Used Motorcycle Value Guide Autumn 2010

Thinking about upgrading to a new motorcycle in 2011?  Have a bike to sell first?  To help with your shopping, here's the latest motorcycle value guide from Motorcycle Consumer News.

Ride to Yalaha Bakery

1. Find your way to CR455 N
2. Head toward Minneola
3. Cross CR561 and stay on 455 to Howey-in-the-Hills
4. Rt turn onto SR19
5. At intersection w/CR48W go straight.
6. Bakery on the left

Brats are today's special. Curry Brat too much for me!

Linda Schaible
Sent from my iPhone

Great road to New Smyrna from Orlando is SR 415. Gator's Gril and
Osteen Diner are worth a stop.

Linda Schaible
Sent from my iPhone

2009 Harley Model Preview & Reviews

Motorcycle.com gives a great summary of the new bikes and changes.
1.) Review of the upcoming bikes
2.) CVO reviews and video
3.) 2009 Tri-Glide Ultra Classic preview
4.) FLSTSB Cross Bones review

Harley-Davidson has a great flash presentation of the new 2009 models.

TMW has a complete list with photos of the 2009 models.

Helmet Testing Results

PASSED

• Arai Vector, Bell Drifter, Caberg 104, Daytona Helmets Skull Cap, EXL 115, Gmax 35S, Harley-Davidson Trespasser, HJC-Kawasaki Vulcan-2, Icon Mainframe, KBC VR-2, Nolan N84, Scorpion VX-14, Shark RSI, Shoei Multitec, Suomy J10/Spec1r/Extreme, Vega Mach-1, Vega Summit II, V-Can V530, Zamp S-2, Z1R Metro

FAILED
(Lack of Proper Labeling)

• Akuma F-14, EXL 662, Moto X MT-A101, Yueqing Jixiang MFC 200

(For Projections Inside Helmet)

• Rodia RHD-EX

(For Failures Due to Impact)

• AFX FX-66, HJC AC-3, Icon Domain, Zox Old School

(Multiple Failures)

• GPX Shorty for impact and labeling
• Hot Leathers Nh70/H200fb for impact and labeling
• Winex VX-4 for impact and labeling
  
• Yueqing Jixiang Motorcycle Fitings Co. 100 for impact, penetration and labeling

Helmet Recalls

Helmet Recalls:

• Advanced Carbon Composites EXT-002, sizes (L) and (XL). Failed to meet impact, penetration and retention (or fastening system) requirements.
• EBL Enterprises models Dealerleather 100 and 200 series (XL) for impact, penetration and labeling failures.
• Outlaw V530, sizes (XS), (S), (M), (L), (XL), and (XXL), for penetration and retention failures.
• Rodia RHD 200 for impact, retention and labeling failures. Rodia RHD 200 helmets manufactured between 2003 and 2004 for retention failures.
  
• Vox 803, sizes (XL) and (XXL), for impact failure.

* Check for recalls at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration web site.

American Motorcyclist Association New Web Site

The AMA launched a redesign of their web site, and it looks great. Talk about a change. Gone are the cluttered pages in column format that reminded us all what the web looked like in 1998. Now you'll find a sleek, black interface with great photography and lifestyle images that begin to shift the brand away from "motorcycle news" to "hey - we're all motorcycle enthusiasts here." What a terrific change. Kudos to the web developer, and the person who looked at the old site and said, "Who thinks this says fun?" Check it out at http://www.amadirectlink.com/index.asp. Looks like a magazine redesign and logo change too! Now this looks like an association that's in the game for the 21st century.

VRA Motorcycle Events: Summer 2008

The Victory Riders Association is a membership organization for Victory owners. With the growth of the brand unofficial local clubs are popping up across the country. Victory Motorcycle Club, a group not officially associated with Polaris Inc., but a huge supporter of the brand, has a list of local clubs near you. Polaris Inc. does sponsor a national rally in the birthplace of the bike.

August

• American Victory Rally August 15 - 16 in Spirit Lake Iowa. An event highlight will likely be AVR plant tours, which will suspend during the summer until the 2009 models have been officially introduced. The event will also include demo rides and concerts by the Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, and Guns 'n' Roses tribute band Monsters of Mock. Rally organizers ask that you pre-register, but it's primarily for head count. No money exchanges hands until you get to the event.

Motorcycle Skills & Riding Schools

Learn to Ride

• Take a Basic Rider or Experienced Rider course from the MSF first!
• For a list of schools in your state, visit the MSF web site.
  

There are a number of different types of schools out there, and some like Reg Pridmore's CLASS, offer classes for those of us on touring bikes as well as track racking.

• Road Riding & Touring
• Ride Like A Pro
  

• Track Racing & Super Bike
• Aztrackday Superbike School
  
• CLASS Motorcycle Schools
• Ed Bargy Racing School
• Fastrack Riders
• Keith Code's California Superbike School
• Keith Code's Race and Competition Experience School
• Freddie Spencer's High-Performance Riding School
• Jason Pridmore's Star Motorcycle School
• Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School
  
• Learning Curves Roadrace School
  
• Penguin Racing School

• Dirt Track
• American Supercamp

Know of a school? Leave a comment.

Riding With Allergies

Spring's coming on, and in Florida, March means pollen counts in the 9 to 10 range (considered high to very-high). Riding when you have pollen allergies can be miserable, and dangerous. I try to stay off any kind of medication when I'm riding, because there's nothing worse than feeling drowsy or blurry-eyed on the road (we're talking allergies right now).

Of course, sneezing constantly is no fun either.

What causes pollen allergy reactions?

• A grain of pollen looks like a very spiky sea urchin. When it enters your nasal and bronchial passages, it latches onto the mucous membranes and gets stuck.
• These membranes have cells (called mast cells) full of histamines.
• When an allergen trigger (like pollen) lands on one of these cells, a receptor sitting on top of the cell tells the cell to let loose on the histamines.
  
• The histamine starts a series of annoying reactions like sneezing, watery eyes, and itching to help you get rid of the allergan.
  

What are some natural solutions?

• Neti Pots are a way to flush your sinuses, but are really for after you ride. Someone mentions this in the LiveJournal discussion mentioned below.
• Quercetin is a natural plant-derived compound (flavonoid) that helps keep the mast cells from releasing histamine. Flavonoids can be found in citrus and green tea.
• Food can help. Add some horseradish, chili peppers or hot mustard to your food. They're all temporary decongestants.
• Stinging nettle is a natural antihistamine without the side effects (drowsiness, dry mouth) associated with the drugs most commonly used.

So, what are you options?
I usually go with a bandanna over my mouth and nose when riding in a half helmet. It helps cut down on what you're breathing in, and actually works on days with moderate pollen counts. A full face gives you additional protection if you keep the vents closed.

Before I start out in the morning, I try and get an idea of the pollen count. You've got several options available.

• Pollen.com has an Allergy Forecast by state
• Google and Yahoo desktop pollen widgets can be downloaded from Pollen.com's site
• Weather.com's PollenCast is pretty quick and easy if you're already online
  

You should also avoid certain kinds of food during ragweed season since they share allergans with ragweed:

• Sunflower seeds
• Melons and bananas
• Zucchini and cucumber

What have others tried? Here are a few conversations on the web:

• LiveJournal's gerardwing got a good "Riding with Alleriges" thread going with several riders giving their solutions.
• Masks are available from several manufacturers. You can find reviews and comments on several different types at AchooAllergy.com's blog. Respro does make a bandanna-style scarf called the Bandit Scarf.
  

You can also get more information on natural remedies and causes from several web sites:

• WebMD
• Allergy Treatment / Allergy Relief Blog
• FamilyDoctor.org
  

Rolling Thunder (Jeff McShay)

For ride information in Florida, visit RideFL.com.

Video documentary available:
Ride With Thunder

Rolling Thunder: Rides from West Coast & VA

As promised, some information about organized rides.

Virginia

Ride of the Patriots

• Starts Friday, May 23th with a Chapter ride to the Candlelight Vigil at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
• Saturday, May 24th, Patriot Harley-Davidson Open House. Bring your national H.O.G. membership to receive a commemorative pin for Rolling Thunder XXI. Ride of the Patriots 2008 commemorative T-Shirt available from the dealership.
• For a detailed schedule, visit the Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter site for Ride of the Patriots.
  

West Coast

Run For The Wall

Two organized rides leaving from Southern California. It has a very engaged community forum for answers about the ride.

Central route goes through AZ, NM, CO, KS, MO, IN, WV
Southern route goes through AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, TN, VA



Video documentary available:
Ride With Thunder

Rolling Thunder XXI

Since I'm a military brat (Air Force), Spring is on its way, and many are browsing the web for road trip ideas, I think there's probably no better time to get the word out about the Memorial Day Rolling Thunder XXI Ride Freedom than the present. Mark your calendar - the ride takes place on May 25, 2008.

Some think Rolling Thunder or Run To The Wall is a parade that heads to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington D.C. each year. Actually, it's not a parade. It's a demonstration. Rolling Thunder chapters throughout the country are committed to advocating for military vets and drawing attention to the fact that thousands of American soldiers were left behind in Vietnam, Laos and other countries. That's 93,237 designated as missing.

The first ride took place on Memorial Day in 1988 and totaled 2,500 people, all advocating for those missing in action in any war. The noise of the motorcycles reminded those in attendance of the 1965 bombing raid in North Vietnam dubbed "Operation Rolling Thunder." A name and a passion for POW/MIA advocacy was born. Last year was the 20th run, and many know of the event, but not its history or purpose.

My father fought in Vietnam, and I did go to the wall before I started riding. This year, I've been thinking about how great it would be to go with my father on the ride. Granted, I'd have to find a way to get him on the bike, which is odd, since he disarmed bombs, so you would think getting on a motorcycle would be easy. But - it's probably my role as the rider and his as a passenger that would be more the problem.

There are a number of details for the ride, and some states have escorted rides to Washington. I'll add some additional posts for those items, but the main information you need is:

Assembly Area - North Pentagon parking lot at 8AM

Leaving for the Vietnam Memorial - at 12:00 noon for the ride through Washington D.C. to to Vietnam Memorial to pay respect to the men and women who gave their lives for the country.

Speakers & Music - located at the west end of the reflecting pool across from the Lincoln Memorial. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Aisle Assignments - Please visit the Rolling Thunder web site and click on the promotion on the home page for Rolling Thunder XXI, or download the Rolling Thunder event information now.

Video documentary available:
Ride With Thunder

"Why Do You Have To Hate?"

I work with a guy who is very big into sport bikes, and manages a web site called Enginehead. Since I'm a Harley rider, we go back-and-forth quite a bit, all in fun, about which is better, cooler, and in general, worth paying money for.

We got into a nice little debate on American vs. Japanese bikes one day, when out of the blue he said, "You Harley riders, why do you have to hate?" It sort of surprised me. So I just looked at him (and it's hard catching me off my game like that), then he continued, "you don't wave at the guys on sport bikes, what's up with that?! You can't even say thanks for being on the road. That's just wrong." Wow - who knew sport bike riders had feelings!!

And, he's right. It is. I do give the Harley "two fingers down" wave to most folks - unless they're on a scooter - I'm just not that enlightened yet. Even the Honda guys with their "table for five" wave that makes you think you've just passed someone you knew in high school and they've recognized you at the local park get a wave from me.

Hey - we're all out there with the cages. It only makes sense that we at least thank one another for being on the road and raising the awareness level of the cagers who rarely look.

So - at least once this month, try not to hate, and hug a sport biker. If you can't do that, at least wave. Afterall, the Harley riders do have the coolest wave - so we should at least flaunt it.

Hmmmm . . . OK, so I'm not above at least poking at them a little.

Classic Street-Bike Videos:
Urban Assault
Urban Street-Bike Warriors

$5 Camera Mount For Your Bike

I've been looking around the web for some camera mount ideas, and found an instructional video for a $5 version over at Helmet Hair Motorcycle Blog. Instruction Video $5 Camera Mount

Considering that these things can run anywhere from $99 to $280, finding a McGyver solution is always great.

Pashnit Motorcycle Tours found an interesting adaptation out on the road in California. It was a camera bag with a hole cut in the front and bungeed to the tank bag. The video camera is protected by foam stuffed in the bag.

If you're interested in not taking chances with your camera, there are some camera mount options out there that someone's actually tested.

• CamMount makes a handlebar mount that will fit on an bike, and they're running a sale right now, so it's $40 off the grip action models (weigh about 4 lbs).
  
• I also checked out my ride on RAM Mounting Systems ('03 Heritage Classic Softail), and got a list of parts, but no real solution that actually showed me what to purchase to make it work - so good luck with there. Too bad too, because they had some good looking aqua boxes that might have been handy in bad weather.
  
• Same problem with the Saeng site. I imagine there's a set up that will work for a video and/or digital camera, but they didn't have the quick find so I bailed.
• Now, if you're on a sport bike, you're in luck. Sport Bike Cam has a great sport bike solution, excellent instructions for use and mounting, and you can purchase it directly from their site.
  

If you're looking for a high-end camera and mounting system, check out Twenty20 Cameras. They make both helmet and motorcycle mount cameras, they don't try and sell you something you don't need, and they put a lot into a small package for a good price.

Their VholdR wearable camrecorder looks like it would be a great solution for anyone on a bike. It records up to 100 minutes onto a microSD. Is water, dirt and shock resistant. Will mount to a helmet or handlebars. Looks simple and highly functional. I think I've talked myself into one!

Bears, Eating and Bike Week 2008

Riding down for Bike Week is great. There are bikes everywhere, people everywhere, drinking everywhere, and sometimes bad things happen. So, rather than warn everyone, I thought I'd share a couple of handy map mash-ups from the folks at OrlandoSentinel.com.

First - Bears!! I'm with Stephen Colbert on this one: we're all still in the dark regarding where they use the bathroom, they hock everything from cereal to gelatinous candy, and even young ones outweigh a Rottweiler. If you're headed to or from Daytona via the Ocala National Forest, don't make the mistake of thinking bears are hibernating so won't be out. Be careful. You don't want to hit one. Here's a map of where some bears have been found on Florida's popular roads.

Bears Killed on Florida Roads Since 2005

Second - Eating!! OK, enough about safety and bears. You want to know where to eat, so here are a couple of searchable listings that give you some listings/reviews and health inspection reports.

Restaurant Inspection Reports

Brevard County Restaurants

Volusia County Restaurants

Orange County Restaurants

Seminole County Restaurants

And, you probably need some coupons, so here's a link for some local eateries.

Restaurant Coupons

Avoid Getting Your Butt Kicked

Biker's Handbook: Becoming Part of the Motorcycle Cultureis a new book out from Jay Barbieri, the producer of "American Thunder." If you're a newby, might not be a bad idea to get clued in. Hopefully he mentions something about trying to avoid white socks and tennis shoes when you ride. Has nothing to do with safety - well, actually is does - but you just end up looking like someone who bought a Harley to ride to the bar when his wife's at a PTA meeting.

LATimes.com Q&A with Jay

Ride: Arizona Day Trips

For those of you in a state where the riding is still possible, here are some rides that rank well with other motorcyclists. Most are 4 - 6 hours depending on your speed. Might just be me, but if I end up sleeping in my own bed after a day of riding, I'm staying off the Interstates and city streets, so I've tried to focus on scenic highways.

• Corondo Trail Scenic Byway (East Central) - it's about 123 miles one way. Starts in Morenci and ends in Springerville. It's scenic and has plenty of twisties (over 400 switchbacks), over a mile of elevation change and may be one of the best roads in the U.S. to ride according to biker accounts. You can find a very good description of the route on RoadNotes.com as well.
  
• Petrified Forest National Park (East Central) - this route is pretty straight forward, so a map is probably most used on your "to-the-entrance" and "from-the-entrance" routes, so you're on your own there. It will cost you $5 to ride through the park. For a review of the ride, check out Road Runner magazine. Since I'm a big fan of the magazine, I would recommend subscribing. It has great rides, is a small business trying to make it in today's magazine industry, and they seem like a great group of folks who just love to ride. I've subscribed or four years and have never been disappointed.
  
• Pioneer's Highway (South East) - at just over 200 miles, you'll pass the Biosphere 2 and Tom Mix memorial. Twisties, scenic vistas, and open pit mining on Hwy 177. Mine tours available.
• Catalina Highway (South East) - A 40 mile stretch from Tuscson to Summerhaven, this is a favorite with motorcyclists. Elevation goes from 3,000 to 9,000 feet via switchbacks and curves.
  
• Apache Trail & Tortilla Flats (South East) - Leave Apache Jct. and head north to Roosevelt Dam. Last 30 miles of the 50 mile ride are on a dirt road. Probably one of those rides you want to put into the middle of another day trip as a nice scenic aside. To check out a riders review, head over to Pashnit.com.
• Bagdad to Wickenburg (West Central) - a 123 mile ride through mountains, farmland, dessert and the little town of Prescott. Limited cage encounters, but make sure you gas up in Bagdad or you won't be encountering much of anything after a while!

I haven't been able to find too many well documented rides for the northern portion of Arizona. When I do, I'll add a post.

Deer Jumps Over Biker

Not sure if it's fake or real - but it's worth watching. Scary or cool depends on whether or not you've ever had a close call with a deer.

Leesburg Bike Fest 2007