultimately sorted them all
out.
Thirteen years later, Victory still represents a small
share of the “heavy cruiser” market, but has built a
loyal following that is growing faster than any other
make in the segment.
Sales for heavy cruisers industry-wide were up
9 percent for May 31, 2012, clear evidence of a
general recovery in the motorcycle industry. Victory,
however, is up 22 percent and has moved from the
number five (2010) to the number two manufacturer
in the segment, still well behind the king, HarleySee Victory, Page 3
Marlin’s
Motorcycle is
diversified
family affair
Find riding
treasures in
southern
Wyoming
Page 14
Page 24
Northern Rockies Rider - 2
August 2012
Dealership
from page 1
games. Many of the youth set availed
themselves of creative face painting and
painted tattoos. Scantily clad “barista
girls” washed bikes all day at just $5 a
register all day and clearly $1,000s
worth of T-shirts went out the door, as
well as hundreds of bike accessories
and other Motor Clothes. On Saturday
alone, we saw three brand new Harleys
roll out the door and were told two
more had been sold.
Grizzly H-D staff were at a dead
run all day and it seemed the entire
schedule came off without a hitch.
That’s the formula for a successful
Grand Opening.
Bob Russell
Bob practically grew up on bikes.
“I had my first motorcycle at age
15, a 1942 Army model Harley,” he
recalled. “My second was a 61-cubicinch 1948
hand-shift.
Then, at
18-years-old, I
got a ‘56 FLH
There was fun and
dresser with
games for all, including
all the factory
a tattoo contest. Man,
accessories.
that’s some fine ink!
It had a handclutch and a
pop. Captain Hook’s
foot-shift. I
Ice Cream provided
paid $5 extra
cold treats during the
for special
warm days.
factory paint!”
Meanwhile, the
Some women just have natural talent.
he said with a
Montana School of
The traditional “bite the wienie”
laugh.
Massage worked out
contest.
“I met Peg
customers’ kinks at
in
1959
and
$1 per minute. Other
took her for a ride. We were married
vendors were Zombie Tattoo, Montana
July 29, 1962. We’re celebrating
Hydro Imaging and Austin Steiner
our 50th anniversary this year,” he
Covers with their custom bolt-on
continued. “I have
since acquired and
restored another
‘56 identical to the
one I originally
owned.
“In 1959 I was
working on the
ranch near St.
Maries (Idaho).
That’s when I met
Bobby (“Evel”)
Knievel,” Bob
remembered. “He
was working for a
motorcycle shop in
Barista babes washed bikes for the price of just ... uh, heck, I Spokane. He had a
forgot.
‘59 El Camino with
a BSA Spitfire in
the
back
when
he
came
out to the ranch.
motorcycle component covers.
“Motorcycling Montana” author and He stayed the night.”
Bob nods toward the restored blue
Spitfire displayed on the floor at Grizzly
H-D.
“We had a little Cat. Bobby said if
we built a track, we’d have a race, so
we built one. The next weekend Bobby
and a big bunch came out from Spokane
and we had a race!”
“I was
in the
timber
industry
my whole
life,” Bob
continues.
Junior bad ass.
“There
was more
money
publisher Cole Boehler
in it than
(also editor and publisher
ranching.”
of Northern Rockies Rider)
The family
manned a table with his
worked
wife, Marilyn, for an alland grew
You can always dream ... of a Harley in
day book signing session.
the St.
We observed busy cash your future. Yup, it fits just fine.
Maries mill, “then we bought the
Champion sawmill in Darby (Mont.) in
1984 and the Stoltz mill there. We also
bought the Plum Creek timberlands.”
Bob says the wood products business
continued a steady decline until the
mills and properties were auctioned off
in 1999 and he retired.
“Operating a motorcycle dealership
is something I’ve always wanted to do,”
he said. “This came up and we worked
on it for a couple for years. Got it done
April 1.
“I like the day-to-day and the PR
stuff; I have no particular job. I like
being part of the fun. I get to deliver
bikes to our Kalispell store.
“My philosophy is, the customer is
then served as sales manager for Beth
and Bob Thomas at Lone Wolf H-D in
Spokane/Coeur d’Alene.
He bought his first Harley in 1990
from Montana H-D in Missoula.
“Dad and I knew that (Missoula/
Kalispell) business well,” Kurt said
in a June 30 interview. “We bought
a lot of bikes there. Larry Guerrero
(Montana H-D sales manager) told us
the franchise might be for sale and we
started dealing.” Guerrero is now the
controller for Grizzly/Glacier H-D.
Kurt said his immediate objective
is “to keep all the current and loyal
customers of the former Montana H-D
while recruiting thousands more.
“We want the opportunity to earn
Bob Russell, left, and son Kurt, partnered to purchase the former Montana HarleyDavidson stores in Missoula and Kalispell, Mont. The locations are now known
respectively as Grizzley and Glacier Harley-Davidson.
king. We just want a shot to earn your
business.”
Kurt Russell
Kurt is a Missoula native, but ran
sawmills in St. Maries, Idaho, and
Darby, Mont., for 15 years. Meanwhile,
he opened a motorcycle business in
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, that sold Titan,
Big Dog and Indian machines and
serviced H-D.
He eventually closed that business
and went to work for George Latus
who had the H-D franchise in Spokane,
Wash., until 2005. He then managed
Bird of Prey H-D in Caldwell, Idaho,
for Dave and Bob Thomas until 2008,
our customers’ business. We want a
shot.
“We intend to take care of our
customers with good old-fashioned
service; nothing fancy. We’ll stand
behind our brand and products with
exceptional service. We’ll be here for
our customers.”
Larry Guerrero
“We’re here for the customer. We
want this to be a destination for the
customer; a place they can come to
to visit their friends and relatives –
family. We’ll build the business on
customer service and good old southern
hospitality.”
Jim & Barbi Hays, Owners
5201 S. Douglas Hwy., Gillette, WY 82717
307-686-3781 • www.jakestavern.com
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 3
Victory
from page 1
Davidson.
The company now offers 17 distinct
models composed around three chassis
platforms (one cruiser and two for the
bagger/touring line-up) and the now
beefier 106 cubic-inch air/oil-cooled
engine with four-valve heads and single
overhead cam.
Fire up your web browser and all
the details are easily accessible.
In 2002 Kurt Phillips also opened
a second Polaris/Victory store in
Missoula, a city of 70,000 about 45
miles west of the Seeley Lake store.
That’s where we learned in late June
of a Victory motorcycle demo day
scheduled for June 26-27. We cleared
the schedule for the afternoon of the
27th and rode the 120 miles west to
Missoula.
A Victory semi-trailer rig was on the
lot and 14 of the 15 bikes hauled in the
trailer were lined up on the east side of
the lot. The unfortunate 15th model had
been gently dumped the previous day
by a store employee, not a guest rider.
I immediately recognized Victory
District Sales Manager Leigh Kirschner
seated at a table before a laptop. I’d
met her earlier at a local motorcycle
show. She introduced me to the demo
manager and truck driver, Scott Jarland,
who has been with Polaris 18 years and
on the Victory side for 14.
I also found parts manager Dale
Bakken and store manager Jeff Stoeger,
and restated my intent to ride a few
Victories and offer Northern Rockies
Rider readers a review.
to intimidate the competition in an
urban stoplight environment.
The brakes were impressive: a
single-rotor four-piston up front with
a two-piston aft. There wasn’t much
dive when the front brake was applied
with authority, even with 5.1 inches
of suspension travel. The brakes were
linear – a soft squeeze yielded mild
braking; an authoritative grip scrubbed
speed rapidly.
The ride was cushy but taught
around town. Out on the four-lane at
speed, a rider can feel the just-threeinches of rear suspension. Pavement
breaks and expansion joints will send a
jolt up your spine.
The Judge has staggered slash-cut
exhausts that produce a nasty, but
not obnoxious bark when the throttle
butterflies are opened. A technician told
me ever increasing EPA noise regs will
delete some of Victory’s more potent
pipes after 2012.
The Judge tips the scales at a portly
660 pounds ... dry. Fill the crankcase
and 4.5-gallon fuel reservoir and this
bad boy goes close to 700 pounds!
The bike feels nimble and light
underway, turning quickly with little
effort at the bars, despite its stretched
64.8-inch wheelbase. Credit a low
center of gravity.
Upon slipping out the clutch, the
first impression is one of massive
torque and power pulses. That
impression is backed by the factory’s
claimed – yet completely believable –
torque spec of 113 feet-pounds!
There’s really no need to apply
throttle to get rolling on the flat. The
big slugs in those big jugs, tied to a
substantial flywheel, means the bike
simply chug-chug-chugs forward upon
Kurt’s Polaris staffer at the hauler adding juice to the tank.
The engine felt smoother and more
ready to respond at 2,500 RPMs,
then simply rocketed forward when
the throttle was whacked, in any gear
except sixth, until exceeding 4,500
RPMs. There, power dropped off and
the rev-limiter wall was hit hard soon
after (I found it twice).
In lower gears, the engine delivers
serious punch and would be hard to top
stoplight-to-stoplight.
But engineers are always struggling
to deliver performance while
complying with EPA regs calling for
ever-cleaner emissions. We’re aware
that a dozen fuel-injection setups on
production bikes have not overcome
a tendency for substantial abruptness
between off- and on-throttle.
The Judge, too, was balky in the
throttle transition, exacerbating some
driveline lash and
Here come da Judge
producing a minor
I told Leigh I would first
clunk.
like to ride a naked, sportier
And we
light-weight and she pointed
experienced
me toward The Judge, a 2012
notchy, loud
new introduction. (Now more
shifting, more
marketing savvy, no longer are
pronounced
Victory models designated by
when shifting
only numbers and letters.)
down rather than
All the specs are available
up, and more
in company literature and on
noticeable in low
the Internet. Specifications
gears at lower
reveal a lot about a machine,
speeds, almost
but operating one will paint the
disappearing in
truest picture.
upper gears at
Coming off my ST and
higher speeds.
ADV bikes, I expected the foot
We suspect,
position to be awkward, and it
however, that
was. The saddles on my bikes
with more breakare 32 and 33 inches, whereas
in miles (the test
The Judge saddle places your
The assortment of Victory platforms, models and colors was dazzling. platform only
butt a mere 25.9 inches from the
showed 3K),
ground, necessitating forward
and with more
controls to allow the leg to stretch out a
saddle time, we would be able to better
bit. Still, the company calls them “mid- clutch engagement, each distinct engine modulate shifter, clutch and throttle
power pulse transmitted to the ground
mounted.”
interactions to smooth and quiet gear
via belt drive.
My knees felt higher than my
changes. A quick twist-grip blip would
But the engine prefers a few
hips which wasn’t a problem on our
help bring things into sync.
RPMs
–
say
2,000
–
before
it
wants
30-minute mixed urban and rural
A complete suite of custom
to swallow big gulps of throttle. At 60
cruise. A full day may have revealed
components is available from the
MPH, the LCD tach indicated 2,100
the age of my hip joints.
factory including wind screen, stage-I
The seat felt plush, but was radically RPMS in sixth gear, which is very
exhaust, saddle bags, handlebar
tall
and
a
true
“overdrive”
gear.
A
stepped behind which allowed for
and mirror options, touring seat
downshift might be called for when
almost no movement fore and aft, and
and backrest, heated grips, analog
passing one of our modern “land
would provide few options for leg and
tachometer (toggling a button will
trains.”
feet positioning.
illuminate an LCD tach) and more.
Vibration comes through the seat,
The bar is low (by cruiser standards)
For many, The Judge could be the
pegs and bars when the throttle is
and wide and the lack of a windscreen
perfect Saturday afternoon boulevard
has the upper torso catching a lot of
burner, maybe even Sunday morning
cranked on, but things settle into a
wind at 60 MPH-plus. But this isn’t
pleasant thrum once cruising speeds are canyon carver (we didn’t get to run
really a highway bike, clearly intended reached.
any good curves, but I tried to touch
the foot pegs down and failed). Its use
as a long-distance mile-eater would be
much more marginal ... no doubt, just
as the factory intended.
There are nine models in their
cruiser line-up including: Vegas 8-Ball,
High-Ball, Judge, Hammer 8-Ball,
Vegas, Kingpin, Zach Ness Vegas,
Vegas Jackpot and Hammer S.
Suggested manufacturer’s retail
price for the Judge - $13,499; as low
as $12,499 for the Vegas 8-Ball, up
to $18,499 for the Vegas Jackpot and
Hammer S.
The design department at Victory
imparted distinctive styling flourishes
that immediately set a Victory – and
The Judge – apart from all the other
big-inch V-twin cruisers, even the
American alternative.
If you’re looking to turn heads and
show off your bad ass side, The Judge
would sway a jury.
Down at the Cross Roads
I next settled into the saddle of the
Victory Cross Roads.
If this model is meant to straddle the
naked and full-dress yacht segments,
maybe this would be the Victory for
me, since I currently favor a ride that
falls between full sport and full luxotour. Victory markets machines for this
niche as “baggers.”
For starters, it shares the same
50-degree V-twin, 106-inch engine
and 6-speed transmission as all other
Victory platforms, but has it’s own
feel when it comes to ergonomics and
performance.
The seat height is a still-low 26.25
inches but there is considerably more
leg room than with the Victory cruisers
and padding is more luxurious. Also
sharply stepped, there is no fore and aft
option for the rider’s rump. Get used
to it.
The Cross Roads has a lower bar
with handgrips positioned closer to the
rider, producing a truly relaxed feel.
Hefting it off the side-stand was
alarming for this rider used to an ST
bike at 630 pounds fully fueled. The
Cross Roads weighs in at 745 dry. With
full crankcase and 5.8 gallons of petrol
on board, the bike weighs very close to
800 pounds.
Stretching 65.6 inches between
axels, it feels much longer, more
massive, than the .8-inch shorter
Victory cruisers.
See Victory, Page 10
Northern Rockies Rider - 4
There’s no dodging it...
Opinion
August 2012
Where does NR Rider stand on helmets?
By Cole Boehler
NR Rider Editor
A reader recently questioned where Northern
Rockies Rider stood on the issue of helmets.
There is in reality two parts to that most
contentious of questions:
Where do you stand on helmet use?
...and...
Where do you stand on mandatory helmet
use?
The first part of the question is easy for us
to answer: Northern Rockies Rider absolutely
favors the use of helmets, and here’s why.
I have crashed twice, once on a race track
during a track day, and once while engaged in
some adventure touring off pavement.
In both cases, head injuries could have been
severe: torn scalp; filthy and deep lacerations
and abrasions to the forehead, eye area
(possible eye injury), cheek and chin; potentially
a broken jaw and teeth; cranial bone loss,
concussion, skull fracture, brain damage or
death. These are facts.
Since I was wearing a quality full-face helmet
in both instances, I had no head injuries, not
even mild wooziness.
I didn’t always wear a helmet. I started riding
street bikes at age 21 and unfortunately had
no mentor. I did not acquire a real helmet until I
was 27. By that point I was riding an extremely
powerful and fast production bike and began to
better understand the potential for a crash and
the potential consequences of one.
I also began to gain a sense my own
mortality.
Then I saw the aftermath of an 85 mile-perhour highway high-side and slide, the result of a
tank-slapper. That made me think about gear to
protect the rest of my body.
I have seen other crashes since and have
seen the injuries prevented by good riding gear,
especially helmets.
So I, and by extension Northern Rockies
Rider, believe in wearing helmets and good
protective riding gear. I wear riding boots, pants,
jackets, gloves and helmets. It’s my personal
choice. If you ask me, I would recommend you
wear good gear, too.
The second question regarding mandatory
helmet use is also easy for me to answer, but
the implications are more complex.
Northern Rockies Rider does not support
mandatory helmet laws. Period.
At heart, I have libertarian notions. There are
sound reasons for government and taxes, but
both are best when applied minimally.
I do not believe it is the role of government to
nanny its citizens as we are not children (in the
case of children, the supervisory role goes to the
parents). We have too much intrusion into our
lives as it is, and both liberal and conservative
ideologues are equally inclined to legislate away
our personal choices.
But this is where the shades of grey between
black and white enter the argument.
The social activist rejoinder is: If you choose
not to wear a helmet, do I get to choose not to
pay for your medicals bills and nursing home
costs when you suffer a catastrophic accident?
That really is a fair and valid question.
I would answer: Do you get to choose to
not pay for injury and care for those hurt while
bicycling, skiing, rock climbing, walking down
the street, hunting, floating and boating, flying,
sky diving, para-sailing and hang-gliding, driving
an automobile...? In short, anyone awake and
moving about?
Why single out
motorcyclists?
If the idea is to
Your passenger needs security!
Here’s a low-cost answer
The Riding Belt!
Perfectly placed passenger hand-holds
for a maximum sense of security
reduce accident injury, and mandating protective
gear is acceptable, then why shouldn’t it be
mandated that everyone wear helmets – and for
that matter, full protective gear – at all times?
Certainly automobile drivers and passengers
would realize fewer and less severe injuries if
helmeted. Why not mandate helmets for them?
The question becomes, where do you draw
the line? Where does such social engineering
become purely ridiculous, and who is to make
that determination?
As an informed and intelligent adult, I want to
make these decisions for myself.
Yes, I suppose some of my money may wind
up paying for seriously injured riders, just as, to
one degree or another, it pays for anyone else
seriously injured. And some of your money may
wind up paying for my injuries, helmeted or not.
Just as those of us who are insured pay for
those who are not...
But really, we will not get into that debate!
Northern Rockies Rider
Published “Almost Monthly” (nine times annually) - Feb., April-Oct., Dec.
A Continental Communications Publication
914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701
406-498-3250 • <[email protected]>
www.northernrockiesrider.com (site not yet live)
Editor and Publisher - Cole D. Boehler • <[email protected]>
Business and Sales Manager - Dani M. Rollison <[email protected]>
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All rights reserved by the publisher
Opinion
Nothing tops experience in group ride
August 2012
By Cole Boehler
Editor and Publisher
Northern Rockies Rider
Northern Rockies Rider - 5
was well into his 70s, the youngest
trip because of time or stamina
twisties ascending and descending
was about eight years old, riding
constraints.
a particularly fun mountain pass.
pillion with his dad. All riders were
I asked if everyone felt the
Marilyn and I have used up a lot of
male but a half dozen females
route and suggested stops were
tires on challenging mountain roads
Margie Fine, owner of Redline
would be along as passengers.
acceptable, and all were affirmative, and are quite comfortable riding in
Sports here in Butte, Mont., asked
A quick appraisal of the machines though one female passenger with
a spirited and sporting mode in that
me back in March if I would lead
told me a lot about the group.
leg problems said they would have
environment.
a ride for
There
to see how the ride progressed, and
I actually thought I’d probably
some of her
were eight
may have to peel off early. (They
lose sight of riders behind me when
customers.
Gold Wings
completed the whole route.)
I carved the turns with gusto. Not
Of course
including
Since we would leave the store
so. Two fellows on Gold Wings, both
I agreed
one trike (not
and immediately enter the heavy
in their mid-60s, were pretty well
Cole Boehler
and we
surprising
traffic of this commercial strip, I
stuck to my fender, even as I was
Editor and Publisher
settled on
since these
knew the group would be badly
riding at perhaps 85 to 90 percent of
Northern Rockies Rider
a Saturday,
were Redline
scattered right out of the chute. I
my skill envelope. And several other
June 23.
Honda
suggested we re-group at the onriders were tight in the Gold Wings’
One of
customers),
ramp to the short piece of Interstate wakes.
the reasons
a Harley, a
highway we would ride to get to the
I was aware of the sporting
we enjoy living in Montana is for the couple of Yamaha sport-tourers and good two-lane, which is what we
potential of Gold Wings. I had
plentiful solitude the place affords
a Suzuki semi-faired naked. My
did.
witnessed it a few years prior when
when you want it. Even at the
ride that day displaced 1,300 CCs,
From that point on, things went
a cousin of my wife’s, Eugene, rode
height of the tourism season, if you
nearly the smallest engine in the
remarkably smoothly.
with us in British Columbia. There
know the roads, you can ride with
was no shaking him and, had he
minimal, even nonexistent, traffic.
been in front, it would have pressed
So my wife and I solo (or is that
me to keep up.
duo?) perhaps half the time, maybe
He’d worn out and replaced the
more. When we do ride with others,
nylon sliders under his floorboards
it’s usually one other bike, perhaps
with custom brass bits, which allow
two, once in awhile three. And we
for longer wear without the potential
know our riding companions and
for throwing sparks and starting
their skill levels so anxiety levels are
fires.
substantially reduced.
Someone should have told
Marilyn and I have never been
him Gold Wings are for leisurely
on a poker run in 35 years of riding,
and luxurious touring, not canyon
though we’ve been invited to plenty.
strafing. Someone should have
We just instinctively avoid crowds
explained the same to Jake and
and traffic. When we encounter a
Skip, who were filling my mirrors up
large group ride, we generally will
and down Flesher Pass.
go another direction, trying stay out
At our lunch break that Saturday,
of their way.
I asked the individual riders how
Besides, there is real merit in
many years they had been riding
minimizing the hassle factor: Are
road bikes. Of the dozen riders,
we all ready to roll now? Are we
years of experience totaled 395,
all gassed up? Do we want to do
which did not included several
a coffee break? Who needs to eat
decades more of riding dirt and
soon? Where should we stop next?
trails.
Who has fallen out of the group,
That averaged out to each having
why and where are they? And on
33
years of experience. Personally,
These riders had an average of 33 years riding experience.
and on...
I rated just two years above the
So it was with some misgivings
bunch. These were all big bikes and
It was clear these riders knew
average. One rider had tallied 48
that I agreed to lead the Redline
not the tools for beginners.
what they were doing and where
years in the saddle.
Sports ride. But Margie and Redline
Riders appeared to be mostly in
we were going. Only one couple
Now, numbers like these will
are customers of mine and, besides, their 50s and 60s with an exception
took a wrong turn, quickly deduced
reduce the stress of riding in a
I like her
on each end
their error,
large group. I
and she
of that small
and shortly
was actually
runs a
spectrum.
rejoined the
quite relaxed,
good
I quickly
pack.
knowing that
business.
deduced this
I also
the folks on
We
mature group
noticed
this ride could
got to the
did not need
a natural
take care of
Honda
instruction.
riding order
themselves,
store at 9
Instead, I
emerged,
that, indeed,
a.m. and
simply passed
with the
a few of them
there were
out highlighted
most
could teach
already
maps, then
aggressive,
me some
eight or
described the
confident
things.
10 bikes
route I had
riders
Only
parked at
selected, where arranged
one other
the curb
the junctions
toward the
time have I
in front,
and roadway
front, those
ridden with
despite
changes would
more into
what I feel
Forming
up
and
getting
ready
to
rumble...
er,
The
group
taking
a
water
and
stretch
break
at
a
the ride
be, where we
relaxed
is a “large”
purr down the highway.
junction.
being
would stop
cruising
group – that
scheduled
for coffee
filling out
was seven
to not leave for another hour. But
(bathrooms, fuel) and lunch, and
the rear ranks.
bikes and nine people out three
the coffee, fruit, sweet rolls and
just a synopsis of the type of riding
No one had to say it: these bikers days. The seven riders had, I would
camaraderie quickly filled that hour
we would encounter.
were wise enough to “ride their own guess, about 80 years of combined
quite pleasurably.
I also offered two suggested
ride.”
experience, but one had less than
I knew several of the folks who
alternative return routes riders could
And so it was with pleasure that
five another was in his first year.
signed up. The oldest of the bunch
take if they needed to shorten the
I fairly attacked the best section of
See Group, Page 6
Opinion
Northern Rockies Rider - 6
Group
from page 5
This one lightly crashed.
That ride, in contrast to the more
recent one, was highly stressful,
more so since I was related to all
of them and perhaps felt personally
responsible for their well being,
and for them having a positive
experience.
a saddle at 31-inches above the
pavement. He quickly selected the
tamer adventure-tourer.
Prior to our ride, the newsman
told me he had once owned a
Honda CBR 900, which in the day
was a cutting-edge sport bike and
one intended for folks who could
handle highly developed sport
machines. This gave me some
confidence in agreeing to furnish my
bikes for the feature.
There was plenty of gray hair, and in some cases, no hair, in this mature group.
There just can’t be enough said
for experience, and for riding with
others who have plenty of it. It
yields so much confidence in your
companions and that compounds
the pleasure.
And thanks for the burgers
and dogs at the ride’s conclusion,
Margie!
I had another unique, for me,
riding experience July 2.
A member of an area TV news
team wanted to do a feature on
motorcycling. He was aware I had
written and published a book on the
subject, “Motorcycling Montana,”
so we talked and worked out the
logistics.
I trailered a brace of bikes 80
miles east to the station’s studio,
and brought along an assortment of
helmets, riding jackets and gloves.
I gave him the choice: an
85-horsepower 500-pound
adventure-tourer with a 33-inch
saddle, or a 650-pound sport-tourer
with 127 ponies at the wheel and
However, he later told me he had
only had that 900 sport bike a short
while and that was a long while ago!
Nevertheless, we geared up
and mounted the bikes, then made
our way through city traffic to the
Interstate. About 12 miles further,
near Bozeman Pass, we would find
the exit to the lightly traveled rural
lane I felt would yield good video
opportunities.
The news guy was expectedly
rusty with the controls. In
addition, he had apparently not
ridden a good-sized V-twin and
didn’t understand their torque
characteristics. With these, it takes
almost no throttle to roll away from a
flat stop. He, instead, would rev it to
several thousand RPMs, then begin
very gradually slipping the clutch
until forward motion was achieved.
Then he would let the clutch
all the way out and rocket away,
apparently startling him and truly
scaring me.
Of course, underway on the fourlane he was quite at ease, though
August 2012
at our first stop, I had to offer an
apology. See, I had reduced the
gearing on this bike substantially
so the speedometer was grossly
optimistic. While cruising at 70
miles-per-hour (five miles-an-hour
under the speed limit) he was
seeing over 80 MPH on the dial.
As he followed and tried to keep
up, I could imagine him thinking,
“What the hell is this nutcase trying
to do to me? Get me killed or get
me arrested?” even as we were
being steadily passed by Interstate
cage traffic.
To get the video they wanted,
there was a lot of stopping and
starting and many U-turns on
the narrow road, much of the
maneuvering involving gravel
approaches. In other words, plenty
of opportunities to lose your footing
or balance, especially when astride
a relatively tall mount.
I will say that Jeff did well. He
didn’t drop the bike, which I have
done three times. His chief problem
was finding neutral and knowing
which gear he was in, or should be
in. And of course those high-RPM,
then high-speed take-offs...
It was amazing, though, to see
how quickly he caught on to the
bike’s characteristics, and how
much more comfortable he was at
the end of two hours of riding and
shooting. He was even asking for
my recommendations for a good
bike for someone wanting to reenter the sport.
The cameraman was a stout
fellow who, at one point, climbed
aboard behind me and shot video
of us traveling through a series of
turns, and scenes of the newsman
riding ahead of us.
He was understandably twitchy,
having no motorcycle experience,
especially as a passenger who was
seeing the world passing by through
the viewfinder of his camera.
At one point he asked if I could
smooth out my gear changes as
each produced a lurch in the film.
I was then more conscious of this
and worked to oblige him. I asked
him if could quit trying to counter
my leans and stop moving around
so much in the seat. He also
obliged and all was much smoother
thereafter.
The camera guy even climbed
into the open rear hatch of the
studio car, laid on the floor and shot
out the back while the newsman
drove and I followed on the bike.
As a life-long print guy,
I supposed my television
counterparts would get video for a
feature like this by standing at the
side of the road, shooting bikes
coming and going; spend maybe
10 minutes on the filming and head
back to the studio.
Not so! It seemed to me the news
and camera men were exceptionally
dedicated to doing their jobs well.
That’s professionalism. They shot a
half-dozen, maybe as many as eight
scene variations and numerous
takes of each, and all this for a
“maybe two-and-a-half-minute”
feature. We were at this for over two
hours!
I’ll let you know how it came out.
This job has its perks: As a
result of my position with NR Rider,
I “had” to go ride a trio of Victory
motorcycles over in Missoula June
27. Bummer, eh?
The folks at Kurt’s Polaris Victory
were hosting a demo day and
graciously put me on three models:
a cruiser, a bagger and a tourer.
Of course, I focused only on my
serious role as a moto journalist.
(Ha! I had bikeloads of fun!)
I love all motorcycles and would
accept a demo ride on any one
of them. I hadn’t ridden a Victroy
in more than a decade and it was
rewarding to see how far they’ve
come (now number two in market
share for the “heavy cruiser”
segment).
Competition and commercial
alternatives are a good thing for the
industry and for consumers. Victory
is clearly establishing itself as a
force in the American V-twin market.
We were also delighted to attend
the Grand Opening of Grizzly
Harley-Davidson in Missoula,
Mont., Saturday, June 30. Formerly
Montana H-D, new owners were
celebrating and showing their
appreciation for community support
in the past and, hopefully, the future.
We were on hand to autograph
copies of “Motorcycling Montana,”
the comprehensive touring guide we
published in November of 2011 and
which we had reprinted in June. The
dealership has stocked the books
and quite a few copies went out the
door.
Read the complete report in this
issue.
Congratulations to the Russell
family – Kurt, Bob and Peg!
Dirt is the best place for beginners to learn
Guest Column
By Rich Rossberg
Great Falls, Mont.
Some things you just take for granted, like
learning to ride motorcycles at a very young age. It
would be hard for me to fathom having to learn to
ride a bike for the first time as an adult.
Things that seem as natural to me as driving
a car would seem foreign I’m sure. Riding an old
British bike that shifts and brakes on the wrong
side is the only comparison I could make. It’s
uncomfortable and awkward even when I’m paying
close attention, but if an emergency happened to
come along, then all bets are off.
At the age of six I badgered my father long
enough that he finally built me a homemade mini
bike. It was basically a shrunken version of his
grown up Tote Goat, with a solid tube frame and
no suspension.
It was powered by a used lawnmower engine
that we bought at a garage sale. I knew it would go
like the wind and I was beside myself the first time
I heard it run.
Dad, of course, got the first test ride and that
ended up being a sound decision even though I
couldn’t understand it at the time.
Turns out father had misgauged how far he had
the throttle turned up and once the little machine
got going it didn’t want to stop. Literally, it really
didn’t want to stop!
Second problem, Dad had neglected to install
a braking system. After all, we were just checking
to see how the motor ran, right? He looked like
Fred Flintstone trying to stop his car with his feet
through the floor!
Now luckily my old dad was pretty savvy and
he got the small steed pointed up the sidewalk
See Rossberg, Page 7
Opinion
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 7
‘Riding your own ride’ – more than a cliche
By Dottie Rankin
Wyoming Columnist
These were the questions I set
out to answer in my way and in my
time.
This is the conversation that
Everywhere I turned people
started it all.
were instructing me on how to ride
Me: Honey, I’m going riding with
a motorcycle, giving me advice,
Pinky and one of her friends.
telling me what I was doing wrong
Hubby:
and telling
She wears
me how they
a pink
did it. This
helmet with
is fine and
Dottie Rankin
pink pig
does have its
Guest
Columnist
tails on it.
place.
Me: I
However,
know, cool
for someone
huh? She
just starting
speaks my
out on a
language.
motorcycle
Hubby: You don’t know how to
it can be a bit overwhelming and
ride your bike.
more than once I found myself in
Me: See you when I get back.
a situation that I felt completely
And off I went.
unprepared for and totally
Keep in mind this was a couple
uncomfortable with.
days after I failed my Motorcycle
So then I thought, I will just have
Safety Foundation rider training
hubby teach me to ride my bike. He
course and only a month or so after has been riding motorcycles for 30getting my bike. At this point I had
plus years, he seems very proficient
no riding experience that wasn’t 30
at it, we love each other so...
years old.
seemed like a good idea to me!
I cannot imagine my husband
Maybe not so much.
really wanted me taking off with
Don’t get me wrong. I love this
anyone, let alone a pink helmeted
man dearly but sometimes having
friend I met in MSF class.
the one we love teach us to ride a
However I knew that if I was
motorcycle is just not a good idea.
going to learn to ride my motorcycle He has probably taught me more
I was going to have to do it my way, than any other individual but we had
not anyone else’s way.
to come to an understanding that I
I did have a successful ride that
had to learn my way.
day and feel I turned a corner. That
He thought I should be able to
day the “ride your own ride” seed
do more than I could long before I
had been planted. I learned a lot
felt comfortable doing it. I thought
that day and only because I decided he was just plain nuts. Things that
to learn to ride my way.
were so easy for him and that he
But I did have the knowledge the had been doing for 30-some-years
MSF instructor had pumped into me on a motorcycle were still foreign
and determination to learn to ride
concepts to me.
my motorcycle and get my license.
It was hard for him to understand
What I didn’t have, however, was that what came as second nature
the knowledge or experience to ride to him, I had to learn like a baby
my own ride or, for that matter, to
learns to operate a spoon. Given
know if I even had a ride of my own. time the techniques would become
second nature to me to but not right
now.
Maybe it was time to try a
different approach because to get
a divorce over learning to ride a
motorcycle didn’t seem very smart. I
decided to call Pinky.
She had almost the same
experience learning to ride as I
did. Who better to teach me than
someone I felt comfortable with?
Her pink helmet and attached pig
tails I could just ignore.
It was becoming crystal clear
to me just how important it is,
especially when you are learning to
ride a motorcycle, to ride your own
ride and now I was grasping the
concept behind the words.
I didn’t know the limits of my bike
yet but I certainly knew what I was
comfortable with and what I was
not. I knew my personal limitations
but, more specifically, I knew my
limitations on my bike. I just had
to put it all together, set some
boundaries and stick to them.
With that knowledge I decided
to trust my instincts and do what
I was comfortable with on my
bike, and if someone asked me
to do something that I didn’t feel
comfortable with, well I would just
speak up and say no.
That is all fine in theory but
sometimes it is hard to do. If I had
not trusted my instincts and “ridden
my own ride” I probably would have
wrecked my bike and quite possibly
hurt myself.
Time to put my newfound resolve
to the test.
About two months later we were
riding in a group we had never
ridden with before. I didn’t know
anybody and I was not familiar with
the roads we were riding. I wanted
to ride where I was used to riding,
in staggered fashion right behind
my husband. I was used to how he
rode, I was used to following him,
Rossberg
Well, thanks for reading and give
I really think everyone should start
in the dirt, if at all possible. I just don’t the dirt some careful consideration
if you are just starting to ride. Just
see any other way of finding what
one summer of off-road riding equals
I refer to as “The Edge” – knowing
years spent
were that
on the
fine line is
between
pavement.
The
crashing
Edge...
and
There is no
saving it.
honest way
A road
bike is
to explain it
because the
no place
only people
to learn
who really
these
things.
know where it
is are the ones
First
who have
of all, you
gone over.
may get
Rich
and
Debbie
Rossberg
aboard
Rich’s
vintage
1977
The others
just one
Yamaha XS 750 shaft-drive triple.
lesson
– the living –
are those who
and that’s
not good. It personally took me 1,336 pushed their luck as far as they felt they
crashes on my dirt bike to figure it all
could handle it, and then pulled back, or
out. Granted, I was young and a very slowed down, or did whatever they had
slow learner, but you get the point. I
to when it came time to choose between
can’t tell you how many times my dirt Now and Later.
–Hunter S. Thompson
bike reflexes have saved my behind
on the street.
“The Hells Angels”
from page 6
towards the house. Smoke was
coming off his shoes as he applied
his emergency braking system and
came into contact with the house
foundation.
At least now the machine was
under control, but it wasn’t by any
means finished.
Third problem, Dad had geared
the little bike to climb a tree, and it sat
there burning rubber even though my
dad weighed close to 200 pounds.
Forth problem, suddenly there
was an apparent and immediate
need for a kill switch, which of
course had not been installed yet.
Remember, we were just seeing how
the motor ran, right?
I’m fairly sure the little bike got
pretty good gas mileage, so running it
out of fuel wasn’t an option. Besides,
the rear tire would have been
destroyed before that would happen.
No, the only option was to pull off
the spark plug wire. Have you ever
seen a man get electrocuted by a
mini bike? It’s not a pretty site, let me
tell you.
When the mini bike finally gave up
and died it had claimed a heavy toll
on my father. His left leg was burned
from the muffler. His right pant leg
was eaten by the chain and it had
started to chew on his calf. I don’t
know how many volts he took, but I
think smoke was coming out of his
hair! (Probably just tire smoke, but it
was to great effect.)
I rode that little machine for a
year or so, but it beat the heck out
of me. As soon as I could do it I got
a newspaper delivery job so I could
buy a real motorcycle. My mom
likes to say she was the one who
actually took on that job, but I don’t
understand what she’s talking about.
Anyway, I bought a Honda 50
sport model and have never looked
back. I know I owned at least 10 or
12 different dirt bikes before turning
the ripe old age of 18.
So now I want to talk a little about
learning to ride later as an adult.
I could anticipate his actions and
I was comfortable there. Seemed
logical to me.
But the leader of the group was
calling off the order in which we
would all ride and when he found
out I was a newbie he announced,
“...and you, honey, will be riding
right behind me.”
Well, me being not too
diplomatic, blurted out, “Oh no I’m
not, honey. I am riding behind my
husband.”
So much for group riding
etiquette.
He, paused, gave me an odd
look, then said, “Good enough, let’s
go.”
I had a magnificent day. We rode
Iron Mountain Road in the Black
Hills and our leader, Don, came up
to me and said, “Little lady, you did
great. You are ready for any road.
Congratulations!”
I even got my picture taken by
another couple who rode with us
because, they said, I did such a
good job on that ride and I looked
so comfortable doing it.
I took a stand with something I
was uncomfortable doing and had
a great day, got great experience
and gained some respect from
other people, as well as newfound
respect for myself.
There are many times I can think
of that I had to ride my own ride and
not follow those who were going
faster or passing when I didn’t feel
good about passing and about a
million other things.
I am learning that riding a
motorcycle is much more than just
jumping on and going. It is learning
your machine, learning all you can
about the processes and dynamics
of riding, learning laws, rules and
regulations and so on.
But mostly it is learning to trust
yourself and your bike, and learning
to ride your own ride.
Opinion
Northern Rockies Rider - 8
August 2012
Old School: Doing it the cowboy way
By Steve Kelley
Guest columnist
discussions on one fix or another.
The popularity of the “do-it-yourself”
phenomenon is driven by a natural
My dad was a rider in his youth.
interest in mechanics, of course,
That was way back in the 1930’s
but more often it’s an economic
necessity.
when
I’d guess
Indian and
the majority of
Harley
riders in this
ruled and
shade tree
country are
Steve “Big Daddy” Kelley
working-class
mechanics
Guest Columnist
modified
men and
women who
these
simple
can’t afford to
machines
run down to
the dealership
to perform
to get every little fix done. A simple
many unbelievable feats.
oil change and lube can set you
That spirit still lives on today.
Just click on any number of
back a hundred clams.
The truth is, most of us have
internet forums to find a plethora of
had to sacrifice in some way to
own a motorcycle. The positive
side effect of this is riders have to
learn to service their own bike, and
consequently taking responsibility
for their own safety, like the sky
diver that packs his own parachute.
I like working on my ride. I get
satisfaction from learning how it
works. That knowledge gives me
confidence when I ride, and a bit of
pride when I can “talk the talk” with
fellow enthusiasts.
I have set my bike up to fit me
and my riding style. I would love to
have a new $600 seat or an $800
set of performance pipes, but I can’t
afford them, and truth is I don’t
really need them.
Just keeping it in good tires
and in top running condition is
expensive enough for a working
man’s budget.
Still, I am amazed at the number
of riders who don’t know a thing
about their bike. Even if I was rich, I
would do my own service.
As my wife says, she doesn’t
have to know how her car works to
drive it. I guess she has a point.
All we really need is a cell phone
and an auto club card these days
to feel secure on the road, but I’m
“Old School” and I’m proud of it.
Our American heritage is based on
ingenuity, self-sufficiency and the
“Cowboy Way.”
I don’t have to worry about cell
reception. At the end of the day, I
only need one “bar.”
What should I do?
When there’s heavy drinking in a group ride
Editor’s note: We got this
e-mail at Northern Rockies Rider
June 25, and asked the author if
it would be acceptable to convert
his/her questions, and our
responses, to an opinion piece.
The writer agreed. It has been
edited for brevity, and to protect
identities and relationships. Our
responses are in italics.
I have a question along the
lines of group etiquette.
I got myself into a situation
that I wasn’t sure how to handle
at the time and it just downright
made me more than a little upset.
I attended a (group) ride poker
run. When I showed up at 8:30,
some of the riders were already
drinking. I am pretty easy going
about that stuff usually, to each
his own and all...
Far too “easy going.” This
needs to change.
By the time we were several
stops into the poker run these
guys were pretty tuned and loud
and rowdy. I was still giving them
the benefit of the doubt and just
enjoying the ride because it was
beautiful country.
So they get in formation to
make another run and they are
wayyy drunk, most of them, and
there were probably 50-75 bikes.
DANGER! DANGER!
DANGER! Go away fast and far!
The road we were on was very
twisty and narrow. They were
running 80-85 miles-an-hour. I
was running around 70 which
was too fast for me on those
roads. Needless to say, I fell quite
a long way behind.
So this guy passes me and
flips me off!
A jerk and an a--hole. You
don’t need to be around these
types – only and always “ride
your own ride” – ALWAYS!
Oh, did that ever tick me off!
But I kept going and met them at
the next stop. Last one there was
me. They were toasted and it was
appalling. Anyway, I will get off
my soap box...
On the run, before we got to
the end, I bowed out as soon as
I could find a place to pull over
safely. I didn’t know if I should or
not but I was scared.
Actually, I’d have been terrified!
Then I gave an excuse and
stayed to calm down and get a
grip and didn’t finish the run. I
just went home and forfeited the
considerable fee my spouse and I
and I paid for a steak dinner.
Absolutely the correct decision.
I guess my question amidst all
this whining is when you are in a
group riding and they are riding
above your skill level for whatever
reason, even though these guys
were just drunk and going too
fast, what do you do? How do
you get out of the group safely?
I’d signal to pull over, then stop
and, if questioned, tell the truth:
“This group is dangerous and I
want to live to ride tomorrow. I’m
going home.”
Earlier, when I had slowed
down to where I felt comfortable,
that literally left a gap at least a
mile between the front group, me
and the people behind me. I felt
stupid and was furious. How do
you handle that because I know
it isn’t an isolated thing and I will
likely run into it again.
NO! Never put yourself, or
allow yourself to be, in this
circumstance again! NEVER!
I know for certain that I will not
be riding, joining or fraternizing
with this group again.
I suspect you made a few of
them stop and rethink their riding
behavior and habits. Good!
I will use better judgment in the
future but I really had no inkling
this run would turn out like this. At
a loss...
I’m far from being a teetotaler
and like to imbibe, especially at
the end of the day. There are
those who will never, ever take
even a sip during a ride, and I
respect that. The folks I ride with
will sometimes stop for ONE beer
when we are within an hour of
the day’s end – never more than
one.
But I will not ride drunk or even
buzzed (did so too many times as
a stupid youth and almost beyond
belief am here to admit it), nor will
I ride with anyone who is drunk,
stupid or reckless. I have enough
on my hands just keeping my
wife and I alive, let alone having
to deal with dangerous a--hole
idiot riders around me.
Nope, NEVER!
I fear the results of a crash
­– a healthy fear. I don’t want a
destroyed bike, road rash, broken
bones, paralysis, brain damage
or death, and I sure as hell don’t
want it happening to my wife of
27 years, or to my friends and
relatives. I don’t even want to
be around when it happens to
complete strangers.
The scenario you describe is
very disturbing to me. How was
it no one was hurt or killed? Just
dumbass luck, I guess.
Had I been there, as soon as
I realized what was happening,
I would have made an escape. I
would not worry about ridicule or
getting tossed out of “the family”
or anything else. There are plenty
of skilled, decent, considerate,
conscientious and nice riders to
enjoy this with. You don’t have
to ever have another day like the
one you described.
Choose your riding pals wisely.
Stop by on your way to Sturgis!
Yogo Inn
Travel’n Bike Show
and Mini-Rally
July 30th - Aug. 4th, 2012
• Daily Bike Show @ 5 PM
• Prize for Bike of the Day
• Refreshments & Live Music
On MT 200, Smack Dab in the center of Montana
416 Miles to Sturgis, Perfect for last day’s run!
Vendors Wanted - No Charge for Space
Lewistown, MT
Call Chuck
800-860-9646
Opinion
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 9
Wisconsin crew enjoyed riding out west
Cole,
I wanted to keep you up to date.
Our trip started June 23 and
ended July 3. We rode the Black
Hills, the Beartooth Highway, a little
of Yellowstone and north of Willsal.
A little more detail: We stopped
in Rapid City (So. Dak.) and rode
the Needles Highway and the
Iron Mountain. These were also
awesome rides, nice and slow but a
lot of turns for Dad on the trike.
We did the Beartooth on
Monday. Mom and Dad were a
little hesitant about the ride on the
trike, but after Mom uncovered her
eyes, they loved it. When we get
to our own computer we’ll send
some pictures. We stayed at the
Red Lodge Inn on Sunday. We
loved that place, and made sure
we told them how we learned about
their place (from “Motorcycling
Montana”).
There was a difference in riding
stamina between the folks and the
rest of us. Mom and Dad need a
little more rest, but we were able to
get a great ride and a truck load of
memories, photos and laughs. On Tuesday we did Yellowstone
Park, saw all the animals in the
first few miles and got some great
photos on the lake. We saw a
young black bear right inside the
gate after Cooke City (northeast
entrance to Yellowstone Park). The
weather was just perfect and we
were able to see everything but a
wolf.
After that we came to the ranch
and enjoyed a day off. Like you
said, wind was a little much but the
rest of the time it was perfect.
The Randall clan at the Red Lodge Inn in Red Lodge, Mont., during their epic ride
over the Beartooth Highway in July.
After a day of rest for some, we
rode to Monarch for dinner at the
Lazy Doe, a nice little place with
great burgers. My wife and I slipped
away and rode to Bozeman from
Willsal. Boy was that a nice ride
(Bridger Canyon). All in all, we had a great trip.
Again, thanks for the book. We
really used it a lot and found it was
great.
Good luck to you and your
family.
Bob Randall
Soldier’s Grove, Wisc.
Road Songs by Bill ‘uglicoyote’ Davis
Submitted to NR Rider
by Bill Davis
Pocatello, Idaho
The Road
99 Miles from Shoshoni to Casper
He stood at least 6’1″.
Miles and miles of
Miles and miles
Biker Poetry!
Yes, such a genre of writing
exists. Sometimes it takes the form
and style of its close cousin, Cowboy
Poetry, telling tales not of horses but
of motorcycles and the people who
ride them.
But it can also take more
traditional form, including free verse
and even haiku, which I prefer to
label as “baiku.”
There are a few purveyors in the
West and Midwest and quite a large
group in the East. They all write,
they all ride, and they all love both
the riding and the words that riding
inspires. I’m one of them.
I’m going to offer here a couple
of examples of my work, and if the
editor is amenable, I’ll offer more
in the future, pulling in some more
talented writers and friends.
Perhaps this will encourage you to
try your own hand as a Roadpoet.
Big sweeping curves,
Tight hairpins and mountain
switchbacks
Long straight-aways
He was fifty miles from Casper
when his old “pan” decided to seize.
The Wyoming sun burned down like
fire
in the hot Wyoming breeze
“You okay, sir?” the trooper asked,
“You look like you might need a ride.”
The rider pulled himself up onto his
feet,
“It was just a dream,” he sighed.
No sign of life showed either way
as he looked up and down the road
just a lonely bird, circling way up high
and couple of horny toads.
They got into his car, turned around
and off towards Casper they rolled.
He noticed the picture on the
trooper’s dash
and it made his blood run cold.
A Ride to Nirvana
I met Jesus and Mohammed
In Montana
On the Highway to the Sun
Jesus on a old panhead chopper
Mohammed astride an Ultra Glide
Both wore Diablo colors
And they shared their tequila
and smiled their bad boy smiles
Then we fired up and were off
They to Heaven in Sturgis
The Buddha astride his Road King
to Nirvanna and home
It was a hell of a ride
–Bill “uglicoyote” Davis © 2007
Miles of corn, wheat, soybeans and
sunflowers
Miles of pine, spruce, redwoods and
cedars
Miles of prairie grass, sagebrush,
mesquite
Narrow canyons open to wide vistas
Spectacular sunsets
Soft, ghostly coastal fog
Rolling into the rising sun
Idaho wind,
Nebraska heat,
Iowa rain,
Cold at 10,000 feet – July in
Wyoming’s Snowy Range
Oceans, lakes,
Ponds, streams, and those rivers –
Those rivers.
Crossing the Snake, Madison,
Salmon
The Platte, the Missouri
The Big Muddy
The rivers of concrete, asphalt,
gravel
U.S. 101, 20, 30, 66, 26, The Lincoln
Highway,
America’s Roads,
State roads, County roads
Roads which appear only
On the map of the mind.
Blue Highways,
Highway blues
Riding the soul of America,
Riding my soul
Riding those miles and miles of
Miles and miles.
–Bill “uglicoyote” Davis © 2007
Then a semi roared on past
not even slowing down
He thought, “I best get off my ass
and walk back towards Shoshoni
town.”
He walked until his feet were sore,
that sun kept beating down.
“I’ll sit and rest a spell,” he thought,
“right here, I might even lay down.”
So he closed his eyes for a little rest
then he heard a distant sound,
and a girl pulled up on an Ultra Glide
right next to his patch of ground.
A beautiful girl she was, he saw
all curves in smooth black leather,
a true Wyoming biker chick,
she smiled and said, “Call me
Heather.”
”I saw your bike back down the road.
Then I saw you here in the ditch.
I’ll take you back to Shoshoni,
If you don’t mind ridin’ bitch.”
“I’ll ride with you Heather,” he replied
“If you’ll grant just this one request.
Let me put my arms around you”
“Sure. Put your hands inside my
vest.”
They rode, she was young, and fine,
and firm,
as he wrapped his arms around.
Then he heard a siren, then a horn,
and he was back down on the
ground.
He opened his eyes and there the
man stood
His silihouette blocked the sun
He was a Trooper, one of Wyoming’s
best
“Who’s that?” he asked him about the
girl,
the blonde in smooth black leather.
“Oh her, that’s a girl who loved to
ride.
My daughter. Her name is Heather.”
“She was killed out here on this very
road
She was riding her Ultra Glide
at a high rate of speed when the front
tire blew
and caused that fatal slide.”
“So as I patrol this road, rain or shine
Her spirit’s out here on that Glide;
I think I see her from time to time.
Knowing she’s here eases the pain
inside.”
When he paused, the biker told of his
dream
and the girl in smooth black leather,
and how she stopped to help him out.
The lawman smiled, “That’s just like
Heather.”
They hauled his bike into Casper that
day,
and the shop gave it all their best.
In two days that old panhead roared
back to life
and he was on the road headed west.
But he can’t forget his dream-girl out
there
on that long road, in all kinds of
weather
A beautiful girl on an Ultra glide.
”Need a ride boy? My name is
Heather.”
–Bill “uglicoyote” Davis © 2007
Northern Rockies Rider - 10
August 2012
Victory
from page 3
With the additional bulk, the Cross
Roads expectedly gave up some of
the snappiness and stump-pulling
power laid down by The Judge. Yet the
visceral sensation of the cruiser is still
present: those are big pistons in gaping
bores that remind the rider there is 106
cubic inches of internal combustion
working between your legs.
The Cross Roads as tested had a
curiously shaped windshield that’s
almost a disc. Strange buffeting to my
forehead occurred at over 60 MPH (I’m
5’10” with a 32-inch inseam). It seems
air flowing around the bottom portions
of the screen then collided at
about chin
level. In
all, it
was a noisy ride with shaky vision
produced by the buffeting.
Victory offers a taller screen which
should be an improvement over the
shorter version, and the aftermarket
probably provides an exceptional array
of options.
The Cross Roads had the least
satisfying sound of the platforms I
rode. The exhaust had a chuffing, raspy
sound that didn’t make music to me,
but was much quieter than the The
Judge. With the mostly tamed exhaust,
air induction pulses became audible
and exhibited a muted popping from
within the intake box.
Yes, whack that throttle and you get
linear, steady acceleration without any
power peak pucker. It’s just like a 737
building take-off speed.
The Cross Roads is altogether
smoother and more civilized than the
Victory cruisers. It would have to be
proven to me, but the Cross Roads
could be perfectly suitable for a 300400-mile day of cruising the back
roads, integrated panniers filled with
necessities and luxuries. And this baby
will haul almost 560 pounds of people
and gear.
Better suspension with more
travel also produces a more Buick-,
if not Cadillac-like ride. Here the rear
suspender gets 4.7 inches of needed
travel and is air adjustable. The front is
inverted telescopic and is well sprung
and damped but disappointingly offers
no adjustability.
Dual discs up front and a single
out back make for adequate stopping
power and confidence.
The Cross Roads is available
in solid black and solid sunset red.
Optional cruise control, luggage racks,
backrests, touring trunks, windscreens,
seats, floorboards, pegs, grips and
electronic goodies including audio
components augment touring prowess.
There are five models in the Victory
“bagger” class: Cross Roads - $15,999
MSRP, as well as the Cross Roads
Classic LE, Hard-Ball, Cross Country
and special Cory Ness Cross Country
at $25,999.
I’m more prone to get out and find
the lonesome highway, pound out some
miles, end the day 400 miles from
where I started, than make the scene on
the main drag. Thus, the Cross Roads is
better suited to my needs, my style, and
my 56-year-old chassis, than the lowslung cruisers.
But I like a platform that will
seriously scoot when roadway realities
require it. The reported 97 dyno
horsepower produced by that eightvalve V-twin will haul all the bike,
passengers and goodies down the
road smartly and with cajones when
required.
The overdrive sixth gear makes
for relaxed touring but also
calls for a downshift,
maybe two, to get
up the steam
to charge
around the
big rigs
with
serious zip.
Yes, the Cross Roads is ... uh, a
“cross roads” between the lightweight
hot-rod cruiser crowd and the Escalade
power-trippers.
The Arlen Ness Vision
Speaking of Escalades, the Victory
Vision line is for the bells-and-whistles
land yacht tribe ... and those who like
their motorcycles sized jumbo.
This is the aircraft carrier of the
Victory navy, and centering it off
its side-stand reveals its massive
proportions. This platform tallies 869
lbs. dry on the scales. With its sixgallon petrol tank and the crankcase
topped up, it registers 920 pounds
– nearly a half-ton! It is 103.5 inches
end-to-end and is 44.9 inches wide!
Plan to add a stall to your garage.
Credit the Vision design team
for integrating stout tip-over guards
fore and aft. If it starts getting away
from you at a stop, muscle power
could gently ease the beast down to
the guards, leaving the bike sitting
undamaged at a 45-degree angle. A
rider could then back their butt up to it,
grab a bar hand-grip and hand-rail, and
use leg power to right the listing ship.
And an owner would certainly not
want to contemplate the expense of
restoring an Arlen Ness Vision with its
gorgeous “nuclear sunset” paint and
Ness flame graphics.
The Ness Vision sports styling
flourishes wherever the eye comes to
rest: special Ness billet wheels, flamed
engine covers, chrome billet grips,
diamond-cut engine finning, flamed
billet shifter, pegs and brake levers
... the full cosmetic customization
treatment.
But other special features offer more
function and utility, such as premium
audio components, leather stitched seat,
ABS brakes (which would be helpful in
hauling down 1,414 GVWR pounds in
an emergency), heated grips and seats
and cruise control.
The storage capacity of the
integrated side panniers and tail trunk
are impressive: 6,750 cubic inches or
29 gallons. Yes, Honey, you can bring
the hair dryer and curling iron.
The list of equipment options
offered by the factory is impressive:
stage-one exhaust, windshields,
luggage racks and backrests, blue
tooth communications, adjustable
floorboards, mirror options... Available
cosmetic bling is rivaled only by
Harley-Davidson’s Screaming Eagle
catalog.
We loved the power-adjustable
windscreen integrated with the Ness
Vision we rode. It is an optional kit
which the base Vision is designed to
accept. At $249.99, it could be the best
money you’ll spend on accessories.
Our current ride also has a poweradjustable screen that is all about
function and performance. Let us say
here, in the fully down position the
Ness Vision windscreen is already
awesome, creating a smooth flow of air
into and around the rider with virtually
no buffeting and excessive noise.
It feels like it must have been wind
tunnel-designed.
Push the button on the left-hand
control pod to raise the shield and
things just get quieter and calmer –
maybe too calm for a really hot day.
This feature is very impressive and
works better than any other system
we’ve seen from any other maker.
Brilliant.
Victory is going to have to
reconsider their ubiquitous deeply
stepped seats – the only fundamental
configuration, despite numerous seat
options. There is little room to move
forward, which is up a slope and so is
uncomfortable anyway, and no room
to move back. Your butt is where it is,
period, end of discussion.
I don’t know of any motorcycle
ergonomic setup that does not benefit
from allowing the rider to move around
in the seat. That’s how a rider changes
the angle of the hips, knees, ankles and
feet. When perched on a bike all day,
body position variety is good!
If you’re going to be maneuvering
this behemoth around your garage,
driveway or a parking lot, you want to
get your feet firmly planted, so the low
seat height makes sense. However, a la
Gold Wing, the Vision has an optional
reverse gear setup available, but the
convenience rendered will have to be
substantial to justify the $1,599 cost.
We remain disappointed that a
motorcycle of this class and cost comes
with such elementary suspension: air
adjustable rear shock with just 3.65
inches of travel and non-adjustable
telescopic forks with 5.1 inches of
compression before bottom hits. While
my brief test ride revealed no real
suspension deficiencies, adjustable
spring preload, and compression
and rebound dampening, ought to be
standard.
Styling is subjective. Some pan
the swoopy and graceful lines of the
Vision series as a nod to a 1950s
Detroit automotive look (think 1950
Buick Roadmaster) – excessive in
other words, while the fully integrated
curves, lines and bulges appeal to
others.
I do appreciate “the right look
and style” for “the right machine.”
The Vision visual cues that slap the
looker in the face leave an impression
appropriate to a vehicle of this size
and stature and it will never, ever be
confused with anything else out there.
The Vision is, after all, the
company’s corporate statement
exemplifying the extent of its vast
achievements. In this respect, no
other motorcycle produced creates a
comparable effect.
And it ought to. The Ness Vision
carries a MSRP of $25,799. The
Victory Vision Tour lists at $20,999
and the Cross Country Tour is pegged
at $21,999. That pricing is quite
competitive in the touring yacht
segment whether Bavarian, Asian or
American.
Conclusion
If you’re a rider who wants big
V-twin power and torque, and an
alternative to Harley-Davidson’s almost
ubiquitous 85 percent market share, but
can’t wrap your sensibilities around the
Japanese Big Four with their 10 percent
share, then the Victory could be the
ideal brand for you.
Options and accessories galore,
a proven power train and chassis,
a proliferation of new models and
styling treatments without a concurrent
proliferation of chassis and engine
choices, a unique statement of personal
individuality, all quite competitively
priced... What’s not to like?
The Victory brand is now firmly
entrenched in Motorcycle Americana.
Their challenge is to continue to
upgrade the product, expand brand
awareness and carve out a price
advantage. That’s a tall order but it is
clear this company gets it and knows
how to execute.
(Bar menu available from
opening time until 9:30 pm)
Dining Room hours
5:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Open 11:30 am
Tuesday - Saturday
Sunday noon to 10:00 pm
214 East Main Street • Sundance, WY 82729
307-283-3644
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 11
Victory DSM Leigh Kirschner sees bright future
We first met Leigh Kirschner
at the S.M.E.G. motorcycle Show
in Kalispell, Mont., in 2010. She
makes an impression on a number
of levels: She’s female (obviously),
young, articulate, knowledgeable,
highly enthusiastic and smiles a lot.
We visited with Leigh at the
Victory Demo Day at Kurt’s Polaris
Victory in Missoula, Mont., June 27.
She consented to an interview.
Where were you born and
raised?
I was born in Illinois, but raised
in Waukesha, Wis., just outside of
Milwaukee.
Where were you
educated?
I attended
Waukesha South
High School and
graduated in 2005.
Then I enrolled
in the University
of Minnesota’s
Carlson School
of Management. I
graduated in 2009 with
a B.S. in Marketing and
Management.
passionate people, and the exciting
opportunities available to a young
graduate. I decided to pursue a
position within the program and am
so thankful I got it!
What has been your
advancement path to District
Sales Manager?
I started with Polaris through the
Leadership and Sales Development
Program. The program included
changing positions every six
months in order to experience
and learn several different internal
functions and work in several
different facets of marketing and
sales. What is your current
family status?
Currently I’m not
married and am living
on my own in Missoula. Victory District Sales Manager Leigh Kirschner with
demo manager Scott Jarland.
It’s been quite an
experience moving
out here from Minneapolis and I’m
These positions included
loving every minute of it!
marketing for Victory motorcycles,
product management for Polaris’
Tell us about some of your early
ORV (off-road vehicle) business
work experience.
development unit, and Dealer
Prior to working for Polaris,
Development in the southeast U.S. I worked at several different
From there I was promoted to
organizations in marketing
the DSM for western Montana
internship positions. This included
and northern Idaho! The positions
a yearlong coordinating position
I held internally have helped me
at the University of Minnesota’s
immensely in my transition to field
Orientation and First Year Programs sales.
office where I worked to plan and
execute orientation and newWhat are some of the obstacles
student programs for incoming U of to a woman making it in “a
M students.
man’s world,” and how have you
overcome them?
What was your first motorcycle
To be honest, I’ve never thought
experience?
of being a woman in a “man’s
The first time I ever got on a
world” as creating obstacles.
motorcycle was in Sturgis in 2009.
I appreciate the opportunity to
I was there as a part of a marketing bring my perspective as a young
position with Victory. A co-worker
woman to the power sports industry
offered to take me on a ride along
while at the same time learning
the Needles Highway and around
from my dealers – both men and
Mount Rushmore. What a way to
women –
­ who have been working
enter the world of motorcycling,
in the industry for, in many cases,
huh?
their entire lives. I think it brings a unique balance
What was your first job in the
to our relationship and allows
motorcycle biz?
both myself and my dealers the
I landed a marketing position
opportunity to approach situations
with Victory Motorcycles.
from new and different angles.
How did you wind up with this
How do your male counterparts
company?
deal with you as a woman?
I was introduced to Polaris at
I think that my boss says it best:
a college career fair where they
“They defend you like a little sister,
were recruiting for a Leadership
but compete with you like an equal.”
and Sales Development Program. I I work with a really amazing group
immediately was drawn to the
of people!
company for its exciting product,
How do you see the future of
motorcycling, perhaps from a
general industry perspective?
I think the future of motorcycling
is a bright one! Motorcycles are
such a core part of American
culture and a treasured pastime. I think the on-road industry has
survived through a few years of a
very tough economy but we have
already seen positive growth in the
first half of 2012. There are a lot of companies
passionate about driving growth in
motorcycling, Victory included, and
I believe that drive, combined with
passionate riders, will fuel a strong
industry in the future.
How you see the future of the
Victory brand and products?
I have never felt more confident
in the future of Victory Motorcycles!
Victory continues to stay on the
gas with innovative and world-class
quality motorcycles. In the past three to four years
Victory has evolved to change the
way they think about the products
they bring to market, the meaning
of the Victory brand, and the way
they connect with riders. The effects
have been nothing but positive!
They are committed to being
a strong force in the heavyweight
cruiser industry and they’ve got the
passion and drive to do so.
What is coming and exciting that
you can share?
We did recently do an early
release of certain 2013 models
including an “anti-freeze green”
Cross Country with black flames…
What an awesome looking bike!
Something I love about the
Victory product and brand is they
are constantly coming out with
new product, new promotions and
exciting news. Never a dull moment
with Victory Motorcycles!
Anything special you can hint at?
The full 2013 product launch is
on Monday, July 30. Stay tuned…
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Northern Rockies Rider - 12
August 2012
18th Annual Inyan Kara National Enduro
By Dottie Rankin
NR Rider Wyoming Correspondent
Knobbies, race-gas fumes, and
roosting berms brings as many visitors
to the small town of Upton, Wyo.,
population 900, as there are residents.
The 18th Annual Inyan Kara
National Enduro, round six of the
AMA/Rekluse National Enduro Series,
is what brings them all to town.
Upton clearly puts itself out for
this event as only a small, closely knit
community can. The enthusiasm is
palpable the moment you pull into
town.
The event instigator and main
organizer, Paul Douglas, says there
were 300 riders on hand for this year’s
race. He said it takes a lot of volunteers
to run an event of that size and a lot of
dedication and enthusiasm.
Both traits are abundant in this
husband and wife team of Paul and
Debbie Douglas. Paul heads up the
effort and does a lot of the field work,
Debbie does the bookwork, paperwork
and spearheads the signup process on
race day.
Though there are 25-30 volunteers
on hand on race day, they said the
actual number of people it takes to pull
this off from year to year is closer to
75-100.
Activity starts as early as December
with entries. There is trail maintenance
to deal with on an almost monthly
basis. Land owners and the Forest
Service take up time.
Another of the event organizers,
Kenny Dolbare, noted that without
the cooperation of landowners, the
community and the Forrest Service,
this event could not be pulled off. He
said their hospitality and enthusiasm
is amazing and never wavers, and that
the community goes out of its way to
provide whatever is needed.
This event started in 1994 and a lot
of the same people have been coming
since the beginning. One man, Floyd
Stretch, has never missed an event
since 1994, maybe because he has a
daughter that rides.
Another example of dedication is
75-year-old Ed Kistler, who was on
hand this day and has not missed a race
in the Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit
for seven or eight years. Paul said Ed
has attended and raced in 70 to 80 races
straight.
There are special classes for the
more mature riders: Super 60 and Super
70. Ed races in the Super 70 class. Paul
added that there is no Super 80 class
that he knows of but they are going to
have to come up with something soon.
A local favorite is eighth-grader
Hunter Woodard. Paul said he
“goes real good.” Hunter raced with
his father, Ryan Woodard, in this
year’s event and, according to race
enthusiasts, “That eighth-grader
spanked his dad’s butt!” taking second
in the 200 A class.
When asked his favorite part
of racing, Hunter said it was “the
adrenalin rush, you hope you don’t
crash and hope you finish good,
everything is flowing through your
mind at the starting line, then you start
Setting the field and getting ready to go.
and it all disappears.”
Hunter said he was four years-old
when he started and has wanted to ride
as long as he can remember. He always
talked to his dad about riding when he
got home from work and was always
ready to go.
His first bike was a Honda CRF 50.
When Hunter was asked if he could
recite every bike he has owned, he
looked at the reporter like she was a
little nuts and said, “Of course I can.”
Hunter actually made it to the
U.S. Open Arena Cross at Las Vegas
when he was nine. He said he was
“on 65s then, KTM.” He said his
Vegas experience was “cool” because
See Enduro, Page 13
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Yaak Falls
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 13
Enduro
a Forest Service permit and part of the
agreement specifies erosion control
from page 12 measures to be implemented and
maintained by the race organizers.
Kenny
everyone was
said
looking at him
their first
since he was
concern is
the youngest
to “make
rider. He
it a safe
took seventh
race for all
overall, not
involved.”
bad for a
At the
nine-year-old
end of the
from Upton.
day all
It was
participants
after this
sign thankexperience
you cards
and riding in
for every
the woods
landowner
with his dad,
and
Ryan, that
whoever
Hunter got
else is
interested in
involved in
Enduro racing
any way.
and the rest,
When I
as they say,
asked Paul
is history.
what the
Incidentally,
highlight
little brother
of the day
Reese is
would be
following
Taking a few seconds to gather the thoughts...
in Hunter’s
footsteps and
will race next year.
The Inyan Kara Enduro Race can
be summed up as hundreds of riders
starting five-at-a-time one minute apart.
They start, do a special test, checkout,
and do it all over again, six times.
This is not street cruising, this is
not motocross; this is off-road biking
on rugged terrain in what were dry,
dusty conditions this day. The tests
consist of many different obstacles and
challenges, including trees and rocks,
and are not run against the guy next to
you but against the clock.
The trails must be marked and, in
true enduro fashion, the families of
the racers, organizers and community
members get in on that action.
Tarla Dolbare, wife of one of the
organizer’s and trail maintenance crew
member, Kenny Dolbare, spent many
hours marking the trails for the riders
with bright orange arrows telling the
riders which direction to go.
These riders don’t get to practice on
the courses beforehand; they look for
and follow the arrows.
There is a lot that goes into
maintaining a course, according to
Kenny. The race organizers have to get
for him, he said without
hesitation, “When it’s
over.”
He said, that last test,
the last checkout when
the riders are coming
through and telling him
what a good time they
had and giving him a
thumbs up, that makes it
all worthwhile for him and
worth all the hard work.
2012 AMA RacingRekluse National
Enduro Series
Round 1, Jan. 29, 2012,
LOC: Wedgefield, SC
Round 2, Feb. 19, 2012,
LOC: Greensboro, GA
Round 3, March 4, 2012,
LOC: Salley, SC
Round 4, April 22, 2012,
Local Upton favorite Hunter Woodward who has
LOC: West Point, TN
qualified for, and raced at, the national event.
Round 5, May 6, 2012,
LOC: Kisatchie National
Round 8, Sept. 9, 2012, LOC: Park
Forest-Forest Hill, LA
Hills, MO
Round 6, June 17, 2012, LOC: Upton, Round 9, Oct. 14, 2012, LOC:
WY
Covered Bridge – Matthews, IN
Round 7, July 29, 2012, LOC: Cross
Round 10, Nov. 4, 2012, LOC:
Fork, PA
Stanton, AL
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Northern Rockies Rider - 14
August 2012
Marlin’s Motorcycle is
diversified family affair
By Dottie Rankin,
NR Rider Wyoming Correspondent
Head Start Program as the Mental
Health and Disability Coordinator.
She didn’t get into motorcycles
You might not expect a couple
until after she met Marlin. The fire that
to have their first date at the Sturgis
burned so deeply in him ignited the
Motorcycle Rally. You might not
same fire in her.
expect a picture of them on that first
She got her motorcycle endorsement
date to end up in Easy Rider magazine. within the first few months she knew
You might not expect them to have
Marlin. She rode mostly two-up with
run a successful motorcycle business
Marlin at first. They rode a lot of
for the 25 years since, or for them
remote routes by themselves so she got
to be celebrating their 25th wedding
her endorsement just in case something
anniversary this month.
happened when they were off on some
The family that rides together... The Doops, from left, Jese, Randi, Sue, Marlin and
far adventure.
Joey.
When Marlin was
asked when and where
other aspect of their business.
into a friendship.
he and Susan met, he
Marlin and Susan said their variety
The Doops do a lot of riding with
said, “I picked her up
of motorcycle products is second
some of those friends ... a lot of riding.
at the welfare office in
to none. That appears plausible just
He rode 40,000 miles on his 1990 Road
Sturgis during the rally.
looking around the ample floor space
King last year. The Road King proudly
I was on a motorcycle.”
and abundance of motorcycle related
wears “Not For Road Use” and “You
There was another
items for sale.
Should Be Afraid” stickers. Sue rides
tale of that first date that
When asked what set their business
an ‘07 H-D Deluxe.
has lasted them for 25
apart from the others, Marlin said there
The Doops have cultivated a long
years.
is no secret formula; simply honesty,
and varied list of friends, including a
They were riding
hard work and excellent customer
long standing friendship with Sonny
through the Black Hills,
service.
Barger, legendary past president of
still on their first date,
A popular saying around Marlin’s
the Hells Angels, long retired. Though
when unbeknownst to
Motorcycle shop is, “Tell us what you
never a member, Marlin has remained
them, some stranger
want and we will do it.”
a close friend of Barger’s, often riding
snapped a picture of
Customization
is
their
specialty
and
with Sonny.
Sue and Marlin holding a framed print of the photo of
them. The photographer
they
cater
to
walk-in
customers
that
In Marlin’s words, “We have had
them on their first date that appeared in Easy Rider.
entered that photo in the
they can help personally.
lots of adventures together.” One of
Easy Rider contest and
Marlin noted that what starts out as
those adventures was being personal
Yes, Marlin Doop did propose to
won first place and $100. The photo
a business relationship most often turns
See Marlin’s, Page 15
Sue on their first date and she said yes.
also got published.
However she made him wait a year to
Sue’s brother, Allen Gregg, was
marry her so they could, in her words
flipping through that month’s issue and
“get to know each other a little better.”
called his sister and told her he thought
Marlin and Susan Doop own
she was in a photo in the magazine.
visit a complete and authentic mining camp Marlin’s Motorcycle at 100 Ross
Sure enough, she and Marlin were
buildings
with artifacts!
Take a ride over
back50
inunderground
time... filled
Ave. in Gillette, Wyo. Several other
pictured in the June 1988 issue.
mine
tours!
visit a complete and authentic mining camp - over 50 buildbusinesses they own are housed at the
Marlin says he made her famous
on
ing filled with artifacts! underground exhibits and tours!
same location.
their first date.
They have the motorcycle shop,
Marlin and Sue have three kids,
a body shop (this was their first
Randi, Jesse and Joey.
business), a retail store and a wellness
They moved to Gillette to manage
store all in the same building.
the body shop at Davis Energy Motors.
Marlin was born in Brookings, So.
Along the way to owning his own
Dak., in 1959. He said he comes by his business, Marlin sold insurance for a
love of bikes naturally: his dad, Gilmer, brief time and managed Premier Auto
grew up riding bikes and there were
Body in Gillette.
always photos around from the 1950s
An accident sidelined Marlin in
of his uncles and his dad on their bikes. 2000 but he says there was a silver
a complete
mining camp - over 50 buildMarlin said his grandfather used tovisitlining.
While heand
was authentic
recovering from
ing filled with artifacts! underground exhibits and tours!
ride around inside a concrete silo on
his accident he started working out of
their farm, up to the top then ride back
his garage repairing motorcycles and
down again!
built a solid business following.
Marlin said he started with a “mini
Based on a reputation for quality of
bike of some sort,” then a Honda
work, he opened his own shop in 2001.
50. When his uncle passed away he
He soon bought the building where the
was left his first Harley-Davidson, a
business still resides.
wartime Flathead 45.
The Doops say they pride
From that time on Harleys have
themselves on being a family oriented
been his main ride. He states, however, business. There’s not much to contest
that he has owned metrics of every kind in that regard: Daughter Randi, age 20,
as well.
runs the till and waits on customers;
Sue was born in Kennebec, So. Dak. Jesse, 18, is currently training inHer family owned and ran Kennebec
house for mechanics, body work and
Drug for 40 or 50 years, even
oil changes but also looks up parts for
branching out with another drug store
customers, answers the phone when
in Chamberlain, So. Dak.
necessary and minds the retail store;
Sue graduated from Limon County
even daughter Joey, 15, helps out
WHERE HISTORY TELLS A STORY.
High School in Presho, So. Dak.,
wherever she is needed.
VISIT
THE
WORLD
MUSEUM
MINING
and attended South Dakota State
Their diverse enterprise currently
www.miningmuseum.org
/ 155OF
Museum
Way, P.O. Box 33, Butte, Montana 59703
Phone:
406-723-7211
WHERE
HISTORY
TELLS
A
STORY.
University, graduating with a BA in
covers everything from auto body,
www.miningmuseum.org / 155 Museum Way, P.O. Box 33, Butte, Montana 59703
psychology and sociology. Sue was
motorcycle repair, parts and service,
Phone: 406-723-7211
Montana
St.north
Exit on
offMontana
I-90/I-15upatthe
Butte,
Exitroute:
off I-90/I-15
at Butte,
hill tonorth
Park on Montana up the hill to Park
employed by the State of South Dakota while Susan sells insurance, has aBest route: Montana St.Best
St., left
on Park
straight
the Montana
Tech
campus, then watch for the sign.
St., left on Park and straight
through
theand
Montana
Tech through
campus, then
watch for the
sign.
as a social worker, then later for the
wellness center and helps in every
Take a ride back in time...
Take a ride back in time...
VISIT THE WORLD MUSEUM OF MINING
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 15
Marlin’s
born to ride, Sue said. Little tyke Jesse,
on the other hand, begged his dad “not
from page 14 to make him do this.” That reluctance
was certainly short lived as Jesse is a
guests of Sonny’s at his book signing at Class B motocross racer now. He races
indoor and outdoor in places such as
the Sturgis Rally last year.
Worland, Rawlins and Douglas, Wyo.,
Marlin also does a mean
and Rapid City, So. Dak.
impersonation of Sonny!
The family
also owns a top
fuel drag bike for
which they have
no rider as of
now, but said they
would like to get
a team together at
some point. The
bike belonged to
Mike Roland of
Kuryakan fame
and is said to be
the first bike to go
over 200 milesper-hour in under
six seconds.
An autographed book by Sonny Barger, and that’s Marlin and
I asked Marlin
Sue in the picture with Sonny who is at the right.
if he had ever
ridden this bike
and
he
chuckled
and
said, “Yep, sure
Another interest the family has is
have,” then he paused before he added,
motocross.
“but it was without a motor.”
Their son, Jesse, has had a lifetime
Marlin’s Motorcycles and Auto
of riding and currently races motocross.
Body keeps a full line of motocross
Sue said that when the kids were
supplies – stuff riders need “right now.”
little, as a family they ventured to
This is a full-service family business
Rapid City to buy four-wheelers for
that runs the gamut from auto body,
their kids. The salesman would not
motorcycle repair, consumer education,
let them leave with the ATVs. He told
an apparel line, motorcycle parts
the Doops four-wheelers were too
and accessories, health products and
dangerous.
insurance sales.
What they did leave with was six
Though they offer a diverse set of
different dirt bikes – different sizes
specialized
services, their hearts remain
for different sized kids – and one
firmly in place as a family, they said.
Suzuki Intruder 1500 street bike. That
When you walk in the door you
salesman had a very good day.
sense this is a family business ... and a
The girls, Randi and Joey, jumped
on the bikes and took off like they were family that knows their business.
Marlin’s Motorcycle does it all including building customs from the ground up.
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August 12 - Great Falls
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Northern Rockies Rider - 16
PRODUCT REVIEW
August 2012
FXRG coat: ‘The Next Generation in Riding Gear’
By Dottie Rankin
NR Rider Wyoming Correspondent
I don’t hesitate to spend more for
a quality product, however the initial
outlay of cash on the Harley-Davidson
leather FXRG coat was a little hard to
swallow. I know from the look on his
face and the grip he had on his wallet at
purchase, my spouse must have agreed.
This isn’t just another leather coat,
however. It’s more like an all-weather
jacket system. It comes with the leather
jacket shell, a removable warmth liner,
removable kidney belt and lightweight
body armor for $650.
I fell in love with this leather coat
immediately when I saw it because
of its slightly fitted, almost European
style. It has snaps on the side, fitted in
what is billed as “an action back” so
you can snug up or loosen as needed.
It is very forgiving and some might say
very flattering of the female figure.
Another big plus for me, this coat
is completely waterproof thanks to
a water repellent treatment and the
addition of the “Cocona Natural
Techology” membrane.
Simple translation: you stay dry in
rainy weather without having to change
into separate rain gear.
The coat has two front vertical
vents, two shoulder vents and two
backside vertical exhaust vents. The
FXRG features a two-way front YKK
Finguard zipper with inner storm flap.
The storm flap is genuinely effective
in preventing wind from infiltrating,
as I found when I forgot to do up both
zippers one morning after breakfast. It
was a chilly ride to the next stop.
The collar has a snap-tab and
is mandarin type: when bundled
and fastened properly this is a very
effective system to keep the neck warm
and dry.
My husband says that I carry
everything but the kitchen sink; I say
you can never be too well prepared.
This one of my favorite FXRG
features: This coat has ample room to
store all I feel I need to have on my
person when I ride.
Interior pockets include one
zippered pocket and one waterproof
zipper pocket. It has a separate pocket
for my audio media player with a tab to
hold the earphone cords secure and out
and secure it with the hook-and-loop
closure. It works effortlessly and fits
right over the liner
if you are wearing
it.
The coat
also comes with
lightweight body
armor that is
geared to absorb
impact energy at
key stress points
at the elbows and
shoulders. There
is a large slab of
armor in an interior
pocket in the back.
This armor is
CE-approved and
I bought it and have them help me put
the armor back in.
To me, the armor is so bulky and
stiff (as it should be, I suppose) that
I choose to wear the coat without the
armor almost 100 percent of the time.
Another drawback is the coat, liner
and kidney belt, when all combined,
make for quite a bulky bundle when
you are not wearing it and is hard
to stow on my bike. I cannot even
imagine trying to stow it if it had the
armor in place. Most times I end up
bartering with my husband to lash it to
his bike which always seems to have
less “gear” on it than mine.
All in all, I would give this coat,
liner, kidney belt and armor a fairly
high rating. But the price to play in this
league is steep.
Still, I won’t
give it up
anytime soon.
It has become
an essential
part of my
Reviewer Dottie Rankin models the FXRG
riding apparel.
modular system riding coat.
The coat and
liner have great
of the way.
adaptability and
There are two exterior hand-warmer
versatility and
pockets that I have used more than
serves me well
once and which toastily fulfill their
in all kinds of
function. There is also a zippered breast
weather.
pocket.
No need
The coat’s removable liner attaches
for me to take
with snaps at the wrists and neck.
two or three
rather than with more conventional
differentzippers. Surprisingly, it stays precisely
weight coats
in place. I can also wear the liner on
and a hoodie.
milder days as a stand-alone jacket.
I just pack the
The FXRG modular system riding coat with the liner removed.
I should mention that the leather
FXRG and call
jacket is quite warm without the liner.
it my perfect
My husband has several leather coats
riding gear.
and not one of them is as warm as my
provides added protection where it is
$650 (sizes 1X, 2X & 3X are
FXRG.
most needed.
approximately $40 more)
The FXRG comes with a removable
The armor is an important safety
kidney belt that also snaps into place. I feature but has also proved to be the
Satisfaction rating
find that I am more comfortable when
most frustrating aspect of the coat in
I wear the kidney belt. I keep it in the
the two years I’ve owned it. The armor
slits made to hold it inside the jacket
comes out easily but is quite difficult
when I am not using it. When I want to to reinstall correctly. In fact I had to
wear it I unholster it, then pull it snug
take it all back to the H-D store where
Dream.
riDe.
www.butlermaps.com
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 17
Nothing like old bikes
to make you smile
By Richard T. Rossberg
For Northern Rockies Rider
years old this year. Not
only that, but it is a very
interesting machine,
I’ve owned and operated a motorcycle shop here
being a three-cylinder
in Great Falls, Mont., for over 25 years. It’s called
four-stroke with a factory
“Mr. Salvage.” I’m 54 years-old and for 47 of those
three-into-one exhaust
years I have been riding.
system.
There are times I have wished I hadn’t made my
When the other
passion my business, because it tends to take away
Japanese factories were
from that passion. The rigors of everyday retail that
building hot-rod twohave to due with motorcycling sometimes push me
strokes or four-cylinder
The second day’s vintage run to Augusta, Mont., heading toward the Rocky
more towards golf than riding bikes!
in-line chain-drives,
Mountain Front. A classic BMW Boxer with sidecar hack.
However, a recent cruise into Wolf Creek
Yamaha brought out this
Canyon brought back the memories of everything
unusual shaft-drive triple.
that is fantastic about riding motorcycles! This is a
They had a weak
spectacular stretch of riding between Great Falls and
second gear in them and if you speed-shifted once
roads the rest of the way and cruised along at a
Helena, Mont., along the Missouri river and through
too many times it was goodbye transmission. So
scenery-gazing speed of about 60 MPH The old
incredibly
there just isn’t a ton of these Yamaha ran flawlessly with a combination of torque
rugged
machines left on the road.
and revs that only a three cylinder can provide.
mountains and
Every year I go to this
Handling is excellent as the XS goes right were
canyons.
little rally there seems to
it’s pointed and eases through the corners at the
Old
be more and more vintage
speeds we were running. Suspension is also excellent
motorcycles
Japanese bikes. They are
because I have tossed the stock shocks and fork
just make
finally being appreciated the springs for an updated aftermarket Progressive
you smile. I
way they should be and their suspension.
don’t know
value is going up.
Brakes, even though they are triple-disc, require
anyone who
This year there was
too much pressure and are only adequate compared to
can turn away
a 1968 Yamaha DT250
modern examples.
from classic
Enduro on the ride. This is
But there was something funny going on inside
bikes and not
the motorcycle that started
my helmet and it took me a few minutes to figure
pay attention.
the off-road craze of the
it out. It was a stupid-ass grin I had on my face that
A partial line-up. Gotta love the real-deal vintage Indian
People who
1970s.
wouldn’t go away!
have never put Chiefs.
Because the factories had
It stayed there through the whole ride, even at the
a leg over a
yet to build a pure off-road
rest stops drinking more coffee.
bike in their lives stop and gawk.
machine, people made their own. Tear off the turn
Old bikes just make me smile.
I could personally study these machines for hours
on end and never get bored with it.
We were fortunate here in Great Falls (Montana)
to have hosted the Northern Rockies Chapter of the
Antique Motorcycle Club of America June 7-9.
But these machines are not just for looking at,
because most of these owners actually ride them.
Machines going back to the 1940s were towed from
every part of the country and Canada to be ridden
here in Great Falls for those three days.
The only qualification was they needed to be at
least 35 years old.
The event also consisted of several local rides.
The first day was just a run east to Belt, Mont.,
The group formed up on the day-three ride along the Missouri River south of Great Falls.
along Hwy. 200, a scenic but limited blast of about
35 miles. The next day was reserved for another
beautiful trip to the northwest to Augusta, up near
signals, headlight and taillight, add a number plate
Editor’s note: Writer Richard Rossberg has spent
the Rocky Mountain Front. This one took all day and and, presto, you owned an off-road race machine!
a lifetime immersed in motorcycles. He currently
included a lunch stop.
These were great bikes that could just about do
operates a bike business, Mr. Salvage, in Great Falls,
But it was the third day’s run south through the
anything you wanted.
Mont. He has written and published one novel, “Jim
Wolf Creek Canyon that was the most breathtaking,
Right out of Great Falls, we took the frontage
Morrison is Absolutely Alive.”
and that was the one that I was able
to participate in. Once we were on the
road, all my cares and problems melted
away.
My wife, Debbie, and I rolled up to
the Hampton Inn at about 8:30 a.m. We
had plenty of time to drink some coffee
and check out the participants, both
riders and bikes.
There was a dazzling display of
machinery including Indians, Harley’s
and BMW’s. There was an Ariel square
four there that ran as smooth as a
modern Gold Wing.
I would definitely say that some of
the characters riding these machines
were at least as interesting as their bikes.
And isn’t that always the case? This is
what makes motorcycling so special –
it’s the people.
We brought my 1977 Yamaha XS750
to the ride because it just turned 35
Two Locations
513 E. 2nd St
307-682-7227
and
104 S. Gillette Ave.
307-682-1312
Gillette, WY
82716
Northern Rockies Rider - 18
August 2012
Wyoming cycle
training compliance
standards are high
By Dottie Rankin
NR Rider Wyoming Correspondent
I know from experience just how
helpful motorcycle safety training
courses can be.
I took the course that is offered here
in Gillette, Wyo., in July of 2011. I
have ridden 9,500 miles since I took
the class and there is scarcely a time
I ride when I don’t use some portion
of the knowledge I was taught in that
class.
So how did the program come to
be, how is it structured and how is it
monitored?
In Wyoming there are two different
courses offered, the Basic Rider’s
Course and the Experienced Rider’s
Course. The courses offered by the
Wyoming Dept. of Transportation are
developed by the Motorcycle Safety
Foundation (MSF).
At this writing, there are seven
locations in the state listed for the basic
course. However, the Experienced
Rider Course is offered on demand
only.
There is a beginners class offered
somewhere around the state every
weekend but get registered early
as classes tend to fill fast. To find
a list of Wyoming classes and the
dates, check <www.dot.state.wy.us/
motorcycletrainingregistration/
schedule/>.
Wyoming law mandates how the
program is set up here. In part that law
states, “The Dept. of Transportation
shall establish and administer a
motorcycle training/education program
and that the program shall provide
for both beginning and experienced
riders and shall be available at various
locations around the state.”
The statutes set forth the contents of
the program including drug and alcohol
awareness, enhancement of public
awareness of motorcycles, and rider
improvement efforts.
There is a state Program
Coordinator who oversees and directs
the program, Suzy McHenry.
There are standards for course
content, how the curriculum is
delivered, and the materials in the
curriculum.
The instructors of the course have to
comply with the requirements set forth
by this law but also have to meet or
exceed established national standards
for motorcycle rider training courses.
There is also a required eight hours
of hands-on instruction for participants
in the beginner course.
Some of the training required
for instructors includes Instructor
Certification issued by the Motorcycle
Safety Foundation or another nationally
recognized motorcycle safety instructor
certifying body.
The would-be instructor has to
demonstrate knowledge of course
material, proper motorcycle operation,
riding proficiency and necessary
aptitude for instructing
students.
There is also an
advisory committee in
place that consists of
five persons representing
various interests in
motorcycle safety. They
advise and assist the
program coordinator in
developing, establishing
and maintaining the
motorcycle safety program.
Who or what is the
Motorcycle Safety
Foundation and why do
state agencies trust them to
develop good motorcycle
safety programs?
MSF is an
internationally
recognized developer
of the comprehensive,
research-based Rider
Education and Training
Course. Their curriculum
promotes lifelong-learning
for motorcyclists and
continuous professional
development for certified
Rider Coaches and other
trainers.
MSF also actively
participates in government relations,
safety research, public awareness
campaigns and the provision of
technical assistance to state training
and licensing programs. The MSF is a
national, not-for-profit organization that
is sponsored by BMW, BRP, HarleyDavidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM,
Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and
Yamaha.
The mission statement for MSF
is “to make motorcycling safer and
more enjoyable by ensuring access
to lifelong quality education and
training for current and prospective
riders, and by advocating a safer riding
environment.”
In part, their vision states they desire
to be an organization that provides
leadership to the motorcycle safety
community through its expertise, tools
and partnerships.
The key messages the MSF tries to
impart are:
1. Get trained and licensed
2. Wear protective gear – all the
gear, all the time -– including a helmet
manufactured to the standards set by
the DOT
3. Ride unimpaired by alcohol or
other drugs
4. Ride within your own skill limits
5. Be a lifelong learner by taking
refresher rider courses
The MSF has a campaign on right
now that is called “Fool’s Gear /Cool
Gear.” I watched the video and it is
fun and informative. It goes from head
to foot and tells you why it is smart to
wear protective gear. It also tells of the
risks of riding with inappropriate gear
such as flip-flops and shorts.
The MSF has graduated 6.4
million riders from its riders courses
since 1974, and they have 400,000
motorcyclists enrolled in their courses
each year.
Their website is quite informative
and kind of fun to cruise. It offers
Dr. Ray’s Tip of the Day, Dr. Jim’s
Question of the Day, cool interactive
training tools as well as an online
survey you can take.
Their website also has a “free
library” where you can download tons
of useful hints, tips, worksheet and just
general knowledge about motorcycling.
There are links to motorcycle laws
state by state, MSF products, and rider
course info.
Here are some reasons why it may
be important to get motorcycle safety
training.
Wyoming DOT Statistics
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 19
Motorcycle endorsement: more than one way to skin a cat
By Dottie Ranking
NR Rider Wyoming Correspondent
The story of getting my motorcycle
endorsement is a twisty, curvy and
bumpy road.
Understand this much: the quickest
way to get a woman to do
something is to tell her she
can’t.
During class my
motorcycle safety instructor
told me that the bike I
bought was too big and that I
would never be able to learn
to ride such a big bike. Of course, I did it
anyway.
But let’s start at the beginning.
The reasons for attending a
motorcycle safety course should
probably look something like this:
Learn how to operate a motorcycle
safely, gain confidence, learn skills
in a controlled environment, learn
techniques that are applicable to most
situations, being taught by a qualified
instructor, pass written test, pass skills
test, get motorcycle endorsement.
However, the morning of my
motorcycle safety class those things
didn’t even enter my mind. Instead
the thoughts running around my head
were something like this: (chanting to
myself) get out of the comfortable little
box you are so firmly entrenched in,
stop shaking, you surely won’t make
a fool of yourself, let go of the couch,
propel yourself towards the door, and
just go!
Don’t get me wrong – I was not
confusing getting out of my comfort
zone with being reckless and stupid. I
was doing this “the right way.”
So in the right way, for the right
reasons and at the right time, I made
my way to my motorcycle safety class
that morning. I felt great, I felt relieved,
I could do this, this was going to be a
lot easier than I had imagined. Then I
decided I better get out of my car and
go inside.
Yes, I know taking a motorcycle
class is serious and important business.
I certainly ended up learning a lot
during that class. For a woman
who didn’t start riding until after
the age of 50, though, the thought
of taking a class with a bunch of
20-somethings and having to actually
ride in front of everybody there was
quite terrifying.
Our class was conducted on a
sweltering June day with about 12
participants. With the exception of the
instructors, I was the oldest one there.
The range of experience in the class
Dottie Rankin
Gillette, Wyo.
Guest Column
was from no experience whatsoever to
an experienced rider who was there to
support his wife.
The almost equal split of men and
women was surprising.
The class started off well enough
with everyone introducing themselves,
then telling what they rode and
describing their riding experience. This
is the point the class started slipping
downhill for me.
I gave my name and said that I had
a Harley-Davidson Softail Classic and
that I hadn’t ridden a motorcycle since
the dirt bike days growing up back on
the farm.
Later, when we were on a break and
standing around shooting the bull, the
instructor said that I bought a bike too
big to start out on and I would never
learn to ride the thing. He said it was a
dangerous and foolhardy thing to do.
That was an inconsiderate thing to
do to someone with one foot still firmly
planted in her small comfort zone box.
His remark served to do two things:
it brought to the surface all those
feelings of self doubt, fear and anxiety.
It also made me more afraid of my bike
and less sure of my ability to become a
successful, safe rider.
Despite the dire predictions of
the instructor, it turned out he had a
wealth of information that I use all the
time. He had a knack of getting the
information from the book into our
heads in an applicable fashion.
I did well enough on the written test,
in fact passing it with flying colors.
I even did well in the motorcycle
practice sessions.
However, when the time came to
perform the actual skills test I could not
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get his negative comments out of my
head.
One of the tests was to drive straight
towards him and when he threw his
arm we had to swerve in the direction
he pointed. He was a brave man willing
to stand in front of me while I was
riding a motorcycle aimed at him.
I didn’t kill him but I flunked the
skills test so did not get my motorcycle
endorsement. My home was not a
pleasant place to be that night.
When I was through feeling sorry
for myself, blaming everyone but me
and being miserable, I decided to take
the positives I learned in the class,
somehow convince my husband to be
the one I was aiming for in the swerve
test, and practice, practice, practice.
In preparation we got some orange
cones and bought tennis balls which we
cut in half. I called DOT and got the
measurements for the famous box you
have to make a U-turn in, and for the
dreaded cone weave. We bought some
sidewalk chalk.
Also involved was a stealth mission
to the DOT location to get a glimpse
of the course as it is actually laid out
for the official tests. Good thing no one
saw us climbing the fence to get a look
at the course.
We picked a remote parking lot and
set about recreating the course.
I spent days and days riding that
practice course. There were more than
a few moments when I didn’t know if I
would ever get the hang of riding that
bike.
My husband, Earl, was so patient.
He would flag me down, say, “Now
watch me.” He made the maneuvers
look so easy. He was my personal fan
club and a great instructor.
I would climb back on the bike,
sure that I had it this time, sure that this
would be the time I got my bike turned
around in that stupid box, sure that I
could maneuver the perfectly spaced
cone weave. I was confident right up
until the instant I blew it again.
But something was happening
without my even realizing it. Little
by little I was able to turn in a smaller
and smaller radius. I was able to make
the 90 degree turn and almost stay in
the lines, I was getting more adept at
handling my bike and less nervous
doing it.
In effect I was regaining my
confidence.
It was now or never. I felt I was
as ready to take the test as I was ever
going to be.
The next morning I strapped my
helmet on, got my riding gloves, jacket
and sunglasses and headed out to put
all the practice to the test, literally.
The jitters were back, the shaking
knees, the butterflies in my stomach...
This time, however, I had solid
practice behind me, a resolve that
was still pushing me forward and
an unbelievable desire to have that
motorcycle endorsement on my license
as a badge of honor.
Did I pass this test?
Oh yes!
When the instructor said, “Well
done, go inside and we will get you
fixed up,” that was a proud moment for
me. Unlike last time, our home was a
fun place to be that night.
And so I ride ... legally.
I also continue to improve every
time I ride.
I’d even like to go ride with that
instructor sometime, the one who told
me I couldn’t do it.
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• July, 2012 • A Contine
try Figure 8
Yaak and Kootenai Coun
The Best Loops
in Montana?
By Cole Boehler
and
“The best laid plans of mice
men often go awry.”
Who
Poet Robert Burns was right.
a tour to find
hasn’t carefully planned
or a
hours
the plan on the rocks within
day?
wife
Such was the case when
to ride one of
Marilyn and I headed out
– perhaps
our favorite Montana routes
Canada. It is wild and remote
and sparsely populated with
is
never much traffic. Scenery
and
stunning: rivers and lakes
trees
big mountains with big
including cedars, indicative
of the relatively high amounts
of moisture this high country
receives.
Elevations vary from the
feet
state’s lowest point (1,880
at Troy) to well over a mile
Subscribe
Today!
the favorite.
hundreds
We have been visiting with
Rockies
of riders from the Northern
we are based
region. When we mention
“Oh yes,
in Montana, most observe:
to) the
I’ve ridden (or always wanted
in Glacier
Going-To-The-Sun Road
one Park”
Park,” or substitute “Yellowst
”
or the “Beartooth Highway.
those
“Yes,
respond,
always
We
but have you
are extraordinary rides,
Kootenai
ever ridden the Yaak and
Country?”
“Huh? Where’s that?”
Well, let me tell you...
s
This region represents Montana’
where
extreme northwest corner
and close to
you’re not far from Idaho
high.
Wildlife thrives where
best-ofExcellent roads add to this
there are few people. Both
from the people and traffic.
are
It’s all about getting away
508.
whitetail and mule deer
Troy and Yaak on Hwy.
and
Montana experience. Between
present in large numbers
bears
for any distant.
we have seen numerous
the Yaak
But these routes are suitable
We have a saying about
or
onemachine,
led
and moose. We would suppose
to
style of two-whee
that is meant be
were
and easier on and Kootenai
wolves are present and probably the
some truth: “If
two-up; just take it slower
humorous, but contains
here, as in
never totally wiped out
parts, the
the bigger and heavier varieties.
ya go off the road in them
these
rest of the state.
before search
Marilyn and I have soloed
be
bears are likely to find ya
could
pavement
would
I
the
but
of
Some
numerous times,
and rescue does.”
since it can be routes
another
with
described as “primitive”
going
friends.
nd
some
with
recomme
Indeed, ride
striping
broken and rough and lacking
or several. In most of this
just the ticket, eh?
like
bike/rider
sounds
is
But,
ng
service.
and signage. Corner engineeri
country there is no cell phone
are “blind”
hours away.
unpredictable and many
See Loops, Page 9
Medical facilities may be
timber and
be 100 miles
could
due to heavy growth of
repair
le
Motorcyc
roadside.
underbrush right up to the
Proof that motorcycles
create lasting memories
By Dottie Rankin
For Northern Rockies Rider
and
Dad, Alzheimer’s disease
This is a story about my
les.
the powerful effect of motorcyc
might think. Well let me
A strange combination you
a
this is not a story filled with
tell you before we begin,
his
dad,
my
of
personal story
lot of statistics. This is my
les fit into all it all.
illness and how his motorcyc
if you own a
hype:
the
heard
have
No doubt you
are,
part of you, it is who you
motorcycle it becomes a
a
matter if you have ridden
it is how you live. It doesn’t
get in
or a lifetime. Motorcycles
month, a year, 10 years
and
and head and soul. You
your blood and your heart
s are
memorie
lasting
truly
your bike and rides are what
If you would like direct home mail
delivery, send your name, mailing
address, telephone number, e-mail
address and $20 to
Northern Rockies Rider, 914 Holmes
Ave., Butte, MT 59701, or contact us at
<[email protected]>
made of.
and I have proof.
It’s not a cliche’. It’s true
was diagnosed with
My dad, Wayne Raasch,
Wayne Raasch, aching to
Dottie Rankin.
get his hands on some Harley
Change service requested:
grips just once more. With
914 Holmes Ave., Butte,
2009.
daughter and author Alzheimer’s in
MT 59701
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
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Livingston, MT
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August 18th, 2012
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Northern Rockies Rider
“Your Northern Rocky
Two aspects to
Motorcycle
Safety
Page 15
See Memories, Page 2
Riding the
Ho Chi Minh
Trail
Page 17
Northern Rockies Rider - 20
August 2012
A few things learned along the way
By Dottie Rankin
NR Rider Wyoming Correspondent
We had just turned up Vanocker Road in the Black
Hills of South Dakota when I saw the orange “road
damage” sign.
These signs can strike terror in the heart of a new or
inexperienced rider. I was wondering, what damage and
how was I going to navigate this? Oh no, not another
“lesson”!
When I discovered the “damage” was loose gravel
I thought about what I had learned about riding gravel
and how I had done it previously.
That in turn got me thinking about the all the
questions I have had my first two seasons of riding. The
fact that I am married to an experienced biker does not
necessarily mean I have all the answers to my questions
in front of me.
I never take just one opinion or piece of information
as Gospel. I have to thoroughly research it, take the
opinions I’ve heard expressed, sift it, sort it and think it
over. I then take what is reasonable, useful and right for
me and use it.
The questions and research started for me when I
decided to take the bull by the handlebars and learn to
ride.
My first question was, where in the world, and how,
do I start this process. Clearly I needed a motorcycle of
my own and I needed to learn to ride it.
1. I needed a bike
I knew I wanted a Harley-Davidson so my husband
and I headed out to the local store and bought one. That
was a fun, special day and one I shall never forget.
Some of the things I considered when choosing
which model I took home.
– I needed to be able to reach the ground flat footed
– Seat height and width had to be comfortable for
long periods of riding
– I needed to be able to reach the handlebars and
controls comfortably
– Color, of course color!
– Accessories and bling
I sat on almost every bike in the store and didn’t
pick one until I was comfortable with my choice.
I ended up with a new Heritage Classic. The only
problem was I didn’t know how to ride it yet and I had
to follow my new bike home in the car.
2. I needed to learn to ride my bike
As my first step I choose to take a motorcycle safety
course offered by the state department of transportation.
Naturally, I took the Basic Riders Course.
It is billed on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s
website as the course that can take you from zero
riding experience to being ready to get your motorcycle
endorsement in one weekend.
Contrary to what may be popular opinion, I’ve
concluded that a spouse, significant others or best friend
is probably not the best person to train us, though there
are certainly exceptions.
The American Motorcyclist Association says, and I
agree to a degree, that “familiarity removes borders and
emotions fuel reactions that do not necessarily create
an ideal learning environment. Though our loved ones
only have the best intentions it is usually better to leave
the training to the professionals.”
3. Learning to ride in groups
We do a lot of group riding and there have been
many situations that have come up that I wasn’t sure
how to handle.
Group riding is an experience all its own. It looks
cool when there are a whole line of bikes going down
the highway, but I soon found out that group riding
comes with a set of rules all its own.
Just because you are riding in a group doesn’t mean
you have given up any of your decision making power
Author Dottie Rankin with her Heritage Softail at
Wyoming’s Snowy Range, riding with confidence.
over matters that involve your safety. If the group is
riding above your comfort or skill level, slow down. It
bears saying once again, “ride your own ride.”
Another example: We were riding in a group of about
eight bikes and we were behind a line of traffic that was
at least five vehicles long and was traveling slowly. Just
because the bike in front of you pulls into the other lane
and starts his pass, that does not mean it is safe for you
to do so. You still have to make an individual choice if it
is safe for you to pass.
The lead bike is not necessarily indicating there is
enough time for all the bikes to go; he is simply starting
the passing process when it is safe for him to do so. He
means for you to pass only if and when it is safe for you
to pass.
Make sure of the mode of communication and what
each hand signal means. A misinterpreted hand signal
almost spelled disaster for me.
The biggest lesson I learned from several close calls
was that group riding is really solo riding in a group
setting. You have to ride your own ride, at your own
pace and in a fashion that is safe for you. Sure, look out
for the safety of the others in the group but don’t put
them in an unsafe position by being unsafe yourself.
My secret rural routes near Glacier Park
By Ron Ridenour
Lake Five, Montana
Here’s my story about a couple of
choice and relatively unknown area back
roads just west of Glacier National Park.
They make excellent approaches or exits
from the West Glacier area.
Motorcycle riders exploring roads
west of the western entrance to Glacier
Park have only limited stretches of
and West Glacier, originally named
Citadel and Belton, before motorized
travel.
Heading west, the road is paved for
1.25 miles, gravel for a mile and then
back to blacktop where the road courses
around Lake Five. After the intersection
with Blankenship Road, Belton Stage is
gravel for 1.25 miles back to Hwy 2.
Lake Five Road and Belton Stage
allow paved access to Lake Five and
To
blacktop other than the wide expanse
of U.S. Hwy. 2, but if a mixture of
pavement and gravel road is acceptable,
many side roads may be of interest.
The Belton Stage Road winds north
of Hwy. 2 one-half-mile west of West
Glacier. Like many frontage roads,
Belton Stage provided early passage for
horse-drawn wagons between Coram
ier
Glac
Park
Blankenship Road and is blacktop
for another one hundred yards before
turning to gravel. A two-mile stretch
crosses the BNSF mainline before
dropping in elevation to Blankenship
Bridge, one of Montana’s older bridges
still used by vehicles.
This span crosses just downstream
of the confluence of the North Fork
and Middle Fork
of the Flathead
River. These rivers
provide southern
boundaries to
Glacier National
Park; the North
Fork climbs west
and the Middle
Fork flows from
the east.
From there
Blankenship
Road is paved to
Writer Ron Ridenour with his favorite rides: A Road King, a
Montana Route
Softail with a sidecar and a Sportster.
486. It runs
Three miles west of West Glacier,
between Columbia
Lake Five Road provides a paved oneFalls and Polebridge and farther north
third mile stretch to Belton Stage where
to an unmanned border crossing into
the blacktop runs by Lake Five. Lake
Canada. Route 486 is paved between
Five is a hidden jewel with the warmest
Blankenship Road and Columbia Falls
water for swimming in the area.
and turns to gravel going north to
A $650,000 “free” access site, Paul’s
Polebridge.
Memorial, now offers a gratis swim or
Coram Stage provides a 1.5-mile
stretch of gravel and asphalt .5 miles east boating opportunity at the lake until
Fish, Wildlife and Parks decides to start
of Coram. It ends up adjacent to today’s
charging.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad,
Safe riding.
the original Great Northern mainline
going through Coram. An intersection
Ron Ridenour is the free-spirit owner
with Hwy. 2 lies on the town’s west end.
and operator of Lake Five Resort.
Three short segments of old U.S.
The resort provides cabins, RV sites,
Hwy. 2 exist between the west junction
campsites, tipis and a gift shop. He’s
with Belton Stage and Hungry Horse.
also an avid rider and often has to
They vary between a quarter and a
choose between his side-car hack and
half-mile in length and although not
conventional two-wheeler. Ron loves to
long, they still offer some curves from
expound on area riding opportunities
days gone by – back when roads and
that are not well known. He can be
highways followed the land instead of
reached at (406) 387-5601
wiping it out.
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 21
Tech Talk
Vital info: Riders need to know actual speed
By Cole Boehler
NR Rider Editor
speedometers never ever under-read
actual speeds as the liability exposure
for such a fault would be enormous
There is room for debate on the
in the event of an accident. Besides,
subject of riding at or marginally above government standards prohibit
the prevailing speed of traffic.
pessimistic under-readings.
I prefer to ride two- to five-milesRather, engineers are likely advised,
per-hour above the posted speed limits
if anything make sure speedometers
on the highway, which will not get
over-read so actual speed traveled
you in legal trouble in Montana. To
is less than what the speedometer
me, it just seems safer and I’m more
indicates, and less than what the driver
comfortable slowly overtaking traffic,
sees, thus creating a small liability
moving around it, rather than riding
cushion in the event of litigation
in the midst of it where is seems
argument.
inevitably tailgaters will attach and
We know of some factory-calibrated
crowd me.
speedometers that are accurate, but
It was on a group ride in 2009 and I
they are few. Almost universally
was leading.
speedometers over-read to some degree
We were on the four-lane Interstate
or another. This phenomenon seems
which is posted at 75 miles-per-hour
more pronounced for motorcycles than
and I had selected 80 as what I felt to
automobiles.
be a safe and comfortable pace.
Of course with GPS, more and more
At our first break, I was accosted by commonly in use on two-wheelers,
several of the group.
actual speed can be
“What the hell
measured to within a
is the hurry? Why
gnat’s eyelash. Some
are you running 90
riders routinely ignore
miles-per-hour?”
their bike’s instrument
scolded one.
reading in favor of
Another rider
the GPS.
chimed in,
Those of us
“You mean
who are
95!”
not so
I said
enamored
I was
by
Artwork
by
WMC
Photography,
Livingston,
Mont.
very
modern
confident
gadgetry
in my reading of my speedometer,
would be wise to know precisely what
and that by previously checking its
kind of speedometer error, if any, we
accuracy, I had determined that an
are dealing with. Ride with a friend
indicated 82 miles-per-hour was close
with GPS and pace it.
to an actual 80.
Or if you know a friendly cop, have
We had a running debate on the
him put the radar on you at a given
subject for a good part of the day.
speed, say 60 miles-per-hour. These
To settle matters, I needed a witness. radar units are supposed to be tested
I asked my wife/passenger to hold my
and calibrated at regular intervals to
wristwatch and time us between mile
insure accuracy and reliability in court.
markers – actually to time us between
Or do it the old-fashioned way
three of them to reduce the potential for by clocking yourself between mile
distance-measured error.
markers, or three of them. Using 60
I ran the three miles at a steady 60
miles-per-hour as your benchmark
miles-per-hour and my wife clocked
makes calculations exceedingly easy
it at three minutes and five seconds,
as, of course, it takes precisely one
indicating a speedometer error of less
minute to run one mile at 60 miles-perthan three percent over actual.
hour.
So, the fellow showing 90 when my
Most speedometer error is
speedometer was reading 82 (actual
proportional. So if, for example, you
80) was seeing a 13 percent overhave a 10 percent error at 60, you
read, which is of course ridiculous
would likely have a 5 percent error at
but not uncommon. The rider whose
30, and a 20 percent error at 120. Or, a
speedometer was showing 95 had a 19
5 percent error at 60 means 2.5 percent
percent error!
at 30 and 10 percent at 120.
Later internet research at a riders’
This may explain why honest people
forum revealed the 13 percent error
will tell you they went 145 on their
for that particular model was not
80-horsepower, 550-lb. 1973 Z1, when
uncommon. The 19 percent error on
in fact the bike was simply not capable
the second bike was later attributed to
of it (top speed measured at 130).
factory mis-calibration compounded
Gear changes or tires other than the
by a larger-than-factory after-market
size stipulated by the manufacturer
rear sprocket that had been installed to
will cause speedo inaccuracy, either
reduce gearing and thus contributing to increasing or decreasing readings
the grossly optimistic speedo readings.
in comparison to actual. Bigger
Most factory-calibrated
circumference tires or taller gearing
speedometers over-read to one extent
(smaller rear sprocket) will cause a
or another, with three to 10 percent not speedo to under-read (and cops are
being uncommon.
never sympathetic to this excuse!),
It is generally supposed the
whereas reduced gearing and smaller
manufacturers’ legal departments
tires will produce over-reading.
advise engineers to make sure
Wikepedia says European Union
standards are:
• The indicated speed must never be
less than the actual speed, i.e. it should
not be possible to inadvertently speed
because of an incorrect speedometer
reading.
• The indicated speed must not be
more than 110 percent of the true speed
plus 4 km/h at specified test speeds.
For example, at 80 km/h, the indicated
speed must be no more than 92 km/h.
It’s simple enough to translate that
into miles-per-hour and goes a long
way toward explaining speedometers
that lie ... but always optimistically.
There are companies that will
recalibrate your speedometer, but not
inexpensively, and some available
devices are said to correct speedometer
errors.
If you are obsessed with accuracy,
use GPS or spend the money for
recalibration. If not, just do the mental
calculations and know what your
particular error is, then adjust speed
accordingly.
Northern Rockies Rider - 22
August 2012
Shortening the bucket list
Texas geezer rides the Northern Rockies
By Roger Caron
Katy, Texas
In the spring of 2011, I watched the
movie, “The Last Of The Dog Men.” In
my opinion, it is a must-see movie! It is
set in western Montana.
A couple of weeks later I saw the
movie, “A River Runs Through It,”
filmed in and around Livingston, Mont,
in the southwest corner of the state just
north of Yellowstone Park.
The scenery in both of these films
was more than an old biker could
stand! I decided I had to visit that part
of the world for myself.
I searched the web for information
on western Montana to decide where
I wanted to ride in the state. During
my research I found a book titled
“Motorcycling Montana,” written by
Cole Boehler who resides in Butte,
Mont.
From the web site I decided this was
a must-have if I was going to ride the
best routes in Montana.
I then launched my trip in June of
this year with book in hand.
Here are my journal entries, in past
tense, from this Last Best Trip to the
Last Best Place.
Monday, June 4, 2012
The heat in southeast Texas has
been brutal and its been humid, too,
this year. Being 73-years-old, the
heat really gets to me these days
so I decided to trailer my bike and
motorcycle trailer to west Texas where
the humidity is low even if it is still
hot.
I put the motorcycle trailer in the
bed of my pickup truck and the bike
(actually trike) on my dropped-axle
trailer, left Katy, Texas, and headed out
to Big Spring.
I unloaded everything at a Motel 6
and got permission from the motel to
leave my truck and trailer there for a
couple of weeks. I spent the night and
then headed out with my trusty steed
for Montana.
Like all of us old geezers, I have a
bucket list and I was going to empty
out a few things along the way.
you could lock the door ... I think!
The mattress had many springs and
I know this because I could feel every
one of them.
Even though Vaughn is a town of
just 400 people, it has at least eight
motels. Why so many for such a small
town? In the winter snow storms
will drift and block the road between
Albuquerque and Roswell and Vaughn
is about as far as people can get before
the road is closed.
Originally the town was the end of
the railroad from Albuquerque. It was
as far as the train could go before it ran
out of water and there was no water
further on to replenish the engine’s
boilers. June 6
Wednesday I rode through
Albuquerque, then north and turned
west just south of the fires that
were still burning in northern New
Mexico. I stopped for the night in
Cortez, Colo., and tomorrow I would
ride over to Moab, Utah. I also planned
to see Arches National Park before
turning toward Missoula, Mont.
About 25 miles into Colorado, after
leaving the treeless, dirt filled desert
known as northern New Mexico, I
entered a country that could only be
called a dark green terrarium.
To my right were snow capped
mountains. I was at almost 8,000 feet
and the peaks were still towering way
above me.
Just before getting to Cortez I was
having a power problem pulling my
motorcycle trailer up a hill. I was
getting worried until I checked the
altitude on my Garmin Zumo 550 GPS.
I was over 8,000 feet in elevation. No
wonder I was losing power on this
steep hill, which some would call a
mountain.
It had been a wonderful trip so far!
June 7
Thursday I left Cortez and headed
for Moab, Utah. As soon as I crossed
the state line, the countryside turned
from lush green back to a desert
environment.
After dining in Moab, I headed out
to Arches
National Park.
The road into
the park was
very steep and
featured many
hairpins. This
road ought to
be added to
everyone’s
Writer Roger Caron all loaded up and ready to head to Big Springs bucket list, to
in West Texas.
be done while
you are still
young enough to walk or hike to some
of the better views. June 5
After seeing all the dirt and rock I
Tuesday, I rode from Big Spring
could stand, I headed north and entered
through Roswell, N.M., on up to
Canyonlands National Park. From the
Vaughn, N.M., and spent the night in a
main road it is a 25-mile drive just to
$40 motel. You know what you get for
get to the visitors center and then more
$40! It did have a swamp cooler and
driving to see all the sights.
The fellow who created all this in southern Utah had an artistic sense of color.
In my opinion, if you have visited
the Grand Canyon you might want to
give this park a miss, but only if you
are pressed for time.
As motels in Moab start at over
$100 a night and up to over $200, I
booked a room in Green River, Utah.,
about 40 miles north of Moab for $50.
keep you awake.
I was getting somewhat tired from
pounding the road for five days straight
so decided to spend a second night in
Wendover.
June 9
I had a slow start this morning. I ate
what they called
a “continental
breakfast” ... as
in, you get what
you pay for. It
was a good thing
I brought a small
jar of peanut butter
with me. I guess
peanut butter and
toast can be called
“breakfast.” They
did have coffee
Canyonlands National Park is a must-see ... if you have time.
and juice to go
with my peanut butter.
I noticed on my map that about 100
After breakfast I headed out to the
miles west of Salt Lake City on the
Bonneville Salt Flats. There sure is a
Nevada-Utah border is the Bonneville
lot of salt! At the end of the road the
Salt Flats. Well what’s a little detour for
asphalt goes right to the edge of the
an old guy on his probably last really
salt.
long motorcycle trip? Plus
it would be another item
crossed off my bucket list.
I found a Knights Inn
in Wendover, Utah, about
two miles from the Salt
Flats for $38. It was a very
good motel equal to some
that cost twice as much.
Experience has shown that
you should always make
your reservations directly
with the motel for a lower
rate. Try it, you will like the
cost savings.
The Bonneville Salt Flats are ... well, flat salt.
June 8
I headed north to Salt Lake City,
then west to Wendover for another 300mile day. Once you go around the south
end of the Great Salt Lake the road
straightens out like it was surveyed in
with a laser. It did not have one curve
or change for 100 miles.
There were signs every mile saying
if you are drowsy to pull over and
rest. As a side note, that is why all the
interstates have curves in them, to help
Something I did not know is the
flats are flooded in the winter from all
the snow melt and looks like a lake.
August and September is when they
hold the races as the flats are dry only
at that time of year. There was still
puddles of melt water just off the end
of the road to the salt. All this would be
dry and hard come August. Still, it was
great to see.
See Bucket List, Page 23
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 23
Bucket List
from page 22
As Sarah Palin might say, you can
see Nevada from the front of my motel.
Nevada was about a quarter mile up the
street and the casinos are lined up one
after the other waiting for you to cross
the state line and give them all your
money.
June 10
Remember it usually is associated with
a low spot or bump in the road so be
ready for it. When trucks and cars hit
the bump some oil drips from under the
truck and cars and that makes the dark
spot.
June 11
Headed north through Idaho to
Butte, Mont. I had dinner with the
owner and editor of the Northern
Rockies Rider newspaper, Cole Boehler
(the same guy who wrote and published
“Motorcycling Montana”) and his wife,
Marilyn Irey.
This is a newsletter I have written
articles for. Cole had said he was
interested in printing a day-by-day trip
log in NR Rider regarding my ride to
Montana.
I left Wendover in the morning
with a temp of 45 degrees. I took I-80
west into Nevada, then north on Hwy.
233 into Idaho through “the land of
nothing” – and I mean nothing! – to
the town of Blackfoot, Idaho, where
I spent the night. The wind was very
bad and, factoring in the wind chill, I
was very cold so
made a short day
of it.
From the
time I arrived
in Blackfoot,
the temp never
got above 55
degrees. It sure
was good to get
out of the wind
and inside the
motel. From
Wendover
until I reached
First Montana gas at little Lima just off I-15 at the foot of
Snowville
Monida Pass.
(147miles) at
Hwy. 80, there
were no gas stations. I finally found a
June 12
lone station that charged $4.47 a gallon.
Today I will do a loop-ride to
Taking the head wind into account
Virginia City then back to Butte. Cole
and including pulling my trailer at 65
to 70 miles-per-hour, I would have run
out of gas had I not installed a fivegallon reserve tank on my trike when I
purchased it.
There was a sign just outside the
gas station door that said, “Caution: six
baby rattlers inside.” When you entered
the store there was another sign saying
the same thing. In the corner of the
entrance was a tall wooden box with
three steps up so you could look inside.
There was a wire screen to protect you
when you looked in.
Virginia City, Mont., the
A couple of people came in after me state’s second territorial
and decided to look at the baby rattlers. capital, is a living museum.
After looking they were laughing. As I
These old building are
was leaving, I just had to look in. Sure
filled with antiques and
enough, inside were six baby rattlers,
artifacts. At right, this is an
the kind of rattles a baby plays with!
old gold dredge at Virginia
I should reach Butte, Mont.,
City’s little sister, Nevada
sometime tomorrow, God willing.
City.
Ah, the sky sure is big in Big Sky Country. Atop Monida
(Montana/Idaho) pass on the border.
A word of advice: Something you
never think about but just happens
when pounding down the highway
... Look for black spots on the road.
June 13
offered me their guest
bedroom with its own
bathroom, and Marilyn
said she would fix a good
home-cooked dinner for
us. Ah, meatloaf!
It has been a good
trip so far, and it is really
far. Tomorrow I will
ride over to Missoula,
spend a couple of days
riding through the
Rockies, then head home
through a different, as yet
undecided, route. I used Cole’s laundry to wash and
dry all my clothing. I just threw them
Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, is just an
hour north of Missoula.
all in one load, no reason to separate
anything. In the morning I retrieved my
clothes from the dryer and found my
Cross Pen in the bottom of the dryer.
It survived, kind of. The heat did a
number on the ink in the cartridge. It
would still write and did not get any
ink on my clothes, though.
Left Butte early morning for
Missoula. God’s Angels kept trying to
wash my windscreen all the way from
Butte to Missoula. It was unpleasant.
Checked into my hotel and spent the
rest of the day relaxing. I did purchase
a new cartridge for the pen.
June 14
Today I rode from Missoula up to
Glacier National Park with the hopes of
riding The Going-to-the-Sun Road but
no joy there. The road was closed 14
miles in from the entrance to the park,
still plugged with winter’s snow. Still,
there was a
lot to see.
The road
was to open
on June
11 but just
when they
cleared
the road of
snow they
received
There are still glaciers in Glacier Park,
but they are disappearing. Better
hurry...
On this trip, I checked off five
things from my bucket list:
• Traveled through Roswell, N.M.
• Visited Arches National Park
• Visited Canyonlands National Park
• Visited Missoula and seen the
snow covered mountains
• Traveled to Glacier National Park
June 16
another 24 inches. They were getting
the road ready to open this weekend
when an avalanche blocked the road,
then to top it off, it snowed again.
Glacier Park is a place that belongs
on everyone’s bucket list. As a side
note, a group of motorcyclists waited
in a motel for four days for the rain to
stop so they could enter the park. Well,
I got lucky as it was one of the best
days they had had all year.
It is time to head my trusty steed in
the direction of home.
Left Missoula on a beautiful
morning and headed for my targeted
stop for the day. Checked into a Motel
6 and ended the day with a good night’s
sleep.
I had expected the ride from
Missoula to Billings, Mont., would be a
nothing-to-see ride across the state but
it was a really beautiful ride with snow
covered mountains in the distance all
along the way. I do however suspect I
was really looking at just two mountain
ranges the whole way. They were so
high I would guess that you could see
them for 100 miles while heading east.
June 15
June 17
I slept 11 hours last night. I guess
this old body isn’t what it use to be. I
went over to Best Buy in Missoula and
purchased a Sirius XM radio so I would
have something to listen to on the long
road home.
Leaving on I-90, I went past Little
Bighorn National Monument and then
entered Wyoming. This was not a fun
day. I had heard that the wind never
stops blowing in Wyoming but I was
See Bucket List, Page 28
Route REVIEW
Northern Rockies Rider - 24
August 2012
g
n
i
m
o
y
W
n
r
e
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t
u
o
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n
i
e
r
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s
a
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r
Find
we prefer would be available on the mountain.
We had a slight mishap at the gas station
in Laramie while fueling the bikes. After the
incident, the nice gentleman at the
convenience store helped me up
from where I was situated, which
happened to be under both bikes.
Lesson here: make sure your
kickstand is all the way down
before dismounting. One bike
falling into the other does start
a domino effect. Who botched
the kickstand? Well I won’t say,
but will say it wasn’t me! Crap
happens.
West of Laramie, State Hwy.
130 is pretty much a straight
shot and the scenery consisted
Even the approa
of windswept and starkly
barren high plains.
It looks like a scen
By Dottie Rankin
NR Rider Wyoming Correspondent
to note that the Byway is one of the shortest of
Wyoming’s scenic byways, both in length and in the
number of months during the year it can be driven. It
is not plowed during
the winters.
This scenic
drive is a two-lane
and travels over
the second highest
mountain pass in the
state. The byway
is one of the most
scenic in Wyoming
and, indeed, maybe
even the nation.
Take note however,
the byway is closed
from approximately
November to April
so plan accordingly.
The jumping off point for our June 28-July 1
Snowy Range Scenic Byway adventure was Laramie
Wyo., the state capital.
However, reaching Laramie from our Gillette home
base required a 250-mile trek.
We would traverse the Wyoming prairie
surrounding our Gillette home in northeast Wyoming,
then edge along the foothills of the Laramie Mountains
to the south before topping them and dropping into
Laramie, the conclusion of our first leg.
Our journey between Gillette and Laramie was, er,
interesting and involved road construction, 100-degree
temps and dense smoke around the Glendo area from
several nearby forest fires.
We stopped for a cold water in Wheatland. The
way the day was going, it came as no surprise that the
coolers were broken at the first convenience store at
Laramie and
which we stopped. So we hopped back on the bikes
and went across the road to the only other convenience the State
store at that exit. The coolers weren’t functioning at
H.O.G. Rally
this store either.
The Wyoming
It was looking like a bad start to our trip.
State H.O.G.
Yes, we endured some hardship to launch our
(Harley Owners
adventure, but this isn’t any old adventure.
Group) Rally was in Laramie the same weekend and,
The Snowy Range Scenic Byway follows Hwy.
as members, we attended some of the activities and
130 for 29 miles through the center of the Medicine
saw quite a few friends in attendance. One lesson
Bow National Forest. Snowy Range was the second
included executing a proper cannonball in the pool
designated National Forest Scenic Byway in the U.S.
while generally relaxing with good
Construction
friends.
began in
Outside we discovered Joe from
1920 and was
Denver who was doing custom
completed in
paint work on bikes. He owns
six years. It
Speedway Graphics. He did a kickwas originally
ass job on a hand-painted butterfly
called the “Great
and the name “Glitter” for my bike.
Skyroad.”
Bright and early the next
The Byway
morning,
we
is located in
got the show
southeastern
on the road.
Wyoming and
We made
can be accessed
sure we filled
by exiting I-80
our tanks
at Laramie or at
before we left
Walcott Junction
Laramie since
approximately
we did not
22 miles east
know if the
of Rawlins. It
Author Dottie Rankin with her husband, Earl, and their
high octane
is interesting
Softails at their destination high in the Snowy Range.
Heading for the top
That desolation came to an abrupt
end about 25 miles from town where we
started climbing and winding into the captivating and
pristine alpine country of the Snowy Range.
Up to this point the road conditions were generally
very good with ample shoulders and were pleasant to
travel on.
The “Snowies,” as the locals call them, are a part
of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. It is easy
enough to imagine how the mountain range got its
name judging from the snow still clinging to the peaks
in July.
The quaint, charming old mining town of
Centennial is located 27 miles west of Laramie
and was our first stop. This is where the landscape
transforms with increasing beauty and the road
becomes far more interesting to ride.
At 8,000 feet, Centennial could be regarded as the
See Wyoming, Page 25
TH
most as good.
not? It’s al
h Highway... Why
ot
to
ar
Be
e
th
om
e fr
E
N
U
O
C
303
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 25
Wyoming
from page 24
gateway to the Snowy Range Mountains
and boasts year-round recreational
opportunities.
This town was at first lightly
populated by settlers seeking timber
on Centennial Mountain which rises
majestically above the town to the west.
was headed to Salt Lake City
when it crashed into the top of
Medicine Bow Peak near the
town of Centennial. It killed all
66 people on board. There were
63 passengers and three crew
members.
At the time, this was considered
the deadliest plane crash in
U.S. history. Victims included
five members of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir and military
personnel.
There is a set of binoculars mounted
in a round stone structure atop the
observation deck at Libby Flats. There
was astounding scenic landscape in
every direction. The beauty was so
abundant and stunning that it was hard
to know just where to look.
We talked to a woman at Libby Flats
who was from Texas and was escorting
a bicycle tour through Wyoming,
which explained the many bicyclists
ach to Snowy Range Pass is dramatic.
Railroad ties, the Homestead Act and
gold all added to the growth of this
historic town.
Where the going gets good
We stopped in Centennial long
enough to get a look around, absorb
some of its history
and take note of the
interesting buildings.
Just past the town,
Hwy. 130 started
winding and we worked
our way up into the
range, navigating a few
sweeping curves on our
way to Snowy Range
Pass.
The views from the
top were breathtaking
and picture perfect with
12,031-foot Medicine
Bow Peak as a backdrop.
It is the highest peak in
the Snowy Range.
Our next task was
locating Libby Flats
Observation Site which
officially marks the
highest point on the
byway at 10,847 feet.
This spot offers a great
view of the Snowy Range mountains
including Medicine Bow Peak and
Sugarloaf Mountain.
Medicine Bow Peak
tragedy
As beautiful and serene as
Medicine Bow Peak is, it leaves
a legacy shrouded in tragedy and
sadness.
In 1955 United Airlines Flight
409 departed Denver and
NTRY ST
O
we encountered on our way up the
mountain.
I was glad the road was in good
condition and the decent shoulders
allowed safe passage for the bicyclists.
There were also plenty of turnouts and
roadside parking areas to accommodate
the slow and gawking.
Lakes on top of the world
Mirror Lake and Lake Marie, which
are considered sister lakes and are right
up the road from Libby Flats, were
side-destinations. Both these lakes are
glacier-fed. During the early summer
months there is “pink watermelon”
snow up on the mountains that is due to
bacteria that thrive on year-round glacial
There are motels, Victorian hotels,
B&Bs, resorts, RV and tent camps, dude
ranches, cabins ... whatever a traveler could
desire.
Just some of the “must do” experiences
in Saratoga:
• Free Hot Springs, aka the “Hobo Hot
Pool.” There is a changing room complete
with showers and bathroom facilities. The
hot pool averages 106 degrees at its coolest
part to 119 degrees in its warmest.
• Adjacent to the Hobo Pool is the
Saratoga Municipal Swimming Pool which is
one of the few remaining outdoor pools in
Wyoming. Just the ticket after a long day in
the heat and wind.
Both pools are located on Walnut
Street.
• North Platte River. Saratoga has
over 100 miles of freestone river flowing
throughout the Platte Valley with blue
ribbon trout galore. The river is easy to
reach in several places at the public accesses.
24 Hour Fueling with
Clean Fuel Area
RE
Groceries, Snacks, Soda, Fresh Brewed Iced
Tea, Soft Serve Ice Cream & Old-Fashioned
Candy, Hunting & Fishing Licenses
Maps, Clean Restrooms, ATM, Ice
3 1st Street - Saratoga WY • 307-326-5638 • [email protected]
See Wyoming, Page 28
Open 24 Hours - 7 Days Per Week All Year Long
Dressing Rooms and Showers Available
Heal Up After a Long Day on the Road
Saratoga, Wyo. – The “other
gateway” to Snowy Range
Saratoga, situated along Hwy. 230, is
the western access to the Snowy Range
Scenic Byway.
Breathtaking views await and attract
artists and photographers. The town is
surrounded by Elk Mountain, the Snowy
Range mountains and the Sierra Madre
mountains.
There are hiking trails for those who
are beginners or more experienced.
Recreational choices abound.
When it is time to dismount and relax,
don’t worry, there are plenty of hospitality
choices here. A good assortment of
excellent restaurants, lodging, shopping
as well as a calendar full of local events to
satisfy diverse interests are available.
snow.
There were scores of campers and
day users. The natural beauty that
surrounds the lakes is breathtaking. The
signs said there was fishing, swimming
and paddle boats.
As we were taking photos at Mirror
Lake a white car drove by. It stopped
and a guy stuck his head out the window
to ask if we wanted him to take our
photo together. I thought, wow, these
mountain people are sure a friendly
bunch but it turned out he had an
ulterior motive.
He was in the looking and trying
stage of buying a Harley-Davidson
and wanted to pick our brains about
Free of Charge with Donation Box Available
Picnic & Recreation Area
Adjacent to Hot Pool
Want something a tad cooler?
Try our “Not so Hot” Hot Pool
East Walnut St • Saratoga WY
307-326-8335
“Where the Trout Leap in Main Street”
Stock up your Saddlebags
Fully Stocked Liquor Store
Beer • Mixers • Ice
Over 650 Wine Varieties
Grocery Store right next door.
Large selection of cool, fresh produce
& all grocery items
1702 S. Hwy 130 • Saratoga, WY
307-326-5336
Roll on into
“The Wolf”
Saratoga’s Gathering
Place for Good Times
Fine Dining, Hotel & Old West Saloon
Superb Lunch & Dinner with Fresh Salad Bar
Try Kathleen’s World Famous Cheesecake
Clean, non-smoking guest rooms
Reservations or Information
307-326-5525
110 East Bridge, Saratoga, WY
www.wolfhotel.com
Northern Rockies Rider - 26
August 2012
Battle Hwy. 70 is great Snowy Range sidebar
By Dottie Rankin
Having just ridden the majestic Snowy Range
Scenic Byway, our expectations for Hwy. 70,
more commonly known as the Battle Highway,
were comparatively low.
Well, it compared very favorably! It has a
beauty all its own and is stunningly picturesque,
not to mention yielding up a couple of
adventures we didn’t anticipate.
Having just come down off Snowy Range, our
gas tanks were complaining and we were hoping
to fuel in Riverside, Wyo., population 60, but
were a little dubious.
Riverside
We did find a fuel/convenience/general/feed
store and makeshift coffee spot all in one in this
The Battle Highway has variety and some well
radiused and tight turns.
tiny town. The atmosphere, and the girl behind
the counter, were very friendly. She seemed to
know everyone who came in the door.
Riverside is charming and quaint. It’s located
at the junction of Hwys. 230 and 70. It was
established in 1902. Riverside was first known
as “Swan” and then “Doggett” after early area
settlers.
Newton Doggett purchased the town from the
Swan family in 1900 for $1. Even though this is a
tiny hamlet, that still seems like a bargain!
Encampment
Just down the road from Riverside is
Encampment, or Grand
Encampment
as it used to
be known.
This town has
a long and
interesting
history.
It was settled in 1897 but wasn’t
officially incorporated until 1902.
This was a boom period for the town
and there was copper mining in the
nearby mountains, a smelter, and
the longest aerial ore tramway in the
world (16 miles) and a population that
numbered in the thousands.
It was interesting to study the
history here but we had tracks to
make.
We were finding the roadway was
not quite as quality as Snowy Range.
The Battle Highway had a somewhat
rougher surface, quite a few tar
snakes and the shoulders were
not very wide; all in all, not in bad
condition.
There weren’t as many turnouts but
there was not as much traffic, either. If
As we were riding west from
Encampment we saw the first
groves of aspen just about
five miles west of town. The
further west we progressed the
more aspen trees we saw. The
aspens were intermingled with
ponderosa pine and spruce
and made for quite a view.
When I saw Hubby’s tail
light come on and he started
slowing down quickly, I knew
we had struck “aspen” gold.
We were approximately 23
miles west of Encampment and
I gave a silent high-five when I
saw Forest Service Road 801
on a big sign. The road is also
known as Deep Creek Road.
It was very well marked and
there
was no doubt we had
The Wyoming DOT has a gift for understatement: “Road Damage.” Ya.
found the right route. Deep
Creek Road/Forest Service
you are looking for a solitary route you can do at
Road
801
runs
north
from Hwy. 70 through the
your own pace, yet a ride with plenty of curves, a
national forest. After about a mile we reached
hairpin or two and loads of fun to navigate, look
what is known as Aspen Alley, but oh what a
no further.
We were 15 or so miles west of Encampment mile it was.
It was gravel and not the easiest to navigate
when we started seeing signs warning us of road
on our Harley-Davidsons. It was a challenge for
damage. I was thinking slight surface breakage
or rough spots. I didn’t
anticipate the road was gone.
We were detoured around
– or right beside – 75-80 yards
of asphalt and roadbed which
had apparently detached and
slid down the mountain in not
one but two places. I thought, I
hope the detour doesn’t end up
sliding down the mountain with
me on it!
The warning signs should
read more like, “BEWARE!
Disappearing road!”
Aspen Alley
As much fun as we were
having riding the gently curving
and twisting road, we were
anxious to find the local segue Aspen Alley forms a tunnel of vegetation.
known as Aspen Alley. We had
heard so much about it and how beautiful it was,
me with my almost newbie rider status, but I took
but we didn’t know for sure where it was nor how
Earl’s lead and did what he did.
well it was marked.
See Wyo. Hwy. 70, Page 27
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 27
Wyo. Hwy. 70
from page 26
Usually packed gravel poses little problem but
this area is being logged and the road surface
was covered with loose gravel, big chunks of
wood and had a big ridge in the middle. The
sides of the road were strewn with all kinds of
logging debris.
Slow and steady
was the pace and we
made it unscathed.
As we pulled up to
Aspen Alley the side
of the road was firmly
packed gravel for
parking. We were not
the only ones; there
were two pickups that
were full to the brim
with passengers.
As we got off
our bikes and were
unpacking our
camera equipment
three young adult
ladies approached
us smiling from ear to ear. They said, “You look
like fun loving people!” I thought, uh oh, what
“fun” are they talking about? Hubby was actually
backing up.
They explained they were on a scavenger
hunt and asked if would we do the YMCA
song with them as they videotaped it. Earl quit
Aspen Alley was a highlight of our Battle
Highway explorations and is a must-see. I would
do it again in a heartbeat.
Little Snake River Valley
After we returned to Hwy. 70, we started
descending the mountain into the pretty Little
Snake River Valley through the towns of Savery,
Dixon and our destination, Baggs. We even
Colorado
made Baggs their home.
The Gaddis/Mathews
cabin on Hwy. 789 in
Baggs was reportedly the
outlaws’ hideout.
This day included
everything from glorious
scenic displays of very different natures,
treacherous parking lots, disappearing roads,
singing and dancing women in the forest, and a
lot of history.
It included
some fantastic
motorcycle riding,
some great
roads, good food
and beautiful
weather. It was a
day with diverse
and distinct
pleasures. It was
a complete, joyful
and rewarding
success.
Without a
doubt the scenery
between Riverside
dipped briefly into Colorado but didn’t know
it until we saw the sign saying “Welcome to
Wyoming.”
Even the tiny town of Savery has a historical
claim to fame though I didn’t learn it until we
returned to the motel.
A sign on the highway had said, “Historical
Point of Interest, Jim Baker’s Cabin.”
Well the only “Jim Baker” I knew of
has a claim to fame but not necessarily
a good one.
The historical Jim Baker (18181898) was affiliated with the American
Fur Company and by age 20 was a
scout and a guide for traveling settlers.
He also lived among the Shoshoni for
Good roads + good scenery + exceptionally light traffic
a brief period. He settled in Savery,
= fine motorcycle touring.
lived out the rest of his days and is
buried there.
As we continued the descent the
and Baggs along Hwy. 70 in southeast Wyoming
road flattened and mostly straightened
is one of Mother Nature’s most impressive
Okay, sometimes even “dumb fun” is still fun. Doing “YMCA with
out. We had an uneventful but
displays.
a stranger in the middle of nowhere, author Dottie Rankin at left. blistering hot ride into Baggs, which
I just added it to my list of favorite roads.
was the end of the line for us.
backing up and said, “I don’t dance but she will.”
We stopped at a little
To myself, “You are gonna pay for this later,
Mexican restaurant
dear husband.”
called El Rio for some
I put my pride in my pocket and actually had
lunch (it was delicious)
fun doing the YMCA song with this group of
and a cold soda and
exuberant young women. They got their video
El Rio Restaurant
found a friendly, family
but I made them pose, in turn, with me for a
atmosphere that was
Family Owned and Operated
shot of us singing and waving our hands like
most welcoming in the
maniacs.
heat of the day.
20 N. Peanlan St.
307-383-7515
I was surprised by the aspens here. Aspens
I am always on
usually appear ghostly with white bark and black the lookout for the
Baggs, WY 82321
Phone
knots, often stubby with twisted branches and
historical significance
trunks. Here they stand proud and tall, often
of the places we visit.
over 50 feet! It was an awe inspiring sight to see Butch Cassidy, the
Ken and Kimberly Thyne
the sunlight sparkling through the treetops that
Sundance Kid and their
invite you to relax after
formed a canopy of sorts over the road.
Wild Bunch supposedly
Traditional Mexican Cuisine
www.NorthernRockiesRider.com (not yet live)
“Your Northern Rocky Mountain Riding Authority”
FREE
Northern Rockies Rider
Volume 1, Number 1 • April, 2012 • A Continental Communications Publication • [email protected] • 406-498-3250
Free to readers
Look for it at your local motorcycle and
motorcycle-friendly businesses, and
thank them for carrying it!
Private Guest Cabins
Satellite TV, XM Radio,
Free Wifi
Self Serve Kitchen,
Historic Saloon
5651 Hwy 130
Snowy Range Scenic Byway
Ten Mile, WY
www.tenmileinn.com
307-326-5928
a long day on the road
at the Ten Mile Inn!
Shaded Beer Garden
and BBQ Area
Rooms in West Wing
Northern Rockies Rider - 28
August 2012
Wyoming
Snowy Range has it all
from page 25
Earl Rankin taking a break at Mirror Lake.
our bikes. We gave him our opinions and received
in turn a bonus photo of Earl and I taken together in
front of this gorgeous scenic backdrop that will make
anybody look good.
Bucket List
from page 23
not expecting this. As the sun rose over
the horizon so did the wind.
The first sign I saw was lighted in
neon that said, “Caution: winds 50plus miles per hour.” A short distance
further along, another lighted sign said,
“Small Trailers Stop.” I had a small
trailer behind my trike. I should have
listened but, no, I kept on heading
down Hwy. 25 with Denver on my
mind as a stopping place for the day.
No luck with that! As time went
on the wind kept increasing from the
west to the point it was almost pushing
me off the road. At times, with no
exaggeration, I was being hit on my
right side with wind exceeding 70
miles-per-hour. It was like trying to
ride in a hurricane!
Had I been on two wheels instead of
three I would have hunkered down on
the side of the road until nightfall.
A lot of good that would have done
as the next morning I was told the wind
picked up during the night. I passed
a couple of regular 18-wheelers and
thought if I ride on their left side they
would block the wind for me. No joy
there either! The wind would pile up
on the right side of the trailer and blow
even stronger under the trailer.
Speaking of 18-wheelers, many
of them in that part of the west now
are using large plastic skirts between
the tractor and the rear wheels of the
trailer. Unlike typical 18-wheelers,
when I would pass one of those skirted
rigs there was almost no turbulence
around the truck.
The temperature was hovering
around 103 degrees when I stopped for
gas in Wheatland, Wyo. Between the
wind and heat I needed to stop for the
day. As luck would have it there was
a Super 8 across from the gas station.
Yahoo for me.
I went in and would have taken a
room no matter what the cost but it was
reasonable. When I went to check in I
almost couldn’t talk and was probably
on the verge of collapse. The desk
As a whole this route is a good
mix of sweeping curves, a few
sections of tight twisties
and straight-aways with the
occasional hairpin thrown in
for thrills. It is a ball to ride.
The surface is in good
condition, the grade does not
exceed 6.5 percent and has
ample shoulders to pull over
to the side. The visibility was
a bit iffy at times with the
blind curves and we had to
be careful when passing. We
often took advantage of the
many pull-offs to let people
pass and many others used
On an otherwise hot summer day, there is nothing like cool alpine air,
them to let us by.
majestic scenery and great roads.
Touring the Snowy
Range Scenic Byway took
everything from prairie and barren high plains to
us a couple hours but we stopped a lot to take
alpine splendor and lakes at the feet of glaciers.
pictures and generally play tourist. The traffic
We headed back to Laramie to join our friends for
was of medium volume and tended to bunch
the H.O.G. banquet this final night of the state rally
up around the most scenic spots.
with plenty of stories, dozens of photos and with our
In all, it was a fantastic journey and we
heads full good memories.
encountered a huge diversity of landscapes,
It was a good place to be.
attendant took me into the breakfast
room and got me a cold glass of orange
juice, then another. That got me where
I could talk a little and make it to my
room.
The wind is so dry it dries out your
throat and mouth to the point you lose
your voice. I drank water all day long
and this still happened.
June 18
I got an early start and once again
headed south on Hwy. 25. Fort Collins,
Colo., was just 100 miles down the
road. According the news media, Fort
Collins was in the process of burning to
the ground.
When I got near Fort Collins I could
see and smell smoke in the air. The fire
was burning in the foothills a long way
west of Fort Collins. The media always
looks for the worst they can find and
blows the story all out of proportions
for the ratings.
I continued on to Colorado City
south of Denver. Upon leaving Fort
Collins the wind was now blowing
straight out of the south. This was a
welcome relief but raised heck with my
gas mileage. I only averaged 20 milesper-galleon fighting this headwind.
June 19
Another early start to the day. I
headed out for Amarillo with plenty of
wind but otherwise an uneventful day.
I spoke to the woman behind the
motel desk and asked if the wind ever
stops blowing. She informed me that
the average wind speed blows at 26
miles-per-hour 24/7and 365 days-ayear. I questioned her, “How can you
stand it every day all year long?” She
replied, “You get use to it.” What more
can I say?
June 20
Continued on to the Motel 6 in Big
Spring, Texas, where I’d left my truck
and trailer for the past 16 days. All I
could think of on my way to the motel
in Big Spring was, “Will it still be
there?”
Sure enough, it was there, untouched, just as I had left it so long ago.
With a little help I put the motorcycle
trailer in the bed of my truck and the
trike on the trailer behind the truck.
June 21
Home in Katy, Texas, after a most
wonderful trip.
I found that as soon as I got away
from the big cities I felt very safe.
Everyone was extremely friendly and I
think I could have left a 100-dollar bill
on my seat and if the wind did not blow
it off it could sit there for several days
and it would still be there.
The bandana, after soaking it in
water, would really help keeping my
neck cool in all that heat.
Retirement can be beautiful,
assuming your wife will let you go on
a trip like this. I got really lucky with
mine for over 50 years!
My bucket list is a lot lighter.
NR Rider available
electronically
PDF
as a PDF
Northern Rockies Rider Editor
and Publisher Cole Boehler
announced recently the regional
motorcycle enthusiasts’ publication
is now available electronically as an
e-mailed PDF file.
The file will be a compressed Zip and is
low-resolution to keep file size down, but it will display
and view fine on your computer screen and will even print
acceptably.
“Since we save on printing expense and postage, we
can pass some savings along to our subscribers, too,”
Boehler said. “Regularly, a subscription to the ninetimes-annual printed product is $20. We can reduce the
electronic subscription price to just ten bucks.”
Readers who would like an electronic version should
simply send an e-mail to <[email protected]>
requesting an electronic subscription. Electronic editions
will be available about five days before the printed version,
Boehler added.
NR Rider is not currently set up to accept subscriptions
with PayPal or credit cards, so just send a check or money
order to: Northern Rockies Rider, 914 Holmes Ave., Butte,
MT 59701.
Adobe
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 29
If you didn’t prevent it...
You can take measures to survive a crash
By Stacey “Ax” Axmaker, Director
Idaho STAR
“Skills Training Advantage for
Riders”
Last month I wrote that there were
only two aspects to motorcycle safety
– preventing the crash and surviving
the crash. That article focused on
“preventing the crash.” As promised,
this month’s article will address the
second aspect of motorcycle safety –
surviving the crash.
There is probably no area of
motorcycle riding or motorcycle
safety that generates as much
controversy as riding gear.
People get wrapped around
arguments like “There should be a
helmet law,” or “there shouldn’t be
a helmet law.” While this can be a
very interesting (and passionate!)
argument with valid points to
consider on both sides – it’s not the
point here.
Here, we are talking about the
choices you can make regarding gear
– which includes, but is certainly not
limited to, a helmet – to help you
survive a crash.
The points here are simple:
Motorcycle crashes
happen
Over 500 a year are reported in
Idaho.
Sometimes a driver or a rider (or
both) make a mistake and there is a
crash. Sometimes drivers don’t see
us; sometimes there is an unexpected
gravel spill.
When you go out for a ride, you
generally don’t think you are going
to crash that day – neither did the
90,000 people who were injured in
U.S. motorcycle crashes last year.
While no protective gear
guarantees 100 percent safety, good
quality protective gear including
helmet, jacket, riding pants, boots
and gloves, will reduce and even
prevent some injuries.
When there is a crash, there is no
way to predict what part of the rider
will hit or slide on the ground – be
prepared by protecting your head,
body, arms, hands, legs and feet.
Riders lose
Automobile drivers benefit from
seatbelts, crumple zones, air bags
and a reinforced steel cage all around
them. On a bike you have none of
these. All we have is what we are
wearing. As a result, when we crash
we are more likely to lose.
Have you ever heard a rider say,
“Yeah, I crashed, but it was just a
fender-bender…”? Neither have I.
The pavement is not very forgiving
to your body, hide or your head.
Someone cares
We all have someone in our lives
who cares about us. If we were to
become seriously hurt or killed, their
lives would be very much affected.
Imagine someone you care about
being seriously hurt...
I’ve heard riders say, “It’s just me,
so why should anyone else care about
what I wear?” Here’s the deal: it is
your choice to wear gear or not wear
gear; it is your choice regarding how
much gear and what quality gear you
wear.
But make no mistake; it is not just
you.
In my case, I have a wife and
young son at home; it’s not just
me. One of my riding buddies has
aging parents that need his help on
a regular basis; it’s not just him. A
woman I know is a teacher with a
room full of kids waiting to learn
every day; it’s not just her.
I could throw in a bunch of
statistics and pictures and images,
but I won’t. Instead, please watch
this short video made by my friend
Brittany. Let’s just say she had a bad
experience (motorcycle crash with
minimal gear) and has dedicated her
life to helping others not go through
what she did.
<www.vimeo.com/
brittanymorrow/roadrashqueen>
Your gear is your choice. Honor
those who love you. Choose gear that
will help you survive a crash.
About Stacey “Ax” Axmaker: He
Stacey “Ax” Axmaker, Idaho STAR director, with his Valkerie
is the director of Idaho STAR. He
took his first rider training course
in 1991, was teaching shortly after
and has been ever since. He has
worked as a mentor instructor since
1994 and served as the Operations
Manager for the TEAM OREGON
motorcycle safety program from
1997 to 2002. He was one of the four
individuals who developed the Basic
Rider Training (BRT) curriculum,
and has been active in new instructor
training as well as designing and
delivering mentor/leadership
training for instructors. He also
was the STAR Program Training
Manager from 2006 through 2008.
“Ax” serves on the Idaho Traffic
Safety Commission and is chair
of the Idaho State Highway Safety
Plan Motorcycle Safety Committee.
He also holds a volunteer position
with Motorcycle Riders Foundation
Awareness and Education. “Ax”
currently rides a 1997 Honda
Valkyrie Tourer.
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Northern Rockies Rider - 30
August 2012
Guiding the dream into
the future with love
By Gary A. House
life. Most of us would agree that youth
For NR Rider
should be able to make their own
decision about this matter. Of course,
My daughters both love
parents should carefully consider
motorcycles. How could this be
factors like their child’s responsibility,
possible?
maturity, and ability.
As a teacher, I’ve asked my students
But what about the dream?
how many of them have ever ridden
I love riding a motorcycle. I even
a motorcycle, or would like to. The
love wrenching on them. It’s like
overwhelming majority have not and
therapy. No matter how hard my day
would not ride ... ever.
may be, picking up that helmet and
Why is it that, against all the odds,
heading for the parking lot makes the
my youngest dreams of owning one,
world right again. It’s like a rolling
and my oldest has developed quite a
therapy couch when I need to relax
love for classic Japanese bikes from the and it becomes my own personal roller
late ‘60s and early ‘70s? coaster – a thrill ride when conditions
The oldest rides one of the rarest:
allow me to turn up the wick a little.
a 1973 Honda CB 350 four-cylinder.
I believe that owning, properly
Her little red screamer only makes 34
maintaining and riding a motorcycle is
horsepower, but it attracts a huge crowd something worth passing on to my kids.
of gawkers everywhere she takes it.
Just like so many other things in
Just recently she’s begun pursuing
life, improper use of a motorcycle can
her dream job of buying and
be deadly. But then, the same could be
refurbishing these old
said about guns,
Hondas.
riding horses,
The big question:
flying or even
how is it possible
going out at night.
that two girls could
Rather
have such a love for
than teach my
motorcycles?
kids to avoid
Think about it. It’s
everything that
a wonder that anybody
could possibly
rides motorcycles. We’re
hurt them, I’d
told they’re dangerous,
rather teach
we know they’re
them to carefully
expensive, they require a
evaluate the
great deal of skill to ride
risks, learn from
safely, and they carry a
the experienced
negative image in the
in a controlled
minds of millions.
Writer Gary House with motorcycle environment,
Our detractors have
make a wise
enthusiast daughter Kathleen.
much to say about this
decision for the
matter. They preach
right reasons, and
their doctrine of danger and death to
practice, practice, practice.
anyone who will listen. How quickly
Only when I am satisfied
they can come up with a story about
that they’ve shown that they can
someone they know that was recently
responsibly handle a potentially
in some horrible accident on one of
dangerous matter, do I take my hand
those things!
off the reins. But daddy is never far
It seems that we are surrounded on
away.
all sides by well-wishers and advice
What if something goes wrong?
givers to stay away from motorcycles.
That is a question each of us must
On the other side of this debate,
ask ourselves, and it is better done now
we could point out that if two groups
than later.
are taken out of the equation – young
Do we shelter our children from all
adrenaline junkies on sport bikes and
possible risks so that they may lead a
those who drive intoxicated – the
long and (forgive me) boring life? Or
rest of motorcyclists have very few
do we encourage them to live life to its
accidents.
fullest, take a few risks and the bumps
So few, in fact, that for this
that come with them, and really enjoy
remaining majority of riders, national
themselves?
statistics show that it’s safer to ride on
As a teacher, my kids often ask,
a motorcycle than in a car.
“What’s the most fun you’ve ever
And while this grand debate
had?”
rages on, thanks in part to the recent
My answer, “It’s right out there in
popularity of motorcycling, and a
the parking lot, and I get to do it again
subsequent increase in accidents, the
this afternoon at three o’clock.”
voices warning our kids to “never
My hope for my kids is that one day
ride one of those things” seems to be
when they’re old, they’ll not regret the
multiplying as well.
occasional risks they took in the light
So what’s a parent to do? Do we
of being able to really enjoy something
allow our kids to develop a love for
they truly love.
motorcycling? Or further, do we
It is so common that children love
encourage and facilitate their pursuit of what their parents love.
the dream?
When my kids were little, they
The dream... When ridden carefully loved going for rides with Daddy. I
and skillfully, motorcycling can be
practiced great restraint with them on
just as safe as any other activity in
board. I drove safely and carefully so
Kathleen House with her vintage Honda CB 350 four-banger on the “Tail of the
Dragon,” U.S. Hwy. 129 at Deals Gap, North Carolina.
as to not ever scare them.
How they squealed with delight
when I twisted the throttle to about
one-fourth of the power that my bike
had. I would run the RPMs up to 7,000
or 8,000 or so, but using very little
throttle. They thought they were going
so-o-o-o fast, but it didn’t scare them.
I cornered slowly and stopped gently,
asking them often if I was doing all
right.
The goal? I wanted them not only
to enjoy themselves, but to do so with
restraint and maturity.
I taught them to ride carefully. They
never heard me brag about wheelies
or racing, and never saw me drive that
way either.
I have taught them to love
something, but with great respect. I let
their love for motorcycling develop
naturally, and did not force them or
badger them if they felt afraid.
Now that they’re both in their early
20’s, riding is something they really
enjoy.
And the best part of it all – I get to
enjoy watching them enjoy themselves.
All roads lead to...
6
5
7
4
1
3
2
BOZEMAN
BILLINGS
3. 2505 W. Main St.
406-587-9323
BILLINGS
4. 2900 Harrison Ave.
406-494-2490
1. 765 S. 20th St. West
406-656-6640
2. 825 N. 27th St.
406-248-8320
MISSOULA
BUTTE
6. 2275 N. Reserve St.
406-543-3330
HELENA
7. 1285 N. 1st St.
406-363-0140
5. 1803 Cedar St.
406-442-5757
HAMILTON
August 2012
Northern Rockies Rider - 31
Passenger Perspective
Navigation, safety enhanced by alert passenger
Last month I wrote about being too relaxed and
imminent hazard requiring us to slow down NOW.
Cole also signals companions as well as oncoming
drowsy while being a passenger, and began by stating
A sharp strike on Cole’s thigh usually means
riders. I believe it’s fairly universal that patting the
that part of my passenger job description is to be an
danger ahead. (Sometimes I just have to poke him
top of your head means there is a patrolman or city
extra set of eyes.
if I think he’s messing around.)
cop ahead.
I will elaborate
The danger signal is followed by
Likewise placing your palm parallel to the road
more on that topic.
pointing directly at the hazard.
and raising it up and down means slow down. If we
Living in
Riding companions to our
are trying to indicate a road hazard, Cole uses the
Marilyn Irey
mountainous and
rear are signaled by repeating
palm gesture while I point down at the road surface.
Contributing Writer
timbered country, we
the signal several times – such as
I suppose some readers are having a good
share the land with
using one finger pointing down at
chuckle by now and asking, “Don’t they know about
wildlife, often large
the road and pulling my hand up
intercoms and GPS and Bluetooth?”
four-legged creatures.
and down. That’s our universal
Yes, we understand the technology, but we like
A legendary, but
signal to look at the road surface
the solitude and relaxation of not chattering, listening
true, story of a motorcycle and deer encounter in
for a potential problem. Think of the flashing hand
to music or reading a screen as we ride. We enjoy
southwest Montana involved a rider hitting a deer
in a crosswalk signal to catch your attention, which is disconnecting.
at highway speed. The rider would have survived
the rationale for repeating the gesture.
We can both focus on the beauty of the
(he was reportedly up and walking around) except a
Cole will flash his brake lights as well – flash/
surroundings and stay alert to the things that could
razor-sharp broken bone from the animal severed a
flash ... flash/flash ... flash/flash. Before we ride, we
harm us.
major artery on the rider who subsequently bled to
explain to companions
death.
what this means: be alert,
You really don’t want to have any collision with
possible danger. If the
an animal while riding. Even hitting a large dog could brake light comes on and
cause loss of control, damage to your bike, potential
stays on, especially after
physical injury and emotional trauma. The outcome
flashing, that means the
for the dog would be a bad one, too.
danger is real and not just
I know Cole, our driver, is always scanning the
potential.
highway and sides of the road for any hazard, but I
We always point out
also actively scan, especially for animals and road
any animals to trailing
hazards.
riders with an extended
USA National
In the last 30 years of riding together we have
arm even if the animal
• Aug. 6-12 - 72nd Annual Sturgis Motor Classic, Sturgis, So. Dak.
successfully avoided many domestic and wild
seems to a long way off
www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/
animals that could have resulted in serious crashes.
the roadway. They are
Alberta
We have braked for and missed moose, bears,
animals and you have
• Aug. 17-19 - Alberta Motorcycle Rally for Women, Drumheller. Karen Hamerton,
elk, deer, antelope, cows, horses (hmmm, never a
no idea when they may
[email protected]
sheep and this is Monta-a-a-ana!), dogs, cats, eagles,
bolt, and they can do so
turkeys, pheasants, ducks and more.
amazingly quickly.
British Columbia
Riding in any populated area, including and
If I want to signal our
• Aug. 11-12 - Cumberland Motorcycle Roundup, Cumberland,
www.cumberlandmotorcycleroundup.com
maybe more so in small communities, requires extra
route in town, I tap the
• September 15 & 16 - 28th Annual Port Alberni Toy Run, Port Alberni, 250-731-4728
vigilance. In most small towns drivers don’t see a
driver’s upper arm, then
lot of traffic and may just pull out without looking
extend my arm pointing
Idaho
for any one else. And aggressive local constables are
either at the sign or the
• Aug. 9-11 - Idaho State H.O.G. Rally, Meridian, Scott Beale, 208-250-1198,
[email protected]
known to be sneaky.
direction of our turn.
• Sept. 22-23 - “Fall” Motorcycle Swap Meet and Show, Rathdrum, Glen 208-667-3668
We have to be wary of animals, children and cars
On the highway when
that sometimes seem oblivious to sharing the road.
I see a sign indicating our Montana
I’m especially on the lookout for vehicles backing out junction, I extend my arm
• Christian Motorcyclists Association, Kalispell chapter: Bryce Boots,
of driveways or pulling out of business parking lots.
over his shoulder to point
[email protected]. Aug. 4, Eureka lunch ride; Aug. 16-19, Montana State CMA
With the widespread use of electronic devices in
at a highway number
rally, Lewistown; Aug. 25, Essex lunch ride; Aug. 31, Billings CMA campout.
• July 30-August 4 - Yogo Inn Travel’n Bike Show and Mini Rally, Lewistown, Chuck
autos, hyper-vigilance is required. It seems odd to me or town name and the
800-860-9646
that a bright blue 650-pound motorcycle with halogen direction to turn. I then
•
Aug.
1-5 - Testy Festy, Rock Creek I-90 Exit 126 east of Missoula, Matthias Powers,
lights and two people on board is just too small to
may continue the gesture
[email protected]
register with a driver.
so the trailing bikes know
• Aug. 13-16 - International Assn. of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Motorcycle Group 6th Annual
Since Cole watches the bigger picture, I navigate
what I’m indicating. If it’s
National Motorcycle Rally, Butte, Rick Ryan, [email protected], 406-498-5842
from the rear seat. Before starting our day and
a left-hand turn, I bring
• Aug. 16-19 - Beartooth Beemers Rendezvous, Red Lodge, Bob and Anne Clement,
intermittently during the ride, I go over the map and
my right arm up parallel
[email protected]
• Aug. 18 - Elk River Run Bike Rally and Rodeo, Waterhole #3, Fairview, Pat Knaff,
memorize highway numbers and town names.
to my head then bend at
406-742-5224
It’s my job to watch route markers, street names
the elbow signaling go
•
Aug.
18 - Flat Track #3 “Saturday Night Under the Lights”, BMC, Billings, 406-656-9960,
and business signs, then signal Cole and any other
left.
[email protected]
companions who are riding with us. The same goes
Let’s not forget the
• Aug. 24-25 - Motorcycles and Miracles, Jim’s Bar, Butte, Tammy Shannon, 406-491-5176
for spotting debris and other road hazards.
big circle in the air above
or Dick McLeod, 490-2234
Since I mentioned signaling you may wonder what my head – oops, missed
• Aug. 24-25 - Glocca Morra-sponsored rally, poker run, pig roast, bike rodeo, etc.,
signals we use. A quick clutch around the waist alerts something, we need to
Sweetgrass, Danny Campanian, 406-335-2850, [email protected]
Cole to brake. He knows if I grab him hard there’s an turn around!
• Sept. 8-9 - Fall Classic Motocross – BMC, Billings, 406-656-9960,
Events
Calendar
[email protected]
“Motorcycling Montana”
Comprehensive Touring
Guide
500+ pages!
Washington
• Aug. 10-12 - Springdale Motorcycle Rodeo, Springdale, 509-936-5613,
[email protected]
• Aug. 23-25 - Wash. State H.O.G. Rally, Okanogan, Vincent Danner,
[email protected]
• Aug. 24-26 - Summer Shakedown Vintage Motorcycle Festival, Tacoma, 877-902-8490,
Sandy. [email protected]
• Dec. 16-18 - Progressive International Motorcycle Show, Washington State Convention
Center, Seattle, www.motorcycleshows.com/seattle
Wyoming
• August 8 - Burnout Wednesday, band at 12 noon, burnout at 4pm. Dime Horseshoe Bar,
111 North 3rd Street, Sundance, 307-283-2575
• August 26 - Hogs for Dogs, Cheyenne, 307-637-6655
www.motorcyclingmontana.com
To have your event listed here for free, send the information to Dani Rollison at
<[email protected]>. We only will list the days(s) and name of the event, the city and
location of the event, a contact person’s name, e-mail address, phone number or web address.
Northern Rockies Rider - 32
August 2012
IAFF Motorcyle Group
6th Annual National
Motorcyle Rally
August 13-16th, 2012
Butte Depot - 818 South Arizona St.
Butte, Montana
IAFFMG Members/Riders: $25 IAFFMG Members/Passengers: $15
IAFF Members/Riders: $50 IAFF Members/Passengers: $25
***This includes paid membership to IAFFMG 2012
Non-Member Rider: $60 Non-Member Passenger: $30
Please Register Online at iaffmg.org
Go to: IAFF-MG 2012 Montana National Rally
***Pre-Registration ends on August 10th, 2012
On Site Registration: Butte Depot, 13th, 14th, and 15th
August 15th, 2012
Butte Depot presents - 38 Special - live in concert www.buttedepot.com • 406-782-2102
Your own pathway - peaks or prairies what a beautiful ride!