Seen in Richmond on a Fine Fall Day (November 5, 2011)

Nice day in Richmond, it was a beautiful fall day with a lot of great color here. Temperature was in the 60 range, and there were a lot of motorcyclists out running their bikes on this very fine day. Saw a lot of them, plus some different bikes while out. For instance this lime green Moto Guzzi is a very rare bike to see, and enjoyed checking this out for a while after enjoying a frosty cold beverage at Legend Brewing in Richmond, VA. Moto Guzzi is an old Italian brand, and has a long history having made motorcycles since 1921. This bike is a real beauty and is an interesting take on the popular V-twin engine (a BMW below also has a different sort of V type engine). They sell these at Ultimate Cycle in Richmond (or at least they used to, I assume they still do) but a very fine bike for sure. I enjoyed seeing this one and visiting Legend's was also good. Nice to check out the local beer, and they make some good ones in this city. Had planned to hit some bike shops today, but the bike shops came to me. Good when your ride in waiting for you in NC.

While out by Legends, went by Scoot Richmond. Sure scooters are not motorcycles, but like us they ride on two wheels, and they accept the same sort of adventure and danger, so I consider them brothers and sisters of the road. Liked this bike and for sure on a dark night you would see it coming. They were having some sort of event out in the lot (even a few motorcycles were there) and there was food as well as (gasp) beer there, though I did not have any while I was there. Scooters were popular in England back in the 60's during the "Mods and Rockers" period (The Who sang about those days) and as for today they sure make fuel efficient machines for the road.
Spoke about the BMW V-twin engine, saw this version off of Cary Street. Now they make in-line six and in-line fours as well as some twins (engines of the twins by Rotax who also make ultralight aircraft engines) but it was the Boxer that made the company a legend. They have made bikes since 1923, and have a long history in Germany. Known for technological innovation, BMW motorcycles come with a lot of items which are not found on other motorcycles, and have a reputation for stone reliability. Some of their touring bikes have been the best in the world. Their GS series motorcycles were a big part of the "Long Way Around" show of a few years back.
Finally, saw this Ducati Monster. One of the great designs this bike (think it is a 620, though could be bigger) is a real motorcycle classic. It is a basic air cooled engine on a basic trellis frame-both light and powerful. Ducati uses a different sort of system to make the valves work, which makes Ducati motorcycles some of the most powerful out there. Ducati is is another old brand which started production in 1926. They are heavily involved in racing and have been very successful at it over the years. There is a Ducati dealer in Charlotte, but not one that I know of in the Richmond area. That is a damn shame!

Velocity Motorcycles, Richmond, Va (June 11, 2011)

View of a an award winning older Royal Enfield on display at the new location for Velocity Motorcycles in Richmond, Va. Now located at 3023 West Marshall Street, the shop is a dealer for Royal Enfield. They also sell a number of used motorcycles including some very interesting models. As there is no dealer in Richmond that I know of which sells Ducati motorcycles, it is a great place to check out some older models. You also can find some BMW and bikes such as old BSA motorcycles, as well as some fine Japanese motorcycles from time to time. It is also a great place to rent motorcycles. I think it has some of the most interesting bikes in Richmond.
I mentioned Ducati, this is one of the bikes there. Ducati is made in Italy, and is a very performance oriented brand of motorcycle. I have seen both older models, as well as some newer model Ducati motorcycles for sale in the former store and the new one. The shop has a good parts department, and a fully staffed service department. This cafe racer model is one of the older Ducati's but would be a great deal of fun to ride. Ducati has a long history and has been very successful in motorcycle racing. The Monster line is very popular and also they have this year added a cruiser to the line up. Maintenance has also been made a lot less complex over the last few years.
Seen here is a 1958 Harley-Davidson, which is also for sale at the shop. As I have noted, you never know what you will come across at the shop. This is a rare model Harley-as it does not have the classic V-twin type engine. It looked to be in very good shape. I have as I have noted, seen a lot of interesting and very rare bikes in the shop, and have enjoyed checking out quite a few models. The staff is very friendly, and has a lot of information on the motorcycles on hand.
I have a few photos posted on my photo page of some older and interesting bikes at the shop. I am not sure if they still do, but they did sell Russian made Ural motorcycles (with sidecar!).
Seen here is the entrance to Velocity. Guy on the bike is checking out a brand new Royal Enfield Bullet. Royal Enfield started production in 1870 in England, and ended there in 1971. However, they also made bikes in India, and that production continues to this day. The "Bullet" got its name because Royal Enfield also made rifles (slogan for the bike was " Made like a gun, goes like a Bullet"). Current model is fuel injected, 500 cc's and a single. Not a real powerhouse, but gets great fuel mileage, and the classic styling is certainly cool. Also neat is that the bike has a front disk brake. It comes in a number of models.
Finally, seen below is a BMW (as I remember it is a R60. BMW is a German company, also with a long history. Though it makes a number of in-line fours, and even a brand new in-line six touring bike, the boxer engine (opposed twin) seen here is the classic engine (and is still used in BMW's today). Next to it is a another Ducati motorcycle. As I have noted (and this was not all that could be seen in the shop, there were also a couple of used Yamaha motorcycles) you never know what you will come across at Velocity Motorcycles. If you are interested in motorcycles, and are in the Richmond area, this is a must see shop during your visit. Easily one of my favorite shops!

Carolina Classic Motorcycle Show (May 7, 2011)

Did some great riding on a beautiful Carolina day from 9am-1pm. Best part of the days ride was going to the Carolina Classic Motorcycle Show in Spencer, NC. Not only is it free, but its a chance to see some remarkable and rare motorcycles. Plus, as a bonus (not that there is anything wrong with them) but the vast majority are NOT Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Many unique and even one of a kind bikes are seen at this show. At left is a BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) which is a British motorcycle no longer in production. They made beautiful (and very fast) motorcycles though, and this is a wonderful example. Many more can be seen on my photo page!
At left is a Honda 450. That bike was beautiful, and in my opinion was the best of the show. I would have sworn that it had just come off the sales floor, though it dates to at least the 1960's-1970's period. I remember that type, but not that specific motorcycle. That is the beauty of this show, because we can not know where we are going, if we do not know where we have been. The Japanese brought some really good competition to the motorcycle industry, as during the 1970s the British and American bikes of the day were (frankly) not very good. New Triumphs are pretty much state of the art, and Harley after the AMF period, has some real fine bikes now!
One of the motorcycles that turned the motorcycle world on its ear, is the Honda 750 Four. After that came out, motorcycles went into a amazing cycle of development. In some cases, that is not all good in my opinion. Engines got bigger and bigger, Kawasaki soon came out with the 900/four, and then came 1000's, 1100's, 1200's , 1300's, 1400's (you get the picture). In fact the biggest standard mass production motorcycle engine is the one in the Triumph Rocket III which is a whopping 2294cc (or 140 cubic inches) . In a nod to the past, the Rocket III is named for a former production BSA motorcycle.
Seen here is the bike show itself. Held at the NC Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC the show was fun, also enjoyed the many trains, cars, and aircraft that can be seen there. The fact that it is all free (except for train rides which can be had for a very small reasonable fee). The museum is being expanded, and will be adding some displays in the near future. It has been over the years one of my favorite places to visit. Spencer and nearby Salisbury, NC have some neat historic sites, and as a bonus to a biker, some really great nearby roads to ride as well. If you are ever in the area, it is well worth a stop, and as I have noted the cost is free, and you can't beat that.
Another great looking bike is this 1954 Triumph Tiger. A great British bike, it was produced for many years, but in the 1970's ended production (think that is the right time frame). It was "brought back from the dead" and greatly improved. Some of the models are actually built in Thailand, though many are also made in England. They have brought back many of the classic bikes such as the Bonneville, but also some really great sport bikes such as the Daytona 675 and as mentioned earlier the massive Rocket III. Triumph has greatly improved the quality of the bikes and their reliability, and is now one of the faster growing motorcycle companies in the world.

Day at Velocity (February 5, 2010)

Been visiting some motorcycle shops this winter to see some of the new 2011 motorcycles. Those have been (mostly) Harley-Davidson's as the other brands new bikes are not out yet. Today, visited Velocity Motorcycles at 1202 N. Boulevard in Richmond, VA. One of my favorite shops in Richmond, they sell new Royal Enfield, Bajaj, Ural and Hysung motorcycles, but also some really great classic bikes. Seen at right is a Honda CB1000, I think dating to 2004 if I remember right. The engine was an in-line water cooled four. Honda has a much updated version, the CB1000R coming out this year. This is basically an early version.
The motorcycle seen at left is a BMW motorcycle, and I believe it is an older model. It is one of the famed "Boxer" twins, though they now make a number of great motorcycles including an in-line six touring model, and even a couple of in-line fours (including one howling sport bike). Known for technical innovation, the company started building aircraft engines (the company emblem is designed to represent an aircraft propeller) and built its first motorcycle in 1923. That bike, the R32 is the basis for many of the motorcycles they are still building today. BMW motorcycles are popular in a number of applications, and said to be very reliable.
Ducati is a Italian manufacturer, and makes some of the fastest motorcycles on the road today. They have a great racing history and use a lot of that technology in their motorcycle designs. Among their bikes are the Monster line, Multistrada line, the new Diavel sport cruiser, and the 1198 among others. Ducati started in 1926 though it did not build motorcycles until around 1950, but it has a number of racing championships in that time period. Richmond does not have an actual Ducati dealership, but a number can be found at Velocity at any given time. I am looking forward to seeing some of the new 2011 models in the near future.
Finally, this is a very interesting model from Bimota. With some research was able to find this is a Bimota DB3 Mantra. It was a very rare motorcycle and was only made for a very few years. Like Ducati it is an Italian company, though with a much shorter history which began in 1973. This bike uses a Ducati 900SS engine; most of the models used engines from Ducati or a number of Japanese manufacturers. The company went out of business, but has in recent years began production again. I checked out their web site, but its mostly in Italian, but features a number of new bikes.
I enjoyed my visit to Velocity, and have also put a few more photos, plus larger versions of these on my Photo Page which is one of the links to this site. There is always something interesting to be seen there, and some very friendly people to help you. They also rent motorcycles at the shop, something I may take advantage of later this year, as my bike is in North Carolina and I have never ridden in Virginia on a motorcycle.

Pat Rogers Speedway Harley-Davidson

Last section from the remarkable weekend of January 29-31 included two visits to Speedway Harley-Davidson in Concord. Located on Bruton Smith Boulevard just up from the Charlotte Motor Speedway and near the giant Concord Mills Mall (the mall is the largest tourist attraction in North Carolina...go figure) it is a very nice Harley dealer. Always a lot of nice events there; often bands play there, and a number of great rides (I have been on their big toy ride near Christmas). Currently Saturday's they have free hot dogs and hamburgers. Nice Sales staff and a big dealership. They even have a lot of motorcycles to check out!

Photo here is of a pair of 1200 cc Sportsters. I was always a fan of the Sportster, though I never got one. Biggest problem was that they leaked oil and vibration was a real problem. A few years they finally took a look at the vibration, and got the oil leak problem under control, and by all reports they are now fine motorcycles. Of course now I am over 6 feet tall, and a Sportster is not really an option. I do like them though, especially the XR1200 (one can be seen in the back, the black bike) which is said to be a pretty good performer (for a Sportster anyhow). An old show on tv with Michael Parks called "Then Came Bronson" was about Bronson riding around the country on a Sportster. I remember it, also had a good theme song ("Long Lonesome Highway") back in the day when this bike was one of the big bikes on the road. Times and motorcycles have certainly changed; with engines getting larger and larger. Future trends in fuel, and certainly cost of those bikes may impact that in the years to come. Harley is the most expensive of the major American manufacturers though its a small list.
Seen here are a pair of special edition motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, these are the Firefighter editions. Harley certainly makes some beautiful and iconic motorcycles. I am glad the brand exists as an American institution. They have even been changing over the years with the V-Rod line of motorcycles, and that water-cooled engine is really remarkable. Always interesting to see what they have to offer, and always they are the first to get 2011 bikes out on the market. It has been another tough year for motorcycle sales with most manufacturers showing less bikes sold, and many a decline in profits. Harley as I noted in a previous post sold less motorcycles, but made more of a profit due to a number of restructuring moves. Due to the early arrival of their bikes has been a real focus on Harley of late (and a failed attempt to see the new Honda's..which are not there yet) but it has been enjoyable to check them out. Harley is a big part of the motorcycling past and present, and is still riding into the future!

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.

Shockoe Bottom Bobbers (November 20, 2010)

Far from my ride, went wandering with Dennis Lowery (a fairly new arrival) from Concord to this area to show him some of the sights. Those can be seen on my other blog (Richmond and Me) for those interested. Noted while in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom this couple checking out the motorcycles parked at Bottoms Up Pizza. Always interested in checking out both new and interesting motorcycles, and these really captured my attention. These were not "new bikes" and certainly not what you would get off the dealer floor, but modified and customized in a number of interesting ways. Always cool when people make bikes their very own!
I believe this is a bobber style bike. It is powered by a Suzuki in-line four engine (which would make lunch of your typical cruiser V-twin). Everything not needed has been removed such as fenders (the rear one has been cut off mostly; or "bobbed", turn signals...this bike is built to be as light as possible; even the seat is lighter. I like the ape hanger handlebars, though don't ride with them on my bike: have noted though that they are seen more and more on the highways and bi-ways of roads both in Virginia and North Carolina. Harley has taken up the "bobber" movement with its Cross-Bones model, but this bike was really fine.
Following a like pattern of sorts to the Suzuki is this Honda in-line four which again is lightened substantially from the bike it is based on. Unlike the Suzuki it has a chain drive (the Suzuki being shaft) and instead of ape hangers, it has more of a drag bar look. It also retained the front fender, but either has totally removed or radially cut back the rear fender. Big horsepower (for the time) aided by light(er) weight, this and the other bike would be a fast pair. What it also shows is that it does not take big money to ride. Take an older bike, make some changes, and you can have a really fun ride for little money. I did that a few years ago with my 77 Honda 550 four. My complements to the owners of these bikes for some very creative and interesting rides!

Bikers at Malvern Hill! (October 16, 2010)

While out on a day of exploring Richmond and the area, at the Malvern Hill battlefield, met an interesting trio of bikers. First one (they all rode in together) was riding this classic Honda GL-1000. Originally the GL-1000 was designed as a bike in the "Honda 750/4" model; sort of a punched out version. However, it quickly got popular as a touring bike. Gradually, features were added such as saddlebags, fairings and the like. This model has a classic Vetter faring (his most famous creation was the "Windjammer". In fact Craig Vetter is a most interesting person to check out. This old motorcycle had some 30,000 miles on it according to the owner seen on the bike. It looked to be in outstanding shape, with little wear or tear. Also of note, the engine is an opposed four; the current 1800cc Gold Wing uses an opposed six.
The Star Motorcycle (I believe it is a Venture if memory serves me right) has some 10,000 miles on this bike. I am pretty sure this is a V-4 engine; sort of Yamaha's (aka Star in this case) answer to the Gold Wing. Bike has a lot of bells and whistles, and also a very interesting almost automobile like speedometer. Owner was riding with his wife, and they were also a lot of fun. One of my riding buddies in Concord is a big fan of Star Motorcycles, and rides one of the newer models.
A quick note on Malvern Hill, was the site of one of the major Richmond area Civil War battles, it is a very nice battlefield which has been very well preserved. Richmond is real good at doing that, and enjoyed walking around the area. There are a slew of great Civil War sites and museums to check out in the Richmond area.

Return Visit to Velocty Motorcycles (October 16, 2010)

In Richmond today, made a visit to Velocity Motorcycles, which is located on the Boulevard in Richmond, Va. Easily the most interesting motorcycle shop in the city, they have a number of different sort of motorcycles (including the all-electric Zero) to check out; including some very old models. One such model is this Royal Enfield. I BELIEVE it is a Bullet, which has a 350 cc Engine. If it is, the Royal Enfield Bullet was the longest produced motorcycle (according to the Wikipedia web site, where I got most of the information on the company). Royal Enfield was produced in England; making motorcycles since 1899!

The company went out of business in England in 1967. However, "Enfield of India" made Bullets under license (using some British parts) starting in 1956 and then made complete bikes on their own in 1962. They purchased the naming rights in 1995; and are the oldest motorcycle manufacturer (thanks to the British history) still in production. New models include bikes such as this Royal Enfield Classic 500. The company also made rifles which gave the motorcycle company the slogan "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". The bikes though having a classic look, have been greatly modernized over the years. Though low in power, they are also very low in price.
Green bike seen here is a Ural, made in Russia. The bike is based on the BMW R-71 which was (apparently) copied as saw heavy use in WWII by the Russian Army. Called the M-72 the reverse engineered bike saw some 9,799 built during the war, and by 1950 some 30,000 were built. The bike went into both military and civilian production, and has also been sold (as seen here) in many nations around the world. In fact, in Russia and around the world something over 3.2 million (again thanks to Wikipedia for the info) have been built! Again, the design has been modernized over the years, though not a high performance bike, it now has modern features.
I always find something interesting to check out at Velocity Motorcycles, which is a very nice shop filled with some very friendly people. If you are in the Richmond area, be sure to check out this fine motorcycle shop. They also service bikes of all types, and have a number of bikes you can rent and take out on the wild streets of Richmond, VA...and beyond.

Cannonball Motorcycle Race (September 11, 2010)

A very unique motorcycle event made a stop on September 11 in Concord, NC. The Cannonball Motorcycle Race is being run from Kitty Hawk, NC to California on pre-1916 motorcycles, and they made a stop at Pat Rogers Speedway Harley-Davidson. I went to see them with my wife Patty following an earlier stop (on the way back from Richmond) at the Winston-Salem Air Show. More photos of that event can be found on my "Richmond and Me" blog, plus photos from both events can be found on my Photo Page (a link to that is on this page). The photo at left is of one of the riders coming in to the checkpoint; they came in at different periods, but most of them had arrived when I got to the event around 5:30PM. It was very unique to see 100 year old motorcycles and to hear them running engines that in many cases have long not been in production, or riding bikes that have not been made in decades. Not just taking about bike models not made, but also brands of motorcycles that were just history book items until I visited yesterday!

Here are a few of the bikes, seen lined up along the dealership. They had a real bicycle look to many of them, which is what early motorcycles were taken from. Mechanical breakdowns were common, and the bikes leaked a bit of oil, but they were remarkable to see run, and to hear them was really something. Many of the early features on modern motorcycles could be seen on some of them, and it was really cool to see and smell the engines running. Early engine technology was something to experience, and there were some unique engined on hand, especially the Henderson in-line four.

There was a very big crowd of people there, earlier there was a poker run held, and there had been a band playing. The bikes and the very interesting riders were fun to check out, I also enjoyed seeing the crowd; as typical of a motorcycle event, they were also interesting. Some friends of mine from Concord were also there, and it was good to meet up with them. This event had been in the news a bit, plus I had spread the word and it was good to enjoy it with my wife and some riding buddies along with some former co-workers in Concord. They also had a dinner for the teams which was really nice. Pat Rogers put on a great event.

It was a very fun time, and I was very glad that I made the trip there (the dealership is located near the giant Concord Mills Mall). As noted many more photos of the bikes; I got mostly Harley's on this page, but some of the other brands were even more interesting.
Speaking of interest, got a few more things of note to show, but will save that for the next post here.
I hope you enjoyed these photos of this very unique motorcycle event.

HIgh Speed Riding (Agust 28, 2010)

August 28 drove some 280 miles from Richmond, to Concord, NC. With Patty at a quilt show event, I got in a ride on NC-601. Like that road, fun to ride past houses, farms, small towns, and businesses. Sort of a buggy ride due to all the livestock there (cows, houses, pigs) and some unusual smells, but a beautiful ride nonetheless. Road up NC 74 to the BMW/Triumph/Ducati dealer. I like that one, and found that is is moving; that my visit was the last Saturday it will be there. Going to a new location in Uptown Charlotte. Nice shop with nice bikes, and I am 99% sure (sure don't know why I did not ask) that the red bike seen above is a Triumph Thunderbird.
Going on down NC-74 (aka "Independence Blvd") went to "Red, White and Brews" Charlotte Harley-Davidson. This is one of the bikes in the bike show, also had a nice band and of course "brews". It was a very good time, though all winding down as I got there. I have more photos on the photo pages of both places, as well as of sights along the way.
Came back to my house via Albemarle Road, and Flowes Store Road; on what was a beautiful day to ride. Always some interesting sights; had done much of this route a few rides ago, and still saw things I had not seen. Riding a motorcycle in Carolina is a fantastic experience, and one I hope to do some more of over the next few days. I also will be watching the MotoGP race today at Indy, which will be on the Speed Channel at 3PM. Looks like another good motorcycle weekend for sure!

Between the Handlebars: Upcoming Events!

Adding a fourth photo today from last weekends bike show that I came across in Richmond, VA. Liked the look of this Gold Wing; often they are customized a great deal. I got the pleasure a couple of years ago of taking a somewhat extended ride on a Wing (buddy had gotten injured in a crash, got the bike repaired and I rode it back when it was fixed due to his broken leg). Amazing and interesting motorcycles for sure; one of the new classic bikes, and one of the great touring motorcycles. On a Gold Wing you can haul just about anything you would need on a road trip. On Saturday, August 28 at the NC Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC there will be a free Gold Wing show. I will be making a stop there on Saturday, and am looking forward to it...so if you liked this photo, be sure to look for some more coming up.

....Planning to do some riding this weekend, and one of the places I hope to be riding to is Charlotte Harley-Davidson which is holding its "Red, White and Brew" event from 9-5 on Saturday August 28 (same day as the above). Will be bands, food, and a bike show (and we love bike shows!). Event is from 9-5 and the dealership is at 9205 E. Independence Blvd in Charlotte, NC.

.....Another event of note is the Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Run. This event will be from September 10-26; will be a group of very classic (around 1915) motorcycles racing from Kitty Hawk, NC to California. They will be making a stop "around 4:30-6:30 (remember these are VERY old bikes) at Pat Rogers Speedway Harley-Davidson in Concord, NC...and my plan is to be there for that! You can find out more about the "race" at Pat Rogers Speedway Harley-Davidson web site; the event is featured on the main page!

.....Not a motorcycle event, but do want to put in a plug for the Winston-Salem Air Show on September 11-12. Air shows are fantastic events, and there is a lot to see there. Many planes will be flying, including a Russian Mig-21. They have a great line up this year, and yes...there will be motorcycles there. The following weekend at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA there will be another air show; the Virginia show will feature "The Blue Angels"...and they are well worth a ride!

.....Finally as fall cranks up, there will be a great many events of note coming to the local area(s) and some great rides. Not just the last blast(s) before winter, but also the best riding of the year and to follow fall is the "blast" of winter. Things tend to ramp up then motorcycle wise, and I will give you a heads up on some great events. Until then, ride safe!

Virginia Classic Motorcycles (August 1, 2010)

I can not but notice that in Richmond, there are a number of interesting and classic bikes. I wonder if a lot of that is not due to Velocity Motorcycles here, but have enjoyed seeing so many great older bikes, and best off...they are not in museums, they are still in use! That is the best way to enjoy an older bike (or a newer one for that matter). Pulled over three times today to get photos of the bikes seen here. The BMW was actually the last one I saw. One of the great Boxer twins (still made by the way) but an older version. BMW actually has a long aviation history, and the symbol for the brand actually represents an aircraft propeller.
Also tagged (and ridden I am sure) is this Honda which I believe is a Honda CL-350. I believe the bike was also known as a Scrambler....and was designed (due to the upswept pipes) to be used both on street or trail. The Honda 350, and this is not the first great version I have seen in the Richmond area, was a very common sight back in the 1970's-early 80's. Where I lived in Indiana back then, it was a rare block that did not have at least one in one family's driveway or garage. I rode a few and it was a fun motorcycle to ride. Course my ride of choice back then was the two cycle Yamaha 350, but have had a few great Honda's since then.
A somewhat later version of the 350 twin was the 400 cc twin, and here is a Honda 400 classic. Again a stone reliable motorcycle, known for having a good amount of power, and a solid and well built bike. I like the king and queen seat here, the old round gauges, and the megaphone pipes from the era. Honda made a number of remarkable motorcycles (and still does in fact) and it was great to see this one. Unusual to see so many great old bikes in so short a period of time. Course, when I got back into motorcycling after a short lay off my "first bike back" was a 1977 Honda 550/four which I got back in the early 90's. Though it took a bit of work (and a cash infusion), it was actually surprisingly easy to being the bike back to life, and I had a very pleasant year on the old warrior. In fact my next bike was a Honda as well. Used motorcycles can be a very good way to get into riding, though attention has to be paid to such items as brakes and especially tires. With a bit of money and wrenching though, they can be amazingly fun rides again!

Riding Carolina on a Sunday in July (July 11, 2010)

Actually the morning photo seen here was taken at Punchy's Diner in Concord, NC. Patty and I drove there in her car for breakfast. Great place to eat and has a real 50's theme; even has cars and motorcycles in the restaurant. Prices are also very good and the food is also. We go there often for breakfast when I am in town. Did like this Harley Davidson with the ape hangers outside this morning...no its not mine, and it does belong to one of the customers who was also eating there. Nice looking bike, I do like the classic look of a Harley though not real fond of the price tags (and not real big on the air cooled engine). I prefer a water cooled V-Twin such as my Vulcan.
Speaking of the Vulcan; took it on the last "vacation ride"on a nice Sunday morning. Was not too hot and nice to get out for a last time before heading back to Richmond in the morning to get "back to the grind". I stopped at Wilgrove Airport after a pleasant country ride up Flowes Store Road and up 24/27. Nice cruising on a Sunday, traffic is light and its nice to enjoy the scenery. This photo was taken at South 21, which has been featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". It was closed for vacation (and I was not hungry...see previous paragraph) but liked to check out the restaurant. I will be back in the weeks to come...always up for new places.

Rode around Uptown Charlotte for a while; made a few stops here and there and took a few photos. Feel sometimes like a tourist in my area, but that happens when you live in two places. I did wander a bit for the first time at the Epicenter which is a sort of entertainment district near the Time Warner Arena. Whiskey River is a bar there, and is notable in that it is owned by none other than Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Thought it was worth a photo, though like with South 21, was not open yet. Still, enjoyed a great ride around Charlotte, and on the way home went through North Davidson, in a sense going full circle from the first ride during my vacation a few days ago.
Got in some great times with my family, got a lot of projects done around the house (all of them in fact for a change) and some really nice rides. I keep the bike here for a reason, for though Richmond is an interesting city, if I have to have the motorcycle in one place, this is the place to have it for sure. I love riding in the Carolinas, and never get bored with the things that I see and do here. However, shortly (in the morning) it is back to Virginia, and back to exploring motorcycling there from "off the saddle."

Cruiser Vs. Sportbike - The Debate

Wacky world we live in...get a kick out of the Party of Big Business (The Republicans) debating the Socialism of the Democrats. One party says the other is taking over business, and they would know...having been taken over BY business many years ago. We are Americans, and we like to debate things; such as which type of bike is "better". For instance take this sport bike (actually a sport touring Kawasaki but with that amazing ZX-14 engine more like a jet fighter). Exceptional performance, great technology, wind cheating fairing and fun to ride. It gets you out into the wind and down the road with authority. During my early days of motorcycling rode bikes like these, and loved every minute of it! Fun and come with amazing handling..these are remarkable machines. Took this photo at a Virginia rest stop on June 21, the first day of Summer.
This is a cruiser, photographed in Concord, NC at the start of the trip back to Virginia...specifically a Harley-Davidson. I currently ride a type like this (though a Kawasaki Vulcan, which opens up a whole other "which bike is better" debate with some). More of a classic technology, many of these bikes (as is this one) are air-cooled and not quite as nimble, certainly nothing close to as quick and fast as the sportbikes. Harley though is an Icon of Motorcycling, and it is the bike of a very passionate community. It is motorcycling which has roots back to the early days of riding but also gets you "out into the wind and down the road with authority."
That last line is my point, that whatever the differences in what we ride (and to be honest, there are even other sub types of these two; pure sport bikes, motocross, enduro, street/dirt, and trikes...and that does not cover it all) we are all motorcyclists first and foremost. Forget what is better, instead focus on the things that joins; a love for the open road and the in the wind feeling that keeps us going back again and again.
Remembering what joins us...now if only we could get the political parties to do the same thing, what a nation we could have! Summer is here, enjoy the ride, and as always keep safety first!

Bike show at Hooters/Chesterfield Towne Center (May 22, 2010)

Out exploring in the car today (bike is still in the shop, and besides..both are in Carolina) but got out for a while doing some exploring in the Versa. Saw a couple of nice motorcycles (a Harley with ape hangers and a nice Ducati) and those are on my Photo Page (which there is a link to on this page), and came across a bike show at Hooters at Chesterfield Towne Center. Did not know about it, but saw the bikes on the way back to the apartment...heard the band and stopped in. Had a few nice custom bikes, but I really liked this Kawasaki KZ-1000 LTD. Just a nice looking piece of work! You don't see bikes this nice from that era very often.

I also liked this Harley-Davidson Rocker; which is one of the newer motorcycles from "The Motor Company", and its a nice looking motorcycle. I like the design (I believe this is the work largely of Willie G. Davidson) and of the newer Harley's it is one of my favorites..though this design is two or three years old. My favorite remains the V-Rod, and there was a neat looking orange one at the show, but I have featured those on these pages before, and wanted to show off another of their designs here. There is a passenger seat under the "solo seat" which folds out in a very interesting way. The bike comes in two types the Rocker and the Rocker C (C standing for Chrome).
Last bike I am featuring here is a Honda 300. Amazingly this bike is still running, though seems that old Honda's never really die. Thought this a very nice version of a very important bike in the Honda line. I remember seeing those running all over, and get a kick out of seeing them now...drum brakes and all.
Show was nice. Of note, there were some motorcycle gangs there; I gave them a healthy dose of respect, having found that long as you don't give them grief you don't get any. I used to see a lot of Outlaws in Indiana when I lived there, but few motorcycle gangs (at least in the Concord area) at local events. The occasional 1%er does snow up though from time to time, but usually not in large numbers. At any case was surprised at the show, and enjoyed the event. Nice to stumble on something like that on a nice day in Richmond, VA.