First Ride of 2011

January 29 was a beautiful day; talk about a perfect weekend (actually it was even better on Sunday, January 30....over 70 degrees). However, the Saturday was also nice with a high of around 65 and clear blue skies. I took the Vulcan out after doing some checks (cold weather always plays with the tire pressures, so added air to the tires) plus checked it over good. Headed out to Suck Bang Blow (previous post) to meet up with some friends for a ride. After lunch there, we decided to head to Morrow Mountain which is just outside of Albemarle, NC, and is a great park with some fine views of the Carolinas. It also tends to attract motorcycles.
Terry (at left) and Phil (at right) are seen here in this photo at the start of the ride. Both ride Yamaha's (actually Star Motorcycles now, though a division of Yamaha) and are good friends. Terry has a V-4, while Phil and I have V-twins. My bike though is a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500. Rode out to NC-49, though the neat town of Mt. Pleasant, NC, and then up NC-73 to Morrow Mountain State Park. Not a long ride, but really scenic. There was a pretty good breeze but nothing that caused us any problems along the way. I lead the way, and we all made it to the top of the mountain with no problems; enjoying some of the twisty roads to the top along the way.

As you can see here, a lot of bikes were at the top. Great variety of motorcycles which is always the case; Sport bikes, cruisers, and even a few customs were to be found up there. Enjoyed meeting with the bikers, talking about the bikes and all of us marveling over the weather. It has been a cold wet and sometimes snowy winter this year, and the good riding days have been few and far between. So it was great to be up there and to be able to enjoy riding without having to be too heavily bundled up. It was fun watching bikes come and go as well, in an on-going changing of the guard during the time spent there. The views were nothing short of remarkable as well.
Bike that caught my eye while I was there was this Triumph Bonneville. They are a brand that came back from the dead, and has been very successful in doing so and they have a number of neat models including this classic. Course, they are greatly improved over the old 70's Triumph was new electronics (a weak point on the older ones) and improvements in manufacturing. Good to see this old British brand on the roads again, and was great to hear this vertical twin motorcycle engine again. We got back safe and sound from the ride which in my case from door to door was just short of 92 miles on a very fine winter's day. I am looking forward to the next one!

Suck Bang Blow, Concord, NC

Had a good time this weekend, visited a new restaurant/bar in Concord, NC called "Suck Bang Blow". It is located in Concord right next to Pat Rogers Speedway Harley-Davidson. Actually it is named for three of the four cycles in a four-cycle engine; at least according to the menu! Nice place though, liked the motorcycle theme, and as seen from the photo at left, there are a number of motorcycles inside the restaurant. It also has pool tables, and shows sporting events but also motorcycle movies (saw part of "Easy Rider" and "The Wild One" on a screen). Service is good, beer specials are there to be found, and there is a lot of parking for both bikes and cages. They also have some shirts and other items for sale as well. I think there are other bars in this chain in South Carolina and Florida.
Here is a view of inside looking toward the pool tables (which would be found behind the Harley's on the poles) and also a view of the big fan (which I found is made by the Big Ass Fan Company, and yes...they have a web site!). Ate there; BBQ, slaw and fries, and it was pretty good. Friend of mine from work (when I worked in Concord) and two riding buddies and I met there for a ride to Morrow Mountain on January 29, which turned out to be a really remarkable day both ride wise and weather wise as well. Got into the upper 60s for that ride, which also was the first ride (for me) of 2011. I will have more on that, and some photos from that ride on my next post!

State of the Union: Motorcycles

Interesting statistics from the Motorcycle Industry Council over the past few weeks. Noted that motorcycle sales are down (go figure) and by a whopping 50% over sales in 2008. In a bad economy wants and needs quickly balance out; and motorcycles are a want or even a "toy" for many, so sales drop off. Plus even those who are big fans of them have to balance out the need for a bike against the need for a car...and the car always wins out. I have been lucky (knock on wood) that I have been able to keep my motorcycle.
Harley had a big increase in net income in 2010 of $259.7 million over 2009's 70.6 million. The income rose despite selling fewer bikes in 2010 (222,110) over 2009 (242,634). Much of that was due to restructuring (some layoffs, other restructuring) and Harley-Davidson did get some TARP money. Harley is still the big leader in US motorcycling; 32.7 % of all US bikes sold, and a whopping 46.7% of all road bikes (which is basically what Harley makes) in the US are Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Of course, have also been reading that the average motorcycle buyer is getting older; seems to be a trend that many younger people get motorcycles, leave the sport early on, and then some of them get back into it down the road. I can relate to a lot of events in this article. Rode motorcycles in my "teen years" and also had a motorcycle while in the Navy (in Hawaii while stationed there; and a remarkable place to ride). Rode for a while after the Navy (brought the Suzuki back here with my household goods move) but due to income and the cost of living, sold the bike and did not ride again for many years. Finally, finances got better and I was able to ride again. Have enjoyed it a great deal, but you never know what will happen.

Honda House (January 23, 2011)

Two posts down is a post of the Honda DN-01, and two of the BRP Spyder trikes; but this is the more conventional bikes at Honda House. Went to see the new CBR250R and the CB1000R but they were not in yet. Still, some fine motorcycles at Honda House. The first is the Honda Fury, which is Honda's "factory chopper" and is based on the VTX-1300 V-twin engine. The Fury from all reports has done well, I have seen (and heard) a lot of them on the roads of North Carolina. Liked the seating position (low) the raked front end, and the use of forward controls and footpegs. Chopper popularity may be down, but this is a very fine motorcycle.
Along with the Fury, much of the same components have gone into two other bikes; the Sabre (seen here in red) and the Interstate (which is much the same as the Fury but with a windshield and saddlebags). All three use the VTX-1300 engine. The Sabre is not as raked as the Fury, sits higher, and has its instruments mounted on the tank (the Fury has them on the handlebars). I would imagine the handling is a bit crisper than with the longer Fury. It is a big change from this version to the old model of the Honda Sabre (and its former other model the Spirit) but a really impressive remake of a long time Honda motorcycle.

I find this a very interesting bike. It is the NV-700 which is sort of a light touring bike. It uses the same 680cc V-twin as the DN-01 (though the NV-700 does not come with an automatic, which I like...enjoy shifting my own gears on a motorcycle, but to each their own), an adjustable windshield, and hard bags for storage. I would think this would be a great commuter bike, or a very fine light weekend tourer. 700 cc's is a very good size for a motorcycle, and in addition the bike is also said to get very good gas mileage. This bike came to Europe and was a huge seller there, not sure how it is doing in the US (where bigger is better in many eyes) but I like this bike, and it could be worth a look in my future.
Finally, this is one of the few 2011 bikes at the dealership, though it is basically the newest model of the CBR1000RR and looks to be pretty much unchanged for this year from the previous years version. The bike though got a lot of interest from the motorcycle press when it came out as a major re-work of the previous design in 2007. It has won a number of "Motorcycle of the Year" awards, and in addition has been a very successful bike in motorcycle road racing. This is a bike for the experienced motorcyclist, but would be a great deal of fun on the roads (and road courses) of America.
Honda makes some fine and interesting motorcycles, and many of them have some interesting technology. Much of what they learn in racing is put into their bikes. The company also makes cars, lawn equipment, and even a small jet private plane called The Hondajet which is headquartered and built in North Carolina. Be watching here for the two new bikes in an upcoming post further down the road (which hopefully when the winter weather abates is where you will find me!). Ride safe!

Harley Davidson of Richmond (January 22, 2011)

Made two bike shops on Saturday January 22; Honda House (previous two posts) and Richmond Harley-Davidson on Hull Street. Nice dealership, though not one of the "newer style" ones. Friendly people, and they don't bother you which is nice; sort of "look around and if you need anything, give me a yell" sort of thing. Did like this Screaming Eagle version of a Harley-Davidson. That gives them a bigger engine, and some really great graphics as well (as well as a bigger price tag) but they are beautiful motorcycles. Something just totally American and classic about Harley-Davidson. I like the sound of them too...very unique to the brand.

This bike is much like my Vulcan, your simple basic cruiser. Unlike mine, its air cooled, though Harley has moved to water cooled bikes with its V-Rod line. They have also gone from chains to belt drive. Like mine, Harley in general has hydraulic lifters which do not require periodic and often expensive valve adjustments. For many years vibration and reliability were issues (as were the famous Harley-Davidson oil leaks) but those I am told are pretty much issues of the past. I have ridden a few Harley's and find them to be smooth and impressive; and nothing fell off of them which is what you want with a motorcycle.
Really liked this photo, taken from the year of a Harley-Davidson bagger. Looks like a big long bike (and it is a big long bike). Harley now has some American competition, some from the latest version of Indian (which at last report makes versions of one model..The Chief), which is made in Kings Mountain, NC and Victory Motorcycles which is based and produced in Minnesota since 1998. They also make some interesting motorcycles and I will be showing some of their bikes for 2011 in a future update of this page.
Enjoyed my cold day out checking out some of the new 2011's (and some older bikes) though still waiting to see some of the newest creations from the creative minds of US and overseas motorcycle manufacturers. Like to see what the latest trends are; there is a lot of diversity in motorcycles, and some very interesting ideas which push the boundaries of what is a motorcycle. Will be fun to check some of those out in the months to come. Looking forward to some interesting shops, but also looking forward to some fun and interesting rides coming up in 2011.

Different Strokes :DN-01 and BRP Spyder(s)

Motorcycling has some interesting variations from time to time, and has over the years had some different sort of vehicles under the classification. From a visit to Honda House in Chesterfield, Va; here are some examples. First is the Honda DN-01. First out in 2009, the bike looks pretty conventional with a liquid cooled 680cc V-twin water cooled shaft drive. What sets it apart is that is has a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) or as would be more commonly known; an automatic. The bike has a top speed of some 113 mph from its 43.3 hp engine. Two big drawbacks are its price for its size, and its limited carry capacity as it is rated for only 324 pounds total. It is not the only automatic motorcycle on the market, and I have a feeling that many more will be showing up in the years to come. Styling is sort of a cross between sport bike and cruiser. I have not heard how this model has been selling for the last couple of years.
First out in 2007 is the Can-Am Spyder family of bikes. First out was the Roadster which is powered by a Rotax 990 v-twin engine of around 109 hp. Rotax has been in business for some 50 years and has built some 6 million engines based on some 350 designs. They have built engines for snowmobiles, aircraft, boats, and other vehicles. Rotax engines have been in BMW, Aprilia and Buell motorcycles to name a few. Rotax and the Can Am brand are owned by Bombardier Recreational Products (PRP) which also makes Evinrude boat engines, snowmobiles, and Ski-doo watercraft. BRP is based in Canada. The first of the Spyders (Serial number 001) was presented to Jay Leno. Compared to a street snowmobile, the bike has a number of interesting features including Traction stability control, and anti-lock brakes to make it hold the road better.
New is the RT Line of Spyder Can-Am. Designed to be a touring version is featured a slightly de-tuned Rotax with less hp and increased torque, is 3 inches wider in stance, and comes with a long list of "bells and whistles". It is at 929 pounds some 230 pounds heavier than the RS model (one of which is the photo above). It comes in three different models which have price ranges from $20,999, $22,999, and $24,999 though added features can push up those numbers. On of those features is a "designed for the vehicle trailer which gives the trike a very large cargo capacity. I have not seen the tourer version ridden, but I have seen a number of RS models on the roads, and they are certainly very interesting vehicles. Certainly they are different takes on what is a "motorcycle", and perhaps a hint and some more designs to come.

Full Throttle and Finding Rides

While at Davis Harley-Davidson (previous post) I picked up a copy of "Full Throttle." A very nice (and free, which is always nice) North Carolina motorcycle magazine, it is a favorite of mine. It has a lot of motorcycle news, and a great event listing (it also is listed in my links, as there is a fine on-line version with much of the same info). For the January issue, had a lot of good articles on the many "Toy Runs" held in the Carolinas (have ridden some of them in the past) , an interview with the maximum Hells Angel Sonny Barger, and my favorite section "The Cruisin Calendar". Miss the great motorcycle web site "Carolina Motorcycle Events" which ended last year, but this lists many events in the area, and there are a lot of motorcycle events even in the winter in North and South Carolina. Some of those of note will be listed below. Not the only way to list events though, some are not listed there, have a few favorites of mine as well that I have learned of over the years via word of mouth, visits to them, and will also mention some of those.
In Virginia, I also have a magazine site (Thunder Road) with a link on this page, but does not seem to get as many events. Some events here I just stumble across while out exploring (found a couple of great bike shows that way).
Another great way to find events is at motorcycle shops, were rides and events are often posted. Riding groups also are a good source of information; Harley Owners Group is the biggest (aka HOG), but there are also groups for Kawasaki Vulcan (I ride with the Charlotte Vulcan Riders Association), Star Motorcycles; in fact most of the major brands have groups (though not chapters in all places).
Popular motorcycle events are bike nights. In Charlotte and Concord, NC there are many of them at such places as Iron Thunder, Hooters, Pat Rogers Harley-Davidson, and the biggest is usually at Quaker Steak and Lube. Though will be cranking up in the spring and into early fall. Though I have not yet been, the new Quaker Steak and Lube in Richmond also hosts a bike night, and I am told it has been growing.
Lots of fun things to do, and this is an early list of some upcoming events. First, a few that will cost you a few bucks to get into. That starts with The Easyriders Bike Show Tour January 22-23 at the Charlotte Convention Center. It is a big and popular show. The AMCA Southern National Meet will be held at Denton Farm Park, Denton, NC May 13-14, and says they will have a number of classic motorcycles on display. If you like to see Harley's drag racing, two big events at Rockingham Dragway, Rockingham, NC on April 30-May 1, and again October 8-9 as part of the AHDRA 2011 Championship Series.
There are a number of free events to visit. Not really free (you have to get there) but Daytona Bike Week will be held March 4-13. Friends of mine who have been get all google eyed when they talk about it, I get the impression its a hell of a thing. Myrtle Beach comes up in the spring, but the city would rather that if you ride a motorcycle you would ride someplace else, so screw them! One of my favorite events (and not listed in the magazine) is the Antique Motorcycle Show at Gold Hill, NC; a very cool place, and has always been a fun and interesting event, this year on Saturday June 25.
As for Virginia, right now have only one; the AMA Pro Superbike Championship will be coming to Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA August 12-14. That event also charges admission. Speaking of racing, a lot of events (including some you can participate in) are listed in American Motorcyclist Magazine, or at the AMA web site.
I will (with any luck) have some more Virginia events listed. Upcoming events that right now lack dates are the Childsavers Ride in Richmond, VA (always a huge ride) and of course Hog Happenin in Lincolnton, NC which is a very favorite event. Look for more events here from time to time, and I plan to be at many of them, so as I did in past years will have some photos from those events. Hang in there, Spring is on the way!

A Few New 2011 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles

On Saturday January 15 was on the way home to Carolina from Virginia. Took a rest stop at Davis Harley-Davidson in Burlington, NC. Though I do not, and have never owned a Harley, I do like the motorcycles. They are American Icons which have stood the test of time. Davis seems to be a really good dealership; they don't hassle you as you look around, and they have a nice selection of bikes, clothes and parts from what I have seen. They also have a number of old Harley motorcycles on display. The brand has a long history; being the oldest continuous American manufacturer. Though Indian and Victory made bikes in the US, Harley had made them longer.
In the foreground is a 2011 Fat Bob (that is a 2010 in the background; though not sure of the model). Harley started production in 1903 in Milwaukee, WI. It built its first V-twin in 1907, though it has had many variations in that motor over the years. It has even trademarked the sound of that engine, which is unique to Harley (and from a show I saw, spent a great deal of money to get its V-Rod to sound the same as all other Harley motorcycles). There were some 150 manufacturers when Harley started, after the Great Depression only two remained: Harley and Indian. Indian would go out of production in the 1950s, though it came back a few times. Indian is made in North Carolina, near Kings Mountain.
Bike below is the 2011 Fat Bob Lo. Harley has been working to make its bikes more popular with both women and younger people. Read an article some time ago that motorcycle buyers are getting older, and Harley has been working to appeal to both a different demographic in the US, but also is building bikes to appeal to buyers overseas. In fact on the drive home a few days ago, heard in an NPR story that Vietnam has its first HOG (Harley Owners Group) as with the rising incomes there some of the Vietnamese can now own Harley-Davidson motorcycles. HOG is a big part of Harley ownership; the clubs get together for events and rides on a regular basis, and most of the dealerships are active supporters of the groups.
Last photo is a 2011 Electra Glide. One of the earliest motorcycle movies I remember seeing was "Electra Glide in Blue", and I also remember the old tv show "Then Came Bronson". Though Harley has suffered some serious sales losses, as have all other motorcycle manufacturers in the current recession, they are still churning out bikes. Harley is always the first to show new models, and they are classics in every since of the word. Love em or hate em, they are a vital part of Americana and the classic American motorcycle. Certainly I have enjoyed riding with a number of Harley riders (and have been welcomed even while on my Kawasaki Vulcan) and have been to some great events with them. I will be featuring more 2011 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and more from the other brands as the year goes on. Thanks for visiting my page!

Arnold, The AMA, Loud Bikes, and News (January 16, 2011)

Back in Carolina, though won't be riding this trip, though the day is sunny, and relatively warm. Problem is that there are still patches of ice on the roads from the big winter storm last week, and a ton of salt and sand on the roads. Just washed the bike after the last salty ride, been cold for the last couple of weeks in Richmond, and frankly will wait till the next trip to ride. I will be putting the bike in the trickle charger; to give the battery a charge, and will start it up tomorrow to run some fluids though the engine, but the ride will have to wait.
That is not to say that motorcycling is far from my mind. I made a visit to Davis Harley-Davidson in Burlington, NC; got some nice photos and those will be in the next post here in a few days. I also watched a bit of Supercross live last night before bed from Phoenix, AZ. A big treat has been the American Motorcyclist Magazine that came yesterday. The February 2011 edition had (as always) a lot of good articles. Liked the one on Bob "Hurricane" Hannah, who was a great motocross/supercross racer. Always enjoy watching those motorcyclists "fly", and Bob was also a very good air racer...who flew P-51 warbirds at Reno among other places, and has a successful aircraft business. He still rides (though a Harley-Davidson now) and is also a big fan of dogs. I think I would really like this guy. It also had a great article on Jorma Kaukonen, who was one of the founders of the Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna (the latter still tours), and lives in Southeast Ohio where he rides motorcycles. Jorma has also been on some interesting cross country motorcycle rides. I also learned that I get a free motorcycle rental (its in the magazine) on my birthday this year with EagleRider. The magazine is published by the American Motorcyclist Association, and is a great group to belong to. It protects rights of bikers, you get great discounts though a number of benefits (have gotten some good hotel discounts through the AMA, also some good deals on parts), and being a member gives me a discount on my motorcycle insurance...so its a win win sort of thing.
However...a bit of disagreement between me and them has come up. Minor but worth a few words. Arnold Schwarzenegger (whew) was made the 2010 Motorcyclist of the Year by the AMA due to his "negative" impact on the sport by signing a law that would require an EPA stamp on aftermarket exhausts on bikes sold after 2013 in California. This law was passed by the legislature, and would cut down on the noise from loud pipes. I know the argument "loud pipes save lives". Loud pipes also piss off other citizens, and I know from rides with a few bikers who had "loud pipes" that they get attention as well from citizens who drive in cars with uniforms on, and have colored lights on their state, county and city cars! Before leaving Richmond, read an opinion letter in the Richmond paper on a persons problems with loud motorcycles. The AMA seems to feel that we can "self police" but that does not seem to be working well. I am all for freedom, but loud bikes impact our freedom to ride. I agree with people who want to replace stock systems with aftermarket (and I am among those who have done it) but either for performance or for cost (they are a whole lot cheaper, as a rule, than stock systems). My point is that picking on Arnold (who has been a good friend to motorcycling; has ridden in many of his movies) for being the "first" is not fair. I think that unless the aftermarket industry makes some effort to control the noise of its pipes, that this is just the tip of what is coming. I think that limits on the noise stock pipes can make, coupled with increased enforcement is coming; the alternative will be bans on motorcycles in many areas such as parks and even neighborhoods (and that has happened in a lot of places already). Yeah I know its all about "Freedom" but freedom has a price in many directions. So in this case, I am not a fan of what they did to Arnold or why.
Still though, I will remain a member of the AMA. Like what it does in general, and like the magazine a great deal. Fun to keep up with races, and noted that the AMA Pro Superbike Championship will be rolling into Alton, VA August 12-14. They cover a lot of motorcycle races, and also other events in the states. So I enjoyed the issue, and am pleased with being an AMA member in general. Like any group, will always be some disagreement.
Motorcycling is a great sport, as well as one of the things I do that I most enjoy, and want to keep it viable for future generations to come. That is why the AMA is important, and is worth your attention. Ride safe, and see you on the open road!

Thoughts on 2011

Up this morning, day five of the new year, and thinking about the last ride, and the weekend. Took this photo on January 2 at the Charlotte Checkers Hockey game; they had a display of bikes (Honda's) from Ricky Hendrick Performance Honda. The last day of the year I had a really nice ride (previous post) and enjoyed being out on the bike on what turned out to be a fine day on a most interesting week (started with snow, ended with a motorcycle ride..got to love Carolina).
Looking forward to the rides coming up in 2011. Course it remains difficult with the two cities thing, but do the best I can. It is interesting to check out motorcycling (though as an outsider) in Richmond, and have seen some nice events and some fine motorcycles here over the past two years. Course, have had some great rides in North Carolina, and am looking for many more this year. Missed some of my favorite events there due to weather and work, but hopefully will get some of those in as well as some new ones in 2011.
I am also interested in seeing some of the new motorcycles coming out. Even in these difficult economic times, some fine bikes will be coming out including a number of brand new models. I am looking forward to hitting the bike shops both here and in Carolina.
Racing will also be cranking up, and I do enjoy motorcycle racing on tv. There is a big road racing event here in Virginia this summer, and would be fun to make that this year. Looking forward to some fine events, and some outstanding rides. I guess with winter, though lucky usually in Carolina weather wise, a bikers thoughts turn to Spring! If you are riding, ride safe, and if you are waiting to ride; winter is a good time to get your ride in shape for the upcoming year. Remember regular maintenance is really important both for your safety and the long term performance of your motorcycle.