Riding Season on Hold

I spend at least a few minutes each day browsing a couple of motorcycle forums. One, advrider.com, is an excellent source of information and inspiration for all things concerning my BMW R 1250 GSA. The other is hdforums.com and feeds my appetite for information about Harley Davidson motorcycles. The former is geared toward all motorcycle riders interested in adventure style riding while the latter focuses exclusively on Harley Davidson bikes.

There is one type of thread that shows up with some regularity on both forums in some fashion or another. It has to do with which of us are "real motorcyclists". I generally avoid these threads, but sometimes they pop up in unexpected places and I find myself reading down the rabbit hole. The arguments range from type of motorcycle, how it's equipped, the type and amount of riding gear worn by the rider, the number of miles ridden each year and wrenching skills. It all makes for some righteous internet outrage.

This was on the day Wisconsin went into Safer at Home.

But the one thing that defines all motorcyclists is our desire to ride. Maybe it's around the block or it's around the world, but we all own motorcycles in order to ride them. In the northern hemisphere some of us parked our bikes when the neighborhood was alight with jack-o-lanterns. We have spent the last several months planning the routes to new or old destinations. The bike magazines have been filled with articles about rallies and events scheduled for the 2020 riding season. Some of us attended motorcycle shows over the winter, perusing the latest bikes and bike gear. As the calendar turned to March, the beginning of the season for north country riders, the anticipation built.

Back in December the news out of China was troubling, but China is far away. The months of January and February did not bring about any real concern. I attended the International Motorcycle Show in Chicago on 8 February and the Automobile Show in Milwaukee on 27 February. I purchased a ticket for the Milwaukee Brewers opener to be played on 26 March. But by early March I began to sense that things had changed. If the Brewers did play their opener on schedule, it looked like it would be to an empty stadium. I took the BMW out for its first ride on 7 March, but there were ominous clouds on the horizon.

The new Acura NSX in Milwaukee.

The world changed on the evening of 11 March. A National Basketball Association player had tested positive for the coronavirus and the league shut down play indefinitely. All college and pro sports soon followed suit and we have been on a path toward isolation since. As I write this. my state, Wisconsin, is under a Safer at Home order until at 24 April. This means all non-essential businesses are shut down and citizens are expected to stay home unless they have a good reason to be out.

The result is the riding season is on hold. All of the planning may in fact be for naught, as we are in the grip of a pandemic the likes of which we have not seen in over a hundred years.
Whatever your attitude toward other bikers, we are all faced with the same reality. Bikers want to ride, and it may not happen in 2020. A popular refrain in the media is, "We are all in this together" and that applies to all of us as motorcyclists, no matter how we or others define the term. There will be stories of compassion, heroism and sadness throughout the next several months, or however long it takes to find a  vaccine for COVID 19. As motorcyclists, let's use this as an opportunity to realize that there is more that brings us together than keeps us apart.

Stay safe, wash your hands and keep those riding plans handy!

House and Furnishings for Sale

AMA Motocross racing is on tonight but the weather does not look much warmer in Arlington, TX, than it is in Wisconsin tonight. It is still not near to riding weather up here, though. We got about a foot of snow over the past couple of weeks, so it will be a while before it is gone.

My wife and I have owned a duplex for the past forty plus years and we are getting ready to sell it this spring. That has kept me busy since the beginning of 2020. I have had all of my motorcycles and gear on one side, along with enough furniture to keep it comfortable. I am selling or giving away the furniture using Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. It has been a lesson in the old saying "one man's junk is another man's treasure". The other side has had the same renter for twenty or so years, and now that she is out there is a lot of redecorating to be done. I have made a lot of trips to the local Home Depot for cans of white eggshell paint. We are going to try and sell it without using a real estate agent, so it will be a learning experience.

Duplex for sale!

Having all of this to keep me busy this winter has been good. As spring nears, however, I am feeling more of a sense of urgency to get things done. The riding season is short and I want to be able to take advantage of the warm spring days that will eventually reach us. I will have to make room in my garage now for both of my bikes, too. I had them both at my house for a couple of years, so I know I can fit them in there. It is pretty tight, though.

In my free time I have been shopping for a few new motorcycle items. The new Klim Badlands jacket still looks pretty nice, but I am also thinking about the Aerostich Darien. I will be going through Duluth on my Canadian fishing trip in May, so that will be a good opportunity to stop at their factory store. A few new bits for my Harley Davidson Lowrider S are looking good also. I am planning on getting the black flush mount gas cap and gas gauge along with some black trim pieces.

This bike needs a little more black on it.

A trip to my BMW dealer this weekend revealed that they are undergoing another remodeling project. They have just added Royal Enfield to their stable of brands and are making a space for the bikes. They knocked down a wall or two also so customers don't have search around for the Ducatis and Beemers. The variety and brands of motorcycling gear and clothing is being evaluated and changes will be made. It will be interesting to see how it all comes out.

Chicago Motorcycle Show

The snow is falling at a rapid pace as I watch the AMA Supercross race from sunny San Diego. Motorcyclists in the Great White North have to find their two wheel fixes where they can this time of year and the supercross season coincides with the snowiest months of our year. Even better, yesterday I got an up close and personal look at former champion Eli Tomac's motorcycle.

Eli Tomac's championship winning Kawasaki

Televised racing is a nice diversion, but there is nothing like the opportunity to experience motorcycles old and new in person. That is exactly what the Progressive Insurance International Motorcycle shows provide. I attended this year's edition at the Donald A. Stephens Center in Rosemont, IL, yesterday. The show comes around at a perfect time for me and I haven't missed a show in quite a few years.

There were some beautiful custom bikes on display.

The last few years a few of the manufacturers have passed up the opportunity to participate. This year saw a drastic drop in the number of not only manufacturers, but aftermarket vendors. Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph were all no show. Some of the notable vendor absentees were Twisted Throttle, Mosko, and Cobra. There were no aftermarket lighting or exhaust system vendors in Chicago. Some of the manufacturers and possibly some of the vendors showed up in New York and Long Beach.

I got to meet AMA flat track champion Jared Mees!

The absence of vendors and bike builders left a lot of open space. The IMS filled it with open areas for kids to learn to ride bicycles and the opportunity for adults to ride electric motorcycles around the expo area. There was a large area that was formerly used for exhibits that was closed off. All of this makes me wonder about the future of the show, not to mention motorcycling itself.

The Harley Livewire is a smooth runner.

But there was still a lot to see and appreciate. Harley Davidson offered the opportunity to sit on their new Livewire and rev it up. It felt very smooth as the revs came up, but it was not easy to hold the bike at a steady speed. It produced a loud whining sound, but the technician explained that some of that was from the rollers under the back tire. Harley also had examples of the new Pan America and the Bronx. They were not available to sit on, however. These bikes face some stiff competition in the biking fields they are entering. In my view BMW, KTM, Ducati and the Japanese Big Four have a big lead in the adventure and streetfighter motorcycle styles that these bikes are modeling.

Harley Davidson Pan America

Harley Davidson Bronx

T



he vintage bike area was a little smaller, but still provided some interesting conversation pieces. There was the usual contingent of British bikes from the are, but there was also a shiny Honda CB 160. I was admiring it while being reminded of my 1966 Honda 160 Scrambler when one of the vintage guys walked up. He recently bought a 1967 160 Scrambler and we had a wonderful talk about the bike. There is a Honda 160 race series now and the bikes are harder to find and more expensive than they used to be. I have neither the garage space nor the skills necessary to make me a buyer of an old motorcycle, but it is so much fun to reminisce with someone about a favorite old motorcycle.

Honda CB 160

I checked out a few of the riding jackets and the helmets. A Shoei RF 1200 is almost certainly in my future. There are some great graphics and the helmet will be perfect for riding my Harley Lowrider S. The one I tried on felt like a perfect fit. The Klim Badlands Pro riding jacket felt great and Revzilla had a 20% discount, but I just could not spend that much. I am still thinking about it though.

At 1600 we all got back on the bus and headed back home. The motorcycle shop sponsoring the bus stopped and picked up pizza and soft drinks for the three hour ride, so it was a perfect end to a mid-winter motorcycle experience.

Harley Davidson is Looking Ahead

Harley Davidson is trying to bring some new riders into the fold. The hype surrounding the new LiveWire electric motorcycle has been in high gear for several years, and dealers expect to have the bikes in their hands this fall. One dealer in Milwaukee reported to The Business Journals that he has deposits on all ten bikes in his allotment.

The rollout hit a bit of bump in the highway this month when Harley halted production. There was a glitch in the home charging mechanism. It turned out that it was in only one bike, though, so production is back underway.

Ease of operation is one reason that Harley thinks this bike will be an opportunity to draw in new riders. Riders do not have to master clutch or shift pedal operation, something that will appeal to those who do not enjoy that part of the two wheel experience. It is difficult to find a new car with a standard transmission now and part of the reason for that is not many people are interested in learning to drive with a clutch. This attitude will be an advantage when sales people are pitching the LiveWire to potential buyers.

In 2016 Harley introduced the Dyna Lowrider S. This was Lowrider with the Screaming Eagle 110 engine, dual disc brakes up front, cruise control, ABS, and an upgraded suspension. These were all upgrades from the standard Lowrider and it came with a modest cost increase. The bike was popular with buyers and well-received by the motorcycle press. It was only in production for two years and the next year the Dyna platform was discontinued.

For 2020 Harley has issued a Lowrider S based on the new Softail frame. It carries over many of the styling features of the original Lowrider S, but there are some inexplicable deficiencies. The most glaring is the lack of cruise control. This is a major step backwards and I cannot understand the though process behind this. One styling change that I do not like is putting silver clutch and brake levers on the bike. It is a blacked out bike, so this seems like a blatant move to encourage the buyer to switch out the levers. The reviews of this bike are favorable, but the writers continue to praise the 2016-2017 model.

My 2016 Lowrider S at UW-Green Bay Phoenix sculpture.

It will be interesting to watch Harley Davidson over the winter. They have two other bikes that they have teased over the past couple of years. One is an adventure style bike and the other is in the streetfighter type. The new LRS was announced without much fanfare, so these two could appear at any time.

It is a difficult time for motorcycle manufacturers and I applaud Harley for making an effort to keep there base of riders while attempting to draw in new and younger ones.

Four Rustic Roads in Southwest Wisconsin

My quest to ride all of Wisconsin's Rustic Roads continues this year. Even though the summer passed without a Rustic Road trip, it turns out it is not too late. Today I got out and rode four of the remaining six roads that I have not ridden in southwest Wisconsin.

I probably would have taken this ride last month, but with my new bike on the way I wanted to wait and take it on this ride. I picked up the bike on Tuesday, 24 September, and took it on a few short rides to figure out some of the new technology on this 2020 BMW R1250 GSA. This is my first bike with the BMW navigation device, the Nav VI, and so far it is worth the expense.

The weather was not what I would have wanted, but at least I was able to ride. It has been a record breaking year for rain in Wisconsin, so just being able to ride in dry weather is a plus. When I left Green Bay at about 1000 it was not raining, but there was mist off and on all the way to Necedah. A bigger issue was the temperature and the wind. The skies did not completely clear all day and the thermometer never rose above the fifties. A west wind made a compass unnecessary as it was always apparent in which direction I was riding.

My route took me south and west onto Highway 21. After a gas and snack stop at the Kwik Trip in Necedah, I rode south toward LaValle on Highway 58. I was not too confident in the Nav VI yet and was happy that I had the route memorized. Rustic Road 112 is an easy ride through pastures and farmland a bit south and west of LaValle. The end of the road led me back into LaValle and set me up for the ride to my next Rustic Road of the day.

My first Rustic Road with my new bike

It was getting near lunchtime already, due to the fact that the rain kept me in Green Bay until mid-morning. I did not find any interesting places to eat in Reedsburg, so a Kwik Trip chicken salad sandwich and a muffin served as lunch. I was glad that I brought along my military issue thermos filled with coffee to wash it all down.

Highways 23 and 154 led me to Rustic Road 21 south of North Freedom. There are a few branches off of it, so it is not point to point like most roads. This road provided me the opportunity to experience riding on gravel with my new bike. It is much more capable than I am and we both came out unscathed.

The next road, near Stitzer, was about 60 miles away via Highway 60 and 18 and I was not completely confident in my new navigation device. So I compared it with the map app on my phone before I headed south and west. I was happy with the route chosen by the Nav VI and my confidence in it grew.

Rustic Road 70 began south of Stitzer. It turned out to be the most challenging as far as road conditions. There was some new gravel in places and it was quite narrow and hilly. Combine that with the setting sun and people returning from work or school and it was a memorable ride.

Fortunately, my last target was not far off. My new NAV VI took me right into Rewey and on to Rustic Road 75. This one was all pavement as it wound through some pleasant countryside. There are a lot of small herds of beef cattle and dairy cows in this part of the state.

The north end did not have number sign

Once I completed the ride I punched in my hotel address and the NAV VI soon had me in a nice warm room. It was a long day today, but I am near finishing up the southwest region. Two more to go tomorrow and next year it is on to the multitude of Rustic Roads in the great northwest.

History Museum at the Castle Guitar Exhibit

There is an exhibit titled "Play it Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll" at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. It features some of the iconic guitars that helped musicians such as Eric Clapton and Eddie Van Halen create their own unique sounds. A trip to the Big Apple is not on my agenda, so I was excited to learn that the History Museum at the Castle in Appleton, Wisconsin was hosting a guitar exhibit this summer.

"Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World" is on display from June 2019 through January 2020. This traveling exhibit has something for anyone, of any age, who has an interest in guitars. It features a floor length electric guitar and a multitude of Fender Stratocasters hanging from the ceiling. There are displays explaining the science behind the sounds created by acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and amplifiers.

The best part of the exhibit, however, is the collection of guitars that the exhibit brings together.

Fender Stratocaster

My favorite guitar, and the only electric I own, is the Fender Stratocaster. They had a vintage model in blue with a rosewood fretboard that is an excellent example of a Strat. Players who are associated with the Stratocaster are Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton and the incomparable Jimi Hendrix.

Gibson guitars were also well represented with a Les Paul SG and an ES 355 that B.B. King made famous. He named his guitars Lucille after he had run back into a burning bar to retrieve his guitar when a fire broke out during a gig. The fire had begun over a dispute involving a woman named Lucille and he wanted to remember never to run into a burning building because of a guitar. Gibson began to produce guitars with "Lucille" embossed on the headstock.

Lucille

The curators chose a Martin D 28 as an example of an acoustic guitar that influenced the rock and roll world. Rock musicians as diverse as Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page and Neil Young all played Martin acoustics on some of their most well known songs. The leather bound example on display indicates that it was also a favorite of country and western guitar slingers.

Martin D 28

If you have an interest in guitars, rock and roll or otherwise, I recommend a visit to the History Museum at the Castle.

Sometimes Things Change

My last post was over two months ago and described my plans to abandon the idea of doing more long distance touring on a motorcycle. I was planning to sell my touring bike and buy a sports car, a Ford Mustang in particular.

In the weeks after that post, I did attempt to sell the big BMW R1200 GSA and spent a lot of time surfing the Internet in search of the car I wanted. The bike was not generating any interest at my asking price and I lowered it steadily. The car was still appealing, but was becoming less so. I was beginning to think that maybe getting out on the road again would be a good idea after all.

By late July I began like I was not ready to give up the admitted excitement of riding across the country and that a Ford Mustang could wait. I'm only 67, and that seemed a little young be buying a sports car. In early August I stopped at my local BMW dealer and worked out a trade for my 2011 R1200 GSA. There were not any 2019 models left, so I have a 2020 on order. It should be here some time this month. It will be identical to the 2019 model my dealer acquired as a demo. He invited me to take it out for a ride last week and it is a wonderful machine.

The BMW R1200 GSA Exclusive in Kalameta Metallic Matte

In the meantime I am searching for a new riding jacket and gloves. The BMW National Rally is in Great Falls, Montana next June and I already have my reservations at the local Hampton Inn.

I am happy with my change of mind and am looking forward to the arrival of my new German beast. It should be on its way from Berlin soon.