Hello Autobahners, what great fall weather we've had so far! I hope all of you are getting some riding in before you know what. I'm not sure if I'll get much more beemer riding in, it will probably be more scooter riding. Let me explain, I think my splines need lubing and I'm not sure just how to do that. I don't want to ride it too much and risk doing some major harm and I can't afford professional help (either kind). Any advice will be welcome. I am thinking ahead to our annual meeting and would like to hear from you as to where, when (probably Jan. or Feb.), what type (catered, pot-luck, served on site, such as the last three years, or something completely different.) Does anyone have something for a short program or presentation? Shall we get the prez a new bike? These are a few things I'm thinking about and would enjoy hearing from you. I wish I had some more profound thoughts to share, but, I think I’m experiencing "writers block" or something else that might need professional assistance! Take care, ride safe, and often.
P.S. I talked with Lisa (our previous Grandma Max waitress) yesterday. She said she won't be coming back to work. She has been receiving chemo and radiation treatments for breast and uterine cancer. She says she misses us (or our BSing!!) and may come by some Saturday to say, “Hello”. Cards may be sent to her at: Lisa Folkerts, 70five S. Regal Place, SxFlls, SD, 57106. Her phone number is: 605-three7o-2409.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
2012 BMW R1200RTP Scores Well at MSP Testing, by Chad Gillen
This year I was sent to the Michigan State Police 2012 Police Vehicle Evaluations on September 17th through 19th. With the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor no longer in production most law enforcement departments are looking for a replacement. SFPD is one of those departments. As a side benefit I was able to see some of the testing for police motorcycles as well. With 6 police motorcycles and 19 police pursuit capable vehicles to test, the most they have had at one time, I was in for a once in a career opportunity.
The Police Vehicle Evaluations cover four areas: Acceleration and top speed, Braking, Vehicle dynamics, Ergonomics & communications. Acceleration and top speed tests are done with optical timing sensors connected to the bike and a laptop and run at the Chrysler Chelsea Proving Grounds where they have a 3.3 mile oval course with 140 MPH neutral steer banked turns. Two runs in each direction, and average times reported. Braking is also done there with the same sensors. Twenty 60 to 0 MPH impending skid stops are done with a cool down lap in the middle. A deceleration rate is computed from the data and a projected 60 to 0 MPH stopping distance is reported. Vehicle Dynamics testing is done at the Grattan Raceway. The road course is a winding, hilly, complex assortment of almost every conceivable corner imaginable for a road course. The ten turns include both uphill ascending radius turns, a flat out dog leg off the 160 degree hairpin turn, a hidden apex, a monza bowl, S turns, and even a challenging downhill reverse camber turn. It has been said that if you can master Grattan Raceway you can drive anywhere. Every motorcycle is ridden 5 laps by 4 riders each. Overall average is the average of each riders average lap times. Police equipment aftermarket outfitters and the MSP Precision Driving Team score the ergonomics and communications category. Scores are given on visibility, comfort, ease of use of controls, and ease of installing lights, siren, and communications equipment.
I was able to personally see the BMW make its speed runs at Chelsea Proving Grounds. To stand along the guardrail while the bike passes by you 10 feet away is sweeter than candy. It had the highest top speed of 131 MPH, beating its nearest competitor the Kawasaki Concours 14 which posted a 126 MPH top speed. However the BMW’s 0 to 60 time was 4.41 seconds while the Kawasaki was 4.02 seconds. Also the 0 to 100 times for the BMW was 10.75 seconds, and the Kawasaki was 8.29. As you can imagine the engine computer on the Kawasaki was limiting its top speed.
At the Grattan Raceway in the Vehicle Dynamics category the BMW came in first. The BMW came in with an overall average lap time of 1:40.19 seconds, Kawasaki second at 1:43.26, and Harley Davidson Road King Police third at 1:49.63.
In the Braking Category the BMW came in second with a projected stopping distance from 60 MPH at 140.0 ft. First was the HD Electra Police at 139.0 ft, and third was the Kawasaki at 143.7 ft. Ergonomics and communications scores are not available at this time, but I think the BMW will do well with the new handlebar controls, new accessory switchgear, and new instrument cluster to reduce glare.
The newcomers this year were the Victory Commander 1 and the Victory Vision. As you may notice they aren’t mentioned above, because they didn’t score very well on the tests. In speaking with the police rep. I found that they have a lot of features motor officers want. However by their own admission they are running with over 100 lbs more weight in aftermarket equipment than the other bikes. They are doing this on purpose! Supposedly it is to get real world numbers. However, I doubt the published MSP test will reflect this and it will look bad for them. Better luck next year Victory.
The only change in the HD bikes from last year is the rear view mirrors! Talk about investment. While BMW has the new DOHC engine, improved fairing and windshield design, new handlebar controls and switchgear, new instrument cluster, new cruise lights and alley lights. Also BMW was supposed to have another police bike there, but for some reason I never saw it and it never went through the tests. It was supposed to be an F800GS-P! The final MSP report isn’t out yet, but as you can see the BMW did extremely well. I wish I could’ve brought back pictures of the bikes, but cameras for the non-press is VERBOTEN!
The Police Vehicle Evaluations cover four areas: Acceleration and top speed, Braking, Vehicle dynamics, Ergonomics & communications. Acceleration and top speed tests are done with optical timing sensors connected to the bike and a laptop and run at the Chrysler Chelsea Proving Grounds where they have a 3.3 mile oval course with 140 MPH neutral steer banked turns. Two runs in each direction, and average times reported. Braking is also done there with the same sensors. Twenty 60 to 0 MPH impending skid stops are done with a cool down lap in the middle. A deceleration rate is computed from the data and a projected 60 to 0 MPH stopping distance is reported. Vehicle Dynamics testing is done at the Grattan Raceway. The road course is a winding, hilly, complex assortment of almost every conceivable corner imaginable for a road course. The ten turns include both uphill ascending radius turns, a flat out dog leg off the 160 degree hairpin turn, a hidden apex, a monza bowl, S turns, and even a challenging downhill reverse camber turn. It has been said that if you can master Grattan Raceway you can drive anywhere. Every motorcycle is ridden 5 laps by 4 riders each. Overall average is the average of each riders average lap times. Police equipment aftermarket outfitters and the MSP Precision Driving Team score the ergonomics and communications category. Scores are given on visibility, comfort, ease of use of controls, and ease of installing lights, siren, and communications equipment.
I was able to personally see the BMW make its speed runs at Chelsea Proving Grounds. To stand along the guardrail while the bike passes by you 10 feet away is sweeter than candy. It had the highest top speed of 131 MPH, beating its nearest competitor the Kawasaki Concours 14 which posted a 126 MPH top speed. However the BMW’s 0 to 60 time was 4.41 seconds while the Kawasaki was 4.02 seconds. Also the 0 to 100 times for the BMW was 10.75 seconds, and the Kawasaki was 8.29. As you can imagine the engine computer on the Kawasaki was limiting its top speed.
At the Grattan Raceway in the Vehicle Dynamics category the BMW came in first. The BMW came in with an overall average lap time of 1:40.19 seconds, Kawasaki second at 1:43.26, and Harley Davidson Road King Police third at 1:49.63.
In the Braking Category the BMW came in second with a projected stopping distance from 60 MPH at 140.0 ft. First was the HD Electra Police at 139.0 ft, and third was the Kawasaki at 143.7 ft. Ergonomics and communications scores are not available at this time, but I think the BMW will do well with the new handlebar controls, new accessory switchgear, and new instrument cluster to reduce glare.
The newcomers this year were the Victory Commander 1 and the Victory Vision. As you may notice they aren’t mentioned above, because they didn’t score very well on the tests. In speaking with the police rep. I found that they have a lot of features motor officers want. However by their own admission they are running with over 100 lbs more weight in aftermarket equipment than the other bikes. They are doing this on purpose! Supposedly it is to get real world numbers. However, I doubt the published MSP test will reflect this and it will look bad for them. Better luck next year Victory.
The only change in the HD bikes from last year is the rear view mirrors! Talk about investment. While BMW has the new DOHC engine, improved fairing and windshield design, new handlebar controls and switchgear, new instrument cluster, new cruise lights and alley lights. Also BMW was supposed to have another police bike there, but for some reason I never saw it and it never went through the tests. It was supposed to be an F800GS-P! The final MSP report isn’t out yet, but as you can see the BMW did extremely well. I wish I could’ve brought back pictures of the bikes, but cameras for the non-press is VERBOTEN!
Mo-Kan 101, by Tom Meister
If you attend a rally and no club members know you did, do you still need to write about it?? The answer is, “YES”!! Mary gave me “the look” when she found out that I attended two MC events and didn’t write about them for the newsletter. Contributions are what make the newsletter so here’s my “two cents worth”.
I let the weather channel decide what day to leave and which motorcycle to ride. It looked like it would be a cool and damp rally so I left on Thursday so at least the ride down would be dry. The temperature was 33 degrees on Thursday morning so I didn’t leave until it hit 50 degrees at 11:00. This is the closest rally I attend, only 220 miles, so I pulled into the campground around 3:15pm. For maybe twenty miles north and thirty miles south of the Missouri border there was evidence of high winds. Corn fields were flattened and some older buildings and bins were destroyed. I set up camp next to Lloyd a Guzzi rider I know from eastern Iowa. He and I went into Maysville for supper Thursday night. About 25 people showed up on Thursday. It was a cool ride to the rally and after supper the bonfire felt great. Little did I know but the bonfire would feel good for the whole rally.
Friday morning it started to rain lightly and continued until after dinner. Friday evening they served hot dogs, three kinds of chili and of course cold beer. The chili and bonfire were the best. They had the same band as last year on Friday and Saturday nights. They were great. The bandleader even camps over night at the rally. It was cool and windy on Saturday but only had a little light rain during the field events. The Saturday supper tasted great. Camping in cool weather really makes a person hungry. The number of persons attending rallies this year is down all over, only 101 showed up at Maysville this year. The good news was you could eat all you wanted. The bad news is the club lost money. Since this was the 20th Mo-Kan Guzzi Rally they had some special cakes made with green and red frosting (Guzzi colors). It looked and tasted great.
Sunday morning I went to the showers at five. My tent, bike and even the grass was dry. Decided to have coffee and pack up as soon as I had a little daylight to do it. Not to be. A light rain started to fall before it even started to get light. This is the first time I packed up in the rain for a long time. It’s been a pretty good summer in the rain dept. Skeeter and I and a guy on a GS were the only BMWs at the rally so what happened next was embarrassing. I have had my RT a year now and it usually fires on the third or fourth turn of the motor. After ten turns and no sign of running, I waited for thirty seconds and hit the starter again. My RT backfired. It sounded like a short barreled forty-five going off. Four Guzzi riders nearby pooped their pants and then started laughing. She fired right up after that and ran great all the way home.
I rode in rain, downpours, sprinkles or wet roads all the way home. The good news was my First Gear jacket that I bought in June worked great. It was really the first time I have worn it for any length of time in the rain. The bad news was about every livestock farmer in Missouri had fed their cattle Sunday morning and lost the usual crap & mud from their tires on the roads. This is the dirtiest any of my bikes have looked in a long time. At least the temperatures home were in the sixties. Depending on the weather this might be the last rally of the season for me. See ‘ya all next year. Ride safe.
I let the weather channel decide what day to leave and which motorcycle to ride. It looked like it would be a cool and damp rally so I left on Thursday so at least the ride down would be dry. The temperature was 33 degrees on Thursday morning so I didn’t leave until it hit 50 degrees at 11:00. This is the closest rally I attend, only 220 miles, so I pulled into the campground around 3:15pm. For maybe twenty miles north and thirty miles south of the Missouri border there was evidence of high winds. Corn fields were flattened and some older buildings and bins were destroyed. I set up camp next to Lloyd a Guzzi rider I know from eastern Iowa. He and I went into Maysville for supper Thursday night. About 25 people showed up on Thursday. It was a cool ride to the rally and after supper the bonfire felt great. Little did I know but the bonfire would feel good for the whole rally.
Friday morning it started to rain lightly and continued until after dinner. Friday evening they served hot dogs, three kinds of chili and of course cold beer. The chili and bonfire were the best. They had the same band as last year on Friday and Saturday nights. They were great. The bandleader even camps over night at the rally. It was cool and windy on Saturday but only had a little light rain during the field events. The Saturday supper tasted great. Camping in cool weather really makes a person hungry. The number of persons attending rallies this year is down all over, only 101 showed up at Maysville this year. The good news was you could eat all you wanted. The bad news is the club lost money. Since this was the 20th Mo-Kan Guzzi Rally they had some special cakes made with green and red frosting (Guzzi colors). It looked and tasted great.
Sunday morning I went to the showers at five. My tent, bike and even the grass was dry. Decided to have coffee and pack up as soon as I had a little daylight to do it. Not to be. A light rain started to fall before it even started to get light. This is the first time I packed up in the rain for a long time. It’s been a pretty good summer in the rain dept. Skeeter and I and a guy on a GS were the only BMWs at the rally so what happened next was embarrassing. I have had my RT a year now and it usually fires on the third or fourth turn of the motor. After ten turns and no sign of running, I waited for thirty seconds and hit the starter again. My RT backfired. It sounded like a short barreled forty-five going off. Four Guzzi riders nearby pooped their pants and then started laughing. She fired right up after that and ran great all the way home.
I rode in rain, downpours, sprinkles or wet roads all the way home. The good news was my First Gear jacket that I bought in June worked great. It was really the first time I have worn it for any length of time in the rain. The bad news was about every livestock farmer in Missouri had fed their cattle Sunday morning and lost the usual crap & mud from their tires on the roads. This is the dirtiest any of my bikes have looked in a long time. At least the temperatures home were in the sixties. Depending on the weather this might be the last rally of the season for me. See ‘ya all next year. Ride safe.
The Marne Thing – Part 2, by Dale Nordlie
Gary Johnson and I took off for The Baxter Cycle Rally on Saturday morning. Gary on his faithful 1996 BMW R1100RT and me on a new to me, but not new to the family, 1965 BMW R69S. We stopped in Alcester at the Dinner Bell Cafe for breakfast and from there rode to Bak Victory BMW in Sioux City. When we arrived at the shop there was a note on the door that said the shop was closed and everyone was at the Victory Reunion in Spirit Lake, IA. I put gas in my bike and we continued on our way. We rode some fun roads thru the Loess Hills and stopped for lunch at a slow fast food spot in Woodbine.
We arrived in Marne in the late afternoon and there was already a large group of Autobahners and Big Sioux Riders at the city park. My brother Paul, his wife Trintje, and their friend Kevin had ridden down on Friday with the traveling beer wagon. They had three kegs and everyone did their part to try and empty them. At suppertime some folks rode to the Danish Restaurant in Elkhorn, while others of us went to the Roadhouse Bar in Marne. We sat around a nonexistent campfire and told lies and drank beer into the night.
The next morning, we went to the fire station and had a pancake breakfast provided by the local boy scout troop. After that Gary and I walked up to the cycle shop and drooled over the antique bike collection and then we signed up for test rides on new Triumph motorcycles. I rode a Triumph Rocket III roadster and a Triumph Tiger 1050. Then I headed back to the park to clean up the R69S. I had decided to enter it in the bike show under the Other European categories.
This is a spectator judged event, so I thought it might be a good idea to put a sign on my bike that it is an unrestored original and also that I had ridden it 200 miles to the rally. As I was putting the sign on my bike a woman said that got her vote---so maybe I had a good idea. We had our picnic lunch provided by Baxter Cycles and some more beer. Ballots were counted at about 2:30 pm. The R60/2 won first place with 42 votes. The Laverda and my bike each got 35 votes, tying for second place. The way I see it second place is better since you win a tee shirt rather than the plaque given for first place.
After the awards presentation I hopped on the R69S for a beautiful ride home. Maybe next year I'll put a sidecar on the bike and enter it again!
We arrived in Marne in the late afternoon and there was already a large group of Autobahners and Big Sioux Riders at the city park. My brother Paul, his wife Trintje, and their friend Kevin had ridden down on Friday with the traveling beer wagon. They had three kegs and everyone did their part to try and empty them. At suppertime some folks rode to the Danish Restaurant in Elkhorn, while others of us went to the Roadhouse Bar in Marne. We sat around a nonexistent campfire and told lies and drank beer into the night.
The next morning, we went to the fire station and had a pancake breakfast provided by the local boy scout troop. After that Gary and I walked up to the cycle shop and drooled over the antique bike collection and then we signed up for test rides on new Triumph motorcycles. I rode a Triumph Rocket III roadster and a Triumph Tiger 1050. Then I headed back to the park to clean up the R69S. I had decided to enter it in the bike show under the Other European categories.
This is a spectator judged event, so I thought it might be a good idea to put a sign on my bike that it is an unrestored original and also that I had ridden it 200 miles to the rally. As I was putting the sign on my bike a woman said that got her vote---so maybe I had a good idea. We had our picnic lunch provided by Baxter Cycles and some more beer. Ballots were counted at about 2:30 pm. The R60/2 won first place with 42 votes. The Laverda and my bike each got 35 votes, tying for second place. The way I see it second place is better since you win a tee shirt rather than the plaque given for first place.
After the awards presentation I hopped on the R69S for a beautiful ride home. Maybe next year I'll put a sidecar on the bike and enter it again!
THE MARNE THING, by Gary Wilson
For years I’d been hearing about this thing some of the ‘bahners went to in Marne, IA, but really had no concept of what it was. This year I decided to go and see. I left on Friday afternoon, took I29 to somewhere south of Sioux City (water still high there), then went across to Denison where I got stuck behind a huge crane which bogged down to about 40 mph on the uphills where I couldn’t pass and then hit 80 downhill where I could have if I were younger and foolisher. We both stopped for gas at Harlan, so I lost him there and soon arrived in Marne.
Marne is sure small. Their web site claims they started with 617 citizens in 1875 and are presently down to 149. The streets are mostly one lane, no curb, and there are numerous empty lots with signs offering said properties at a price of $zero. And at reasonable interest. Of course you have to build a house, and according to the covenant, “No noxious or offensive activities shall be carried on upon any lot…” Always a catch.
The main attraction for those of our ilk is the open house at Baxter Cycle, a business which is a testament to the truth of the old saw about doing one thing and doing it well. They seem to have cornered a large share of the market in used and vintage British bikes and parts. I was amazed at all the old bikes in the back room and the bins of parts. According to their website they have another 125 bikes in another building along with larger parts. They gotta be doing something right to attract the Triumph demo truck to their open house. Which of course in turn attracts free ride seekers such as the following: Larry Hawes, Bill Claussen, Jerry Zeeb, Gary Landeen, Gary Johnson, Dale Nordlie, Dave McBride, Marlin Wolter, Brion Hase, Lloyd Lunde and Tom Buttars. (Ed.Note: This is a test. Match the names above to the faces below.)
I arrived, quickly set up my tent, quickly mooched a beer from Larry, quickly drank it, quickly mooched another and, fortified, hiked up the hill to purchase more. Waste of time and money because there soon arrived a Harley bearing braumeister Paul Nordlie and his wife Trintje towing a trailer containing three wee kegs of his fine product. To wit: a fine porter, a fine IPA and a fine British bitter (my favorite).
The evening passed with dinner at the local bar and grill and some bullslinging and in the morning we took advantage of the pancake, sausage and egg deal offered by the Boy Scouts. Then we rode motorcycles. The ride was 7 miles or so to Atlantic and back, a route with some curves so you could get a feel for what the bikes could do. I rode a Tiger 800 XC, which was fun, but far breezier than my old RT. Later on I was on an America, a cruiser with legs-extended riding position. Adding interest to this ride was the state trooper who sat patiently at a crossroad watching the group pass by at 70 mph. Someone told me I would have trouble adjusting to the forward controls, which I didn’t, but the steering was not comfortable and, again, it was windy. So – no sale. I’ll keep the old Boxer, thank you.
For dinner, some went to the local tavern again, but they were serving only goulash. There was a discussion of alternatives. Brion lobbied unsuccessfully for a place in Atlantic reputed to serve the best pork tenderloin in Iowa, but we all (15 or so of us) ended up at a buffet in Elk Horn which offered fried chicken, shrimp, roast pork, meatballs, barbecued ribs, braised wallaby and prime rib. (Okay, the wallaby is an exaggeration, but the rest isn’t.) Rear tires looked a little flatter when we remounted for the return trip.
More beer and bull and in the morning more pancakes. Also more rides, but I abstained. I also passed on the free weenies. Just packed up and went my way. Brion patiently mapped out a scenic, albeit complex route for those who wished to take such roads on the way home, but I had a hankering to go through Ida Grove again. I happened on this town on my first motorcycle trip years ago and wanted to see it again. A local industrialist with a fondness for castles has built a number of towers and walls and such there, as well as a small lake on which floats a half-scale replica of the HMS Bounty. His own home is a castle complete with moat and drawbridge. It’s harmless enough, I guess, but sorta goofy.
After that, I headed for Sioux City, caught I29 and went home, not omitting to stop at Edgar’s in Elk Point for an old fashioned cherry chocolate ice cream soda, the finest in the land.
Marne is sure small. Their web site claims they started with 617 citizens in 1875 and are presently down to 149. The streets are mostly one lane, no curb, and there are numerous empty lots with signs offering said properties at a price of $zero. And at reasonable interest. Of course you have to build a house, and according to the covenant, “No noxious or offensive activities shall be carried on upon any lot…” Always a catch.
The main attraction for those of our ilk is the open house at Baxter Cycle, a business which is a testament to the truth of the old saw about doing one thing and doing it well. They seem to have cornered a large share of the market in used and vintage British bikes and parts. I was amazed at all the old bikes in the back room and the bins of parts. According to their website they have another 125 bikes in another building along with larger parts. They gotta be doing something right to attract the Triumph demo truck to their open house. Which of course in turn attracts free ride seekers such as the following: Larry Hawes, Bill Claussen, Jerry Zeeb, Gary Landeen, Gary Johnson, Dale Nordlie, Dave McBride, Marlin Wolter, Brion Hase, Lloyd Lunde and Tom Buttars. (Ed.Note: This is a test. Match the names above to the faces below.)
I arrived, quickly set up my tent, quickly mooched a beer from Larry, quickly drank it, quickly mooched another and, fortified, hiked up the hill to purchase more. Waste of time and money because there soon arrived a Harley bearing braumeister Paul Nordlie and his wife Trintje towing a trailer containing three wee kegs of his fine product. To wit: a fine porter, a fine IPA and a fine British bitter (my favorite).
The evening passed with dinner at the local bar and grill and some bullslinging and in the morning we took advantage of the pancake, sausage and egg deal offered by the Boy Scouts. Then we rode motorcycles. The ride was 7 miles or so to Atlantic and back, a route with some curves so you could get a feel for what the bikes could do. I rode a Tiger 800 XC, which was fun, but far breezier than my old RT. Later on I was on an America, a cruiser with legs-extended riding position. Adding interest to this ride was the state trooper who sat patiently at a crossroad watching the group pass by at 70 mph. Someone told me I would have trouble adjusting to the forward controls, which I didn’t, but the steering was not comfortable and, again, it was windy. So – no sale. I’ll keep the old Boxer, thank you.
For dinner, some went to the local tavern again, but they were serving only goulash. There was a discussion of alternatives. Brion lobbied unsuccessfully for a place in Atlantic reputed to serve the best pork tenderloin in Iowa, but we all (15 or so of us) ended up at a buffet in Elk Horn which offered fried chicken, shrimp, roast pork, meatballs, barbecued ribs, braised wallaby and prime rib. (Okay, the wallaby is an exaggeration, but the rest isn’t.) Rear tires looked a little flatter when we remounted for the return trip.
More beer and bull and in the morning more pancakes. Also more rides, but I abstained. I also passed on the free weenies. Just packed up and went my way. Brion patiently mapped out a scenic, albeit complex route for those who wished to take such roads on the way home, but I had a hankering to go through Ida Grove again. I happened on this town on my first motorcycle trip years ago and wanted to see it again. A local industrialist with a fondness for castles has built a number of towers and walls and such there, as well as a small lake on which floats a half-scale replica of the HMS Bounty. His own home is a castle complete with moat and drawbridge. It’s harmless enough, I guess, but sorta goofy.
After that, I headed for Sioux City, caught I29 and went home, not omitting to stop at Edgar’s in Elk Point for an old fashioned cherry chocolate ice cream soda, the finest in the land.
RIDE REPORT 2011 PART 3 OF 3, by Gary Pederson
Well, this is not the ride report that I thought I would be writing. The bad news: I rode home in a Delta Air Lines jet from Anchorage to Sioux Falls. That is not an interesting ride to report on!!
Tim, the owner of Alaska ATV Adventures and my summer employer, asked if I would be able to be back in Alaska by the end of April next summer. This presented a logistical problem and a dilemma for me. I know that riders have been on the ALCAN in winter months (yes Toto April is still winter in the north), but I won’t be one of them. My solution was going to be to ride my 650 home, fly to Alaska in April, back to South Dakota the end of May and ride to Indianapolis for the race, and then ride to Alaska. Kay did not think much of what I thought was a very common sense solution. She thought I should leave my 650 in Alaska, fly home with her and then fly back to Alaska next spring. It seems that I may have lost my “permission slip” to ride back and forth to Alaska. So on August 12th I put my 650 in an Alaskan cave (heated storage unit), hooked it to an IV (battery tender), covered it and put it into hibernation until I get back to Alaska next spring. Now that solution does present a problem. It means I will be in South Dakota without my 650, a very undesirable solution. The good news: A solution has been agreed to. I have almost worn out the internet looking for a motorcycle to buy to have here in South Dakota. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to arrive at a Wednesday night supper on my new ride.
Tim, the owner of Alaska ATV Adventures and my summer employer, asked if I would be able to be back in Alaska by the end of April next summer. This presented a logistical problem and a dilemma for me. I know that riders have been on the ALCAN in winter months (yes Toto April is still winter in the north), but I won’t be one of them. My solution was going to be to ride my 650 home, fly to Alaska in April, back to South Dakota the end of May and ride to Indianapolis for the race, and then ride to Alaska. Kay did not think much of what I thought was a very common sense solution. She thought I should leave my 650 in Alaska, fly home with her and then fly back to Alaska next spring. It seems that I may have lost my “permission slip” to ride back and forth to Alaska. So on August 12th I put my 650 in an Alaskan cave (heated storage unit), hooked it to an IV (battery tender), covered it and put it into hibernation until I get back to Alaska next spring. Now that solution does present a problem. It means I will be in South Dakota without my 650, a very undesirable solution. The good news: A solution has been agreed to. I have almost worn out the internet looking for a motorcycle to buy to have here in South Dakota. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to arrive at a Wednesday night supper on my new ride.
First Times, by Scott Taylor
They say that you always remember your “first time”. I had talked about it, read books and magazines on the subject, even watched movies about it. But I never did it. What I desired was a “real” motorcycle trip. I’ve come close before when travelling to the Black Hills on my 2002 Victory and, most recently, with my 2004 1150 GS. But with my luggage, wife, and kids in tow in a chase vehicle I figured that didn’t count. Now I had the perfect motorcycle to travel with. So – where? I’ve wanted a pair of motorcycle pants from Aerostich for a while. Aerostich’s Rider Warehouse is located in Duluth, MN, where they make and repair their motorcycle suits. So, one stop would be Duluth. Since I would be in the area, a friend suggested I ride up the North Shore drive on State Route 61 along Lake Superior. Last year I took a fishing trip to the Boundary Waters with my Dad. The last stop before we headed to the trail head was Ely, MN. What impressed me about the trip (besides the fishing) were the roads in the area. I could reach Ely via State Route 1 off of North Shore Drive. So another stop would be Ely. Finally, I was due for some service on the bike. Moon Motorsports was in Monticello on the way to Duluth. With the blessing of my wife, I packed the GS up with clothes and camping gear for the trip.
The first day of my adventure began on July 5th. I headed east from Sioux Falls on I-90 and took highway 60 North through Mankato to Belle Plane Motorsports to look over some of the new Triumph motorcycles. I’m interested in many brands of bikes other than BMW. I liked many of the bikes there, but for me, the one model in their lineup that stands out is the Bonneville T100. I’ll probably need to demo a Bonneville some day. After buying a T-shirt, I continued on to the Minneapolis Northwest KOA in Maple Grove, MN, where I camped for the night.
The second day, I packed up and headed North on I-94 to Moon Motorsports. I had been experiencing a strange gas leak on my GS. It happened to me twice after filling the bike full while on its center stand and then parking it on the side stand. My solution had been to run a gallon of gas out of the tank after filling up before parking it for an extended session on the side stand. Consequently, I didn’t fill the bike that morning because I didn’t think they’d appreciate the resulting gas leak. In addition to diagnosing this quirk, I needed a full 30,000 mile check that included engine, transmission, and final drive oil as well as new brake fluid.
I arrived early for my 8:30 appointment and proceeded to wait. There were plenty of things to look over. In particular, I wanted to see the one-owner 1999 VFR800 Interceptor that was identical to the one I passed up in favor of a CBR600 F4 back in 1999 (a purchase that I later regretted). It was in excellent condition – just as I remembered, but I’ve moved on since then and it’s no longer my type of ride. Over the next few hours, I met a number of folks in the lounge area and received a few tips on rides around Duluth and places to camp in the area. In particular, it was recommended that I stay at Spirit Mountain Campground. On a side note, one guy mentioned Bob’s BMW in Baltimore, MD. Apparently, there was a vintage BMW there with over 600,000 miles on it. He also mentioned that there was a one-wheeled motorcycle there. He even showed me a picture of the bike on his phone. The story was that the inventor’s son crashed and was killed while riding it in a parade after a pretty girl caught his eye. I don’t know if there is any truth to this tale, but maybe some of you have heard it as well. I also learned something else that day, if the service manager suggests you demo a bike to head to lunch, take him up on the offer! Unfortunately, since they were going to be done “right after lunch” I didn’t. I waited patiently until my service was complete at around 3:35. Fortunately, they fixed the problem with the gas leak. You can ask me sometime what the issue was. All in all, I was satisfied with the service - I was just surprised it took so long.
Eager to continue to Duluth, and still hoping to make the Rider Warehouse before they closed at 8:00, I loaded up the bike and shot up State Highway 25 like a rocket to Big Lake where I picked up County Highway 5. My plan was to continue to State Highway 23 thereby avoiding I-169 entirely. My plans changed when the reserve light kicked in halfway on my way up 5 to 23. There weren’t a lot of gas stations on that stretch of road so I changed my route and headed due East on State Route 95 to Princeton for a fill up (4.784 gallons) and then up I-169 where I picked up 23 and I-35 to Duluth. I arrived at my destination with an hour to spare. Their new AD 1 pants in regular length worked for me without alteration. I made my purchase, thereby avoiding sales tax and netting 10% off the price of the pants through their factory discount program. I located Spirit Mountain Campground just before dark and found the field they suggested to me on the phone earlier in the day. The only flat spot open was at the bottom of a grassy hill. Riding down the hill “off road” was another first for me - I am happy to say I kept the shiny side up.
Scott at Spirit Mountain Campground.
After lunch, I took State Route 1 to Ely. The road was nice and curvy and traffic was light. I stopped at Ely to grab a bite at the Plum Bun Bakery which was recommended to me. They were out of the lemon bars, but the cookie I bought was good. In Ely, as well as other places, I was routinely approached by strangers that were interested in the bike and had a story to tell. I have read that when riding alone, people were more likely to talk to you or help you if necessary. With my limited knowledge, it appeared that was the case. It was something I might not have experienced if traveling in a larger group. After a brief rest, I continued South and West along I-169 to the Grand Rapids area where I bedded down at the KOM-ON-IN campground off State Highway 10 on Trout Lake. The sites were a little cramped for my taste, but the view of the lake at daybreak was nice.
Day four was my largest mileage day. I planned to leave Grand Rapids and arrive in Sioux Falls before 6:00 in time to pick up the kids from daycare. I discerned what I believe was the fastest route while having a beer and food at the El Potro Mexican Restaurant in Grand Rapids the night before. I left the campground at 7:00 and took I-2 northwest to McIntosh and South on I-59 to Detroit Lakes. After which, I went West on I-10 to Fargo where I picked up I-29 South for the remainder of my trip. I put on approximately 500 miles that day which was enough for me. I arrived as promised with over an hour to spare. All told, my first “real” trip was over 1300 miles in 4 days and I averaged around 42 miles/gallon. Hopefully, that was not too bad for a “first time”. At least I did it before I turned 40!
The first day of my adventure began on July 5th. I headed east from Sioux Falls on I-90 and took highway 60 North through Mankato to Belle Plane Motorsports to look over some of the new Triumph motorcycles. I’m interested in many brands of bikes other than BMW. I liked many of the bikes there, but for me, the one model in their lineup that stands out is the Bonneville T100. I’ll probably need to demo a Bonneville some day. After buying a T-shirt, I continued on to the Minneapolis Northwest KOA in Maple Grove, MN, where I camped for the night.
The second day, I packed up and headed North on I-94 to Moon Motorsports. I had been experiencing a strange gas leak on my GS. It happened to me twice after filling the bike full while on its center stand and then parking it on the side stand. My solution had been to run a gallon of gas out of the tank after filling up before parking it for an extended session on the side stand. Consequently, I didn’t fill the bike that morning because I didn’t think they’d appreciate the resulting gas leak. In addition to diagnosing this quirk, I needed a full 30,000 mile check that included engine, transmission, and final drive oil as well as new brake fluid.
I arrived early for my 8:30 appointment and proceeded to wait. There were plenty of things to look over. In particular, I wanted to see the one-owner 1999 VFR800 Interceptor that was identical to the one I passed up in favor of a CBR600 F4 back in 1999 (a purchase that I later regretted). It was in excellent condition – just as I remembered, but I’ve moved on since then and it’s no longer my type of ride. Over the next few hours, I met a number of folks in the lounge area and received a few tips on rides around Duluth and places to camp in the area. In particular, it was recommended that I stay at Spirit Mountain Campground. On a side note, one guy mentioned Bob’s BMW in Baltimore, MD. Apparently, there was a vintage BMW there with over 600,000 miles on it. He also mentioned that there was a one-wheeled motorcycle there. He even showed me a picture of the bike on his phone. The story was that the inventor’s son crashed and was killed while riding it in a parade after a pretty girl caught his eye. I don’t know if there is any truth to this tale, but maybe some of you have heard it as well. I also learned something else that day, if the service manager suggests you demo a bike to head to lunch, take him up on the offer! Unfortunately, since they were going to be done “right after lunch” I didn’t. I waited patiently until my service was complete at around 3:35. Fortunately, they fixed the problem with the gas leak. You can ask me sometime what the issue was. All in all, I was satisfied with the service - I was just surprised it took so long.
Eager to continue to Duluth, and still hoping to make the Rider Warehouse before they closed at 8:00, I loaded up the bike and shot up State Highway 25 like a rocket to Big Lake where I picked up County Highway 5. My plan was to continue to State Highway 23 thereby avoiding I-169 entirely. My plans changed when the reserve light kicked in halfway on my way up 5 to 23. There weren’t a lot of gas stations on that stretch of road so I changed my route and headed due East on State Route 95 to Princeton for a fill up (4.784 gallons) and then up I-169 where I picked up 23 and I-35 to Duluth. I arrived at my destination with an hour to spare. Their new AD 1 pants in regular length worked for me without alteration. I made my purchase, thereby avoiding sales tax and netting 10% off the price of the pants through their factory discount program. I located Spirit Mountain Campground just before dark and found the field they suggested to me on the phone earlier in the day. The only flat spot open was at the bottom of a grassy hill. Riding down the hill “off road” was another first for me - I am happy to say I kept the shiny side up.
Scott at Spirit Mountain Campground.
After lunch, I took State Route 1 to Ely. The road was nice and curvy and traffic was light. I stopped at Ely to grab a bite at the Plum Bun Bakery which was recommended to me. They were out of the lemon bars, but the cookie I bought was good. In Ely, as well as other places, I was routinely approached by strangers that were interested in the bike and had a story to tell. I have read that when riding alone, people were more likely to talk to you or help you if necessary. With my limited knowledge, it appeared that was the case. It was something I might not have experienced if traveling in a larger group. After a brief rest, I continued South and West along I-169 to the Grand Rapids area where I bedded down at the KOM-ON-IN campground off State Highway 10 on Trout Lake. The sites were a little cramped for my taste, but the view of the lake at daybreak was nice.
Day four was my largest mileage day. I planned to leave Grand Rapids and arrive in Sioux Falls before 6:00 in time to pick up the kids from daycare. I discerned what I believe was the fastest route while having a beer and food at the El Potro Mexican Restaurant in Grand Rapids the night before. I left the campground at 7:00 and took I-2 northwest to McIntosh and South on I-59 to Detroit Lakes. After which, I went West on I-10 to Fargo where I picked up I-29 South for the remainder of my trip. I put on approximately 500 miles that day which was enough for me. I arrived as promised with over an hour to spare. All told, my first “real” trip was over 1300 miles in 4 days and I averaged around 42 miles/gallon. Hopefully, that was not too bad for a “first time”. At least I did it before I turned 40!
HIGH OVER PAONIA (July 29-31st), by Gordon Courbat
Wow, where do I begin? I haven’t won anything since the 4th grade back in Waverly, IA, when I won a Brownie camera for having the best costume at the Halloween party. Oh well, I guess I was just due again. So, I was sitting in the registration building enjoying a cup of coffee after a day’s ride through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison when I heard someone yell out, “Does anyone have ticket #472?” I was busy reading an interesting article in one of the local publications and even though that number did sound familiar I just raised my hand and kept on reading. A few seconds later a man appeared over my right shoulder and said, “Are you ready to go flying?” And I said, “Huh?” At that point I was told that I just won a one hour flight with a local pilot over the surrounding valleys and mountains. And I said, “What was that number again?” Then this man, Jeff Galligan, who was the head man with the BMW Club of Colorado (the event sponsor) said, “You are the winner!” Hey, I liked the sound of that! He immediately called the pilot and left a voice mail message with my name and phone number and he gave me the pilot’s number also. That was all great except it occurred to me that we had no phone service up here so how were we going to get in touch? Early the next morning I got on my bike and headed for the highest elevation around to see if I could get phone service. I headed north of town with no luck but across the valley on the south side of town was a spot even higher. Following a road up the mountain on the south side eventually took me to the local cemetery that was very peaceful and had a beautiful view of the valley in the early morning sunlight. Yahoo, I got reception and talked to the pilot who told me to meet him at the front gate of the park in 30 minutes and the sooner we got flying the better because the winds pick up as the day goes on.
Top of the Rockies 2011, by Dave McBride
Friday I went to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. First time I have ever been there. Spent most of the day there. Got in free with my “old man national park free pass”. A really unique canyon. The river cut down through some of the oldest (and hardest) rocks in North America. It has incredibly steep canyon walls. You can see millions of years of geological development from top to bottom. At the painted wall you can see million year old remains of old lava flows that resemble an upside down view of the root structure of plants. The molten lava flows sent out fingers sideways and upward through the rock and they then cooled and hardened into the shapes we see today. Many miles away you can see the results of the lava that reached the surface and produced the mountain where Paonia exists today.
Saturday was a day for riding around Colorado. I headed out to Grand Mesa and in Mesa ran into Dale and Gerald taking a lunch break. Also found out that the heavy snow fall last winter means BIG holes in the road. Rode fairly slowly after the first couple of launches from potholes. The view leaving Mesa heading south up Grand Mesa is spectacular. You can look down several thousand feet and see the entire valley north of Grand Mesa. It stretches for miles. It was a hard ride up the north side of Grand Mesa trying to watch for potholes, traffic, and scenery at the same time. With the pass over Grand Mesa above 10,000 feet, it was blessedly cool on the top, almost too cool riding with just my air jacket. After riding down the south side of Grand Mesa it was nice but not as good as the north side. However, I did find a couple of nice local paved roads back to Paonia through some really pretty country. The neat thing about Colorado is the number of local paved roads that are not marked on the state map. However, you must be prepared to retrace your steps as some of these roads may become “cow paths”.
About 750 people attended the rally, the weather was really good, the food was excellent, and a small shower sped up the awards ceremony which didn’t hurt my feelings. Top of the Rockies can be crowded but it will also reward you with beautiful views (photo at left), cool riding, and an opportunity to see land that we in the Midwest cannot believe.
Sunday morning I packed up and headed to north central Colorado to stay in the mountains as long as I could and also miss Denver. I finally headed east out of the Rockies on Colorado State Road 14 which goes through a beautiful canyon and then spits you out in Fort Collins. Unfortunately, I traveled in a light rain and did not see much of the scenery that SR14 has. The rain ended just as I got to the flatland of Ft Collins and I then had an unobstructed view of wonderful eastern Colorado. In addition to being flat, it was also 100 degree’s - a journey from heaven to hell.
Made it to Ogallala where I spent the night. Got up at 4 in the morning to avoid the heat and was almost the only one on I-80. Had cool and fast riding. I saw a beautiful sunrise on the Nebraska plains. There was thin cloud cover in the east on the horizon and when the sun came up through the clouds it refracted the sunlight up into the cloud cover producing a red light over the normal yellow sun and a brilliant orange sunrise. The cloud cover was translucent enough that I was able to see the real sun just behind the refracted sun.
Got to Des Moines at 12:15. The temperature was 100 degrees. Into the air conditioning I went. End of trip.
Saturday was a day for riding around Colorado. I headed out to Grand Mesa and in Mesa ran into Dale and Gerald taking a lunch break. Also found out that the heavy snow fall last winter means BIG holes in the road. Rode fairly slowly after the first couple of launches from potholes. The view leaving Mesa heading south up Grand Mesa is spectacular. You can look down several thousand feet and see the entire valley north of Grand Mesa. It stretches for miles. It was a hard ride up the north side of Grand Mesa trying to watch for potholes, traffic, and scenery at the same time. With the pass over Grand Mesa above 10,000 feet, it was blessedly cool on the top, almost too cool riding with just my air jacket. After riding down the south side of Grand Mesa it was nice but not as good as the north side. However, I did find a couple of nice local paved roads back to Paonia through some really pretty country. The neat thing about Colorado is the number of local paved roads that are not marked on the state map. However, you must be prepared to retrace your steps as some of these roads may become “cow paths”.
About 750 people attended the rally, the weather was really good, the food was excellent, and a small shower sped up the awards ceremony which didn’t hurt my feelings. Top of the Rockies can be crowded but it will also reward you with beautiful views (photo at left), cool riding, and an opportunity to see land that we in the Midwest cannot believe.
Sunday morning I packed up and headed to north central Colorado to stay in the mountains as long as I could and also miss Denver. I finally headed east out of the Rockies on Colorado State Road 14 which goes through a beautiful canyon and then spits you out in Fort Collins. Unfortunately, I traveled in a light rain and did not see much of the scenery that SR14 has. The rain ended just as I got to the flatland of Ft Collins and I then had an unobstructed view of wonderful eastern Colorado. In addition to being flat, it was also 100 degree’s - a journey from heaven to hell.
Made it to Ogallala where I spent the night. Got up at 4 in the morning to avoid the heat and was almost the only one on I-80. Had cool and fast riding. I saw a beautiful sunrise on the Nebraska plains. There was thin cloud cover in the east on the horizon and when the sun came up through the clouds it refracted the sunlight up into the cloud cover producing a red light over the normal yellow sun and a brilliant orange sunrise. The cloud cover was translucent enough that I was able to see the real sun just behind the refracted sun.
Got to Des Moines at 12:15. The temperature was 100 degrees. Into the air conditioning I went. End of trip.
Wisconsin Guzzi Rally, by Marlin Wolter
I met Larry, Mary, and Bill in Round Lake, MN, on Friday morning, August 5th. We took back roads all the way to Lake Joy, WI. It was a perfect day for riding, needed a jacket all the way (unlike some of the riding I had been doing lately). We arrived early afternoon, plenty of time to set up camp before the evening meal. The WI Moto Guzzi Rally is at a very nice location, facilities were good and lots of room. The Moto Guzzi people treat you well, plenty to eat and drink.
On Saturday I took off on my own for a ride in the area. What a beautiful area to ride in!! The back roads are all black top and you never get tired of them, just kinda mixed-up. The K75C I took on the trip was the perfect bike for that kind of riding. It’s easy to handle on the twisties.
On Saturday I took off on my own for a ride in the area. What a beautiful area to ride in!! The back roads are all black top and you never get tired of them, just kinda mixed-up. The K75C I took on the trip was the perfect bike for that kind of riding. It’s easy to handle on the twisties.
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