NRR February/March 2013 - Northern Rockies Rider

Transcription

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Northern Rockies Rider
Volume 1, Number 9 • February/March 2013 • A Continental Communications Publication • [email protected] • 406-498-3250
Upper Columbia Country
Sport-touring five
valleys and four
mountain ranges
By Cole Boehler
In North Dakota, they tell
Norwegian jokes: “Did ya hear the
one about Ole and Lena on their
honeymoon? Well, Ole, he says...”
In Montana, we tell North Dakota
jokes: “Did ya hear about the North
Dakotan who rented out the basement
of his outhouse?”
In Washington, they tell Montana
jokes: “Did you hear about the Rabbi,
priest and Montanan who went
fishing?” (Why don’t they tell Idaho
jokes?)
The fact is, once you leave the
urban centers of Washington, mostly
strewn along the coast, the similarities
between Montana and central and
eastern Washington are apparent:
mostly agricultural and resource
extraction-based economies, lightly
populated rural river valleys with small
towns strung along the water courses,
substantial and rugged mountain
ranges between the valleys where
timber and wild game is plentiful,
nicely engineered and
paved roadways all
through this remote
country, and good,
down-to-earth people.
Eight days on
the road...
My wife, Marilyn,
and I were fortunate to
be able to tour some of
the best Washington
The ride to the coast took us three days as we meandered and saw sights. This is Palouse Falls.
has to offer before,
Palouse Country, then to Othello
of the Pend Orielle River in the state’s
during and after Labor Day of 2012.
in south-central Washington, all of
northeast corner.
In particular we were excitedly
Mission accomplished on all counts! this over great roads through rugged
anticipating the state’s river country
hills and wondrously productive
We rode 1,800.3 miles in five days,
in the north central and northeastern
agricultural lands.
with the wedding and housewarming
region – the mighty Columbia, the
After more wandering explorations
accounting for three more.
Sanpoil, the Colville and Pend Oreille
(we tend to zig and zag), Day Three
valleys.
found us riding to Ellensburg, Yakima
Getting there is good
We had two other objectives, other
and White Pass before angling north
Day One we rode 280 miles of
than five days of great riding: to attend
for Sumner, just an hour or so south of
Montana and Idaho Panhandle to St.
a Seattle area nephew’s wedding, and
the Seattle metro area and the wedding
Maries, Idaho, much of that along
to hang out for a couple of days with
site in Green Lake.
Idaho’s St. Joe River Road. Day Two we
dear old friends in their brand new
We attended the quite pleasant
toured through eastern Washington’s
retirement home along the east shore
See Sport-touring, Page 8
Spokane’s Westside Motorsports like Macy’s – diversity and quality
Westside Motorsports campus is spacious and includes a training range. But it’s going to get more crowded when the new Ducati inventory is floored.
By Cole Boehler
Motorcycles take people on extraordinary
journeys.
In the case of Scott Schmidtman, two-wheelers
first took him around the central Washington family
wheat ranch as a youth, then through college and
a bachelors in economics, a masters in business
administration and a law degree, private and
corporate legal practice, then to the ownership of
Westside Motorsports in Spokane, Wash.
And who’d have thought the kid on the Honda 90
would someday be placing an order for 35 Ducatis?
That’s just what Schmidtman did recently when
Westside added the Ducati line to an already extensive
group of franchises: BMW, Honda, Yamaha and
Kawasaki as well as Can-Am, Polaris and Ski-Doo.
Motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, side-by-sides,
personal watercraft, snowmobiles ... Oh, and trailers
to haul the toys and even Ariens Sno-Thros.
The family wheat ranch – “‘ranch’ sounds more
prestigious than ‘farm’” – was located 14 miles outside
Waterville, itself 27 miles northeast of Wenatchee.
Schmidtman graduated Waterville High School,
then took his undergrad at Washington State
University in Pullman. In four more years at the
University of Washington in Seattle he earned a law
degree while simultaneously completing requirements
for his MBA.
See Westside Motorsports, Page 2
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Page 14
Page 20
Northern Rockies Rider - 2
Business Profile
Westside Motorsports
1987: 401 South Grove Road. This is south off I-90 at
Exit 276 on Spokane’s western fringe; watch for the
signs.
from page 1
Schmidtman acknowledges the motorsports
industry in 2003 – and motorcycles in particular –
After passing the state bar, he practiced law at a
was approaching an all-time industry sales zenith
downtown Seattle firm before heading for the more
which peaked in 2006-07. Then, with the worldopen spaces this “country boy”
wide economic recession, motorcycle sales
craved, this time practicing at
tanked, especially hitting hard the Japanese
a mid-sized firm in Yakima for
brands.
five years.
“By 2008 things were slowing down, then
In 1986 he took a position
simply crashed in the fall,” Schmidtman
as in-house counsel for a tech
remembers. “It was very sudden and
firm in Spokane, ISC Systems.
noticeable; definitely scary. We became
That company was swallowed
even more conservative on inventory and
up by the international Italian
overhead. It called for month-to-month
conglomerate, Olivetti, in
management. Unfortunately, a lot of dealers
1989, which in turn was
got caught with big investments in inventory
bought by Getronic, a Dutch
and interest costs.”
company, in 1998. At that
But their traditionally “conservative”
Westside owner Scott
point Schmidtman accepted a Schmidtman projects a calm
approach to business management – and
severance/buy-out package.
continued strong demand for ATVs and
and friendly demeanor. Get
“I had a good time” during him talking about motorcycles the newly introduced side-by-sides – kept
those years, Schmidtman
Westside viable and healthy.
and the passion shows.
says. “There was a lot of
“We have seen slow but steady
travel, challenging contract
improvement over the last several years,” he
negotiations... I then worked with some other
notes.
Spokane tech start-ups for the next three years.”
In the midst of the worst motorcycle sales trends
Right after graduating law school in 1979, he
since the early 1980s, Schmidtman picked up the
married Carolyn, a now-retired dental
hygienist who helps out around the business.
They have two children, a son who is now
30 and a civil engineer in Seattle who is also
married and has a child, and a daughter, single
and 28, who works for Gannett (publishing)
Company in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, back in the early ‘90s,
Schmidtman had taken up motorcycles again,
first on a Yamaha XT 225, a mild dual-sport
that was street legal but competent off-road,
too.
“I liked to use it to run around the country
roads near our acreage, just messing around,
but then a real enthusiasm took hold,” he
recalls.
Next, he got into street bikes, first on a
standard air-cooled four-cylinder Honda 650
Nighthawk, followed by a series of upgrades
and style explorations that would include a
Suzuki Intruder 1400, a Suzuki Bandit 1200, a
1000cc Yamaha FZ-1, a BMW K 1200 LT (“LT”
Westside acquired the BMW line in 2010. Here is a new
stands for “light truck,” jokes Schmidtman)...
F800GS, a lightweight adventure-touring machine that is
“I wanted to own my own business, so I
thought about what I really liked. Motorsports! becoming hugely popular.
Coincidentally, Westside Motorsports became
available and we closed the deal in April of
2003,” Schmidtman relates.
BMW line in early 2010, a brand whose sales, through
“Business was good but we felt it could be better,
remarkable innovation and customer loyalty, had
especially with more emphasis on marketing and
remained strong despite the recession.
sales.”
Adding a new brand is no simple proposition,
Westside has resided at its present location since
Schmidtman says.
Such a move entails flooring a new
inventory of vehicles, of course, but more
importantly involves investing in a new parts,
accessories and apparel inventories. Further,
technicians must be trained and certified. This
means additional costs while the techs are away
from the business as well as expenses for travel,
room and board.
Now consider the cost of specialized
tools for the service department, new floor
coverings, new exterior and interior signage,
plus media marketing and advertising. In all, it
is clear adding a brand is not done lightly and
entails substantial investment and risk.
In for a dime, in for a dollar?
Schmidtman is rolling the dice again –
conservatively? – by now taking on the exotic
Ducati line of motorcycles. (See sidebar on the
Ducati acquisition.)
Looking around the dealership indicates
Schmidtman has pulled it off before, and is set
to pull it off again. The staff of 20-25 is hustling
and new machines crowd the floor. The
Accessories are no mere “sideline” at Westside; they
constitute a major department and consume a lot of flooring. accessories departments are extensive.
February/March 2013
Another key to Westside’s macro approach to
business: the company is an authorized motorcycle
safety training entity contracted with the state of
Washington, and now conducts officially sanctioned
motorcycle license endorsement testing as well.
“We put in our own (training) range” on the
company grounds, Schmidtman relates. “We have our
own training fleet (of motorcycles) that we rotate in
an out. A dozen part-time staff are certified trainers.
What a great way to establish a relationship with
beginners.”
Westside boasts 12,500 square-feet of indoor
showroom display flooring plus ample outdoor space.
The paved training range is 160 x 260 feet with a 20foot “warning track” around the perimeter. There is
landscaped space for testing ATVs and side-by-sides.
The on-sight warehouse covers 7,200 square-feet. All
are situated on 16 acres adjacent to I-90.
“We’re like
the Macy’s
department
stores,”
Schmidtman
says with a
smile. “We have
a wide variety of
quality products,
something for
It seems likely
Westside may
have the biggest
and most diverse
motorcycle
inventory
between
Seattle and
Minneapolis.
everyone ... including our female customers.”
Though Westside does not directly do motorcycle
rentals, they are affiliated with an independent rental/
tour company that seasonally sets up in the Westside
parking lot and operates out of a trailer.
Westside does not sponsor a lot of special events
at this point, but plans to do more in the future. They
provide some limited racing sponsorships, mostly for
staff who have that competitive urge.
In terms of marketing, Schmidtman notes the
company continues to expand its electronic presence
on the Internet, social media and with an e-mail
newsletter he says features “quality content, not spam.
We want recipients to know it is worthwhile to open.”
The “new media” is carefully targeted
geographically and demographically, Schmidtman
adds.
The company still maintains a presence in
traditional media, actually ramping up a television
campaign that involves more 15-second spots that
are “institutional” and focus on “image, lifestyle and
where we are located – people can still be confused
about where we are and which Honda dealer we are.
“We are Macy’s: diversity and quality, but we
continue to reinforce our image as ‘the friendly
place,’” he emphasizes.
What has changed in the motorsports industry
post-recession?
“Prior, a large part of our market was young,
entry-level customers who favored the lightweight
sport bikes and dirt bikes,” Schmidtman says. “That
group has not come back in large numbers. They were
disproportionately hit by the tough jobs market.”
And new, more stringent lending practices have
also affected the youth market’s ability to finance
expensive toys, he laments. “It’s a real shame. These
customers are our future.”
As for more mature newbies to the sport – perhaps
parents – Schmidtman, without cracking a smile,
says he always advises them, “If you want to ride, first
get real spousal approval, then get the most term life
insurance you can afford.”
How’s that for realism?
See Westside Motorsports, Page 3
February/March 2013
Business Profile
from page 1
As for the future of the motorsports business,
Schmidtman predicts “the product will continue
to get better and better through advancing
technologically and innovation. Hybrids and
electrics are coming, but internal combustion will be
around for awhile.
“ATV sales have flattened, but the side-by-sides
are moving quickly.
“Even though bikes are economical on fuel,
they’re still primarily for recreation and enjoyment,”
he says.
“Our main focus remains motorcycles, even while
we fully develop the side-by-side potential.”
Speaking of which, when you own a dealership a
personal/private stable of machines is dispensable.
In Schmidtman’s case he has a wide array of “demo”
machines to choose from when he needs some wind
in his face.
“We will have five different Ducati demo bikes
this year, so they will be my source of bikes to ride
for the summer,” he says. “I’m really looking forward
to the chance to ride the Multi-Strada and the Diavel.
We will also have a BMW R1200GS, and maybe an
F800GS as demos.”
Always wanted to ride a “Duck”? Here’s your
chance. That new water-cooled GS might be fun, too.
And the weather is shaping up ... Time to ride!
Like most powersports dealers, Westside relies on
continued brisk sales of ATVs and the increasingly
popular side-by-sides.
Westside Motorsports:
Only Ducati dealer between Seattle and Minneapolis
Soon to arrive at Spokane’s
Japanese to lead the way when it
Westside Motorsports is an
came to engineering and technology,
impressive fleet of 35 brand new
especially electronics. Now we look
Ducati motorcycles. The sport bike
to BMW and Ducati.
purists in the region must be drooling!
The Panigale, for example,
The Italian marque is best known
offers ABS brakes, of course, plus
for its exotic ultra-high performance,
eight-level traction control, threecutting-edge sport machines ...
mode adjustable engine braking, a
and perhaps
quirkiness.
“Ducati is very close to BMW, in
Like HarleyDavidson is
the same ballpark” when it comes to
recognized
engineering and technology. “Besides, the
for its iconic
45-degree airDucati brand has so much cachet, heritage,
cooled singledistinction ... and that unique sound!”
crankpin pushrod V-twins,
Ducati clings
to its unique desmodromic valve
clutchless quick-shift system, three
actuation set-up, whereby valves are
adjustable engine performance
opened and closed mechanically with modes (sport, race and wet), an
cams and levers, rather than relying
electronically controlled suspension
on conventional spring closure.
dampening system, a data acquisition
While perhaps unconventional, the system for the track go-fast guys, and
“desmo” system is based on proven
just on and on. Truly state-of-the-art
engineering that allows the Ducati
in every respect.
(air- and water-cooled) 90-degree
While Scott Schidtman, owner of
V-twins to obtain incredible engine
Westside Motorsports, Spokane’s
speeds – 11,500 RPM in its most
new Ducati dealer, relishes the Ducati
highly developed Panigale
line’s sport prowess, he says perhaps
iteration, the
more intriguing and with even
1198cc eightmore potential are the Ducati
valve twin
“adventure touring” models –
pumping out
the Multi Stradas – and even its
195-crankshaft
street power-cruiser, the Diavel.
ponies
The point is, even sportaccompanied by
diehard Ducati is expanding its
98 ft.-lbs. of torque.
offerings and machine functionality
All this in a wetto meet an increasing world
weight package that
demand for broad diversity and utility.
scales at just 415 pounds!
Schmidtman says he is confident
Can you say “soil-your-underwear Ducati products will positively
performance”?
augment his existing customer base.
Ducati has had a deserved
As a Ducati
reputation in the past for
dealer,
high maintenance,
Westside will
but advanced
be serving an
engineering
exceptionally
is bringing its
large
maintenance cycle
geographical
in-line with other
area.
brands, now
There are four
17,000-mile
other dealers in
valve clearance
Washington,
inspection
all 300 miles
intervals.
west in the
In the
Seattle metro
past,
area. There
motorcycle
are three
enthusiasts
Ducati dealers
could count on the
in Oregon,
also along the coast; one dealer in
Salt Lake, three in B.C. and one in
Edmonton, Alberta.
There is no Ducati dealer in Idaho
or Wyoming. The Missoula, Mont.,
dealer let the franchise go. So,
incredibly, the next closest dealer to
the east is ... near Minneapolis!
Basically, then, Westside will serve
the inland from Seattle to Minneaplis,
1,400 miles west-to-east. That’s
what you call geographic strategic
advantage.
“Ducati is very close to BMW, in
the same ballpark” when it comes to
engineering and technology, he says.
“Besides, the Ducati brand has so
much cachet, heritage, distinction ...
and that unique sound!”
One must wonder where
Schmidtman will find room for 35
new Ducatis, not to mention a parts
inventory, in the already full store.
But it is clear he doesn’t shoot from
the hip; this move, with its concurrent
substantial investment, has been
thoroughly thought through.
Yes, Macy’s: diversity and quality,
and now more diversity than ever
with the added flavor of exotica.
Scott Schmidtman - owner
4201 S. Grove Road
Spokane, WA 99224
Phone (509) 747-1862;
toll free (800) 233-7834
Casper Wyoming’s
2nd Annual
August 1st and 2nd 2013
3pm-11pm
2 days before the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Harley
& the V-Twins
daily from 6pm-10pm
Sponsored in part by
Ramkota Hotel
of Casper, Wyoming
Harley-Davidson Preferred Hotel
Vendors please contact the
Casper Area Chamber of
Commerce, Casper, Wyo.
www.casperwyoming.org
307-234-5311
Opinion
February/March 2013
Laws meant to help the few can hurt the many
Ableism: Discrimination by those
who are able against those who are
unable.
The late American humor writer
Kurt Vonnegut, in a short story
titled “Harrison Bergeron” (1961),
published in a 1970 collection called
“Welcome To The Monkey House,”
concocted a fictional society in which
those who had superior abilities
were prevented from using them, in
order to ensure those with inferior
abilities didn’t feel ... well, inferior.
For example, in the story a
ballerina forcibly had heavy weights
attached to her arms and legs in
order to thwart her potential for
superior dancing.
Such was Vonnegut’s not-sofunny everyone-is-equal fictional
society.
Vonnegut was often classified,
too, as a science fiction writer
because he wrote of some fantastic
societies – some of them in the
future. And like some science
fiction writers, his prescience
was frequently marvelous and so
accurate, just as it was in this short
story.
We sympathize with the disabled.
No one would want a disabling
condition visited upon themselves or
those they love, but life isn’t always
fair and some folks suffer disabilities
due to accident, disease, birth
defects, old age and any number of
other reasons.
We are also willing to do what we
can – within reason and within our
own limited financial abilities – to
accommodate those with disabilities.
In 1990 the Americans With
Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed by
Congress to lessen – some would
say “eliminate” – everyday barriers
faced by those with disabilities.
No one can deny we have
made much progress as a society,
and few would deny we can yet
achieve more. Unfortunately, the
ultimate effect of the ADA’s legal
requirements can make public
facilities inaccessible to us all, rather
than accessible to everyone.
On a recent business trip in
Washington we talked to several
lodging facility owners about
marketing their enterprises to
our rider readers. As always, we
asked about what amenities these
businesses offered that were
particularly appealing to motorcycle
riders and tourists: parking at your
door, restaurants on premise or
within walking distance, in-room
coffee and so on.
I mentioned to several of these
business operators that their
swimming pools have great appeal
to riders after a long hot day, or their
hot tub/spas offered comfort to riders
who had traveled in the cold or who
were afflicted by the aches and
pains brought on by 10 or 12 hours
in the saddle.
Several of these owners said
matter-of-factly, “Well, I can’t
advertise my pool or Jacuzzi
because I’m closing it.”
Why?
“The ADA regulations say we
have to install mechanical lifts or
elevators, or a sloped entrance/exit
to the pool and spa to accommodate
the disabled and wheelchair-bound.
We looked into it and the cost would
likely run us a minimum of $10,000,
probably $20,000 or more and I can’t
afford it.
“Pools and spas are already a
very expensive proposition just for
maintenance, let alone alterations
and improvements and increased
liability. And if we don’t comply, we’ll
be sued or fined and I can’t afford
that, either. So I’m closing it.”
So, to make pools and spas
accessible to the disabled, we
will in fact make many of them
inaccessible for everyone? That
doesn’t compute.
We can see requiring new
construction or extensive alterations
to be ADA-compliant, but clearly
the facilities in question were
constructed decades ago, prior
to ADA enactment. Plain and
simple, these facilities should be
“grandfathered” and exempted.
We are aware there are some
limited tax credits to mitigate the
conversion costs, but apparently
they are not sufficient for some
operators.
Here’s a little background
courtesy the Florida Swimming Pool
Association:
“The original Americans with
Disabilities Act was signed into
law in 1990 and it did not have
accessibility standards for swimming
pools/spas. In 2004, the Department
of Justice issued guidelines that
included pools/spas, but they were
not law.
“July 2010, the Department of
Justice announced that revised
regulations made those guidelines
into law and (were to) take effect on
March 15, 2011. Compliance (was
to) be required no later than March
15, 2012.”
An extension to Jan. 31, 2013
was ultimately granted.
“For the swimming pool and
spa industry the relevant sections
are Public Entities and Public
Transportation (Title II) and Public
Accommodations and Commercial
Facilities (Title III) and their
requirements are virtually the same.
“There are some exceptions.
“Title II facilities can be excluded
if they can prove modifications would
significantly alter the historic nature
of the building or would create undue
financial hardship for the facility.
“Title III facilities can be excluded
if they can demonstrate that
reasonable accommodations are not
readily achievable.
“However, the Department of
Justice has made it very clear that,
given the flexibility and cost of a
pool lift, it would be very difficult
for any entity to escape their (legal
mandate) to provide access.”
We can see that the DOJ has
no clue what it takes to run a small
business, and has no clue that
$10,000, $20,000 or $30,000 is a
serious amount of money for small
business owners, and apparently
prohibitive for some small mom ‘n’
pop motels.
We can’t imagine that anyone
disabled would rather see a
swimming pool closed for everyone,
than remain inaccessible to the
disabled. Can you? Is anyone that
selfish?
When legislation, rules and
regulations are imposed in this way,
we all lose, abled and disabled alike.
Don’t ride like a kid!
Take a Basic RiderCourse
Quit Dreaming, Come Ride!
• For riders with little or no
experience
• Refresh your skills if you
have experience
• Motorcycles provided
• Helments provided
Group and club rates available
Registration opens March 1, 2013
For more information
1-800-922-BIKE
http://motorcycle.msun.edu
MSUN ARC Ad.indd 1
MSUN ARC Ad.indd 1
7/28/11 9:20 AM
Opinion
February/March 2013
Crunching the numbers reveals how weak a group we are
By Cole Boehler
Editor and Publisher
Yet this is an average, again.
Looking at the classified ads for
motorcycles for sale, which I do
regularly, reveals some – a majority?
I have justifiably been accused
– of them are ridden far less than
on occasion of being a numbers
2,600 miles per year: “For sale - 2006
geek. However, statistics can reveal
motorcycle (seven years old) with just
and illustrate important facts and
3,500 miles.”
concepts about topics which interest
That advertised motorcycle was
us.
ridden just 500 miles per year! These
More importantly, statistics can
garage queens are too common. If
spawn important questions that
you don’t believe it, look for yourself.
provoke thought, maybe even an
For the purposes of illustration, if
answer.
all eight million bikes are ridden 2,600
For example:
miles per year, that would be 20.8
I find it
billion miles.
interesting
If half the
that there
motorcycles
are very
– four million
close to
of them – are
Cole Boehler
eight million
ridden 500
Editor and Publisher
motorcycles
miles per year
registered in
average, that
the United
would be just
States
two billion
among a
miles per year.
little over 310 million people or, on
The other 50 percent – four million –
average, about 2.6 percent of the
would be ridden 26.8 billion miles, or
population – 26 folks out of 1,000.
6,700 miles each, on average.
Consider, however, that many
These speculative figures would
owners have more than one so
indicate our for-the-purpose-ofa simple average does not really
illustration “high-mileage” crowd rides
illustrate motorcycle ownership
13.4 times more miles than the low
patterns.
mileage group. Is this plausible?
What if the average owner has
What if we further speculatively
two bikes? Then only 13 out of every extrapolate the high-mileage group’s
1,000 people – just 1.3 percent of us
riding? What if one-fourth of the high– would be actual motorcycle owners. mileage 50 percent (one million bikes
Nowhere could I find stats dealing or 12.5 percent of the total) rides
with bike ownership-per-owner.
20,000 miles per year? That small
Maybe someone else is a better
group would account for 20 billion of
researcher and can clue me in.
the 26.8 billion miles ridden by the
The numbers do reveal what a tiny high-mileage half of riders.
minority motorcycle owners really are
Could it be that 1 million riders –
and, thus, how vulnerable we are to
one-eighth of the total – accounts for
the tyranny of the majority.
70 percent of the total miles ridden?
Further, other statistics show that
If so, we’d be curious what is the
about 42 percent of the population
accident rate per-million-miles-driven
disapproves of motorcycles! The
for the high-mileage v. low-mileage
perceived danger in riding one
rider?
certainly accounts for a lot of the
And if so, we’d be curious what
negativity, but what accounts for the
is the annual average motorcycle
rest? Rider behavior?
related expenditure for the respective
Here’s another good one: the
groups?
average licensed motorcycle gets
It has been my experience, and a
driven just 2,623 miles per year!
useful rule of thumb, that 20 percent
What does this tell us? Well,
of the doers usually accounts for 80
obviously, that we are all riding far too percent of the doing.
little!
Food for thought.
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Okay, before your brain turns
to total mush, look at one more
revealing batch of statistics. What
they reveal isn’t clear, but we’d
entertain some theorizing.
In our U.S. coverage region
– Washington, Idaho, Montana,
Wyoming and South Dakota –
there are significant – substantial!
– differences in motorcycle
registrations per capita across these
states.
In 2010...
Washington: 6.83 million
population; 216,208 mc registrations;
31.59 people per registration
Idaho: 1.57 million population;
52,967 mc registrations; 29.64
people per registration
Wyoming: 563,626 population;
So. Dakota: 814,180 population;
65,664 mc registrations; 12.4 people
per registration
Montana: 984,415 population;
Interesting, eh? But what accounts
for the rather radical disparities?
Is Washington’s relatively low
rate of motorcycle registrations per
capita due to its heavily concentrated
populations along its urbanized
coast, and presumed density of
urban traffic, hence less enjoyment
and a higher degree of perceived
danger?
But Idaho’s rate is close to
Washington’s and Idaho is not
urbanized at all.
Here’s a contradictory factor to
consider: Some parts of Washington
are ride-able year-around, while
all the rest of these states have
“seasons” of just six to eight months.
Why is Montana’s relative rate of
motorcycle registrations so high –
four times higher than Washington’s
and Idaho’s?
Why are Wyoming’s so high
compared to Washington and
Idaho, yet significantly lower than
So. Dakota’s and less than half of
Montana’s?
I would speculate that the
differences might be partially
explained by the quality of local riding
as defined by urban v. rural, with rural
given the nod as superior.
Or were more kids in rural states
raised on bikes, using them as work
tools for farm and ranch or even
cheap transport to get from country to
school?
Or the disparities might be due,
at least in part, to another relative
riding quality defined as mountains
v. plains, with mountain riding
acknowledged as superior. Yet twothirds of Montana is not mountainous.
We might chalk the rest up to
cultural differences as defined
by a relative relationship to the
outdoors and a concurrent affinity for
participating in outdoors activities.
It’s beyond me and you’re
welcome to weigh in.
Yes, the numbers are revealing,
but they usually reveal more
questions than answers. It is healthy
for riding enthusiasts to grasp the
stats, then give serious consideration
to what they mean.
You may begin to learn more
about yourself along the way.
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Opinion
February/March 2013
Letters to the editor
Letter: Indiana readers are finding NRR
Dear Editor,
Here is a story you might enjoy.
I called a friend of mine back in
southern Indiana to talk business
a couple of weeks ago. She is the
general manager of the Harley
dealership where I used to work.
She said her dad had just seen a
story on our dealership.
I couldn’t figure out why our
(Boise) Idaho dealership would
have been in the news back in
Indiana.
It turned out that when her
dad was visiting the place they
are having built near Yellowstone
(Park), someone, learning he was in
the motorcycle business, gave him
a copy of your publication. When
he was leafing through it he came
across the article you did on us.
That’s a pretty broad reach for a
local paper!
Cheers!
Carl Boockholdt
Big Twin BMW/Zero
Boise, Idaho
Letter: Moses Lake reader looks forward to NR Rider
Dear Editor,
Just read my first issue of
Northern Rockies Rider provided
by my local dealer, Experience
Powersports in Moses Lake
(Wash.).
What a nice publication,
obviously a product of your team’s
passion. I love the locally based
format!
By “local” I mean largely the
PNW, where I have lived for my
entire life and have spent the last
36 years exploring the roads of
your coverage area, not so much
Montana and not Wyoming yet,
but B.C. and Alberta have seen my
two-wheeled shenanigans.
My dealer here, Lance Cornell,
is a great guy and I try to do a lot
of business through him, so I look
forward to getting this publication
there on a regular basis.
That leads to my question;
do you solicit or accept editorial
content from freelance riders/
writers? I know in this brutal
economy it is tough to pay the
outside “talent.”
I wrote travel and product
review articles extensively for
Friction Zone Magazine for about
three years, and my writing and/
or photos and graphics have
been published in Motorcyclist,
BMW Owners News, The Mid
Columbian, Super Streetbike,
Streetfighters, Venue, (a
Washington state publication), and
most recently Rider Magazine has
been printing my travel pieces.
If you have any interest in
submissions, please send me
your editorial guidelines. If not,
please know I wish you all the
best and continued success in
doing something positive for the
motorcycle community!
Do you or your representatives
ever hit the Inland Northwest
Motorcycle Show in Spokane?
Perhaps I can look forward to
meeting you.
Regards,
Ben Getz
Ben-Wa Diversified Services
Motojournalism/Artwork/Custom
Design, Moses Lake, Wash
Editor’s reply: You bet we’re
interested in submissions and,
frankly, without them we’d be a
poorer journal. And, hey, we’ll
see you at the Inland Northwest
Motorcycle Show March 15-17
at the Spokane Country Fair and
Expo Center.
Letter: On December ride, reader encountered ‘wild hogs’
Editor,
We had a really great ride
today. It got up to 82 degrees
with just enough breeze to
make it comfortable.
A group of us rode down to
Matagorda, Texas, (about 100
miles south of Katy) and had
a great lunch at the Riverbend
restaurant on the edge of the
Colorado River.
Across the river from the
restaurant was a large pack
of wild hogs. I would guess at
least 25 and some were really
big. We then rode down to the
Matagorda Nature Park right
on the edge of the Gulf of
Mexico. At the park there is a
fishing pier that goes out into
the Gulf about a half a mile and
the fishermen were catching
some fine big fish. Not bad for
December. Winter is the best
time of year to ride here in
south east Texas.
I must say however the shit
is going to hit the fan tomorrow
night. They say it will get down
to freezing for a short time.
When it does get cold it never
lasts more than three days,
then warms up again.
Roger Caron
Katy, Texas
Editor’s note: Why do our
warm weather friends insist on
rubbing our noses into the snow
and ice here in the Northern
Rockies? And we’ll admit, we’re
jealous ... except during the
spring, summer and fall.
Old School: A culture of fear...
We pays our money and we takes our chances
By Steve Kelley
NRR columnist
danger?
I think humans are hardwired to need danger,
to experience a rush of adrenaline, the old fightNews Flash: Motorcycling is dangerous!
or-flight reflex. You see it all the time marketed as
According to the National Motorcycle Training
“extreme” this or that.
Institute, riding a motorcycle is 20-50 times more
When I was growing up childhood itself was
dangerous than driving a car.
“extreme” by the new definition. We were forced to
No shit, Sherlock.
play in a dangerous place called “Outside,” all day,
I wonder how
with no parental supervision.
much the insurance
OMG!
mob will sting us after
We were climbing trees,
that little statistic.
swimming in the river, riding
Steve “Big Daddy” Kelley
It may be cabin
bikes or skating or playing
Guest Columnist
fever, but I got to
baseball without helmets or
thinking about how
pads and all kinds of stuff, often
frightened our culture
preceded by the phrase, “Watch
has become.
this.”
The world can be
So we got a few cuts and
a scary place but, holy crap, it’s like OSHA (the
scrapes or an occasional broken bone. So what?
Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
We lived and learned.
has taken control of the country.
The lesson was, it wasn’t so much what we did,
Motorcycles are dangerous, yes, but so are
but the way we did it. There was a right/wrong,
cars, airplanes, boats, fast food, schools, guns,
smart/stupid factor that we came to understand
sports, toys, horses, construction, logging, ladders, had a direct corollary to the level of danger/pain
pissed off spouses, mad dogs, disgruntled
involved in a particular activity.
employees, drunks, scissors and on and on.
Zoom ahead to the present.
All this terror!
”Motorcycling is dangerous” is stating the
No wonder kids are shut in, glued to their video
obvious. I would say motorcycling can be
games. Is virtual danger better than no actual
dangerous, after learning my childhood lessons on
decision making. Put simply, if you ass-out, you die.
I know we have to share the road with “cagers,”
which takes the control out of our hands to a
certain extent, but so far they have not invented an
anti-stupid control, so we have to be accountable
for our own actions and fate.
The “Ride free, ride fast, refuel, repeat” creed
needs to be amended with “ride smart.”
Hey, you wanna be badass? Fine, I get it. Make
sure you don’t hurt somebody else in the process.
“I spent 15 years on a lifeboat, people, fifteen
years on a lifeboat, now I got something to say. It’s
murder out there, its murder out there, and sharks
patrol these waters. Ain’t no day-glow orange life
preserver gonna save you. Swim for the shore just
as fast as you are able, swim.”
Quote: Mark Sandman from the band
“Morphine”
I told you it might be the cabin fever... Just
sayin’.
Editor’s note: As usual, Old School has a point.
The worst case of road rash I ever had was doing
an endo over the bars on my bicycle at about
age eight. Mom swabbed away the blood and dirt
while I cried, then applied mercurochrome while
I screamed. Then she told me to go back outside
and play some more. That was my last endo. I
learned.
February/March 2013
Opinion
Dad is riding away into the night
By Dottie Rankin
NRR Columnist
gone and the shell empties a bit
more.
I want to cherish the “Dad” he
“I am losing him while he is
is now, but I am grieving what I
still here but he is still special to
haven’t fully lost yet. That is a hard
me even
place to be. I
though
wish I could
he can’t
bear this
remember
burden for
Dottie Rankin
why.”
him.
Guest Columnist
Though
I hang
Albert
onto the one
Jewell said
connection I
it first, it
have with him
is exactly
that, up to this
what I am feeling.
point, has not failed to bring him
My Dad has Alzheimer’s and
back to me: motorcycles.
recently we got the call initiating his
move from an assisted living facility
to full-care/full-time nursing.
He is not the Dad I remember but
he is still Dad.
Once again I set out on a journey
to see him. This time it wasn’t on
my bike, it was in the car. However,
when I got here Dad was arguing
with my Mom over whether I rode
my bike or not. He was betting I did,
or he was hoping I did.
I should have weathered the
45-degree temperatures to make
him happy one more time.
All those hours I spent on my
bike, reinventing myself, finding new
I had a poster made with four
strength within myself that I didn’t
photos of him and his bikes. It
know I possessed, I had to call up
spans
in the last few months. I was on a
several
journey to awareness and I learned
years,
to not only meet challenges but to
decades
embrace them. Riding nourished my actually.
mind, body and soul.
Two photos
Now I have to figure out how
are taken of
to translate that into coping with a
him and his
deeply painful illness that is stealing bike when
my father. He is not dead and gone; he was in
he is being emptied day by day.
the military;
How does one cope with that?
one is of
I wonder how he feels. Does he
him and
know he is sick? Our lives are no
Mom on
longer like we once knew them.
his beloved
I see the confusion in his
Harley,
eyes, I see him groping for
my two
some connection, a glimmer of
boys are proudly posed in front of
recognition. Then, fleetingly, it is
Grandma and Grandpa. The last is
one of Dad and me
and my Heritage,
“Glitter.”
This poster, a vital
connection to the past
and to reality, hangs
on his wall in his room
at the nursing home.
I feel an urgency
to find a way to grasp
him to keep him from
slipping further.
It is not “sad.” It is
beyond sadness. He
dies while he goes on
living. I want to cry to
him, “Come back to
me! Quit wandering
away!”
But with every visit Dad has
slipped a little further away. The last
time the doctors reported he was
Brand NEW!
Never worn!
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Textile, liner, armored (wife
won it at a motorcycle show),
medium, black w/accents, new
retails at around $250.
How’s $145?
Shipping included (CONUS)
Call: 406-498-3250
Dream.
riDe.
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able to correctly answer one
out of 24 questions on a
test. He is slowly but surely
leaving his family and his
life.
I would like to think that,
in his mind anyway, he is
simply on his bike, riding into
the great unknown and the
most beautiful place one can
imagine.
As he rides off into his
destiny, I will ride also. I will ride to
heal the hurt, to quiet the confusion
and to sooth my heart. I will ride
through the emotional darkness and
I will follow my Dad as he rides to
the light.
“When the answers that you
know just prove you wrong, you
gotta have a little faith to fall back
on.” – Hunter Hayes
February/March 2013
Sport-touring
from page 1
Saturday evening nuptials and
reception, which lasted late into the
evening, but nevertheless were up
at 5:30 the next morning and, after
showers and plenty of coffee, were
rolling out of the metropolis by 7:20.
Traffic wasn’t an issue, but finding
our chosen routes was a little more
challenging, at least until we cleared
Bothell. We coffeed at Monroe, then
headed east on Hwy. 2 along the
Skykomish River toward 4,061-foot
Stevens Pass, chilly on this Sept. 2
Sunday. Traffic was light, scenery was
excellent and the paving was first-rate.
Once we gained Hwy. 2, we were
making good time. We dropped down
out of the Wenatchee National Forest
to Wenatchee at about 11 a.m., 126
miles from our launch. We skirted the
city situated along the banks of the
Columbia by catching Alternative Hwy.
97 north along the river to Chelan,
a fetchingly pretty little resort town
of 4,000 nestled along the lakeshore,
where we had a deli lunch.
This first leg of the day’s tour –
Seattle to Chelan – will be reviewed
in a future edition of NR Rider. It is
definitely worth seeing and riding. But
our objective was to get out into the
which drains into the Chelan River.
What we came for
There is something to be said for
improvisation. We had an end-of-day
objective: our friends’ place on the east
shore of the Pend Oreillle between Ione
and Usk, but no definite route to get
there. We left some options open.
We found the bridge across the
Chelan River southeast of town using
State Route 150 (Chelan Falls Road),
then immediately hooked a left to
the north on McNeil Canyon Road.
It was quickly clear we had made a
good decision as we climbed out of the
valley and up through the bluffs on a
snakey piece of tarmac that exhibited
practically no other traffic.
Soon we were into vast, rolling
farmlands, mostly wheat stubble in this
late season. It was marvelous sailing
with little attention paid to speed limits
as vistas were distant and there was no
competing traffic. The pavement was
okay, smooth and wide enough but
with little striping and signage – simply
a paved farm-to-market road.
North, east, south, east, north and
east again we cruised until we picked
up the West Fork of Foster Creek along
Bridgeport Hill Road. It heads north
to its junction with Hwy. 17 near Chief
Joseph Dam and Bridgeport, both on
Built 70 years ago, the Grand Coulee Dam engineering is still exceedingly
impressive. It seems as a nation we are no longer capable of such grand dreaming
or doing.
real Washington hinterland, Chelan to
near the eastern border.
We enjoyed our deli chicken and
potato salad lunch in a small park at
the city’s visitor center on the shore of
Lake Chelan (pronounced “sha-lan”),
the Columbia.
Just south of the dam we turned
right (east) onto Hwy. 17 and followed
East Foster Creek 16 miles, where 17
joins Hwy. 174, then 20 miles more to
Grand Coulee (the town and the dam).
We were then back at the Columbia.
The river originates in British
Columbia and flows south into
Washington from the state’s extreme
northeast corner. It continues south,
then runs east, then south again, finally
bisecting the state below the TriCities area. It then meanders mostly
in the U.S. and is one of the largest
concrete structures in the world,
begun in 1933 and completed in 1942.
This centerpiece of the Columbia
Basin Project is also responsible for
making irrigation water available to
a vast swath of central Washington
that would otherwise be poor desert
west, forming the border between
Washington and Oregon as it makes it’s
way to the Pacific, ultimately draining
a good portion of the entire Pacific
Northwest.
The stretch of 174 we rode to Grand
Coulee is for relaxed cruising through
big, rolling hills. The pavement and
roadway engineering is excellent, just
as it is in 90 percent of the state. It is
a good way to get to the mountain
twisties we were seeking and relishing.
Savor the relaxation because after
Grand Coulee
things get far
more interesting
and challenging.
pasture.
To say the dam is “impressive” is to
be guilty of gross understatement. Take
the time to check it out. There is said
to be a nightly laser light show (brand
new version in 2013) played at the
dam. Must be incredible!
There are three little burgs strung
together here: Coulee Dam, Grand
Coulee and Electric City. We found the
folks here to be exceptionally open and
warm, and their businesses reflect the
Grand
Coulee
Dam is ...
damned
grand!
Grand Coulee
Dam is said to
be the largest
Working eastward, the riding and roadways progressively
electricity
improve ... if you’re after remote riding with plenty of curves.
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Grandmother Hernandez’s Recipes!
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• All made from scratch, even the chips and salsa
• Over 160 items on the menu
• Must try: our special fish tacos
• Full bar with a good selection of imports
• Wide variety of margaritas in “interesting” sizes
• Hand-cut steaks, big selection of seafood
Orders to go • Plenty of parking
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon-Sat.
La Presa
Authentic Mexican Restaurant
515 E. Grand Coulee Ave.
Right off Hwy. 174
Grand Coulee, WA
509-633-3173
Also: Airway Heights Loction
13308 W. Sunset Hwy.
Airway Heights, WA (west of Spokane)
509-244-7001
February/March 2013
from page 8
owners’ characters.
We rode north out of Coulee on
Hwy. 155, the Coulee Corridor Scenic
Byway, to just past Elmer City where
we located Peter Dan Road to the east.
Ahh, now this is what it is all about...
As an aside, a few years ago we were
coming south down Hwy. 155 and rode
east at Nespelem, across the mountains
on Cache Creek Road to north/south
Hwy. 21. This is the Colville Indian
Reservation.
That time we saw nary a car and
thoroughly enjoyed our twisting climb
up through the mountains and down to
the Sanpoil River on the other side.
Five valleys, four ranges
And a word about the topography:
From Elmer City to our destination
on the Pend Oreille River, we crossed
four distinct ranges, though some are
apparently sub-ranges of the Kettle
River Mountains and, to the east, the
Selkirks.
You leave the Columbia River at
Elmer City, cross over the hump and
drop into the Sanpoil River Valley, then
over the next range to the east and
descend to the Columbia once more
(actually Roosevelt Lake, here). This is
part of the Kettle River Range.
At Inchelium it’s across the water on
a free ferry and continuing eastward,
over the top and down into the Colville
River Valley at Blue Creek (or Addy).
You’re now traversing the Selkirk
Range. Just one more hump: south
of Blue Creek at Chewelah you start
ascending once more, top the summit
and come down into the Pend Oreille
River Valley.
Okay, got it? Five valleys and four
mountain hops, all within roughly 140
miles of remote and rural country!
That is exactly the kind of route that
represents maximum appeal by our
standards.
Hump No. 1
Elmer City to the
Sanpoil River
Back at Elmer City, we found Peter
Dan Road which eventually becomes
A view of the Columbia which, since it has been dammed in several places, is often
more lake than river.
Manilla Creek Road as it runs over the
summit and down the east side to the
Sanpoil River and north/south Hwy. 21
– about 20 miles total. A forest fire that
began Aug. 14 ravaged 12,000 acres of
this mountain forest just off Hwy. 155.
Once beyond the burn area, timber is
lush and the scenery is quite pleasant.
We must reiterate, we never
recommend speeding but are
sometimes guilty of pushing the legal
envelope, especially when the fun
factor seems to compel it and there
appears to be a dearth of traffic and
patrols. This leg was just fun, fun, fun!
Hump No. 2
Bridge Creek Road to
Inchelium
At the Sanpoil, we rode north about
20 miles on Hwy. 21 past Keller and to
Bridge Creek Road, which then runs
east over the mountains about 30 miles
to Inchelium.
We love riders!
ay
ighw
H
e
lee
g th
alon nd Cou
t
h
g
a
Ri in Gr
• Great breakfasts, lunches & dinners
• Homemade soups & fresh salad bar
• Sunday all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet
• Full-beverage lounge
“W
ow e c
n m ut
ea our
t”
Sport-touring
Widely known
for our chicken-fried
steaks, pork-fried steaks and
chicken-fried chicken
pepperjacks.webs.com
113 Midway Ave.
Grand Coulee, WA
Sport-touring
February/March 2013
asphalt end-toend!
Oh boy,
from page 9
another new
route!
My notes state: “This one is excellent.
We picked up
Beautiful pavement at the bottom
the Flowery Trail
and all the way to near the top, then
(I just love that
rough two or three miles, then beautiful
name) to the east
again, not as wide but smooth. On the
right at Chewelah.
ascent there is three miles of brand new
It takes a rider up
asphalt.”
to the top near
Speeds are posted at 50 mph on the
the Forty-Nine
ascent and descent and at 35 mph for
Degrees North
the few miles over the summit. Some
Ski Resort
turns were
which
marked
reportedly
down to 25
receives
mph but
300 inches Pretty, rolling farm country between Addy and Chewelah
my notes
of seasonal produces turns and superb spirited cruising.
indicate
snow with
we were
its summit
getting away
Welcome riders!
elevation of 5,774 feet.
with that
This 30 miles of the Flowery
plus-20. We
In the heart of the
Trail
were the best we rode in
Grand Coulee business
encountered
district within walking
five days and 1,800 miles! Just
only five or
distance to all the
superb!
six vehicles
amenities!
My notes read: “Thirty miles
along this
of awesome! Climb, summit,
30 miles.
As low
descend. All curves – and good
It wasn’t
curves – with very few straights.
“technical”
as $65 a
Running them at 55 to 60
but was
night!
(mph), posted 35. Wow! Great
“challenging”
pavement, some brand new.
and yielded
• Some parking at your door
From
Gifford
to
Addy
on
the
(of
course)
Gifford-Addy
Road.
These
road
Tiny shoulders, very smooth.
a high fun
• Outdoor picnic area with grill
• Heated pool • High-speed internet
signs are easy to translate: Yeehaw!
Very pretty route.”
quotient.
• In-room coffee, microwaves, fridges
Heading into one tight right
• Boating, golf, laser light show
we spotted a mamma whitetail with
My notes continue: “One deer;
minutes away
Hump. No. 3
her spring fawn and a little fork-horn
slowed me down a little. Pavement
108 Spokane Way
Gifford Ferry to Hwy. 395 quite good but narrow, (many) well
curiously still in velvet, probably last
Grand Coulee, WA
year’s
son.
They
were
a
little
skittish
engineered
turns,
all
constant
radius...
”
At Inchelium, population 409,
Toll-free 1-866-633-8157
Traffic was nil until we reached little
we hustled down to the free Gifford
trailwestmotel.com • [email protected]
Addy
along
Hwy
395.
Ferry, which runs every half-hour. Of
Yup, this piece was just what we
course, we arrived just as the gates were
require
to enjoy a real hoot strafing
closing, but the delay allowed us to
remote mountain pavement.
meet and converse with some downFrom Addy, it was just 10 miles
to-earth locals, a mother and son,
south
to Chewelah.
who lived just down the valley in little
Fruitland.
These good folks warned us of
Hump No. 4
major road construction on the other
The last, Chewelah to Usk
side of the Columbia. It always pays
Three mountain ranges, four
to talk to locals. We were seeking
valleys
... and one more of each to go.
the Addy Gifford Road, which splits
That
definitely
called for a break to
halfway through. The north branch
re-energize before the last leg so we
stopped at a Chewelah tavern.
We’d seen the road from Chewelah
to Usk on the highway map and had
contemplated it for years, though we
knew the east end to be gravel, so
refrained ... until a summer 2012 visit
with some Washington riders revealed
that – behold! – the road was now
Crossing the Columbia from Inchelium
to Gifford on the free ferry. Author’s
bike and wife, Marilyn.
takes a rider to Addy, the south to Blue
Creek, both situated along the Colville
River. It was the Blue Creek section
that was being rebuilt, so we opted to
run to Addy and intersect Hwy. 395.
After disembarkation on the
Columbia’s east shore (actually
Roosevelt Lake, Grand Coulee Dam’s
reservoir) we located the Addy Gifford
Road and started up the flank of
another small range, this time part of
the Selkirk Mountains.
My notes describe this 20-mile leg
thus: “First big ascent very nice, lots of
good, tight turns. Climbing to the top
(we found) many small, picturesque
farms – good hay country – and many
good sweepers. Speed limits, as before,
at 50 mph up and down, 35 over the
summit.”
We identified the “Y” and kept left,
noting construction on the southerly
alternative.
February/March 2013
Sport-touring
from page 10
but stayed put until we swooshed
past.
were having to rely on the headlight as
we approached our friends’ driveway.
I was relieved when we pulled in, then
spotted the smoking grill and a blazing
fire pit with chairs pulled around.
“Beer or cocktail?” asked friend
began peeling off the gear. Jim’s wife,
Diane, was back in a moment with the
icy concoction and a nice Shiraz for
Marilyn. Mmmmm.
Valleys, mountains, great remote
roads, superb riding, no incidents ...
then cocktails, barbecue and good
friends... It’s a cliche, but it was indeed
“the perfect end to a perfect day.”
“Motorcycling
Montana”
Comprehensive 500+ Page
Touring Guide
motorcyclingmontana.com
At the foot of the
Flowery Trail!
“The best piece of motorcycling in Washington”?
Northern Rockies Rider thinks so!
It was getting late and we’d been riding for 10 hours and still had two to go. The
Flowery Trail was our favorite run of the day: mostly good pavement, all turns, no
traffic.
We also slowed for a flock of wild
turkeys: perhaps the dumbest bird on
the planet. There were hens and toms,
clearly with enough size to knock us
off the bike.
Must do again!
My notes conclude: “Doesn’t get any
better! Must do that one again!”
Don’t you love it when the very best
is saved for last? Woohoo!
As the sun dropped and the sky
dimmed, we cut east through the little
town of Usk, crossed the Pend Oreille
River and headed north along the east
shore on Le Clerk Road. Barbecue
chicken and ribs awaited and we could
almost smell them 18 miles away.
We have ridden Le Clerc Road
from Ione, where the Pend Oreille is
dammed, down to Usk and beyond
to Newport many times. It is highly
scenic, narrow but paved in mostly
smooth, high-friction tarmac, and
features some good curves. It is one
of those roads that tempts you to roll
on a little more throttle, despite being
posted at 50 mph (see sidebar story on
Le Clerc Road).
The perfect end...
But this Sunday night speeding was
not an option as we knew the roadside
woods to be filthy with deer, and we
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February/March 2013
Wonderful Pend Oreille east shore on Le Clerc Road
The first time ...
The first time you kissed, the first time
you heard that song, the first time you rode a
motorcycle ...
All these “firsts” leave an indelible imprint deep
in the synapses of the brain’s memory files.
The first time you encounter an especially
inspiring stretch of motorcycle asphalt is like that,
too.
I remember well the first time we cruised the
Le Clerc Road south along the east shore of
the picturesque Pend Oreille River from Ione to
Newport. It was 1990. Since then we’ve ridden it a
half dozen times more.
Le Clerc Road is characterized by a good, high-friction
surface, dozens of well-engineered curves, dense
timber lining the road, prolific wildlife, big mountain
and water vistas, and relatively light traffic that is
heavier on weekends. Seek this one out!
It was the mid-point of a hot five-day tour that
had us riding out of Montana to Idaho, north into
British Columbia, then back across the border into
Metaline Falls, Wash. We’d left Kelowna, B.C., in
the early a.m. and by the time we hit the States, it
was broiling.
Old and dear friends had just purchased some
Pend Oreille river frontage about 10 miles south of
Ione and I thought
I could find it ...
and did. No one
was around, but
their dock sure
looked inviting
and we availed
ourselves to take a
refreshing swim.
While splashing
about and
restoring our core
temperatures
to something
reasonable, a
boat approached
from downriver.
It seemed to be
heading toward us.
Indeed, it
was our friends
wondering who
the hell had
trespassed,
unannounced and
uninvited, on their
property and dock!
We exchanged
hellos, then toosoon goodbyes, as
our air-conditioned
rooms in
Sandpoint, Idaho,
awaited.
At Ione, which
is on the west side
of the Pend Oreille
on Hwy. 31, just
a mile south of town is
a left turn to the east
which takes a rider to
a bridge spanning the
river just upstream of
the Box Canyon Dam.
Cross and hang a right,
south, and you’re on Le
Clerc Road North which
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will take you a little over 50 miles to Newport.
Be warned, the speed limit is set at just 50
mph, no doubt due to the abundance of deer
since traffic isn’t that heavy and the roadway
engineering isn’t
really technical.
Most riders will
be tempted to
go faster, as we
were on that hot
summer day back
in 1990.
Second-yearrider brother Scott
took the point and
perhaps foolishly
exceeded the
speed limit by
several decades
most of the way
south. It was
fun following,
especially when
we figured he’d
be the one to pay
the fine and get
the points if police
were lurking. More
on that later.
The pavement
is smooth with a
coarse chip seal
that provides
maximum grip.
Turns – and
there are many of
them of various
radiuses – are
See La Clerc Road,
Page 13
February/March 2013
Le Clerc Road
from page 12
well engineered and constant-radius: assess the
geometry, pick your line, select your speed, hit the
entrance right and rail through with no steering
corrections. Joyful!
There are a couple of tight esses at creek
crossings that warrant some brakes and a
downshift.
Heavy timber can picket both sides of the
road hiding wily and sometimes spooky whitetails
prone to stopping when they should keep going,
bolting when they shouldn’t move, or wheeling
and heading back where they came from. This is
wild and rugged country. Elk, bears and lions, and
probably wolves, also inhabit it. Ya never know so
keep your eyes peeled and brakes covered. Let
your passenger do the scenery gawking.
And the panoramas are splendid. There’s
nothing like ample water, big trees, bigger
mountains, twisting tarmac and light traffic (can be
moderately heavy on weekends) to put your spirit
in a good place.
About 35 miles south of Ione, Le Clerc Road
crosses east-west Kings Lake Road, which itself
crosses the Pend Oreille and runs into little Usk on
the river’s west side. Food and fuel are available
there. Proceed straight ahead at the stop sign and
you’re now on Le Clerc Road South. It’s just 17
miles or so into Old Town/Newport...
... But it’s 17 more excellent miles
of good surface, numerous curves,
timber, hayfields and river scenery
(and clearly plenty of critters). We’ve
usually experienced more local traffic
here on Le Clerc South compared to
Le Clerc North, and there are more
residences, but this is still superb
cruising.
Just before Newport/Old town,
perhaps a mile above Le Clerc’s
junction with Hwy. 2, the Washington/Idaho line is
crossed. At Hwy. 2, take a right, west, across the
bridge over the river, and within two blocks you’re
back into Washington. The state line forms the
division between Newport, Wash., and Oldtown,
Idaho.
The towns are a little odd to navigate, but they
offer everything any rider needs including lodging,
meals, saloons and entertainment, and at decent
prices. We’ve personally experienced it all with
complete satisfaction
Here a touring rider can head east on Hwy. 2 to
Priest River and Sandpoint, Idaho, or select Hwy.
2 southwest, then south into Spokane, just 42
miles distant. Expect substantial traffic on Hwy. 2
east or south.
Okay, back to the Le Clerc 50 mph speed limit:
It gets enforced, even at 8 a.m. on a quiet Sunday
morning.
It was probably about 1999 or 2000. There’s a
stretch of Kalispel Indian Reservation above the
Kings Lake Road junction and wife Marilyn and I
met a very nice young tribal officer there. I didn’t
relish the idea of cooling my pipes in a tribal jail
until Monday morning to then meet a tribal judge,
which I was probably entitled to.
But, a warning and no ticket. He didn’t even
scold me. Maybe the nicest LEO I’ve ever crossed.
If you’re in extreme northeast Washington and
want an altogether fine motorcycle experience,
make a note: Ride the Le Clerc Road! It has it all!
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February/March 2013
Editor’s note: This is the first in a
series on Justin Fritz and his café racer
customization project. Stay tuned as the
build comes together.
I
f I could step inside H.G. Wells’
time machine, the first thing I’d do is
dial back to the 1960s café racer scene.
Upon arrival I’d find myself in front
of some juke box café in Britain. I’d
hear rock and roll blaring as I moseyed
up to a group of rockers in leather
jackets and slicked back hair
who were getting ready to race.
Although the “café
racer” genre of motorcycle
customizing originated from
just a handful of models, at
my imaginary café I’d see
that none of the bikes looked
the same, for each rider had
torn down and built up their
bike to increase speed while
maintaining a personalized
café racer style.
Finding that time machine
has eluded me, but I did meet
someone possessed with setting
out to build a classic café racer.
I sat down with Justin Fritz,
of Butte, Mont., to discuss his
dream of creating such a bike.
NNR: Justin, why take on a
café racer?
Fritz: “Well, I guess I’ve always gone
against the mainstream. I’ve never
think the 350F is one of the smallest
(displacement) in-line (production)
fours ever made. It seems I had that
bike forever.
“When I got out on my own I had
various bikes over the years. Working
on bikes eventually led me into a career
when I was hired by a motorcycle
shop.”
NNR: Tell me about your donor
bike.
Fritz: “It’s a 1978 Suzuki GS550. It’s
the right size and style to make a café
ahead of you? When I think of a
project like this three things come to
mind: money, time and know-how.
Justin: “For me, time is definitely
the primary challenge. I’d hoped to be
further along, but I’m recovering from
an ATV accident and am just now
getting to the point where I can spend
the needed time on the project.
“This is the first bike I’ve ever done a
complete teardown on. I definitely have
the know-how and, since I’m doing the
work myself, I’ll save a lot of money.”
Fritz: “The triple-tree (is a metal
structure that) holds the forks to the
steering head. This bike is designed to
have top mount handle bars (mounted
above the top of the forks), so when I
install the clip-ons down lower these
large mounts would be left showing. I’d
rather not have that.
“I know a guy in town who can mill
about anything, so I may have him
build a simpler, less intrusive triple-tree
which will give the bike a truly clean
look.
“I’d like to go with a smaller
headlight, too, maybe duals like you’d
find on a Buell. I’ll eliminate the
current gauge pod and replace it with
one I have that’s about three inches by
two inches and maybe an inch thick.”
NRR: Where do you start first on a
project like this? The engine, the body,
the tank? Where?
Fritz: “First you have to get it
stripped down. The engine is pretty
easy and straight forward.
“Coming up with a tank and a
body design is probably the bulk of the
styling. I’ve done lots of drawings to
help me out, but much of it comes to
life when you put the bike up on the
stand and start trying things.
“I have to build a seat, a rear cowling
and rear fender from fiberglass. I’ll
build molds first.
racer. As you can see I’ve got a start
NNR: What changes do you have
“Making a custom tank is quite
but have a ways to go. I’ll continue
planned for the bike?
difficult so right now I’m looking for a
stripping it down and will eventually
Fritz: “I’ll be putting on clip-ons
smaller one as the stock tank is too big.
paint the frame and re-do a lot of the
(handlebars) for sure. I’m thinking of
I’m thinking of using the tank from
electronics.
an older model Suzuki
It originally
enduro, since the fittings
came with
are similar.”
a points
NNR: Justin, what’s
ignition;
your take on the café
I’ll change
racer culture and style?
that to an
It has a great history and
electronic
the bikes are as popular
ignition and
as ever, maybe more so.
will change
Didn’t you mention that
the coil too.
you tend to stay away
“I want to
from the mainstream?
eliminate all
Fritz: “When I was a
the (stock)
kid – even before I made
gauges and
the association with
go with
motorcycles – I was into
a small
the punk rock/alternative
electronic
rock thing and I think
gauge
some of that punk rock
package.
stuff translated into my
They make
affection for the café
systems
racer scene. I guess it all
Builder Fritz ridding the Suzuki chassis of any unnecessary bits. The cheapest and
now where
goes back to the Ace Café
easiest way to gain performance is to shed weight.
you can
in London, the Mecca for
actually bolt
the café racer crowd.
a sensor onto the original speedo gear
having a triple-tree made that’s a little
“It’s just a unique and different way
and onto the tachometer gear to make
simpler than what’s here now.”
to think about motorcycling that’s not
it electronic.”
NNR: Explain “triple-tree.”
as common here as in Europe.”
NNR: Will parts be hard to come
NNR:
by?
Being a
Fritz: “No, not really. The 550 is
motorcycle
a little small and usually the bigger
enthusiast,
bikes are easier to find parts for, but I
do you have a
looked into it and everything I need is
hero?
available. Some parts I will have to find
Fritz:
used, like I need a new head for the
“That’s a good
engine – maybe I rebuild this one – I’ll
question. In
have to see.”
the recent
NNR: Justin, tell me a little about
era I really
the engine.
like Roland
Fritz: “It’s a 550 inline four, airSands and
cooled, all aluminum engine. It’s a
the designs
great motor for customizing. There are
and ideas he
no hoses and wires are at a minimum
comes up
which makes for a clean looking bike.
with; he’s
It’ll polish up great.”
See Cafe Racer,
The 550cc in-line, air-cooled Suzuki four-cylinder that will be
NNR: What’s the biggest challenge
Page 15
overhauled to provide the propulsion for Fritz’s custom café build.
Fritz Strips GS550 to
begin custom Café build
Words and pictures by
David Fletcher
NR Rider Feature Writer
Justin Fritz with the 1970s-era iron he
plans to convert to a classic café racer.
found the chopper thing very appealing
because there’s so much of that around.
“I really like the look of the café
bikes. When you’re customizing a café,
part of what you’re looking for is style
but what you’re really trying for is
making the motorcycle function better.
With choppers functionally is not part
of the consideration.”
NNR: When did you first get
interested in motorcycles?
Fritz: “It started when I was a kid.
My greatest influence was my stepdad. In-fact this bike (now being
customized) originally belonged to him.
“He was really into motorcycles and
had quite a few old bikes laying around.
When I was around 13 or so I started
tinkering with a 1968 Suzuki SP125
with oil injection. I remember it well. It
was a yellow two-stroke street-legal
enduro. I got it running and played
around with it until I was old enough
to get a drivers license. My parents then
let me buy a street bike. It was a 1973
Honda CB 350F.”
NNR: I bet you’d like to have that
one back!
Fritz: “You bet. It was such a nice
bike and in very good shape. It would
have made an awesome café racer. I
February/March 2013
Cafe Racer
from page 14
a custom bike builder. He does do a
lot of Harley stuff but it’s definitely
different than most of what builders are
doing these days.
“I’m also a MotoGP fanatic so I have
deep respect for Valentino Rossi.
“My new favorite is Jorge Lorenzo.
He just won his second world
championship (MotoGP – 2010 and
2012). He’s a phenomenal rider.
“The reason I became such a big fan
of Jorge is, I believe it was his rookie
year in China, when he came off his
bike in practice and fractured both his
ankles. He went on to race and made
it to the podium. He’s just that kind of
guy – tough. He gets back on the bike
and rides.”
NNR: Justin, what’s your
completion date?
Frtiz: “My goal is Evel Knievel
Days (July 25-27 2013 in Butte, Mont.,
Knievel’s hometown). I plan to be in
“Café racer” is a unique term; it describes both
a motorcycle as well as the motorcyclists who
ride them.
Café racer roots can be traced to England
during the 1950’s “Ton-Up Boy” motorcycle club
and the 1960’s British “Rocker” subcultures.
Legend
has it that
motorcycle
riders
would race
from a café
bar after
selecting
a certain record on the juke box, then attempt
to return from a given turn around point before
the record finished. The feat often necessitated
By the 60s the café racer had evolved for
speed and handling rather than comfort, featuring
an elongated fuel tank, often with indentations
to allow the rider’s knees to grip the tank, lowslung racing handlebars and a single, rearward
mounted humped seat.
The “café racer” motorcycle style has a strong
appeal to both younger and older motorcyclists.
It has recently made a strong comeback, thanks
largely to the increased interest in vintage bikes in
general.
Building a café racer from a
vintage platform can be rewarding
because one ends up with a stylish,
personalized ride often at a fraction
of the cost of a newer bike.
In the heyday of the British “TonUp Boy” and “Rocker” scenes, café
racers were almost a Frankenstein
type creation, taking two bikes to
make one. This meant pairing a souped up engine
with the best performing frame and suspension of
the time.
Today, after decades of technological
advancements, such transplants aren’t necessary.
That doesn’t mean to say custom cross-breeding
of older vintage bikes is out of the question, but the
older the bike the harder it will be to find parts.
These days, the up-side of using a vintage
motorcycle is that there are large numbers of stock
1970s- and 1980s-era Japanese motorcycles
available for relatively small amounts of money.
We’re talking of values well under $2,000.
The starting point is finding a donor bike. Some
of the most popular choices are the Honda CB
series – 350, 400, 450, 650 and 750; the Suzuki
the Evel Knievel Days ride. After that
I’ll take it up over Homestake Pass and
see what it will do.”
NNR: Can we hook up for the ride?
I’d like some follow-up pictures and
words.
Fritz: “You bet ... if you can keep up.
After all, this is a café racer.”
Those with less money could opt for a
“Tribsa,” a racer with a Triumph engine on a
BSA frame. Other combinations existed, too,
such as “Norvins” – a Vincent V-twin engine in a
“Featherbed” frame.
One of the birthplaces of the café racer is still
in existence today, London’s Ace Café.
The Ace was one of many cafés that
provided a gathering place for Ton-Up
Boys and Rockers to gather with their
motorcycles in the 1950s and 60s..
Café racer styling evolved
throughout the
time of their
popularity, but by the
1970s Japanese
bikes began to
overtake British
bikes in the
marketplace, and
increasingly threeand four-cylinder
Hondas and Kawasakis
were the basis for café
racer conversions.
With their spartan appearance and aggressive
styling, the café racer is very distinctive and in
the minds of many it’s one of the most revered
motorcycle genres in the world.
The café’s impact on the motorcycle
industry includes legendary high-performance
motorcycles like Triumph’s Bonneville, Honda’s
CB-750, and Kawasaki’s Z-1. Without the
original café racers tuning and customizing
their stock street bikes for power and handling,
manufacturers may never have designed the
modern sport bike.
Trial and plenty of error was the order of the
day for the Ton-Up Boy and the Rocker as they
experimented with countless modifications.
Where they crazy? Brilliant visionaries?
Addicted to kicks? Or where they nothing but
punk rockers living in a jukebox generation?
I like to think they were in many ways like you
and me, enthusiasts with a hunger to make an
ordinary street bike go a little faster, handle a
little tighter, reaching for the “ton” on a straining
650cc parallel twin.
Café Racer roots are English
The typical specifications of a 60s café racer
would look something like this:
–Swept-back exhaust pipes.
–Low, narrow clipons or “Ace” bars.
–Reverse-cone
“megas” (short
for “megaphone
mufflers” – very much
a misnomer). Later
bikes used Dunstalls,
which were silencers
produced by tuning
legend Paul Dunstall.
–TT100 Dunlop
tires.
–Larger-than-stock
carburetors.
–Rear-set foot
pegs.
The ergonomics
resulting from low bars
and the rearward seat
often required rearSome Rockers from the “café racer” culture of the 1960s.
set footrests and foot
achieving “the ton” or the 100 mph limit.
controls, typical of racing motorcycles of the era.
In England during 50s and 60s, an affordable
The bikes had a raw, utilitarian and strippedmotorcycle that could achieve the ton were few
down appearance while the engines were tuned
and far between. For the average Ton-Up Boy
for maximum power output and speed. Café
or Rocker, the only option of getting the desired
racers were lean, light and handled road surfaces
performance was to tune their bikes with various
well.
racing options.
The most defining machine of the Rocker
Readily available racing parts made the task
heyday was the “Triton” which was a custom
easy and a standard style began to materialize – motorcycle made with a Norton “Featherbed”
the café racer look.
frame and a Triumph Bonneville engine.
Café Racers are now
popular worldwide
GS550 and 650 series: the Yamaha SR400,
SR500 or the Yamaha XS650 twins; the Kawasaki
W1 and the W2TT Commander are also popular
picks.
The classic platforms, of course, would include
the Triumph, Norton, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, BMW,
BSA and Vincent.
Should you choose to build a café racer from
a more modern bike, skill is required to get rid of
the clutter and extra weight and, most importantly,
creating the classic café look: low clip-on handle
bars, rear-set foot pegs and controls, bobbed tail
section and so on.
My personal choices would be the Kawasaki
W650 which was available in the U.S. from 2000
to 2001, Triumph’s Bonneville and the Moto Guzzi
V7 Classic.
There are three main factors one should
consider prior to traveling down the road of
building a café racer: knowledge, time and budget.
These factors will not only affect your initial
design decisions but will also dictate how your
racer will turn out in the end. Without enough of all
three critical factors, your project could end up as
an unfinished basket-case auction on eBay.
A new generation of motorcycle designers
and builders are using the café style as a fresh
alternative to the custom chopper. There are many
sites available on the internet that can help you
when taking on a project. Below are a few that I
believe are excellent places to start.
Now get going and, yes, do have fun!
–cb750cafe.com
–wrenchmonkees.com
–rycamotors.com
–dotheton.com
–caferacer.net
February/March 2013
A December ride
proved embarrassing
for the unprepared
By Cole Boehler
bikes.
There are exceptions. I once rode a
nephew’s CBR 900 RR. A previous owner
had set the shifting up with a reversed
pattern, common for track use. I grabbed
more than one downshift when I was
searching for a taller gear. Can you say
inadvertent over-rev?
Another anomaly I’ve experienced
was on a 1968 Triumph Bonneville with
the shift lever at the right and rear brake
peddle on the left. Yes, I made several
inadvertent and clutchless downshifts
when I instinctively prodded the shifter
when I meant to apply some rear brake.
Changing habits does not come easy
or quickly for us more mature folks.
Eugene’s ‘Wing was equipped with a
heel-toe rocker shifter, apparently useful,
if not actually required, with the broad
Nothing like a nice motorcycle cruise
in December!
My wife and I visited her folks in the
Phoenix area over the Christmas holiday.
Marilyn has a cousin who lives south of
there in the Queen Creek area. Eugene is
a lifetime rider and currently has in his
garage a 2005 Gold Wing with 104,000
miles on the clock and a more recent
Yamaha FZ 6 for commuter and sport
duty.
The kind gentleman offered me the
opportunity to ride with him and his
pal, Bill, Dec. 26. There was no second
thought. The only problem was a lack of
good gear in my size so I made due with
what I’d packed.
Eugene offered a size-large helmet (I
wear an XL) that
I managed to
stuff my fat head
into. The Arai was
equipped with
communications
speakers and the
one on the left had
my ear aching by
our return.
I rode Eugene’s
Gold Wing, while
he piloted the
FZ. Bill was also
astride a ‘Wing.
Eugene Kuhn, center, gives the author a quick rundown on the
I confessed I’d Gold Wing controls. Friend Bill Blecker in the background.
never ridden a
‘Wing, but have
ridden with plenty of others who prefer
floorboards on this yacht.
them. These are legendary as the ultimate
The toe part of the shifter is for
two-wheeled touring device, and are
pushing down into first, or down through
almost as legendry for their girth and
the gears. Pushing down at the heel
gadgetry, though I’d observed a skilled
brings you up through the gears. All
pilot can ride one in a highly sporting
very logical but surprisingly difficult to
fashion.
assimilate when your previous 35 years of
Operating a motorcycle is a habitual,
experience calls for a different action and
instinctive proposition. For me, gear
instinct.
changes involve toe atop the shifter and
I mistakenly figured I could operate
pushing down to gain first, toe under and the shifter conventionally, despite the
lifting to shift up from there; toe above
floorboards ... until we approached our
pushing down to descend back through
first stop sign. There is really inadequate
the ratios. This is how it’s done on most
room between the toe shift and the floor
board but I had tried to jam my shoe in
there anyway.
The result: I was fiddling with shifting,
in the wrong gear, as we approached the
stop sign. I looked down at my foot and
the shifter, then realized I need to apply
some brake ... now! The ‘Wing’s brakes
were surprisingly grabby and powerful so
the hulking bike came to a near sudden
halt, while I was slightly leaned for the
turn at the stop, all while I was one-footed
with the other jammed under the shifter.
Boy, did I feel that bike’s 900 pounds!
Yes, a large lurch to the right and
toward the sidewalk and curb which, very
fortunately,
featured a
wheelchair
cut-out.
Right, up
onto the
sidewalk,
then hard
to the left and back into the street. A
crazy and embarrassing wobble that could
easily have resulted in a low-speed drop.
I knew owner Eugene observed this
from behind. He must have held his
breath for a second as gravity could have
pulled his $20,000-plus bike to tarmac.
He advised (admonished?) to use only the
heel to shift up and only the toe to work
the action down, and away we went again.
Three factors combined to cause this
near drop: unfamiliarity with a new-tome shift action, lack of awareness of the
surprisingly powerful and sudden brakes
and the unexpected near half-ton of
mass. Simply put, it was the rider’s faulty
and deficient knowledge of this bike’s
personality.
Having no feel for the power
characteristics of the 1,800 cc six-banger,
or the clutch take-up, my launches from
stops with turns were clumsy. I was
too timid with the power and clutch
engagement and I invariably introduced
to much lean ... Too sharp a turn followed
by a large correction had me wobbling
away and up to speed.
I’ll give Eugene credit for not
demanding I immediately dismount, then
board the lightweight sport bike he was
piloting. He hung in there and things
steadily improved.
At speed, the ‘Wing felt no heavier
than my 650-pound S/T; quite nimble.
It also rails the turns with its exceptional
steering stability. The ride was fairy
cushy, though Eugene had calibrated the
suspension to accommodate my wife at
pillion (she had declined).
I was primarily focused on the bike
and its basic operation, its engine, and its
handling on these unfamiliar roads (while
minimizing further embarrassment), so
I did not fiddle with the CB, intercom,
stereo, radio, heated grips, adjustablefrom-the-cockpit suspension or even
cruise control.
My current water-cooled in-line fourcylinder is smooth; not the smoothest
I’ve owned, but nearly. It, however, does
not come close to the velvet of the Gold
Wing six. No vibration, no buzz at all. Yes,
1,000-mile days would be possible.
I was surprised that the seat, after an
hour-and-a-half, was giving me a little
posterior
pain. Eugene,
however,
goes about
80 pounds
lighter, so I’m
sure it works
well for him.
This screed isn’t intended to be a
review of the big Honda touring platform.
The point, instead, is that riding any
unfamiliar motorcycle is potentially
problematic. Adequate time needs to
be taken to completely understand and
become acquainted with, at minimum,
the operation of the controls.
Then you can devote your essential
attention to learning the machine’s
innate character – engine, transmission,
suspension, steering and brakes.
The sooner you sort all this out, the
sooner will come the joy and pleasure.
I looked down at my foot and
the shifter, then realized I need
to apply some brake ... now!
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February/March 2013
Calgary in January:
Yes! It’s about motorcycles!
By Jenn “Lump” Lumley
Special to NR Rider
Who would have guessed that temperatures in
Calgary, Alberta, January 4-6 would be well above the
seasonal average?
That made it easy to get out and enjoy the balmy
chinook and the blue skies.
But with still too much snow and ice on the roads,
just how can anyone really kick-start the motorcycle
season?
Welcome one and all to the Calgary Motorcycle
Show, conducted the first weekend of the new year!
Did you happen to notice the greeters at the door?
If it was the bikes that drew you in, you may have not
even noticed the pretty lasses. Ya think?!
Motorcycle shows are about dreaming ... Dream of
bikes you once owned, dream of bikes you’d like to
own, dream of women you’d like to ... er, nevermind.
Author’s pal Danny with show greeters.
If that’s not enough to get you motivated to venture
out, how about a brand new motorcycle? Are you
looking for a full-dressed touring machine, a stripped
down cruiser, an exotic overseas model, a scooter, a
dirt bike?
Are you searching for the right tool to rip around
the race track with? If that doesn’t suit your fancy,
perhaps a
trike, a quad
or even a
snowmobile
would better
address your
desires.
The show,
hosted in the
BMO Center
at Calgary’s
Ever wonder what a trike power train
Stampede
looks like? Well, now you know.
Park,
had it all.
Manufacturers from all over the globe brought out
the best and brightest to showcase their 2013 product
lines. Everyone from Aprilia to Yamaha was there.
If motorcycles are what brought you in, there was
definitely something for everyone.
The more than 20 dealer displays consumed much
of the spotlight but that’s to be expected when you
showcase over 100 machines. The less well known
brands also had their hardware displayed. Yes, Moto
Guzzi, Husqvarna and other niche manufacturers
were amongst the crowd.
With all the machines scattered on the show floor,
there was still plenty of room to get around each bike,
touch them and see the aftermarket accessories and
These shows are for everyone, including junior riders.
This lil gal wants daddy and mommy to buy her a bike
... now!
custom paint jobs.
If that’s not enough, then by all means sit on them,
too! You could “try on” almost every model on the
floor while
talking to the
product reps.
Of course
every dealer
would tell
you why the
latest 2013
machines are
superior to
all the rest,
Exotic Italian iron like the cafe-tricked but there’s
Guzzi V7 drew plenty of smiles.
another
advantage
of going to the show that may have been overlooked:
See Calgary, Page 18
Life’s a ride,
enjoy it.
Shelby
Butte
Dillon
Helena
Miles
City
Big Timber
Columbus
Conrad
Great Falls
Hamilton
Harve
Summer
2013
SCAN ME
Montana’s Best Since 1953 • Conveniently located across Montana to serve you.
www.townpump.com or download the Town Pump app
Belgrade
February/March 2013
Calgary
to <www.youtube.com> and type in “evolution of
extreme season opener.” It’s a great display of what
from page 17 was seen at the show.
The Parts Canada booth was host to Ethan Barkley,
Canadian 13-time national motorcycle drag racing
mixing with the other riders.
champion. He holds Canada’s quarter-mile record
You can hear from riders first-hand what they
with a time of 7.505 and 194.5 mph; that’s impressive!
think of the new models and those from previous
The show wouldn’t be complete without the yearly
years, even other brands. Riders, like yourself, have
vintage display. These machines may be the top crowd
their own experiences with certain machines and
pleasers.
can easily list the pros and cons from a personal
Every rider started somewhere and so did the
perspective. After awhile common themes begin
manufacturers. Most people could relate to one of the
emerging regarding certain bikes.
bikes showcased here, either as having learned on one
You may be able to live with or without that
or someone they knew had one.
information, but it sure beats finding out the hard
Possibly you still have a 1946 Indian Chief in the
way. It’s also a pleasure to be able to join with your
shed like the one at the show (not damned likely!),
contemporaries who are just as excited as you are for
or a 1943 Harley-Davidson WLC or even a 1970
the start of riding season.
Triumph Tri-Flyer,
It’s easy to
a pre-war style
experience “bike
custom. If you
overload.” If so,
can’t own one, at
take up a seat in
least you can see
the beer gardens
the most venerable
and take it all
classics in their
in from there.
glory in the flesh.
You can see
Everyone from
the main stage
all demographics
in the event
– and motorcycle
hall where live
tribes – comes out
demonstrations
for the show. That’s
and music are
probably why the
featured. Even
vendors participate
the talented
in big numbers.
Clayton Bellamy
If you were
of country
interested in
music’s The
accessories and
Road Hammers
An interesting custom exercise: the heart of a Brit bike in a bobbed
gear, there was
came out for the
hard-tail frame with girder-and-spring front end.
plenty of that to go
show to perform
around.
a few of his hits
Did you need a
including “Everyone’s a Dreamer.”
new helmet? A full set of gear? Boots, leathers, rain
Maybe country music and beer don’t do it for you.
gear, shades, goggles or maybe just some really cool
(What?) If you still need to rest your tired feet, head
swag? You name it, it was available.
to the Stampede Corral where you can go check out
Heck, there were
the “Evolution of Extreme.”
even kitchen accessories,
What a showcase of free-style motocross (FMX)
household cleaning
and street riding! Wow, back flips and crazy stunts by
products and a sample
some of today’s hottest daredevils, all with a dramatic
of the latest innovative
backdrop of fireworks. Even Keith Sayers, world class
flooring solutions on
in FMX, made the journey. He’s from Butte, Mont.,
display.
Evel Knievel’s hometown. It figures!
What kind of
If you missed the show and get the chance, go
motorcycle show would be complete if it didn’t have
a range of insurance providers, toy haulers, garage
packages, even multiple charities and motorcycle
clubs vying to catch your eye?
Hopefully attendees found the time to enter the
free drawings. Congratulations to the lucky few who
walked away with a new motorcycle! Yes, there was
even a $20 ticket for a Harley.
Surely many were interested in the motorcycle
school demos. On Saturday the crowd was treated to
the delightful spectacle of watching the youngsters
learn how to ride. It is a true gift to re-live the first
ride you ever took.
The excitement, the heart, the drive and the pure
love of the sport is all displayed on the young ones’
faces, that’s for sure.
Perhaps the best reason to attend a motorcycle
extravaganza? The memories.
The thing’s learned, amazing visual impressions,
new ideas, the latest concepts...
Lastly, it’s mingling with a new crowd with similar
interests and passions, and getting to hear the stories.
Above all, especially in the off-season, get out and
enjoy the entirety of the motorcycle world. You’ll be
glad you did.
Uh ... if you have to check the price tag, you can’t
afford it.
All roads lead to...
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February/March 2013
Inland NW Motorcycle Show heralds riding season start
Any event that runs 10 straight
actually buy what you see; these
years, and gets bigger and better
vendors are here to do some business
every year, is certainly well
managed.
DelCreek Productions,
then, deserves kudos for their
10th annual Inland Northwest
Motorcycle Show and Sale in
Spokane, this year March 1517.
Expect to experience an
even more robust line-up of
events, bikes and accessories
displays at the Spokane
Country Fair & Expo Center.
Of course parking is free
and the spots closest to the
entrance are reserved for
bikes only. Good thinking,
DelCreek!
Check out the Team X
Trials Show – “See trials riders
conquer a monstrous obstacle
course while never putting
down their feet...” – hundreds Stunters were on hand at the Spokane Inland
Northwest Motorcycle Show last year. Look for
of brand new bikes as well as
incredible trials riding demos this year. Cameron
vintage iron from Northwest
Classics Antique Motorcycles, Glass Photography, Spokane, Wash.
nearly 100 displays from
accessories vendors, the S-R
Media Spokesman Review Cash
and most will be featuring some very
Machine, the KKZX Bike-Off and the attractive deals.
Budweiser Biker Bar.
For the complete line-up, go
Speaking of exhibitors, the best
check out the show website at <www.
dealers in the region will be on hand
spokanemotorcycleshow.com>.
with their new toys: Allsport HondaThe show gets underway Fri.,
Polaris-Yamaha, Colbert Powersports, March 15 at 3 p.m. and runs until 8
Dave Russell’s Euro, Empire Cycle
p.m. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 8
and Powersports, Lawrence’s Cycles,
p.m. and Sunday the doors open at 10
Roundy’s Kawasaki,
Spokane Powersports,
Stex Motorsports,
and Lone Wolf HarleyDavidson will all be
there.
In the packed
vendor stable, expect
to find Bikes to Trikes,
Cobalt Trailers,
Johnson Custom
Iron, Northwest
Nitro Nationals,
Renegade Classics,
Rich’s Custom Seats,
Stewart’s Leathers,
Vintage V-Twin,
White Knuckle
Customs and dozens
and dozens more.
The fabulous one-off customs may the biggest show
Here you can
draw. Cameron Glass Photography, Spokane, Wash.
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a.m. and close at 4 p.m. Admission is
a modest $10 for adults, $5 for kids
6-12; younger than that are free. But
bring cash because credit cards won’t
be processed; this is to keep the lines
moving briskly.
Of course, you could win many
times over your price of admission.
You could win $10,000 in the Toyota
Scratch Card Give-Away or, by virtue
of a motorcycle purchase that day,
you could win a 30-second stint in
the cash machine. How quick are
your hands?
At press time details were still
emerging on the KKZX Bike-Off but
there will be three broad categories
and winners in each one. Enter your
baby and take home a trophy.
Steve Cody, the main wheel at
DelCreek, told us the vendor booths
have sold out again this year, but if
anyone needs to contact him, do so
at: DelCreek Productions, P.O. Box
180, Colbert, WA 99005; 509-4664256; e-mail is <delcreek@hotmail.
com>.
And by the way, Northern Rockies
Rider will there, too, showing our
products to information-hungry
riders, including our 500-page
full-color motorcycle tour guide to
Montana’s best riding.
Stop by and say hello!
February/March 2013
Hazard! Excessive drooling!
Seattle IMS features the
best and the most beautiful
By T.N.N.
Special to Northern Rockies Rider
This year’s 2013 Seattle Progressive
International Motorcycle Show (SIMS)
was one event no rider wanted to miss.
If you have a passion for motorcycles,
this was the show for you.
The show was wall-to-wall
excitement and fun for everyone who
attended.
Each year, thousands of motorcycle
enthusiasts rally to Seattle’s
Convention Center to attend the IMS.
The show tour stops in 13 cities and
Seattle is one of the premier locations.
The “Emerald City” event attracts
attendees from every direction in
the Pacific Northwest, from as far as
Progressive give-away items. I ogled a
very nice looking shirt I was hoping to
The show is an overwhelming experience, just like trying to absorb every
detail of this incredible custom build.
The “Progressive Girls” with their
welcoming smiles.
win. Sure enough, I won that shirt!
How’s that for Karma? It was clear
this was going to be a
special day.
There was a
long line of people
in the Progressive
Center waiting to get
their pictures taken
with a magnificent
motorcycle. Photo
subjects had the ability
to choose from four
remarkably beautiful
scenic backgrounds.
The digital image was
then later e-mailed to
them.
Folks waiting to enter, though the lines moved briskly.
Another crowded
exhibition caught my
Oregon to the south, Montana to the
attention: the Ducati Center. Throngs
east and Canada to the north.
were checking out the latest Ducati
The IMS delivers a vast variety of
displays.
Most of the leading motorcycle
manufacturers are there to show off
their newest and hottest creations.
Simultaneously, the show pulls you
back in history with collections of
some of the best classic motorcycles of
all time.
For some, it was all about
The Progressive Girls were fine, but had
the “custom” built motorcycles
competition, all beautiful masterpieces. nothing on the Ducati Damsels.
If after-market products are what
you are after, then you would have
machines. Those “arrest-me-red”
been more than satisfied with the
Italian bikes have amazing appeal to
immense variety of vendors at the
them; some would say “hot.”
show, many offering deeply discounted
Also in sexy red were other Ducati
prices on their products.
models, these of the female variety.
My first stop was the Progressive
Beauty and red dresses are nicely
Insurance Center. The Progressive girls complementary. Ducati definitely had
caught my attention with their friendly an attractive high-style display at this
smiles.
year’s show.
They handed me a Progressive
Ducati has been taking part in the
bag for the free promotional items
IMS since 1996. Many understand
and literature I would be gathering
the marque represents high tech
during the day, and a prize ticket for
and advanced engineering, but also
Mesh Armored Jacket
Bought two years ago at Cycle Gear,
worn a half dozen times, XL, don’t
remember the brand, blue and
black, paid about $95.
colors called “Hard Candy” harking
back to the 1960s and 1970s custom
metal-flake colors.
In all, the H-D center was amusing,
highly entertaining and very popular.
Next on the tour was the “Pit Stop
Challenge.” This was a competition to
see who could change an AMA racing
motorcycle rear wheel tire in the
fastest time. There was
definitely excitement
and tension in the air as
spectators gathered to
cheer for their favorite
contestant to win.
Many competitors
were drawn to the
contest due to the
outstanding first place
prize: an all-expensepaid trip to the Daytona
200. The fastest tire
changing time of the
IMS tour would win
that VIP trip.
The winner may very
A riding prospect gets a hands-on and real riding
well
be from Seattle this
experience. The grin says she’s sold.
year as one fellow did
bravely making the effort in front of a
it in 15.01 seconds! Now that is fast ...
crowd of staring eyes.
and impressive! This was a hoot.
H-D also had a large display of their
Next up was the Honda Center. The
latest models of motorcycles. This year biggest attraction this year was the new
H-D came out with some new dazzling Gold Wing F6B. This new ‘Wing has
a muscled yet stealthy
appearance, a look
that will draw plenty
of eyeballs as it cruises
down the boulevard.
However, it was
the vintage and classic
motorcycles that
turned my crank, and
others’. Packed crowds
gathered to ogle these
rare machines. If you
like classics, plan for a
You hustle, too, if you were vying for an all-expensesappealing and creative artistry.
I was next drawn to the HarleyDavidson Center by that special, sweet
rumbling cadence.
This year H-D had a motorcycle
riding station where novices could
actually learn how to operate a real
motorcycle. Very impressive and
ingenious. Kudos to these riders for
paid trip to Daytona.
See Seattle IMS, Page 21
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February/March 2013
Seattle IMS
of these talented builders/artists, you
may discover how gifted they are.
I saved the best attraction of
from page 20
the show for last: “the Moto GP
Experience.”
second day at the show.
I am fortunate because I once took
Serious riders are always interested
the opportunity to travel the world
in suspension mods and upgrades.
with a friend and watched a number
of Moto GP
races. I was
able to observe
some of fastest
motorcycles
on earth and
was able to
talk to some
exceptional
riders, among
them Valentino
Rossi and
Nicky Hayden.
At the 2013
Seattle IMS,
attendees
were given the
opportunity
Vintage enthusiasts got their fix. Remember those screaming
to win the
1970s Kawi two-stroke triples?
Ultimate Moto
One of leading suspension service
GP Experience of a lifetime, offered by
companies in the Northwest, GP
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and
Suspension, was there along with
other Moto GP sponsors.
Barry Wressell, the owner, and JJ, one
Get this: The prize included a
of his top engineer/techs.
three-day VIP pass to the Red Bull
They were eager to share
Indianapolis GP, round-trip airfare
information and knowledge about
for two, a three-night hotel stay, Moto
suspension setups, how they work
GP garage breakfast and lunch, oneand what could be done to make
year Moto GP online subscription,
improvements.
and VIP friend-and-family pack to
any 2013/2014
Progressive
International
Motorcycle
Show.
Ya, I put my
name in the hat
Even
though the day
was coming
to an end,
Imagination, creation,
spectators
fabrication ... artistry.
continued to
The tiniest detail is
arrive.
considered.
How
fortunate we
Ohlins, another top
are here in
suspension company
Seattle, indeed
was there offering help
in the Pacific
and services. Numerous
Northwest, to
show attendees spent
have the IMS
time with the Ohlins
right in our
suspension expert, learning more
back yard.
about the functionality of their shock
If you have never attended an IMS,
and forks.
it is highly recommended. There is
The $12 show admission was
plenty of fun and entertainment for all.
modest compared to the remarkable
Most will be returning the following
and valuable benefit of talking to these year.
experts.
I know I will.
Attendees also had
a chance to see one of
the best custom bike
building competitions
in the Northwest. The
“Ultimate Builder”
contest was out of this
world! J & P Cycles was
the IMS event host.
These craftsmen – er,
artists – utilized every
creative measure to
produce some of most
astonishing motorcycles
on earth. Imagine the
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February/March 2013
The Spring Tune-Up:
Bike?...check! Skills?…check! Attitude…?
By Stacey “Ax” Axmaker, Director
Idaho STAR Motorcycle Safety
Program
Every spring you can find articles
about riders taking some time for a
“spring tune-up.”
The March edition
of the American
Motorcyclist (AMA)
magazine has one,
and there is one in
this newspaper, too
(see “Tech Talk:
Getting your baby
out of hibernation”).
Don’t get me
wrong here; tuning
up your machine so it is ready to go
is truly important for your safety and
enjoyment.
Tuning up your skills is also a very
good idea since your survival and
safety depend on your skills being
sharp, and skills tend to atrophy
when not used for awhile.
In this article I want to talk about
something a little different… your
attitude.
“Tune up my attitude? What is
this guy talking about?” Here is an
example to help clarify:
You are riding along and a car
starts tailgating you. You recognize
that this puts you at risk. The attitude
you choose to adopt regarding the
situation can make a huge difference
in the outcome.
Attitude #1 –
“He’s out to get me!”
You take on the attitude that this
driver is tailgating you on purpose to
intimidate you, to get you to speed
up, or even to make you crash. You
decide that it’s him-against-you, so
you’d better fight!
Here are some of the actions
that we’ve seen riders take as a
result of this attitude (and we don’t
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recommend any of these):
–Speeding up (now you are being
tailgated at a higher speed)
–Giving the driver “the bird” (now
you are encouraging “road rage”)
–Throwing something back to hit
the car’s windshield to “teach them
It is important to realize that
we get to choose what attitude we
adopt regarding a tailgating driver,
someone who changes lanes without
looking, or even turns left into our
path. We can focus on how bad or
evil or stupid we think they are or we
can focus on what we can do to get
ourselves and our bikes into a better
place.
Here’s the bottom line: think back
to a time when you were really angry
or very frustrated, or even scared.
How good were your decisions with
that mindset? Yeah, me too!
See Spring Tune-Up, Page 23
Stacey “Ax” Axmaker
Director Idaho STAR
Motorcycle Safety
Program
a lesson” (the driver is most likely
not tailgating you on purpose and
throwing objects may start a fight that
you are unlikely to win)
Attitude #2 –
“I am in a bad spot and I
need to get out of it.”
You take on the attitude that
you don’t know why the driver is
tailgating you and it really doesn’t
matter. It’s you (the rider) who is at
risk, so all you need to do is change
the situation so your risk decreases.
Here are some of the actions riders
can take as a result of this positive
attitude (and we do recommend
these):
–Don’t take it personally (even
if the driver is tailgating you on
purpose, getting emotionally worked
up will not help you ride better,
smarter or safer)
–Communicate with the driver by
flashing your brake light
–Increase the space cushion in
front of you (gradually) in case you
need to stop quickly
–Hold your position and don’t
allow lane sharing
–Turn or yield at the first
opportunity to let the tailgater pass
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February/March 2013
Winter doesn’t stop a true biker
By Gil Mangels
Special to NR Rider
It’s 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the pleasant rumble of
a Harley look-a-like grows louder as its master makes his
regular weekday commute to work nearly 30 miles along
U.S. Hwy. 93 between Polson and Arlee in Northwest
Montana.
Even with his fairing and windscreen, I don’t know
how he does it. Perhaps he has electrically heated gloves,
something I wish I had 50 years ago.
I had just finished my three-year stint in the U.S.
Army and was anxious to get my first bike. Ronan
(Mont.) Sports had just gotten in a new shiny black 1964
Honda 305 Dream.
My severance pay was enough for a down payment
and, instead of borrowing from my folks, I took my first
loan at the Ronan State Bank so I could establish a credit
rating. I paid it off in half the allotted time.
Museum photo of winterized motorcycle rigs. Folks
back then were probably hardier than now.
I picked it up on a wintry evening. Icy Main Street
immediately taught me a lesson as I did a 360-plus
cookie and landed flat. The only damage was my pride,
but I was much more cautious after that.
Another winter evening, I took a cute gal for a 10-
Spring Tune-Up
from page 22
Stay focused on your ride. Remind
yourself that the driver who just cut
you off is not actually “out to get you.”
Maybe that driver just got some very
bad news, maybe about a spouse or
child being in the hospital, and they
are upset and distracted.
Give them the benefit of the doubt,
let them go, wish them well, and do
what you need to do to keep yourself
safe.
Now ride well, ride lots.
–About Stacey “Ax” Axmaker: He 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
“Motorcycling
Montana”
Touring Guide
mile ride. No fairing or windscreen made for a
chilly ride. My jacket didn’t have zippers in the back
for my passenger’s hands, so I gave her my gloves.
The wind-chill got to my hands quickly, even
trying to alternately warm them near the exhaust
pipes. They suffered mild frostbite which makes
them very cold-sensitive to this day.
With my collection of over 70 vintage bikes
and over 3,000 pieces of cycling memorabilia
and photos displayed at the Miracle of America
Museum, there is a lot of evidence that winter
doesn’t stop a true biker.
Author Gil mangels, right, with his Motorwheel and
Among the items exhibited are gauntlet gloves, “skeeter,” and pal Mort with his studded ‘37 Norton.
insulated mittens, a snap-on fur collar for a
likely as not, it was a “motor” with perhaps a sidecar to
horsehide jacket, winter screens and fairings of various
attach for winter use. Our photo collection shows some
types and sizes, insulated leather helmets, fur rimmed
interesting make-do contraptions to combat the snow.
goggles, lap aprons, snap-on crash-bar fairings, tire
One is a homemade snowplow rigged to a chained up
chains and so on.
circa 1930s Indian Chief. Another is a JD Harley (circa
Our 1913 Excelsior has a pair of handlebar gauntlets
1920s) with a ski on the sidecar as well as the front wheel
made of quilted/insulated canvas and leather to keep
and a chained up rear wheel. Then there’s the 1970 Jawa
wind-chill off the operator’s hands.
castor (bean) oil-fueled ice racer.
The displayed WLA Harley “Liberator” was supplied
While the museum’s 1920 Briggs and Stratton
with metal leg shields for the WWII European Theater
“motorwheel” at
one time propelled a sled, I rigged it up
which were attached to the crash bars, but the operator’s
with
a
three-runnered
device that I call my “skeeter.” It
manual is very specific in stating they were for cold
is
kind
of
like
riding
a
banana
peel. I demonstrated it at
weather use only.
Lake Mary Ronan at the ice races where my friend Mort
Also on display is a very rare slip-on and lace-up
raced his studded up 1937 Norton. leather tire cover with over 100 metal studs riveted
Ah, those were the days.
on. Another is a more traditional winter tire chain
manufactured by the American Chain Company for
Editor’s note: Gil Mangels is a life-long motorcycle
a 28 x 3 tire size. Still another example is a 1904 Weed
nut
and now has one of the top two motorcycle museum
tire chain, of the same size still in its NOS unopened
collections
in the Northern Rockies at his “Miracle of
cloth sack with a warning tag concerning patent
America”
museum
just south of Polson, Mont.
infringements.
In earlier days, many
families only had one
motorized vehicle and
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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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February/March 2013
Tech Talk: Getting your baby out of hibernation
Do it right in the fall, spring opener is a snap
By Cole Boehler
Having always resided in states with
actual winters – yes, snow and ice from
as early as October and perhaps until
May – I have lived with the annual layup
of my two-wheelers.
But I’ve also experienced the
excitement and anticipation of the first
ride after four to six months of forced
abstention. Optimistically, we may be
riding by early March.
Getting the ride out of mothballs
should be a piece o’ cake ... if you put it
away properly. If you simply parked it
at the end of the season, expect some
challenges in getting her on the road
again.
As an aside, some suggest starting and
running the bike up to full temperature
periodically throughout the layup period.
Others disagree, contending it is wiser to
let it be until spring.
However, if I did opt for the
periodic startup, I’d surely bring
you make have an expensive repair before
you ever leave the garage. I have had
fork seals inexplicably fail during winter
layup.
I once noticed green glycol on the
garage floor directly beneath the bike
after a
minus-30degree cold
snap. I was
mortified! I
had extensive
maintenance
performed
just before
layup and
feared the
done the fall maintenance; I wanted an
expert for verification if the problem was
severe), who confirmed a hose clamp
inadequately tightened. Whew! Next
time: verify coolant strength yourself
before layup!
If you
didn’t bother
to cover the
bike or you
put it away
dirty, then
get ready
to perform
a thorough
cleaning. Last
year’s road
grime
and
it thoroughly and had ridden in any salt
or liquid de-icer prior to lay-up, expect
permanent corrosion – rust on the steel
parts and pitting on the aluminum and
chrome. Have fun trying to restore your
metal!
The most critical objective after lay-up
is to get the engine running.
Check the engine oil level
immediately. Smell the oil, too. If the
engine oil level is significantly above
normal or lube reeks of gasoline, your
fuel system could have been leaking all
winter. Did you close the fuel petcock
(now only on older models)? Is the
petcock faulty? If my bike had a petcock,
I’d drain the tank in the fall.
If it has been leaking the oil level will
register far too high on the dipstick or in
the sight-glass. Best case, the crankcase is
full of diluted oil. Drain and replace.
Worst case? Your cylinders are full of
Clockwise: Above Photo 1 - Author’s two bikes in storage
in the garage motorcycle stall, both under covers. No rodent
droppings, pet food kibble or drip marks on the floor below. For
the purpose of this story, we unwrapped the blue bike Feb. 11.
It was two degrees below zero at 6:30 a.m. and
15 degrees outdoors when we pulled the cover.
Bike internals were probably somewhere between
those temps. Photo 2 - The “pigtail” that emerges
from between the fairing and fuel tank, hard-wired
to the battery. The pigtail then plugs into a battery
maintenance device to keep the battery topped
up during winter lay-up. I’d probably just pull
the battery and bring it indoors but it is tightly
tucked in the fairing and a bitch to get at. If it
stays charged, it won’t freeze. Photo 3 - Battery
maintenance float-charger on a shelf above the
bike. Photo 4 - Oil level sight-glass shows oil just
a smidgen above the top level, maximum and
minimum levels indicated by the punch marks to the right of the glass. I
wasn’t alarmed at the slightly high reading because I realized the engine
had a long time to drain all the oil to the sump. Yes, the area below the
oil filter is almost always grungy. Photo 5 - The bike cranked slowly with
its cold-stiff oil and innards, but fired on all four cylinders after it turned over three or four
times, running within three seconds – evidence the battery was up to snuff and the treated
fuel was still fresh enough to burn spritely. Here the wheel rotates as
the transmission has been engaged with fifth gear selected to allow
all clutch, transmission
and drive components
to work and get a fresh
coating of lube. The bike
is on its main (center)
stand so the rear wheel
is off the floor and turns
freely. Blocks were
placed under the header
pipes at layup to allow
the front wheel to be
kept off the cold
cement.
it up to full temperature to
cook out condensation. Then,
with the bike on the center
stand or blocked with the rear
wheel off the ground, I’d
snick it into gear and let
the transmission (and
drive line) get a mild
workout, allowing lubes
to work through the
systems.
Okay, inspect the bike
storage area. If there is
rodent scat or pet food
kibble, you’d better check
things carefully for
nesting, especially the air
box/filter housing. Pull
the seat and make sure
nothing has moved in
under there.
Also look for any signs of liquid
dripping on the floor. If there is evidence
of this, trace the leak to its source: engine
cooling system, fork seals, brakes, clutch,
engine, etc. Depending upon the cause,
mechanic had used an engine antifreeze of insufficient strength. I dreaded
a cracked head or block – potentially a
$5,000 problem!
I loaded the bike on my trailer and
took it to my tech (not the one who had
bugs will be
far more difficult
to remove than they
would have been last fall, and paint
clear-coats may have suffered permanent
blemishes from acidic bug innards.
If you did clean, wax and then cover
it, you may only be looking at a quick
wipe-down with a soft dust cloth or
damp chamois.
If you (stupidly or lazily) didn’t clean
liquid, a condition known as
hydrolock. Hit the starter and
you could bend connecting
rods, damage con-rod
bearings, wreck the cylinder
head or block and cause a full
engine rebuild or replacement. Be aware!
A fully charged battery will be
critical to achieving a quick engine start.
Hopefully you kept it on a maintenance
charger.
Some motorcycle models that we
know of will, with an inadequately
charged battery, crank with the usual
oomph but will fail to fire and run.
Many modern engines equipped with
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See Spring Tech Talk, Page 25
February/March 2013
Tech Talk
from page 24
fuel injection, sophisticated electronic
ignitions and complex engine control
computers, need all the juice a fully
charged battery can
provide. We have
seen cases where
inadequate amps
means ignitions
don’t ignite and
flooding occurs.
With a
marginally
discharged battery,
the continuous
cranking required
to clear the flooded
condition may
soon drain what
electrons were
available. Now you will experience
a frustrating delay while the battery
charger does its work.
In the alternative, you may jump your
motorcycle from another, or even from
your car. If you do this from a car battery,
make sure that vehicle isn’t running or
you could introduce too much current
and fry some electrics or fuses.
If you do manage to flood it (you will
smell raw gasoline at the exhausts), try
cranking it WOT (wide open throttle) for
a bit. Stop, let the starter cool, then try it
again. With the throttle butterflies open,
plenty of air should pass through the
cylinders and dry out the wet conditions
in there. (Note: Not sure if this works
with the modern “throttle-by-wire”
systems but it seems it still should.)
As the cylinders and spark plugs dry,
the engine may fire on just one cylinder
initially, then others will likely come online as the engine is “cleaned out.”
Another condition can impede engine
start-up and smooth running: badly
degraded gasoline. If you didn’t use a fuel
treatment or preservative when you put it
away, you could wind up having to drain
the foul stuff from your tank.
Worse, you may be stuck with
cleaning or rebuilding carburetors if they
are badly gummed and varnished from
stale, evaporated fuel.
In either case, try running some
potent fuel system cleaner at high
strength through the system. It might
be a good idea to introduce some even
if start-up was effortless. This modern
ethanol-laced gasoline can separate and
degrade, a subject for another future
column.
Many believe a change of all fluids is a
good spring ritual – engine oil, final drive
lube (if shaft driven), brake and clutch
hydraulic fluids, even engine coolant.
I think fall is a better time for this.
Certainly verify levels are proper.
I put mine away with fresh engine
oil and filter, so do not fear winter
contamination, especially as I live in
a very dry climate and would not see
significant moisture in the engine interior
due to condensation.
When the engine fires and runs, do
observe if water drips from the exhaust
system weep-holes. This would indicate
that condensation could indeed be a
problem in your storage environment.
Condensation could raise havoc with
engine and exhaust internals.
Once you’ve got the engine running
(for goodness sake, open the garage
door!), let it run until it is hot. This
should help evaporate any water that may
have condensed anywhere in the system.
to proper PSI.
experience relatively poor mileage and
This is also a good time to inspect
Now do the rest of your usual preless than stellar engine performance
all your lights: headlight (high and low
flight inspection and you should be ready while using up last year’s gas. Even if I
beam), signal and running lights, tail
can only burn half a tank on the first run,
and brake lights and dash
I’ll refill with fresh fuel so as to dilute
lights.
the stale stuff.
Photo 6 - Instruments tell us a lot:
A thorough
If the streets are still
tachometer, left, shows quite close to the correct
dirty from winter, be
idle as the coolant gauge (center of LCD instrument
especially aware of
cluster at right - “L-H”) registers two-of-six bars, near
sand. Further,
normal operating temperature. Heating the engine and
clean that
exhaust should help evaporate away any condensation that has
formed. Nothing dripped from the muffler weep holes indicating
bad boy
the exhaust plumbing was dry. Also note, LCD indicators show the
with
correct time (1:30) proving battery has stayed adequately charged;
plenty of
fuel gauge demonstrates the tank was topped up before storage; first
soap and
trip meter shows 9.8 miles accumulated after gas tank was topped up
water
as it was run a bit to work treated fuel throughout the system; second
to rid it
trip meter shows 561.8 miles. There is a note tucked somewhere to
of
any
remind me what that means, but I believe it is indicating 3,561.8 miles
residual
on the rear tire (these trip gauges are only three digits when they
chloride
would have more utility with four). The “idiot lights” below the
(salt)
speedometer are indicating A-okay, with the exception of the
compounds
amber lamp in the center. This is signifying a problem with
before it goes back
the ABS system, which is to be expected when the rear
wheel is rotating and the front is stationary, as they were
inspection
in the garage.
in this case!
of tires is wise. If
Finally, be aware of
you got the bike up on
the erosion of your skills and
blocks at layup, there should
reflexes. They, too, degrade over a long
be no flat spots. Look for missing or
winter layup. Stick to unchallenging
loose wheel weights. Look for cracking
to roll.
roads and keep things cool until you feel
in treads and along sidewalls. Check air
I like to burn through all of last fall’s
“the groove” come back.
pressures as they will likely be low; inflate gasoline as soon as possible. I usually
Now have a good riding season!
February/March 2013
NE Wyoming A.B.A.T.E. is Santa
Bike group brings Christmas
spirit to 500 Wyoming families
By Dottie Rankin
NR Rider Wyoming Editor
empty building into an awesome toy
store in two short months? In October A.B.A.T.E. members
rolled up their sleeves to clean the
building (donated by Williams
Insulation), make minor repairs and
groom the grounds for the influx of
families that were coming in December.
They were barely getting started.
The next major challenge is
rounding up enough new gift toys to
stock the store and fill the Christmas
“Christmas is too commercialized.
Christmas has no meaning. Why
bother?”
True statement?
Many happy northeast Wyoming
children would beg to differ.
The true meaning of Christmas
is alive and well with the motorcycle
organization A.B.A.T.E. of Northeast
Wyoming and the toy store
they run every year during the
Christmas season.
This A.B.A.T.E.
organization has given away
toys to thousands of families
over the past 25 years and the
effort only continues to grow.
If a family needs help to fulfill
their child’s Christmas wishes,
A.B.A.T.E. can help.
President Mike Argue say
President Mike Argue and author in front of the
it best: “No child should have
“Bus.”
Christmas without a gift.”
This past year a qualifying
lists of children from over 500 families.
family could shop for their children at
A.B.A.T.E. has drop boxes for new
the 5321 Swanson Ct. Gillette, Wyo.,
toys in several businesses around town,
A.B.A.T.E. Toy Store in late December
and have their child’s Christmas wishes donations can be sent directly to the
organization or to Campco Federal
come true.
Credit Union, or gifts can be dropped
A family can obtain a voucher from
a local community service organization, off at the store location.
Or you “stuff the bus,” a 40-footthen shop at the store which is open
long, 51-passenger touring coach
seven hours-a-day before Christmas.
that is donated by Powder River
The work behind the effort, however,
Transportation, which A.B.A.T.E. and
starts long before that.
generous donors fill with toys.
Pulling off the toy store campaign
It takes an army of dedicated
for hundreds of families a year is no
volunteers and heaps of
people donating new toys
to get the bus stuffed. There
are a number of promotional
stops (bus and all) at local
businesses in the months
before Christmas.
The “Stuff the Bus” task is
made a bit easier under careful
guidance of Jessica Norgaard
of Basin Radio in Gillette.
Norgaard has been at this for
five years and says “Stuff the
It’s hard to imagine this space will become a
Bus” is her baby.
Santa’s Workshop filled with toys.
A Saturday two to three
weeks before the grand event is
small feat and not something this
reserved for the Toy Store Parade
motorcycle organization takes lightly.
conducted in conjunction with the
Starting in late October virtually every
Gillette Parade of Lights in which
member’s weekend is taken up with
dozens of A.B.A.T.E. members ride.
planning and executing this marathon
In 2012, by December 16 the bus
Gillette tradition.
was stuffed to the brim with brand new
How does the group convert an
toys thanks to the donations of local
citizens.
Final “unstuffing” of the bus is a
ceremony in itself and takes place
President Mike Argue
getting the building ready
to go. Member Jamie Huyck
grooming the grounds.
Emra Ayers in the Toy Store.
about four days before the official
opening of the Toy Store. Cookies, cider
and hot chocolate are consumed in
mass quantities.
Unstuffing the bus.
By 1 p.m. the bus had arrived at the
Toy Store along with 25-30 A.B.A.T.E.
elves who moved it all inside, bucketbrigade fashion. It took just 30 minutes.
During the unloading, 13 new
bicycles were delivered from Custom
and Classics Car Club and Wal-Mart.
Club President Argue must shop
for children’s gifts every day the store is
open, recruiting
club members
to help. I don’t
care how big of a
Scrooge you are,
when these guys
walk into a local
retailer, the spirit
of giving grabs
you.
Secretary and
elf Nancy Huyck
is everywhere
and one of the
driving forces
behind the
operation. It
takes a massive
amount of
time and effort to coordinate the
different fundraising endeavors, do the
paperwork, do the footwork and keep
track of a million details.
See A.B.A.T.E., Page 28
6
February/March 2013
The dude is real
Not too much color has to come out of Dale Swanson’s hair and beard to make the
transformation real and complete.
St. Maries, Idaho!
At the west end of the
St. Joe River Scenic Byway
Christmas would not be complete without
Santa and, in this case, the real deal.
As a member of A.B.AT.E., Dale Swanson is
also a member of The Amalgamated Order of
Real Bearded Santas.
Each year during the month of December
he transforms into Jolly St. Nick. This involves
a day at his daughter’s beauty salon, Hair
Licious, where they take the color out of his
hair and beard and make it a Santa snowwhite.
From that moment on he answers to “Santa”
and is truly the jolly man dressed in red.
In addition to attending A.B.A.T.E. events, he
makes appearances at Special Olympics and
other school and community events.
Oh ... he is also a licensed blaster for
Buckley Powder!
A.B.A.T.E. is comprised of people who
are interested in motorcycle legislation and
education, is open to owners of every brand of
bike or even those who don’t own a motorcycle
at all.
The group is involved in government policy at
both the local and state level.
In Northeast Wyoming, “A.B.A.T.E.”
stands for A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian
Enactments. Annual dues are $22 (single) and
$33 (couples). Meetings are held monthly.
For more information contact President Mike
Argue at 307-299-7718.
Be a retailer of
“Motorcycling Montana”
A comprehensive guide to two-wheel touring of Big Sky Country
Perfect for the motorcycle enthusiast...
• 512 full-color pages • Over 350 photos • 120 map excerpts
• Spiral bound • Convenient, compact 8.5 x 5-inch format
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• Case of 16 - $22.50 ea. • 6-15 - $24.50 ea. • Less than 6 - $27.50 ea.
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“When riding the Northern Rockies, we
invariably seek out roads with maximum
turns and scenery and minimum traffic.
Scoring those criteria on a one-to-ten
scale, this honey is a 9.5.
– an obvious value –
– 1st printing of 2600 sold out May 25, 2012...
2nd printing of 2500 more being distributed now –
“It’s one of those that you annually put
on your summer riding calendar and
anticipate with relish.
How to order:
• E-mail: <[email protected]>
“...an awesome specimen of superb
motorcycle riding.”
• Write us: Motorcycling Montana
914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701
– Northern Rockies Rider Magazine
7
You gotta see it to believe it!
130 mph on the St. Joe River! River Jet
Boat Races
May 17-19, 2013
St. Maries, Idaho
St. Maries Chamber of Commerce • 208-245-3563
209 Main Ave. (Box 162), St.Maries, ID 83861
stmarieschamber.org • [email protected]
www.visitnorthidaho.com
• Phone us: 406-498-3250
Learn more
Go to www.motorcyclingmontana.com
February/March 2013
A.B.A.T.E.
from page 26
However, Nancy never lacks a
smile and is usually decked out in her
bikers doing a fundraiser. This is
an event that takes on the magic of
Christmas. This is a group of people
that are willing to give selflessly.
It takes intricate planning, endless
hours, teamwork and a giving spirit to
pull off this event. A.B.A.T.E. made it
happen for over 500 families this year
and they make it happen in a grand
way.
For the people of A.B.A.T.E. of
Northeast Wyoming, the joy in this
endeavor is giving Christmas to a
hometown child who might not
otherwise have one.
Events Calendar
Brand new bicycles to brighten
Christmas morning.
Christmas gear to bring grins to anyone
passing by.
It is clear pure perseverance has kept
this program moving forward over the
years. The organization has had at least
seven homes for the toy store.
When they are required to pay rent
and utilities on a building, that expense
must come out of the A.B.A.T.E. funds,
meaning fewer toys can be bought for
the kids.
I spent an evening talking about
the Toy Store tradition to President
Mike Argue, A.B.A.T.E. Chaplain Hoby
Bruhn and long time member “EZ”
Butler.
Mike, Hoby and EZ have many
tales to tell about the Toy Store and
acknowledge they’ve confronted the
usual assortment of glitches expected
with any project this size. However
their faces light up when talking about
the families who benefit from the Toy
Store.
This Toy Store is more than a few
Don’t Miss a
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Issue...
Serving Washington,
ng, British Columbia
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Volume 1, Number 4
Yaak
“Your Northern Rocky
”
Mountain Riding Authority
tal Communications
• July, 2012 • A Continen
250
qwestoffice.net • 406-498-3
Publication • contcom@
e8
and Kootenai Country Figur
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
hours or a
the plan on the rocks within
day?
wife
Such was the case when
one of
ride
to
out
Marilyn and I headed
– perhaps
our favorite Montana routes
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
ne Park”
Park,” or substitute “Yellowsto
or the “Beartooth Highway.”
those
We always respond, “Yes,
but have you
are extraordinary rides,
Kootenai
and
Yaak
the
ridden
ever
Country?”
“Huh? Where’s that?”
Well, let me tell you...
This region represents Montana’s
where
extreme northwest corner
and close to
you’re not far from Idaho
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!
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
ed machine, one- or
be
and moose. We would suppose
to
two-wheel
meant
of
is
style
that
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
but I would
Some of the pavement could
does.”
be routes numerous times,
can
rescue
it
and
since
another
described as “primitive”
recommend going with
Indeed, ride with some friends.
striping
most of this
broken and rough and lacking is
ticket, eh?
bike/rider or several. In
But, sounds like just the
g
service.
and signage. Corner engineerin
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
due to heavy growth of
Motorcycle repair could
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
es.
the powerful effect of motorcycl
might think. Well let me
A strange combination you
a
this is not a story filled with
tell you before we begin,
story of my dad, his
personal
my
is
This
lot of statistics.
es fit into all it all.
illness and how his motorcycl
the hype: if you own a
No doubt you have heard
are,
you
who
is
it
you,
of
part
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
truly lasting memories are
your bike and rides are what
of.
made
and I have proof.
It’s not a cliche’. It’s true
was diagnosed with
My dad, Wayne Raasch,
2009.
See Memories, Page 2
daughter and author Alzheimer’s in
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]>
get his hands on some
Wayne Raasch, aching to
Dottie Rankin.
Harley grips just once more.
Change service requested:
914 Holmes Ave., Butte,
With
MT 59701
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 93
Livingston, MT
Two aspects to
Motorcycle
Safety
Page 15
Riding the
Ho Chi Minh
Trail
Page 17
Toy Store fully stocked.
National - 2013
• March 8-17 - Daytona Bike Week, Daytona Beach, Fla.,
<officialbikeweek.com>
• April 24-28 - Laughlin River Run, Laughlin, Nev.,
<laughlinriverrun.com>
• June 8-16 - 90th Anniversary Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia,
New Hampshire, <laconiamcweek.com>
• June 17 - Ride To Work Day, <ridetowork.org>
• Aug. 5-11 - 73rd Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Sturgis,
So. Dak., <sturgismotorcyclerally.com>
Alberta
• July 4-6 - Provincial HOG Rally, Medicine Hat, Ralph Carson,
<[email protected]>, <albertahogrally.com>
• Aug. 2-5 - Heartland Bash Motorcycle Rally, Edmonton, 564047
Range Road, 780-938-9014, <heartlandbash.com>,
<[email protected]>
British Columbia
• April 28 - Classic & Vintage MC Swap Meet & Show ‘n’ Shine,
Delta, Tawasan, South Delta Recreation Center, 1720 56th St.,
Todd Copan, 604-299-0020, < classicbikeswapmeet.com>,
<[email protected]>
• June 21-22 - Summer Sizzle Ride, Langley, 8859 201st St.,
604-532-2973, <langleyhog.org>, <[email protected]>
• July 10-14 - Great Canadian Bike Rally, Merritt, B.C.,
2064 Coulee Ave., 250-378-5553, <[email protected]>
• July 25-27 - Western Regional HOG Rally, Kelowna,
250-860-0666, Marianne Boettcher, <[email protected]>,
<okanagonhog.com>
• July 26 - Bigfoot (sidecar) Rendezvous, Kooetnay, Barry,
<[email protected]>, <bigfootsidecarclub.com>
• Aug. 2-5 - 25th Boogie Bash, Rock Creek, 250-765-4517,
<[email protected]>, <[email protected]>,
<bccom-bc.com>
• Aug. 10-11 - Cumberland MC Roundup, Cumberland,
250-336-8746, <cumberlandmotorcycleroundup.com>,
<[email protected]>
Idaho
• March 23-24 - Vintage MC Rally & Swap, Caldwell,
O’Connor Fieldhouse, 2207 Blaine, St., 208-377-4981,
<[email protected]>, <idahovintagemotorcycleclub.org>
• Aug. 1-4 - Rattlesnake Rampage Victory MC National Meet,
Lewistown, Red Lion, <thevmc.com/nationalmeet>
• July 5-6 - Run What Ya Brung Street Drags, Oldtown,
“Hun” Smith, 509-671-7586, <[email protected]>
• Sept. 13-15 - Big Nasty Hill Climb, 35 miles NW of Boise,
208-573-4255, <[email protected]>, <bignastyhillclimb.com>
• Nov. 9 - Geico AMA EnduroCross, Nampa, 16200 N. Idaho
Center Blvd., 817-243-9515, <[email protected]>,
<endurocross.com>
Montana
• All summer - Motorcycle racing, Billings, 3630 Old Blue
Creek Rd., 406-656-9960, <[email protected]>,
<billingsmotorcycleclub.us>
• May 18 - Serious Motorcycle Enthusiasts Group (SMEG)
Motorcycle Show, Kalispell, Fairgrounds, 265 N. Meridian Rd.,
Steve Kelley, 406-857-3119, <[email protected]>,
<smeg406.com>
• June 27-29 - Sate HOG Rally, Great Falls, State Fairgrounds,
406-771-1167, <mtstatehogrally.com>,
<[email protected]>
• July 9-11 - 27th Annual Women on Wheels International
Ride-In, Billings, Billings Hotel and Convention Center,
1223 Mullowney Lane, <[email protected]>
• July 19-21 - Beartooth Rally, Red Lodge, Bonedaddy,
406-446-2022, <beartoothrally.com>
• July 25-27 - District Gold Wing Road Riders Assoc. Convention,
Polson, KwaTaqNuk Resort, Henry & Deby Haagenson,
406-656-1827, <gwwra-mtdistrict.org>
• July 25-28 - Evel Knievel Days, Butte, 406-491-6065,
<www.eveldays.com>
• July 31-Aug. 4 - Testicle Festival, Rock Creek (Clinton),
406-825-4868, <testyfesty.com>, <[email protected]>
South Dakota
• April 19-21 - Aberdeen ABATE & FM Crusaders Bike
Show & Swap, Aberdeen, 716 Lamont St., 605-228-6283,
<[email protected]>
• June 13-15 - Sate Hog Rally, Spearfish, 605-549-5417,
<[email protected]>, <sdstatehogrally.com>
• Aug. 5-11 - Black Hills Motorcycle Rally and Races, Sturgis,
<sturgismotorcyclerally.com>
Washington
• March 2-3 - Euro Moto MC Show, Lynwood convention
Center, 3711 196th St. SW, <euromoto2012.com>,
<[email protected]>
• March 15-17 - Inland Northwest Motorcycle Show, Spokane
County Fair & Expo Center <spokanemotorcycleshow.com>,
509-466-4256, <[email protected]>
• March 23 - Ride West BMW Spring Bike Swap, Seattle,
David Preston, 206-527-5511 or 888-527-7433,
<[email protected]>, <ridewest.com>
• April 6-7 - Stumpjumpers Desert 100, Odessa, Pete Wisner,
435-275-7777, <stumpjumpers.org>
• April 20 - Monster Energy Supercross, Seattle,
<[email protected]>
• April 20 - Vintage MC Swap Meet, Mt. Vernon, Skagit Co.
Fairgrounds, Mark Cattarin, 360-223-3190,
<[email protected]>, <washingtonvintagemotorcyclists.org>
• April 27-29 - NW Nitro Nationals Hillclimb, Yakima, Jeff Snipes,
208-819-7508, <[email protected]>,
<nwnitronationals.com>
• May 24-26 - Touchet River Outdoor Roundup, Waitsburg
Fairgrounds, (clean and sober event), <[email protected]>
• June 2 - Bikes, Bands & BBQ, Port Orchard, Mike Carroll,
360-801-6086, <[email protected]>
• July 18-21 - Gold Wing Road Riders Assoc. convention,
Grandview, Yakima Valley Fairgrounds, Susie Hutchinson,
360-352-7813, <[email protected]>, <gwrra-wa.org>
• July 25-28 - Sun and Surf Run, Ocean Shores, 206-953-7918,
<sunandsurfevent.com>
• Sept. 8 - Puget Sound Ride For Kids, Carnation, Remlinger
Farms, 32610 NE 32nd St.. 1-800-253-6530,
<pbtfus.org/rideforkids/events/2013/puget-sound>,
<[email protected]>
• Sept. 8 - Union Ride and Charity Rally, Suquamish,
Patrick Town, 206-406-8139, <[email protected]>,
<unionionhomebenefit.com>
• Sept. 22 - Oyster Run, Anacortes, 12th and Commercial,
360-435-9103, <oysterrun.org>, <[email protected]>
• Nov. 11 - Veterans Day parade, Oak Harbor, Pioneer Way,
Terry Lacey, 360-240-1125, <ohvetdayparade.com>,
<[email protected]>
Wyoming
• July 11-13 - State Hog Rally, Thermopolis, 307-421-0067,
<[email protected]>, <wystatehogrally.com>
• Aug. 1-2 - Ghost Town Rally, Casper, Best Western Ramkota,
Casper Chamber of Commerce, 307-234-5311,
<casperchamber.org>
To have your event listed here for free, send the information to Dani Rollison at <[email protected]>. We only can 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.

NRR February/March 2013 - Northern Rockies Rider

Transcription

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