Moto Adventurer

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 0 – Southbound (Part 2)

Posted on September 25, 2015 by MotoADVR

Continued from Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 0 – Southbound (part 1)

When word made its way around the office that my “big trip” to the Dragon Raid this year was upon me, most folks told me to be careful, especially during Labor Day traffic. I appreciated the kind words, and told most folks that I planned on taking a route that would provide for as much solitude as possible for the duration of the trip down. That statement proved to be pretty true until we passed the Nada Tunnel and arrived at the Shell station in Slade, Kentucky, for gas. As I just mentioned, Red River Gorge is loaded with good motorcycle roads, moreover is a huge camping and hiking destination; the Slade Shell station is the only operating gas station for miles, and it was obvious on Labor Day weekend. Sweltering in the afternoon sun, Jon suggested we make a break for the next station down the line.

Fortunately, the five gallon tank on the Speedmaster had enough to spare so Jon and I could continue south to the next station near Beattyville; at which point I was reminded just how “remote” certain parts of Eastern Kentucky can be. I typically “pay at the pump”, especially when riding a motorcycle, considering the convenience. As one can expect, credit card readers become less and less available as you venture into the mountains. This random station on the side of KY-11 was the first of many I would encounter in the following days. While inconvenient, there’s something to be said for walking into a filling station and talking with the locals. Stepping through the door I was politely greeted with a southern twang that I affectionately appreciate in this part of the world. Standing in line I noticed several elderly locals sitting around talking like old friends, something you definitely don’t see very often in Dayton, Ohio, a reminder of how things used to be.

Back on Kentucky Route 11 I caught more views of other Red River Gorge destinations that I didn’t realize existed further south of the Red River, including various restaurants and Torrent Falls climbing adventure. I’ve got big hopes for a weekend trip back down this way perhaps later this season, or next summer at a minimum, there’s just too many good roads and local fare to pass up.

Not long after leaving the more touristy sections of KY-11, Jon and I found ourselves enjoying the curvy Kentucky backroads to ourselves. We didn’t see another soul for miles; I actually found myself thinking: “this might be a really crappy place to break down.” Despite how much I was enjoying the solitude on the roadway, at a given intersection a pickup truck pulled out in front of us. It was bound to happen, at some point I was going to find myself stuck behind a car, unable to pass for miles; however that’s not at all how things turned out. After a couple miles I began to realize I was almost struggling to keep up with this obviously local driver in the “red pickup”; before long I actually thought to myself “hell, I’ll fallow this guy to the Tennessee line!”. I mention that because it almost never happens to me, more often than not, you and your riding buddies are clipping along and grandma pulls out in front of you in her Buick sedan. Despite horse power and experience, traffic conditions (and laws…) prevent you from getting around the land yacht. Fortunately, not this day, thank you Mr. Red Pickup, way to break the stereotype; never underestimate the local’s ability to absolutely rip it when they want to.

Ninety more miles down the road, another gas stop in Barbourville, Kentucky, where we merged onto US-25E. A stark contrast from the secluded twisty two-lane of KY-11, US-25E is a four-lane highway that would take us through most of Tennessee. Despite being a “highway”, 25E is actually a really nice ride, with steep changes in elevation, big sweepers, great views of the mountains, not to mention the tunnel. Cumberland Gap Tunnel is another notable landmark worth seeing. I posted video of the tunnel from my ad-hoc trip this spring, but for those who don’t know, the tunnel along 25E is a 4,600 foot, four-lane, dual-tube tunnel, bored through the mountain connecting Middleboro, Kentucky, to Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. While 25E doesn’t pass through Virginia, I’m told the nearby connecting two-lane roads where the three states converge at Cumberland Gap is well worth exploring on two wheels.

Routing from Dayton to Deal’s Gap almost always leaves you with one compromise, how to get around Gatlinburg, Tennessee? I hate tourist traps. As of today, I have never been to a tourist trap as drawn out as the Pigeon Forge – Gatlinburg run along US-441. That being the case, you’re basically limited to biting the bullet and running through 441, taking the west pass through Knoxville and across US-129 (The Dragon) or the east route along Interstate 40. Normally I’m the first person to say that riding on the interstate sucks, but I know of at least two exceptions: I-77 through West Virginia, and I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge. While I personally feel that 77 through West Virginia is probably the twistiest section of interstate this side of the Mississippi River, 40 presents some steep competition. Gassing up in Newport just off 25E, and already considerably east of Knoxville, we were obviously taking I-40 through the gorge and into Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Similar to the filling station in Kentucky, the locals were extremely friendly, especially as we joked about the “impending weather”. Up to this point, Jon and I had remained completely dry, but after studying the radar, I was doubtful that trend would continue through this last leg. Jon insisted that we’d successfully dodge the storms as we swept wide along I-40 and back west along US-74 toward the lodge. With fresh memories of last year’s monsoon, I battened down the hatches and prepared for the worst; so much so I asked Jon take the lead with his waterproof Garmin.

Getting off the freeway, eleven hours in, we were finally on the home stretch, US-19 through Maggie valley and Cherokee, then a hot skip across US-74, and finally North Carolina Route 28 into Stecoah to the Lodge. To Jon’s credit, I counted about 12 rain drops on my visor, a good lesson in optimism. I snapped a few photos along US-19. Unlike the Gatlinburg corridor, it’s very obvious that the tourist destinations of yesteryear have closed; many having fallen into disrepair. In the following days I was often reminded that Americans don’t “road trip” anymore, which is a shame, there’s so much nature to see down this way.

Pulling into the Lodge I felt a mix of relief, disappointment, and excitement. I was looking forward to getting the dead weight off the back of the bike so I could really carve into the twisties, yet disappointed that the riding day was over.

Day 0:

11.5 Hours

4 States

4 Tunnels

474 Miles

Back to the Triumph Dragon Raid 2015

Posted in Events & Rides | Tagged Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap Tunnel, GoPro, Kentucky, Motorcycle, North Carolina, Tennessee, Triumph Motorcycle, Triumph Speedmaster, US-25 | 5 Comments

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 0 – Southbound (Part 1)

Posted on September 22, 2015 by MotoADVR

For no apparent reason whatsoever, my eyes snapped open at 4 AM Sunday morning (9/6/15). I shouldn’t say for no reason, it’s without a doubt excitement about one of the longest motorcycle rides I’ll take all year. Certainly, the goal was to reach Stecoah, NC, before sundown, but the truth was that the road was the true destination.
Some riders are planners, other fly by the seat of their pants; I admit, I want to be the latter, but I’m quite obviously the former. Spending 8 days on the motorcycle, including the 400 mile trip down, I wrote out an extensive packing list for everything I would need for the trip. A couple good buddies of mine were putting me up for the week, so fortunately the tent could stay home, but after being waterlogged at last year’s rally, as I’m writing this I, realize I over packed a bit (I may write some “lessons learned” later).

In the wee morning hours I began loading the bike with all of my farkles and gear. My Saddlemen BR3400 Sissy Bar Bag would really earn its stripes in the following days; loaded for bear, including an extensive tool kit, I was glad I got up early after I realized how difficult it was going to be to mount such a heavy load on the pillion seat. I’m known to put the tail bag on the bike for longer day-trips; it’s convenient to have ample space to put things, and it pays off to have a good backrest. That being said, normally I don’t bother using the side straps that go under the pillion seat, but for this trip, it was necessary to keep from overtaxing the sissy bar strap.

Finally loaded up, I headed over to pick up my Dad who was joining me for the first few legs of the trip, and then down toward Lebanon to meet my riding buddy Jon who was joining me for the long haul. September can be an interesting time to ride in southern Ohio, this particular Sunday morning was not unlike others where the day began at a foggy 60 degrees, but the temperatures would climb to over 80 before day’s end. Sweeping through some local twisties on OH-123 I snapped a few photos as the Sun began burning the fog off the southern Ohio pastures.

I spent several afternoons this summer planning this route, knowing that September would eventually arrive. As always, the trick is hitting all the sights and twisty roads while still reaching the destination before sundown. That challenge unfortunately forced me to remove a few sections from southern Ohio (I.e. OH-763), leaving me to take US-68 to the Ohio River. Crossing the suspension bridge near Aberdeen, it was quick jaunt through Maysville, KY, over to KY-11. From KY-11 it was virtually the identical route I mentioned earlier this summer; KY-11 to KY-1106, bypassing Mt. Sterling, then to KY-36 down to US-460 in Frenchburg. In Frenchburg I said bye to my Dad as he headed over to see my Grandmother as Jon and I headed further south the Red River Gorge. Taking US-460 east for just a few miles I was reminded that “progress” typically means taking beautiful, twisty, two-lane roads and expanding them to straight four-lane highways. Fortunately, we arrived at KY-77, one of the big “destination” roads I’ve been chomping at the bit to ride for months now. KY-77 runs from US-460 to KY-11 near Slade, KY, including large sections of Daniel Boone National Forest. Almost from go, KY-77 sweeps tightly through eastern Kentucky farms. 77 is one of several roads on this route that just beg you to lean hard and pin the throttle, but with gravel driveways and blind curves hidden by crests in the hills, you need have some throttle discipline to keep the shiny side up.

Approaching the Red River, we turned east on KY-715, twisting through Red River Gorge toward Sky Bridge. Sky Bridge has been somewhat of an annual destination for me the past few years, considering we were already headed south toward 11, there was no way I was going to pass up a few photos. If I hadn’t mentioned previously, there are a myriad of good motorcycle roads in and around Red River Gorge; moreover, Natural Bridge is also another must-see destination. While Natural Bridge probably has better scenery, it requires a one-mile mountain hike, or an $11 ski lift ride to see, neither of which are typically conducive to motorcyclists on a schedule (or dressed for a 400 mile ride expecting rain). That being the case, Sky Bridge is probably five miles, as a crow flies, from Natural Bridge, and you get a twisty ride up KY-715, so that’s a win-win. Parking in the lot at the Sky Bridge overlook, it’s about a 350 yard walk to another natural arch carved into the limestone cliffs of Red River Gorge.

With a long ride still ahead of us, I snapped a few photos of the gorge, then headed back down the mountain the way we came on KY-715. Back at KY-77, we headed south through the Nada Tunnel. Like Sky Bridge, Nada Tunnel is another significant destination in the gorge. Sometimes referred to the “Gateway to Red River Gorge”, the Nada Tunnel is a one-lane tunnel blasted through a limestone cliff of the gorge for rail traffic by loggers back in 1911. Subsequently open to pedestrian and automobile traffic, this 900 foot, unlit, tunnel offers a shortcut through the gorge cliff faces. A word to the wise motorcyclist, it’s easier to see traffic when headed south through the tunnel. Waiting at the yield sign, one can see through the tunnel for traffic headed your way when looking south, however traffic on the south side of the tunnel has to creep up and look past the tunnel walls, and subsequently back up if traffic is headed through. Thus, turn your high-beams on, and be liberal with horn use as necessary when passing through the tunnel on a motorcycle.

To Be Continued…

Posted in Events & Rides | Tagged Bridge, Dragon Raid, Kentucky, Motorcycle, Nada Tunnel, Red River Gorge, Saddlemen, Sky Bridge, Triumph Motorcycle, Triumph Speedmaster | 11 Comments

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015 : The Preview

Posted on September 18, 2015 by MotoADVR

Last week I vacationed in one of the best motorcycle destinations in the country. After shooting over 5,000 photos, and checking off two items from my moto bucket list, I’m now beginning the mammoth task of cataloging and writing about this year’s Triumph Dragon Raid in Stecoah, North Carolina.

Since 2008, the Dayton chapter of the Rider’s Association of Triumph (RAT Pack) host’s an Annual Triumph Rally at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah. Held just 25 miles East of Deal’s Gap, it goes without saying that the Tail of the Dragon (US 129) is just one of many great destinations you can visit during the Raid.

At any rate, I thought I’d put up some teaser photos while I attempt to remember all of the details of my 1,650 miles of motorcycle bliss last week.

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 0 – Southbound (Part 1)

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 0 – Southbound (Part 2)

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 1 – The Mile High Legend

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: Day 2 – Tigers Across the Blue Ridge

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

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

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

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

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

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: The Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge

Triumph Dragon Raid 2015: How the Beast got its name

2016 Triumph Dragon Raid

Posted in Events & Rides | Tagged Blue Ridge Parkway, Dragon Raid, Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge, Motorcycle, Red River Gorge, Sky Bridge, Tail of the Dragon, Triumph Motorcycle, Triumph Speedmaster, Triumph Tiger, White Water Rafting | 22 Comments

2015 Victory Vegas: First Impressions

Posted on September 17, 2015 by MotoADVR

A few weeks back the local Victory Motorcycle dealer in New Carlisle was holding another demo event. Fortunately it was a “slower” Friday, so I stopped in to take another American motorcycle for a spin. At the last demo truck event I focused on the new Victory Gunner, while at the same time riding a few of their touring models; this time I was hoping to try something new. Arriving at the dealership, I noticed a shiny red bike parked off to the side near the registration tent. For 2015, Victory has lathered glittery candied red paint on the newest edition of the “Vegas” cruiser. Based purely on looks, I expected that the Vegas would be very similar to the Gunner, but perhaps with slightly less lean angle with the more “slammed” cruiser stance, and somewhat fickle handling with the skinny front tire.

I arrived at the dealership just as the next demo ride was leaving, so I took a few moments to comb over the bike and take some closer photos. I’ve never seen a Victory with a matched-color frame before; they’ve all been the typical matte black up until now. Checking out the front end of the bike, and the forward controls, I was impressed to see that the foot levers seems a bit “tighter” than usual; I find that the levers on the touring models wobble quite a bit. Because of the contrasting frame color, I noticed the oil cooler tucked in low on the frame, for whatever reason, that didn’t stand out to me on the other Victory bikes I’ve ridden. My Speedmaster also has an oil cooler, which is no gripe from my perspective, but the contrasting color does draw attention to it, something buyers should consider if they’re overly “traditional”. While Henry Ford and I typically agree, “you can have it in any color, as long as it’s black”, I admit the candied “sunset” red looked really hot sparkling in the afternoon sun.

The Vegas demo model came fitted with a tall windshield. While I gladly snapped photos of the bike with the shield mounted, I felt it better to remove it for the demo ride. I figured the shield would probably spoil any decent photos I could snag, combined with the fact I like to “feel” the wind on my face shield. Removing the shield wasn’t much hassle, there are keyed locks on either side of the fork mounts that “pop” once in the unlocked position. The tricky part is lifting up while simultaneously stretching the mounts out over the fork locks to pull the shield off. Most of the “easy-off” shields I’ve dealt with before now are simple “unclick” and lift up assemblies. The Victory shield is still lockable, and functional, I’m just concerned about scratching the chrome mountings when pulling it off.
Taking a closer look at the bike I realized this Vegas was mounted with Dunlop shoes. Perhaps they have all been fitted with Dunlop, but I hadn’t noticed before now. Truth be told, I have no beef with Dunlop, but as far as cruisers are concerned, most of my buddies have very few nice things to say about Dunlop tires. I had previously noticed the “big-wheel” front rim on the Vegas, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was a 21 inch wheel. My Speedmaster has a 15 inch rear, and a 19 inch front, a 21 inch front seems enormous to me, but that’s kind of the “thing” with baggers these days (I’ll pass thanks…). The rims on the Vegas are also two-tone black machined aluminum. The rims look great, but again, similar to my Speedmaster, they’re a hassle to keep clean.

Out on the road, the Vegas was extremely similar to its Gunner stable mate. Also fitted with Stage 1 exhaust, the 106 Cubic Inch Freedom V-twin sounds fantastic.

As previously mentioned, the cam noise is a bit obvious, a possible turn off for seasoned Harley riders. After riding the stock touring models, I am convinced that a Stage 1 exhaust is a must-have accessory if you’re looking for the full experience of the 106 engine; I’m not a proponent of “loud pipes save lives”, in this case it’s more about feeling the power difference, and the Victory Stage 1 kit is not obnoxious. As with the Gunner, the engine does not like winding out past 4400 RPMs, despite what the stat sheets may claim (peak HP around 5000+ I believe), the frustrated vibration from the engine is unmistakable.

Considering I was only in the saddle for a short twenty minute ride, it’s probably not fair to judge the factory seat, but it was at least adequate for what little time it was occupied. The same goes for the suspension, it certainly appeared plush on the northern Dayton backroads, and was also more comfortable than the harsh rear suspension on my stock Triumph. At 5’10”, 185, I would say I’m probably the cookie-cutter male motorcycle occupant from a manufacturers standpoint; that being said, most of the Victory motorcycles I’ve ridden offer extremely relaxed ergos (I can’t even reach the touring highway bars). As such, I’ve yet to decide on which rider triangle I prefer, the sportier Speedmaster (drag bars), or the swept back, relaxed position of the Vegas. With better suspension, the reclined cruiser position isn’t disagreeable, but it really depends on how “sporty” you want to get in the twisties.

All in all, the Vegas is essentially another flavor of the Victory “cruiser” line. I’m not going to claim to be an expert, but Victory is undoubtedly sharing as many parts as possible on all three classes of their bikes, with only minor changes in trim and accessories from what I can tell. Still, I have to give Victory props for diametrically opposing the staple American motorcycle brand in engine architecture and overall fit and finish. I also appreciate the 6 gear transmission, gear indicator on the speedometer, belt drive, and unequivocally the unlimited demo rides I’ve had each summer. Similar to the Gunner, if you’re in the market for a big bore cruiser, are looking for bobber/chopper like styling, and want to go against the “norm” the new 2015 Vegas is a viable option.

Posted in Bikes | Tagged Demo, Freedom 106, Motorcycle, Triumph Speedmaster, Victory Motorcycle, Victory Vegas | 1 Comment

Motorcycle Gear Review: Olympia 734 Digital Protector Gloves

Posted on September 10, 2015 by MotoADVR

I recently retired my trusty Olympia summer riding gloves. To Olympia’s credit, it had nothing to do with the gloves themselves, simply that I wanted to upgrade to a set of touch screen summer gloves. I’ve mentioned in the past that I tend to lean toward ATGATT, but admittedly my gear has been diligently collected over time. After purchasing a reliable armored riding jacket, the Olympia 734 Digital Protector Gloves were my next purchase.

For summer riding I tend to lean toward short cuff gloves; always (nearly) fitted with riding jacket and pants, at some point there is a trade-off regarding heat that has to be made, so short gloves become the go-to for me as a daily commuter. The back face of the 734 is Nylon, with rubberized vents/armor mid-digit on the finders. A love-hate feature on these gloves is the “carbon” knuckle protection (reviews say carbon, I have a feeling it’s plastic; but it’s still added protection); considering I ride a cruiser, I imagine other casual city riders probably won’t be a fan of the “carbon fiber” aggressive styling of the knuckle protection, but in my case I like it. The palm face of the glove is full leather, which is a must for protection in my opinion. When I first started riding I often wore Mechanix gloves in the summer, which I assume would last about as long as standard denim in a crash, especially if the rider reaches down to brace the fall. At any rate, I like the double stitched reinforced palm, including the gel pads, which was a real surprise. I have another set of “budget” gauntlet gloves I wear in the early spring and fall which also have gel inserts in the contact surfaces of the palm; I personally feel like they dull my ability to feel the grips, but that may be a personal preference. That being said, the Olympia gel inserts are completely benign. The wrist closure is a single Velcro connection, which is the only part showing wear after two years; this flaw is not Olympia’s fault, I used to fold over the wrist band when I first started riding, which wore out the elastic band and Velcro, normal intended use will not cause this problem.

One of the things I like most about these gloves is that you actually have some limited touch screen capability. I don’t put my phone up on my RAM X-grip bar mount a lot, but when I do it’s convenient to check the phone at stops without taking my gloves off. The Olympia 734’s are not touch screen gloves be design, but on warm days and with a little finesse they’ll work in a jam. The reflective piping on the back of the hand is another plus from my perspective; I use hand signals in conjunction with turn signals, knowing that cars probably don’t see my stock turn signals very well. Having the reflective piping is a plus when night riding, hoping that other drivers will see my hand more clearly when I’m motioning that I’m coming over.

The only thing I can really fault these gloves with is reduced protection. The nylon backing is undoubtedly better than many other summer weight gloves, however I wanted to raise the bar a little but with full leather construction on the new set of gloves (Icon Pursuit – touch screen). Overall the gloves vent really well on hot days, so I never felt like my hands were stuck in a sauna at stop lights. The dexterity and “feel” of the controls through the glove is excellent.

At the time of my purchase, I was looking for a lightweight summer glove, but a set that was full fingered and still provided sufficient protection in the event of an “off”. My local Triumph Dealer recommended the Olympia 734, and I bought them on the spot. $50, and after two years and 32,000 miles, I would recommend these gloves to anyone.

Posted in Gear - Maintenance - Safety | Tagged Motorcycle, Motorcycle Gear, Olympia Gloves, Olympia Moto Sports | Leave a comment

Pubs and Street Eats 9: Food Truck of the Undead – Zombie Dogz Dayton

Posted on September 3, 2015 by MotoADVR

I typically find myself fleeing in the opposite direction of whatever is popular (can the IPA fad end already…), but when it comes to food trucks, I can’t get enough! I’ve truthfully been chasing Zombie Dogz all summer. I rolled up to one of their events back in May, but the line was so long I sadly didn’t have time to wait. As it turns out, Despite all of my searching, Zombie Dogz actually came to me; the HR department at my office decided to book Zombie Dogz for a private lunch for the whole company.

So what’s so exciting about this Zombie Dogz place? Road food with bacon, and more bacon! Zombie Dogz serves “gourmet”, all-beef franks on what I would call hoagie-style buns. So it’s another cylindrical street meat joint… but what’s so bad about that? Having finally sampled the menu, I feel it’s fair to say that the food matches the expectation. The All-American hot dog, sprinkled with ample amounts of condiments (especially bacon…) served up with chips and a soda; as they say, the ultimate answer to the cookie-cutter fast food joint.

After perusing the menu, I could not resist ordering the “Nibbler”; Muenster cheese, chunky pieces of bacon, homemade chili with onions, and a few stripes of mustard. I was impressed with the all-beef franks, I’m normally more of a pork sausage kind of guy, the beef frank was a nice change. Unable to let down you, my beloved followers, I was compelled to try the “Gem City Slasher” as well. The Slasher is served with Guacamole, cilantro, sour creme, and more of those delicious chunks of bacon. The Slasher would also be a sweet win, however I can’t stand sour cream, and sadly didn’t see it on the description when I ordered it. Fortunately, a spoon came to the rescue, after scraping the sour cream aside, I enjoyed an otherwise excellent hot dog. I’ll warn you, these aren’t your Gold Star Chili sized coneys, these are full sized beef franks, so taking down two at a sitting was a serious undertaking.

Be advised, their menu changes with each event, as does their location; so, if you’re looking to pin down their truck, head over to their undead website, and follow their updates on Facebook. I feel it probably safe to say that Zombie Dogz is probably “The” most popular food truck in Dayton, so when you’re headed over to grab some grub, plan ahead and leave early; however everyone tells me that the line moves really fast, which I believe to be true based on what little bit I have seen.

Posted in Reviews | Tagged American Food, Food Truck, Hot Dog, Zombie Dogz | 4 Comments

Harley Davidson Street 500: First Impressions

Posted on August 27, 2015 by MotoADVR

A few weeks back I caught an article about Harley Davidson (HD) offering the Basic Rider Course (BRC) free to Active Duty Military and Military Veterans through their Rider Academy. While I currently have my endorsement, and consider myself an experienced rider, I still felt that it would be beneficial to take an official training course since I did things “the old fashioned way”. In Ohio, to get your motorcycle endorsement you’re required to pass a written exam and then subsequently given your “learner’s permit”. Once a rider feels comfortable, they take the Ohio Motorcycle Road Skills Test, which is what I did. When I was a kid, I “helped” my dad set up a training course for the motorcycle rider test in a parking lot near our house; when I decided I also wanted to ride, I figured the old fashioned way was the easiest path to my endorsement. Since then I have spent more time focused on improving my skills and riding safer; considering Harley Davidson wanted to send me to BRC for free, it seemed like an offer I couldn’t turn down.

What does this have to do with the Street 500? Obviously Buell has come and gone in the past few years, so now that Harley Davidson has released their new Street 500 and 750 series motorcycles, the HD Rider Academy (formerly Rider’s Edge) has picked up the new Street 500 as their standard training bike. Selfishly, this was another selling point for me, beyond the safety and skills aspect. I’ve never met a motorcycle I didn’t like (well… almost never), so riding this new 500 cc motorcycle added to the fun factor for me. Given, this is an extremely limited review given the controlled environment of a BRC course, there were still a couple unique opportunities to get to know the motorcycle, especially for a non-traditional “journalist” like myself.

At first glance, the Street 500 does not overtly appear to be a Harley Davidson in my mind. I suspect that if I removed the badges (and changed the tires), the average Joe would not recognize the new Street series motorcycle as a Harley. Considering the radiator on the nose of the frame, 60 degree “V” angle, exposed cables and whatnot, it doesn’t immediately scream “HD”. That’s probably love-hate among prospective buyers, and I suspect causes some heartburn among the most devoted HD enthusiasts. In my case it’s a selling point, and something I am actually happy to see; to me, the release of the Street 500 and 750 represent an expansion in the Harley brand. While not a rapid departure from the establishment, mid-controls and upright seating put the Street series bikes more in the entry level “standard” category, whereas the rest of the HD bullpen is traditionally composed of big bore cruisers.
Aside from the less aesthetically pleasing orange crash bars (for BRC purposes only), the Street 500 has definite cues from traditional Harley Davidson fit and finish. Despite how common the phrase “Fit & Finish” is used, I still struggle to accurately define the adjective, but that aside, I am still impressed with the part quality and attention to detail Harley invested into the Street 500. The (mostly) metal accents, quality engine castings, and minimal use of plastic helps to add value to an otherwise entry level bike. I’m a big fan of the new tank design, despite its heritage, I’ve never been a fan of the Sportster peanut tank (sorry…), the Street 500 tank seems to take its cues from the 833 Super low, or the Sportster 1200, which help accentuate the curves of the bike, which is what I would expect on a cruiser. I opted for the “tall” seat for the BRC course; mind you, I’m only 5’10, but after riding a cruiser for 3 years, I realize that I prefer to sit up a bit higher, move around on the seat more, and keep my legs somewhat straighter. I didn’t sit on the normal seat for more than a few minutes, but I will say that the tall seat was quite comfortable for the limited time I spent on it over the weekend. I was impressed by how much material was actually in the seat, far more than I have on my stock Speedmaster seat (not sure if that’s normal, or part of the “tall” seat). Without taking the bike over about 20 MPH, the suspension seemed pretty plush, but that’s probably not a fair assessment given the conditions; I suppose it’s possible that it’s a bit “spongy” considering it’s an entry level bike, but other cues suggest that may be a false premise. Belt drive is also another selling point for the Street 500, I’m betting few bikes in that price range come with belt drive standard (Vulcan S 650 is chain). I was surprised to find the wheels fitted with Michelin Scorcher 11 tires; considering Harley’s typical preference toward Dunlop, a plus in my book. I’m also a big fan of the fork gaiters and headlight cowling; from the moment I laid eyes on the Street 500, I thought that it was begging to be stripped into a new age cafe racer.

On the other side of the coin, there are a few items that are somewhat at odds with the Harley Davidson brand (and I’m not talking about liquid cooling…). There’s no mistaking that there are plastic highlights on this motorcycle; please don’t confuse me with “American Motorcycle faithful”, plastic isn’t always a bad thing, but if done wrong it screams “budget bike”. I think Harley did a pretty decent job considering their competitors, but the right side cover seems a bit lacking. While it’s of no consequence to me, I imagine that Harley faithful will also hate the turn signal switch; the traditional, non-canceling, left hand-grip only variety that’s extremely common on virtually all other brands. On the other hand, I did not care of the engine cut-off switch on the right grip, in this case all black, with a left to right movement; I assume I’m being petty, but I would think a “kill switch” would be red, and actuate up and down (probably just what I’m used to). Another marginal complaint would be the mirrors; they’re standard HD mirrors by all definition, but placement just sucked in my opinion, I got a great view of my shoulders, but truly struggled to see behind me. My major complaint is really about the cable routing on the exhaust side of the bike; while others may complain about wiring on the outside of the bars, that’s to be expected on a smaller bike like this in my opinion, however it seems to me that the main wiring bundle, among other things were a severe afterthought. In Harley’s defense, these Street 500’s we rode in BRC are the first generation, sent to the Riding Academy before the dealers even received the sales models, so that may be somewhat of an explanation.

Where the Street 500 really shines is the power plant, I was really impressed with this 500 cc mill. I obviously had a 150 cc scooter, and I currently “own” a CB650, but I definitely feel like the Street 500 is pretty peppy for a “small” bike. I was also very impressed with the exhaust note; considering the new Street series is liquid cooled, overhead cam, I could still hear the rumor of the traditional Harley Davidson staple, combined with a soothing whistle of air intake. Unlike some of the Victory motorcycles I’ve ridden in recent days, the overhead cam noise on the Street 500 was extremely subdued. I will also give props to Harley for instrument cluster; up front, similar to my Speedmaster, the speedo also included turn signal indicators which I felt was a nice touch. There’s no Tachometer on the Street 500 (and I assume not on the 750 either), but that’s somewhat expected on an “entry level” bike. I don’t have the stats off hand, but the overall chassis length feels pretty short, which is made more obvious by its nimble cornering ability, another plus for the urban commuter.
All in all, the Street 500 impressed me. I personally don’t like labeling bikes as “entry level” considering that 650 cc bikes were once “big bikes”, moreover superbikes are typically in the 600 range. That being said, I was certainly guilty of thinking the new Street 500 was a dinky beginner bike, however I have been swayed by its performance. The Street 500 was extremely nimble, surprisingly torquey, and quite refined considering the budget. Given the only difference between the 500 and the 750 is the bore, I would definitely consider a Street 750 as a modern, yet retro, café racer project.

Posted in Bikes | Tagged Basic Rider Course, Harley Davidson, Motorcycle, Street 500 | 10 Comments

Random Blurbs: If it costs more it has to be better right?

Posted on August 20, 2015 by MotoADVR

It’s a given that I cruise a lot of motorcycle related media from day to day. I recently noticed on the Motorcyclist Online Facebook page that they had posted “Motorcycle of the Year” (MOTY) awards for various classes. Apparently I hadn’t paid much attention in previous years, I figured MOTY awards would be more like a December thing, especially considering there’s not a whole lot of riding going on for most people that time of year, but hey, with 3 weeks left of summer, the moto-media has crowned the victors; maybe they’re trying to boost sales?

Anyone can be a Monday morning quarterback, especially me, but I still can’t help but scoff at some of the selections these magazines make. I would love to say that I’m scoffing at their selections because they’re ridiculous and argue why they’re wrong, but sadly, it’s more because they’re predictable. It seems to me, that if you list all of the bikes in a given class, then sort them from most to least expensive, odds are that you’ll pick this year’s winner if you select either of the top two. I mean, if it’s more expensive, it has to be better right? For example, Cycle World has crowned the Ducati Multistrada 2015’s best touring motorcycle. Doing some homework to frame this argument, I discovered that the Multi’s base price is $17,695; after which I figured my point was foiled, yet I noticed the fine print, the Multistrada “S” is this year’s winner, how about $19,695 base. I of course, was at a loss to locate those prices on Ducati’s website (I’m not saying they’re not on there, it’s simply that they aren’t trying to help you price compare…), so I had to go to Cycle Trader to get market pricing. To Cycle World’s credit, not everyone would immediately label the Multi as a touring bike. I consider the Multi to be another “Adventure” bike, emphasis on the parenthesis, less on the adventure, as the Multi in stock form has little intention of taking a rider off-road. Which pretty much leaves the bike firmly planted in the “Sport Touring” category in my mind. That being the case, I concede a Gold Wing or an Electra-Glide would also be a contender in the “Touring” Category, but at $20K, Ducati isn’t all far off the mark with regard to price; it’s also the least excessive of those I noticed.

On the other side of the aisle, Motorcyclist Online names the BMW R1200RT this year’s best touring bike (Gasp!). This is typical moto-magazine fodder in my opinion. I don’t discount BMW’s craftsmanship and quality, but there is no denying that the price tag coincides with the reputation. While BMW does publish MSRP on their webpage, you’d be a fool to take them at their word. What I mean is, they list “base MSRP” on the leading page of a given model, but they don’t mention that there are several “not included” items that are installed on the bikes on the show room floor. For the R1200RT, “Base” sticker is $17,705, but you can’t actually buy one for that price… there’s the “standard package” which adds an additional $600 to the price, plus $495 in “destination fees” (I realize that “freight” is negotiable, and every dealer does that), so that’s sticker more like ~$18,950, but I have a feeling the base model didn’t win MOTY… so the “premium package” which includes stereo effects, cruise control, tire pressure monitoring, etc. is an additional $3,200, so without adding any other farkles, we’re talking $21,550 before tax.

On the Adventure side of the market, Cycle World named the KTM 1290 Super Adventure 2015’s best Adventure Bike. While I personally think that’s akin to naming the FJ-09 2015’s best “Adventure” bike (more street, less dirt…); I will at least give credit to KTM’s heritage, if you’re going to take a bike with Street tires onto the dirt, I imagine the KTM will require the least modification. That being said, I had no doubt that the new 1290’s price tag would be pretty heavy. Naturally, KTM took a page out of Ducati’s book, and I was forced to look up the pricing on the local dealership’s website. So starting at $20,499, the 1290 Super Adventure also breaks the twenty grand barrier.

Motorcyclist Online in turn chose the R1200 GS Adventure as their 2015 best adventure bike of the year. I will admit, this kind of surprised me at first, as the 1200 GS (is old news…) has pretty much become the icon of water buffalo adventure bikes (thanks to Ewan and Charlie). So, after pulling down the details from BMW’s website, the new 1200 GSA will set you back $18,340… oh wait, how about $3,555 more in accessories because there is no “standard” package, only premium. So that will be about $21,190 before tax, title, and fees.

Look, I’m not trying to say that these aren’t good motorcycles, moreover I may even concede they are “the best”, but for the price of a pickup truck, they’d better be! I don’t know if it’s because I spent two years in the “sand box” or because I have an engineering degree, but in my mind “best” and “value” is defined by efficiency, “doing more with less”. I can unequivocally say I would love to have each one of these bikes parked in the driveway, while at the same time, feel shameless in lambasting the motorcycle media for telling us that this year’s (or any other year for that matter…) best touring machine is, of course, over 1000 cubic centimeters, and well north of twenty grand. For prices like these, they better damn well be “the best”.

Okay, I’m cheap, I get it, but let’s look at the options here. With regard to “touring”, as stated, I realize that 1200 “ish” sport tourers are directly competing against big bore Harleys, Gold Wings, and truthfully the big “Adventure” bikes (speaking of “more for less”…), but assuming that large displacement motorcycles, loaded with all the bells and whistles, defines “the best” seems like a false economy to me. The Kawasaki Concours, and especially the Yamaha FJR both seem like reasonable alternatives to the German starship. Pretty sure the current record for the Iron Butt Ultimate Coast to Coast Challenge was set on an FJR… how’s that for touring? I have no doubt that the moto-journalists will claim both are long in the tooth, haven’t had a significant redesign in recent years, or make some comment regarding ABS (function, price, or reliability… sigh…). I don’t disagree those models may lack creature comforts standard, but take a look at what you get for what you pay.

In the Adventure department I make a similar claim, moreover what says “Bigger is Better!” louder than a 1290 cc “dirt” bike? If Motorcyclist Online is so infatuated with BMW (they even mentioned that), why not select the 800 GS Adventure? Isn’t an 800 well suited for touring and even two-up riding, while at the same time even more adept for the mud, especially against its mammoth stablemate? My immediate reaction after seeing both of these articles was “what about the KLR?”, props to Motorcyclist Online, they at least gave honorable mention to Kawasaki’s “Old Reliable”.

While all of this is anecdotal based on stats and “opinion” but am I off base here? Should I just embrace the “American way”, assuming I will never have the “best” motorcycle until I pay top dollar for a bike with butt warmers and an in-dash GPS?

Posted in Opinion | Tagged 1200 GS, 1200 RT, 1290 Super Adventure, 800 GS, BMW Motorrad, Cycle World, Ducati, KTM, Motorcycle, Motorcyclist Online, Multistrada | 7 Comments

Random Blurbs: Photos from the weekend

Posted on August 18, 2015 by MotoADVR

The last two years I have volunteered to lead the August ride for the Dayton chapter of the Triumph RAT Pack (Rider’s Association of Triumph). As I’ve been saying for the past few weeks, I’ve been tooling around the Little Miami River corridor in search of the best nearby curves. On Saturday morning we had breakfast at Blue Berry Cafe in Bellbrook (more on that later hopefully!), from there we twisted around Beavercreek, Waynesville, Oregonia, then had lunch in Blanchester; from there it was more back roads through Clarksville, Spring Valley, and Corwin.

This route is probably the best selection of my favorite local roads (especially Fort Ancient), so I mounted the GoPro down on the bike frame again, just in front of the left exhaust header for the best low angle shots from behind the wheel.

Note: Below you’ll see a billboard for the AMA Pro Hillclimb at Devil’s Staircase is held in Oregonia, Ohio. Mark your calendars for October 11th.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged Fort Ancient, Motorcycle, Oregonia, Triumph Speedmaster | Leave a comment

Ride Report: Indiana Adventures

Posted on August 13, 2015 by MotoADVR

Last weekend a good Army buddy of mine invited me over for his daughter’s 1st birthday, so I headed over to Indianapolis to attend the party. I happened to have taken I-70 home from Indy earlier this year, after which I felt like I lost a fight, so taking the freeway to Indy was absolutely out of the question. I said way back in April that I wanted to go back to Connersville to check out the trains, so this occasion seemed as good as any. While the purpose of this ride was business, I left early enough that I could stop and take photos when the opportunities presented themselves.

Since it was “on-the-way” I hit Oxford Road south of Germantown to skip traffic and straight roads between Miamisburg and Camden. From Camden it was pretty much straight out to the Ohio-Indiana Border on Ohio State Route 725 (OH-725). Considering I go up and down OH-725 on a regular basis, it’s become a snooze, but there are a few villages to stop in an try local food and whatnot for passersby. That being said, the adventure gets somewhat more interesting once into Indiana. OH-725 turns into IN-44 after a quick S-turn at the border. About 12 miles into Indiana you come upon the town of Liberty. I’ve probably mentioned before, I’m a sucker for old buildings and classic architecture. Obviously I wander around Ohio county backroads on a regular basis, but I’m still impressed with the historic property I passed in Indiana, starting in Liberty.

From Liberty it was more IN-44 over to Connersville. For folks with more time looking for more adventure I recommend checking out Quakertown and Dunlapsville, just south of IN-44 around Brookville Lake. Once in Connersville I was hunting down the Whitewater Valley Railroad; unbeknownst to me back in April, the Whitewater Valley Railroad operates historic train rides from Connersville down to the town of Metamora. For folks that don’t know, Metamora takes Christmas to a whole new level, you should look it up. At any rate, since I had some time, I wanted to look around Connersville for more photos of the trains and find out where the station was located and whatnot. Things were going pretty well until a series of emergency vehicles kept whipping past me on IN-121 while I was trying to take photos. Obviously, whatever emergency was going on was more important than my photography, so I felt it best to cut my search a little short. The trip wasn’t a disappointment, I still got a good shot of the vintage steam engine, along with a ton of rail cars.

From Connersville it was more (boring…) IN-44 down to Rushville. I went through Rushville for blink of an eye when I was headed over to the Indy Mad Max Run back in late April, this time around I noticed a lot more of the historic property I was just commenting about. Having had about enough of arrow straight state routes, I noticed some curves on the map and diverted my adventure onto the county roads.

These backroads in the Indiana boondocks are extremely familiar to those in rural Ohio; most of which I assume are “tar and chips”, routinely “re-surfaced” every couple years. It’s typically easy to know when you’ve crossed into the adjacent country as the ash grey texture tends to change to black tar depending on how long it has been since they’ve been resurfaced. While my trusty Speedmaster’s suspension was being tested by the uneven surface, it didn’t take long for my adventure to pay off; wandering up Co Rd 100W I noticed a truly “classic” car waiting at the stop sign. I slowly passed, fearing I may have ran a stop sign on the poor road conditions (fortunately not), then realized that I was in the midst of a true 1920’s Jalopy rally. I regretted that I didn’t have more time to follow them to their destination, but it was pretty cool to run up on several truly historic cars of that caliber.

In the Ohio BMV motorcycle learners handbook there’s a section that explicitly describes how to handle dog encounters while on a motorcycle. For whatever reason, that section always sticks in my mind, however up until last weekend I’d never encountered any issue. There have been many times that I have passed dogs on the side of the road, slowed to wait for them to cross (among other animals), but until Saturday, I was never pursued by an animal. Cruising down county road 200W I noticed some photo worthy stuff up ahead, so I slowed to let my GoPro turn on (it takes a moment for the remote to activate the camera). Unbeknownst to me, a farm dog was extremely unhappy about my presence; just over the sound of the engine, I suddenly heard a ferocious animal barreling down on top me. I emphasize “heard”, because at no point did I actually see the dog until I was convinced I was about to be lunch; I swiftly grabbed a big handful of throttle and left my four legged friend in the dust. Spotting him in the mirror, I suddenly remembered that section of the manual and laughed.

Not five minutes after my encounter with “Scruffy”, that whole tar and chips situation befell me. While I have handled quite a few newly “Tarred” and “chipped” roads south of Dayton, it’s extremely annoying, but keeping your speed down, and your lean angle up makes it manageable. Indiana however, ups the ante a little bit, while the “chips” in Ohio are tiny bits of pea gravel, Indiana must get some cost savings out of not crushing the rocks; their chips are more marble sized, and piled pretty deep. I guess I can’t complain, I typically fear getting tar on my ride in Ohio, that was certainly not going to be an issue in Indiana. Fortunately my adventure off the “pavement” didn’t last for more than a mile or so, and I managed to keep the rubber side down, so no harm, no foul. I’ll just chalk up this excursion to another example that my adventurous spirit may be better suited for a difference motorcycle chassis.

After my jaunt through county backroads I stumbled across Knightstown, Indiana. Just as I entered the southern outskirts, I came across the Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy. Admittedly I know next to nothing about the institution, it appears that it was formerly the “Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home” but has now been converted to a non-obligatory military academy sponsored by the Indiana National Guard. Honestly, everything I just mentioned is what I found on the web; what impressed me most is that the campus, at least in appearance, seems to be quite historic, which I why I stopped to snap a photo. Suddenly I was reminded of the Camp Miami campus I posted about earlier this year. From Knightstown is was pretty much Indiana state routes into Noblesville for the birthday party.

In the interest of time, against my better judgement, I actually hopped onto I-70 for part of the return trip, diverting onto US-35 in Richmond to take Ohio backroads back home. US-35 isn’t quite the snooze that I-70 is, but back in my “Drew the Cable-Guy” days, I worked these neighborhoods pretty frequently, so US-35 is less than exciting now. I did however take a moment to duck off on some side roads in Eaton to grab a few photos of the covered bridges there.

It was a fun weekend with a few “mini adventures” but not I feel like I have so much more to see in that seemingly flat neighboring state to the west. If time doesn’t escape me and the weather holds, hopefully I’ll finally get down to Oldenburg and ride up through Metamora later this year for some even better photos of historic Indiana.