STAReview Issue 3408 Available Now

Transcription

Happy Holidays
2015 Ozarks Bull Shoals Rally
since I am not allowed to stick my head out the window. As
we traveled west on US160 late in the evening, I scented lake
water and the hair went up on my neck. I sat up and saw mist
in the moonlight over a large lake as we crossed a graceful
steel bridge. I sensed that we were going somewhere magical
as the car slowed further and turned left into the Theodosia
Marina Resort. By the time we checked in it was dark and
quiet. Although the parking area was filled with motorcycles,
only a few of the two legs were still up. Ed and Linda Young
were sitting near Gary Hodge as he tended the few embers
that remained on a barbeque grill. What great two legs those
people are to stay up until their flock made it in! I think they
would make good sheepdogs if they could run a little faster.
I investigated the motel at TMR marina and found it disappointingly clean. The motel was probably built in the 1950s,
but try as I might I could not find any hidden morsels of food.
I did discover that some distant cousins, a family of beautiful
red foxes, live at the motel. I tried to chase one of them, but he
was too shy to say hello.
We awoke the next morning to the sound of motorcycles
growling like Dobermans. The parking area was full of two
more BS RALLY on 4 ➲
By Ray and Lizzie Karcher (Written by Ray, dictated by
Lizzie) -A new member’s perspective
My name is Lizzie, I must disclose that I am not only a new
member, but I don’t even own a motorcycle. I also cannot ride
one, or for that matter even speak or write since I am a dog,
a four-legged type. What can I say—the executive committee
is hard up for volunteers, so with the help of the bow-lingual
translation system I prepared this report.
I rode to the BS rally in a car and slept most of the way
ON THE COVER
IN THIS ISSUE
Nick Zarras, Managing
Editor, testing the BMW
S 1000 XR near the
Red Rock National
Conservation Area,
Nevada.
Ozarks Bull Shoals Rally . . . . . . . . . 3 Membership Corner . . . . . . . . . . .
View From The Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Product Reviews:
SupaBrake-II . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VP Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Vololights and VoloMod . . . . . .
Entry-Apex-Exit Points . . . . . . . . . . 6
AMSOIL
Oil Products . . . . . . . .
Around the MSTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Cheero Power Plus 3 . . . . . . . .
Road Test: 2015 BMW S 1000 XR . 15
tailBlazer Deceleration
Mail Pouch Fly By . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Warning Bulb . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fall Colors Ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Photo by Kurt Asplindh.
23 Ducati S4RS TriColore . . . . . . . . . .29
Safety Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
24 Member Profile: Ray Karcher . . . . .35
25 MSTA Membership
26
Registration Form . . . . . . . . . . . 32
27 Road Test Quick Look:
2016 Indian Scout . . . . . . . . . . 33
28
Great Riders. Great Roads. Join Us! | 3
➲ BS RALLY from 3
legs wearing colorful clothing and gathering in small packs.
Every breed of motorcycle was represented from whippet like
sport bikes to the big graceful Gold Wing. Ninety-three of the
two legs attended the 2015 Bull Shoals rally. Many of the two
legs ate a breakfast buffet at the little Cookies restaurant next
to the motel. I departed in the car once more to take in some
of the best scenery in the country.
The roads and highways in these parts are all pretty
crooked, but the pavement was smooth. Looking out the window was like looking back in time as we passed old general
stores, cottages, and tourist cabins. Most of the two legs were
probably focused more on the road than the scenery as they
went by on their motorcycles. They did not travel terribly
fast on the few straight bits, but they banked into the corners
with great enthusiasm. Whenever I try to run like that I slide
in the grass and get grass stains on my fur. Route plans had
been prepared ahead of time so that the two legs had a choice
of routes from 100 to over 300 miles all of which were curvy
and scenic. We headed back to the TMR resort via a ferryboat
over the lake. Some of the two legs had skipped the motorcycle riding to enjoy an afternoon boat ride on the lake.
When we returned to TMR, most of the two legs were back
from their day of play. They were all barking excitedly to each
other like puppies, but they did not jump on each other much.
I don’t think many were listening, but here is some of what
they were saying, “It was a wonderful day to ride today--a bit
cool in the morning, but perfect afterward.” “Missouri 125
had brand new pavement and it was perfect, but the lack of
any lane stripes made riding a bit challenging.” “I think I’ve
about worn out my tires today. Do you think the rear tire will
be safe to go home on?”
Joe Panek receives the “Long Mileage” award.
Sue already had a warehouse full of tires, and since No Mar
was also a prize donor, she graciously allowed someone else
to win the tires.
Joe Panek rode 849 miles all the way from Niagara, Wisconsin to attend, and was presented the “Long Mileage”
Award. Steve and Sonja Long were given the award for best
Ozarks BS’ers in 2015, which is always given to someone that
does a great job of promoting the MSTA. The AMA, J&P cycles, Whitehorse gear, and Roadgear also donated door prizes.
Steve and Sonja Long receive the award for best Ozarks BS’ers.
As evening approached, the two legs gathered for their
evening feast and I was banished once more. Drat! I could
smell the aroma of the best home cooking in Missouri. The
two legs dined on pork, beef, and chicken with salads, green
beans and other delicacies. My delicate nose detected at least
two kinds of fruit cobbler and ice cream. After the big meal,
various treats called door prizes were given out. There must
have been almost 100 treats given out so almost everyone won
something. Chase Harper had provided several items of soft
luggage. Everything from bandanas to European motorcycle
trips was given away.
A moment of hilarity ensued when Sue Nemish of No Mar
tire changer fame won a free set of tires from Dunlop. Since
4 | www.RideMSTA.com
After their feast, the two legs visited at the motel the rest of
the evening. I must confess that I have always considered the
two legs a rather odd breed. They look funny, don’t run very
well, don’t always treat each other right (but not my MSTA
friends), and can’t appreciate the smell of really fine garbage.
Something magical and wonderful takes place every year at
the BS rally. The two legs forget all about their BS and start
acting right. Maybe they should call it the forget your BS
rally? They run and play with their magical motorcycles and
show each other how much they care about each other. The
2015 Bull Shoals rally was a safe event with no reported mishaps. I had a wonderful time. I think I’ll go back again--I’ve
got to find a way to get some of that food!•
Rides safe and I do eat table scraps… Lizzie the dog…
view from the top
Volume 34, Number 8
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MSTA
Promoting excellence and safety in the
enjoyment of motorcycle sport touring.
Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . Nick Zarras
[email protected]
Feature Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Position Open
[email protected]
Contributing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . Position Open
[email protected]
Contributing Editor . . . . . . . . . . James T. Parks
[email protected]
Advertising/Benefits Director . . . . . . John Boyd
[email protected]
State Newsletter Editor . . . . . . . . . Position Open
[email protected]
Member Profile Editor . . . . . . . . . . Doug Logston
[email protected]
Safety Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Westly
[email protected]
National Events Calendar . . . . . . . Position Open
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Janet and Jon Campbell
[email protected]
Event Preview Editor . . . . . . . . . . . Position Open
[email protected]
Webmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Position Open
[email protected]
Layout/Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Faith Publishing
www.RideMSTA.com
The EC would like to extend a big
‘Thank YOU’ to all the Event Coordinators and Volunteers that make all our
events possible. With STAR 2016 being
in Stratton Mountain, VT, we need all
the volunteers we can get to make sure
it’s a big success. Please email me or
Ann Redner (VP) if you feel so inclined.
We need your help!
The EC and I would like to extend
a ‘Happy Holidays’ to all of you and
your families. Please be safe and let’s
make 2016 a banner year for our great
organization!!
To all members,
let’s make a New
Year’s resolution to
get one new member
to join in 2016…a
grass root memberDennis
ship drive that will
Villarose
strengthen our organiMSTA President
zation. Great Riders,
Great Roads. Join Us!
Any questions or concerns call
me at 561-329-3257 or email me at
[email protected]
Happy Holidays, Dennis Villarose
vP Views
Do you have gaps in your schedule
with nothing to do? Have you become
tapped out from too many sweet rides?
… Or become utterly bored watching
yet another GP race while sipping your
favorite brew?
Yeah, me neither.
These things aren’t going to happen.
But I volunteer anyway, because I want
to.
We prioritize what we want to do in
life, and our volunteers step up and step
down when it’s personally “the right
time” to do so.
The following members have found
it’s time to step down after very dedicated volunteerism. Grateful thanks and
heartfelt appreciation go to:
• Jon and Janet Campbell, Ohio –
National Event Coordinators
• Mike Jundt, Minnesota – STAReview
THANK YOU
STAR RAFFLE SPONSORS!
MSTA extends a most sincere thanks
to the sponsors who made the
raffle at STAR ’15 such a special one.
Members are encouraged to support
their businesses.
State Newsletter
Editor
• Jon (Jay)
Campbell Jr., Ohio
– Online Editor/
Webmaster
• Ken Murray,
Ann Redner
Florida –Dan Clark
MSTA Vice
President
Fund Coordinator
• Pedro Gregorio,
Michigan –
STAReview Feature Editor
Expectedly, we need members to
volunteer for the above positions. The
Webmaster position is only temporarily
filled and we’re still in need of a committed volunteer. If you have interest or
questions regarding any of these positions, call me today with no obligation
at 248-375-2146 (Michigan).
See you on the road—Ann
Aerostich
Bill Mayer Saddles
Bridgestone Tires
Dunlop Tires
No-Mar Tire Changers
entry-apex-exit points
We now approach the holiday season.
As a prior USAF Eastern Orthodox
Church Layman, I look at life through
the eyes of a Christian, and call it Christ
Mass. I celebrate the teachings that
brought us out of the “dark ages” where
paganism, and no hope for a better future, existed. Freedom of choice was
now in the teachings along with working
for a better life for each generation to
make it on earth as it is in our vision of
Heaven. For all true religions, no matter
what the name, these are the teachings
that ring true. In addition, when we first
meet someone new, we believe we share
the same respect for each other, even
though on paper our religious beliefs
are not the same. That allows us to
enjoy the company of new found friends
without hesitation. As in religion, commonality brings us together. When I
traveled the world, I praise what my
new acquaintances found important in
their lives. They accepted me into their
community because I respected their
customs. This carries over to motorcycling. No matter what you ride in on,
everyone is eager to see why you chose
that model, how you have upgraded it
to improve your quality of life, and how
your travels on it have given you lifelong
wonderful experiences. In that process,
we gain new family that bring us cherished lifelong memories and creates a
little bit of Heaven in our lives. I wish
you all the most joyous holiday season
with your family and friends. I wish you
a safe and happy New Year and 2016
riding season.
This month’s Member Profile introduces us to Ray Karcher, Missouri.
This month’s Sweet Rides features
Texan David Edinger’s Ducati S4RS
“Tricolore.” This month’s Road Test is
the 2016 BMW S 1000 XR, their top of
the line Adventure Sport that embodies the soul of the S 1000 RR with the
ergonomics of an adventure and touring bike. The Road Test - Quick Look
features the 2016 Indian Scout, a lightweight cruiser with power and handling
to please. Doug Westly educates us in
his third installment on handling corners in “Cornering Part 3.”
Feature articles: The Ozarks Bull
Shoals rally was a great success and
Nick Zarras | Managing Editor
is recapped by our new guest feature
writer Lizzy, Ray Karcher’s dog. Ohio’s
Richy Grabowski details a fun weekend
riding in Fall Colors Ride 2015. Doug
McPeek spins us a tale of the Mail
Pouch Fly By in Marietta, Ohio.
Product reviews: This issue has several product tests of items you’ll want
to find under your Christmas tree. For
those seeking some battery backup for
your portable electronics I review the
“cheero Power Plus 3” 13400 mAh
battery. AMSOIL produces a fine
product line of oils and additives, this
test showed great increases in engine
smoothness and mileage gain. The rest
of the product tests come from my desire to say, “Can you see me now?” to
vehicles following me. SupaBrake has
a module that flashes your brake lights
with nine selectable profiles when you
apply your brakes. Vololights have two
high tech productions that have programmable flash profiles. Vololights is
a license plate that senses deceleration
and flashes “brake lights” attached to
the license plate, even though you have
not selected your brakes. VoloMod is
the same module, without the license
plate, but it hooks into your existing
brake lights, and can also link into your
turn signal lights, to flash during deceleration. For those not wanting to have
to wire in electronic modules Aerostich sells the Kisan tailBlazer a direct
replacement for your 1157 bulb that
has one highly visible flash sequence
profile.
A special thanks goes to Pedro Gregorio and Mike Jundt. Pedro has been
a very strong Feature Editor providing great feature articles and previews.
Mike has been my Around the MSTA
and motorcycle race-contributing editor.
Both have also been a great help editing
articles. Unfortunately, their real jobs
are taking more of their time and this
issue is their last. This is a great opportunity for two fellow MSTA members
to gain experience spreading the word
on our great MSTA local events. All of
us at MSTA thank Pedro and Mike for
all their contributions over the years. A
special perk being linked to STAReview
Magazine is that it has gotten Mike
Jundt into media areas to photograph
MotoGP races. An
area not accessible to
spectators. See prior
STAReview issues
for his race articles.
You can ask Mike
about his experiences. I support my
staff.
STAReview Magazine is not only
news but also cherished memories. Jim
Park’s photo archives are a treasury
of great rides, reaching back 34 years.
Check it out at www.ridemsta.com.
Members can submit product tests and
showcase their stories and events in
STAReview Magazine. Send me your
article as a word document, and highresolution photos as attachments to an
e-mail, addressed to editor@ridemsta.
com. I consider all action photos in high
quality portrait mode for cover photos.
Sweet Rides showcase your treasured
motorcycle. I will provide you full editorial support. The digital STAReview
Magazine articles have hyperlinks to
link you to web sites for travel planning
information, motorcycle, and accessories to lust over. I want YOU to be
the STAR in STAReview! So kick back
with a cool one and enjoy this issue of
STAReview Magazine.•
Ride Safe my friend.
Clear skies, clear roads…
STAReview
Submission Deadlines
3501 . . . . . . . . . . 1/2/2016
3502 . . . . . . . . . 2/27/2016
3503 . . . . . . . . 4/30/2016
3504 . . . . . . . . . 7/13/2016
3505 . . . . . . . . . 9/24/2016
3506 . . . . . . . . 10/22/2016
Submission Guidelines
MS Word documents, raw text files,
300dpi (or larger) .tif, .eps or .jpg photo
files. If using a digital camera, be certain
to use highest photo quality setting (largest file size). DO NOT embed/place photos
in Word documents. Separate, original .tif,
.eps or .jpg photo files are required.
around the msta
North Central Region
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky Manitoba Michigan Minnesota Missouri
Nebraska North Dakota Ohio Ontario Saskatchewan South Dakota Wisconsin
Michigan
From Rich Grabowski, Two Brothers – An Epic Ride
It started as a hope, two years ago. After nearly seven years
in MSTA I hoped to finally attend a STAR event. STAR 2013
in Lexington, Kentucky was calling, but due to circumstances
beyond my control I couldn’t make it.
STAR 2014 was to be in Rapid City, SD, and I knew I
couldn’t get the needed time off work (at least two weeks) to
attend. So the plan was to go to STAR 2015 in Arkansas and
room with my brother Steve. Well, this time it was he who
couldn’t go due to work obligations, and he has gone for six
years in a row. We decided to do our own STAR replacement ride for the week of June 15-20. As the trip approached,
inclement weather continued to be a real possibility, but we
planned for the ride, regardless.
Rich’s VFR
Saturday, June 13 I loaded up the trusty VFR and headed
out from Jackson, MI for Fairlawn, Ohio. It was mostly a blast
down the slab, but at I-280 and the Ohio Toll Road I opted for
back roads, taking US 420 to US 20 to OH 18 which runs right
into Montrose, then Fairlawn and practically to my brothers
doorstep. We had a graduation party (our sister’s youngest is
off to Ohio State) to attend Sunday and had fun visiting with
family and friends. Before going to the graduation party, we
swapped out his GIVI top case and mounting hardware from
his VFR to mine (he’d be riding his Triumph Sprint ST) and
packed & prepped for our departure in the morning.
Day 1 (Monday, June 15 - 305 miles)
All loaded up we departed Fairlawn about 9:15 and headed
in a southerly direction. After a quick blast down the slab (I-77
to OH21) we picked up OH93. South of Brewster approaching Dundee (OH) the road turns into a nice blend of twisty
turns with some more gradual sweepers thrown in the mix.
Mike Jundt | State Newsletter Editor
Continuing on OH93, we intersected OH83
south of Plainfield before New Concord
and continued to OH60 and on to Marietta
for lunch at DQ. The ice cream was a nice
topper as the heat and humidity were really starting to build. Jumping on I-77 to
cross the river, we exited at the first exit and took the MPFB
route (WV14/31 to WV16) to Gauley Bridge area and our first
2 nights lodging at the Glen Ferris Inn. As usual, WV16 was
a hoot and we’d been dodging rain pretty much all afternoon,
but it caught us at Clay, WV – in a downpour.
Luckily, around the next corner was the Go-Mart, and we
stopped to don raingear; we were barely off the bikes when
‘Zap’ the lightning knocked out the power. So, we hung out
here for a good 20 minutes or so, waiting out the lightning
and suiting up in raingear. It rained the rest of the way pretty
much to Glen Ferris Inn, so we took it a bit easy. Just one last
stop - we needed BEER at the local mini-mart. We arrived
around 6:30, checked in, quick shower change and dinner at
the restaurant.
A couple words about the Glen
Ferris Inn – STAY THERE! It is
well worth the price, the setting
is wonderful and it’s right on the
river. This inn is on the US National Registry of Historic Places
and has been providing lodging at
its location since before the Civil
War (1836, see photos.) The rate all
in was less than $80 for the night,
double occupancy with 2 queen
size beds in the room. They have an The Glen Ferris Inn
onsite dining room with a chef (not
cook) and daily specials, plus they serve beer and maybe wine
too. The dinners were very good and reasonably priced (under
$20) and breakfasts were substantial - really liked the omelets.
WARNING – the dining room closes at 8:00 pm, so don’t ride
too late if you plan to have supper here.
Day 2 (Tuesday, June 16 - 248 miles)
This day was a little shorter mileage wise, but the roads
were considerably twistier and we were not trying to make it
to the good roads like the day before – we were already there.
Following US60 we rode out of Glen Ferris to WV16 towards
Rainelle, then onto WV20 north – WV39/55 E then US219 to
WV15 to WV20 south to WV41E to WV39E to WV16S back
to Glen Ferris Inn. This circuitous counterclockwise route
took us through Rainelle, Richwood, Marlinton (our lunch
stop), then north to Valley Head, then back west thru Webster
Springs, Craigsville, Summerville then the GF Inn. Plug these
cities into Google maps (or comparable web location or software) and it will plot the exact route we took. Quite honestly,
these are some of the best roads I’ve ever ridden, and I spent
almost 20 years riding the roads in and around southern California from Monterey to San Diego.
Simply outstanding roads and I plan to go back there many
more ATM on 8 ➲
➲ ATM from 7
times. The next day we again were on WV16 to VA16 (more
to come on that) and that is a road to rival the best anywhere.
(Map of day’s route below. Notice the lack of straight lines.)
Day 3 (Wednesday, June 17 - 217 miles)
This day was relocation day so to speak. Our next destination was the Alleghany Inn & Conference Center in Sparta,
NC and our route took us through Fayetteville, Beckley, Sophia, Mullens (for lunch) then Bishop, thru Virginia and on to
Sparta, NC.
WV16 to VA16 has got to be the road from heaven for motorcyclists. The scenery and turns are never ending, climbing
up and over the mountain ranges with vistas for miles. The
route followed WV16, US19, and a quick blast on I-77, back
on WV16 to VA16 to US58 to NC93 to US221 then US21 to
the inn. The Alleghany Inn is home to another MSTA event
Tri-Star, and we were greeted by name as my brother had just
stayed there a month or so earlier at Tri-Star, and it’s a very
nice place indeed within walking distance to dinner.
Just before turning into the parking lot, the four Harleys
ahead of us pulled in. We pulled up a couple spots away, and
taking my helmet off the first thing I hear is the guys are
speaking German to each other. Mustering up my two years
of high school German, we struck up a conversation. Luckily,
their English was much better than my German, and we came
to find out these 4 take a trip like this to the US every 3-4
years. Last one was to ride Route 66, they’d also been to the
west coast and ridden the Pacific Coast Highway. They were
having a good time.
Another day of gorgeous weather for the most part and after
dinner and some suds we settled in to finalize the weeks planning. Weather predictions were starting to look pretty bleak
for what we had planned to be our Saturday return ride home.
The option was to ride the additional day (Saturday) with
guaranteed rain for the whole day, or cut the trip short a day
riding home Friday in mixed rain / dry conditions and likely
rain much of afternoon. We opted to cut short a day – no need
to press your luck riding all day in the rain if you don’t have
to. Plans were finalized to go from Sparta, NC to Elkins, WV
for day 4, & then back to Ohio on day 5.
Day 4 (Thursday, June 18 - 294 miles)
Another relocation day, plus a change of plans had us cramming some miles in this day and heading predominantly
north. Departing Sparta (after topping off our tanks) we
followed NC21 to NC18 and onto the Blue Ridge Parkway
(BRP). We followed the BRP for around 80 miles or so from
Cumberland Knob to Adney Gap, the sweepers were nice
but hard to keep to the 45 mph speed limit. Very peaceful
ride, and want to go back sometime and ride more miles, like
we had planned to do before the weather interrupted things.
Exiting the BRP to US221 which we followed to VA419 then
VA311, taking us to our lunch stop in Paint Bank, VA at the
Swinging Bridge restaurant.
At lunch I had the pulled BBQ buffalo (which was very
good), figuring I can get a burger pretty much anyplace, but
not too often I see buffalo on the menu. Filling up at the attached gas station made it a one stop fueling for both humans
and machines. Continuing on VA311 took us up and over a
few more passes – did I mention how good the roads are in
Virginia! If you ever get down there, be sure and ride VA16 as
well as VA311, since you won’t find anything like them anywhere in the state of Michigan.
VA311 ends into I-64 heading west for a few exits, then
we headed onto US219 at Lewisburg, VA (it later becomes
both US219 & US250) and followed that to Elkins, WV. We
stopped at a motel, took off our gear and then turned around
to see the sign (sheet of paper taped in front window of office)
“NO VACANCY”. Luckily, there was a place right across the
street called the Iron Road Inn, which had vacancies and had
a nice steakhouse on the same property. Our hotel key got us
a 10% discount on dinner, the room was about $85 all in so it
was a great place to stay. Iron Road Inn can’t miss it right on
US219/250 in Elkins, WV.
Rich’s brothers Triumph Sprint ST
Day 5 (Friday, June 19 - 249 miles)
Final day of the trip we were looking to make time and
miss the rain as much as possible. It was going to be a day of
mostly US250, some pseudo-slab but also some nice curvy
sections, but we were willing to make that sacrifice. We’d
ridden so many extremely good weather days, this wouldn’t
be that bad. Picking up US250 out of Elkins, we headed in a
northeasterly direction following it to Wheeling, WV where
we took a quick jaunt on the interstate to avoid the massive gridlock around the river crossing there, then back onto
US250. The road was beaten up pretty bad in some parts,
requiring some rather fearless maneuvers dodging potholes,
reminded me of home. We stopped in Cameron, WV at the
Bridgestreet Café for lunch and enjoyed the break. Just as we
were finishing our meal, the rain started.
“Quick, to the bikes Batman”, where we got the rain gear
out, covered the tank bags, and back inside to suit up. Pretty
much the rest of the ride to Fairlawn was in the rain, but we
were on fairly sedate roads with limited traffic. Leaving lunch
it was back on US250 to Dover, OH and then OH516, to OH93
to OH21 back to Steve’s house.
It was a great 5 day trip, with about one day total of rain
spread over the five days. We covered 1,313 miles together and
I added another 412 for my trip from MI to OH and back. This
was the first multi-day trip I’ve taken with this brother (we
have 4 more besides us 2) and it was a grand time. I went back
to work the next Monday and for two weeks I was on the high
of this trip. I know I said it before in this article, but if you
haven’t ridden these roads, you need to go.
From Joe Arozarena is his story of he and his son’s attendance at the California Superbike School at Virginia International Raceway.
After years of riding a motorcycle it takes a fair amount of
humility to admit that you don’t really know how to “ride” a
motorcycle. I bought my first motorcycle 22 years ago and I
thought that I knew how to ride. I rode long distances – from
Seattle to San Francisco, Ann Arbor to Dallas, and many
other long trips. I rode dirt bikes, cruisers and sport bikes. I
rode some of the most famous motorcycle roads in the country. So I thought I knew how to ride a motorcycle… until I
took my first group ride with the MSTA. During this year’s
MR2 ride I realized how little I really understood about reading the road and handling the machine. I realized how unsmooth my technique was, and I realized that I needed to get
serious about improving my knowledge and skills.
So I decided to go to school. I heard nothing but positive
remarks about the California Superbike
School and I decided to invest in their Level 1 course at the
Joe and Reid Arozarena at VIR
Virginia International Speedway both for myself and for my
son. I wasn’t sure what to expect and to be honest I was a bit
anxious and worried about going out on a genuine race track
with a BMW S1000RR; I had never ridden anything with that
much power and performance and certainly not on a twisty
race track. The only real comfort I had was that it was just
Level 1 and I was at least starting at the bottom and should be
able to handle it after 22 years of experience.
The Superbike course is set up with alternating sessions
in the classroom and on the track with each session being focused on a specific skill - such as throttle control, relaxed grip
and posture, identifying turning points, and more. Each track
session lets the rider work on what they just learned in the
classroom and also get coaching from an instructor who shadows the student on the track to both guide them and observe
the student’s performance with a personal critique being given
at the end of each ride.
The first challenge was getting the gear on. As a ‘casual’
rider I had never worn real racing leathers, boots or gloves.
Getting into the leathers was an exercise similar to some of
the yoga poses I’ve done before, but less comfortable. Fortunately my son was there with me and we helped each other
wiggle into our leathers. The boots were easy but the gloves
took a good bit of convincing to get on and tightened up.
When I was fully geared up my anxiety level rose a bit more
because I couldn’t imagine that I’d be able to ride well when
I was tied up in all this leather and hard plastic. I genuinely
questioned how well I could handle the bike’s controls with all
this new gear on. And then there was the concern about riding a super sport bike with the forward lean riding position.
I’d had some bad experiences with sport bikes in the past with
sore wrists and back. I was honestly concerned that I might
ride a few laps around the course and end up being too physically uncomfortable to continue. Add to all that the anxiety of
going out onto a twisty race track that I was completely unfamiliar with and it adds up to a lot of trepidation and concern.
What surprised me the most on the first lap around the
track was how comfortable I felt. The bike moved fluidly
around the corners, accelerated wonderfully, and all that gear
I was wearing suddenly became unnoticeable once I was in
the proper riding position and focused on the road in front of
more ATM on 10 ➲
Joe on the BWM S1000RR at the California Superbike School
➲ ATM from 9
me. I was looking ahead to the upcoming turn, concentrating
on what I had learned in class and trying to put it into use, and
all the other concerns I had just melted away as the bike and I
moved swiftly and smoothly through the turns. With a lesson
in throttle control I found myself accelerating smoothly at the
right point in my turn.
Another lesson in turning points had me seeing the proper
point in the road to start my lean and how much easier the
tight turns on the track became when I followed a good line.
A lesson in riding with a relaxed grip on the handle bar helped
me feel the bike doing what the bike was engineered to do –
versus wresting with it as I had previously done. With each
session I got more comfortable and faster through all the turns
on the track.
The day had started at 8am in the classroom and we finished around 6pm. It was a long day but it went by very
quickly and I was extremely pleased with what I had learned
and how much more confident I was about my riding skills.
Sure, I have a lot to learn. This was just Day 1 of Level 1 and
I was by no means the best student out there on the track. But
I felt great about the fundamentals that I had learned and the
progress I had made. This one day of professional instruction
had done more for me than years of riding and thousands of
miles had done. This might not be news to any of the MSTA
riders but for the casual motorcycle rider it is. None of my
casual riding friends were familiar with the California Superbike School and did not realize that there were race trackbased training courses available. Most riders get only the
rudimentary instruction during their local endorsement course
and then venture out on the road with the hopes of staying
upright and out of trouble. But the truth is that there is a lot
of potential trouble out there on the roads and the only way to
effectively prepare for it is to improve your skills so that you
can respond in a controlled manner in an emergency. Riding
lots of miles won’t prepare you. Riding for several years won’t
prepare you. Relying on loud pipes won’t save you. There is
knowledge to be learned, skills to be mastered, and practice to
reinforce it all. And like any other endeavor in life, the better
you perform the more you enjoy it.
So take the advice of a life-long novice and get some profession training. Eat that slice of Humble Pie and get yourself
to that first day of school.
ing the heat of a Florida summer and riding 30-150 miles one
way for a little brunch time together!? (BTW, the Boynton
Beach Boys took the long-distance award) Well, 28 of us loonies made our way to the Runway Café at the Sebring Airport
and flat over ran the place with our ATGATT selves!! I had
warned them to be ready for 10-15 of us, and they fortunately
took me seriously and brought in added staff. We just change
the game a little, and they did a fine job accommodating not
only our group, but 4 others that did not give them any warning!! The owner thanked us for our patience, and explained
that the previous Saturday, he only served 28 customers over
the whole day! I told him how much we like to gab, so the
slow delivery wasn’t a big deal...
Lunch at Runway Cafe
Besides, we had lots of distractions to pass the time... Not
only did we have our largest ever 50/50 raffle, but we also
handed out 4 donated STAR door prizes. A BIG THANK
YOU to Eve Blazsur for her kindness!! (though she’s hardly a
stranger...) The big winner of the raffle was Don Williams!!
He took his half of the $96 pot!! And I swear he did not look
for his own ticket when he picked the winning number... That
brings our FL MSTA total to $559.50!! We still have the modest T-shirt proceeds to add in the very near future...
Ohio
From Doug McPeek is the news about Fall Colors Ride 2015
If you bailed, you failed. Read the full report on page 21.
South East Region
Alabama Florida Georgia Mississippi
North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Virginia
Florida
Florida South Director’s Report
“I’ve always counted on the kindness of strangers...”
And who is “stranger” than a group motorcycle riders brav10 | www.RideMSTA.com
The bunch at lunch at Runway Cafe
And we had another big winner in Larry Fitch!! He made
the most of his $20 worth of raffle tickets by scoring two of
the gift certificates, worth north of $200!! The other winners
were Jerry Brown and new transplant Dave Sytsema!! A big
THANK YOU to all the participants!!
More than one of you asked what we were going to do with
Club’s take from the 50/50 raffle. Some to the suggestions
were to donate the funds to an MSTA friendly charity, like the
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, or the Dan Clark Safety
Fund. Another idea was a little more hedonistic! Pick a central-state site and have a Holiday Party for the membership!
We need more suggestions—legal, ethical, doable!!—from
you all! We need to keep about $50 in the kitty to cover annual website costs, so that would leave ~$500 available right
now, or maybe $650+ by the holidays...
Welcome to the first week of autumn... Some where else?!?
I did check my weather apps and found that NC, ID, AR
and others are indeed enjoying the relief that comes with the
beginning of October!! We are still pushing 90 degree afternoons in sunny south FLA!! Which is why we enjoyed our last
brunch ride of the season with a visit to a new-to-us location.
September 19th found eight of us gabbing and grubbing at the
Big V Restaurant in LaBelle!! With the advanced notice, they
opened up the “back room” for us (easily large enough for 2530) and gave us great service and good food!! As advertised,
this place is just plain and simple, with just enough funkiness
and terrific prices to let us consider returning for a lunch date
next year!! It’s always a relief when a new place works out,
and even better when the consensus supports a return visit!
Lunch bunch at Big V restaurant
We did not add to the raffle tally this month. And I haven’t
heard from you about what we might do with the growing
funds. Here’s what I wrote last month... “More than one of
you asked what we were going to do with Club’s take from the
50/50 raffle. Some to the suggestions were to donate the funds
to an MSTA friendly charity, like the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Foundation, or the Dan Clark Safety Fund. Another idea was
a little more hedonistic! Pick a central-state site and have a
Holiday Party for the membership! We need more suggestions (legal, ethical, doable!!) from you all! We need to keep
about $50 in the kitty to cover annual website costs, so that
would leave ~$500 available right now, or maybe $650+ by
the holidays...”
What’s next?
We are back to LUNCH RIDES until next June! More riding time, better temps, and hopefully larger crowds!! On Oc-
tober 10th, join Teresa at the Airport Restaurant & Gin Mill
at the DeLand Airport. Two weeks later, join me for a ride to
Pahokee Mo’s Tiki Bar and Sunset Grill (whew!!), right on the
banks of Lake O!! Yes, the place is still open. Yes, we were
there a few years ago and it has been through a few owners
since then. BUT, this place has such potential!! So, let’s support the current owner’s efforts and enjoy some water front
dining!! Be sure to check out our award winning website
www.flmsta.org for all things moto!!
And it’s not too soon to make your plans for the AIMExpo event in Orlando!! In between our lunch rides, you better find yourself at the Orange County Convention Center!!
The general public is welcome on Saturday, Oct. 17th and
Sunday, Oct. 18th. Be sure to check out the event site www.
aimexpousa.com for lots of info! Book your hotel NOW, as
this event is adding 100,000 square feet of exhibit space over
last year’s area, and there’s something called Fright Nights at
many of the Orlando attraction venues that draw huge crowds
every year!! Be sure to set aside some time to check out the
demo ride area! Our very own Doug and Becky Westly will
be running the Honda demo team featuring street bikes, and
two and four wheel off-road rides!!
I just went online to purchase tickets. Couldn’t be simpler,
and they offer a couple of discounts!! I used my AMA membership and took advantage of the bikebandit.com promo as
well. Suggestion...plan on TWO days to take in the whole
event!! You’ll be glad you did!!
Florida Central Director’s Report
Thank you to Tom Blake, of Melbourne, who contributed
this ride report for the Central FL brunch ride on Aug. 8th...
“Larry, Steve, Scott and Tom rode over to the Broadway
Diner in Bartow from West Melbourne via Holopaw and
picked up Bill and Nicole at Yeehaw Junction along SR 60.
We had a good assortment of bikes – 1 standard GS, a GSA,
a K1600GTL, a C14 and a Z1000 – you can’t miss those lime
green Kawasakis. We encountered about a dozen peacocks in
the middle of US 441 near Kenansville and had to slow pretty
much to a crawl until they finally decided to get off the road –
silly birds.
At the diner, another 5 guys (isn’t that a hamburger place?)
showed up, I believe all, from the Lakeland area on their
Trophy SE’s, KTM Adventure, Can-am Spider and I believe
one fellow was on a Goldwing trike. The diner, new to us,
was clean, bright, had plenty of room and was well staffed
with friendly servers. And the food was good, too. First place
I’ve seen that had 4-egg omelets on the menu. This place is
a keeper – please add it to the rotation. Scott got the earliest
riser award as he rode up to West Melbourne from the south
Vero area, arriving about 6:30 for our 7:00 start. Amazingly,
the weather cooperated with us today despite the 60% rain
forecast. We hit a light sprinkle west of Melbourne and very
little else for the whole trip. Never bothered with the rain gear.
Temperatures started in the mid-seventies and didn’t get into
the eighties until we were almost to Bartow. It was in the low
nineties coming home but not bad as long as we keep moving.
Great timing because it just poured right after we got home.
Good times.”
more ATM on 12 ➲
➲ ATM from 11
South Central Region
Arkansas Colorado Kansas Louisiana
New Mexico Oklahoma Texas Wyoming
Louisiana
From Lea Nangle is her article titled “Switchbacks”
Can it be it was eight years ago when I first went for a ride
with the MSTA boys? Actually they were the HSTA boys at
the time, but that’s another story. I was, at first, very critical
of the gadget boys and their toys, and I may have ridiculed
their excuse for a motorcycle rally, (very little beer, no black
leather, and NO T*TS!) How boring? What do you mean “we
just like to ride”? Some of those disturbed fellows rode up
to two thousand miles just to get there. Are you kidding me?
And after they got to the rally….they spent every day RIDING!!! That is just messed up. People at bike rallies drink,
smoke, have burnout competitions, wet-t-shirt contests,
drink, get tattoos, and drink. What is the purpose of this
gathering? To ride? That’s it?
Then they invited me to ride.
OMG. They don’t just ride….they ride. They ride like
they like to ride. They ride like they know how to ride. They
know how to ride because they ride …a lot. They ride a lot
because they know how to ride. Does that make sense? Today
I am back, I heard the best of the best were going to be in
town, and I couldn’t resist tagging along and going for another ride. I was not disappointed. But…
Where did all these adventure bikes come from? Do we really need those? It reminds me of all those 4x4 trucks owned
by drivers that never experience as much mud as their wives
do during a spa treatment. Remember, you can only have a
visor on your helmet if you have an adventure bike; otherwise
it just looks all wrong. It could be that all that industrial piping
and aluminum scaffolding on the bikes give way more opportunity to bolt on some clever clutching -mount for your smart
phone, tablet, laptop, and some new electronic device that can
detect the slightest variation in barometric pressure, govern-
ment air surveillance, receive ultra-low frequency radio from
Scandinavia, film with more resolution than the Keppler satellite, monitor tectonic plate movement, and give the time and
temperature on 7 continents and 6 oceans. Pretty sure we have
alien spacecraft, stashed in caves in Nevada, that don’t have
devices as sophisticated as your average GS pilot. And with
all this latest technology. … You bolt on bags that look like
they were forged in a steel mill in Dusseldorf, or a blacksmith
shop in Virginia. (Even the aliens got a handle on aero dynamics – never seen a square UFO.) Kind of like that visor, how
much air does that catch? And that big square camera mounted
on your helmet that gives you hours of footage, ALL of which
looks exactly the same, whether you ride in Florida or Montana - Half of the helmet, yellow line on the road, trees whirring past….thrilling. (unless you crash, then it’s really cool!)
13 inches of suspension travel is not really necessary, is it?
(maybe if you ride in Peru or Louisiana) I have a theory about
the evolution into adventure bikes and it mostly consists of
anecdotal evidence about riders, depending solely on GPS,
repeatedly becoming hopelessly lost on unpaved roads in
counties where banjo music could be the last pleasant sound
you hear. What happened to sport bikes, soft-luggage and a
map? I’ve seen pictures, and that is how this group started
out. Leave it to an outsider to be the only one to get nostalgic.
STAR 2015 was fun. It was great to see all the guys (and 6
girls) again. Maybe one day I will actually join this party and
make that seven. Until then, thanks for the inspiration to ride.
Ride to Live by Tim Smith
The annual convergence of the Motorcycle Sport Touring
Association occurred in NW Arkansas, and after a 6 year
hiatus, I returned to the club and attended the STAR annual
rendezvous. The riding was great and meeting was as expected, if not for one slightly noticeable shift of attitude. The
shift in attitude, not mine, but rather that of the organization.
I felt the tremor shaking the foundation of the group hierarchy, if not the membership altogether. Since I have been away
for a bit, I don’t know if it is as sudden as it seems to me, but
the shift in attitude, though subtle, hit me like an earthquake.
The MSTA is now concerned about membership numbers, and
more specifically, about the aging demographics of the group.
WHAT????
About seven years ago, when my profile with the organization was more
defined, as a
state director (at
the time), I had
a platform from
which to shout.
So I shouted. I
shouted about
how the organization was
doing nothing
to attract new
young riders,
and it was not
using the accomplished and
extensive riding experience of its membership to improve
the image of motorcycling. I shouted that THIS group was
uniquely positioned to illustrate to new riders the true joy and
excitement of motorcycling. I have had the privilege to bring
a few new riders into the sport touring life and every single
rider that has ever ridden with this group has expressed
amazement that they never knew riding could be this much
fun. To quote myself “if the government, or our moms, find
out how much fun this is, they will put a stop to it”. Seven
years ago, the overwhelming response to my shouting was a
cricket-chirping silence. Nothing. At first I was astounded
and confused as to why no one seemed concerned that the
group was not growing, but only growing older. Finally, a
friend confided that he truly believed that maybe the group
didn’t want to attract new younger riders. They just wanted to
continue to get together and ride.
I thought about that, and frankly, I couldn’t find much
wrong with that attitude. I understood it. They just want to
ride, enjoy it while it lasts, and ride off into the sunset. However, this doesn’t do anything to perpetuate the organization.
This was not the reason I was away from STAR’s for 6
years that had more to do with the local economy. I still loved
to ride…I just couldn’t make the trips. So as I sat in Springdale and heard the plea of the membership director, and as he
dissected the demographics, and made the subtle point that the
membership will/is slowly dying out, I was struck with irony.
At 56, I am still three years under the median age for the
membership (one of the youngsters) so maybe I still represent
the future. As Alan (Brown) and I sat eating breakfast at the
more- than- adequate Holiday Inn in Springdale, other members were discussing GPS mapping configuration mumbojumbo, stock futures, or the Cubs or Rangers, we contemplated the future of motorcycling in general. We pondered
on the reasons why such a vital, thrilling pastime, hobby,
devotion, obsession or whatever you want to call it, could be
disappearing. Is it disappearing?
Look at the age of the riders, be it MSTA, Harley-Davison
riders, BMW riders, touring couples on Gold Wings, or
those uninspiring “trikes”, you name it…. They were mostly
born in the 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s. They are the Baby-Boomers,
they grew up when motorcycling was growing up. The 50’s
brought the rebels, James Dean and Marlon Brando, then the
invasion of the British racing bikes. The 60’s brought the Japanese invasion lead by Honda, and followed by Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki. The people riding today grew up when
motorcycling was vibrant, alive and exciting, and many of
them never got to ride, but always wanted to. In century 21,
many of the boomers can now afford to ride and reach out to
regain a bit of that lost youth, whether that means pulling on
black leather and dew rag on the weekends and getting “Live
to Ride” tattooed on the deltoid, or zipping up the “Aerostich” and plugging in the GPS coordinates, XM radio, Go Pro
video, radar detector, heated grips and seat, auto-mood sensing windscreen tinting, and automatic dog-polisher. These
near-retirement boomers are the heart and soul and bankroll
of motorcycling today. But we are all getting older.
Kids born in the 80s and 90s don’t have the same passion
and history, they want to ride four-wheelers and play computer games, and the generations behind them are the iPhone/
iPad generation where most of the thrills are virtual.
Who will be riding motorcycles in another 20 years?
Which group of today’s riders will influence a new generation. Will it be those who “live to ride”? Many of which
never really “learned” to ride, but rather became financially
“able” to ride. Or this tiny group of people who know a secret
about riding that we seem to be desperately trying to keep to
ourselves. I think there is a future to motorcycling, but what
it looks like is a big unknown.
See ya. I think I’ll go for a ride now.
West Region
Alaska
Alberta Arizona British Columbia California Hawaii Idaho Montana
Nevada Northwest Territories Oregon Utah Washington Yukon
Nevada
Bikefest brought in large number of riders to Nevada. This
annual event rocks the whole town with motorcycle poker
runs, custom bike displays, celebrity appearances, and demo
rides. Victory Motorcycles showcased their bikes in a typical
Vegas fashion. Nick Zarras was able to test several of the new
Indian Scout motorcycles at the Indian demonstration area.
(See story on page 33).
Weather was as the Nevada DMV states “notorious” in the
more ATM on 14 ➲
Victory Motorcycle display at BikeFest, Las Vegas
Indian Motorcycle customer orientation ride area at BikeFest,
Las Vegas.
California Superbike School body position training
Riders on the way to Valley of Fire.
➲ ATM from 13
October/November time frame. However, when BMW
Motorcycles of Las Vegas hosted a 200-mile Valley of Fire
ride, the previous days of 40 degree, rain, and high winds
parted like the waters at Sea of Reeds during Moses’ quest,
for the intrepid riders to enjoy 64 to 72 degree temperatures,
sunshine, and smiles. Curtis Cummings, who led the last
Death Valley Ride, took seven riders through the Valley of
Fire, down Lake Shore Drive, Lake Mead, NV, to a luncheon
of good American Eats in Boulder City, Nevada.
Keith Code’s California Superbike School (CSS,
www.superbikeschool.com) conducted his renowned training
school at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) on Nov
14/15. Chief Riding Coach Cobie Fair taught a free Body Position training program for Las Vegas riders. After the training,
the CSS riding coaches Connor Duffy and Joe Calabro led the
riders on several training laps. Steve Avalos, of Las Vegas Motorcycles of Las Vegas (LVMLV) coordinated this combined
MARS (Motorcycle Awareness and Rider Safety)/LVMVL
event. CSS’ first 2016 LVMS class is on Feb 13/14. Our deepest thanks to Keith Code and his very professional staff for
improving riders’ skill and safety on the road and on the track.
You can read Nick Zarras’ CSS review in STAReview 3201 on
www.ridemsta.com. There were many upgrades from the last
course I took. They run a very professional school, and your
ride is the BMW S 1000 RR. A great bucket list item.•
Riders lined up for training laps at LVMS
Nick Zarras, Keith Code and Steve Avalos with a CSS BMW S
1000 RR
ROAD TEST
2016 BMW S 1000 XR
By Nick Zarras Managing Editor
Even though we get older on the outside, when we ride, we feel younger inside. We still like the high performance
that we craved in the past, but must be
mindful of our need for change in motorcycle ergonomics. That usually leads
to compromise with comfort getting the
nod over performance and handling.
Sport touring is more focused and offers unique motorcycle model niches
now. Touring seems less important to
the sport aspect. However, with most
MSTA’ers putting on mega miles, just
for lunch, comfort has to be a priority.
BMW has solved that dilemma by creating a high performance motorcycle that
is as fast as the BMW S 1000 RR, up
to 9000 RPMS, yet has adventure bike
ergonomics. It also has the latest “rider
forgiving” electronic programs that
can monitor and adjust all engine and
suspension performance. This is a new
more ROAD TEST on 16 ➲
➲ ROAD TEST from 15
lease on life for a rider of any age. Therefore, you can still
have your high performance with desirable ergonomics. Since
it is not a sport bike and not a touring bike it is categorized as
an Adventure-Sport.
Style: I first got a taste of this conversion style in the S
1000 R. The 2016 BMW S 1000 XR has a more rugged profile than the S 1000 R. The front fairing is large with a manually adjusted large windscreen. The color choices are Racing
Red or Light White. The test bike’s color was Racing Red.
Basics: The new water/oil-cooled 999 ccm 4-cylinder
4-stroke in-line engine delivers 160 hp at 11,000 rpms. The
maximum torque is 83 ft-lbs. at 9250 rpms, about 1000 rpms
sooner than the S 1000 RR. Premium fuel consumption is
improved to a published 44 mpg at 56 mph. Fuel capacity is
5.2 gallons (1 gallon reserve) and .6 gallons more than the RR.
The S 1000 XR’s total wet weight is 502 lbs. Its payload is 447
pounds.
The left switch array includes the following: Cruise control,
trip/info, ABS/ESA, hazard switches, turn signals, headlights,
and horn. Press the Trip button and the rider toggles between
total miles, range remaining, Trip 1, Trip 2, average MPG,
and average MPH. Ambient temperature and time is on all
screens. Press INFO and you go into the track database for
lap times, and engine performance. On the S 1000 XR, the
thumb-wheel that is used to select data screen options on the
RT/GT series, controls only the BMW Motorrad navigator
V GPS. On the right switch array are the the two position
heated grips and engine mode selector, plus the start button.
The engine mode switch selects Rain, Road, Dynamic, and
Dynamic Pro engine performance modules. The selected
mode is displayed on the console instrument LED to the right
of the tachometer. The new instrument panel has a much
clearer display.
Tires: Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T30 are the OEM
tire. In front is a 120/70 ZR17 and the rear a 190/55 ZR17.
Ride modes: Automatic Stability Control (ASC) is standard.
My test vehicle had the Premium package, which included
Ride Modes Pro. The Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) adds
two more rides modes: Dynamic and Dynamic Pro to the Rain
and Road modes. The upgraded sensor box detects the bike’s
bank angle and applies DTC. The rider can be more aggressive, and expect less wheelie and traction intervention.
How is it to ride? The S 1000 XR starts right away without
the older generation long bit checks. It feels very light and
rolls back easily. Low speed maneuverability is like a much
lighter and smaller machine. The seat at 33.1 inches felt good
for my 32-inch inseam, but may be a bit high for some. On the
road, the leg and arm ergonomics felt spot on for my six-foot
frame. For the taller rider a 33.7-inch seat is available. For the
shorter rider a 32.28-inch seat is available at no cost. A 31.1inch seat height is available with the low suspension and the
low seat for $220.
I had an original quick test ride month’s prior to the full
test. There was an immediate feel of a vast upgrade to this
model. I noticed the rear braking and handling difference
from the S 1000 RR and S 1000 R. That bike also had Dynamics Traction Control, Ride Modes Pro, and Race ABS.
Running through the gears with rapid acceleration is a simple task. The new HP Shift Assistant Pro enables the rider to
shift up or down without using the clutch through the 6-speed
gearbox. This vastly reduces shift time. This also provides
less load on the rear wheel for better directional stability.
The up and down shifts are crisp, and no throttle changes are
needed or desired, during the gearshift process. If you chose
to be a traditionalist and shift using the clutch, you will find
the wet, hydraulic, multiplate anti-hopping clutch to be, as we
would say in Jersey... it’s smooth like Budder.
The engine power curve is linear and highly tailorable.
The rider can choose the engine to be laid back and smooth,
or very aggressive. You have usable power and torque at any
speed, with great midrange, and very strong top end. The engine pulls from 3000 rpms to redline without complaint. This
motorcycle was designed to operate from 6000 rpm to redline
and in that rpm range it will surprise many a sport bike rider.
The 2016 S 1000 XR’s ride-by-wire throttle control provided
me seamless direct throttle control. I felt I had excellent accelerator input and release control. The throttle response is much
smoother, allowing the cornering to be more precise.
The Dynamic ESA suspension (two position), is a semiactive suspension that adds a whole new feel to the road. I kept
it in Dynamic for most of the session. The rider selects three
preload options, for a single, or dual rider, and with baggage.
Then the rider selects either the Road or Dynamic setting on
the D-ESA. Road is more relaxed, Dynamic more aggressive.
The suspension is very well composed. It responds to the rider
inputs at a level close to thought process. The 2016 S 1000 XR
is state-of-the-art, a quantum leap forward, and highly addictive! The system sensors provide ECU inputs from bank-angle,
throttle position, DTC, ABS and spring-travel sensor, which
allowed a seamless damping during turns. The interface was
transparent to the S 1000 XRs performance. The S 1000 XR
is so comfortable at any speed on the long sweeping turns;
that you could unknowingly be at speeds that will have you
contributing to the state tax base.
Braking is also upgraded to another level. The upgrade to
the rear single 265 mm Brembo 4-piston caliper w/Race ABS
(part-integral-switchable) is immediate but smooth. No pitching or destabilization of the platform was observed. Very little
pressure is needed on the controls. You don’t really feel the
traditional “brake lever bite,” just the bike slowing in complete
control.
The ride is taught but comfortable. The 4.3-inch increase in
wheelbase over the S 1000 R increases stability. The S 1000
XR suspension provides 5.9 inches of front and rear travel, a
1.2-inch increase over the S 1000 R. This was a great benefit
on the less than smooth I-95 highway.
When new, the S 1000 XR engine does have a vibration
between 4500-5500 rpms. However, at 55 mph, you are only
at 4000 rpms, well under the rpm vibration range. In addition,
it has been documented that three things reduce the vibration.
Have the mechanic check and torque the engine bolts and the
handlebars to spec. In addition, the vibration decreased after
more ROAD TEST on 18 ➲
the break-in miles were completed.
Some general notes: Ergonomics fit well for my 220
pound, 6 foot frame. Engine cooling is excellent. Riding in
104 degrees air temperature, I saw the water temperature
gauge read 178 degrees. The manually adjustable windshield
provides good wind protection. I liked it in the down position. I tested the cruise control and it worked as per BMW
standards. The heated grips are standard BMW excellent performers. The S 1000 XR alternator puts out 486 watts which
will power additional lights and heated gear. The center stand
is easy to use. Saddlebag mounts held my 58-liter rear bag
with camera gear, med kit, and fluids. I saw 41 mpg average
on the test run. I did not get to test the top speed, but looking
at the specs, it should be in the 160 mph range. The ground
clearance and Adventure configuration will allow some light
off-road use.
The 2016 S 1000 XR at a base MSRP of $16,350 (which includes ABS) is a great value. The local price with the Touring
package: heated grips, GPS prep, Dynamic ESA, center stand, luggage grid,
saddlebag mounts, Dynamic package,
cruise control, Ride Modes Pro, Gear
Shift Assist Pro and Dynamic Traction
Control is $19,245. Some options you
may want are hand protection, BWM
Motorrad Navigator V, touring case, top
case, and tank bag.
The BMW S 1000 XR is a state of
the art motorcycle blending superbike
capability with easy day-to-day livability. My thanks to Steve Avalos,
Director of Marketing (e-mail: savalos@
bmwoflasvegas.com, and Tom Evans,
Sales Associate (e-mail: [email protected]) for the use of the 2016
BMW S 1000 XR for this road test. The
BMW Motorcycles of Las Vegas contact
information is: phone: 702-454-6269,
web: www.bmwoflasvegas.com, and address: 6675 S. Tenaya Way, Las Vegas,
NV 89113. Stop by and demo a BMW.
They also have a full rental facility on
site. My thanks to Kurt Asplindh for his
help with the photo shoot.•
Ride Safe my friend...
Clear skies, clear roads....
MPFB (Mail Pouch Fly By) 2015
By Doug McPeek
This year’s MPFB reached new heights, not only
for this event but also maybe for any MSTA regional
event. A weather forecast that couldn’t be beat promised warm, dry conditions and riders from 12 states
and the province of Ontario flooded the Ohio River
town of Marietta to take advantage of the conditions.
Over 50 walk-in registrations and 21 new members
helped lift the attendance to 178 registrants on site.
This unexpectedly high turnout had organizers
Jon and Janet Campbell working overtime to bring in
more food. Volunteers put in extra shifts at the very
busy registration and catering operations. All of this
kept the party going as if it were a “normal” event for
120 or so people. The team of members who put on this event met
all challenges with smiles on their faces, but no one
smiled more than the riders who departed Marietta
for the clean roads and clear skies that lay along all
the many routes Mail Pouch provides. Whether they
stayed close to the hotel, or dove deep into West
Virginia, everyone reported good rides and good
times. The convergence of a well-run event, a great
location, and perfect weather made for a memorably enjoyable weekend. We’ll be talking about
this one for years. See all the photos Bryan Dunlap
took at the MPFB event on https://bd614.smugmug.
com/2015-MPFB.
more MPFB on 20 ➲
➲ MPFB from 19
Fall Colors Ride 2015
If you bailed, you failed
By Richy Grabowski, Ohio
The weather forecast was wet all
weekend. Quite a few people decided to
skip the event, supposedly to avoid the
rain. Some who traveled to Lewisburg
thought better of it after one day and left
early. Others stayed but found off-bike
excursions to fill their Saturday. I had ridden down Friday with no rain
until I was south of Fayetteville. South
of the small town of Rupert, less than 20
miles from my destination, U.S. 60 was
closed due to an accident. A highway
worker, who sent me back to Rainelle,
gave me directions. There I should have
stopped and checked a map, but it was
raining, so I followed the local’s directions and went down some Twilight
Zone road that I cannot now find on the
map. It was a paved lane-and-a-half with
wide dirt berms that allowed the large
volume of oncoming traffic to safely
pass by me in the dark, in the rain. I
came out the other side onto a paved
road with no road signs and wandered
around until I found I-64.
On Saturday morning, I looked at the
weather radar and saw that the swirling
rain clouds did not reach far from Lew-
isburg. There was a large clear area to
the west and extensive clearing in northern WV. I decided to head for one of
those areas and ride. This plan sounded
so good that three others decided to
change their plan, which was to head
home early, and come along. I hastily put together a route and we
were on the road within an hour. John
Boyd, Jim Goody, Tom Rannebarger,
and I went south then east. Early on,
the way was unfamiliar, but soon we
were in Talcott. There we found some
new developments. There is now a John
Henry museum, and a new memorial
park is under construction. The John
Henry statue was gone. The plinth remore FALL COLORS on 4 ➲
➲ FALL COLORS from 21
mains with a plaque that reads, “Here stood a statue of John
Henry…” As we were preparing to leave, a local drove up and handed
brochures out the window of his truck. He gave us directions
to the new location of the statue. We found the statue at the
mouth of the Big Bend tunnels directly below the old location.
The statue appears to have been polished and painted, but the
park is not yet finished. We went on to Hinton and paused to view the New River
at what I refer to as the best Dairy Queen I’ve ever seen. We
partook only of the view and headed on to a new road we had
never ridden. State route 10 looks curvy on the map, and it is.
We rolled through a long series of zigzag bends with no traffic to slow us. Soon after that, a dog tried to slow us and John
rolled him down the road. This dog, a stout terrier mix, started by chasing me. He
soon he took a misstep and did a face plant in the ditch. He
wasn’t a quitter. The dog recovered as Jim passed then went
after John’s bike and caught it. According to Tom, the dog lay
in the road briefly then got up. It seemed to have survived a
collision with a crash bar and a pannier. Perhaps he will react
a bit differently the next time a motorcycle passes.•
After enjoying a late lunch at the friendly Justonian Restaurant in Justice, we backtracked to West Virginia routes 97, 54
and then 121 at “Road Ends, WV.” We rode through the only
persistent rain of the day from Beckley back to Lewisburg.
Sunday morning Jim left before the rain. John, Tom, and I
departed later and were on dry roads in less than an hour. We
had a good ride home. Each of us said we were glad we did
not give up on the weekend. Thanks to Syd Mayes for another
great event!•
Membership Corner
Welcome New Members!
Canada
Gary Byrne, Arva, ON
Bradley Seguin, Tecumseh, ON
North Central Region
Don Perkins, Oak Forest, IL
Chris Dobyns, MI
Randy Hodder, Brighton, MI
Prashant Javkar, MI
Beatrice Johnston, Howell, MI
Mark Thrasher, Milford, MI
Todd Vosberg, Bellevue, NE
Robi Baishnab, Hilliard, OH
Ivan Bissett, Columbus, OH
Cathy Dunaway, Canfield, OH
Jerry Humphreys, Union, OH
James Leister, Morrow, OH
Byron Meacham, Vandalia, OH
Fay Taylor, Marengo, OH
Heinz von Eckartsberg, OH
Deb von Eckartsberg, OH
Northeast Region
Michael D Dale, Bowie, MD
Philip Ulzheimer, Columbia, MD
Wendy Ulzheimer, Columbia, MD
Gerald Beuvelet, Erie, PA
Michael Tissandier | Membership Director
South Central Region
Logan Danko, Lenexa, KS
Kevin Moran, Richmond, TX
Southeast Region
Tim Bailey, Germantown, TN
William Miles, TN
Julie Hardy, Midlothian, VA
And…New Life Member!
Joshua Blockburger, AR
This and That…
If you have been following the discussions or participated in the survey
after STAR, you know that the 3 year
experiment with the “lower cost digital
STAReview only” option did not show the
increase in membership we had hoped. In
addition, rising costs for the items many
of us take for granted has forced the EC
to look at a new membership rate structure beginning in January:
In general, the
3-year option is a 10%
savings over the 1
year renewal. Regular,
Sustaining, Dealer,
Merchant, and Life members will all
receive printed copies of the STAReview
beginning with the first issue of 2016 included as part of membership.
If you have any questions, please contact a member of the EC and they will be
happy to answer any concerns you have.
A reminder once again to be sure you
are using the California address for items
such as renewals, otherwise you are at the
mercy of the mail forwarding by USPS
and may be waiting months (if ever)!
Fair weather and safe travels!
Michael Tissandier
P.O. Box 7697, La Verne, CA 91750
909-489-9199
[email protected]
Type
1 year 3 years
Regular
$39$105
Member of Household $10
$25
Sustaining
$65$175
Dealer
$39$105
Merchant
$175$475
Life$600
Product Reviews
SupaBrake-II
In a prior STAReview, I had an article titled: Visibility is Survivability.
This is most important in the hearts of
motorcyclists. The small profile our
motorcycles provide tail end on and
smaller taillights can get lost behind a
large truck. So any device that highlights us is a desirable buy.
One such product is the $69.95
SupaBrake II (SB2) distributed by
Vizi-Tec (www.vizi-tec.com (SB-II
USER GUIDE - (pdf)). It attaches to
your brake lights and provides up to 9
flash profiles. Normal brake patterns
are just a single flash to a higher intensity. This burst pulse flash capability
comes from the Vizible Technologies
SupaBrake embedded algorithm. This
algorithm changes based on the rate
you apply your brakes. Therefore, at
a low braking level it flashes slower
and at higher braking levels the device
flashes more aggressively. After the duration of the flash cycle, the rear brake
light goes to the normal factory steady
condition.
For example at low city driving
speeds, the burst of flashes will be
short. If the brakes are not reapplied
within 12 seconds, the SupaBrake will
not reinitialize the flash sequence.
This is primarily for when the bike is
stopped at the light or in traffic. When
at higher speeds, a sudden deceleration
will generate a longer burst flash to
alert the following vehicle that you are
stopping quickly.
The SupaBrake-II is only .3H x .94L
x 1.38W inches and easily fits under
your motorcycle seat. Three input and
three output 18 AWG wires goes into
and out of the module. Red wire is
input brake signal; yellow is running
light power, black is ground, and white
is modulated output. For most applications there is a factory plug already
installed. My test bike did not have a
factory system so I installed the generic unit.
FEATURES & BENEFITS: There
are 10 selectable programmable profiles with an option to customize an
11th. Let’s look at a few options: Stan-
dard: burst pulses
are initiated then
reverts to the factory
steady light. Duration a function of
time from last brake
application. Input de-bounce: A quick
tap of the brakes without initiating
a flash sequence, just a normal solid
brake light. Force-Flash Retrigger: the
rider manually induces a flash routine
after initial application; good when you
are stopped at a red light to alert a vehicle coming fast at you. You just press
and hold for greater than 3.5 seconds,
release and reapply brakes within a
half second. Decaying Flash Routine:
a quick flash, then longer delay between flashes showing an illusion of
decreasing speed. Defeat: quick bypass
SupaBrake functions to stock factory
use. De-bounce: ability to tap brakes
without resetting the algorithm. Grace
Period: the flash sequence will not start
again if the brakes are reapplied within
a certain period.
Profile Select: is programmable
profile with frequency of flash from
Hi (12.5 Hz), Mid (7.4 Hz) to low (4.0
Hz). That is paired to three algorithms
of Aggressive (60 seconds), Standard
(80 seconds), or Relaxed (120 seconds).
Pulses increase as time increases. For
an example in their user guide the Profile 2 would be Aggressive and High
Frequency, which is best for fast riders,
great for LED taillights and heavy traffic. For Halogen bulbs, a profile 8 of
Aggressive and Low frequency is chosen. You will program the desired profile in accordance with the user guide
procedures. SupaBrake works with all
OEM incandescent, LED or halogen
bulbs. It has a 10 year limited warranty,
is legal in all 50 states, weatherproof
to IEC 529 IP 6.7 standards, has OEM
connectors on factory-matched models (generic model available), and can
handle a high load current. For under
70 dollars, this is a great way to create
a multiple of flash sequences highlighting your motorcycle from underattentive drivers behind you. Visibility
is survivability.•
Vololights and VoloMod
Brake lights show deceleration to vehicles behind you.
However, what if you need to show the vehicle behind you that
you are decelerating during engine braking situations or coasting? Normal brake lights do not provide this notification. The
result can be a rear end collision especially during night or
bad weather conditions. Currently no production motorcycle
or motor vehicle has a stock system to provide that level of
notification.
Enter Vololights (http://vololights.com/) and VoloMod.
Vololights is a brakeless deceleration indicator, which alerts
drivers/riders behind you that you are decelerating. Vololights
patented technology has a three-axis accelerometer and microprocessor to measure your deceleration from any source
such as engine braking, downshifting, or applying the brakes.
It is a license plate holder assembly that has a top LED that
acts as a license plate illuminator and a bottom LED brake
light. Two flash patterns exist, one for normal braking and one
for emergency braking.
Vololights Installation is simple. The license plate frame
runs off your motorcycles rear license place light. To install
just remove the factory license plate assembly. Remove four
screws from the back of the Vololights, slide in your license
plate, reassemble the housing, and reattach it to the factory
license plate mount. Using the included quick attach connector
attach it to the license plate illuminator power source and turn
on the motorcycle power. There is a calibration sequence to
follow using the included magnet. The bike has to be upright
and off the side stand, so two people will make the calibration
process easier.
Normal Vololights installation takes about 15 minutes. I
installed the Vololights on my 2001 Honda VFR 800 FI Interceptor. This older motorcycle taillight mount was such that it
was easier to add a separate mounting plate. For most newer
motorcycles, installation is easy without any fabrication. The
assembly is feather light and installs easily to the existing system. Calibration is simple and the LED lighting is bright and
highly visible during deceleration. It is a perfect safety add on
and adds a trick high tech look for to any motorcycle.
I went on line and checked the user comments. All were
very pleased, with some saying it saved them from an accident. Another said his wife, who rides her own motorcycle
behind him, loves it because she now knows when he is decelerating using only engine braking.
VoloMod: What if you have a Harley-Davidson, live overseas with different size plates, have a custom fender eliminator
kit, or want this capability without additional hardware, then
Vololights has created a Vololights Module or VoloMod. This
is the upgraded circuit board without the LED lights or license
plate frame. It is a small 2x2 inch weatherproof box. It works
off your factory brake light and optionally off your turn signals. Both turn signals will flash simultaneously so as not to
be confused with a turn signal indicator sequence. Turn signal
initiation overrides the VoloMod flash sequence. Brake initiation overrides the VoloMod flash sequence.
Installation is a bit more involved, but can be accomplished
in 30 minutes. Three posi-tap and four posi-lock connectors
are included for wire connections. Insure you install it with the
arrow pointing to the front of the motorcycle. Mount the box
on a level surface. The included magnet is used for calibration.
This calibration keeps the system from actuating when hitting
a bump or on small decelerations. At the top of the module,
the green LED indicates you have power and the two red
LEDs provide output status. Vololights have installation videos on their website at http://vectolabs.dozuki.com/Guide.
MSRP for the Vololights (license plate) is $129.95 and
for the VoloMod is $119.95. A great deal with easy installation and big added safety factor. Vololights are the choice for
CAN-BUS motorcycles. I love technology. Therefore, with the
newest technology available at this low cost we can honestly
say … “Can you see me now?”•
more REVIEWS on 26 ➲
Product Reviews
AMSOIL Oil Products
A motorcycle’s soul is its engine. A
key component to engine long-term performance is oil. It provides the lubrication
to keep parts moving at the lowest coefficient of friction. Superior oil not only
allows smoother performance, but increased horsepower and engine longevity.
AMSOIL produced the world’s first
API-qualified synthetic motor oil in
1972. I have tried several types of oil in
the test bike. All with varying performance. AMSOIL is a premium product
with advanced multi-functional formula. The AMSOIL products I used are
10W-40 Synthetic Metric motorcycle
oil, their 20-micron oil filter, Quickshot
gasoline treatment and stabilizer, and
P.I. performance improvement gasoline
additive concentrate.
AMSOIL 10W-40 synthetic Metric
motorcycle oil (MSRP $12.50/QT):
AMSOIL Synthetic Metric Motorcycle
Oil is designed for metric bike owner
whether riding aggressively, cruising
or in stop-and-go traffic. Synthetic
Metric Motorcycle Oil is advertised
to deliver premium wear protection;
smooth, confident shifts and cool, clean
performance.
AMSOIL Synthetic Metric Motorcycle Oil exceeds the standard for hightemperature film strength to deliver
excellent wear protection. It reduces
engine-operating temperature by reducing friction and heat. It also has heavy
treatment of anti-wear additives to reduce wear in street riding situations. It
is stable under high heat conditions and
contains maximum levels of oxidationinhibitor additives. It is resistant to
volatility and prevents damaging sludge
and carbon deposits for superior engine
cleanliness.
AMSOIL Synthetic Metric Motorcycle Oil contains no friction modifiers
and is advertised to promote smooth
shifting and positive clutch engagement. It controls engine and transmission heat to prevent slippage and glazing thus promoting longer clutch life.
High-rpm operation causes some motor
oils to foam allowing metal surfaces to
contact, causing wear. Synthetic Metric Motorcycle Oil contains advanced
anti-foam additives that help prevent
foaming, allowing riders to use the full
performance of their motorcycles without worry.
Motorcycles can rust from storage,
humidity, and short drives. Rust can
cause uncontrolled wear, compression
loss, and blow-by. AMSOIL Synthetic
Metric Motorcycle Oil contains special
anti-rust agents that deliver superior
rust protection. With its high 11.1 total
base number (TBN), AMSOIL Synthetic Metric Motorcycle Oil provides
greater protection from acid corrosion
and helps maintain internal engine
cleanliness.
Some technical statistics: Hi-Temperature Viscosity Protection (ASTM
D4683) is 4.4 providing better film
strength vs the 2.9 minimum JASP
standard. Viscosity 14.1 @100 C, 191.2
@ 40 C, viscosity index 161. No rust
during rust test. Foam (ASTM D892 SI,
II, III) is zero. Total base number 11.1.
The higher performance level of
allows a the street rider, with use of
the AMSOIL oil filter, to double the
factory-recommended change interval
(miles/hours) or 12 months, whichever
comes first (applicable to engines and
transmission service.) AMSOIL Synthetic Metric Motorcycle Oil is Warranty Secure and is a backed by the
AMSOIL Limited Warranty (G1363)
when used with the AMSOIL EaOM
motorcycle oil filter.
AMSOIL Motorcycle Oil (EaOM)
Filters (MSRP $17.50) incorporate the
synthetic media found in AMSOIL Ea/
EOM Air Filters. The AMSOIL Ea
Motorcycle Oil Filter is fluted for easy
removal. The synthetic nanofiber media
featured in AMSOIL Ea Motorcycle
Air Filters has sub-micron diameters
increasing contaminant trapping. Ea
Motorcycle Oil Filters provide filtering efficiency of 98.7 percent at 20
microns, and efficiency rated at .8
Microns. Conventional paper oil filters
are at 39.39 percent. The Ea Motorcycle
Air Filters can be cleaned and reused.
They should be cleaned annually, and
replaced every four years.
The Honda VFR 800 FI Interceptor test vehicle is rated for regular fuel
with up to 10% ethanol blending. With
any engine performance upgrade, adding additives to the fuel is desirable.
Long-term use of ethanol-blended fuels
can cause damage to motorcycle engine
parts. Two additives were tested.
The first product is P.i. Performance
Improver Gasoline Additive (MSRP
$12.15): P.i. improves fuel mileage
more AMSOIL next page ➲
Cheero Power Plus 3
Ours is a battery-powered nation. For
example, we have cell phones, Bluetooth earphones, computers, Bluetooth
helmets, and communication systems.
Sometimes we don’t have a 12vdc or 115
vac hookup to recharge them. That is
where a backup battery charger comes
in handy. They range from normal cell
phone battery capacity to well past
10,000 mAh. The one I feature today is a
cheero Power Plus 3 13400 mAh battery.
Its mAh rating puts it in the high capacity
bracket. It is ultra-compact and sells for a
reasonable MSRP of $39.99. It comes in
a bright white case with the attachment
cable. The lithium ion battery is encased
in fireproof plastic (Ul94V-0). The battery is rated for 500 usages. Micro USB
Input port is rated at DC 5V/2Amp. The
two charging outputs are 5V/1Amp and
5V/2.4 amp. It has automatic shutoff to
prevent overcharging, and short circuit
protection. It has an 8-hour charge time.
Search http://www.cheero.net/usa/lp/pp3/
for more details. You can purchase it on
amazon.com for $35.99. In addition, for
a good deal over the holiday season we
have one that will go to a lucky MSTA
member. Just go to www.ridemsta.com
and register on the front page for the free
drawing.•
➲ AMSOIL from prev. page
an average of 2.3% and up to 5.7%. It
also reduces hydrocarbons (HC) up
to 15%, carbon monoxide (CO) up to
26% and nitrous oxides (NOx) up to
17%. It also improves engine power and
performance.
The second one is Quickshot®
(MSRP $9.40): This additive cleans
and restores performance for up to 10%
ethanol, and clears up to a 70% flow
improvement, while oxidation stability is improved 44% vs untreated fuel.
It also reduces gas tank varnish, gum,
and insoluble debris in carbs, injectors,
and fuel filters.
How does it perform:
The test profile was to change the
oil, add additives, and allow time for
them to clean the system. Then do a
rider feel evaluation and fuel economy test.
The test motorcycle is a 2001 Honda
VFR 800 FI Interceptor with 43,000
miles. When purchased the factory
stated and observed bike mileage was
35 mpg on 87-octane fuel. During the
cleaning phase I did not baby the engine, just ran it through a city and highway profile to burn down fuel. My plan
was to ride to a near empty tank, then
fill it up and run a fuel mileage test.
However, after 161 miles, it was taking
longer than normal to empty the tank.
Looking at my Valley of Fire trip the
next day I filled the tank up with two
gallons left in the 5.5-gallon tank. This
first mileage data point was 46 mpg.
After the 198-mile Valley of Fire ride,
which the observed travel profile was
high highway speeds, 25-35 mph state
park, then 50 mph national park roads,
I calculated a 48 mpg data point.
In summary: With the AMSOIL
products added to the Honda VFR 800
FI Interceptor, I felt improved engine
performance/mileage with a smoother
delivery and perceived improved power
throughout the rpm range.
My thanks to Chad Calahan (Sin
City Synthetics, Las Vegas, NV 89123,
phone: 661.789.7510, email: [email protected], web: sincitysynthetics.myamsoil.com) and Ernesto
Uribe (High Desert Synthetics, Lancaster, CA, phone: 661.942.1204, email:
[email protected], web: highdesertsynthetics.myamsoil.com) for the AMSOIL products.•
Product Reviews
tailBlazer deceleration
warning bulb
In this issue, I have featured very
sophisticated electronics that provide
multiple programed flash and some
programmable flash sequences that
can tailored to your riding style. However, if you are electronics challenged,
you would want something simple to
put into your brake lights. Aerostich
sells the Kisan Electronics’ tailBlazer,
a bright taillight bulb that when you
apply your brakes flashes four times
fast—pauses—three flashes a little
slower—pauses—two more real slow,
and it’s on full time as a stop light. The
flash/pause sequence takes 4 seconds
and repeats each time you apply the
brakes. This accentuates the brake
light warning to the drivers/riders behind you. The bulb’s reliable digital
electronics are all contained inside the
bulbs base. This is an easily replaceable
“G-4” halogen bulb. As a plus there is a
spare included in the package. Installation is simple. You just replace the standard 1157 dual filament brake/taillight
bulb with the tailBlazer.•
Ride safe my friends.
Happy Holidays
from your STAReview staff
Sweetrides
The Ganaraska 250
By David Edinger, Texas
During my short stint living and
working in Peterborough, Ontario this
year, I was fortunate enough to join two
different clubs. The one I enjoyed the
most was the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group (CVMG) that is a national
club with local chapters. My local chapter was the Ganaraska section. They are
a great group of people who welcomed
my wife and I with open arms, even
though we are from Texas.
Every year, the Saturday after the
Canadian 24th of May weekend, which
is when things have thawed out and everything is open for business, the club
hosts the Ganaraska 250 road run and
agility test (http://www.ganaraska250.
ca./) This is a tribute to the original
multi day Motogiro d’Italia which
was started in 1914. The original rally
reached its peak between 1953-57 when
it had its most participants and ended
in 1957 when all motorcycle races on
Ducati S4RS
TriColore
public roads were abolished in the aftermath of the terrible mille miglia accident. It was reconvened in 1967/68/69
thanks to the efforts of the Italian Motorcycle Federation. However, the newer
event was a road time trial, not a full
race. The Terni Motoclub relaunched
the full race, in the tradition in which it
was originally established, in 1989. This
year was the 24th year.
On this side of the pond, this past
year was the 5th annual Ganarski 250
held in Port Hope, on the shores of Lake
Ontario. This year there were around
60 participants with a goal not to exceed 100. The club runs six competition
classes based on size, not to exceed
750cc for solo motorcycles. They also
have classes for Scooters and Sidecars. I
found myself in Canada with only two of
my bikes and neither one met race requirements. However, the club included
one last class for riders with bikes that
did not meet the criteria for entering into
the competition. This class was called,
“the tourist class,” and allowed any size
or age of bike. Therefore, even though I
couldn’t compete, I was still able to ride
and enjoy the rolling hills and lush countryside on my Ducati S4RS TriColore.
The route is 250 Km’s (155 miles) and
is divided into morning and afternoon
rides with a catered lunch in between.
Success in the competition is based on
the skills of the rider and the reliability
and maneuverability of the bike. Navigational skills are required for negotiating the complex route on back roads in
the Canadian hill country while keeping
to the section times using the provided
route sheets. In addition, mechanical
skills are a necessity to keep your vintage bike running all day. Furthermore,
you will need to possess strong riding
skills to succeed in the agility tests, but
also of course on the road.
As for the bike, finishing the road
run in the allotted time without a serious breakdown demonstrates its capability and reliability. Finally, the event
requires social skills. It’s a fun day with
allot of great folks.•
Safety strategies
Cornering, Part 3 The Exit
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Ultimately, the safety
of motorcycle riders and their passengers is
their own responsibility. Nothing presented in
the column supersedes, negates, or relieves a
motorcyclist and/or passenger from assumption of personal responsibility for their actions
and safety.
So you’ve set up your corner, adjusted
your entry speed, visualized your path,
executed your lean, turned your head,
adjusted your body position, smoothly
transitioned from steady speed to a throttle
roll-on as you slide through the apex (and
a bunch of other stuff, all going on pretty
much simultaneously), and you’re now
headed for the corner exit. What now?
Getting out of the corner is just as
critical as going into it. It’s easy to make
a mistake in that last section of the curve.
Maybe you let your eyes fixate. Perhaps
it’s a too aggressive throttle roll-on. Lots
of things are still happening, so let’s look
at how we finish out the corner safely and
smoothly.
The first key element of finishing the
corner is knowing where the exit lies. In
general terms, we usually consider the
corner exit the place in the path where the
road surface turns straight again. You need
to visually find that point. The bike may
not be entirely vertical when you reach
that point, but recognize that it is the point
where the bike should again be pointed in
Doug Westly | Safety Editor
its straight-line direction.
One of the challenges of the exit point is
that riders tend to fixate on it. You need to
find it, mark it mentally, then let your peripheral vision track it while you continue
to move your core vision forward.
The exit point also marks the (general)
spot where the majority of your traction
can again be used for acceleration and
braking. Since the bike is again upright, or
almost upright, the traction percentage that
was being used for leaning can now again
be used for other purposes. That means
you can roll harder on the throttle, etc.
If you have adjusted body position in
the turn, leaning forward and in (per MSF
guidelines for sport riding) or having slid
off the saddle to the inside (in track riding mode), then the corner exit is the place
after which you can readjust your body
alignment. Just remember to wait until the
bike has finished leaning and is again an
upright, stable platform, ready to take your
body adjustment. Yes, you’ve probably
seen professional racers do this in the middle of a turn, or use their body movement
to realign the bike’s lean angle coming out
of a turn. We are not them and we are not
getting paid to win a race. Exercise some
caution, allow the bike to become upright
and stable, then reposition yourself.
Now, let’s talk about another point regarding corner exits. What happens when
one corner leads immediately to the next?
It is possible for one corner exit to be the
next corner entry. S-turns come to mind.
There really are corner exits in these cases,
but they are very short and immediately
lead to the next corner entry, usually going
the other way. Multiple curves, S-turns,
whatever you want to call them, can
be some of the most challenging riding
conditions.
On the track, we know when these are
coming up, and have chosen a line that
allows us to manage a corner exit and the
next entry as one smooth path. However,
on the street this may not be the case. If
you don’t know the road, don’t choose an
exit point so extreme (i.e. so close to an
edge or the outside of the lane) that you
can’t recover and maneuver. Remember
that part about “slow down?” If you are in
an area where there are multiple curves,
S-turns, etc., then that applies even more.
Looking ahead to identify these changes in
direction becomes even
more critical. Being
able to visualize a good
path of travel that leads
smoothly and safely
through and from one
corner into the next,
becomes key. What makes all that happen
is time. Give yourself time to see the path,
and that means slowing the pace.
So as a final thought, let’s put this all
together:
Preparing for corner entry: Slow
down, adjust your path to the entry point,
stabilize the suspension, and let your vision
see the path through the corner; adjust your
body position early.
Entering the corner: Smoothly transition into the lean, keep your eyes moving
forward through the corner path, find your
planned corner apex, keep a stable speed,
and feel the traction in your lean. Yes, it’s a
Zen thing…
In the Corner: Stay committed to the
corner. Remember that in most cases the
bike has more lean in it than you’re using.
Don’t fixate. Let your eyes continue
down the path. When you reach the apex
and can start reducing lean angle, then
begin a smooth throttle roll-on. Find the
corner exit.
Corner Exit: Keep your eyes moving. Transition from lean to upright. Your
traction returns for better throttle roll-on
and/or braking force. Find the path and
go there.
When I hear young (read: inexperienced) riders boast about how fast they
are, it usually means in a straight line. So
what? You or I could teach any monkey
with a handful of throttle how to go fast in
a straight line. Under acceleration, that is
what the bike wants to do, anyway. One of
the real skills in motorcycling is negotiating curves, corners and turns smoothly
and safely. If you want a yardstick to judge
a rider’s skill, watch him or her in a tight,
fast corner. How they setup, enter, transit
and exit a corner will tell you volumes
about their skill level and commitment
to the sport. Make sure you award extra
points for them not riding over their head.
Oh, and it’s one of the ways other knowledgeable riders will judge you as well.
Show them how it’s done.•
Ride Smart and Ride Safe!
member profile
Ray Karcher
Hometown/State? I currently live in Barnhart, Missouri. I grew up
in the St Louis area.
What was your first motorcycle? Mine was a 1984 Honda
CB700SC “Nighthawk S.”
Current motorcycle(s)? I own a 1993 Nighthawk 750, 1996
Ducati 900SS, 1986 Cagiva 650 Alazzurra and 2000 Kawasaki
KE100 2-stroke.
What is your all-time favorite motorcycle? That would be an
Italian Bimota DB2 powered by a Ducati 900SS engine.
How long have you been riding? I have been riding since 1991.
When did you join the MSTA? I joined the club in October, 1991
How did you hear about the MSTA? I bought a bike from an
Indianapolis dealer, and they had a flyer promoting STAR in Avon,
Colorado scheduled for the following summer.
covered 6000 miles in eight days, on the same CB750 Nighthawk
that I rode to STAR 2015.
Who or what was your biggest influence in motorcycling?
Club members have been a huge help to me over the years. I was a
complete novice when I joined the club. Moose Parrish, Elbert Silbaugh, Fred Ziglar have acted as mentors for me over the years.
What is the best motorcycle advice or tip learned through
the years? Turn later, turn quicker, and stay alive. “Use the front
brake, use the front brake, use the front brake.” (Dr. Harry Hurt.)
What are your favorite places to ride? I really enjoy riding the
mountainous parts of Arkansas.
What turns you on about motorcycles or riding? I like exploring. I like old stuff. I like adventure and I like the high performance
aspects of motorcycles.
Describe a memorable motorcycle adventure? I participated
in the Big Sky Run. I rode from St Louis, MO to Casper, WY to Medical Lake, WA (near Spokane). Participants would gather in Rod Eastwood’s backyard to socialize, then split up and ride. After the event
was over I crashed in a motel room to catch up on the rest that I had
neglected. Feeling refreshed, I then rode to Glacier National Park
and experienced the Going to the Sun Road. I continued north into
Canada, rode through Washington, Oregon and back to St Louis. I
What do you get out of your MSTA membership? I have developed many friendships with members of the club. And much of
my skill and knowledge about motorcycles has come from members
of this club, over the years.
What are your hobbies and interests outside of motorcycling? My wife Joannie, my family, my church and my dog are all
important to me.•
Quick Look Road Test
2016 Indian Scout
By Nick Zarras Managing Editor
I had the pleasure to ride the Indian
Motorcycle lineup in the past and
have featured many of the models
in STAReview Magazine. They are
highly styled, with great engineering, fit, and finish. One thing that was
lacking was a lighter weight model at
a lower price point. The Indian Scout
fills that void. I had ridden a Scout for
a short ride earlier this year but wanted
to get more seat time before I wrote an
evaluation. During the last Bikefest,
in Las Vegas, Nevada, Indian Motorcycle had rides available. The Scout
was my only ride on the card I chose. I
rode several models with and without
windshields to get a feel for the ride
ability and livability of the Scout. I
came away pleased on each ride.
The Scout is a smaller platform.
The engine is a liquid cooled 69 cubic
inch V-Twin DOHC with 4 Valves per
cylinder. The engine has electronic
fuel injection, and is mated to a sixspeed transmission. It is rider friendly
to a variety of tall and short riders
with a 25.3-inch seat height. At 558
pounds weight it comes in as the lightweight of the Indian motorcycle line.
The fuel tank houses 3.3 gallons. The
Scout can be purchased with a large
windscreen.
The Scout is a very nicely styled
motorcycle that will make the rider
proud to show up at any event. The
seat is very comfortable and provides
rear support. A nice touch is the embossed Indian logo on the seat. The
exposed engine shows lots of chrome.
It has two large chrome exhaust pipes
and dual mufflers. The chrome and
black spoked wheels enhance the
over style. At an additional expense,
the “Chrome Collection” is available
for upgrades. A Stage 1 straight slipon exhaust is available for that extra
growl. For those who want more subdued look, a “Bronze Collection” of
custom parts is available.
The instrument panel is a single
traditional circular speedometer gauge
with an LED display at the bottom. It
more QUICK LOOK on 34 ➲
➲ QUICK LOOK from 33
displays tachometer, odometer, trip meter, engine temperature and low fuel lamp.
How is it to ride: The Scout engine produces 72.2
ft-lbs. torque at 5900 rpms. I had plenty of highway
power. The exhaust is tuned for that special cruiser
sound, but was not too loud. The liquid cooling allows the extra power, along with less heat felt off the
V-Twin engine. The Scout’s lightweight chassis and
low center of gravity give it a sportier responsive
handling. The solid-mounted engine provides not
only strength but also predictable handling at highway speeds. The 61.5-inch wheelbase gave a good
ride even over the not so smooth parts of US route 95
south. The 988 gross weight allows you to carry 440
pounds of rider and travel gear. The front telescopic
fork with 4.7-inch travel and rear dual shocks with 3
inches of travel provided good handling and ride. The
front single 298 mm rotor/2 piston caliper and rear
single 298 mm rotor/1 piston caliper provided controlled easy to modulate braking at all test speeds. I
did not feel any heat from the well-positioned exhaust
pipes on my riding gear. I rode multiple Scouts and I
found that even without the windscreen it was comfortable to ride on the highway. The windscreen provided added protection without any helmet buffeting.
It was a fun day of rides.
The Indian Scout sits at the lower
price range of the Indian line, but offers top of the line fun. It is easy to get
on and is playful on the road. For this
size motorcycle, it is comfortable for
the short or long haul. At an MSRP
of $10,999 for the Thunder Black, and
$11,299 for the Wildfire Red, Silver
Smoke, Thunder Black Smoke, and
Indian Motorcycle Red w/ABS, this is
a stylish and affordable choice for the
cruiser rider.•
Rides safe my friend.
STAReview Vol. 34 No. 8
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
POSTMASTER, SEND TO:
MSTA
P.O. Box 7697
La Verne, CA 91750
www.traxxion.com
COMFORT
(770) 592-3823
CONTROL
CONFIDENCE
Crossing Town or Crossing a Continent… All We Do Is Suspension!

STAReview Issue 3408 Available Now

Transcription

Similar documents

BackRoads Magazine

HOG Tracks - Statesville H.O.G

the electric exoskeleton motorcycle

Live Lakini`s Juice

Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association of Nevada - Nevada 41-1

WHAT: 4th Annual GEICO Motorcycle HOT BIKE TOUR ®

Fast Facts

Poster - Burn Fund

August 2016 - Peak Riders

WHAT: 4th Annual GEICO Motorcycle HOT BIKE TOUR ®