What about Social Media?

Posted on November 17, 2015 by MotoADVR

MotoADVR_deskI wanted to thank everyone for their responses and support of the blog from the survey posted last week. It’s been really awesome reading the feedback from everyone that participated, I really appreciate the comments and input! If you’ve not taken the survey, please do, and also know that your responses are anonymous. Based on some of the survey feedback, I figured it made sense to introduce you to the other Moto Adventurer on the social media platforms.

MotoADVR_FacebookNot long after starting the Blog I realized that it might be wise to have other social media accounts that offer other outlets for Moto Adventurer. Some of you may already follow the Facebook page; there was a time that Facebook was a fantastic outlet for blogs and businesses, but Facebook now uses some sort of cryptographic algorithm that makes it extremely difficult to attract “organic” traffic to your page without paying for advertising. That aside, I still try to post what I can on the Facebook page if it seems pithy, but for the most part, it’s the blog auto-updating the most recent post. In a perfect world, where I am writing on the blog as a full-time job, I would run all of the social media platforms more effectively, but in the meantime it takes a lot of effort to stay employed, write, meanwhile update Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. That being said, if you prefer updates from Facebook instead of E-mail, head over to MotoADVR on Facebook and follow the page.

 

MotoADVR_Pinterest1I’ve actually had a Pinterest account for some time now. People are like “You have a Pinterest account?!”; I know, it’s all cooking recipes and feminine products right? Wrong, my Pinterest account is a cache of motorcycle photos, media, and general moto-know-how that I’ve collected over the past couple years. Pinterest recently added a “business account” feature, so I switched the account over to “Moto Adventurer” instead of having just a MotoADVR board. For folks that are not on Pinterest, you may find some value in surfing around the MotoADVR boards. I try to cover a lot of topics on the blog, but I struggle to get more than one post out each week; meanwhile I consume a hefty amount of motorcycle related news (especially “Triumph Press”), ponder about new Moto Bucket List destinations, shop for new gear, and search for new places to eat. Please keep in mind this isn’t just a collage of photos; many of these “pins” link to website where you can read “how-to” instructions, watch videos, or read about improving riding skills and whatnot. If you’re hanging around the blog and looking for more material, head over to MotoADVR on Pinterest and check out what else I’m into.

 

MotoADVR_InstagramThe most recent endeavor has actually been Instagram. Admittedly, I initially thought Pinterest was for “collecting all the pictures”, but then I realized it’s intended purpose was to save, “Pin”, articles and webpages for later. Instagram on the other hand is pretty much just that, a stream of photos related to things you like. The #Hashtag# nonsense on Facebook seems a bit silly, but hash tagging to hyperlink common interests on Instagram is a cool feature to meet other people interested in your passions. If you’re not currently on Instagram, the first hurdle is installing the app on your phone; unlike Facebook and Pinterest, Instagram is almost purely mobile based (and extremely unregulated). At first it may seem like an endless stream of photos, but like a message board, you can quickly find people that have your same bike, or are complaining about the same #motorcyclemaintenance challenges. Considering the miles I’ve been putting on the Speedmaster (still runs like a top), I’ve been doing my homework on the new Tiger, considering “rock solid” longevity is a critical requirement for a new bike. As it turns out I came across a serious adventure rider on Instagram that has the new XCx I want. I asked him how many miles he had on it, after 30,000 miles on a 2015 XCx he says he’s had no issues; just one of many interesting exchanges that happened on Instagram.

 

MotoADVR_YouTubeMotoADVR on YouTube was a must after my wife bought the GoPro for my birthday. While I have a reasonable amount of storage on Word Press (my Blog Domain), YouTube is a much better depository for videos considering the ease of sharing. Similar to Facebook, I can only update YouTube when I’ve cut new video content, so building a unique YouTube audience is somewhat of a challenge. However, like Facebook, at some point I’m hoping to have the resources to provide additional (and unique) content to YouTube as well (maybe “VLogging”?). So, if you’re looking to get the first looks at the latest videos, Subscribe to the MotoADVR YouTube channel and you’ll get a sneak peek at the next blog posts coming up.

 

Are you currently following MotoADVR any of these platforms? If so, what do you like best? Are there other platforms you think I should add?

 

Posted in Opinion | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

What’s in your Dream Garage?

Posted on November 11, 2015 by MotoADVR

RossiIt goes without saying, I would first need a garage, let alone a dream garage. That being said, most motorcyclists have some bike they’d “love to have” but don’t because… (insert reason here). If money were no object, what would I park in my “Dream Garage”? For the sake of argument, let me frame this discussion under the premise: “let’s say you can only have 3 motorcycles, what would they be?”

The 1st Order of Business

MotoADVR_Tiger800XCxI think the first choice is pretty simple, the “daily rider”. Considering many of you are riders yourselves, it goes without saying that each of you have a bike in mind based on your particular riding style and frequency; you may even already own this bike. At the moment I’m surpassing my own annual mileage goals, I also want to ride even when the pavement ends, and I recognize that I’ve chosen not to ride on various days because of the weather (because washing the bike sucks, and dirty chrome looks awful…). 2015 Tiger 800 XCxWith that in mind, for me, my first choice would undoubtedly be a utilitarian bike, capable of handling anything I throw at it, and aesthetics be damned. Considering the growing “Adventure bike” sector, there are a lot of models to choose from; based on recent experience, I feel safe in saying that I see the new Triumph Tiger 800 XCx as the right tool for the job. I concede that something like a KLR 650 might be a better choice for various reasons (lighter, more flexible between street and dirt), but a another major consideration for me is not only miles, weather, and off-road capability, but that I often ride two-up, and do a significant amount of touring, and sadly, that sometimes involves a significant amount of time on the freeway. I agree that virtually any bike can be set up to be a touring bike, but in the end, it still comes down to personal taste.
motoadvr_scramblerhilltopOther contenders in this category:
BMW 800 GS
Yamaha FJ-09
Honda Africa Twin
Triumph Scrambler
KTM 1050 Adventure
Triumph Tiger 1050

Two Wheel Drive

MotoADVR_UralGearUpCamoWith a utilitarian “tool” like the Tiger, I believe my second choice would be a catch-all that could solidify my goal of realistically riding a motorcycle 365 days a year. There are places in the country, like southern California, that (virtually) never see snow; I unfortunately don’t live in such a place. Dayton is by no means somewhere like Cleveland or Buffalo, but we do receive a reasonable amount of snow each year. I also concede that there are guys (even gals), that are either crazier, or certainly more skilled, than I am and manage to ride two-wheels through the snow.20150110_104652
I salute those folks, but propose that a two-wheel-drive Ural is probably the most reasonable “motorcycle” that can accomplish my goal. That would make the Ural Gear Up the second “motorcycle” parked in the dream garage. Yet another utilitarian tool, the Ural would provide me with 3 points of contact in the snow, a truly bare-bones simple design, and enough storage space I can go grocery shopping without a car. I’m also a huge fan of the camouflage powder coating!

Other contenders in this category:
…. A Jeep Wrangler?

Three’s a crowd?

TriumphRally7With two practical bikes parked in the garage, it only seems reasonable to have at least one “Dream Bike” right? Moreover, with only one space left, choosing one motorcycle against the sea of sport, sport touring, vintage, and cafe racers is truly a tall order. Similar to bike number 1, it’s obvious I’m in the tank for Triumph. That in mind, the Speed Triple and the Daytona 675 immediately come to mind. With “do anything” tools already parked in the garage, I think I would want a something more synonymous with speed to carve up the canyons. Both the Daytona, and the Speed Triple have reputations that speak for themselves, it’s mostly an argument of preferred seating position, faired vs. naked, and “lighter is faster” vs. “no replacement for displacement”.

ChuckCarsonTrophyI also have to consider my wife’s taste in this category, the Tiger would certainly do two-up, but would she be more comfortable on a sport touring bike like the Trophy, FJR, or BMW 1200 RT? All of which have very reasonable prowess when the road gets twisty, but are adorned with plush pillion seating and the creature comforts the two of us. I might even take that argument one step further and suggest a cruiser, more clearly labeled in the “touring” category, like the Gold Wing or the Road Glide. I’ve heard multiple stories from friends whose wives have actually fallen asleep in the lavish passenger throne of a touring “bagger”; I’m not sure how to better define motorcycle comfort than that (although my wife has fallen asleep on the Speedmaster…).

MotoADVR_48panheadSince the Genie is only granting me three wishes, it also makes since to consider some vintage or “classic” bikes that I might want to occupy this space. I would imagine for some, a 1948 Harley Davidson Panhead would be the vintage bike of choice; although I think I’d rather have a 1942 Indian 741 (mil-spec!), or a 1938 Triumph Speed Twin. While having a vintage bike seems like a cool idea, I admit that I enjoy riding a lot more than I like wrenching or “admiring”; so perhaps a more modern “classic” makes more sense? Truth be told, when I started lusting after motorcycles, the Triumph Bonneville is what caught my eye first; it was “classic” with the modern amenities of EFI and lord knows the advancement in modern tires. Cruisers are obviously the American standard (love it or hate it…), so the blacked out bike with subtle chrome and sexy lines, the Speedmaster seduced both the wife and I. MotoADVR_TriumphScrambler900That being said, the fondness for the British icon hasn’t faded, and has only be exacerbated but recent media coverage like David Beckham’s South American adventure and Jurassic World. One of the best parts of owning a Bonneville is that it can become a Thruxton or a Scrambler with just a few bolt on parts. The modern Bonneville line would still offer me the opportunity to tear into the twisties (two-up), while at the same time marvel at classic lines and maybe even shiny paint… well maybe I won’t go that far.

MotoADVR_ThruxtonRYet the Bonneville isn’t the only “classic” bike that I feel partial to, the allure of an Italian sports bike also strikes my fancy. I imagine some would immediately drop the new Ducati Panigale into this spot, but what I’m actually talking about is the Ducati Sport series; i.e. the Ducati Sport Classic 1000 from Tron Legacy. I attribute Tron to lighting the fire of this motorcycle obsession, it seems only fitting to have an Italian L-twin, outfitted in classic clothes, in the third slot. Well, that was until I saw the news about the new 2016 Triumph Bonneville line. For folks unfamiliar, Triumph has revamped their Bonneville line with an all new liquid cooled 900 and 1200 cc engine (I assume sleeved like Harley’s Evolution engine; I also assume water cooled to pass 2017 European emissions standards). These early reports and photos are still just a hint of what’s to come (I’ve not seen official specs yet), but there’s no denying that the new 1200 cc Thruxton R is a wink at Ducati, emulating lines from the Sport Classic 1000. With Brembo Brakes, Ohlins suspension, throttle by wire, EFI, and liquid cooled 1200 cc engine, the new Thruxton R could feasibly be the marriage of sport yet “classic” bike that would still carve canyons and get me home in time for “tea”.

MotoADVR_StreetTwinBlackIn the end, I think the choice would come down to the Speed Triple, the Scrambler (865), and the new Thruxton R 1200. It would be a very difficult choice, but knowing the history of the Bonneville line, I would expect that there would be interchangeable scrambler parts for the new Thruxton R, making it the logical choice. With the performance enhancements to the new Bonneville line, the Thruxton R would (theoretically…) have the energetic prowess to keep up sport bikes, but maintain the vintage look, while offering the flexibility with an abundance of bolt-on accessories that have been prominent with Triumph’s Bonnevilles.

Other contenders in this category:
MotoADVR_ScoutTankRedBMW R NineT
BMW R1200RT
BMW S 1000 XR
Ducati MultiStrada
Ducati Scrambler
Ducati Sport GT1000
Harley Davidson Road Glide
Indian Chief Vintage (2015)
Indian Scout (2015)
Triumph Bonneville (865)
Triumph Rocket III
Triumph Scrambler
Triumph Speed Triple
Triumph Thunderbird LT
Triumph Tiger 1050
Triumph Tiger Explorer
Triumph Trophy 1200
Yamaha FJR
Yamaha YZF-R1

I imagine as time passes, what I would park in my dream garage will change. Moreover, it’s probably easier to pin down specific bikes if that dream garage could be expanded to 5 bikes. With 5 spaces, you could feasibly have a sport bike, a dirt bike, a daily rider, a vintage bike, and another wild card (like a Ural?).

So what’s in your “Dream Garage”?

See more on Pinterest: What’s in your Dream Garage?

Posted in Bikes, Opinion | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 7 – The Long Ride Home

Posted on November 9, 2015 by MotoADVR

TabcatBridgeAt dinner Saturday night I was enjoying steak along with  good company, while at the same time deciding if I wanted to take the long way home, or just burn it up the freeway with the boys. Figuring that it might be a bit sketchy to ride home solo through “parts unknown” Kentucky, I decided it best to join a small crew of the Dayton RATs headed north in the morning. I debated with my buddy Steve about the possibility of taking the Cherohala into Tennessee and picking up I-75 that way, but by morning’s light I was glad we decided otherwise considering the much cooler temperatures. Stopping for gas in Robbinsville, I flipped on the heated grips for the first time since early spring; fall 2015 was certainly upon us.

At the Shell station in Robbinsville, it was obvious that the cycle of tourism never stops at Deal’s Gap; Triumph rider’s headed home from their rally as new groups began arriving. Pulling up to the pump I snapped a quick photo of a Ferrari gassing up, we past at least one more on a way into Tennessee.

Despite not trekking back across the Cherohala, riding toward the freeway did offer one last run across the Dragon. From Robbinsville we took the lower portion is US-129, past “Fugitive Dam” (I’ll be back next year…), and past Deal’s Gap Motorcycle Resort headed towards Maryville, TN. Surprisingly, for 10 AM on a Sunday morning, there was significant traffic up and down the Dragon. Loaded down with (almost) all of my gear headed home, I was taking it easy, certainly there were quite a few sport bikes having at it, despite the early morning and low temperatures.

Considering that Sunday was my only “weekend ride” across the Dragon of 2015 (for good reason), this seems like a good time to remind folks that there will ALWAYS be someone faster on the Dragon. In general, I’m of the mindset give respect and get respect. Headed back across the Dragon, at a “cruiser pace”, I made an effort to watch my mirrors for approaching faster traffic. If a pull-off was available, I made use of it; if not, when the path was clear, I moved over to the right and waved the sport bikes by. Inversely, it would behoove other motorcyclists to offer some respect, mind their own lane, and give folks a chance to get out of the way; cars ought to follow similar advice… just my two cents.

Once across the dragon, it was the grind up US-129 through Maryville, then the boring freeway ride to get across the Ohio River. Around 1,650 miles later, my “Big motorcycle vacation” was over; and I was already looking to book my stay for 2016.

Back to the Dragon Raid 2015

Posted in Events & Rides | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

What brings you to Moto Adventurer?

Posted on November 5, 2015 by MotoADVR

KitchenTableWe’re entering the 11th month of this blogging experience and I thought it was only fair to you, the readers, to get your opinion on how things are going. I’m currently sitting on more content than I can keep up with, but after the snow begins falling I don’t imagine that will last long. Ultimately I started this blog to keep my sanity in the winter, but it’s proved to be a very rewarding experience sharing adventures with so many like-minded readers; thus my mission has become more about entertaining you than it has been about “keeping busy” during the winter months (and I like that better anyway).

At any rate, I’ve placed a survey below for your input on what you’ve seen here at Moto Adventurer, your feedback is greatly appreciated!

If the Poll doesn’t display properly, please click here

Posted in Reviews | Tagged | 1 Comment

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 6 – Bridal Veil Falls and the Saturday Night Party

Posted on November 4, 2015 by MotoADVR

NC28_2By day six, I estimate that most folks, having been at the lodge since Sunday night, had probably hit the majority of their favorite destinations. Having already checked two items off my moto bucket list, and having nabbed low angle video of the Dragon, I myself, was good for just about anything by Saturday. After breakfast, my buddies Thom and Tom snagged me for a “cruiser pace” ride to… “somewhere”. If I recall Tom’s initial statement, I think he said he “had a few ideas” of where to go, if nothing else, I knew it would be entertaining.

NC-28_6Sun shining, we departed from the lodge headed down North Carolina 28 toward Franklin, similar to Thursday’s ride. That suited me just fine, considering that the road conditions on 28 were pretty sketchy Thursday, I hoped to do a better job keeping up on dry pavement. Passing through Franklin, we stayed on NC-28/US-64 headed toward Highlands, NC. I can’t say it enough, 28 is truly an underrated road down this way, the sharp curves cut into the mountain side, combined with the views along the Cullasaja River were truly stunning. BridalVeilFallsJust short of Highlands we stopped at Bridal Veil Falls for a break and a few photos. I’ve seen photos of Bridal Veil Falls from past Dragon Raids on Facebook and whatnot, but seeing it in person is worth the stop. While I don’t think Bridal Veil is quite as scenic as Looking Glass Falls, it is another convenient waterfall destination is you’re looking for destinations on several of the “waterfall loops” down this way.

 


CarolinaSmokehouseFrom Bridal Veil Falls we continued along US-64 into Cashiers for lunch at Carolina Smokehouse. Delicately putting the side-stand down in the gravel parking lot, looking over the restaurant’s rural exterior, I realized that I was on the verge of landing some delicious Carolina soul food. Reading the menu, I realized that the Carolina Smokehouse was featured on “Feasting on Asphalt” on the Food Network; another great example that you shouldn’t judge food potential by the looks of the building. At any rate, sitting on the deck, still in my riding jacket after the cold mountain air;
famished, I ordered the lunch portion of barbecue pork ribs. CarolinaSmokeHouseDeckWhen the food arrived, I was in such haste for lunch that I, again, forgot to take a photo of the food. Thinking back on it now, I’m rapidly realizing that when things go “unplanned” I’m typically so busy enjoying the moment that I forget to snap a few photos (I’ll work on that…). In any case, the pork ribs, slathered in Carolina “Hot” barbecue sauce, were falling off the bone; just how I like it. The ribs also came with a thick, well buttered, piece of Texas toast and a side of coleslaw. Despite my love of barbecue, I’m still not a big fan of coleslaw, but I admit, I did at least try it. Considering the quality of the ribs, the Carolina Smokehouse is another worthy barbecue spot; however if you’re looking to try it, I recommend you act fast, it looks like they’re moving. 

 

NC-28_8After some discussion around the table about other destinations, when asked, I offered my two cents about the conditions of Wayah Road; considering that the pavement would likely be dry, I too was interested in another run across that wiry mountain road. From Cashiers, we backtracked along US-64/NC-28 back into Franklin to pick up Wayah Road. For the most part, the pavement was pretty dry, but after traversing a few of the twisty curves, it was evident that the past day’s rain had washed considerable amounts of grass clippings and gravel into the roadway. Gravel is my mortal enemy on two wheels. For whatever reason, it really spooks me when the rear wheel skips sideways over a stone when riding on asphalt. That being said, I cut my pace pretty good after seeing a few shady patches of gravel, mid-apex, in a few of the turns. That aside, Wayah road still made for a good ride, and definitely solidified my need for mid-controls and an adventure bike (what better way to face your fear?).

 

TriumphRally1Coming back across US-74 and NC-28 to the lodge, we came in a little early for the big Dragon Raid Saturday night party. As folks start rolling in on Saturday, they park their bikes in front of the main lodge building so we can get a big group photo. As previously mentioned, Killboy.com is an event sponsor; for the past two years, along with their cameras, Killboy has brought out their drone to take video of the lodge along with the big group photos. After the sun goes down, folks enjoy a big steak dinner from the lodge “Chuck Wagon Grill” (included in Dragon Raid registration fee); after which, a truck load of door prizes and raffle items are given away. Once T-shirts, riding jackets, helmets, Bluetooth communicators, and gift certificates (and more…) are raffled off, MotoADVR_RaffleBikeit was time for the main event, selecting the winner of the Raffle bike, this year was a 2007 Triumph Bonneville. The attending RAT pack crew has been sufficiently generous in past years that the Raffle Bike tradition has been able to live on year after year. Riding North Carolina’s finest roads keeps me coming back, but the thought of taking home a new bike is undoubtedly icing on the cake. Sadly, I didn’t win a new bike, but one lucky guy from Michigan did.

In the end, all of the money raised from raffle sales goes back to funding the next year’s Dragon Raid; including the purchase of more raffle items, the free adult beverages served on Friday and Saturday night, and a new raffle bike. Once the winning ticket was announced, closing statements were made about safety and thanks to all the sponsors and attendees; afterword folks partied on for their last night at the Raid. Headed back up the hill to my bunk, the task at hand was packing all my stuff for the long ride home the next morning.

StecoahValleyDay 6:

~145 miles

1 Waterfall

0 Winning Raffle Bike Tickets

Back to the Dragon Raid 2015

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Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 5 – More Twisties, Oskar Blues Brewery, and back to the BRP

Posted on October 29, 2015 by MotoADVR

20150911_071846 (2)Despite the soupy morning air, the outlook for Friday was a lot better than the previous two days. My buddy Jon, who joined me for the trek down to the Iron Horse, put together a route down through Brevard to Oskar Blues Brewery; as a card carrying beer snob, I was obliged to tag along. As luck would have it, like virtually every other destination down this way, there was also an excess of twisties between the Iron Horse and our destination.

From the lodge we zipped across US-74 to Sylva to pick up North Carolina Route 107 (NC-107). If I hadn’t mentioned before, aside from high traffic hours (mostly on weekends) US-74 is actually a nice high-paced section of four-lane through the mountains; clipping along at 65 MPH, I’ve never leaned over that far on a four-lane highway before. That aside, I didn’t come to North Carolina to ride the four-lane, fortunately we picked up NC-107 in Brevard, and then onto a gnarly section of NC-281 toward Lake Toxaway. 281 was no joke, reminiscent of Wayah road, the tight downhill sections felt a lot faster considering the slightly better condition of the asphalt; chasing a handful of Triumph Triples and being pursued by a Multistrada, keeping up on a cruiser was somewhat of a chore.

20150911_121230 (2)After muscling Lola down 281, we took a short jaunt across US-64 into Brevard to find Oskar Blues Brewery. If you weren’t aware, microbreweries are becoming quite the rage nowadays, at least in Dayton. I really enjoy a good dark beer, unfortunately they are somewhat difficult to find among the macro-breweries, and as much as I love it, you can only have so much Guinness. Asking the bar tender what dark beers she had on tap, I was surprised to hear that they had a TenFidy stout 2015 and 2012 on tap. I’ve heard of vintage wines, but I’ve never had dated beers before (different recipe perhaps?). She offered me a taste of each, to my surprise there was an unmistakable difference between the two; per her comments, I agreed that the 2012 was actually the better of the two. 20150911_122414 (2)Oskar Blues, like other micro-breweries, doesn’t have a food license, however several of the local food outlets deliver to hungry beer drinkers. Over 400 miles from home, my buddies chose to have Jet’s Pizza delivered. While a chain, I still give Jet’s some serious props, it reminds me of what Pizza Hut used to be back in the day. I split the Hawaiian pizza with my buddy Andy; despite my self-proclaimed pizza connoisseur status, I’d actually never had Hawaiian pizza before that day. MotoADVR_OscarBluesMenuPizza with pineapple (and ham!) was actually pretty good, especially with Jet’s “turbo crust”. Anyway, enough with the pizza, back to the beer; don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone drinking and riding, but I did safely taste (yes, taste) a couple beers to see what I liked. Oskar Blues offers a pretty respectable spread, while it’s a bit IPA heavy for my taste, they actually had one that I liked. Surprisingly, the G’Knight Double Red IPA was pretty legit; tasting it against the Old Chub Scotch Ale, I found the Scotch Ale more in my palette range, but it was a surprisingly tough decision against the red IPA.

DCIM106GOPRO After a hearty lunch and tall glass of water, I was back on the road with my RAT buddies. From Oskar Blues we cut across US-64 over to US-276 past Looking Glass Falls where we rode Tuesday. Headed up 276 the other way was a nice change of pace;
considering the somewhat limited time and vast number of roads to choose from down this way,MotoADVR_BlueRidgeHiPoint it’s actually nice to ride a good set curves in both directions. From the twisties of 276, Jon led us back over to the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) from Wagon Road Gap to US-74 at Balsam Gap. Admittedly, I think I enjoyed the BRP a bit more on the sporty Tiger, with its taller seat for better views, but it was somewhat reassuring to ride on my own, much more familiar, bike. Either way, writing this now, I still feel like the BRP was the best road I rode all week.

Approaching the turn from NC-28 to the Iron Horse I stayed on the throttle as my buddies turned off to hang it up for the evening.DCIM107GOPRO
With the sun shining, it was time to get another run across the Dragon with dry pavement. 916063 (2)Unbeknownst to me, Friday around 6 PM is still a pretty busy time on US-129 as new arrivals are taking their first trips across the legendary road. As that became obvious, I stuck close to the white paint on the blind curves and otherwise kept my wits about myself to get in another run and avoid the unsuspecting riders crossing the double yellow headed the other way. (Photo from Killboy)

20150911_185340 (2)After a “down and back” across 129, I decided to stop and take some photos at the Fontana Dam on my way back to the lodge. Riding down this way last year I was aware of the local hydro-electric dam, but I had no idea that there were actually three in such close proximity. Next year I will probably try to stop and get photos at all three (Rumor is that “The Fugitive” was filmed at one of them). On another side note, I also didn’t realize that I parked my bike for a photo op right where the Appalachian Trail crosses the Dam. While not a motorcycle related item, the AT is another item on my Bucket List for this lifetime.

Day 5:

259 more miles

1 local micro-brewery

2 more trips across US-129

Back to the Dragon Raid 2015

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What Happened to the Triumph Motorcycles Demo Truck?

Posted on October 24, 2015 by MotoADVR

Triumph Dealer MotoADVRI came across this short article in a recent edition of the Triumph Spirit Magazine (online publication) talking about the new dealership “facelift” that Triumph corporate has been pushing down. While it looks great, I think it’s a misallocation of effort and mostly at the cost of the dealerships.

This idea isn’t new, many local Harley Davidson dealerships have relocated or outright closed as a result of the corporate image that Harley Davidson enforces on its dealers. With Harley, dealers are forced to keep a significant number of models in stock, along with locations within a certain distance of the freeway, and other random image standards I don’t know about.

IndianShowRoomPolaris has also adopted similar standards for the new Indian line. I spoke with a local Victory dealership manager a while back, asking him if they were going to adopt the Indian brand. He informed me that Polaris requires that show rooms be segregated so that Indian has a “contained” area for their bikes and merchandise. He went on to say that he doesn’t have the floor space to meet Polaris’ standards and would have to spend a significant amount of money to expand the building if he wanted to pick up Indian.

It’s not surprising to see Triumph make this move, considering that Greg Heichelbech, formerly from Harley Davidson, took over as Triumph America CEO back in 2013 (before resigning in 2014). Of course, it’s my assumption that his influence set these wheels in motion, but none the less it’d be tough to convince me that this move isn’t related to copying Harley’s corporate model.

MotoADVR_DragonRaidSatudayIt’s pretty obvious, I’m in the tank for Triumph, so I understand I’m bias. Moreover, don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge Harley for the empire they have built; their policies have secured their success as they sell more than a brand, they sell a lifestyle. Triumph on the other hand, intentionally or otherwise, completely differentiated itself from its North American rival a long time ago as Triumph offers a motorcycle in virtually every class. This topic has been covered at length before, more eloquently, by someone else, so I won’t bore you with the details.

Instead of focusing on dealership image, I suggest that it would make more sense for Triumph to showcase what they offer over the competition, the marriage of elegance and performance. Harley Davidson’s “fit and finish” is probably the envy of every Asian V-twin on the market. At the same time, you may find better performance in the new H2 or R1, but you won’t find the refinement of over a hundred years of motorcycles and the heritage to go with it. I’ll put the Speedmaster and Thunderbird up against any cruiser on the drag strip any day; the same with Triumph Triples against the Asian straight fours. But in the end, this argument isn’t about who’s better, it’s about what Triumph is doing wrong.

MotoADVR_VictoryVegasWtruckVictory’s “Ride one and you’ll buy one” motto is golden, and it’s working. If Triumph is going to borrow from an American manufacturer’s strategy, they picked the wrong one. I suggest that Triumph stop sticking their dealers with the bill of revamping their dealerships and pony of the coin to bring back the Triumph demo truck. The Victory demo truck comes to my local dealership at least twice a year (as you’ve seen), and there’s no shortage of used Harleys parked on that lot as a result.

It’s time that Triumph stop strong-arming their dealers with the price of a new “image” and start handing prospective buyers the keys, and ultimately the title of a new bike.

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Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 4 – Wayah Road, Moonshiner 28, and a wet Dragon

Posted on October 21, 2015 by MotoADVR

The forecast for Thursday morning was even more sketchy than Wednesday. Waiting for the roads to dry out from the overnight showers, I loitered around the lodge a bit that morning before meeting up with a couple of buddies to meander down to Franklin for lunch.  From the lodge we went down US-19 past Endless River Adventures where I spent the previous day, and then on to Wayah Road. Wayah Road is another fantastic mountain pass in these parts, yet it barely qualifies as “paved” in a few spots. Similar to county roads in Ohio and Indiana, the road is maintained on a pretty limited budget. That aside, the tight curves and frequent changes in elevation make it another must-ride.

About halfway to Franklin, we skipped onto NC-711 for a short bit. While freshly paved, rumors have it that it’s not paved in its entirety, something I’d assume skip in the rain. If anyone has been down to these parts lately, I’d love to hear a more in-depth report on whether or not 711 is paved from one end of Wayah Road to the other; it definitely looks like an awesome twisty addition to the “Wayah loop”.

In Franklin, we stopped for lunch at Caffé Rel. The Triumph guys have raved about this place, so much so I knew about it all the way back in Dayton (yet for some reason I didn’t take a single photo… I expect I may find some fiery comments below in the coming days). Already quite full from breakfast (including at least 3 cups of coffee), I pretty much stuck to the standard pasta staples, however the crab bisque was probably the best I’d ever had. Attached to a gas station, don’t be fooled by the utilitarian exterior, Caffé Rel is another awesome food destination when riding the area.

From Franklin we road back up “Moonshiner 28” to the lodge. If I hadn’t mentioned previously, NC-28, also called “The Hellbender”, is undoubtedly a local underdog, considering that the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway, and the Blue Ridge Parkway tend to catch most of the press. Unlike the Dragon, NC-28 isn’t overly congested with traffic, but still loaded with  tight, slightly banked curves cut into the hillsides (posted speed limit is also 55 MPH in most places). Riders should definitely be prepared for blind and decreasing radius curves when twisting their way back from Franklin; there are also many driveways along the route, the day we rode through there were several spots with gravel and grass clippings in our path.

MotoADVR_Dragon129RainStopping at the lodge I thought I had sufficient clear weather to get a quick run across the Dragon before dinner. As luck would have it, not five miles up NC-28, the skies opened up. For a split second, I debated turning back, but after last year’s Dragon Raid, I told myself it was just a little rain. My first solo trip across the Dragon this year, I figured I’d endure the weather and take the time before I missed another chance. Traffic was extremely light on 28 headed toward Deal’s Gap; I was quite appreciative as I was forced to navigate around a few precarious piles of wet leaves, and evidence of a large limb laying in the middle of the road. Arriving at Deal’s gap, I took a moment to get situated in the parking lot before trekking across the Dragon. I exchanged a few stories with a my buddy Dan who happened to be headed back to the lodge, but was just waiting on the previously mentioned limb to be removed before proceeding back (apparently the road was closed at one point).

MotoADVR_DragonNext11MilesThe Dragon was almost completely barren headed west, the only other bike headed my way was a Honda ST1300 that I let by; that guy was absolutely killing it, despite the wet tarmac. Considering the light traffic, on the far side I stopped to take a photo of the “curves next 11 miles” sign. With the relaxed pace and private nature of the ride, I stopped at several places on the way back to get photos I wouldn’t normally get a chance to take, including an awesome shot of the low clouds at the overlook. 20150910_172125 (2)About halfway through my trip back toward the gap I realized this was almost exactly when I crossed the dragon for the first time; Thursday last year, around 6 PM, soaking wet (perhaps a new tradition was born?). Stopping at the Tail of the Dragon T-shirt shop, I took the mandatory photo of my bike in front the steel dragon, chit-chatted  with my buddy Dan, still drying out, before creeping back to the lodge.


MotoADVR_KillBoyRainDespite the rain my FirstGear Rainier Jacket and Escape Pants kept me dry, just as planned. A little damp on the forearms and just a few drops in the armpits from zippers that don’t seal out every last drop, but I had no complaints. My new anti-fog visor performed as advertised; what a difference that would have made the year prior! My gloves on the other hand were soaked through; when the big drops started to fall I debated switching to my waterproof gloves, but I figured I could stuff them with newspaper overnight and just move on. (Photo purchased from Killboy.com)

20150910_174156 (2)For an otherwise rainy day, I couldn’t complain as I still managed to put nearly 200 miles on the bike. I undoubtedly kept my speed down throughout the day, making sure I would keep positive grip with the rear wheel on so much, unknown, damp pavement across the state. Fortunately, I would still get a chance to see all these roads again in dry conditions in the coming days.

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Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 3 – Paddling the Nantahala River

Posted on October 15, 2015 by MotoADVR

In the days leading up to the Raid, I was concerned that the aftermath of tropical storm Erika was going to make the weather a complete washout. As the first few days proved, weather in the mountains can be very dynamic, raining on one side, sun shining on the other, but the Wednesday morning forecast wasn’t looking very positive for a good day of riding. Fortunately, Tuesday evening, after our awesome ride across the Blue Ridge Parkway, John our ride leader suggested that we go rafting on Wednesday. Having been rafting in the past, a wet day on the river is a lot fun, sometimes better it’s raining; I was in.

John apparently discovered “Endless River Adventures” (ERA) in previous trips to the Dragon and has made it somewhat of a tradition, this year bringing a few of us along for the ride. I have previously rafted Cumberland Falls, Kentucky, and the New River in West Virginia; both in a 6-8 person rafts with a river guide. This time of year, ERA offers solo whitewater trips in an inflatable canoe; having done some “team” rafting previously, I was excited to finally try a whitewater “ducky” ride.

Showing up at  ERA’s facility mid-morning, for a cheap $30 fare, they outfitted us with wet suits, paddles, paddle jackets (Personal Floatation Devices or PFD), and inflatable “ducky”. On this random Wednesday it was just the six of us Triumph riders on the river with ERA, so we squeezed into a van as our “guide” took us just short of 8 miles upriver. At the put-in, the guide gave us a few instructions on safety and things to avoid (the state mandated checklist), and then we were on own for the next 8 miles of river. With my trusty RAM Mount in hand, I clamped the GoPro down to the canoe paddle and got ready to catalogue the next adventure.

As I suspected, right away I was glad they gave me a wetsuit, the Nantahala river is flooded each day from the hydroelectric dam upstream, forcing frigid water downstream toward Nantahala Falls (rumor is the water is 50 degrees, all year). Despite the cold waters, I was working up a sweat learning how to keep a one-man canoe facing forward. Being more accustomed to a team raft, I was used to team paddle dynamic, easily keeping the boat pointed down river; obviously the double-ended paddle tends to make the canoe zig-zag down the river. Certainly seasoned kayakers are laughing at the previous statement, but after about two rapids, I started to get a feel for how much effort needed to control the attitude of the boat.

Having done Class II and III rapids on the Cumberland River, then III and IV rapids on New River I was convinced I was experienced… just about enough to be dangerous on the Nantahala. The Forest Service only requires PFDs on this section of the river, which meant that helmets are optional. That actually surprised me at first, but I figured that was because we were probably only going to navigate one class II rapid all day. After settling into a rhythm in my “ducky”, I started taking rapids backwards, and mostly focusing on taking better photos and video of the river. Despite the low threat, a couple of engineers did manage to tip a raft (who knew that rafts don’t bounce off each other?). Fortunately, no one was hurt, and now we have a good story to tell; a shame I didn’t catch it on video. For folks who have never been rafting, I would definitely recommend trying out this section of the Nantahala River to see if you like it. Most people can successfully complete this 8-mile section of river without leaving their raft, although, sometimes taking a dip can be fun.

While it never rained that morning, it was still an awesome way to spend a damp morning in the mountains. Some of the most incredible photos I’ve taken with the GoPro to date were on the river that morning. I was blown away by the crisp images of the splashing water, combined with the serene views of fog rising off the cold water. Next year I will be sure to bring my GoPro helmet mount and rent a rafting helmet to go with it. Hopefully I’ll manage to catch my run across the Nantahala falls this time; somehow operator error caused me to miss that shot…

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Random Blurbs: Editing photos and video

Posted on October 13, 2015 by MotoADVR

I told myself the best plan would be to sit down and write every evening during the Dragon Raid… knowing full well I would be drinking and socializing. That’s the way the chips fall I guess. At any rate, I’m still sifting through photos and video of each day down there, still blown away by the sights, but mostly the sheer volume of digital files. I’m currently cutting video from day 3, here’s a preview:

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