Bikes on view in Concord, NC

Got back to Concord the weekend of February 27-29 and had a great visit with my family. I was not able to get the bike started again (battery has for sure bit the dust) but did get out to Iron Thunder in Concord, NC and enjoyed hanging out with motorcycle people there while my bike is down. A friend from work here (Keith) and former riding buddy (he sold his bike last year) visited with me. Got a photo of Iron Thunder above. I also took a photo of the new Camaro (I used to have one of those a few years ago) and the bikes next to it from the Iron Thunder parking lot. Behind those is Pat Rogers Harley-Davidson in Concord, NC and we visited that for a little while.
Real fond of the V-Rod "line" which started with one bike, and has turned into a few. This version of the V-Rod has a 1250cc engine, and of course like all the V-Rods is water-cooled. I think it is one of the finest Harley's on the road, and a really neat design. Of course the purists are not big fans of the V-Rods but rather like the air cooled engines. To each their own, but all the Japanese motorcycles I have ridden the last couple of decades are water-cooled, and I love them (prior to that had Japanese air cooled bikes...a long line). Really like the look of the Harley's, but those price tags are pretty scary. For the price of this one, I would be able to get two of my 1500's (though the 1500's are no longer in production). Still it is a remarkable piece of engineering. Hopefully by the next visit home, I will be back on the road again, although my big Kawasaki is waiting for me to fire it up!

Valentines Day Weekend in NC

Pretty wild weekend in Carolina; though was the day after the snow fall on Saturday February 13 when I stopped in RideNow, Concord, NC to take these photos. The photo at left is a Honda Shadow, and as a former Honda Shadow owner I like that line of motorcycles. Had one (the VTX600) for eight years, and it was a great bike. I am not sure to be honest...think this might be a 2010 model (should have looked on the bike) but like the styling of it. Honda makes some real fine motorcycles, and I have been fortunate to have a few (though...knock on wood over the years have never really had a "bad" bike. This seems to be the new "bobber" style that I read about coming out this year.

As for this one, I do know for sure this is a brand new 2010 Honda NT700V. I think of it sort of as a pocket verson of the ST-1300. I have read that it has the same 700cc V-twin engine as the DN-01 Honda (the red bike) next to it; said to be a very good motor. For sure should give good fuel economy thanks to the fairing, and the size will also help. Has good storage for a day or overnight trip, and when I sat on it, seemed to have a lot of room for a taller rider (of which I am one). I liked this motorcycle when I read about it, liked it when I sat on it. Think this could be a real good econo-tourer and a fun motorcycle.
As for my Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, attempted to start it, but the battery is once again dead. I could recharge it again, but after almost five years, I think its time to invest in a new one which I plan to do soon. I might wait until early March; be nice to get it before the really cold weather of late can take a toll on it. Riding this weekend was out of the question anyhow thanks to the weekend snow in the Concord area. Many winters do little more than a short pause to the riding season (if that) but this has been an un-typical Carolina weather. I even got photos today of snow (and not just flakes, but actual measurable snow) from a friend in Charleston, SC. Good news though is Spring is just a few weeks away!

Davis HD+Burlington Yamaha....Snow Blitz

Got a very rare Friday off from work (took some doing) and drove back to Concord, NC via the usual route. With the snow storm on the way, noticed the roads were heavily salted; much more than usual. Storm was expected to be a huge one, especially near the NC/VA border. From what I am hearing, those expectations are being met. I did make a stop at Burlington, NC. Both the new (well, open for a few months) Yamaha dealership and Davis Harley-Davidson were within walking distance of each other. Yamaha dealer was pretty nice, though mostly 09 bikes. Davis I had visited before, and got this photo there of a (believe it is) 2003 Destroyer.
Davis HD has a lot of historic motorcycles on display such as the one at left. It is a nice bike shop, though noticed that both Burlington Yamaha and Davis Harley-Davidson were light on customers. Course, also a big snow was on the way. As I write this, snow is pretty deep outside my window. This weekend will be starting the motorcycle (to run fluids through it, and to give the battery a charge) but will not be riding for sure. Its a white winter wonderland out there today, plus its well below freezing outside. Pretty view with the snow, but will be glad when spring rolls around again. I like quite a few winter events (enjoyed the X-Games on TV last night) but it is certainly a rough season for motorcycling!

Honda 350 in Richmond, VA

Quite a winter day of exploring in the car (the bike is in North Carolina, though a few riding today in the Richmond area with temperatures in the 40s). Saw a lot of interesting sights, but came to a quick stop when I came across this Honda 350 on a Richmond, VA street. One of (in my opinion) great motorcycles of the 1970's, at one time it seemed like there was one of these on every corner. Sure it had drum brakes, was a small 350cc twin engine, but they sure did move along well. Be a great bike today; don't remember what the fuel mileage is, but I bet it would be fantastic. You don't see a lot of them anymore, but this one had a license plate on it.
Read some this week (to be expected in this recession) that Harley-Davidson lost 218.7 million in the last quarter. Shipments were down some 27% and worst is expected for 2010. In fact, HD has been selling not long ago acquired MV Agusta and closed out Buell (which made some fine motorcycles. Harley has also closed one of its York, Pa plants, and a number of dealerships have also closed their doors. Industry wide, sales are down across the board (with Triumph being the sole exception according to reports I have read).
Still, despite the hard times, Harley and the others are still putting out some interesting new motorcycles. I just read today that there is a new version of the Sportster called the "Fourty-Eight" and a number of new bikes. Many new motorcycles announced last year will be hitting the showroom floors of most of the major manufacturers. Will be a difficult time as many companies are scaling back; many companies have ended, or reduced racing programs, and are also cutting production of many models.
Motorcycling has a long and interesting history, and its fun to look back on the history of some of the great motorcycles of the past. Hopefully, that history will continue with many more chapters being added to what has been a great and remarkable story so far.

Finally, the 60's!

Last month or so has been simply brutally cold; did some motorcycling but usually short and well bundled up. Have also had a lot of non-riding weather due to snow and rain and beyond belief cold; but finally at long last got a bit of warm weather in the Carolinas (and during a visit home) on January 18, 2010. Rode out to Kannapolis, NC and then on past to Landis, NC where the photo at left was taken. Like that little gazebo with my bike in front, also an old train station in the back of them (was an old post office to the far left..the white building there). Landis is a very small but quiet town, and a nice place to ride.

Mill at left was on down the road at nearby China Grove. China Grove is another small town in NC, but a nice place to ride to, and has some interesting sights to explore. From China Grove turned back via NC-29 to Concord past the (now closed) Philip Morris factory, and stopped at Lowe's Motor Speedway. I got some photos of the track (nothing was going on there, but it was open) and then visited with some friends from work at a nearby bar where we all gathered. One of my co-workers (and a riding buddy featured in the mountain ride a few posts back on this blog) found this week he has cancer. Steve will for sure give it a good fight, and we are all very hopeful that he will have a full recovery. At any case, the ride was fun, the visit was good ; nice to get out in the wind again for a few short hours on a pleasant sunny and warm (when its been 20s-30s for a month, 60's felt like t-shirt weather) day in the Carolinas.

Scoot Richmond (January 9, 2010

Pretty good day. Went by Legends in Richmond, Va for a taste of local beer (only in moderation though...got to say that was very good), and dropped into Scoot Richmond. Nice place with very friendly people; and no high pressure. I also enjoyed visiting with a very neat Pit Bull in there; was a sweet dog (and I am for sure a dog person). Had bikes that I saw from 50cc to 300cc. Some of those would be great (especially the bigger ones) for bopping around Richmond. All are automatic (or all I saw) which makes them great for beginning riders.
Back in Carolina in a local motorcycle magazine a biker was raising hell about moped riders, saying they were not paying their fair share (if under a certain CC in VA and NC no license is required). I disagree..to me a biker is a biker. I like those, great gas milege, simple operation. Those Scoot Richmond sells (mostly) Taiwan made brands, many of the mainline companies also sell these type of bikes. Always impressed with the Suzuki Bergman...a 650cc range bike, lots of storage, and good amount of power. Not for me yet, but someday? Perhaps as they develop further they would be a very viable alternative to mainline motorcycles.

Charlotte Vulcan Riders Association (January 2, 2010)

Attended the first meeting of 2010 with the Charlotte Chapter of the Vulcan Riders Association. This group formed last year (figures, was also the year that I ended up being a part time resident of the fine city of Richmond, VA). Easy group to join, the only requirement being that you have some sort (various versions available out there) of Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycles (I happen to have one of those!). Pretty good bunch, and I did (think I have some photos in an earlier post) make a ride with them to Morrow Mountain in Albemarle, NC. Meeting was pretty good, discussed future plans, and also planned some upcoming events for 2010.
Got to give them credit too. I did not ride to the meeting; and as one noted when riding down I-85 to the meeting, the temperature on a clock off the highway read 22 degrees. Factor in highway speeds and you are talking sub-zero wind chill. Some also rode in from as far as South Carolina which while Charlotte is on the border with that state, its still a ride from there to Concord. Rugged bunch for sure, and will be fun riding with them. Not sure how much I will be able to do, depends a lot on work of course. Found this year that working out events from 300 miles away to attend is more difficult than I thought it would be, though getting better at it.
Did get in some good rides over the long Christmas shutdown. Back to Richmond in the morning; but before going will at least run the motorcycle for a bit today. Both cities are in the grip of a hard cold snap.....with lows around 17 and a high (perhaps) around 30 today I will pass on getting it out on the roads today. Still, a great 12 days in North Carolina, had a fantastic time and can't wait till I return again!