Fall Color at Morrow Mountain (October 30,2011)

Back in North Carolina, went on one of my favorite rides. Not quite a peak color (in fact, something like 40%) but I figure the next time I am home, it will be over. Seems like a strange sort of Fall-lots of yellow and red with some orange, but leaves are also falling fast this year. Weather has been sort of strange, but still have enjoyed what I have seen so far. Will be interesting to see how it all turns out this year; but fall and the colors to be seen in one of my favorite times of the year. Got in a 70 mile ride today, down some beautiful roads. Noticed this trip from Virginia to North Carolina a lot of road work going on.

Views from the top are really something to see, usually there are a lot of motorcycles up there-Morrow Mountain is a state park in Albemarle, NC. It was a bit chilly on this ride, 55 degrees when I headed out. Not a problem though, I was dressed for it, and for a change I was right on what I needed-it was perfect for the ride. Another thing I like about fall is the haze that is often seen up there was no where in sight (the same sort of smoke that gives the "Smoky Mountains" their name) and loved the clear views. It was a really fine ride, and I enjoyed being up there. Lots of people were there in their cars and a lot of photos such as these were taken.
After the ride went to Harmanco's in Albemarle (the park is also in Albemarle, NC). Noticed that the motorcycle dealership that was there is closed (I think Crossroads Yamaha is still open, but not sure) which is another loss from the economy. Love the food there, a good place to eat, and a friendly place to stop in after a good ride (or in this case, in the middle of one). Albemarle is a very nice town in fact, though not much is open on a Sunday. The bike seen here (a Harley) is not mine, but there are many photos of my Vulcan on these pages. It was a fine day for a grin inducing ride, and I really enjoyed this one. Even better, being fall, that is a bug free grin at that!

Indian Summer Ride (September 16, 2011)

Amazingly warm day, and on a bright and sunny Sunday, I took a ride on the Vulcan-the first real ride in weeks. Photo here was taken on NC-74, also known as Independence Blvd. Even early in the morning (well, around 11am) it was warm. Had on a leather jacket, gloves and of course a helmet (and not the half-helmet either) but was very comfortable in jeans. Like the Sunday morning rides, as traffic is real light. My last ride a few weeks ago was very short, was in the rain, and did little more than get the bike home from the shop and clean it up. This was a much better ride. In this photo at left, I was riding toward Charlotte, NC.
Prior to the previous photo, I rode from Concord, NC to Monroe, NC. Seen here is the Union County Courthouse, which was built in 1886. Monroe was founded in 1843 and was named for James Monroe, the 5th US President. It is a nice town, population somewhere around 32,000 (give or take) and has a nice mall there, also a few good motorcycle shops. Riding around the old downtown is pretty cool, and like the old houses that can be seen there. In a few weeks there will be an air show at the Monroe Airport (November 4-6, 2011 to be exact). Details can be found on the Warriors and Warbirds Air Show at the web site, there is also a facebook page.
Last part of the ride was to Charlotte, NC which runs right down Independence/NC-74 (that road links all three places I featured here, in fact it also runs to the ocean and to the mountains of NC). I love riding to Charlotte, it is a very interesting city. While there, rode to the Uptown (that is what its called) and also into North Davidson, and University City, ending my day's ride after almost 2.5 hours and 80 miles right back where I started. It felt great to be back on the motorcycle, and I enjoyed it a great deal. To have such a warm wonderful day to enjoy it was a real bonus-you don't get warm weather like this often this time of year, even in North Carolina. In fact there were a lot of motorcycles out today; both in North Carolina, and also back on the road in the car when I headed back to Richmond later this night. Saw quite a few motorcycles on the highway tonight.
Important thing. Temperatures have changed quite a bit, and that had quite an impact on my tire pressures. For some reason temperature can change that, and did. Prior to the ride on Saturday I checked my tires. Before every ride I check the bike over-pilots do a preflight on their planes, and its always a good idea to check your ride over before throwing a leg over and turning the key. Remember when riding a motorcycle safety is YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY.

Back in the Saddle Again! (September 26, 2011)

Weather in Carolina has been awful this weekend, with some remarkable heavy (but badly needed) rain....Carolina Panthers game on Sunday was played in a monsoon. I was in Charlotte for the Carolina Hurricane pre-season game, that was indoors thankfully, but quite a pounding rain getting into the Time Warner Cable Arena. Between showers, got out and got the Vulcan from the shop. It has been ready for a few days, but could not get it due to being in Richmond (I live a unique life last few years) but finally got it back home. First thing I did was to clean the dirt off the bike, as it has been in the shop for a solid month.
Took it out for a brief ride after cleaning it, to blow the water out of it. Going to wax it in a little bit, but sure felt good to be riding again. To be sure was a short ride; conditions are not great for any sort of distance ride, and have a lot to do this morning. I sure have missed riding though, and it is good to have this back again. Will get out and get some nice fall riding in.
Weather killed some good plans; was looking forward to the BBQ thing at Tilley HD in Salisbury, NC on Saturday, but of course it was pouring rain when I went past that in the car. Amazing bad weather and not just in NC...this has been a wide area event. As the saying goes "into every life, a little rain must fall". In this case, it was a lot, still a great weekend, and the promise of things to come brightens my days ahead. Once again...let's ride!

Down Time: Bikes in North Carolina

While in North Carolina on September 15, made a stop to check out the new motorcycles at RideNow in Concord, NC. My bike is still in the shop, but may be out and back in my hands this weekend! I ride a Kawasaki Vulcan, this is the Kawasaki Concours 14. The engine for this bike is the powerful ZX-14 engine, and it can really move the 688 pound bike with its 131 horsepower and 88 foot pounds of torque. This bike also uses shaft drive. The bike is a very good (I have read) sport touring motorcycle I am a big fan of the ZX-14, but would this version in my case to be a lot more practical for the manner in which I ride.
In a previous review I rode a couple of Victory Motorcycles, but did not get to ride the Victory Vision. This bike might be a 2012: Victory like Harley-Davidson come out with the new models earlier than foreign manufacturers. The Victory is a fine motorcycle though. I for sure like (though many don't) the sci-fi look of the bike, it is certainly a very interesting motorcycle. I found Victory transmissions to be clunky in the two bikes I rode a few weeks ago, can't speak to this one's, but found the v-twin engines Victory makes to be very impressive. Victory also has a very good customer satisfaction rating, they seem to be here to stay.
Does not currently seem to be in the 2012 Harley-Davidson lineup, but the Rocker models (there were two at one time) were/are interesting bikes. The seat has a trick feature; the passenger pad unfolds from under it. Of course this is one of the "factory chopper" bikes-Honda also had a bike like this (and still does) called the Fury. At any case, the HD came with the 1584cc Twin Cam 96B engine, a 90mm front tire, and a 240mm in the rear. A sharp looking bike, but not sure how it would handle with the extended front end (choppers tend to be great in a straight line, but curvy roads can be interesting. I have seen some 2012 models, will be showing them in a upcoming post. Thanks for visiting my page.

Asheville Trip/News from the World of Motorcycling (September 3-4,2011)

Couple of photos here from the Asheville trip over September 3-4. My bike is still in the shop, but the news from that is good; price will not be bad for the repair (was an electrical problem), and it should be out in a few days. That will be fantastic! My wife Patty and I took the Versa (that is in the background) but Asheville is a motorcycle paradise. I saw a slew of bikes such as this Harley Davidson trike (a lot of trikes for some reason) and motorcycles of all types. Enjoyed that, and though in a car, nothing like a long ride (in my case, 100 miles on September 4) on the remarkable Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a wonderful time, and always a wonderful place to visit.
Second photo is a Victory Motorcycle and this time a Honda Gold Wing Trike. I have some more photos on my Richmond and Me blog of some of the views there-just remarkable. Course had a good place to stay, wonderful weather, and a great woman to spend the time with.
Do have some news of note. Was reading the new issue (October 11, 2011) of Motorcyclist-one of my favorite motorcycle magazines. Did not know that Kawasaki no longer builds touring bikes or cruisers at its plants in Maryville, Missouri or Lincoln, Nebraska..that ended in 2006 (however the Vulcan I ride is a 2005, so I assume it was made there). Kawasaki does make its ATV's in the US at those factories according to the article. Honda of course ended production at its Marysville, Ohio factory in 2009; Gold Wings and Cruisers were made there. Great article on where motorcycles are made-some of the places were a real surprise to me. Check out the issue for more information.
Of note- the OCC event scheduled for October 22 has been cancelled-no reason given. Shame, I was looking forward to attending that one. Lots of other events coming up, and will be covering some of them in a future post. Always be sure to check with the event though before you ride-things can and do change, especially with motorcycles where weather can be a very important factor. Ride safe, I hope to be joining you all again real soon!

Home again in NC (August 20-23, 2011)

Had a good time in North Carolina. Took this photo of a pair of Harley-Davidson motorcycles (and one rider on the phone) at a rest stop on I-85 on the way to my house. There, finally got my bike in the shop. Problems have been rare, and I do the vast majority of work on my bike, but an electrical problem cropped up, and that will require an expert look. For the time being, I will be looking at motorcycling outside of riding. Hopefully it will not be a huge financial hit, and won't prove to be a major problem. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be the battery. Hope to be back on the road soon with the bike though, looking forward to some great fall rides.
On the way back, passing though Salisbury, NC saw this trio riding down I-85 on a quiet August 23 morning. Did read some interesting articles in Motorcyclist this month ( they have a great web site, I also subscribe to the magazine) that Harley is considering adding watercooling to its air cooled bikes. The bikes will retain the look, and the water cooling will be largely hidden. Air cooled bikes take a hit in both performance (heat takes a toll), reliability (ditto), and also in air quality. Most motorcycles (and even HD with its V-Rod line) have embraced the benefits of water cooled engines. It will be interesting to see what comes out of that. Hope that this weekend I can get into some motorcycle items of note here in the Richmond area, where I will be spending the weekend. I also have a trip planned to the mountains and am looking forward to that, and will be sharing photos of that trip. A motorcycle mecca of sorts, sure to be some great motorcycle photos there, plus some of one of the best riding areas in the US. Thanks for visiting my page!

Ride to Uptown Charlotte (August 7, 2011)

I took a ride to Uptown Charlotte on Sunday August 7. One of my favorite towns, and until the recession hit, it was one of the fastest growing cities in the US. Nice to explore on a Sunday, I got off the bike and took a walk around the area. Charlotte is a beautiful place, and a place where change happens rapidly and sometimes it seems without warning. During my walk, saw a few places that were brand new under construction, and that is not uncommon to find in that city. I love the big buildings, and enjoy seeing what is new. Charlotte is a city where many people both live and work downtown (or Uptown as the locals call it) and that makes for an interesting vibe.
I took this photo from the bike at Bruton Smith Blvd and NC 29. That is the intersection where Charlotte Motor Speedway is located, and that is the sign to it at the right. Unfortunately while in Charlotte, I started to have some electrical problems with the motorcycle. I talked quite a bit in previous posts about the importance of maintenance, and it is. However, sometimes things just break. Thankfully, the bike did get me home, though once home it did not start again. It could be a battery problem, though not sure at this time. For sure, being an electrical problem, it will be going to the shop for these repairs, and I will be reporting on what they find and (hopefully) fix in a future report. For the time being though, the riding is done for a bit.
Another view of one of the big buildings in Charlotte, NC. The city has had some remarkable changes over the years I have been there. I have more photos both on my Richmond and Me blog, and also on my Photo Page, a link to which can be found on this page. Thanks for visiting my blog, I enjoy sharing it with you!

Upcoming Motorcycle Events in Carolina (July 29, 2011))

Came across some interesting motorcycle events coming up as summer starts to wind down. Something always seems to be going on in North and South Carolina- these are just a few of what I consider the "best of the best". I have links to motorcycle event sites on this page if you are interested in looking at some more; including some in Virginia. However, the Carolinas really like to have a lot of motorcycle events and activities.
The North Carolina HOG Rally will be held August 18-20 in Hickory, NC. I did get to attend the Virginia State HOG Rally (Hog is Harley Owners Group by the way) in Richmond, Va and had a great time. Though I don't ride a Harley (Kawasaki is my motorcycle of choice) still a friendly group to hang with. This event in Hickory will feature all the cool things at a HOG rally, but this event will also have an aviation theme. Motorcycles and aircraft....now that is a great combination in my book. I in fact combine the two quite often.
Looking real forward to this next event, and will be attending it. "Biker Blues and BBQ" is a first time event for Tilley Harley-Davidson in Salisbury, NC. Free admission to the event which runs from 9am-11pm September 23-24. There will be a judged BBQ cookoff, plus food and beverages for purchase, vendors, a bike show, various rides, tethered balloon rides ($12), bands...it sounds like a great event, and I am looking forward to this one. You can find more info at the Tilley Harley-Davidson (Salisbury, NC) web page or on their facebook page.
Just came across this; a rather interesting event. Orange County Choppers Live will be at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC on October 22. General Admission is $25, for a price of $130 you get photo opps with Paul Teutul Sr and other members of the OCC team. They will be building a bike on stage, the OCC Band will play, and a number of OCC's motorcycles will be on display.
Of course while there is still a lot of summer to enjoy, fall is not far away either. There are some great riding days with the remarkable fall colors and amazing roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway not too far off. From time to time will publish more events of note. Be sure to check event web sites (and also facebook sites also have more information) on these and other Carolina Motorcycle Events. Thanks for stopping by here by the way!

To High Rock Lake (July 25, 2011)

Much less humid day, cooler temperatures as well when we (Phil on his Star Motorcycle, me on the Kawasaki) rode to High Rock Lake, which is located just outside of Salisbury, NC. We rode via some really great (and favorites of mine) backroads off of Miami Church Road, including Five Points. Lots of farms and also past quite a few horses; many of which were out today. The lake was really nice, and enjoyed riding with Phil who is always great company. After a short visit at the waterside (they have redone the deck there, have a bunch of fans in the ceiling outside which is very cool) we rode up Bringle Ferry Road to Old Concord/Salisbury Road and back to Concord. It was a really good days ride, and always enjoy getting back there. This was actually Phil's suggestion, but it was a great one. Got in a good two days of riding, and enjoyed both of them; putting something over 120 miles on the bike for the two days.

Hot Ride in the Summertime (July 24, 2011)

Nice cruise on a unreal hot week; made an early morning ride on a Sunday in NC to Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville (where I took the photo at left). Whole area has been dealing with heat indexes of over 100 degrees (and talking of well over) so early morning or late evening rides have been largely the order of the day here. Been a long period of this very hot weather.
Did read today of a cool weekend ride, that would be up in the mountains. Of note, it is sort of a VA, NC thing. Details are at http://www.runtotheridge.com. Includes ($25 per bike/$30 per couple) a 15 stop NC/VA Poker Run, a free Rat Rode and Bike Show on Saturday with vendors, and a live music concert on Saturday night. That would be a much cooler place to ride, nothing like a summertime cruise in the mountains.
As for me, hope to get in another morning ride on Monday, and will have a few more photos following that ride.

For the Record...10 days in Concord

Great time on the Vulcan, as seen here. As I hoped, got a lot of work done on it; front brakes, new antifreeze, oil change, air filter cleaned, gear oil changed, brake fluid (front and rear) changed, cables lubed, clutch fluid changed, and new brake pads. Got in a total of 303 miles of riding over the very hot, humid and thunderstorm ridden period. Considering the weather, that was not bad. Enjoyed the ride to Albemarle, NC, also the ride with Phil to the Carolinas Aviation Museum (and an interesting ride though Charlotte, NC). Much of that is documented in previous posts.
I had hoped and planned to get a ride in on the fantastic Blue Ridge Parkway. Due to weather (storms fired up there daily around noon) did not make it, but the mountains have been there for millions of years and will wait for my return ride in the near future. Had a great time with the Charlotte Vulcan Riders; hope to get a ride in with them soon, and hope their national rally is a great success again this year. Just a fantastic time at home, and not only the riding. It was a remarkable trip!

Bikes at RideNow (July 9, 2011)

Good time at RideNow in Concord, NC during the Victory Motorcycle demo, though there was a lot of interesting other things going on, and some nice bikes. For instance, liked this all black Kawasaki Vulcan Special Edition (and in fact they had a few of those there). Real fond of my Vulcan, think it was a really good value and the time, and over the years (currently enjoying my sixth year with the bike) its been a great ride. I like this, being a "factory custom" model, which is pretty cool, and this has a really good look to it. Wonder though how the paint on the bike's pipes would hold up over time, but all black is pretty neat way to go.
They had a dyno truck, and one of the motorcycles waiting to make it's run was this Triumph Rocket III. The Rocket III name came from a BSA motorcycle; BSA (and for a time Triumph) went out of business in the 1970's, but Triumph came roaring back. The engine in this bike is the biggest by a major motorcycle manufacturer, something on the order of 2300 cc's. Tons of horsepower and torque, and a fine looking motorcycle. Famous for triples, this bike is also a triple, though its in-line and in a pattern that runs along the fuel tank. Very interesting engine and a most unique motorcycle with a long and proud history.
Speaking of old bikes, here is a trio of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Ape hangers are not standard on this bike (added by the owner, these are all used, RideNow is not an HD dealer) though Harley does have a standard model called the Cross Bones which does come with ape hanger handlebars. Harley is the oldest US motorcycle manufacturer, Victory also makes its bikes in the US, and Indian (which has just been purchased by Polaris, company which owns Victory also) will be made in the US as well. Indian motorcycles were built at their factory at Kings Mountain, North Carolina until a few weeks ago when the purchase was made.
Nice looking custom here, there was a guy doing some pin striping and this and the Honda behind it I believe was some of the bikes he brought to show off some of his work. Like custom bikes, and there were a few interesting ones. Many of the custom bike makers in this area have fallen on hard times, due to changing trends and also due to the economy. Grumpy's Customs has gone out of business, as well as a number of dealerships and other motorcycle shops in the region. Not only common to North Carolina though, the economy has impacted a great many bike shops and builders around the US. Still, fun to enjoy fine motorcycles such as this one.
Finally, not sure who built it (though it did tell me, "its for sale") but a fine looking Victory custom which I am told has been ridden all over the country. Like people who make bikes like these their own, and this was certainly a fine looking example of what you can do with a motorcycle. Unlike the Vulcan at the top, nice contrast here with black and red.
A quick note on RideNow; does seem to get a lot of grief at on-line forums, but overall I think they are pretty good to deal with in most areas. Few problems I have had with them over the years have been easily resolved. I get parts and tires from them, and overall I am pleased.

Demo Rides; Victory Motorcycle(s) July 9, 2011

Certainly not a professional motorcycle reviewer, and in fact this was my first test ride event at RideNow Powersports in Concord, NC. Victory Motorcycles brought their demo truck. Road a pair of bikes, photo at left is the second I rode, which was the Cross Country. All the Victory line has the 106 cubic inch engine which is rated at 97 hp, with 113 foot pounds of torque. Hydraulic lifters are also standard in this engine. The Cross County was the second Victory I rode, and I found that engine to move it along quite well. Noted the Speedometer had a gear indicator built into it, and liked that (do not have that feature on my Kawasaki Vulcan) though its not a big deal.
Photo here is from my first ride, the Victory Jackpot. Bike had a big wide rear tire, and a real skinny front tire. As the woman leading the ride (one of Victory's reps noted) handling with that combination was a bit wild. I also noted on this, and on the Cross Country, that the transmission is really noisy. Big meaty clunks were a part of riding it, and it was rather strange. If loud pipes save lives, then nothing will save lives like a Victory Transmission. The Jackpot had a nice seating position though, with footpegs and the brakes were really good. It was a smooth bike, and as I noted it had a lot of good grunt; really moved along well and quickly.
The Jackpot is seen here. Love the styling of the Victory line, with a sort of factory custom look. Bike also had a very good sound to it, clutch pull was fine. Mentioned the gear indicator on the speedo, liked the placement of that between the handlebars, and the amount of information that you could get from that. Did not get up to highway speeds on the tour, but did get a few bursts up near 60; vibration was never bad, and the bike was not very buzzy. I would like to have tried this bike with a better tire combination, this one was not the best for handling. Also wonder of the cost of replacing that big rear tire on the bike's back wheel.
Looking here though the windshield of the Cross Country. Again, the same mount position of the speedo. This one though had a tachometer built into it. I think the windshield was an accessory, the web site shows a different set up. Being 6'2" got a lot of buffeting from it, coming off the top, which I did not like. Of course, I don't ride with a windshield, so it was a different thing anyhow for me to do.
Like the Jackpot, the Vibration was fine on this bike, again the transmission was very clunky noise wise. On this model, getting it into neutral was not as easy as the first one; took some doing at times.
Overall, it was a neat experience checking out these motorcycles. They are beautiful bikes, and well built, a different sort of thing. Not sure I am a big fan of air and (in the case of these) oil cooled motorcycles, but many people are. I like the connection they have with custom bike builders, and great to bring the bikes on tour and let people ride them. I enjoyed riding both of these motorcycles.

Bikes and Planes at the Carolinas Aviation Museum (July 8, 2011)

Took this photo at the Carolinas Aviation Museum on Charlotte, NC ride, though this is at the airport viewing area which we rode to after visiting the museum. It is a great area at Charlotte Douglas International Airport to watch planes takeoff (and sometimes land). The airport is one of the busiest in the US, and the busiest in North Carolina, and is the hub airport for US Airways. On the day we rode it was a very hot and humid day with a lot of haze, but a great ride and a good time as it always is whenever I ride with a good friend, on fine motorcycles, and get to check out some amazing aircraft. That to me is a combination that can't be beat!
The museum has a fine collection of aircraft such as this F-4S Phantom. The Phantom was a Vietnam era fighter bomber. There is quite a collection of aircraft, though many of them have been moved to an outside area due to the arrival of US Airways Flight 1549. That plane seen below was the famous "Miracle on the Hudson" plane which was flown into the Hudson River on January 15, 2009 when both engines failed after striking a number of Canadian geese. All 155 on the plane were rescued from the river. The plane arrived at the museum by truck on June 10, 2011, and will be on display at the museum. Restoration is being done by US Airways and Airbus mechanics.














On the way back from the museum, we took a ride though Charlotte, NC where I snapped this photo. A great city to explore, it is a fun town, and always enjoy rides though the area. Though we did not have a lot of time to ride around following our adventures at the airport, we had a nice ride and look very forward to the next one. For the record, the museum is open 10-4 pm Monday-Friday, 10-5PM on Saturday, and from 1-5pm on Sunday, though it is closed some holidays. You can get more information from the web site, as well as information on ticket prices. You can also get directions there. It is well worth the price, and is a very interesting place to visit.

Cornelius/Huntersville, NC (July 5, 2011)

Ok, a bit out of order photo wise, but a good ride to Huntersville, and Cornelius, NC. Both are really neat areas of the "Charlotte area" with a lot of things to see. For instance, finally came across this place at left, and amazingly it was Michael Waltrip Racing in Cornelius, NC. It is easy to find there, though I just came across it. Address is at 20310 Chartwell Center Drive in Cornelius, NC. Unlike many of the race shops they charge admission, though told you get amazing access for that price. I did not tour it this time, more due to time available than cost (will do so at a future date). It is open weekdays only from 9-5, and seemed to have a good crowd there.
Seen at left is Mac's Speed Shop, one of the many bbq places to be found in North Carolina. I like the location in Charlotte, got to this one before it was open, again, as was the case with Waltrip Racing, I just stumbled across it. It is right across the street from the race shop. Also nearby is Gators, was a favorite restaurant of my family in University City, but it closed a few years ago, this is a new store. I rode out along Lake Norman, where I took the photo of the boats. Lake Norman is really cool; a huge lake, and there is a lot of development around it. I like the places there, and always nice to ride around the water.














I took a ride out to Birkdale Village which is in Huntersville, NC. Nice place with a number of stores/shops, also apartments there. Those type of developments are really springing up in NC. Think a lot of those appeal to what are known as "halfbacks". Northerners who moved to Florida and found the cost and the heat to be more than they figured on. It is a really nice development.
Finally, went by Interstate Cycle in Cornelius, NC. Nice bike shop, which deals mainly with Yamaha (also Star which is a division of Yamaha), and Suzuki motorcycles. Nice bike shop with some very friendly people. They like motorcycles there, and it shows. Told it is a great place to get a bike, not that familiar with it, as I never have purchased from them, but will give them a good look next time "down the road." Speaking of down the road, got some more riding to do, hope you all have good and safe rides. Thanks for visiting!

Charlotte Vulcan Riders

On Saturday, July 3, prior to my motorcycle maintenance project (see previous post) I visited with the Charlotte Vulcan Riders. From just a few short years, the chapter (which is Chapter 1-7 of the Vulcan Riders Association) has grown by leaps and bounds. In fact, for the second year in a row they are hosting the 5th Annual Vulcan Rally, which will again be held in Robbinsville, NC. The rally location will be Kickstand Lodge there, and the location in the NC mountains also is very close to the legendary "Tail of the Dragon". Though I will be unable to attend this rally, I look forward to news and photos from friends there. It will be a great time.
It was great to see so many good friends, I have been on a couple of rides with them; unfortunately due to my current life situation (in a sort of limbo between Richmond, VA and Charlotte, NC) with work, I don't get to ride with them as often as I would like. They are a great riding club, as well as having some awesome gatherings of other sorts. If you are looking for a fine bunch of guys and gals to hit the open roads with (and there are few finer roads to ride than those of North and South Carolina) this group is well worthy of your attention. I hope before the Summer/Fall is out to make a few rides with them, they are a ton of fun!

The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (July 2 and 3, 2011)

Not my bike, this is a pre-North Carolina built (and they have been sold now to Polaris, so that factory will be closing) Indian with an S+S engine (came out with that before they starting making their own engine. Best of luck with this classic brand to Polaris (they also make Victory Motorcycles by the way).
Saw this during the test ride (the second one actually) following two days of motorcycle maintenance. Take care of your bike, and it will take care of you. Had a few "two year things" and some other items to do on the Vulcan (which is my ride) this weekend. On Saturday; I changed the oil. Though the mileage is not due, had some 2,000 miles on an old bit of oil in the engine, thought it a good idea to freshen it up with some new. I changed the rear gear oil in the shaft drive, again for the same reason as the oil change. Anti-freeze had been in the bike for two years, time for some new Honda anti-freeze, I like that because it is pre-mixed and is made for motorcycle engines. Took the bike after that for a short 20 mile ride around the area to make sure nothing bad happened, and nothing lit up; but all was perfect.
On Sunday morning, I put new brake pads on the front wheel of the Vulcan. Thankfully I had a manual, and a great Vulcan web site to help, ran into a few confusing issues, but it all worked out, and got those on. Good idea to test them out, had to pump them up a bit before they worked after I had pushed the Pistons in on the calipers (part of the installation). I also bled the brakes front and rear (rear brakes are still good with a bit over 50% left on them), and the clutch fluid as well. Then I took the bike for a short 35 mile ride, and again, it was all very good. No problems and this bike is ready for a few days of some serious and hopefully interesting rides.
I am going to make sure everything is still tight before the next ride, and will also be lubing the throttle cable tomorrow, as well as checking the tire pressures . That will keep it up to date. Good maintenance is important, and vital for that matter both for the protection of the investment in the bike, and also for your own personal safety.

Tilley Harley-Davidson, July 1, 2011

On the way home from Virginia, made a stop at Tilley's Harley-Davidson.It is located in Salisbury, NC just off of I-85 (just follow the signs). The store is one of two (there is also another location in Statesville, NC. Seen at right is a Screaming Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Basically uprated customs of some (varies from year to year) Harley-Davidson models; they tend to increase performance of the bikes so done. This is Harley's highest performance model, the V-Rod series has the most horsepower of any of the Harley line (which is due to the end of the Buell line of motorcycles) and also is Harley's only water cooled motorcycle engine.
Seen here is the Harley-Davidson Blackline. It has the air cooled Twin Cam 96B engine, split drag bars, and is the typical cruiser configuration. This bike is nice in that it uses smaller tires (moving away from the ultra wide tires that have been popular the last few years. Read a review of the bike in Motorcyclist this month; they noted it is rather "pricy" and at around $15K I could see that. Harley makes some lower priced bikes (mostly in the 883/1200 cc "Sportster line up) but they tend to be small for a tall person. Back in the day, the 883 was considered a big bike, now its considered a girls bike (which in the movie Wild Hogs was a point of some humor)
Harley though is beefing up that image somewhat with the XR1200X which is a more performance based version of the Sportster. In fact they have quite a line up of Sportster based bikes. This one at left (which is the XR1200X) uses the Evolution engine. Styling is based on the XR-750. Buell did a lot with these engines which was the basis of most of their line, but they still tend to be underpowered in comparision with many other brands of motorcycles. Still this one is said to have some better than average handling (for an HD) and pretty good performance for an air cooled motor. I sure like the look of this bike, though small for a 6'2' in rider.
Seen here is the outside of the Tilley Harley-Davidson Store. Ed Tilley had a long career as a car and motorcycle racer including a number of championships in 84,85 and 86 on a bike that had the neat name of "Lucifer's Hammer" (and has reached somewhat legendary status), and a three year championship run in HD Twin Sports in 91,92,93. At one time Ed also worked with the NASCAR legend Richard Petty. Among locals, the dealership is held in high regard, know a few who have purchased bikes from them, and say they will again.
The dealership is having what it calls the "Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic September 23-24, 2011 at the dealership. There will be bands, "Favorite beverages", vendors, food, a bike show, a poker run (those are a blast) and other fun things to see and do during the two day event. Check the Tilley Harley-Davidson web site for more information on the dealership, and the upcoming event.

First Ride of Summer (June 21, 2011)

Took this photo at Iron Thunder, had made a previous day visit, and went for a second visit. Took this at the bar, some nice people working there, and as I noted like the theme of the place. It is located near the Harley-Davidson dealership (Speedway HD) and there is another one in Hickory, NC at Crossroads HD. That is a cool dealership, kind of made up like a hunting lodge. Though not a Harley fan as such (own a Vulcan by Kawasaki) they do have some beautiful motorcycles. Speaking of that, the big Virginia State HOG (Harley Owners Group) Rally is in Richmond this upcoming weekend. I hope to catch some of the sights of that.Will be here this weekend.
Took this photo of myself, got the helmet a few weeks ago. Has a sort of helicopter pilot style to it (and I am a big fan of aviation). Very comfortable though, and like the flip down half visor. Makes talking easy, plus it gives good protection from the sun and also things that can come up from the road. Photo by the lake is my bike, enjoy riding that and had a very good day for it. Ran up many of the roads of the previous day, covered about the same mileage (60 or so) but a nicer day sun wise, not so much heat wise. Got very hot at the end of the ride as the temperature for the day hit a high of 99 degrees. Welcome to the first day of Summer!














At home, odometer is at 22,000 miles. On next visit home will be doing some routine maintenance on the bike. Going to change the oil, antifreeze, lube cables, clean the air filer (its a K+N, love those things, and have them on all my bikes the last few years), and change the rear gear oil. I will also be changing out the front brake pads as they are showing some wear after 22,000 miles. Good maintenance is very important not just for the motorcycle but for the rider, a good running bike is a safer bike. I do most of my own work; I don't for instance put tires on it, but a lot of work can be done with a good set of tools, and a good shop manual. There is also a lot of good information to be found online.A number of good motorcycle shops (both dealerships and private ones) also can do work on your motorcycle.