Mot

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Tour

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Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

FEBRUARY 2011Volume 17 No. 2

Yamaha Super Tenere

Rolling Thru Maine

Catalina Grand Prix

High Seas Rally

http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com

http://www.olympiamotosports.com

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

FREE WHEELIN’.................................................................................3

WHATCHATHINKIN’..........................................................................5

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE .................................................6

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

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD......................................................9

BACKLASH........................................................................................11

INDUSTRY INFOBITES...................................................................13

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA...............................................................15

BIG CITY GETAWAY........................................................................16

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN.........................................18

WE’RE OUTTA HERE......................................................................21

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR...............................................37

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .......................................................38

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE...................................................45

FEATURESHIGH SEAS RALLY 2010...............................................................24

BACKROADS READER’S GUIDE TO GETTING PRINTED .....39

CATALINA GRAND PRIX...............................................................42

ROLLING THROUGH MAINE .......................................................50

MOTORCYCLE REVIEWSBMW F800R COMING TO AMERICA.......................................20

2012 YAMAHA SUPER TENERE .................................................32

PRODUCT REVIEWSMOTORCYCLE TOURING BIBLE...................................................41

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS ...............................................................44

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ PublishersContributors: Ralph Angelo, Neale Bayly, Mark Byers, Ken Freund,

Bill Heald, Brian J. Nelson, Tom Riles, Tim Wineland, Dr. Seymour O’Life

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

For Advertising Sales Information: 973-948-4176BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2011. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific writtenconsent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ willonly return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be consideredan endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed.Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

Plan B Bikes

Why We all need more

than one motorcycle

Most of the people we ride with on a fairly regular basis are dedicated rid-

ers. Motorcycles have been a big part of their lives for years, if not decades,

and in that time they have bought, acquired, came into ownership of or sud-

denly found in their garage more than just one machine.

There was a time here at Backroads Central that we seemed to be breeding

motorcycles and although some riders consider themselves collectors, we

never really have. After a while it seems that, except for one or two keepers,

machines move like the tides - in and out of the barn.

Take our KLR 650 – here is a rock steady bike; certainly not the smoothest,

nor quickest – just an all-around great machine. Like a talented utility player

in baseball – it can do a little bit of everything fairly well.

These days - with the selling off of my 800VFR – the KLR has become

my Plan B bike. And, it’s always good to know there is a second player in

the garage in case something comes up or develops.

As I said, many of our friends have multi-motorcycle garages. Some have

a number of machines from which to choose for any given ride.

We recently put together a Sunday ride to a central

New Jersey restaurant that we featured back in the Fall

of last year.

Not wanting too big of a crowd we kept it down to a

few close friends that we ride with often and mid-morn-

ing, on a happily warmish day, our small posse began

to gather at the meeting spot.

For this ride, and simply because I hadn’t ridden it

for awhile, I pulled out the Kawasaki KLR that morn-

ing.

Some brought their regular rides, as some only have

the one machine, but a few others brought bikes that

they only ride on occasion.

With our friend Keith he pulled up on his new Ducati

Multistrada. No big news here, as he just recently pur-

chased it – but on past rides you can never be sure what

Keith will ride up on. Some old East German machine,

a BMW sidecar rig, Honda sport bike or Yamaha

FJR1300 sport-tourer.

Fellow rider Tony pulled up on his now “classic” V-

Max – thus insuring we would have at least one, maybe

two fuel stops this day.

Tony could have shown up on his Harley, his Ducati

or his BMW – but, today he felt Yamaha V-Maxish, I

guess.

Mike has a choice of a number of machines – A full-

dress Harley, another FJR1300 and an old Gold Wing.

Being forewarned the night before on the technicality

of Shira’s route to Gourmet Expressions – the same one

we gave you back in the November issue - he opted for

the better handling Yamaha.

Shira had her choices too. This day she gave the 919

a rest and rolled out her F650GS – although I don’t

think she considers either bike A or B – just what she

feels like riding at that moment. Her thought was she

rode her Honda there once and to give the GS a try on

this same route.

As our group gathered I wondered about why some

riders chose one bike over the other?

Some answers seemed obvious. Others had me won-

dering.

Heck, why did I choose the relatively slow and rough

650, when I had the R1200GS sitting there. Why did

Tony take the old V-Max – when he had so many other

machines to choose from? What makes a rider decide

to take one machine over the other?

Sometimes it could be the route. Gold Wings on rutted fire roads are not

all that happy – but that has never stopped our friends Ben and Sue from fol-

lowing the GS’ down some God-forgotten cow path.

But this day’s ride, though technical, was simply fun to ride. No, this time

I think some of the choices were more emotional than pragmatic.

Perhaps it was nearing the end of the comfortable riding season and per-

haps looking at the bike that never gets ridden as much as it should, parked

in the corner of the garage or barn, strikes a sentimental chord in some riders.

Maybe some of us planned on riding the other bike or bikes more often but

simply never got around to it.

Whatever the reason it is a good thing to have a Plan B hanging around if

you ever really need it. And, if you do have that Plan B bike get it out more

often. Motorcycles work better when they are ridden often and there was al-

ways that reason you bought this bike in the first place. Maybe it’s time to

rediscover that.

F R E E W H E E L I N ’

BRIAN RATHJEN

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 3

Page 4 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

The Price of Doing Business

You’d have to have your head so deep in the dirt that you were looking

out the other side of the world to not see that our economy is not where we’d

like it to be. I am far from an economist nor do I have any sort of degree that

would give me the knowledge in the ways of the world markets. What I do

have is my own business, as many of you do as well.

In our day-to-day dealings, we are in pretty close touch with the many

dealers, vendors, and manufacturers of motorcycle purveyances. Over the

past several years, we have heard their tales of woe regarding sales and floor

traffic and Backroads, as the spreader of the written word, has tried our best

to help ease their pain through well-placed advertising, timely announce-

ments of upcoming events and just a good pat on the back when we see some-

thing well done.

Something has occurred, however, with the ‘powers that be’ who oversee

the placement, development and overall rules of said advertisements. There

have been new restrictions set in place to effectively put handcuffs on these

folks, most small businesses, who are just trying anything they can to make

it through these rough times. Being that I am the head of the art department

(and the body and feet), it is my responsibility to help develop the most eye-

catching and information-spreading trumpet call to bring you good folks into

these shops and spend some of your hard-earned shekels.

If you have been turning the pages of Backroads for a few years, you may

have noticed that we do our best to never put motorcycle pricing, other than

MSRP, in any of the ads. We’ve always felt that this leads to price wars and,

frankly, we don’t want to part of any type of war. This being said, information

included must entice you to pick up the phone or take a ride to these shops

with such things as special events, in-store incentives and some great deals

to be had. Now, we have to admit, that there are many dealers, some more

than other, who put a great deal of effort into customer satisfaction, appreci-

ation and holding gatherings to help with this attraction. What better place

to tell folks than in these pages or some other form of advertising.

Advertising Lesson 101 (and very brief): Major manufacturers encourage

their dealers to advertising with co-op programs, which help defray some of

the cost. Ads created must be submitted for approval in order to qualify for

these reimbursements. That’s really all you, the reader, need to know.

There are certain elements that must be included, such as logo, safety dis-

claimers and dealer information, in order to qualify. For the many years that

I’ve been putting these ads together, these rules have been ever-increasing

to the point that most manufacturers now insist that only their pre-made ad

slicks be used in order to qualify. I’m sure that you’ve noticed many identical

ads throughout these pages, with just a change in dealership info to differen-

tiate. This certainly defeats the purpose of eye-catching, unique and creative

artwork to attract attention. Believe me, it is not the doing of the advertisers.

If left in their hands, they’d have neon lights, streamers and fireworks shoot-

ing from these pages.

What brought this whole concept for a column to fruition was a conversa-

tion regarding one particular manufacturer’s new decree. We’d noticed a de-

cline in these dealers, or at least a slow-down in their ad placement, and had

to have a serious conversation with some of them to see if it, perhaps, was

something we had done. Quite the contrary, as they were gung-ho to keep

spreading the word on their shops, but the restrictions and, in fact, very hefty

fines imposed for infractions of the rules had their hands tied. One dealer we

spoke to had thousands of dollars in fines just for trying to promote his busi-

ness the best way possible, because these ‘powers that be’ weren’t happy

with the ads placed. These folks, who are just trying to keep their heads above

water, have now been waterboarded by the higher powers.

In these belt-tightening times, it seems to me that if we all tried to work

together for everyone’s best interest we’d probably come out the other side

with most of our skin still intact. Loosen the boot straps, let these businesses

promote YOUR product in the best way they see fit. If that means using the

term ‘sale’ or ‘discount’ to beguile the buyer, so be it. All I’m saying is that

those who believe they are governing from the mountaintop come down to

the playing field and get dirty with the rest of the players. When the skirmish

is over and the smoke clears, hopefully the little guys will be the victors be-

cause, if they are, then we all win.

W H A T C H A T H I N K I N ’SHIRA KAMIL

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 5

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anD The survey saiD. . .

As we roll into 2011, it’s not surprising that another significant study has ap-

peared that talks about the business of motorcycle sales, and as usual it’s filled

with all kinds of interesting factoids. The study I’m referring to is J.D. Power

And Associates’ Motorcycle Competitive Information Study and this is the 13th year the annual evaluation

has been done. This is a highly structured affair with six critical metrics including product, build quality,

cost of ownership, sales, service and warranty. This year they got responses from “8,490 owners who pur-

chased a new 2009 or 2010 model-year on-road or dual-sport motorcycle between September 2009 and May

2010. The study was fielded between September and October 2010.” Full disclosure: that number would

have been 8,491 had I sent in my survey, for I was approached since I was a purchaser of a new motorcycle

in September of 2009. But I didn’t participate (and I sent back the dollar bill they sent with the survey to pay

me for my time-which I thought was weird) because I didn’t purchase the bike in a normal manner, i.e. going

to a dealer and buying the bike from them. My experience was very different and involved journalism, cin-

ematography and intrigue but I assure you it was completely legal. I think. I can say no more.

Plenty of owners did participate, though, and J.D. Power had much

to say about the results. This survey is designed more that anything else

to help the motorcycle industry focus on what works best (i.e. “best

practices”) to insure a happy consumer ownership experience. For exam-

ple, the survey found that, “The more best practices that are delivered, the

more likely the motorcycle owner is to recommend and repurchase the brand.

For example, among motorcycle owners whose brand delivered on all of the

best practices, 84 percent say they ‘definitely will’ recommend the brand,

and 63 percent say they ‘definitely will’ repurchase the brand. In compar-

ison, just 65 percent of motorcycle owners whose brand missed four or

more best practices say they ‘definitely will’ recommend the brand, and

less than one-third say they ‘definitely will’ repurchase.”

This should surprise no one, as even if you have a problem with

a new bike it won’t be that big a deal if the dealer does a stellar

job of taking care of you and the problem, and ultimately you are likely to be happy with them. Speaking of

problems, the survey said that, “Quality has declined from 2009, with the industry average increasing by 29

problems per 100 motorcycles (PP100) to 152 PP100—the same level reported in the 2008 study. One-half

of all owners report experiencing at least one problem with their motorcycle, with most of the problems

being engine related (44%).”

That sounds ominous, but who knows what that actually means? There are certainly a lot of little things

that can go wrong with a new bike, but I haven’t heard anything anecdotally about major problems with any

new motorcycles that are manifested in any real numbers. But shoot, their survey said most problems are

with the engine and they went on to say, “The problems that have the greatest negative impact on the overall

satisfaction score are gearshift problems, clutch chatter and the engine lacking power.”

Say what? Clutch chattering? Are they sure? I certainly haven’t noticed a lot of that myself. OK, I did

think my new bike’s clutch was chattering in December but it turned out to be my knees because it was so

freakin’ cold. And as for an engine lacking power, that’s just weird. I wish I knew more about what bikes

they might be talking about, because most new machines are pretty stout in this regard. Also, if you test rode

the bike and read some of the magazine reviews you would have a pretty good idea about whether or not a

machine is a rocket or not (especially a Triumph Rocket III). But, the survey says what it says, and I’m sure

the manufacturers will evaluate the information it presents quite carefully.

Finally, this particular exercise did show something else; something I think most of us have known for

years: “The population of motorcycle buyers is aging, with the average rider age increasing from 40 to 49

years since 2001—an indication that many owners may soon exit the market. Additionally, the percentage

of first-time buyers has declined for a second consecutive year, making it more critical now than ever for

manufacturers to focus on attracting new customers.”

I would say attracting attractive new customers would be even better. Oh, and I don’t know about you but

(God Willing) I don’t plan on exiting the market anytime soon. But, point well taken. Perhaps this observation

may spur the production of even more really good entry-level bikes that are both fun and affordable, and

maybe the problem will take care of itself. Oh, as long as these newbies don’t have chattering clutches of

course.

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

BILL HEALD

Page 6 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

http://www.schuberth.com/backroads

glove love

I’m the Great Gatsby of gloves: my entire rid-

ing life, I’ve searched for true glove love, but it

remains unrequited. Oh sure, I’ve come close, but I’m still looking for the

“perfect pair” to cradle my digits in supple luxury while keeping them warm

and dry in any weather. I’d like to have a set that is easily donned, but that

has a wrist strap so they’re not likely to come off in a crash. I’d even settle

for two or three pair that would allow me to switch depending upon the cli-

mate, but so far I haven’t found the perfect pair for any one condition, much

less all three (heat, rain, and cold).

For example, I’ve got a beautiful pair of

leather gloves I bought from a gent who teaches

motorcycle classes. They are comfy, but don’t

have any hard crash protection features and the

gauntlets are so big that when I wear them, I feel

like I’m a cavalry scout for JEB Stuart. The first

time they got wet, I retained my grip but also ac-

quired quite a bit of dye on my hands. They’re

soft as a baby’s bottom, but they fall short in the

protection racket. After they stretch a little, they

leave some bunched-up leather in the palm

when holding the grips.

I’ve got a pair of road racing mitts that are the mutt’s nuts when it comes

to hard crash protection features and the wrist and gauntlet straps make it

likely that my hands will depart my body before the gloves depart my hands.

Unfortunately, they’re fiddly to get on and off and forget rain and cold: the

vents that make them palatable in the heat make them colanders in the cold

and wet. They’re perfect for track, but too fiddly and holey for the commute.

I’ve got a great pair of winter, insulated gloves. They’re toasty to a point

and waterproof, but they’re so bulky that I wonder if I’ve even got hands.

They do to dexterity what earmarks have done for the deficit. Forget pulling

up that zipper or adjusting that heat controller. In addition, they insulate my

hands so well that they also insulate them from the heat provided by my

heated grips. It’s like having a thermos on each hand. At least the gate guards

at work take pity on me and help remove and stow my ID badge when they

see me fumbling.

Did I mention rain? I have a great set of rain gloves: they keep my hands

dry as can be. They do this until I have to remove them for a gas station or

bathroom stop. At that point, if I have so much as a molecule of moisture on

my hands, the liner sticks to my fingers when I try to put them back on and

the result is a five-minute fight to fit the fingerholes to my phalanges. It’s

like trying to put stuffing in a songbird instead of the Thanksgiving turkey.

I know: at this point you’re probably saying, “Duuuuude, do you want

some cheese with that whine?” or words to that effect. Hey, I’ve only got

five points of contact with the motorcycle and the two of which I speak have

to deal with all the fiddly bits on the handlebars and on my person. I’ve tried

to love a pair of gloves, I really have, but every one

has strengths and weaknesses. I’m left with a bin

of almost-there specialty gloves, each one designed

for a specific occasion or season: dirt, track, rain,

cold, summer, winter, vernal equinox, et al.

Paying a lot of money for gloves doesn’t seem to

be the solution either: I’ve got some “all-season”

mass-market jobs that are as close to nirvana as

they come and at a fraction of the cost of the others.

They are comfortable and three-season warm and

reasonably water-resistant, but they too are lacking

in the protection department. So, the search goes

on for the perfect glove to love. Maybe technology

just hasn’t caught up with me yet: perhaps there’s a wristlet coming that puts

a little force-field around your hands, protecting them from the elements and

road rash as well, while still allowing the dexterity to pluck a mosquito from

the air.

I don’t know what the solution is, but I think I’ve come to a conclusion

about why Michael Jackson only wore one glove: HE found the perfect

pair…and then he LOST one of those suckers and couldn’t replace it. He

probably just couldn’t bear to give up the other one.

O N T H E M A R K

MARK BYERS

Page 8 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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PorTs in a sTorm

I never quite made it to the Boy Scouts; and, yes, I realize this explains a

lot. Before I could become a Boy Scout, I was supposed to join the “Webe-

los”, which is an acronym for “We’ll Be Loyal Scouts” and

which is also – regrettably – pronounced “wee-blows”.

It is basically the Scouting equivalent of the minor

leagues. In the Webelos, prospective Boy Scouts

are taught essential life skills such as the im-

portance of double-knotting their laces and

how to survive beatings from “real” Boy Scouts

teasing them about their sissy-sounding name.

I opted instead for playing saxophone in the march-

ing band; which of course meant I was beat up even more

than the Webelos, sometimes BY the Webelos. As you may

have guessed by now, it wasn’t long before I bought my first motorcycle,

joined a rock band, and started wearing “Hai Karate” after-shave. I mention

this early life-style tailspin because it seems to be the only plausible expla-

nation as to why I am never quite “prepared”. I can’t seem to keep my boot-

laces tied, either.

Because of my aborted stint in the Scouts, a mutation has occurred in my

“preparedness” gene that keeps me from seeing obvious signs of impending

motorcycle mayhem. Consequently, every summer trip finds me immersed

in a freakish monsoon that inexplicably congealed from a clear blue sky.

Springtime hurls at least one late-season blizzard my way as I cruise through

Blightville with no sanctuary in sight. From far up the road, herds of fleeing

forest creatures trample past me to escape a raging wildfire – yet I am caught

totally unprepared, oblivious to the encroaching doom, certain I am late for

the cook-out.

Granted, my greatest hurdle to being road-ready is usually the road itself.

This is because my trips lean more toward the “expedition” style of outings

than, say, your typical weekend scoot to Hooters. I instead frequent the for-

lorn, forgotten byways whose highway numbers tend to have more digits

than the speed limit and whose rural residents can’t tell the difference. In

such an environment, it’s hard to be prepared for the occasional atmospheric

anomaly while avoiding the more numerous and “odiferous” anomalies left

by the local wandering livestock.

Oh, I do all the right things. I pack all the right clothes. I carry a first-aid

kit and wash my hands a lot. Before each trip I research the routes and fore-

casted weather patterns. I check the airline schedules, monitor solar flare

activity, and peruse the Farmer’s Almanac for signs of pestilence. I even

click on Google “street view” to check out the pothole population – but all

to no avail.

The result is that when the inevitable landslide

or locust swarm appears, I am forced to seek shel-

ter from the first hovel I find. Sometimes these

emergency accommodations are okay; meaning

they meet my minimum criterion of sporting some

sort of roof and do not appear to be harboring

flesh-eating organisms. Others merely aspire to

hoveldom; referring to them as such would only

add an extra star to their rating. Most of my im-

promptu abodes, however, don’t rate at all; mean-

ing they aren’t meant for human habitation in the

first place – like the leeward side of a large boul-

der, perhaps, or a Waffle House on Saturday night.

Even the rare times I do find something quick

yet comfy, it comes with covenants. I once took shelter from an unforeseen

cyclone beneath the awning of a rural Elementary school. It was summer

and the building was empty, so I rolled my bike right up to the front door

and sprawled my saturated self across a worn but dry wooden bench, which

is exactly what I told the police. It seems someone reported my presence to

the local authorities, who were very excited to be sloshing through a mael-

strom in order to protect innocent children from what was surely a wandering

pervert awaiting Fall semester. They understood my plight, however, and

(Continued on Next Page)

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 9

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Tim Wineland

even suggested a room nearby where I might be more comfortable; one with

an actual bed and dry linens and iron bars on the doors to protect me from

wandering perverts. They never said, but I suspect they had once been Boy

Scouts.

Occasionally, rather than risk the rewards of the first convenient haven, I

throttle-up in a vain attempt to outrun the encroaching catastrophe. This ma-

neuver works well with, say, a stampeding

horde of ground sloths or your average North

American glacier; but more often than not, I

am overtaken in the outback and forced to

spend the next several hours beneath a

squalid roadside lean-to with several single-

celled members of the chronic disease family.

Which brings me to Ohio.

In spite of its misleading name, the state of

“o-HIGH-o” is anything but. It is a geo-

graphical oxymoron, like “East” Southport,

or Hillary “I’m from New York” Clinton. Ex-

cept for the lumpy parts like Cleveland, Ohio

is flat, Midwestern, and festooned with field

after field of swaying green and yellow John

Deere tractors. Though not officially along

“Tornado Alley”, it is certainly an off-ramp for the severe-weather wagon.

If not for the sturdy dirt walls of its eastern neighbors, storm winds would

have blown the topsoil of Ohio out to sea years ago. It is rumored that

Bermuda was once a suburb of Dayton.

One particularly memorable road trip through this jolly-green land found

me enjoying a cool spring morning only to be engulfed in Equatorial liquid-

air by the afternoon. Prune-purple clouds heralded me with thundering ap-

plause and grape-sized rain-balls. To say it was “raining” is to say Lake Erie

is a “tad moist”. Precipitation was being measured in pounds-per-square-

inch. The Weather Channel posted the Lord’s Prayer. On the road, horrified,

unblinking children stared at my hydroplaning cadaver through foggy car

windows; and I am sure to this day their parents use this image to scare them

into behaving lest “The Drowned Man” come and take them away on his

water-cycle.

As usual, the deluge had caught me totally unprepared. Oh, sure, there

were warning signs of inclement weather ahead: little things, like rivers run-

ning backwards and the occasional flying Holstein – but, as I said, this was

Ohio. In fact, it was the pale underbelly of sow-skin known as “southern”

Ohio. I pondered this as I skulked beneath the first shelter I found and

awaited the Ark.

You don’t make a lot of friends huddled

beneath a manure wagon. Only one sym-

pathetic soul stopped long enough to men-

tion that, although the nearest motel was

some miles “back yonder”, there was a

boarding house up ahead that might have

room for me. I should have noted then

that he didn’t say “a” room – just “room”.

I had never stayed in an actual boarding

house, so I was delighted to find it was ba-

sically the same as a Bed and Breakfast,

only without either of those distractions.

Miss Peebles, the rickety old landlady,

found “room” for me on the back porch

sofa next to a padlocked basement door

with the greeting “KEEP OUT” scrawled

across it in probable calves’ blood. “That there’s Morris’s room,” she whis-

pered. “He ain’t no Boy Scout, if you know what I mean, but if you don’t

make no noise, he’ll probably not bother you.” That night, for the first time

in a long time, I felt prepared for anything.

So, I’ve decided to order a Boy Scout handbook off the Internet. I am con-

fident that with this handbook, I will learn how to be better “prepared” and

overcome this deficiency in my biker DNA. I will join my fellow two-

wheeled travelers mingling comfortably within warm coffeehouses as they

wait with double-knotted laces for the predicted storms to pass. I promise

“to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight” and

face the clear-but-possibly-fatal horizon with confidence and a waterproof,

multi-functioning GPS complete with Doppler radar and Geiger counter.

Only then will I truly know, deep in my heart – maybe while admiring a bril-

liant and promising sunrise – that I am about to be struck by lightning.

Page 10 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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Farewell But Not Goodbye

Greetings:

As you may have already heard, I have reached an agreement to sell off

Cliff’s Cycle Revolution to a subsidiary of Penske Auto Group named PAG

Stratton, LLC. dba Max BMW Motorcycles. Dealer Principal Max Stratton

and I have worked over the past months to reach a mutually beneficial agree-

ment leading to the sale of Cliff’s, and becoming the third motorcycle deal-

ership flying the Max Stratton name. I made this decision very carefully, and

wanted to be sure it was the right time, the right person, and the right terms.

Sometimes things align themselves just right making a serious, difficult de-

cision clear as day. I am comfortable knowing Max runs a class act. I would

want nothing less, and would have accepted nothing less, for Cliff’s cus-

tomers and employees.

It is hard to believe that nearly eight years ago, Cliff’s opened with seven

people, and proceeded to grow revenues fivefold while employing 22 peo-

ple/riders at its peak. We received various and numerous achievement awards

from both BMW and Ducati as a consistent top national dealer for both

brands. That growth would not have happened without the tremendous sup-

port we received from the area riders and beyond. It also would not have

happened without the core group of the best employees in the business. We

worked our asses off, plain and simple; all for the love of two wheels and its

lifestyle. I, we, put our hearts and souls into Cliff’s. I am deeply proud of the

dealership and each and every person who contributed to its success.

In the past eight years I have met some of the greatest people in my life to

date, riders and non-riders, their families and friends. The relationships are

such that they will carry well past Cliff’s or Max’s. I have had the pleasure

of working with, and riding the world with such friends. And they were not

just customers; they were, in fact, friends. It has been an unbelievable ride…

literally. I rode to work, at work, and for work. I can’t think of anything more

satisfying. In fact, with the sale of the business, it leaves me more time to

ride with our great community. It’s a fair bet you will see me on the road

even more often.

I will have a continuing role as a landlord and remain CEO of Revolution

Insurance, LLC. Revolution Insurance has moved its office from Cliff’s to

440 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT • 203-431-5955 • and will continue to offer

the premium service you have come to expect. We would love of course to

give you a quote!

I hope that you know my goal was to make a positive impact on the mo-

torcycle community through Cliff’s, and to help you to enjoy your passion

explore>>learn>>connect>>share>>.That is what Cliff’s was about. I want

to thank you all, literally thousands, who took the time to let me know ver-

bally how much Cliff’s meant to you. Thank you for the letters of thanks,

which I have saved in massive binders over the years, to remember why, and

who, we are here for. Thank you for the testimonials which were truly inspi-

rational to all of Cliff’s Crew.

This is farewell, but not goodbye. I will, in fact, be involved with motor-

cycling in several different roles, and will consider each one carefully. Mo-

torcycles are a huge part of my life and will remain so. I can only thank all

of those involved with Cliff’s, so many people on so many different levels,

for allowing me to follow a dream, and to build what I believe to be one of

the best dealerships in the United States. It was not always easy, but it was

always rewarding. This is not an end, but a new beginning. Please join me in

congratulating Max, and wishing him luck with his newest store. I expect

some great things, as should you. I am sure you, as I, will warmly welcome

him into the neighborhood.

Ride Safe,

Cliff La Motta - Cliff’s Cycle Revolution

Brian and Shira,

As a long time friend and co-worker of Terry Deeds and a long time reader

of Backroads, I just wanted to thank you for the mention of Terry in your ar-

ticle about traveling in Canada. It was a very nice tribute to a wonderful per-

son whom we will all miss very much. Just in case you hadn’t heard, the

driver that crossed the median that fateful night had a blood alcohol level of

.40; he was blitzed. (Next page)

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 11

BACKLASH Letters to the Editor

Town and CountryCYCLE CENTER

115 Route 23N • Hamburg NJ • 973-875-2111www.townandcountrycyclecenter.com

Serving the motorcycling community for 25 years

See the full line of 2011 Kawasakis at:

Ninja®1000

Brute Force® 750 4x4iVulcan® 1700 Vaquero™

Please everyone be careful out there and be aware of your surroundings at

all times. It is no doubt a dangerous “sport” or “passion” however you want

to look at it. I know that it was a “passion” for Terry.

Thanks,

Calvert Schlick

Backroads Suggestions?

Hey Backroads,

Have you folks thought of having more color in your magazine, some of

the pictures of scenery you take look beautiful, but I think they would come

to life, if they were in color. Also how about making the magazine a little

smaller ( a little ) so it would fit in a briefcase.

Sincerely,

Reinaldo Y Jimenez

Ummm… Reinaldo… Take off your black and white glasses. We have a lot

of color pages and we plan on more! Also I have sent you a link to an extra

large briefcases. Folks like the big and beefy size of Backroads.

Hi Guys,

You picked some amazing places for the “Greatest Places We’ve Ridden”

feature! Janet & I have been fortunate to have ridden some of them... (Grand

Canyon, Costa Rica, & the Alps) . We’ve added the rest to our “Bucket List”.

Here are some destinations we’d recommend to dedicated Backroads read-

ers. They all have that magical combination of awesome roads and spec-

tacular scenery. Again, in no particular order:

1 - The White Rim Trail, Moab Utah - 100 miles of moderately challenging

dual-sprot riding. Easily completed in one day. Start early, run it counter

clock-wise, and bring plenty of water.

2 - Kevin Schwant School at Barber Motorsports Track, Birmingham, AL

– we’ve taken many track school...this one is tops! The track has enough el-

evation changes and FWO straight-aways to keep you focused. The Barber

Motorcycle Museum makes this a weekend to remember.

3 - Colorado has more great roads than I have vacation days. My favorite is

Rocky Mountain National Park.

4 - Blue Ridge Parkway, VA & NC - this is an easy day’s ride from NJ.

Your first trip is always memorable. We usually ride it end-to-end every 3-4

years. There are accommodations along the way. The only negative is

mediocre grub.

5 - NC Rte 80, from Roan Mtn, NC to Old Fort, NC & Wayah Rd.,

Franklin, NC - a secret alternatives to “the Dagon” in western NC

6 - Utah Route 12 from Torrey to Brice Canyon (if you camp stay at Ko-

dachrome Park)

7 - AZ Route 67 - Jacob Lake to North Rim Grand Canyon - enjoy the sun-

set & fresh popcorn from a rocking chair on the back porch of the North Rim

Lodge ... www.grandcanyonlodgenorth.com/ ...if you have a sweet tooth, eat

some amazing pie at Jacob Lake.

8 - Glacier National Park... Going to the Sun Road

9 - Cherohala Skyway, Robbinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN - 50 miles

of superb asphalt & scenic views of the Smokies.

All the best, Glen Martin

Page 12 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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In northern New Jersey there isn’ta friendlier or more knowledgeable staffthan ours. We’re happy to help you find

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ROYALS STILL WANT TO RIDE

While Prince William may be engaged,

he’s not going to be giving up the motor-

cycle lifestyle anytime soon, according

to the Telegraph. The two Princes are

said to be planning another epic motor-

cycle odyssey similar to the 2009 trip in

Africa where the pair covered 1000 miles

of back country in eight days.

Brother Harry, an avid motorcyclist is

often seen sporting around on his black

Triumph, and once even rode on the back

of a Ducati superbike with GP winner Randy Mamola for several 100+ laps

around a British racetrack.

PARIS HILTON SPONSORS MOTORCYCLE RACE TEAM

So, the obvious question is “who cares?”

Well, maybe somebody!

This spoiled little rich girl, more famous for simply being famous than ac-

tually doing anything, is spending some of her family’s money on motorcycle

racing. Snooze fest huh?

Well, yes and no. Paris’ most recent project, a

125cc MotoGP team, is dubbed SuperMartxe VIP by

Paris Hilton. Its headquarters are in Barcelona, Spain.

According to the blogsphere, Spanish motorcycle he-

roes Sergio Gadea and Maverick Vinales form the nu-

cleus of SuperMartxe VIP. Technical surveillance falls

to mechanic Rossano Brazzi, who has worked with a

number of famous racers like six-time MotoGP cham-

pion Valentino Rossi.

Is the end really near?

93-YEAR-OLD KILLS PREGNANTMOTORCYCLIST; $375 FINE

A 93-year-old Oberon North Dakota woman who was

driving a vehicle that struck two motorcycles, this past

summer, resulting in the death of a pregnant woman,

has been sentenced for misdemeanor driving charges

Tuesday November 30th. The Ramsey County State’s

Attorney, Lonnie Olson, said Faith Mitzel was ordered

to pay $375 in fines. She will also face 60 days in jail if

she commits a crime within the next two years.

SIKH MOTORCYCLIST CHALLENGES TURBAN BAN IN CANADA

A Toronto area Sikh, who was fined for driving a motorcycle without a

helmet, has taken his battle to court for his right to wear a turban. Baljinder

Badesha, who owns a motorcycle dealership in the Toronto suburb of Bramp-

ton, was charged for the offense in Sept. 2005 and fined $110. He has not

ridden a motorcycle even as part of test-driving at his dealership since then.

In moving the court, he says he wants to not only protect his religious right

to wear the turban but also get the fine overturned.

Badesha, who appeared in court Friday, said the Canadian Charter of

Rights and Freedoms allowed him to practice his Sikh religion. He said he

knew that riding a motorcycle without a helmet on highways was a dangerous

thing. But he was willing take that risk for his faith, he said.

The 39-year-old Sikh is being supported by the Ontario Human Rights

Commission in his legal battle. Speaking for Badesha, Scott Hutchison of

the Ontario Human Rights Commission said that denying him the religious

right to wear the turban amounted to infringing on ‘his human dignity’.

He said Badesha cannot be forced to make a choice between his religion

and participating in the normal life.

Scott added: ‘Roads and riding a motorcycle are something that is available

to everybody in Ontario provided they wear a helmet. But that condition

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 13

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INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside

makes it impossible for Mr. Bedesha and everybody of the Sikh religion.

That amounts to discrimination.’

However, Sikhs are allowed to wear a turban instead of a helmet while

driving in the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.

DUCATI DIAVEL NOW IN DIAMOND BLACK

In response to feedback from motorcycle show visitors, Ducati is pleased

to announce the addition of a stunning diamond black color scheme for the

new 2011 Ducati Diavel.

With the Diavel receiving consumer attention at motorcycle shows around

the globe, Ducati collected feedback from passionate motorcyclists viewing

the bike for the first time. The new diamond black color option is the result

of immediate response

to customer demand.

While the Diavel Car-

bon was overwhelm-

ingly loved alongside

the Diavel in traditional

Ducati Red, the black

livery replaces the orig-

inally presented white

offering. The new

black scheme will also

be further enhanced

with a black anodized headlamp body and lateral air intakes.The new black

diamond color has already been incorporated into production plans and will

be available alongside the entire Diavel range this February at authorized

Ducati dealerships. For more information about the 2011 Ducati Diavel,

please visit www.ducatiusa.com.

SALES HOLD ON 2011 NINJA® ZX-10R LIFTED IN JANUARY

KAWASAKI DEALERS TO RESUME SALES AS NORMAL

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. announced that the recent sales hold

placed on the 2011 Ninja ZX-10R sportbike is expected to be lifted in late

January and that sales of the highly-anticipated unit will resume as normal.

According to Kawasaki engineers, the proactive sales hold resulted from

a finding that indicated possible surging of the intake valve spring when the

unit is operated under unique riding conditions, such as on a racetrack. The

surge could cause the intake valve to seat improperly, resulting in poor engine

performance.

The camshaft, valve springs, and spring retainers are being replaced to pre-

vent the valves from surging, without affecting engine performance.

To find out more on this or anything Kawasaki, visit them online at

www.kawasaki.com.

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT TOUR 2011Alisa Clickenger (MotoAdventureGal) and Karen Thomson of Avid Mo-

toTours have teamed up to offer a “Women’s Empowerment Motorcycle

Tour” June 24-July 2, 2011.

The 9-day tour will encompass the Pacific Northwest

including Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. Be-

sides the normal tour itinerary and enjoyment, the tour

will include pre-trip personal coaching, confidence

building exercises, and during-tour seminars to give

every rider a toolbox of skills they can rely on when

planning or implementing their own future trips.

Long distance motorbike travelers and experienced

tour guides, Clickenger and Thomson want to give back

to the sport that has given them so much by empowering

other female riders to fall in love with motorcycling and

motorcycle travel. They want these women to ultimately

feel comfortable and capable of taking a motorcycle

trip, with or without a travel partner.

“I hear time and again as I travel ‘Are you all alone?’

‘Aren’t you scared?’ then ultimately ‘Oh, I wish I could

do what you do!’ ”, said Clickenger, who recently trav-

eled solo for seven months through Mexico, Central and

South America. “The truth is,” she continued, “anyone

can do what I do, what we do, traveling alone. Some-

times it just takes getting over a little fear, having a little

knowledge, or a little encouragement.”

Thomson, while accumulating over 300,000 motor-

cycle miles, has led many tours in North America and

Europe, and was a MSF instructor for 16 years. She

says, “We’ve chosen a spectacular route, with plenty of

great roads and terrific scenery. We have something to

offer everyone, whether they are new to touring or are

a rider that just wants to be part of an all-female tour.

Among the things we will cover are; how to plan, pre-

pare and pack for your trip, reading maps and using

your GPS. Each rider can elect their own level of par-

ticipation.”

“Pulling out of your garage is the hardest part of any

trip” stated Clickenger. “I’ve been through all phases of

fear, technological challenges, and life challenges to get

on the road. I want to give back that sense of accom-

plishment and independence that motorcycling has

given me. I look forward to the shining faces and the ‘I

DIT IT’ exclamations at the end of the tour.”

More information about the Women’s Empowerment

Tour can be found on the website –http://avidmoto-

tours.com/womens_empowerment.aspx, or by calling

Alisa at 208-346-0714 or Karen at 360-481-2927.

Page 14 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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DeserT of maine

95 DeserT rD. • freePorT, maine 04032 • www.desertofmaine.com

When one thinks of a desert the regions of northern Africa or America’s

southwest might spring to mind, but rarely would the northeastern state of

Maine.

What, a desert in Maine? That’s absurd – Maine has rocky coasts and

smashing waves, great woodlands, moose and lakes. Not camels and sand.

Ah, but there you are wrong my stalwart friends, if just a bit. Come along

with Seymour now as we ride to Freeport, Maine and the old Tuttle farm that

is now the Desert of Maine.

This story started back in the late 1700s.

Looking for a place to start a farm, a gen-

tleman by the name of Tuttle purchased

nearly 300 acres of land not far from the

tiny Maine town of Freeport. He headed

home and told his wife the good news. She,

unawares that he was going to be doing

such a thing, was understandably peeved.

She was not moving from her home. So

Tuttle, being a man of action, literally

moved the home, by oxen, to his new farm.

For years the family had a

successful farm but Tuttle was

not a savvy farmer and ideas

like crop rotation never en-

tered his mind. He clear-cut

much of his acreage and when

the crops started to falter he

had the bright idea of adding sheep to his stock of animals.

One day they noticed a fine sand had begun to appear along parts of the

farm. As time went on the sand began to encroach on other parts of the farm.

Tuttle’s land was being over run by something he thought should only be

found in the Sahara.

But there was an underlying cause for Tuttle’s woes. Literally.

This part of the northeast had been buried under miles of ice during the

last Ice Age. The powerful forces of the slow moving glaciers crushed and

pureed the native stone into a sand-like glacial silt. With the badly managed

crops and clear cutting, Tuttle had began eroding the shallow top soil of his

once fertile farm, exposing a sandy monster from the past. Adding the sheep,

who do not simply graze but tear plants out by the roots, the farm was quickly

taken back by the underlying glacial silt.

The ocean breezes kept the sand moving and eventually almost 500 acres

became a desert of sorts, with huge dunes hundreds of feet high.

The Tuttle’s gave up on the farm and sold.

Eventually, the farm was bought by an enterprising fellow who thought he

could use the sand to make glass, but it was silt, not real sand and the silica

content was nil.

After a few years, when visiting the

farm now turned desert, a friend asked

why he just didn’t charge folks to come

see this mystery. Thus the Desert of

Maine was born – or at least the place we know today.

But the story doesn’t end there.

During the summers the region can get quite warm and in 1938 a small

log building was built near a natural spring so visitors could stop and refresh

themselves while taking in the “desert.”

The sand kept coming and

the dunes kept shifting and

slowly the Spring House

began to surrender to the in-

evitable and by 1962 it was

completely covered by the silt.

I got to see all this when

Notso Happy and I rode up the

coast this summer.

We took a 30-minute tram

ride that circled the desert,

which itself is slowly being re-

claimed by forest. Nature, if

anything, can be a viscous circle of life.

There is also a great Farm Museum in the old barn and they

have a serious collection of sand from around the world.

I noticed that they had no sand from the Sahara, so we have

fixed that by providing sand from the Urg in Morocco – Back-

roads little addition to the Desert of Maine.

The Desert of Maine is a remarkable bit of history and a

testament to what can happen if you ignore Mother Nature

and do not handle your farm in a responsible manner. It is also

a must see when riding in the southern part of Maine. You’ll

find the desert right off I-295. Take exit 20 and head west to

the desert.

O’Life out!

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 15

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents

Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

20Th cenTury cycles

101 auDrey avenue • oysTer Bay, ny

Ralph Angelo

The Piano Man himself, Billy Joel, is actually also

a motorcycle enthusiast who has amassed quite an im-

pressive collection of motorcycles over the years.

He recently opened his collection up to everyone

who cares to take a look, at a venue called “20th Cen-

tury Cycles” in Billy’s home town or Oyster Bay, NY.

A converted garage and building now houses approximately 60 of Mr. Joel’s prize possessions. Sitting

on a diamond plate shelf in the window of the white, yellow and blue building is a spectacular old red

and white Royal Enfield.

Once inside you immediately get a taste of the diversity in Billy Joel’s collection. The back wall is

filled with various Harley-Davidsons, while rows of other manufacturer’s wares occupy the rest of the

showroom.

Several different vintages of the aforementioned

Royal Enfield marque, including a fairly new one,

make up one row. Next to those machines are

Hondas, Yamahas, Kawasakis and some tasty Tri-

umphs, of both the Hinckley and Meriden eras.

Also throughout the shop, although it’s really more of a museum than a shop as the vintage signs and

equipment inside are far more reminiscent of an old gas station then any museum I’ve ever been to, are

other famous marques as well, including a very impressive display of several pristine Moto-Guzzis.

There are some beautiful examples of BMW thrown in there as well, as decidedly everything in the shop

is of a bygone era, though some are not as bygone as others.

Near the front is a showroom condition Vincent Rapide that takes the breath away in, as expected from

anything with the Vincent name attached, shiny jet black.

Page 16 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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BIG CIT Y GETAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

The motorcycle that brought a smile to my face is the cafe racer with the

BSA tank sitting on a ramp above the crowd of shining motorcycles below.

Surprisingly, it is NOT a BSA but a Kawasaki W650. I know this because I

own one of these as well, though Mr. Joel’s is a stunning piece of custom

bike building.

In fact all the motorcycles presented are in pristine condition, something

that amazed me. Nothing here is leaking anything or can in any way, shape

or form be deemed as unpresentable. Even more amazingly, every motorcycle

I saw here had plates on them and were inspected, meaning they were all on

the road and could be ridden out of there today.

To see a private collection like this up-close and personal is a treat, when

it’s a collection owned by someone who is as famous and well known, as

well as well-liked as Billy Joel, it’s an added treat.

20th Century Cycles is located on Audrey St. at the northern end of Rte.

106 in the heart of Oyster Bay, NY.

Stop by on a Saturday or Sunday (the shop is only open on weekends) and

you have a very good chance of seeing the Piano Man himself walking

around the museum, as this is not just a place for him to show his collection

but for him to hang out in as well

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 17

riversiDe Barr & grill

5801 souTh Delaware Drive rTe. 611

easTon, Pa 18040

610-258-1008 • www.riversiDeBarr.com

Speaking briefly with the owner of this month’s

stop on the gastronomical train we call the Great

All American Diner Run, we both agreed that one

of the most important things for the success of a

good restaurant is “LOCATION, LOCATION,

LOCATION.”

Well Eric certainly has this with the Riverside

Barr & Grill.

You’ll find this Delaware getaway about 7

miles north of the city of Easton, right along

Route 611.

If it’s a sunny afternoon don’t worry about

missing the Riverside – you can’t – when you see

all the motorcycles you know you have found the

place. Truth is we have never passed this place

without seeing dozens of machines parked in their

ample lot.

It was just a matter of time before this place

would be featured in the GAADR.

We stopped by a few months back, on a warm

and sunny Friday afternoon. Still, we found a

dozen or so bikes lined up.

The expansive patio had a number of tables al-

ready filled with riders and the bar itself had a

large crowd as well.

It is fairly safe to say that the Riverside Barr &

Grill is a “biker” bar if there ever was one. But,

don’t fall for the Hollywood Biker image. It

doesn’t apply here.

Everyone we saw seemed pretty happy and

friendly and they had every right to be as the food

was as rocking as the many bands that play here

each weekend.

Page 18 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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Shira ordered up a dozen split down the middle – the

Riverside’s Mild and Hot Honey. We’re here to say –

awesome!

After the wings she went a bit more healthy and or-

dered a Spinach Salad that was about as good as it gets.

After stealing a few of Shira’s wings I went for the

Bacon and Blue Burger, made with Angus beef, it too

was very tasty.

Looking around at a few other dishes spread out on

the other tables just about everything looked excellent.

It was too bad that we could only eat so much at one

time.

But, that is the beauty of the Great All American

Diner Run – it is your own invitation for an awesome

ride and a superb meal when the ride is half over.

You will have to go home sometime.

The Riverside also has ample room and grounds for

events and happenings – which seem to occur often.

So follow along with this month’s Rip & Ride to the

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 19

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Europe always seems to get the cool stuff first. And, if we’re lucky, that said cool stuff will

eventual make its way across the Atlantic to our shores. Look how long it took Yamaha to bring

the Tenere over here.

Back in September I got a chance to spend some time on another machine that needs to be

brought to America – the BMW F800R. And it seems that’s just what the folks at BMW Motorrad

are doing, come this Spring.

This naked roadster shares much with the others in the “F-Series.”

Powered by, more or less, the same liquid-cooled, 798cc parallel twin, which puts out just under

90 horses – plenty for this machine. Where some F-bikes are belt driven, like the GS’ the R is

chain driven and this is powered by a 6-speed transmission. The aluminum frame looks to be bor-

rowed from the older S-model, but the R runs a double-sided swing arm. The rear suspension is

handled by a single shock in the rear and more conventional 43mm forks can be found up front.

As with most BMW’s the braking is top notch with Brembo handling the stopping power. ABS

and heated grips will be

available as an option

but, with most America-

bound BMW’s, a large percentage of those imported will come with these option already

on the machines.

Like other F-bikes the R stores it’s 4.3 gallons of fuel under the seat for a lower center

of gravity and, much to my happiness, that seat is a short 31 inches off the ground and

the claimed weight of 440 lbs with fuel made me smile as well.

So, how does all this work on the road? Most excellently. From the seating position

to the ergonomics and reach, it was comfort from the start. Handling was smooth as silk,

allowing me to enjoy the scenery rather than have my mind stuck on muscling this mo-

torcycle through it’s paces. While the roads were wet on the day of our ride, traction

was still quite sticky, although I didn’t really get to wick it up too much in the twisties.

Having a spin on Germany’s ‘big roads’ one can see that there is more than enough

power for the roads in the US. I look forward to a more extended testing period on this

wonderful new addition to BMW’s imports to the states.

This bike will be at your local BMW dealer in early Spring and will be available in

four different color schemes and will retail – sans options – for $9,950.

Shira Kamil

Page 20 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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Some of the best places we find we stumble upon

serendipitously and this month’s installment of

‘We’re Outta Here!’ is no exception.

Last season, on a sojourn south, we were cutting

through the Laurel Highlands region of Pennsylva-

nia – a reason to ride the southwest part of the Key-

stone State all by itself.

By late afternoon we thought it best to call it a

day and pulled out the maps to see what the next

closest town might be. This day it was the historic

burg of Ligonier.

Ligonier has it share of history. In 1758, when

British forces launched a major campaign to remove

French forces from the forks of the Ohio, now Pitts-

burgh, this spot on Loyalhanna Creek was the site

of their westernmost camp before reaching the

Ohio. It was an enormous army, a virtual moving

city of 6,000 people, that temporarily made this the

most populated spot in Pennsylvania second only to

Philadelphia. The fort was named Fort Ligonier

after John Ligonier, a British noble of French origin

who held the rank of Field Marshal in the British

Army. Eventually, the name of the settlement that

grew up around the fort was shortened to Ligonier.

The fort and museum are a great way to spend a

few hours while in the town.

There is also one of the oldest amuse-

ment parks in the nation just down the

road – Idlewild. And, this fits into this

installment perfectly.

You see when we got into town we

were told that the local motel, some

chain I have already forgotten, was full;

but they had a suggestion – The Camp-

bell House B & B.

We didn’t know about it, but we have

always liked the cozy and comfy feeling

you get from a good Bed & Breakfast.

I whipped out my cell and gave the

place a call. Moments later Patti, the

owner, answered.

I asked if she had a room for the night.

She answered, asking if I had any chil-

dren with me. Well, I’m a kid at heart,

but no technically we were adults – I

think.

She said she did and to come over.

When we pulled up she came out and

I was ready for the “oh, oh – they have

motorcycles look” but that is not what

happened. Instead Patti put on a big grin

and said “Motorcycles! I love motorcy-

cles!”

Excellent. It turns out she used to ride

herself a few years back.

(Continued on Next Page)

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 21

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

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

The Campbell House is located right down

on Main Street south of the huge Square and

the entire place has a most charming way about

it.

Patti has six very comfortable and well-ap-

pointed rooms; all with great antiques and

some of the best soap ever. You can even buy some of the finer things that

pamper you in the room and bring them home to your own casa.

There is also a small Efficiency Motel as well for a total of 8 rooms.

As we said Patti and the Campbell House are very rider-friendly and you

can find this B & B on our Backroads Moto-Inn Listing on our website too.

She wants you to visit; unlike some B & B owners who shudder at the

thought of motorcyclists knocking on their door.

Patti is an interesting woman to talk with and the more you do the more

you’ll realize she’s one of us – she just doesn’t ride anymore. While there,

she recommended a few restaurants and one, a great

bar called Joe’s, that has the greatest collection of

wild game on display in the nation. Maybe the

largest privately owned selection of creatures from

around the planet in the world.

Come morning Patti really shone with a superb

breakfast… baked pancakes, fresh ham, baked

French toast, sausage links, poached pears, cheese

egg crêpes or baked cheese eggs and Amish sausage.

And, our favorite, Devonshire cream with fresh fruit topped with granola

that made getting up in the morning special indeed.

We almost didn’t want to pack up and get going that day.

With the Campbell House Bed & breakfast you get that wonderful combi-

nation of ingredients that make up a great We’re Outta Here! The Laurel

Highlands and its yummy combinations of attractive roads and beautiful

scenery, a historic fort, a wonderful town to explore, great restaurants, a very

oddly decorated bar and, of course, the Campbell House itself which we are

sure you will not disappoint.

Page 22 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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And, now for something completely different – Monty Python

I was sitting upstairs in our very sweet two-room suite at a Radisson

on the east Floridian Space Coast. We had flown in earlier that day and

just downstairs and around the corner was one very serious party going

on.

Flying to destinations for motorcycle fun is not unusual for us, but

still I wondered why I was here and our bikes some 900 or so miles to

the north dozing in the barn instead of outside in the parking lot soaking

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Swapping our jeans for shorts, Shira and I me-

andered down towards the pool and to the grow-

ing party.

Around the well-done pool were the strategi-

cally placed bikes to be awarded as prizes at the

end of the cruise, the vendor table with all things

High Seas as well as raffle tickets and such and

several hundred revelers with more arriving by

the hour. The evening saw everyone having a

marvelous time, reconnecting with friends or

making new ones, and getting ready for the

week’s fun.

This was the opening salvo of the 2010 High

Seas Rally and the fun looked like it was just getting started for these folks.

Now, as our folks from Monty Python would say – this was something

completely different for us - a rally, but without any motorcycles or riding.

Just don’t seem natural, does it? At least, not for us.

Still many people will tell you that a big part of the riding culture is the

camaraderie and fun that you have when the ride is over and the bikes parked.

So it’s hard to argue with the idea of bringing 1,700 like-minded bikers to-

gether for a week of exploring and comradeship on the second largest cruise

ship on the planet.

The brain child of Debbie and Dean Anderson, the High Seas Rally was

created to bring the flavor and fun of the big rallies – Sturgis, Daytona and

Loudon onto ….well, the high seas! And, for eight years now, they have been

holding these floating parties in the Caribbean, the Mex-

ican Riviera and even Alaska. Along the way they have

created the HSR Dialysis Fund, which provides dialysis

treatments for those who might not otherwise be able to

enjoy something as nice as a Caribbean cruise. A superb

thought.

Originally this event was called Hogs on the High

Seas; but realizing its a large two-wheeled world out

there they have thought to include and entice riders of

other makes and models to come along and be a pirate

for a week.

That being done Shira and I found ourselves boarding

Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas and settling in

for a week of exploring – just without our motorcycles.

It promised to be fun.

eWWeee eWWeee BaBy!

Embarking on a ship the size of the Freedom of the

Seas is simply amazing. It seems more like a small town

than a big boat.

Pools everywhere, hot tubs cantilevered over the open

sea and a bar around every corner.

Entering the ship the folks from the High Seas Rally

set you up with a great embossed leather case full of all

sorts of goodies, including a personalized magnet for

your cabin door. Entering the cabin we were greeted

with a bottle of champagne, compliments of Dean and

Debbie, and a stunning view of the sea from the bal-

cony.

This is a very nice ship.

Our departing time was late afternoon so in typical

‘Backroads’ style we went exploring our home for the

week, the Freedom of the Seas.

By chance this Sunday was also the day for the

annual Cocoa Beach Air Show and the United

States Air Force Thunderbirds put on one hell of

a show off the starboard deck. As many of you

know we are huge military jet fans and this dis-

play of air and speed was a wonderful omen.

This evening was also Halloween. The High

Seas Rally Costume Party was beyond, with many

imaginative costumes. I’m really not sure how

some of these folks got them on the ship at all, es-

pecially that three-headed monster. Backroads was

represented by Lois and Clark, as we are techni-

cally reporters, right? The party ran until early the next morning, with much

reveling in the night.

trying to reasonWith hurricane season

Right before we left New Jersey, the Weather Channel started talking of a

tropical depression called Tomas. By the time we got south it had become a

stage 1 hurricane. Excellent!

But, as much as I felt the second biggest ship on the planet could easily

handle this Dean, Debbie and Royal Caribbean opted for Plan B.

We were to spend the first day on sea steaming towards Labadee, on the

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Haitian coast, but with Tomas

quickly becoming a beast we

set sail for Cocoa Cay, a small

private island off the Bahamas.

With the morning bringing

perfect weather we were good

with that. After a quick break-

fast we boarded the tender and

made our way to shore.

The small island is privately

owned by Royal Caribbean

and is basically a giant play-

ground for both young

and old. Plenty of shallow

ocean to play with in the

Bahamas and soon the is-

land was swarming with

High Seas Ralliers.

Dean and Debbie, along

with hired gun comedian

Roy Reilly, set up the

World’s Largest T-Shirt Swap with nearly 800 riders playing the game and

swapping shirts from around the nation and the world. Fun stuff.

Afterward we headed to the beach and spent a few hours floating around

and becoming far too intimate with a few jellyfish.

After our picnic/barbeque lunch we shopped a bit and then, desperately

needing a motor/speed/velocity and power fix, signed on for a tour of the is-

lands on Sea-Doo watercraft.

Along the way we got to see some interesting wildlife – the local iguana

named Louie, some great stingray and, along the shore of one of the islands,

dozens of monstrous starfish. The Bahamas, named so for the shallowness

of its waters, was home to a great drug trade in the ‘60 and ‘70s and on some

of these islands still sit the now empty homes of the drug lords of that wild

and crazy era. Our Sea-Doo guide gave us some quick tales of dropped cargo

and crashed planes to stir our imaginations.

Back on board the rally continued. But, what would a real rally be without

vendors? That afternoon the vendor area opened with a good number of qual-

ity merchandise on display and for sale. Our friends from Nolan helmets and

Condor bike stands were there as well as the artists Scott Jacobs and Marc

Lacourciere. Lehman trikes were not only there but donated a trike for the

cause as well. Rounding out the

offerings were Kuryakyn, Rivco,

Performance Machine, HeliBars

and some fine jewelers.

Sharing the vendor space was

the headquarters for the High Seas

Rally where you could purchase

your daily prize tickets as well as

Pirate Bingo cards and get any of

your questions answered. If you

are a first-timer, or Rally Virgin,

you’ll probably have a few.

The rest of the afternoon, before

dinner that evening, was spent ex-

ploring the promenade, which was

like a huge mall on the seas. The discov-

ery of Vintages Wine Bar assured a huge

depletion of our cash, but what the hell.

Later that night Dean and Debbie held

their Rally Intro/Overview and Giveaway

at the theatre, which was a nightly event

and great crowd pleaser. Each night fea-

tured something different, from introduc-

ing the dialysis patients onboard to

honoring our veterans. Here we were told

about the history of the rally and the great

work that has been done with the HOHS

Dialysis Fund. Sitting in front of us was

NASCAR great Geoff Bodine who took a

shine to our favorite puppet Notso Happy. Folks departing the evening cer-

emonies had a full plate to look forward to during this floating rally.

cruisin’ the cariBBean

With the schedule slightly altered we spent that Tuesday at sea heading

south around Cuba and to the isle of Jamaica mon and Ocho Rios.

We had a free day at sea but that just let the High Seas Rally kick into high

gear with the Belly Smacker contest. Yes, kids, it is exactly that, and 10 bril-

liant contestants battled it out for the championship. Cycling through the

many rounds and accumulated bruises, the top belly-smacker was awarded

Page 26 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

to Bob Gaglione.

That evening was formal night for the

rest of the ship, but for the High Seas Ral-

liers that just meant leather and there was

plenty of that this evening. If you hap-

pened to forget to bring your favorite

piece of leatherware, not to worry. Patty

the Leather Lady was doing her thing in

the vendor area and was happy to supply

you with just the right accoutrement.

Port o’ call -

ocho rios, JaMaica

Arriving in Ocho Rios the next morn-

ing we made our way to land. Some

cruised over to Dunns Falls and others to

the Jamaican Bobsled – but many just tax-

ied around town and eventually ended up

at Jimmy Buffet’s Magarittaville.

As Parrotheads in

good standing we

floated in and once I

got a look at the wa-

terslide that runs from

the roof through the

bar and into the deep

pool I was planted for

the afternoon.

This turned into one

serious party and Jimmy would have been proud. There

were prizes given, dances danced, and plenty of rum to

be had. As the saying goes, what happens in Jamaica stays

in Jamaica. And, as it turned out, some did stay in Ja-

maica, but none from the High Seas Rally group.

Those who made their way back to the

ship earlier cheered on the folk who were

getting in just before the anchor was

weighed. There were a couple running up the

dock just in time. That feel good party at-

mosphere filtered its way back onto the ship

and by the time we took off for the next port

later that afternoon the boat was rockin’ and

rollin’.

As was now customary Shira and I wan-

dered to the wine bar for a late afternoon

glass of scrumptious vino. This afternoon we

were pleased to

meet and talk with the Captain of the ship,

Manolis Kasselas, the world’s smallest Captain.

A gracious man, he invited us to tour the bridge

and we hoped that would be possible before the

cruise was over.

We enjoyed the Promenade and then it was

onto the Schooner Bar for the late

afternoon playing of Name that

Tune. We were getting progres-

sively worse; that or the subjects

were drifting away from us. This

afternoon was themes from Chick

Flicks. Not my favorite and it

showed.

This evening’s activity was the

‘Treasured Chest’ contest. With the

best wenches heading up on stage, these fine lasses collected

their votes in the form of pirate loot, better known as cold, hard

cash. All money collected went directly to the HOHS Dialysis

Fund and the 10 most buxom beauties who be the winners split

some of their own booty from the vendors. This year’s winner

was Tina Young, and a fine looking wench she was.

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 27

Actually acting slightly mature this evening we made it an early one. We

were steaming towards the Caymans and we had a date with some stingrays.

Port o’ call - georgetoWn, cayMan islands

This day we were up to see an awesome sunrise over the Caribbean. By

7:30 (early for island time) we had met our group for the day’s excursions.

There were a few things I wanted to do and see in the Caymans but the first

and most important to Shira and me was Stingray City.

This is an area of sea that naturally has hundreds of

stingrays and over the years they have become quite docile

and almost tame around humans.

This trip would be combined with some reef snorkeling so

we were excited to get off our huge boat and onto a much

smaller one for the short trip to Stingray City.

As I had heard they were indeed hundreds of these small

willowy sharks in the water. Getting into the calm and smooth

waters of the Stingray I instantly had one glide past by body,

its huge bat-like wings sliding

across my back. Surprisingly

soft, the Southern Atlantic

Stingray of the Cayman Is-

lands seemed almost prehis-

toric to me. We got a chance to

hold them and feed them and

even get a Stingray massage

and kiss.

As I looked closely into one

of their eyes I wondered what

it could possibly be thinking of these crea-

tures that sail up each day to touch, hold and

feed them. His sharky eyes gave me no clue.

Both Shira and I agreed it was one of the

most remarkable things we have ever expe-

rienced.

Snorkeling as always was fun – a poor ex-

cuse to SCUBA in these waters, but time

would only allow for one or the other.

Back in town we strolled

around the port and found

lunch at Eden Rock, another

famous Cayman snorkeling

spot. Fresh fish, conch and

‘farm raised’ turtle, a big

business in the Caymans,

filled our needs this day and really hit the spot, especially

with local Caybrew beer.

From there it was onward for the obligatory stop at Buf-

fet’s Margaritaville which, like the one in Jamaica, was a

raucous party central. It seemed that we had just missed the

wet t-shirt contest so we continued on and visited the famous

Elmslie Church, which was built by a ship builder some 160

years ago. A pretty chapel with vaulted ceilings of dark

Page 28 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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we had boldly acquired during the High Seas

Rally with all these Milwaukee pirates and

such.

By the port itself we found the usual crafts

and trinkets shops. For the High Seas Rally

people there were two Harley shops so those

who needed a Cayman Harley shirt were not

disappointed.

By 3-ish most were back on the Freedom

of the Seas and being late afternoon we took

a stroll of the ship and made our way to the

nightly ‘Name that Tune’ – this night it was

Disco Songs of the ‘70s. Oy vey.

Up until then the Captain had done his best

to avoid Tomas, but to get where we needed

to go, the Mexican island of Cozumel, we had to skirt the edges of the hur-

ricane that was taking its sweet time across the Caribbean.

Up on deck this evening was the Topless Man Contest, involving baby oil,

blindfolded female judges and, you guessed it, topless men. We’ll let your

imagination do its best here and just tell you that the winner, John Renfro,

along with the top two contestants, split $1,000 in prizes from the vendors.

During the nightly Giveaway Show the winds picked up mightily and just

taking a walk on the deck became an adventure all in itself. Even a ship the

size of Freedom of the Seas had a good roll to it this

evening.

Port o’call - cozuMel, Mexico

With Shira tightening her

grip on me we did our best

to avoid the many potholes

on the rough road to San

Gervasio. With each hit

Pepe would shudder and I

thought I might have seen a

part or two go bouncing

down the road behind us.

Still, as much as we were

enjoying the High Seas

Rally this is what we do best

– exploring and a few miles

down this road were the

famed Mayan ruins and for

us life doesn’t get much bet-

ter. Well, maybe with a

more substantial machine - but, Pepe would do.

After the rough night sail to the coast of Mexico we

docked in Cozumel.

Departing the ship we

made our way through the

dozens of locals all wanting

to sell us something that

was “almost free today!”

The previous evening

Debbie and Dean had men-

tioned that a good plan was

to take a cab to the down-

town section, strolling and

perusing the shops while

heading towards the duel-

ing parties at Magaritaville

and Carlos & Charlie’s. Ap-

parently, these two estab-

lishments put up a good

fight to win the title of best

party place in Cozumel, enticing the High Seas Ralliers

with prizes, t-shirts, drink specials and some nasty fun.

It was a good plan; but we had a better one. We hired

a decent sized Yamaha scooter – which we got to calling

Pepe ‘cause he wasn’t, and set off to explore the entire

island.

As we said, our first stop was the Mayan ruins

(see sidebar) and we spent a few hours there ex-

ploring what was left on the island of this once

great civilization. Cutting across the island we

had to deal with some stiff breezes and I wished

we had some real riding gear. But, the scooter

idea was not planned for and in true ‘biker’

fashion we dropped ATGATT and took what

they had – which was a cheesy half helmet bet-

ter suited for cheese dip than real head protec-

tion. If we would have known we

could have borrowed a couple of

helmets from our friends at

Nolan in the vendor area.

We cruised by the tequila mu-

seum and then onto the

Caribbean side of Cozumel. Here

things got really pretty. We found

a superb tiki bar called Mezcali-

tos, had a couple of cold coca-

colas and then set out riding the

rest of the coast. Over one small

rise we spied a great little cove

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 29

with the bluest waters. Not

one to miss an opportunity

we parked Pepe and spent

some time on the rocks,

sand and water. Life was

very good in Cozumel this

day.

We wanted to get back

to town to see what party

was more raucous,

Jimmy’s place of Carlos &

Charlie’s. After spending

some time in both we have

to say that things seemed

to be getting out of hand at

C & C’s and when the

bathing suit tops started

coming off we knew who

had won this battle.

It was interesting to see

how some folks crawled,

stumbled and were carried

back on board that after-

noon and the restaurant

seemed slightly subdued,

even if it were Pirate

Night on board. There

were some mighty fine

looking wenches and

hooligans, with not a one

made to walk the plank.

At the Giveaway this

evening the rally call was

‘Arrrrgh, Bingo’ as it was

Pirate Bingo at its best. With all hands in,

six winners split $15,570 plus vendor

prizes and a whopping $15,570 went to

the HOHS Dialysis Fund.

sailing Back

One can get used to the easy life on a

cruise ship but that next day we spent at

sea heading back to Port Canaveral and

early the next day we would depart the

Freedom of the Seas one last time.

Before calling it quits, the High Seas

Rally had some serious business left. That

evening saw the Final Ceremonies with Grand Prize

Giveaways including the stunning custom Harley won

by Wendy Ellis and the beautiful Lehman Trike. Nice

prizes to ride away from a rally like this. There were

also cabin giveaways, the Poker Walk winning hands

and the Dialysis Fund Auction, which had some awe-

some items. One of the top money-makers was an 8-

person autographed NASCAR banner donated by

Happy’s friend Geoff Bodine. There was some tough

bidding which brought in over $40,000 for the Dialysis

Fund. When all was totaled, $344,000 in cash and prizes

was awarded to High Seas Rally crewmembers and

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Page 30 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

$182,969 was raised for HOHS Dialysis Fund. This put the High Seas Rally

total raised over the $1 million mark in just 12 cruises.

soMe Final thoughts

Looking back on the entire cruise we found the High Seas Rally to be tons

of fun. It’s held at a perfect time of the year. Just when things are cooling

down and getting cold in the northeast, the High Seas Rally is heating up in

the little latitudes.

Although we’ll always prefer actually riding motorcycles someplace in-

teresting, this was a great, if different week for us, and we still got to explore

and experience a bounty of new things. The ports of call were well chosen

and with just a little effort you can easily turn a relaxing cruise into an excit-

ing adventure. It’s even more fun if you have a group of friends to come

along like our buddies from Second Generation MC did.

If your idea of a great ride involves Sturgis, Daytona or Laconia then you

will probably fit right in here as the High Seas Rally embodies the spirit of

them all.

All the people on the

ship, even the ones not

on the rally, were fun,

funny and very friendly

and we can easily say

an awesome time

seemed to be had by all.

Well, maybe not the

few who missed the

boat in Jamaica – but

that’s another story.

The High Seas Rally

will set sail again next

year from October 30 to

November 6th, once

again cruising the western Caribbean. If the Caribbean isn’t your thing, there

is also an Alaskan cruise June 18-25, 2011. You can find out more informa-

tion and pricing at www.highseasrally.com.

As they say “Thars a little pirate in every bikerrr!”

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 31

san gervasio - cozuMel’s Mayan history

Not one to miss anything along the lines of ancient Mayan Ruins

while riding around the island of Cozumel, off the Mexican

coast, during the High Seas Rally we pointed “Pepe the

Scooter” towards the ruins at San Gervasio. The cruise was fun,

but it was time for some real backroads adventure!

Ancient pre-columbian ruins always fit the bill.

The Maya archeological site of San Gervasio has an unusually long history,

beginning sometime around 100 BC and continuing as late as the 16th cen-

tury.

Located in the center of the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean, it

was still a functioning religious site at the time the Spaniards arrived in the

16th century. In the heart of the island, in a lush jungle populated with bril-

liantly colored iguanas and brilliant flowers and foliage, one can see why no

one ever wanted to abandon this beautiful place.

San Gervasio was a site dedicated to the Mayan goddess Ixchel, known

as “She of the Rainbows” the god of midwifery, fertility, medicine and weav-

ing. We liked the weaving part. Many women from the mainland Mayan set-

tlements made the pilgrimage here to Ixchel´s shrine at some point in their

lifetime. Think of it as Club Med or Hedonism for the Maya.

As one enters the site a graceful arch protects an altar on a sacbe (ancient

road) leading into the ceremonial center. Many statues to Ixchel were found

here and are still being discovered at the 40+ temples on the island. It is be-

lieved that a large ceramic image of Ixchel delivered oracles spoken by a

hidden priestess for pilgrims with questions.

Although the archaeological site at San Gervasio has not had a lot of

restoration, there are numerous structures and the beautiful natural setting

makes a visit there worthwhile. One of the most interesting buildings is the

Temple of the Hands. Inside, numerous small red handprints of unknown

significance are painted on the wall, leading more than one tourist to specu-

late that perhaps this was a day-care center for pilgrim moms!

The Mayan ruins at San Gervasio are a welcome retreat for those visiting

the busy island of Cozumel. Take time to enjoy the peaceful setting of this

fertile jungle shrine dedicated to the Maya goddess Ixchel.

Then swing around to the far side of the island, one of the most beautiful

beaches you’ll find anywhere.

“You motorcycle guys have got life figured out.” Talking with a corporate executive the other day, his short statement caught me by surprise. As someone who no longer rides a motorcycle,

he looked at me, shook his head, and hurried off to the next thing important people do. Leaving me lost for words, a situation that doesn’t

happen often, I also felt a tad awkward. Perhaps talking about riding the new Yamaha Super Tenere out in the amazing countryside around

Sedona, Arizona, wasn’t such a good idea? Especially when it has to rate as one of the single best motorcycle rides I have taken.

Arriving at the small airport outside of Prescott, Arizona, on a clear, cloudless day recently, I was greeted by a line of brand

new Yamaha Super Tenere motorcycles and an assortment of the American motorcycle press heading to the press brief. Join-

ing them for the presentation, which brought us up to speed on the technical aspects of this exciting new motorcycle

for Yamaha, we then ate lunch, changed into our riding gear and hit the road for Sedona. Rolling along in the early

afternoon sun, with warm air and wide horizons around me, I turned off the evaluation software in my brain and

just rode. With a full day to analyze the bike to come, I just settled in to enjoy the ride. It was short and sweet,

but it did involve a nice section of off road riding as the sun was sinking low toward the dusty horizon. Arriving

at our hotel I was excited for the day ahead of us.

Page 32 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

FIRST RIDE

2012 YAMAHA

SUPER TENERE

Words: Neale Bayly • images: Tom Riles and Brian J Nelson

The Tenere is a bike that has been around in Europe in one form or other for

nearly 30 years, starting life as a 600cc single in 1983. As a penniless bum in

those days riding an old XT500, it was a machine I lusted after for many years.

At that time most of my world travels were done with a back pack and my thumb

out, so I would often stand outside my local Yamaha dealer’s window at night

when home, dreaming of riding one around the world someday. The bike evolved

over the years and by 1989 had grown into the XTZ750, a twin cylinder machine

that would go on to win six Paris/Dakar races. By then I had graduated to old,

used bikes with old bags strapped on with bungee cords, and ridden from Florida

to Alaska as well as around Australia, but home in the UK in the summer of ’89,

it was like Déjà vu outside the same motorcycle shop.

Now, the bike that has been ridden and raced all over the world for more than

a decade has grown up and come to America as the Super Tenere. It has a much

bigger engine, displacing 1199cc, but the core of the machine remains the same,

a comfortable, practical, on/off road, adventure traveling machine that can take

you anywhere you want

in the world, on just

about any kind of road.

It was actually released

in Europe for 2010 and

won’t be available in America until May 2011 as a 2012 model, but judging by the excitement generated

in the media, its arrival here is long overdue. To purchase a new Super Tenere, Yamaha is taking $500

deposits until March. The sooner you get on the list, the earlier you will have your bike, and Yamaha

will only bring in limited numbers, so it could be a case of he who hesitates is lost here if you delay.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 33

Specializing in Ducati, BMW,MV Agusta, Triumph and Aprilia

Service • Repairs • Suspensionupgrades and engine performance

Give us a call or stop on by41 Ballard Rd • Middletown, NYwww.europeancycleservices.com

845-725-7707

Large dual-purpose motorcycle sales only make up about six percent of

all bikes sold in America. But over the last ten years this segment of the mar-

ket has grown rapidly, and it’s actually the area least affected by the current

economy. With so many motorcycles evolving into ever narrowing niches,

the Super Tenere appears to have a lot more to offer. As the type of motor-

cycle that can serve a wide variety of different functions, from long distance

touring to commuting, world traveling to weekend off road fun, the only

question is does it live up to the hype?

Waking up to a perfect morning in Sedona, we saddled up early and rode

up into the surrounding mountains. Pulling strongly and smoothly as we

climbed, the biggest first impression is from the all-new 1199cc twin, which

is so incredibly smooth. Featuring a unique 270 degree crank rotation, that

allows both the 98 mm pistons to fire very closely together, the characteristics

of the engine are more like a big single cylinder than a conventional twin,

although there is none of the accompanying vibration thanks to a two-axis

primary balancer. This sits in front of the engine and also drives the water

pump. The water-cooled engine is very compact thanks to a dry sump, which

allows the bike to use a narrow chassis, and the radiator is mounted sideways

to take advantage of this. It’s producing around 108 horsepower spread nicely

across the range, with plenty of low down pull and a good strong top end.

Lightweight magnesium cylinder heads house twin spark plugs, four-

valves per cylinder and double overhead camshafts. A downdraft fuel injec-

tion system uses two 46mm throttle bodies with 12-hole injectors controlled

by Yamaha’s YCC-T fly-by-wire system, which we first saw on the R6 sport

bike back in ‘06. It’s hard to find fault these days with modern fueling sys-

tems, and the Super Tenere’s is no different. Providing predictable power de-

livery in every situation from picking our way over rocks and gravel in first

gear, to running up to triple digit speeds on open sections of highway in sixth,

it’s without fault. There is also a two position power mode setting similar to

the system found on pure sport bikes these days, and this gives you the option

of the “T” mode for touring and “S” mode for optimum performance. As you

would expect, the “T” mode gives a more muted ride,

and will undoubtedly be useful in rainy or exceptionally

slippery conditions. It can also be adjusted between

these two modes on the fly if you need to, which is a

nice feature.

As we ride into an ever more sophisticated world, it’s

no surprise to learn the new Super Tenere comes with

traction control. There are three choices here, with a

button on the side of the gauges being depressed to turn

the system off, or the choice of position one or two if

you don’t disable it. In the least invasive setting, the rear

tire will spin briefly before an amber light flashes on

the dashboard, the traction control kicks in, and forward

progress returns. In “TC2” you can let the wheel spin

more to control the back end before it stops the spin-

ning. I was actually very surprised how much grip the

Page 34 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

Come see all the new Triumph models at the International Motorcycle Showat the Jacob Javits Center on Friday, Jan. 21 - Sunday, Jan. 23.

Spring will be here before you know it.Now is the time to come in and let us get you on that new ride you’ve been dreaming about.

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138 Orange Ave (Rt. 202)Suffern, NY 10901

845.357.1190 • www.locomotionpowersports.com

Did you know that we service all makes& models of motorcycles & ATVs? Nowis a good time to do upgrades & getyour bike serviced for the riding season.Contact our Service Manager, Adam,to schedule your appointment today.

Bridgestone Battle wing tires gave before the rear

tire would break loose, and for the dirt portions I

preferred to turn the system off. The tubeless tires

are a good street/dirt mix and come wrapped

around spoke wheels. The front tire is an 110/80R-

19 inch, the rear a 150/70R-17 inch, and the bike

will come with these Bridgestone Battle wings or

Metzeler Tourance EXPs.

About the only thing I wasn’t so positive about

was the anti lock brakes, not that they don’t work

well, but because officially there is no provision

to turn them off. Having this ABS activated full

time is not a problem during street riding, but in

the dirt I prefer to be able to lock the rear if

I want, especially on a heavier bike as the

Tenere. It works extremely effectively on

the road though, with minimum pulsing

when it activates, and no sense of the bike

freewheeling before it continues with the

braking process. This braking system itself

is very good, with a pair of mono block four

piston calipers working with 310mm float-

ing wave rotors. There is a single piston

caliper squeezing a 298mm disc in the rear,

and the Yamaha uses a linked system that

uses the front and rear together. This unified

system is highly sophisticated and uses a pump under the seat that is operated when you use the front brake.

Depending on how much weight you have on the bike, it will add the correct amount of rear brake pressure to

settle the chassis. I liked the feel at the lever both on the road and in the dirt, and the linked brake certainly

eliminates some of the fork dive under heavier braking on the street, a situation that can be a problem on a

softly sprung machine with long travel suspension.

The inverted 43mm fork is fully adjustable for spring pre load, as well as rebound and compression damping.

With a full 7.5 inches of travel, it is more off road focused, but this isn’t a problem as it makes for a more

compliant ride on the street. The rear shock has the same amount of travel and a hydraulic pre load adjuster

that doesn’t require tools. It has no provision for compression damping, but does allow you to adjust the re-

bound settings for more control. During our full test day, we rode through some fairly challenging dirt sections,

and the suspension soaked up most of the bigger bumps if we kept the speeds on the sensible side. For more

serious stuff or higher speeds, it’s going to be challenged as the bike tips the scales at 575 pounds with a full

6.1 gallons of fuel, and that’s a lot of weight to be throwing around in the dirt.

Rolling out onto a section of graded dirt road that ran through a peaceful, picturesque Coconino National

Forest, I stopped thinking about the technical aspects of the Super Tenere and started absorbing the moment.

With the majority of my group running a faster pace ahead, I found myself riding with Yamaha’s Kevin Foley

in a more relaxed fashion. With the big twin purring effortlessly beneath me, and shafts of golden light bursting

through the trees as we rode, it was the perfect application for the big Tenere. Floating over any bumps we en-

countered, I stood up and gripped the tank with my knees, let the bike go a little loose through the corners and

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 35

tried to keep the massive grin on my face inside my helmet. All the bigger,

lighter, faster rhetoric had evaporated into the clear, crisp air as we engaged

in the act of motorcycling. Exploring an exciting new landscape in the saddle

of a comfortable, competent machine with a good friend by my side, there

are few finer experiences to be savored on two wheels. We had ridden here

on a mixture of tarmac, rocks, gravel, and dirt, and the Super Tenere had han-

dled it all with aplomb. In fact, I felt like loading up my tent, sleeping bag,

a couple of weeks of gear, and not stopping, as the smell of pine trees per-

meated the air. Yamaha has created

a bike to get out and ride, and one

that is going to be equally at home

on fire trails or asphalt, whether it’s

for a day, a month or a year.

Back on the tarmac, I recognized

the landscape, having ridden here a

couple of times over the years, and

we engaged in a spirited ride on the

deserted highway. The adjustable

windshield deflects a good portion

of the high-speed breeze, and the

riding position is all day comfort-

able. The well-padded seat is ad-

justable, with the tallest position

putting you a full 34.3 inches from

terra firma. A low seat option is

available for $240 that takes this

down to 31.9 inches for those with

shorter legs. The saddle is fairly

narrow, so even on the highest set-

ting I found the bike easy to maneuver and confidence inspiring while stop-

ping and posing the bike for pictures on the rocky mountain roads.

The cockpit is clean and tidy, with an attractive, easy to read instrument

console. An analogue tachometer sits to the left of a digital speedometer with

all the warning and information lights to the far left of the console. The digital

display informs you which traction control setting the bike is in, as well as

which power mode. There is also a power outlet just below it for any electri-

cal gear you might want to plug in. Switchgear is elegantly simple, mirrors

work just fine, and there is a four-way adjustable brake lever.

Writing a review about the Tenere without making some comparisons to

the BMW GS1200 is difficult. Retailing at $13,900 compared to the $17,835

you would need to spend for a BMW with ABS, spoke wheels and traction

control, the Yamaha is certainly an attractive proposition. I don’t think it’s

as competent as the BMW when the going gets really rough off road, but in

every other department it holds its own. BMW has done an awesome job cre-

ating a lifestyle around their GS

models, and Yamaha doesn’t

have this on their side yet. But

with solid luggage, heated

grips, engine guards, skid plates

and headlight guards already

available, the Super Tenere al-

ready has all you need to em-

bark on your next round the

world adventure.

Rolling back through Se-

dona, after a long and varied

day in the saddle, I didn’t want

the ride to end for so many rea-

sons. The Super Tenere had

taken me back to why I became

a motorcyclist; the friends, the

camaraderie and thrill of expe-

riencing a new landscape from

the saddle. It had seduced me

into lusting for the open road

and instilled me with a desire to find places to explore where the tarmac ends

(working on a trip to Labrador as I type). It just works so well for such a

wide variety of applications and does so without the ego boast of being better,

lighter or faster than another brand. Sure people will want to compare it to

the BMW as I mentioned, but in my mind the Super Tenere is no competition

at all. It’s just a welcome addition to the segment of the motorcycle market

that’s got it right, and it definitely lives up to the hype.

Page 36 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTINGEvery Sunday • Eastern Suffolk ABATE Breakfast Run. Crossroads Diner - Calverton NY.10:30am. Eat and Ride After • 631-369-2221

First Sunday of the month • Layton Meet at the Layton Deli, corner of Dingmans/Be-vans Rd, CR 560, Layton, NJ. Meet around 8am – breakfast available. Join others for aride or head out on your own

Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do somebenchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish

Third Tuesday • 7:30pm ABATE of the Garden State, North Jersey chapter. Black RiverBarn, 1178 Rt. 10 West, Randolph, NJ. 7:30pm. New members and all mc brands wel-come. Help fight for rights as a motorcyclist in NJ! Alex Martinez 973-390-1918

JANUARY 201129 • 3rd Annual Chili Cook-Off at Morton’s BMW. Sample a variety of chilis and vote foryour favorite. Winner gets a prize, losers get to do the dishes. More info at 540-891-9844 • www.mortonsbmw.com • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA

FEBRUARY 201112 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson/BMW Health Awareness Day. You get your motor-cycle checked, why not your own health. Free health screenings. Blood Drive. Free choco-late motorcycle while supply lasts. For more details call 201-843-6930 or visitwww.bergenharleydavidson.com. 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ

19-20 • 93rd running of the Crotona Midnight Run. Longest continuously run motorcycleevent in the USA. Competitive road run with an average speed of 30mph. All qualifiedfinishers receive medallion with trophies for 1, 2, and 3 place in expert and novice class.$20/bike. Sign in: Sat, Feb. 19 10:30pm • Key Time: Midnight. Nathan/Kolh ParkingLot, Central Park Ave, Yonkers, NY • 201-286-9346 • www.ramapomc.org

MARCH 20114-13 • 70th Annual Daytona Bike Week. Find out about all the goings-on right herewww.officialbikeweek.com

APRIL 20119-10 • Rumble and Roar Motorcycle Show, Center of Progress Bldg, NYS Fairgrounds,Syracuse, NY. Sat. 11am-6pm • Sun. 11am-5pm. New, custom, vintage motorcycles,parts, accessories, leather, destinations, clubs, chili cook-off, beer samplings, music, fash-ion shows, product seminar and more. www.rumbleroar.com • 888-334-2856

16 • Spring Open House Morton’s BMW. Demo rides, door prizes, food, vendors, musicand much more at the biggest BMW Open House in the region, and it’s all FREE. Moreinfo at 540-891-9844 • www.mortonsbmw.com • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fred-ericksburg, VA

MAY 201113-15 • Join Morton’s BMW for their first-ever Spring Fling Rally held at the historic Nat-ural Bridge hotel in the scenic Shenandoah Valley in VA. Just off I-81 and the Blue Ridgeparkway, the rally will feature self-guided rides, both on and off-road, through the gor-geous countryside, a catered barbecue (or vegetarian) dinner Saturday night, door prizesand more. Vendors welcome. $45/pp registration. For more info, visit www.mortons-bmw.com/springfling_2011.html or call 540-891-9844.

19-22 • 13th Annual BACKROADS’ Spring Break. This year we’ll be heading to theFinger Lakes. We’ll spend three nights at the Inn on the Lake Resort while enjoying theleisurely riding, beautiful scenery, gorgeous gorges and comradery. Limited rooms, asalways, so book yours today. Special rates apply, so ask for the Backroads Group whenbooking • www.theinnonthelake.com • 800-228-2801

19-22 • Concours Owners Group Spring Fling Northeast Area Rally. Penn Wells Lodge,Wellsboro, PA. Nearby camping also available. Saturday buffet dinner included in rallyfee. Detauks abd fee information online www.cog-online.org • 978-394-2591

JUNE 201111-19 • 88th Annual Laconia Bike Week. Find out about all the goings-on right herewww.LaconiaMCWeek.com

JULY 201112-17 • Suzuki Owners Club of North America RallyFest 2011. Goshen, NY. Rally location:Comfort Inn and Suites, Hatfield Lane, Goshen, NY • Host Dealer: Jim Moroney’s Cycles,833 Union Ave, New Windsor, NY. For more info: suzukiownersclub.org

17-24 • Head off with Backroads’ publishers Brian & Shira for a tour of a lifetime as wejoin up with Edelweiss for their High Alpine Tour. Ride the roads you have dreamed of inthe past. For all the information you’ll need to book this great trip, please email Doris atEdelweiss Travel: doris.waldegger@edelweissbike.co m

AUGUST 20118-12 • Concours Owners Group National Rally. Green Mountains at Mount Snow, VT.Rally fee includes buffet dinner. Discount for COG members. For more information pleasevisit www.cog-online.org • 978-394-2591

SEPTEMBER 201126-Oct. 2 • Backroads Fall Fiesta Rally. We are still finalizing the details, but the gist willbe: We’ll start in Sturbridge, MA on Sept. 26 for a night at the Publick House Inn. From

here we’ll roll on up to Boothbay Harbor, Maine and spend a couple of days exploringthe coastal towns and roads of the Pine Tree State. Off we then go to our friends at theGray Ghost Inn for an evening and we’ll finish up our journey at Hunter Mountain andthe Colors in the Catskill Rally. If this sounds like a great plan, stay tuned and we’ll getyou booking information as soon as we can. Questions? 973-948-4176

2011 POLAR BEAR SCHEDULE1/23/11 • SIR JOHN'S, 230 Washington Place, North Brunswick Twp, NJ • 732-297-3803

1/30/11 • DADDY O REST, 4401 Long Beach Blvd, Brant Beach, NJ • 609-494-1300

2/6/11 • THE EXCHANGE, 160 E. Main St, Rockaway, NJ • 973-627-8488

2/13/11 • PIC-A-LILLI INN, 866 Route 206, Shamong, NJ • 609-268-2066

2/20/11 • LANDSLIDE SALOON, 1090 Route 173, Pattenburg, NJ • 908-735-6919

2/27/11 • HOOTERS, 25 Route 23 South, Wayne, NJ • 973-837-1876

3/6/11 • BAHRS LANDING, 2 Bay Ave, Highlands, NJ • 732-872-1245

3/13/11 • FIREHOUSE EATERY, 455 Saint Georges Ave, Rahway, NJ • 732-382-9500

3/20/11 • LONG VALLEY PUB & BREWERY, 1 Fairmount Rd, Long Valley, NJ • 908-876-1122

3/27/11 • THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-IN, 1 Route 15 South, Augusta, NJ • 973-300-2300

4/3/11 • BRIAN'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 600 S. Flowers Rd, Langhorne, PA • 215-752-9400

4/10/11 • FLYING CLOUD CAFE, 800 New Hampshire Ave, Atlantic City, NJ • 609-348-8222

4/17/11 • CAPE MAY VFW POST#386, 419 Congress St, Cape May, NJ • 609-884-7961

4/30/11 • POLAR BEAR DINNER, Knights of Columbus, Pine St, Old Bridge, NJ • 908-251-9817. You must have tickets to attend.

To check on Polar Bear Cancellations & Updates call 908-722-0128

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 37

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Get your form here: www.backroadsusa.com/events.html

The Darkness of Winter

Except for a few

surprise days and the

ever-stalwart all-sea-

son rider, most of us

have the bikes parked

for the next few

months and have to

find things to do to

keep ourselves in

two-wheel mode.

Many of you will

be getting this issue

at the New York Mo-

torcycle Show. That

is always a good mo-

torcycle fix; and something we look forward to each year. A few days sur-

rounded by the industry and all the new machines that are rolling out is just

what my doctor would order.

Hopefully over the next few months some opportunities will roll our way.

We’re never shy about hopping on a jet to fly somewhere warm, especially

if motorcycles are involved.

Back on the home

front – it’s simply a

good idea to keep

yourself in motorcy-

cle-mode during the

off-season, physically

and mentally.

While some might

forget about their ma-

chines till the first

warm days of spring,

we like to keep as

sharp as possible dur-

ing the winter down

time.

As I have written in the past, staying physically active is key to riding well.

And, this goes doubly in the winter months. Getting to the gym on a regular

basis, making and sticking to a fitness plan will help getting back on the bike

this March a far easier task.

Holiday calories do not count – never have.

Although my metabolism has slowed to the equal of

a Tree Sloth, I still hit the gym as much as possible, es-

pecially during the winter.

It covers a lot of things. A) it keeps me busy and in a

routine. B) I usually come out of winter in far better

shape that I go into it. C) it’s just fun to do – especially

if you have somebody to train with or at least to go to

the gym with. All this adds up to an easier slide back

into the saddle.

On the mental side of things – you need to stay active

as well. Plan motorcycle events during the off-season.

Meet with your riding buddies, even if it’s just for din-

ner. Hit the local and not-so local motorcycle shops.

Walking around a good shop early on a Saturday

morning will always be a pleasant event. And, while

there, spend some cash and help keep our motorcycle

economy going. You’ll be glad you did.

While at those shops see what they have to read.

Local regional publications like Backroads are the heart

and soul of the riding community. There are dozens of

well-written motorcycle safety and riding books on the

market these days. Whitehorse Press and Aerostich are

great sources for these.

Devouring a number of these during this winter can

only be a good thing for you – as well as columns like

this and far better ones like Ken Condon’s Proficient

Motorcycling in Motorcycle Consumer News and Eric

Trow’s monthly Stayin’ Safe column in RIDER.

The more information you take in and digest in the

off-season the bettered prepared you will be for when

the riding really starts.

Motorcycling has always been an endeavor that calls

for a balanced combination of physical and mental tal-

ent.

Just cause you are not actually riding at this time of

year doesn’t mean you can’t become a smarter, more

alert and better rider when the driveway needs shovel-

ing.

Make a promise to yourself that this winter you will

make a real effort to become a smarter rider, a healthier

rider and the best rider you can be.

Who says the darkness of winter cannot be filled with

enlightenment. You’ll thank me in the Spring!

Page 38 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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MEMBERMEMBER

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival

Okay, so you have just finished the most phenomenal motorcycle tour. You

and your friends have seen sights and experienced things that have you totally

enraptured. And now, being the sort of rider you are, you want to share it

with as many other riders as possible.

You would like to get your adventure printed in Backroads.

That’s great, as we are always looking for a great yarn, different destina-

tions and wonderful words to fill these pages.

But, there is more to it than just throwing some words together in an email

and sending a picture you shot with your phone; a lot more.

The first thing is having some sort of plan.

Is this story idea of yours a special destination? Maybe a Great All Amer-

ican Diner Run or the perfect little inn that would be excellent as a We’re

Outta Here? Well, we look for these places all the time and really enjoy when

a reader makes the jump to contributor. It both makes our life a bit easier and

allows for a bit more diversity in these pages.

Make notes on the places you are interested in writing about. Take plenty

of pictures, something that I’ll detail more seriously a little later, but I use

pictures as reminders to myself all the time – they’re like high-tech post-its

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 39

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music, GPS, radar detector, phone,bike-to-bike including CB and more.

Hey, I have a story to tell!

A Backroads Reader’s Guide to Actually Getting Printed

Here is an example of good and bad regarding resolution. On the left is an image printed at 72 dpi, while the one on the right isthe correctly sized 300 dpi. You can see the crispness and detail shown at the higher resolution while the low resolution is fuzzy.

Even in black and white you can see the difference.

for the moto-journalist. Going back over a few day’s worth of photographs

will always remind me of some of the little details that can get woven into a

story to add more flavor and flair to the piece. Historical references and a lit-

tle bit of fact checking can go a long way.

We’d all be surprised at how much history we ride by each day.

We cover a lot of ground and information here at Backroads each month

and to get a good idea of what we are looking for in each of our monthly

columns you can log onto our Writers Guidelines here:

www.backroadsusa.com/writersguideline.html

Pictures RuleNow onto the one thing that most would-be writers do not seem to be able

to grasp - what we need when it comes to photographs.

We rarely get slides or film these days. Most everyone on the planet, except

for Shira’s Mom, shoots digital.

We love digital.

Now here is the magic number, okay?

300 dpi, people…300 dpi!

You got that? 300dpi!

Those tiny files that you’re so proud of when you Facebook, blog, or post

to any website just won’t cut it in the real publishing world.

The devil is in the details and 300 dpi has much more detail than 72 could

ever dream of.

If your camera comes out with a 72 dpi shot, but it is a whopping 30 X 40

inches in size, that’ll work too, just DO NOT RESIZE IT – send it to us just

like that.

If your picture is 72 dpi and just 4 x 6 it is useless to us.

Set your high-end DSLR or point and shoot to photograph at the highest

setting.

Yes, you will take up more space on the SD card, but that really shouldn’t

be a problem. You used to have to change film, simply change cards if you

have to. We carry a lot of them while on the road.

We also download our cameras nightly and always have a back-up memory

stick just in case.

As far as cameras go we have some high-end Nikons and some new point

and shoot Nikons as well. Truthfully you will be surprised at how many ex-

cellent and print-worthy shots have been achieved with my Nikon Coolpix

S6000. At 14.2 megapixels it does a great job and I always have it in my

pocket, unlike the bigger Nikons that have to be taken from the tail case when

needed, it is always accessible for UFOs, Bigfoot or ‘52 Vincent Black Light-

nings.

Remember, if your story is not perfect - but pretty much there - and you

have great, high-res, pictures to go with it, it can be saved, edited and pub-

lished.

On the other hand even if you are Christopher Moore but your photographs

are lacking in quality or are too small – we have nothing.

Pictures are key.

What is that number? 300 dpi – right!

Another photographic point that we can’t stress enough is to practice with

your camera and photography. We don’t expect our regular readers to be top

professionals with perfectly artistic eyes – but we do expect a little effort to

be used when photographing and submitting photographs to Backroads.

Point and shoot is not a rule. Setting up your shots with the thought that

they might someday be published is an excellent way to shoot all the time.

A tree in the middle of a field means nothing. But, a motorcycle under a

tree in the field makes the photograph far more interesting.

Today’s newer cameras really can handle much of the once technical

voodoo for you, taking some of the brain workout of the equation.

Photographs must be able to tell part of the story all by themselves. If they

don’t something is not quite right.

Composition, use of light and other factors go into all the ingredients for

a superb picture and you want to use them all.

I really don’t want to go into Photo 101, but read up on photography, sit in

on motorcycle photo seminars at rallies when they have them and, most of

all, get out and shoot your ass off. It’s digital, so who cares; it’s not like your

burning Kodachrome anymore.

One thing that Shira and I do here frequently is to take two identical cam-

eras and walk around the property and forest that surrounds Backroads Cen-

tral.

We’ll choose maybe half a dozen objects or scenes and then each of us

will do his or her interpretation of that subject.

Later on we’ll compare and look to see what worked for some shot and

didn’t work for others.

Practice, practice, practice in both writing and photography. That magical

combination of a well-thought out story, historical references, great roads,

superb photography and passion will help get you into the pages of Back-

roads.

Brian Rathjen

Page 40 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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at the

Member

These days there are a glut of motorcycle “How To” books.

Many of them are on the hard-core side. Adventure Touring, Iron Butt, Track-Day and High Performance missives

that are aimed at specific readers/riders, usually those that have been involved in said segments of the sport for a

while; and are looking to improve their already acquired talents.

We think all these books offer great bits of knowledge and we know we devour them as much as possible.

There have also been a number of books on Touring; for the most part all good; but we just received a copy of

Fred Rau’s new offering “Motorcycle Touring Bible.”

Fred, as many of you know, has been a driving force in motorcycle journalism for years. First with Wing World

and then the creation of Motorcycle Consumer News; where you can still find his monthly musings. He now owns

and operates Fred Rau Adventure Tours.

With his new book, Motorcycle Touring Bible, he addresses the do’s and don’ts of motorcycle touring and, as

Rau says, this book is aimed at, ‘riders who have only been bitten by the touring bug lately.’

If you are a newbie to the incredibly large group of motorcycle touring

lovers then this book is a must read for you. But, even if you have thousands of touring miles behind you, you will

probably learn quite a bit too. The “Bible” may be written for the newbie, but there was plenty for us to learn as well.

Just a tad over 200 pages the Motorcycle Touring Bible is wonderfully put together with a great deal of clean pho-

tography and in its nine chapters it touches on many important topics such as motorcycle choice, prioritizing, common

pitfalls and mistakes, planning your tour, how and what to pack, accessories and gear, among other good to know

nuggets of touring knowledge. Fred’s chapter on choosing protective gear was incredibly well-written and had gobs

of useful and informative particulars. His years at the helm of Motorcycle Consumer News really come into play

here and there is plenty to learn on various materials, buzz-words and standards in this chapter alone.

Sprinkled among these chapters are what Rau simply calls – Parables – where he fills a few pages with some gems

from the road; all done in his easy-going and readable style.

The book is full of what we like to call Fredisms.

If you have ever sat in on one of Fred’s Breakfast Clubs at Americade then you know of what I speak.

There is also a great nod to Craig Vetter, for without whom the modern day touring machine would not be here.

Nice touch.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Motorcycle Touring Bible. It’s an easy read, it never got preachy, it was full of common

sense and useful knowledge and, if you are just spreading your motorcycle touring wings, it is well worth plunking

down some gas money for your own copy. It will pay for itself on your first big tour.

You can get it from www.WhitehorsePress.com or, for an autographed copy, www.fredrau.com for just $25.

Brian Rathjen

Wheel Sport Center Inc.* COME VISIT OUR NEW, BIGGER, BETTER LOCATION! *

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 41

BOOK REVIEW

MOTORCYCLE TOURING BIBLE BY FRED RAU

words and images: Ken Freund

For many folks on the East Coast,

Catalina Island is a mythical place where

Natalie Wood died shrouded in mystery, or

perhaps we’re reminded of the song “26

Miles (Santa Catalina)” by the Glen Larson

and Bruce Belland: “Twenty-six miles

across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waitin’ for

me, Santa Catalina, the island of romance,

romance, romance, romance. Water all

around it everywhere, tropical trees and the

salty air. But for me the thing that’s a-waitin’

there, romance, romance, romance…

Romance is still in Catalina’s air, but for

a long weekend last year the sleepy harbor town of Avalon was transformed

by the snarl of two-strokes and the roar of four-stroke thumpers and twins,

as the Catalina Grand Prix roared back into this palm-tree-lined village after

a “mere” 52 year “intermission.” Between 1951 and 1958 the Catalina Grand

Prix was one of the most pres-

tigious off-road races in Amer-

ica. Past Catalina GP winners

include Walt Fulton in 1951,

Nick Nicholson in 1952, John

McLaughlin in 1953, Jim

Johnson in 1954, Bud Ekins in

1955 (the famous fence jumper

in “The Great Escape” for

Steve McQueen), Chuck

“Feets” Minert in 1956 and

Bob Sangren in 1957 and

1958.

For more than five decades,

environmentalists and others

prevented any more races there—until De-

cember 3-5, 2010. The original 25-mile

course wound around much of the island,

while the new course covered more than five

miles of steep winding trails through the hills

in back of town. To get all the approvals nec-

essary it took a major effort by countless en-

thusiasts, officials, agencies, clubs, friends

and sponsors, including AMA’s District 37.

Few people thought the race would really

take place, but title-sponsor Red Bull, along

with Bel-Ray, Hinson Clutches, Kawasaki,

KTM, Motion Pro, Resource Marketing,

Troy Lee Designs and Yamaha made it pos-

sible.

What really made the 2010 Catalina GP one of the coolest motorcycle

events in at least a decade was the amalgamation of past and present. Two-

time winner Bob Sangren returned as Grand Marshall, and we saw Hall of

Famers like Ed Kretz Jr. there as history unfolded. Pre-race festivities started

on Friday, and Saturday kicked off with vintage machines and riders, includ-

ing a parade lap through

downtown along part of the

original race course.

Many of the contestants

lined up on the grid had also

been there back in the fifties

and returned to ride the island

course one more time. Homer

Knapp raced on Saturday

using the same 1929 Harley-

Davidson he competed on at

Catalina back in the fifties.

Long-time friends and mem-

Page 42 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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EVENT RECAP 2010 CATALINA GRAND PRIX

Dave Schuler on the course.

The quaint village of Avalon.

bers of the “Scramblers” Motorcycle club since

1954, Bill Rogers, Pat Hicks and Burr Dean, all

rode the Catalina race together back in 1957. In

2010 they raced together again; Bill brought his

1964 BSA B40, Burr rode a 1971 Triumph, while

Pat used his 1957 Velocette. Stories like this

abounded.

On Any Sunday producer Bruce Brown’s son

Dana Brown was there with The Motocross Files

producer Todd Huffman, working on a sequel to the

original movie. And Malcolm Smith, star of the

original On Any Sunday movie raced on Sunday, as

did his son Alexander. Among the women riders

was two-time defending U.S. Desert Racing

Women’s champion Joanna Kaczmarek, who raced

on Sunday. Other well-known riders included motocross and off-road cham-

pion Rick Johnson, L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck and Olympic skier Daron

Rahlves. The “Field of Dreams” impound area was chock full of amazing

vintage and modern machines. All together there were nearly 800 competitors

signed up, and it took 27 ocean shipping containers to carry all the bikes over

on a barge.

Sunday’s Pro Race with five grand in prize money brought out a slew of

big name riders, including Travis Pastrana, Troy Lee, Andy Bell, Kurt Caselli,

Ronnie Renner and Lou Franco. Kendall Norman, four-time Baja 1000 win-

ner and 2010 AMA Na-

tional Hare & Hound

champion, Colton Udall,

Timmy Wiegand, and

Baja legend Johnny

Campbell raced too.

Kendall Norman took the

checkered flag; followed

by Caselli and then

Colton Haaker.

Overall the Catalina Grand Prix was a huge success, and

everything seemingly went well. There have been no announcements yet,

but we hope there will be a repeat performance in 2011 and this will become

an annual event.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 43

A BRIGHTER GOLD WING

Electrical Connection has introduced a 10-watt LED auxiliary light kit for the Honda

GL1800. The plug and play kit features machined aluminum housings, a genuine

Honda switch, and laser cut stainless steel mounts. The LED lights draw less than

one amp total and feature a 6000k color rendering. Suggested retail price is

$229.95. Available through Electrical Connection dealers worldwide; visit www.elec-

tricalconnection.com to find yours.

LADY RIDER HEATED GLOVES FROM GERBING

While all of Gerbing's heated gloves and glove liners fit both men and women, here's one pair

that were made just for the ladies. Introducing the new Lady Rider Heated Gloves.

The Lady Rider Gloves are not only cut to fit a woman's hands, but sport a lace-up gauntlet styled

to complement the Ladies' Hybrid LT Jacket. Inside these soft leather gloves is Gerbing's patented Microwire Heat Technology, with

mil-spec wires so advanced and so ultra-thin you can't even feel them. And with Microwire down the length of each finger, around

the ends, and even down the length of the thumb, the Lady Rider Gloves bathe your hands in soothing warmth and comfort.

The New Lady Rider Gloves sell for $169.95 from Gerbing's, of course.

NEW HK1 HYDRAULIC WONDER WRENCH

Seriously. Hydraulic. Replaces twenty-three separate size wrenches with this one compact tool. The narrow profile

allows it to fit into the tightest of workspaces and a ten degree tapered head leaves plenty of

knuckle clearance too. Each end of the wrench features a hexagonal head with an adjustable

piston slider to provide a three sided, full surface contact fitting with the bolt. Even works to

extricate damaged, stripped and rounded-off bolts. Its hydrokinetic slider system is faster and

easier to adjust to the proper size. Turn the valve located in the center of the wrench a quarter

turn to release piston, adjust to bolt or nut diameter, and tighten for a firm, custom grip on every

fastener. Cold forged steel construction and nickel plating combined with superior versatility make this tool destined

to become a favorite. And think of all the extra room you’ll have in your toolkit for more duct tape and zip ties.

The Wonder Wrench comes with a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty, is priced at $24 and is available from Riderwearhouse • www.aerostich.com.

RIBZ FRONT PACKWhen this versatile front pack first came to us we couldn’t understand why they would send it to a motorcycle publication,

when it was so obviously created for hiking, hunting and sportsmen.

Then after playing with it a bit its many little zipped pockets became far more useable. This is a great pack to keep with you

during your travels, especially if adventure touring in a foreign land like Killamericanstan. It’s an excellent place to keep

your cash, credit cards and all-important papers safely stowed away under your riding jacket.

RIBZ Frontpack is less than 11 oz and has 600+ cu. Inches of storage space, if you just have to bring everything you own.

The shoulder straps are extra-wide, heavy-duty nylon and the two adjustable Velcro straps can be made to fit any body shape.

The RIBZ Frontpak costs $64.95 and can be found at www.ribzwear.com.

ECADDY DIAMOND IS A GEM FOR MOUNTING GPS, IPOD & IPHONE

The eCaddy Deluxe mounting kits for GPS, iPod and iPhone are immensely popular

with riders. Now, the Deluxe has a little brother: the eCaddy Diamond. Riders who

have seen the Ram Mount cradles for GPS, iPod and iPhone will immediately rec-

ognize the diamond-shaped 2-hole pattern on the eCaddy Diamond. It’s a perfect

fit!

Like its big brother, the eCaddy Diamond features a multi-faceted lug that offers

six different mounting angles, and all mounting kits contain the UltraSecurity feature so your electronics will never

bounce out.

The eCaddy Diamond will work with any Ram Mount cradle, including Garmin, Tom Tom and Magellan GPS, Apple

iPod (Classic, Nano, Touch) and Apple iPhone (all generations). All hardware is machined aluminum and made in the

USA. Kits are available in chrome or black anodized. For more details and pricing log onto www.leadermotorcycle.com.

ALTRIDER HEADLIGHT GUARD FOR THE BMW GSIf you have ever had your headlight taken out by a bouncing stone on your off-road travels then listen up!

AltRider’s latest addition to its product line includes a headlight guard for the BMW F 800 GS. This product

incorporates the best features of the AltRider headlight guard for the R 1200 GS: namely, tough styling, ¼

turn Dzus fasteners, and faces available in stainless steel or clear Lexan.The most useful feature is the Dzus

fasteners which allow the rider to quickly release the face with a quarter turn. Unlike other headlight guards

currently available, by just releasing the face, the headlight and the guard can easily be cleaned. The as-

sembly keeps all the hardware attached to the stainless steel arms. The headlight guard for the F 800 GS

comes with an AltRider Glare Guard that fits tightly between the windscreen and guard to prevent reflected

light from shining in the rider’s eyes. It’s made of high strength engineering polymer, and integrates into

the design of the headlight bezel. This piece can also be purchased separately and is commonly used to

prevent glare from aftermarket windshields. The installation on our R1200GS was easy and the instruction

brilliant in their simplicity and ease of use.

The AltRider Headlight Guard for the BMW F 800 GS is available for order at AltRider.com.

Prices range from $150 to $165 for the Headlight Guards and $40 for the Glare Guard.

P R O D U C T S P O T L I G H T S

Page 44 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 45

IT MAY BE COLD OUTSIDE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO EAT MOTO-INN MEMBERS

Hudson Valley’s

Number One Riding

Barbeque Restaurant

Located on Picturesque Route 9W

minutes from Perkins Drive

and Harriman State Park

just south of historic West Point

1076 Route 9W North

Fort Montgomery, NY

845-446-0912

www.barnstormerbbq.com

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If you go home hungryit’s your own fault

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The Only Outdoor LakesideDining on Swartswood Lakewith ComfortableWarm Indoor Dining

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Tuesday Thru Sunday11am - 9pm • closed Mondays

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1040 Cty Rd 521Swartswood, NJ973-300-0016

www.theboathouserestaurantonline.com

‘50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu

Room for the Whole Gang

Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300

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Two Wheels or Four, it’s always a great time at

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING

Ask about our Diners Club.Gift Cards available.

The Narrowsburg Inn & Grille

The Narrowsburg Inn & Grille, since 1840, is a warm welcome spot for riders, as a lunch stopor overnight. With an assortment of menus to please the taste and modernized historical roomsto stay in, along with great enterainment, you'll have an enjoyable time at the Inn!

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A Motorcycle IsThe Ultimate Toy,

Vermont IsThe Perfect Playground®

We put it together…

The Gray Ghost Inn

290 Route 100 • West Dover, VT800-745-3615 • www.grayghostinn.com

Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination LodgingLocated on Scenic Route 100 in Southern Vermont

Full breakfast cooked to order. BYOB bar, hot tub,outdoor firepit, pool and game room. Free Mapsand Suggested Rides. Group Special Packages.

5 restaurants/bars within walking distance.

There’s plenty of Winter Funat the Gray Ghost

Nearly 30 years ago Bill Dutcher brought the Americade Rally to life and for thousands of riders

early June would never be the same. I count myself as one of those thousands. Now, Bill’s son

Christian and the rest of the Americade crew are also offering two other riding events. Rolling

events. One in Vermont and, a few weeks later, one along the rocky seacoast of Maine.

We signed on for the latter.

Page 50 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

Rolling Through MaineA new kind of Americade EventBrian Rathjen

Getting thereSometimes things work out just

dandy time-wise and just the week

before leaving for the Rolling

Through Maine Rally Shira had

picked up her new BMW F650GS.

The bike was basically naked but it

would not be for long as a GS with-

out bags and GS farkles… well it just

ain’t right. This would soon be cor-

rected by our friend Eric Stephens

and the crew at Twisted Throttle.

Twisted Throttle has been building

and upgrading GS machines and the

like for years now and have quite the

impressive facility in Rhode Island.

Their showroom is a must see if you

are an adventure rider or wannabe.

With plan in hand we rode

up through the farmlands of

New Jersey into New York.

Crossing the Hudson, we

eventually hopped on the Mer-

ritt Parkway, with it lovely

bridges, and headed north and

east to the coast where it was a

short ride into Rhode Island.

Rhode Island may be our

smallest state, but the coast has

some big time beauty.

Arriving at Twisted Throttle

we took a tour of the large

building and dropped off

Shira’s bike in their capable

hands.

Eric was kind enough to let

us overnight at his family’s

beach house and waking to the

sun rising over the Atlantic was

about as good as it gets.

We doubled up on my GS and

rode over to Twisted Throttle to

help or stay out of the way -

whichever they preferred.

As my reputation had proceeded

me, they assured me Shira’s bike

was better off with Derrick and that

we should go exploring Rhode Is-

land – so that’s what we did.

In all the years I had been traveling these parts I had never had a chance

to visit the coastal city of Newport – Original home of the America’s Cup

back in 1930.

Before then it was known for its row of opulent mansions with names like

The Elms, The Marble House and Rosecliff. Commodore Cornelius Vander-

bilt’s famed Breakers is simply outstanding. Other famous names such as

Duke and Astor reads like a “Who’s Who” of American wealth and power.

The mansions far exceeded my expectations and got me to thinking…Per-

haps Backroads should relocate to Newport?

We parked by the Cliff Walk that runs along the high cliffs and offers some

great views of the stunning mansions. This is a must do, if even for just a

short stroll. The cliff, ocean and mansions make for quite the sight.

Off Thames Street we found a pierside restaurant for lunch and then

stopped by the Tennis Museum for a volley or two.

Well, okay we just looked around but their grass court and small stadium

were very sweet; and for all you tennis buffs out there this alone is worth the

ride to Newport.

We took a ride across the bridge to Jamestown and rode around their small

historic area. Both places make for an excellent destination and I know we’ll

be back.

By this time it was mid-afternoon and we rode back to Twisted Throttle

just as Kevin and Derrick were finishing photographing Shira’s new “Tough-

est F650GS in the World” machine.

Aluminum Trax Bags, Bash Plate, Bark Buster Storm Hand Guards, Denali

LED Lights and Headlight Shield.

Both Shira and her GS looked very neat. Onto Ushuaia!

We took Eric’s gracious

offer on a second night at the

Beach House on the Moon

(Sorry couldn’t help the Buf-

fett reference) and enjoyed an-

other night of good company

before getting an early start in

the morning, but not before a

couple cups of coffee on the

wooden deck overlooking the

small harbor.

In Shira’s never ending re-

search for Good Eats she

found a small eatery called “In the Middle of Nowhere Diner.”

With a name like this we had to seek it out and it truly had good eats, with

homemade sausage, chorizo and eggs and a superb lunch special menu. After

the Nowhere we were good for the rest of the day.

Our ride brought us back again through Newport and then north along the

coast.

A short time later I spied a sign

for the Green Animals; one of the

greatest topiaries in the United

States.

It was a wonderful garden, set

near the water with a magnificent

house and a garden full of all

sorts of animals and creatures -

elephants, dogs, horses and

camels - flowers of all kinds and

even a small bamboo maze.

Well worth the admission price

and the hour we spent strolling

around.

Shira’s route claimed to take us

around Boston. The syntax might

have been wrong when she told

me this – what she meant was

“AROUND BOSTON.”

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 51

Eric and Shira in front ofTwisted ThrottleHeadquarters.

The inner workingsof Twisted Throttle.

Cliff Walk in Newportoffers grand views

of both seaand structures.

Christian Dutcher trying to get allthe ducks in a row for the daily ride.

Some of the fine topiaries seen along the way - these were at the Duke Mansion in Rhode Island.

For you fans of Robert Parker’s

Spenser series we saw it all. First

up was Roxbury, where I spied

Ty-Bop looking jittery outside

Tony Marcus’ place and then we

rode past Police Headquarters

where Quirk and Belson were

getting into a squad car. At a light

a sleek Jaguar pulled up with a

formidable looking black man

with a shaved head behind the

wheel – he gave me a hard look

and then glancing at Shira, softly

smiled and tipped his head at my

wife. The light changed and I

went to go through the intersec-

tion and Shira stalled her bike. Passing the park I saw a big white guy out

for a run with his dog. The

whole of Boston was a canvas

for Dr. Parker and we highly

recommend any of his novels.

We ran up along the Charles

River across from Cambridge

and then out of the city to-

wards Rockport where we

would call it a night.

Rockport is an odd place full

of tiny shops and some great

restaurants. Years ago we did a

‘We’re Outta Here’ on a place at

Bearskin Neck, named for a bear that

perished in its tides hundreds of years

ago. We had written about the

Bearskin Motor Lodge, with its

primo location, so following our own

advice we returned for a second visit.

Jack the owner remembered the ar-

ticle and we even got the same room,

with its small deck overlooking the

waves and rocks.

That night’s sleep was easy, lulled

into Morpheus’s arms with the rhyth-

mic crashing of ocean on rock.

After some coffee and a croissant

we packed up the two GSs and

headed north, sticking to the coast

roads as best we could.

Entering New Hampshire the traffic eased considerably and the riding got

much better.

We stopped at a local Lobster Pound for additional sea food calories and

met a woman who had recently moved to New Hampshire, just a few days

before in fact, from New York state.

Seeing we were on BMWs she told us her friend once owned a BMW shop

in Chester, New York. Well, we know Cliff

as well and it seemed like a good omen to

both her and us that we chanced upon each

other for lunch.

Near Kennebunkport we hopped on the

main roads and then took a short detour, per

Doctor O’Life’s request that we check out

the Desert of Maine.

Now here was a Mysterious America, as a

once fertile farm of some 300 acres has now

been taken back by huge dunes of sand. In

Maine!

For the rest of the story check out O’Life’s

Mysterious America column.

From there it was a short ride to the town

of Bath, Maine and the Rolling Thru Maine

headquarters and host hotel at the Hampton

Inn on Commercial Street.

Page 52 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

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Said ducks to be put in a row.

Waiting out the drizzle.

St. George, the dragonslayer, depicted in

full metal glory.

Boothbay Harbor offered theperfect backdrop for our group photo.

Rolling Through MaineUnlike Americade the Rolling Thru Maine

Rally was limited to just 100 people, so the

group would be far more intimate and per-

sonal. We thought if we didn’t know anyone

attending we’d surely make some new

friends by rally’s end. Always a good thing.

Sign in was a bit like Americade, but far

smaller and more personal, especially after

running straight into Margie and Nora, who

we know from Lake George each year.

At arrival each guest got a folder with all

the schedules and routes for the two fabulous

days of exploring the coast roads of rocky

Maine. Also inside were meal tickets and

door prize tickets. With the package came a

dinner, two lunches (including an old fash-

ioned Lobster Bake), a boat cruise

and a farewell breakfast.

The hotel was right in downtown

Bath, so the free evenings would give

us a chance to explore what the little

town had to offer.

Long known as the “City of

Ships,” Bath, Maine has found its

soul and identity in shipbuilding.

From its architecture and cultural of-

ferings to its urban downtown, Bath’s

shipbuilding roots certainly defined

its character.

Located on the banks of the Ken-

nebec River, the town seemed to em-

body the spirit of Maine. Centuries

ago, the Abenaki gave the Kennebec

River its name, which means “long

level water.” In the 17th century, sailors

called Bath’s three-mile stretch of river

the “Long Reach,” as it provided deep

anchorage and good landing sites, and

allowed them to sail the stretch without

tacking.

The first evening offered a Welcom-

ing Party across the street at the Ken-

nebec Tavern, right on the river. We

showered and moseyed over to meet

some old friends or make new ones.

The Welcoming Party was just that

and later a few of us strolled to a local

Irish Pub for one or two libations, some

great acoustic music and then made it

an early night.

During sign up at the hotel check-in,

I was asked 6 or 6:45.

6 or 6:45 what?

Breakfast was the answer.

I am not used to being shoved into the day so early so grumpily. I answered

the latter.

Rising at 6:15 I saw the skies had opened up and our string of perfect days

had coming to a wet and rainy stop.

Still, the radar looked promising to the west and we thought we would just

wait it out rather than tear off into the storms.

After a short delay we were asked to choose Group A or B, one being the

more spirited of the two.

Now, we had 100 people attending and although many were two up, we

still had a lot of bikes to split up into just two groups.

For those of you who have read this publication for a while you know that

I am no fan of large riding groups. In fact we actively discourage them, es-

pecially at our own rallies but, when in Rome.

It didn’t matter what group we rode in we would make sure we were in

the back, with only the chase rider behind us. This day it would Mark Con-

nelly, from Adirondacks and Beyond Tours, whom we have ridden many

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 53

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THE MORE YOUKNOW THEBETTER IT GETS

Join Backroads at VIR on July 7 for a Day at CLASS.Spend the day with friends while improving your skills.

The lighthouse at Marshall Point(go ahead, you know you want to say it)

Fog-enshrouded Mount Batteyoverlooking Camden

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

miles with so it was like old times.

Our parade left the town of Bath

and, surprisingly to me, they all kept

a good steady and quick pace into the

wilderness of the Maine coast.

Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as

I thought.

Truth is we had a fine time and

never felt jammed into a parade at

all. Just out for a fun run with 30 or

so friends.

The terrain of Maine can be fickle.

For the most part this section of the

country is fairly flat, with estuaries

and small tidal rivers and bays sprin-

kled throughout the region. You

could ride for miles through the trees and then come around a turn and be

struck by a wide view of the ocean and rocky beach.

Our first stop of the day was at the Pemaquid Point

Lighthouse.

Maine has 60 lighthouses along its stony and dan-

gerous coast and every one of them has a story to be

told.

The beacon at Pemaquid has a good one.

This story began on August 15, 1635 when the ship

Angel Gabriel – out of Bristol, England - weighed an-

chor of what is now Pemaquid.

The passengers went ashore, their first steps on their

future home, and made camp for the night.

That evening a massive storm came in and crushed

the Angel Gabriel against the rocks, sinking the ship.

After exhaustive research we have found that Pe-

maquid, loosely translated from the local native

tongue, means ‘What the F#@K happened to the

boat!?”

The town sprung up from there and in 1826 President John Quincy Adams

commissioned a lighthouse to be built. The amount allocated? Just $4,000.

Today the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and its grounds are some of the pret-

tiest we have ever seen and Maine and the folks that tend it should be awfully

proud - a great place to visit. There are also a number of nearby inns, so stay-

ing a few days and using Pemaquid as a base is a great idea.

From there we headed further along the coast and through the town of

Camden and to a lunch stop at a classic Maine Seafood restaurant on the

water.

Returning back towards Camden we rode to the top of Mount Battey for a

serious view of the town, bay and ocean.

Stopping in town we strolled around the shops, made a few purchases that

would be shipped home, and then followed in the footsteps of Forrest Gump

and rode to the Lighthouse at Marshall Point, where Gump ended his cross

country run, which was 17 years ago. Yikes!

We spent some time taking in the museum and shop and the lighthouse it-

self, which is a bit different as you walk a tiny pier to get to it.

By this time it was getting late and with our hotel

locked into the GPS, we left the rest of the group and

made our way back to Bath and a free night on the town.

Saturday saw clearing skies and warmer temperatures

as the two groups left for the Booth Bay area of Maine.

Shira and I had some things that needed tending to so

we planned to catch up later that morning.

The route sheets provided from Rolling Through

Maine were simple and well done and in no time we

were rounding the bends and taking on the small hills

that make up this region. Booth Bay is made up of a

number of fingers, all with roads that circulate around

them. They offer a fun morning’s ride and incredible

Maine scenery.

At lunchtime we caught up with the rest of the group

and rode to the town of Booth Bay Harbor, did some

window shopping and explored the town before sitting

down for a light lunch.

Page 54 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

Brian surveys the site for thisyear’s Fall Fiesta at Boothbay.

The lobters weregood eats on this day in Maine.

No need to eat heavy as there

was something special coming

later that afternoon.

For Shira and I Booth Bay and

its environs really captured the

essence of Maine and along our

ride we found a good-sized inn

that would make a perfect Back-

roads Rally site. In fact, check

out the ad on the next page and

we’ll see you in the Fall.

After lunch Shira and I got the

jump on the rest of the crowd as

we needed to be in Portland to

take a short ferry ride to Peaks Island.

To be truthful, many of the attendees were a bit grumpy on the 35-mile I-295

ride to the city, especially when there were boats for hire in Booth Bay. Most of

the noise quieted down when we were served lobsters, clams, corn and potatoes,

an old-fashioned New England Lobster Bake. The big bugs were extra tasty these

days and the corn almost as good as New Jersey’s.

After the early dinner we strolled to the little bit of town that Peaks Island can

offer and then ferried back to Portland where we scooted the 35 miles back up

the interstate to Bath and home.

Sunday everybody began to head out. To some home was as far away as

Florida. Like Americade the Rolling events are gathering a serious following.

Each and every one of the riders we met here were the sort of folks you instantly

become friendly with – but, isn’t that how Americade is?

If you love the organized rides at the World’s Largest Touring rally each June

then you will enjoy Americade’s sister Rolling Rallies.

Right now they are doing Vermont and Maine – who knows where Christian

and company will bring you next season?

Log onto www.rollingthruamerica.com for more information.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2011 Page 55

Snow flying and bike parked?

Come enjoy some Winter Fun:

Ski • Board • Snowmobile

800.388.8310 • www.kitzhofinn.com

Group Packages includeaccommodation

full cooked breakfasts and evening meals.

Fire Pit • Bar/Restaurant

in walking distance

332 Rte. 100West Dover, VT

Motorcycle-Friendly Inn on Scenic Route 100 in Vermont

Page 56 FEBRUARY 2011 • BACKROADS

Mon., Sept. 26 thru Sun., Oct. 22011 Fall FiestaA Full Week of Riding Fun

The Publick HouseSturbridge, MARooms: $89/night

Ask for Backroads when booking

We’ll spend our first night at the

Publick House’s Country Motor Lodge

nestled in an apple orchard

near the main inn. Enjoy a great ride

into New England on the way to our

more northern stop…

Ocean Point InnEast Boothbay, ME

Rooms: starting at $89/nightMention Backroads for a 10% discount

Perched at the tip

of a scenic, rock-

bound peninsula

in East Boothbay,

we’ll spend two

days exploring

the ‘Fingers’ of

Maine’s coast

with its historic

lighthouses, quaint villages and

all the lobsta rolls you can eat.

What would a Backroads’ Rallybe without a stop at…

The Gray Ghost InnWest Dover, VT

Single $59 • Double $98/night

It’s back to our old friendsCarina and Magnus and theirnever-ending hospitality. It may

only be one evening, but we’ll enjoya great meal, roasting marshmallowsaround the campfire and tall tales

on the front porch.

We could end it here, but we’ll head

south to Hunter Mountain and…

Colors in the CatskillsThe Hunter Inn

Rooms: starting at $110/nightMention Backroads for a discount

This will be the 4th year that

Colors in the Catskills will be held at

Hunter Mountain, in conjunction with

Octoberfest. Hunter Inn is within

walking distance, so we’ll enjoy a

great day’s ride then park the bikes

and join the festivities.

Monday, Sept. 26 Tues-Wed, Sept. 27-28 Thurs, Sept. 29 Fri-Sun, Sept. 30-Oct. 2

Join us for all or part, but do join us.It’s shaping up to be one of our best Rallies yet.

Join Backroads for our 13th Annual Spring Break Rally. This time around we’ll be riding to Canandaigua,New York - atop the stunning Finger Lakes of the Empire State. Our base camp will be the beautiful Inn onthe Lake • www.theinnonthelake.com. The Inn on the Lake itself has everything we would need and wepromise you a great time. Here you’ll find the riding easy and nature is splendid as the entire Finger Lakesare simply gorge-ous! Robert Treman, Taughannock, Watkins Glen and Letchworth Parks are all within aneasy day’s ride and not to forget the dozens of wineries and restaurants that sprinkle the region.Make your reservations now as rooms are VERY limited and they will go fast. You must call 800-228-2801and ask for the Backroads Motorcycle Tourmagazine Rally for special rates and room options.

Cut-off is April 1, 2011 and we ain’t fooling!

Spring Break 2011 • May 19 - 22, 2011

There are other lodging options in the area if the Inn is booked. Please check:www.canandaiguachamber.com

For those interested, we will behaving dinner at the New YorkWine & Culinary Center onThursday, May 19 at 7:30pm. Ifyou’d like to join us, pleasemake your own reservations.There are no pre-reserved tablesand no listing for Backroads -just an informal thing.

585-394-7070www.nywcc.com

http://www.jmcorp.com

http://www.nolan-usa.com