Motorcycle TourM

agazine

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

JANUARY 2013Volume 19 No. 1

Exploring the Emerald Isle

with Celtic Ri

der

http://www.olympiamotosports.com

Celebrating 30 Years and Counting!

210 Route 10 West • East Hanover, NJwww.HanoverPowersports.com • 973-428-1735NOW OPEN MONDAYS: 9AM-5PM

Celebrating 30 Years and Counting!210 Route 10 West • East Hanover, NJwww.HanoverPowersports.com • 973-428-1735NOW OPEN MONDAYS: 9AM-5PM

Whether you have an hour, a weekend, a week or more to leave it all behind, here's a new bold andblacked-out-styled machine to satisfy that urge to get away from it all—the brand-new Gold Wing®

F6B. The blacked-out styling treatment with long and low lines gives the Gold Wing F6B an aggressivelook, while large-capacity saddlebags, a comfortable gunfighter-style seat, premium audio systemand more means there's no need to rough it on the road.

honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTEC-TION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THEINFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THESTREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THEOWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training informationor to locate a rider training course near you, call the MotorcycleSafety Foundation at 800-446-9227. Gold Wing® is a regis-tered trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (MM/YY)

Honda 2013 Gold Wing® F6BLuxury touring with a bad boy attitude.

Celebrating 30 Years and Counting!

210 Route 10 WestEast Hanover, NJ

973-428-1735www.HanoverPowersports.comNOW OPEN MONDAYS: 9AM-5PM

GIVES YOUTHE FREEDOM

TO DREAM

2013 500 EXC: For all those who areforever seeking a little bit more.

2013 690 Enduro R: Feels at home in the city andon rural roads as it does on gravel and tough terrain

2013 1190 Adventure: The most offroad-capable travel enduro in the world.

2013 1190 RC8 R: The ultimatepower tool from KTM.

W H A T ’ S I N S I D EMONTHLY COLUMNS

FREE WHEELIN’.................................................................................4

WHATCHATHINKIN’..........................................................................6

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE .................................................7

ON THE MARK ..................................................................................8

THROTTLE BLIPS ..............................................................................9

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN ........................................10

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA...............................................................12

BIG CITY GETAWAY........................................................................14

WE’RE OUTTA HERE......................................................................16

BACKLASH .......................................................................................19

INDUSTRY INFOBITES ..................................................................20

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE ..................................................40

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR...............................................41

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE.......................................................44

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ PublishersContributors: Jeff Bahr, Evans Brasfield, Mark Byers, Victor Cruz, Mary Jo Gracin, Bill Heald, Robert Laford,

Jeanae Washington, Dr. Seymour O’Life

BACKROADS • POB 317, Branchville NJ 07826Phone 973.948.4176 • Fax 973.948.0823 • email editor@backroadsusa.com • web www.backroadsusa.com

For Advertising Sales Information: 973-948-4176

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2013. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific writtenconsent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ willonly return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be con-sidered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

FEATURESBRING ON THE DIRT .....................................................................22

BACKROADS FALL FIESTA 2012................................................34

CHINCOTEAGUE’S 40TH ANNUAL OYSTER FESTIVAL.......38

EXPLORING THE EMERALD ISLE...............................................49

MOTORCYCLE REVIEWSHONDA NC700X ............................................................................27

PRODUCT REVIEWSSARGENT WORLD SPORT PERFORMANCE PLUS SEAT ....37

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS ...............................................................46

KAWASAKI CARES: Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and proper apparel. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Adhere to the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual. © 2012 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

PRESENT THIS AD AND RECEIVE:• $500 in free accessories with

purchase of any new KAWASAKI* 10% off ANY service

SERVING THEHUDSON VALLEY/WESTCHESTER AREA

FOR OVER 45 YEARS

The Backroads 250+ road Tour

IT’s a Jersey ThIng

Some eighteen years ago, when we started Backroads, our goal was to give

you guys and gals, our fair readers, places to go and things to do.

Even way back then Backroads was New Jersey born and bred and we love

our state.

From the first issue Backroads was created to let our

fellow riders know that there was more to be found on

their motorcycles than just short local rides and a burger

run to the local pub. That there were almost an endless

number of possibilities along the tiny roads that link this

country together, and the best way to discover them was

on motorcycle.

A few seasons later we started holding our Backroads’

Rallies, in the hopes of dragging some of you along for

the ride.

This has turned out very well too.

Since then we have held some 35 rallies from New England to Georgia, a

number of Summer Squeezes in Vermont, and a few over-seas tours as well.

But, we’re still young with plenty more to see and explore and, every so

often, a new idea flits through my brain.

It’s usually about a ride, tour or some kind of motorcycle event; and some-

times it can sit there for months or years till something bubbles it back to the

surface to revisit.

A few years back we did an issue on riding a lap around New Jersey. What

we found was much of the state is truly beautiful and the roads wonderful to

ride.

Still, my adopted Garden State takes a bad wrap from the rest of the union.

It’s hard to blame them when all our friends around the rest of nation see are

the Sopranos and Jersey Shore. Add in the terrible devastation from Sandy

and the state looks a little beat up and scary right now.

But, the New Jersey I know is far removed from the Turnpike exits, the

Garden State Parkway or the clutter of its many cities.

You folks from New York City and Long Island really want to throw

stones? Nope - the New Jersey I want to share is full of winding roads, small

towns, great restaurants, unusual sites and locations. It has miles and miles

of uncluttered and mostly uncrowded roads; some pavement so old we think

the state might have forgotten them.

A few weeks back I spent an afternoon riding around our part of the state,

basically heading down roads I had never ridden before, when that idea began

to surface once again.

And, the notion that resurfaced was to have us hold a road rally of sorts,

all along the backroads and all in the boundaries of New

Jersey.

We have come to call it the Backroads 250+.

The Backroads 250+ is a one-day road event, of a little

more than 250 miles, that will start and finish in Augusta,

New Jersey, and will be run on June 15, with a rain date

of June 22.

We rarely do rain dates, but we want you to have a

great time.

Sign in starts at 8:30am at the Chatterbox Drive-In at the intersections of

Route 206 and Route 15, in Augusta, New Jersey.

Nearby you will find hotels, restaurants and entertainment right in the area

if you live a distance away or just care to make a weekend of it, which is al-

ways a great idea.

You will find a hotel listing on the ad on page 58.

There will be a $10 per bike charge with proceeds going to a local New

Jersey charity.

We will provide detailed Rip & Ride Route Sheets and also GPX files for

those who want the route on their Garmin GPS.

Although some roads might have seen better days we promise not to throw

any dirt at you and you will have a number of great stops and restaurants

along the way, as well as the Chatterbox Drive-In when the ride returns; com-

plete with one of the best Car Shows in the region.

So consider this an invitation to ride some of the hidden byways of New

Jersey and join us on the Backroads 250+.

F R E E W H E E L I N ’

BRIAN RATHJEN

Page 4 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

ROLLIN’ FAST Cycle Sportsis your tri-state Victory motorcycle and Polaris dealer in New Jersey. We are a performance-oriented shop thatspecializes in all Victory motorcycles and Polaris side x sides and ATVs. We are the best-stocked dealer in the tri-state area. Whether you are looking for a Victory or Polaris vehicle, parts, or accessories we have it. We offer alldealer programs including financing, extended warranties, and vehicle insurance. Our knowledge of Victory mo-torcycles and Polaris vehicles far exceeds our competitors. We stock just about every Victory and Polaris acces-sory in the catalog plus many more aftermarket accessories for Victory.

104 Main Street, Lebanon, NJ908-236-9000 • www.rollinfast.com

Here to serve you Monday-Friday 9a-6p • Thursday 9a-7p • Saturday 9a-5p • Gone Riding SundayVictory and Victory Motorcycles® are registered trademarks of Polaris Industries Inc. Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing and obey the speed limit.

Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol. ©2012 Polaris Industries Inc.

new, new, new

January 2013 – wow. If you’re reading this,

the world has not ended, the fiscal cliff has ei-

ther been jumped or leveled and the Holidaze

are long behind us. All the sweets and fattening foods have been purged from

the refrigerator, gym memberships have been bought and ignored and there

dead carcasses of Christmas trees litter the streets of suburbia.

More importantly, maps are being pulled out, event listings

are being searched and plans are being made for all the rides to

take place this year. As I’ve said many times, January is a great

time to plunge into that bucket list, or any ideas of ‘places I’d

love to see’ lists and make them happen. Near or far, put them

on the calendar. No excuses – just get going.

January is also the arrival of the International Motorcycle

Show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. For as many

years as we’ve been publishing Backroads, we’ve always had a

booth at this show. Sure, it’s a great way to meet the industry

folk who normally keep themselves warm and happy on the

West coast, but even more important is the time we get to spend

speaking to all of you who have helped to make Backroads what it is today.

We truly look forward to meeting and talking with our readers, getting feed-

back (complaint department closed during show hours) and hearing about

the great travels you’ve enjoyed. So make sure you find our booth, wherever

they put us this year, and stop by.

There is certainly enough to fill a day, or whole weekend, at the IMS; a

boatload of great seminars throughout the days such as Adventure Riding by

the folks from Twisted Throttle, Protection and Style from Brittany Morrow

the Road Rash Queen, Yuasa’s Battery Technology and Ohlins Science of

Motorcycle Suspension. Looking to play a little game while perusing the

sights? Head over to the Allstate exhibit for the Rider Protection Project to

pick up a scavenger hunt card. There will be several motorcycles on display

throughout the show with riders missing a piece of gear.

Test your awareness of “All the gear all the time” with

this scavenger hunt. Once you’ve gone through and

found everything, swing by the Allstate booth to pick up

your prize. There’s the always eyebrow-raising Ducati

Fashion show, Vintage motorcycles display and all the

great vendors and exhibitors hawking their wares.

The IMS also offers the opportunity to see the new of-

ferings from the manufacturers be it motorcycles, gear,

gadgets or other great doodads. With the 2013 models

coming out in the Spring, there are plenty of choices for

new, replacement or additional rides for your garage. For

your plotzing pleasure, here’s a list of who will be pres-

ent: Harley-Davidson, BMW, Honda, Can-Am, Suzuki,

Triumph, Kawasaki, Ducati, Indian, KTM, Yamaha,

Victory and Zero. There are some great new models

being offered for 2013 such as BMW’s C600 Sport and

C650GT scooters and F700GS, Honda’s CBR500R,

CB500F, CB500X, NC700X and Gold Wing F6B,

Kawasaki’s Ninja 300, Ducati’s Hypermotard and Hy-

perstrada, KTM’s 1190 Adventure, Yamaha’s FJR1300

and Zero’s FX to name a few.

If you are just getting into motorcycling, the selection

of ‘first bikes’ are tremendous. Honda’s offerings of

500s let you go for street or the occasional off-road dab-

bling. This size bike will let the rider build confidence

while having a quality machine underneath them at an

affordable price. The same is true for Kawasaki’s Ninja

300, priced at $4,799. If this is anything like their 250R,

only better, I would be a very happy camper piloting

this as my first ride.

I happen to think that folks just starting to ride should

get a used scoot to begin with. This way if it happens to

take a small tumble or get scratched or dinged a bit, it

won’t hurt as much.

I remember my first ride – Honda’s CM400T. I had

just taken the MSF rider’s course and came home with

Want Ad Press in hand. I was ready to conquer the

world and travel far and wide. I usually say that a little

bit of knowledge is dangerous, and with my beginning

knowledge of riding I was oblivious to the limitations

of this particular ride. On one sojourn up to Vermont, I

was cranking through the Appalachian Gap and, when

we got to the bottom I mentioned to Brian that I thought

something might be dragging, that I had heard a scrap-

ing noise. He walked around the bike, pointed to the

footpegs and said, ‘Nothing wrong, you’re just dragging

your footpegs in the turns. You’re supposed to do that.’

I rode that bike everywhere, through everything, and

was quite sad when it was time to graduate to a bigger

bike. But it went to a good home, that of another first-

timer. And that is the path it travelled for as long as I

tracked it. For all I know it could still be putting around,

giving someone a great introduction to the wonderful

world of motorcycling. I just saw one heading some-

where on Route 80 in NJ.

Happy New Year to all. May your days be dry and

sunny, your travels be safe and adventurous and may

our paths cross often.

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N ’

SHIRA KAMIL

Page 6 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

NEW Y RK YAMAHA36-02 38th Street • Astoria, NY 11101

718-784-6200 • www.NYYamaha.com

We are your YAMAHA Superstoreoffering the best prices in the area

No Freight, No Prep, No Setup…NO KIDDING

do you recall?

Mail is such an amazingly powerful thing. I

speak of the actual paper variety of course, and

it’s not to say that an electronic missive can’t

have great impact as well. But there’s still something potent about a letter

that you tear open violently to find out what in the world is going on. And

one of the more fearful bits of moto-correspondence you can receive is a let-

ter that says RECALL NOTICE. OK, I will acknowledge that some corre-

spondence from the Department of Motor Vehicles or the finance company

can raise hackles, too. But recalls at the very least mean you’ll have to sched-

ule a trip to the dealer perhaps when you didn’t originally plan to do so, and

on the extreme side of the spectrum could mean

there’s something flawed about your ride that is seri-

ous enough that it could be dangerous to ride. At the

very least, even after the recall is dealt with it might

cause you to lose confidence in your machine, at least

a little bit. If this particular defect has been found, what other dangers could

be lurking on my motorcycle to reach out and bite me?

I mention this because I just received a recall notice on one of my bikes

(and, coincidentally, two of our automobiles). While a recall is a serious thing

that requires your attention, they are becoming more commonplace as man-

ufacturers seem more willing to fix things sooner and avoid much more po-

tentially dangerous situations down the road. More and more of these recalls

are voluntary in nature, meaning there hasn’t been a mandated government

safety issue but rather a potential problem that the builder of your machine

wants to eliminate from the picture before it causes the owner any real grief.

In my case, the recall is electrical in nature (I’d be willing to bet most are,

especially as more and more of modern motorcycle’s innards are silicon-

based) and involves the battery’s charging system. This really struck a chord

with me, because many years ago I had an electrical failure on a bike while

on a trip (I believe I was just outside of Baltimore) that left me semi-stranded

for a bit.

This is a great example of why a recall is an important thing to get taken

care of. The nature of my recall is a regulator/rectifier that “can overheat and

prevent the motorcycle from charging.” This is exactly what happened with

another motorcycle near Baltimore all those years ago, although in this case

it was the stator that overheated. There I was, motoring along on what I recall

was an absolutely beautiful day without a care in the world, and all of the

sudden the bike just died. I bailed for an exit and ended up spending the next

24 hours or so getting parts replaced and getting back on the road. Inciden-

tally, I remember that this ordeal included a lecture from a mechanic about

how it was truly the devil’s work when the government mandated that your

headlights should be on at all times. “It puts too much of a load on the elec-

trical system,” said the wrench. That may have even been true years ago, but

I think now the systems are considerably more robust, what with all the new

black boxes and all.

Receiving the recall in the mail and the nature of

it brought back all these memories, and as a result as

soon as time permits I’ll go get the required work

done, which should take very little time at all. Charg-

ing issues like this are pretty nefarious as they can really sneak up on you, as

most motorcycles don’t tell you if you have a charging issue unless you’ve

installed a gauge to monitor it. This is changing of course as instrument sys-

tems become more sophisticated, but for most of us if we’re riding, along

especially on long stretches of blacktop, the failure of a charging system and

the subsequent draining of the battery can be a silent menace. This is clearly

something worth preventing.

Which is ultimately why I am not terrorized by getting a recall notice, but

instead welcome the opportunity to nip a potential problem in the bud. In the

past I would have been more freaked, but the fact is recalls these days tend

to come well in advance of any major problems, for manufacturers have re-

alized it can save them a fortune if they address a potential issue before it

(Continued on Page 18)

P O S T C A R D SF R O M T H E H E D G E

BILL HEALD

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 7

This really struck a chord with me, becausemany years ago I had an electrical failure on abike while on a trip (I believe I was just outsideof Baltimore) that left me semi-stranded for a bit.

NEW Y RK Honda36-02 38th Street • Astoria, NY 11101718-784-6200 • www.NYHonda.com

Only Minutes from the George Washington Bridge

Winter ClearanceOur lowest prices of the year on all Honda Powersports

BETTER THAN EVER.Honda’s CBR600RR has long been

heralded as the best all-around

600-class sportbike the world has

ever seen. A winner both on and off

the track, it offers a perfect balance

of high-revving power, precise

handling, light weight, and

a compact overall size.

2013 CBR600RRs in stock and ready to go.Come in for your Best Price - Get Ready to Ride

honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION, AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ANDNEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training information or to locate a rider trainingcourse near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227. CBR� is a registered trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (01/13)

I wanna Be Bad

With few exceptions, I’m a rule-follower.

When I was a kid, if I didn’t obey the rules, I invariably got punished; there-

fore, since I also had a shred of intelligence, I learned that disobeying rules

resulted in negative consequences to both my little self-esteem and my little

ass. Similarly, I learned, through a series of misadventures, that the laws of

physics must be obeyed because: 1) they are self-enforcing, and B) they don’t

confine their punishment to the ass area. Nowhere are these two concepts of

behavioral consequence more evident than in my biking career.

I wasn’t blessed with much athletic ability. One of the

reasons I’m a writer is that I was a reader. While the other

kids were tearing it up on “Bike Hill” on their banana-

seated wonders, I was voraciously devouring tomes on jets

and rockets. On the occasions I ventured across the street

with my fendered Schwinn, I usually came back bloody at

the hands of physics thanks to a lack of confidence born

of ineptitude. I distinctly remember one of the other kids

coming over to me while I was on the ground underneath

my bike and saying, “You can’t do that on Bike Hill.”

Consequently, I’ve always envied those with the ability

to defy physics and launch themselves off jumps, take

flight, and come down without a shred of damage to bike

or bone. I’ve always wanted to be the kid who took the

dare of being the first one to ride his bike off the big rock

and come away unscathed. That kid was invariably the

“bad boy” of the neighborhood and therefore, King of Bike Hill. But it

wasn’t just his athletic skill I coveted, it was his adventurous spirit, confi-

dence, and disregard for the social conventions we call “the rules.” From

the time I was a four-eyed, book-readin’, Schwinn-riding , little snot, I’ve

wanted to be…BAD.

My desire for badness includes motorcycling. Perhaps the chief reason I

ride is that I want to be one of THOSE guys: iconoclasts who seek to defy

convention by choosing transportation that isn’t for the timid. I don’t want

to be enveloped in steel, with puffy mechanical marshmallows that pop out

should I err. I like being the guy at whom little kids stare from the confines

of their plastic cocoons inside their parent’s metal ones. I stop short of being

a white-collar rider who dresses and acts like he just got out of prison for

killing his uncle, but I admit to a dark place in my soul that wants to own

that vibe. I want to be crazy, sketchy, and dangerous.

There’s my dark little secret: this ATGATT-espousing, training-conscious,

uptight, pedantic engineer wants to be bad. I want to throw off the shackles

of social convention and channel a combination of Hunter S. Thompson and

Steve McQueen. In my motorcycling fantasy, I lane-split Sunset Boulevard

at two in the morning while sky-high on acid and alcohol, wheelying a Ducati

900SS through oncoming traffic, wearing nothing but

canvas high-tops and a cowboy hat, while Jim Morri-

son screams “LA Woman” from my mental speakers.

I wanna run from the cops.

I don’t just want to be socially incorrect, either. I

want to be politically and environmentally incorrect

too. I want to revive the Barstow to Vegas race and

ride a ridiculously loud, smoking, oil-belching two

stroke full of leaded, high-octane gas and castor oil at

a hundred miles per hour across virgin desert, using

massive, petrochemically-derived, knobby tires to

spew sand all over cacti and Joshua trees while send-

ing desert tortoises crawling for their lives. I want a

whale-foreskin riding suit with seal-fur trim. I wanna

be on a Greenpeace wanted poster.

As a motorcycle rider/writer, I want to emulate

“Bike” magazine’s mercurial Dan Walsh and write

ridiculously entertaining, controversial, stream-of-consciousness prose while

shacked up in some third-world, dive brothel/bar, staving off malaria with

massive quantities of gin and tonic (hold the tonic). I want to fix the broken

frame of my rat-bike adventure machine with a leaky acetylene torch next to

(Continued on Page 18)

10 Mill Plain Rd

Danbury, CT

203-792-3900

OVER 150 KTMs IN STOCK!2013 KTMs rolling in daily - including some hard-to-find models.

MotoFIT has certified KTM technicians to keep your bike running at its best

and a great selection of parts and and accessories.

O N T H E M A R K

MARK BYERS

Page 8 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

www.motofit.comTuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 9a-6p • Thursday 9a-8p • Saturday 9a-4p

Sunday and Monday: Gone Riding

MoTorcycle ManufacTurers, geT down!

After pulling my Kawasaki Versys into a parking

spot I performed a rather dicey dismount. No, I

didn’t drop the bike. At 5’9” tall with a 30” inseam,

getting off of this breathtakingly tall machine (33.3”

seat height) is always precarious. On this day, like

most, my right heel caught the seat. I nearly fell as a result. If I had to rate

this maneuver on technical skill I’d give it a paltry 8.5. But my artistic score

should rate much higher. My butt didn’t kiss pavement this time

‘round. That’s worth something!

When I finished my business I summoned the nerve to re-

mount. With the confidence of Woody Allen at a gunfight, I

thrust my leg high and went for it. A feeling of déjà vu gripped

me when I realized that my foot had again merged with the sad-

dle. Disgusted, I yanked it free and wobbled unsteadily in a fee-

ble attempt to right myself.

By now you’re probably wondering why I bought such a tall

bike in the first place. It’s simple really - I didn’t have much of

a choice. I favor middleweight sport bikes but my back and

wrists can no longer handle the unforgiving riding position

found on such machines. In a nutshell I wanted something with

manageable weight, a short wheelbase, quick handling and an

upright riding position. Unfortunately, pickings were slim.

In fact, most middleweights that meet these requirements

force the rider to lean forward to a degree. And so-called “adventure” bikes

- like my Versys or Suzuki’s V-Strom - feature an upright position but they

tend to be tall due to greater suspension travel. It’s a trade-off for the inseam-

challenged but what’s a rider to do?

Here’s another downer. Kawasaki didn’t design the Versys to accept a cen-

ter stand. Had they done so a rider could deploy it, stand on one peg and

climb onto this rolling camel. I suspect the rationale behind this focuses on

weight and absolute lean angle. That strikes me as odd because this bike is

by no means a racer.

Fact is the majority of Versys riders treat the 400-pound, do-it-all machine

like a farkle factory. It’s not uncommon to find them fitted with hard luggage,

bolt-on accessories, and all manner of other weighty doo-dads. Mine cer-

tainly is. A few pounds in the form of a center stand would pose no problem

at all. So why not include one?

From a marketing perspective I’m baffled by these stratospheric seat

heights. According to a 2008 statistics report from the Centers for Disease

Control, the average height for an American male is 5’9-1/2’’. For a woman

it’s 5’3-3/4”. This mundane yet meaningful marker plainly proves one thing:

Seat heights greater than 32 inches will pose a problem for an enormous num-

ber of riders. There’s simply no getting around it.

This brings two questions to mind. Why aren’t more ma-

chines with realistic seat heights and riding positions being

offered by manufacturers, and why must adventure bikes

like the Versys induce high-altitude nosebleeds?

It’s been said that standard machines won’t sell but that

can’t be true. Suzuki’s SV650 sold like hotcakes because it

offered its own sense of style, great all-around performance,

and a fairly neutral riding position. It also featured a con-

toured seat set at an unintimidating height. Flat-footing the

SV was possible for all but the shortest of riders.

As far as adventure bikes go consider this: Cerebral types

have split the atom, put a man on the moon, and given us

the computer era. So why can’t our industry’s slide-rule

gang deliver suitable suspension without forcing riders into

the stratosphere? Even Honda’s spanking new NC700X is

saddled with a 32.7” perch. Come on!

The bottom line is such changes will only take place if enough riders

clamor for them. So, manufacturers, on behalf of those who’ve thrown their

backs, fallen on their butts, and/or made complete fools of themselves while

attempting to board/de-bike these rolling skyscrapers, I implore you to im-

prove the state of the motorcycle art. Put seat height in sync with the inseams

of the populace, then step back and count the profits.

That’s the long and short of it.

T H R O T T L E B L I P S

JEFF BAHR

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 9

old log caBIn Inn

47 rTe. 46, coluMBIa nJ 07832 • 908-496-4291

If you are a rider in northwest New Jersey, anywhere near the Delaware

Water Gap then this month’s stop on the Great All American Diner Run is,

more then likely, well known to you.

The building has been around for decades but the restaurant and bar have

been flourishing for more than three generations, all under one family.

The Log Cabin Inn is located just east of Columbia, New Jersey on the old

and rustic part of Route 46, just a stone’s throw from the Delaware River,

and just minutes from the Pennsylvania border.

On any good day the front of the Log Cabin Inn will be crowded with

bikes, mostly from Milwaukee, but all two or three-wheels are welcome.

When we were there so was the sweetest old Z-28 taking a prime spot.

This is one of those regions in this state that still has old places like this

and the old places are doing just fine.

If you like old rough hewn wood then this is for you.

We entered through the bar and made our way to the dining area that has

plenty of tables for you or your group.

All the staff were happy and upbeat, which I tell you is getting harder and

O’TOOLE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON®

4 Sullivan St. • Wurtsboro, NY • 845-888-2426 • www.OToolesHD.com

Sales • Service • Parts • AccessoriesConvenient location for the entire New York metro area

New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Nassau + Suffolk Counties in New York

Page 10 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

O’Toole’s Harley-Davidson Presents

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN tasty places to take your bike

FROM THE BIG APPLE

CROSS GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE

PALISADE PARKWAY TO EXIT 14LEFT INTO HARRIMAN

CONTINUE STRAIGHT THROUGH TRAFFIC CIRCLE ON 106/210BEAR RIGHT RTE.17 NORTH

LEFT AT ORANGE TURNPIKE CR 19LEFT AT BRAMONTOWN ROAD (HARD TO READ SIGN)BEAR LEFT AT BENJAMIN HOLLOW ROAD

MAKE RIGHT AT RTE. 17ABEAR RIGHT THEN LEFT AT GREENWOOD LAKESTAY ON RTE. 17ALEFT AT RTE. 94 SOUTH/ WEST

RIGHT AT CR 1A INTO CR 1LEFT AT CR 26 PINE ISLAND LIGHT

BECOMES CR 517 IN NEW JERSEYRIGHT AT CR 565 (NEW JERSEY)RIGHT AT RTE 23 NORTH

LEFT TO CONTINUE ON CR 565 SOUTH

STRAIGHT AT CR 628BEAR LEFT AT CR 519CROSS RTE. 206STRAIGHT AT CR 627STRAIGHT AT CR 626LEFT AT CR 521 SOUTH

LEFT AT FRANK CHANDLER RD.RIGHT AT CR 622LEFT AT CR 619BEAR RIGHT AT CR 610 HARD LEFT AT CEDAR RIDGE RD.AT T RIGHT ONTO LINCOLN LAUREL RD.HARD LEFT TO RTE. 94 (USE THAT BIG LOT TO DO IT SAFELY)RIGHT AT MOTT RD.RIGHT AT KERRS CORNER RD.LEFT AT SILVER LAKE RD.BEAR RIGHT AT WASIGAN RD.LEFT AT GOLDEN CHAIN RD.BEAR RIGHT AT MUD POND RD.LEFT AT CR 521RIGHT AT HELLER HILL RD.LEFT AT UNION BRICK RD.CROSS OVER I-80RIGHT AT MT. HERMON RD.LEFT AT DEAN RD.RIGHT AT KNOWLTON RD.LEFT AT LIME KILN RD.RIGHT AT CR 605LEFT AT WALNUT RD.LEFT A RTE. 46LOG CABIN INN DOWN ROAD ON LEFT

Rip & Ride® • OLD LOG CABIN INN • 47 RTE. 46 , COLUMBIA NJ 07832 • 908-496-4291

harder to find. Most of the customers were in good cheer, even

when the power went out for ten minutes; as our visit was just

after Sandy barreled through the state.

The Log Cabin has a lot of the usual pub fare with all kinds

of burgers, steak and cheese sandwiches. They also have some

seafood with fish and chips and shrimp and chips available all

the time.

If you feel like a bite of Italian this day their chicken or meat-

ball parmesans looked great. Getting a little deeper into the

menu we found some great salads with mesclun, tossed and

Chef’s all awaiting your order. Steamed clams, mussels and

shrimp can fill your belly too.

We have heard that the Log Cabin does a great nachos

supreme but we’ll save that for another visit. Something else we

will be back for is their legendary pizza. Actually the bar part

of the Log Cabin is open on the weekends only, but the pizza

parlor is open all week long and is a regional favorite and has

received many accolades over the years.

The waitress handed us the specials, all hand-printed on the

back of an envelope. Some of the specials this day were Thai

veggie spring rolls and shrimp dim sum. A great taco special serving up either beef or shrimp, hard or

soft tacos. Crabcake or cod sandwiches looked good but our little cabal went for some other things.

Being a basic guy I went for a perennial favorite and order the fried shrimp and chips (way too many

chips I tell ya!) Shira ordered a bunch of smaller appetizers that were anything but small. In fact all the

portions would handle the biggest hungriest biker. She

got the fried pork dumplings, spinach and feta perogies,

of which I promptly purloined half. Our friend Glenn,

being smart and healthy, ordered the tilapia salad –

which also came with salmon if that floats your boat

better – and I almost regretted not following his lead.

Janet, thinking Tex-Mex or maybe just Baja - ordered

the beef and bean burritos. All the food was served up

quick, hot and delicious.

Many times you will hear that you should stop where

the trucks or police cars fill the parking lot. Here at the

western edge of Route 46 we say stop and eat where all

the motorcycles are parked. After all these years these

hungry riders could not possibly be wrong.

Although Route 46, which runs completely in New

Jersey, starting in the middle of the George Washington

Bridge and stretching a tad more than 75 miles to the

border with the Keystone State, is the main highway

here this region is littered with tiny backroads and we

promise you a more than excellent ride to the Old Log

Cabin Inn.

Along these roads you will find deep forests, flour-

ishing farms (they don’t call it the Garden State for

nothing), small rivers, broad lakes and tons of critters.

Please keep an eye out for them, ‘cause they are obliv-

ious about you.

A lot of these roads will be on the tight and twisty

side so ride at your best please.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 11

Jeff Bahr

grave hoppIng plaTInuM edITIon

There’s a Honda motorcycle dealer located on Main Street in the town of

Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania. It’s perhaps the only thing that distinguishes this

ordinary settlement from others nearby – at least to a motorcyclist. But looks

can be deceiving. Just a few blocks from the dealership a genuine Hollywood

legend holds court. I wish I could say she’s a living, breathing legend, but

fate intervened on that front long ago. Jayne Mansfield, the Va-va-voom plat-

inum-blond sex symbol of the 1950s and 60s happens to be buried in this

sleepy little town. Who knew? Let’s do a ride-by.

Marilyn who?

To better appreciate Mansfield and her rise to stardom, it helps to know

something about her chief rival, Marilyn Monroe. Pursued by men and idol-

ized by women, Monroe assumed the mantle of blonde bombshell from for-

mer Hollywood pinups Jean Harlow and Betty Grable. With her breathy

voice, suggestive pout and trademark sashay, Monroe’s effect on people was

pronounced. Many worshipped her beauty, some were taken by her innocence

and fragility, but nobody was able to ignore her. It’s a lesson that wasn’t lost

on budding starlet Jayne Mansfield.

sex sells

Making her move on

Hollywood in the early

1950s, the equally sexy

Mansfield had high hopes.

Where Monroe was shy

and insecure, Mansfield

was forceful and driven.

The former Vera Jayne

Palmer married Paul

Mansfield at 17. Their

union produced a daughter

(Jayne-Marie) but would

end in divorce eight years

later. Brimming with con-

fidence and possessing a

knack for self-promotion,

Jayne Mansfield (“Jaynie”

to her friends) built her ca-

reer mostly on sheer will and determination, but her substantial physical as-

sets sure didn’t hurt. The voluptuous woman possessed an impressively high

I.Q. of 163— a grand contradiction to her dumb blonde image—but Mans-

field cannily knew which measurements to play up. “They’re more interested

in 40–21–35” she once cooed with a wink and a smile. Indeed they were.

The birth of wardrobe malfunctions

Always one to keep her publicity train rolling the actress occasionally ex-

perienced “accidental” clothing malfunctions. One standout incident occurred

at a dinner party held to honor Italian siren Sophia Loren. While sitting beside

the seductive actress, Mansfield leaned over the table in an extremely low-

cut dress and the inevitable happened. Loren’s raised eyebrow was recorded

for posterity by an alert photographer, and Jayne’s role as world-class sex-

bomb was solidified. Not surprisingly these “embarrassments” seemed to

occur only at the most opportune times (i.e. when paparazzi were gathered

in full force). Go Jaynie!

fame at last

This playful spirit garnered the actress a boatload of publicity, not a bad

thing when hunting down acting gigs. In 1955, Mansfield’s big break came

when she was offered the part of Rita

Marlowe in the Broadway play, Will

Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Well-re-

ceived by reviewers, the vehicle turned

Mansfield into an overnight sensation.

In 1957 the actress reprised the role for a movie of the same name. It, too,

received acclaim.

In 1958, Mansfield married professional Hungarian bodybuilder Mickey

Hargitay. Their campy, over-the-top union produced three children, and ac-

cording to published accounts represented the happiest time in Mansfield’s

life. The actress set her sights on a positively divoon (Jayne’s playful word

for divine) future, both in Hollywood and at home. For a spell all went ac-

cording to plan. Then everything fell apart.

reversal of fortune

The 1960s were not at all kind to pin-up girls. “Cheesecake” actresses

began to lose their appeal as newer, more sophisticated audiences looked for

substance over style. As a result Mansfield’s acting offers dried up. Deter-

mined to get back on top Mansfield accepted show-business work wherever

she could find it. This led to underwhelming stints working as a cabaret singer

and an off-Broadway actress.

Things on the home front were no better. Mansfield’s compulsion to suc-

ceed drove a wedge between her and Hargitay. Possessing an old-world men-

tality, the muscleman now saw her as an absentee wife. The two divorced in

1964, but their passion for each other carried on. By the late 1960s, Mansfield

was coming off her third failed marriage to filmmaker Matt Climber. The

union produced one son (Antonio). At this point she began a romance with

her manager, Sam Brody. Furiously plying the dinner-theater circuit, Mans-

field worked hard to resurrect her career. But fate had other things in store

for the bombshell.

a crushing end

In the wee hours of June 29, 1967, Mansfield, Brody, and 22-year-old

chauffer Ronnie Harrison were driving through Slidell, Louisiana on their

way to New Orleans. Mansfield was scheduled for a television interview in

the Big Easy – just the sort of publicity jolt that might put her back on top.

Her three children from the Hargitay union (Miklos, Jr 8; Zoltan, 6; and

Mariska, 3) and the family dog were also on board.

As their 1966 Buick Electra proceeded through the dreary swampland,

Harrison encountered a thick haze from a mosquito fogging truck. Suddenly,

Page 12 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

a slow-moving tractor-trailer appeared

out of the mist, but it was too late. The

Electra struck the rig with such aston-

ishing force that it sheared the vehicle’s

roof almost completely off. Mansfield

and her adult companions were killed

instantly. Miraculously, the three chil-

dren riding out back survived with only

minor injuries. The family dog wasn’t

as lucky. He lay dead on the floor

amidst shards of glass—jagged re-

minders of the accident’s ferocity.

Mansfield was only 34 years old.

The rumor mill

Almost at once the rumors began to

fly. The most persistent held that Mans-

field had been decapitated in the crash.

This wasn’t true. What appeared to be Mansfield’s severed head in police

photos was actually one of her platinum blonde wigs lying beside the road.

Some believe that Mansfield perished as a result of a curse placed upon her

by former associate (lover?) Anton LaVey, the controversial founder of the

International Church of Satan. Of course, something this macabre can’t be

proven or disproven. What’s known for certain is that a vibrant, talented

woman exited this life far too early and in a far too grisly manner. End of

story.

gravesite

Fairview Cemetery may seem like an odd place for an anointed member

of Hollywood royalty to ride out eternity, but Mansfield hailed from the area

(she was born in Bryn Mawr, PA) so it makes sense. Besides, the bucolic set-

ting which overlooks a nearby mountain ridge is nothing if not peaceful. Her

oversized heart-shaped stone reads: “Jayne Mansfield: We live to love you

more each day.” Every time I visit her grave I find fresh-cut pink roses lying

beside it. It’s been forty-five years since Mansfield’s death and her effect on

people is still profound. Such loyalty transcends mere publicity. Jaynie was

the real deal.

legacy

Mansfield’s Hollywood connection lives on through her daughter Mariska,

famous in her own right as Detective Olivia Benson on the hit television

show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but there is something else that

remains as part of her legacy.

The next time you ride up behind a truck take notice of the welded safety

bar that hangs down from the back of the box or trailer. Dubbed a “Mansfield

bar” this lifesaving addition became mandatory on trucks after her death.

The sultry blonde bombshell gave up her life so that others might live.

Even though this occurred by chance, the benefit to others has been positively

divoon. We miss you, Jaynie. You were truly one for the ages!

when you visit: Fairview Cemetery is located on Middletown Road in

Pen Argyl, just off of Main St. Mansfield’s heart-shaped marble stone can

easily be seen toward the right of the cemetery. Other members of the Palmer

clan are also buried here. Before leaving town make sure to visit the historic

Weona Park Carousel on Main St. Built in 1923, it features 44 hand-carved

animals and a Wurlitzer organ.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 13

hudson rIver MarITIMe MuseuM

50 rondouT landIng , kIngsTon, ny 12401

845- 338-0071 • www.hrMM.org

There is not any doubt that one of the most beautiful areas

to ride in the northeast, maybe the United States, is the Hud-

son River Valley.

Although many of us have been on the river itself on a

dinner cruise or private boat, the waterway was and is a

great thoroughfare for commerce and transportation. The

Hudson runs for some 315 miles from the Adirondack to fi-

nally empty into New York Harbor.

Considered to be first explored by Henry Hudson, an Eng-

lishman working for the Dutch East India Company, it was

originally called the North River by the Dutch, with the

Delaware River called the South River.

Eventually the Hudson moniker became the norm when

referring to the river.

Over the centuries much has happened and changed along

the Hudson, but its vibrant history of shipping and maritime

has stayed true and there is no better place to learn and ex-

perience this wonderful history than the

Hudson River Maritime Museum, located

at the confluence of the Rondout Creek

and the Hudson itself, in the trendy city

of Kingston, New York.

We made it a point to drop by when we

did our Wallkill River Expedition and

were certainly glad we did. Although

aware of the Hudson’s glorious past to

have it right before you gave a true sense

of the rich and varied history from ancient

times to this very day.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum

was founded in 1980 by steamboat and

tugboat men, as well as local citizens who

wanted to preserve the shipping history

of the Hudson River. Kingston’s role as

the most important port be-

tween New York and Albany

in the 19th century made it

the logical place to establish

a Hudson River maritime

museum. Kingston/Rondout

was the terminus of the

Delaware & Hudson Canal

which brought anthracite

coal from eastern Pennsylva-

nia from 1828 to 1898 to be

transported on the Hudson

River to New York and other

ports at a time when coal

was the dominant fuel in

use. Kingston was also an

important stop for passenger

steamboats bringing vaca-

tioners to the area, many of

whom traveled on to the Catskills. In addi-

tion, Rondout Creek was the home of the

Cornell Steamboat Company tugboat fleet,

the dominant towing company on the Hud-

son from 1880 to the 1930s, a time when

much freight was transported by boat.

The mission of the Hudson River Mar-

itime Museum is to collect, preserve, re-

search, exhibit and interpret a collection of

historical artifacts related to the preserva-

tion of the maritime heritage of the Hudson River and

its tributaries. This is the only museum in New York

State exclusively dedicated to this mission.

The collected artifacts include appropriate vessels, ob-

jects, archival material and art related to river transporta-

tion, industries and recreation – paintings, prints,

photographs, ephemera, blueprints, artifacts, ship mod-

els, a 100-year old shad boat, a life boat, lighthouse ten-

der and ice yachts.

The maritime heritage encompasses industries such as

ice harvesting, brick making, boat building, bluestone

quarrying, cement, coal and crushed stone. The steam

era of transportation, which stimulated the growth of

these various industries on the Hudson River, is empha-

sized; the 19th and 20th centuries are of primary focus.

One of the most impressive displays is the 1898 steam

tug Mathilda, sitting in dry dock alongside the museum.

WOODSTOCK HARLEY-DAVIDSON®

949 Route 28 • Kingston, NY845-338-2800 • 888-711-3192www.WoodstockHarley.com

NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEKfollow us on

Check out the complete line of110th Anniversary motorcycles and clothing

Page 14 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

Woodstock Harley-Davidson® Presents

BIG CITY GETAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

The Mathilda has been a permanent feature of the museum yard since her

arrival in 1983 courtesy of her previous owners, the McAllister Towing Com-

pany. One of the last few steam tugs in existence, Mathilda is undergoing

cleaning and restoration in order to make her more accessible to museum

visitors.

Mathilda, though not originally local, represents the hundreds of steam

tugboats which once operated on the Hudson River and around New York

Harbor.

Not far from the museum you will also find another bit of Hudson River

history, the Rondout Lighthouse, well worth searching out.

You will also find a number of restaurants close by the museum and we

highly recommend our Hudson River Rip & Ride up to the Kingston area

from New York City, where you will be able to combine a great ride and

some superb history at the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

The museum is open seven days a week from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm from

May through October, including national holidays and admission is $7 per

adult. Special events sometimes take place outside regular operating hours.

Check their events calendar for more information.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 15

Rip & Ride® • HUDSON RIVER MARITIME MUSEUM50 RONDOUT LANDING , KINGSTON, NY 12401

845- 338-0071 • WWW.HRMM.ORG

PICK UP HUDSON RIVER TERRACE

IN FORT LEE OFF RIVER ROAD

FOLLOW SIGNS TO ROSS DOCK

CONTINUE NORTH ON HUDSON DRIVE

PICKUP PALISADES PARKWAY TO STATE LINE LOOKOUT

BACK TO PIPTAKE RTE. 9W NORTH

FOLLOW SIGNS INTO AND THROUGH WEST POINT

EXIT TO RTE. 218 NORTH STORM KING HIGHWAY

RIGHT AT HUDSON RIVER AVE

LEFT AT SHORE RD.RIGHT AT RTE. 9WRTE. 9W TO ESOPUS

RIGHT AT RIVER ROAD

RIGHT AT RTE. 9WCROSS BRIDGE IN KINGSTON

EXIT LEFT AT GARRAGHAN DR.LEFT AT BROADWAY

LEFT AT RONDOUT LANDING TO MUSEUM ON RIGHT

The red caBoose MoTel & resTauranT

312 paradIse lane, ronks, pa 17572

717-687-5000 • www.redcaBoosehoTel.coM

Last year we came across a small hotel that featured a few caboose rooms alongside a more

conventional hotel.

We stayed the night and had a grand time, like we always do. But, we had heard of another

such place down in Ronks, Pennsylvania, in the middle of the stunning riding area known as

the Amish country.

So while riding around the region we made it a point of searching out The Red Caboose

Motel & Restaurant and, if we liked the first find, we were blown away by this place.

Now, to be honest here, this is not the Ritz, but it is a ton of fun and the cabooses are pretty

neat as well.

Here is the story on how this

came about…

It all started in 1969 when Don

Denlinger was dared to bid on 19

old cabooses being auctioned off

by the Pennsylvania Railroad. To

his surprise, he won them for $100.

He moved them to a parcel of

land near the Strasburg Railroad

and turned them into unique train

lodging in the heart of Amish

countryside. He continued to add

to his collection of train cars over

the years, and the Red Caboose

Motel & Restaurant became a fun,

family-oriented Pennsylvania

lodging offering the chance to sleep in real railroad cars.

Page 16 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WE’RE OUTTA HERE a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

Lancaster County’s Red Caboose Motel is now owned by Larry Demarco. The Red Caboose

offers a little bit of train history tucked away among the peaceful Amish farms of Strasburg, PA.

Under Larry’s care, the railroad cars have been restored and repainted to feature the authentic

colors of the railroads they represent.

The Red Caboose has been mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most

singly owned cabooses.

You see there is a lot more here than just an unusual sleeping arrangement.

For breakfast, lunch and dinner on the weekend,

they have two huge refurbished 80-ton P-70

coaches with railroad music playing in the back-

ground and lots of train history to take you back in

time.

Looking out the window you have a great chance

of seeing a steam locomotive roll by and to the

other side the General Store, with its large and

elaborate scale model trains, will keep you watch-

ing too.

The Red Caboose silo viewing tower offers an

unrivaled view of Amish farms, nearby valleys and beautiful Lancaster County countryside, as the Strasburg Rail-

road passes by the property throughout the day, and you’ll frequently see the Amish neighbors out for a drive. They

also have sales of Amish baked goods on the property.

In the summer, the barn becomes an outdoor movie theater. Bring a blanket, sit on the lawn outside and enjoy

family movies under the Lancaster County skies.

The kids, or those who think like kids, will delight in the small petting zoo with sheep, goats, chickens, and

ponies. And, they’ll be able to feed the farm animals.

The Red Caboose has a full 9 1/2 acres of farmland in-

cluding a playground and plenty of open fields for play-

ing ball, flying kits, tossing Frisbees, or just enjoying a

relaxing stroll through Amish countryside.

You can even take a Buggy Ride along the backroads.

We think places like this are rare and getting rarer.

They offer a simpler, and maybe more fun time, even if

they have wi-fi in each caboose.

We really enjoyed our stay here, as the roads are en-

joyable as long as you stay away for the bigger touristy

ones like Route 30 and the people are nice.

The nearby towns of Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse

(stop giggling) have tons of quaint shops, the ‘well see

and be warned’ tourist traps and some very interesting

museums; not to mention some of the most pleasant rid-

ing in this part of the United States.

We do recommend making reservations for The Red

Caboose Hotel as they book in advance during the rid-

ing season.

There is plenty to see and do and a few days riding

down here will do your soul good so what are you wait-

ing for – get packing and get riding cause we’re outta

here!

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 17

Long Island Kawasaki67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY

www.LIKawasaki.com • 516-935-6969

The $600 MIsTake

The pain was so severe that I could barely get off the bike. It hurt to move,

but staying on the bike for another mile marker seemed Herculean. I just

picked up a custom red 2007 BMW K1200 GT touring bike from Milwaukee

and was riding it back home to Boston via Canada. I never assumed the

after-market seat would be trouble. Worse, the Sargent seat nearly killed me.

Really, the amount of pain it caused had the power to compromise safety.

Discomfort is a great distraction and distraction flies in the face of rider

safety.

It didn’t make any sense. Never before did I have trouble with an after-

market seat. A new bike made almost unrideable. Luckily I had an Air Hawk

to use. It helped, but I didn’t like the way it separates you from the bike with

that bit of quarter inch elevation off the seat. Then, while on the Mass Pike

approaching a bump in the road I stood up on the pegs just enough to clear

a hard hit and away flew the $79 Air Hawk. What an idiot! (I never strapped

the thing down.)

I called Sargent and they told me to check whether the seat was a lowered

version. A sticker would indicate that. They use less foam on those. Nope,

no sticker. So I bit the bullet and ordered a Corbin, rider seat only. I noticed

the Corbin was a lot heavier than the Sargent. Since the Corbin was made to

conform to a Corbin passenger seat, a big gap was left wide open between

the Corbin and the rear Sargent. I would have to spend another $200-plus on

top of the $480 to make the seats match. I hated the thought, given how much

I had already spent buying the K bike.

Another problem was the windscreen. The stock did not raise high enough

to cut out wind noise, which was one reason why I wanted a bike with an

electric windshield. This was because the previous owner had inserted an ex-

tension plate that brought the handlebars further up and towards the rider.

Although the stock bars on the K12GT come with three height positions, the

previous owner found it too low.

I went on IBMWR.org and bought a taller, wider, thicker Cee Bailey for

$120. I found it reflected too much ambient light, making it hard to see

through. But it cut out wind noise and, should the bike ever run out of gas, I

could always sail it home on wind power. I was now into it for $600.

When the Corbin arrived I slapped it on and took a spin. After two hours,

the seat was equally as painful. What was left? Going stock or buying another

Air Hawk. I hated the thought of throwing good money after bad. I had a

beautiful red bike where long rides were a pain in the rear.

Oh wise reader, can you see the cause of my dumb misapprehension? Did

you ever once think of relating bar position to seat comfort? With nothing

to lose, I removed the extension bar-riser plate. Then I set the bars down as

low as they would go. Problem solved! Who would’ve thought? Weight

transferred from pelvic to back of leg.

There was never anything wrong with the Sargent or

the Corbin. They both build good products. With the

bars lowered, I could re-install the stock windscreen too.

Got a problem with your butt? Check your bars.

A frequent contributor to Backroads, Victor Cruz is

secretary of the Yankee Beemers club of Massachusetts.

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Victor Cruz

Cycle Insurance Agency Inc.Recreational Vehicle Specialists

Agents who ride and understandyour Motorcycle Insurance Needs

Ask about our Tour Cycle Program – the Ultimate in Coverage

Passenger Coverage • Accessories CoverageMedical Payments Coverage

448 Lincoln Ave • Hawthorne NJ 07506 • 973-427-2246www.CycleInsuranceAgency.com

Serving New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania • ATV • Jet Ski • Snowmobile

MEMBERMEMBER

Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters,

snowmobiles, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris,

Yamaha and Can Am. With a large parts department, qualified

service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories,

we're here to meet all your power sport needs.

For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing itin the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads,

we have their weapon of choice.

1269 DOLSONTOWN RDMIDDLETOWN NY 10940

845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM

Page 18 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

posTcards

(Continued from Page 7)

becomes a full blown mess. There is also so much

more feedback from owners to both dealers and the

home office that the companies find out about poten-

tial defects well in advance of when they used to, and

they’ve become really good at tracing problems down

to particular parts suppliers and ultimately specific

models that were built using the potentially defective

component in question.

And shoot, what’s better than getting brand new

parts and some service to install them free of charge?

One thing is a pretty sure: when they replace a recalled

component odds are you will never have to worry

about that particular part/parts again. That, too, is an-

other good reason to deal with your recall as soon as

you can.

on The Mark

(Continued from Page 8)

a drum full of high-test gasoline using a coat hanger

as a welding rod. I want to have natives haul me and

my bike, Helge-Pederson-style, across a raging brown

river full of crocodiles and piranha.

And then, there’s reality – the part where I get to be

a responsible citizen whose most egregious sin of

record is riding a Bavarian sport-touring bike seven-

teen miles per hour over the limit on a rural road while

wearing full protective regalia. I guess I’ll never be

King of Bike Hill, but that won’t stop me from dream-

ing about being a bad, bad boy. But who knows: per-

haps there’s a little bad in me after all. I have a little

harlot of an SV650 in the garage who encourages me

to do naughty things. Remember, I said “sin of

record.” I’m not sayin’ and she’s not talkin’.

Memories of Economaki

Dear Shira,

With as much travel as I/we do, I don’t always have the chance to read my

mail very promptly. This morning as I was reading the current copy of Back-

roads at breakfast, your column caught my eye. It was a wonderful story and

gave your loyal readers a little history lesson while being very poignant. It

was very touching. Boy, were you ever lucky to be in the right place at the

right time in terms of your early days of learning with the Macintosh, and a

place to begin your newsletter. How fortunate for all of us who have traveled

with you and Brian and if not physically with you, then by reading about

your worldly adventures! Thanks for including all of us as your armchair ad-

venturers!

By the way, while I occasionally just stick my Zumo 550 in the little recess

for it in my tank bag, most of the time, it is hard wired into my bike’s elec-

trical system. Yes, it is old, but I have yet to have a battery failure. Glad to

know how easy it will be to replace the battery when I need one.

Burt Richmond

Vintage Motorcycle Festival – Tacoma Aug 24, 2013

I Fought the Law…

Hey Backroads,

I read Mark’s response to Halverson’s article. Well done but the fact still

remains, Federal Judge Sharp says the checkpoints are legal and do not vio-

late the Constitution. Mark is learning the same harsh lesson law enforce-

ment officers have been dealing with for decades; just because you don’t like

something doesn’t mean it’s illegal.

Peter Miller - The Man (retired)

Hi Shira and Brian,

Haven’t been in touch with you folks in awhile. Just had to tell you about

reading Brian’s column in last month’s (Nov. 12) mag.

I had saved that issue to take with me on a bus trip. It was thru the work-

place to a large outlet mall and I decided to go.

Here I am sitting on a bus with a bunch of ladies. I did know a few of them

and one of them is a motorcyclist to a certain degree but not what I’d call

diehard way of life “eatsleepbreathe” motorcycles kind of person.

Did I feel like I was out of my element and not amongst my fellow

tribeswomen/men/people? Oh, baby, did I ever. All these nice middle-aged

ladies that didn’t know from diddly squat about what I consider to be “our

world and way of life”. It struck me as very ironic to be reading what Brian

had come up with on the subject and being where I was reading it. It was a

tad eerie when I think about it but surely did tickle me pink!

As Ever,

Sindee Lou

Good afternoon Shira,

I know it’s November and I am just getting back to you, so sorry for the

delay but we have been slammed this year (which is a good thing). I did re-

ceive the issue of Backroads Magazine with the Wallops Island story in it,

thank you so very much!!! It has been passed along through the office and

to the higher ups. Thank you again and I hope we cross paths again soon.

Take care and have a wonderful day!

Susie Salusky - Education Coordinator Wallops Flight Facility

Christmas Spectacular

Brian and Shira,

That holiday ish of Backroads? one of your best covers EVER! Looks re-

ally slick and inviting. Good work and kudos, as we say around the campfire,

to whomever got it done (ed. Thanks Shahram for the great image), and also

to the other one who married that person, for having good tast.

Don

Got something to say? We’d love to hear it.

Letters may be edited, never censored, to fit.

email: editor@backroadsusa.com

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 19

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

TWISTED THROTTLE LAUNCHES MOTORCYCLE RENTAL PROGRAM

What’s that? You want to discover the beauty of the Northeastern US, but

need a bike to ride? No problem. You can now rent a motorcycle from

Twisted Throttle.

Motorcycle rentals are

available at the Twisted

Throttle World Headquar-

ters in Exeter, RI. Twisted

Throttle is one of the few

places in Rhode Island cur-

rently offering motorcycle

rentals. Whether you need

a bike for a daylong jaunt

through the hills and along

the southern New England

shoreline, or for that epic

weeklong journey of a life-

time, we can help.

We maintain a dedicated rental fleet of bikes that will accommodate most

riding styles.

Our rental lineup currently includes some of the Twisted Project Bikes

from BMW, Kawasaki & Suzuki, with more to come. These bikes are outfit-

ted with premium luggage and accessories that are proven tough and reli-

able.

Rates start as low as $99 per day (plus tax and $15.00 for insurance). We

welcome all licensed motorcycle riders over 25 years of age and with a min-

imum of 2 years riding experience to reserve one of these fine machines. It’s

never too early to make a reservation! Give us a call or visit our website.

For more details on our rental program please visit:

www.twistedthrottle.com/customer-services-pages/rentals

MOTORCYCLES REMOVED FROM NTSB MOST-WANTED LISTAlthough the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called

upon states and the federal government to pass motorcycle helmet laws for

all riders, this year’s annual “Top Ten Most Wanted List” of the agency’s

most important safety priorities no longer lists any motorcycle safety con-

cerns.

After making the hit list the past three years, which are recommendations

to government bodies that are often put into place through further laws and

regulations, NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman indicated that “Safety areas

are dropped from the list when meaningful progress has been made.

SCENIC MOTORCYCLE TOURS ANNOUNCES

TOUR DATES FOR THE 2013 SEASON

Scenic Motorcycle Tours, a provider of value-priced, professionally

guided, all-inclusive luxury tours of abundantly beautiful rural New England

has announced the release of their 2013 tour schedule.

“As this year’s touring season winds down and many begrudgingly prep

their bikes for a winter nap, it is uplifting to be able to announce the upcom-

ing touring season schedule” said Graham Sampson, Scenic Motorcycle

Tour’s Director. “The greatest thing is that our guests can now lock in a tour

or two for 2013, have something to look forward to, in addition to providing

added incentive for getting all geared up for next year’s touring adventures.

Being able to look forward to the next touring season makes everyone happy”

Graham said.

The timing of the announcement of the 2013 tour dates coincides with the

release of the touring company’s brand new fully interactive e-commerce

website. The new website includes a blog, allowing anyone to know what is

going on at SMT, to be connected to upcoming events, in addition to being

able to follow along via real time updates during the tours themselves. Twitter

and Facebook further support this real-time connectivity, to everything Sce-

nic Motorcycle Tours.

Page 20 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

MOTORCYCLEMADNESS8 State Hwy 94 • Lafayette, NJ • 973-579-6088 • 877-252-9828

Located 1/4 mile north of 206/94 intersectionand 1 mile north of Newton

Tues: 9-6 • Wed: 9-5 • Thurs: 10-8 • Fri: 10-5 • Sat: 9-2

Closed: Sunday and Monday

www.MadMotorcycle.com

HUGE selection of Parts and Accessories for cruisers and sportbikes

600 Helmets In Stock:Icon, Shoei, Suomy, HJC, Scorpion and more

HUGE selection of apparel:Mens and Womens - Street and Dirt

First Gear, Rocket, RIver Road, Fox,Thor, Alpinestar and much more

Professionally Trained Mechanics • Gold Wing Experts

WE BEAT ANY INTERNET DEAL

New Jersey’s Largest Pre-Owned Bike SellerOver 100 Clean Street, Dirt and ATVs In Stock AT ALL TIMES

TOP CASH PAID FOR ALL BIKES

“After a person signs up for a tour the only thing they need to do is show

up, ready for four days of fun and great riding”, Graham added. “We plan

everything and our attention to every detail is 1st class and second to none.”

Riding on incredible roads, enjoying beautiful scenery, rewarding a day’s

ride with superior accommodations at a luxury resort that provides wonderful

meals centered upon the regional Farm to Table food network is at the heart

of a Scenic Motorcycle Tour.

For more information, visit www.ScenicMcTours.com or call Graham

Sampson at 1-973-291-6152

MARCH MOTO MADNESS 2013 ADVENTURE RALLY

MARCH 21-24, 2013For those who like to ride motorcycles, camp, eat and have a great time

with friends. March Moto Madness started as that and hopes to continue ex-

panding the circle to others that enjoy doing the same.

March Moto Madness began by get-

ting out as early as possible after winter,

packin' up the adventure motorcycles

and ridin' /campin' with friends for a few

days in the mountains of east TN. It’s

been an annual event in Tellico Plains

since 2006. It’s primarily been dual sport

oriented but the areas great diversity of

roads has broadened the range of riders.

Great twisty as-

phalt (Cherohala Skyway, the Dragon), groomed gravel

(the Dirt Dragon) or gnarly single track (trail 81 or 82).

Food is always great thanks to Cigar Man Don's culi-

nary prowess and Lt. Dan's nearly famous Huevos

Rancheros.

$45 Pre-registration will get you GREAT RIDING, 3

nights camping with camp fire each night, dinner Friday

and Saturday and breakfast Friday, Saturday and Sun-

day. Coffee as needed. Showers and Port-A-Johns on

site, RV sites available (hookup charges extra) Charging

station available. Bike rentals available from GSMMo-

torent.com

Site: 801 Steer Creek Rd, Tellico Plains, TN. Close

to Tellico Plains (nice if you need to make a run to town

for beverages). We're sure a lot of new friendships will

be kindled around the campfire this year and stoked

again in the years to come. For full details and registra-

tion visit:

www.marchmotomadness.com

DATES ANNOUNCED FOR 2013 AMAVINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS: JULY 19-21AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will take place on

July 19-21 at the world-class Mid-Ohio Sports Car

Course in Lexington, Ohio. Tickets went on sale to the

general public Dec. 3, and will be available from

www.midohio.com. Advance ticket prices are $45 for a

weekend pass, and $25 for a single-day pass. The event

is family-friendly, and children 12 and under get in free

with paying, supervising adults. AMA members who

buy tickets directly from the AMA before May 28 re-

ceive an exclusive price discount. AMA members can

call (800) AMA-JOIN to purchase a weekend pass for

$35, a $10 savings off the regular advance rate, and a

one-day pass for $20, a $5 savings off the regular ad-

vance rate. Additionally, there is no service charge for

AMA members when purchasing through the AMA.

All proceeds from AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days

benefit the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. The goal of

the Hall of Fame, located on the AMA campus in Pick-

erington, Ohio, is to tell the stories and preserve the his-

tory of motorcycling’s legends and heroes. For more

information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit the Hall of

Fame’s website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

BEL-RAY PREPARES FOR 400MPH

Continually leading advancement in powersports lubrication technology,

Bel-Ray is pleased to announce their association with Sam Wheeler and his

motorcycle streamliner project. Wheeler’s quest is to top 400mph and break

the current motorcycle land speed record of 376.156 MPH.

Considered by the industry as the best designer/constructor/driver in mo-

torcycle land-speed record competi-

tion, Wheeler will draw upon his 50+

years of experience to build and pilot

the machine. Powered by a single

Vance and Hines-built Suzuki

Hyabusa 1300 engine coupled with a

turbocharging system supplied by

Mr. Turbo, the machine will arrive at

the Salt Flats with more than 500

horsepower. With optimal weather

and salt conditions, the odds are positive that Wheeler will capture his goal.

In order to achieve a world record, Wheeler must complete the 12-mile

course, once in each direction. There must be less than 2 hours of elapsed

time in between each run. Using the times determined in the center timed-

mile section, the two runs are combined and a top speed is determined.

Poor salt and weather conditions postponed the original fall 2012 attempt

until spring 2013.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 21

Long Island YAMAHA67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY

www.LIYamaha.com • 516-935-6969

THE 2013 MODELS ARE HERE.GET YOUR BEST DEAL ON ANY YAMAHA MOTORCYCLE.

Jeanae Washington

I lay awake watching the clock, 30 minutes to go before the alarm is set to

go off. Normally I would easily roll over with total contentment to grab the

extra 30. Today it is no use to sleep, I am too filled with excitement, or nerv-

ousness, I decide on a little bit of both.

I took this idea my friend Tracy had at GS Giants, of getting some women

together for a ride at the 2012 BMW MOA International Rally, but then I

made it a whole lot crazier. Let’s not just do a ride with a bunch of women…

let’s do a ride with a bunch of women with shiny GS’s that haven’t experi-

enced the joy of dust and grit.

My partners in crime, Tracy Novacich and Dawn Hein, loved the idea.

They had their hands full with the GS Giant Challenge, a multi-day event

with complicated scoring and a final Challenge course at the MOA Rally. So

with their blessing, I ran with the new vision for the ride.

This ride was going to be by women, for women. That meant that the lead,

the support and the sweeps would all be women. The goal, to build the con-

fidence in the team work and support, that women can offer each other with

off road riding. The root of the idea stemmed from a friend asking to take

her out and me coming to the realization that as much solo riding as I had

done…I had never gone off road without a man there. I couldn’t believe as

accomplished as I was in so many aspects of my life…I was a little fearful

of going off pavement with all women. But let’s face it…with women en-

tering motorcycling and GSing specifically, coupled with the fact that we

still live longer than our male counter parts, it is almost a necessity that we

get comfortable with riding with all women off road! (semi joking).

So I say “by women for women”, what does that really mean?

Let me take a moment to acknowledge that there is no accomplishment in

history that wasn’t achieved without the network and support of both genders.

There is no gender war…hell; there is too much fraternizing with the enemy

if there was a war. And so too, this great accomplishment came with a lot of

support from my male friends.

When you take BMW training you run into the trainers again and again at

BMW events. They love to hear about how their training has brought you

literally down new roads in your life, and how your skills improve each year.

You in some way develop a friendship with them. So I didn’t think twice to

call Bill and say…”Hey I have an idea! How about getting a whole bunch of

women who have never ridden off road and take them off road! I heard you

have a new women trainer…you can give the Clinic but then you have to

scram…the ride needs to be 100% women.” He was all in.

So I post it to ADVrider.com, and to the Facebook pages: GS Giant, Ver-

mont MOV and MOA. As a first time event and in order to meet the ride

objectives of a safe learning environment, and a small ratio of new riders to

experienced coaches, we needed to limit the number of riders. Luckily we

only went over by 3. The event was a living and breathing organism that

evolved as it took life. As women signed up, they expressed the desire for

more training; so to accommodate, we rearranged the schedule and the GPS

route to provide more training, and a shorter ride.

So now it is that dreaded morning…filled with excitement and trepidation.

I ask myself, “What have I done!” 17 women have placed their trust in me,

I have never done anything like this before! Not to mention that I myself

have only just recently become comfortable with the F650GS on gnarly trails.

I show up at the sign in…15 gloriously brave women! All there for a va-

Page 22 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

Rider EducationOf New Jersey Inc.

Motorcycle Safety Foundation & New Jersey State Approved

MVC Written and Road Test Waived (certain restrictions apply)

Basic RiderCourse • $275

Basic RiderCourse 2 (old ERC) • $125

“New” 3 Wheel BRC &

The Advanced RiderCourse

Over 20 Years Experience!

Learn to Ride! Learn to Ride Better!

No Permit Needed!

To Learn More or to Register OnlineVisit RENJ.com

Call Today: 1-800-8WE-RIDEPH: 516-541-1119 • 718-847-2015Email: Tramas847@aol.comWeb: Tramas.com • Tramas2Ride.com

THE MORE YOU KNOW THE BETTER IT GETS

TEACHING MOTORCYCLISTS SINCE 1966

Is Motorcycling For You?Here’s a great way to find out…

Already Riding Your Own Bike?Here’s a great way to refresh your skills…

A two-hour, first-touch experience with a motorcycle and not designed to teach a

person to ride. The INTRODUCTORY MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCEwill help a potential rider determine whether motorcycling is a good personal choice,

as well as ensure a person is aware of the risks and requirements for being a good,

safe and responsible rider.

For riders who already have basic skills. Similar to the BRC, the Basic Rider-Course 2 is done on your own motorcycle at higher speeds. Informal classroom

component to discuss safety concepts based on past riding experiences and current

knowledge. For a BRC2 minus the license waiver component (no classroom activities

and no knowledge or skill test), there is a skills practice offering.

BRINGON THE

SHOWING SOMESTREET RIDING

LADIES HOW TOGET A BIT DIRTY

riety of reasons, some to conquer their

fears, some to talk to other women about

their GS and others to memorialize mile-

stones like turning 50. Every face is glow-

ing with excitement. They gather and I tell

them when you see Liz Allen, the instruc-

tor from BMW Training, get on the bike

and ride it over to the training site- you fol-

low. They mount up. I see Liz take off

and the rest of the 15 follow. I smile…it

has begun.

The group listens intently as Bill in-

structs. We start with what we all fear the

most, dropping the bike. Liz, 5’4”, drops

a R1200GS followed by my 2006 F650GS

and shows how to pick them up solo and

as a team. This teaches us the importance

of teamwork and collaboration. Now we can accept this as “no big deal” and

move on to the next lesson, riding posture. One rider later tells us, that she

listens with a knot in her stomach as Bill explains that the best riding position

is standing on your pegs. As Bill speaks, our ride leader Liz demonstrates.

Each demonstration she does helps to build the confidence level of the group.

The day is heating up and it is expected to be 100 degrees, but you could

not tell it by these faces. Determination shows in their eyes as they follow

Liz’s every move and twist through the field. Coaches cheer them and in-

struct, stay up on your pegs.

Next is the braking exercise. This is an exercise in finding just the right

amount of stopping power of your front brake. I have wiped out a couple

times while learning this, and we have a couple of falls this time as well.

Following each fall, the riders get up, and laugh with a “no big deal” attitude.

One woman said “I bought my bike pre-dropped and I have fallen before!”

I knew this was going to be a great ride. I have never worked with such a

passionate group of people, completely full of determination.

We all line up and ride out of the GS Giant area. I look at the 18 bikes, all

women lead support and sweep, going out before me and again, I smile;

heads turn as we wind through the fair grounds and head out the gate. After

a short ride through Sedalia and some

country roads we get to the gravel

roads.

Bail outs were always important to

me when I was learning to ride off

road, so we designed the ride to inter-

sect with pavement often. Although

we planned for bail outs, we decided

not to “offer them” as much as to wait

for them to be “asked for.” We wanted

the women to know they could do

this. As we suspected, they never did

ask for the bail out. As we sat in the

shade of the second gravel stretch, we

announced, “Ladies, the bailout was

several miles ago, no one asked to get

off this ride…you are officially

GSers…or as my husband likes to call us She S’ers.” A hoot came up from

the group. We did about 30 miles of gravel roads with slight down hills and

up hills with some turns and mild washboards. We had no falls.

Think about this, at least half the riders had never been off road before.

We head back on some curvy country roads. Again I see 20 new riders to

the dirt. I smile for the third time. My heart swells as I think about the future

adventures these women have before them, and I breathe a heavy sigh, one

filled with the joy of a vision that has become a reality.

DIRTY GIRLS • MaryJo Gracin

I’ve been riding on the street for a little over 10 years now and have wanted

to learn how to ride off-road for the past 4 years, but never put the deposit

down for the classes because the time was always wrong. I had already reg-

istered for the BMW MOA rally in Sedalia MO when I was forwarded the

email invitation to a women’s only GS ride at the rally, to be held on Friday

morning. It was just too convenient to turn down.

Now I am not a fan of gender segregation, but I was excited by the thought

of not only NOT being the only female in a group of riders, but actually meet-

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 23

Wheel Sport Center Inc.399 HUGUENOT ST • NEW ROCHELLE, NY

914.636.7235 • fax 914-636-6184

WheelSportCenter.net • NewRocYamaha.comFranchised Yamaha Dealer for over 50 Years

BEST PRICES ON ALL STAR MOTORCYCLES NOW

COME IN TODAY AND SAVE $$$$

WFOinc. Motorsports**WE NOW BUY AND SELL USED MOTORCYCLES**

Quality Late Model Motorcycles - All Manufacturers

Luggage • Jackets • Pants • Boots • Rain GearTools • Exhausts • Tires • Sprockets • Chains • Brakes

Bar Risers • Lines • Ramps • Lifts • OEM Parts

188 Halsey Rd (Rte. 626), Newton, NJ 07860 • fax 973-579-1806

SPEEDLIMIT

wfomotorsports.net

973-579-5103

SPORT • CRUISER • TOURING

WFO

* Large Selectionof Helmets

* Track and RaceBike Set-Up

* Track Day Information

* Suspension Work

* Tires - Mountedand Balanced

* Great Service and Reasonable Prices

ing and learning from a whole BUNCH of skilled women. Outside of beauty salons and department stores, when

does that happen? Only 5 minutes after receiving that email, while standing in the shade in the park on a hot

Summer Saturday morning, I was confirmed as an attendee and ready to join the ranks of the “Dirty Girls”.

When I showed up on Friday morning at GS Giant stadium, there was a crowd already there, women, tall and

short, some with off road specific gear, bikes big and small, as well as the curious on lookers, the GS Giant

campers and passersby who could not help but watch a rarely seen gathering of women riders, all on their own

bikes. In the middle of it all, Jeanae Washington, the organizer was busy signing everyone in as women riders

from all over the country met and discussed bikes and riding experiences. A show of hands revealed that a little

over half the riders had never ridden off-road before, which made me feel very comfortable.

We started with lessons on how to pick up a fallen bike. To my surprise, the instructor, at 5’ nothing, had no

problems with an R1200GS, That made me feel good; if she could do it, at 5’9”, I could too. Next was the

standing on the pegs and controlling the bike in turns skill. After about 5 minutes, my calves started to hurt. I

had the wrong foot position. A small adjustment of the foot and no more pain. Next skill, positioning hands to

cover clutch, brake, and throttle, while standing. At this point I realized that my bike, although comfortable for

riding 1,000 miles in 24 hours on pavement needed a bunch of adjustments to make it comfortable for 30 miles

off road. I decided to address that another time. Next, how to brake. I have long ago come to rely on and love

my ABS, but now it was a hinderance and I had to separate the front brake from the back brake and learn to use

each in specific situations. I later learned what happens if you mix them up. The instruction was clear and patient,

and the demonstrations were well done and professional. But with all learning exercises, doing was a lot harder

than watching. We each rode around the grassy field set up with cones to practice each of the new skills under

the watchful eyes of the instructors. It was quickly obvious who had done this before and who had not. “Yes sir,

my knees are hugging the tank for a reason, oh, press on my foot pegs instead? Well that works, thank you.”

“Yes, I do need all 4 fingers on my front brake for emergency stopping. Not in the dirt? Oh, use the back brake

and throttle to stabilize the bike? Oh, I knew that”. By the time we got to the braking exercise, sweat was pouring

down my face, my helmet saturated and my hands were trembling.

It was time to ride.

20 people on a ride is a big group, so it took a little time to get

through town with the group intact. Once we made it to the dirt part,

we gave a thumbs up, turned off our ABS, and off we went, over

roads unpaved.

Feeling the bike hop around and pushing it into turns was a lot eas-

ier to do standing than sitting and it was fun! I traveled in 2nd gear

and even tried 3rd gear for a little bit on the straightaways. I got into

the leaning forward part when going uphills, but the shifting my

weight back on downhills did not work for me, changing the position

of my hand controls would have probably been a good idea. Thank-

fully the hills were small. I made a point to shift to first gear at the

top of each hill to minimize the need to brake on the downhill.

I was really starting to enjoy myself when it happened....we ran out of dirt. That was it? But, it was so short

and my hands just stopped shaking. Alas, I was bit. Dirt was in my future.

We gathered at a nearby gas station, chatted about our experiences, what worked, what didn’t, how to adjust.

We took photos of our new companions and exchanged contact information. It was definitely a bonding expe-

rience. The return trip was all pavement: sweeping back country turns, on uncongested roads, so much fun.

When I got back to my campsite, I could not stop talking about the experience.

It is a rare honor and a privilege to be a part of this group. Thank you to everyone who made this happen!

Page 24 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

If you’d like to take the plunge intothe dirt, here are some suggestions:

Planet Dirt - Plympton, MAwww.PlanetDirt.com

Coach 2 Ride - San Diego, CAwww.Coach2Ride.com

Jimmy Lewis Off-Road Riding SchoolPahrumph, NV • jimmylewisoffroad.com

Rawhyde Adventures - Castaic, CAwww.rawhyde-offroad.com

Backroads will be taking CLASS both days at VIR • May 30+31 • JOIN US!

http://www.motorcycledryer.com

Page 26 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

Are you ready for the most comfortable motorcycle saddle?A saddle that fits properly eliminates pressure points that reduce

blood flow. It takes a solid understanding of human anatomy

and extensive motorcycle experience to make a truly fine mo-

torcycle saddle. Let Rick’s medical expertise as a critical care

nurse and extensive riding experience combine to create a truly

great saddle hand-made just for you. Prices start at $269.

www.RickMayerCycle.com

Doing some 2013 Ride Planning? Don’t forget to put the Backroads’ Spring Break and Jersey 250+ on your calendar.

SPRING BREAK • THURSDAY, MAY 16-SUNDAY, MAY 19 • COOPERSTOWN, NY

JERSEY 250+ • SATURDAY, JUNE 15 (raindate June 22) • START: AUGUSTA, NJ

Find all the info in the ads on page 58. And check out some other great events in our calendar on page 41.

Concept Bike • HONDA’S NC700X PROVIDES PRACTICAL, STYLISH FUN

words: Evans Brasfield • images: Kevin Wing and American Honda

Fun and practical are two words that most motorcycle riders would generally not expect to be seen together. How-ever, the combination is exactly what Honda sought when it designed the NC700X. Honda believes that this “newconcept” in motorcycles could—hopefully—bring more people into the sport. To complicate matters, Honda alsowanted the NC to appeal not only to moto-novices, but also to attract experienced riders alike, creating a needfor a delicate balance between non-intimidating power and responsiveness.Consider this: Fun on a motorcycle is often equated with top

end power, but the simple reality is that most motorcyclesspend very little time in this range.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 27

So, if you’re looking for a way to make a motorcycle practical (read

efficient), wouldn’t you want to find a way to add fun to

the ride when you twist the throttle?

Honda’s engineers worked hard to appeal to real world

riders by delivering immediate, accessible performance

in the bottom end and mid-range in the form of a 670 cc

parallel-twin that produces torque off idle and peaks at

4750 rpm. Novices will like the ease with which they

can launch the NC700, and seasoned riders will appre-

ciate the snappy response in daily use. The efficiency

component was designed into the combustion chambers

of the 73mm x 80mm bore and stroke, four valve per

cylinder engine. In addition, special attention was paid

to making the mill as compact and light as possible. The

intake and exhaust ports are branched within the cylinder

heads, allowing for the use of a single 36mm throttle

body and exhaust header. The compact packaging allows the catalytic con-

verter to be mounted next to the port itself, utilizing a smaller, more efficient

unit. Further engine compactness is achieved by the camshaft driven the

water pump and the counterbalancer shaft driven the oil pump. Frictional

losses are minimized by the use of aluminum roller rocker arms in the valve

train and friction-reducing coatings on the pistons. All this results in an im-

pressive, claimed a 64 mpg for the standard 6-speed model.

Since learning proper clutch control can be a major hurdle to new riders,

Honda’s second generation Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) provides them

with an automatic transmission riding experience. Although the Drive and

Sport modes still determine the aggressiveness of the transmission’s shift-

ing, Honda has taken what was learned from the DCT on the 2010

VFR1200F and given the rider the option of temporarily overriding

the DCT with the shift paddles on the left grip. The ECU will return

to the automatic mode after a short period. With a new

“learning function,” the ECU constantly monitors a va-

riety of sensors to determine the riding environment and

anticipate what action will be required next, allowing the

shift points to vary within the

same mode. For novices,

rolling away from a stop is just

as easy as twisting the throttle.

Gear choice is left up to the Engine Control Unit (ECU).

As their experience level increases, the DCT’s paddle

shifting manual mode gives more control.

Whether using the manual transmission or the DCT, the seamless fuel

metering from the NC700X’s EFI supplies both fun and practicality. (The

DCT only drops the fuel efficiency to 61mpg.) The manual transmission’s

easy to modulate clutch combined with ample bottom end torque make

Page 28 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

launches a breeze. However, short shifting is required to keep the engine in

the meat of its power. The DCT’s Drive mode seems focused on user-friendly

performance and fuel economy. Rolling on the throttle moves you past traffic

without drama. Whacking the throttle open causes quick downshifts to occur,

helping the acceleration. Experienced riders will note that temporarily over-

riding the DCT by downshifting manually before rolling on the throttle short-

ens the engine’s reaction time significantly. The Sport mode changes the gear

selection and downshifts come sooner, giving the benefit of engine braking

entering corners. Experienced riders will grin, as they thumb a couple quick

downshifts on corner entry, roll on the throttle, and let the DCT do all the

gear changing work. Out on the interstate, the engine turns a comfortable

3500 rpm at 65 mph. Engine vibration is minimal, starting around 4500 rpm.

Around town, the NC700X feels balanced and stable. The rider’s upright

position is perfect for negotiating traffic. Steering response is immediate and

predictable, even when changing lines mid-corner. The Metzeler Roadtec Z8

tires offer plenty of grip for cornering the NC700X is capable of achieving.

While the styling and long travel suspension (5.4 inches front and 5.9 inches

rear) may look like they’re ready for light off-road use, the NC has no such

aspirations but is more than capable at handling the road irregularities found

in the concrete jungle. The soft front end dives under the initial application

of brakes, but not excessively so. As long as the pace is kept within the pa-

rameters for which the suspension was designed, it works well, though mid-

corner bumps do occasionally upset the chassis. Ignore journalists who

complain that the NC won’t corner like a sportbike. It wasn’t meant to.

Like the transmission, the NC700X’s brakes come in two varieties. On the

standard model, the single front 320mm disc is squeezed by a two-piston

caliper while the 240mm rear has a single-piston caliper. However, as part

of the DCT package, Honda’s Combined ABS links the front and rear calipers

to the brake pedal. When the pedal is depressed, the rear brake is activated

and a proportioning valve varies the percentage of power delivered to the

front wheel in an effort to optimize the use of both brakes. Lightly applying

the brake pedal feels as if the proportioning valve is initially only sending

power to the rear, but increase the pressure and the chassis attitude reflects

the effects of both brakes being utilized. The front brake is controlled inde-

pendently by two of the caliper’s three pistons. ABS kicks in if either wheel

reaches a threshold for impending lockup. Both the standard and ABS brakes

are easy to modulate and confidence inspiring. Riders who are accustomed

to sportbike binders may feel they are under powered, but they are more than

capable of getting the job done with a firm pull at the lever.

When trying to attract new riders, perhaps, no feature is more important

than how balanced a bike feels on the showroom floor. Honda clearly had

this in mind when it developed NC700X’s extremely low CG. The bike feels

much lighter than the claimed 474 lbs. wet weight (505 lbs. for the

NC700XD). Although the 32.7 in. seat height may give shorter riders pause,

the narrowness of the bike combined with low CG keep the NC700X from

feeling top heavy. To achieve this, the engine’s cylinders cant forward 62-

MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE CENTER2901 Bethlehem Pike, Hatfield, PA215-712-7433 • www.BMWMotorcycles.com

The 2013 BMW Scooters are here:C 600 Sport and C 650 GT.

Welcome to Modern Movement.Come in today and see for yourself.

©2012 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 29

degrees to make it shorter and flatter. The 3.7 gallon tank is lo-

cated under the seat, low and forward next to the engine, cre-

ating extra space and contributing to mass centralization.

Since friendliness and utility were two major design

goals of the NC700X, Honda chose to make a

storage area out of the space normally reserved

for the gas tank. This waterproof compartment

is large enough to hold some XL full face hel-

mets and can be upgraded to include a 12V

power outlet. To further the NC700X’s utility, Honda

designed $600 accessory hard bags concurrently

with the rest of

the bike, complimenting the adventure

touring-inspired bodywork. (Though you

will want to add the $90 aluminum look panels

to the saddlebags for a fully integrated

look.) With the bags and the trunk

holding 29 liters and 45 liters, re-

spectively, the NC has the makings of

a fun weekend tourer.

The NC700X’s fash-

ionable styling doesn’t

look like that of a mo-

torcycle whose base

price is $6,999 ($8,999 NC700XD). The instrument cluster sports

big, easy-to-press buttons on the sides of the pod for scrolling

through display options. The DCT/ABS model also receives a gear

indicator that displays DCT mode. Honda has managed to deliver a

great combination of fun and efficiency at a reasonable price—and

even threw in some cool DCT/ABS technology for a little more

money. Whether Honda new concept motorcycle has found a way

to attract a different group of people into the motorcycling fold re-

mains to be seen. The NC700X does, however, deliver a good value

for the money. If the European market is any reflection on how the

bike will be received stateside, the NC700X should sell well.

NC700X THOUGHTSSmooth. This adjective is all you need to describe Honda’s new NC700X.

The Dual Clutch transmission works seamlessly; and that is coming from a

non-believer who has been smirking since Honda released their VFR with

this system a while back.

But, I’ll get back to the transmission; let’s talk about the NC700X it-

self.

What’s not to like?

The machine is stylish and light and handles far better than its ‘little

to adjust’ suspension would lead you to believe. The twin cylinder pow-

erplant, although not the biggest, still can offer even the most experi-

enced rider a big smile on the backroads and the single discs in both front

and rear do a super job of powering it back down.

The more I rode the NC700X the more I appreciated the cavernous storage

area where the fuel tank isn’t and the fuel mileage offered appealed to my

frugal side.

To be honest the ‘Drive’ setting is somewhat boring, but ‘Sport’ is much

better. To me the fun factor rose greatly in the manual paddle-shifting mode.

I do wish I had a chance to ride the conventional 6-speed machine, but

Page 30 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

after a few weeks of getting used to the paddle shifting I found myself, Lud-

dite that I am, becoming a believer. After a while I found myself ‘paddling’

like Sebastian Vettel around the Circuit of the Americas.

As much as I still prefer a clutch and shifter I can se where this might go,

and it would not be a totally bad thing. The future just might be here.

I have not been on a bike that was shifting so smoothly since I went for a

ride on the back of Reg Pridmore’s machine.

I have read where other journalists have called this a great starter bike and

the word ‘utilitarian’ has popped up here and there. Hogwash! The Honda

NC700X, standard or Dual Clutch, is just an awesome ride. A great mid-size

bike, with superb ergonomics, that can do everything from day to day com-

muting to weeklong trips and it is priced right too.

Now if Honda would make one with the VFR’s 1237cc V-Four

~ Brian Rathjen

This bike has enough power to be fun, but even in sport mode the smooth

transmission upshifts too quickly. The only time the automatic mode would

be useful to me would be in heavy traffic or during another post-hurricane

gas crisis when I would need to save every ounce of gas. The engine has a

pleasant sound to the rider, but it’s probably not loud enough to impress any-

one else.

The fork is set up perfectly, there is very little dive under braking and I

couldn’t get it to bottom out over potholes on a short stretch of dirt road on

my route. But the shock is poorly damped and the bike seems to be a little

hesitant to turn and lean for a small bike with a wide handlebar and good

tires. The brakes work well. I got the ABS to engage on the rear and it was

very smooth. Except for the shock, all of the flaws I found with this bike are

nitpicks.

~ Keith Hyche

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 31

2012 SPECIFICATIONSModel: NC700X / NC700XD with Automatic Dual Clutch

Transmission and Combined ABSEngine Type: 670cc liquid-cooled parallel-twinBore and Stroke: 73mm x 80mmCompression ratio: 10.7:1Valve Train: SOHC; four valves per cylinderInduction: PGM-FI with 36mm throttle bodyIgnition: Digital transistorized with electronic advanceTransmission: Six-speed (NC700X) / Automatic six-speedwith two modes and a manual mode (NC700XD)Final Drive: ChainSuspensionFront: 41mm fork; 5.4 inches travelRear: Pro-Link®; 5.9 inches travelBrakesFront: Single 320mm disc with two-piston caliper (NC700X)/ Single 320mm disc with three-piston caliper; CombinedABS (NC700XD)Rear: Single 240mm disc with single-piston caliper(NC700X) / Single 240mm disc with single-piston caliper;Combined ABS (NC700XD)Tires: Front: 120/70ZR17 radial/Rear: 160/60ZR17 radialWheelbase: 60.6 inchesRake (Caster angle): 27.0°Trail: 110.0mm (4.3 inches)Seat Height: 32.7 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gallonsEstimated Fuel Economy**: 64 MPG (NC700X) / 61 MPG(NC700XD)Color: Light Silver MetallicCurb Weight*: 474 pounds (NC700X) / 505 pounds(NC700XD)*Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and fulltank of fuel—ready to ride.**Honda’s fuel-economy estimates are based on EPA ex-haust emission measurement test procedures and are in-tended for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileagewill vary depending on how you ride; how you maintainyour vehicle; weather; road conditions; tire pressure; in-stallation of accessories; cargo, rider and passengerweight; and other factors.Meets current CARB and EPA standards.

Kawasaki Metuchen911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2900

Find Us on Facebook • KawasakiMetuchen.com

Visit ourshowroomlocated inCentral

New JerseyJust 10 minutes

from Staten Island,30 minutes from NYC

and 1 hour fromPennsylvania

FourTrax® Rancher

THE RIGHT SIZE FOR ALMOST EVERYONE

TRX®250X FourTrax® Rincon® Big Red

powersports.honda.com MULTI-PURPOSE UTILITY VEHICLES CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE. FOR YOUR SAFETY, BE RESPONSIBLE. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTIONAND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT, AND KEEP THE SIDE NETS AND DOORS CLOSED. AVOID EXCESSIVE SPEEDS, AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. ALL MUV DRIVERSSHOULD WATCH THE SAFETY VIDEO “MULTIPURPOSE UTILITY VEHICLES: A GUIDE TO SAFE OPERATION” AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL BEFORE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. NEVER DRIVE UNDER THE IN-FLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ON PUBLIC ROADS OR WITH MORE THAN ONE PASSENGER. BIG RED IS ONLY FOR DRIVERS 16 YEARS AND OLDER. DRIVER AND PASSENGER MUST BE TALL ENOUGHFOR SEAT BELT TO FIT PROPERLY AND TO BRACE THEMSELVES WITH BOTH FEET FIRMLY ON THE FLOOR. PASSENGER MUST BE ABLE TO GRASP THE HAND HOLD WITH THE SEAT BELT ON AND BOTH FEETON THE FLOOR. RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN DRIVING. UTILITY ATVs and TRX250X ARE RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER AND CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE.READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL. BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. BE A RESPONSIBLE RIDER. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, AND PLEASE RESPECT THE EN-VIRONMENT. OBEY THE LAW AND READ YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS. ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887). NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ON PAVED SURFACES, ON PUBLIC ROADS, WITH PASSENGERS, OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS. NO STUNT RIDING. Big Red®,FourTrax®, Rancher®, TRX® and Foreman® are trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ©2012 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (07/12) 12-1101

911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 906-9292

Find Us on Facebook • SportHonda.net

Can-Am Metuchen911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2900

www.CanAmMetuchen.com

©2012 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. BRP reservesthe right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. BRPhighly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. Foryour safety: always wear a helmet, eye protection, and other protective clothing. Never carry passengers on any ATV not specifically designed by the manufacturer for such use. All adult model Can Am ATVsare Category G ATVs (General Use Models) intended for recreational and/or utility use by an operator age 16 or older. For side-by-side vehicles (SxS): Read the BRP side-by-side Operator’s Guide and watchthe Safety DVD before driving. For your safety: wear a helmet, eye protection and other protective gear. Fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Operator must be at least 16 years old. Passenger mustbe at least 12 years old and able to hold handgrips and plant feet while seated against the backrest. ATVs and SxS are for off-road use only; never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Always rememberthat riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Never engage in stunt driving. Avoid excessive speed and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Ride responsibly.

Come in today for yourWinter fun and cleanup vehicles.

KAWASAKI CARES: Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The Kawasaki MULE™side x side vehicle is an off-highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped, or manufactured for use on public streets; roads or highways. Specifications subject tochange without notice. Availability may be limited. Warning: The Teryx side x side vehicle can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Always wear a helmet, eye protectionand protective clothing. Never ride on public roads or pavement. Avoid high speed turns or abrupt manuevers. Be extra careful on difficult terrain. Protect the environmentand obey all laws and regulations that control the use of these vehicles. ©2012 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

2012 Teryx™ 750 FI

2012 MULE™ 600

For Work

or Play,

Kawasaki

has the

vehicle

for you.

Sea-Doo Metuchen911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2900

www.SeaDooMetuchen.com

SEA-DOO.com©2011 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ™, ® and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Products are distributed in the U.S.A. by BRP US Inc. Features may vary bymodel. 1Based on warranty registration compiled by InfoLink. 2Based on internal testing of ECO mode at wide-open throttle against regular touring mode. Fuel consumption varies by model and engine package.BRP reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring any obligation. Always ride responsibly and safely. Follow all instructionaland safety materials. BRP recommends a minimum operator age of 16 years old. Always observe applicable laws and regulations. Respect the rights of shoreline residents, and keep a safe distance from otherrecreationists. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including a Coast Guard-approved PFD that is suitable for PWC use. Always remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. 2106975

VISIT US AT THE NY BOAT SHOW JANUARY 3-6, 2013JACOB JAVITS CENTER

Visit us at the NY Motorcycle ShowJanuary 18-20, 2013 • Jacob Javits Center

Visit us at the NY Motorcycle Show January 18-20, 2013

Jacoba Javits Center

Visit Us at

the New York

Motorcycle

Show

January 18-20Jacob Javits Center

CROSS COUNTRY CYCLE911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 635-2900

Find Us on Facebook • crosscountrycycle.net

CROSS COUNTRY BMW911 Middlesex AveMetuchen, NJ 08840-2224(732) 635-0094www.ccbmw.com

Make us yourOne-Stop

forApparel,

Riding Gearand

Accessories.

WE HAVE IT ALL!

Visit Us at the

NY Motorcycle Show

Jan. 18-20, 2013

Jacob Javits Center

Your Ducati Source

The All New 2013Multistrada 1200 S

Shop our large selectionfor the latest in

Ducati Performance parts,apparel and accessories.

Cross Country DucatiFactory Authorized Sales and Service911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ 08840

732.635.0094 • www.ccducati.com

Visit Us at the NY Motorcycle ShowJanuary 18-20, 2013 • Jacob Javits Center

Fall Fiesta 2012 • Back to the AmishAfter a string of brilliant weather for our rallies I was still more than optimistic on a great day’s ride even as

I rolled the two bikes from the barn on a rainy and dreary morning on the first day of the Backroads Fall Fiesta 2012.

A few years back we had sojourned down to the Amish part of Pennsylvania and stayed just outside the city of Lancaster, but

after visiting the town earlier in the Spring and hanging with our friend his honor the Mayor Rick Grey we were convinced to

make a return trip to this artsy city for this year’s Fall Fiesta.

This day we met up with fellow riders Helene and Laura and after a bite to eat in western New Jersey we mounted up and

headed across the Delaware River and down along a wide variety of backroads, both known and unknown. Any bad weather

that had threatened us earlier made its way eastward and the cool morning morphed into an easy summer afternoon

- even if the Autumnal equinox was the week before.

Some old favorites were attacked and ridden well, with Irish Creek Road still remaining a

perennial favorite. Early afternoon found us at the Franklin House Tavern, in Schaef-

ferstown, where we had a simply scrumptious meal and got to watch R.A.

Dickey move through some innings on his way to that 20th win of the year.

As Mets fans we take what we can get some seasons. As we were preparing

to get on our way, another group of Fall Fiesta ralliers pulled into the lot –

the Hoffmanns and crew from Long Island.

3’ish found us riding up to the fabulous Arts

Hotel in downtown Lancaster and right into a

great surprise – Bob Henig, from Bob’s BMW

who rode up to join us for the night.

Settled in and showered we went down to

the drive and courtyard and watch as the Arts

hotel began to fill with bikes and riders, all

part of this year’s Fall Fiesta.

Lancaster has plenty of culinary experiences

to offer, but this night we stayed at the Arts

Hotel and their own organic restaurant, the

John J. Jeffries, with the bar doing a brisk

business as well this night.

We had some storms overnight but the next day was bright and almost

summer-like in the 80s.

As with most of our rallies we had a number of riding options for our

Page 34

BRANCHVILLEMOTORS 63 Ethan Allen Hwy

Ridgefied, CT203.544.7901

www.Branchville.comTues-Fri: 9am-6pm • Sat: 9am-4pm

The Metropolitan Area’sEuropean Riding Center

Headquarters forMoto Guzzi

TriumphVespaWe stock new and

pre-owned vehicles

Conveniently located acrossfrom the Branchvilletrain station on the

Danbury line of Metro North

Carrying only the best in motorcycling gearand apparel for scooterists.

Visit our Ebay store for our clearance and closeout items.

We’re Not Just a Shop,We’re a Destination

attendees. A 100-mile covered bridge

tour and longer ride that looped up north

and then back to Lancaster, stopping at

the Antique Automobile Car Museum in

Hershey and a ride south into Maryland

to the Ladew Topiary Gardens.

Shira had wanted to go to the Ladew

Gardens for months now so we headed

that way this day.

The route was superb, as it wound its

way across the Mason-Dixon Line and

into Maryland. We even had a few miles

of good old slick mud just to make it in-

teresting.

The Gardens were spectacular as was

the tour of the home itself. I can only

imagine how much upkeep must go into a place as well groomed as the

Ladew Gardens.

We had a planned lunch stop at a local crab place but arrived to find the

place had been robbed overnight and we were basically shooed away by the

owner. We were looking for seafood and the Fisherman’s Wharf looked like

it would fit the bill, except we didn’t know it would be attached to a bowling

alley.

Yikes! Nothing too good for our friends I say.

As lame as the restaurant was the ride back was anything but, as Shira’s

routing was spot on and we all enjoyed the twists, turns and elevation changes

all the way back to Lancaster.

Others headed in every different direction, with many stopping in to York,

PA and the Harley-Davidson Open House weekend. The Factory was having

tours and the town of York was packed with chrome of every configuration.

Just a tad too crowded for us, but all who ventured there had a good time.

That evening we had dinner at the nearby Checkers Bistro and were even

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 35

Opposite Page:Heading down theroad to Lancaster

Some well-placed advertisementnever hurts

This Page:Bob Henig isentertained by ourlittle stuffed friends

Terry, looking like the regal lady she is

The hunt is on at the Ladew TopiaryGardens

Perhaps the crabs broke out from theinside?

joined by Lancaster’s Mayor

Rick Gray and his wife Gail.

Many of the other attendees

followed our lead and all had

a most excellent meal.

Rick has been a friend for

years and folks really en-

joyed that the mayor of this

fine city took some time to

hang with us as Rick returned

a few times over the week-

end, with different bikes each

time, just to hang and be part

of the Fall Fiesta. Now there

is a politician for you.

The following day Shira

and I were joined by our

buddy Vasilli, whom we toured Greece with a few years back, and went for

a morning ride to Hershey to see the Antique Automobile Club of America’s

Museum – which was one of the best I have ever seen. They even had a dis-

play of vintage dirt bikes on show and were running ‘On Any Sunday’ as

well.

While there we ran into a few others that had come to see the museum.

From there we did our own version of a longer route and then made our

way back to town a bit earlier than the previous day.

A large group went out early in the day and did the entire

big route, which headed all the way north to Centralia –

the town that still is on fire – and then doubled back to

Lancaster. From the smiles it seemed that this group re-

ally liked the ride and with the weather cooperat-

ing all was well for the Fall Fiesta 2012.

With all the various restaurants near the

Arts Hotel our friends dispersed every which

way for dinner, but all seemed to make it

back to the Arts Hotel’s bar, for a few last

hours hanging out before the ride back home

that Sunday.

One little snag along the way that evening

was that the Backroads banner was hanging

above the garage entrance, off a small porch

that belonged to one of our group’s room. He,

unfortunately had left that day, and we could not retrieve the banner.

The guy at the desk did not seem too enthusiastic on helping us simply get

it back from the empty room and stated he would try to see if we could get

it sometime on Sunday.

Not good enough for our early start.

Thankfully the wiry and agile Ken (Olympic gold medalist we have heard)

scaled the porch and liberated the banner.

It was like dinner and then a show!

The fellow at the front desk was not amused in the least.

Many riders simply reversed the route Shira had posted down to Lancaster

and rode back up towards New York and New Jersey along some entertaining

roads and, although we had great weather the entire trip, we did get soaked

for the last ten miles approaching Backroads Central.

We’d trade that for a great rally weather-wise any day.

For us we thought the Backroads Fall Fiesta was a huge success. Excellent

roads, super hotel, wonderful city and all these great friends riding to Lan-

caster to share a good weekend with everybody else.

We’re looking forward to our next Backroads’ event Spring Break 2013

in Cooperstown, New York. This will be our 15th anniversary holding these

rallies and we promise a great time for all who attend.

Page 36 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

We love it when established companies, that already have exemplary prod-

ucts, continue to make advances in fit, style and technology; like the folks at

Sargent Cycle Products.

Sargent has released a new line of World Sport Performance Seats called

World Sport Performance PLUS.

This special edition series of motorcycle seats

are as comfortable as their original standard

seats, but feature extra-tough materials, extra-

tough construction, and a bold, rugged look.

We recently received the latest from Sargent

and were very impressed by the solid quality of

this saddle.

Sargent’s lightweight seat base pan is preci-

sion designed and constructed and allowed for

installation in just seconds.

With Sargent’s new DURATEX seating area

material and special side grip zones, these seats

make an excellent choice for on or off-road use.

DURATEX offers a strong, yet comfortable seat-

ing surface with just the right amount of traction, while the special GRIP-

ZONE side panels offer extra gripping power during

braking or off-road maneuvers; we did a bit of light off-

road riding along some hidden hunting roads we know

about in northwest New Jersey and can attest to this.

And to top it off, they’ve constructed these seats with

beautiful, extra-tough double stitching for a seat built

to last with rugged good looks too.

Our seat came with a nice red piping, complete with

a little BMW- M swatches along the side of the two-

piece seat.

As with their other seats, which we had tested on nu-

merous machines, the new World Sport Performance

PLUS Seats uses what Sargent calls “Super Cell Atomic

Foam Suspension,” and we call really comfortable and

ready, out-of the box, for all day riding.

On the road the World Sport Performance PLUS Seat

was extremely comfortable from the time I snapped it

into first gear till the end of the day when I turned off

the keys. In fact it wasn’t till much later in the day that

I remembered I was riding on a new saddle and that,

compared to the stock BMW unit, I was in no discom-

fort whatsoever. My butt never crossed my mind, which it did with great fre-

quency with the OEM saddle.

Just the thought that I didn’t think about it tells you all you need to know.

Although we took the standard seat height the World Sport Performance

PLUS comes in a lowered version (dropping the

seating position a full inch) as well. If desired you

can also add an optional “heat upgrade”, which

works phenomenally and makes a huge difference

on those chilly Sunday Polar Bear runs.

Our standard two-piece (rider / passenger) seat

lists for $699, but other options come with differ-

ent price tags and if you are a solo rider you can

just buy the rider half of the seat alone.

The initial release of the Performance PLUS

Special Edition Series is available for select BMW

Adventure Touring motorcycles but Sargent has

seats for many popular makes and models. You

can see what they have to offer on the elaborate

website - www.sargentcycle.com, or call 800-749-

7328 for model availability and additional information.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 37

PRODUCT REVIEW

SARGENT’S WORLD SPORT PERFORMANCE PLUS SEATS

Brian Rathjen

Change is good. So I have been told. But, after traveling down each fall,

a pilgrimage if you will, and attending a dozen or so Oyster Festivals on

the tiny island of Chincoteague, off the Virginian coast, I was told that the

venue had changed this year to the far side of the island and would no longer

be held in the hallowed grounds of Maddox family Campground, but rather

at Tom’s Cove Park. Hmmm, sometimes I resist change.

Over the years I have explore much of this island, so I knew where Tom’s

Cove was, but had never actually been in the large waterside RV park.

Arriving the evening before the big party we took a ride around the

grounds, a little recon, and I must say I was impressed.

Expansive grounds, clean, plenty of elec-

tricity and water available. A large dock and

pier complete with benches and a striking

view of Assateague and the old lighthouse.

Yes, this is the island with the wild ponies,

and yes you can go see them. Tom’s Cove

Park would do more than nicely, I thought.

Unlike previous years where there was al-

ways a mad scramble for prime reality and

tables for the fest, the next day Shira and I

easily drove in at 7am and acquired 5 long

tables in a row to handle the large group we

knew would be arriving in a few hours.

At noon the fire alarms went off and Chin-

coteague’s 40th Annual Oyster Festival was

under way.

The weather was beyond perfect with a

cloudless sky and a nice breeze off the water

shooing both flies and mosquitoes away.

Soon one of the greatest party bands – Island

Page 38 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

FRANK’S MOTORCYCLE SALES & SERVICERte. 15 PO Box 8282

Essex, VT 05451-8282

802-878-3930

www.FranksMotorcycleSales.com

Event Recap

CHINCOTEAGUE’S 40TH ANNUAL OYSTER FESTIVAL

Boy – was getting the rhythm going and there were long

lines for all the food available.

Steamed crabs coated with Old Bay, raw oysters,

steamed oysters, fried oysters…. Hey, it was an Oyster

Festival!

There was also plenty of non-seafood for those who

might not be into bi-valves; hot dogs, salads, hush pup-

pies, Boardwalk French fries soups and some scrump-

tious cupcakes.

We have written about this event many times, so we’ll

keep this short, but let me tell you, for the $40 ticket

price you will not find an event, crowd and musicians

having such a fantabulous rocking time as the Oyster

Festival that is held the Saturday of Columbus Weekend

on Chincoteague Island, Virginia.

We’re pretty sure we’ll be there again next year. Join

us! Come join our table craziness - you just never know

what theme we’ll come up with next year.

Saturday, October 12, 2013Tom’s Cove Park, Chincoteague, VAwww.chincoteagueoysterfestival.comTickets: $40 for all you can eat and the

best band you’ll ever hear rockin’ the day.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 39

Family Owned and Operated Serving the Hudson Valley for over 30 Years

Get your Winter Servicing done NOW

by our Certified Victory Technicians

so you’re ready for the Spring Riding.

799 Violet Ave (Rte. 9G), Hyde Park, NY

845-229-1177 • www.zacksvtwin.com

ZACK’S V-TWIN CYCLES

JDS CYCLE PARTSEST. 1988

247 W. Westfield Ave, Rosell Park, NJ908-245-2445

• Parts & Accessories• Award-winning Service• Performance Work• Dyno Tuning• S&S Pro Tuning Center• Power Commander

Tuning Center

American • Metric • Sport

Mention this ad for 10% OFFyour snowmobile package

SUBSCRIPTION FORM

Get BACKROADS delivered to your home EVERY MONTH!Just fill out the simple form and mail it

along with your check (gotta pay the Postman):BACKROADS • POB 317 • BRANCHVILLE NJ 07826

NAME ____________________________________________________

ADDRESS ________________________________________________

CITY/STATE/ZIP ____________________________________________

Don’t Miss an Issue! Mail your Subscription TODAY!First Class $40/Year • Comes in envelope

Page 40 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTINGEvery Sunday • Eastern Suffolk ABATE Breakfast Run. Crossroads Diner - Calverton NY.10:30am. Eat and Ride After • 631-369-2221

Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do somebenchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish

Every Wednesday • Chelseas Restaurant/Pub, 1051 Rte. 22 East, Lebanon, NJ 6-9pm,weather permitting all summer • www.chelseasrestaurantpub.com

JANUARY 20134-6 • Advanstar’s International Motorcycle Show, Washington Convention Center, Wash-ington, D.C. Get more info and ticket discount at www.motorcycleshows.com

18-20 • Advanstar’s International Motorcycle Show at the Jacob Javits Center, NYC. Showfeatures include the MotoGP Experience, American Motor Drome’s Wall of Death, J&PCycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show, Progressive Open Road Experience, Pit StopChallenge presented by GEICO AMA Pro Racing, Suzuki Sweepstakes, Ducati FashionShow, Strider Adventure Zone, great seminars all day, every day and, of course, the greatmarketplace and vendors for your motorcycle shopping pleasure. BACKROADS will bethere again to greet you with the new issue and the BEST candy at the Javits. Don’t missus - we’ll try to post our booth number as soon as we know it. Get more info and ticketdiscount at www.motorcycleshows.com

19 • Bob's Annual Bus Trip to the International Motorcycle Show. Tickets will includeround trip transportation to NYC, entry to the IMS and a snack for the ride home. Spaceis limited and we sell out every year. Details to come. www.bobsbmw.com

23 • Motorcyclepedia Museum’s Speaker Series begins with ‘How to Avoid a Ticket’ pre-sented by Pete Miller, retires Police Chief and Motor Office with 34 years of police expe-rience. Discussion of vehicle and traffic laws in NY and NJ and the controversial‘motorcycle safety checkpoints’, equipment, safety and other topics. 7pm * $10pp • 250Lake St, Newburgh, NY • 845-569-9065 • www.motorcyclepedia.org

FEBRUARY 201323 • Ramapo Motorcycle Club 95th Crotona Midnight Run. Sat., Feb. 23-Sun., Feb. 24.Sign in: 10:30pm • Key Time: Midnight - 12:00am. Location: Nathan's parking lot, CentralPark Ave, Yonkers, NY. This is the longest running motorcycle event in the USA. Be partof History. More info at www.ramapomc.org

MAY 201316-19 • BACKROADS Spring Break 2013. We’ll be heading to Cooperstown, NY, homeof the Baseball Hall of Fame, Farmer’s Museum and some great riding. This rally will fea-ture a complete issue of Backroads’ columns in one weekend - Great All-American DinerRun, Big City Getaway, and, of course, Mysterious America. Our home base will be theLake Front Motel, sitting right on Lake Otsego and walking distance from downtownCooperstown. All the information for booking can be found on page 58.

16-19 • Concours Owners Group Northeast Spring Fling. Bedford, PA. Ideally situatedwith great riding in all directions, with little traffic and many scenic routes. Enjoy trips tocentral PA’s vast valleys, railroad history of Altoona, historic Gettysburg, Flight 93 NationalMemorial, Flood City/Johnstown and much more. Event fee covers cost of Saturday din-ner. Sample route download available. Discount for club members. Contact Jason 814-535-8669 • www.tinyurl.com/COGSpringFling2013

POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR 2012-13It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these rides.There is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice rideand join other folks feel free to attend. These are general directions. Please feelfree to use a GPS or a map to find a better route. Sign-in is from 11:30 am to 1:30pm unless otherwise posted. Check the New Member page for general informa-tion about the Polar Bear Grand Tour. To check on Polar Bear cancellations & up-dates call A.M.A. Dis. #2 Ph. # 908-722-0128

Dec. 30 • IRELAND'S 32 RESTAURANT & PUB, 32 Orange Ave., Suffern, NY 10901 PH#845-368-3232 • Take 287 north to exit 57A. Make a right at the bottom of the ramponto Route 59 E (Orange Ave.). Go approximately 1.2 miles and the restaurant is on theleft. www.irelandsny.com

Jan. 6 • De THOMASI's EAST 5 POINTS INN, 580 Tuckahoe Rd, Vineland, NJ 08360Ph.# 856-691-6080 • Take Rt. 206 South to the end. Continue straight to Rt. 54 Southto the end (12 miles); make left on Rt. 40. Go 0.1 mile. Make right on Rt. 557. Go 2.5miles to DeThomasi's on right. www.fivepointsinn.com

Jan. 13 • WEARHOUSE GRILL, 161 Rte. 181, Lake Hopatcong, NJ Ph #973-663-2222 •Route I-80 West from intersection of 287, to Route 15 North; go about 3 miles and watchcarefully for sign for Route 181 North -- it comes up fast on the right; you will cross Rte15; take first right; Wearhouse Grill is about 1.5 miles on the left, immediately after thebig blue Yamaha sign. www.wearhousegrille.com

Jan. 20 • SIR JOHN'S, 230 Washington Place, North Brunswick TWP, NJ. 08902 Ph #732 297-3803 • From Rt 1, take Rte 130 South to the 82 mile-marker, get in left lane;make left at light at the Getty Station (Washington Place); go two blocks to Sir John's onright. Folks traveling Rte.130 North go past the 81 mile-marker; make a right at the trafficlight at the Getty Station. sirjohnsinc.com

Jan. 27 • THE EXCHANGE, 160 E. Main St., Rockaway, NJ 07866 Ph # 973-627-8488•In Denville on Rte. 46 West, go under Route 80; go 1/2 mile to light; go right on EastMain St., Rockaway; go 1/2 mile; the Exchange is on the right. www.exchangefood.com

Feb. 3 • THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN, 101 North Market Street, Schaefferstown, PA17088 Ph. # 717 949-2122 • Take Rte. 897 (also Rte 419) to Schaefferstown. It will be

on your right at 897 and Market Street. franklinhousetavern.com

Feb. 10 • PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ Ph. # 609 268-2066 • From thenorth take Rte 206 South, pass Rte. 70 go 9 miles Pic-A-Lilli Inn on left. From the south@ Rte. 30 & 206 go north on Rte. 206 for 8.5 miles Pic-A-Lilli on right. picalilli.com

Feb. 17 • HOOTERS, 25 Rte 23 South, Wayne, NJ 07470 Ph# 973-837-1876 • At inter-section of Rte 46 & Rte 23 take Rte 23 South (approx. 0.2 mile) just past the mall; Hoot-ers is on the right. www.hootersnj.com

Feb. 24 • BAHRS LANDING, 2 Bay Ave., Highlands, NJ 07732 PH# 732-872-1245 • FromEast take Rte 36 West over Highland bridge; immediately over bridge make very sharpright turn down hill into parking lot. From West take Rte 36 East toward Highland bridge;Just before bridge, make right turn then a quick left turn down the hill to Bay Ave; makeleft turn under bridge into parking lot. www.bahrs.com

March 3 • FIREHOUSE EATERY, 455 Saint Georges Ave. Rahway, NJ 07065 Ph# 732382-9500 • Take G.S.P. to exit 131 (not 131A) to Rte 27; turn left on Rte 27 North; go2.6 miles, take left onto Rte 35 (AKA St Georges Ave); go 0.3 mile; Firehouse Restaurantis on the right. www.firehouseeatery.com

March 10 • LONG VALLEY PUB & BREWERY, 1 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, NJ 07853Ph #908-876-1122 • From Rte 206 in Chester, take Rte 24 West (Rte 513); go 4.5 milesto Long Valley; Make left at light at Rte 517; immediately on right, first parking lot is theLong Valley Pub. www.restaurantvillageatlongvalley.com

March 17 • THE CHATTERBOX, #1 Rte 15 South, Augusta, NJ 07822 Ph#973-300-2300• From South, take Rte 206 North to Rte 15, Ross Corner; The Chatter Box immediatelyon right at the intersection; enter from driveway about 300 feet before the intersection.From the North take Rte 565 to intersection with Rte 15, Ross Corner; go straight; drive-way into the Chatterbox is on the left. www.chatterboxdrivein.com

March 24 • BRIAN'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Langhorne PA Ph#215 752-9400 • PA. Rte 95 South take exit 44 (stay left) left at light on Rte. 413 - 2ndlight make left on S. Flowers Mill Rd. PA Route 95 North Exit 44 stay to left - left at 1stlight on S. Flowers Mill Rd. www.brianshd.com

April 7 • CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER, 100 Reaville Ave. Flemington NJ 08822 Phone# 908-782-9000 • From the south take Rte 202 north. Make right at the last light beforethe circle. Cheeburger Cheeburger will be on your left. From the North take Rte 202through Flemington. At the first light after Northlandz (Grate American Railway), take thejug handle across Rte 202 onto Case Blvd. Stay on Case Blvd. It becomes Reaville Ave.Cheeburger Cheeburger will be on your Right. Cheeburger Cheeburger

April 14 • CAPE MAY V.F.W. post #386, N.J. 419 Congress St., Cape May, N.J. 08204Ph# 609-884-7961. No Web site.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 41

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR What’s Happening

Page 42 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

Sussex Hills Ltd.

973-875-2048946 Rte. 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough

Norman GrossSince 1976

Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

Specializing in Motorcycle

Repair, Parts & Supplies •

Cycle Tires Mounted & Bal-

anced • Batteries & Hard

Parts • Dynojet 250 Dyno

available for testing

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

Now stocking a full line of heated gearGet ready for some cool riding.

Experienced H-D Service Advisor WantedBergen County Harley Davidson in Rochelle Park, NJ has an immediate

opening for an experienced Service Advisor. Ideal candidate must be

well organized, detail oriented with great communication skills,

good with customers. Knowledge of TALONes a plus.

Competitive salary and benefits offered.

Qualified candidates please contact bill@bergenhdbmw.com

DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST,STURGIS AND BEYOND

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS

BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 • www.barntruckrental.com

57-05 BROADWAY • WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE & LIE)

SALESRENTALS

AMERICANA SOFT SEATSCustom Gel Pad InstallationOn Any Motorcycle Seat

Harley Davidson, Honda, Suzuki, YamahaLowest Prices AnywhereWE GUARANTEE IT!!!!

732-406-9508 • www.amsss.com • www.americanasoftseats.com

If you didn’t like cool stuff,

you wouldn’t be reading

this magazine.

Here’s something

you’re going to love.

TORQ-ITScrewdriver/Speed Wrench/ Palm Ratchet

All In One Tool

Variable Speeds Over 600RPMLow Profile, with an “Ergo” Grip and a Non-Slip Design

Accepts All 3/8” and 1/4” Sockets and Extensions

BASIC SET: $19.95 • DELUXE SET: $29.95 • ACCESORY SET: $9.95

TORQ-IT PRODUCTS, INC. 1701 Manor Road • Havertown PA 19083Tel: 1.888.876.9555 • Visit Our New Website: WWW.TORQ-IT.COM

324 East 95th StreetNew York, NY 10128

917-492-1573speedmotorcycles@verizon.net

Motorcycle Repair

Harley-DavidsonEuropean and Japanese

www.speedmotorcyclesnyc.com

FAST

• FRIENDLY • HONEST • AFFORDABLE

WASHINGTON CYCLE WORKS

WCWWashington Cycle Works Junction of Rtes. 57/31 • Washington, NJ 07882

908-835-0043

www.washingtoncycleworks.com

We cater to road racers and support all Track Day organizationsCheck us for Suspension Setups • One-piece Road Race suits in stock

Closed Sun-Mon • Open: Tues-Thurs 9:30AM-7PM • Fri 9:30AM-6PM • Sat 9AM-3PM

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 43

M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

Come Ride the Dragonwww.dealsgap.com

800.889.555017548 Tapoco Road, Robbinsville, NC 28771

Deals Gap318 Curves in 11 Miles

Deals Gap StoreMotel

Bar and Grill

320 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-2274 • www.thisilldous.com

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond • 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm

Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

Worth the ride from anywhere!

Join Us for 1st Friday Celebration

1st Friday of each month

from 6 to 9pm

Live Music • Dinner Specials

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983Member of

NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque CateringFlexibleAffordableReady When You Are

Tues. thru Sat. 11am-10pmSunday: Breakfast 9am-Noon

Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

The RivertonTravel along the scenic

backroads of the Delaware river.Meet the Markopoulos family

and taste chef George’sGreek American cooking.Best bar menu, lunch or dinner.

Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clamsand crispy wings with 8 different sauces.

John, Christina, chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends.

The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA

610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com

Member of

‘50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300

www.chatterboxdrivein.com

Cool Nights, Hot Bikes • Two-Wheels or Four, join us at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING

Hudson Valley’s

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery, NY

845-446-0912

www.barnstormerbbq.com

Celebrate the Holidays withsome awesome barbeque!

If you go home hungryit’s your own fault

The Boat House

Restaurant

Join us for Brunch, Lunch

or Dinner overlooking

Swartswood Lake

1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood, NJ

973-300-0016

www.theboathouserestaurantonline.com

Member

Tuesday ~ Sunday 11am-9pm

Brunch 10am-2pm • Closed Mondays

Call for Seasonal Hours

Excellent Ride Destination

718 Main St, Boonton, NJ973.335.0255 • www.PCPS.com

Who do you thinkkeeps Backroads’

computers running?

Listen HearRobert Laford

Do you remember that head-banging concert you saw when you were 19

and your ears were ringing for the next two days? Your ears still remember

that. Do you remember those fireworks, that police siren, or that fire alarm,

that made you shake your head because it made your ears ring? Your ears

still remember that. Do you remember when you spent all day riding your

motorcycle at highway speeds and at the end of the day you were mentally

wiped-out and your ears were ringing? Your ears remember that.

As we age, many of us experience a reduction in what we can hear. Many

of our spouses think that it is selective hearing loss, but the reality of the re-

duced hearing we have is mostly preventable and mostly because of the abuse

that we have inflicted on our ears over our lifetime. Every time we experi-

enced that ringing after being exposed to increased sound levels we have

damaged our hearing. The inner ear has some very delicate workings with

the smallest bones of our body and with tiny hairs that receive the sound-

waves and send it to our brain for interpretation. When any of these compo-

nents are damaged, either with an acute sound or a long-term

exposure, we lose some acuity in our hearing that will

never return.

In the working world there are safety regulations in

place to help protect us. In regards to hearing there

are documented levels of sound that we can safely be

exposed to and others that require taking measures

to either protect our hearing or reduce the

sound levels we are exposed to on-

the-job. The decibel (dB) is the

measurement used for noise and 80

decibels is the threshold - below this

point it is unlikely to cause hearing loss. Above this, hearing protection reg-

ulations begin to limit the amount of time we can be exposed to noise. At 85

decibels hearing protection regulations for the workplace start to take affect

to protect our hearing.

The “time weighted aver-

age” for noise exposure for a

24 hour period is: 8 hours for

90 dB, 6 hours for 92 dB, 4

hours for 95 dB, 3 hours for 97

dB, 2 hours for 100 dB, 90

minutes for 102 dB, 60 min-

utes for 105 dB, 30 minutes for

110 dB, and 15 minutes or less

for 115 dB.

Pain begins at 125 decibels,

and even short term exposure

can cause permanent hearing

damage at 140 decibels.

What does this mean to us as

motorcyclists? We may think

that we personally ride a bike

that is not too loud, but the vol-

ume of the exhaust is not what

affects our hearing as riders.

The silent killer of our hearing is the wind noise. A number of studies on

sound levels regarding motorcyclists have all reached similar conclusions.

At 30 mph the wind noise inside a full-faced helmet is routinely 90 decibels.

At highway speeds that reading rises to 110-115 decibels. If that was our

work environment we would be limited to riding our motorcycle to 15 to 30

minutes a day (without hearing protection). And those readings increase if

wearing an open-face helmet, or no helmet.

Page 44 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

See us at the

International

Motorcycle Show

January 18-20

Town & Country CYCLE CENTER

115 Route 23N • Hamburg NJ • 973-875-2111www.townandcountrycyclecenter.com

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles,sales and service we have to offer.

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Comparing Decibels20 dB Ticking watch

40 dB Refrigerator hum

50 dB Rainfall

70 dB Washing machine

80 dB Alarm clock (two feet away)

85 dB Average traffic

100 dB Blow dryer, subway train

105 dB Power mower, chainsaw

110-115 dB I-Pods at 80% volume

120 dB Rock concert, thunderclap

130 dB Jackhammer, jet plane

(100 feet away)

Noise is all around us, whether we are on our motor-

cycles or not. We cannot sit in a sound-proof room all

day listening to the silence. But as riders we need to

consider taking an active role when riding so we can

hear the silence, and those sounds in our world that are

soft. Otherwise our hearing will continue to dimin-

ish and instead of being able to hear the quiet

sounds, we will only hear those with a higher

volume level.

For us riders there are a multitude of ear plugs that

can be worn while on the bike that will assist in atten-

uating the wind noise, and reduce the level of the hear-

ing-damaging sound. There are a number of

different shaped designs within the world of dis-

posable foam ear plugs, and they are all very in-

expensive. When first trying ear plugs it is

good to get a few different styles to see what

works and feels best for you.

What is most surprising when you first wear ear plugs is what you CAN

hear. You can still hear traffic, your engine, car horns and sirens. You can

even still hear your intercom and music. You can actually hear your intercom

and music clearer because what has been reduced is the wind noise.

After wearing the ear plugs, the next fact you will come to realize is how

tiring the wind noise is to you mentally. By reducing the wind noise through

hearing protection you will also reduce the mental fatigue that you feel at

the end of a long ride. Like any other form of personal protection, ear plugs

also become a habit. Have you ever altered what you normally wear for per-

sonal protection? Just a few blocks down the street from your starting point

and you realize that something is not right. Something is missing. Riding

without your hearing protection will be the same. It won’t feel right.

Many people who faithfully wear hearing protection while on their mo-

torcycles will use the disposable ear plugs forever. But there is a more per-

sonalized option in custom fitted ear plugs. These plugs, although more

expensive, are molded just for your ear canal. They fit snugger and stay in

your ear canal better, are more comfortable than the foam plugs, and offer

greater noise attenuation over the foam plugs.

Dealers for these products can be found through a local

audiologist, where hearing tests are done and hearing aids

are sold, and many larger motorcycle rallies will have

custom ear plug vendors that will make your

custom ear plugs while you wait. Your

local audiologist could also answer ques-

tions you have about different disposable ear

plugs and how to properly wear them.

Whether you decide that the foam ear plugs are for

you, or you want to go to custom fit ear plugs, the

ability to reduce the hearing-damaging wind noise

on your motorcycle is well worth the investiga-

tion into adding this personal protection to your riding arsenal.

Hearing loss can be caused by factors other than the noise we are

exposed to during our lives as well. If you are experiencing hearing

loss, take measures to protect the hearing you have left; but also,

see your doctor to investigate if other means are contributing to your

decreased ability to hear.

CIRCLECYCLE

570 Broad Ave, Ridgefield NJ

web: www.circlecycle.net

201-945-2200

For over 30 yearsCircle Cycle has helped

riders get and stay on the road

Our variety of powersports products is second to none.Whether you’re riding of-froad, backroads, or onthe track, we’re here to getyou where you need to go.

In northern New Jersey there isn’t a friendlier or moreknowledgeable staff than ours. We’re happy tohelp you find the parts you’ve been looking for.

Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you don’t see what you want,

give us a call or stop in - we’re always ready to help!

Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider.

SUSSEXMOTORSPORTS446 Route 23 • Sussex, NJ • Located across from the A&P Shopping Plaza

973-875-3640 • www.sussexmotorsportsnj.com

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 45

THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH RIDERS

Ride or Ride Not. There is No Drive…The gang at Aerostich is at it again with another great t-shirt for the rider and geek in all of us.

Strong is the power of the car side, with strength and commitment you must defy four-wheeled transport.

Then, only then, a rider will you be. And ride you will. 100% Cotton. Black. M-XX. #2872 $20.00

BEL-RAY WATERPROOF GREASE

Legendary high-performance, multi-purpose grease with superior water resist-

ance, even in salt water, that will ensure continued sealing and protection. Per-

fect for wheel bearings, headsets, shock linkages, swing arm pivots and other

motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile and marine chassis lubrication points. Aluminum

complex formula means it won’t melt or run out. Enhanced mechanical stability

and special anti-wear additives protect and lubricate bearings for improved per-

formance. Available in 14oz cartridge and 16oz tubs at many local dealership.

Schuberth Rider Communication SystemNow Available for the S2 Full Face Helmet

S2 customers have been eagerly awaiting the SRC-System™, Schuberth’s in-

helmet Bluetooth® communication system which is based on the Cardo Scala plat-

form.

The S2 full face is the only motorcycle helmet in the world with built-in FM

and Bluetooth® antennas which plug directly into the SRC-System and enhance

the communication distance between paired helmets as well as the FM radio

reception.

The SRC-System™ allows up to three riders to communicate wirelessly

with each other simultaneously and supports Bluetooth®-enabled periph-

eral devices such as cell phones, GPS units and MP3 players. The most

important functions can also be operated by voice commands.

The system is integrated into a replacement neck collar that is a ‘snap’

to install and fits into the helmet perfectly.

The S2 SRC-System™ and S2 helmet are available now from authorized

Schuberth dealers. Visit www.schuberthnorthamerica.comfor full details.

Page 46 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

P R O D U C T S P O T L I G H T S

AutocomWe’re Back - Actually, we never left…The Best Motorcycle Communication System on the Market

ANY BIKE ANY SPEED GUARANTEEDTo experience why Autocom is the clear choice

for communications see one of our dealers or call

866-951-5550Country Rode MotowerksFairport, NY • 585-421-0480

Pro CyclesClifton Park, NY • 518-373-0151

Rocket MotoHollis, NH • 877-533-4245

Max BMW MotorcyclesNorth Hampton, NH • 603-964-2877

Adventure BMWChesapeake, VA • 757-523-7055

Blue Ridge PowersportsHarrisonburg, VA • 540-434-7345

Mortons BMW MotorcyclesFredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844

Blue Moon CycleNorcross, GA • 770-477-6945

NEW IMPORTER, NEW PRODUCTS, NEW DEALERS

Enjoy crystal clear audio from ALLof your favorite devices. Integration for

music, GPS, radar detector, phone,bike-to-bike including CB and more.

GERBING’S HEATED LINERS AND HEAT SOCKS

Gerbing’s the world leader in heated motorcycle clothing, is growing more than ever. Not only has their

patented Microwire Heating System set new standards with its “Thinner, Lighter, Stronger, Faster” list of

advancements, but Gerbing’s is now making their Jacket Liners in their new factory in the U.S.

“The demand for our products has always led the industry,” says company president, Jeff Gerbing. But

our growing commitment to bring jobs back to America and to make our products in the USA has struck a

chord with the motorcycling consumer, and the demand is reaching incredible levels.”

The new heated Jacket Liners continue to feature the Microwire system, which is so thin you can’t feel the

wires, yet incredibly durable and tough. And because of that, Gerbing’s backs its heating systems with a

Lifetime Warranty.

“Our customers know that they can count on us to make products that keep them warm, and

to stand behind them like no one else,” said Gerbing.

Gerbing’s heated Jacket Liners come in 21 sizes, including regular and long sleeves, for that

great fit that delivers the ideal heat transfer. They’re great whenever the weather is cold.

For the ultimate in cold-weather foot comfort, you can’t beat Gerbing’s Heated Socks. First, these heated socks feature Gerb-

ing’s patented Microwire heating system, that’s thinner, lighter, stronger and faster to warm up.

The socks wrap snugly around each foot, with heat that starts underneath, then travels up to the toes, wraps over them and continues

on top of the foot. And to maximize the warmth, Gerbing’s Heated Socks are cut with a specific Left Sock and Right Sock, so the

heat follows the taper of your toes, delivering that soothing warmth evenly all the way across. And their tall, over-calf design

helps them stay up and stay comfortable all day long. For the kind of warmth that makes riding an all-day pleasure, you can’t do

better than Gerbing’s Heated Socks, from the leader in Heated Gear. $99 from gerbings.com

AVON 3D ULTRA SPORT TIRES

Over the last few decades we have seen so many technological jumps in the motorcycle scene with computers, suspension and

everything else that the huge jumps made in tire research and development almost get overlooked.

When we heard about Avon’s new 3D Tires, with their multiple compound rubber, we grabbed a set and had them mounted on a

machine that we thought would be best to give them an all around test – the Kawasaki Versys, a bike a little bit sport, a little bit

adventure and a whole lotta fun.

The Avon 3D tires are available in three different versions - the Ultra Xtreme for track purposes, the Ultra Super Sport for both

road and track riding and the Ultra Sport, a high performance, all conditions, sport road tire. This was more what we were looking

for, as this magazine has always been about real world, day to day, riding.

The 3D Ultra Sport, being an all-around sporting road tire, is built with a higher concentration of multi-compound Super Rich Silica

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 47

P R O D U C T S P O T L I G H T S

F.W. SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave • Passaic, NJ • 973-778-6256 • www.SpeerYamaha.com

Tri-State Metro Area’s Oldest Yamaha Dealer. Last of the Mom and Pop Shops.We are not a boutique. Gold-Certified Service Department. Top Ten in the Country.

FULL LINE OF YAMAHA MOTORCYCLES AND ATVS, PARTS, ACCESSORIES

KEEP YOUR BIKE READY TO RIDE WITH WINTER SERVICING

F.W. SPEER YAMAHA7 Main Ave • Passaic, NJ • 973-778-6256 • www.SpeerYamaha.com

Tri-State Metro Area’s Oldest Yamaha Dealer. Last of the Mom and Pop Shops.We are not a boutique. Gold-Certified Service Department. Top Ten in the Country.

Don’t wait for the power to go out…Be prepared.

and combines multiple tread compounds throughout the tire.

Utilizing a harder rubber compound in the middle for increased mileage and

better handling characteristics on the straight-aways

and softer, more pliable compounds on the sides

for better feedback in the tighter roadways the

tires have a great and tractable feel to them.

Combine this with the 3Ds large footprint at

extreme lean angles and the specifically de-

signed 3D siping, with interlocking three-di-

mensional points, to improve stability and

grip and limit tread flex which allows the tire

to warm up quickly and evenly and the 3D is

a very solid tire indeed.

On the road we found the Ultra Sport tires to

be solid and reliable and they offered great

handling characteristics and feedback to the

rider. If this is Avon’s street version we won-

dered how well the two higher level tires would

be, especially in go-fast track riding?

Back in the real world in the number of rain storms we encountered the Avon

3D Sport Sport tires were flawless and always inspired confidence.

With the Avon 3D Super Sport tire you have an excellent choice for those

looking for that magical combination of great handling, superb wet weather

capabilities and decent mileage all in one tire.

For more info on the Avon Tires log onto www.avontyres.com.

Page 48 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

RiSiNg WOLF gARAgE NYC

EXCLUSIVE MOTORCYCLE PARKING FACILITY

Monthly Parking

Long & Short Term

24 Hour Access

Video Surveillance

Service Area

Personal Storage

Air Compressor

Battery Charging

We p ro v i d e a f r i e n d l y, c l e a n a n d s e c u re

e n v i ro n m e n t f o r t h e m o t o rc y c l e e n t h u s i a s t

By Appointment Only

East Village NYC

Ph: 212 475 5858 • Fx: 212 505 5205

risingwolfgarage@aol.com

www.risingwolfgarage.com

RIDE LIKE A PRO NJJerry ‘Motorman’ Palladino’s Training Classes

Being Held in New Jersey‘NEVER FEAR making a U-turn or dropping your 800lb. motorcycle again’

• Male-Female-Big-Small: It doesn’t matter

• You can learn the 3 simple techniques that motor cops have been using for years

• Our instructors - all active or retired motor officers - will show you how to use themotor cop riding techniques to better control and handle your motorcycle

Check our website for available dates

www.RideLikeAProNJ.comPre-registration is recommended as classes fill quickly.

Gift certificates available • Course Fee is $150.00

SIGHTS OF THE NEW YEAR

For many riders the yearly tradition up here in Northwestern New Jer-sey for the first ride of the year is Dale’s Chilly Chili Run.This past New Years Day was anything but chilly and saw wonderfullywarm temperatures and nearly 700 riders filling up the OdgensburgFire House as well as other parking lots and the streets of the town.This annual event raises money for the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice

and is only the startof what the BlueKnights IX accom-plish each year andthey have beendoing these sorts ofevents for decades.Yes, the ride was ahuge success andthe chili and dogs agreat way to break

any dietary resolutionsyou might have made.But, another thing thatmakes this even morefun is the plethora ofclassic and antique mo-torcycles that ridersbring to this event.Walking along you will

find dozens of thesewonderful two-wheelrelics and just walkingthe parking lots aloneis worth spendingNew Years morning atDales Chilly Chili Run.Blue Knights NJ IXDale’s Chili Chilly Run:Tuesday, January 1,2013. Meet 10am-ish.Police-escorted rideleaves 11am.

Exploring the Emerald IsleI have never thought of myself as a vagabond, but the Irish poet Goldsmith seemed to have a different thought on this.Still, the revelry from three floors below filtered into my room. In the darkness I reach for my trusty Timex Expedition watch and pressed the

button, the green glow illuminating my face…1:50 am.

Holy Mary Margaret – will these people ever go to bed?

It had been a long day and it seemed that just hours before we had been back inNew Jersey closing up the office and heading to JFK and the relatively quick flightto Ireland.

After checking into the Morgan Hotel and grabbing an extra hour sleep, theday had been spent exploring the city. Trinity College and the famed Bookof Kells, searching for a version of Sherlock Holmes in Irish, a drop by Ire-land’s oldest tavern – The Brazen Head – and the required visit to the Guin-ness Storehouse.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 49

A man who leaves home to mend himself

and others is a philosopher; but he who

goes from country to country, guided by the

blind impulse of curiosity, is a vagabond.

-Oliver Goldsmith

Exploring the Emerald Isle

By evening time Shira and I were in a horse

drawn buggy, clip clopping our way back to the

Temple Bar section of this old city where we would

meet Richard and Jane Singer, the other half of our

riding team for the next week while we toured the

ancient and beautiful isle of Ireland.

But, right now I really needed to get some shut-

eye; but it seemed the massive party below could

care less. Before heading back to the hotel that

night the crowd and party almost reminded me of

Bourbon Street, in New Orleans, on Halloween

eve, but there was no holiday this night.

No, it was simply Dublin on a Saturday night.

Welcome to Ireland.

Dublin to DonegalThe next morning we had a typical Irish

breakfast of eggs, pudding (not the pudding

you are thinking of), sausage and a rash of

hearty thick bacon before cabbing it over to

see Paul Rawlins and Celtic Rider. We had

been planning this trip for about year now and

actually had to reschedule back in the spring

while I was bouncing around on crutches.

It was good to be back in Ireland and in a

short time we were setting up our bikes and

going over routes with Paul.

Celtic Rider has a full shop and store and

Paul seems to have single-handedly created

motorcycle touring in the Emerald Isle.

By late morning we were making our way north and west out of Dublin.

For the first hour or so we took a main road, but that soon faded away to

be replaced by a nice two-laner, closely lined with wide overhanging trees

and rolling farms.

Our route brought us across the border into Northern Ireland, which we

Page 50 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge is the Smoky Mountains Premier ‘Motorcycle-only’ resort.Located in the heart of the Smoky Mountains and minutes from all the great motorcyclingroads like ‘Tail of the Dragon’, Cherohalla Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway and Moonshiner28. Amenities include on-premise restaurant for breakfast and dinner with creeksidedining, covered bike parking, nightly group campfire, laundry, gift shop and WiFi DSLHotSpot. We have a pavilion with multimedia entertainment, private function meetingroom, RV sites as well as rustic luxury cabins cabin rooms, bunkhouse and tent camping.Perfect for singles, couples or group getaways.

Located in Stecoah, NC • 828-479-3864 • www.ironhorseNC.com

Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter.Lullabies, dreams and love ever after.A thousand welcomes when anyone comes...That’s the Irish for you.

-Old Irish Blessing

290 Route 100, West Dover, VT800-745-3615 • www.grayghostinn.com

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern VermontHot breakfast, cooked to order. BYOB bar, firepit, hot tub, game room and WiFi.

Free Maps and Suggested Rides. Group Special Packages.5 restaurants/bars within walking distance • On-site Group Dinners available.

MemberWhen you can’t ride because of snow, ride the snow.

Guided Back-Country Snowmobile Toursin the Green Mountain National Forest.

crossed into hardly noticing. Only kilometers turning into miles and the

Union Jack flying high in the towns let you know you were now on British

soil; unlike the last time Shira and I crossed this border only to be stopped

and questioned by soldiers.

Heading towards the northwestern coast the terrain opened up and we rode

along some towering hills, actually small mountains that ran along the fast

running rivers to finally empty into the sea.

This was the Ireland we had come to see.

Richard had visited the Writers Museum in Dublin and keeping with that

flair we made a slight detour to the coastal town of Sligo, had a bite to eat,

and then went in search of the great Irish poet W. B. Yeats’ grave which we

found in a small church yard cemetery in Drumcliffe.

This day we had a bit of everything, but Ireland truly is the only nation I

know where it can be bright sunshine,

yet be raining too.

North along the coast we headed, in

the general direction of Donegal.

The bright sunlight was cutting across

the large peaks, and the last of the day’s

rain painting Ben Bulben, the famed

Sligo mountain, with a stunning rain-

bow. From our angle it looked as if the

colors lay across the mountain itself. In

all my travels I have never seen anything

like this.

This part of Ireland must be famous

for these as we saw not one but three

great rainbows this day. We would see

many such colors on this trip. Now

where is that pot o’ gold?

By early evening we slid into Donegal and stayed at a lovely guesthouse,

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 51

But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreamsunder your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

-William Butler Yeats

Visit one of the most beautiful islands on earth.Haunting landscapes, rugged coastlines,

extraordinary roads and renowned Irish hospitality.

Self-guided tours leave the exploring to youwhile taking care of all the travel details.

Plan now for your Ireland Adventure.Visit our website for full details

www.celticrider.ie

the Ardelenagh View, sitting on a high bluff overlooking the Atlantic, just a

mile or two from the town’s center.

We would be here for two nights, so we unpacked the bikes, showered and

had a glass of wine to celebrate our first day in Ireland.

Eileen and Tony, who own the Ardelenagh View, were kind enough to drive

us into town for dinner.

Donegal is absolutely the quintessential Irish town. Built along the river

Eske that runs to the sea it has an old world flavor and charm you simply

cannot recreate and dinner that night was an excellent way to power down

after the long day.

Later in the evening Shira and I found a local pub with traditional Irish

music, or craic as it’s called. It was simply wonderful as young girls danced

traditional steps and the house band let musicians that were traveling through

play along. One young gal from Germany with a fiddle wowed the crowd

and an older, very slight man from Boston blew all away with an incredibly

powerful operatic voice.

We hoped to return the next night.

Ireland’s weather can be a fickle

beast at best. After a glorious ending to

the previous day I awoke to hear a

howling banshee of wind rushing in

from the Atlantic. It blew so hard I was

worried that we would find the bikes

toppled over in the morning.

Bands of rain held us at bay in the

early part of the morning but there was

something comforting too; hearing the

patter of rain and the wind blowing

while nice and warm inside the old farm

house.

In Ireland they have another saying, “If you

don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes.”

This couldn’t be more true this day. At ten to

ten it was still pouring like all get out, but ten

o’clock chimed and blue skies rolled in from

the sea to the west and by 10:15 we were on

the motorcycles and heading north.

We rode through the town of Donegal and

the Donegal Castle, built in 1474 and found

in the very center of the town. We continued

up along the two-lane N-15 through Barnes

Gap. Here, back in the day, this tight pass

had no large highway through it, rather a

tight twisting road that wound its way

through the gap. It was a good place for an

ambush and Barnes Gap was known for its

highwaymen and rapparees.

We passed with no worries this day.

Continuing north we rode through the

F 700 GS

GIVE YOUR ADVENTURES

A LITTLE MORE OCTANE.

COUNTRY RODE MOTOWERKS286 Macedon Center Rd

Fairport, NY 14450-9759

585-421-0480

www.countryrode.com

F 700 GS.UNSTOPPABLE DUAL SPORT.

©2012 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

Always ride safely and wear proper protective gear.

Autocom Presentation

Sat., Jan. 12th, 2013

Bryan, the Autocom Rep. will be here to answer questionsabout your needs and give youthe new 2013 product update.

Page 52 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

He was a fiddler, and consequently a rogue.

-Jonathan Swift

In Ireland you can experience all four seasons in one day.-Irish Saying

fairly good-sized city of Letterkenny and

then through the Derryveagh Mountains

and past the birthplace of St. Columba. As

is our way we found some tiny Irish back-

roads on our ride to Glenveagh National

Park, the tight farm and marshlands

crossed by tight lanes and old stone

bridges.

Glenveagh, from the Irish Gleann

Bheatha meaning

“glen of the birches”

is the second largest

national park in Ire-

land. The park covers

170 square kilometres

of hillside above

Glenveagh Castle on

the shore of Lough Veagh.

Here you will find the most stunning of Irish castles

and a wonderful walking garden as well.

The estate was established by John Adair, who be-

came infamous for evicting 244 of his tenants and clear-

ing the land so they would not spoil his view of the

landscape.

Nice guy.

The gardens and castle were presented to the Irish na-

tion in 1981 by Henry P. McIlhenny of Philadelphia

who had purchased the estate in 1937.

Although some will tell you that Henry Plumer McIl-

henny was part of the Tabasco family in Louisiana, he

was not. But, that does not stop all the locals from

telling you such. He was, however, a friend of McIl-

henny Company president Walter S. McIlhenny, who

once visited Henry’s castle, Glenveagh, in County

Donegal, Ireland. Despite the absence of a genealogical

link, Walter and Henry referred to each other jokingly

as “cousin” and kept up a correspondence for many

years.

The park is home to the largest herd of red deer in Ire-

land and the formerly extinct golden eagle was reintro-

duced into the park in 2000.

We parked the bikes for a stretch here and took the

small shuttle bus to the castle and gardens.

Sometimes it pays to walk around a bit, as the valley,

with its high cliffs and the lovely lake and castle, looked

like something from a J.R.R. Tolkien book.

Back on the BMWs we ran along towards the sea and

the coastal roads.

Stopping in one seaside town we found a little place

for seafood chowder and bread and Shira walked the

beach for a spell finding a bunch of riders on horseback

enjoying the rocky coastline of northwest Ireland.

We were ready to park the bikes again and join them.

From this point we turned back south and did our best

to stay as close to the water and cliffs as we could.

We did a pretty good job at it.

We stopped for some time at the area the Irish call Bloody Forelands. It

sounds far more dire than it really is. No battle or feud was fought here; rather

it speaks to the way the sunset’s light plays on the cliffs shading them with

a dark red that resembles blood.

Continuing on to the east we could see Mount Errigal that looked, to all

the world, like a volcano about to erupt.

Errigal is well known for the pinkish glow of its quartzite in the setting

sun. Another noted quality is the ever-changing shape of the mountain de-

pending on what direction you view it from. Errigal was voted ‘Ireland’s

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 53

Most Iconic Mountain’ by Walking & Hiking Ireland in 2009.

We just thought it striking and a little out of place.

I had planned a route that would hug the coast and assumed it would all

be fairly good-sized roadway and adequate pavement.

Not to happen, as the route wound up a mountain and quickly shrank from

two-lane to one-lane to a semi-paved two-track with a lawn down the mid-

dle.

Nearly 40 kilometers of up and down, twist and shout, offering the most

spectacular views of the northwest Irish coast. Wrecked towers, abandoned

farms, the occasional home carved into the very rugged and rocky side of

these cliffs.

I wouldn’t have traded this part of the day for anything.

We finally ran back into civilization and from here it was a short ride back

to Donegal and the B & B.

The day, that had started out so badly, had turned into an absolutely smash-

ing venture.

An hour or two later we were showered and dressed and ready for another

night of pints, dancing and traditional music in Donegal.

Donegal to WestportWe were due to leave this part of Ireland this next day, but there were still

a few things I needed to see for myself.

Near the hamlet of Ardara you will find the Glengesh Pass.

Paul had told me this was a must ride, if at all possible, as the views, the

ride and the region were remote and as natural in beauty as the Emerald Isle

gets.

I was intrigued so I rose early at dawn and rolled the bike out of the barn

and down the hill so as not to wake the others.

Some 45 minutes later I was rolling past Ardara searching for the tiny road

sign I was told would point me to the Glengesh Pass.

Paul did not lie, as the pass wound up and over the rocky green peaks.

Sheep barely moved out of my way and the only other person I saw on the

entire ride was the milkman out for his early deliveries.

In typical Irish fashion a nasty black storm cloud rose over the peaks as I

hit the summit and I got the first pounding of rain that day.

This road dropped me near the folk

village of Glencolmcille; well worth the

stop and I vectored back in the direction

of Donegal, once again on a one-lane

road with grass and weeds running

down the middle.

These grassy roads demanded atten-

tion but paid off with views of an Ire-

land rarely seen by visitors.

Adventure bikes have a distinct ad-

vantage here.

Rolling back to the sea I could see the

giant sea cliffs, called Slieve League,

just to the east. Considered the highest

in all of Europe, they are stupendous

and are more than two and a half times

higher than the more famous Cliffs of

Moher to the south.

Page 54 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

On the road heading east I passed through the deep sea fishing town of

Killibegs, which seriously reminded me of Ushuaia, Argentina.

So many of these fishing villages look the same with great homes sur-

rounding them and heavy industry ruling the main part of the town.

I made it back to the B & B in time for a late breakfast.

By mid-morn we were back on the road and heading south.

Passing through Sligo we waved at Yeats, but he didn’t wave back…

hmmm poets…and then went in search of something very, very old.

How old, you ask?

Well the stone burial tombs at Carrowmore were started 2,000 years before

the first stone was laid at Egypt’s pyramids.

Let’s take a moment here and think that one through, shall we? So Christ

and the Apostles were walking around Jerusalem and then we fast forward

to men walking on the moon.

That is two thousand years. After that the Pharaoh

woke up one morning and said, “Hey, I had this crazy

idea…!”

6500 years ago the people of this land created Passage

Way Burial Tombs.

Around 30 megalithic tombs can be seen in Carrow-

more today. The tombs were almost universally ‘dolmen

circles’; small dolmens each enclosed by a boulder ring

of 12 to 15 meters. Each monument had a small leveling

platform of earth and stone. One of the secrets of the

dolmens longevity was the well-executed stone packing

set around the base of the upright stones. The combina-

tion of 5 of these orthostats and a capstone enclosed a

pentagonal burial chamber. The boulder circles contain

30 to 40 boulders, usually of gneiss, the material of

choice for the satellite tombs. Sometimes an inner boul-

der circle is present.

Unlike any place in the United States you can freely

roam the grounds and reach up and touch something

that is as old as humankind itself.

It was humbling to think of the time that has past since primitive men and

women created these tombs.

Right about then our streak of decent weather took a left turn and the rains

that had been flittering about the atmosphere saw us and made their charge.

About twenty heavily soaking minutes later we rode out into bright sun-

shine and began that long drying out process every touring motorcyclist

knows of.

We found lunch right after we crossed into County Mayo in the seaside

town of Killala. Hearty soups, salmon and crab made the day and we even

did a bit of shopping in the town’s center.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 55

Our route this day would, once again, stick to the coast as this offered the

most enjoyable roads and that spectacular Irish ocean view.

Along the high cliffs we came upon the Céide Fields Visitor Centre, near

Ballycastle. Another significant area the Céide Fields are the oldest known

field systems in the world and change all of science’s paradigm about stone

age people.

They also have some of the prettiest cliffs we had seen in Ireland yet.

Heading further south we crossed along a road that went along the Nephin

Beg Mountains and through Ballycroy National Park, with smashing water

views on a road that ran along a wet grassland spaced by the occasional peat

bog that had bags of peat dug and cut and drying for use as fuel.

The views were too

good to just speed by, so

we found a small restau-

rant and stopped for a bit

and a got a cup of coffee

and a chair on a deck and

sat back and soaked it all

in, reaching for our inner

leprechaun.

Our destination that

night was the busy port

town of Westport, along

the Clew Bay. And, al-

though I don’t mind the

occasional busy town, I

was glad we were staying

at a comfortable B & B

just outside Westport

with a thatched roofed

pub across from the bay

a short walk away.

The lobster, mussels and

clams tasted strongly of the

sea from which they had

been plucked earlier that day

and we found it hard to order

lamb or beef when there was

so much salt in the Irish air.

We had a steady dose of friendly

weather so far in Ireland, as rain is a

common, but usually a fairly swift event

as westerly winds from the North At-

lantic push the weather fronts through

quickly.

Today our Irish luck ran out and when

the local postman stops his truck to sim-

ply tell me that we might reconsider get-

ting on the motorcycle today you might

want to listen.

Rain is one thing in this country, but

an ocean storm coming hard into Ireland

is another beast entirely.

Still, undaunted by the dire warnings

from the locals we suited up tightly and

took off in search of something one

might not expect in Ireland – a fiord.

We approached Killary Harbor from the seaside and immediately the winds

and rain picked up, pelting us with heavy, sharp drops. The wind caused the

rain to move sideways and visibility got tougher by the mile.

Still, the scenery seemed happy and beautiful in its natural moist environ-

ment and we continued on down along the bottom of the fiord’s valley.

Killary Harbor is Ireland’s only true fjord and extends 10 miles from the

Atlantic to its head at Aasleagh Falls. Here we found the border between Gal-

way and Mayo and it boasted some of the most spectacular scenery in the

west of Ireland and we had already seen so much.

Killary Harbor and the fiord is fairly deep, over 150 feet at its center. This

offers a very safe, sheltered an-

chorage, because of the depth

and the mountains to the

south and north. It is a

center for shellfish farm-

ing, and strings of ropes

used to grow mussels are

visible for much of its

length. Mussels and

clams grown in Killary

Harbour can be found in

local markets and on

menus for miles around.

Page 56 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been,the foresight to know where you’re going,and the insight to know when you’re going too far.

-Old Irish Saying

We knew this first hand as we had our fill the night before.

By the time we reached the top of the fiord, at Aasleagh Falls, the winds

had picked up from simply annoying to dangerous.

Sheep were scattering across the fields and cliffs and

the sky became as dark as they get.

Rounding another turn the water cascading off the

cliffs covered the roadway. Instead of just a splash I ran

into a crater on the road jolting my teeth loose and al-

most pulling the bars from my hands, putting a good-

sized dent in the GS’s front rim.

That one would cost me, but better that than another

foreign ambulance ride.

Through the pelting we saw the brake lights of the car

ahead of us come on as the driver made a quick run to

the far side of the road, avoiding a tree crashed down

across the road just in front of him.

We followed his move and made our way around the

fallen tree and decided that maybe today discretion was

indeed the better part of valor and we called it an early

riding day and set our course back towards Westport.

With a good part of the day still ahead of us we did

some Backroads’ housekeeping and then took a cab ride

into Westport proper. Here we found a great seaside

town with a good deal of shops, galleries and just one

or two pubs and pints. Sitting at the bar we watched the

rain come down in torrents and heard one fellow com-

ment he was waiting for Noah to float on by.

Another woman said it was the worse storm in years.

Being that we got caught in the middle of it that

morning, I was all ears.

Shira and I have been caught I some wild weather sit-

uations over the years, but today was pretty bad and not

to get all Fred Rau about the situation, but indeed this was more than just

any storm. The woman at the bar showed me the day’s newspaper that said

the very thing.

The “weatherguy on the

telly” was saying that the mon-

ster off the coast was showing

the lowest barometric pressure

in Ireland in the last 26 years

and all the news and papers

could talk about was this great

Irish tempest.

Great. They say timing is

everything.

By early evening the sun

was back out, with another per-

fect rainbow in tow, although

the hard winds refused to fade

away. Still, we had high hopes for far better riding weather the next day. We’d

see as our route continued ever southward along the Irish Atlantic coast.

Westport to DoolinThe day rose the next morning bringing with it the sun and clearer weather.

Sort of, but with the sun doing its best we had …yes, another rainbow over

Clew Bay.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 57

Because of the storm the previous day we had missed out on a loop of the famed

Connemara National Park so we double back on some of the ride we did the previous

day, looping around the fiord, which was a bit brighter this day, and then down to Clif-

den.

We stopped at the Connemara Visitor Center and learned a bit about the area and

the history of the Irish Peat Bog. For thousands of years they have been farmed, drying

the peat and burning it for duel. In ancient times the bogs were incredibly dangerous

to travel through and locals made wooden roads called Tougher Roads – maybe the

very first highways of the world. These days, the supply of these ancient bogs is dwin-

dling and the Connemara Park bogs are now protected by the Irish government.

Our loop brought us out of the park proper and along some tiny roads that Shira had

laid out with the GPS. As usual she did a super job and some of the tiny roads we tra-

versed brought us to parts of the peninsula that most tourist and travelers rarely see.

Heading back east we crossed by the range known as the Twelve Pins, which were

as striking as they come, especially now that the day had cleared and it was perfect Irish riding weather…

cool in the 60’s and sunny.

I grew up in New York City and every Saint Patrick’s

Day WPIX, channel 11, would show The Quiet Man on

the 8 O’clock Movie. For those of you who have never

seen this marvelous John Ford film it is about an Amer-

ican boxer – Sean Thornton, played by John Wayne,

who returns to Ireland after killing a man in the ring and

swearing he will never fight again. Once there he meets

and falls for Mary Kate Danaher, played by Maureen

O’Hara. Thornton eventually gets the girl but not before

making a serious enemy of her brother Red Will Dana-

her, portrayed by actor and fellow motorcycle enthusiast

Victor McLaglen. Not to give it all away but the don-

nybrook at the end is a classic, as is the entire film.

The Quiet Man was filmed in and around this region

and the main scenes were filmed in the tiny village of

Cong. We had been here a decade ago, but it deserved

a return trip for the beef stew and soups across from

Cohan’s Bar and the stone Duffy Celtic Cross. Those of

you who have seen the movie know what I speak of.

After lunch we made our way around the city of Gal-

way and then headed for something very different from

what we had experienced so far in Ireland – Burren Na-

tional Park. This massive region is composed entirely

of limestone karst and dates back some 10,000 years.

The road that wound up through the park was far dif-

SATURDAYJUNE 15

raindate: Saturday, June 22

JOIN US ON THE ONE AND ONLY BACKROADS 250+A motorcycle road tour exploring the best and sometimes hidden

backroads of New Jersey. This entire event will be run within the

state boundaries of Jersey with plenty of sights, stops and points

of interest along the way.

Start: Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ • Sign-in starts @ 8:30am

End: Sprinkle Shack, 640 Rte 15, Sparta, NJ

$10 charitydonation

SPRING BREAK 2013 • MAY 16-19

COOPERSTOWNNEW YORK

ALL ROADS LEAD TO…

A very special rally indeed as the rides and routes will be the very best

of Backroads itself. We’ll have a We’re Outta Here, Mysterious America,

Big City Getaway and Great All-American Diner Run all in one rally. Our Host Hotel

will be the Lake Front Hotel on Lake Otsego, walking distance from downtown

Cooperstown. As we always say, rooms are limited, which they are,

and the cutoff date for reservations is

JANUARY 15, 2013,so make your reservations NOW and we’ll see you in May.

JANUARY 15, 2013

LAKE FRONT HOTEL10 Fair Street, Cooperstown, NY

607-547-9511www.lakefrontmotelandrestaurant.comRooms for 3 nights including tax:

1 Queen: $327.04 • 1 King: $341.60

2 Doubles: $384.16 • 2 Queens: $430.08

MUST ASK FOR BACKROADS GROUP

FOR DISCOUNT RATE

The Lake Front Hotelis sold out. Please callfor hotel references or

to put your name onthe waiting list.

Area lodgingHigh Point Country Inn, 1328 SR 23 North, Wantage, NJ• 973-702-1860 • www.highpointcoutryinn.com

Holiday Inn Express Newton, 6 North Park Dr, Newton, NJ• 973-940-8888 • hiexpress.comEconolodge Newton, 448 SR 206 South, Newton, NJ• 973-383-3922 • www.econolodge.com

Holiday Motel Andover, 708 SR 206 South, Andover, NJ• 973-786-5260 • www.magnusonhotels.comAlpinehaus B&B, 217 McAfee Vernon Road, Vernon, NJ• 973-209-7080 • www.alpinehausbb.com

Glenwood Mill Bed & Breakfast, 1860 CR 565, Glenwood, NJ• 973-764-8660 • www.glenwoodmill.com

Page 58 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

So the I.R.A.’s in this too, huh? If it were, Red Will Danaher, not a scorchedstone ‘o your fine house’d be standin’.A beautiful sentiment!

-The Quiet Man – 1951

ferent than the rest of our

trip and was more moon-

like than anything resem-

bling the Emerald Isle.

These limestone pave-

ments with criss-crossing

cracks known as “grikes”,

leaving isolated rocks

called “clints”. We spent

some time high above

Galway Bay on this lunar

landscape and then headed

back down towards the

sea and one of the high

points of our Irish journey - the Cliffs of Moher.

The cliffs take their name from an old fort called Moher that once stood on Hag’s Head, the southern-

most point of the cliffs and at nearly 700 feet their arresting beauty bring in over one million visitors

each year.

The cliffs stretch for a full 8 kilometers.

We hiked up to O’Brien’s Tower, built in 1835 by a local landlord named Cornelius O’Brien, to take

in the views and then spent some time at the excellent visitor’s center.

From Moher it was a short ride to the tiny hamlet of Doolin and our guest house for the night.

Wouldn’t you know it but not five minutes after we parked the bikes the skies opened up reminding

us, once again, of the fickle nature of the Irish weather.

As with most of these guest houses, a great local pub

was nearby and we strolled through the sunset and the

light rain drops for dinner.

Doolin to KillarneyBrilliant sunshine greeted us this morning and stuck

around for the entire ride this day.

I have always thought that all successful motorcycle

journeys always needs a bit of a water crossing in-

volved. Ferries usually work well and they would this

day as well.

To go around the long way to cross the Shan-

non River would take nearly

100 miles, but the 20

minute ferry at

Killmer cut that time and mileage right out. We even

got a chance to see a pod of dolphins following in the

ferry’s wake. We had planned a lengthy route along the

Dingle Peninsular; so in the town of Tralee we headed

west along the northern part of this large spit of land.

If Backroads had a patron Saint it would be Saint

Brendan the Navigator.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 59

As a young man Brendan was known for his acute sailing skills and legend

has it that he was the very first European to sail to North America. In fact

Christopher Columbus, on the eve of his famous voyage to the West Indies

said, “ I go seek the promised land of Saint Brendan.”

Or, so another legend says.

Regardless In 1976, Tim Severin, a modern day explorer, built a leather-

hulled boat based on the vessel described in the manuscript, and on the Cur-

rach still used on Ireland’s West Coast. He and his crew then made the voyage

with stops on the Aran Islands in Galway, in Co. Donegal, the Hebrides and

in the Faroes, over-wintering in Iceland, before sailing onward to North

America and proving it was possible for St. Brendan to have made the voyage

to Canada in such a craft. Brendan is also known for spreading the Christian

faith through Ireland and along our day’s journey we stopped at Ardfert

Cathedral, which was founded by Saint Brendan back in the 6th century.

The cathedral is now a combination of architecture, faiths and styles and

lies mostly in ruin, but was well worth the stop.

One thing that I had noticed in this land is the great respect folks have for

their elders and I had seen many people, around my age, walking with far

older relatives; mothers, fathers or grandparents.

When we approached the motorcycles leaving the cathedral a woman about

60 was walking with a woman well into her 90’s. The older woman smiled

at me and asked me if I “would be wanting a passenger?”

She might have had the weight of years on her but her smile and her eyes

showed a powerful love of life.

I told her, “Mother, you are so welcome to ride with me!”

She laughed and told me I was a sweet man and she hoped that God would

bless me and Shira on our ride. It’s funny, when an Irish woman says some-

thing like this, with that lovely Irish lilt in their voice, you can almost believe

God is actually listening.

I got on the BMW falling in love with this land.

The north and south in Dingle are far different from each other and are cut

down the middle by high sandstone cliffs, the Slieve Mish Mountains. One

could ride around the land; but why would you when the Connor Pass cuts

up and through those very same peaks? The Connor Pass was everything we

had hoped for; tight, twisty and offering stupendous views of the land in all

directions. For those who love a sporting ride the Connor Pass is for you.

The far side of the pass led down to the town of Dingle. We made our way

through the bustling tourist town and picked up the road that looped around

the very western edge of the peninsula – the Slea Head Drive.

Up until now we had been mightily impressed by Ireland’s rugged coast-

line, but this loop took our breath away. High jagged and rocky cliffs dove

down into a crashing sea. The high peaks were lined with large stonewalls

Page 60 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

that must have taken generations to build.

Along the southern end ancient stone bee

hive cottages still stood where they have

been for centuries. In the distance it seems

that the Irish coast and the many islands that

lay on her shore went on forever.

We found a small restaurant along the way

and had lunch and then continued on around

the tip of land’s end, enjoying the occasional

sheep herd, stopping now and again for that

digital moment and riding through the occa-

sional waterfall; as they simply let the water

pour over a section of cobblestone and down

the rest of the cliff.

By late afternoon we were speeding to-

wards Killarney, and the very fine Crystal

Springs Inn, which would be our home base

for two nights.

That night we were met by our friend John

Connolly. We had met John and his club,

Celtic M.C.C., years back and have stayed

friends since. John brought us out on a Fri-

day night in Killarney, showing us the town

and a good number of pubs. It seemed that

in every Irish port o’call for us there were a

number of great local bands playing every-

thing from traditional Irish to traditional

rock. Music rules in Ireland.

A great night it was!

But, alas this Irish sojourn was starting to

wind to an end, but we still had many miles

to go on the Emerald Isle before we were

through.

How can one have a free day in Killarney,

a motorcycle and blue skies and not go to

ride the Ring of Kerry?

One cannot.

After a breakfast of the best oatmeal por-

ridge we have ever had (Eileen the owner

told me the secret, but, well, you know I

can’t tell you), we got going towards the

Ring of Kerry and the wide mountain range

called MacGillycuddy’s Reeks.

The Ring does a loop of the Iveragh

Peninsula and we had heard that the tour

buses do this loop in a counter clockwise

way. So we, not wanting to spend the day passing these hated behemoths,

went clockwise heading down the coast roads, and to the south of the moun-

tains, with the most spectacular views of the mighty range to the right and

the ocean to the left.

If at all possible one

lookout stood out from

the other vistas. Ladies

View, so named after

Queen Victoria’s Ladies

in Waiting, who ex-

pressed their pleasure at

this sight during a visit

back in 1861.

Riding south along

the peninsula’s shore we

stopped for coffee

across from the beach at Castle Cove and watched the waves and the

rocks for a time before carrying on through this spectacular land.

Rounding the westernmost point the sandstone cliff, that poured into

the sea, were cast in a shade of deep purple and atop one hill I spied a

stone pillar megalith, a testament to this part of Ireland’s ancient history.

Rounding the northern part of the Ring of Kerry we took a short cut

along some tiny one-lane roads that wound through farm and horse pas-

tures.

We were making our way back towards MacGillycuddy’s Reeks and

the brilliant Gap of Dunloe.

The Gap of Dunloe, hewn two million years ago by giant, slow mov-

ing ice is probably the finest example of a glaciated valley in Western

Europe.

We found it to be a stunning and very technical ride.

The roadway is only ¾ a lane wide and it is a two-way road.How sweet must Paradise not be,that knows not earthly cares nor ills, when it can bring more happinessthan gazing at Kerry Hill.

-M. V. Reidy 1901

The valleys and the peaksBrought back the time she broke my heartIn Macgillycuddy’s Reeks. -Warren Zevon

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 61

The real problem for motorcyclists is that

the first part of the pass is full of hikers, bicy-

clists and pony and trap (horse drawn cart)

that people hire to experience the reeks and

the gap the way they were crossed back in the

day.

Most of the hikers are brain dead from the

arduous walk and will march right into you,

the pony drivers feel they own the entire gap

and the bicyclists are just plain oblivious to

the slowly approaching motorcycles.

With just so much room to deal with we

pulled over often to allow the ponies to trot

by, while being given the evil eye from the

drivers and cars and vans coming the other

way. You had to be very alert of what was

happening around you during this ride

through the gap.

Still, the tough ride was worth it as the Dunloe Gap through MacGilly-

cuddy’s Reeks was truly one of the most magnificent and outstanding places

we have ever ridden through in our travels and the Gap of Dunloe is worth

heading to Ireland all by itself.

This pass opens up to the region called Moll’s Gap which wound in a ¾

lane fashion around some more peaks and eventually dropped us back at the

main road and the short ride back to Killarney for our last night on the road.

Killarney to DublinI am sure some Irish poet has said it better; but all good

things do end.

Our ride today would be our final one in this land, as we

would need to cut across the island nation from the southwest

to the northeast to Dublin.

We could have simply taken an M-road, but we had all day

and the day looked good so why not make the best of this last

jaunt in this land of cliffs, valleys, rainbows and music?

We followed the rising sun east and rode through the town

of Blarney. Here you will find the Blarney Castle and the fa-

mous Blarney Stone.

Legend has it that if one kisses the Blarney Stone, which you

will literally half to bend over backwards to do, you will re-

ceive the “Gift of Gab”, which is the knack for eloquence in

flattery or persuasion.

I thought I had enough of that already and any more would be a touch of

overkill, so I passed and my close friends celebrated.

The final route brought us along the east coast and through some of the

larger port cities and towns such as Waterford, home to some of the most

beautiful crystal on the planet.

Once near the eastern coast we dropped off the N-roads and headed to-

wards Dublin on the smaller and more enjoyable R-roads.

It was a Sunday and like everywhere else in the civilized world motorcy-

clists were out enjoying a ride. They didn’t call the film

“On Any Sunday” for nothing.

On the tiny R-roads that sped us towards Wicklow

National Park we ran by dozens of local riders out en-

joying the day.

Both Shira and I thought the same thing; we must

have picked the right roads for this day, ‘cause if the lo-

cals are riding them then we wanted to as well!

Just before heading down from the mountains into the

busy city we had one last gift to give ourselves and we

rode across the Sally Pass for one final mountainous

jaunt up and over some exceptional Irish cliffs and val-

leys before we were done.

The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous

upland area in Ireland. There are dramatic remains from

Ireland’s early history to be found in the Park. Tombs,

cairns, standing stones, rock art, and bullaun stones

have all been found. More recently, charcoal platforms,

millstones, and ironworks have left their mark. The pure

water that comes from this magical place is the very

same and only water used in making Guinness Stout.

All too soon we found ourselves in Dublin traffic and

winding our way back to Celtic Rider’s garage to return

the machines.

Our ramble through the Emerald Isle had, sadly, come

to an end.

We had only been on the road for a week but had seen

so much. Mighty sea cliffs and limestone moonscapes.

Castles, both noble and in ruins. We met wonderful peo-

ple and tasted superb food and had more than a few

pints while listening to heavenly traditional music and

voices that always seemed to go with the pints.

We had ridden to the far reaches of this land and

found that Ireland, although it has its share of fine mod-

ern cities and fair old villages, also has a vast and wild

side that seems untouched by modern man. The rocky

cliffs and majestic mountains filled in by so many ver-

dant valleys, streams and rivers seem unchanged since

before the Normans came here.

This island nation, which is so close to us, just a few

hours flight from the United States, is a grand place to

visit and what better way than by motorized two-

wheels. This had been our second time to this stunning

land and I dare say, sometime soon, there will be a third.

Ireland is calling…Céad míle fáilte!

138 Orange Ave (Rt. 202)Suffern, NY 10901845-357-1190

www.locomotionpowersports.com

Page 62 JANUARY 2013 • BACKROADS

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2013 Page 63

Celtic RiderThe Easy Way to Ride Ireland

A short ride from the city of Dublin, and just asclose to the airport, you will find the headquar-ters of Celtic Rider.Located in a quiet industrial complex, the largegarage holds a bounty of modern, and well-main-tained motorcycles.For years Paul Rawlins and Celtic Rider has beenproviding motorcycles for motorcyclists and trav-elers from around the globe.Celtic Rider can provide everything from cruisersto sport machines and a number of adventure-touring machines as well. Their self-guided toursare well thought out and offer a few free days toexplore even more.All bikes are fitted with Garmin GPS to get youto your accommodation without the hassle ofgetting lost. Also, the Garmins can easily be setto avoid main roads and highways; this guaran-tees to keep you on the wonderful Irish back-roads. The choice is up to you.Paul offers tours from 3 to 13 days and customtours are always easily handled. If you’d ratherjust rent a bike and take off and explore on yourown, that’s fine too.If you are concerned about riding on the left sideof the road Celtic Rider has a rider course thatgets you comfortable and up to speed in no time.Paul and Celtic Rider is the only motorcycle rentalcompany in Ireland and Paul knows his land well;the great roads, the sites of interest and its deepand wonderful history.Personally I can’t speak highly enough of Paulwho was key in getting our tour together and offthe ground. And, when we had any bit of prob-lem or concern he handled it quickly and easily.If you have ever thought about riding the EmeraldIsle don’t hesitate. Drop Paul an email or phonecall and plan that Irish tour that you will remem-ber the rest of your life. I promise you will not bedisappointed.Check out their website at www.CelticRider.ie

http://www.motorcycleshows.com